Chapter 1 The Beginning... (Revised)
<><><><><>A New Beginning<><><><><>
<><><><><>Chapter 1 The Beginning<><><><><>
<><><><><>Revised : 12/20/21<><><><><>
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.” ― Paulo Coelho
This is a sad day for all of us, and to none is it sadder than to me. Everything that I have worked for, everything that I have believed in during my public life, has crashed into ruins. There is only one thing left for me to do: That is, to devote what strength and powers I have to forwarding the victory of the cause for which we have to sacrifice so much...
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My eyes slowly crack open to see the welcome rays of the early sun as the sound of a bugle echoes in the loudspeakers, thus starting another long day, but hopefully, today is the day I can go home and see the woman I fell madly in love with years ago. I roll over as well as my other six friends in bunks around me. As they all jump from their respective bunks I hop down and begin putting my standard uniform on: A standard issued tank-top and desert-camouflage pants over my white underwear.
I am currently going through the long reintegration process on a coastal base just coming fresh out of a 36-month deployment in the middle east; we were wheels down approximately a month ago, one wounded, two dead out of my unit of eight. Due to the fighting in the Nema region and the chilling experiences we faced that day holding down one key area we were rotated out quickly thereafter and sent back stateside after our absurdly long deployment.
Of our eight mary band of what I'd affectionately call psychos, only six of us actually made it out, our newest member Gabriel Uniaze- shot and killed by a sniper round to the neck. He was dead in mere minutes in the heat of the shootout with insurgents. It was his first and last deployment; and the reason why I am racked with guilt, it's because of him that I was recklessly injured and subsequently removed from combat due to mental fatigue. He was nominated by our unit whole heartedly for the medal of honor for showing bravery at such a desperate hour.
Being this is the start of a longer story, I like to mention that the moment we landed back stateside the safe embrace of my home country the weight of those decisions and empty promises weighed even more heavily on my conscience- Especially that of Gabriel's death. As his commanding officer at the time I the actions or non-action thereof falls directly on me. Of course, the whole unit attended his funeral thankfully the honor guard presented the flag to the family. That being said they knew who I was, and regardless of their kind words, I knew that they hated me and everything I stood for, whether they didn’t say it their eyes told me all I needed to know.
Aside from Gabe- the other casualty was one of my close friends Mitch Tav, we called him M-tac, he was our radioman at the time, he and a few other fellow Marines were in a mrap when a well-placed RPG nailed his convoy on patrol. I wasn’t there when he was killed but that exact reason is why it bothers all of us to this day and why we made an effort to visit him as soon as we got home as he was buried while we were still on deployment- No rest for the weary.
Above my bunk is a man named Stavo, we call him Stav, he's our resident MG operator, also one of my longtime best friends- from high school to basic. Also one of our most rowdy in the unit. Then across the way is Noz and Sean, both joined on during basic and were assigned to our unit as infantry support and radio operators respectively, and have been with us only since the beginning of our deployment. Directly to my left is Sao pang and Robert Leshaw, both are E.O.D.T’s respectively.
Lastly to my right is Mav and SJeng Melba, or as the group loves to call him Mr.chinaman for his heavy accent. Make no mistake though neither of these two is anything but loyal brothers as they went with us through basic and are regular infantry trained in most positions and are almost more experienced than me in a few regards.
With those introductions in mind the sun barely cracking the horizon we get our beds in order and usual morning inspection before making our way to mess hall, as one of our longest-standing traditions among long time members among us- it's usually a race between Robert and Stavo beating just about 90% of the base for the first fresh dibs. While sometimes we will join in on this moment of merriment the rest of us “civilized” assholes will usually take a seat and wait for the storm out and catch up on the news- before moving onto PT and then usually a shower thereafter. Today is a little different considering our unit is technically on liberty leave. We tend to get PT done before chow and hit the showers and get on with life whether it's on the base or not.
The primary reason today is the exception is lately is the disturbing news taking place across the Atlantic, with the latest tensions going on. Everyone is more on edge than usual- even though we can’t afford to waste our liberty time, we still keep up on current events. Namely, those going on in the far east- You see the year is 2050, roughly around the peak of late summer, the sun is shining and most people are out enjoying their day to day lives almost ignoring the blaring fact that tensions have risen so sharply in the middle east that the backers behind that war currently beginning to overstep the proxy wars they start and go directly for the kill so to speak.
That being said, the two main players that haven't changed in the last half-century are the United States and the Peoples Providence of Russia, formerly known as the Federation of Russia, after the last man in charge of the nation died and passed the torch onto a new dictator hell-bent on returning the world to its nineteenth-century roots. Today is the day that peace talks between the UN and the PPoR, are continuing today after months of deliberation. Something that could directly involve at least twelve different nations declaring war on each other due to land borders alone being overstepped by the PPoR- the outcome of this conference; will likely determine their intentions and the entry into what could be the most costly war to date since 1939...
Almost on queue, I watch our base SSG quietly slip in as he usually does in the morning to catch unaware personnel off guard; This time he’s holding a clipboard and not looking too happy, but then again who can tell when he is happy when he practically has a permanent scowl on his face. He takes a single piece of paper off the clipboard and tacks it on the daily bulletin board before slipping back out of the room oddly enough without saying a single word.
Being partially curious and knowing my rank as a grade 0-2 lieutenant, it's my job to keep in the loop when new announcements come to light; even minor ones. I get up leaving my tray unattended with the rest of my men who are now currently chowing down without a care in the world. I lean in and look at the rather short announcement on the board.
“You may see a lot of news coverage of the current meetings with the PPoR, the United States has proposed a settlement and possibly pull out of troops from the middle eastern provinces under Russian backing; As such, this is being done to bring them back to the negotiating table. The current presidency and his cabinet have decided that this is the best course to avoid total bloodshed. For many of the troops stationed at this base, this may bring a “bad taste” in those who have fought and lost brothers overseas.”
