A New World: Sanctuary (33 page)

“Okay, Jack, I’ll put it together.
 
We’ll train during the day while the others are gathering items, but if I’m to do this, then I’m in complete charge.
 
No interference, Jack,” she says.

“What?
 
Are you implying I would interfere with any training?”
 
I ask.

“Of course not, Jack.
 
I would never imply that.
 
How could I possibly ever think you would interfere?”
 
She answers with her total innocent look, which of course brings a smile to my face.

“Okay, point taken.
 
You’ll have complete control and I won’t say a thing,” I say.

“Oh yeah, that’ll happen,” she says rolling her eyes.
 
“Just remember this conversation, bucko.”

“I hate to bring this up, but what are we going to do about all of the dead bodies and the probability of diseases?”
 
Frank asks.

“Yeah, there’s that.
 
I think we can agree that we don’t have the manpower to carry them out or bury them in mass.
 
The only thing I can think of is to burn the housing developments with carefully controlled burns.
 
I just don’t see any other way,” I answer giving my opinion.

“What about any survivors though?
 
They’ll get caught up in that,” Drescoll asks and says.

“That’s a good point.
 
We’ll have to make sure any teams assigned to that detail roll through the neighborhoods with loudspeakers and try to find anyone around prior to setting the fires.
 
We’ll have to make sure of wind direction and such as well,” I respond.

“And how will we keep the fires under control?”
 
Frank asks.

“We’ll have to get some fire trucks with water tenders from the fire station.
 
We’ll train on the trucks and use the streets as fire breaks,” I answer with Bannerman starting to write again.

“How many trucks?”
 
Bannerman asks.

“I don’t rightly know.
 
I think we’ll need two teams on the burns; maybe Alpha and Bravo.
 
I guess every truck we can lay our hands on.
 
Have the trucks run behind the main line of fire and put out anything that jumps the streets.
 
Of course, that could quickly get out of hand with the embers in the air and if they settle somewhere downwind starting other fires.
 
We’ll just have to keep the fires limited and not let them rage out of control.
 
All I’m thinking is that we need to get rid of all the bodies within a fair piece of area around us,” I answer not knowing the right solution.

“If I could go back to the wall for a moment, how high are we looking to build it?”
 
Bannerman asks looking at his notes.

“I think twenty feet high should do it provided we can put the partitions together without creating hand or foot holds,” I answer.
 
“Anyone else think differently?”

“I think that should be high enough,” Lynn answers with her opinion.
 
“I mean, the night runners have tremendous capabilities from what we’ve seen, but they’re not supermen nor can they fly.
 
At least not that I’ve seen.”

“I agree, that should be high enough,” Drescoll adds.
 
“Are we planning to look for others outside of the burn areas?”

“I think eventually we will be out doing just that when we have a few more people.
 
Right now, at least the way I see it, we should be concentrating on getting our place up and running; building the security.
 
We’ll need to bring in livestock and build greenhouses if we want to sustain ourselves in the long run.
 
I have it my mind that we need to get the wall up and the long-term food in place by winter.
 
We’ll be able to eat through the winter on supplies we can find on hand and our fuel situation may be critical by next year; that is, the fuel will be unusable by then.
 
My opinion is that we should use that fuel to make sure we have a viable, long-term place for the people we do have,” I say in answer.

“I’m not disagreeing with you at all, just asking if we are going to look,” Drescoll says.

“Most definitely.
 
I think we owe it to them to look for them when we can,” I say to which everyone nods.

“So, speaking of long-term, what about using solar power for our long-term energy needs?
 
At least for this building,” Franks asks.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Bannerman says flipping a page on his notebook and writing more.

“As long as you’re writing, you might put down some of those towable generators found at those road construction sites.
 
We could rig one up with a breaker so we can use the pumps at gas stations,” I say.
 
Bannerman nods and his pen flies across his pages.

“What about integrating a nightly training session for the entire group?
 
We get together before dinner and have a topic for the night or several nights running, finding someone who has an expertise at something, anything, and we all learn.
 
Complete with both classroom and practical applications if necessary.
 
Everyone knows something so we should share the knowledge.
 
I could draft a schedule along with the other training,” Lynn says after Bannerman’s pen slows down a notch.

“I like it,” I say nodding.

“Yeah, sounds good to me,” Drescoll adds.

“What do you want me to do?”
 
Frank asks.

“I’d like you to have someone by the radios at all times.
 
Mark and coordinate team locations at all times just in case something happens.
 
We’ll need detailed maps of the areas,” I answer hearing Bannerman’s pen start up again.

“You’re going to wear that thing out,” I say to Bannerman who chuckles in response.

“My magic wand went missing so this is the best I can do,” he says without looking up.

“So, I think that may cover it for the short-term unless anyone can think of something,” I say chuckling at Bannerman.

“Well, there are a few other things Frank and I discussed,” Bannerman adds.
 
“We were thinking about cleaning and such while we were sorting through the clothing here.
 
I think it would be a good idea if we found some commercial washers and dryers.
 
We’ll need a way to keep what we have clean.”

“Agreed, add that to your list as well.
 
