by Ryan King
Tim pointed at the clock and then a question on the sheet. Reggie nodded after rubbing his head. “Reggie, we’re almost out of time, but before we’re done, could you please comment on what you know about Governor Henry and what your role currently entails?”
“First, I want to say that we have heard nothing from the Governor since N-Day. He activated the National Guard placing them under state control, ordered martial law, which we have since decided to suspend locally, and initiated the FEMA plan for a state of emergency. At the time, as you know, I was home in Murray for my father’s funeral.” Reggie thought back, was that really only a few months ago? It seemed like years.
Reggie continued on, “We have heard nothing from the Governor since that time, but I must remind you that most everyone else likely does not have electricity or working phones. The roads are also blocked in many places, so even if there is an operational state government in Frankfort, they have no way to contact us or share any information. This is the main reason we decided to set up the cooperative council.”
“How would you respond to some who claim the Governor is dead and that you are now in charge?” Tim asked quickly.
Reggie frowned at Tim. This was not on the agenda, and was a rumor he did not want to encourage. “I would tell them that we know nothing yet. Yes, there were rumors that the Governor suffered a heart attack, but that’s all we know. Governor Henry is a dear friend of mine and I know he would want each of us to do our best. I also want to add that I am simply the lieutenant governor, and in the governor’s place I have assumed control of state resources such as the National Guard, State Police, and public lands and works like Kentucky Dam. I am only an advisor to the cooperative council, which is the lawful operating local civilian government at this time.”
“Thank you sir. Until next week, this is Tim Reynolds and you have been listening to WKPO. Stay strong friends.” Tim flipped the switch, turning the light from green to red, and faced Reggie.
Tim spoke quickly, “Reggie, I’m sorry, it just kind of came out,” he said with obvious embarrassment.
Reggie sighed wanting to be angry, but knew that feeling was counterproductive, “I know and its okay. Others are thinking and asking the same thing so it’s probably best to bring up. My intent was to give everyone a cold hard splash of reality, but something kept me from it.”
“Ran out of time I guess?” asked Tim.
“No,” answered Reggie, “I just decided that it might not be a good idea to suddenly take away their hope without replacing it with something else. That leads to chaos and then society breaks down.”
Tim smiled, “Oh you don’t really think something like that could happen here, do you?”
“Actually, I think it might take a miracle to prevent it,” said Reggie grimly.
Chapter 5 – The Surprise
Joshua saw the men running across the bridge toward his family below. He had seen them sitting and smoking cigarettes at the opposite end of the bridge before his father even approached the road block, but he saw no way to warn him in time other than by firing a shot.
He tracked the approaching men in his rifle scope, not sure if his father wanted him to fire or not. Joshua couldn’t even see his family now, only knew they were somewhere at the bottom of the hill.
He saw four men running their way, one tall, thin and fleet in the front, the other three trailing behind. At the very end was an old codger who couldn’t have been a day less than seventy, carrying a double-barreled shotgun. The two in the middle looked like they were brothers and Joshua could easily spot the resemblance from his vantage point two hundred yards away.
Joshua tried to think. Normally his father initiated all the action, but maybe he hadn’t foreseen this. If those men got to the road block, saw what happened, and then took up covered positions, they would be in the same situation they were when they first approached except without the element of surprise. Retreat would be difficult at best. They probably also didn’t want the men to escape now that they were in the open. If they escaped, they could run back to their barricade at the other end of the bridge and prevent them from crossing. They needed to take these men in the open before they reached defensible positions on either side of the bridge.
The tall thin man in Joshua’s scope slowed to a jog as he saw the bodies. His arms sagged and he looked around in disbelief. He didn't look to have any thoughts of a possible threat nearby, only staring at his dead comrades in disbelief. Joshua knew his shock could wear off quickly. He also knew he should look for stationary targets and “Mr. Tall and Thin” was now standing still less than twenty yards from the barricade.
Joshua forced himself to slow his breathing and his heart rate. He closed his eyes and then opened them again, sighting on his target. He drew in a deep breath, held it, then let it all out slowly. As the last of the breath left his lungs he began to pull the trigger slowly and steadily. When the rifle jumped against his shoulder it was a surprise, like always.
*******
You bumbling fool, Nathan thought of himself. Of course, they would block both ends of a long bridge like this one. It would do no good to only bottle up one end! He heard the approaching men’s footfalls and muffled yells although he could not yet see them. He needed a plan.
If he attacked them now in the open it would be touch and go. He didn’t even know how many men he faced. Joshua might give them an advantage on the hill, but he would be waiting for Nathan to make a move. Nathan couldn’t let these men occupy the position they had just cleared or they were dead.
“Cover me,” he whispered to Bethany and signaled to David. Bethany looked at him in alarm seemingly to ask him if he were crazy. Nathan just shrugged. He would have to count on the element of surprise and hope there weren’t too many to deal with.
