Future History

When two women appear right before their eyes, all three jump when they realize they were found so easily.

"Denny is it?" He nodded at Susan's question, "What I'm going to do is probably going to hurt."

"Great," Denny said softly.

"You, what's your name?" John asked the oldest of the group.

"Calvin, Calvin Watson, sir."

"I'm John, Calvin. Now tell me what you three have been up to."

"Killing Chinese," boasted Calvin.

"And they knew you're from around here?"

"Of course," Calvin said proudly.

"How many of your friends and families have they killed in retribution?"

"Twenty-two," croaked Calvin.

"There is a reason we don't... never mind. Susan, how's your patient?"

"He'll live, but we need to get him out of the weather, somewhere warm."

"We have a place not too far from here," volunteered Calvin.

"Do the Chi-Coms know about it?"

"No sir, it's a place my uncle built. It's underground."

"Lead the way," John said.

Calvin and Chester, the third young man, helped Denny hobble down the hill away from the valley. After about twenty minutes, they all halted in front of a cliff face. Susan, Michelle, and John had passed this very spot not an hour ago. Susan looked at me, raising her eyebrows. Stepping forward, Calvin pushes through the bushes to reveal a door, a plain wooden door.

"In here," he said pulling the door open.

Going through first, Calvin lights a lantern on the small table by the door. Once everyone was inside with the door shut, Calvin led them through another doorway into a living room.

"If you guys can wait here, I'll get the generator going," said Calvin.

Turning the flashlight on his M-4, on, John followed Calvin. Pulling on what looked to be a hatch from a warship, they both descend a flight of stairs.

"It's over here," said Calvin pointing to the left.

There were actually three generators in a line against the wall. Stepping up to the first, Calvin presses the start button. The generator roars to life. The lights in the room glow brightly.

"Where does the exhaust go?" John asked.

"My uncle said it goes through a cooling bath, then meets up with a thermal vent from the hot springs below us. When it reaches the surface it is no hotter than the air coming up the vent, which is already laced with Co2 and Co."

"Good, good," John whispered nodding.

Going back upstairs, the noise from the generator was still deafening, until Calvin closed the hatch. Then the sound disappeared altogether. Looking around John finds they were in a very nice house built into the cliff.

"How long did it take your uncle to build this?"

"His whole life and he did it all himself. He only told me about it after the Chi-Com landed."

"Does anyone else know about this place?"

"Just us in this room," Calvin said.

"Good. Don't tell anyone else," John said walking away to explore.

"I won't," he said.

Chapter 5

As John explored he found it was warming up inside nicely. So far, he had found five bedrooms and three bathrooms on the second floor. Climbing the stairs to the third floor, he found a long hallway lined with doors. Opening the first, he found a small room furnished with a bed, a desk, and a chair. Every door he opened, the room behind them was the same. Shaking his head, he climbs the stairs to the fourth floor, another long hall with doors on either side.

"There are three floors like this," Calvin said from behind John. "The middle door on the left side is a bathroom with a gang shower."

"A barracks," John whispered.

"Yes, that's what Uncle Jake called it."

"How many floors up from here are there?"

"One more like this, then what Jake called the command level," Calvin said.

John was flying up the stairs before he finished. The stairs let him out to one side of a room about thirty feet across. Around the wall of the room were more doors.

"Officers quarters," Calvin said.

"Do these computers and radios work?"

"Yep. They were all powered up just before the Chi-Coms got here. Jake shut them down and left."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead. He was sitting on his porch when they showed up to take his guns. He killed three before they got him. He died on his porch in his favorite rocker."

"How old was your uncle?"

"Sixty-eight."

"Good for him. Where do these stairs go?" John asked looking up at the second set of stairs.

"Observation post and sensor array," said Calvin.

"Well, we'll leave that for later," John said turning and heading for the stairs they came up.

Down on the bedroom level, Susan had Denny in bed resting comfortably.

"Have you seen the kitchen?" Michelle asked as John came down the stairs.

"No, show me," John replied following her down a hallway that leads to a huge kitchen.

"This place is big enough to cook for an army. And there is a big room full of tables through there," she said pointing to a door to her left.

Scrubbing his face, John was amazed at one person's ingenuity and industry.

