No Shelter: Book 3 in the Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series: (Zero Hour - Book 3)

by Justin Bell

“You’re right,” Davis said. “Alone, they do not. But as we were exfiltrating the data center, we were attacked again, only this time the operatives were firing what seemed to be TS89 and TS91 automatics.”

  Reeve’s eyes widened.

  “You guessed it,” Davis replied. “The primary tactical weapons of the People’s Republic of China.”

  Reeves stood there, mouth agape, staring off into a sky quickly shifting from gray to indigo. The stars were not yet out, but they would be soon, millennia old reflections of celestial bodies long since dead.

  How long until the Earth joined them?

  “So Graybar was killed by these guys?” Reeves asked.

  “I’m willing to bet.”

  “And since you were forced to leave the data center, they’re probably merrily ransacking the place right now.”

  “I’d say that’s a good call, too.”

  Reeves was pensive, his arms still crossed, his brow furrowing as he looked up into the sky.

  “So this bacteria… it was supposed to kill everyone?”

  “We don’t know the details, but our early understanding from the data we gathered at the scene was that it was designed to strike at the heart of America. What that truly means, we don’t yet know, but I’m thinking your lab guys will get that sorted out post haste.”

  “They’re almost there already,” Reeves replied.

  “So what does that say about the little girl? The one in Quincy who survived when everyone else in that little shop ended up with liquified organs?”

  Davis looked at him. “She could very well hold the key to all of this.”

  “What about you?” Reeves asked. “What about me?”

  “We don’t have enough information yet,” Davis said. “For me, it could be as easy as the fact that I wore my containment suit while I was in Boston. For you, maybe you just didn’t run across anyone who was infected? It’s a crap shoot and we don’t have all of the information yet, but we’ll get it, I’m confident of that.”

  “We need to see that girl.”

  Davis looked over at Reeves. “There’s something else I haven’t told you,” he said.

  Reeves looked at him.

  “There was another survivor of Team Ten. He’s name is Broderick Schmidt. He’s one of the best geneticists we had, and while I really don’t like the guy, I think he could be useful.”

  “So how do we get a hold of him?”

  “Last time I saw him, he was with the little girl. We find her, we find him. We find him, we find her. One way or the other, we will hopefully get our hands on both of them and start to get this thing figured out.”

  “Let’s all hope you’re right.”

  The two men stood in darkness, the stars beginning their staccato blink into life, spreading out among the sky like tiny freckles on the smooth, indigo face of night.

  ***

  Again with the library.

  Lisa liked familiar surroundings just like anyone else, but as she stared up into the ceiling of the Aldrich Public Library, at least part of her was thinking “enough already.”

  The bed was comfortable, far more comfortable than a real hospital bed would have been and she let the soft pillow envelop her scalp, wrapping it in a warm, poofy embrace. She looked to her left and smiled at Jackson who sat in a chair next to her, his fingers intertwined with hers.

  Priscilla walked slowly into the library, smiling warmly at the couple.

  “How are you feeling, Lisa?” she asked.

  “Doing okay,” Lisa replied. “Glad you already had all the supplies handy.”

  “You were really lucky,” Priscilla replied. “Smooth wound, in one side and out the other. No fragments left behind, bullet somehow missed most of your vital organs. For someone who got shot twenty-four hours ago, you’re doing pretty well, all things considered.”

  Lisa smiled and closed her eyes, but tears brimmed there and spilled down her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry,” Jackson whispered. “I figured I should be the one to tell you about your mom and dad.”

  Lisa nodded, keeping her eyes closed. “I figured Mom was a lost cause,” she said, sniffling. “She was too sick. Anything like this would have just taken her out quick. But Dad? I figured he’d be way too stubborn to let something like this take him down.”

  Jackson held her hand in both of his, squeezing gently. She looked over at him.

  “How are you? You got shot, too, right?”

  Jackson smirked. “Just a flesh wound,” he replied in his worst Monty Python impression.

  “Don’t quit your day job, Crossfit.”

  Jackson turned and smiled at Clark, Broderick, Javier, and Melinda who had all entered the library and were walking toward them.

  “Got everything under control out there I hear,” Jackson said, chuckling. “Whipped those boys into shape?”

  Broderick nodded. “Once the mayor was out of the picture the rest of them were incredibly willing to talk compromise. Funny how that works, huh?”

  “Funny how that works,” Jackson replied.

  “I feel a little bad, actually,” Clark interjected. “Those National Guard dudes. They’re not bad guys. They thought they were doing the right thing, fell in with the wrong team. Now a bunch of them are dead, and we killed ‘em.” He looked surprisingly close to devastated, Jackson thought as he watched Clark speak. What he, Broderick and Javier had done to save them all was wearing heavy on him. Jackson knew there had been a pitched firefight, he’d narrowly slipped away when he saw Priscilla in trouble, but up until that point there had been bullets flying and people falling all around. Clark and Broderick had superior training and experience, and Javier enough dumb luck that they’d managed to hold the upper ground right up until Jackson had decapitated Mayor Harris.

