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 finally broke free of Maria’s arm and leaned over the counter, bracing his palms as he got in Joe’s face. “What does Sullivan have to do to get through to you people?” he growled. “He left Strike behind. He’s putting his life on the line to get the information we want. He is not our enemy here.”


“It’s a smart idea,” Belle said. “But if people are going to be stupid about it, we just send someone with him you will trust.”


Sullivan said it first, though Maria’s refusal came almost on top of it. When Rafe turned hurt eyes toward him, Sullivan shook his head.


“You already trust me,” he explained. He wasn’t going to tell Rafe the truth about why he needed to keep him away from Strike, not in front of everyone, but he had to offer some kind of valid reason for being so adamant. “If I’m not doing this alone, whoever comes with me needs to be someone the entire town will believe. Somebody impartial.”


Chapter 59