Excerpts from the AADA ROAD ATLAS AND
SURVIVAL GUIDE, 3rd Edition
Schaumburg, Illinois
by Barton H. Stano and M.K. Stoecklin
HTML conversion by Michael P. Owen, April 2000
Schaumburg (nicknamed "Shoppingburg") is a northwest
suburb of Chicago. It's comprised of a large mall and a small
section of the old suburb that, before the Food Riots, was a
thriving medium-sized city. Now, there are only 65,000 people
within its city limits. Schaumburg today is a major financial and
retail trading center for northern Illinois. However rich the
city is, the edge of town is marked by burned-out ruins.
History
Founded over one hundred years ago, Schaumburg began as a
rural farming village. With the advent of superhighways and an
aggressive
government, the community grew in an astounding manner. By the
late 1980s, Schaumburg had the beginnings of a skyline. Although
this rapid, unplanned growth brought traffic congestion and other
problems, Schaumburg was still a more attractive business
location than Chicago, and its economy soared.
However, the Grain Blight of 2016 ended this growth and
shattered the illusion of security. Although the economy almost
collapsed; the people here still had money. The financial
community barely survived. The Food Riots touched Schaumburg, but
the wealthier citizens illegally bought vast quantities of relief
food, (most of which was destined for Chicago) which allowed a
significant portion of the populace to survive. The riots
laid waste to vast residential districts; those who escaped the
worst fied to the protection of the malls. Police and
mercenaries, funded by the corporations, maintained a fair degree
of order. Fortifications were constructed, and Schaumburg
survived the chaos while neighboring suburbs were destroyed.
One of the largest shopping centers, Woodmeadow Mall, became the new power center of the city. The corporations funded the city's protection and took over governmental processes, managing the city with an efficiency the old city government could never achieve. As the area recovered, the "corporate state" eventually held all city power, and only upper executives could vote or hold city office. Most of the Schaumburg populace prefers this system, as it has performed well.
Schaumburg is home to many financial and insurance companies,
and the largest retail center in the Midwest: Woodmeadow Mall.
The Mall is the largest shopping complex (over 500 stores) in the
Midwest.
Points of Interest
The first map shows the Schaumburg area and its major
highways. On the opposite page is a map of Woodmeadow Mall and
area.
1. Woodmeadow Mall: The seat of government and source of most of its income. The AADA has an offrce here, serving greater Chicagoland.
2. Kendall Hospital: The largest hospital in suburbia, Kendall has an excellent trauma center and ambunaught service, in addition to complete Gold Cross facilities.
3. Shellie's Full Service and Towing: Full service garage and recharge station, very pricey. Shellie is known for her commitment pricey. Shellie is known for her commitment to quality, and her mechanics are the best. Shellie's also has a large towing and salvage service; this garage owns the city towing contract.
4. Lake Michigan Pipeline: This water pipeline was built in the late 90s to bring lake water to Schaumburg, whose ground water supplies were drying up rapidly.
5. The Dead Zone: The surrounding suburbs, destroyed in the Food Riots, have been cleared in a three mile radius around the city limits to provide a clear fire zone. Near the city are the ruins of the old Schaumburg skyscrapers. The Dead Zone is ankle-deep in broken glass and debris, and is avoided by all but the most desperate.
6. Tent City: In the summer months, a cluster of prefabricated buildings spring up here. Tents are no longer used (too flimsy), but the prefab shelters are just as colorful. Outside of city limits, Tent City is a no-holds-barred red-light district. Locals patrol the district in expensive duelling cars -- there’s only trouble here if you want to make it.
7. Police Headquarters: Also contains the city jail.
8. Clothing Factories: Over 50 small, pre-fabricated sweatshops are located here. Labor is brought in from the poorer areas of Chicago under heavy guard to work in these plants. The various managements are violently intolerant of Unionizing, and it hasn't succeeded yet.
9. Silver & Gold Country Club: 18-hole golf course
and extraordinary dining for Schaumburg's elite. Silver &
Gold is well protected by its own security staff, who patrol the
course in armed golf carts. Non-members are evicted with extreme
prejudice.
The Mall proper has four stories (three of which are
underground) and from the outside looks to be a large but
nondescript gray building.
Inside, however, are over 2,000 acres of beautifully landscaped
and climate-controlled shopping area.
Not included are listings for most of the 500+ shops; stores and restaurants come and go so quickly that a complete listing would be out-of-date as soon as it hit the presses.
All visitors to the mall must post a $100 "good behavior" bond. This is a reaction against the unescorted teenagers of the past.
1. The Wall: This 30' wall, a mixture of earth and ferrocrete, rings the mall area. The wall is heavily patrolled, and twenty HL bunkers are evenly spaced along it to ensure that the mall is protected from undesirable activity. The only entrances are six double-walled gates. All traffic in or out is carefully checked and vehicle weaponry disarmed.
