America Offline | Books 1 & 2 | The Day After Darkness

by Weber, William H.

  “I was climbing that ladder too,” Holly admitted. “Looks like we landed on a snake.”

  Brenda laughed when she got the snakes and ladders analogy. “Yeah. This was one hell of a snake, all right.” She paused to readjust the clothing piled into a makeshift mattress beneath her. “I couldn’t help noticing your son. He’s on the spectrum, isn’t he?”

  Holly was quiet for a moment. She glanced over at Dillon, who was sitting on the cot counting shadows on the ceiling.

  “I hope you don’t mind―”

  “No, not at all,” Holly said. “Normally people ask if he’s special, some if he’s retarded. He has Asperger’s.”

  Brenda nodded. “I see. My niece has autism, so I’m hip to the lingo, you might say. Is he taking anything?”

  “I’ve been giving him Zoloft,” Holly replied, fighting back the sting of guilt. “To even out his moods and anxiety.”

  “I’m sure you know, but if things don’t get better…”

  “People like him aren’t made for a world like this,” Holly said, understanding what Brenda was saying, even if she didn’t like hearing it. “All we can do is hope it’s just a temporary blip. You here alone?”

  Brenda hesitated, a flicker of emotion welling behind her eyes. “I arrived with my husband, but I haven’t seen him in four days.” There was an empty spot next to her where her husband had once slept.

  “Four days? Where could he have gone?” It seemed to Holly they were pretty boxed in down here.

  “He went along one of the subway tunnels, looking for a way out.”

  The expression on Holly’s face clouded over. “Way out? Why would he do that when there’s a set of stairs past the turnstiles?”

  “It’s not that simple,” Brenda said, whispering now.

  Holly had been to clubs in her younger days where leaving meant you might not be allowed back in. She asked Brenda if this was what she meant.

  “Not exactly.” The woman sighed. “What’d you pay to get in? Goods or services?”

  “A friend gave up his Rolex watch. But that was just collateral, they said, to ensure we followed the rules.”

  Brenda laughed. “That may be the line they give you, but it’s really a flat fee. If your friend thinks he’s getting his watch back, I’m sorry to say, he’s got another think coming. But you don’t just have to pay to enter. You also have to pay to leave. Problem is, most people here handed over nearly all the portable wealth they owned just to get a spot. Diamonds, wedding rings, anything that can be melted or broken down. My husband’s claustrophobic and the tight quarters around here were killing him. When the guards refused to let him head upstairs for some fresh air, he took off down the subway tunnel, with a handful of them in pursuit. I tried to follow but couldn’t keep up. I heard shots, but they came back empty-handed. Said their warning shots hadn’t made him stop and he ran off. They also brought me back, kicking and screaming. To this day, I have no idea whether or not he got out.”

  “We’re in prison,” Holly said in disbelief.

  “No,” Brenda corrected her. “This is less of a prison and more of an elaborate extortion scheme.”

  “But how is that possible? It’s the Red Cross, one of the most trusted humanitarian organizations in the world.”

  “Smoke and mirrors,” Brenda said, leaning closer. “Don’t get me wrong. Those people really are Red Cross workers. But they were brought here from the Natural History Museum shelter.”

  “The one with the flu epidemic?”

  Brenda winked. “Bingo. Rumor is, the people who set this place up went over and bribed as many Red Cross workers as they could to join them. Not that it was all that difficult. Who would wanna stay in an enclosed space that’s going through a viral outbreak?”

  “But who’s behind it all?” Holly asked, breathless.

  “A syndicate of some kind. Russian maybe. Eastern European for sure. Who knows?”

  “You’re talking underworld?”

  “Of course. Who else would be ready to fill the vacuum so soon after a governmental collapse? Types like these are used to working in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to enrich themselves. As my granny used to say, when the lights go out, the cockroaches have free rein. And I should know—my husband Greg worked for the district attorney’s office prosecuting guys just like this.”

