The Survivors | Book 15 | New Beginning

by Hystad, Nathan

  Contents

  Title

  Copyright © 2020 Nathan Hystad

  Books by Nathan Hystad

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  New Lies (The Survivors Book Sixteen)

  Lights Over Cloud Lake is FREE

  Copyright © 2020 Nathan Hystad

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Cover art: Tom Edwards Design

  Edited by: Scarlett R Algee

  Proofed and Formatted by: BZ Hercules

  Books By Nathan Hystad

  Keep up to date with his new releases by signing up for his Newsletter at www.nathanhystad.com

  And get Lights Over Cloud Lake for FREE!

  Nathan’s books are also available on Audible!

  Baldwin’s Legacy

  Confrontation

  Unification

  Culmination

  Hierarchy

  Lineage

  Legacy

  The Survivors Series

  The Event

  New Threat

  New World

  The Ancients

  The Theos

  Old Enemy

  New Alliance

  The Gatekeepers

  New Horizon

  The Academy

  Old World

  New Discovery

  Old Secrets

  The Deities

  New Beginning

  New Lies

  The Manuscript

  Lights Over Cloud Lake

  Red Creek

  Return to Red Creek

  One

  The subtle sounds of classic rock music from my childhood on Earth played through the outdoor speakers as everyone fell silent around me. We all stared at Slate, and he finally joined us, setting his pizza on a picnic table across from our group.

  “I’m a match for what?” Slate asked, oblivious to the tests we’d been performing.

  He peered over my shoulder, and I felt the urge to recoil as if he were carrying a dangerous contagion. It pained me to question Slate’s loyalty and stability. If Carolyn’s pedigree was in doubt, could we trust Zeke Campbell? I shoved the uncertainty aside. This man had been closer to me than a younger brother for years and had saved my hide more times than I could count. This had to be a mistake.

  “Nothing to worry about, folks,” Mary said. “Have you tried the guacamole? It’s fresh.”

  I smiled at my wife, glad she could sense the disturbance transpiring. People returned to their conversations, picking up their drinks, and I sighed.

  “Slate, we have a problem. Come inside.” I put a hand on his shoulder, and he waved for Loweck to follow us.

  “Everything okay, Dean?” Sarlun asked as I passed him on the deck.

  “You bet. We’ll talk in a bit.” I nodded at him, and he returned a knowing glance.

  “Boss, what the hell is this about?” Slate’s voice was too loud. I turned around to find Detective Reed waiting outside with Clare and Nick.

  We entered the old farmhouse, and I enjoyed the familiarity of the home. We’d had a lot of good years in this place, and being here with all our loved ones again rekindled my affection for the cozy wooden house. I glanced to the spot where the Hunter had made his nest; the floor was slightly discolored, but otherwise, the living room was unscathed after a few repairs a decade or so ago. Had it really been that long?

  Slate turned, stopping at the kitchen island. “Can you tell me now?”

  “What’s going on?” Loweck entered, the screen door swinging closed with a thud. Mary was right behind her, and I glanced around to make sure no one else had followed.

  “You guys remember Carolyn Lauder, right?” I asked.

  “Sure. The woman the other Dean Parker had a personal vendetta against.” Slate looked impatient, clearly wondering how this connected to him at all.

  “I did some investigating after Jules told us about her. Officer… I mean, Detective Reed helped me, and we found a strange piece of evidence. A hair in her apartment. She had it tested, and it wasn’t entirely human.”

  “What do you mean?” Loweck asked, her green eyes a bright contrast to her orange skin. I was so used to seeing everyone in uniform lately, it was refreshing to be around them in street clothes. Mary and Loweck wore similarly-styled summer dresses, and for a second, it felt like everything was normal again.

  Slate pushed. “Dean, can you answer my wife?”

  “Sorry. Clare and Nick have examined the results too, and they think she was human at one point, but something changed. A mutation, maybe. Either way, her history on Earth is in question. It appears as though her accomplishments have been doctored. We have to search into it a little deeper.” I went to the fridge and grabbed four beers. We all needed them, to have this conversation. I cracked the bottle caps and passed the drinks out.

  Slate set his down without touching it and stepped closer. “And the part where you tell us what this has to do with me?”

  “Remember the Locator I had when I was searching for Mary?”

  He nodded.

  “We altered it to capture the genetic markers from the hair we discovered. It led us straight to her body...it’s a couple of miles from my house and Terran One. I think the older Dean Parker buried her there. But the device also tracked another match.” I gazed at my big friend, seeing comprehension fill his mind.

  “Damn it. I don’t understand. Maybe it’s a mistake!”

  “It could be. Further tests are needed at Nick’s office,” I told him.

  Loweck wrapped an arm around her husband’s waist and frowned at me. “Are you saying you think Slate is an alien? Or whatever this Carolyn was?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t think anything. I’m just telling you what the device is indicating. You’re a match, Slate.”

