THE SWORD AND SICKLE

CHAPTER TEN REBIRTH

THE SWORD AND SICKLE

PART TWO

CHAPTER TEN

REBIRTH

President Smithson and Homeland Security Secretary Alderman didn't sleep for nearly forty-eight hours, and that quickly seemed to turn into years. The first quake occurred at two minutes after seven, on Monday evening, the fourteenth of May, and it was horrendous, and the second and third quakes were pure devastation. Communication with people in northeast Arkansas, southeast Missouri, eastern Tennessee, Kentucky, and southern Illinois was impossible. The communications that did get through were from Ham Radio operators, and their reports were disparaging. The first quake's damage was nearly total, leveling whole cities, phone towers destroyed, and a death toll estimated to be in the millions. Structural damage to buildings came in from as far away as Montana to New York City. Buildings swayed in Atlanta, Georgia, and church bells rang in Canada. Satellite photos revealed that the Mississippi River had actually flowed backwards, backing waters on all its tributaries. The resulting flooding and deluge purged the earth. Molten rock spewed thousands of feet that caused a shower of molten rock to extend as far north as St. Louis, and to the east, where it fell in Washington, D.C. Unlike previous recorded New Madrid earthquakes, since eighteen-eleven and twelve, the hundreds of aftershocks ranged between six-point-seven and eight-point-two. This occurred in a period of eighteen hours, ending a twelve pm on the eighth day of May. It seemed the earth in the lower Mississippi Valley was going through birth pangs. When the dust had settled, relief crews from all over the United States tried to start rescue efforts, but found the travel was virtually impossible. All roads and bridges were impassable or too dangerous for passage. Massive upheavals and scorched land existed at every turn. On the seventeenth of May, at precisely twelve minutes to midnight, the big one hit at over eleven points on the Richter scale. Huge upheavals of land shot up creating the beginnings of a new range of mountains--stretching from the Indiana, Ohio boarder; down to the Boston Mountains of Arkansas, cutting off the outlet to the gulf for the congruence of waters flowing for the Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and Mississippi River, and resulted in flooding of Biblical proportions. As a result, the waters pooled from Kentucky to Arkansas, creating fast-growing inland lakes. The destruction from the final quake killed people in twenty-five states. Buildings stressed by the previous quakes crumbled, and many rescue workers were killed or injured.

Paralyzed, the nation teetered on the edge of ruin. With its infrastructure ruined, the President watched as the Stock Market crumbled, and all trading was halted. He imposed total military rule across the nation and mobilized all military forces. Countries around the world responded quickly by sending aid, rescue workers, and pumping over a trillion dollars into the world money markets. In St. Louis, all other floods in recorded American history paled in comparison. As the rivers backed up, the city's levee system failed, and water inundated the downtown like a flash flood. When the pressure was released and the water rushed out, the power of the force of water became evident. The skyscrapers failed as the earth beneath them simply liquefied. Thousands in the city washed away, and the Missouri River cut a wide channel through the middle of the city. The temple and compound of the Followers of the Voice were miraculously undamaged, as well as all the sanctuaries in quake areas. Many survivors perceived this as a sign from God, and they flocked in droves, and they now believed in the prophecies of Dr. Santos. The church nationwide grew tenfold.

The President and Homeland Secretary Alderman considered the SDL more of a risk than ever. With the constitution suspended, they felt they must act before they grew too large to handle. Still, any attempt to oppose them failed. Many military leaders failed to report to duty, as more than ever, they too flock to the Voice. They could not starve them out, they could not cut off electricity, and anyone who approached the door laid down their weapons and joined them. The President could no longer focus on them; he had to restore peace and security to millions of displaced families. He assigned the problem to Secretary Alderman and simply said to him, "Solve it."

Homeland Security Secretary Alderman flew to Area 51 with General Abrams to speak with General Steel about the final solution. Greeting General Steel, Secretary Alderman asked, "How are they coming along?"

Steel responded, "Sir, the situation has changed; it is like they are responding to the quakes. Infrared imaging shows that they are two beings again, and movement has been detected."

Abrams asked, "How much longer?"

"I can't be certain, but it could be days or minutes. The rate of change since the quakes is tremendous. I don't think it will be long."

"What can we expect to see when they emerge?" asked Secretary Alderman. "Sir, usually a metamorphosis entails a complete change in appearance. How much of a change, no one knows. As you can see, I have posted armed security all around. We are ready to respond with force."