by Bobby Akart
“I do,” replied Dr. Stanford. “David, would you mind showing them the image of the at-risk transformer capacity, designated by state?”
“Okay.” Lemmon provided the proper image to the aide.
“Go ahead, Dr. Stanford, the image is onscreen,” said Lemmon.
“What you are viewing is a map showing the at-risk transformer capacity for a negative seventeen hundred nanotesla geomagnetic field disturbance based upon the data for the Carrington Event. Regions with high percentages of at-risk capacities, such as in the northeast, could experience long-duration outages extending for several years. Lower percentages, as indicated in the regions like the southwest, would experience shorter outages, assuming the interconnected power grid doesn’t completely overwhelm those transformers via a cascading collapse.”
Lemmon turned to the people who would advise the President on what action to take. He needed to sum it up for them.
“It’s hard to overstate just how much this solar event will shock our lives. Of course, the power will go out as depicted in the map, as would the Internet and most of the nation’s critical infrastructure. In places with electronically controlled water supplies, toilets and sewage treatment systems would stop working, creating a disastrous public health problem. Perishable food and medication would be lost. Banks and financial markets would not function. Gas pumps would go offline. The list is long.”
Blumenthal walked back to the head of the room and whispered to the Chief of Staff and the President’s political advisor. He was about to exit the room when Dr. Stanford spoke again.
“Excuse me a moment, but I need to be clear about something.”
Blumenthal stopped and walked a few steps toward the screen.
“Go ahead, Doctor,” he said.
“The image I’ve provided was merely a hypothetical model for the Carrington Event based upon negative seventeen hundred nanoteslas. That is not the theoretical model for the AR3222 solar event headed towards Earth.”
“How does it differ?” asked Lemmon.
“Our predictions for this event are in the range of six thousand to eight thousand negative nanoteslas.”
“What does that mean in terms of the effect on the power grid?”
“Blackout. Total blackout.”
Chapter 15
15 Hours
8:25 a.m., September 8
Davidson Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
“I hope you won’t be late, Alex,” said Madison as she exited Interstate 24 onto Old Hickory Boulevard. “I can’t believe the traffic today. There weren’t any accidents, just cars and trucks in every direction.”
Alex was oblivious to her mom as she scrolled through the news sites online, seeking the latest update on the potential for auroras, a solar flare, or anything space weather related. CNN provided one news story which regurgitated the UK Daily Mail report. She scrolled through Twitter, searching the hashtag #AR3222 and #solarflare. Most of the tweets involved pictures of the northern lights in Europe. Dr. Stanford’s Twitter account promised a video update at one o’clock. She’d try to watch the YouTube upload before her Spanish I class.
Despite being chastised several times by her Mom, Alex continually bounced through the various satellite news stations, to no avail. The Fox & Friends crew brought a live report about the northern lights from its affiliate in Presque Isle, Maine, near the Canadian border. After some playful banter with the reporter about the Carrington Event, Steve Doocy issued a stern warning to all of you telegraph operators out there to be mindful of the phone lines getting burned up today.
Alex didn’t find their jokes or lack of professionalism amusing. Nor did Alex laugh as her mom pulled into the drop off lane and she saw several senior guys were walking toward school, fashioning tinfoil hats. Nobody was taking this seriously.
Or were they?
“Mom, doesn’t the parking lot look empty to you?” she asked.
Madison glanced around and then replied, “It does. Maybe some kids took off this week for a vacation around Labor Day.”
Alex just shook her head. “If that were the case, why wasn’t it empty like this yesterday?” she asked sarcastically.
“Listen, Alexis, I don’t know the answer to that. I know how you feel about this solar flare and it’s easy to look around for signs to support your thoughts on the subject.”
“Fine,” she replied and hastily tried to open the door before the truck was stopped. Alex knew something was coming. She could sense it, and not just because it was the topic of conversation in Mr. Stark’s class. She had a strong feeling something was about to happen. Something unpleasant—like a premonition.
Before Alex opened the door, she turned to her mother. “Mom, I have to turn my phone off while in school. Will you promise to keep the news on? Promise me that you’ll install the solar flare app we talked about yesterday. Please?”
Madison reached for her and they hugged. Maybe she was a little too overanxious. Alex wasn’t paranoid, just hyperaware. She needed her mom to believe in her.
“I promise, Alex,” said Madison, looking into Alex’s eyes. “I have some errands to run today. I’ll keep monitoring news reports, and I will install that FlareAware app as soon as you’re inside.”
“You remembered the name?” asked Alex, who was trying not to become an emotional twit.
“Yes, honey, of course I did. Moms do listen, you know.”
“Not always.” Alex started to laugh and wiped a tear from her cheek. She felt better.
“That’s true; guilty as charged. But this time, I am listening, and I want you to know that you can always count on your daddy and me, okay?”
