The Macro Event. Andrew Adams

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      Chapter 5

      0030, Day 1, Glendale, California

      Dayyan waited about an hour after the EMP before opening the sealed box. He had received some training on EMPs and he had read several articles about them. He knew that for this powerful of a pulse, the only real possibility was a nuclear blast at high altitude. A solar eclipse or Coronial Mass Ejection, known as a CME, would not have the power for this level damage. He was convinced an EMP was the cause of the power failure and the dead cars. He had waited to open it to prevent damage if another weapon was detonated.

      He pulled the plastic tactical case out of the cardboard box. The high-tech container was sealed with a strip of silver foil tape wrapped around the full perimeter of the seam. He used his knife to cut the tape, opened the box, and found it lined on the inside with the same type of foil tape. A coiled metal-type seal had replaced the normal rubber O-ring. Inside the box was a large plastic bag that contained another Mylar bag, which in turn contained one last plastic bag. Dayyan thought this might be overkill for EMP. But he had gathered a lot of knowledge after reading various technical articles, including the latest Air Force report to Congress. The best scientific minds in the world were not sure how much damage electronics would see during an EMP event.

      Inside the final bag was a new Iridium 9505 Satellite phone plus a car charger and four extra batteries. Dayyan installed a battery, powered on the phone, and went outside to check for a signal. It read full strength. He pulled out a list of numbers he had written down from the USB document. He punched in the number listed as “Number One.”

      A moment later, a man with a thick Middle Eastern accent answered, “Yes, my brother. God is great. Please tell me your status.”

      Dayyan briefed the man on the situation. After listening, the man said, “You have done well so far my brother. Use your list tonight to start building your supplies. Report to me when you have gathered what you need and have completed your first two target missions. Remember, you will need far more supplies than you and your brothers currently can use. Get as many supplies as you can. Contact me in the morning after your raids. God willing you will do well tonight. God is great, my brother.”

      The call disconnected.

      Dayyan and his team of ten men then opened all the crates and sorted out the equipment. There were plenty of assault rifles, pistols, and ammunition. There were also radios, clothing, tactical vests, and other combat equipment. The men all dressed into plain black pants and black long-sleeved shirts, which each person had brought with them. Each man was issued a semiautomatic pistol and tactical leg holster. Everyone had extensive weapons training, so they went to cleaning and inspecting the guns and loading up the illegal high capacity magazines. Four 12-gauge pump shotguns were distributed.

      Two of the newcomers including a skinny, nerdy-looking man named Walter, brought in another large crate, and placed it in the back room without opening. Walter explained that it would be best to leave it closed until needed. Dayyan did not argue. He assumed there was good reason.

      They had five running vehicles. Both Dayyan’s Suburban and old Dodge were fine. Naseem had bought an old Ford tilt-cab box truck. Like Dayyan, he had previously taken it to a truck shop and had it gone through carefully. Adnan, one of Dayyan’s soldiers, had an old Chevy Van, and Ghaith had an older Chevy Suburban. The van the four new brothers had arrived in was a new Ford rental and like millions of other cars nationwide was dead as a doornail. Dayyan assumed the men arrived by airplane and had no choice but to rent a new car. Dayyan had an amusing thought. Wonder why they did not call “Rent-a-Wreck.”

      The men loaded up two to each truck plus three in Dayyan’s Suburban. They caravanned on backstreets to the two locations where other men were waiting. Three men were at a home just two miles north. Four other men were waiting at an office building near the Burbank border. Those men also had an old running Chevrolet station wagon. Weapons were provided to all the new soldiers. After everyone was ready, the six-vehicle convoy with sixteen fighters headed to the first target in Burbank.