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Post by papaof2 on Nov 2, 2019 7:59:10 GMT -6
Chapter 20
Thursday, 7 August, 6:30AM
I think I have my 'happy face' on, so time to wake the girls.
"Good morning, sweet girl."
"Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, other sweet girl."
"Good morning, Uncle Jack. We get to cook?"
"As soon as…"
"We're going!"
Wish the rest of my morning could be that easy.
"Jack, the satellite internet was back up for a while and Fox News had a segment on possibly Chinese troops in Mexico…"
"Jesse, I heard from General Carlton about two hours ago. I have more details than Fox but not until after we eat."
"Good plan. Most things are easier to take on a full stomach."
"Lisa, did you or Carl turn the waffle irons today?"
"Me and La… Lacey and m… Lacey and I did, Daddy. With the funny silver gloves."
"It's hard but I can turn it too, Uncle Jack."
"Then let's eat."
"We can have chocolate on the waffle, Daddy?"
"This morning, sweet girl. Not always."
"It's yummy!"
---
"The table's cleared, Jack. Nutella on waffles tells me we have SHTF somewhere. What's going on?"
"Carl, Jesse mentioned that Fox News had reported Chinese troops in Mexico…"
"But…"
"How…"
"Wait!"
"Sorry, Jack. I think we're all a bit spooked by the 'flu'."
"The 'flu' appears to be a part of it, Sarah. Container ships have been unloading larger than usual cargoes at the Ports of Ensenada, Manzanillo and Lazaro Cárdenas on Mexico's Pacific side. Today's satellite images show large numbers of uniformed people and military equipment, including some obviously Chinese tanks, being unloaded. The 'flu' appears to have been a 'softening up' campaign prior to an invasion from the south. A Chinese-supported reconquista, or reconquest, of the U.S. Southwest and as much additional territory as they can take. Remember that China has had several bad crop years and they need grain and meat. They seem to be aiming for that area for conquest."
"Aren't they aware that we also recon our borders and our neighbors as well as our obvious enemies?"
"Luigi, either not aware or not concerned."
"Not a good basis for planning an invasion."
"OK in 1890, Willie, but not with today's recon capability."
"So where does that put us?"
"Carl, I'm an unofficial adviser to General Carlton. My first suggestion was for our President to tell the Mexican President to get the Chinese back on their ships under threat of a nuke on the Port of Lazaro Cárdenas. That would put fallout on Mexico City but a small enough nuke wouldn't have fallout much beyond Mexico's Gulf coast. Follow-up would be napalm on the troops and vehicles, then nukes on other Mexican ports. Veracruz would put fallout in the southern part of the Gulf but not on the US."
"Wouldn't they see a bomber?"
"Jesse, do you remember Zeus?"
"It's operational?"
"Yes. Smallest warhead is either 50 or 100 kilotons. I'll ask the General. Either would effectively destroy a port."
"And start WWIII?"
"I suggested the General start a search where the storm dissipated at sea…"
"You suspect a blimp or something was hidden in the storm front?"
"How else could you disperse bio-matter over that large an area? And is it now dumping the remains of its load in the ocean?"
---
Bee-deep!
'General Carlton for Colonel Wilson.'
'Wilson here.'
'We found wreckage. And a Russian trawler getting into position to pick it up. This could be another Sino-Russian plot.'
'We can keep them from it?'
'Marine chopper with Hellfire missiles. When the trawler sent out a boat after being told to stand down, they got a demonstration. They've backed off. We'll have at least one US sub in the area in 30 minutes and armed surface vessels in two hours. Carlton out.'
'Wilson out.'
"So it's time for red phones and polite threats?"
"Possibly, Sarah. We'll know more as soon as the general does. On local matters, there are two hurricanes in the Gulf. We need maybe eight inches of rain to wash the infection out of the topsoil and off things that are growing. We could get that much rain from one or maybe the combination of both those hurricanes. That puts planting out perhaps two weeks. Willie, Carl, can we live with that?"
"And you mean 'live' in its most literal sense. I think so, Jack. The 'Old Farmer's Almanac' predicts warmer than usual weather through November so we should have enough growing time for all the things we've talked about planting. I don't look forward to harvesting some things the first week of November but that's better than not having it to harvest. I think we'll be OK."
"I agree with Willie. Better late than not at all."
"OK, Carl. We'll let the two of you collect all the downed wood and dead trees so we'll have wood for cooking, heating and canning in November."
"Found a small stand of mostly dead trees about a quarter mile up the dirt road. Not sure what got them but they've been dead a year or two so that's firewood standing up. Maybe three or four cords?"
"Before we go for firewood, do we plow before the rain so the ground gets washed better?"
"Plow now, brother. The ground is still a little soft from the previous rain and will be easier to get a plow through. The firewood can wait a few days when we're still juggling power to have A/C to sleep under."
"Makes sense. Who plows first?"
"Arm wrestle you for it."
"Guys, outside on the concrete picnic table so you don't destroy any of these furnishings."
"Yes, Mother."
"'Yes, Mother' to you, Daddy?"
"Lisa, who's likely to tell boys not to play rough in the house?"
"Their momma. So you said what a momma would have said and they answered you like answering their momma."
"Very good, smart girl. Do you think I might tell you and Lacey that when you're teenagers?"
"Maybe, but they're older than teenagers."
"Do they still try to show each other up at times?"
"Some kids don't get over that?"
"Some kids don't."
