The first case of nuclear terrorism took place on December 28, 2018, just inside Chicago's Loop. That afternoon, civilization as it had been came to an end.
Hidden in a large delivery truck, the device had a yield of slightly under one hundred kilotons, enough to topple large skyscrapers two kilometers away. Countless other buildings caught fire, and many collapsed later that day.
Thousands of tons of debris floated in Lake Michigan.
The death toll was estimated at 1.5 million, with an immediate property damage exceeding five trillion dollars, half of that from the fallout.
Within twenty-four hours, al-Qaeda broadcast a statement condemning the attack.
The rescue and recovery efforts continued for months.
Survivors in the outer suburbs and the Midwestern evacuation camps watched the world go crazy. Memories from this era were often suppressed.
According to the isotope ratios and the available intelligence, an Islamist splinter group had 'stolen' a Pakistani nuke. There was evidence of secret funding.
It would take a while to find appropriate retaliation targets. Even so Mecca and Medina no longer existed, and the most valuable uninhabited parts of Saudi Arabia were seized for reparations.
The follow-up attack was a message broadcast in many parts. It was a list of individual cities that had to be evacuated within twenty-four hours. The residents of all but one city would be able to return the next day.
For maximum impact, the evacuation dates were staggered over a three-week period. Martial law was declared nationwide.
When Milwaukee blew up on April 6, it came almost as a relief. This time only about 5,000 people died.
There was no apparent motive for the attacks except the love of chaos. Humanity had a new enemy embodying absolute evil.
They had started out as a Muslim group desperately seeking allies. The survivors of each group were also the smartest, most cunning, and most dangerous members. Their common enemy was the world.
A wasted decade of terrorism-fueled paranoia and overreaction had been too successful. The USA had inadvertently bred the first true supervillain.
At least that was what they wanted their victims to think.
In their amplified deviousness, the New Enemy had forgotten why they were evil.
Infinite Thunder by Jack Arcalon.
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