Families First: A Post-Apocalyptic Next-World Series Volume 6 Battle Grounds by Lance Ewing (ereader for comics .txt) 📕

“East Coast, DC, maybe New York,” Mike theorized. “I heard they are the first to get the power back on.”

“You’re close. It is the East Coast but way south. I can’t tell you exactly where yet, and only learned it myself while interrogating some bad dudes a few weeks back. Basically, I haven’t confirmed it with Ronna or the Colonel, but the information is solid, I believe. But there’s a problem. They can’t stay. There are 435 men and women in the US House of Representatives and 100 in the Senate. Add in the President, Vice-President, Supreme Court, State Governors, and all of their families, and we’re looking at well over 2,000 people holed up and vulnerable to an attack. The plan was to evacuate them on Navy ships to a predetermined location, an island under our rule and stocked with prepper food for the last ten years.”

“I remember hearing about that,” said Mike. “People were complaining that the Government was buying all of the freeze-dried foods and ammo—for a few years, at least.”

“That’s right, and now it’s stored on an island that they can’t get to safely. You see, they thought there was more time to get out before the day. My mission is to help them do just that.”

“Okay, that makes sense…kind of,” said Mike. “But then, why are you here? I’m sure your superiors must think that the Government is a bigger priority than saving a valley.”

“But it’s not. This stand we are taking here is the key for everything else to come. Win it, and we send a powerful message to Beijing. Lose it, and our Government will scatter like cattle in a wildfire. It’s the first big test of our resolve as a united country—the battle for all battles to come. Make sure all those not on the front line are secured underground, for this will test every one of us, and the Colonel’s men will have both allies and enemies you have never heard of before. Should we live through this, we will be assigned to the team, ensuring the safe transition of our Government and their families across the water. Can you do that?”

“Yes. Yes, I can,” replied Mike.

* * * * * * *

Chapter Eleven

Saddle Ranch

Loveland, Colorado

“Okay, then. Let’s give Baker a run for his money,” said Sergio.

“What about Baker? I mean, if he even shows up?” asked Mike.

“Oh, he will. He’s at every major skirmish. That’s why Max even saw him. I’ll take him out, up close and personal. I know Max was gung ho about it, but he’s got a love interest now, and as long as Baker ends up dead I think he won’t mind how it’s done. For me, Baker’s future is personal for the brand he had put on me, like yours, and it gets me the credit I need to win our next gig.”

“That all makes sense to me. One more question, though?” asked Mike. “Assuming we get everyone to the island in one piece, then what?”

“Then we figure out how to bring them back,” Sergio replied. “They are still Americans, and when this country is safe again they will want to come home.”

“Time to go to work,” said Mike.

* * * *

Mike would spend time with Javi every day, who was moved into Vlad and Anna’s small apartment. Mike mourned Sheila, whom he had only known for a month, and thought she and Kelly might be the last two women in his life. Joy was right. He didn’t fit in here and he was happy to have a new opportunity to look forward to.

The next few days were mostly a blur for everyone, with John making the final decision on telling every adult resident what was about to happen. The Council was split on it, with half not wanting to incite panic and the other side wanting a clean slate.

I heard about it from my parents a day before the announcement and kept the news between Joy and me. She and I were on the same page, agreeing that we would want to be told, had we not already had the pleasure of such life-altering information. In the end, it was John’s choice, and he gathered every able-bodied adult, minus a few volunteers from our camp who already knew and offered to watch the kids for an hour.

“Thank you all for being here,” he started when all arrived at the Pavilion, speaking to a crowded house. “As many of you have heard and seen, no doubt, we are upgrading our security and border perimeter in conjunction with Samuel and The West members. I’ve heard there were many questions about the helicopters the other night, and I will explain that as well. First, let us pray:

“O Lord, we are gathered here this afternoon with full hearts and anxious minds. Help us to band together as a family through this Valley and work as one unit to defend what we have worked so hard to build for the last almost 60 years. We thank you for healthy residents and bountiful crops. In your name we pray. Amen.”

The announcement immediately followed before attention could be lost.

“Those of you residents who have been here from the beginning, as well as our new guests recently, have no doubt noticed we are beefing up our security, as I have said before. There are two reasons for this,” he continued, explaining both the need for extra security in general and then dropping the Baker bomb, with all of its gritty details, to a mostly stunned audience.

“Are there any questions?” he asked, with almost every hand in the room going up—except, of course, for our group, who had already taken plenty of time to digest it.

Questions, at least the