45. The rescue plan
Jack asks the professor: “How are we going to convince people, Johan? They are not going to believe us and think we are mad.”
Johan looks to someone out of sight when he asks: “May I tell them when? It will help if they know.”
He nods his head at the person and then looks back at them: “I have just received permission and I can tell you the plague is going to be spread over the earth tonight. You will have to report here on the latest on Thursday and will have to save which can be saved before then.”
Frightened they look at one another and Rene tries. “It is too soon, Professor, how are we going to convince people and even help them to flee the city at such short notice? Can’t you postpone it a little?”
“Unfortunately, no!”
Emilie requests: “Professor, please give us a plan then.”
“People, luckily it is Saturday today. Most people are not working and tomorrow is Sunday and they don’t have to be at work early. Phone whomever you want to save from here when you leave after a while and arrange a place where you can meet so that you as a team can convince them and devise an effective rescue plan.”
Emilie looks at the rest. “People, let’s be constructive and get our priorities in line. I suggest that we convene at our company’s conference hall because it seems the most practical and I have access. I just have to arrange with security quickly.”
Johan smiles. “Emilie, you must meet around ten-o’-clock there. Does this place have windows through which you can look to the outside?”
Emilie nods. “Yes, Professor.”
“Emilie, very important: make sure the windows are open and that nothing obstructs your vision. These things will come out of the air and you will all witness it and thereafter no one will doubt you. It can take place anytime between eleven and one-o’-clock.”
Jack asks: “What are these things, Johan?”
“It is the things that are going to attack people in all the cities and towns next Friday at midnight. Tonight they are only going to fall out of the air in massive swarms like clouds that will frighten people but won’t attack and will only vanish in the nearest holes and sewerage systems,”
“Vanish?”
“Yes, they are going to crawl into crevices, lay eggs, hatch, multiply and hibernate.”
Francois asks: “Where and how, Professor, would it be possible to destroy them during these six days of hibernation?”
“I am afraid these things are like miniature armored cars with eight legs and wings that are hidden beneath shields. When they hibernate they pull themselves in small balls and there is no way in which we can annihilate them without destroying the whole city.”
Nico tries a solution: “Where are they hiding, professor? It can only be in the sewerage systems. Is there no way we can flush them out into the sea?”
“No, these things stick to one another and the bottom ones latch on to the solid areas of their surroundings and a flushing out would not only be impractical but also impossible to arrange in such a short time and would be ineffective. Just leave it guys, there is only one solution! Flee!”
Emilie asks for advice: “Johan, to where and how must we take the people we want to save?”
“Does one of you know about a farm far away from town or a city?”
They are looking at one another and Nico answers: “I know of someone that might know of such a place and might help us.”
Johan shakes his head. “You will have to arrange it the moment you leave here. Nico, the farm will only be safe if you can arrange that they put out all the lights tonight at least between eleven and two-o’-clock.”
Nico talks again: “So, these things are going to target all the artificial lights on earth when they come down at the dark side of the earth in 24 hours. Why don’t we arrange for a total blackout via our task team?”
Johan seems surprised by the question and looks to the person out of sight and shakes his head before he continues: “Nico, if you achieve this, the distribution won’t be so effective and accurate and this will mean that no place on earth will be safe. Any place, even in the wilderness, will be a gamble. You will then handicap your rescue plan. Anyway, I don’t think it would be possible to arrange a total blackout before eleven tonight, if ever.”
Despondently Nico shakes his head.
Emilie speaks again: “How are we going to get everyone with their provisions to survive a month on the farm?”
Jack tenders a solution: “I propose that everyone that assembles there club financially together with all their available funds as soon as we know how many and who they are. We then arrange busses and lorries to get them there as soon as possible.”
Emilie asks. “How will they survive?”
Rene proposes: “We will have to arrange caravans and tents for the families and fridges and pots and pans and maybe we will have to buy seeds to grow vegetables. With what are they farming, Nico?”
Nico shakes his head: “As I have said, it is someone I know and I’ve never visited the farm. My contact told me they farm with a variety of things; there are tunnels for vegetables and they also have dairy cows and chickens. It is a successful enterprise and they supply many businesses in town with vegetables, chickens, eggs, and milk. They even have a saw-mill and workshop that provide furniture for their shop in town.”
Emilie is excited. “Oh, it sounds like a wonderful and perfect place. What’s the place’s name?”
“It’s just on the outskirts of Willow Fountain near the Blue Mountain between Hartenbos and George. The Eastwood Estate. I knew Tony Eastwood, the previous owner, but have never visited him on the farm. Hunter was our major in the army and Tony our staff-sergeant. They had been bosom pals from their schooldays. Tony was murdered and Hunter saved their family from his old friend’s enemies. He is like one of the family and I think if I can persuade Hunter, we might be welcome there. Tony’s grandson and his daughters, who own the property now, are very fond of Hunter. According to him, they are all lovely people.”
Emilie seems to be quite impressed. “This is fantastic, but the whole thing needs careful planning. We will do it tomorrow evening together and I think when the people see the swarms falling from the sky, they will all club together to amass a huge fund so that we can organize everything from Monday morning onwards.”
Jack proposes: “People, we can even stretch our funds further by hiring stuff and indebt ourselves. After seven days no debts will mean anything and hired articles will not have to be returned. It is important because the more we can get to the farm the better and how easier we are going to survive. Petrol, diesel, trucks, buses, 4x4s; everything we can think of to help us in the future. Fridges, solar panels, battery banks, exterior toilets, and so on. We will then be able to establish a strong community there. Our first task when we eventually leave the fort will be to join them and make it our operational base.”
Rene looks to Johan: “Why move in here, Professor? Why don’t we all move to the farm from the start?”
Johan shakes his head. “People, I don’t want to throw cold water over your enthusiasm, but there are so many things that can go wrong on the farm from Friday onwards. We can for now only hope that they believe us and put out all the lights on the farm and that it will work. Even this is not guaranteed. Furthermore, there is a good chance that the farm will be discovered and will be threatened by the wrong people. Or the plague that will also be able to fly seeking other victims, will reach them before it dies out in seven days. Or by highly contagious visitors that can destroy the community. Or else robbers and looters. The fort is the only safe place. Please, report here on time! We will only know whether the farm community has survived when we reach them later on. That is if we are going to survive!”
Nico nods his head in agreement. “Kadin showed us the weapons and equipment in the storeroom which is sufficient when the ten of us leaves the fort, but what about the community on the farm? I should think they need semi-automatic guns and hand grenades and other weapons until the time we join them. It is not easy to get your hands on such weapons. We will simply have to make a plan to get our hands on these weapons. We will then have to find a secure and safe place on the farm to store it.”
Jack nods enthusiastically. “I agree! That farm will probably be discovered and threatened and will need reinforcements desperately. I am available if you need me to collect it.”
Nico and Francois agree and Nico confirms: “Jack, this then will be our first operation together, we will discuss it quietly tonight aside and follow through on Monday.”
Rene worriedly takes Jack by the shoulder: “What unholy things are you three planning, Jack?”
Jack smiles and strokes her hair. “How can anything aiming at protecting my beautiful wife and daughter against future threats be unholy?”
Rene isn’t satisfied, leans forward and speaks to the three of them: “Do you three really plan to rob a gun shop? Maybe we will have to face the police and the army before the world perish!”