  Holly felt the artery in her neck thumping a wild beat. “I hate to speculate, but maybe one of them recognized your husband and decided to even a score rather than drag him back to the shelter.”

  Brenda’s head fell. “I thought of that, but I sure hope you’re wrong.”

  Holly reached out and rubbed her shoulder. “Listen, there’s something else I wanted to ask. You mentioned you’d been here a week or so.”

  “Yeah, maybe a little longer.”

  “Have you had a chance to get to know anyone?”

  Brenda regarded her inquisitively. “A few. Why?”

  “Have you happened to meet anyone named Nate Bauer? Not sure if he goes by Nathan or Nathaniel.”

  Brenda shook her head. “No. But I did meet an Amy Bauer.”

  Holly’s eyes lit up. “That happened to be my next question.”

  “They arrived in a small convoy of buses a few days ago,” Brenda explained. “Came in from some small town to the west of Chicago. The name’s escaping me right now.”

  “Byron?”

  “Yeah, that’s the one. Do you know them?”

  “Uh, sort of. Let’s just say they’re friends of friends,” Holly tried to explain without going into too much detail. “I happened to see their name on the list and was surprised.”

  “The way I heard it, they got off to a late start evacuating from their hometown. Something about the nuclear power plant melting down. It’s terrifying really. And I’ve heard it wasn’t the only one to go up like that.” Brenda sighed, struggling to catch her breath. “It’s part of why I’m not in a big hurry to go topside. Who knows how much radiation is floating around up there? Anyway, Amy told me they tried a few shelters and were turned away. Either they were full or, like the museum, fighting a slew of secondary problems. Like the rest of us, they ended up here. Heard they had to hand over their buses for everyone to make it in. Paid the tax just like everyone else. But it’s the exit tax that really bites you in the rear end. Always read the fine print.” The grin that bloomed on Brenda’s face wavered when she saw the serious look on Holly’s face.

  “The Bauers,” Holly said. “Where can I find them?”

  Chapter 21

  Nate and Dakota decided the shelter at Chicago’s Grand subway station was the fourth and final one they would check today. With the sun going down, they needed to find a safe place to hunker down for the evening. If this place proved to be a bust, tomorrow the search would continue.

  Already their introduction to Chicago had been less than ideal. While much of the city had emptied out in the past few days, it hadn’t been nearly enough for Nate. The good folks tended to hide at home, run for shelters or attempt to flee the city. The ones left behind to roam the streets, many of them in packs—those were the people he was most worried about. Journeying from shelter to shelter in the heart of one of America’s largest and perhaps most dangerous cities, they had crossed paths with a few such groups and on more than one occasion shots had been fired as they hurried past. Slamming on the brakes to return fire had occurred to him, although he’d also quickly understood that around here, such a tactic would have him engaging in gun battles at nearly every major intersection.

  And so, as they reached the inner city, Nate and Dakota had relied on speed and brute force to push through any feeble attempt at erecting barricades in the streets. A few creative types had tried to rely on the snow itself, but none of the mounds they’d piled had been high or deep enough to stop the Beast.

  But that wasn’t to say the cretins roaming the streets wouldn’t learn. While their modified pickup was fierce, even it had limits. Sooner rather than later, th
e hills of snow they were facing now would be piled into mountains and finally fulfill their purpose of creating a dead end, or put another way, a kill zone. All the more reason to grab his family and leave this godforsaken frozen hell.

  With his G36 slung over his shoulder and his hand resting on the hilt of his pistol, Nate descended the final few steps, entering into Grand Station’s impressive mezzanine.

  Directly ahead was the turnstile where a handful of Red Cross workers milled about. Nate and Dakota were about to step forward when two large men carrying AR-15s approached them from either side. They held their rifles in a low ready position.

  “Sir, this is a weapons-free zone,” the larger of the two men said. He was wearing black and white military fatigues and sporting a hint of a foreign accent. A name patch on his chest read ‘Dimitri.’

  “We’re not planning on staying,” Nate assured him.

