Apocalypse Drift (14 page)

The combined number of law enforcement officers employed in the greater Houston area numbered 36,000 in the year 2017. During any one shift, the maximum number on duty was 20,000. Of these, a significant number were guarding prisoners, working court cases, or investigating crimes. In Houston alone, there were over 14,000 bank branches and other financial institutions, leaving less than one
available policemen per branch. Given a run on the banks that was 100 times larger than any experienced during the Great Depression, and that simply wasn’t enough manpower to keep the peace.

The first responders in Houston were actually some of the fastest in the nation, taking only two hours for the police and fire department to arrive at the
Trustline branch on Westheimer.

All over the country, millions of people decided they wanted their cash, and they didn’t want to wait. Gas stations were taping cardboard signs to pumps – cash only. Lines were forming within an hour of the news coming out of Washington. Nervous station managers had seen this before, having experience with hurricanes and long lines of panicked people. Calls went out for police protection, most of which went unanswered.

Online transfers and ATM withdrawals crashed computer servers all over the financial landscape, resulting in retail stores’ inability to process credit cards. Surges of customers rushing to their local grocery stores were met by signs at the entrances - cash only today. Even more people flocked to the banks to secure emergency funds to tide them over this crisis. Financial institutions were overwhelmed, and they simply couldn’t cope. Doors were locked, and customers were turned away. Tempers flared, fights broke out, gunshots split the air, and eventually someone threw a homemade bomb at a branch in Detroit.

Brenda stuck her head inside of the congressman’s door and gently tapped on the frame. When Reed glanced up from the stack of papers in front of him, she shyly tapped her watch and said, “Sir,
it’s 5:30. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll be on my way.”

Reed blinked his eyes and yawned as if to clear his mental cobwebs. He’d been intensely concentrating on a proposed bill sent him from a constituent and couldn’t initially comprehend Brenda’s meaning. A quick glimpse through the narrow slit in the curtains revealed the fading light of the Washington winter day, and he realized the afternoon had slipped away. “Wow, I thought it was about three, Brenda. I need to get going myself. Hang on a second, and I’ll walk out with you.”

After quickly shutting down his laptop while pulling on his overcoat, the two made their way toward one of the capitol building’s private doors.

Brenda noticed the tickle in her throat before her nose detected the distant smell of smoke. As they continued down the hall, the two noted an unusually large number of security guards and D.C. police assembled in the passageway. One of the regular security men took notice as the two government servants approached the exit. Reed nodded at the man and was surprised at the serious expression that countered. “Representative, I would recommend one of us escort you to your vehicle, sir. There have been some reports of disturbances, and we don’t want to take any chances.”

“Disturbances,” Reed probed. “I’ve not heard about any disturbances. What’s going on?”

“The president made an announcement earlier today, and there have been some issues at a few local banks. We also have some reports of a large crowd gathering on the mall by the White House. If you don’t mind, sir, one of us will be happy to escort you and the young lady to your cars.”

Brenda was curious, “Do you know what the president talked about, officer?”

“No, ma’am, I do not.”

Brenda’s face flashed concern as she turned to Reed. “I’m supposed to pick up my sister from work. You know, I haven’t heard from her all day. I hope she’s okay; she does work at a bank.”

Suspecting that local policemen generally did not chaperone federal employees to their automobiles, Reed grew concerned about Brenda’s safety. His lawyer’s “sixth sense” told him there was more to this story than had been relayed.

When his radio sounded, the officer moved a few steps toward the throng of gathered policemen and security personnel, listing intently. A few moments later, he turned back to Reed and Brenda, stating, “The security situation has been upgraded, Congressman. I’m afraid we’ll not only have to accompany you to your car, but also provide an escort to your destination, sir.”

Reed nodded his understanding, his mind churning on the information provided. He didn’t have a car. He didn’t really need one since he was still in temporary quarters at a nearby hotel. “Officer, I was walking home, but this young lady has quite a trip ahead of her. I’m sure I’ll be fine. Can you make sure she gets home okay?”

The policeman frowned, and then added, “Well, technically I’m only authorized to provide security for members of the House and Senate.”

Reed brightened, immediately thinking of a solution. “Well then, she’ll just have to give me a ride home – the long way.”

Brenda started to protest, but Reed’s look cut her off. The policeman nodded, turned to his fellow officers, and instructed, “Luke, could you provide escort for Congressman Wallace, please?”

Luke was a rather large fellow. His closely chopped
, graying hair and square shoulders would have looked more at home on a Marine Corps drill field than in the blue policeman’s uniform. He managed a cursory nod and what must have been his version of a smile.

While they hurried to Brenda’s car, Luke asked about their destination. Brenda mapped it out for him, and again his only response was a nod. When they arrived safely at the designated parking spot, Luke directed, “I’ll be waiting for you in the cruiser at the bottom of the ramp. Please follow me and stay close. If there is any trouble, lock your doors and stay put.”

The small sedan was a little tight for the tall Texan, but he managed to fold himself in while dismissing Brenda’s apologies over how dirty her car was. They maneuvered down the two exit ramps and waited while the automatic arm slowly rose. Reed noticed two columns of smoke rising against the grey Washington sky. The fires looked to be less than a mile away, but it was difficult to tell in the low light.

