by Mark Goodwin
Noah filled Cassie in on the checkpoints and curfews.
Cassie put her hands on her hips. “The Knox County line is three miles away from our house! We have a Nazi concentration camp within shouting distance! This is unbelievable!”
“I think the checkpoints start at the city limits, so that’s a little more than ten miles away.”
Cassie huffed. “That doesn’t make me feel a whole lot better.”
“Let’s get this stuff put away, and we’ll sit down to watch the latest developments.”
Cassie nodded and went off to find room for the toilet paper.
Noah went to the shed, retrieved the hand cart, and used it to move the cases of canned goods from the truck. As he was stacking the boxes, his phone rang. “Hello?”
“Noah, it’s Jim. You and Cassie doing okay?”
“We’re fine. What about you?”
“We’ve had a couple of incidents around town with folks getting rowdy in the gas lines. Nothing we can’t handle.”
“Do you need me to come in?”
“No, you’d have to at least ride along with another deputy for a while before I could put you on the job. This isn’t the best environment to train in. What I would like to do is get you a sheriff’s radio. You’re on the western end of the county; I’d like to be able to know what’s going on out your way in case cell service goes down. Have you heard what’s going on in Knoxville?”
“You mean Army checkpoints and curfews?”
“Yep. Why don’t you meet me at Isaiah’s? That way you don’t have to drive all the way into Sevierville.”
“I can do that, or I can meet you at David’s. I need to run out to Tim’s anyway.”
“Let’s keep it at Isaiah’s if you don’t mind. A few of us are meeting up there in about an hour to discuss what’s happening.”
“See you in a bit.” Noah put his phone back in his pocket and finished stacking his goods.
He returned to the house and scratched through the fridge for a snack. “Cassie, honey, I have to run out to Isaiah’s to meet Jim for a minute. I’m just going to have a sandwich. You and Lacy can eat whenever you’re ready.”
Cassie walked into the kitchen. “What does Jim want?”
“He said he wants to give me a radio so we can stay in touch if the phones go down, but I suspect there’s more to it than that.”
“Sit down and watch the news with me while you eat your sandwich.”
“Alright, I have a few minutes.” Noah followed Cassie to the sofa with his plate.
The television was running nonstop in the Parkers’ house. The screen showed Fox News reporter Harrison Yates in the studio.
“The attacks on DC hit us all in the heart. The attack against the Chicago Mercantile Exchange will likely disrupt markets for weeks to come, the bomb at LAX has once again caused the FAA to close US airspace, and the bomb at Indian Point has caused a massive power outage for New York. All of these things are individually horrific events. Each one is traumatic, not only for those directly affected, but like 9/11, for the entire country. On top of these attacks are the countless attacks against federal buildings and law enforcement agencies across the country. None of these events deserve anything less than our full attention in covering them. But since our network resources are limited, it is an impossible task. In the hours and days to come, we’ll be looking for the reasons why these attacks took place and who was behind them. At this early stage of the game, that would be pure speculation on anybody’s part. While we wait on information about the source of these attacks, we want to look at the event that is most likely to affect each and every American directly, and that is the attacks on the refineries.
“We have Wall Street oil analyst Tonya Phelps on the line with us today to try to help make sense out of what the attacks will mean for the country going forward. She’s a regular contributor on Fox Business. Tonya, thank you for speaking with us.”
“Thank you for inviting me, Harrison. It is such a terrible day, and I want to help in any way that I can. If my insight can help to provide some perspective, I’m happy to give it.”
“Tonya, can you tell us what percentage of US refining capacity we’ve lost today and how long it will take to get these refineries back online?”
“Yes, Harrison. Total US capacity is roughly eighteen million barrels per day. Depending on seasonal demand, we are typically running at around ninety-five-percent capacity at any given time. Losing five million barrels of per-day capacity effectively erases thirty percent of potential output. This is going to be a serious issue going forward. Even if you take into account that we were only using ninety-five percent of our capacity, that still leaves us with a supply deficit of twenty-five percent, which translates into one hundred eighty-nine million gallons of fuel per day.
