299 Days: The 17th Irregulars 2d-6

by Glen Tate

  Tammy was now a solid twenty minutes late. They were probably out looking for her. She got on her cell phone and called in to let them know that she was fine, but running a little late. She decided that her habit about being on time was more important than being a free spirit and being late. She was just wired to be on time.

  Tammy was technically the billing supervisor, but they weren’t sending out bills anymore, but the company found plenty of other work for her to do. She had been at the power company for over thirty years and knew how just about everything worked. She had evolved into the company manager’s right hand person, and could problem solve just about anything, which was good since the company had plenty of problems that needed solving.

  When the Collapse started, they had the blackouts to deal with. The Feds shut down the grids when the hackers figured out how to overload the system with surges of power. The hackers, who everyone thought were the Chinese even though the news kept saying they were teabaggers, disabled the computer routing switches regulating the levels of electricity in the lines. With the flow switches off, it was very easy for too much to flow and blow up a line along with all the transformers on that line. Because the switches were sometimes off due to the hacking, the Feds shut the system down for about two days until they got control over the computers. Then they lost control a few days later from more hacking—from Russia this time—and shut things down again. This happened a few more times, but the Feds were getting a better handle on things. Now blackouts were less common.

  A new problem quickly emerged. Running a power company required lots of machines, which required lots of replacement parts that need to be delivered by trucks, which required diesel and safe roads. The same just-in-time inventory fiasco that the rest of the U.S. was facing also hit the power company. They ran out of parts in two days. They had to shut the power off to a third of the county while they waited for a $35 part to arrive. When the highways were jammed and the diesel was gone, it took three days to get the part. It was the company manager’s friend who lived in Seattle who braved the roads during the initial chaos and got the part there.

  The distribution system improved slowly, although it was still horrible. The government threw almost all their military and law enforcement resources at the task of taking control of the highways. With troops and police forcibly occupying onramps and off ramps, and overpasses, the government prevented civilians from travelling, sometimes violently. Only government-approved shipments such as fuel, spare parts, and military supplies, got through. Similarly, the government took over all the gas stations and refineries. After a while, they were getting enough fuel out to take care of the greatly reduced levels of travel. Tammy estimated that there was only about five percent of the normal traffic, and most of that was semi and other trucks and military vehicles. Individuals like her, driving cars, were almost unheard of. More and more people were staying at home waiting for food to arrive at a store and then walking there to get it. They spent most of their day trying to stay safe and trading rumors about who had supplies for sale.

  “Mornin’ Tammy,” Dan Morgan said. He was at the gate, as usual. “A little late this morning,” he said to her. He was so on top of everything. Dan was doing a fantastic job of running the guards.

  The rest of the drive to work Tammy thought about how lucky they were. All the amazingly talented people they had out there. All those guards who were well-armed and so organized. Other than the differing guns and clothes, they looked like a military unit. There was also that fabulous Team who took down the animals in the meth house. Pierce Point had Rich, who made everyone feel so safe. And there was Grant who really got people feeling like they were going to make it. Then there was Lisa. A doctor! They actually had a doctor out there. Pierce Point had a clinic and even a newspaper and a church. Life was semi-normal for Pierce Point. It was different but it could have been a lot worse. Tammy felt like they had the things they needed out there, like security and food, but none of the unnecessary things that had previously piled up in their lives, like running all over town to buy this year’s outdoor furniture, only to throw it in a landfill after a summer or two. Getting new outdoor furniture had been on her to-do list right before May Day. She had actually been stressed out over which lawn furniture to buy for the coming BBQ season. She now realized just how insignificant a thing that was to worry about. Her perspective felt like it had shifted dramatically. Being safe, having food, the lights being on, and having her family safe with her was what mattered. That’s what matters, she said to herself. Although, in a weird way, she wanted her “normal” life back, like the mad dash for this year’s patio furniture. She didn’t really want the patio furniture; she just wanted the “normal” of the patio furniture.

  As she kept driving the few miles to work, as fast as she wanted because there were no cars on the road, Tammy thought about her family. Mark was hunting and fishing, which he loved to do. He had been happier than she’d seen him in quite some time. Little Missy was having a ball with Manda and Cole Matson. It was good for her to have some friends and a teenage girl to look up to.

  But Tammy’s biggest joy was her son, Paul. He had come out of his shell. He had been so depressed before the Collapse. That custody fight was so hard on him and he had gained all that weight. Before the Collapse, he spent all his time laying around the house and complaining about everything.

  But not now; he built that metal gate for the entrance. She thought about it every day that she went through the gate on her way to work. He got to put his metal fabrication skills to use and was proud of what he’d done.

  But, the best thing for Paul was that he was on the beach patrol. He was putting his knowledge of the currents and tides of the inlet to great use. They were out there preventing people from coming ashore and doing God knows what to Pierce Point. Paul was so busy that she didn’t see him much anymore. But, when she did see him, she noticed how much weight he’d lost, how tan he was, and how he smiled all the time. He was confident now.

