HADRON Dark Matter

by Stephen Arseneault

  Chapter 22

  _______________________

  Repeated trips to Ronceverte and Caldwell had both towns agreeing to a cooperative security pact with the Organ Cave valley. The sheriff at Union was less than willing to combine and coordinate efforts. A trip was arranged with Mace and Johnny making the short trek. They met in the sheriff's office.

  Johnny said, “All we're asking is you don't let anyone suspicious through to our side. Sheriff Dillings and Chief Capp have already agreed. Travel on 219 will be restricted to the locals. That means a secure area for your people as well.”

  The Union sheriff, Dak Lumber, wasn't interested. “The last I checked this was still a free country. I can prevent outsiders from staying in my town, but I have no jurisdiction to keep them from passing through.”

  Mace shook his head. “Actually you do, Sheriff. Our government is incapacitated at the moment. That leaves the security of your town and its surroundings up to you. We aren't asking for you to turn away all traffic, just that which doesn't belong here. If someone is passing through, they can just as easily go around. The other main roads are open.”

  The sheriff scowled. “And what happens when the next set of towns and the next block off all traffic? What happens when you can't go around?”

  Johnny said, “That's when you have full security. Your kids can go out to play. Your businesses can reopen. Heck, you could even reopen your schools. You could coordinate all up and down this valley to make sure your food supply stays adequate.

  The sheriff huffed. “Peh!”

  “If you just close off your town, you'll find yourself short on food and other materials. Look, you make a deal with Sweet Springs and you only have to worry about the road coming north. You make a deal with the authorities down in Peterstown and you can have this whole valley secure. We're talking about protecting us all, Sheriff.”

  The meeting ended with the sheriff asking the two to kindly leave.

  Johnny talked as he drove. “What a stubborn mule. We've been two solid weeks without power and communications. What does he not understand about it not coming back on?”

  “He's got a dozen generators running in his town. As far as he's concerned, power is back on.”

  “People like that are just frustrating. You wonder how they managed to get put in those positions.”

  “I think that's been a problem since the dawn of man. We often disagree. Half the time our only reason to disagree is because we can.”

  Mace held up his hand as they approached the bridge at Second Creek. “Hold up. Maybe we just talk to the neighbors here and block the bridge. Travelers could always cut back over at Pickaway.”

  Johnny got out at the bridge and looked down in the creek. “That could work. We'd need somebody here around the clock. Maybe even draw from the locals here.”

  Mace took a deep breath. “I hate to say Jasper was right, but local coordination looks like the way to go. At least at this stage anyway.”

  As they returned to the cave, Don was landing in the helicopter. “Airport at Roanoke is a goner. Completely overrun by hoodlums. And there must be two dozen fires burning in that city. I flew over the guard armory at Bedford. They're still sitting tight. More vehicles have arrived, but they aren't putting them to use. Although, they do have 460 blocked in both directions. They're turning cars back. I don't think power is coming back on anytime soon.”

  Johnny said, “We've almost got this valley buttoned up. Tres is out with Vanessa getting statuses from the different co-ops on food. We have eight groups policing themselves, guarding their own roads.”

  Mace gestured toward the helicopter as Tonya and Cam walked around it. “Those two seem to be getting along well.”

  Don replied, “I've tried to encourage them to get with the other teenagers in our co-op here. We have four others, but they seem content staying to themselves.”

  Johnny asked, “She do OK in the helicopter?”

  “She was a little uneasy at first. Doesn't seem to have an issue with motion sickness.”

  Mace said, “There's an airport in Blacksburg. Have you scouted it out?”

  “Not in the past week. You up for a ride over there?”

  “Johnny and Jane can hold down the fort here. We have a trade for a couple cows coming up tomorrow. Other than that, things are quiet right now.”

  Mace turned around to face Jasper. “You ever been up in a helicopter?”

  “Can't say I ever have. Or ever wanted to.”

  Mace laughed. “Well, come keep us company. You won't even have to get out of your seat.”

  “I can handle that.”

  Forty minutes later they were circling the airport.

  Don said, “I don't like the looks of that. See those burned out hulls down there? Last week those aircraft were intact.”

  Mace looked through a pair of binoculars. “The fuel truck is parked by that hangar. Don't see anyone around it. Take us in lower.”

  Don frowned. “Just don't want people shooting at us.”

  “You're a good pilot. I'm sure you can get us out of here if we need it. Take me down where I can get a look inside that hangar.”

  Don worked the throttle. They soon hovered at a hundred feet above the opposite side of the runway.

  Mace said. “I see two people standing in the hangar. Nothing looks out of whack. Take us over. Drop me on the runway, I can jog the rest.”

