Carrier Group:HowItBegins
US-Mexican border. San Ysidro border crossing. Southern San Diego.
Five large vehicles were approaching the crossing from the Mexican side of the border. Four armored personnel carriers with UN symbols were escorting a heavy military truck carrying what appeared to be a heavily armored octagonal container on the truck bed.
The convoy stopped within sight of the crossing. Captain Alvarez, sitting on the passenger seat of the truck, activated the intercom saying: “Dr. Weimann, we have arrived at the crossing. It looks quiet.”
“Very well,” A voice answered with a thick German accent. “I will meet you outside.”
As Captain Alvarez stepped out of the cabin, a bald, elderly man in a bright white level C hazmat suit stepped out of the container. Captain turned to look at the crossing as the older man joined him.
“It seems clear,” Captain Alvarez said. “It is ghastly, really. This was the world’s busiest land border crossing. I thought we would have difficulty getting through. I recall passing this way myself a couple of times before the outbreak, and every lane was completely packed. But now,” the captain spread his arms. “Some stalled cars on the outer lanes, but all the inner lanes are completely empty.”
“It makes sense,” Dr. Weimann commented. “They would have made an effort to keep the crossing open as long as people were going through. And then – I suppose people just stopped coming.”
“That is what makes it so ghastly,” Captain Alvarez said. “No enterprising individual has even attempted to put up any kind of toll arrangement after the crossing was abandoned. Not enough traffic for even that. The busiest crossing in the world…”
“Hope is not yet lost,” Dr. Weimann said. “And this will at least make our crossing easier. What is our supply status?”
“We are on our last rations and our fuel situation is not much better. These vehicles drink up a lot, especially the truck. They got us from Mexico City to here safely, but once we reach San Diego, we need to look for additional supplies. And perhaps a more economical mode of transport.”
“I do not like the idea of abandoning the medical unit,” Dr. Weimann said. “We still have a lot of ground to cover.”
“We need to cover that ground somehow. It is highly improbable that we can find enough fuel to transport the unit all the way. We are on the wrong coast from our destination.”
“I know.” Dr. Weimann shook his head. “Maybe we should have followed the eastern coast of Mexico after all.”
“We talked about this,” Captain Alvarez said. “That would have meant going through Texas, and that would have been too high of a risk. The latest information says that there are heavily armed gangs prowling on both sides of the border. Our convoy would have looked like a tempting target, and I do not have that many peacekeepers left.”
“This way is longer but safer. Yes, I remember what we talked.” Dr. Weimann sighed. “But now I am having doubts whether we made the right choice.”
“No use second guessing now,” Captain Alvarez said “Look, I understand that you wish to hang on to the unit for as long as possible. Let’s get to San Diego, see what kind of supplies we might find there, and wait until then to decide whether we can afford to keep the vehicles.”
Dr. Weimann nodded, the men got back inside the vehicle, and the convoy started moving again, driving through the crossing. Normally, trucks cannot use San Ysidro, but the military truck was designed to have a low profile even with the cargo, and fit through easily. And there were no authorities left to object.
“Well, we made it to United States,” Captain Alvarez said to the driver. “It should be slightly easier from this point-“
There was a loud explosion as a roadside mine tore through the side of the APC driving at the fore. The explosion was followed by a muzzle flash from behind one of the vehicles at the side of the road, and an anti-tank round struck the second APC.
“Ambush!” Captain Alvarez yelled into his comm. “Everyone exit the vehicles! Engage the enemy!” “What is it?” Came the voice of Dr. Weimann from the intercom. “Raiders?”
“No,” Captain Alvarez said as men in black uniforms started emerging from their hiding places and bullets struck the armored windshield of the truck. “Looks like soldiers of some kind. Moving to intercept!”
“Soldiers?” Dr. Weimann said inside the medical container, wiping his bald head. “I do not understand.” Then he turned to address the rest of the medical staff, saying: “Get your weapons. Prepare to move out. If the peacekeepers get overrun, we will be the last line of defense. We must protect the Carrier. With our lives if necessary. The fate of humanity is at stake.”
