Land Of Flatwater: Law and Order: After The Missiles Came
Base ALPHA/Executive Council Chambers -- Geneva, Nebraska -- Tuesday March 27, 1984 -- 7:15am Central Standard Time
Governor Kerrey was the last to arrive. Wide awake and pensive. Ready for another day that seemed to run together with the previous day.
Glimmers of hope have come in the last few days. The possibility of the news from outside the state. The hope of a reforming national government. Plans to start planting crops. A breakthrough in the "Grand Island Flu" cases that have affected thousands of people in the towns and the refugee camps.
Overnight, those glimmers dimmed in a continuing surge in post-attack violence.
"Good morning" The Governor said. "Allan, give me the threat board. It's bad isn't it?"
Briagdier General Allan Griswold wasted no time. "Up front. We had a skermish at Kearney State early this morning....A group of armed men attempted to storm the chemistry building on campus."
"Isn't that where Dr. Suhr is...The medication to stop this GI thing??" Resources Executive Orr asked.
"Yes," Griswold replied. "We got a telegraph message from Suhr. She's okay. Got bruised up when she tried to fight back...According to the CDU on the ground. Eight men tried to take the medication by force. Additional CDUs were called in..There were some casualties.."
Governor Kerrey looked at his military commander hard. "How many?"
"Two dead, both assailants...Three others wounded, one critically...The critical is a commander of a CAP outfit that flew supplies in."
The hush fell over the room.
"Its been a busy night," Griswold continued. "Another disturbance at the FEMA camp outside of Fremont. Another attack, once again by remants of those Snyder Lake idiots"
Dr. Benning perked up, "That's about eighth night in a row...Why aren't the NCF doing something about this?"
"Doctor they are trying as is the city controller. But Fremont has been unstable since the snowstorm..."
"Its getting more unstable because maybe some of your forces are working with the crazies. The reports of that are growing!"
"Those are unconfirmed doctor.." Griswold said hotly.
"Seems to me, if the persons attacked aren't white they stay unconfirmed," Benning said bitterly.
"You are out of line Doctor Benning," Griswold shotback.
The communications executive had a look that could burn through lead. "Am I?"
"How are these crazies getting access to the camps. They are supposed to be guarded. How come the camps in Fremont have been segregated?"
Griswold countered, "It was temporary measure to get to the bottom of what caused the food riot there before the snowstorm. From reports I've gotten those camps have be reintegrated."
"Bullshit," Benning said flatly. "They haven't been."
"Where are you getting this information" the Lieutenant Governor asked.
Benning slyly kept his information close. "I've had some contact with official channels."
"Why haven't they shared the information?" the Lt. Gov answered.
"Why don't you ask Brigadier General Griswold."
Griswold grinded his teeth. He's heard the rumors before, but he didn't think it could be real. "This is the type of shit we don't need," He thought.
Griswold tried to continue. "We also have reports of another attack at Albion and an attempt on the BLACK ANGUS facility at Central City."
Agriculture Executive Newell was livid. "Again?? Somebody at the BLACK ANGUS facility is letting these bastards in."
Governor Kerrey saw another trying day ahead. "Got any good news General?"
"A couple of pieces," Griswold stated. "Per your orders, we are letting the Bomber Recovery Team and the B-52 crews go today. They plan to report to whatever FEMA continuity site they have out west. And with your message when they arrive, sir."
"Governor," scientific executive Yarelian said. "Why not send emissaries from our government there. If we have a federal government, shouldn't we send some people to check things out."
Governor Kerrey answered. "Not yet. We don't know who's at the other end of the line. They may not be who they say they are. They may even be Soviet for all we know. We send a message. They reply to it....What's the other piece of good news?"
"The NCF garrison in Kearney has the surviving bastards that hit Kearney State in custody. According to them, one of those men is of high interest...Special branch interest..."
Lincoln Municipal Airport -- Lincoln, Nebraska -- 9:20 am Central Standard Time.
"Major Denton, sorry we had to hold you guys like this," Frank McGonigal said as the Bomber Recovery Unit began to file out of the ready room toward the flightline.
"What's to be sorry about," Denton said. "I'll be sorry to miss those good Nebraska steaks. A lot of things have gone to hell, but at least you have good beef."
"Where the hell do you find a place to keep good cows?" Another member of the recovery crew asked. "Seems any cattle still left would be irradiated."
"The State Government has them hiding underground," Frank answered. "A few places around the state. They started moving cows in semitrucks before the war started. They did the same with dairy cows."
"The rumors are they did that where I'm from down in Texas," one of the bomber pilots said.
"Where in Texas," Agent Clayton said.
"Around College Station," the pilot said. "I hear rumors that Texas A&M survived."
Clayton smiled. "We've gotten some radio transmission from down there. We think the Texas Government has located to that area."
Frank handed Major Denton an envelope. "This is a message from the Governor. If you happen to find the ranking civilian authority please give them to them."
"Will do," Major Denton. "We also have a couple gifts for you."
Denton pointed at a palette in the hangar.
"We had an extra crate of Sidewinder missiles and some Stinger modules with rockets. Consider this our way of saying thanks for the hospitality and the spare parts. Those are becoming scarce you know."
"Tell me about it," Clayton said.
