The Shelter: Book 1, The Beginning

by Ira Tabankin

  President Obama asks the Secretary of Defense for suggestions on new chiefs. The new Secretary informs the President he can’t accept the US military being used against US citizens. He’s fired for his honesty. The President appoints his National Security Advisor to the position of Secretary of Defense. He does so without the consent of Congress, telling Congress he doesn’t care what they do. Susan Rice becomes the first woman Secretary of Defense and the only one not approved by the Senate. Her first order is for the US Army to put the rioting down in New York City. She orders the 10th Mountain Division located at Fort Drum, in Jefferson, New York to mobilize and move into New York City. The 10th’s commanding general, Major General Stephen Townsend and his executive officer, Lieutenant General David Baker, both refuse the order. They demand it be sent in writing from the President. Secretary Rice fires both senior officers for requesting a written confirmation. The troops of the 10th Mountain Division, one of the US Army’s Light Infantry Division, watch their senior officers are fired for not obeying the Secretary's order to fire on Americans. The troops fight among themselves whether to obey the order or not. At the end of the day, only 2,500 troops out of 12,000 agree to follow the orders. Unknown to the 2,500 troops, militias in New York City have broken into Fort Hamilton, where they were able to convince the commanding officer to open the armory. The militias oppose the orders sending the army to restore order. They arm themselves with M16s and M4s, Army body armor, hand grenades and anti-armor and anti-air rockets. They dig trenches along the road the 10th has to use to reach NYC. They're in high spirits while they wait for the arrival of the army. Thousands of cases of liberated MREs are distributed to the hungry people. First aid materials found in the armory are used to set up mobile aid stations to provide a small degree of medical support for the city’s people. Mayor de Blasio orders the militia to disband. He’s rewarded by having himself dragged out of Gracie Mansion. He’s stripped naked, tied to a pole as hot tar is poured on him and he’s covered in chicken feathers. The militia dumps him at the Holland Tunnel, telling him not to return. The militia opens Gracie Mansion to the homeless and needy. The flash mobs continues to strip the city bare of food while the militia are arming people they trust with the weapons they stole from the armory. The New York City militia leader, John Green sends messengers to invite all of the gang leaders, two hundred citizen leaders and leaders of the mobs to a sit down to discuss the defense of the city before the Army arrives.

  Green breaks into Madison Square Garden to hold his city leadership meeting. The militia strings generators to provide cooling and lights for the meeting. Leaders of fifty different gangs and twenty mob leaders arrive to hear what the militia leader has to say. John welcomes everyone to the meeting. Outlining the situation, he shows them images some of his people have taken at Fort Drum of the troops moving towards the city. The room explodes with threats, claims of false bravado and joy they were going to get the chance to kick the government out of the City. John fires his sidearm into the ceiling to get the attendees to quiet down and listen to him. “Listen up assholes, this isn’t the normal army coming here. This isn’t some video game, these people will shoot back, in many cases they will shoot first. The best troops refused to obey the order, the troops coming here are ones who shouldn’t have been accepted into the army. These people are going to enjoy killing and raping us. We have to work together to prepare for them. If we work together, we can defeat them and teach the government a lesson. I know that usually the gangs would rather kill each other if one stepped into the other’s territory, the mobs just want to take what they want, and the average citizens want law and order restored. The only way we’re going to survive is for us to find a way to work together, or we’re going to hang together.”

  Two of the mob’s leaders stand saying, “Who made you mayor? We don’t want to trade one asshole for another. Why should we do anything you want? What’s in it for us and our people? Our people are hungry, we’re tired of having to obey, we want to rule ourselves.”

  “Then go, pick an area, move your people there and rule yourselves. I won’t stop you, nor will I aid or support you.”

  “What about food and clean water?”

  “You want to rule yourselves, you figure it out. Either you can work with the rest of us or you can leave. We don’t have time for silly games. I think a third maybe up to a half of the NYPD are going to join the army to fight us. I wouldn’t put it past the government to use air strikes against us. They’re worried if the rest of the country sees us beat them back, the country will explode in insurrection and revolution, something that we should have done years ago.”

  Three people representing five multistory apartment buildings say, “We’re not an army, most of the people in the city just want things to return to normal. Why can’t we offer to sit down with the Mayor to negotiate a truce and return to the status quo?”

  John shakes his head responding, “There isn’t any more status quo. We tar and feather the mayor before kicking him out of the city. The government is out of money, China is making plans to invade the west coast. It won't surprise me if Russia invades the East Coast. Millions of us are going to die from starvation and a lack of medication. Forget the way your life was two months ago. It’s not returning for a very long time if ever. If you don’t have the stomach to fight for your rights, you can join the flash mobs and try to rule yourselves, we won’t help or support you either. Life is hard, our time is short. How many of those stuck in the upper floors of the apartment buildings are going to die? How many people are too scared to venture outside? They're going to die in their apartments, aren’t you here to help them?”

  The citizen representatives sit down confused and worried about their future.

