Land Of Flatwater: Desperation
Omaha Police Headquarters -- 7:30am CST -- Sunday February 19, 1984.
KFAB News Time 7:30. U.S. Forces in West Germany continue to strike back against Warsaw Pact invasion of Western Europe. A U.S. Naval Garrison cause considerable damage to Soviet ships off the coast of Denmark, further damaging the Soviet Invasion of that country which looked lost a day ago. In West Germany a second NATO counter attack at the Fulda Gap has against repelled Soviet tank divisions. However both sides have encountered heavy losses in naval fighting.
"In Nebraska Governor Kerrey will make a statement later today concerning new regulations for gasoline rationing. The Federal Government is expected to institute a rations program by Thursday this week.
The State Patrol says that starting Monday morning at 8am Interstate 80 will be open to Westbound traffic for all lanes from Omaha to Grand Island to aid the evacuation of Omaha and Lincoln.
The officer turned off the radio as he pulled into the parking garage. He was already in uniform, even after the night he had.
It was incredible and fun. Hell, it was the sex he wasn't getting since his wife divorced him, and tried to keep the kids from him. And the fact that she left him for a red man only made him stew more.
Alone between the sheets
Only brings exasperation
It's time to walk the streets
Smell the desperation
At least there's pretty lights
And though there's little variation
It nullifies the night from overkill
Three blocks away, she was there with another van. Non-descript parked on the streets. Surrounded mainly buy people lining up for gas and scrambling to get food. There was quite of bit of police on the street. But she paid it no mind.
She knew the plan. He'd get the van. Drive toward the jail. Take a detour. switch the vans up. and leave quietly.
She smirked as she thought of him. He was the perfect mark. Hapless. Lost a wife. Has resentment, worried about his kids. She saw the pictures of them. "They get the looks from their mother," she thought. "Although my girls, did have some fun with him. Those two will be quite an addition."
She smirked again. "He thought he was with 'purity'? He was too drunk and too horny to know the truth," she thought with derision.
8:00am -- On Duty
"Okay you six, your moving to the jail."
"When the hell is our speedy trial,"
"Perhaps monday," one officer said.
"Don't you coons respect constitutional rights?
The black policeman didn't bother to answer further.
One of the white officers was more irate. "You fuckers are lucky to live," he snorted. "Shooting an unarmed woman. I noticed none of you great Aryan warriors signed up to be in West Germany while my damn brother is over there! White Power? Y'all can kiss my lilly white ass. Now get in the van before I shoot you!"
The compromised officer wished they'd just be quiet. "They more they chatter back, the more officers they'll send.
The bought officer got in the passenger seat. Just then another officer jumped in. It was the quiet black officer. "I was told to ride with you Neil, any problem with that?"
"No," the compromised officer said. "I could use the company."
He was sweating. He was lying. "Dammit," he thought. "I don't want to kill anybody. I just wanted my daughters away from that woman and safe.
The six survivalists were piled in the van. Once he heard the pound on the van. That was the cue. He could drive out.
Neil put the van into gear, and slowly drove away from the Police Headquarters. He took it around the block and headed up to 15th street. At 16th, Neil took a right. The other officer questioned, "Hey Neil. the jail is the next block up."
Neil stopped the van. And drew his weapon. "Get out spearchucker."
The officer backed up. "Neil, are you alright?"
"Do as a white man says. Get out of the van."
The officer reached for Neil. Neil fired his gun. He opened the door and pushed the body out.
Neil gunned the motor and tore up the street toward the second van. Toward freedom.
"10-53...emergency...officer down....officer down... 16th and Jackson...near the jail...Neil...Neil....
The officer parked at 16th and Douglas. The escape van was waiting.
Neil opened the back. "Hurry up."
"The six men jumped out, "Thank you brother." The first one said.
They all jumped out and jumped into the second van.. which was marked like an OPPD van. The beautiful, evil woman in her disguise. "Quickly, EVERYONE IN THE LINEMEN SUITS. You too, Officer."
They all changed in minutes and then they drove away.
There were 7 happy people in the van. Then there was Neil. He was a broken man, and now he was an owned man.
Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away
Over I-80/Waverly Interchange. -- 8:45 am
"FOXTROT to all Huskers...All wings report...."
Todd spoke into his radio. "Husker 1-3, standing by. Situation at green. Traffic slow but flowing.
Todd kept his F-4 at am even hover over the traffic below. It was mostly tractor-trailers. Many of them trying to get west towards Grand Island or North Platte. Although a few pulled off. "Must be going to restock the stores," Todd thought.
He thought about Cyndi. He was missing her badly. The smart girl who became a nurse, marrying the foreman at the local grain mill. "She's more woman that I deserve, and I can't be with her," he thought.
He opened up the radio. One thing about RF-4s. They can beam onto a satellite. Even after they've been weaponized.
He punched her number on his keypad. "I could get in a world of hurt doing this." he thought.
