Final Chaos Read online

  Their trademark emblem consisted of a man and a woman inside an equilateral triangle bounded by mountains, rivers, and clouds at sunset.

  Originally, the Alva Adams Tunnel project furnished mostly agricultural water; however, over the years the insatiable thirst of Front Range development shifted demand toward municipal and industrial usage. This scenario played out across the United States as the Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers proceeded to build dams, canals, and aqueducts to divert, store, distribute, and otherwise manage the country’s water. Complicated economic, business, and regulatory relationships for the management of the resource resulted. There could be no stopping this train which had left the station before the farmers had blinked. Indeed, Clyde and Dale had fought against new dam construction in the valley above our family farm. One by one, the farmers sold out, flush with cash but without water, and the once lush valley turned brown.

  Surreptitiously, layers and layers of taxpayer-funded initiatives for many diverse projects resulted. Many contained provisions linked to the economics of water, with the public ultimately subsidizing development. Indeed, the economics of water required legislative protection from rampant development and particularly speculation, as predicted by my great-great-grandfather Clyde. Unfortunately, these projects and lands would one day become the battlefields of the global conflict over water.

  Chapter 10

  Enter the

  Chloroplasts

  Grandmother’s assertions were correct — all life on earth ultimately did depend on plants. Awareness of this fact spread widely as food and water became daily concerns that could no longer be taken for granted. Plants’ unique ability to capture and fix carbon dioxide and manufacture sugar molecules using energy from the sun underlies all life as we know it. The solar powerhouses of plants reside in the organelle named chloroplasts, where this magic biochemistry takes place there.

  For several centuries, the planet struggled with the concept of global warming. The idea was not widely accepted and there were plenty of naysayers who challenged the scientific research, denying that climate change existed let alone was speeded along by human activities. Although there was never consensus upon the exact cause, it was generally agreed that the planet was warming, and that carbon dioxide was mostly to blame.

  Engineers tried multiple techniques to capture carbon dioxide. It turned out that nothing could surpass the ability of plants, that is, their chloroplasts, to clear carbon dioxide effectively. This was, of course, a proud moment for farmers, who saw themselves as saviors of the planet.

  However, it was Angela Starr, an up-and-coming scientist, who was able to synthesize a chloroplast for commercial usage. Angela had studied the inner workings of plants and was very familiar with their DNA and metabolism. She constructed a chloroplast bioreactor similar to a catalytic converter, and the design was commercialized and put to use on large farms. There was a kit available for hobbyists, and high school science classes built them, with proud students taking them home, demonstrating their commitment to the environment.

  Getting a grip on the planet’s carbon dioxide levels helped to put a brake on global warming; however, Earth’s temperature had already risen 5°C over the last three centuries. It took about 50 years for the solar ice packs to melt. The low-lying coastal areas of the globe were inundated, many of the precious coastal cities were lost and abandoned. Initially, there was too much water and flooding was commonplace.

  The temperatures continued to rise gradually, and life at equatorial regions of the planet became increasingly difficult. The population shifted toward the poles. A spelunker’s dream, for the first time in history the real estate industry was marketing underground property. The large thermal mass of the earth provided a constant temperature below ground where Heating and air conditioning were not necessary.

  A natural cave with ventilation was priceless. Excavated properties were becoming popular. Numerous technical advances designed to cool the ever-warming planet were implemented. Scientists collaborated internationally to analyze and develop solutions to the planetary heat problem. Governments embarked on several projects that were partially successful on smaller scales. Perhaps one of the most innovative and effective technologies involved placement of atmospheric solar shades into low Earth orbit to reflect the sun’s energy and provide much welcome shade for the overheated planet.

  There was a lot of interest in the concept of a planetary heat pump. This idea was attractive because of the potential to move large amounts of heat/energy; however, a number of theoretical and physical challenges dogged the building of a conduit to outer space.

  So, the planet continued to heat up and dry up. As water evaporated and disappeared, rationing, hoarding, and ultimately price gouging became commonplace. Water became the most expensive commodity.

  Although the overheating of the planet was seen as a global problem, the supply of water was locally unique, playing out on regional, state, and even local levels. A pattern of conflict was repeated around the world, where multiple civil wars were fought for control of and access to water, leaving the world in a state of widespread civil unrest. Conflict arose between neighbors and even among family members in the quest for a thirst-quenching drink of water.

  With the global weather changes, life in Grand County and surrounding areas transformed. Once covered with ski areas, the region no longer had any significant snowfall.

  My great-great-grandfather was a ski racer. He was quite fearless and competed in what was known as Nordic combined events, a combination of jumping from terrifying heights and tremendous endurance races on cross-country terrain. He skied for the AQNS. I remember seeing a picture of a statue of him and his team members at one of the former ski areas, a testament to a long-gone way of life.

