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

A full minute passed. Sullivan exhaled without a sound.


Both thuds had come from the same portion of the outer wall, the one farthest from the house. If they had been on the other side, he might have assumed Belle had come outside for something, but the opposite end of the garage emptied onto open field. There weren’t even any houses in that direction, just the road stretching away from Chadwick and onto the next small town. An animal of some kind, scrounging for food? Perhaps. He was probably overreacting, but his gut told him to check it out.


He found his pants crumpled on the floor. The fabric rustled as he dressed, but Rafe gave no indication of waking. Sullivan didn’t bother with shoes. Out and in. He only needed to confirm that nothing was amiss before climbing back into bed.


The instant he opened the door, he knew something was wrong.


Chapter 40