---
What I'm seeing in this sitrep from the General should be shared but no point in me reading it aloud. It's about 60 pages but that's just 30 double-sided sheets and I think it's worth the 500 watts of power every minute the laser printer is printing plus the possibly irreplaceable paper and toner to have hard copy. At ten pages a minute, that's six minutes or a tenth of an hour so that's a little over two amp hours. Well, that's 28 double-sided sheets of text through the laser and four sheets through the color printer at less than half an amp hour of power for single-sided charts and graphs. That's all queued and we do have sun now so the printing won't be a major hit on the batteries. Three amp hours wouldn't be a big hit if we were running on batteries - as long as I remember to turn the printers off when they finish printing.
The synopsis seems to be that lack of power is affecting the refineries so gasoline and diesel are in short supply in much of the country and almost not available where the pipelines are shut down for lack of power. That limits farming and trucking generally but more in some areas than in others so the food shortages will be worse in those with the least available fuel. If the people there didn't start with a full tank, they won't get far if they try to find "a better place". I read somewhere that the average car has at most a half tank of fuel which might get them 200 miles. How many will just "go looking" with no idea where to find food? Bringing in large quantities of fuel by truck to areas where the pipelines are dry could make the price at the pump unaffordable to most people so that's not the answer plus there's the problem of getting someone to drive the trucks to another area with an unknown infection level. Trying to evacuate people by bus would likely only work if done with armed force and where would they go? I suspect things may get even worse before they get better.
Time to punch these pages and put them in a binder with the color pages in their proper places and then go share this.
---
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Post by texican on Nov 2, 2019 20:36:45 GMT -6
Nuke the bastards in Mexico and warn Russia and China that any missile activity seen in China or Russia will be meet with hell raining from the new American satellites that will wipe out their attempted attack and then nuke both of them back to the stone age....
Nuclear winter is better than being enslaved....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 2, 2019 22:05:21 GMT -6
Nuke the bastards in Mexico and warn Russia and China that any missile activity seen in China or Russia will be meet with hell raining from the new American satellites that will wipe out their attempted attack and then nuke both of them back to the stone age.... Nuclear winter is better than being enslaved.... Texican.... If the satellites were equipped with neutron bombs, there'd be no hesitation. Those just kill people without having all that messy long-term radiation. However, you either send someone in to clean out the bodies (wheelbarrows, frontloaders and dumptrucks?) or abandon the nuked locations.
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 4, 2019 19:32:59 GMT -6
Chapter 21
Thursday, 7 August, 10:00AM
"So 'the middle of nowhere' is actually a good place to be right now?"
"Sarah, we're not near a large town or in the path of people evacuating a large city and we're not near an Interstate highway. We still have to deal with whatever level of infection the storm dropped on us but the population per square mile is relatively low so we shouldn't see many strangers wandering through here. We have some unique defenses, considering the Claymores that are still around the property from the incident with Judge Bonner and Sheriff Geeter's private army and we have the two Ma Deuces for Willie's Cougar…
"Jack, we could mount those weapons up in the cupola and have a long field of fire from that height."
"Add that to our list of defense projects, Willie, along with the outside decontamination shower if you still think it's needed. Back to where I was, we have power to run cameras and the fridge and freezer plus the A/C if it's sunny. We have power for the well pump plus we have a hand pump so we have water and we have a filter that makes the water safe to drink. We have stored food that should last until what we'll be planting starts producing. We have LP and wood for cooking. We have horses for farming once we've broken the ground up with the tractor and we have enough fuel to do that. Other than the threat of an invasion from Mexico and the possible start of WWIII, we're in good shape."
Cough! Hack! Cough!
"You OK, Jesse?"
"I should have been expecting some kind of sucker punch from Jack, but him putting WWIII with 'we're in good shape' is just scary funny and I laughed myself into a mild asthma attack. The inhaler took care of it…" Cough!
"Mostly took care of it, Jesse. Say 'Ah'."
"Sarah, I'm fi..."
Cough! Hack! Cough!
"Thermometer under your tongue and deep breaths while I check your lungs."
"But…"
"No buts. Deep breath. Again. I don't like the sound of that. Jack, where's the EMT kit?"
"That closet."
"Mask for Jesse. Tamiflu plus an antibiotic to be on the safe side. Something for the fever. Willie, Carl, he needs to be in bed. If he won't go on his own, grab his feet and shoulders and carry him."
"Yes, doc."
"I don't have a say in this?"
"Not when you're running a fever of 102.6. To bed or be carried."
"I'm going."
"Uncle Jesse has the flu?"
"Lisa, it looks like a mild case or we caught it early."
"He'll be OK?"
"If he stays in bed and takes his medicine."
"You managed to break that discussion up dramatically, Jack."
"Luigi, everything I said was accurate."
"And if it weren't for the Princess, most of us wouldn't be in such a good place."
"What'd I do?"
"You, sweet girl, needed someone to protect you from your grandfather and your uncles so I asked my friends to come help. The people who wanted to hurt you are in jail for a long time and those who came to help now have a safe place while things are going sideways."
"They came to take care of me but now I'm taking care of them?"
"They're living in your house so I think we can say you are taking care of them."
"Sometimes it's good to be rich."
---
"Hello the house!"
"Camera shows it's Harold."
"Carl, I'll get the door."
"OK, Willie."
"Come on in, favorite gunner."
"The power is off across much of the state but you have air conditioning?"
"The solar expansion Jack designed and we all worked on. We also have the modern conveniences of light at the flick of a switch and running water."
"Your well wasn't affected by the bio-matter?"
"Jack has a virus-capable filter that we added. The filter only does 15 gallons/hour so the original pump and pressure tank now feed a 55 gallon intermediate storage barrel which feeds that filter and its output goes to a 150 gallon filtered water tank with a 24 volt on-demand pump. A bit more plumbing but we have adequate clean water for all of us and the animals."
