Under a Broken Sun (29 page)

“The plane crash,” he replied.  “Broke my leg and dislocated my shoulder.  I was lucky.”

Ashley sat down on the cot next to him, I got the cot on the other side of the fire.

Ashley took his hand.  “What was it like?”

He paused and looked down at her small hand dwarfed by his.  The touch a female.  It's been ten years.

“Horrifying," he finally said.  "The pilot did a tremendous job guiding the plane down, and we were fortunate to be over Iowa farmlands.  But the landing was still bouncy, and the plane split in half.  The noise was terrible.  Screams, the engines whining.”  He stared into the flame.  “Our part flipped – you’d be surprised how many people weren’t buckled in.  Someone landed on my shoulder, then we rolled and they flew away.  It was like some horrifying cartoon – bodies going in directions that defied gravity.  Being twisted in ways that didn’t look human.”  He shuddered and quieted down.

We told him of our adventures, and he nodded at the part when the earthquake hit.  “You can tell what that did here,” he said.  “We still walk by piles of rubble and hear someone call out for help, though not as much anymore.”

He shuffled the bag behind him.  He handed out cookies to us, and gave us a bottle of water each.  “No water shortage?” I asked.

He took a bite out of a cookie and shook his head.  “We’re next to a river.  My first task was to set up a water filtration system.”  He pointed to the wall behind us.  There were garbage cans and hoses and at the end of it all a nozzle.  “I can pump through thirty gallons of pure water an hour from this,” he said proudly.  “It uses a three-part filtration process, beginning with –“

I held up my hand.  “Ok, Dad.  I get it.” 

He looked a little annoyed, then chuckled.  “You never did want to learn.  Always a doer.” 

I took a bite of the stale, cardboard tasting cookie.  “I’m just really tired.  Ok?  I crossed the country to get here, and it took a bit out of me.” I flopped down on the cot, my back to him.  I could feel the adrenaline build up.  Just like old times.

I heard him shuffle around, and felt a hotter flame on my back.  I turned over and the torch had become a small fire.  Dad lowered a large, lightweight pipe, probably eight inches wide, down over it.  Then he went to the far wall and slid a cover to the left, revealing an opening outside, I assumed.  The smoke from the fire began to drift up the pipe.  He saw me watching him.  “Keeps the smoke from hanging out around us.  Go to sleep.”

I rolled over.  Ashley asked “Will this be a big war?  Is it going on everywhere?”

He stoked the fire.  “Probably.  This is the time of great reckoning,” he said.  “When humanity decides if we are truly subjected to the whims of a God, or are capable of standing together on our own.” 

She went on.  “They’re saying we caused this.  Science, technology, out of control.”  I turned over to catch his reaction to this.  He wasn’t pleased.

“There are a great many lies that these people have put out there, hoping the weak minded and scared believe it.  But we didn’t cause this.  We have the truth, the facts, the logic.  They have faith.”

I smiled.  “They’d say the same thing about you.”

“These people are delusional.  They pray to a supreme, man-made being for an intervention that will only come by happenstance or randomness.   If it happens, God’s answered their prayers.  If it doesn’t then it’s all part of God’s plan.  How can you argue with that?  That’s logic?  Nonsense.”

I thought of Tolbert.  I thought of his dangling body, swaying from the drop.  “Not everyone who prays is your enemy,” I said.  I knew what he meant.  The relationship with God is meant to be personal.  One on one.  Whatever shape God takes.

“They should be shot,” Dad huffed.

I rolled back over.   “Now you really are starting to sound like them,” I said.  And he was.  These two sides were going to clash in a nasty battle.  I just wanted to sit it out and watch from the sidelines.

He looked up at me.  “Yes, well, they’re also saying they have a virgin mother and a holy child who is the second coming.”

Virgin mother?  I shot up.  “Holy shit.  Marilyn.”  I looked at Ashley.  She realized it the same time I did.

“Who’s Marilyn?” Dad asked.  “Thought your friend’s name was Ashley.”

“Marilyn’s the virgin mother.  I mean, she’s not really a virgin.  Or she might be, I don’t know.  We found an abandoned baby in a tunnel in Pennsylvania.  She took it as her own.  Even stayed behind us to care for it."  That explained a lot.  Why Marilyn stood reverently on the platform.  Her uncomfortable look.  They were using her.  I wanted then, more than anything, to leave.  To go find her, and bring her back.  She wasn’t any savior.  She was a cutter.  Like me.

