Lamp Black: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 2) (62 page)

“Of course the people of this community are our number one priority,” said Shelly. Pete saw Bill turn his head and roll his eyes. Pete knew Bill had intended for him to see the gesture, but he wasn’t sure why. The other men waited silently as Shelly continued. “But it appears to me that we have several . . . what do you call them, centers of gravity.
All three of the places you mentioned are important to our very survival. We obviously need the food in the DC, the water from the BEP, and this schoolhouse. You’re saying we can’t protect all three, but I think we can,” she concluded, as she held a smug look on her face for Pete.

Pete tilted his hat back on his head and rubbed his forehead vigorously as he considered how to respond to Shelly’s ignorance. He wasn’t sure what to tell them if they were really serious about protecting all three places at once. It would take an infantry battalion to adequately defend the neighborhood. Their most difficult challenge would be to defend the DC, it was the most vulnerable of all. Once word got out that there was a large quantity of food in the area, people would come from miles around to get it.

He also wondered about their resolve to protect that food. Would they use deadly force, shoot hungry people to protect food that wasn’t even theirs to deny? Pete also didn’t think Shelly, Bill, and Frank were capable of holding their little empire together, especially since they couldn’t even hold themselves together during a semi-private staff meeting. Pete was willing to offer a recommendation on how to defend the DC, but apparently they weren’t willing to even draw him a diagram of the place. The same went for the BEP. With that, Pete decided to focus all his security and defense recommendations on the neighborhood, so he said “Look, I think you should begin by protecting your neighborhood. I also think you should abandon the DC all together.”

“What?” said Shelly, with a raised voice that boarded on a yell, “Abandon the DC? Are you nuts? Why? So you can have it all to yourself?” She stood up, ready to launch herself into Pete with a direct verbal assault that included a finger to his chest. It surprised Pete, but he was even more surprised when Bill said, “Shut up, Shelly!”

“Don’t you tell me to shut up you . . .”

“People! Please!” yelled Pete. His voice, having been honed to high volume and clear projection after many years of serving in the army, reverberated through the room. Everyone went instantly quiet. “I can’t
believe you guys. You ask me to come here and offer security advice, and that’s all I’m doing. I don’t care about your little kingdom, Shelly. You don’t have to listen to me. In fact, say the word and I’ll walk out of here right now. But I’ll tell you this, it’s only a matter of time before everyone hears about your food supply, and they’ll come. In fact, so many people will come that it will take a lot more than seventy-five armed people to defend YOUR food DC.”

“As far as I’m concerned, this meeting is over,” huffed Shelly. “I will not be talked down to by you, Bill, or by anyone else . . . especially you, Pete!” She said ‘Pete’ as if spitting out a piece of nasty food. “Good day to you,” she said, and got up to leave the lounge. “Frank, come along.”

“I think I’ll stay. I want to hear what Pete has to say,” said Frank. He looked at Shelly without turning away, which greatly impressed Pete. Shelly turned and left the teacher’s lounge in a highly agitated state.

Before he continued, Pete bent to whispered in Bonnie’s ear. “Can you go babysit the truck? I won’t be long.” With a nod of her head, Bonnie rose and left the teacher’s lounge. Without a moment’s hesitation, Pete leaned over the map and said, “Now, where were we?”

He began by explaining that they could use the natural terrain features of the creeks to their advantage. He added that it was imperative they prevent all vehicles from entering the neighborhood except by the routes they all agreed to defend. Pete showed them several areas where vehicles could enter the neighborhood by driving across the open fields around the neighborhood. He recommended that they immediately barricade certain areas until they could dig anti-vehicle ditches.

The three men didn’t like hearing Pete say it would be virtually impossible for them to defend the neighborhood against a large group of armed attackers, but they relaxed when he said they could repel such an attack with a well-coordinated defense with a quick and responsive reserve. Since they couldn’t build a wall around their neighborhood, Pete recommended they build key defensive positions that included observation platforms on the roofs of a few homes. He marked the lots
where the homes were best situated for defense and observation, and then gave the men brief instructions on how to build a fighting positions. Pete also showed them where they should emplace tangle-foot, trip wires, and early warning devices at various distances to the front of the defensive positions.

Pete marked up the map as he talked, and explained the difference between cover and concealment. He also sketched out a basic diagram on how to construct a field and urban fighting position, and showed the men how to designate fields of fire. He recommended they consider the perimeter homes as an outer defensive layer, and only allow people to stay in those homes if they could aid in the defense of the neighborhood. He told them that meant families with small children, and the elderly, should be moved closer to the center. He then showed the men how to establish alternate defensive rings if they needed to collapse their defense toward the center. Lastly, he gave them ideas on how to defend the school building itself.

The three men asked Pete many pertinent questions, and he enthusiastically replied to them all. Pete was happy to see everyone taking notes, but he expressed his greatest concern for their plans to defend the DC. While the three men were talking among themselves about implementing Pete’s recommendations, he interjected his concern. “It’s important you gentlemen understand how truly dangerous it is to attempt a defense at the DC. I’m sure it’s fenced, and that you have armed guards posted around the yard, but I’m telling you, you’re going to lose everything if you try to defend it.”

“What do you recommend? Shelly’s right, we need that food,” said Bill.

Pete nodded and said, “Right. I would move as much of the food as you can out of the DC and store it in the BEP, this school house, or both. Both is better. You should also plan to cache some of the food in different locations, you know, as an emergency supply. Stash it in places people won’t think to look. I would also have every home store food that’s proportional to their family size,” said Pete.

“Shelly would never go for that,” said Bill.

