Post-Pandemic: A New World

Chapter Thirty Two: San Francisco's past

It had been a full hour since the Phoenixes had at long last arrived in San Francisco and discovered evidence that San Francisco had it's own Rikers. The Convoy was travelling through the once great City and the only "Cons" They had found were dead Cons. As the Convoy headed through one street, the Phoenixes saw a badly damaged police car crashed into an old traffic light. The bodies of about five Cons were inside and all of the police car was vandalised with graffiti and had a large C spray painted onto the hood. There was evidence that a fight had taken place, mainly because of the bullet holes that were all across the police car. It was a grizzly sight, so the Phoenixes chose to move on. They headed down a street that was lined only with houses and each house had been abandoned for quite some time. A few had broken windows and the doors were broken open on the others. The doors that were not broken had a different number on each one, painted in a different colour. It was as little as three and as many as twenty five. Curious, Solomon asked "What are the numbers for?" Bridge looked back at Solomon from His seat at the front and said "It's the number of people in each house that needed saving. People were told to wait and then help would come...But it never did". 

They continued down a few more streets, until They came across an old bowling alley that had exactly what They were looking for: survivors. The bowling alley had a barricade built by the entrance from steel frames and run down cars and ten guards in civilian clothing were at the gap in the barricade. As the Convoy pulled up, They aimed Their rifles at it and one of Them yelled "State Your business!" The driver of Phoenix Home quickly pulled the lever to open the door and Bridge came rushing out. Hoping to get some information, Bridge explained "We're called the Phoenixes. We just arrived here and We're looking for information regarding what has been going on in San Francisco since the Fall". One of the guards was wearing a police uniform and appeared to be the chief guard. With caution in His voice, the Chief Guard asked "What have You got in return?" Bridge answered "Some food". The Chief Guard sternly said "We've got fifty people that need feeding and We'll tell You three things for food, but that is it". Bridge could tell that the bowling alley survivors were paranoid, likely due to attacks by escaped prisoners, so He chose to ask carefully. 

Bridge then asked "I want to know about the Cons". The Chief Guard answered "Give us a bag of apples and then We'll tell Ya". Bridge looked over at Phoenix Two and said "One bag of apples". One of the seven Phoenixes inside then grabbed a bag of apples and came out with the bag on His back. He placed it by Bridge's feet and the Chief Guard explained "The Cons were a bunch of prisoners who escaped the State Prison during the Fall. They spread throughout the City and started fighting each other for control. Luckily the American Tribe and Scientist Directorate took out the Cons and things are getting better".

As a wave of relief went over Bridge and the Phoenixes, Bridge wondered who this "Scientist Directorate" and "American Tribe" and asked "Who are those two meant to be?" The Chief Guard said sternly "A bag of food, then We'll talk". The Phoenix that bought over the apples ran back to Phoenix Two and was handed a bag of turnips. He rushed back and placed the bag on the ground in between Bridge and the Guards. The Chief Guard then explained "The Scientist Directorate are what's left of all those big tech companies: Google; Apple; Microsoft. They think that the Fall would never have happened if the World had listened to scientists and not to politicians. The American Tribe are a bunch of Native Americans who moved into San Francisco after the Fall. They think that America had no real culture and are using Native American Religions to try and unite people under Their control". 

Bridge was relieved that the escaped prisoners were gone and that two large factions with good sounding ideologies were in San Francisco. But now another issue needed to be addressed: where would the Phoenixes go now? Bridge then calmly asked "Is there any place where My people can settle?" Before the Chief Guard could demand more food for information, another Phoenix arrived from Phoenix Two and placed a bag of cucumber on the ground. The Chief Guard said sternly "San Francisco Plaza used to be a Con hangout. But if got abandoned when the Cons fell apart. You can go there to start over, now leave". Bridge nodded, looked over at the two Phoenixes who had bought the bags of food over and said "Back in the R.V". The two Phoenixes obliged and Bridge politely said "Thank You". Bridge returned to Phoenix Home and the Convoy began it's journey to San Francisco Plaza, a place that the Phoenixes would finally be able to call home.