"Animals?"
"We got horses!"
"Aren't riding horses an unreasonable expense, considering the way things are going?"
"Me and Lac… Lacey and I ride them. Daddy's gonna farm with them."
"The bio-matter won't affect your crops?"
"Have a seat, Harold. Willie and Carl can explain how we'll clean the land for farming."
---
"Where's Jesse?"
"In bed. He has what Sarah thinks is the 'flu' but it's either a mild case or she caught it early enough that Tamiflu works."
"How'd he get infected?"
"He finally admitted to Sarah that he'd eaten some of the wild strawberries without bringing them back to the house for a proper cleaning."
"So we live in a contaminated world?"
"The rains that accompany the hurricanes currently moving through the Gulf might be enough to wash most of the on-the-surface bio-matter away around us if we get the eight inches that are predicted. Ten days to two weeks for that to happen. We'll plant things after the rains and keep our fingers crossed. No information yet on how long to clear the groundwater - if ever."
"What's the buy-in?"
"Buy-in?"
"What'll it cost me to get a place here? Sections of Atlanta are already in flames. Power is now off about as much as it's on and we're not the only place like that. There's fighting in the streets every night - sometimes over food that they wouldn't even have looked at a week ago. The houses at the entrance to my fenced and gated neighborhood were in flames as I left. The trailer behind my truck has weapons, basic storage foods of beans, rice, flour and corn meal plus some freeze-dried LTS food and my working wardrobe: one suit and the rest jeans and khaki shirts. The food is about 18 months for one adult."
"Jack?"
"Not solely my decision, Willie. Lisa?"
"He helped take care of me, Daddy. He can stay."
"Thank you! Jack, why did you ask her? You're her legal guardian and have full authority over the property."
"Harold, it's her house and farm. I'm just the caretaker until she comes of age and she needs to practice being in charge of all that."
"I should have remembered that, based on all the checks and balances you wanted in the adoption papers. Where do I sleep and where do you want the food?"
"Sleeping will be down this hall, last room on the right. We're using just this half of the main level because we only have enough solar power to run one of the central air units. Sarah, I'll let you handle the inventory and you can tell the rest of us where to put things."
"It's all on this thumb drive, Sarah."
"I'll get my laptop."
---
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Post by 9idrr on Nov 4, 2019 20:38:44 GMT -6
I'm glad she can say yes to some people. Will she know how to say no?
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Post by texican on Nov 4, 2019 20:58:39 GMT -6
PP2, Seems like men do not listen well... Now what is happening in Mexico? Thanks for the chapter.... Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 6, 2019 21:18:50 GMT -6
Chapter 22
Thursday, 7 August, 7:40PM
Bee-deep!
'General Charles Carlton for Colonel Wilson.'
'Wilson here.'
'Debris retrieved from the Atlantic has instructions in Chinese, Russian and Spanish. Taken before the UN this morning and there's a resolution condemning all three countries. Not likely to get a resolution involving reparations out of the UN but the Chinese troops are being hurried back on-board by Warthogs taking out the trailing tanks. The current Mexican President probably won't be in office long as the bio-matter drop system was tested over northern Mexico and there are a lot of sick and angry people there. US subs are waiting in the Pacific to take out those ships as soon as they cross the international limit. There will be no second chance for an event like this.'
'That's positive.'
'The rest isn't. The power grid is shutting down as qualified people are no longer available. The "flu" now has a name: the "Chi-Mex flu" but you'll also hear that as "chime-x" because it can really "ring your chimes" - some are out their heads from the fever. On the bright side, those whose fever leads to raving and ranting have a 95% survival rate. Chi-Mex affects half the population and kills half of those infected so the workforce is down at least 50% right now and, at best, will only be at 75% of its previous level when those who survive recover but some of them will starve because food isn't available. Reduced or no power in some areas means the fuel pipelines are shutting down: natural gas pipelines which also impact LP, and petroleum pipelines which impact gasoline, diesel and kerosene. The predicted sequence of "if no power then no fuel for farming and transport then no food" is working out just like that. Food shortages in every city of any size. If you don't have stored and/or growing food and a source of safe water plus the ability to keep those things secure, you probably won't survive. Lack of power already means some ATMs are down, some cell towers are down, some telephone offices will be down when they run out of diesel for their generators, some internet and cable providers are down and some broadcast radio/TV stations are down so there's no simple way to notify all the population on what to do.'
'About what we expected. Where do we go from here?'
'Plan to hunker down until the worst of this blows over. It will be a month or two before those who've been infected recover fully, if they don't starve in the interim. Try to keep the vermin away from your supplies. The military has more depth of supplies than most civilians but our people are just as susceptible to Chi-Mex so we're at about 50% strength right now and won't be above 75% when the survivors recover. The President and Vice President are sheltering separately. Congress wasn't in session so the members are in their home districts or on vacation some place they may not be able to get back from - all international flights and most domestic flights were grounded by the third day. If you're not in your home country, you won't be going home any time soon. Some of those people aren't happy with the "poor accommodations" being provided, but those at LAX decided they were better off than the homeless after one busload of them was given the option of being dropped off in downtown LA - most of them never left the bus because the smell was so bad.'
'We're in good shape here and can defend what we have.'
'I'll try to provide daily updates but… Cough! Hack! Cough! I'm not doing that well.'
'Tamiflu immediately and bed rest. Bring Major Thomas Tallant in as your second so you can rest and he'll take care of the work, only bringing critical things to your attention.'
'I'll do that. Carlton out.'
'Wilson out.'
