Near Diablo Canyon, the force of the nuclear blast suddenly knocks a rancher is suddenly off his horse. Born the same month as the Trinity tests which created the atom bomb, he films the explosion with a cell phone camera, knowing that the atmospheric radiation will soon kill him. He uploads his video to Facebook, and within moments, people all over the world are posting “#NuclearWar #Armageddon #EndOfTheWorld” (143).

As millions flock to social media for information, the demand compared to the damage to California’s power grid knocks out the social media platform, X, and others for the last time. Around Diablo Canyon, an incomprehensible amount of energy is released, obliterating the plant’s infrastructure and forcing the abandonment of the area double the size of New Jersey.

Russia sees the explosion in California. Russia realizes that “deterrence has failed” in the most unequivocal way possible. Russia knows it is not responsible but wonders if the Americans know that. With the rules invalidated, there are no more rules left to follow. The night commander at Russia’s Nuclear Command and Control scrambles to communicate with his superiors.