The smell of the salt water filled his nostrils and was followed by the organic scent of the ocean, filled with creatures being born, surviving, and dying in the same endless cycle that existed since the dawn of time.
A hawk flew over him and dove, then ascended with a fish in its beak.
An outboard engine started, and he watched Jose leave the dock and deploy his nets as he moved away from land. It provided a sharp contrast to the quiet world he lived in, and was almost shocking in its volume.
Jose spotted Stryker and waved.
He waved back.
Stryker knew what they faced would not be easy. He and Erin would have a difficult time raising their son. He also knew that his son’s training for the hard life he would face would begin at an early age. The things that stood in his way, as he grew older, would have to cede to his need to flourish.
That was how nature worked. You were either the hunter or the hunted, and everything else was secondary to that very basic fact.
Stryker thought about his gramps, who had molded him into whatever he was. He remembered the wise words he offered with a loving smile, and how he always had time to find a way to use a childish moment of weakness to teach a lesson on how to live his life.
Then, he considered Sarge, the tough gritty little pellet of a man who led him through Marine Corps training. Later, he shoved him into the rarified atmosphere of Force Recon. That he later provided Erin was a gift beyond compensation. He remembered his death, and how peacefully he left the world. He recalled how he chose the time and place of his departure, and it was only after he knew his granddaughters would be safe.
He wanted to be that kind of person for his son.
Stryker again glanced around him and saw a landscape filled with the hope of a better life. The fields north of him were being traversed by two small tractors, and the wind carried the scent of freshly turned earth to him as though issuing an invitation to resume a life.
He thought about the plague and its aftermath. Something about it still seemed surreal to him, like a bad memory that wasn’t based in any fact or situation that he actually faced and more like something he’d imagined in a bad dream, and then woke up sweating and dazed.
He realized that he understood something he must have always known, but at some point, had been bartered away when his country traded pride for self-pity in the years before the plague struck.
He did the same when he lost his first wife and child, and felt a moment of shame as the realization hit him with a full frontal assault.
He watched the ocean for a while longer, and suddenly felt at peace with his own emotions.
It was a simple thought that quelled his discomfort, and he stood and looked at Jose disappearing in the distance with the nets dragging behind his boat.
There is always one last refuge, one place where, regardless of the attack, the gate cannot be forced open. They can take anything they want—lay siege to the most precious things you own—but they cannot take the one thing you can relinquish without a struggle and only pray to regain.
Hope.
Stryker was hopeful again.
He leaned down, picked his M-4 up from the ground and walked back toward the base.
Erin and he were going to raise a child who was molded with the values that they cherished.
He would be a good man. He would defend the weak and live a life that was honorable.
Stryker and Erin would see to that.
Of that much, Stryker was sure.
He wasn’t sure about much else.
-END-
Other Books by Bobby Andrews
Preppers Crucible – Books 1-6
Preppers Crucible - Omnibus
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS BOOK 3 - EXODUS BOOK 4 – REDEMPTION BOOK 5 – REQUIEM
STRYKER: BOOK THREE EXODUS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRELUDE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE.
CHAPER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHATER EIGHTEEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
STRYKER: BOOK FOUR -REDEMPTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPER EIGHTEEN
CHAPER NINETEEN
CHAPER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
STRYKER: BOOK FIVE - REQUIEM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
STRYKER - OMNIBUS: BOOKS 3-5: A Post Apocalyptic Tale Page 52