“Maybe,” said Darryl. “Unless that lying commie changes his mind. Or unless our boys decide to take out his missiles ahead of time. If the pentagon starts bombing military targets in North Korea, Kim is gonna fire off his nukes. You can bet your last dollar on that. Same thing if we go after those launch sites in Cuba. We start hitting his missile launchers; he starts handing out the mushroom clouds. And we — the common people who don’t get to listen in on the classified pentagon briefings — won’t be warned ahead of time when the apple cart’s gonna get kicked over. We won’t find out until the ordnance is already in the air.”
Jeanette nodded once. “I can see that. But you don’t think all that’s going to take two or three days?”
“We might have three days,” said Darryl. “Or even four. Depends on how close our forces are to being ready to strike. Then again, our boys might open up a can of whup-ass on North Korea about an hour or so from now. We’ll be up in our beds, sleeping like babies. Never even know when the lid comes off the pot.”
He reached out and touched Jeanette’s cheek. “I’m overcautious. I’ll admit that. But I’d rather have our kids down here a week too early than five minutes too late.”
Jeanette nodded again. “You’re right, Honey. Better safe than sorry.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Darryl echoed. “Now, you go get some sleep, Pretty Lady. I’ll wake you up in a few hours, when it’s your turn to keep the watch.”
Jeanette gave him a tired smile and stood up to make her way to the bunk beds.
Darryl settled into the couch and watched the repeating images from the Fox News coverage. He had taken every precaution he could think of. With the lights off, doors locked, and vehicle gone, the house should seem deserted if any intruders came looking. The entrance was hidden, and — with the nearest neighbors more than a mile away — he was pretty sure that he’d managed to keep the installation of the shelter a secret. His family was as well protected as he could arrange.
Now came the waiting.
Mendy Bobbitt held the Android tight against her ear and tried not to let too much frustration come through in her tone of voice. “Dad, for the fiftieth time, I’m fine. The news is mostly fear mongering. You’ve been telling me that for years. And even if North Korea decides to do something stupid, Winston-Salem is not on anybody’s target list.”
“What about military bases in the area?” her father asked. “You don’t have to be the target. Sometimes it’s enough to be near the target.”
“There’s a piddly little Army Reserve unit,” said Mendy. “And a National Guard Center that nobody would waste two shotgun shells on. Nobody is pointing nuclear weapons at this place.”
“I don’t care. You need to come home.”
“Dad, I’m twenty years old. All grown up now. But every time there’s a tornado alert or a flood warning in North Carolina, you want me to scurry back to Nebraska.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Nebraska,” he said.
“I know that,” said Mendy. “Nebraska is fine. In fact, it’s better than fine. It’s wonderful. And I love going home. But I’ve got midterms on Monday, and I can’t do them from Cedar Bluffs.”
“Maybe you can get a retake.”
“What am I going to use for a justification? North Korea was making crazy threats? Those knuckleheads are always threatening to burn down the world. I don’t think my professors are going to regard that as a valid excuse.”
“There was that shopping mall,” her dad said. “The one in Alabama that got hit by a missile.”
Mendy could feel a headache starting. “That was Tennessee, Dad. Nowhere close to me. And I promise to stay away from shopping malls until after midterms, okay?”
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Guest 003568
Rank: Newb
Posts: 1
Topic: Is it time to run?
Watching the News tonight and this North Korean deadline thing is scaring the crap out of me. I live in southern Kentucky. Should I think about moving my family? If so, how far should we go to be safe?
Dirt Weasel
Rank: Old Hand
Posts: 923
Topic: Re: Is it time to run?
I’m more of a gear-up and burrow down kind of guy. My best advice is usually to prepare in advance and fortify your position to ride out the trouble. But it’s a might late to start prepping for this one. If you’re gonna run, better do it quick. The closer we get to the NK deadline, the more jammed the freeways are going to be.
How far? Assuming that the maps on Fox and CNN are even close to accurate, you shouldn’t slow down till you’re west of Missouri. That’s my two cents.
Keep your powder dry, your aim steady, and trust the Almighty to see you through.
Shadow Master
Rank: Old Hand
Posts: 876
Topic: Re: Is it time to run?
No point in running. This whole thing is Fake News. Another false flag operation, just like 9/11. Your “democratically elected” government creating a phony emergency to justify lining the pockets of the military industrial complex.
Wake up! The masterminds of this threat aren’t in North Korea. They’re in Washington.
Jet fuel can’t melt steel beams and North Korean missiles can’t fly.
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Guest 003592
Rank: Newb
Posts: 1
Topic: Beautiful Russian women want to marry you!
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Steel Worker
Rank: Journeyman
Posts: 239
Topic: Re: Is it time to run?
I agree with Dirt Weasel. Better to fort-up than to evac. But if you’re gonna haul ass, do it now.
The farther west, the better.
Guest 003609
Rank: Newb
Posts: 1
Topic: Re: Is it time to run?
Another Newb here, like Guest 003592, only I can’t run. My daughter is in the hospital and I’m not leaving without her. Should I be buying a gun?
Steel Worker
Rank: Journeyman
Posts: 240
Topic: Re: Is it time to run?
Only buy a gun if you know how to handle one. Otherwise you’re as dangerous to your friends as you are to your enemies.
Leila Atwood switched off the news broadcast and turned to Neal. “We should send the kids to stay with your mom, until this North Korea thing works itself out.”
Neal, who was clearly no less spooked than Leila, nodded. “I think you’re right. We should get them well away from here, in case things start happening.”