“Now, as for the question of how long it will take to bring these facilities back online, the answer is currently impossible to predict. The average lead time to bring a refinery online is measured in years. That’s mostly due to regulatory procedures to comply with EPA standards and inspections, but even if they were relaxed for this one instance, the logistical challenge is still enormous. In addition to the dramatic reduction in supply that we’ll be looking at, there’s also the issue of a possible increase in demand.”
“Hold on, Tonya; the DOE is asking people to conserve gas. Why would you expect an increase in demand?”
“We’ve been attacked in several cities. The president has authorized massive military assistance in order to guard the remaining refineries and to assist in peacekeeping efforts around the country. When you consider the average gas mileage of the armored vehicles the military will be using, it’s a massive expenditure. For instance, a lightly equipped Cougar or a MaxxPro might get around nine miles to the gallon, but a Buffalo might get as low as three miles to the gallon. If we have fleets and fleets of these vehicles operating around the country, it will quickly offset any savings from the average American making cuts to their day-to-day travels.”
Noah finished his snack and wiped his mouth. “Sounds like this isn’t going to be over within a week. Anything else you can think of that I should try to get while I’m out?”
Cassie shook her head. “Not really. I guess anything would be more valuable than dollars. I’m sure this is all connected to the commodities price spikes. If you think of anything and have a chance to buy it, go ahead.
“Be careful and hurry back. Call me if you think you’ll be gone more than two hours.”
“I will.” Noah bent to kiss her on the head. “I’m going to take the Santa Fe since gas is becoming such an issue. Call me if anything makes you uneasy or if you think of anything I should buy while I’m out.”
Noah went to the gun cabinet where they kept their cash and took out several hundred dollar bills. He was glad Cassie had recommended that they take most of their cash out of the bank. And he was glad he’d listened.
Noah emptied the two gas cans into his truck’s tank and stuck the cans in the back of Cassie’s vehicle in case an opportunity to purchase fuel arose. Next, he put four turkeys in the Santa Fe to take to Isaiah’s. He then headed to Tim’s. I’d better give Tim a call to make sure he’s in. Noah took out his phone, dialed the number, and activated the speaker so he could lay the phone down while he drove.
“This is Tim.”
“Tim, hi, it’s Noah. Are you at the shop?”
“No, I’m running around trying to buy some supplies. Things look like they might get kinda hairy. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes, though, if you want to pick up your rifle. I’ve got people calling left and right wanting to buy guns and ammo. If there’s a line at the door, pull around to the back, and I’ll take care of you before I start letting people in.”
“Great, see you in a few minutes.” Noah ended the call.
When he arrived, sure enough, the lot was full, and eager customers were lined up at the door. He drove to the back and waited for Tim.
Minutes l
ater, Tim arrived and met Noah at the back door.
Noah followed Tim inside. “Looks like Black Friday at your front door.”
Tim laughed, “Feels like Black Monday everywhere else. Half of them will probably go home as soon as I hang a Cash Only sign on the door. I got the idea from the Quick Mart. I was driving around looking for a shorter gas line when I noticed there were only about ten cars at Quick Mart. When I got there, I saw the Cash Only sign. Since the banks are all closed, no one can get cash.”
“What about ATMs?”
Tim shook his head. “They’re shut down, too. Doesn’t make any sense.”
“So did you get gas?”
“Yep.”
“How long ago?”
“I was just leaving there when you called.”
“Great. That’s my next stop. You know, Cassie thinks the dollar is going to lose a lot of value during this crisis. You might want to hang on to some of your inventory. No doubt guns and ammo will be a good store of value in the long run. If you trade them all now for a bunch of pieces of paper that turn out to be worthless in a few months, you’ll be kicking yourself.”
Tim looked intently at Noah. “Yeah, I might not be able to restock for a while either. Maybe I will keep a few items to the side. Thanks for the recommendation.”
