The End Series | Spinoff Book | The End: Captives

by Cage, Zion

  The End: Captives

  An Emp Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller

  Zion Cage

  Copyright © 2020 Zion Cage

  All rights reserved

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people or real people are used for fiction purposes only. Other names, characters, places, and events are the ultimate product of the author imagination, and any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Now Available!!

  Also By Zion Cage

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Epilogue

  About The Author

  Coming Soon

  Books In This Series

  Now Available!!

  The End: Into The Past

  In events prior to the EMP, Vivien will do anything to please the one she loves. That is until he decides to put her away. Her eyes open and, for once, she realizes the truth. She will have to make a hard decision.

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  Also By Zion Cage

  The End: Genesis

  The End: Fight For Survival

  The End: Warzone

  The End: Rogue

  “I am like a child ready for the apocalypse, I am the apocalypse itself, that is to say, the ultimate and first event of the end, the unveiling and the verdict.”

  Jacques Derrida

  Prologue

  14TH November, 2021

  3:45am

  Moscow, Russia.

  “Five hundred thousand Euros, ladies and gentlemen? Is that as high as we can go? Maybe I need to remind you of what we are dealing with here,” the man in a black suit said as he picked up a remote from the table in front of him. He was in a conference room, standing before fifteen people who were seated around the table. On the wall at the other end of the table, there was a large television set that displayed the live video feed of twenty other people, men and women inclusive. It was obvious that the meeting was for people of class.

  Adrik Borya pressed a button on the remote that he had pointed towards his laptop and the image that had been projected changed. They could all see the image of a naked blonde American woman smiling at them. The faces of some of the men and the women brightened as they fed their eyes with what was presented to them.

  “This is from a video chat session that was concluded only a week ago. This young lady is still alive and out there. So are many other women and children. In only a couple of hours, there will be a massive reaping of the American citizens. This is what is available. This is what you stand the chance of getting. This is worth more than five hundred thousand Euros. If you want any part of this, you will have to go harder. That said, I open the floor for higher bids.”

  “I’m willing to pay a million. I won’t go beyond that.” a dark woman said from the back. There were murmurs of consent form the crowd. Adrik shook his head.

  “Well then, I’m sorry you’ll have to miss out on this one.”

  The crowd became restless. At that point, Adrik realized he had hit his maximum possible output. He smiled. He had pushed well enough. Now it was time to get their orders.

  “Okay, ladies and gentlemen. Calm down please. It’s okay. Your satisfaction is our primary objective. As such, we don’t want you leaving here disgruntled. We’ll set the minimum price at a million Euros. You can now place your orders. Don’t forget to be specific. We don’t want a situation when you don’t get what you want. Our agents will carry out the harvesting processes properly to ensure that you have just what you desire.”

  The men and women in the conference pulled out their devices and began typing. As they did so, Adrik smiled. America had seen so many hard times. There had been numerous bombings, pandemics, economic depressions and racial violence but the truth was that she hadn’t seen the worst of it yet.

  Unfortunately for them that was about to change. It was just a matter of hours.

  Chapter One

  life had a way of putting people where they ought to be…

  14TH November, 2021

  8:30am

  Washington D.C, USA.

  Connor and Morgan stood in a long line, listening to the orders meted out to them. Everyone in the row-of-four queue of hundred people was Russian or, at least, a naturalized Russian. They were on a special mission. In less than twenty-four hours, the most dramatic thing in the whole history of the United States would happen. And to think that it would happen by their own hands.

  “My noble comrades, we have all worked hard for this. Several years of infiltration at various levels. Now, in just a matter of hours, we will reap the fruit of our labors. We will watch this colossal nation fall to bits and we will see a new dawn in human civilization. As with every battle, there will always be spoils of war. All cannot be wasted. Because of this, you all have been chosen, being very competent in your fields, to carry out a massive harvesting. We have so many human buyers around the globe and their requirements vary.

  “Majority of the harvest will happen after the migrations. There are a special set, however, that desires their package delivered to them fresh and without the effects of a strenuous journey. That is your mission: to find what they want and to move it to our base where it would be transported to wherever it is required. The tablets that have been given to you contain the description of the people each client wants. There are over five hundred there. You will be scattered all over America in search of each of these humans. As you find each one, take pictures of them and send them back to us. If your catch has been approved, mark the order as ‘found’. This removes that item from the radar. The persons with higher number of catches get paid higher amounts of money. In other words, your pay is directly proportional to how many people you can deliver. Be warned though, you cannot afford to be caught or else all knowledge of you will be automatically discredited. We will deny every acquaintance with you and will no longer render your benefits as agreed. Delivery points exist in every state. Therefore, you are enjoined to move to the states of harvesting designated to you on your tablets today. Get your deliveries to the delivery points before sundown come nineteenth of November. I believe you all are clear now. I wish you all good luck,” a dark-skinned woman said to them in Russian. She saluted them from the high podium where she stood. At the backdrop was the Russian flag as well as a flag showing a rising sun.