He saw a tall thin blond man come into view and then stop in his tracks. His eyes were wide and he looked like he could not believe what he saw. The man just drank in all the bloodshed and horror. Sudden comprehension showed in his face and he pulled the rifle up from his slack hands and began looking around at the tree-line. His eyes met Nathan’s a split second before a bullet tore through his chest, sending him to the ground in a crumpled heap.
The silence was deafening. Nathan couldn’t see anyone else; maybe there was only one. That thought left his head as he heard other shouts from beyond the barricade and then another shot from Joshua. He couldn’t wait any longer.
Nathan sprinted up to the parked cars and carefully peeked over one of the hoods. He saw the tall thin man trying to crawl under one of the cars, bleeding badly. He also saw an older man around the middle of the bridge lying on the ground without moving, evidently a result of Joshua’s second shot. There were two other men who looked a lot alike at the edge of the bridge, using the concrete barrier as protection. They appeared to be in a heated discussion. One looked to argue for heading back over the bridge and the other for the closer protection of the road block. As they were arguing, Joshua took out the man on the right drawing a scream of frustration from the other.
The remaining man wasted no time and began running towards the road block. Joshua took a shot at him, but it hit the road behind his churning legs. The man sprinted and dived near the cars and then cautiously lifted his head up to get a look at the sniper just as Nathan stuck the barrel of the shotgun over the hood of the old Chevy Nova. The poor man’s eyes showed comprehension, seeing the barrel of the shotgun only three feet from his face, as Nathan pulled the trigger and took his head off.
Nathan quickly scanned the bridge for other movement, but saw nothing. He went around the other side of the car and saw that the tall man had already bled out. He collected weapons, ammo, and anything else of use as quickly as he could. He then ran back to where Bethany and David were. Nathan jumped down between them again and soon Joshua approached them from the hill to their rear.
Joshua was breathless, “That’s all of them that I can see, the other end is clear. I’m also starting to get low o
n ammo for the Weatherby.”
Nathan looked at the three rifles he had just collected and selected an impressive Remington .300 Winchester Magnum with a Leopold scope. He handed the rifle to Joshua along with about sixty rounds of ammo recovered from the former owner’s backpack. “This should do you until we find more .270. It’s not sighted in for you, so don’t go trying to take any long shots until you get a feel for it,” Nathan explained.
Bethany moved closer to find out what was going on. David, without being told, ignored the meeting and continued to provide then security scanning the road and the bridge for anyone else who might approach them.
Nathan thought for a moment. “We could cross now. Might even be the smartest thing, but there could be more of them waiting hidden in the trees on the other side. We would walk right into them. Be sitting ducks out there on that open bridge.”
Bethany grabbed his arm, “But we have to get across. Another bridge could be days up or down river. We have to keep moving if we're going to make it.”
“Yes, we have to cross here if we can.” Nathan quickly came to a decision. “Joshua, go back up to that position and watch for any movement. Anyone crosses the bridge you take them out. If no one crosses by sundown, come to us and we’ll make our way over in the dark.” Joshua nodded and took off back up the hill.
Nathan turned to Bethany and told her, “Wait here a minute.” He moved quickly down the road and uncovered their packs hidden in the snow. Gathering them all he ran back to their position. He passed David and Bethany their packs, and traded weapons again with David.
After he briefed them on the plan, they all settled in to wait the few hours until dark. Bethany pulled out an old t-shirt from her bag, wet it in the snow, and began to clean spots of blood from Nathan’s face. “That was pretty foolish of you,” she said.
“Which part?” asked Nathan playfully.
“The part where you ran up to those cars. You had no idea what was waiting for you.” She sighed disapprovingly as she kept cleaning, “Don’t you always tell the boys to know what they are getting into before they jump. Besides, it looked like Joshua had it under control.”
Nathan smiled, “Yes he did, but I wasn’t sure he would act without me telling him to. He did well.”
“You know you’re not alone in this. We’re all together.” Bethany smiled shyly, “Even I can do my small part, although you know I don’t want to have to shoot anyone.”
“Babe, want has nothing to do with it and you know that."
She placed a calming hand on Nathan’s shoulder, “I know, and that’s not what I mean. Besides, you’d be proud of me. I’m pretty sure I winged at least one of the first bunch.”
“Really? You okay with it?” Nathan asked.
“I think so…” said Bethany thinking to herself. “Should I be freaking out over it or something?”
“I’d prefer you didn’t.” said Nathan in a tired voice.
“Besides, I already told you I’ll do what needs to be done.” Bethany searched for words and then continued. “You act as if everything is on your head and it’s not. Some things you just can’t control. Some things even work themselves out…and we’re here with you.”
“Are you trying to say I should have handled things differently?” asking Nathan defensively.
“No. I’m saying you don’t have to be so eager to jump right into danger just because you want to protect the rest of us.” She looked him in the eyes, “We can handle it too, but if something happens to you we’ll be lost. We need you. I need you.” She grinned and said “So use your head,” as she slapped him lightly on the shoulder not knowing it had been grazed by a bullet.
He had forgotten about getting shot, and groaned. Bethany inspected and saw that it was minor but still hissed with exasperation, “That’s exactly what the hell I’m talking about!” The look on her face caused Nathan to laugh and she laughed quietly too.
