Chapter 2: Building a Nest

Cano called everyone to a huddle between the Box-Truck and SUV. Smokes were passed around as he looked everyone in the eyes and asked one last time if they were sure they wanted to be a part of this; if they were truly willing to do whatever was best for the group as a whole. Once again everyone was in complete agreement and alliance with Cano.

“Sorry guys,” Cano said, taking a drag of his cigarette. “I just know that soon this place is going to become a totally different world and I want to make sure we are as tightly knit as possible, it’s crucial for the survival of the group.”

“We understand, Dude.” Ian spoke up breaking the awkwardness, “We all feel the same if we vocalize it or not.”

“Yea man,” Cole chimed in. “Don’t worry about it and lead us through this. As much as I like hanging out in broad daylight with a fifty-cal, I’d like to head inside.”

“Word!” Cano responded quickly. “The front is going to be just as hard to get in as the back. I think our best entrance point is through the roof. I think we should send three up, what do you guys think?”

After looking over the shutters, Topher agreed. “We are going to pretty much have to destroy the wall in order to enter through any of these,” he said, “but aren’t we going to destroy the front anyway? It’d almost be better to do that now.”

“But there might be supplies up there,” Matt said.

“No,” Brad interrupted. “It’s just tires and member services. The problem is if we fuck up the door then it’s free access to anyone walking by. We don’t have everything in place yet and anyone coming down here would see the gaping entrance and us inside. We need to lay low for now and keep this shit on lock down.”

“If we enter through the roof we can open the doors and make room to put the vehicles in,” Eric said. “Once we are all in, we can close up and be covered while we get set up. It’s gonna’ take some time to get completely ready and revealing ourselves should not be an option during preparation.”

Nodding his head, Ian agreed with the forming plan, “I’m not completely sure how long it’s going to take me to get these generators connected to the coolers, the less we have to worry about during setup the better. I’m sure, when people are trying to get in here, we will hear them coming. Also during this time it would be smart to have a watchman on the roof while we setup the inside.”

“He’s right,” Brent said. “The roof is the best option all around. You know they will have some stupid lock on the hatch up there. Brad, if you get the torch ready, we’ll go up there with Cole and just cut right through it, we can mend it later if necessary.”

“Sounds good,” Brad said.

“Awesome,” Cano said. “Let’s put our ladder on the Box-Truck, it should get us high enough to reach that little ladder attached to the roof up there. While they’re taking care of that we need to look over the fuel tanks and map our hoses. This will be the stock room, use the fork lifts to clear room for the vehicles, the Box-Truck is not such a worry right now, it’s the SUV that must be inside.” Cano flicked his cigarette into the wall, an explosion of embers spread across the wall. He looked at everyone as they were listing things that needed to be done. “Alright guys, we know what to do. Let’s do it.”

Without saying another word everyone started, efficiently completing the necessary tasks. Brent, Brad and Cole entered the roof and opened the rear garage entrance to the building. Luckily DealCo must not have been stocked recently and the back room was emptier than expected with only slight rearranging they were able to back in both vehicles and begin unloading the generators and equipment for Ian. Ian quickly attached a generator to flood lamps and began tearing into the wiring of the refrigerators while the others set up the generators. Cano and Matt accessed the massive underground fuel tanks and everyone else ran hosing from them to the generators inside. Once fuel was accessible from within and everyone was back in the building, the garage doors were shut and locked. Besides the industrial fuel line running from the building to the station, the DealCo appeared undisturbed. While Ian started the generators and connected power to the massive refrigeration units, everyone else moved products and supplies from the front of the store to the Box-Truck or refrigerators and back, depending on necessity.

It took about two hours for Ian to have all the refrigerators running off generator power, by that time most of the goods were hauled to the back and organized. As the shelves emptied, Cano knew it was time to start the second phase of taking the DealCo; making it look trashed, ransacked and most of all pointless to enter. For this he first summoned everyone to the roof. There they all stood, looking over the parking lot with him, waiting for him to speak.

“The best way to ensure that people will think this place is unsafe and has little to offer is if we limit their entrance and distort their opinion before they even enter.” Cano spoke with urgency in his voice. “Brad, I need you to, right now, find a van or truck or something big and crash it through the front entrance. Go!”

Brad agreed, looking around the surrounding neighborhoods he spotted something and headed down, inside and out.

“Excellent!” Cano exclaimed. “Brad’s wreck will make the entrance point and we will form a path they will walk through. We can only give them access to isles 1-24 let’s put all the crap we don’t need there. Also we will leave the first refrigeration isle off then completely block their access and line of sight to the other units. We need to clutter the floors and move the shelving around, knocking it over where necessary. Do whatever it takes to limit their movement and visibility. If the front of the store is dark, hard to navigate and void of supplies I hope they will imagine the rear would be too. Especially if they see and smell rotting flames…”

“Look!” Topher interrupted pointing, handing his binoculars to Cano. “News hit this side of town!”

