by Mike Kraus
The Edge of the
KNIFE
Surviving the Fall Series
Book 8
By
Mike Kraus
© 2017 Mike Kraus
www.MikeKrausBooks.com
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/MikeKrausBooks
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, without the permission in writing from the author.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Author’s Notes
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Special Thanks
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Thank you to Christine, Claudia, Glenda, James, Julie, Marlys & Shari for your awesome feedback during the beta reading process!
Preface
Last time, on Surviving the Fall….
Rick, Jane and Dr. Evans are continuing their journey across the country as they seek to travel to Washington, D.C. to—hopefully—stop Damocles before the situation escalates. As they pass through Kansas City, they realize that there are more than just human dangers to contend with. Massive earthquakes have torn apart the city and the surrounding landscape, giving them an entirely new hazard to deal with. As the ferocity of the tremors continues to increase they barely escape the city with their lives.
Meanwhile, Dianne successfully pulled Tina out of the encampment where she was being held prisoner, though the price for doing so was substantial. After being wounded while covering Dianne and Tina’s escape, Jason lost a tremendous amount of blood. Tina’s former job working as a nurse was the only thing that kept him alive—that at a healthy amount of Dianne’s blood that was donated through a person-to-person transfusion. After thinking Jason was in the clear they soon realized that his condition was worsening again due to a serious infection that wasn’t treatable with any medications on hand at the house. Someone has to go find the medication necessary to treat him and return in less than twelve hours or Jason will undoubtedly die.
And now, Surviving the Fall Episode 8.
Chapter 1
Somewhere between Ellisville, VA and Blacksburg, VA
Dianne slowed to a stop, rubbed her eyes and tried to fight back a yawn. After failing in her fight, she stretched and looked at her watch before sighing and putting her truck back into gear. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get as far as she had, though she still wasn’t in Blacksburg proper. Winding her way around the main highway—to give as wide of a berth to the gas station compound and those inside as possible—had taken more time than she thought, and though she was still heading in the right direction she wasn’t sure when she’d actually arrive in the city.
Keeping the use of the truck’s headlights to a minimum had slowed her down, though the terrain had done more than anything else. Going over fields and hills had nearly gotten the truck stuck multiple times and she wasn’t sure what she’d do if that finally happened. When she felt that she had bypassed the gas station compound by a wide enough margin she made her way back to the highway only to find it largely taken up by the burned-out wrecks of vehicles that had been destroyed.
Even with the journey taking as long as it was, Dianne pressed forward. Any thoughts of abandoning her task and heading back home were immediately dismissed. Dianne’s primary responsibility was to her family, but Jason, Sarah and Tina were as much a part of her family as Rick, Mark, Jacob and Josie. The arrival of what felt like the end of the world brought with it an upheaval of priorities and reinforced exactly who could be trusted and who couldn’t. A friend—even if they weren’t a blood relative—who was loyal in spite of everything going on was still family, and Dianne was determined to do anything she could to keep her family alive and healthy.
So lost was Dianne in her thoughts about her children and friends back at the house that she had to slam on the brakes to keep from running into a line of vehicles that branched off of the main highway onto an off-ramp and out towards the first exit into Blacksburg. Grass and dirt were ejected from the ground as the tires sought traction, finally finding it as Dianne pulled the wheel to the right and the rear left tire caught hard on the gravel and asphalt of the off-ramp’s shoulder. She took several deep breaths, her heart racing as she flicked on the headlights and squinted to read the sign at the end of the off-ramp showing which restaurants and amenities were available.
“Looks like I’m here.” Dianne closed her eyes and put her head back against the seat, taking another deep breath while saying a silent prayer of thanks that she hadn’t just crashed the truck. After collecting her wits she starting moving forward again along the grass to the side of the off-ramp. A clear spot in the road up ahead was revealed as she crested the hill and she gratefully got off of the grass and back onto solid pavement.
With a population of nearly one hundred thousand people, Blacksburg had exploded in size in recent years thanks to both the local university and the relocation of several technology and manufacturing companies to the area. Being within driving distance of Washington while simultaneously being outside of the sphere of influence of Northern Virginia had helped to spur growth in the city.
Huge swaths of industrial real estate were repurposed into green manufacturing spaces, commercial and office buildings were constructed and homes, townhomes and apartments were filled as quickly as they could be built. While the growth had meant good things for the businesses and people working for them, the city’s infrastructure had been overwhelmed and the city was in near-constant gridlock between six in the morning and eight in the evening. Construction projects meant to widen and add new roads had only added to the commotion.