  “Privetstvuy Solntse,” she cried.

  The people in the queues saluted the woman in turn.

  “Privetstvuy Solntse,” they all cried after which they sang their anthem.

  Great Ray of hope rising over the Soviet

  Great sun of wealth now causing day to come…

  Maddock and Daan joined the rest of the agents to disperse ‘in an orderly manner’. When they were back in their cabins, they sat on their beds and pulled out the tablets.

  They had worked together for as long as they had been a part of the Ray of Hope. Daan did the thinking and Maddock did the physical work. It suited their personas quite well. Daan was a wiry middle-aged man of at least thirty. Maddock was a burly man of roughly the same age. Neither of them had ever imagined they would be a part of such a patriotic movement. Somehow, though, life had a way of putting people where they ought t
o be.

  They looked at their pads. They had been posted to Chicago, Illinois. The descriptions of their targets were also displayed.

  Girl. Aged 11-13 years old, Blond long hair and blue eyes

  Girl. 15 years old. Busty. Blonde with blue eyes.

  The list went on and the two men couldn’t help but sigh. As always, humans were expressing their depravity shamelessly. The only reason they were going to do it was that it was an act of final service to their nation. If the bosses wanted it that way, then it was best that way. Besides, it was common knowledge what happened to those that rebelled. Their bodies were cut in pieces and fed to eagles.

  Eagles… the symbol of Russia.

  “Russia will be great again,” Daan said absentmindedly in a thick Russian accent.

  “Surely, she will,” Maddock said without thinking. His Russian accent also stood out.

  Hail the Sun…

  15th November, 2021

  9:20am

  West Loop, Chicago, Illinois.

  USA.

  “Okay, girls. We’re on our way to the adventure of the week. Don’t forget: you’re not supposed to tell your friends about this. We told your teachers that you were ill and had to stay home. If you rat yourselves out, you’ll be the ones writing essays during detention,” Nia said as she drove the kids to Lincoln Park. Prim and Grayson giggled.

  “I’m just glad that my mum doesn’t know what you and Xander did to get me on this trip. If she found out, she’ll kill every single one of us,” Grayson said. The thought both made her happy and sad. Her mother paid less attention to her than she did to work. It was as though getting her new dad’s company to function properly had become her mother’s greatest priority. Grayson had practically been left in the care of Xander. Grayson was just glad that Xander was the kind of person he was. She didn’t want to imagine if he had been like the other guys his age. For as long as she could remember, she had never seen him drunk or smelt alcohol on him. In fact, she had never seen him with a girlfriend- something she wished he’d change soon. Her brother was too preoccupied with work and school.

  She knew her mother loved her, however, she wished her mother would just give her time like before. In the past, her mother would be the one to pick her up from school. Now, because Xander was at school most afternoons, she came home on the bus. They had enough money to pay for the bus now. Gertrude, her new dad, was rich, which was a good thing. He was also kind. There was nothing she asked for that she didn’t get- except when her mother was there to say no. Xander had told her that Gertrude had lost his wife when he was younger and hadn’t had any kids. That would probably explain the depth of his affection towards her and Xander though Xander hardly reciprocated them.

  Her mother had promised to take her out on the weekend. That got her excited though she wasn’t really counting on it. She knew how work could come up impromptu on the weekend for her mother and Gertrude. All in all, Grayson was glad she was on that trip. It had taken a lot of effort for Xander to convince her mother to let her go. Naughty Xander had actually lied to her mum. That was a first. She smiled sheepishly.

  “That’s why you must ensure she keeps thinking that your teachers gave you the day off because of good behavior. Now, enough of that. What is the plan for the day, girls? Check the pamphlet,” Nia said. Prim pulled the pamphlet out of her mum’s handbag. She and Grayson looked into it together.

  “We’re definitely going to the zoo,” Grayson said. “It says they have this endangered animals carousel. I’m definitely going to try it out.” Looking at Prim, she added. “Don’t judge me, Prim.” Prim laughed. “No one is judging you, sister,” she said and Nia laughed from the driver seat.

  “Then we could go swimming. I came with my swim suit,” Prim said.

  “Me too. Then I think I’d want to watch them milk cows. It says here that there’s a ‘farm in the zoo’ section. It’s boring but anything is better than going to any of these museums here,” Prim added finally.

  “You got that one right,” Grayson said.

