Through Many Fires (Strengthen What Remains) (18 page)

“
You
got food in those trucks?” one of the men on the barricade asked.

“
We
sure do,” the driver replied.

Caden
had his men pass out one MRE for each guard on duty. Everyone seemed happy.

When
the last truck was safe behind the barricade Caden told the senior man, “I’m
going to take my family home. Go to the armory and unload the Ammo,
communications gear and the first truck of MREs. We’ll distribute the remainder
to the town and refugee camp in the morning after I arrive.”

“
Yes
sir,” the soldier replied and soon the convoy was moving along the road.

Ten
minutes later Caden’s SUV rumbled up the long dirt driveway to the farmhouse.
Maria and Lisa stepped out on the porch as he slowed to a stop. Trevor stepped
from the car first.

“
Mom,”
Lisa yelled, “come here you’ve got to see this.” Then she leapt from the porch
into her father’s arms.

Walking
out the front door his mother stifled a scream and nearly fell down the steps
as she joined Lisa in hugging Trevor. Then Sue emerged from the car and the
excitement spread.

Caden
walked over to Maria and hugged her then stood with his arm resting on her
shoulder while the three others got reacquainted and came to terms with the
fact that Peter was not with them.

After
several minutes of hugs and tears, Trevor explained to his wife and daughter
how he had no chance to find Peter before the nuclear bomb went off.

His
mother comforted Sue and the two consoled one another about Peter. Finally his
mother looked down and gently touched Sue’s belly. “Is the baby all right?”

“
The
baby is fine, but I’m exhausted.”

“
Baby?”
Caden asked.

“
I’m
pregnant,” Sue replied.

They
talked long into the night, swapping stories of their journeys and of Peter.
Caden again told how he found Adam at the wreck along the highway where his
mother died, that thieves later threatened them and Maria came to their rescue.
His father told of driving up North Road and arriving at Peter and Sue’s home.

“
He
found me in the corner of the bedroom with a pistol,” Sue said. “Peter told me
Trevor was coming, but it was a good thing he called out to me. I was really
scared because everyone was leaving, and there were sirens, reports of looting
and the sound of gunshots.”

“
We
were barely out of the house when we saw the mushroom cloud,” his dad added.

“
My
head was bouncing off an airplane fuselage at that moment,” Caden said.

“
Did
you leave a dent in it,” Lisa asked.

With a
smile he replied, “Should I tell Dad how you shot me?”

Lisa
threw a cushion at him.

“
You
shot him?” his dad asked Lisa.

His
mother and Maria laughed as Trevor looked from face to face for an answer.

Caden
couldn’t recall what time he went to bed, but when the old wind-up alarm clock
rang to life he moaned and slapped at it. Sitting up he hoped for an easy day.

He
followed the smell of coffee to the kitchen, and found Maria warming a baby
bottle on one side of a camp stove.

“
You
want breakfast? I think I can do eggs and pancakes on this thing.”

“
Black
coffee would be great.”

After
two cups he felt alive enough to eat. “Eggs might be good.”

“
Coming
up.” She cracked an egg on the edge of the green camp stove. “You look awful,”

“
Thanks.
I’m just tired,” he said with a yawn. Hopefully today will go smoothly.” After
eating he stood, stretched and headed back to the bedroom to put on his
uniform.

Maria
was waiting at the foot of the stairs with a bag as he came down. “I made you
lunch.”

He
smiled. They kissed and he headed off to the armory wondering how he could feel
so married, but not be. He was still smiling as he reached the main road. He
expected that there would be no other cars during his short commute however, he
gradually became aware of an unusual number of people. Some were talking,
others walking, but all of them seemed to point or stare at him.
Don’t get
paranoid. They’re curious because you’re driving a car and in uniform.

Nearing
the city limits he passed clusters of people going in his direction.
Where
are they were all headed so early in the morning?
A police car sped by with
sirens blazing and turned up the hill toward the armory. Ahead another crowd
walked briskly up the same road. He pressed down on the accelerator.

What’s
going on?
He
glanced at thirty to forty people on both sides of the road. Some ran up the
hill.
Why are they all headed toward the armory?
He was tempted to stop
and ask, but their faces were gaunt, desperate and fearful.
Get there and
then assess the situation.
As the chain link fence came into view, so did
fifty or sixty people clustered around the gate.