Using the binoculars, Cano looked at a near by apartment complex and the commotion taking place. Families packing their belonging, people yelling at each other, others fleeing, it was madness and it was getting closer. Analyzing what he saw as he passed the binoculars on, Cano announced, “It looks like they are fleeing town more then worrying about staying. I’m sure word has reached them about the destruction of Davis Monthan and the Power Plant. This place is already gone to most of them. Nevertheless we don’t have much time. Cole, I want you to stay up here and play watchman with those binoculars, the radio and an AR. The rest of us should finish up inside, Brad will be here soon.”

“It shouldn’t take us long to get most of this done,” Brent said as the group left Cole behind, heading back inside the building. “Brad and I already cut some of the shelves free and can easily do more. With the forklift they will be easy to move and then all it takes is some welding and careful placement and this place will be perfect.”

“Sounds like you got this all planned out,” Cano remarked. “Why don’t you take charge on this one and Ian and I will go through the truck. By the time you guys are done with the major reconstruction and Brad’s back, we will be done setting up the command center and tapping into their camera system. Then we can all finalize the entrance area of the DealCo while Matt makes some dinner.”

Brad led everyone through what should be welded and how paths could be created as the team quickly redesigned the front of the interior of the massive warehouse. Cano and Ian accessed the office and security center for the building. They restored the power there and tapped into the system, giving them eyes across the entire complex, inside and out.

“I’m surprised how smoothly this is going,” Cano remarked to Ian as they sat alone in office looking at the security monitors.

“Isn’t this how you dreamed it?” Ian replied. “I don’t think any of this is supposed to be the hard part. Of what you’ve told me you’ve ‘seen’ this is a cake walk.”

“True, but what I see in my dreams is much less detailed, much more abstract. Puzzles you know, anyways, I was talking about the team work.” Cano pointed to the monitors showing the rest of the group diligently reconstructing the entrance.

“You know, you aren’t the only one with dreams.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been having those visions in my dreams lately too, just like you describe them. They are different than normal, like encompass all of your focus and yet are still vague. They stick in your memory unlike anything ever, as if they are etched in, your head aches afterwards too. Craziest of all, as you go throughout your day, you get those flashbacks to your dream and are exact replicas of what is happening right in front of you at that time, like déjà vu.”

“Exactly! That’s fuckin’ crazy! How long have you had them? What did you ‘dream’ of?”

“The first one was the night after the sabotage of the SBIC. It was about the Apocalypse Scenario, you and the group following. I was to help at first but eventually their loyalty would be unquestioned.”

“Dude, something is happening to us…something I can't explain.”

“I know man, but so far it’s been helping us out big time. We probably shouldn’t question it. Oh look! Here comes a truck!” Ian said, pointing to the monitor. “Think it’s Brad?”

“I sure hope so.” Cano replied.

"Hey guys,” Cole crackled over the radio. “We got a car comin’.”

“Rodger that,” Ian crackled back. “Can you see if it’s Brad?”

“Sure can’t but everyone should probably move back from the door ‘cause whoever this is sure is aiming for it!”

Cole’s radio voice came through loud and clear as everyone ran from the garage door entranceway. He was standing directly over the entrance looking across the parking lot as the truck’s tires screeched around corners. Hitting the curb it even got a little air as it launched into the garage door, ripping most of it off as it came to a screeching halt slamming into the first aisle of shelves. Smoke filled the entrance way, now lit by the outside light pouring through huge hole cause by the truck. The only thing visible in the cab was the airbags that deployed on impact.
The door opened and Brad came stumbling out. “Sorry guys, hope I didn’t hurt anyone. I knew you would see me coming. Wow I’ve never been hit in the face with an airbag before, that was wild.” Brad was dazed a little as the rest of the group, including Cole, Cano and Ian, rushed toward him.

“You ok man?” Topher asked. “That was pretty wild.”

“Awesome job Brad!” Cano yelled from across the building. “That’s a perfect hole, great job!”

“Thanks man!” Brad yelled while laughing a little, still dazed now sitting down drinking water. “Man! I got caught trying to take the first one and chased into a wash where I hid in a storm drain for like 20 minutes.”

“That’s awesome!” Brent said. “Nice work man!”

“No problem guys. It looks great in here…I like what you’ve done with the place.”

“And we like what you’ve done to the place!” Cano said. “Lunch is on its way, let’s set up watchman shifts and go over our next objectives.”

As Matt finished and distributed lunch, a rotation was made for 2 hour overlapping roof watchmen shifts. While eating they discussed a timeline of objectives as ideas were thrown back and forth about the functionality and weaknesses of their plans.

With a good idea of what the hours ahead held, the group finished their lunches and finished the elaborate illusion that now was the DealCo’s entrance. The opening from the truck forked three ways. One to the tire center, another to Member’s Services and the third allowed entrance to the front half of the store. The darkness helped add to the deserted feel of the place, they succeeded in their objective of ‘trashing the entrance’ and where on to stage two. Behind the scenes passageways and outposts were crafted like rooms and hallways of a home providing defensive security and resting areas, some even setting their bunk upon the catwalk. As jobs were completed and construction halted, people began congregating on the roof.

“How’s everything lookin’ up here?” Cano asked as his head popped through the hatch. “What’s the city up to?”

