Read Age of Power 1: Legacy for Free Online Page B

That’s great to know! Maybe we could get
a football game going before…”
    He stopped, and
the lighthearted mood faltered. Like it or not, we were on our way to a final
date in time. I had to admit that the coming Day could be a conversation
killer, no matter what. But I was determined that the mood would not be ruined.
    Pushing past the tension filled moment, I said, “Hey that’s possible.
They’re going to be getting people together for a big cookout at the high
school. Everyone in the area is going to try to be there. If you want, you can
call Dad and Mom and see about setting something up.”
    Karla forced a
smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She said, “Oh that would be wonderful! She
and I can get a bridge game going! Do the phones still work?”
    I said, “The
cell towers are still going locally. So you can call her. I know she’d love to
hear from you.”
    Karla gave me a
smile and went into one of the bedrooms with the clothes. I just watched,
thinking how odd it was that she was still doing normal everyday things such as
clothes washing, drying, and folding. Mom’s comments about my attitude toward
scientists came to mind, and I let the surreal feelings fade. Just then, however,
Brand turned from the counter and saw the look on my face. He nodded with a
shrug; he understood. We were real good at non-verbal
communication.
    He said, “Dad,
since the cops are still here, do you think it would be okay for us to go out?”
    Brand’s dad didn’t
say anything for a moment. He stopped unloading boxes, and glanced at the two
of us.
    He said, “Just
remember what happens when everyone gets off the sinking ship, boys.”
    Brand blinked
and said, “Huh?”
    Jim sighed,
“Contrary to the popular saying, the rats get left behind. Be careful. Don’t go
into a place if you hear anything, and if you do, call the cops. We may in be a
dead town now, but if Sinclair is still here, I know he’s always been serious
about keeping people safe.”
    From the main
bedroom, we heard Karla talking. Her voice had a sound of false cheer to it. I
could hear it while she talked to my mom about getting a bridge game going. Jim
listened for a second or two, and then started putting bread into the
refrigerator. He had to move cans around, to make room for the bread.
    With a wave of a
hand to his dad, Brand grabbed my arm and led me outside. We went out to the
curb near the back of the SUV. I asked, “Rats on sinking ships…don’t they
usually get off the ship first?”
    Brand looked
around as he said, “Not all the rats get off the boat, and they turn on each
other. At least, that is what I think he meant. Look, we've both been there.
People ran, but not everyone had the money or even the want to try to get to
safety. The closer this thing gets to happening the more desperate some people
will be. Dad’s was just telling us to not take any
chances. Even when we don’t think we are in danger…we are. Here, if you want a
good example, take a look at this.”
    Pulling me to
the SUV, Brand pointed out a hole in the back that hadn’t been there before
they’d left. Someone had shot at them. He said, “Serious problems out there,
man. Someone tried to shoot the gas tank when we drove through some small town
west of Saint Louis. It wasn’t a happy time. The places look empty, and
everyone starts relaxing, but then…”
    He gestured to
the bullet hole, saying, “You suddenly get stuff like this happening. It was
silent, and then, boom!”
    Silence…that’s
what was bothering me.   I should’ve been hearing planes flying
overhead. On the way here, there should’ve been sound of cars driving down the
roads. Sounds were gone, and it brought home that things had gone wrong. The
neighborhood had been silent on the way here, but I’d been thinking so deeply
it didn’t click in my head.
    Gods, what had
we come to? I reached out and felt the round, indented edge of the bullet hole.
I don’t know why I was bothered. After what