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2012-11-17

Blackout: Chapter 14




From the Journal of Jason Forrester
12 September 2013

[Ed. Note: Journal is missing part of this page.  It looks as if part of the journal was burned, and the remainder was doused in water.  The section which remains is below.]

…and the Hollisters, we are going through food and water at almost seventeen times the rate I originally predicted.  At our current rate of consumption, this means we will run out of food in four months.

None of that matters though.  The Simplification has come.

I still remember the first time I read the Canticle.  The first time I read about the Simplification.  I had hoped it was simply a literary device which Miller used for his story, but it has actually come.  The Luddites and the Eco-Nuts and Terrorists have banded together to destroy civilization, but how is that any different than what was happening before the blackout?

Oh, that's right, now they are out in the open burning schools and books and tech stores.  And now, they have an army at their disposal.  Soon, the decree will go out; anyone caught with a book shall be put to the death.

There will be plenty who oppose this, but so much of the population of the old world spent their lives avoiding intellectual pursuits.  For so many, the world began with the latest fashions and ended with the latest celebrity scandal.  For so many, they allowed the fools in the media - whether that be sports, entertainment, or the so-called information media - to lie to them and say that the old world would never die.

It is a basic trait of humanity known as the normalcy bias - the belief that everything will always be the same as it is now.  It is hard for people to plan for the worst because they have trouble thinking of the worst.  So, when the government and the media are both telling people nothing will ever go wrong, it makes it that much harder to break people out of it and get them prepared for…

[Ed. Note: The burns are present here as well.]

And so they blame the system and the technology which they allowed themselves to become addicted to.  After all, why should they blame themselves for allowing it to happen?

Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
22 September 2013

Jayce sat at the table.  The meeting was voluntary, only those willing to make a risky trip out to 87th and into the heart of Children territory.  The nature of the mission was one which would make it doubly dangerous.

The group sitting at the table was small.  Arturius, Booker, Jayce's own Father Michael, Francis Hollister, Arturius' father-in-law Gavin Ruskin, and a few of the other men of the colony.  That was how Jayce wanted it.  They needed to be few in number.  He was not going to risk more than he had to.  Not even for this mission.

"Okay guys, I am certain you are curious as to why I asked for this meeting during breakfast."

Arturius held up a hand, "Let me guess, this has something to do with the fight you and Rebecca had last night?"

Jayce winced.  She had not been happy with him when she learned what he was trying to do.  That she recognized the apparent necessity of doing so hadn't made things any easier.  She knew the books in there were necessary for survival in the future.

"Guys, we need to check on the Central Resource Library."

The group reactions were somewhat amusing and entirely predictable.  Arturius facepalmed, letting out a quiet "ow" under his breath.  Michael quirked an eyebrow, curious where his son was going to take this.  Francis Hollister leaned forward, curious to hear more.  Booker's jaw dropped, and Gavin looked befuddled.

"I know this may sound like a bad idea, but I know for a fact they have a map of the entire metro area's underground tunnels and storm drains.  There are books on farming and agriculture, medical and emergency first aid, and more.  These books are highly useful, and the reference books they have which we don't have could be very useful in about a week or so."

"A week or so?"  Gavin asked.

"Give or take a few days, depending on how long it takes the monks to respond to my letter."

A look of dawning realization broke across faces of both Michael and Arturius as they realized what he was doing, but everyone else just looked confused.  The answer was not just a non-answer to most of the colony, it only raised more questions.  Jayce paused for a moment to let the gathered potential volunteers chat for a moment.

"This mission is volunteer only, if you don't want to risk it, I won't force you to come.  Here is the plan."

Jayce pulled out a map and stretched it out on the table.

"Okay, here's the situation.  We know the Luddites - the Children of the New Dawn - have around 48 followers and 12 warriors.  That is just what we saw at McAuliffe, and we know they could have more.  We need more information on this, and that is an ancillary reason for this trip out to the library, but it is not the primary reason."

"Our primary reason is to get the books and maps we need to navigate this area safely.  I don't know how many of you have noticed, but we have an entrance to the sewers in our basement; one which is large enough for us to travel through it fairly easily.  I know for a fact the central resource library has the map we need to navigate the maze."