The sheer amount of wreckage on the road leading into the city was mind-blowing to Dianne and she shook her head as she looked at it, trying to figure out how she could possibly get through. Only small sections of the road were wide enough for the truck to pass through and the others were blocked by burned-out vehicles. Dianne looked at the map she had pulled out of the truck’s glove compartment earlier and double-checked to see if there were any alternate paths to get where she needed to go. “Nothing.” She sighed and looked back at the road ahead. With no places for her to go off-road she put the truck into gear and moved forward, cringing at the thought of what was about to happen to the old truck.
A loud screech came from the front right panel as the truck collided with its first obstacle. The engine didn’t even strain, though, as the weight of the wreck was inconsequential when compared to the power propelling the truck. The wreck moved to the side as Dianne kept moving, all while the screeching continued down half the length of the right side. The sounds grew louder and more consistent as Dianne pre
ssed forward, using the truck as a makeshift bulldozer to push her way down the street.
She tried not to imagine how the sides and front of the truck would look after being scratched up one side and down the other, instead focusing on the task at hand. She was surprised at how well the strategy worked, though, and continued pushing through, thankful that the headlights were high and protected enough that they hadn’t yet been broken by any of the debris she was pushing out of the way.
The initial group of vehicles soon gave way to an intersection that was relatively clear. Dianne stopped the truck in the middle of the intersection, grabbed her flashlight and the map from the passenger seat and hopped out. She circled around the truck, examining the damage and checking the tires to make sure they weren’t suffering too much damage. While the paint on the front edges and sides of the vehicle was scratched and the metal suffered from small tears in a few places, everything was holding together better than she had anticipated.
Dianne unfolded the map onto the hood of the truck and looked around at the street signs, orienting herself and figuring out where to go next. As she looked at the darkened, burned buildings around her and the signs that still stood, she saw a billboard advertisement nearby for a walk-in clinic that was a quarter-mile down the road. Checking her map she saw that if she made a slight detour down a side street she’d be able to visit the clinic on her way to the Long-Term Acute Care facility.
“Doubt they’ll have much of anything but it’s worth a shot.” Dianne mumbled to herself as she folded the map up and hopped back in the truck. The road ahead looked clearer than the section she had driven on getting from the off-ramp into town so she pressed on, all while keeping a close eye on her surroundings. Everything appeared calm and quiet and she sensed no signs of danger, but she still watched the road and buildings with a wary gaze.
***
“Where do you think that one’s going?”
“Th’ hell would I know?”
“I’m just looking for an opinion!”
“My opinion’s that you need mouthwash.”
“Up yours.”
“Should we follow them?”
“Let ‘em get closer. See how many they are inside.”
The two men sitting in the front of a small hatchback on the top of a hill off the highway watched as the blue truck drove through the grass just outside Blacksburg. They spoke quietly, puffing away at cigarettes and blowing smoke out the windows of the car as they studied the truck. As the vehicle passed close by the hill the man in the driver’s seat sat up abruptly, his cigarette and warm bottle of beer forgotten.
“What color jacket did that lady have?”
“Which one?”
“The one who was at the station the other day. She came in while all that gunfire was going on and took that old woman away.”
“Hm.” The man in the passenger seat frowned. “Green and white? Maybe?”
“I think that’s her.”
“But the truck they drove off in was white.”
“Yeah, but they might have more than one truck.”
Both men watched the truck drive up alongside the off-ramp and onto the road before it turned in towards the city and vanished behind a building.
“She was the only one in the truck, right?”
“Yup.”
The man in the driver’s seat turned on the engine of their hatchback. “Call it in while the engine warms up.”
The man in the passenger seat picked up a portable two-way radio from the floor near his feet. “Base, this is unit three. We need to speak to the boss. Got a sighting on someone he’ll be interested to hear about.”
The voice of the man in the red shirt came back a few seconds later, full of annoyance and frustration that seems to be ever-present. “What is it, unit three?”
“Lady driving a blue truck just went into Blacksburg off the first exit. She had the same color jacket as the one who was at the compound the other night.”
“Did you stop her?!” The red-shirted man’s voice grows even more strained.
“No, but we saw where she went.”
“Then get after her you idiots! Hurry up!”
“Yeah, we’re on it.”
“Don’t get ‘on it!’ I want her caught right this second!” The man in the red shirt screamed into the radio while the man in the passenger seat looked at his compatriot. They shrugged at each other before the man in the passenger seat finally sent back a reply. “We’re going after her now. Will radio back soon.”
