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

Rafe sighed. In the next second, a warm weight settled on Sullivan’s shoulder, fingers folding over his tense muscle to squeeze in reassurance.


“I’m sorry,” Rafe said. “I’m tired, and I’m still confused about you, and Strike is a sore point for me. You shouldn’t listen to me.”


“Except you’re right.” Sullivan kept his head down, hoping it would spur Rafe to continue the contact a little longer. “I’m the intruder here. I shouldn’t judge the way you live, especially since I’m asking to be a part of it.”


The pressure began to roll, Rafe slowly massaging the kink out of Sullivan’s tense muscle. “Why? It’s different than everything you’ve known. And it’s got to be harder for you. People here don’t trust Strike.”


He risked a glance up through his lashes. “You do.”


“No, I trust you.There’s a difference.”


Chapter 25