  John is able to work out a temporary truce between all of the parties. He partitions the city on a large wall map which will be the responsibility of each of the groups. John assigns one of his militia members to assist each group. John announces his plans to feed most of the people in the city. He sets up feeding locations that are protected by armed members of the different groups pledged to protect the city. The food comes from warehouses and surviving food stores. John is smart enough to know even with a reduced caloric intake of 1,500 calories a day he’s going to run out of food in four or five days when he knows the city will really explode.

  Chapter 17

  Nashville is known as the center of country music. Country music performers are known to be more conservative than many of the other musical performers. Many country music stars help open soup kitchens similar to those who helped feed the hungry during the Great Depression. The largest common kitchen is set up in the Nashville Music Center, which takes up an entire city block between Demonbruen Street, also called the Music Mile and Korean Veterans Blvd. Twenty-five country stars support forty cooks from local restaurants feeding Nashville’s hungry. Tony and I are proud of them stopping everything so they can help feed the hungry. With the stars feeding the hungry, most people delay leaving Nashville. This gives us time to complete our shelters and the homes for Tony’s extended family who moved into their temporary homes three weeks ago. Tony and Nancy moved into our house until his was completed. We moved Sammi and Ricky to the pool house until Tony’s home was finished. While Ricky was happy, Sammi was disappointed in moving out.

  My largest concern is fall will soon be on us. The weather will change, the evenings are starting to cool down. Even Nashville gets cold in the winter, the city gets its share of snow. I’m very concerned that as the weather cools people will use fires to stay warm. These fires could easily catch homes on fire, which could spread uncontrolled through the city, creating a firestorm which will destroy many blocks making even more homeless.

  Tony’s security advisory Ex-Marine Captain John DeFranco smiles looking at the progress we’re making in finishing the shelter complex. The main shelter’s shell is finished and covered with the removed soil, new crops have been planted on top of it. People are still working on th
e inside of the shelter, building rooms, adding plumbing and moving supplies to the storage areas. John inspects the fighting trenches, making notes for the changes he wants to make. John calls Tony asking, “Tony, can you get your hands on a couple of mortars?”

  Tony shakes his head, “Any particular type?”

  “I’d love to have three or four 81mm tubes, I’d even be happy with a few of the small 60mm ones. In reality, I’d be happy with any mortar we can get. I’m worried that if we’re attacked by a large number of people, our numbers aren’t going to be enough to repulse a human wave attack. Not everyone is a fighter, some are going to freeze, some are not going to aim to kill and some just don’t have the fire in their belly. We need a force multiplier if we’re going to win.”

  “Aren’t the full auto weapons going to be enough? I have enough trouble getting ammo, we’re paying five dollars a round for whatever we can find. Finding mortars right now is almost impossible.”

  “Tony, I note you didn’t say it’s impossible, what about the contacts in the cartel?”

  “John, no go, they’re trying to buy every weapon and round they can find from different National Guard armories knowing we’re going to collapse, which will cut their supply of weapons off. Where does one find mortars?”

  “National Guard, Army? If you can’t find any mortar tubes, see if you can find the mortar rounds. If you can find the shells, we can make the tubes. The IRA has been doing it for over thirty years.”

  “I’ll let you know what I find. What else do we need?”

  “Can you find any flame throwers?”

  “Why not just ask for a nuke.”

  “Cool, I would have if I thought you could get one.”

  “John, don’t you think untrained people using a flame thrower are more of a danger to us than to anyone attacking us?”

  “Are you saying, me and my people aren’t trained?”

  “You know damn well what I’m saying. If something happens to you and your crew, the farmers could roast my ass with the flamethrower as easily as anyone else’s. Can’t you make a portable flame thrower?”

  “Tony, I have a good friend who’s in the Army Reserve, mind if I give him a call and see if we can broker a deal?”

  “Go for it, just tell Jay or I what we need and where you want us to be, to pay for whatever deal you make.”

  “Will do.”

  John calls his friend in the reserves with whom he’s done business with many times. Aaron is a Master Sergeant in the Army Reserve who manages two National Guard and Reserve armories. There’s been time's equipment has been signed out of the armory, handed to John and never returned. The missing weapons were marked as damaged during training. “Aaron, how are you and the family? Have enough to eat?”

  “John, we’re getting along, the Army is supplying us with MREs for our families, not great, but better than nothing. Gas is too expensive so I spend 4 days a week in the armory as do many others. We’re getting by, better than most. What can I do for you?”

  “Is it possible for us to have lunch? I can arrange to have you picked up.”

  “Can you have someone at the Armory at 11:30?”

  “Sure, look for a white Chevy Tahoe, I’ll be in the back seat.

  Arron’s picked up at the armory, he settles in next to John.

  “Hi Aaron, we’re going to visit another close friend of mine. He owns a restaurant downtown.”

  Aaron nods at John. They’re dropped off at the back door of Tony’s restaurant. Aaron says, “I thought all of the restaurants on this street closed a couple of weeks ago.”