Pete wasn’t interested in getting involved in their internal power struggle, or even openly commenting on Shelly’s strange influence over the group, so he remained quiet and allowed them to think it through. Charlie was the first to comment. “She’s more concerned about holding on to her power than worrying about our survival,” he said.

“I’ll handle Shelly,” said Frank. “She’s just dealing with the disaster in the only way she knows how. Yes, she’s a control freak, and yes, she loves power, but she’s really a good person. And the folks in this neighborhood love her.”

“This isn’t about love, it’s about survival,” said Bill. “And I’m with Charlie, she’s a pain in the ass. But I also agree that she’s our center of gravity in the neighborhood. Excuse my miss-use of your term, Pete.” Pete shrugged and waited for Bill to continue. “We have to start moving as much of the food as we can, and do it quickly. It will take the entire neighborhood to do it, and we’ll need the queen’s help to get it done,” finished Bill, with a sneer.

“I think you’ll find it easier if you offer to let the people take some food home when their done,” offered Pete. “You can tell them something like, for every two or three loads they move for the neighborhood, you’ll let them take one home, or something like that. Even if they can’t cook the food you give them, there’s something about having your own food that changes your survival perspective,” said Pete.

“I like that idea,” said Bill. “What do you think, Frank?”

“I do too. We’ll get a lot more work out of everyone if we pay them with food. What do you think, Charlie?” asked Frank.

“I think we should do everything Pete recommends,” said Charlie.

“OK then, anything else?” asked Pete, “because I really need to hit the road.”

The three men stood and offered Pete their hands in thanks and gratitude. Bill offered Pete some food as payment, but Pete graciously declined the offer. He told them he already had everything he needed,
and he wished them all the best of luck as he left. Charlie insisted on walking Pete back to his truck.

When they were outside the building, Pete put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder and said, “Watch out for Shelly, Charlie. I know Frank thinks he can handle her, but personal motivation and emotional leadership is a dangerous combination. It’s really ugly out there. I didn’t tell you everything we experienced on our trip . . . but it was bloody. People already know the rule of law is gone . . . that it’s going to be a long time before order returns. Until then, that will make for some very brutal survival situations, so prepare yourself as soon as possible. Don’t waste any time, Charlie. Move the food, and get your defenses up. Food is money now. It’s the new currency, at least till people settle down, so use it to help motivate the neighborhood.”

“Thanks, Pete. I’m glad you stopped through this way. I really am,” replied Charlie.

“You’re a good man, Charlie. You’ve got grit, and brains, and that will get you far in the weeks and months ahead,” said Pete, “but I’ll tell you this, if things get crazy around here, you might want to think about leaving.”

“Leave?” asked Charlie, clearly surprised by Pete’s suggestion. “I can’t do that. I’ve got too much invested in this place.”

Pete nodded and said, “Well, at least be ready to leave. Be ready to bug-out when the situation changes. And trust me, Charlie, it will change. You guys might be able to defend yourselves against a small group of roving marauders, but it’s only a matter of time before a really large group shows up. Remember, even a really large group of unarmed displaced people can overrun this neighborhood in a few minutes.”

Charlie stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked around. He turned his head slowly, scanning the neighborhood around him. “Yup, I see your point. I don’t see this neighborhood standing up to any real
threat. Most of the people here are armed, but they’ve never fired a shot at anything but paper. No one here has any combat experience, or military training, which is why I saw your arrival as a godsend.” Pete nodded and resumed walking to his truck when Charlie asked, “You mentioned something about bloody. Can you fill me in . . . give me a better idea of what we’re up against before you go? What’d you see when drove up here?”

Pete snorted once and looked at Charlie. The man’s question was eagerly curious, like something a young boy would ask of an old Soldier, “Tell me about the war, Uncle Pete.” Charlie’s eyes told a different story, they spoke of fear and uncertainty, of wanting to know, but not wanting to know.
Join the club
, thought Pete. The meeting created a connection between the two men that Pete couldn’t deny. He felt he owed Charlie a greater truth about what was going on around them. He actually liked Charlie, so he said, “I ran into a group of armed men, fifteen strong, and they were recruiting . . .”

Pete spent the next fifteen minutes giving Charlie a more detailed run-down of the hostile encounter at the overpass, but he omitted the part about him passing out. He was still confused about that piece of the story. “Groups like that will start small, but they’ll grow quickly because they offer hope of survival, even if it’s evil.” finished Pete.

“Survival of the fittest,” said Charlie.

“Well, the smartest, anyway,” said Pete.

“You think a group like that will form and overrun our neighborhood?” asked Charlie.

“Yes I do,” replied Pete. “Groups like that will soon be on the move. And they’ll keep moving as they look for new hunting grounds, and to avoid competition, and retaliation.”

“How do you know so much about this kind of thing?” asked Charlie.

“It’s a little like how the insurgency groups operated in Iraq and Afghanistan . . . they take what they want, intimidate the local
population, and then leave when they’ve either depleted the local resources, or integrated the people into their organization,” said Pete. “This disaster has turned our country into a war zone,” said Pete.

Charlie nodded slowly, as he digested Pete’s words. He reached out and shook Pete’s hand again before saying, “Thanks, Pete. I know you want to get going, but can I escort you out?”

“Sure,” said Pete, “just let me check with Bonnie to see if she needs anything before we leave.” Pete found Bonnie sitting in the passenger seat studying a map. He tapped on the window and asked, “Are you ready to go?” She nodded and gave him a thumbs-up. Pete turned and did the same for Charlie, and climbed in the truck.

As Pete drove slowly behind the golf cart, Bonnie looked at him and said, “That was a long private chat you had with Charlie. If I didn’t know better I’d say you like him.”