"We are going to use side-streets with a few exceptions, namely the 69th street bridge over I-35 and we will be stuck on Antioch for a few dozen yards before we are able to get off the main roads and onto the side streets."

"Each of us is going to take an MRE and a Food Bar, along with a Camelbak.  Everybody grab a revolver and a shotgun, along with three reloads. If we need more than that, we just need to leave instead.  We'll grab a first aid kit as well, just in case."

"For comms, everyone grab a radio.  That way we can communicate as necessary.  Channel 10, Secure 6."

Jayce took a look around at the people gathered in front of him, "Remember folks, this is volunteer only.  If you want to work with me, just raise your hand."

Arturius was the first to raise his hand, with Booker and his father following his lead.  Hollister was about to raise his hand, but decided against it at the last moment.  Jayce was almost worried that it would not be enough, but it would have to do.

"Okay guys, head over to the Armory and load up.  Hollister, Rebecca is in charge but you have command of security."

Central Resource Library
22 September 2013

Jayce held his fist up and urged the group to take cover and over-watch positions.  He scanned the area ahead with his Winchester, and scanned the horizon.  He had heard voices in the direction of the Library, and he was concerned that someone had seen him.

He could not see who or what was there from his position in the park behind the Library, but the very fact that some group of people were sitting upon the place was trouble.  He needed to get in the Library.  Dear God, he silently prayed as he fingered the old rosary at his hips, please don't let them be hostile…

Jayce moved slowly backwards towards the old Tennis court.  Arturius had his - or rather his wife's - shotgun out and ready.  His father had his back to them and covered the library, while Booker was watching their rear.  They were learning.

"Okay, I hear voices by the Library.  It could be nothing, it could be people looking for kindling, or it could even be a bunch of those self-righteous Luddite Simpletons.  We are going to move on it, swiftly and quietly.  I hope they are not hostile, but we can make no assumptions on that regard.  We have to assume the worst.  Booker, you have the tail, I have point.  Move out."

Moving with surefootedness, rifle high and ready, he swept along the back wall - noting the cars which had been built as a barricade before the doors.  The same was true at the sides.  Several of the windows had been shattered and the trees on the east side were scorched from the transformer substation's explosion back on the day of the Blackout.  This fire had not gotten out of control, which spoke good things about the contents of the library.

They had already seen what the electrical fire had done to the apartments and the VFW office to the East, driven no doubt by the winds that day.  But the library was not touched.  Good, it meant he might still find what he was looking for.

Swinging around the library to the North Side, Jayce back peddled on his feet and took cover behind the cover.  Arturius came up behind him, and took up a position of his own.

"What is it, what did you see?"

"They look like Sheriff's Deputies, but I can't be sure.  They had the car, but they are both carrying AR-15's of some kind and one of them is wearing some heavy body armor."

"What are they doing here?" Michael asked, looking over at Booker.

The former Fire Medic shrugged, "I don't know.  County never even told us this was happening - if they knew in the first place that is - so I have no idea what orders the Sheriff's Deputies have regarding security."

Booker turned to Jayce, "Let me look at them, I might recognize one of them - and one of them might recognize me."

"Okay, I will go with you," Jayce said.  "Equal numbers means we are more likely to prevent a real confrontation."

Booker stuck his head around, "Yeah, that's Deputy Leonard Richter.  I went to his sister's wedding.  He and I play poker together a couple times a month.  Let me take point on this one."

"Do it," Jayce nodded.

Booker stepped out, hands up with shotgun held high over his head that he might not get shot if the guards were trigger happy.  "Hello, Deputy Richter!"

Both of the guards turned and knelt to the ground with their AR-15 Rifles at the ready and trained upon Booker's chest.  Booker stopped and let them take a good look.

"Deputy Richter, it's Fire Medic Savage of the Lenexa Fire Department.  I have friends with us and we do not mean you any harm.  May we approach?"

"Booker?"  The one in the heavy armor stared at him and lifted his head from the stock of the rifle he was carrying.  "Church, lower your rifle."  He stood up then, "Okay, Booker come forward slowly and with hands raised.  Tell your buddy to do the same."