Officer Luke was exactly where he said he would be, and waited patiently for the traffic to clear before pulling out. Reed noticed their escort’s eyes monitoring Brenda’s progress in his rearview mirrors. Other than the smoke, everything appeared normal until they were about eight blocks from the Capitol. Suddenly, Luke turned on the cruiser’s blue flashing lights, cutting a space out of the traffic in the right-hand lane. Brenda followed, confused by the sudden change and mumbling, “This isn’t the right way.”

At the next intersection, they took a right, and Reed noticed a sea of blue and red flashing lights in the block behind them. Dozens of emergency vehicles cluttered the street. He turned to Brenda, “He chose a detour to avoid whatever is going on back there. I’m sure he knows what he is doing.”

Brenda clutched the wheel a little tighter, as if to release some stress on the steering column. Another block later, Brenda commented, “What are all these people doing out on the street? They sure don’t look happy.” Reed was trying to get service on his cell phon
e. He wanted to see if there was any breaking news on the internet and hadn’t been watching as they drove. Brenda’s words snapped him back into the here and now, and the representative immediately noticed what Brenda was referring to. Clusters of five to ten people were unevenly spaced all up and down the sidewalk on both sides of the street. There didn’t appear to be any good reason for it as far as he could tell. The quick images of body language he did detect caused him to agree with Brenda – these people didn’t look very happy.

Three blocks later, Brenda again interrupted his futile efforts to get cell service. “What the heck is going on, Mr. Wallace?”

Reed’s gaze left the tiny smartphone screen, moving to the area surrounding their ride. He almost let out a curse at what he saw. Dozens of policemen lined the sidewalk, each man wearing a helmet and carrying a glass shield. The officers held nightsticks, and the shields lowered over their faces gave off an appearance of warriors ready to enter a battle. At the head of the column was another 10 officers on horseback. “I don’t know Brenda, I can’t get cell service. Can we try a news station on your radio?”

“Sure,” she replied, and reached for the control knobs.

Before she could power up the car’s AM tuner, Reed yelled, “Watch out!” Luke’s patrol car had suddenly stopped dead it the middle of the road. Brenda barely braked in time, but it didn’t matter. Both of them stared in horror as a bottle of some sort arched through the air and landed on the hood of Luke’s police cruiser. Another three or four rocks quickly followed. Luke’s white reverse lights flashed on, a sure sign he wanted to back up. Reed didn’t blame him and started yelling, “Back up…back up!”

The young girl was partially in shock from confusion, but managed to pull the shift lever into the right spot. When she checked her rearview mirror she said, “I can’t back up, there are cars packed in behind us.”

Reed’s head pivoted around, and sure enough, the street was completely blocked by dozens of vehicles. There was no place to go. He turned to look in front of them and watched as another barrage of bottles and rocks was launched at Luke’s cruiser. Reed’s stomach turned to ice when the glass of the police car’s windshield turned into a spider web.

Reed’s head pivoted, searching for an escape, every instinct screaming that they were in danger. He noticed Luke’s outline through the back glass of his cruiser. Suddenly their escort popped out with a shotgun in his hand. His appearance caused the driver in the lane beside the police car to swerve, hitting another car in the far lane. Reed saw the opening and pointed, screaming, “Go! Go! GO!”

Brenda forgot she was in reverse and punched the gas. Her car lurched backward and slammed into a BMW behind them. While Reed continued his cadence, Brenda mumbled, “Sorry,” under her breath, threw the shifter into drive, and hit the gas. They barely fit through the opening. As Reed watched, Luke shouldered the shotgun as a wall of bottles, rocks and other projectiles began impacting all around him. Reed’s last vision was of the officer’s hard landing on the pavement, his weapon falling free of his grasp.

The side street was less trave
led, allowing a reasonable speed. A few blocks closer to the bank where Brenda’s sister worked, Reed began smelling smoke. Brenda signaled to turn a corner when an entire street strewn with police cars and fire trucks lay before them. Dozens of flashing lights filled the avenue, the green florescent helmets of the firefighters rushing here and there.

A building in the middle of the block showed bright yellow and red flames while it boiled coal black smoke. The car was filled with the odor of burning rubber and plastic, so thick and toxic it made Reed’s eyes water. On the edge of his vision, Reed noticed something odd about the bystanders. Normally when a fire was burning so close by, the onlookers would be focused on the flames or the men fighting the blaze. The people outside of Reed’s window weren’t gazing at the event with curiosity or concern. They were angry and restless. The congressman watched, noting heads that rocked back and forth during speech, arms shot out pointing with strong emotion, and men who shifted their nervous weight from one foot to the other. These people were mad, and feeding off of each other’s anger.

Brenda started to sniffle, managing to voice concern over her sibling. She had no choice but to remain on the side street, inching forward through the clogged intersection. They had no more made it through when Reed noticed a woman standing on the sidewalk wearing a ski cap and bright white mittens. The lady waved at their car, grabbing Brenda’s attention. “There she is! That’s my sister!” Brenda stopped right in the middle of the street, waving for her sibling to join them, a move that annoyed many other drivers.