Speaking of clothing, we’ll need to gather up some scent maskers or at least make sure any teams going into buildings for supplies have smoked themselves,” I say.

“And we were thinking we should go raid Madigan for hospital equipment and supplies,” Frank says.
 
“We could set up a dispensary and small hospital here.
 
I’m not talking x-ray machines and the like and it’s not like we have anyone to run some of the stuff but you never know.
 
IV’s, monitors, beds if we can get them, needles, drugs, maybe even a breathing machine if we can.
 
Those are nice to have items but I’m not sure if they’re worth the risk of going into a place like that.”

“It’s seems more items we’ll need rather than want items to me,” Drescoll replies.

“I agree with you that they should be up on the priority list if we’re to make a long go at this,” I say.
 
“Let’s get started on the wall and supplies and revisit a hospital trip afterwards.”

“Anything else,” I add looking at the group.

“Well, you have mentioned everyone else.
 
What are you going to be doing?
 
I don’t imagine you just hanging around on standby,” Lynn asks.

“Well,” I say with a smile, “I thought I might get in some helicopter training.
 
That might come in handy down the road when we’re searching for others.”

“What?
 
Jack, you can’t be…
 
Oh fuck it!
 
You run off and play and we’ll keep the fire warm,” she says standing.

“So, you’ll have all of the teams tomorrow, Bannerman, to gather the equipment we’ll need.
 
Tomorrow will be for gathering everything and we’ll start our runs the morning after.
 
Oh, and we should plan for the teams to be back two hours prior to sunset.
 
That will give us plenty of leeway in case something goes wrong,” I say smiling at Lynn’s remark.

“Jack, I’d like the teams to have some practice on the range and physical training in the mornings before everyone heads out on their assignments.
 
We need to keep our training levels up too,” Lynn says.

“Okay, set a schedule and you’ll have them.
 
Work out a schedule with Bannerman.
 
We’ll also need to set a night watch.
 
The standby team should be a good one to pick as they won’t be out and about,” I say.
 
“Anything else we should talk about or thoughts?”

“I think we’re good,” Bannerman says.

“Okay, let’s try to get some sleep if we can with all that hammering.
 
If we can think of something to shut the sound out so we can get some sleep, I’m all ears.”

They just shake their heads and walk to the other side of the balcony where most of the others are getting ready to turn in.

“Do I really get to start training?”
 
Bri asks when we’re the only ones left.

“Yes, hon.
 
But you have to take it serious and do everything Lynn says.
 
No questions.
 
And it’s not a game and you can’t treat it that way,” I answer.

“I will, Dad.
 
Take it serious I mean,” she says but I notice a gleam in her eye.

The night passes and we are only occasionally awakened by the night runners still trying to get through the doors.
 
Bannerman and whoever he had helping did a great job of installing them as they’ve held up well under the constant onslaught.
 
It’s just an irritant to hear the metallic clangs throughout the night.
 
The constant noise does taper off as the night goes on.
 
I imagine some gave up and went in search of food elsewhere.
 
Now if we can get the wall built and provide for an extra margin of security, I’ll feel even better.
 
We’ve made it this far, through trials and hardships, through dangerous environments and perilous situations, and with some hard losses, but we’re here and, for the time being, safe from nightly attacks.

There is still a lot of danger with gathering our supplies, finding others, and in general trying to stay at least one step ahead of the game.
 
I have no doubt that the night runners will eventually find a way in with their bloody persistence and we can’t afford to assume a place of complacency.
 
My mind also goes back to the conversation prior about clearing them out but I just don’t see a way to do that right now.
 
We’d have to shift our priorities completely and the end result would still be a toss-up.

I roll off my cot feeling drained; awake but still tired.
 
I’m just not a morning person.
 
I throw on my shirt wondering who is more offended by it, me or the shirt itself.
 
I ask Bannerman where the other clothes are stored and if he’s gathering the dirty ones somewhere.
 
He points me in the right direction and I feel a little better with a clean, black fatigue shirt on.
 
I see Lynn rousing the other teams.
 
It’s nice not to have the sound of night runners slamming into our doors rebounding throughout the area.
 
The sense of relief is immense and you don’t notice how much tension that kind of constant noise creates until it’s gone.

Bannerman also points me in the direction of the showers they discovered.
 
I see Robert staring at the place where Nic’s cot was obviously lost in thought.
 
He pulls out of his reverie with a sigh and rises from his cot next to Michelle’s.
 
Robert tags sleepily along as I head to the locker room.
 
We pass by Lynn and the other teams as they gather to head outside for PT and training.

“Going to join us, flyboy?”
 
Lynn asks to which I merely shake my head and point to the locker room.

I should join them but I just seriously don’t want to.
 
I’ll pick that up with them in the coming days.
 
I still just don’t feel totally back to being myself.
 
My thoughts are leaning in the direction of finding a scout helicopter and seeing if I can keep from killing myself trying to learn its secrets.
 
The warm water pouring over my head feels good and breathes some life into my tired body and mind.
 
Warm water; a shower!
 
Wow!
 
I think letting the water run over me.
 
It seems to wash away more than just dirt, sweat, and old blood.