Day 227
May 15, 2021
North Topsail Beach, North Carolina
Devin’s aches and pains had slowed him down considerably, but he persevered and completed the six-hour drive. Stopping just short of the house, he couldn’t decide on how to tell the kids they had failed and in that failure lost Tess. He still couldn’t believe it himself. The long drive found him pulling over several times to stretch and cry. Imagining a world without her was unspeakable, yet he had to go on. He didn’t do it for himself or the kids but for her; that was what she would want. He would have to be strong and lead Brianna and the kids out of there and to a new home. Where that would be was still unknown, but he would find a way.
Finally gathering the strength, he put the Humvee in gear and drove the remaining distance to the house.
Brianna was the first to spot him; she called out to the children, who all came rushing out of the house and into the driveway.
He parked and looked at the happy faces on all the little ones, as she called them. Even Melody was outside eager to greet them. It broke his heart to have to tell them she was dead and they had failed to rescue anyone.
Brianna knew something was wrong. She could see it was only him behind the wheel and saw the pain written all over his face.
“Okay, kids, back inside, you’re probably scaring them with all these squeals of excitement.”
“No, we want to see them, welcome them home,” Alex said with a large smile.
Devin couldn’t let them wait anymore; he opened the door and slowly stepped out.
When the children saw the condition he was in, they stopped their celebratory laughter and cheers.
Meagan ran up to him and gave him a hug. “Uncle Devin, you’re hurt.”
Devin couldn’t stop the tears and didn’t want to; he broke down. He placed his hand on her head and said, “Yeah, I got a bit banged up.”
“Where’s Tess?” Alex asked. He had walked to the passenger side and looked in. “Where is everyone? Are they coming behind you in another car?”
Devin began to sob and tried to talk, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Kids, give him some space, please,” Brianna ordered.
Meagan wouldn’t let go and held onto his hand.
“No, Alex, there isn’t another car. No one else is coming.”
“What?” he asked, shocked.
The joyous occasion took a dramatic turn and became somber.
“I’m so sorry, but we couldn’t rescue your brothers or sisters. We tried, but there were too many.”
“Where’s Tess?” Alex asked with anger in his voice.
Devin sobbed again and tried hard to stop, but seeing the kids and Brianna made it impossible.
“Where is she?” Alex again asked, almost yelling.
“She was killed. She’s not coming back,” Devin said, finally getting out what everyone already knew.
“No, no!” Alex screamed and ran off.
“Alex, come back!” Brianna hollered.
“I failed you all, but we tried. There were just too many,” Devin cried. “There were just too many.”
Brianna took control of the sad situation and brought Devin inside. She cleaned him up and put him to bed.
As he lay looking at the ceiling, all he could think of was Tess. He felt cheated. The world had taken Cassidy, and now it had taken Tess. Anger grew in him. Never again would he allow himself to fall victim to love, and never again would he allow anyone to victimize the innocent. Tess would live on in him through his new mission in life. He would be the champion of the weak and innocent. He would find these children a home, but he would go beyond that, he would create them a community to live in that was safe from the predators and marauders, but that all would begin after he woke. The fatigue of the past couple days caught up with him, and slowly he drifted off to sleep. Just before he dozed off, he muttered, “I love you, Tess.”
Epilogue
Day 233
May 21, 2021
North Topsail Beach, North Carolina
Devin was excited to get back on the road. With Brianna’s help, he had healed nicely from the gunshot wound. Thankfully for him it had been a clean shot straight through.
The children were also excited about the prospects of a new home and were being extremely helpful as he packed the Humvee and truck.
Devin was diligent and detailed, others would say he was anal, but he ignored those comments. Before he packed any vehicle, he took everything out and organized it, then repacked it so it had a place and he knew where to find it.
As he went through his inventory of protective equipment, he lined up his tactical vest and the spare Brianna had. He remembered Brianna didn’t have a trauma plate, and after what happened to Tess, he wanted her to have the one Tess refused to wear.
He dug through the back but couldn’t find it. He emptied every pocket of every pack, but it was gone. Frustrated, he ripped through every square inch. He tossed and threw every scrap out of the Humvee, but it was nowhere to be found.
“Arghh!” he grunted loudly.
“What are you getting pissed about?” Brianna asked.
“Tess’s trauma plate, I can’t find it. After losing her for not having one, I’m not going to let that happen to anyone else.”
“You sure you looked in every spot?”
“Yes, I’ve looked everywhere. It’s not in there.”
“Bri, can you come here? Melody needs you,” Meagan called from the house.
“I’ll be right there,” she replied to Meagan. She turned and headed back in, but stopped and asked, “Are you sure Tess didn’t have it on?”
Devin thought. No was his initial answer. He distinctly remembered touching her chest and not feeling it. Annoyed, he dove back in the Humvee and looked again; then it struck him. His memory from that night came back. “Wait a minute, she went back to get something. Wait a minute!” Devin ran towards the house, yelling, “She had it on! She was wearing the plate!”
Brianna stopped what she was doing and looked at Devin. “Slow down. You’re about to hyperventilate.”
“Bri, we have to go back. We have to go look for her. She might be alive.”
“But you said she was shot in the chest.”
“She was, but she had the trauma plate on. It was a ballistics plate; it would have stopped the bullet!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I remember she didn’t have it on; then she went back and did something. Now I can’t find it. Brianna, we have to go back. Tess might be alive!”
For more information on
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Be sure to get John W. Vance's newest book coming January 27, 2015
THE DEFIANT
For years a few have warned that a day of reckoning was coming, but those warnings went unheeded and even mocked. Then that day came…
When Nicholas McNeil, a father of two and dedicated husband, turned out the lights in his suburban home Sunday night, they would never turn on again. During the early Monday morning hours, a spectacular and well organized terrorist attack against the power infrastructure in the United States is executed. The attack doesn't require missiles or high tech equipment, just hundreds of people orchestrating a low tech assault that brings the grid down and the United States to its knees.
Nicholas was a man who had heeded the warnings to a degree, but most did not, so panic, chaos and violence soon followed. With the shock of life without power and an overwhelmed government, things quickly spiral out of control.
Fighting for what resources are still available, Nicholas and his family also find themselves fighting to survive as society turns on itself.
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About the Author
John W. Vance is a former Marine and retired Intelligence Analyst with the CIA. When not writing, he spends as much time as he can either with his family or in the water.
He lives in complete bliss somewhere where the waves meet the shore.
Thank you for reading. Please do me the honor of writing a review on Amazon if you have the time.
Be sure to finish the trilogy with Book 3
THE DEATH: EXTINCTION
COMING MARCH 24, 2015
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PICK UP JOHN W. VANCE'S NEWEST APOCALYPTIC SERIES
THE DEFIANT: GRID DOWN
COMING JANUARY 27, 2015
When the lights go out, could you survive?
For years a few have warned that a day of reckoning was coming, but those warnings went unheeded and even mocked. Then that day came…
When Nicholas McNeil, a father and dedicated husband, turned out the lights in his suburban home Sunday night, they would never turn on again. During the early Monday morning hours, a spectacular and well coordinated attack destroys the grid and brings the United States to its knees.
Nicholas was a man who had heeded the warnings to a degree, but most did not. With a society unprepared and a government overwhelmed, panic turns to chaos and soon violence.
Fighting for what resources are still available, Nicholas and his family also find themselves fighting to survive as society turns on itself.
PRE-ORDER
The Death Trilogy (Book 2): The Death: Eradicate Page 23