Part 27: We'll Sort That Out after The Bombs Fall
Tuesday, 21 February 1984
National Guard Armory
125 West 14th Street
New York, New York 10017
0654 hours
"WINS News Time, 6:54 a.m. The weather: cooler, cloudy, highs in the low 40s, lows in the low 20s tonight.
"WINS. You give us 22 minutes, we'll give you the world."
The civilian cooks at the Armory listened as they prepared breakfast. This was going to be a special meal; they couldn't take the "wets" to Kingston, so they made bacon and eggs and pancakes. Normally someone would have the local R&B station on, but with the war going on, and the situation in the City being what it was, the news station was a more prudent choice.
"Now for the traffic -- We interrupt this program for a special bulletin. A nuclear device has been detonated over West Germany. The device, believed to be a low-yield tactical weapon, detonated at 6:55 New York time over Kassel, West Germany. There are no indications whether the Warsaw Pact or NATO set off the device. Initial reports indicate heavy casualties in both the civilian population and enemy forces. Again, a nuclear device has been detonated over West Germany."
Sergeant Martinez stuck his head in the men's shower. "Lieutenant? Officer and senior NCO call."
The Lieutenant hastily finished adjusting his slightly damp BDUs as Capparelli spoke. "Our mission has not changed. We are to escort key elements of the City government to Kingston. However, the schedule has been speeded up, as you can imagine." Grim chuckles.
"We're going to move in three hours. Get your breakfasts and get your forces ready."
Hadleyburg, Pennsylvania
0658 hours.
Step by step the longest march can be done, can be done,
Many stones can form an arch. Singly, none, Singly, none.
And in union what we will can be accomplished still,
Drops of water turn a mill. Singly, none.
Words from a 19th century Mining Union rulebook.
"... indications are that civilian and enemy casualties are high. We take you now to NBC News studios."
"That's our cue," R.J. said to Walt. He turned off the car radio. "You go left, I'll go right." They ran into the store. "Recall! Recall!"
"What's happened?" someone asked them.
"The bomb's gone off in Europe, sir," R.J. said politely.
Sheryl, Patrick, and Robbie left the store. "Okay, boys, good work." Sheryl threw the packages of dish soap and two twenty-pound bags of cat food into the car.
"I can't believe those cats don't eat anything but Purina brand," John's sister noted.
"They have a right to be fussy; they're cats! Let's listen to the radio..."
"We bring you David Brinkley, who is speaking from a location that is classified..."
"This is David Brinkley. We do not know who initiated the use of nuclear weapons, but we suspect this incident will not be the only one. If the Soviets initiated the attack, the West must respond; if the West initiated the attack, the Soviets must respond. The question remains: what will be the nature of that response?
"Let us hope that it is not one of mutual destruction. Let us hope that reason prevails. But let us prepare for the worst."
Testaturco said, "Do you know where this mine is supposed to be, Mr. Schumpel?" He was making a special point to be polite. It wasn't Schumpel's fault he and his men had been held for two days in the Harrisburg jail. Schumpel had been professional and scrupulous. However, he was edgy and wanted to get home to his family.
"No, I don't," the local attorney said, "But it shouldn't be hard to find." A pair of cars were pulling out of the Giant parking lot and heading up the road.
"They're full of people."
"So?"
"I see what he means, boss," said his driver. "They're moving with a purpose."
Wallenstein said, "They're following those cars."
"Look. One is a white van," Gomez said. "Do you think we finally found our shooter?"
"Does it really matter?" Wallenstein said. "The spit has hit the fan." He got on the radio, using an NYC frequency. "Robert Three-Nine, this is Robert Two-four."
"Robert Two-Four, go," said Sergeant King.
"The local attorney is following a couple of vans up a local road; turn left two miles after you get on State Road 1223."
"K."
"I'll leave you someone to guide you in."
"K."
"Alberto?"
"Sure," the detective said, getting out of the car.
Detective Sergeant King looked at the two cars following them. "All right, boys, I know you can do this." He increased speed and pulled out his red light to place on the dashboard. The two unmarked cars followed, lights blinking."
Wallenstein shifted to Mutual Aid. "This is Robert Two-Four, NYPD, on State Road 1223 in Hadleysburg. We're following a car with three suspects turning off the road to the left two and a half miles past the Giant."
The white van twisted and turned up a half-dirt, half-gravel road and turned right onto a railway right of way. Schumpel followed. A ridge gave way to a narrow valley. The van turned left. Schumpel followed.
Wallenstein followed.
King followed.
The two unmarked cars, with their families inside, followed.
The white van disappeared.
Schumpel stopped the car.
Wallenstein stopped the car.
Two soldiers in green fatigues and carrying M-14s walked up to Schumpel's car pointed to a berm that shown brown and wet with new dirt. "Drive there. Park your car, pop the hood, and follow instructions from there."
"What the hell?" Testaturco asked.
Wallenstein said, "Police officers," flashing his badge.
The specialist said, "Okay. Drive there to the berm. Park your car, pop the hood, and follow instructions from the people you see there."
Schumpel drove into the berm. A canopy of two by fours held up canvas and plastic, which in turn held the piles of earth. "Pop your hood, please, sir," a third teenager said.
"Why?"
"So we can disconnect your electrical system so the car will be usable after the attack, sir."
"What attack? That's in Europe."
"For now, sir," the teenager replied. "If we're wrong, we'll reconnect the electrical system and you can drive off. But hurry, please!"
Schumpel popped the hood. The car lights suddenly went dark.
"This way, please, gentlemen," a girl said, waving them on with a flashlight."
They climbed out of the berm and up a hill. They passed through a door, into a narrow space which jinked right, then left again, and then through another door.
Joan Boulanger stood by, a clipboard in her hand. "Ah, good to see you gentlemen. You're Mr. Testaturco. See Mrs. Sholmo at registration, please, and check your weapons there. Or go outside and risk canned sunshine."
"Your husband..."
"... Is going to be dead before sunset," Joan said. "My job is to save the living of New York. Your wife is downstairs, and so are your children and your Nonna. Fascinating woman. And who may you gentleman be?"
"Detective Bruno Wallenstein, NYPD."
"Good to see you. Do you have any personal gear? See Mrs. Sholmo at registration, please, everyone, and check your weapons with Sergeant Major Zimmerman."
"Even police?"
"Right now, Detective, the only people carrying guns in this place are who I tell to carry." Joan said cooly. "This is a lifeboat and I am the officer in charge."
Detective Sergeant King appeared. "This is going to be interesting. I saw the van that did the Park Heights shooting, and I see Testaturco. Who arrests whom?"
"We'll sort that out after the bombs fall," Joan replied. "Mr. Schlempel, call your family. R.J., go with him to the lodge and make sure he has the right directions to get here. Bring your clothes and bedsheets. Now, Counselor, before I find you in contempt."
Schlempel and R.J. left immediately.