Jayce followed Booker around, conscious of the fact that he was under the aim of rifles held by a couple Deputies.  These may not have been the Mujahedeen he had fought against in the Rock Garden of Hell, but they had the training to actually hit him.

"You, state your name and purpose."

"Staff Sergeant Jason Forrester, United States Marine Corps, Retired.  I am the leader of a Colony located at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.  I had hoped to come to this Library and obtain reference documents in case we were stuck here in the city for a significant amount of time."

"You mean you came to loot the Library for books."

"Aye, I do mean that was my purpose.  I won't lie to you about that, I assumed that the Library would be unguarded and possibly even gutted by flame.  But if you are here, I would only ask for access to the Library."

"Honesty, haven't heard anyone speaking honestly for almost a month now." The other Deputy commented with a sense of sarcasm so dry it almost made Jayce's mouth go dry.  "Is it just the two of you or are there any more of you?"

"Two others.  My father and a friend of mine.  May we have access?"

"Yes, you may enter but you may not take any book out of the Library.  One of the County Commissioners gave us orders to protect them and not allow them out of sight."

"Which one?" Jayce asked.  He knew a few of the County Commissioners, he had even helped the guy's election campaign near the end of it last year.

The name was not one Jayce recognized.  Oh well, it was good the Library was safe.

"Oh, and you have to leave your long arms with us.  You can keep the revolvers on your hips, but if you hurt anyone or any book within the Library, we will take you out.  Understood?"

"Understood." Jayce turned, "Dad, Arthur, come on out."

"Hands up, no sudden moves," Deputy Richter called out.

Both of them came forward around the corner of the Library with their shotguns raised over their hands.  The other Deputy covered Jayce and Booker as Deputy Richter kept his rifle trained on Michael and Arturius.  All four of them handed over their long arms, and Jayce noted another shotgun was here.  Not a Police one, an over-under double-barrel shotgun.  Interesting, he thought to himself, we aren't the only ones here today.

Stepping inside, Jayce noted there were no Deputies within the Library, but a few of the Librarians seemed to have taken up residence in the meeting room at the front of the Library. 

There was indeed another guest in the Library.  A drifter by the looks of him.  This was a man used to working for his food as he moved from place to place.  Sure, the presence of oil lamps and candles appeared to faze him, but he seemed to be otherwise non-plussed about the situation.

Arturius and Booker stepped close, questions within their eyes.  "Well," Michael asked, "What now?"

"Before the Blackout, I would have suggested we grab a bunch of books and type up notes on the computer.  Without the power, and thus the computers, the only thing I can think to do would be to take notes on paper."

"Maybe we can find extra copies of the maps you were referring to earlier," Arturius commented.  "If so, they might let us have one."

"Mayhaps," Jayce conceded, "But no guarantee.  You guys remember what you were supposed to grab?"

The other three nodded.  Arturius had a list of blacksmithing and carpentry materials to find.  Booker had some medical and science books he was tasked with grabbing, while Michael had some of the gardening and agricultural books Anne had suggested.  Jayce meanwhile was tasked with finding books on philosophy and history.  The others would be able to just take notes, but Jayce's targets required him to grab whole books.  This would be difficult.

The four of them split up and got lost in the stacks as they grabbed books which seemed to be useful and carried them back to tables where they would be able to make notes and glean as much knowledge as possible.  One of the Librarians asked what they were doing, and volunteered to help take notes.  She might have come with them if they would let her.

They had each made several pages of disjointed and uncertain notes when a shot rang out.

Central Resource Library
22 September 2013

Cooper O'Seighin looked upon the Library with disgust.  This was even worse than the school.  Schools poisoned the minds of the young sure, but in the days before the Blackout most people reverted to their naturalistic stance once they had gotten out of school.  Most people simply allowed the poisoning of their minds to bleed away and their minds would thus heal with time.

But Libraries were a special class of evil.  They kept alive the poison of the false enlightenment in the minds of those who might otherwise have reverted back to a more natural state of mind.

Taking out a half-dozen dosages of PCP, he handed them out to the five berserkers who stood around him.  Their ranks had swollen thanks to the Brother Dove, Adam Hollub, who had made a good herald for the group.  They were up to well over three hundred and fifty or so warriors.