  “All the same,” Dimitri replied as he drew closer. Another guard milling about behind the turnstile touched his ear and headed over to provide support. This told Nate they were communicating with one another over the radio. They also knew how to handle their weapons. If his nephew Hunter had taught Nate anything, it was that an hour watching YouTube videos and prancing around the house with a toy gun didn’t make someone a soldier.

  “Sir?”

  Nate removed his hand from his pistol. “I’m looking for my family,” he started to explain, raising his hands in the air and shaking them at the wrist for emphasis. A young female Red Cross employee with a dash of purple dye in her hair was holding a clipboard. He spoke directly to her using his cop’s voice. “Amy Bauer. Please see if she’s on your list. She arrived here with my sister-in-law Lauren and Lauren’s kids Emmitt and Hunter Bauer.”

  Purple Hair stood frozen for a moment before she tore her eyes away from Nate and looked at the guard.

  “I just need to know whether or not they’re here.”

  The guard nodded, turning back to keep a careful eye on Nate. They weren’t used to people with guns around here. Most of the folks who were packing heat had either left or were stalking the streets looking for easy prey. In one sense, if his family was here, he would be thankful for the protection. At one of the other three places they’d tried―a former museum―they had an outbreak of the flu and were not letting anyone in or out. Here, they appeared to largely be free from such problems.

  “Bauer, Bauer, Bauer,” Purple Hair said, running her finger down a page before stopping. “Yes, we have them here.”

  Nate sank to his knees. Dakota moved forward to help keep him upright. He cupped his face, overcome with emotion, or was it exhaustion?

  “Thank you, Lord,” he whispered before something else occurred to him. “Can you also look for Carl and Elizabeth Hutchinson? They’re neighbors of mine who travelled with them.”

  After a short search: “Yes, they’re here too.”

  “I can’t tell you how relieved and happy I am right now,” he said, unaccustomed to any serious displays of emotion. Rising to his feet, Nate felt lighter than he had in a very long time. “Would you please send for them?”

  Purple Hair looked at Dimitri again, who probably thought it was better if he delivered the bad news instead of her.

  “We can release your friends and family,” the guard began, “but not before you cover the holding fee.”

  Dakota was shaking her head. “Holding fee? What kind of BS is this? Is this a jail or a shelter?”

  Eyeing Dimitri’s rifle, Nate wondered whether Dakota had just answered her own question.

  Just then two more guards appeared on the other side of the turnstile. So far that made five against two.

  “Why is the Red Cross charging a fee to see my family?” Nate asked, dumbfounded, but doing his best to keep his voice even.

  “We accept any gold, precious stones and most jewelry,” Purple Hair said, although it was starting to become clear by the waver in her voice even she wasn’t completely on board with all this.

  In his time on the police force and as a P.I., Nate had seen his fair share of shakedowns and this fit the bill. “We’re not paying you a single red cent, but you’re going to get my family and bring them here right now.” He spoke loud enough that several civilians gathered on the other side stopped what they were doing to watch. They looked uncomfortable and, in some cases, frightened.

  Purple Hair held the clipboard to her chest, her gaze jumping between Nate and the guard. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that,” she said finally.

  Another guard showed up. That made six.

  The one closest to him was whispering to someone in an earpiece. Was he calling in more support? Or was he talking to his boss? The mastermind behind this crooked little scheme?

  Now more people were gathering on the other side. Nate scanned the growing crowd for a familiar face.

  “Any of you folks without money to buy your freedom aren’t getting out of here,” Dakota shouted.

  The guards began closing in. Nate and Dakota stepped back. If Nate swung his rifle around, they’d be shot and killed on the spot. His pistol was the only weapon he’d have the time to draw if things went south. They were in the open here, with no cover or concealment.

  “I have an idea,” Dakota whispered to him, laying it out in a short, concise burst.

  He listened. “Well, it’s an idea,” he said, his eyes locked on Dimitri, barely fifteen feet away and edging ever closer. “But not a very good one.”

  She reached into her pocket and produced the gold coin she’d taken from her uncle’s house in Rockford. It would be her ticket inside. She gave him a wink that surely meant trouble. “Trust me.”