"Back in the living room," John said almost having to drag her with him.

"There is another smaller kitchen on the other side of the living room," she said as they walked.

"Good, go get Susan," John told her.

Standing in the middle of the living room, John watched as Michelle hurries up the stairs and Calvin and Chester talked, sitting on the couch. This place is perfect and it was right under the Chi-Coms nose. When Susan and Michelle returned John look them over.

"You two will be staying here," he started.

"Where are you going?" Susan asked.

"To report back to headquarters about this place," John said.

"Oh, I'll go with you... "

"I can move faster alone, so you stay. Calvin, Captain Bajek is in charge while I'm gone."

"Sure thing," he replied.

"And just because she's a doctor, doesn't mean she won't defend herself. She could probably kill you with one hand tied behind her back."

"No problem, Major."

"Yeah, no problem Major," Susan said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"That's good to know Captain," John quipped. "I want you all to stay inside until I get back. Understand?"

They all nod. Turning John headed for the door.

"Wait, Major," Calvin calls.

They were both standing before the door. Calvin closes a door behind them that John hadn't noticed. The little mudroom was now cloaked in darkness. Suddenly, a display screen lights up.

"Now we can take a look outside to see if anyone is around who shouldn't be."

The scene on the screen shifts as Calvin taps on the line of buttons at the bottom.

"All clear, you can go Major," he said.

"Stay inside," John said sternly.

"We will," he said as John opened the door and stepped out.

He found himself standing behind the hedges they squeezed through that were blocking the view of the door. He sees a narrow path leading off to the left. Following it, John came out about a hundred meters from the door.

Chapter 6

Two days later, John is sipping scotch with Ed telling him about the place they found.

"Jake Watson was a crazy old coot, that's for sure," said Ed.

"Crazy like a fox. Seems he knew what was coming before everyone else," John replied.

"We'll start moving immediately," said Ed gulping his drink.

Four days later, John leads Ed and a small portion of the command group back to Jake's place. Entering the door, they find themselves looking down the barrels of Susan and Michelle's rifles. Once inside John pointed the way to Ed and his staff.

"Command Center, top of the stairs," John yelled, looking around. "Where are Calvin and Chester?"

"Tied up in a room upstairs," Michelle said calmly.

"They didn't?"

"Not two hours after you left."

"I'm surprised you didn't kill them," John chuckled.

"Almost did, but Denny begged us not to," Susan said.

"Well, let's go talk to the fools," John said heading upstairs.

Looking down at the two morons, John just shook his head.

"Untie them," John said.

Pulling her knife, Susan steps over to them. They flinch as she snaps the blade in their faces. She then cuts the ropes binding their hands.

"On your feet, both of you," John shouted.

"But we just... "

"Did I say you could talk?" John yelled.

Shaking his head, Calvin climbs to his feet and stands facing me. Chester follows.

"Well," John said staring the pair down, "didn't I warn you two?"

They just stood mute.

"I asked you a question," John yelled.

"You did," Calvin stutters.

"You two are lucky to be alive; the Captain had every right to drop you in your tracks. If it wasn't for your buddy Denny, we would have stumbled over your rotting corpses in the woods. You still might wind up there."

Both their eyes widen when John told them that.

"I just want out of here," Chester quips.

"Too late for that soldiers, that's right you are both recruits in the Kentucky Free Militia and subject to its rules and regulations. Now stand at attention," John yelled.

"Any problem here Major?" asked Ed, sticking his head through the doorway.

"No sir, just getting a couple of recruits squared away," John told him.

"Very well, carry on," he said leaving.

Calvin and Chester stood bug-eyed staring at me.

"Are you two eyeballing me?"

"No sir," they both shout.

"Captain Wilfinger," John yelled.

"Yes Major," she huffed as she steps into the room.

"You two will apologize to the Captains... now!"

"I'm sorry ma'am," Calvin stammered.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Chester squeaked.

"Sergeant Wilcox," John shouted. "You two have a lot to learn. Sergeant Wilcox is the best. Listen and learn."

"Sir... " Wilcox stood at attention beside Susan and Michelle.

"Captain's do you accept the recruit's apologies?"

"I do sir," Susan said quietly.