  He finally picked up his beer and drank eagerly, foam spilling over the neck as he slammed it down. “This doesn’t make sense. I’m perfectly human.”

  “We’ll figure this out, Slate,” Mary told him. “It could be an error, or something may have been done to you that you don’t even know about. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  “In the meantime, let’s see our friends, eat and drink, and work on solving this tomorrow,” I suggested.

  Slate shook his head angrily. “You think I’ll be able to enjoy myself now? I’m going to Nat’s. I need to digest all of this.”

  He walked out without another word, and Loweck followed, stopping at the door. “Dean, you have to fix this.”

  “I will,” I agreed, without knowing exactly how or what I was going to do.

  Mary and I walked to the entrance of our old house and watched Loweck
and Slate leave the party, traveling for Nat’s a mile down the road. The sun had already set, the air beginning to cool as we stepped out onto the patio.

  “What do you think this is all about?” Mary asked me.

  “I have no clue, but I have a feeling we’ll find out. I’m sorry, but I have to stay here for a while to investigate. I know we were planning to return to Haven tomorrow.” I bumped shoulders with Mary, and she leaned on me.

  “Don’t worry about it. Hugo can go to the Academy, and I’ll catch up on some Alliance business. I’m sure you’ll solve this conundrum soon enough and we’ll all be together again,” Mary said.

  “Jules is staying on New Spero, though. I can’t believe we’re letting her do this.” I glanced at my daughter, who was standing with Regnig, Dean, and Patty, laughing about something. She looked at peace, so happy to be with friends and not in the midst of danger. “Luckily, there won’t be any fighting for the time being. She’ll do well with Magnus.”

  “Terran Thirty was your idea, Dean. You can’t complain about it.” Mary waved at someone, and I took a sip of my beer.

  “You’re right, but I have a feeling the Alliance of Worlds will need a real defensive fleet at some point. We’ve done what we can by banding together, but we have room to improve. I think Magnus will be able to do that,” I told her.

  “And it’ll keep him occupied and distracted at the same time. He’s a good choice.”

  I spotted Magnus alone near the farthest picnic table, staring toward the golden fields. It made me miss my old friend so much, and even though they were partly the same man, nothing would replace that Magnus.

  “Come on, Dean. We can worry about all this tomorrow. Tonight, let’s enjoy their company.” Mary linked her arm in mine. We walked down the three steps to the grass, the twinkle lights dangling brightly over the backyard, and like a dutiful husband, I complied.

  ____________

  A knock on the door woke me too early, and Maggie hopped off the bed, barking as she tore through the house to see who was interrupting our sleep.

  “That’s enough, Maggie.” I didn’t want the dog to wake up the entire family, and she stopped the yapping as soon as she saw Slate’s frame in the window.

  I unlocked the door, and Slate pressed through, pacing my kitchen. “Boss, you aren’t up and ready yet?”

  I peered at the sky, seeing the hints of the day to come. “Slate, it’s five in the morning.”

  “Five thirty. I’ve been up for an hour. We need to start moving, check Lauder’s house, exhume her body, find out what’s going on.” Slate moved with familiarity through the kitchen, prepping a pot of coffee. I sat on the stool, resting my elbows on the island.

  “Slow your roll, buddy. We have to go through certain—”

  “Don’t give me that, Dean. We can bypass paperwork. This is New Spero, and you’re Dean Parker,” he muttered as he scooped the ground beans into the maker. Soon hot water was pouring through the filter, dripping into the carafe.

  He wasn’t wrong, but I was expected to follow certain protocols. “We still need to set an example. Play by the rules.”

  Slate looked up, meeting my gaze. “Dean, this is my life we’re talking about. Didn’t Jules say that Carolyn was evil?”

  “The other version of me told Jules about her. He said she was the one that let Mary escape on Sterona, injuring his legs.”

  Slate grabbed two cups from my cupboard. “And she was working for Pleva in their dimension. What if this DNA mutation turns people bad? What if I am evil, Boss? I killed Mae...”

  “Yeah, but you’ve only done what you needed to protect the people you love. You’re the opposite of evil. You’re a soldier with a heart of gold,” I told him.

  “I hope you’re right, because I have to admit, this whole business has me kind of freaked.” Slate poured two cups of coffee, and his hand shook slightly.

  “What does Loweck have to say?”

  “She said you’d figure it out, and not to worry,” Slate mumbled.

  “That’s a lot of pressure.”

  Slate actually laughed, and it warmed me to see him do so. “This might be the least pressure you’ve faced in some time. You really think we’ll be able to find out what happened?”

  “First things first; we caffeine up.” I swirled the mug, seeing how thick he’d brewed it. “Then I throw on some clothes, and we meet Reed at the burial site. Next, we’ll visit Nick and Clare and run some tests. Sound like a good start?”

  Slate nodded, clearly happy to have a semblance of a plan to move ahead with. “You’re a good friend.” He looked pensive, and I could tell there was something else on his mind.