"So what happens to you two guys?"
McGonigal smiled. "I'm headed back to Hastings. Gotta see my little girl."
Clayton quietly said. "Back to Seward, trying to keep the local field office running for the FBI and FEMA."
Clayton handed Denton a sealed card. "Should there be CIA continuity. Hand that person this. They'll know how to decode it."
"Shaken, not stirred right Mr. Bond?" Denton wisecracked.
"Quite," Clayton answered.
The two agents stood on the tarmac as the varied crews enter their planes and taxied away. The C-5 Galaxy was the first to lift off. Within a minute the B-52s filed into line and then lifted into the skies to the west.
Clayton and Frank walked toward a smaller plane, a Cessna parked on the runway.
"Sirs," the Pilot said. "I'm Captain Cauble. Lancaster County Civil Air Patrol. I've been given orders to give you a ride to Hastings, and from there a...Clayton isn't it...You have a relay connection on to Kearney."
McGonigal raise his eyebrow. "Thought you were heading back to Seward."
Clayton looked at his partner. "A slight change in my orders...There was a situation overnight. Griswold wants to me to run an interrogation."
Good Samaritan Hospital/FEMA-NEMA-NCEG Control Point Medical Base-- Kearney, Nebraska -- same time
A worried group of kids sit in a waiting room. Beechcraft Bob is back in surgery, trying to get more of fragment of the two projectile bullets out of him.
The Cadets were planning to leave this afternoon, to continue with the mission as Bob instructed Cadet Captain Wecker to do. Those plans would be delayed. The local officers of the Nebraska Combined Forces and the Buffalo County Emergency Council wanted their statements on the incident.
In an empty room away, Chip was alone and silent. Still shaking from what happened hours before. His mind's eye replaying the events. The darkness in the classroom. Seeing the shadow of a gun barrel at the head of Jill. Thoughts of death. Thoughts of his family back in Schuyler.
His eyes had a shellshocked look. He was scared..anxious...He wanted to cry but couldn't. He was numb.
The slurs of the evil man who wanted to kill Jill replayed in his brain over and over.
"There you are..," Nurse Trofholz said as entered
Chip got into a defense crouch. "STAY AWAY!"
"Chip...IT'S ME...Cyndi!!!"
Just behind Cyndi was Dr. Kimmineau. During the commotion at Kearney State, Kimmineau was at the library, studying as much as he could. Look at radiation patterns, treatments, anything to learn how to prevent the next bug.
By the time he returned, the the gunfight between the CDUs and the armed bandits seeking the medicine was underway.
Since he's been trying to comfort the kids the best he knew. Kimmineau approached slowly. "Be still, little brave. Be still," His voice was calm soothing.
"So much fear in this one, Great Spirit," the doctor thought.
Kearney Town Hall -- same time.
The man sat in the chair. He was nervous and shaking. He had vomited when he saw the wounds and the blood from the man who was shot.
He was just a rural farmer. He liked to hunt and fish and loved his two sons. Both suffering from the "Grand Island Flu". He was desperate, like the rest. But he wasn't a killer and he knew it.
Only one of them was.
He had heard stories about what the NCF did to people. He had heard the radio. "All Nebraskans must do their part. We have no tolerance for those who don't."
A door opened in the tiny room. One man walked in.
"Hello," the affable man said. "Jerry isn't it?"
"Y-y-y-yes."
"I am Richard," the man said. "And I'll tell you..It doesn't look good. Bringing guns into a secure facility. Holding hostages. Trying to steal medicine. Assaulting CDUs..."
"I didn't assault anybody!" He whimpered. "I just needed medicine for my boys, and they had it here."
"Tut, tut, tut," Richard said. "I've heard it from everybody so far...Why not just wait for the authorities to release it?"
"I had heard they weren't.." He wailed. "What are they going to do me? I've never done anything illegal in my life.."
"Until now," Richard said in a drab tone. "What happens depends on how much you cooperate."
"I am cooperating,"
"No I mean really cooperate..." Richard said. "Starting with, who helped you on the inside?"
"I'm not the ring leader,"
"Well one of the others fingered you as the person who made the contact with somebody to help you all breach the perimeter. Who told you where the medicine was being made. Only the research team knew about it.."
Richard pulled out an Uzi submachine gun. "Where did you guys get these?"
The man was sweating. "I didn't carry it..I had my hunting gun. My Winchester!"
"Well three of you did...and seeing as how you made the contact with the person inside the campus, you might have gotten the weapons too."
The man protested louder. "I NEVER SEEN GUNS LIKE THAT.."
"Until now," the interrogator said blandly. "You know chum, you are very close to being a volunteer for reconstruction duty...You may even get your choice of areas."
"Reconstruction duty?"
"Yeah," Richard said. "And being a country boy like me...Maybe you've always wanted to see a big town. I got my chance for that..New York City...of course that probably no longer exists...But, I hear Omaha's pretty exciting."
"Omaha??" The man said.
"Yes, Omaha....Big city! Lots of things to see, do and rebuild..."
The man sweated more. The interrogator was quite urbane, chatty...you could even say he was charming. But underlying tone was biting at the man in the chair.
Post-attack Nebraska wasn't kind to criminals, even first offenders.
to be continued