"I guess I do too, sir," Michelle said.

"Sergeant Wilcox, train these men to be the best they can be."

"Yes, sir." Wilcox threw John a salute. John returned it sharply.

"You two, follow me." Wilcox doubled timed it out of the room and up the stairs, Calvin and Chester close on his heels.

"How is Denny doing?" John asked.

Both women relaxed and started to laugh.

"He's fine," Susan finally replies.

"Good," John laughed with them, "go find something to do," he told them.

Both turn and left. John stood there looking longingly down at the bed.

Chapter 7

For the next week, men and women pour into what is now the headquarters of the Western Region Kentucky Free Militia. They discovered two other entrances, both hidden better than the front door. The observation post is in a boulder on the cliff overlooking the entire valley. The sensor array was a series of large rock-like sensors strewn around the cliff top, once activated, they could see every living thing in the valley.

John was on his way to meet with Ed for a briefing about a mission. John was walking down a hall in which he had never been before, hoping it led where he wanted to go. As he walked down the corridor, he heard a click as he passed a wall sconce. John instantly froze. To his right, a door slowly appeared out of the wall. Reaching out he grabbed the edge, pulling it, the door swung open easily. As he stepped inside, the lights came on.

"Holy shit!" John croaked.

As he left the room, the lights go out and the door swung shut.

"Damn," he muttered.

Taking a piece of chalk from his pocket, he drew a circle around the sconce, then went looking for Ed.

Three hours later, that's how long it took him to find his way out of what turned out to be a maze of corridors, John showed Ed down the corridor.

"Right here," he said walking slowly past the sconce. When he heard the click, he froze. Reaching over he grabbed the door's edge pulling it open. Ed and John stepped inside.

"Holy shit!" Ed gasped.

"That's what I said."

"Who was this guy?" asks Ed.

They have entered a room, a platform really, about twenty feet above a huge chamber. They couldn't actually see the whole place as most of it is still dark, but what they could see was astounding. There were row upon row of vehicles... military vehicles, hummers, trucks, rhinos, and tanks, lots, and lots of tanks.

"There must be a whole armored division in here," whispered Ed.

"Yep." Was the only answer John could come up with.

"What's this?" asked Ed, as a computer screen came to life.

"Hello, I'm Jake Watson the caretaker of this facility. I have to assume you belong here or some crisis has forced my nephew to show you in here. Well whatever it may be, what is here is yours to use for the defense of the United States."

A map of the U.S. replaced Jake's image on the screen.

"There are supposed to be two facilities like this one in each state, except Hawaii and Texas. Hawaii was to have one per Island and Texas was to have three."

The screen zoomed in on Kentucky and two dots started to blink, one green and one blue.

"The green dot is the location of this facility, the blue dot is the second Kentucky facility. Each facility can house a division. There is food in storage for a one-year campaign. There is enough ammunition for a three-year campaign. I hope it doesn't take that long."

The map zoomed out to show the continental U.S.

"Green dots represent active facilities, blue dots are dormant. Red incomplete, black destroyed, or off the net. All the facilities are linked via hard-line and radio. Here is the time this facility went active."

The date and time, the computers in the command center booted up overlaid the map.

"Here is a schematic of this facility."

An exploded floor plan of the base replaced the map and time.

"You are here," Jake's voice said.

Two yellow dots started to blink on the far edge of a vast chamber outlined on the screen. They could also see other floors and chambers they had yet to discover.

"It was meant for an experienced military unit to occupy and use this facility. If you are they, then welcome. If you are Americans, then welcome. If not, then there is nothing I can do about it. Now please enter your Bravo Code."

The screen changed to accept a code entry.

"What the hell is a bravo code?" asked Ed.

"Got me, even when I was in the regular army I never heard of a bravo code."

"Thank you," Jake reappears on the screen. "I hope you can use whatever you find here. The command code for the facilities schematics and the maps are released. Just type facilities or map at the command prompt."

The screen blinked out, then was displaying a command select screen.

"What the hell," Ed said pointing at the bottom of the screen, "none of the other screens say that."

"Tactical Defense Command," John read. "Who the hell are they?"

"My guess... would be us... now," Ed whispered.