  Don replied, “It's your skin.”

  Jasper asked, “Pass those binocs back here. I'll keep an eye out for you.”

  “That building over there, it's the fire department. You get into trouble, you try to make the field behind it. I'll pick you up there.”

  Mace hopped out onto the runway. Don lifted off, heading to what he believed to be a safe distance. After a short jog, he came to a stop in front of the open hangar doors.

  Mace yelled at the two men inside, “You guys selling any fuel?”

  One of the men replied back. “Who's asking?”

  Mace yelled, “Just passing through. We have cash.”

  A third man emerged from an interior door. “You got anything to trade?”

  Mace walked forward. “Possibly. What do you need?”

  The man laughed. “Booze. Every liquor store in town has been drained. We've got almost ten thousand students milling around with nothing to do but drink. Has left the rest of us dry.”

  Mace stopped just in front of the three men. “I thought the university was a lot bigger than that.”

  “It is. Most of them lit out in their cars trying to get to wherever home is. The rest decided to stay and party, only they’re finding out the party is over. Gas stations in town have been drained. Some have tried to steal ours.”

  “I guess their cars would run pretty good on that 100LL. How much do you have?”

  The man in back said, “Enough. What you need?”

  Mace scratched his head. “Tell you what, you top us off now for cash and we'll be back for more. And I promise to bring you liquor. No charge.”

  The man with the shotgun said, “You do understand that promises from people we don't know are meaningless, right? We can't trust every yahoo that comes through here. This is a valuable commodity. What is that, a Robinson you got out there? What's to keep us from just taking it from you?”

  Mace replied, “The owner, who isn't out there, is a marksman for one. Used to be a sniper in the military. You do us wrong and he'll come back through those woods and pick you off one by one. You can hold us hostage if you like, but I'm just a messenger. That chopper is worth way more to him than we are. He has another fifty ex-military types working for him as well. So not someone you want to cross.”

  The three men talked quietly among themselves. “Tell you what. We can part with twenty gallons today. That's at twenty-five dollars a gallon.”

  “That's half the fuel we'll have used getting here and back today. Although given the circumstances, that seems fair. And I'll do my best to get you that booze.”


  Mace turned and signaled the hovering helicopter with a broad wave. Shortly after, it settled on the tarmac outside the hangar.

  Mace stuck his head inside the door. “I got us twenty gallons for now. They said they would sell us more if we bring back liquor.”

  Jasper crossed his arms. “You sold me out, didn't you?”

  Mace laughed. “No, I wasn't even thinking of yours. I was thinking we might be able to barter for some with the town folks.”

  Jasper shook his head. “You do realize you are smack in the middle of still country back there, don't you? We can make our own booze. I just don't want you trading out my good whiskey for gas.”

  Don said, “We do have a brewer living with us. A still might not be a bad idea anyway.”

  The fuel bill was settled, the chopper was filled, and they were soon back in the air.

  Mace said, “Take us over Roanoke. I want to see what it looks like. And Mr. Collins, let me see the binoculars again.”

  Jasper protested. “No, I got 'em. I'm using them.”

  Don chuckled.

  “Just give them to me. Once I've assessed the situation I'll give them back.”

  Jasper handed the binoculars forward. “Here, might as well be gouging out the old man's eyes. I can't see anything from this high up.”

  Mace laughed as he took the glasses. “You act like you’re on a sightseeing tour or something. Next time I'll just leave you in your rocker where you belong.”

  Don said, “You two plan on keeping this up all the way back?”

  Jasper huffed, “What's it to you, flyboy? Donald... who names their kid Donald?”

  Mace turned. “You know he has the button for the ejection seat up there, right?”

  Jasper replied, “Turn your lyin' ass around. I ain't so dumb as to think there's an ejection seat in a helicopter. Now if you'd of said a trap door, I might have been worried.”

  Fires raged on the ground in Roanoke. A hard bang could be heard coming from one of the skids.

  Don said, “That was a bullet. Someone down there's taking potshots at us. Time to go.”

  Mace nodded. “Could you take us over to Peterstown and then up 219? Just want to get a look at what's to the south of us.”

  Don replied, “I'll swing down to I-77. It was backed up last time I was over that way. Was a long line coming south from Charleston. Not sure where they thought they were going.”

  The flight over Peterstown was peaceful. A roadblock could be seen at each of the major roads coming into town. Five minutes later they hovered three thousand feet above the I-77/ Highway 460 interchange. Smoke billowed up from below.

  Mace gazed through the binoculars. “I'd say they have a major problem down there. That has to be fifty vehicles parked around that semi. A group has the driver out on the ground.”