2. Cook County Autoduel Arerra: The most modem and up-to-date arena in northern Illinois. Events are run on weekends; most are AADA sponsored. The arena hosts gas-powered duelling four times a year; and once every five years hosts the Land of Lincoln Autoduel Championships. This event pays up to $750,000 in cash prizes and is one of the major AADA events on the L’Outrance circuit.
3. Helipad: Standard helicopter facilities, with several HL and SAM emplacements for air defense.
4. AADA Offices: This is the Chicagoland office, serving the northern suburbs.
5. Uncle Albert's Auto Stop & Gunnery Shop: The famous distributor has a large, well-stocked store located near the Mall.
6. Mall Management/City Hall: The Schaumburg government offices are located here, along with Mall Security.
7. Mall Condominiums: These 75-story luxury condos house most of the Schaumburg population, and are connected by tunnels.
8. Corporate Park: This collection of high-rise
buildings is home to many financial and insurance companies
around the world.
Events
Woodmeadow Mall is always having special events, from video premieres to live concerts; there are too many to list. Some, however, are worth special attention.
In October, the Mall's fashion houses hold their fall
previews. The latest in clothing and body-armor fashion is
displayed. The Christmas season begins immediately after the fall
previews, bringing in hundreds of buses filled with aging holiday
shoppers. In January, all stores hold "white sales"
that must be seen to be believed; last years' white sale turned
into a riot over $1 holocubes.
Facilities
The most up-to-date duelling and truck stop facilities in northern Illinois are located in and around Schaumburg. There are nine power stations and three fully-equipped garages located in the city. Almost every automobile manufacturer, both foreign and domestic, has a show-room and dealership in the Mall. A truck stop is located just north of the city on I-90.
There are two TV stations, Super Station 99 and WSCH. SS99
telecasts local duelling and more frothy entertainment; it is
known for best for the mindless but popular game show, "Shop
'Til You Drop!" with live tapings from the Mall. WSCH
operates several well-armed TV choppers,
covering most of Cook County, reporting traffic snarls and road
duels.
Duelling
Duelling within the city confines is strictly limited to the Cook County Arena, and is illegal elsewhere. Duelling on the interstates is tolerated, but a no-dropped-weapons ordinance is in effect; violate this, and you face a $1,000 fine. Duelling in the Dead Zone is perfectly legal, and often encouraged; there's nothing out there worth protecting from stray gunfire.
The Cook County Autoduel Arena runs weekend events, with AADA
events on Friday and Saturday, and practice and cleanups through
the weekdays. The arena is famous for its spectator comforts;
white wine, double safety walls, and door prizes.
Highways
Since 2030, Schaumburg, Chicago and the State Police operate in strictly defined territories. The three groups have agreed to stay within set boundaries, except during hot pursuit. Schaumburg police stay within five miles of city limits, Chicago police patrol all areas east to the lake, and the State Police fills in everywhere else. Usually, the three defenders ignore each other, and will not cooperate.
Interstate 290 is the major thoroughfare, heavily patrolled and kept in good repair between Schaumburg and Chicago. Tolls are relatively light: $30 for cycles, $50 for cars and $75 for big rigs. Interstate 294 is in good repair, but tolls are collected to maintain police patrols at twice the above costs. 294 is fairly safe up to the Wisconsin State Line and south to I-65. Interstate 90 is in poor shape and generally unpatrolled outside of the Schaumburg area.
State routes 72, 62, 58, and 53 are in good shape in the
Schaumburg area, but be warned -- outside of this area, the roads
pass through the dreg and gang-infested ruins.
Organizations
Schaumburg Police: The Schaumburg police force has the responsibility of maintaining order outside the Mall complex. They support a fleet of 25 cars and cycles, and 2 helicopters, all painted white. Most of the Schaumburg police are mercenaries.
Mall Security: These are independent of the Police and are mostly retired duellists. They patrol the Mall and its walled confines, but are reluctant to cooperate with Schaumburg's finest, since they (on their home turf) are the police.
Schaumburg Autoduel Club (SAC): Schaumburg has only one duelling club, which is basically a collection of rich kids with imported cars and little to do. Only a few of their members compete; most don't like damaging their high-priced autos, and will try their best to avoid a fight without losing face.
Condor Salvage: Often seen around the area, this family-owned company has no real home, but wanders the Midwest in their fleet of Scarab buses, buying and selling highway salvage. They charge reasonable rates and can easily be reached by radio.
The Retros: This vicious street gang that operates in
the northern Dead Zone is known for ambushing vehicles with a
maze of roadblocks;
they are well-armed and organized. State authorities believe the
gang is connected with the various Chicago criminal families, as
they are a persistent problem, and seem to survive every attempt
to disperse them.
The Badgers: A Wisconsin cycle gang that often visits
the area. They number 60 strong, and practice the usual
smash-and-grab looting
techniques.
The Dropouts: This is potentially the most dangerous,
and definitely the most colorful cycle gang in the northern
suburbs. The Dropouts
are teenagers from wealthy families who randomly attack vehicles
for fun. They often play "chicken" and other fatalistic
games. They aren't looking for a fight as such, but their
expensive bikes and invulnerable attitudes make encounters with
them hazardous.