“Okay. I love you, Mom.” Alex hugged her mom and scooted out of the truck, grabbing her backpack from the rear seat as she went. She bounded up the sidewalk toward the double door entry. She gave her mom one last smile and then turned her phone back on and set it to vibrate. Just in case.
Chapter 16
12 Hours
11:20 a.m., September 8
Dallas Cowboys Training Facilities
Ford Center at The Star
Frisco, Texas
Jerry Jones spared no expense when it came to his beloved Dallas Cowboys franchise. But the axiom it takes money to make money clearly applied in his approach to business. Football was a game for the fans, but it was big business to the NFL and its owners.
When the Cowboys’ latest revolutionary project opened in Frisco, located north of Dallas, the move was hailed as shifting the model for NFL training facilities from a place to hang your cleats and shoulder pads to a complete fan experience.
Not only was The Star the home of the Cowboys’ offices, but it included two outdoor practice fields, a twelve-thousand-seat indoor stadium, a retail shopping venue, and a sixteen-story Omni hotel and convention center.
Then there was the exclusive Cowboys Club, where today’s meeting and follow-up luncheon was being held. Jones was the consummate entertainer, and the opportunity to showcase his new high end dining facility overlooking the field was too good to pass up.
Colton’s mind wandered as the Super Bowl Halftime negotiations continued between his legal team and negotiators for the NFL. He felt guilty for dismissing Alex’s concerns over this solar flare situation. While the day-to-day burden of raising their daughter rested on Madison’s shoulders, Colton strived to be a good father who showed not only love for his only child but to also be the type of parent who really listened to his kid.
He recognized that times had changed in the twenty-some years since he went through his teens. All of the pressures and dangers facing teens twenty years ago were happening at an even younger age. The temptations of sex, gambling, drinking, and drugs were more prevalent than in his youth. The media and pop culture seemed to celebrate these things rather than discourage them. While he and Madison understood they couldn’t raise their daughter in a bubble, they could certainly be there to help manage the stresses and pressures of Alex’s l
ife.
Communication was the key. Colton might remember what it was like to be a teenager back in the day, but Alex knew what it was like to be a teenager today. As parents, he and Madison discovered that not only could they learn a few things from their teenage daughter as she raced toward adulthood, but admired Alex’s willingness to prove her maturity and readiness to take on responsibilities.
Alex was trying to show her parents that maturity by, in a level-headed manner, doing the research and presenting a plausible scenario to them regarding a potential solar flare. Colton failed his daughter last night, and he hoped he didn’t break her spirit. Colton felt guilty, and he was looking for an opportunity to reach out to Alex.
The deep voice of the oldest of the NFL negotiators brought Colton back to the present. “In the fifty-plus years of the NFL’s presentation of the Super Bowl, the halftime show has become synonymous with the biggest names in entertainment. Hundreds of millions of people around the world will be introduced to your client. Our request is not unreasonable.”
The exchange wasn’t heated, but clearly a member of Colton’s legal team was aggravated. “I don’t disagree with the magnitude of this event, but what you’re asking is out of the norm. What do you think, Colton?”
“Um, I’m sorry. I was making a few notes.”
“Colton, they’re asking the talent to contribute to the expenses of the event.”
The request caught Colton by surprise, and he immediately got his head back in the game. “What kind of contribution?”
“Each year, the costs of production for the halftime event increase substantially. This year will be no exception. Between the extraordinary security on the field and the significant costs associated with the lighting, it should come as no surprise that additional funds will be needed from the performers to defray these expenses.”
It was time for Colton to close this deal. He sat up in his chair and stared down the NFL negotiating team. “Gentlemen, this is where I draw the line in the sand. My client doesn’t want an asterisk by his name for being the only artist to pay to play in the Super Bowl. He wants to proudly announce that he will accompany his peers in a fantastic halftime performance based upon his talents and merit and not the size of his bank account.”
Colton’s granddaddy taught him not to hem-haw around. Get to the point, boy, his granddaddy would say. During any negotiation, it was always appropriate to be respectful and especially listen to the other side’s questions. Their questions were an insight into their minds. You also had to negotiate with some wiggle room.
Pay to play? Not gonna happen—and it didn’t.
The group took a break for lunch, and Colton excused himself to hit the restroom. His real reason for breaking away was to send a text to Madison. He expressed his feelings about shutting Alex down last night, and Madison agreed. They also discussed whether the threat was real. While they both agreed the government and the news stations would advise of any impending disaster, there was no harm in getting prepared.
C: Think of it this way. People buy insurance against losses from hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes.
M: Can you buy solar flare insurance?
C: Very funny. Pick up some extra batteries, food, and water. Basics.
M: I could buy a couple extra of everything.
C: Yeah. Stock up.
M: I’ve got this. Go back and play with your Cowboys.
C: After lunch, we’re touring the Cowboys Cheerleaders studio and practice center.
M: What? No.
C: Yup. Gotta run. Love you!