“Hey, what are you reading, chief?” Mav places his hand on my shoulder leaning over my shoulder as he reads the same bracket I do.
“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me?” He looks utterly baffled. “Of fucking course we’re gonna be pissed off. We just lost two guys not to mention your ass just caught a purple heart not even a month ago.” He looks at me curiously. “Why aren't you reacting to this? Normally you’d be more pissed than the rest of us…”
“Oh, make no mistake, I am very pissed right now. But If I strain anything I will be in more pain than I already am.”
“Oh, are you fucking kidding me?” He reads on. “US & Russia haven’t come to any agreements on terms” He sets his plate down and leans in closer in stunned silence as he reads on. Once he finishes I continue re-reading the same announcement, stopping when he puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Austin, you ok?” He shakes me lightly and I snap out of my trance.
“I’ll be fine.” I lie and stare at the ground.
“If you say so” He pats my shoulder and goes back to the rest of the group. I simply walk back and sit at the end of the table while the rest talk about the new announcement. All I can do is think of how the possible outcome of the war between one of the largest military forces in the world couldn’t possibly turn out okay.
“Hey- Austin? You all there man?” Rob waves his hand in front of my face before rapidly snapping his fingers in front of me again and I snap back out of my daydreaming.
‘Total war ' could mean they storm borders or go even more over the top. How can any hierarchy allow this to happen in any form of government? How can anyone let this happen with a conscience.’
“What now, what did I miss?” I look around in a daze snapping out of my trance for a brief moment.
“You missed the discussion. We were asking what your thoughts were on the possibility of war.” He gives a serious look.
“Not gonna lie fellas, I won't waiver the possibility of what happens, I’m worried about one trigger-happy Russian in power without the two cents the good lord gave him to come to a more reasonable decision. But with this current administration wanting to get on its knees and give em’ a ripe blow job I don’t see how we can avoid a war with them if they keep trying to appease them.” I give a flat look as everyone else looks at me quietly, almost completely shocked that I didn’t filter a thing out, even normal personnel who walked by are giving me looks.
“What? Y’all were deployed with me last month and you act surprised that reality could very well slap you three ways from Sunday...” I take my fork and start eating my morning meal while my friends eyeball me closely. I fold my egg over into an omelet and stab it before eating it like a creatine, the rest of my unit following suit and talking among themselves as Stav nudges my shoulder.
"So Austin, what are you doing on your week off?" Stavo asks as quietly as a Stavo can- meaning he said it loud enough for the whole fucking base to hear him- promptly the rest of the unit looks at me curiously.
"I can see tinnitus has not been kind to you Stav… After my checkup and PT I intend to go home and visit my woman." I smile as some of the guys give me a pat on the back. “Although I am a bit damaged she’s still excited to see me after I gave her a call a few days back.”
“I’m just happy she’s stuck with you so long through all the bullshit you put her through.” Stav eats some bacon with a satisfyingly crisp crunch. The rest of the group have supportive approving smiles on their faces as they continue to dine with me, some even nodding.
Soon afterward, the SSG returns to us and eventually sits down to talk to us, he’s relatively new to the base as he transferred in shortly before I rotated out oddly enough the situation seems to show that he too is worried about the current diplomatic problem facing the country at this moment…
He explains that he’ll be going home to visit his wife and child who’s still a toddler as soon as the base permits him to do so; sadly if I ever wanted to start something like a family I don't think now would be the opportune time to do so. It will have to wait because the only way that child would ever have a father figure is if I retired- with war seemingly approaching I doubt I’d make it back to raise the kid.
Frankly; I feel that the guys who are actively deployed and out of the country from their families are the strongest bastards in existence, having to keep in the back of their minds that they have a kid looking forward to their return- not only that but the ability to keep work and home time completely separate and make critical judgment calls without fail.- Personally, I feel that with my luck I'd be shot and leave the kid fatherless as he had to witness the honor guard hoist my five-star oakwood casket into the ground. I simply can't justify it.
I push the thought from my mind and realize it’s almost time for me to depart, so I say my goodbyes and start packing my old, tattered traveling sack. As I continue packing my bag, finishing by putting my marine uniform on and neatly pressing out the wrinkles before putting my hat on, I start for the gate towards an awaiting line of black SUVs taking personal home, some for the first time in years...
A Private first class holds a sign in front of his waist with my name on it. I approach him calmly as he immediately drops the sign to his side before saluting at attention before uttering the phrase.
“Sir.”
“At ease, private. Thanks.” He nods before opening the trunk and taking my bag and putting it in the back as I climb in and let out a sigh, the pain easing slightly as I rest on fine leather, probably the first time since I left.
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Despite being able to relax slightly as we drive along the highway, there's not a lot of cars going either direction despite it being noon, as we drive by over a bump I see as we round a wide turn a car is currently on fire as a fire department rushes to put it out; on the other side, the side we drive past another car abandoned in the ditch with its hood up.
"Where's all the traffic?" I ask my driver.
He looks in the rear-view mirror, adjusting it slightly.
"I presume you heard the news going on overseas sir? Unfortunately, that news has spread some serious panic across the whole United States... People are missing work; gas prices are increasing and to top it off the nation is looking down the barrel of war, no one wants to go anywhere at the time of crisis…" He chuckles as we pass another broken-down car. On the windows is inscribed,
"Our government is leading us to war! The end is coming!" In rather flamboyant white graffiti writing.
“Case and point sir.” My driver points to the car firmly in the ditch.
‘This whole situation has everyone in a panic and now there are millions that know this. The ball is firmly in the Russians' court at this point it would seem.’
Let's hope it doesn’t go that far.
‘Since when have you ever become an optimist?’