  Initially, the ski industry experimented with artificial snow but largely shifted to summertime activities such as hiking and mountain biking. The rather elaborate snowmaking infrastructure was converted to drip irrigation. My great-great-grandfather’s angst might have been mitigated by his farming heritage, but I am sure he would have wept upon seeing that where once there were moguls, now there were vineyards and chloroplast farms. With irrigation, the large valleys below Grand Lake and in the surrounding mountains became fertile farmland. The Colorado River and most rivers in the region were reduced to nothing more than a trickle of flow. The locomotives carrying the food and grapes to market were solar powered.

  This new industrial, agricultural, and hydro infrastructure was developed and controlled by the Aquaterrians. They displayed their familiar logo prominently. These descendants of the original builders of the Big Thompson project included experts in farming, hydrology, mining, geology, construction, food science, and ranching. This group, with its can-do attitude, had become entrenched in the politics and business of the country. They built and controlled everything concerning water, and secretly much more.

  Although the government attempted to take over industry and agriculture and imposed heavy regulations and high taxes, the AQNS ensured that control of water resources was far beyond their reach. Thusly, the world was a virtual firecracker ready to explode.

  The final insult came when the legislature voted to levy a new tax on rainfall. The prosperous Grand Valley region would bear the economic burden and provide the tax revenue to keep the Front Range air conditioners humming. There were protests and cries that they would soon tax the air we breathe. For years Grand County taxpayers refused to pay the rainfall tax.

  The taxing authority recognized the stalemate and simply compounded the tax bills with interest and penalties. The regulators ultimately moved to acquire all of the assets of the AQNS. This would finally give the government control over all water resources at the source. Their bank accounts frozen and unable to conduct business, the AQNS braced for conflict.

  The government sent in a wave of regulators and tax agents to take possess
ion of the businesses but most importantly AQNS headquarters. It was a relatively short-lived event. The regulators served their warrants and notices, and the AQNS forces led by my Grandpa Jack promptly escorted them underground, where they were taken hostage.

  The loss of communication with and disappearance of the regulators escalated tensions, and the government demanded their return. An aggressive reporter named Maia Jahn, determined to get the scoop on the hottest news story, evaded security riding a motorcycle across the back roads to Grand County. The government went into emergency sessions and emerged with the declaration of martial law and ordered the National Guard to Grand County.

  But the Grand Lake chapter of AQNS proved a force to be reckoned with. In addition to their tactical advantage, they used for the first time an electronic weapon. The high mountainous entrance to the valley was heavily fortified and in addition to conventional weapons a new electronic device awaited. This device somehow arrested the flow of electrons in semiconductors.

  The National Guard watched in horror as their vehicles ground to a halt, sitting motionless, apparently drained of all of their power. Then drones appeared and executed a targeted attack on their fuel tanks, leaving a highway of burning vehicles. There were no casualties. The troops without means of communication dispersed on foot in retreat, and about 100 were captured.

  Thus, what started as civil war would spread worldwide, becoming the World Water Wars (W3).

  Chapter 11

  Jack and Arnold’s

  Reunion

  Ten years after their graduation from law school, Jack and Arnold met up at their class reunion. They had occasionally over the intervening years seen each other at professional meetings but had little else in the way of a personal contact. Like most men, when they spotted one another in the lobby of the hotel, it was as if not a day had passed.

  “Wow! You look great,” Jack proclaimed. “I don’t believe you have aged at all. You look the same as you did on graduation day.”

  “Well, you look pretty good yourself,” Arnold said. “It would appear that you’ve been taking care of yourself.”

  Within a few moments, they were best of buddies once again, like the good ole days.

  “Are you staying here at the hotel?” Arnold asked.

  “Why, yes, I am. How about you?”

  “Did you bring your wife? Do you have a family yet?” Arnold asked.

  “No, I’m actually solo on this one. I’ll tell you about it later. We must get together and get caught up after the reception. How about you? Are you married?”

  “No, I haven’t done that yet; however, I have a very close significant other in my life. We’ve been together for about five years now. She wants to have a child.” Arnold’s eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up with that last comment.

  “That’s fantastic! When do I get to meet her?” Jack asked in an encouraging manner, trying to reassure his friend.

  “Unfortunately, she was unable to attend, so it appears as though you and I are both alone. What will people think? The class president and the smartest guy in the school are here alone.” Arnold laughed.

  “Yes, it should be interesting. Well, I’m going to get settled. I look forward to seeing you tonight at the reception,” Jack said as he hoisted his luggage from the floor.

  “Okay, that’s a deal,” Arnold said.

  “Our firm is sponsoring a table, and it’s located up-front near the stage. Come by,” Jack said.

  “Oh, yes, I’m aware of that. The school really appreciates the donation.”

  One could hardly imagine a larger melting pot than a 10-year law school reunion. All the attendees were in the early phases of their careers, wrestling with a challenging political climate and a world growing weary of conflict and running out of water. Indeed, it would take a great deal of political brinksmanship to navigate the diversity of opinions and beliefs represented in the class.

