Kiamichi Reunion: Book Five of the Kiamichi Survival Series
Page 28
“We’re looking for people who are talented with computers and understand how to set up networks. The government, what’s left of it, is trying to get the Internet up and running again.”
Price frowned. “I thought NERC liked to tear young people away from their families and force them to work in the camps, to imprison their fellow Americans, to violate people’s rights. Since when is NERC in the business of doing something constructive?”
The young man nodded in understanding. “Yes, NERC used to do that, but there are no longer any camps, except a few where people stayed voluntarily. The gates are open, and they can leave anytime. No guards, no internment.
“President Mullins has revamped NERC, and we have a new mission: to rebuild America. We get paid to work now, and we can quit any time we want, but hardly anybody does, because it’s work we can feel good about. I assure you, whatever you once knew about NERC is no longer true.”
The driver nodded. “Really, NERC is all about recovery now, and we need people who know computers to restore the Internet, primarily as a way to communicate, but also to provide education for children in places that haven’t got their schools going again. We checked with university professors and got the names of the most talented people for this project. That’s why we’re looking for the Martin brothers.”
This meeting resulted in both David and Price, after long, careful consultation with their parents and the other people at the lodge, rejoining NERC, traveling to a top-secret government facility in Tennessee, and working deep inside a bunker for several months.
Their efforts, along with that of others, resulted in the rebirth of the Internet nationwide. Price and David were singled out for special recognition by the president, who was a fellow Oklahoman. The ideas they developed had not only restored service, but greatly improved it. Their names were known in every school, business, and household for generations.
They traveled home in a NERC sedan that President Mullins gave them as a bonus when the project was completed, but they made a slight detour based on careful directions from Helen. Using a worn, wrinkled page out of an atlas to locate an abandoned RV, they dug up a considerable amount of silver, which Helen later used to purchase some medical equipment for Bree’s clinic. She also purchased gas-powered tillers and seeds for the town’s garden, as well as school supplies for all the children.
The day after the Menaces’ return, a celebratory parade and picnic demonstrated the pride the townspeople had in their accomplishments. Speeches were made and Tanner led the town in a toast to the Menaces, with beer brewed locally.
The Martin brothers hired Clint, and the three of them set up a shop to do computer repairs, but in their spare time, they developed several new games. The government might have wanted the Internet for serious purposes, but David and Price knew that it was also needed so people could relax and have some fun.
David married Heather Gibbs, who took care of the bookkeeping at the shop when she wasn’t chasing after their three boys. Price had returned home already married. His bride was the daughter of the director of NERC, an artist who eventually became well-known for her paintings of the beautiful Kiamichis.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Kiamichi Reunion: Book Five of the Kiamichi Survival Series. If you enjoyed it, please go to amazon.com and write a review. Just a few lines would be greatly appreciated. Reviews help sales, and sales give writers an incentive to keep writing.
This book was intended to be a novella to tie up loose ends from the first four books. Somehow, it just kept growing, and became the longest book in the series. Lots of things interrupted the writing process, so it took a while to finish. I think each of us has our own set of “2020 stories” we could tell, but I won’t bore you with mine. Let’s just say it was an eventful year, and 2021 has started out the same way.
I’ve had a lot of fun writing this series and hearing from readers. My email is chenryauthor@yahoo.com; if you have questions or comments, please let me know.
I’m working on ideas for the next series, or maybe just a standalone novel. The only thing I know for sure about it is that it won’t be based on 2020 or the current political situation. We’re living that already.
Again, thank you for reading my books, and I hope you watch for more in the future. I’ve had way too much fun letting my imagination run wild to stop writing now.