Salvage

by Cameron Coral

  I pull away.

  “Ida,” he says. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No.” I shake my head.

  “I know you just got here. What am I thinking?” He slaps his palm against his forehead. “You must be exhausted. I've had a suite prepared for you, and everything you want is there. You should sleep, rest up. Anything you want. It's yours, just ask.”

  “Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

  He grips my hands in his. “I have so many ideas to tell you. When you called and told me about the people in Terranus and their abilities, my mind ran wild with ideas.”

  He continues, “What you said about how they might be able to help with the colonization efforts. I completely agree.”

  His eyes are bright and he sways with energy.

  “And I have you to thank for that.” He raises my hands and kisses the tips of my fingers. “In fact, I carved out a new position on my executive team. You'll be my liaison with Terranus. You would start working—when you’re ready, of course—to integrate any Terranus recruits who want to live here and further our efforts. It's going to be amazing. We’ll be working side-by-side…”

  I say nothing.

  “And Lucas has produced larger quantities of the serum that blocks your nanotech from harming others. You’re no longer a danger to anyone if that’s been weighing on you.” He locks his gaze on mine. “You're being quiet.”

  I would be so comfortable here.

  “I’m moving fast, I know.” He kisses me again, and I lean into him, savoring his touch.

  He is perfect. But not for me.

  I break away and place my palms on his chest.

  His gaze travels down to my hands. “Oh no,” he says. “The look on your face… You're going to crush me, aren't you?”

  “I’m sorry, Reed.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I can't stay here. My home is Spark City.”

  “Is there someone else there?”

  Casting my gaze down, I don't answer.

  His eyes darken. “I waited for you. All these years.”

  He covers my hands with his, leans his forehead against mine.

  “I can wait longer,” he whispers.

  He holds me for a long time.

  Epilogue

  Wyoming

  I pull up to the ramshackle building on the side of the empty highway.

  “I’ll just be a few minutes,” I tell Peterson.

  He nods. “Take your time.” He puts earphones on and leans back against his seat. He listens to opera, says it relaxes him.

  I approach the front door, but hesitate. The sign on the door says: Closed. But there are lights on inside.

  I knock. The door is solid with no window, and I don't see any security cameras. It's a low-tech kind of place.

  A woman with jet black hair answers the door. She has circles under her eyes and wears a faded gray tee-shirt. A yellow apron is tied around her.

  “We’re closed,” she says. Then she starts to shut the door.

  “Wait,” I say and shove my foot in the crack.

  She looks at me again and then recoils. “You.” She backs away.

  I hold up my hands to show I'm not dangerous. “Please, I won't hurt you. I'm the woman who hurt your husband. But it was an accident. I'm here to apologize and make things right.”

  I linger in the doorway, not wanting to enter and scare her more than she already is.

  She narrows her eyes. “I’ll call the cops.”

  Behind her, baskets and vases of flowers cover a small table. A framed photo of Pete stands beside them. In it, he poses behind the bar.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss.” My heart hangs heavy in my chest, threatening to weigh me down and root me to this spot forever.

  She struggles to swallow. “He lasted two days. He was in a coma. The doctor said he could probably hear us. My boy and I stayed by his side. At least we had the comfort of saying goodbye to him.”

  I lower my chin. “I know I'll never take away your pain. I'll never be able to truly repay you for the damage I caused. But I know you have a son and…I want to at least try to make things right.”

  She tilts her head, her eyes brim with tears. “I’m well beyond anger. But I don't think you have anything to offer me.” She turns to close the door.

  “This.” From my pocket, I pull out a rectangular silver bank card. I hold it out to her with two gloved fingers. “For your boy.”

  She narrows her eyes and shakes her head. “I don’t want anything from you.”

  "For your son, please.”

  She wrings her hands. “Put it down there,” she says quietly, eying the table.

  “Of course.” I gently place it next to a pink vase of yellow roses. I bow my head, turn, and retreat to the car.

  The card is filled with nearly all of Vance Drem’s estate. She can afford any life she dreams of for her son.

  Beside the car, I bend down and run my fingers through the parched rusty soil. I rise, eying the shack as the dust seeps from my hands, floating away in the wind.

