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 smiled when Sullivan entered. “How tired are you?” he asked.


“Because I have a job for you if you want it. But it means you don’t get to sit all night.”


The darkness of the church’s interior blinded Sullivan to the nuances in those dark eyes he was coming to know so well, but the teasing lilt in Rafe’s voice was impossible to resist. “I only sit because you sit. I’d hate to make you feel bad because I could last longer on my feet than you do.”


Rafe’s surprised laughter rang throughout the building, warming Sullivan’s skin. “For that, I’m not giving you a choice. There’s a bucket next to the door there. Pick it up and let’s go.”


He had to wait until he was outside again to see what the bucket contained, but the only item immediately recognizable was the paintbrush. “Where are we going?”


“You’ll see,” came the cryptic answer.


Chapter 31