  Jasper pressed: “Can I please see the binoculars?”

  Mace held up his hand. “Hold on. They're picking him up. Crap! They just executed the guy. And they’re pulling packages from the back of the trailer. This is the sort of rolling gang I've been afraid of. They’re pulling people out of northbound cars and—“

  Mace pulled down the binoculars. “Let's get back to the cave. I think we need to reevaluate our defenses.”

  The binoculars were handed back to an eager Jasper. “They are taking over that whole interchange, 460 and I-77.”

  Jasper lowered the binoculars in silence.

  Mace glanced back. “Saw something you never wanted to see, didn't you?”

  Jasper sighed. “Where's our government in all this? That's just complete lawlessness.”

  The ride back to the cave was quiet.

  Tres and Vanessa had returned from their run to the different co-ops. Food stocks in the valley were adequate, but in need of beefing up with the coming winter.

  Mace pulled Tres aside. “What would you say if I asked you to build a still?”

  “You mean as in an alcohol distiller?”

  Johnny's ears perked up. “Wait, what?”

  Mace nodded. “We have some new friends at the airport in Blacksburg that are willing to trade us avgas if we bring them liquor. I figured with you being a brewer that would be right up your alley. And aside from it's obvious uses, it might be something of value to trade. I'd rather not be trading food for other goods. And we aren't trading guns or ammo.”

  Tres grinned. “I'll get started on a design immediately.”

  Mace asked, “What are you so happy about?”

  “I've been working up a processor for the saltpeter. The troughs back there in the cave the Confederates used are crude. I should be able to get decent quality out of a setup I've been putting together with Vanessa's help. You know, she's actually a very smart girl. She gets how a valve works and how a press functions. Most people just get confused or annoyed when you talk to them about things like that.”

  “Sounds to me like she might be getting a bit sweet on you.”

  Tres looked nervous. “You think?”

  Mace laughed. “Relax. Just keep doing what you are doing. If she decides she likes you it will be because she likes you and not someone you think she might like.”

  Mace turned around to Johnny and Jane. “We just saw a gang of about fifty vehicles down on I-77. They raided a semi and then a half dozen or so cars that were passing by. Something like that is exactly why we need to secure the roads in and out of here.”

  Jane asked, “Are they coming this way?”

  Mace shook his head. “Can't tell. They had the interchange there locked down tight. My guess is they will move on when the well of people coming their way runs dry.”

  Jane put her arm around her husband's shoulder. “Anything we can do to deter them from coming up 219? Maybe we could warn the sheriff at Union.”

  Johnny huffed. “I can tell you what he would do. He would offer them a speed pass through his town if they would just keep going.”

  “Nonetheless, we should warn them that they might be coming.”

  Mace said, “Johnny, come with me. We're going back to Union. And, Don, wait a bit and go back and check on that interchange. If they are coming this way, set down on the road just north of Union and let us know.”

  “Will do.”

  They arrived in the town of Union a short time later.

  The sheriff grumbled as the two men approached. “What is it now?”

  Mace said, “We just came to give you a warning. There's a large contingent of vehicles down at the I-77 interchange. They are robbing, looting, and murdering everyone who comes near them.”

  “That's almost thirty miles from here. Why should we be concerned?”

  Johnny threw up his hands. “We're just trying to give you a heads up. If that horde comes this way, they could destroy your entire town!”

  Mace lowered one of Johnny's arms. “Look, Sheriff, consider this—if they do come this way, what will it hurt you to be prepared? Maybe a couple extra people at the roadblock, and a scout down the highway a bit? Organizing your people for a quick response if they show up? Those might not be bad things to have in place anyway.”

  The sheriff sat with a placid look on his face. “Are you done?”

  “I guess we are. Johnny, we tried. Let's go home.”

  The sheriff could be heard yelling at one of his deputies as the two men walked away. “I told you I had nothing to discuss with those idiots! Next time they come barging in here, turn them back on their way north. Use force if you have to.”

  Johnny shook his head as they walked back to the SUV. “That guy almost makes me want to invite that gang up here. If a group that size leaves the interstate, they'd burn this whole valley.”

  Mace replied as they pulled away. “At least we don't have Don waiting in the roadway. That's a good sign.”

  The helicopter was landing as Mace and Johnny arrived back at the cave. Johnny pulled the SUV up beside the chopper.

  “Come on. We'll give you a ride over to the RV.”

  Don c
limbed in the back seat. “Looked like they were setting up camp at the interchange for the night. Should be getting dark before long. I can make a run back down there in the morning.”

  The remainder of the evening was quiet.