“People are fleeing,” Cole responded in a low tone as he looked out toward the freeway with the binoculars. “It’s bumper to bumper and people are starting to loose it.”

“How’s it going in there?” Topher asked.

“Ian and Brent are finishing up the infrared cameras,” Cano said. “The refrigerators are running off one less generator than expected so we have some extra power to go around.”

“I was thinking,” Brad interjected. “We should scout the city; look for trends, damage, the size of the blast zone and things.”

“That’s a great idea,” Cole said as he ran to the other side of the roof and pointed. “Earlier I watched the family living in that house pack their belongings and head to the freeway. It wasn’t bumper to bumper then so I’m sure they are on the way to wherever they are going.”

“I’m sure lots of families will be doing that,” Cano said. “Did you know them or something?”

“What?” Cole responded. “No. I just noticed that they have a bunch of dirt bikes in their backyard. Brad should go over there with like three others and nab all of those. They would be great for scouting.”

“That’s an awesome call,” Cano said. “Topher, you, Brad, Eric and Brent should do that as soon as he’s done helping Ian.”

“Another thing,” Cole said. “I’ve been looking at how obvious that fuel line is. If we move some of the left behind vehicles from that neighborhood over there and park them over the fuel line to hide it or something.”

“Done,” Topher interrupted. “While we grab the bikes, before we scout, we’ll make a few trips and jack some cars. Once I get in the neighborhood I’ll radio you to give me directions to the vehicles.”

“Sounds good,” Cole said.

“Yes.” Cano agreed, “Those are both great ideas. Let’s get on that right away.”

Cano stayed with Matt and Cole on the roof while the rest ran off to commit grand theft auto. As they stood there, looking around the city waiting for the four to reach the suggested neighborhood, Cano noticed that something was bothering Matt.

“What’s up man?” Cano asked. “You doin’ alright?”

“Yea man, I’m alright, just had a weird thought, kinda’.”

“Kinda’ had a thought? What?”

“Well like 3 days ago I had this dream that I was walking on this white surface toward this small wall. What’s weird is that exact air conditioning unit was in my dream. I was running for some reason and tripped over it.”

“Are you kidding?” Cano was shocked, thinking about his conversation with Ian earlier he wondered if they all were experiencing this.

“No man! And I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind for days.”

“Very interesting, so if you have to run up here, maybe you should watch your step.”

“Word! So I was wondering, what are we going to do for water? I mean pressure will be, if isn’t already, gone.”

"When they get back I’m going to get them to find a water truck like those at construction sites, or better yet a big Firetruck! The Box-Truck is pretty empty so we can move it out and the Firetruck in.”

“I like it.”

“I totally agree!” Cole remarked.

“Me too!” Matt said laughing. “I’m down with water for sure.”

“It’s definitely next on the list.” Cano replied as he walked toward the hatch. “Keep me updated on the G.T.A.”

Cano went down the hatch and into the office where he found Ian drinking an energy drink and watching the monitors.

“Damn, those infrareds look nice,” Cano said, scaring Ian just a little.

“Shit man!” Ian yelled as he jumped up a little, spilling some of his drink on himself. “Damn it! Yea they look good.” He brushed the residual liquid off himself and sat back down. “So they’re off to nab vehicles eh?”

“Yea it seems like a good idea.”

“I agree, also it will be good for them to have some fun.”

“For sure.”

“When are we getting the Firetruck?”

“Matt and I just talked about that, right after these vehicles, that reminds me. So Matt was telling me about this dream he cant get out of his head about this white surface and him stubbing his toe on an air conditioner…an air conditioner that is identical to the one on the roof.”

A second passed as Ian contemplated what Cano just said to him. “So you’re telling me Matt is having these dreams too? That’s fucking three of us!”

“Yes.” Cano responded. “Yea, this is beyond crazy.”

“Absolutely, I don’t know what to think or say…”

Cole interrupted through the radio, “Hey it looks like they got the bikes running and are on their way back, will you open the door for them please?”

“Good call.” Cano replied via the radio, then turning to Ian he said, “We’ll continue this later!” as he ran out the office toward the large rear garage door.

Cano opened the door for the four as they entered with their new toys.

“These things are great!” Eric said.

“Yea this is sweet.” Topher said. “Let’s go get those cars now.”

“Hey wait a second,” Cano said. “We need to pick up a Firetruck. There should be one at the station at around Swan and River road.”

“No problem,” Topher said. “We’ll get that right after we move those cars.”

“Hey I’ve got to move the Box-Truck anyway,” Cano said. “Why don’t I give you a ride there?”

“Sounds good!” Eric said.

“Yea better than walkin’,” Brad agreed.

“Alright cool,” Cano said as he grabbed the keys, “Let’s roll.”

As they piled in the Box-Truck, Cano radioed to Ian and Cole that he was taking them to the cars to save time. Ian closed the back up and returned to the office while Cole remained on the roof plotting the car thievery. It was almost noon and all things considered, the spirit of the group was quite high.

Midlogue 1: Chubut Files - Chapter 3: Social Tsunami