Not all of them were Berserkers, and most of them carried spears instead of axes, but the ranks of the Berserkers had swelled as well to almost thirty.  And they were all great and well trained.

Creeping upon the Library, they managed to sneak up on the houses across the street.  There, Cooper ordered his berserkers to light up the cigarettes and inhale deeply.  They allowed the drug to take effect, relying upon their leader, the Brother Hawk to alert them when it was time to charge.

Cooper eventually gave out a roar and charged forth with the axe in hand.  He screamed out a battle cry of "For Gaia and the New Dawn."

The rest of the Bersekers took up the battle cry and charged after him.  A few were so far out of their minds with anger and aggression that they could only let out a howl of rage.  They burst around the corner of the Library and Cooper buried his axe in the face of the Sherriff's deputy who had charged forth to hurt them.

Cooper felt a burst of wind tugging at his hip, he motioned forward with his arms and a shout.  He didn't care when the first two Berserkers to approach the far deputy died with buckshot to the face.

Central Resource Library
22 September 2013

Jayce shouted out, "Arturius, Michael gather up as many books as you can.  Booker, you still have your axe on your hip?"

"Of course!"

"Good, bring it with you.  You are with me."

Jayce pulled the Taurus Revolver from his hip and ran forth.  He could hear Booker following behind him with an axe in his hand.  Both of them burst from the doors to see Deputy Richter pump two rounds of 12 gauge buckshot into the face of the berserkers.

Booker let forth a howl as he charged into the four remaining Berserkers with his axe swinging.  His axe blow was blocked by one of the Berserkers, and the two quickly fell into a brutal dance of swinging axes and fists and kicks.

Jayce had little time to watch what happened as one of the other enraged warriors charged at him.  Slipping into the Weaver stance, he brought his pistol up and opened fire.  The first two rounds went wide, missing the target entirely, while the third connected with his target's shoulder.  He jerked to the left from the force of the gunshot - even a man high on PCP still reacts to physics - but otherwise showed no reaction as he charged home.  Jayce held his ground and fired twice more, plugging him twice in the chest.

He had to jump out of the way as the Berserker's momentum carried him past.  With his dying breaths, he lunged at Jayce with his axe, cutting a shallow slash into his right thigh.  Jayce went down with a yelp - he had never been cut like that before and was surprised to find out just how much it hurt - and clutched at his leg.

A scream of pain dragged his eyes to where Booker stood triumphant over a fallen Berserker.  Or at least, he looked triumphant until he stooped over to pull the axe out of the man's chest where it had cut the heart in two.

Looking over, he saw the man who must have been their leader smack another upside the head and shout, "We have no choice.  We must leave them and return another day."

Central Resource Library
22 September 2013

Booker had been cut as well.  He had a flap of skin from his upper arm which was hanging loose, but seemed otherwise okay.  He bandaged Jayce up first, noting how lucky he was no major blood vessels had been severed, as he allowed Jayce to return the favor.  Luckily, he remembered all of his first aid training from Boot.

Deputy Richter was standing beside them, shotgun in hand, when he made the decision, "Those were the Children of the New Dawn weren't they?"

"Yes, they were," Arturius responded.

"Thought so.  I heard about them on the radio the other day.  If they have decided to target the Library, I am not going to be able to protect this thing by myself."  He turned to Jayce, "How secure is your location?"

"Its secure.  And we have enough food and water to last us until spring."

"What are you planning at that point."

Michael's expression darkened, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because, I was tasked with protecting the books.  I can't do that here, not if the Children of the New Dawn are marching on this place with the full force of their followers.  I need to save what I can and get it out of here.  I can head off alone with what I can fit in my patrol car, or I can leave with you."

Deputy Richter fixed Jayce with a glare, "but I need to know where you are going first."

Jayce nodded, "Once the spring thaw comes we will be heading south-west to Hoisington.  We have a couple houses there waiting for us with supplies and farm equipment.  You interested in joining us?"

"Yeah, I am."  Richter tossed the car keys to Jayce, "Load up both cars with books.  Let the Librarians know they are coming too, and to load up their cars as well.  We have some moving to do."

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