Fallout


COPYRIGHT – no reproduction without my express consent

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It was hot. Beastly hot. One of those days when the air feels like a thick wool blanket and sweat forms before one leaves the shower. Moisture clings to every surface and the heat radiates upwards in wavy lines.

In other words, it was a summer day in the south.

The attractive young brunette parked her car outside the City Hall building and began the arduous journey to her desk. Much had changed in the past half year. At one time she parked near the entrance of Shelton’s City hall, walked in the main doors and quickly arrived at her desk outside the sheriffs main office. It wasn’t that way anymore.

It seemed like a lifetime since Sheriff John Ketch roamed the hallways of City hall. Since his disappearance, two different military contracting firms had tried to take over control of the town. Both of these firms had failed spectacularly despite the wishes of Senator Donovan.

Senator Miles Donovan, a wily politician had seized control of three southern states shortly after civil war had broken out in the north. While that battle raged he craftily consolidated his power to a total of six states. From Florida in the east to Arkansas and Louisiana in the west Donovan’s power was complete.

Being a streetwise politician, however, he had played his cards masterfully. President Alan was slow to grasp Donovan’s power play until it was too late. While he was battling the traitorous liberal, Jackson Crutchfield in the north for control of the Republic, he hadn’t been able to grasp the scope of Donovan’s schemes to his south.

Now, nearly a full year into the conflict President Alan had little choice but to kowtow to Donovan to avoid further problems. He would deal with the Southern Senator when the time came.

Now with all these changes Julie parked nearly a full three blocks from City Hall. The State Troopers had seized control of the county, and those around it and turned Shelton’s City Hall into a veritable fortress replete with gun emplacements, barbed wire, rooftop firing positions and truck barriers. Business and buildings around city hall were sized from the rightful owners and destroyed creating a wide-open area around the complex.

What once was an open park area between City Hall and the High School had been converted into helicopter landing area to replace the older, less defendable pad. Several mortar pits had also been placed there as a further defense against attack. The defenses extended around this area over to the High School, which formed the far end of the citadel. Barbed wire and other barriers prevented entrance into both the open area and the High School.

As she approached the main guarded entrance to City Hall Julie could feel sweat dripping on various parts of her body. Most of the sweat as due to the heat, but a large part of it was the direct result of the scrutiny of the security checkpoint. Utilizing equipment that would make an airport TSA checkpoint blush, the Troopers scanned, poked and prodded everybody who sought admission to the building.

It didn’t help that Julie was young and attractive, while the Troopers were men a long way from home. It was rare when liberties weren’t taken.

Finally passing through the groping and sneers she made her way into the building. It was like walking into an icy tomb.

What used to a somewhat friendly and jovial workplace had been turned into a cold and austere environment. Guards were posted at regular intervals and people’s access to various parts of the building was segmented according to the level of clearance they had obtained.

“Morning Julie” said one of her coworkers, almost under her breath.

Smiling back at her Julie merely nodded her head in acknowledgement. She started her computer and arranged a couple files that she needed to process. Before long she simply and robotically began the process of enduring another day.

****

At the outbreak of the conflict Julie’s life was empty. Like a lot of pretty women in small, rural towns, she felt trapped between no opportunities and the constant ham-fisted attention of the local men.

That all changed when a contingent of Army troops came to town. Soon she found romance with one of them and before long small bits of information were finding their way from her desk to his ears.

As his situation changed those meetings became more difficult but she had graduated from pillow-talk purveyor of information into full-blown spy. The meetings, drops, and signals added some modicum of excitement to her life. It helped ease the time between the liaisons with her solider.

While her intentions were noble, Julie was still naive. While she found the intrigue intoxicating she didn’t fully grasp the danger she placed herself in to help funnel information to the resistance movement that had sprung up in the county.

As she completed another mind-numbing spreadsheet the intercom on her desk suddenly beeped, startling her back to reality.

“Ms. Dawson” came the lifeless voice. “Please come to my office”.

“Yes Mr. Lehman” she answered efficiently.

Standing and smoothing down her blouse she prepared to enter the office of a man she despised.

****

Alec Lehman was the commanding officer of the contingent of State Troopers sent to Shelton to quell the burgeoning resistance in the area. He was a cold man. Ruthlessly efficient, he wouldn’t hesitate to burn down someone’s home under the slimmest of pretext. People had been killed and shipped off to camps based on his signature alone.

Like all small men who are handed power, Alec reveled in the intoxicating haze of complete control. He imagined himself more as a Prussian General more than law enforcement official. His impeccable uniform, forced sense of politeness and complete lack of empathy for those in his charge completed the picture of a man not unlike those cast as Imperial leaders in the Hollywood move Star Wars.

After making her wait an uncomfortable period of time, Lehman stopped what he was doing and looked her over from head to toe. Shivering inside Julie pretended not to notice as he visibly humiliated her for the joy of it.

“Ms. Dawson, please file these reports. Also, I’d like the updated troop strength reports on my desk before lunch please.”

Taking the paperwork from his grasp she politely said, “yes sir” and turned to leave.

“Ms. Dawson” he called out as she prepared to open the door to the tomb he called an office. “You are handling some sensitive information in the reports I gave you. Please be sure to follow the security protocols.”

“Of course sir” was the only reply she could muster.