  “What is it?”

  “Before all of this happened, I’d wanted to speak with you about something.” Slate averted his gaze, staring into his coffee. Steam lifted from it in waves.

  I could see from his posture that this was a difficult conversation for him to bring up. “Go on. Let’s talk.”

  “It’s not that I don’t love being on Light, but with all the changes happening, Loweck and I could…”

  “You want your own posting.” I smiled in relief. It had been a couple years since I’d taken on Light, and I’d initially expected Slate to be that ship’s captain. He’d held himself back for my benefit. He’d wanted to stay close, but after enough time had passed, it was only fitting that he’d eventually want to move on.

  “How’d you know?”

  “I’ll tell you what. We solve this, you can command Light.” I said it quickly, not wanting to be able to talk myself out of it. Stepping down had been on my mind for some time, and now felt like the perfect opportunity to rip off the bandage.

  “Are you sure? I can’t take Light from you,” he said.

  “I’m sure. She was meant for you, Slate, not me. I haven’t felt right about it; plus, with Hugo in the Academy, and Jules almost an adult, I think I’ve had enough spacefaring adventures,” I told him, questioning my own truth in the words.

  “Boss, you’ll never be done with adventures, that much is obvious.” Slate drained his cup with a gulp and refilled it. “Go take a shower. I’ll let Reed know we’re coming in half an hour.”

  “See. You’re already showing initiative and leadership qualities.” I stood, Maggie climbing to her feet at the same time. She trotted after me in the hallway, her nails clipping along the hardwood. I stopped at my bedroom, giving Slate one last order. “I’ll take my eggs over easy.”

  An hour later, I slowed the 4X4 at the edge of the farmer’s field. The fence line ran the entire length of the crop, quite simple in design: six-foot-tall posts every ten feet, with barbed wire wrapped tightly to keep creatures out. There wasn’t a lot of indigenous wildlife, but over the years, various animals brought from Earth had managed to escape, creating a new generation on New Spero. The deer loved certain crops, and these fences were the most successful barrier.

  The sun had risen beyond the horizon, and I spotted Detective Reed’s flashing lights on her landing pod near a ledge of piled stones. We hopped out of the vehicle and strode for the waiting detective. She smirked as we approached, and I lifted a hand in greeting.

  “Beautiful morning for a grave-digging, isn’t it?” I asked, making an ill-timed joke.

  “As good a time as any,” she replied, eyeing Slate. “I’ve brought an excavating drone with me, so this should be simple.”

  We walked around the stones to reveal the location of the grave. I pulled out the device Clare had modified and saw the two red dots right near us. It was still marking Slate. “Looks like she’s directly below us.”

  The drone was really a five-foot-tall robot with hovering thrusters and a laser cutter. It started to work, moving the heavy rocks aside, before the patch was cleared in a two-by-six rectangle. Room for a body. I tried to picture the older version of me at this exact location, hauling rocks to dig a shallow grave for a woman I was determined to destroy. That Dean had outright murdered someone, and I couldn’t ima
gine performing such a heinous act.

  The drone carved into the ground with the laser, and soon it was plowing a solid chunk from the soft dirt below the relocated boulders. At the first sight of bones, it moved more slowly, and we watched as the robot retrieved the entire body, dusting off dirt from the corpse. She’d been there some time— probably a year, judging by the rapid decay—but I was no expert on the subject. There was nothing more than scraps of clothing and bones.

  “So this is Carolyn Lauder,” Reed said, crouching beside the skeleton. “We’ll gather the remains and send them over to your friends at the medical office. Doctor Nick and Clare will be expecting you in a few hours.”

  I glanced at Slate, who nodded once. “Another thing, Reed. We need access to her files. I know you said they raised some red flags, and we’re planning on following the trail to Earth. If she was lying about her engineering degree or anything else, we need to know why,” I told the detective.

  “Not a problem. I’ll send you the links, and you can do all the digging you want.” She stared at the hole in the ground. “No pun intended.”

  Two

  Jules stretched, checking the time. The sun was already high in the sky, and she kicked off the blankets. Nothing felt right anymore. She tried to tell herself it had only been a couple of days, that she’d grow used to not having her powers over time. At least, that was what her parents kept saying.

  She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Everything was heavier. It was like gravity had doubled, and it was trying to weigh her down. She saw her reflection across the room, her long, dark curly hair dropping over her shoulders. Her eyes were green, but no longer glowing. That part of her life was done with.

  Jules thought about Dean, and how he also seemed to look at her differently. Maybe the reason he’d been interested in her at all was because of her abilities. Without them, what was she?

  “A dull girl with nothing to do,” she whispered.

  Jules went to the bathroom door in the hall, wishing for her private bathroom like the one on Light. This old house was quaint and held some nice memories, but it was too small now. It didn’t have enough places to hide in peace and quiet. There was nowhere to escape to.