Chapter 8

Sure enough, all the screens in the command center had changed and now displayed the new logo and the name as the screen on the platform. John sat at a terminal gazing at the floor plans of the complex for hours. Scanning the layout of each floor, John found he could zoom in on a section. Suddenly, he leaped up and almost ran across the room.

Sitting in what were now his quarters, John happily sips a hot cup of coffee. Real coffee, coffee he found, good coffee.

"Come in," he yelled at the knock on his door.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Susan sticking her head into the room.

"Not quite yet," John said sipping his coffee and smiling.

"So, you finally found where they kept the coffee?" asked Susan.

"Yep and it's really good too," John sighed his pleasure.

"Well I'm happy for you, but we have a mission. Michelle and I will be at the south portal."

"Fine, I'll be there in a minute."

Susan closed the door as John slowly gulped the rest of his coffee. Then collecting his gear he headed to the south portal.

"Something is wrong," said Susan looking through the binoculars at the farmhouse. "Last time we were here, there was smoke coming from the chimney and kids playing outside?"

"We go in slow and quiet then," John whispered.

Spreading out, the three of them headed for the farmhouse. When they finally arrived they found out why it is so quiet, the family were all dead, killed by the Chi-Coms.

"Motherfuckers," Michelle yelled kneeling beside the body of a little girl. She had treated the little girl a month ago.

Michelle just knelt there holding the child's hand and staring. Spotting a shovel, John picked a spot in the front yard and started to dig. Susan soon joins him.

"This is really going to screw her up," said Susan, tears rolling down her cheeks as she digs.

John just grunts as he digs. Three hours later the dead were buried, yet Michelle still knelt next to the young girl's grave staring at nothing.

"Michelle," John said softly. "We have to go."

"I know," she croaked, wiping the tears from her eyes, she grabs her weapon rising to her feet. "I'm ready," she said looking at John.

Shaking his head, John leads the way back into the woods. He has seen that look on many a man's face before.

"She's really messed up, isn't she?" Susan asks.

"Yes," John replied.

"What can we do for her?"

"Watch over her until we get back."

Three klicks from the farmhouse they stumbled upon a two-squad patrol. Ducking into the brush, they wait for the patrol to pass. When the middle of the patrol is even with them, Michelle rises slowly and starts firing.

"God damn it," John yelled jumping up to join her. Susan is close behind them.

Standing in the open, Michelle fires until her magazine is empty. Reloading, she starts firing once more. On her third magazine, she realizes they are all dead and stops when John pulls her rifle from her hands. Pulling her sidearm, Michelle walks to the first body, and points down at the bloody mess at her feet.

"She was just a little girl you cocksucker," she shouted pulling the trigger until the weapon is empty.

Then dropping to her knees, she starts weeping. Susan is beside her in an instant, taking the pistol from her hand. John just stood there watching the forest and the two women.

"Sue, we have to go, now," he said softly.

"I know," said Susan. "Give me a minute."

"We may not have a minute," John whispered taking a knee and scanning the woods.

It was an even bet the firefight would bring any Chi-Com who were close by, to investigate. After about a minute, Susan has Michelle on her feet and the three of them fade away into the forest. It takes them two days to get back to base. Michelle is useless and clings to Susan making it difficult for her. John has to work extra hard to protect them and himself. When they finally entered headquarters, Susan waves off John's help taking her friend to the infirmary.

"What's up John?" Ed asked John when he walk into Ed's office and pours himself a drink.

"She finally broke," John said.

"Who?" asks Ed.

"Michelle," John whispered tears welling up in his eyes.

"John, don't... don't let it," Ed said softly.

"It's not that Ed. It's just... I know how she feels. I know what is going through her mind. I am almost there with her, but I know it only leads to self-destruction."

"I know John. Tell me what happened friend."

Chapter 9

Stumbling out of Ed's office, John headed for the infirmary. Inside Michelle was in bed, Susan was at her side, as Michelle talked to another doctor, a shrink. John knew she was a shrink because he has had many conversations with her.

"Am I interrupting?" John asked softly.

"No, I am just leaving. Michelle, John is your friend, Susan is your friend, just as I am your friend, lean on us, we can take it. Now, you two don't tire her out," Kelly said pointing at Susan and John.