M: Come back here, mister!
Chapter 17
12 Hours
11:50 a.m., September 8
Broadway Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee
Before Madison left the house, she conducted a little online research. All she knew about prepping was getting ready for a big Thanksgiving meal or making arrangements for a get-together. Naturally, Madison was curious about what kind of person called themselves a prepper. She thought of the people at the bookstore yesterday. They looked like ordinary people, although wearing clashing styles of camo clothing should be considered a fashion faux pas. Other than that, they were just like them.
So what made them tick? Why would somebody choose to become a prepper? Madison decided to search prepper mentality, and here came the results.
Prepper mental illness
Prepper mentally defective
Prepper declared mentally defective
Was this what people thought about preppers? Madison learned years ago that the news and entertainment media could not be trusted. They deliberately slanted their particular means of mass communication toward a decidedly liberal agenda. She also suspected that Google tilted their web and news search results in a similar fashion. But an obscure search term like this yielded results that were most often what the Google user was seeking. Most people think preppers are deranged!
Madison taught Alex how to avoid succumbing to peer pressure. The easiest way was to say NO like you meant it. How did preppers overcome the peer pressure of being labeled mentally defective? They must be a resilient bunch to prevent public perception from swaying them from what seemed like a reasonable goal—preparedness.
Colton needed her to pick up a few things so she headed into Nashville. So many concepts were consuming Madison’s thoughts. She continued up Broadway across the interstate overpass, thinking about the concept of prepping. Unless you had unlimited resources or a crystal ball, it would be impossible to prepare for every contingency—especially those that hadn’t happened in a hundred years or more. Yet they’d happened. The world had experienced many catastrophic events, including massive solar flares, deadly pandemics, and volcanic eruptions. The nation’s economy was in shambles and arguably on the brink of collapse. Madison remembered what happened to the Roman Empire from her studies in college.
Then there was their society. This was a regular topic of the sermons on Sunday at their church. Madison understood avoiding sin and temptation were a part of Bible teachings since the beginning. In reality, it was also a battle between right and wrong.
Something considered wrong a hundred years ago was not only accepted now, but encouraged. Exhibit A was premarital sex. Madison knew times had changed. But why? Why was out-of-wedlock sex not only accepted, but encouraged?
As Madison became stuck in traffic in front of her church at the corner of Seventh and Broadway, she realized she was so deep in thought that she forgot to turn back at Tenth Avenue to stop by Colton’s office and pick up the files he requested.
She stared at the two-hundred-year-old church where she and Colton were married. She didn’t always believe in God. As a child, she went to First Baptist with her family because she had to. As she grew older, she started to see. There was that seminal moment when she accepted Christ into her life and never doubted her faith again.
At this moment, she had a similar revelation. It started with Colton’s text about insurance. He wrote that people buy insurance against losses from hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. Prepping was like insurance, except not in the normal sense. It was insurance against catastrophic events that you hoped would never occur. If they happened, you could be ready, or at least more ready than others. If you prepped for the worst and nothing happened, you hadn’t lost anything. At least you had the peace of mind to know you could survive a catastrophe, in whatever form it took.
She circled the block and headed back toward West End, completely abandoning what brought her downtown in the first place. Her mind was racing now. It was almost euphoric.
From what she read, preppers strongly believed in self-reliance. They equated self-reliance with freedom. All it took was a little self-discipline, sacrifice, and planning to lead a self-reliant lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with that. Who cares what other people’s perceptions are?
Without realizing it, she was racing towards Barnes & Noble to buy that EMP book the preppers were waiting for yesterd
ay. She pushed her way through traffic, slapping the ceiling as she crossed under two yellow lights when they turned red—kissing the ceiling, as she and Colton always called it.
Like most aspects of a person’s life, it came down to making choices. First, she had to get her head in the right place and commit to taking care of her family. Second, she had to make some decisions. She had absolutely no clue where to begin. The bookstore would be the first stop. Then what? Where the heck do I start?
Her phone buzzed. It was a text message from Colton.
Chapter 18
11 Hours
12:22 p.m., September 8
West End Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee
Madison read the text from her husband. It was succinct—Don’t panic. Get extra of everything. Love you! One thing the Rymans didn’t do was panic. When she experienced complications with the birth of Alex, they didn’t panic. When she and Colton were told Madison couldn’t have any more children as a result, they were devastated, but they didn’t panic. When she quit her job and money was tight, they didn’t panic. After they’d just purchased their new home in Belle Meade and Colton lost his highest-producing client to a tragic car accident, they didn’t panic.
They persevered.
Every family experienced loss in some form. Those who fought through the complications, whether self-inflicted or unexpected, could come out on the other side a better person if that was their character. Those individuals who lived their life seeking pity for their troubles might not have the gravitas it took to survive a catastrophic event.
Madison knew the Rymans were tough. She was thrilled that her husband was thinking along the same lines as she was—get ready.