"Except for Jesse, you all heard the current status and the suggestion to 'hunker down'. I think that's a good idea. We'll be obvious when we plow: noisily obvious that we have fuel and that we have seed. Not so obvious if we do follow-up work with the horse-drawn equipment. It's not as fast but it is much quieter. Willie, Carl, is that an accurate assessment?"
"Yes. Other than the 'swish-thump' of the sickle mower, most of the other equipment is almost silent in operation except for some 'jingle' in the metal of the harness but that's only heard at the next farm, not the miles that old two cylinder diesel can be heard when under heavy load."
---
'Are you there, Jack? It's Martin.'
"CB radios?"
"People still have them, Harold. Antennas are simple and the transistorized versions require very little power."
'Jack here.'
'Don Atkins stopped by to ask if Betty would come out of retirement to be the teacher of a "one room school" for Tyler and the other surviving kids when school should start back. You just have the two girls?'
'That's correct, Martin. I had planned to use the free lessons at khanacademy.org but it's anyone's guess whether they will be up an hour from now, let alone in a couple of weeks and for multiple months of school. You have a place for the class?'
'That's what I called to ask about. If you have space, Betty could pick up Tyler on her way there and drop him off on her way back home. Since you have pasture, corral and barn space, she could come by buggy on the nicer days and ride the sure-footed donkey in bad weather. No bigger than Tyler is, riding double on the donkey wouldn't be a problem.'
'Sounds good to me. Let me ask Lacey's Dad.'
"Harry?"
"Yes, Jack?"
"We have an opportunity to set up a small one room school for the girls and Tyler - and maybe for any kids we find in the future. Khanacademy.org may not be there in a couple of weeks and Betty Duke taught elementary school before she retired. She has some materials and we can download whatever is available from Khan Academy while they're still online."
"Cost?"
"Probably some food and/or supplies, Harry. Not been brought up yet."
"We have space?"
"There's one room and a bath on the other side of the house that can be isolated from the rest of that space. We could use a fan and maybe some insulated duct to circulate cooled or heated air over there."
"That might work. See what the costs are but I'm probably in."
'Martin, Harry's interested. What will it cost?'
'Ten gallons of good water a day. Our well pump died this morning.'
'Not a breaker or a fuse?'
'Voltmeter shows power at the terminals in the wellhouse but the pump doesn't respond.'
'How deep is the well and how far down to the water?'
'Well is 78 feet. Water is at 37 feet.'
'Inch and a half pipe and three and a half or four inch casing?'
'Inch and a half and four inches.'
'I have two 24 volt submersible pumps that produce 45psi, which translates to a little more than 100 feet of head. If we can get the old pump out, we could put in one of those and feed it with DC from the batteries.'
'The small gantry and the hoist they used to lower the pump initially are still there.'
'Then we should plan on doing that tomorrow, regardless of school plans. We need you and your animals alive.'
'We'll be here all day. What we saw online when the phones were still working can only have gotten worse so there's nothing we need from any place in town.'
'Then around 9AM tomorrow?'
'That's good.'
'See you then.'
---
"We'll be in school for real, Daddy?"
"Yes. With someone you know, Miss Betty, your riding instructor."
"I like how she teaches."
"Me too!"
"Just the two of us?"
"Tyler will be part of the class. If we find other kids close by, we'll see about including them."
"We'll have homework?"
"You'll have to ask your teacher when you see her. For now, it's time for a bath and then bed."
"Bath together with Aunt Sarah doing our hair?"
"Go ask her."
---
"Jack, book time."
"That was quick, Sarah."
"They were very helpful tonight."
"Then I'll read both of the remaining chapters."
---
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Post by texican on Nov 7, 2019 0:07:53 GMT -6
PP2,
It is starting to fall apart....
Now the school will work, but the possibility for transmission of the flu is there....
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 7, 2019 22:51:47 GMT -6
Chapter 23
Friday, 8 August, 6:30AM
"Good morning, sweet girl."
"Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, other sweet girl."
"Good morning, Uncle Jack. We get to cook?"
"As soon as…"
"We're going!"
Nothing like getting kids excited about learning to care for themselves. Not likely they'll need nearby fast food providers when they're out on their own - assuming we get back to that level of civilization.
---
"We can go with you today, Uncle Jack?"
"Lacey, you need your Dad's permission. I don't know how interesting it will be to watch us pull 70 feet of pipe out of the well, put a new pump on the end of that pipe and put it back in the well."
"But I wanna know how it works!"
"Me too!"
"Then both of you can help pack lunches after Lacey gets permission."
"OK."
---
"Jack, I see the DC well pump in your hand. Does Martin have adequate filtration?"
"Carl, I have multiple Sawyer Point Zero Two filters and I'm taking one with me, along with a couple of 55 gallon food grade barrels and a small 24 volt on-demand pump."
"Similar to what you did here?"
"Correct. Just not as much capacity because there are fewer people."
"You need additional muscle?"
"Martin said there was a gantry but I'll not refuse the offer of help. Seventy feet of pipe plus a pump is a lot of weight. Tell the girls we need another lunch."
"They're getting a lot of experience as short order cooks."
"As long as they're enjoying it, it's painless learning."
"So it is. You're good at this parenting stuff."
"I had good parents so maybe I inherited the right genes?"
"Can't argue that."
---
'Sheriff Morrow for Jack Wilson.'
'Wilson here.'
'Mark Talbot was violently "ill" and when a deputy checked on him, he and Rob Carver overpowered the deputy. They got Joe Carver out and they're in Cruiser 103. I'll guess they're headed for your place since y'all are the ones that got them locked up. I'm on my way but I only have one healthy deputy today and he's at the far end of the county. You'll be mostly on your own.'
'What about Kevin and the judge?'