I look out of the window leaning on the door slightly before adjusting myself and trying to relax a bit and put those thoughts to the side. Now’s not the time to have such a negative outlook on things at this moment. Today is a happy day- a day to celebrate and enjoy being alive for the moment. At that moment I start to drift off into sleep as I think about the positives. As soon as I do, it feels like but a second before the driver is gently rocking my shoulder waking me up.
“Sir, sleep well?” He smiles as he holds my bag. He pulled up into my driveway and already unloaded my bag and left it at the door before waking me up. I look at my wrist and realize I've been out for almost an hour now. A fairly quick trip home in all fairness considering how far I am from the base- I unbuckle myself as the private holds the door open for me I stumble slightly he moves to almost catching me. I put my hand up slightly and nod to him thanking him quietly before I stretch carefully not to pull anything.
“Thanks for the ride.” I look at his name tag on his name is Garcia Verz. “Private Verz, have a good rest of your day.” He smiles before giving me a respectful salute and hopping back in the SUV and backing out and driving down the street.
I look around to see not all much has changed- even my yard is still vibrant green and tended to by my neighbors. Granted I did pay them to do so but insisted they’d do mine when they were done with theirs completely free, quite possibly the best neighbors I’ve ever had; I kneel down next to the potted plant next to the door and unlock it before swinging the door open, the late afternoon sun casting a golden glow on the hardwood floor as a pleasant smell of vanilla candle wafts through the air. The caretaker I hired must’ve been through here recently because it's quite pungent.
First things first, I take my bag and my cap tossing them on the couch and grab the nearby remote and click the TV on before making my way to the kitchen to make a snack before giving my physical therapist a call to get that scheduled for either tonight or tomorrow. I reach to the top of my fridge grabbing a bag of chips and a bowl. I pour them into the bowl before getting a cheese stick out of the fridge along with a cold Sprite. From the kitchen I can hear the TV blaring commercials; finally, it seems to make it rather convenient to the local news network; and unsurprisingly the first thing to come up… the appeasement talks with Russia.
I quickly sit down on the couch next to my discarded bag and click the volume up, the female newscaster has already begun elaborating on the situation in earnest.
“...as tensions continue to rise between in the UN as they battle onwards with the current peace settlements in full swing since six this morning tensions have never been so high since the height of the cold war-, United States representative, Charles Brunt; and the Ambassador of PPoR and delegates of 15 other nations deliberate more in detail how these discussions may bring not just war to the borders along the Russian Caucasus but perhaps global conflict may just be inevitable; PPoR representative (Annushka) Аннушка was earlier seen this morning entering the plaza with heavy protection… As always We’ll have more on that story as events unfold, stay tuned. Back to you, Jen."
“Well, that was some interesting news, Mia! Coming up next: Electric over Gas, with today's rising gas prices reaching an all-time high of $6.10 per gallon will switching to an EV save you money? Stick around and find out with this latest summary coming up next on News 21-” I turn the television to another channel since anything is basically better than this.
Everywhere I go, this whole situation has everyone so scared that society is practically falling apart at the seams because one nation with enough nuclear technology to send us back to the first ice age is in control under what is essentially a psychopath hell-bent on Stalinism at its peak. So bad is the situation I almost think it would make Stalin blush...
I sit down and try my best to collect my thoughts, before realizing how pointless it is to even bother worrying at this point, there's not a thing I can do other than wait and find out. Seeking a distraction, I finish unpacking my bag and eventually take a quick shower and stare at myself in the mirror, the fresh bullet hole in my abdomen still bright pink... By the time I finish my other various tasks, it’s about 10 o'clock at night and I realize I have yet to call the woman and check in on her as I am sure that she’s scared of the situation unfolding. Rather promptly I head into my room and pick up the phone and dial her number and listen to it ring before going to voicemail…
“Hi! This is Ashlyn, I’m not able to come to the phone right now, please leave a message!” I wait with bated breath unfortunately she doesn’t pick up.
“Hey Ash, I wanted to check up on you make sure you’re doing ok, I just got home and I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner, it's been a little hectic as I'm sure you can guess; anyways I hope you will call me back soon- but knowing what time it is; you’re probably asleep. Love you, babe! Kisses~” I hang the phone up before closing the blinds in my room before kicking the bed sheets down and laying down and turning the lights off and slowly drifting into the realm of sleep hoping for a better day tomorrow.
The next morning comes and I rise from my sleep, not quite knowing when I’d fallen asleep, to begin with. I can only hope that maybe today things have calmed down a little bit or maybe something has been worked out to alleviate the situation. I turn the computer on and grab a mug to pour my coffee into. Starting Google up, I see a news bulletin flash upon loading the homepage with a heavy sigh I reluctantly click it. As hopeful as I am upon waking up, my mood is shattered instantly by the simplest and worst possible headline I could’ve imagined possible.
"Charles Brunt has been killed in a mysterious car fire! Is the PPoR responsible?" I let out an audible gasp and nearly dropped my mug as the words sank in at that instant as I scroll down half a page a limousine is on fire as a fire brigade attempts to put the fire out...
"No...no...th-this can't be happening!" I panic as I pace the room with my hands in my hair. Seconds later, I stop and think about what’s going to happen. “How many things could they do to us!? Why do I always have to be right?” I scream in my mind as I resume my pacing, before realizing that I need to get in touch with everyone as quickly as possible as things could be heating up quickly.
With such haste, I rush to the phone and dial Ash’s number again trying my damndest to be annoying as possible and get an answer from her. No answer. I dial again, and with the same result, I click on the TV and flip through the channels quickly getting to the local news only to unsurprisingly see the news trying to calm people down and utterly failing in doing so.