“Sure thing.” Noah took the rifle as Tim handed it to him.
Tim caught Noah before he walked out. “Let me load that magazine for you. You never know when you might run into trouble.”
Noah smiled. “Thanks, but I’ve got my Glock.”
Tim took the magazine out of Noah’s AK. “And a Glock is a great gun when the world’s not falling apart.”
Tim soon had the magazine back in the AK. “I put twenty-eight rounds of hollow points in there. Sometimes thirty rounds are too tight in a new magazine.”
“Thanks so much. I really appreciate it.”
Noah got back in the vehicle and rushed to Quick Mart. He found it just as Tim had described. He patiently waited his turn and ran inside to pay. “You wouldn’t happen to have any empty gas cans, would you?”
“I’ve got two left, but they’re fifty dollars each,” the cashier said.
“Empty?”
“We’ve been selling them all morning. I could get a hundred each if I wanted.”
Noah cringed as he thought about the amount of resources he could have purchased the day before with the same money. Just the money he’d given to the stock clerk and the manager at Food City would have bought a ton of food. Yesterday he could have bought five or six gas cans for what the clerk was asking for two. Then he considered what his currency would be worth if Cassie was right about her predictions. He decided to bite the bullet. To pass on the opportunity may cause more regret tomorrow than he was currently experiencing. “I’ll take them both.”
He paid the man without any other comments and left a deposit to cover the gas he was going to purchase. Noah filled the cans, topped off Cassie’s tank, and went in to retrieve his change.
As he approached the counter, Noah took several boxes of candy, which were in the vicinity of the checkout area, and handed them to the clerk to add to his total.
The cashier rang up Noah’s purchase. “Sweet tooth?”
Noah laughed. “We all have our weaknesses.”
Noah took his purchases to the vehicle and headed to Isaiah’s. He arrived just as David Ray was pulling into Isaiah’s driveway.
Noah got out and closed the door. “Did you get gas?”
David put his hand in the air. “I didn’t even bother.”
“The line at Quick Mart was pretty short because they’re taking cash only.”
“Good to know. I’ve got three quarters of a tank. I should be good.”
“Have you been to the grocery?”
“No. We’re in pretty good shape with the haul we bought through the Kettle.”
“I’ve got a turkey for you in the back. Can I stick that in your truck now?”
David’s eyes opened wide. “Seriously? Thank you. Thanksgiving is still over two weeks out. I hadn’t even thought of that.”
Noah retrieved the large bird from the back of the Santa Fe. “I might have some yams and cranberry sauce, too, if things get tight.”
David took the turkey from Noah and placed it in the back seat of his truck.
Noah took another turkey to give to Isaiah, then closed the hatch. David held the door for Noah as they entered.
Isaiah greeted the two men. “Come on in. What’s this turkey for?”
Noah gave a brief explanation of his trip to Food City and Quick Mart as he brought the turkey into Isaiah’s kitchen. “I figured you’d have a few people over for Thanksgiving, and this might come in handy.”
Isaiah moved some items around in his freezer to make room for the turkey. “It’s just Sharon, Benny, and me so far. But it won’t go to waste. I promise.”
David and Noah followed Isaiah into the den where Benny was waiting for the rest of the group. Jim arrived shortly thereafter.
David asked, “No one has heard anything from Henry?”
Jim replied, “I didn’t exactly invite him over here, but no, I haven’t heard from him. It’s just as well. If he is an informant, I’d rather avoid him altogether than have to coordinate two sets of meetings for his sake or even to feed disinformation to his handlers. Benny, you may disagree, but it would consume a lot of time, mental energy, and even resources in the way of fuel to try to navigate around him. And we could never be sure if he’s planting listening devices or what he might be up to.”
Isaiah nodded. “I agree. I think it would be better for everyone to distance themselves from him. Even if we’re wrong about him, I think we have to err on the side of caution.”
