trucks back, so other trucks couldn’t get to them to shove them off the road.”
“But why would they do such a thing?”
“Marty told me they were vigilantes who got tired of outsiders coming into town and trying to take their supplies. That the power plant ran out of fuel and shut down. Then the water plant couldn’t process water anymore, so safe drinking water was at a premium.
“And the food was running out as well. So the vigilantes decided to keep what was left for their own citizens, and blocked all entries to the town to keep outsiders out.
“Marty said when they took the prisoners they arrested in Eden last year and took them to San Angelo, they had a hell of a time finding an open road into the city. He said they finally found a farm to market road that was clear. But only because someone had taken a bulldozer and shoved all the abandoned cars off the road.”
“So, it’s been awhile since the thaw. People are growing their own food now, and water is no longer a problem. Why do you think they haven’t cleared the roads yet?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the survivors got used to not having strangers come in and they like it that way. Or maybe they haven’t been able to set up a city government capable of overseeing such an operation. Can you imagine how much effort it would take to clear up this mess? I mean, there are several hundred, maybe even a thousand abandoned cars, big rigs and assorted equipment. Most of it will never run again. They’d have to drag each piece off, one at a time.
“And then what would they do with them?”
“I see your point.”
“Marty said that every highway going in and out of San Angelo is like this, except for the one farm road. He said it was clogged but not barricaded. For some reason when the vigilantes isolated themselves from the rest of the world, they forgot that one.”
“What did you mean, ‘prisoners they arrested’?”
“The little town we just came from, Eden, was overrun with hardened criminals. They were brutalizing the town’s citizens, raping and pillaging and killing without restraint.
“Some friends and I went in and tried our best to clean up the town by arresting the worst of them. We locked them up into the back of a big rig and Marty drove them to San Angelo for trial. Most of the rest of the gang thought we were coming back for them, and took off.
“Marty said they had a hell of a time getting into San Angelo. But I didn’t think it was this bad.”
Chapter 14
Mark returned to Hannah’s room after just a few minutes.
“They said I can’t use their radio until tonight. They said during the daytime it’s for official use only.”
“What’s not official about checking up on Sarah?”
“That’s what I asked them. They said official military business.”
“Well, pardon me.”
“I guess I can’t complain much. They’ve been treating me very well. And I couldn’t ask for a nicer group of people.”
“Whoa, this is the same bunch of people who almost killed you in a helicopter crash.”
“Accidents happen, baby. They invited us to go on their tour as a gesture of good will. If what they think happened is true, if the pilot suffered a massive heart attack, then there was no way to avoid the accident.”
“I don’t know. When you were in your coma I talked to a captain who came by to check on you. He said they were opening up a board of inquiry into the crash. They wanted to see if Colonel Montgomery broke any regulations when he had his pilot fly at treetop level at very high speed.”
“Why? What’s the point?”
“I don’t know. They just said they wanted answers.”
“For God’s sake. I
“But why would they do such a thing?”
“Marty told me they were vigilantes who got tired of outsiders coming into town and trying to take their supplies. That the power plant ran out of fuel and shut down. Then the water plant couldn’t process water anymore, so safe drinking water was at a premium.
“And the food was running out as well. So the vigilantes decided to keep what was left for their own citizens, and blocked all entries to the town to keep outsiders out.
“Marty said when they took the prisoners they arrested in Eden last year and took them to San Angelo, they had a hell of a time finding an open road into the city. He said they finally found a farm to market road that was clear. But only because someone had taken a bulldozer and shoved all the abandoned cars off the road.”
“So, it’s been awhile since the thaw. People are growing their own food now, and water is no longer a problem. Why do you think they haven’t cleared the roads yet?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the survivors got used to not having strangers come in and they like it that way. Or maybe they haven’t been able to set up a city government capable of overseeing such an operation. Can you imagine how much effort it would take to clear up this mess? I mean, there are several hundred, maybe even a thousand abandoned cars, big rigs and assorted equipment. Most of it will never run again. They’d have to drag each piece off, one at a time.
“And then what would they do with them?”
“I see your point.”
“Marty said that every highway going in and out of San Angelo is like this, except for the one farm road. He said it was clogged but not barricaded. For some reason when the vigilantes isolated themselves from the rest of the world, they forgot that one.”
“What did you mean, ‘prisoners they arrested’?”
“The little town we just came from, Eden, was overrun with hardened criminals. They were brutalizing the town’s citizens, raping and pillaging and killing without restraint.
“Some friends and I went in and tried our best to clean up the town by arresting the worst of them. We locked them up into the back of a big rig and Marty drove them to San Angelo for trial. Most of the rest of the gang thought we were coming back for them, and took off.
“Marty said they had a hell of a time getting into San Angelo. But I didn’t think it was this bad.”
Chapter 14
Mark returned to Hannah’s room after just a few minutes.
“They said I can’t use their radio until tonight. They said during the daytime it’s for official use only.”
“What’s not official about checking up on Sarah?”
“That’s what I asked them. They said official military business.”
“Well, pardon me.”
“I guess I can’t complain much. They’ve been treating me very well. And I couldn’t ask for a nicer group of people.”
“Whoa, this is the same bunch of people who almost killed you in a helicopter crash.”
“Accidents happen, baby. They invited us to go on their tour as a gesture of good will. If what they think happened is true, if the pilot suffered a massive heart attack, then there was no way to avoid the accident.”
“I don’t know. When you were in your coma I talked to a captain who came by to check on you. He said they were opening up a board of inquiry into the crash. They wanted to see if Colonel Montgomery broke any regulations when he had his pilot fly at treetop level at very high speed.”
“Why? What’s the point?”
“I don’t know. They just said they wanted answers.”
“For God’s sake. I
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