<br/><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Chapter 1: Duck &amp; Cover</span></strong><br/><br/><br/><br/>It just was another day in the city of Ridgewood. The sun rose slowly in the east and the birds could be heard singing their songs in the trees that dotted the downtown sidewalks and suburban lawns. Public transit workers were up and about already moving their respective vehicles along their assigned routes.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><br/>Fire Chief Winslow's morning was anything but relaxing. He'd been woken from bed by his phone at 4 a.m. only to receive word that the city needed every truck, firefighter, and EMT on standby alert asap. From there the day so far had been one long string of problems and headaches everything from trying to squeeze what was going on out of the mayor to dealing with unaccounted for personnel. He still didn't even know what was so big that such a fuss needed to be made. But if this was some sort of readiness drill from the state or the fed.....ohhhhh heads would roll!!<br/><br/><hr/><br/><br/><br/>It was 7:45 a.m. and Richard Burns, local newsman, was sitting at the on set news desk. His notes were spread out on the news desk in front of him but he payed them no mind. He was too focused on the conversation he was having with his soon to be wife Jenny Alls. The were talking to each other via radio since she was already up above the city riding in the sunshine news chopper. Richard had gotten quite a few jibes from his friends about having a 'fling' with the city's newest 'air babe' but that didn't change the fact that he had real feelings for her and she for him.<br/><br/>As these thoughts passed through his head he saw one of the news runners practically sprinting down the hall towards the set and frowned a bit in confusion. Sure they we called runners but they never actually RAN anywhere most of them would probably have a heart attack if they ever moved at a faster speed than amble. "Alright" he said, to Jenny his tone growing a bit serious "I've got to let you go....it looks like something big is going on take care babe"<br/><br/><br/>He didn't even hear her response as he focused on the runner trying to figure out what could be so urgent? Maybe the Gemini sank over at the docks?<br/><br/><br/><hr/><br/><br/>Even though they didn't know it Richard Burns, Jenny Alls, Chief Winslow, nearly 90 percent of the other men, women, and children in Ridgewood, and even the chirping birds all had something in common this morning..... They all had less than 2 hours left to live.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Anyone paying any attention to their with a radio or television at 8:49 a.m. would find their normal program of choice interrupted by the nervous face and voice of Richard Burns. Normally Burns was a calm man, even when there had been bomb threat sent to the news station he had shown remarkable professionalism in broadcasting the city's request that everyone clear out the area around the station. But this time.....this time things were different. His face was sweaty and there was a tremor in his voice that those who made a habit of watching his news would know had never been their before. For the next 20 mins he half-stammered, half reported the events transpiring on the other side of the world. The Chinese and U.S. navies had clashed in Korean waters, reports that nuclear tipped weapons had been used in the final stages of the battle were unconfirmed but seemed highly likely to be true. All citizens were asked not to panic as they did their best to keep everyone updated as best as possible.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>It was 8:53 in the a.m. when the public warning sirens began to go off, they had been installed a few months ago when international relations had seemed to be at their worst and they were meant to warn the city's population of an incoming attack. When the bombs would hit wasn't known, but they were coming. And anyone who wanted to live would have to move fast!