Post-Pandemic: A New World

Chapter Thirty Nine: Coit Tower Conference

September 21st 2025

Coit tower was once one of the most well known tourist attractions in San Francisco before the Fall and had become a shadow of it's former self. Where once it was pristine and completely white, the eighty two year old column built to honour the firefighters of San Francisco was covered in graffiti at the lower parts of it and part of the top had been blown off by a misfire from a tank nearby during the riots that occurred in the last days of the Fall. A statue of Christopher Columbus was down the hill the Tower was built on, but in 2013 the statue had been removed due to Christopher Columbus's efforts in creating the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the Native American Genocide becoming more aware to the people of America and the world. So the statue was removed and replaced with a nice water fountain. Gathered around the fountain were over five hundred people from all of the settlements in San Francisco, fifty of Them were the leaders of each of the settlements and the rest were people from the settlements who had come to witness the conference. The main purpose of the Coit Tower Conference was for the settlements to choose which one of the three factions They would be joining. They could either join the order of Democracy known as the First Phoenix Alliance, the technologically advanced Technocracy known as the Scientist Directorate, or the religious Chiefdom known as the American Tribe. There were three choices, but it had to be one or another.

It was then that a limousine appeared driving up the hill that Coit Tower had been built on and parked right next to the fountain while being escorted by two armoured cars. A soldier of the Scientist Directorate opened the door of the limo and out stepped Supreme Scientist Raymond Milton, leader of the Scientist Directorate. The supporters of the Directorate applauded Raymond as He stepped out of the limo in His white lab coat and round glasses. He was a man in His early forties with a balding head and although He was not the most handsome man in San Francisco, His wife still loved Him dearly, as did His children who had survived the Fall along with Him. Milton waved at the many survivors at the Fall who supported the Scientist Directorate and even shook hands with a few of Them as He walked onto the stage that had been placed in front of the fountain. The cheering died down a bit as a several horse drawn wagons containing the leadership of the American Tribe arrived at the Conference. In the lead wagon was the self proclaimed "High Chief" of the American Tribe, Navajo Jackson. Navajo was a Native-American man with a scar on His right cheek from an attempt on His life by a member of the Ku Klux Klan when He was just a child and was wearing traditional Native-American tribal clothes that was covered in bright patterns of the sun. As Navajo and His son and daughter walked towards the stage with two guards armed with spears in tow, He held up both His hands in the form of a Native-American prayer and many loyalists to the American Tribe followed suit in a kind of salute towards the High Chief Himself.

As Navajo got onto the stage, Supreme Scientist Milton shook His hand and said "Navajo Jackson, it has been quite some time". Navajo spoke calmly, as if He were a kind of preacher as He said "Yes, I have not seen You since We defeated the escaped convicts that terrorised this once great city with hate and violence". Jonah, Milton's first born son, walked onto the stage and said "Yes, it feels like so long ago now. I'm now just glad that the good people of San Francisco can be safe and live productive lives thanks to the technology We shall provide Them". Navajo looked over at Jonah and said to Him "I believe that technology is not enough to save Humanity from another Fall. What society needs is religion, something for Them to believe in". Jonah was about to say something, but then a bus appeared with about twenty five people inside and out stepped a man who had gained great fame as the leader of the First Phoenix Alliance: Bridge Winters, Alpha Phoenix of the F.P.A.

Many people applauded Bridge as He, Anna, Phinehas, Sebastian, Joe, Drake and five other Phoenixes walked towards the stage. Most of the people had never seen Bridge before and some even commented "That's Bridge Winters? I thought He'd be older?" Others also said "That guy has to be at least twenty five or something. How did He form the F.P.A?" Bridge and the Phoenixes walked onto the stage and Bridge said to Navajo and Raymond "So You two are the leaders of the American Tribe and the Scientist Directorate? I've heard a lot about You". Raymond shook hands with Bridge and asked "I suspect that You have heard that both of Our groups put aside Our differences a few months ago to defeat the escaped prisoners that were tearing our beloved city apart?" Bridge had great hope for Humanity as He answered "Yes and if You two were able to defeat the "Cons" as You call Them, then maybe the Rikers can be stopped as well". Navajo had a look of confusion on His face as He asked "Rikers? Who are the Rikers?" Bridge had a sad look on His face as He explained "Unfortunately the prisoners that escaped in New York are still active and fighting each other for control of the City. You wouldn't be surprised if I told You that the Rikers are one of the two reasons why We chose to leave New York and come here to San Francisco". Raymond had a look of suspicion on His face as He asked "Then just what was the other reason?" Instead of answering, Bridge said "I'll tell You later, for now lets just get this conference underway". Bridge looked at the assembled crowd and said to rapturous applause "Let the Coit Tower Conference begin".