  The keynote speaker, the former dean of the law school, now president of the Trial Lawyers Association, delivered a message about the rule of law. He reminded everyone of the central importance of this guiding principle that dated back to antiquity, to Aristotle, and that had been carried forward through history to the modern practice of law and government. It was the common bond between all the attendees and the reason they went into the profession. It was an excellent keynote address and allowed everyone a temporary respite from the turmoil of the times.

  The dinner was fantastic as well, and the crowd ate and drank the night away to the sounds of an awesome jazz blues band. It must’ve been one in the morning when Jack and Arnold decided to take a dip in the pool and enjoy a hot tub. The pool’s cold water was exhilarating, to say the least, and helped take the edge off of the alcohol. They both ran for the hot tub in an effort to get warm again and fend off the chill of the night.

  “So,” Jack asked, “what have you been doing, and tell me about your girlfriend. Sounds like this might be a serious relationship. What’s her name?”

  “Her name is Emma. I met her at a dinner party some friends put together. I may have been set up, but it wasn’t supposed to be a blind date or anything,” Arnold explained. “I’m actually glad, though. We really hit it off. She’s a runner and very athletic, and smart. We’ve been dating for a few years now.”

  Jack could see Arnold was beaming about his relationship.

  “She recently finished her PhD in a branch of science called virology,” Arnold said. “She’s an assistant professor of biology at the university.”

  “Wow,” Jack said, “I am impressed. Are you serious about each other?”

  “Well, I would have to say that I don’t want to think about life ahead without her,” Arnold said.

  “That’s huge, buddy,” Jack replied.

  “But the world is in such a mess right now, it’s hard to envision the future at all, much less a relationship or potential family. Everything seems so uncertain. How about you, Jack? You have a special someone in your life?”

  “Well, not really. There was a woman I met when we were dealing with my father’s illness and subsequent death….” Jack’s voice trailed off a bit. “She worked in the hospice facility. She’s really a wonderful, caring human being, we talked about moving in together, but I need more time to grow.”

  “I was really sorry to hear about your father’s passing, Jack,” Arnold said.

  “Thank you,” Jack said with a nod. He paused, then said, “I just wish I could come around to the viewpoint of settling down. I have been battling depression since my father’s passing and, as you know, I’ve been working in the food industry, which is intimately tied to water law, and also working in a nonprofit. I wish we could see a way out of this terrible war we’re in.”

  “Well,” Arnold said almost casually, not realizing he was talking to a “double agent” by virtue of Jack’s being a ranking leader of the Aquaterrians, “you know, there’s going to be a new offensive taking place really soon that will probably put an end to the Water Wars.” Arnold splashed warm water up over his chest and shoulders and sunk lower to immerse more of himself beneath the low water level in the tub.

  “Seriously?” Jack asked, a bit of alarm creeping into his voice. “How would you possibly know such a thing? It would be Armageddon and political suicide combined! There must be a diplomatic solution.”

  “You work in agriculture and the food industry,” Arnold said. “My family’s business has been involved with military supply for generations. I never disclosed this before, and it’s not really a big deal or rocket science or anything like that, but my father’s company provides rations for federal service members. About six months ago they made a huge procurement. They ordered everything, enough food for a major offensive, all to be delivered about now. I anticipate things will heat up in short order.”

  “The military option has always bee
n on the table,” Jack confirmed. “But this would be quite a surprise. I don’t think anyone sees this coming or thought it would actually happen.”

  “Yes, I agree,” Arnold said. “But you know how in banking you follow the money.

  In the military, you have to feed the troops, so you follow the food, and the money,” he said after a pause. “I would say this thing is going to happen.”

  They soaked in the hot tub in silence for a little while longer. It was probably two before the men parted ways and headed up to their hotel rooms.

  “It was really good to see you, Jack,” Arnold said. “I wish the best for you, and please stay in touch. Have a good night and get some sleep.”

  Jack clapped his buddy on the shoulder and turned to go to his room, but there would be no sleep for him that night.

  Chapter 12

  “Fractitious”

  “General, I think you should look at this.” The message from the field intelligence office lit up the communicator sitting on the bedside table.

  General Pinz sat up and leaned his back against the shelter’s wall. “Go ahead,” he said into the communicator.

  The voice continued squawking from the little electronic device he held in his lap. “There is something strange going on in Fort Collins. Apparently, there is a report of multiple abandoned vehicles at a brewery in the north part of town. With the help of the motor vehicle registration department, we have assembled a list of vehicle owners. There are a lot of very prominent business and community leaders on the list. Furthermore, all of them are missing and have failed to report to work. Security cameras showed the usual parade of visitors in and out of the brewpub. However, on the north side of the property there appeared to be a van that was loading passengers approximately every 30 minutes. Residents a few miles away reported seeing a similar van making frequent trips out to the eastern plains. When we investigated, we found numerous wind turbines and radio transmission towers. The van was located near a service building housing radio transmission equipment. There was one room resembling a studio containing what looked like a medical imaging device. An old MRI machine perhaps. We are still investigating.”