Overture (Earth Song) (34 page)

“
He’s not talking about us, is he?” Mindy said aloud.

“
That would be insane,” Harold said and drew a dangerous look from a nearby soldier. He returned the glare and they continued listening to the president.

“
-thousands of people have been working for weeks now to prepare the way. In nine top-secret locations around the nation we have been constructing bunkers deep underground. In one week we will choose the names of those who will take refuge in these bunkers. Each can hold one hundred thousand people, and is capable of being self-sufficient for twenty years. We are making use of the newest in sustainable life support technology so that minimal stores are needed. Life will be hard, many will not make it, but our nation, our species, will go on.

“
I am given to understand that other nations are proceeding along similar lines. This asteroid is capable of incredible damage to our planet, but we will not go gently into that good night. Not being chosen to enter the bunkers is by no means a death sentence. The damage may be relatively minor and localized. It is too soon to know for certain.” The President’s ever present smile faded and he leaned closer to the camera before continuing.

“
I’ve already signed a nationwide declaration of martial law. Over the last five days, a precautionary mobilization of the National Guard has been underway. They are, at this moment, moving into key positions throughout the country. Our troops are being recalled from overseas, with the exception of a small number to keep installations from being vandalized during the crisis. This is not going to be an opportunity for the lawless element in our society to run wild; order will be maintained. If you work, you will be expected to show up at your job tomorrow. Civil defense leaders have been issued instructions on the construction of bomb shelters to aid those who will not be chosen for the bunkers.

“
Know this, those picked for the bunkers will be common people. Only a few of our leaders will be allowed to enter the bunkers. This will not be a means of escape for the elite, the rich, and the powerful. Those few, those Chosen, will be amongst the finest of our citizens. Artists, constructions workers, schoolteachers, doctors, scientists, cab drivers, there will be no prejudice because of who you are, or what you do. The criterion is being a resident of the US and between the ages of sixteen and sixty. If you are one of these Chosen and are married with children they may be considered, but there is no guarantee. If you give up your position for this reason it will be given to someone else. The only other thing that will determine admission to the bunkers is your performance as a citizen. Partake of lawlessness, abandon your work, become a thug or work against order and you will not be Chosen.

“
In eight days a national lottery will take place using social security numbers and criminal background checks. If you have committed a crime between now and then you will not be Chosen. If you have broken the law any time in your life, you may not be picked; it will depend on the crime and the circumstances. On May 14
th
a special courier will inform you if you are one of the Chosen. Be sure you are home that day. I have declared that Wednesday to be a national holiday effectively immediately.

“
There it is, my fellow Americans. We need to stand fast in the face of this bleak future. We have the moral fiber to stand up to the challenge and emerge even stronger. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Good day and God bless.” The screen went blank and the room stayed quiet.

“
That was a stirring speech,” the general said and stepped in front of the television. “I am Lt. General Hipstitch and I am in charge of the New York sector. I also know what you are really doing here. What you all are now going to know is that there
are
no bunkers. That Portal through which a team of one hundred will pass in a couple weeks is the only way off the planet. Unlike the average citizens, you also have a shot at being one of those hundred. We’re not taking Joe Six-pack; we’re looking for educated professionals of child bearing age, not sterilized, with a diverse set of skills, who are not afraid to work. Keep the secret, work your ass off, and you just might get to live. If not, Lebowski will be here in a few weeks to settle all accounts.”

Hipstitch
started to turn and the room began to erupt in loud conversation. He stopped and cleared his throat. “Oh, I almost forgot. If any of you just want to quit and blab, I’d think twice about that. You’re all under quarantine from this moment on. You can quit if you want, but you can’t leave. You’ll be permanent residents of the Portal Arms Motel until Lebowski gets here. So you might as well work.”

“
Fucking fascist!” Harold yelled. Luckily for him, the room instantly exploded into protests, though most were less inflammatory than his. Hipstitch just waved to the crowd and left. A pair of armed soldiers stayed behind. Mindy had no words to offer, she was too stunned. All she could think about was how Billy was coming later to pick her up so she could move into his apartment. “You bastard,” she hissed at Hipstitch’s back. She noticed that Harold was trying to incite civil unrest amongst their coworkers so she grabbed him and suggested they get back to their office. When the elevator opened on their floor more soldiers waited. Each one checked their ID against a list before letting them past.

“
Are you going to check that every time we go in and out?”

“
Yes, sir, I am.”

“
How about when I need to take a leak, man?”

“
As long as you piss on this floor, I don’t give a shit. Now move along.”

“
We have a bill of rights in this country, General Custer!”

“
We have martial law in this nation, zipperhead, so move your ass before I go find a drug sniffing dog.” Harold moved closer to the soldier but Mindy grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

“
Have a nice day,” the soldier sneered as she bodily hauled him away.

“
This is fucking bullshit!” he said as their office door closed.

“
I need to call Billy,” she said and snatched up the phone, dialing the number by memory.

“
Identification code please?” a voice asked.

“
I’m just making a local call.”

“
I need your identification code to make an outside call.”

“
You’re kidding me.”

“
I am not, ma’am. No code, no call. Now do you have a code or not?” Mindy hung up in dumb silence, then told Harold what just happened.

“
They shut the phones down too?”

“
You need an identification code just to call out.”

“
No way man, this is not right!” Harold grabbed the phone and before Mindy could stop him he had dialed 911.