  Things were pretty good, considering. She pulled into work and got ready for a day of problem solving. She had a feeling she would be doing a lot of that today.

  Chapter 170

  Grandma Did a Bad Thing

  (July 5)

  As she pulled into work, Tammy noticed two things. First, the clock in her car said she was late. Second, there was a new vehicle in the parking lot. It was a State Parks Department truck, which was odd. The nearest state park was a few miles away, but had been closed for over a year because of the budget cuts.

  Tammy parked in her usual spot and got out, hurrying because she was late. Bill Stadler, the company manager came out and motioned for her to come over to him.

  Bill was in his sixties, had glasses, and wore short-sleeved buttoned shirts during warm weather. He had a pocket protector and something not too many electrical engineers had: a way with people. He was one of the kindest people Tammy had ever met.

  Bill looked nervous when he saw Tammy. He motioned for her to keep her voice down.

  Tammy whispered, “Sorry, I’m late Bill. I hit the snooze…”

  “Shhhh,” Bill said. That was unlike him to interrupt. This must be important.

  He pointed at the state pickup truck. “The FC are here,” he said, referring to the Freedom Corps.

  Oh crap. This wasn’t good. Their little power company had been left alone throughout the Collapse. Tammy had wondered how long they could continue to do things without any government interference. Not much longer, it appeared.

  “What do they want?” She asked in a whisper.

  “To take over,” Bill said. For the first time in the twenty or so years Tammy had known Bill, he looked pissed. He was defending his people and his beloved power company from those outsiders.

  Bill explained that a man from the FC had come an hour earlier and told him that the government was going to take control of the power company. It was part of a plan, the FC man said, to “focus resources.” Bill interpreted th
at to mean cutting off power to areas of the county, or maybe the whole county.

  Bill was not a political person. He was an electrical engineer by training and had taken a lot of management courses to become the manager of a little power company. He was very smart. Since before the Collapse, he could see where things were headed and wondered when the government would try to use utilities as a weapon. He kept telling himself that wouldn’t happen in America, although it was easy for the imagination to conjure up.

  But, Bill was an engineer and realized how vital the electricity flowing through his company was to the wellbeing of the county. It was absolutely critical. Nothing could make people want to leave the rural areas more than cutting off the utilities. He figured the government knew this, too.

  Bill kept coming back to the idea that, at some point, the government might try to take over the utility. They had taken over the highways and fueling stations. Hell, they had taken over everything else, hadn’t they?

  Bill was like most Americans: an Undecided who was just trying to get by, but the more he saw of how the government was treating people—especially how they let the gangs run wild and how corrupt things were—the more he felt himself leaning toward the Patriots. He was an engineer, not a fighter, he kept telling himself. He was not a hero. But he kept returning to the idea that he had some control over a vital asset: electricity in his little county. He could not talk himself out of the logical conclusion that, at some point, his control over that asset might put him in conflict with the government. He really didn’t want to do that, but he loved this county and its people. He wouldn’t let them suffer like that.

  “Tammy, you know what would happen if they take over,” Bill said, trusting Tammy like a sister. Bill never talked to her about politics, but had picked up on several signs that she was either a full-on Patriot or Patriot sympathizer. Bill was now risking jail or worse by talking this way, but he had to trust Tammy for his plan to work.

  “Are you sure they want to take over?” Tammy asked Bill. She was hoping the FC was out just to give another one of those talks about keeping alert for terrorists: Ron Paul bumper stickers, Don’t Tread on Me flags, etc.

  “Yes,” Bill said. “They told me. It’s part of some new program. He said some National Guard troops would be coming out later this afternoon along with a team of officials who would oversee the shut offs.” Bill looked terrified when he said “shut offs.” Those words scared him.

  “Does he think we’ll just do that?” Tammy asked.

  Bill nodded. “I told him we were all loyal. I told him we were committed to the recovery efforts.” Bill pointed to the FC sign in the parking lot that said “We support the Recovery.”

  Bill continued, but lowered his voice now to a faint whisper and pointed to the FC man walking into the power company office. “He seems kind of stupid. He’s from Olympia where I think everyone just does what they’re told.” Bill looked at Tammy in the eyes and said, “We’re different out here.”

  Tammy interpreted that as some kind of code, like Bill wanted to do something drastic to prevent the FC from taking over. “What do you mean?” she asked.

  Bill looked Tammy in the eyes again and said, “I mean we can’t let this happen.”

  “How?” Tammy whispered.

  Bill just stared at her, then he looked at the pistol in her shoulder holster and then he looked over at the FC man. Bill nodded slowly.

  Oh, God. Kill him? Was this really happening?

  Was there a choice? They couldn’t let the government shut off the power. But…were they supposed to murder someone and then have all the cops come out?

  “You’re not suggesting…” Tammy whispered.

  Bill slowly nodded.

  Tammy thought about it. Things had been going too well. It was impossible to get through the Collapse and war, or whatever it was, without being directly involved in it. Was she going to let those corrupt bastards permanently destroy her county? Hell no. She had long ago told herself that she would die to protect her children. Well, this was her chance.