'Mark went into juvie in a deputy's uniform and got him out "for a visit with his mother" which I think means Kevin and his mother are now hostages at Judge Bonner's place. Bonner was released from the hospital this morning with a tracking device on his ankle because the generator at the hospital died.'
'Thanks for the heads up, Sheriff. We'll prepare here and send a team to Bonner's place.'
'Thank you, because I can't cover either adequately. Morrow out.'
'Wilson out.'
'Jack Wilson to Martin.'
'I heard, Jack. We'll arm up and keep watch here. Let us know when things are resolved.'
'Wilson out.'
'Martin out.'
"Daddy?"
"Yes, Lacey?"
"The bathrooms are full and I can't wait. Go with me to the outhouse?"
"Let me get my shotgun."
"OK, I'm done."
"Remember the paperwork."
"I'm a big girl, Daddy! I always remember."
"Now I'll check both ways before we go out. Back to the house."
"I'm go… LET ME GO!"
"You heard her, Mark. Drop the knife and let her go!"
"Not a chance. You won't take the chance of shooting her to get me and neither will any of the other wimps. UMPH!"
"Mark, what's against your neck is a double-barreled 12 gauge loaded with 00 buck on both sides and the way you're holding Lacey, she's just not big enough to protect your neck."
"Then I'll stab…"
Boom!Boom!
"Ewww! I got blood all over me!"
"Close your eyes! I'll get your clothes off and carry you over to the hydrant. Don't yell that the water is cold or you might get some of the blood in your mouth. Stand up when your feet hit the ground. Hold your nose. Turn around slowly while I wash you down. Again. Good enough. Towel for your face."
"I'm COLD!"
"Bigger towel to wrap her in, Harry. Warm water in the shower. We do have that on video."
"Thanks, Jack. Headed that way."
---
"Does Mark being out of jail mean the others are also?"
"Yes, Luigi. Mark was 'ill' and when a deputy checked him, Mark and Rob jumped the deputy. They then got Joe out. Mark wore the deputy's uniform and got Kevin out of juvie. The Judge was released from the hospital because their generator died this morning. He's fitted with a tracker for what little good that does without power for the tracking equipment at the Sheriff's Office. Assumption is that Kevin and his mother are probably hostages at the Judge's place with Joe and Rob now headed here for immediate retaliation."
"Harold with me in the Cougar and we'll head to the Judge's place. We'll keep him there until we hear from you. Remember that one Ma Deuce is now upstairs with about 5000 rounds."
"Carl up to the cupola to man that weapon. Luigi upstairs to watch directly and snipe. Jesse and the girls to the root cellar. Be sure Lisa is armed and has spare ammo; she could be keeping Lacey and Jesse safe. Sarah watching cameras. I'll watch and listen for movement on the road."
"Sounds good, boss."
"Enough from you, Luigi."
---
'This is Deputy Smith. Mark Talbot escaped today. Have you seen him?'
'Jack, camera four shows that's Sheriff's Cruiser 103.'
'Thanks, Sarah. Luigi, Carl; be ready.'
'Roger.'
"Joe and Rob Carver! You are being tracked by a .50 caliber machinegun and we respond with deadly fire. The vehicle doors will NOT protect you. Out of the vehicle. Hands on your heads! On your knees!"
"Use your door for cover, Rob! I'll shoot from this side."
Bang! Bang!
BRAAP!
Bang! Bang!
BRAAP!
'Jack, no motion visible.
'Wait five minutes.'
'Roger. Do I hear a siren?'
'If so, the Sheriff might be here in time to call the coroner.'
"Jack, you here?"
"We're inside, Sheriff Morrow."
"Is everyone OK?"
"All the residents are."
"So I can assume that the unwanted visitors did no harm?"
"Nothing serious, although Lacey wasn't thrilled to be grabbed by a man with a knife and even less happy to be drenched with that man's blood when her Dad used the 12 gauge to stop Mark from using his knife."
"I only see two bodies out front."
"Mark grabbed Lacey as she exited the outhouse."
"I'll check back there. You have video of everything?"
"Yes."
"Then make me a copy and I'll get someone to bring body bags and a pickup."
"Not the coroner?"
"He died of Chi-Mex late yesterday."
"Then things continue to fall apart?"
"Yes. There is one surviving judge in the county, other than Bonner, out of a dozen judges last month - and she's Probate Court. Not much better for the lawyers. I understand most of them were on the golf course when the storm hit. Also bad for construction and other outdoor workers who were out at that time. Some truckers who parked and sought shelter at truck stops in the early minutes or hours of the storm also got drenched. You can guess how few of those will survive and what that will do to the possibility of everyone 'recovering' from the storm. You'll be going to Judge Bonner's place?"
"If Willie and Harold tell us we're needed."
---
"Willie. Something small moving in the grass in the ditch."
"I see it. Keep tracking it."
"In the ditch! You're being tracked by a machinegun. On your knees and hands on your head!"
"D-D-Don't shoot! I d-d-don't have a gun. The J-J-Judge has my M-M-Mom!"
"Harold, I recognize the face and voice but the stutter is new. I think the kid actually is scared. Kevin, stay low. On your hands and knees to get to this vehicle."
"Yes sir."
"How did you get here?"
"A Deputy that Rob called Mark got me out for a visit with my Mom but brought me here. Later, Mom threw coffee in the Judge's face and I climbed out a window. He has a gun on her now!"
"Where are they?"
"Kitchen."
"Anyone else in the house?"
"No."
"Get in the back of the truck. Sorry, but until I know more, you'll be secured with these zip ties. Last I heard, you were thinking of hurting a little girl who calls me 'Uncle Willie'."