  Chapter 22

  Far from the tension at the turnstiles, Holly and Dillon busied themselves searching for Amy Bauer. It took a while to weave past all the people camped out along the way. With the flickering candlelight, the sight reminded her of pictures she had seen of the London Underground during the Blitz. The only difference was back then, people hadn’t only slept on the platforms. They had also built makeshift beds―and hammocks for the children―between the rails themselves.

  Soon, they reached the southbound platform. Holly repeated the process, stepping carefully past and in some cases over people. The sight of a boy around Dillon’s age with his arm in a sling caught her eye. He was speaking to a woman Holly assumed was his mother. He was complaining about being hungry. Holly remembered that in one of her pockets was a piece of the salami she’d taken from the airport lost and found. She removed it and sat down next to them. Dillon did the same. Undoing a pocketknife, she sliced off a small chunk and handed it to the boy. He stared at it and then up at his mother.

  “I hope you don’t mind,” Holly said. “I happened to overhear you and your son talking―”

  “He’s my nephew,” the woman said. She was pretty with shoulder-length blonde hair. Even seated, it was obvious she was tall for a woman. “He’s still getting used to eating one meal a day.” She took the piece and gave it to him. “What do you say, Hunter?”

  The young boy with the fiery red hair popped it into his mouth, working it joyfully.

  “How about you?” Holly asked, offering her a piece as well. “I’m Holly, by the way.”

  “Amy,” the woman said, taking the piece and thanking her.

  Another young boy and a woman arrived. The boy sat down next to Dillon. “Hey, I’m Emmitt.”

  Dillon kept looking straight ahead. “Hi.” His voice was barely a whisper.

  “Dillon’s a little shy,” Holly said.

  “You like computer games?” Emmitt asked.

  Dillon nodded vigorously.

  “Me too. I managed to get my phone charged up.” Emmitt pulled out his phone and fired up a driving game. “See, you have to drive through the hoops to get points.”

  Dillon moved closer, watching attentively. A moment later, Emmitt’s digital car spun out and crashed.

  “It was the last thing I downloaded before we lost power,
” he explained, handing it over to Dillon. “Wanna give it a try?”

  Dillon took the phone, held it out before him and pressed start. At once, his hands banked left and then right as he maneuvered the car along an imaginary track, collecting tokens and sending the leaping vehicle through one ring after another.

  “Hey, you’re pretty good,” Emmitt said, a tinge of excitement in his voice.

  But Dillon was only just getting started. Soon he hadn’t only broken Emmitt’s high score, he’d beaten the highest score on record.

  “Holy crap,” Emmitt shouted.

  “Emmitt,” Lauren snapped. “Don’t you dare curse.”

  “But Mom, he thrashed the game.” The red-headed boy turned back to Dillon. “Have you ever played before?”

  Dillon shook his head. “No.”

  Holly thought it was a good time to explain her son’s condition and his marked abilities in certain, narrow fields. Namely computer games and mathematics.

  “What a shame,” Lauren said. “He might have been a programmer if most of our technology hadn’t gone bust.”

  Holly noticed the bandage on Amy’s forearm and asked her about it.

  “Our evacuation bus hit a parked car hidden in a snow pile and flipped.” She rubbed at her swollen belly. “Thought for sure I was going to lose the baby, but miraculously she was okay. There’s a nurse with the Red Cross who’s looked me over twice and said that everything was fine. If our pioneering ancestors could cross the country and give birth in a world without electricity, I don’t see why I can’t do the same.”

  “Good point. When are you expecting?” Holly asked, genuinely interested.

  “By the looks of things, another week or so. How much easier things would be if we were back home.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “Byron,” Amy said, her voice laced with nostalgia.

  “I was friends with a Nate once who lived in Byron,” Holly fibbed. “His last name was Bauer.”

  Amy’s head did a little dance. She ran a hand through her hair, her mouth slightly ajar. “Nate Bauer’s my husband.”