Read TEOTWAWKI: Beacon's Story for Free Online Page A

obvious to Beacon that the group's leaders were holding a powwow. Beacon dubbed them "the Board of Directors" which it turned out was exactly what they called themselves. When Doc wondered what all was down there Beacon walked over and handed him the SALUTE report saying "I was just about to come get you guys when the excitement started."
     
     
    Doc asked what "DDL&BSG LLC" at the top of the page meant. When Beacon translated the acronym Doc and the other leaders burst out laughing and allowed as how it was mostly true. The page was passed around to all the MultiCam vehicles accompanied by laughs everywhere as the acronym was explained.
     
     
    After the meeting Doc walked over to Beacon and, without revealing its location, described his group's redoubt and again invited Beacon to sign on. Envisioning the group's fortress from Doc's description Beacon came to some conclusions. "You'll need to keep your chattel inside the compound at night until the die off is over."
     
     
    Beacon had made a Freudian slip. Consciously he was thinking of the cattle, horses and sheep Doc had described; livestock now in the hands of caretaker members at the redoubt that would now have to be protected initially from starving survivors and later from marauding bands of brigands. Subconsciously he'd been thinking of Trudy's family.
     
     
    Doc didn't miss Beacon's true meaning. "Chattel are chained to the land," he said with a hard edge on his voice, "Hired Hands," he emphasized the words, "will be armed, helping to work the fields by day and guard them at night with nothing to stop them from leaving. We didn't make this happen and could no more have stopped it than you. We both saw it coming and prepared as best we could in our own ways with the tools we had available to us."
     
     
    "Touché", Beacon nodded. Chastised he realized this might well be the new world order; those who had or gained control over the means of food production would form dukedoms and dynasties while outlaws roamed the land pillaging wherever they found weakness.
     
     
    Honest hard working folks like Trudy's clan would have to seek shelter under the protective wings of groups like the Rich Guys Survival Club or form groups of their own to claim and defend farmland, crops, livestock and their very lives.
     
     
    Outlaw bikers and other organized groups with discipline and command structure already in place like urban gangs would have a head start on ordinary civilians who'd have to arm and organize from scratch. Beacon wondered how many military units, militias and police departments would redeploy in the face of the new reality or break apart as individual members scattered to defend their families.
     
     
    Cindy and Barbie returned while Beacon was watching Doc and the Board of Directors. They began picking up the fired cartridge hulls around Beacon's position.
     
     
    One of the Board of Directors, a middle-aged blonde woman, approached Beacon identifying herself as "Elaine, of the Board of Directors," then saying, "I'm willing to allow you to accompany us to the castle. I'm sure we could find something for you to do."
     
     
    Beacon had already turned down a polite offer to become a serf and wasn't in any mood to accept serfdom as an act of charity. He gave a gruff, "No thanks!" and turned as Barbie approached.
     
     
    Barbie offered the brass to him but Beacon declined. "You keep it; I've got no way to reload it. I figure factory loaded ammo takes up a whole lot less space than reloading gear and supplies plus it's a lot less susceptible to heat and water damage."
     
     
    "OK, we've got reloading gear at the castle, thanks," Barbie said rejoining Cindy for more girl talk.
     
     
    When the proscribed thirty minutes was up they drove down into the valley to gather up weapons, ammo and equipment to be added to the group's stock of trade goods leaving one 4X4 plus Trudy and her clan on overwatch/rearguard duty at the crest of the hill. There would be no