I stood up.  “I’ve got to go.  If I can get to Marilyn before the fighting starts-“

“How do you know she wants to be gotten?” Dad asked.

I sat back down.  I never really thought about it.  Did she look miserable on the platform?  Or was she just sad that they had to do their job?  Would she want to leave?  She’d be in a high place of authority, she might really enjoy that.  I looked across the fire to Ashley, whose eyes reflected the orange glow of the fire more than usual.  There were tears in them.  She knew why I wanted to go to Marilyn.  And I told her I wouldn't leave her. 

Ashley lied down, turned her back to me, and slept.

I couldn't leave that kid.  I wouldn't.

I dreamt of a million things that day.  The images flashed across my brain like a test of memory: wolves, tunnels, Marilyn, Ashley, my mom flying, guns going off, fire, buildings crumbling, boats, water.  Endless.  Rapid.

My eyes shot open as I awoke with a gasp.  Still in the basement.  The concrete walls surrounding me like a prison.  The flames of the fire dying to embers.  The sweat on my forehead.  Another soldier slept in the cot across from my dad.  My mind still raced.  Where was I?  Was I safe?  Should I run?

I looked and saw my dad and Ashley sound asleep.  It was the middle of the day.

I sat up, held my head in my hands.  Night’s become day.  Three months ago I was sitting in a lecture hall, wanting to score.  Now look at me.

A soldier jogged down the stairs and stood over my dad, rousing him.  “Sir.  Dr. Dawson.  The President needs you.”

Dad was never quick to get up.  He sat up, yawned, stretched, creaked.  For a minute I thought he was gonna piss right there.  But the soldier was panicky.  “Sir.  Now.”

He helped Dad up.  Then turned to me.  “You too.”

I stood up and stretched.  I thought about letting Ashley sleep, leaving her there, where she’d be safe, but I don’t think she’d ever forgive me.  I gently woke her up, helped her stand, and brought her along. We followed the camouflaged hulk out the door and exited the building in the darkness of night.  “What’s going on, private?”

The soldier was my age, same height, but build like a rock.  And he never smiled or looked anywhere but straight ahead.

“Word is the enemy is approaching,” he said.  Almost robotic.

In a few minutes we were back at the Sears Tower.  Up the stairs, we found Bill, the General, and several others in uniform pouring over a map.  Other soldiers hustled from one point to the next, handing handwritten reports to the President.

The president turned and noticed us entering.  “Roger, good.  We need to get you underground.  Adam can accompany you.  It’s going to get ugly here.  Private Lanier will escort you.”

I pushed Private Latrine out of the way.  “Fuck that,” I said to the President.  The others stopped.

Dad put his hand on my shoulder.  “Adam, please.”

I yanked my arm away.  “No, Dad.  I’m not leaving.  You go.  You never could stand the sight of blood.”

“We don’t have time to discuss this,” President Douglas said.  “Dr. Dawson, it’s your call.  Adam can stay and help, Lord knows we need all the guns we can.”

I turned to my dad.  “Go with them.”

“No, I don’t want to leave you-“

“Dad, I’ll find you.  I did it once.  I can do it again.”

He looked at me with a sadness I didn’t quite expect.  “And if Chicago falls?”

I didn’t have an answer.  “Just go,” I finally said.

He turned to go, then thought about it and turned back.  “Mammoth Caves.  You know it?”

I shook my head.  “Never heard of it.”

“Remember it.  Mammoth Caves.”

He hugged me.  I held him tight and whispered in his ear “You know I love you, right?”  The words surprised even me.

He looked at me in the eyes, and his soul flashed even if for a moment.  “You know I love
you
right?”

I smiled.  “I think I figured that out.”

He smiled back, turned and shuffled away. 

I turned back to the President, the General and the plans.  Tommy approached the table with Luigi and Ashley hanging in the back. 

“Our scouts returned with reports of enemy movement to the west and south.”  He looked up at Bill.  “Hard core army and air force personnel in the west.  Looks like your group from Gary in the south.  Thousands strong.”

“Five thousand, sir,” Bill responded. 

The general nodded.  “I’ve enough men to cover the west, but not the south.  I’m assuming the south engagement will be against a less disciplined enemy.  I’ll need all the pros to the west.  Bill, can you help lead the southern regiment?”

Bill nodded. “Yes sir.” 

The general continued.  “They’re assembling outside.  Some national guard.  Mostly civilians.”