He could hear the phone ring through his helmet in the cockpit..
"Hello," Cyndi's sweet country girl voice hummed in his ears.
"Hello, baby," Todd said.
"Todd!!!" she said. "What you doing."
"Flying."
"I told you about calling me when you are flying, Todd!"
"I don't care," Todd said. "I miss my wife. I love you."
"I love you, too Todd. Now get off the damn phone before you get in trouble, again.
"Pray for me in church today."
"I always do honey."
BASE FOXTROT -- 9:45 am CST
Agent Clayton was on the flightline awaiting for a chopper to take him back to HOTEL. The chopper came on schedule, but it had a passenger.
When Clayton prepared to board, he was stopped. "Agent Clayton?"
"Yes,"
"Brigadier General Griswold," the Commander said. "We need you back at ALPHA, now!
"Okay, what's up."
"Those Fremont bastards shot a police officer and broke their friends out enroute to jail. The Governor told me what you told him. I think we're playing this your way, Agent.
Clayton had a snarky feeling. "I told you so," he thought.
State Highway 36 -- 10:25 am
"I never thought we'd get out of that mess in Omaha," she thought.
She noticed all the stores had crowds, as the trucks pulled in. People looking to get some more food. The panic was beginning to set in.
She wasn't fazed. "It isn't the end of the world," she thought.
In the news at this hour. A U.S. Navy frigate sunk a Soviet submarine 40 miles off the coast of Virginia.
Soviet General Secretary Nikolai Ogarkov made his first statement to Radio Moscow since the Soviet attack on West Germany. He said, "The problems between East and West should be settled at the negotiations table, not the battlefield." However he did not suggest how that could be accomplished.
In West Germany. Soviet forces at this hour are retreating from Hamburg and Stuttgart. Western analysts suggest, re-supply problems have hurt the Soviet advance.
Schuyler Congregational Church -- 11:10am
O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The works Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,
I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed;
It was a full church..on a warmer than expected day in the 40s. Town folks. new arrivals. Family from near and far altogether.
It wasn't the church Chip was used to...however seeing the girl next to him in the pew in her Sunday best made things okay. They held hands through the entire service.
Jill was overjoyed. Since last night, she became herself again. Happy instead mopey.
Ira, Cricket and Mark were chuckling at Chip. But they were happy, too. Chip was still on pins a needles about the world situation, but he was smiling a lot today.
The Sheriff was sitting near the front with his wife, singing his heart out.
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;
Cyndi was still smiling. Thinking of Todd. Calling from the plane.
Dana and Maddie, taking a break from corn gas.
Walt holding Jennifer. Not thing about radiac readings, rads, and rations for a little while.
Refrain:
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Eschau, West Germany 1815 ZULU....
"NICE SHOT Yankee 3-1!"
"Danke!" the TC said. "That one was for Okie!"
The team had a new gunner., and he was a hot shot with a hot temper. Sargeant Timothy O'Hanrahan, United States Army. Natick, Massachusetts.
"Another one dropped," the Sargeant said angrily. "I like killing these guys. Helps when you have a driver that sets the shots up!"
The mission: Cut off a second Soviet group trying to press Frankfurt from the opposite side. Almost 5 hours crunching the through the woods from Hockenheim up to Eschau, but they did it. And now they were back in the fight. The second front didn't develop. The remaining Soviet forces scrambled south to take another shot toward Stuttgart line from the North.
"New Yankee 3-1, go with pursuit forces. QuickMart to set at Heading 088...25 clicks. Air support to follow"
BASE ALPHA -- Geneva, Nebraska -- 1:00 pm CST
"The good news, Governor is that the officer is okay," the Commander said. "Thank God he was wearing a vest. Two broken ribs and a concussion, but he confirmed that another cop did it."
Agent Clayton added more. "This officer...uh, Neil Woldrin...He fits the profile. Personal problems. A lot of things going wrong. Divorced. Joint custody. Wife drop-kicked him for an Indian. Feels indifferent. Has vulnerabilities you can play on. Perfect tool to recruit into Tyles' scam. This is why we have to take down Tyles."
"Okay," the Governor said. "I agree. How do we do it and when?"
The Commander said. "We have the people in place. We just need to pin point a spot and move in."
"Why not a diversion?" Agent Clayton suggested. "Your main force, takes the city and apprehend that bullshit Mayor. And then a small "k-team" goes in take down Tyles and the leadership around him."
"That's a good idea," the Commander said. "We just need a day to get the logistics together and coordinate with Dodge County Sheriffs office."
Both looked to the Governor. "I want the attack plan on my desk by 9am tomorrow. If I like it. We do this Tuesday morning."
Also, Commander, just so you know. I've ordered the guard to not allow any aid into Columbus. If the Columbus Mayor wants to threaten me? I'll starve the bastard."
The Commander smiled. "Good," he said. "real good."