Before the transmission was severed, the pair could hear the man in the red shirt shouting obscenities at someone in the background. The man in the passenger seat replaced the radio in its spot on the floor and pulled out a handgun and flashlight while the man in the driver’s seat put the car into gear.
“You ready for this?”
“Absolutely.”
Chapter 2
Somewhere in Missouri
The campfire cracked and spat into the darkness, sending sparks up into the air that merged with the twinkling of an infinite field of stars. The air was bitingly cold, making each breath drawn too far from the flames feel like icicles stabbing down through the throat and lungs. The smell of pine was heavy, carried by the chilled breeze that shook needles on limbs and carried away the dark trail of smoke.
Rick had always enjoyed autumn and winter nights, particularly those that could be experienced outdoors. The chill of the cold air on his back while the heat of a roaring campfire kept him warm was a magical combination. Even as far from home as he was, sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere during the apocalypse, he still found himself enjoying the fire and the cold autumn air. It was a guilty pleasure, though, as with any sort of stillness came the thoughts of his wife and children and the ‘what-ifs’ that plagued his mind.
What if I had just delayed the trip?
What if I had gotten on a later flight?
What if I had taken them with me?
In the back of his mind Rick knew that such questions were futile and ultimately a waste of time. The situation was as it was and no amount of wondering and questioning could change that. His only path forward was to do his best to get back to them, though even that goal was temporarily on the sidelines in favor of a larger, bigger one that would ultimately provide more protection and safety than his mere presence.
Weapons used to be simple. Rocks and clubs. Swords and spears. Bullets and bombs. The digital age had created an entirely new battlefield out of thin air and while defenses were few and far between, weaponry was abundant. Damocles. Typical doomsday-sounding name for a weapon that should never have been created. Rick sighed and poked at the fire with a long branch, stirring up a wave of sparks as more sap from the pine wood was discovered by the flames.
“Hey, give us a hand?” Rick looked up to see Jane and Dr. Evans appear through the trees. Jane had a flashlight in one hand but she, like Dr. Evans, was carrying an armful of firewood and appeared to be on the verge of dropping it. Rick jumped up and grabbed several pieces of wood out of her arms and dropped it near the fire before helping Dr. Evans as well.
“Looks like you two got a nice haul out there.” Rick nodded approvingly at the small pile of fuel. Jane brushed her hands on her pants before sitting near the fire and holding them out, her whole body shivering.
“Indeed.” Dr. Evans replied as he sat near the fire as well. “This should keep us through the night.”
“Absolutely.” Rick picked up a few pieces of wood and stacked them on the fire, shielding his eyes from the sparks. “We could do with something a bit less sappy but it’s better than freezing to death.” Rick sat down when he finished as an uncomfortable silence fell over the trio. He let the silence persist for a few long minutes before sighing and breaking it.
“I get the feeling that we need to have a talk here. I don’t want to let this go any further than it has.”
Jane didn’t look at Rick as he spoke, but Rick caught Dr. Evans glanci
ng between them. After the argument that had occurred—primarily between Rick and Jane—as they were escaping from Kansas City, Jane had hardly said anything to Rick. The city had been collapsing around them as they drove out and Jane had wanted to stop to try and rescue anyone who they could cram into their vehicle. Rick had refused, pointing out that they had neither the room nor the time to stop, not to mention the potential dangers involved even if they had the time or space.
Dr. Evans had stayed out of the argument for the most part. He initially agreed with Jane but soon changed his mind to side with Rick that they needed to focus on their plan to disrupt Damocles before the program started wreaking any more havoc. Jane and Rick hadn’t talked much over the couple hundred miles they had gone since leaving Kansas City and Rick was tired of the silence.
“Jane, look.” Rick stared at the fire, trying to find the words he was looking for.
“No.” Jane spoke quietly and Rick looked up at her.
“No what?”
“We don’t need to talk about it.” She took a deep breath and looked at him, then over at Dr. Evans, then back at Rick. “I was... letting my emotions get the better of me. You’re right. Both of you. We can’t let anything jeopardize this crazy plan of ours.”
Rick shook his head. “Don’t sell yourself short. I don’t think what you wanted to do was a bad thing at all. In fact we need that kind of thinking now more than ever. When we were at Nellis and they wanted to send me to Mount Weather to join in their think tank I refused because I just wanted to get home to my family. The idea of doing anything else was just foreign to me. The more I’ve learned about Damocles the more I’ve realized that stopping it needs to be my—our—priority. If it’s not… if people like us don’t step up and try to fix what’s going on, then things will get worse for everyone. My family included.”