“The Pentagon has released official confirmation that Charles Brunt in fact deceased in a car accident last night on his way to his hotel- unfortunately the UN council has temporarily adjourned the talks at this time as the PPoR representative has returned to Russia on a private plane this morning shortly following Mr.Brunt’s death; the fact there has not been any comment is where suspicion has risen.”
“In addition to the PPoR representative, there has also been rumors of a potential cyber attack being aimed directly at the United States as to what purpose this attack is for we cannot be too certain at this time and we urge citizens to remain calm and contact local authorities for directions as we await government word on the situation as this story unfolds to its conclusion.”
I immediately turn it off and sit on the couch, running my fingers through my hair as I try my hardest to comprehend the severity of the situation. As I think about it, the phone begins ringing- I frantically fumble with the stupid thing before answering.
"Hello?" I ask raspily, the worry in my voice very clear.
"Oh my god, Austin- I’m so sorry I missed your call last night! I was asleep…" a soft voice speaks to me almost instantly calming me down.
"H-hey Ash, it's good to hear your voice too.” I manage a smile.
“So why are you trying to call me so frantically, I missed at least three calls from you now.” I can hear her concern for me very clearly. I breathe slowly and think of the easiest way to tell her.
“Have you watched the news today?”
“Not yet why? I try not to watch it because the whole situation is depressing to think about.”
“Not that I don't disagree with you on that; however news just came in that the Russians may have had a hand in killing the US representative last night…”
“I’m sorry I know that’s probably really bad, but can you explain it a bit more to me.”
“It means there's been provocation from Russia against us… It means I could be bootlegged back into service if this gets any worse, the US may have to quickly deploy there and get ready for what could be a full-scale war.” I sigh loudly. “Depending on how bad it gets, that includes me as soon as the doc clears me.”
“But you just got shot less than a month ago. There's no way they can do that…”
“Normally I’d agree with you but this is a huge conflict waiting for one stray spark to light what is essentially a powder keg.”
"They can't do that!" She shouts in frustration, "They can't!" I hear her cry.
“I’ll be over there as soon as I can. I want to be with you for as long as I can.”
“I’m going to send a message to my boss and let them know…”
“I’ll see you soon Ash. I love you.”
“I love you too…” She hangs up quietly the moment I set the phone down it rings again this time the caller ID is blocked, I press the answer button.
"Hello?"
“Yo, Austin, have you watched the news dude? We just got a directive at the base- the whole god damn sector is locking down; can you get to a secure line?”
“I’m not able to right now why?”
“You know what; fuck protocol on this one, Cyberattack has been confirmed and looks to be happening right now Austin. They’re attacking the BMEWS Satellite grid… They’re attempting to blind us.”
"What?! You cannot be serious right now!” I immediately get to the window and see my neighbors are rushing to pack their belongings and haul ass to god knows where at this point.
“They’re doing it man- They haven't called us back to service yet but you need to find shelter, you and your lady as soon as a possible man.”
“Understood- stay safe Stav.”
“Godspeed- good luck Austin.” The line goes dead.
I hang up the phone and grab my TV remote, turning it on as I grab my cell phone from the charger and immediately try to get ahold of Ash as fast as possible. The TV blares in the background as a loud warning tone is being issued on the official emergency broadcast line that sounds like a thunderstorm warning.
"The United States Government has issued an emergency action notification for the entire nation until further notice. At 12:45 PM Eastern standard time, United States Military Surveillance satellites detected nuclear activity in the following areas: Teykovo, Verkhnyaya Salda, and Tatishchevo. As a result, the president has been moved to a safe, secure location. All citizens are advised to begin preparations for nuclear attack at this time."
I nearly drop the phone just as Ashlyn answers.
"Hello? Yes, Austin what’s happening?" Ashlyn asks, but I can barely process the shock as I fail to speak.
I gather the nerve to finally speak. "There’s been a huge change in plans Ash... Get your most important personal belongings and grab as much food as you can and make your way here double time…"
"What’s going on?” Her voice gets more shakey as she hears the fear in my voice.
"There's a nuclear missile attack alert being sounded as we speak and Stavo just called me to let me know it's real…" While I am on the phone I rush up the stairs and grab a couple of suitcases and fill them with some basic clothing and as much food and water as I can get. I grab water jugs out of the pantry filling them in the sink as fast as possible while staying on the phone with her...
"How soon can you get here?" Just as I utter the words from my mouth I hear the loud scream of a tornado siren that makes my blood run cold... I immediately rush to the window to see people in the streets running in a panicked hurry as they trip and fall over each other for footing as cars rush down the streets playing slalom around pedestrians as pure chaos unfolds.
“I can be there in roughly forty-five minutes…”
“Get moving as fast as you can, things are going bad real quick over here and you’re gonna be on foot, rather be safe than sorry...”
“On it sir.”
“Not the time for jokes Ash.” I promptly hang up and continue packing things running to and from my house to my shed and down the set of stairs under it to my incidentally refurbished blast shelter…
Five minutes pass and so far nothing has happened the panic and chaos has subsided but the siren is still blaring in the far off distance I tuned my radio to the EAS frequency and I’ve managed to put as many supplies from the house in the bunker as best I can I’m at the top of the stairs waiting when I hear the radio go static for a split second before completely cutting out as a bright light erupts from the distant city some 60 miles away.