As he
neared, he was forced to slow down to avoid hitting several individuals in the
street. Soldiers at the gate, guns at the ready, ordered the crowd back. Most
of them moved to the side of the road, but some of the men waited until the
last possible moment.

As he
passed through the crowd a man yelled, “Are you going to share the food? We’re
hungry too.”

“
We’re
all hungry. How come you get to eat?”

“
My
children are….”

Something
banged on the car and the voices rumbled into a chaotic chorus of despair.

Caden
breathed a sigh of relief as he passed through the gate. He quickly parked,
exited the car and slammed the door behind him. Marching across the parking lot
he saw Lieutenant Brooks and Sheriff Hoover coming toward him. Caden changed
direction and the three converged in the middle of the parking lot. As Caden
neared his XO he glared. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“
I did
sir, but you had already left,” Brooks said. “Then I called the Sheriff.”

“
I
just got here a minute ago myself,” Hoover added.

“
Okay,”
Caden said taking a deep breath. “How did they all find out about the food?”

“
What
I’ve been able to figure out sir is that when the convoy went through the
blockade someone told the guards about the MREs and gave them some.”

Caden
shook his head in frustration. Apparently the guards had told family and
friends, and word of the supplies had spread quickly through town. “I didn’t
think we needed to keep it secret. I thought everyone would be happy we had
food.”

Hoover
chuckled. “They’re glad you have it because now they know where they can get
it.”

“
I
plan on sharing a lot of the supply. That’s why I got as much as I could.”

“
I was
sure that was your idea.” Hoover gestured toward the fence, “They’re not sure,
but they
are
hungry.”

Caden
frowned in worry. “We need to distribute the food this morning. I want to do it
in an orderly manner and I don’t want to issue it from the armory. Are the
supplies secured?”

Brooks
looked at the growing crowd. “Yes. For now. The ammo, gear, and meds you
ordered to be unloaded have been locked up with our supplies. The MREs are in
the mess. The rest of the food and fuel is still on the trucks in the depot.”

“
Where
do you want to distribute the food from?” Hoover asked.

“
I’m
going to let the LEPC decide that, but they need to make a quick decision.”

“
LEPC?”
Brooks asked.

Caden
tried to remember. “Local…Emergency, ah, Planning…Council.”

“
Committee,
I think?” Hoover grinned. “I’m supposed to be a member of that. I’ve been so
busy trying to maintain law and order I haven’t attended any meetings, but I
know the members. I’ll make a few calls.”

Caden
nodded and then said, “Make sure your deputies and their families get fed and
bring your patrol cars up here later and we’ll fill their tanks.”

When
the sheriff stepped away, Caden turned to Brooks. “I want you and Hoover to
handle security for the food distribution in Hansen. I have another job I need
to take care of.”

An
hour later two trucks rolled out of the armory. One headed for the high school
with Sheriff Hoover and several deputies escorting. The other truck proceeded
to the Salvation Army church on the opposite side of town with Lieutenant
Brooks and a squad of soldiers accompanying. Hoover used a bullhorn to tell the
crowd where the food distribution would take place.

After
the last of the hungry throng headed down the hill, four other vehicles
departed. A supply truck and a fueler led by a Humvee, and followed by a dark
blue SUV, made their way to the blockade on North Road. The small convoy parked
on the hill overlooking the camp. Caden stepped from the car and proceeded down
the hill toward the blockade. He was pleased to see the large green tent of the
field hospital at the edge of the refugee camp and seeing soldiers and civilians
walk back and forth across the bridge, he breathed a sigh of relief. The
barricade was still in place, but clearly tensions had eased since his last
visit.

As he
reached the bottom of the path the squad leader came up and saluted. “Can I
help you with something, sir?”

“
Yes,
sergeant, I’d like to speak with the leaders of the refugee camp.”

“
Yes,
sir. Come with me. The area around the med tent has become a meeting place.
They should be near there or we can ask the doctor.”

With
the squad leader, Caden proceeded to the bulldozer and sandbag barricade. There
the sergeant ordered two more soldiers to follow them as they continued across
the bridge to the field hospital.