  The image remained burned into his head.

  Whenever he closed his eyes, he could swear he saw the mayor glaring up into the approaching night, wondering what went wrong, and being worried about his sleeping children.

  Maybe, if there was anything right in this world, he was with them now and at peace.

  “So what’s next?” Jackson asked from his seat next to Lisa, gingerly turning to face the crowd.

  “Plan hasn’t changed,” Broderick replied simply. “We need to get to Detrick ASAP. Probably more important now than ever.”

  “Agreed,” Clark said.

  “I’m on board with that,” Javier replied, then looked down at Melinda who nodded sheepishly, but cast a gaze toward Jackson.

  “Nothing’s keeping us here. Not anymore.”

  Jackson turned to look at Lisa who had just spoken, surprise in his face. “Your farm? We have to find the animals, see what can be salvaged.”

  Lisa shook her head. “The mayor rounded up the animals. Had them slaughtered and frozen. They were going to be the town’s meals for the next month. The farm’s dead, Jack. As dead as my parents. I don’t think I could go back there if I wanted to.”

  Jackson sat on the chair, leaning forward slightly, hands clasped in front of him, searching for the right thing to say.

  There was only one thing he could say.

  “All right,” he whispered. “Fort Detrick it is.”

  There was no cheering in the library, no victorious pumping of fists, no solemn swearing of vengeance for the lives lost and the battles won. They had entered Aldrich as a collection of people, people with barely common goals, people who just happened to be heading in the same direction.

  They were leaving Aldrich as a family. Slightly dysfunctional and very opinionated, but family just the same. And this family was going to see this thing through to the bitter end.

  Zero Hour Book 4

  Now Available!

  Author’s Notes

  September 10, 2018

  Dear Readers,

  We are officially at the halfway point for the Zero Hour series, and we’ve reached at least some point of resolution for the situation between Jackson and Lisa… and that nasty Mayor g
ot what was coming to him. Hopefully the payoff was worth the wait.

  At this point, books 1 and 2 have been out in the wild for a short bit, and I just have to give all of you some serious props. Response to the Zero Hour series so far has been spectacular, and I really owe it all to the readers. It has been selling well, getting great reviews and we just could not be happier. Thank you all so much.

  Now, things are really starting to ramp up. The back half of Zero Hour promises to raise the stakes and drive home the action. I can’t wait for you all to read it!

  Justin

  Other Post-Apocalyptic Books from Mike Kraus

  Final Dawn: The Complete Original Series Box Set

  Clocking in at nearly 300,000 words with over 250,000 copies sold, this is the complete collection of the original bestselling post-apocalyptic Final Dawn series. If you enjoy gripping, thrilling post-apocalyptic action with compelling and well-written characters you’ll love Final Dawn.

  Final Dawn: Arkhangelsk: The Complete Trilogy Box Set

  The Arkhangelsk Trilogy is the first follow-up series set in the bestselling Final Dawn universe and delivers more thrills, fun and just a few scares. The crew of the Russian Typhoon submarine Arkhangelsk travel to a foreign shore in search of survivors, but what the find threatens their fragile rebuilding efforts in the post-apocalyptic world.

  No Sanctuary

  A nationwide terrorist attack has left the country in shambles and the country's transportation capabilities are crippled beyond repair. Frank Richards barely escapes with his life when he watches his truck explode in front of his eyes. As chaos descends across the country, Frank's home-grown survival and preparedness training and the help of a mysterious stranger he meets are the only things he can rely on to see him safely across the thousand miles separating him and his loved ones.

  Surviving the Fall

  Surviving the Fall is an episodic post-apocalyptic series that follows Rick and Dianne Waters as they struggle to survive after a devastating and mysterious worldwide attack. Trapped on the opposite side of the country from his family, Rick must fight to get home while his wife and children struggle to survive as danger lurks around every corner.

  Prip’Yat: The Beast of Chernobyl

  Two teens and two Spetsnaz officers travel to the town of Prip’Yat set just outside the remains of the Chernobyl power plant. The teens are there for a night of exploration. The special forces are there to pursue a creature that shouldn’t exist. This short thriller set around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster will keep your heart racing right through to the very end.

  Other Fantasy Books from Mike Kraus

  The Makeshift Wizard: Death Magic

  The Makeshift Wizard series is a new action-packed urban fantasy series from bestselling post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus writing as MJ Kraus.

  My job was supposed to be easy. Investigate a bleed farm, find the a-hole vamps who've been kidnapping Normals and bring down some street justice. Now I've got a relic in my hands that was created with the blood and death magic of an elder Vampire and a whole lot more questions than answers.

  NO

  SHELTER

  The Zero Hour Series

  Book 3

  By

  Justin Bell

  Mike Kraus

  © 2018 Muonic Press Inc

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  www.JustinBellAuthor.com

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