  I did what I could for Pete’s son. Will his future be bright or dark?

  I toss my head back toward the sky. Strands of silver clouds shred the light blue haze. Storms head our way. But right now, I have hope for the future.

  A new life stretches before me.

  Gatz waits for me in Spark City.

  I'm going home.

  END OF BOOK FOUR

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for following along on Ida’s journey.

  I hope you enjoyed meeting the new cast of characters in Colorado, Tucson, and Terranus.

  Did you like learning more about Ogre? Writing about Ida’s android companion has been so much fun.

  Since Altered (Book 1), many readers have asked about Peterson and Reed. I didn’t want to leave you hanging, and I hope you enjoyed where their stories took them.

  Do you love reading about badass female characters in future worlds? Then you’ll definitely want to get signed up to my reader email list!

  You’ll be the first to hear personal updates and when new books are ready.

  Don’t miss out. Sign up today: CameronCoral.com

  -Cameron Coral

  p.s. I love getting reviews! Would you take 2 minutes to leave one?

  About the Author

  Cameron Coral writes sci-fi & fantasy and lives in the city of Chicago.

  She's the author of the action-packed Rogue Spark series about Ida Sarek—a soldier-medic in the year 2044 with a knack for getting into trouble, sticking up for the underdog, and kicking butt!

  When she isn't writing about fierce women with troubled pasts and mad fight skills, Cameron feeds her muse by reading, binging sci-fi series on TV, traveling, and kickboxing.

  Want a free short story, exclusive advance copies of her new books, and occasional rants about why robots are awesome?

  Yes? Cool. Visit her website:

  CameronCoral.com

  Acknowledgments

  I owe a debt of gratitude to you, dear reader, for taking a chance and picking up this book. I hope these pages transported you to another world for a bit and that you enjoyed the ride.

  Ida Sarek is a character who’s been bouncing around in my head for many years. She’s an amalgamation of all the strong, ass-kicking sci-fi heroines I love: Ripley, Kara Thrace, Molly Millions, Katniss Everdeen, Leia, Jessica Jones, Sarah Connors, Trinity, Dana Scully, and many more I’m forgetting.

  Writing can be a lonely endeavor, and I’m truly grateful for the support from family and friends who cheer me on.

  Steve my husband is ever patient and supportive and lovely.

  Special thanks to my tremendous editing team. James Millington provided extensive and thorough developmental edits, and Patricia Eddy sculpted and polished my copy. Thank you!

  Shout out to my dear friends Heather Fortier and Simon Ferns who have read the entire series and offer constant support and encouragemen
t. Love you:-)

  The amazing covers for the Rogue Spark Series are due to the fine work of Christian Bentulan at CoversbyChristian.com. You made Ida come to life and truly captured her badassery!

  Finally, I dedicate this series to my stepdad, Mike Roberto, who passed away in 2014. One Christmas, he gave me a gift that changed everything—Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. Wow, how I loved that book when I was eight. I didn’t understand everything I read, but the tiny spark of an idea flowered: I want to be a writer someday.

  If you enjoyed SALVAGE and would like to hear more from me, I extend a warm welcome to join my email newsletter. It takes a minute to sign up. Just visit CameronCoral.com and you’ll find a sign-up button.

  I send emails every week or two about fun stuff—pictures, videos, and personal updates. Often, I share flash fiction, short stories, or rants about why robots are awesome. Sometimes, there’s the occasional cosplay pic from when I visit conventions.

  The cool thing is, I’ll never spam you. I take your email privacy very seriously, and I have a detailed privacy policy on my website. You can unsubscribe at any time.

  But I hope you stick around, because I have a lot to share in the years to come.

  Warmly,

  Cameron Coral

  In future worlds, strong women fight the toughest battles.

  P.S. Have you ever left a review for a book you like? If you have, I promise that writer loved you for it. Reviews are how independent writers get the word out. We don't have publishers. The air we breathe depends on people like you writing reviews to let other people know we're out here and you like what we do.

  Also, if you have questions about the book or Ida or just want to say “hi,” send me an email anytime at info@cameroncoral.com I love to hear from my readers!