Bethany cleaned and bandaged his wound with care as they waited in the snowy cold ditch for nightfall.
*******
Shortly after the day’s last rays of sun fled from the sky, Joshua came back down from his sniper position. Nathan decided that he and David would go across first, one on either side of the bridge while Bethany and Joshua following about fifty yards or so behind them. If things went bad, they would flee back to their original position.
They stealthily crossed the bridge under a dark and cloudy sky. Around the middle of the bridge they passed a sign welcoming them to the State of Kentucky. At the other end they found another barricade and signs of long occupation. The remains of a fire was still warm and they spent blessed time warming their hands and feet after making sure the nearby wood-line was clear. Another sign on the road told them they were only a mile from the town of Louisa, Kentucky.
They relaxed for the first time that day, and Nathan even took off his wet boots and socks to dry by the replenished fire, when David jumped up abruptly. He stood still and alert like a deer looked into the woods. David slowly turned his head from side to side with a concerned look.
“What is it?” whispered Joshua.
David paused before answering, pushing the long dark hair out of his face. He nodded his head in decision, “Voices, and not far away.” He then got another confused and uncertain look before saying with surprise, “And a dog.”
Chapter 6 – Borders
General Clarence Anderson’s professional opinion was that he was too old to be in charge of the local Mayfield VFW chapter; much less the defense of what was the battered remnants of what passed for civilization these days. He had felt tired and stretched thin five years ago when he retired after thirty-six years of wonderful, challenging, and sometimes painful military service. Now, he was inexplicably back at it again, but not for the U.S. Army. General Anderson sipped his hot tea and scowled at the heavily scribbled and highlighted map on his dining room table.
He and Rita had intended to spend their remaining years traveling the country in a large RV purchased the year before Anderson’s retirement, but Rita started feeling tired and dizzy for no reason. It wasn’t long before they confirmed that his wife of over forty years had terminal and inoperable cancer.
The doctors gave Rita only six months to live with chemotherapy, but she refused, saying she had seen too many friends die without their dignity that way. The doctors’ subsequent prognosis was grim, no more than a month. Rita, ever the fighter, ignored them. She lived life with her typical boundless joy, lasting another three years before finally dying last June. Anderson had yet to figure out what to do with that ever-present and gaping hole left in his life.
He had spent most of his time pursuing his two hobbies: reading and gardening. A lifetime of military service had also instilled habits which he found difficult to ignore, even when they made no sense. Anderson still ran ten to twelve miles a week and executed a series of push-up and sit-ups as soon as he rolled out of the bed each morning. He was old, he thought, but at least he wasn’t old and soft. This was no self-delusion, Anderson’s body was slim and muscular, strikingly so given his age.
Before N-Day he dutifully spoke with his two children every week; his son had a family of his own out in Tucson and his daughter was a junior at the University of Miami. They worried about him, but there was really no need. He would never truly be happy again without Rita, but he lived the best life he could until the day they could be together again. He hoped and prayed his children were okay wherever they were, but he feared in his heart that both, given where they lived, were now likely dead.
Anderson was not sure what the rest of his lonely days would have entailed if not for the terrible attacks on his country, but he knew what his remaining days would be like now…driven, purposeful, and relentless. He had never been accused of being imaginative, but General Anderson had been famous for this methodical and detail-oriented nature, which, when combined with a stubborn persistence, made him one of the best strategic planners in the Army. He was also infamous for har
d cutting sarcasm and unwillingness to suffer fools or incompetence. These characteristics served him well as a division commander and corps deputy commander, two of the most difficult and demanding jobs in the military. The tasks before him were not new, but familiarity was not the same as comfort.
He was stunned by the events of a few months ago. As surprised as Anderson was by those events, Lieutenant Governor Philips’ subsequent visit to his house a few weeks later left him incredulous. Reggie Philips officially recalled him to active duty and placed him in charge of the military district made up of the Jackson Purchase area. Anderson did not think Philips had the authority to recall retired military members back to active duty, nor to place them in charge of Reserve and National Guard soldiers, but Philips said “authority” at this point was moot. There was what was legal, and then there was what was necessary.
Anderson politely refused, and Philips insisted. Anderson then impolitely rejected the offer and asked the Lieutenant Governor to leave his house. Philips’ response struck him.
“General Anderson, I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, but you are recalled to active duty and you are in charge of the defense of us all. You have men and women who will look to you for direction and leadership even if you stay cooped up in this house.” He paused for a long moment and looked Anderson up and down, “And frankly sir, you don’t strike me as the sort of man who is able to shirk his duty and responsibility.”
Anderson was speechless as Philips stood to go. He couldn't decide if he had just been offended or flattered.
Philips hesitated at the door. “I’ll be down at the Mayfield Court House until tomorrow morning when I head back to Murray, and we need to talk.” Philips opened the door, took one step out, sighed and came back in. “General Anderson, I know you didn’t ask for this any more than I did, but we need you. I hope you can see that.”