"Yes sir."
"Harold, he's secure."
"I have an AR and a pouch of flashbangs. You know your way around the house?"
"Basic layout that Lisa told Jack about. They're in the kitchen so might be as simple as a flashbang or two through the window and taking out the back door."
"I'll do flashbangs. You get the door."
Pop! Pop!
Crash!
"Don't even breathe, Judge! You hurt my niece and I'm looking to take it out of your hide."
"Oh sh.."
Smack!
Clatter!
"You're Kevin's Mom?"
"Y-Yes. Who are you?"
"Bonner's worst nightmare, when he wakes up from Harold's baton coming through the open window and bouncing off his skull."
"Can you get us to a safe place? We'll sleep in the barn and eat the chicken feed if the Judge can't find us."
"We'll see what can be arranged."
"Willie, Bonner's zip-tied. In the truck or in a closet?"
"I'll call Jack."
'Willie to Jack.'
'Jack here.'
'Kevin's secure in the Cougar. His Mom has minor injuries but is alive. Bonner is unconscious and secured. Do we lock Bonner in a closet here or bring him back?'
"Jack, tell them to bring him back. He can ride to the old jail with me. It's vintage 1893 but I still have the keys."
'Sheriff Morrow says he has a cell for Bonner.'
'Kevin's Mom says they'll sleep in the barn and eat chicken feed if you can keep them safe from Bonner.'
'Bring them. We'll see who needs farm help and they can stay there.'
---
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Post by texican on Nov 8, 2019 14:30:04 GMT -6
PP2,
The bad buys taken care of again and this time 3 permanently....
Bonner needs to meet his maker and soon....
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 9, 2019 17:09:42 GMT -6
Chapter 24
Friday, 8 August, 11:40AM
"Stay and have lunch with us, Sheriff?"
"Thanks, Jack, but I need to get Bonner in a cell and check on the other four or five that escaped with the Carvers."
"Headed this way?"
"Not likely after one of the Carvers mentioned you using Claymores and machineguns on Geeter's little army. All the petty criminals were terrified of Geeter and it's a given they won't go near the people who took him out."
"I guess a good reputation is a good thing to have."
"In our current circumstances, a scary reputation is a good thing to have."
---
'Jack Wilson to Martin.'
'Martin here.'
'Situation resolved. Willie and I will be there after we eat. Not sure if the girls will still want to be with us after a scare that one of them had.'
'Are they OK?'
'Other than one being terrified and drenched in someone else's blood, neither was injured.'
'That's semi-positive even if I can't say that it's good.'
'A little over an hour. Jack out.'
'Martin out.'
---
"Our helpful girls worked on lunch?"
"Parts of it. Lisa used the metal guide to slice the tomatoes because Lacey didn't want to handle a sharp knife."
"Can't blame my other sweet girl after today's events. Lacey, are you OK except for having a big bunch of scary dumped on you today?"
"You're right about the scary, Uncle Jack. Can we still go see how you fix the pump?"
"Lacey, are you able to leave the house and ride in a truck?"
"May we go see?"
"Harry?"
"I'll go with you and Willie in case being away from familiar surroundings is more scary then Lacey anticipates. Another set of eyes and another gun won't hurt anything."
"Can we do more gun stuff today, Uncle Jack?"
"When we get back, Lacey."
"You have another gun like Lisa's that will fit my hand?"
"I think so. We can look when we get back and you can learn about caring for and using that gun."
"Yes!"
---
"Just all the pieces of pipe and the three wires, Uncle Jack?"
"Correct, Lacey. The pipe carries water up from the pump. The three wires are the plus and minus of the battery power to the pump and a ground wire for safety."
"The wiring part was easy after it took all of you to get it out of the ground."
"It's big and it's heavy so it's easier if you have a well driller's truck with derrick but enough people can do it by hand."
"It's all back in the ground so we're done now?"
"Not yet, Lacey. We'll be adding a filter to the water from the pump…"
"'Cause of the bio-stuff in the water, Daddy?"
"You did remember what I explained earlier, Lisa. Some of this my smart girls can help with…"
"Yes!"
---
"Pump breaker on, Martin."
"I hear water in the pipe, Jack."
"And it's going 'splish splash' in the blue barrel."
"But it's not going as fast now."
"Lisa, the pump can move water faster than the filter can handle it, so the pressure switch shut the pump off. When the filter has passed enough water for the pressure in the barrel to fall, the pump will start again and that process will repeat until the second barrel is filled with filtered water."
"That's when you use the little pump?"
"Little by comparison to the submersible pump, Lacey. The little pump is an on-demand unit that turns on when you open a faucet in the house. With a 55 gallon barrel to draw from, it can provide water for several showers."
"Just like it was before but the water is safe now."
"Correct. I think you just had some lessons without being in a classroom."
"You're the best teacher ever!"
---
"Jack, I'm pretty sure the DC well pump is more efficient than the old 220 volt pump was, but how much power does it use and how many hours a day can the solar system run it?"
"You have a working computer?"
"Old Dell laptop with Windows XP and one of the free office packages."
"There's a spreadsheet on this thumb drive. Set the voltage and AH capacity of your battery bank and the rated watts of your solar panels, then plug in the things you want to run and either their AC watts or their DC amps and the number of hours a day each thing is in use. Remember that I design for worst case, so the numbers are always a little on the pessimistic side. If you're not sure of the numbers, watch the power/energy meter on the battery bank. By 4PM or so, the battery bank should be fully charged. The AH number reads AH taken from the battery, so the battery is fully charged when that number goes negative to indicate that more hours have been replaced than were taken out. That's normal. Lead-acid batteries are not 100% efficient so you need to recharge these AGM batteries something like 107% to 115% of the amount discharged - if you use 100AH, you put back 107 to 115AH and putting back 107 after using 100 will show up on this meter as "-7AH".