“Not much to play with, sir.”

“Fighting fire with fire.  They’re mostly militia as well, based on what you told me.”

“Yes sir, but they’re well trained.”

“And they’ve got no fear of dying,” I threw in.  “This is their holy war.”

“We need more regular army, sir.”

The general nodded again.  “I understand, Bill, but I’ve got nothing to spare.  Find yourself some national guardsmen and divide up in to companies, then cover this area.”  He pointed to a bridge.

“I’ve already got one captain ready to lead.”  Bill said.

“Who?”

Bill looked at me, then back to the general.

The general looked at me.  Then at Bill.  Then his brow furrowed in confusion.  “You want to give him control over a company?  Over a hundred men?”

“Sir,” Bill said, “I’ve seen this boy lead the five of us over some of the worst conditions I’ve ever been through.  He’s shown natural leadership that you can’t teach in basic training.  He’s good with a rifle, and quick on his feet.”

I pulled Bill back a bit.  “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Giving you a chance,” Bill said.

“Yeah, but this isn’t really a ‘giving you a chance’ kinda moment.  This is serious stuff.”

“Do you honestly think there’s anything out there you can’t handle?  Worse than the lake?  Worse than what you told me about in Pittsburgh?  You’ve seen the worst nature has to offer, and you’re still here.  Anyone who can cover the ground you’ve covered, keeping his team intact, is ok with me.”

I stood there, frozen.  He was talking about me.   I looked around the room.  Ashley didn’t smile, she just put her two pistols into her jeans.  “He’s right,” she said.

Louie looked down at his shoes.  “I don’t want to go with anyone else.”

Tommy hoisted his sniper rifled on his shoulder and gave me a nod.  Fuck. 

The general shook his head.  “Not these three.  Bill - for chrissakes, they’re just kids.”

“Not anymore sir.  They stopped being kids a long time ago.”

No argument from everyone.  The room grew quiet.  “Fine.  Dawson, you’re in charge, Bill’s second in command.  Get those people organized and get ‘em ready.  Let’s move.”

On the way downstairs I asked Bill about Tolbert.  “Went to find his wife.  Never came back.”

“He’ll be back,” Tommy offered.

“What if he doesn’t come back?” I said.  "I never trusted the shit, and now he’s abandoned us."

“He’ll be back,” Tommy said, more a bit more force.

Bill stood me in front of a lineup of ten men, ten lines deep.  “Platoons, this is Captain Adam Dawson, your company commander.  Lieutenants front and center.”

Four men came forward.  Bill sprawled out the map on back of an abandoned Ford.  “Gentlemen, this is your area to protect.  You will be Alpha Company.  We’ve set up barriers along the highway running east to west.  Your position will be from the river to the financial district, here at South Wells Street.  I want one platoon spread out over one hundred yards, one man every five yards.  Adam, you place them as you need them.  There are no reserves.  You are the front and only line.  Bravo Company will be to your right on the other side of the river.  Charlie Company will be to your left all the way to the lake.”

Bill patted me on the back.  “You’ll be ok,” he said.  I looked down at the map.  Then up at the lieutenants.  What the fuck was I doing?  What was Bill doing?  These men are all going to die under my leadership.

Tommy snapped at attention.  He looked straight ahead.  “Your orders, sir?”

Orders?   Start simple.  Like the doc at the hospital in Pittsburgh.  One step at a time.  Read their names.

I looked at their name tags on their shirts.  Three guys, all husky, tall, probably played football in college.  One woman, Ware, short, but built.  Kinda hot, actually.  I shook the thought out of my mind.  She'd probably castrate me with her pinky if I touched her.  “Ok.  McCaulky, you’ll be first platoon.  Take the river and do as the colonel says.  One man every five yards.  Verdin, you take middle right, Ware, middle left.  Stephenson, left flank.”

I turned to Luigi, Tommy and Ashley.  “You three stick with me.  We’ll stake out a spot behind the front line. 

The men moved, shouted orders for platoons to move out, and the groups disappeared into the night. 

We walked behind Ware's platoon, when in the distance I heard a whistling sound.  Faint, but distinct.  I’d never heard it before, except in some movies, I thought.  Sounded like…a mortar shell.

It grew louder, then stopped, replaced immediately by a massive explosion.  It struck something in the distance, but the explosion echoed around the buildings and gave the illusion of it being closer.  Concrete, somewhere out of sight crumbled.