  John smiles responding, “They did. This one is owned by my friend. Name of Tony. He has enough supplies to provide meals for special meetings and for his very close friends.”

  Walking in the back door, Aaron’s jaw drops when he meets the owner, he’s thinking, oh crap, Tony is that Tony. I’d better be on guard. He can make me disappear.

  John says, “Tony, this is Aaron, in the past Aaron has supplied me with some special goods. He might have some items you’re looking for. I thought the two of you should meet.”

  Aaron shakes Tony’s hand. The three sit around a table. Tony starts talking about their specials, “Tony, you didn’t bring me all the way here to chat about food, why don’t you tell me what you’d like me to make disappear for you. I should tell you right up front. Demand is very high as are the prices.”

  Smiling Tony replies, “Right down to business, I like that. I’d like to know the going price for mortars and their shells.”

  Aaron stops chewing his bread and butter looking at Tony, “Mortars? Jesus Tony, they’re not easy to make disappear. Rifles and ammo are always checked out for training or security operations, but mortars are only checked out for the summer two-week training or an actual deployment. Christ, this could get me caught.”

  “So the price is high?”

  “High? Tony, I’m not sure it’s possible. Heavy weapons are kept in a different section of the armory, they’re under a different security system. The heavy weapons are guarded 24/7, it’s not like I can just walk in and forge an officer's signature to sign them out for a training mission. Expensive doesn’t begin to cover it. We’re talking hard time in jail if I get caught. They’ll open an investigation and check everything in the armory. I could get busted for all of the exchanges we’ve done. They’ll send the ATF after you. It’s not just me who could end up in jail.”

  “I’m sure you can set it up so if an investigation happens, you’ll be able to lay the blame at someone else’s feet. You’ve done it before.”

  “Tony, I’ve only gone into the heavy weapons armory four times a year to take inventory, opening it without the right codes sets off an alarm. Tony, can’t you pick something else you’d like to buy? How about a couple of nice Humvees? A case of M4s? I can get you 50,000 rounds of 5.56 ammo real cheap or how about a couple of cases of hand grenades? I can slip you fifty cases of MREs.”

  “Aaron, I’ll take all of those, but I still want the mortars.”

  “Tony, not easy. I have to spend some time thinking about how to get into the armory without setting off the alarm. Can you give me a few days to investigate?”

  “Aaron, when can I pick up the M4s, ammo, and grenades? I’ll take the Humvees too.”

  “Today’s Tuesday, how about Thursday. Have John arrange the transfer. He knows how to do it and get people onto the base and into the armory. John, send the same three people to drive the Humvees, make sure they’re wearing the uniforms I gave you with their ID tags, no one has ever questioned them before. We’ll do it the same way, they walk in the base, I’ll meet them at the armory, we’ll load the weapons in the Humvees, and your men drive them from the base. I’ll expect to see the payment in my Swiss account when your men leave the base.”

  John asks, “Aaron, have you ever had a payment issue before?”

  “Never which is why I continue to do business with you.”

  Laughing Tony responds, “Aaron you’ll do business with me because I’ll make you a very rich man.”

  “Tony, I’ve done okay working with John. I’ve been able to pay off two ex-wives, buy my house for cash and own two very nice sports cars. I expect you’ll follow the methods John and I have proved work with almost no risk to either party.”

  Tony smiles, “Don’t worry, you’ll be paid in the usual way. Don’t cross me. You can guess what’ll happen if you screw with me. I want my mortars and while you’re at it, I want a few cases of missiles.”

  “Missiles? Christ Tony, why don’t you ask for a nuke?”

  “I didn’t think you stored nukes on the base or I would ask.”

  “We don’t. What kind of missiles?”

  “What have you got?”

  “Look, I wasn’t joking, if you think sneaking mortars out is impossible, getting missiles out is impossible. The brass is scared a MANPAD could end up taking down a passenger plane. They are RFI chipped, if one goes through the doorway without the c
orrect codes, it sets off an alarm shutting down the entire base. Forget missiles.”

  “Can’t you get the RFI codes?”

  “No, only certain officers have them. I can’t buy them off.”

  “Give me his contact information, I’ll see what I can do.”

  Finishing lunch Aaron leaves Tony sitting at the table. Tony’s thinking, I might not be able to get the mortars, but additional rifles and ammo are always welcome, I’m sure we can find a use for the Humvees. Dressed in Army uniforms riding in Humvees we can pass for army soldiers, never know when this might come in handy.

  @@@@@

  The Nashville Music City Center has lines of hungry, scared, tired people that go around the building three times. If the lines of people were straightened out, there would be a line exceeding two miles long. None of the Country Music stars expected to see so large a number of hungry people. Alan Jackson remarked to Reba, “I’m shocked at the number of hungry, depressed people. Most of these people have no hope, no dreams, and no future. Many are going to be waiting an entire day for the chance to get something hot to eat. I hope we don’t run out of food before everyone gets something.”