I realize it’s getting bigger and brighter even from this distance the bright light is getting more immense as the reality of the situation hits home- quite literally. With the most haste I’ve had in my entire life I race down the stairs and slam the shelter door shut and lock it down and back away slowly. A few minutes later I can hear the shed above being annihilated from the shockwave. The very worst situation possible has just happened- and the horrific reality also slowly dawns on me, Ash was likely close to the epicenter of that blast…
Whether it’s out of pain or fear, I can't tell sobbing and shouting at the top of my lungs in pure agony. I take my anger out and punch the concrete wall repeatedly; eventually, the blunt force bloodying my knuckles eventually running me out of steam and sliding down my back crying quietly, trying to come to grips with the whole situation at once. Not even an hour after being warned of the danger the area around and possibly many more have been likely struck by nuclear weapons from a psychopath behind a desk in a nation over the Atlantic… I can only pray that we were able to retaliate and show them the power of the M.A.D doctrine…
A quiet sob echoes in this empty tomb-like structure that is now my home for the foreseeable future…
<><><><><>One Week Later<><><><><>
Seven days- Seven whole days have passed since the blast- there’s been a lot of seismic activity since then and I have yet to open the hatch for fear of fallout poisoning leaking in; the area near the door is most likely contaminated, Life inside my bunker isn't totally miserable apart from coping with the immediate losses; I am however thanking myself for at least having the place refurbished and restored long before this ever happened it certainly is nice to at least have something to do. However, 7 days alone have started to take a toll on me mentally, with not a single soul for me to talk to and the demons within steadily chipping away at my very soul.
The main problem right now is I am presently running out of supplies- with some varying bit of knowledge I have on this kind of scenario which is probably next to zero, I do know however that the first three or so days are the most critical to the radiation given by fallout to start winding down significantly enough to not require as much protective gear- which obviously I don’t have.
Inevitably it really comes down to pure luck at this point- whether or not the wind blew the most radioactive fallout my direction or not is completely unknown- unsurprisingly either because of my depth underground right now or because of complete society failure I am not picking up a signal from anyone or anything. Which does not bode well for me either.
Strapping on what I'd affectionately call my “big boy pants” I put as many layers on as I can safely carry and trudge my way up to the hatch with thick gloves. I pull the release handles and push the hatch door open and try to lay it over on the ground. An unpleasant and unwelcome chill hits me in the face- it's the middle of summer and snow is wafting me in the face as the cold air has frozen a lot of structures around me- this means that nuclear winter has indeed hit hard and that the risk of radioactive fallout has indeed blown my way, to what extent is unknown. It is also pitch black out here, a ghostly quiet as the snow under my feet crunches as I shut the hatch behind me and continue looking around at the immediate area.
I approach what remains of my house, it's not even fair to call it a mess- the whole damn house is half destroyed, half the windows are cracked and blown out. The garage has collapsed and my house is close to collapsing with it. With some more investigating I managed to find my way into the garage and find a beam from the house that has basically made a hotdog out of my car. On the shelf, I grab a flashlight out of a yellow safety case luckily it's a shake charge type and doesn't require batteries I scour my house and find nothing is left indicating someone either tried to loot the place or the shockwave was powerful enough to knock things around so badly it is useless to find anything in it.
With some inquisition I continue walking down the street investigating the homes of my neighbors for survivors- much to my horror there are some bodies in some of the bathrooms of the homes whole families crushed in the ceramic tiles of the shower cuddled together in their last moments.
After an hour of looking I come to the immediate conclusion that the only reliable place I can get any sort of supplies and possibly shelter and rendezvous with friendly troops is my home base approximately some eighty miles to the south of the blast the complete opposite direction of the blast it's likely in better shape than here which is closer to ground zero despite being sixty miles to the city.
If my calculations are correct- and I am horrible at math- there's zero chance of me being able to trudge my happy ass all the way there anytime soon- It would be in my better interests to find a means of transport, despite that I continue to walk down the street looking for anything that may be still operable- the weather getting progressively worse and worse down to where I can barely see three feet in front of me however the extra layers benefitting me significantly keeping me warm.
I come to a gas station or at least the remnants of one the windows blown out and many cars stacked up every possible way in a panic as many are smashed up some of them still with their occupants still at the wheel- faces firmly planted in the airbag large glass shards impaled into their faces and various other orifices a truly horrific scene… I try my best to avoid vomiting into my mask as I search around for any sign of vehicles that may still be functioning.
By some miracle, I spot a lone SUV parked next to a Humvee most likely both vehicles are from my base. I open the door to the hummer first and press the start button. Lucky me it does try to turn over but it seems to be siphoned of its gas. I go to the SUV next and pull the handle to find that it’s locked.
I walk around it checking all the doors only to find that the trunk is left unlocked- it is indeed from my base when I see a carbine in the back inside a black case- a handy find. I crawl through the interior over the seats to the driver seat and find the key luckily in the ignition- probably left there in a panic and the vehicle locked itself. I twist the key, hearing the v8 turnover and rumble to life as the display console goes through its startup checks. With a smile, I slowly reverse the vehicle past the mashed-up pile of various other cars and make my way onto the main street and continue my trip south to my base.
To my misfortune the next several miles aren't enjoyable by any stretch- constantly I’m having to swerve around burnt-out cars and cars piled up in a crash and bodies strewn around the place. I even managed to find a forward operating military medic camp for the wounded. I didn’t stop because I didn’t want to bear witness to the horrors that were likely there, there's nothing on the radio; it's like the whole state's communications have been essentially wiped from the face of the earth.
Even with bright headlights it’s still a blur and I’ve nearly hit a few abandoned cars, but thankfully after a couple of hours of slow driving I make it safely to the base, and rather surprisingly there's not a soul here either, the security gate is smashed down; however, the snow’s getting worse and I need food to survive this horror I’ve found myself in. I drive around the base and park it in the vehicle compound which is essentially a hanger that would normally be full of all types of vehicles...
As I get out of the car it’s like entering a ghost town- not a soul here, the adjacent hangar is full of cots and not a single one has an occupant. Not a single indication as to what happened or where everyone went. This base had hundreds of personnel and now it's just me here; I shake my flashlight and begin investigating, conveniently most of the doors are propped open as it appears power is out and the doors would be locked down- so there’s that at least. Interestingly enough it appears this base was not a primary target as there appears to be no damage to it apart from power being out I presume that's because the target was the infrastructure surrounding it.