“
Identification code please?” asked the same voice Mindy had heard a moment before.

“
The building’s on fire!” Harold cried in a convincing voice.

“
There are no alarms on your floor. Continued attempts to make unauthorized outside communications will result in disciplinary action.” Harold slammed the phone down so hard it flew off their shared desk.

“
Calm down, Harold,” she said, but he was already heading for the door. “Damn it, Harold!” she yelled and tried to stop him. A skinny, little, middle-aged stoner he might be, he was still in decent shape. He easily slipped out the door before she could stop him.

Even though
Harold was so mad he couldn’t see straight, he was still a scientist at heart. And a scientist knows how to go about things in an orderly manner. The phone was out, as was the elevator, so he made a beeline for the stairs. Mindy caught up to him just as he turned to head down another hallway. She could see why he hadn’t paused at the stairway. Despite the glowing “fire escape” sign over the doorway, shiny new chains and a padlock had been installed. She raced to catch up to him. When she realized where he was going she yelped and tried to sprint ahead.

In
the end he was just too quick for her. He reached his objective first and yanked the red fire alarm box’s handle with a yell of triumph. However his yell turned to a snarl of rage when nothing happened. No siren, no flashing lights, and especially no confusion that would have allowed him to make an escape. “You fuckers!” he screamed and headed back for the elevators.

“
God damn it, Harold, chill out!” She abandoned subtlety and grabbed him around the waist, trying to wrestle him to the ground.

“
Stop it,” he spat. He was so skinny she easily wrapped her arms around his waist. He was not that easily dissuaded. His anger at being involuntarily detained was pushing him past the point of reason. Mindy grunted as she tried to stop him and he snarled like a caged animal as he dragged her, now on her knees trailing behind, toward the elevator and the surprised soldiers waiting there.

“
Hold it right there, pot head,” he said and held up a hand.

“
Move it, soldier boy, I’m getting out of here!” The soldier clawed his sidearm from its holster and that finally stopped Harold. “You gonna shoot me?”

“
I-If I have to, yes.” Harold could tell the boy lacked the resolve to back his convictions and moved to step closer. Mindy had made good use of his pause. She reached higher, grabbing his collar and pulling while kicking him behind the knees. Harold found himself sprawled on the floor. Once she had him down, Mindy moved with the dexterity of a Greco-Roman wrestler and quickly locked him in a vicious full nelson. 

“
You want to get yourself killed, dumb ass?” she whispered in his ear.

“
They can’t do this!” he cried, “This is America!”

“
Yes, it is America,” said a new voice. They both looked up to see General Hipstitch standing in the elevator door with a pair of new soldiers. The hesitant man who’d been guarding their floor had been relieved. He shot daggers at Harold before stepping onto the elevator and disappearing, never to be seen in the building again. “Now, the question you have to ask yourself is, how badly do you want to spend your remaining days in a small hotel room waiting for death?”

“
You’re not even going to consider us to go through the Portal, and you know it, you fascist pig!”

“
Miss Patoy, you should consider yourself lucky to be a personal friend of Dr. Skinner. If not, I would now be stomping that punk’s guts out. Every person working here who meets the physical health standards is being considered or you’d have been sent to the hotel last night. Now, you, Mr. Binder, will both stop this childish behavior and resume your job right now, or you
will
be removed. Bear in mind that your behavior is influencing both yours and Ms. Patoy’s chances of becoming one of the Chosen for this project.”

Harold
stopped struggling and Mindy let him go. He got to his feet and looked defiantly at General Hipstitch, who gazed back without fear. “What’s it going to be, sport?” Harold dropped his gaze and turned to walk back to their office. “Thank you for controlling your friend, you likely saved his life.”

“
Don’t thank me; I did it for him, not for you.”

“
Fine, whatever gets the job done, little girl. Y’all have a nice day, ya hear?” With a nod, the general called an elevator up and left with one of the soldiers he’d brought. The other now had the clipboard and assumed his predecessor’s duties. She could tell right away he was older and much more experienced. If this man had been on duty when Harold came snarling down the hall they would both have likely been dead by now.

When
she returned to her desk, she found Harold sitting there busily shuffling papers. She didn’t know what to say so she just sat down and resumed her job. Sometime later he looked up and reached over to pat her hand. “Thanks,” he said and went back to work. She smiled at him and tried to concentrate on her job. She hoped Billy took this situation better than Harold. She doubted she could stop her muscular fiancé as easily.

Volant watched the catastrophe unfold from his old trailer in Portal city. Some of the repairs hadn’t been completed and roughly patched bullet holes were everywhere. The lights were on, the TV was working, and there was cold beer in the fridge. Steve had had a temporary wheelchair ramp installed. Volant felt himself getting accustomed to the younger man. “I’m getting on in years and need a replacement,” he thought.

Steve
sat on a chair in the office near where Volant had parked his wheelchair. They’d both seen the same high definition images. When the announcer said the nukes were detonating, Volant made a fist and almost jumped to his feet. “Yes!” he yelled and then sank back to his wheelchair with a groan. Steve nodded his head and the two exchanged somewhat subdued high fives.

“
We might not actually need that damned thing,” Volant said and gestured out the window in the direction of the Portal dome. When the picture cleared, they saw the gas cloud and figured it was all over. Neither of them were scientists, but they didn’t need to be to realize what had happened with the Aries or what the bright, shiny surviving Lebowski meant. It meant the game was over, Earth was doomed.