"I should reset the meter when I see that?"
"As soon as the negative number starts going back toward zero."
"Got it and I'll post a note by the meter. There's a lot of smarts in this little box."
"A small microprocessor, some memory and sensors plus some software certainly makes it useful."
"Sounds like you could build one of these, Jack."
"I could, but the mass-produced-in-China versions are adequately accurate and they're cheaper than I can build in small quantities. I think I bought a dozen of them. If they all die, I have the parts to build more but I'm hoping I won't have to do that. By the time they all die, we could know the systems well enough that a voltage check a couple of times a day was all that's needed."
"Like driving a vehicle long enough to know that a tuneup is needed, regardless of the miles since the previous tuneup?"
"Exactly. Knowing what 'feels' right."
---
"Sarah?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Sorry about Mark…"
"Don't be. He'd proved not to be the man I thought I was marrying and holding a little girl at knifepoint clinched it. He was history before you pulled the triggers. You killed a rabid animal and the Sheriff did trash collection."
"You need to talk with Sharon again?"
"I'll call her."
---
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Post by texican on Nov 9, 2019 18:51:40 GMT -6
"In our current circumstances, a scary reputation is a good thing to have."
Yep, scare the semi-smart bad guys away with the specter of death....
Thanks PP2 for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 11, 2019 17:07:29 GMT -6
Chapter 25
Friday, 8 August, 4:30PM
Bee-deep!
'General Charles Carlton for Colonel Wilson.'
'Wilson here.'
'You have pen and paper handy?'
'Radio stands on a legal pad to ensure that.'
'Item 1. The Vice President was sworn in two hours ago to replace the President who died around noon.'
'Item 2. The United States Congress has fewer than 30 surviving members. Twenty-three states still have acting governors who can appoint replacements but the spreading communications failures mean that they can't contact people to determine who's still alive to be appointed.'
'Item 3. The Chairman is the only surviving member of the Joint Chiefs. The upper echelons of all the services have been decimated and many apparently capable young officers have been boosted multiple levels in rank to fill the holes.'
'Item 4. Retired Colonel John Thomas Wilson has been reactivated and promoted to Active General John Thomas Wilson and is assigned to mentor approximately 200 new officers in all branches of the military in the State of Alabama. Rank insignia and appropriate pay changes are in progress.'
'What?'
'I thought that one might get a response. The military has been hit hard and we need capable people who can make silk purses out of sow's ears - or at least functional leaders out of promising young officers who are basically being tossed onto the battlefield green.'
'Where and when?'
'Mostly where you are by remote comms. A comms truck is being fitted with all the latest gear at the Anniston Army Depot and will be on its way tomorrow or Sunday. It comes with a 500 gallon fuel trailer which will be full and a full complement of weapons which will have a trailer of ammo. There are four crew members with combat experience that you can keep or send back at your discretion. If you need someone to drive a tractor or slop hogs or watch for bad guys while you're mentoring a new Colonel, these are the people who should be doing those things. They have food for 180 days and a reverse osmosis water filter to handle their needs. They'll be coming in a temporary housing bus so they will have cooking, sleeping and personal hygiene facilities.'
'Thank you, General.'
'That's "General, sir", Jack. I also got another star.'
'Congratulations, sir.'
'Congratulations and condolences to you, Jack. I think you'll have enough work for four or five people.'
'I'll use my new rank to move some people into different jobs here as well. Martial law has been declared?'
'No. Posse comitatus is still the law and the military won't be replacing local law enforcement. However, governors do have the option of using limited National Guard troops in certain areas - the death rates of Chi-Mex are much higher in some areas than in others and first responders are among the most affected.'
'Our local Sheriff mentioned earlier today that he only had one healthy deputy.'
'It's like that in many places. I'm reasonably certain you have food put back for several months and that you'll be planting as soon as the rains from Hurricanes Gretel and Hansel wash over you. Other than the names, there's nothing storybook about either of them as they're both expected to be Cat 5 when they make landfall: Gretel in Louisiana and Hansel in Georgia. As of an hour ago, the forecast has you sandwiched between them but not directly affected, other than the rain. Maybe six inches from Gretel and another eight from Hansel.'
'Best info we had was eight inches plus to clean the surface soil and the things still growing.'
'You'll probably get it. Forecast for your area has tropical storm force winds but nothing higher except for the possibility of tornadoes which almost always accompany hurricanes there.'
'Understood. I'll pass the weather warnings along and we'll be out securing things tomorrow. Will I get a schedule or roster of people?'
'A binder should be in the comms truck, along with some books for you. I've started a download to your radio as well. Maybe 20 minutes for that and then you can transfer it to a laptop. You probably have 512 bit encryption software and know how to build a secure key.'
'Have the software and the knowledge. If communications are disintegrating, I should assume the grid won't be far behind?'
'That's a reasonable assumption. If there were enough people to physically check each meter location, the unoccupied houses could be disconnected from the grid and the load reduced by an estimated 60%, although the houses with "smart" meters which can be shut down are being shut down if power usage doesn't have obvious "people" variations in it. The A/C follows the outside temperature but hair dryers, toasters and microwave ovens follow a people schedule. For the houses without smart meters, there aren't enough people to do the work and, if there were enough, it might be difficult or impossible to get them to go door-to-door for anything. However, area failures that get no complaint from a resident are simply being noted and left down.'
'The "three weeks" to complete the work in this county is now "The Twelfth of Never".'