After a quick evaluation; I return to the SUV opening the trunk and grabbing the rifle and a mag of ammo bump slapping it in before hitting the bolt catch racking the first round. Using the included sling I put it around my neck suspending the rifle in front of me as I search the place more a bit more making my way to the cafeteria the doors here are locked I take the butt of the rifle and smash the window reaching in to flip the deadbolt behind it being wary of glass shards.
With the door unlocked I start looking around only to see everything basically left in the same spot since the day I left- down to the same news bulletins still there. I press on and enter the kitchen, finding a bunch of preserved meats in the freezer- not sure how good they are with the power being out with a probably good judgment call; I opt to leave them there. Nearby in the adjacent pantry, I manage to find canned peaches and assorted other canned goods like tomato soup and beans. I grab my bag from the side taking it off and with haste start tossing cans into my bag along with any bottled water there also happens to be some canned soda in there as well.
With being a regular at this base I locate the armory, a couple of extra mags can't hurt especially if the opportunity arises and the ability to hunt is possible without the risk of radiation poisoning. That being said; I make my way down a few corridors my bag jangling with the sound of cans before coming to a steel-plated door with the words “armory” over the top, much to my misfortune it's locked however being that I used to know the mechanics here I know there's an acetylene torch in the maintenance bay not far from here.
After a short walk back to the SUV I put my bag in the trunk as I make my way to the maintenance bay, as expected in the corner marked in bright hazmat stripes I find the torch and wheel it back to the armory- now at first this seemed like a good idea but the possibility I could create an ammo fire cutting this door open could happen- it seems like an acceptable risk. I torch the deadbolts and the hinge the door essentially falls under its own weight, after moving the equipment out of the way I tug the door the hinges still red the door falls forward with a loud crash enough to make my ears ring. Inside the armory is almost stuffed to the brim with ammo and rifles in racks. I quickly grab a few and put them in my side pockets before moving on.
As I walk down the empty halls there are many interesting things in this building making absolutely sure no one is here- I walk through another set of double doors the wall color changes from tan to bright white there's a bunch of hazard warnings plastered everywhere they could find a blank spot to put them.
“Caution, Live Ammo Used- Authorized Personnel only.” I chuckle for a moment. “I’m authorized” with a smug look as I walk into an adjacent room.
The windows are black as I kick the door open and look around to see a lot of lab equipment and a bunch of what looks like a test facility for certain types of equipment that need to be calibrated. In one room I find a rifle placed on a stand cleared- and a piece of plate armor in front of the barrel; looks like a test area for armor. With a nod, I walk back out and check other areas as well just out of curiosity.
The majority of these rooms are filled with an assortment of test equipment and testing new weapons and other various pieces of technology and being deployed with select units before becoming fully deployed. I pass another set of doors to find a large warning sign on it.
“Caution: Liquid Nitrogen - Gloves and Face shield required beyond this point.”
‘I wonder if this is what I think it is…’
There have been rumors surrounding the newest technology to save lives on the battlefield in recent years- spanning as far back as two decades ago as a matter of fact. The technology then was much more unstable and riskier than the alternatives and for the longest time was left more like a freak sideshow. I pass through the doors scanning the area before being greeted by a set of locked glass doors. With some aggressive negotiations with the said door I shoot the hinge in the middle of the two before forcing them apart and walking down a flight of stairs into a sterile-looking lab the area seems to actually somehow still have some power as the lights kick on- not to their full brightness but dim enough to make things out.
Inside this room there are multiple control panels and plenty of clipboards full of information, quickly scanning through them I see that the name of this particular project is known as ‘Project CP VR.5’ in layman's terms it is what I initially suspected- a mobile deployment deep sleep pod for wounded soldiers. I approach another door, this one is a metal slide door with a small viewport, I stand on my toes to peer inside and see multiple pods laying horizontally stacked side by side a small stream of vapor wafting off each as they glow an ominous blue.
Luckily there's no need to break anything in here. I press a simple green button and the door opens with a hiss allowing me access I walk in and examine the pods there are many danger signs warning me about the use of Liquid Nitrogen that gloves are required to handle. Not surprising but what is it there are at least six pods here being tested and not one of them is occupied.
I look a bit closer and approach one of the control panels attached to the side of one of the pods and tap what looks like a touch screen- surprisingly the screen boots up and runs a test sequence before displaying current information on the system. What appears to be nitrogen levels to the vitals of the occupants which is currently set to N/A. I tap the screen again and the screen prompt pops.
“CPR5 #3- Begin test sequence?” It flashes in front of me. I hesitantly press it and the inside of the pod makes a loud hiss before cycling the inside of the pod the lid slides over the opening to reveal the inside of the pod a soft-looking cushion and propped up headrest as vapor streams over the side. The pod beeps at me grabbing my immediate attention.
“Power Levels low- Power cell requires charging- Standby mode engaged.” The lights in the pod suddenly dim as its main functions keep going but all accessories associated with it start to dim down, at that moment the power in the room flickers for a moment before completely shutting down the room instantly goes pitch black only illuminated by all the pods in this room giving off a rather creepy red glow now instead of blue.
After twenty years of advancements in this particular technology, the application of this pod is to be deployed to the front and seal vitally wounded soldiers and transport them back stateside where the medical technology is more available thus saving more people's lives. Other applications obviously would be long-term storage of a being- Other branches of the armed forces such as ‘Space Force’ also have suggested the use of this technology as a primary transport to move people from earth to mars when that technology is possible to do such a trip. It hasn’t happened yet that the tech is just now starting to come to full usage. It's still not perfect but despite that fact, it’s an incredible feat of technology.
This being a mobile example of the pod, my immediate thought with the current situation is along the lines of ‘can I use this to save myself for the long term.’ Incidentally, even if the pod were to fail and kill me at this rate it's going to be a back and forth problem of surviving and finding others and hoping infrastructure in the area steadily returns.
