Post-Pandemic: A New World

Chapter Sixteen: The Radio Transmissions

August 29th 2025

The Phoenix convoy, as the three R.Vs were now collectively referred to, was the only thing driving through the abandoned street in Chicago. Bridge could see that the former "Jewel of the Great Lakes" as he called it, was in bad shape. There were signs of death everywhere, there were abandoned cars that had long since been looted and there were skeletons in a few of them. It shook the Phoenixes to their cores and so did the sight of seeing Soldier Field Area surrounded by barbed wire, military vehicles and the smell of thousands, possibly even hundreds of thousands of corpses polluting the air. The Phoenixes hadn't lingered there too long, for obvious reasons.

As the Phoenixes drove further through the streets, Bridge sat at the dining table with Anna and Phinehas. As John drove the R.V past the deserted houses, Bridge continued listening in on the radio for any signals from any survivors. Thus far there hadn't been much. Aside from transmissions from survivor communities telling survivors that they were either able to trade, or would be accepting of any new survivors, they hadn't received much else. Bridge then decided "Well, if there isn't much on the civilian radio, lets try our luck with the military radio I found in Fort Purity". Phinehas agreed and said "Yeah, maybe someone is broadcasting on an Army radio or something". Bridge then turned on the Army radio next to the basic radio and quickly started hearing military transmissions from all over the country. One was from Texas, where some semblance of order was being maintained and a new Government had been formed, devoted to being more mindful and fair than the last one. It was a woman who was saying "To any survivors left in America, come to the State of Texas for refuge. We have beds, food, water and needed supplies here".

Bridge turned on the microphone that would allow them to communicate with Texas and said "This is Bridge Winters, of the survivor group known as the Phoenixes. We are transmitting on a military radio. Do you read?" The woman received his transmission and said "Well hi there Bridge, where are you broadcasting from?" Bridge was quick to reply "Chicago, in Illinois. We're making our way to San Francisco to start a new life and we're hoping to learn more about what's happening in Texas". With a smile on her face, the woman said "Well okay then, the names Jennie by the way. Now we've been able to form a new Government down here, as you already may have heard and we'll be helping neighbouring States rebuild after Texas is back to her old self again". Bridge seemed a bit concerned as he asked "How many people are left in Texas?" Jennie spoke with a hopeful optimism about the future as she said "Governor McCallister ordered a census to identify our current population and it has been confirmed that there are just over ten million people left in our State. Bridge breathed a sigh of relief as he said "Thank Heaven. Right we're gonna keep on heading to San Francisco, hope to hear from you soon". Jennie smiled with delight as she said on the radio "Well folks, that was Bridge Winters of the Phoenixes, apparently had picked up our transmission all the way from Chicago using a military radio. We wish the Phoenixes good luck in their dream of starting over in California and we hope that others across the country are hearing this transmission".

Bridge then changed the frequency and was quick to hear another transmission, this time from Colorado and heard a man say with a great sense of pride towards America "To the people of America. This is General Thorn of the Patriotic American Army. We are the last remnant of the U.S Army in Colorado and we will no longer tolerate autocrats, criminals, racists and terrorists tearing apart the glorious nation that is America. We have taken back the City of Denver and the towns that surround it. We are two hundred and fifty thousand strong and we will now embark on the reunification of America, city by city, State by State. We will root out any and all who oppose the dream that is America and speak out in favour of terrorists, autocracies and fraud politicians. We shall then bring all of North and South America under our banner and bring about a new era for all Americans, regardless of race, religion and language. Terrorists, racists and autocrats are not welcomed here, only those who believe in a Free, Just and Democratic Society are. This is the beginning, the beginning of the Patriotic American Republic! Long live America!"