  Nia tilted her head, trying to focus on the road.

  “There are museums there, ain’t that right? You girls are going there. I hope you also came with your note books,” she said.

  Grayson and Prim began to murmur but Nia pressed the horn and they kept quiet.

  “If you girls are gonna miss school, you might as well learn something, don’t you think?” Nia said. The girls knew better than to argue with her.

  Soon they got to Lincoln Park. After parking her car in a suitable spot, Nia got out with the girls.

  “They say this is the most popular park in America after Central Park. You’d better stay close to me, girls. I don’t want either of you getting lost,” she said.

  9:41am

  Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois.

  USA.

  Connor and Morgan stood by the lion cage with cones of ice cream in their hands. It was so exhilarating watching everyone enjoy themselves without having the slightest clue of what was going to happen next. No one knew the future- no one except them, that is. Connor watched the children and young girls around them, wondering who their victim was going to be. He did his best to act normal. This was the last mission and Morgan was going to be his last accomplice. He knew he would miss everyone with whom he had worked, especially Vivien. He smiled when he thought of her. She was one person that kept him human all the time he had been in America. Morgan tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him out of his reverie.

  “Daan, I think this cage will fling open once the EMP hits. I doubt it’s a good idea for us to be standing close to this lion,” he said.

  Connor laughed. “You’re right, Maddock. This isn’t a good place to be. Let’s find a solitary place. It’s our best bet,” he said as he turned away from the cage.

  It was only a matter of time.

  Chapter Two

  “Time isn’t exactly on our side …”

  15TH November, 2021

  11:32am

  Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois.

  USA.

  Grayson and Prim rode on the carousel for the umpteenth time, enjoying themselves and pretending to be warrior princesses charging off into battle- on endangered animals. They had gone through the boring lectures on the life of Abraham Lincoln at the museum, learnt about boring plants at the conservatory, touched smelly horses and, now, they were where they wanted to be. Nia stood watching them ride and laughed whenever she heard them say something funny. There were a lot of people there. They were lucky to have gotten to the park early enough to beat the crowd.

  “I hope I’m not being a bad mum by being sincere to myself. I’m bored!” she said to herself. She couldn’t wait for Xander to come and be the girls’ chaperone. She had so much to do once she returned to work at the five-star restaurant: Gout De La Maison. She hoped he was back before twelve noon. She started to become thirsty.

  “Hey, girls. I’m going to get us something to drink. Y’all keep playing on the ride. Don’t come down no matter what, okay?” she shouted to them.

  “Yes mum,” Prim called back.

  “Yes Miss King,” Grayson said simultaneously.

  Nia found her way to an eatery in the park. When she got to the glass door, it opened on its own accord, allowing her and the family of four who were close to her in. She was impressed. The Park was really improving. When she got to the counter, she gave one of the ladies there a smile.

  “Hello, please I’d like a banana smoothie. Also, give me a mixed berry smoothie and a mango smoothie. Put them on a tray, please. I’ll be taking them out of here,” Nia said.

  “Okay, ma’am. Three extra delicious smoothies coming right up,” the lady said as she took a plastic cup and placed it under the tap. Just as she was about to open the faucet to release the mixed berry smoothie, all the lights in the eatery went off. Nia raised a brow.

  “Wow. That doesn’t happen every day,” she said.

  “Oh, no. It doesn’t happen at all. That
’s weird,” the attendant said.

  Nia laughed. “Well, I guess it will be back on soon, right?”

  The attendant nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

  Nia went to a free seat and sat down.

  Ten minutes later, the lights still hadn’t come on. Nia began to get worried. She got up. She had to go to the girls. As she got close to the door, she realized that there was no knob. It was operated electronically. She began to get frantic.

  “Can someone open the door?” she called out to the attendants around. Others had begun to get restless too. They all murmured their consent. Suddenly, someone shouted:

  “Hey! My phone is dead. What’s happening?”

  Nia pulled out her phone from her bag to check it. She noticed it was hot and smelt burnt. She tried to turn it on. It didn’t come on. Fear began to fill her. Something was wrong. Everyone had the same problem. The restlessness multiplied. Nia ran to the door and banged on it. She had to get out. The girls were not safe. The air conditioner had stopped. The place was becoming hot.

  Three men came to the door from the outside. Two wore the uniform of the zoo attendants. They were saying something but Nia couldn’t hear what they said. Neither could the people around her who were also trying to force the door open. The men then motioned for them to step back. They held two fire extinguishers. She realized they wanted to break the door down. Nia and the other people stepped back and took cover. The men began to pound on the glass. In a minute, cracks began to form. In the next, one side of the glass broke and its shards poured out to the ground. One of the men in uniforms shouted: