“I have the biggest scar of all,” Rodger said, pulling up his shirt to reveal the wicked gash on his chest, then turning around to show where the blade went in.
The divers chuckled for a second before lapsing into silence.
“So what do we do now?” Magnolia asked, eyes on X.
All the divers looked to him.
He drew a breath of salt air and looked out over the ocean, where Cazador vessels floated and people watched from the oil rigs. Men, women, children. Grimy, needy, fearful people looking back at him.
He didn’t see enemies this time. He saw people like those on the airship. His experience on his mission with the Barracudas had taught him that even enemy soldiers could change. Rhino and Wendig had proven it to him on his journey.
Finally, he looked at the warship where Katrina had given her life. His heart broke for her, but this was what she had always wanted for her people.
He saluted.
“Thank you, Katrina,” he said. “For being the captain our people needed.”
Janga’s prophecy had ended up being more than a fairy tale. A man had led them to a home on the water, but he couldn’t have done it without Katrina. Her bravery and sacrifice helped capture the Metal Islands from the Cazador king.
X turned back to Michael and clapped him on his robotic arm. He wasn’t sure what would happen from here, or what the future held, but he knew that as long as there were Hell Divers, humanity would find a way to survive.
EPILOGUE
Zone 4, Sector 60
Year 1 of the New Light
Over two hundred and sixty years have passed since World War III left our earth poisoned and shrouded in darkness. For most of my life, I lived in the sky. But then my people discovered a habitable place to call home. A place where the sun shines and the water is crystal clear. A place where humanity has a second chance.
I left that home to help find you, the hidden survivors. People around the world who, like me, dream of living on the surface again. I know you’re out there, hiding in the shadows and living in the darkness. Frightened of the monsters, machines, and even humans that want to wipe us out.
I have traveled the world, from the skies and sea to the poisoned soil, looking for survivors just like you. I have seen the nightmares on the surface. I have fought monsters and men who wanted to eat my flesh.
But I survived. My people survived. We built a new home on the ocean, which we call the Vanguard Islands. My team has already rescued dozens of survivors from the poisoned darkness and brought them back to our colony.
We have farms, we have fish, and, most importantly, we have each other—a strong community governed by an executive council.
Things aren’t perfect, but life is good here. Beautiful, even.
Beyond our dark walls, there are still threats everywhere. Mutant beasts and plants, radioactive dirt, electrical storms, and killer bots. The AI defectors that hunt and kill humans—the same machines that very nearly brought our species to extinction.
But as long as there are Hell Divers, we will fight. We will dive. And we will survive.
This is Commander Michael Everhart, transmitting from the airship Discovery, formerly known as ITC Deliverance. And if you’re listening, don’t be afraid. We are the last humans, and we are in the skies, looking for you. If you’re out there, respond to this message. We will never stop diving for humanity. We dive so humanity survives.
End of book five
Preorder your copy of Hell Divers VI now!
Coming November 2019
The battle for the Metal Islands is over, but the threat of extinction continues as the machines wage their genocidal war on humanity. Alliances will be forged, and new Hell Divers will rise to fight the ancient threat to save their species.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicholas Sansbury Smith is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Hell Divers series. His other work includes the Extinction Cycle series, the Trackers series, and the Orbs series. He worked for Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management in disaster planning and mitigation before switching careers to focus on his one true passion—writing. When he isn’t writing or daydreaming about the apocalypse, he enjoys running, biking, spending time with his family, and traveling the world. He is an Ironman triathlete and lives in Iowa with his wife, their dogs, and a house full of books.
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