Originally we planned to have enough resources to last us and the surrounding area for a four month period, give or take word of mouth travelers that would increase the amount of people we would need to support. This would give us enough time to hold our own and to start developing our cause in the central blackout zone. By the time we started running low, our fringe sects would resupply us with enough food, water, and additional technology to keep our operations running. When the fringe sects never showed, our plans went down the drain.
This turn of events transformed our thoughts from outward to inward. We now needed to make sure we had enough supplies to keep Us alive, rather than everyone surrounding us. The propaganda that we streamed before the blackout scorched our name in the public's mind. Our savior was that our headquarters looked like any building within the city. All of the operations took place underneath the building, above, it was a deserted. Had they found a way in, all of us would be dead. We kept some firearms for emergencies, but it was never our intent to rule by force. There was definitely not enough firepower to fend off an massive front of pissed off Americans.
Inevitably, our supplies dwindled, leaving us no option but to scour the surrounding areas for more food. This proved to be a daunting task since we were getting such a late start. We knew most of the area would have been looted by now and that we would need to branch out to the suburb areas to look for goods. We hoped most of these areas would be clear and that we would be in and out.
We picked Crystal Springs, a high class neighborhood in the area. Even if these areas had been ransacked, we were hoping that the houses had been stocked well enough that there would still be some goods available. We also figured that the rich inhabitants would be the first to clear out in the chaos. I was one of ten who volunteered to make the supply run. The others would hold down headquarters and maintain communication with us if something were to go wrong. Not that they would be much help, but they would know if the mission was a success or not.
Ten of us split up between two cargo vans that we had parked in an underground garage that was connected to our facility. The vans had been maintained throughout the years and started up with no hesitation. Generators were then fired up to lift the heavy steel garage door to the outside world. Scouts in the upper levels of the building signaled to us that the way was clear for our escape. The last thing we wanted was someone to see our location and that we had working technology. The longer we remained outside the base, the more of a risk we became.
Jeremy and Randy, the two mechanics that had maintained the cargo vans as well as the other two cars we possessed were chosen as the drivers for the mission. Each having a lot more driving experience than anyone involved and it also ensured that if anything went wrong with the vans we had two knowledgeable mechanics with us to address the problem. Both men had agreed that we would stop for nothing until we reached our destination, keeping in close proximity of each other and traveling at a rapid rate.
Crystal Springs was a twenty minute drive from our facility and we made it in fifteen, due to no other traffic on the road escape for abandoned vehicles. This was also our first real glimpse of life outside the city. As we had hoped, Crystal Springs was a ghost town. Some of the houses had been lit on fire, while others looked as if they'd never been touched. We decided to break into teams of two and Jeremy and Randy would stay with the vans. Each man was given a handgun back at the base to protect the vans if need be. There was a thirty minute cut off period, since we hadn't done this before and we wanted to get our feet wet for future scavenger hunts. Grab anything that could prove useful and any sort of edible food items, then get out. Needless to say, all of us were scared witless whether we let on to it or not.
I was paired up with Lisa, a lab assistant at a chemical research facility before the fall. We raced toward a large two story white house with a four car garage, shattered bay window and a slightly scorched roof from a house fire next door. Other than the busted window and a charred shingles, the house looked untouched. The inside of the house proved the opposite.
...
Unfortunately I have to end this entry here. I've been called upon to work on a technical issue our transmission department is having. I must report or I run the risk of looking suspicious.
-Mr. Verity
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