Jim said, “I guess the biggest question on everyone’s mind is the fact that military troops seem to have been prepositioned for this attack. It’s going to be awfully hard for me to accept the official story about who perpetrated these attacks. Noah, your wife has been warning us that something like this would happen to collapse the global economy, but this seems very severe. Has she speculated on why the powers trying to take down the monetary system would use such a violent smokescreen? I’m sure these attacks will push us over the edge, but from my perspective, the economy, and especially the dollar, seemed to be on track to fail without any assistance.”
Noah said, “So far we’ve just been trying to digest everything that’s happening and making sure we’re stocked up on the things we need to make it through whatever is coming. Regardless of who triggered this event or why, it looks like we’re going to have a tough row to hoe going forward.
“I don’t know if you all have been listening to the local radio, but they’re getting a little more in-depth into the situation in Knoxville.” Noah proceeded to give everyone a quick synopsis of the report he’d received from the talk radio station.
Jim lifted his eyebrows. “I’ve heard about the checkpoints from concerned people wanting to know if the military would be in Sevier County. And you’re right; our first priority should be to make sure we’re physically ready to deal with the resource issues we are going to have. We’re already having folks in town fighting over gas. I’m sure it’s only going to get worse.
“I’m glad David was so generous to walk us through some tactical training, but it might be wise to invest a little more time into that. I had seven deputies call in sick this morning. I seriously doubt they’re sick. Most likely, they stayed home to make sure their families were safe, or they’re out trying to secure food and other resources.
“It’s hard for me to fault them for taking care of their own families; I can’t exactly fire them. If I try to be a hard nose, I’ll probably get a pile of resignations on my desk. After all, if I had to choose between my family and my job, I wouldn’t hesitate. At least if I have deputies that are sworn to uphold the law, maybe they’ll try to protect their neighborhoods. That’s better than stripping them of their authority by f
iring them. But if I advertise that policy, no one will show up. My concern is that conditions will deteriorate, and my staff will shrink.”
Isaiah stroked his beard. “It’s quite a conundrum. Would it make sense for us to designate a fallback position where we could all go to if there were a need?”
David looked up at Jim, then turned to Isaiah. “My place is probably the most central. I have an extra bedroom. That wouldn’t go far, but I have a stove in the garage for working out there in the winter. It won’t be the Ritz, but I’ll make it as nice as I can.”
Jim nodded. “If you’re offering, I’d say your place is the most practical, David.”
David laughed. “Mi casa es su casa.”
Isaiah winked at David. “Let’s just hope Becky feels as generously about it as you do. Should we establish some protocols that would put us on a heightened alert status and then another level that would cause us to meet up at David’s?”
Noah said, “If we go into a heightened alert status, we might want to think about taking supplies out to David’s at that time.”
David tried to keep a light heart about the heavy situation. “If anyone thinks attacks on New York, US refineries, and DC or a military occupation in the next county over warrants a heightened alert status, I have plenty of room for supplies in the barn loft. Keep in mind that I can’t do much about the critters up there, so make sure it’s stuff that can’t be chewed through like canned goods. Anything in cardboard or plastic bags is fair game for the varmints. I learned that the hard way.”
Jim crossed his arms. “David, could we hold Thursday night Bible study at your house? Then, if anyone wants to bring out any supplies, they could do it in the same trip. Gas is probably one of the resources that will be in the highest demand.”
David took out his phone and started texting. “Let me just give Becky a heads-up, but I’m sure it will be fine.”
Benny had been quiet but finally spoke up. “Should we think of alternative communications? Further attacks could knock out the Internet or phone service.”
Isaiah nodded. “Good idea. What do you have in mind?”
Jim added a comment before Benny could answer. “I brought a radio for Noah, so he can keep me informed if he sees anything going on out by the county line. Of course, I have a sheriff’s radio, and Benny can communicate with us through his Ham setup. David’s EMT radio can be tuned to our frequency. And I can get another radio for you, Isaiah. That should cover that.”