I take a seat in a nearby chair in the lab and think it over for a short while, debating my options at this point.
‘I feel like a coward if I went this route…’
Who’s here to judge you though? You already managed to beat the odds against the blast- congratulations, now you get to sit it out and scour the area with your injuries and slowly kill yourself in this radioactive infested shit hole. But hey- at least you won't be a coward.
‘I get that. But what if someone else lived as well. It’s my duty to be faithful to those I serve. This country.’
I got news for ya pal but from the looks of it let's be real here, not a soul is here to save they either died or moved on you are stuck way behind the lines. You’re probably already a statistic…
I growl in annoyance putting my hands to my temples trying to think about what I’m gonna do here- I could try to survive or go into one of these and hope I wake up again when things get better or someone finds me here. With a heavy sigh, I think it out and look around at the pod and steadily plan out how I can move one of these bulky bastards.
<><><><><>Multiple Trips Later<><><><><>
A few hours have passed and I managed to get some tools to start disassembling the pod to make it fit through the doors and into the trunk of my car. Thankfully these pods have wheels on them to roll around for mobility's sake. With some effort and careful work taking all the wiring off the pod which is only a handful of sleeved cables attaching the control pad to the pod and a few thick cables attaching it to the wall, after a few prods into the socket on the wall come to find out its just standard wall power around 110 volts. Probably designed this way so it can be used in other nations because the other output is the European standard for power outlets. This pod is designed to be utilized everywhere which works in my favor.
After reading some more documentation in the lab I also managed to locate the Liquid Nitrogen canisters housed under the service panel of the pod’s casing and are designed to be quickly swapped relatively easily with minimal tooling, also managed to find the storage closet for beer keg styled storage canisters. Luckily all of them are full. I already took a couple up the stairs and loaded them into my transport.
With some creativity, I put some boards on the stairs and push the heavy bastard up the stairs into the main hallway and roll it into the hangar into the waiting trunk of my vehicle. Unfortunately, the pod is slightly too long to fit in the SUV's massive storage. I cannot close the trunk fully but with a strap, I lock it down before getting the control panel and cables loaded in beside it. With that, I leave a note in the main area letting maybe some wanderer know that I was here and there are possibly other survivors out here before hopping in the driver seat and departing the base- as it gets further away in the rearview before disappearing in the fog of the storm I make my way back home…
After completing the same drive back home, avoiding the cars and bodies strewn all the way back the storm is progressively getting worse. The temperature on the dashboard of the car indicates it's a balmy 29 degrees outside - in the middle of summer. I pull up to the shattered remains of my house and drive over the fence into the backyard backing up to the entrance of the bunker, with some haste I begin unloading my supplies into my underground lair trying to avoid disturbing the ground as little as possible to avoid stirring any possible contamination.
Similarly, how I loaded the pod into the trunk I use planks of wood and cardboard to slide it down the flight of stairs onto the ground floor, naturally doing this on my own I almost eat shit as it almost runs me over, however, at this point, there's no going back the pod is down here now and won't be able to be pushed back up the stairs it came from. With the pod firmly on the ground, I rapidly get the rest of my supplies out and slam the trunk closed before pulling the concrete door shut and latching it shut, I also grabbed one of my gas cans out of the remains of my house to fuel the generators in the sealed room at the back of my little underground abode.
<><><><><><><><><><>
In the dimly lit room of my bunker I sit on the small couch writing in a diary, I started keeping documents so that if by some miracle if someone ever manages to find me- it also brings me some solace in these bleak times, I scribble with my pen, I wince when I do because the bullet wound I earned myself is starting to hurt steadily more and more because I’m putting myself through worse and worse physical training to pass the time- there's also a lack of painkillers to help ease the pain, I wince as I scribble some more in my diary.
‘Diary - Day 17’
"It has been a couple of days since my last entry here, but it's been around seventeen days since the disaster- Haven't come into contact with anyone; pretty everyone is gone in the city at this point no wanderers have shown up. I’ve left plenty of marks for people to follow in the surrounding neighborhoods for any stray survivors that may wander through so that they can rest here.”
“Can't say I'm doing any better- my wound is starting to radiate pain down my spine which I'm sure is probably not a good sign- I am still trying to exercise so that I stay in the best form I can. I hope that there are some pockets of the nation left to come to aid… Truth be told, I'm not sure what to do at this point…"
I sigh and look over at the small fold-out kitchen and see the few cans of food I have left.
“There are about three cans of food varying from peaches to beans and bacon left- my generator is starting to falter from time to time, I’ve done a few repairs to keep it running but the carbon filters in that room that vent to the outside are also starting to fail. I have to make a decision quickly and figure something out or I won't last another week and that's being generous.”
I have a couple of options left now. I can try to make my way south past my base and try to find others, I was hoping maybe some of my units would’ve come to find me but at this point, I'm not sure if they’re alive or dead. The only other option at this point is glowing ominously in the corner of the room that I shoved it in. The cryo pod has been drip charging ever since I brought it back home. Its systems are fully charged and its Liquid Nitrogen tanks are replenished as I've been back and forth on the decision working it over in my head.
Hesitantly I approach the pod and press a button on the panel the glass screen rolls over allowing access to the soft padding a resounding hiss emanates as it vents off excess pressure of the LN. With almost a look of sadness, I look around my home and go into a nearby closet and grab some blankets and sheets out throwing them over the couch and other belongings, I clear the rifle I took out of the SUV and put the mags on a shelf inside a nearby closet next to the fold-out bed. I wrap the rifle up in sheets and make sure it's safe before closing them up.
