having armed militia in town?”
“Only at the checkpoints, and our folks will be unarmed.”
“Unarmed?”
“To build trust,” he said, grinning wickedly.
“You got me, Eli. What am I missing? I figure this isn’t your charitable side flaring up.”
“Am I that easy to read?”
“Not for the good people of Bridgton, apparently.”
Eli pounded the table, laughing. “And I thought everyone’s sense of humor faded away with the electricity. You should have seen the car ride today. Holy Jesus, I was riding around with a bunch of stiffs.”
“So what exactly am I missing?”
“You’re missing the part where we simultaneously execute half of Bridgton’s police force and take over the town.”
McCulver studied the map, tracing roads from Bridgton toward the coast.
“How do you see Bridgton fitting into all of this in the long run? It can’t be our new base of operations. Too exposed.”
“I figured we’d get as many new recruits as possible, even if we have to conscript folks. Grab enough people to work the fields. Probably take as much equipment as possible. Tractors. Buses. Any of the public works stuff that’ll still run,” said Eli.
“So, you don’t want to hold on to the town permanently?” said McCulver.
“Like you said, it’ll just make us targets. We’ll keep it long enough to get what we need.”
McCulver placed his finger on a point halfway between Sebago Lake and Portland.
“Did you know there’s a state correctional facility in Windham?”
“Jimmy spent some time there.”
“So did most of the guys in his crew. They think we might be able to solve our recruiting problem with a trip to the facility. Might be a solution to our manpower issues.”
“I assume the prison guards won’t let me set up a booth in the cafeteria to take volunteers,” said Eli.
“Probably not.” McCulver laughed. “But I wouldn’t be completely surprised if the guards haven’t taken off already. They spent over a hundred million dollars rebuilding the entire men’s facility three years ago, and everything’s automated, completely dependent on electricity. Once the juice stops flowing to the system, every secure door in that facility goes into countdown mode. Thirty minutes until every secure door opens permanently. I guarantee the corrections officers are keeping a close eye on the backup generator’s fuel supply. We just need to get there before the doors open, or we’ll miss the recruiting opportunity.”
“Then what the fuck are we waiting for? Let’s get some eyes on that prison.”
Chapter 9
EVENT +5 Days
Limerick, Maine
Alex kissed Emily on the forehead and stroked her hair for a few seconds. “Good night, sweetie. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad. When is Ryan coming down?”
“Really soon.”
“Can you send him down now?”
“He should be down in a few minutes.”
“Is everyone going to sleep down here?”
“Most of us will be upstairs, keeping an eye on the house, but Nana and Grandpa will be down here. The old people need their sleep,” he said, and his daughter laughed.
“I heard that,” said his mother, who was propped up on an air mattress next to the door leading out of the “bunker.” The 20-gauge shotgun leaned against the wall next to the mattress.
“What about the Thorntons and Mr. Walker?”
“They’ve been down here all night. We’re airing them out for a while. You’re in good hands down here, sweetie. Nobody can get in here without going through all of us first.”
“I wish you and Mom could sleep down here.”
“Me too, but you’re safer with us upstairs. You have Ethan and Kevin sound asleep right next to you.”
“I’m not asleep,” said Ethan.
“You should be asleep,” said Alex.
“I’m not either,” Kevin chimed in.
“Great. Well, your cousins can attest to Nana’s skill with a shotgun, and so can I.”
Emily sighed. “I wish there were more Marines.”
“Nana’s like three Marines
“Only at the checkpoints, and our folks will be unarmed.”
“Unarmed?”
“To build trust,” he said, grinning wickedly.
“You got me, Eli. What am I missing? I figure this isn’t your charitable side flaring up.”
“Am I that easy to read?”
“Not for the good people of Bridgton, apparently.”
Eli pounded the table, laughing. “And I thought everyone’s sense of humor faded away with the electricity. You should have seen the car ride today. Holy Jesus, I was riding around with a bunch of stiffs.”
“So what exactly am I missing?”
“You’re missing the part where we simultaneously execute half of Bridgton’s police force and take over the town.”
McCulver studied the map, tracing roads from Bridgton toward the coast.
“How do you see Bridgton fitting into all of this in the long run? It can’t be our new base of operations. Too exposed.”
“I figured we’d get as many new recruits as possible, even if we have to conscript folks. Grab enough people to work the fields. Probably take as much equipment as possible. Tractors. Buses. Any of the public works stuff that’ll still run,” said Eli.
“So, you don’t want to hold on to the town permanently?” said McCulver.
“Like you said, it’ll just make us targets. We’ll keep it long enough to get what we need.”
McCulver placed his finger on a point halfway between Sebago Lake and Portland.
“Did you know there’s a state correctional facility in Windham?”
“Jimmy spent some time there.”
“So did most of the guys in his crew. They think we might be able to solve our recruiting problem with a trip to the facility. Might be a solution to our manpower issues.”
“I assume the prison guards won’t let me set up a booth in the cafeteria to take volunteers,” said Eli.
“Probably not.” McCulver laughed. “But I wouldn’t be completely surprised if the guards haven’t taken off already. They spent over a hundred million dollars rebuilding the entire men’s facility three years ago, and everything’s automated, completely dependent on electricity. Once the juice stops flowing to the system, every secure door in that facility goes into countdown mode. Thirty minutes until every secure door opens permanently. I guarantee the corrections officers are keeping a close eye on the backup generator’s fuel supply. We just need to get there before the doors open, or we’ll miss the recruiting opportunity.”
“Then what the fuck are we waiting for? Let’s get some eyes on that prison.”
Chapter 9
EVENT +5 Days
Limerick, Maine
Alex kissed Emily on the forehead and stroked her hair for a few seconds. “Good night, sweetie. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad. When is Ryan coming down?”
“Really soon.”
“Can you send him down now?”
“He should be down in a few minutes.”
“Is everyone going to sleep down here?”
“Most of us will be upstairs, keeping an eye on the house, but Nana and Grandpa will be down here. The old people need their sleep,” he said, and his daughter laughed.
“I heard that,” said his mother, who was propped up on an air mattress next to the door leading out of the “bunker.” The 20-gauge shotgun leaned against the wall next to the mattress.
“What about the Thorntons and Mr. Walker?”
“They’ve been down here all night. We’re airing them out for a while. You’re in good hands down here, sweetie. Nobody can get in here without going through all of us first.”
“I wish you and Mom could sleep down here.”
“Me too, but you’re safer with us upstairs. You have Ethan and Kevin sound asleep right next to you.”
“I’m not asleep,” said Ethan.
“You should be asleep,” said Alex.
“I’m not either,” Kevin chimed in.
“Great. Well, your cousins can attest to Nana’s skill with a shotgun, and so can I.”
Emily sighed. “I wish there were more Marines.”
“Nana’s like three Marines
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