  “How? How will we do this?” she whispered.

  Bill looked around again to make sure no one was listening. “Here’s an idea,” he said in that faint whisper.

  Tammy listened as Bill outlined idea for getting rid of the FC man. It was a good plan.

  “Do I have to be part of it?” she asked, knowing the answer.

  “Yes,” Bill said. “Can you think of another way?” Bill was a little hurt that Tammy, who he trusted so much, was trying to get out of this.

  Tammy thought and thought. Her mind was racing. How to do this differently? How to do this without hurting anyone? She came up blank.

  She paused. She was about to make the most important decision of her life.

  “OK. I’m in,” she said, very quietly. She wasn’t proud of this, but also didn’t feel like she had much of a choice.

  The next hour or so was the longest wait in her life. She knew what was going to happen and had to play along like she didn’t. She was trying so hard to act normal.

  They were in the conference room with the FC man. He was a typical looking white-collar guy in his mid-forties. He had a pistol on his belt. He looked tired and never introduced himself to Tammy. He was kind of a dick and talked down to them a little.

  It was pretty obvious he was not leveling with them. He would say that the shut-off would be temporary, but then said that trucks would come to take county residents to Olympia where the power would be more reliable. Why truck people out of the county if the shut-offs were just temporary? They had been living with intermittent power outage for weeks. Why, all of a sudden, did that mean depopulating the county? The story the FC man was telling was so laughable that it was insulting. Did he think they were stupid?

  Yes, he did. And it showed.

  Tammy and Bill and two of the younger electrical repairmen were in a conference room getting a “briefing” from the FC man. Bill motioned and the two repairmen left. Then, a few minutes later, Bill said to the FC man, “Tammy can take you out to the switching shed to show you where the master switch is.”

  Bill pointed at Tammy. That was her cue. Her hands started to shake and she felt dizzy. It took a few seconds for her to regain her composure. She took several deep breaths. She had a job to do. Her family, and the whole county, was counting on them to prevent the shut-off.

  Finally, she was calm. In fact, after the initial shakes, she amazed herself at how calm she was. It was only because so many people were counting on her.

  “Sure, come on,” Tammy said. “The shed is just down the road. Can we take your truck?” she asked the FC man.

  “Whatever,” he said like Tammy was wasting his time.

  Tammy chuckled to herself; who would really think the master switch for turning off the power to a whole county would be in a shed a mile from the main building? This FC guy was either really stupid or just a robot doing what he was told.

  Tammy left the room and Bill didn’t even look at her. He wasn’t going to give her a look that might tip off the FC man.

  Tammy took the FC man out of the building and they got into his truck

  “Which way?” he asked, a little curtly, like she should have been giving him better directions.

  She pointed out of the parking lot and down the road, and he began following her direction.

  “How far?” he asked impatiently.

  “Oh, about half a mile,” Tammy said. “Then we turn off on Dearborn Road. Take a left on it.” Her heart was pounding. She was trying her best to be calm, but she was afraid she wasn’t pulling it off. It only took a minute to get to Dearborn Road. He turned left.

  “How far now?” he asked.

  “Just around this corner,” she said.

  They turned the corner and there was a pickup truck in the road. It looked like they had broken down.

  “Oh, great. Some hillbillies,” the FC man said. Tammy looked at his pistol. This wouldn’t be easy, but it had to
be done.

  He honked the horn and stopped the truck. He yelled at the men in the pickup, “Hey, move!”

  The men got out of their truck. They looked familiar. They were the repairmen, but were wearing different shirts and now had sunglasses. The FC man obviously didn’t recognize them from the conference room.

  Tammy opened the door and sprinted out of the way. She ran as fast as she could. Away, away, away from there she kept thinking as she ran. She wanted to be as far away as possible because of the…

  Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Because of the loud gun shots. Tammy hoped those were the repairmen’s guns going off and not an FC pistol.

  Tammy got ahold of herself. She realized that she was a coward running away like that.

  Missy. Tammy thought about her sweet, innocent little granddaughter Missy, who would grow up in a destroyed country if the power were shut off. She might not even live, because of what these bastards had done. Tammy stopped and turned around. She ran back toward the gun fire, suddenly wanting to be a part of this. She wanted to do something to change the horrible situation. She wanted to do her part. She ran up and saw the two repairmen with shotguns leveled at the FC truck. She saw a person in the truck slumped over. As she got closer, she saw some big holes punched in the driver’s side door of the truck. They had used rifled slugs, which had punched through the truck door, like a nail through a soda can. There was blood all over the inside of the windows of the truck. It looked like the FC man exploded.

  Tammy saw the blood. She wished she hadn’t looked at it. She started to feel sick. They had killed a human being. Her mind started racing: she didn’t know for sure that the FC man was a bad person. Maybe he wasn’t there to shut off the power. Maybe he didn’t have to die. Maybe he had kids like she did. Maybe they didn’t have to kill him. It was so final. If this were a mistake, she could never undo it.