With sorrow in the pit of my stomach I walk up the stairs and throw the hatch open and take a look around, the house finally gave up and collapsed on its own weight it's nothing more than a pile of wreckage, the snow has subsided but the cold wind smacks me across the face it's a tad foggy out today. I try to get one last good look at the area before sealing it back up once more and returning to the side of the pod.
I walk over to the small shelf, I managed to recover some photos out of the house before it collapsed, with some blankets, I gently cover each one up with care, some small tears streamed from my eyes onto one photo, in particular, a photo in summer of Ash in a cute tank top and a single ponytail at the park, just before I was deployed last year. With great care I wrap it up in a smaller blanket and set it beside the pod before taking one last look around, I make sure to shut the generator off instantly the lights go out; only leaving the pod's ominous glow illuminating the room.
On the control pad I enter an estimated freeze cycle, the maximum number is twenty years, It pops up a red warning box.
“Warning, Unknown side effects of prolonged suspended animation may cause permanent brain damage or death. Continue?” I tap the confirm button.
“Enter Patient’s approximate weight/height.” I type in on the num pad and click confirm.
“Settings confirmed. Please prepare the patient for the procedure.”
With some hesitation, I slowly climb in and swing my feet over the edge, I lean over and press continues on the pad it begins a countdown.
“Starting #1 cycle. Please wait.” I lay on my back immediately. I quickly snatch the photo of ash and lay it on my chest holding her close as the lid rolls over me. The tinted glass starts to get dim, the pod starts to cycle oxygen for what I presume is L.N. The glass displays a countdown.
‘Well… This is it huh. Either we die here or we wake up in twenty years.’
It has been a good run…
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Engage.
A loud hiss, and then… Nothing…
<><><><><>Epiloge<><><><><>
For a short time, I see a black outline of a being slinking along the outside of my pod, its eyes piercing yellow, in a harrowing tone it drags a single claw across the glass scoring it.
“Hmm… Isn't this… interesting, look at that… A human that gave up his own humanity to save his own SKIN! How deliciously evil…” It seductively rattles its voice, almost sounding aroused at the prospect.
“I may… have uses for you yet… Mr.Lancaster- there’s loads of fun to be had. Oh! I can feel it… When you wake up make sure you stop and…” It gets really close to the glass of the pod. My eyes widen as my heart rate increases as he snaps his finger- lights out.
‘Smell the ashes~ I’ll be seeing you soon.’
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Took your time! Nice work man. ...There was one thing that really stood out to me though. The description of the cache. 'sealed in encased steel' This does not make sense for describing a container. You could just say it was sealed steel case, encased steel is'nt a material. The way its wrote makes it sound like encased steel is a type of steel thats all...
Anyhoo I look forward to see where you take this
I'm pretty sure the United States national missile defense would have taken out any ICBMs or other ballistic missiles long before they hit any populated area.
5878317 True but only a few. Both the US and Russian Federation have more then one warhead trained to a single strategic target. It's to ensure the destruction of that target in case one warhead fails for whatever reason, Intercepted, malfunction, or the main system was destroyed by a pre-emptive counter force strike. So they have backups to insure the destruction of said target. Both the US & Russia Federation follow the 'overkill' to insure the destruction of the target.
Plus the US doesn't have that many interceptors, it is designed only to intercept a missile or two from a a rouge nation, say Iran or North Korea. Russia can easily overwhelm our interceptors by sheer number.
My brother used to be prepper, but one day he realized the futility of it all. You survive & are set up for years to come with your provision. The only problem, it will eventually run out. And trying to restart will be incredibly hard. For one problem, the human race is ornery to the extreme, the hungry survivors will go after the preppers because they will know that's where the food is stashed. These scavengers will not be interested to rebuild but to survive no matter what. So a prepper - no matter how well he's armed - will face hordes of scavengers also well armed, they will be more of them than the bullets the prepper possess to defend his home or provisions. What if the prepper faces scavengers that are the remnants of a military force? They will be armed with specialized weapons & trained with combat skills. Plus a prepper's with families is already in a disadvantage... Not only food but women to attract a horde of scavengers.
Its good to be peppered for a natural or financial crisis, that will eventually end & things will return to normal. But don't bother trying to survive a disaster that brings an end to human civilization. It won't be pretty. That's why I'm happy living next to a military base. In case of a nuclear war, instead of heading for safety. I will instead prepare a margarita, get a lawn chair & head to the roof to watch the greatest show on Earth. Light a cigar... and raise my margarita making a toast to the end of the good life... & possibly the human race. And toast that we had a good run, f**ed up along the way, but at least we had some fun. And if I'm lucky, while sitting on the roof on my lawn-chair, my eye-ball doesn't melt from the burst of incandescent light, I'll watch a mushroom grow... They say they are very pretty.
Of course it would be America and Russia that start nuclear winter. Who else would.
5858373 5859468 5878317 6271891 the us has state of the art jamming satellites, land basted counted strike silos, the us is unmatched in the sky as well as it navel fleets are train and prepared for a nuke strikes it as well the gfp state the use has over 7,700/2,000 deployable nukes and Russia has about 8,500/1,800 deployable nukes. ( if the number one and two strongest militaries clashed it would be a battle of attrition and who has the best tec and resources, all info is from the GFP).
land units
us-320,202,220 available unites 145,212,012
r-142,970,272 available unites 69,117,271
armored unites
us-53,143
r-51,086
air unites
us-13,892( the largest bar none )
r-3,429
navel unites
us-473
r-352
That start was so intense!
Hey tip there is no rank thats just lieutenant you have an 0-1 Second lieutenant an 0-2 First lieutenant 0-5 lieutenant colonel and an 0-9 Lieutenant General just for future reference
Another tip: Marines have to complete a combat fitness test each year that includes a 3 mile run that they have to finish in under 24 minutes. He could easily do 10 miles in 3 hours.
6309189
France
I see the Comedy tag, but still.