'Probably correct. If you need to use the gen on the comms truck for the family, do so. Consider yourself in military housing and we're providing power.'
'More than 90% of our power is now solar.'
'You've been busy then, but I didn't see any big purchases headed your way. You're in "Ghost" mode again?'
'As far as possible, things were purchased used on Craig's List or the like and mostly brought here from Georgia. Commercial purchases were all at the level of "dabbling with solar" and not "whole house".'
'Good misdirection. If I don't know you have things, neither does 99 plus per cent of the rest of the country. Anything you need and won't be able to get locally?'
'From what I'm hearing, we should plan on five years before any significant recovery?'
'That's the most common estimate. Shortest is three years and longest is 20. What do you need?'
'Right now, it's girls' clothing. Harry's daughter and my new daughter. I can send sizes and current favorite colors and someone can work on that for the next five years.'
'They're about seven?'
'Yes.'
'Any idea when puberty will hit?'
'Harry may know of his wife's family. Lisa has one aunt who may have some information about Lisa's family.'
'Gather all the info you can. Tag it "Urgent" and use the email function on the radio. You'll have better tools when the truck gets there. Good luck with those two - we have a lot of sick kids out there. Carlton out.'
'Wilson out.'
"'General Wilson'? That'll be strange coming off my tongue after years of saying 'Colonel' but congratulations, General."
"Thanks, Willie. If you heard that, then you know I'll be drafting people for other jobs and having the new troops fill in as needed. I'll ask you and Carl to vet the new people so I'll know whether and where to use them."
"I think they should see some of the combat footage from in and around this house."
"Lisa with her 'toy' gun and Harry stopping Mark?"
"Jack, we should include some Ma Deuce and Claymore clips."
"Tell Carl and he can put it together."
"Ten minutes of that and they might be asking whether to say 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' to a seven year old girl."
"Make it so."
"Aye, Aye, Captain."
---
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Post by texican on Nov 11, 2019 19:31:42 GMT -6
Yep, that will come as a surprise to the new troops....
General Wilson,nice ring to it....
Just what has happened to the judge?... Did he make it to the old jail or too the gravel pit?...
Thanks pp2 for the chapter....
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Nov 11, 2019 21:16:11 GMT -6
Anywhere from three to twenty years, huh? The twelfth of never just might be more realistic.
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Post by udwe on Nov 11, 2019 21:26:44 GMT -6
Loved it, thanks so much!
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Post by texican on Nov 12, 2019 22:10:00 GMT -6
Hey pp2, have you noticed the number of likes that your story is getting.... Impressive.... Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 14, 2019 16:18:28 GMT -6
Hey pp2, have you noticed the number of likes that your story is getting.... Impressive.... Texican.... I have noticed, so thank you to my loyal readers. This one will be in kindle format when I finish posting it. I have ONE chapter for "Waif - Part 3" so that one may be a while getting to the point of posting. I haven't been on the forum in several days. Had what I thought was bad indigestion Monday evening so tried an OTC product. No improvement so I went to bed. Woke at 1AM Tuesday with my heart pounding at 120. Called the nurse line and, after hearing my symptoms, she said "Get somewhere for help or call 911." Nearest ER is 3 miles away so we headed there. Signin desk looked at my symptoms and sent me to the EKG room next to the desk. EKG looks OK so it's CT time. Heart's OK but pancreas is inflamed so another CT plus an ultrasound of liver, gallbladder and pancreas and then an MRI. There are gallstones blocking the bile duct so I'm added to Wednesday's surgery list - at the bottom, with five other surgeries before me. Surgeon calls around 5:30PM to say "About two hours". His transport crew shows up at 6:30PM to take me to Pre-OP room 3. At 8:40PM they wheel me to the OR. The IV port installed by the ER wasn't adequate for surgical sedation so time out while they install a bigger one. A few seconds later, I lose track of things until I wake up in Recovery. Back in my room a little later, I'm told I can have food but the kitchen closed at 7PM. The nurses' station has ginger ale and apple juice so I get a little something. Surgeon stops by Thursday morning to tell me that my gallbladder is now gone, I can have "real food" and show me a picture of the stone and offer me the stone itself. Didn't look like I could make jewelry of it so I declined. Scheduled for a chemical stress test in the morning. If they're happy with the test results, I get to go home. Maybe another chapter Saturday. Doing this from the tablet and I detest this keyboard.
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Post by sniper69 on Nov 14, 2019 17:33:38 GMT -6
papaof2 - may you have a very quick recovery and be able to go home as early as possible.
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Post by smitty60 on Nov 14, 2019 19:00:57 GMT -6
Get well soon.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Nov 14, 2019 19:16:23 GMT -6
Hope you have a quick recovery
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Post by 9idrr on Nov 14, 2019 21:08:47 GMT -6
Sucks to go through all that but good to survive and get it behind you. Take as much time as you need before postin' again. Don't worry about us, your poor sufferin' fans, as we'll just sit here in the corner, whimperin' and moanin', tryin' not to cry out loud and beg for more. Wouldn't ever dream of tryin' to guilt-trip you, seein' as how you got nothin' to do but hang around in bed, thinkin' up ways to restrain your muse, and ignorin' us poor devils out here who're dyin for more... Get well, sir.
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Post by texican on Nov 14, 2019 22:04:05 GMT -6
pp2,
Yes, get healed and talk to the One.
Prayers sent.
Texican....
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Post by gipsy on Nov 14, 2019 22:26:47 GMT -6
Glad that it didn't have to come out in the end. Get well soon
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Post by supermag on Nov 15, 2019 7:34:45 GMT -6
Get well soon papa
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