Beyond
the medical tent was a sea of cars and people. Smoke rose into the gray
February sky from several fires. He recalled that this was a park, complete
with a ball field. Just above the people, cars and campers he could see the top
of the backstop. The grass that should have covered the area had been trampled
into the cold earth until all that remained was brown dirt and mud. Those
around him moved with a listlessness that reminded him of old zombie movies.
The scene was complete with dirty gray clothes and blank expressions, but he
knew that it was not some life sucking disease; hunger was killing these
people. He scanned the crowd once again looking for a familiar face, then
turned toward the tent.

Neil
Young, the big man he had meet on the bridge two days earlier, stood before
him. “Well Caden, have you come to see how we are doing?”

“
Actually,
I’m looking for you.”

Caden
considered the crowd of desperate faces that encircled them.
If I mention
the word food here there could be a riot.
“Is there any kind of formal
leadership of this camp?”

“
Kind
of informal, but yes, me and one other.”

“
I’d
like to meet with both of you back on the other side of the barricade as soon
as possible.”

A
murmuring crowd gathered as Caden and his soldiers headed back onto the bridge
and toward the barricade. When he crossed over the sandbags Caden looked back
at a growing crowd around the med tent. A couple of minutes later the mob
surged forward behind Neil.

This
could get ugly--fast.

The
soldiers on either side of him fidgeted with their weapons.

About
halfway across the bridge, Neil stopped. “Everyone please listen. I have no
idea what the army wants to talk with us about, but if you continue toward the
barricade someone could get shot. Please wait here and I promise I’ll tell you
what is going on.”

Caden
sighed with relief as Neil and a woman continued toward the barrier alone.

Once
on the other side of the blockade, Neil introduced Theresa and asked, “What did
you need to talk about?”

“
I’ve
got a truck full of food and another with gasoline up on the hill.”

Their
expressions brightened immediately.

“
I’m
going to use the food and fuel to clear this camp.”

Theresa
frowned. “Who are you to decide how food gets distributed?”

Caden
ignored the question. “If you stay in this camp you will die. The town cannot
support any more refugees and there is only enough food in the truck for a day.
Eat the food and use the gas to get to a better place, either back home or to
the FEMA camp.”

“
How
do we know the FEMA camp will be better?” she asked.

Caden
glanced over the barricade. The crowd moved forward like a slow motion mob.
“I’m told that food is tightly rationed at the camp, but there is food. You’re
starving to death here.”

Theresa
and Neil nodded. “How do you propose to do this distribution?” he asked.

The
entire squad now stood behind the sandbags with rifles ready.

After
more discussion the three of them shook hands and climbed onto the treads of
the dozer. Caden held up his hand, signaling for quiet. “We will distribute
food and fuel from the north end of the camp.” There was an audible gasp at the
mention of food and word was quickly, and loudly, relayed to those out of
earshot. For many seconds Caden could not continue because of the crowd noise.
Again he signaled for quiet. “We will provide one meal per person and five
gallons of gas for each car with the stipulation that you leave this place. You
can return home or go to the FEMA camp south of Longview.”

It was
dark before Caden returned to the armory and plopped exhausted into his office
chair. He rubbed his throbbing leg as he thought of the hundreds of people who
left the area, and those who remained. A few stayed because their cars wouldn’t
start, others remained because of sick family members either in the town
hospital or the field station. The doctor remained behind to treat them and
Neil helped fix cars.
I’ll keep the blockade in place, but we can use the
road now and check out the old coal power plant.
Resting his head in his
hands he continued to think about all that had transpired when there was a
knock at the door. “Come.”

Brooks
stepped in holding two cups of coffee. He handed a cup to Caden and sat down.
“It’s been a long day, but I think a good one. All the food that we took into
town was distributed and, I think, eaten on the spot.”

Caden took
a long slow drink. “Yeah, that’s what happened at the refugee camp too. North
Road should be clear by tomorrow. Send a squad out to the coal power plant and
start looking for people who can operate it. Offer the civilians food,
medicine, protection, whatever it takes to get the plant running.”

“
Do we
have enough food and medicine to be spreading it around?”

“
No,
but I’ll work on that. You just get the plant running, if it’s possible.”