Chapter 21: New Civilization

We had spent the last several months in meetings planning our future. The subway had long been completed and was now attached to the Grotto, which was also the newly built CAP headquarters. I had been given the honor of being elected Chief Executive of our growing colony. I could basically do whatever I wanted to as long as I didn't piss off the people. We had just over 2,200 people now living either in Big Bear or the area by the CAP tower that we were converting. The security forces only numbered 80 right now but they had been able to handle any problems so far. Jenny had become our constant shadow and pretty much acted as our personal bodyguard when needed, she had been training a lot with Mike and his brother Paul. We had been planning a trip back east to check out the old government and had decided it was time.

We were originally going to fly but then decided to take the highway to meet people along the way. We had vastly improved on the two semis and the Strykers we used as command vehicles, they were both overhauled and were now totally electric and ran off the power generators. The semis were loaded with supplies and one of them had a replication unit in the back with an extra power generator. I planned to give out supplies as we went on our trip. It was mid September when we felt we were ready to go, we loaded up the two semis and the two Strykers along with one of the flyers, and we all headed out, leaving Mike in charge of the forward base. I really wanted Amy to stay behind for safety reasons but I was not going to tell her that, so we all went including Jenny of course. Jessica and Trish also went as head of security for the group with 10 other security officers and a few others as drivers.

"Well we all ready?" I asked.

"Yep everyone is loaded," Jessica said.

"Ok, let's go. First stop is Barstow let's move out," I said.

We headed to the freeway then headed north; it didn't take long, only about an hour at our speed. We stopped at the park in the middle of town and sent the flyer off to announce our presence. We decided to stay one night so we hooked up the power generator to the park's electrical system, Buddy was such a big help at times.

"Ok, let's move all the rations out off the truck and start on more, if nobody shows we can leave them," I said.

We had only been there for about 30 minutes when a group of men walked up to the park and then over to me, the leader was dressed in a sheriff's uniform.

"Hi sheriff I'm glad to see there is some law left in town, I figured they all would have left," I said.

"Nope, not me, I have a soft spot for this place. I will never leave, you guys local?" he asked.

"Pretty much, were based out of Hesperia, the majority of us are at the airport. We're on a road trip to Washington to see how things are going."

"How did you get the vehicles working?"

"Well, I happen to be an electronics engineer and I had a hand in that. If you have a few cars in the area I can see what I can do for you for you."

"Yes that would be very helpful, what would you recommend?" he asked.

"Diesel would be the best and at least one big truck, we have supplies to give out in Hesperia. You would be able to make supply runs for food then."

"You're just giving this stuff away?" he asked.

"Yes, everyone needs help right now and I can give it, so I do. We will also give you communications equipment and form a security cooperative, if you like."

"Yes I would. We have had some problems but luckily not too bad. Say you don't have a doctor do you?" he asked.

"Not with us no but we do in Hesperia, is someone hurt?" I asked.

"No but we have a woman here who is pregnant and she is due soon and the nurse we have says she is not doing well," he said.

"Get her here as soon as possible; I will have the flyer take her back. After everything is done she will be brought back," I said.

"Great, sorry I never introduced myself I am Deputy Bart Johnson," he said and shook my hand.

"Justin Lake or you can call me Governor as my friends elected me," I said and laughed.

"Hell you got the food and supplies, you can be president for all I care, I'm going to get the new mother and I'll be right back," he said and took off.

"Well, good first impression," Jessica said.

"Ya, he seemed like a good guy, I hope the new mom will be ok."

I didn't want the flyer to stop advertising so I sent for another one; it only took about 10 minutes to arrive. Bart arrived with a man who was pushing a woman in a wheelchair and they walked up to me.

"Justin this is Mr. and Mrs. Lang," he said.

"Glad to meet you both, will you both be going?" I asked.

"Yes please," Mr. Lang asked.

"No problem, don't worry we have the best doctor on the planet back home," I said as I led them over to the flyer and helped them inside. I signaled to the pilot and they lifted off and headed back south.

"I have never seen helicopters like that, how does it fly without blades? It acts like a harrier almost," Bart said.

"It's a very special ship Bart, also highly secret, not that secrets need protecting much anymore. If all goes well and we become good friends, you will be learning many secrets. Here is another one for you," I said handing him a com unit. "This goes on your wrist you can use it to communicate with us and also for video surveillance."

"Surveillance?"

"Yes, sometimes it's nice to know what is going on somewhere else, watch. Tap the screen then on the little globe. Now zoom in on our location, it's like Google Earth if you ever used it before."

"Holy smokes this is live video?"

"Yep just another secret, you are the only one that can use it too. It won't work for anyone else, just play with it for a while, it's easy to use. If you need to communicate just tap the phone icon and say your name the operator will help you."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," he said.

"How many people are still in town? We want to leave enough supplies to go around."

"Not sure entirely but I would guess only about 150 people, some may still be hiding and not coming out."

"Ok I will leave a thousand rations, which should hold you until you can get more. Now you have an idea for vehicles?"

"Yes, not sure how to get them here though," he said.

I called Jessica over and said, "Jessica take a few of the guards and one of the Strykers and tow whatever vehicles he wants repaired back here please."

"Sure will do," she said and she walked off with the sheriff.

I was working on my lunch when I heard a transmission that Mrs. Lang and the baby would be fine. I looked over at a smiling Patricia and finished eating. I was still eating when Jessica showed back up pulling a Diesel army truck. They dumped it by our trucks and took back off, I sent Buddy over to fix it. Eventually Jessica and the Sheriff finished towing four vehicles to the park.

"Ok, that will do to start, but I'm sure we will think of something else after you leave," Bart said.

"Well, if it's important we can always have someone fly up, but now for the next item. We can work on getting power restored; we have the only operational power plant on the planet as far as I know. However, before we could do that you would need to go around and cut out all the excess buildings that are not being used. We can't afford to power a bunch of stores that are of no use to us."

"That will be a hell of a job, but worth it. We can also take a census at the same time to see how many we have."

"Good idea, just be careful, as things linger on we will have more problems."

"Ya, I knew it was coming soon, the stores still have some good food in them but it won't last much longer. I knew it would be over then, I was hoping for a miracle and I got one."

"Ha, you won't believe how much of one when you learn the whole story, I just wonder what Washington is going to think about it. They will need to learn fast that without power they are nothing. That's going to be hard to swallow, but I'm going to love to see them try."

"The politicians if still alive will demand everything you have for the public good."

"Yep I'm sure they would try, but if I leave Washington it will be a long walk for them to get here. I'll just go back after there all dead, or I can just save the good ones and leave the rest."

"You wouldn't need a very big car," he said and we both laughed.

"Hey why don't you invite everyone to the park we can have BBQ for dinner tonight," I said.

"Sure sounds good, if you're supplying the food," he said and smiled.

Later that night the BBQ went great, about 60 people showed up and they all got one of our books. We left over a thousand rations and about a hundred books. We hit the sack after the BBQ since we wanted to head out in the morning.

The next morning we said goodbye to everyone and headed out on the I-40. We made Needles just before noon and took up residence on the high school track field, and again we sent the flyer out to advertise. We all sat down and started on lunch, I had received word from the flyer there were people watching us but only a few and they didn't make contact. It was only a few hours later that I decided this place was going to be a bust, so we left some supplies and books. Then we loaded up and headed out on the freeway due east again.