In the year 2184, the US is divided. Half the country has moved on with the rest of the world, while in middle America, the survivors of the terrorist biological attack that split the country struggle just to stay alive. Though a century has passed, few people brave going behind the borders meant to contain the danger. Even the privatized military is reluctant to do so.<br><br>But that doesn’t stop recently discharged Sullivan Eberle. Only one thing drives him anymore -- the need to find Raphael Hamada. He doesn’t know why. He only knows he must. If that means a lifetime behind the borders, then so be it.<br><br>Rafe Hamada ran away from the real world when he was still a kid. The last thing he wants is to be found, especially by a soldier who can’t even tell him why it was so important to locate him in the first place. He’d like nothing more than for Sullivan to leave, but turning his back on a man alone and friendless is against everything Rafe stands for ...

Penny Candles

He swiped away a drop of sauce that had splattered on the rim of the plate. “I don’t think he’s here to hurt me, you know.”


She hadn’t gone back to her search, staring at him in disbelief from across the room. Rafe forced himself not to quail like a child under her stern gaze. He understood her reactions, but this time, he didn’t necessarily agree with them.


“Did you see the scar?” he asked. “Whatever happened, he almost lost his head.”


“And now he’s wandering behind the borders for his health? Don’t be stupid, Raphael.”


Only Mama called him that anymore, and only in private. Which reminded him of how curious he’d found it, seeing his full name scrawled on that piece of paper. Everyone in Chadwick knew of him as Rafe. Luther had put two and two together, but he doubted anybody else would have if the situation hadn’t been forced.


Chapter 8