“We’ve taken out the NWO headquarters?” Amanda asked with disbelief.

  “Yes. In about thirty seconds, the base and the NWO operations will be destroyed. We’ll radio the remaining commands and let them know it’s time to make a move on the NWO positioned around the country. We’ll take them out in full,” he said confidently.

  Amanda had no reason not to believe him. It made perfect sense. “She never mentioned that little tidbit. I wonder if that’s what she found on the USB?” Amanda murmured, more to herself than anyone.

  “Who?” General Silas asked.

  Ezra and Amanda exchanged a look. “It’s a really long story.”

  “Why don’t we go get something to eat and you can tell me all about it. I’d like to know how a few average citizens managed to save the world,” he said, heading out of the room.

  Amanda chuckled. “I don’t know if you can describe Austin or Sarah or even Ennis as average, but we did it.”

  37

  Austin carried his cup of coffee out onto the covered porch of the cabin he called home in the Sawtooth Mountain range, about thirty miles northeast of Boise. It was late afternoon and the sun had begun sliding into the hills, casting the landscape in beautiful warm hues. He loved this area. He loved the mountains. It made him feel closer to his brother. Ennis would have loved the cabin. Sitting down, Austin stared out at the vast acreage surrounding him, filled with tall pines and the sounds of a gurgling stream just beyond this property. It was early fall, and the birch trees intermingled with the pines had changed color, creating a gorgeous, fiery landscape.

  He put his coffee on the small table next to his chair and picked up the notebook he’d been using to write down his thoughts. He was thinking about writing a book one day, and wanted to remember every detail. It had been three months since they’d launched the missiles and effectively decimated the NWO with the blow to their headquarters and their plans. Now, the country was enmeshed in a slow rebuilding process.

  Power was being brought back to the major cities, with hospitals the first to be restored, but it would be a long time before the rural areas would be fully powered. Manufacturing factories were focused on producing the transformers and various electrical equipment needed to restore the power grid. Austin imagined it would be a year or more before they would have television, computers, or a fraction of the technology they’d been used to relying on before the EMP.

  His thoughts went to Ennis as he considered the months ahead. They always went to Ennis. He and his big brother had never been all that close in life, but the couple months they’d had together as adults had been some of the best of his life. His loss was a hurt that was going to take a long time to heal. He still had a hard time visiting the little memorial he’d built in the backyard as a tribute to Ennis, Nash, Sarah, and all the others who’d lost their lives in the fight to save the world.

  He heard the sound of a horse’s hooves coming up the drive along with an irritating squeaky wheel. He was going to have to fix that, he thought to himself. He got to his feet and stepped off the porch, smiling when he saw Amanda sitting atop Raven, the cart being pulled behind her.

  “You’re back earlier than I expected.”

  “It was an easy trip,” she said, smiling as she dismounted.

  He walked to her and put his arms around her before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  “I’m glad to be home. And I look forward to the day a trip to the market isn’t a full day’s journey,” she said with a laugh.

  “Soon, baby, soon,” Austin assured her, running his hand over her hair.

  “I scored some good stuff. There’s a full grocery store set to open soon. The government is shipping in supplies from their various warehouse stashes all across the country. It will be rationed, but hopefully will be a nice bonus to what we can harvest from the forest. We’ll be okay,” she told him.

  “I think, after what we went through, we’ll definitely be okay. This winter will be a cakewalk compared to the three months on the road,” he said.

  “I got you something,” she whispered to him.

  “Oh, really?”

  She was beaming as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the cart. There, she unfastened the tarp and flipped it up. His mouth fell open. “No way!”

  “Yep. It’s an old-school typewriter. I bet you thought you’d never have to use one of these giant bricks,” she said with a laugh.

  He reached out and ran his hand over the round black keys. He had fond memories of his mother sitting at their kitchen table and writing letters on a typewriter very similar to the one Amanda had picked up for him. “This is awesome. Thank you,” he said, giving her another kiss.

  “You’re welcome. It’s really Mrs. Gray you should be thanking. Everyone thinks of you as a hero. We were chatting at the market. She asked about you. I told her you wanted to write a book one day. She offered the typewriter she had stashed in her back room,” Amanda said with a smile, “complete with ribbon and everything she said you’d need to get using it.”

  “That’s awesome. I’m no hero, though,” he added quietly. “I wish everyone would realize that. The ones who died are the heroes. I was selfish. I wanted to live in a safe world again. I did this for myself and us,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion, just as it always got when someone called him a hero or tried to thank him for his role in the takedown of the NWO. It was why he rarely left the cabin. He wasn’t ready to be showered with praise for doing something that was right. He wasn’t ready to talk about his brother or Nash or any of the others, either.

  “Where’s Savannah?” she asked, looking around.

  “Malachi came up for a visit,” he said, adding feigned disgust to this tone.

  Amanda playfully swatted his arm. “Stop. That boy would walk to the ends of the earth for her. I don’t think you could have found a better young man for her. They do love each other, you know—I hope you accept that.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know if I’m ready to accept it… but I will let them explore the whole relationship thing,” he added quickly, before Amanda could protest. “She’s fifteen, but I know after everything she’s been through, she’s more like a twenty-five-year-old. I won’t interfere, but I will be keeping an eye on things. I want her to have as much of a childhood as she can.”

  Amanda grinned. “You’re doing good. You’re coaching her and Malachi. I think it was incredibly sweet that he asked you if he could give her a promise ring.”

  Once again, Austin grimaced. “Like I told him, they can be promised to one another, but I don’t want to hear about any marriage plans. I don’t care how mature they think they are; they both need time to recover from all they’ve been through. It’s only natural they’re drawn to each other, but things might change with time. I’m only asking them both to take some time to make sure they know what they want.”

  “Drawn to each other like you and I?” she asked, looking up at him.

  He grinned, giving her another quick kiss. “I think it’s a little different from you and I. We’re older, wiser, and far more world-wise. Malachi has been sheltered his entire life. Savannah, well, she’s my little girl.”

  “Yes, she is, but she’s not going to be that for long.”

  Austin had grudgingly accepted that. “No, she won’t, but for now, she needs time to recover from everything she’s gone through.”

  “I got something special for Andy. Where is he?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “He was playing with his cars in the living room.”

  Amanda grabbed Austin’s hand and walked with him into the three-bedroom cabin, leaving Raven tethered out front for a few moments; she’d get back to her soon and get her back to Charlie. Andy was sitting on the floor, his collection of Hot Wheels spread out over the wood floor. He looked up when he saw Amanda, his face lighting up. Amanda dropped to her knees and presented him with two more Hot Wheels. They were used, but everything they had was used. Surviving and flourishing now meant a lot of scavenging and trading among other survivors.

  Trading wasn’t just the current form of currency, either. It had become a way for survivors to begin to trust one another again. The military had been sending out small contingents of troops to spread the message about the NWO and their manipulations. They were working hard to restore trust among the survivors, explaining the propaganda and asking for acceptance. It wasn’t an easy task, but things were slowly changing for the better.

  Austin, unable to stop being the overprotective father, walked into the kitchen, looking out the window into the backyard, to where Savannah and Malachi had been hanging out. They were both seated on the bench he had fashioned from downed trees. Ennis’s headstone was about five feet away, with another for Sarah close by. His eyes rested on the headstone, imagining his brother keeping an eye on Savannah from wherever he was.

  Savannah looked up and saw him. She smiled and waved. Her eyes were bright and her face was filling out a little more, the signs of the hunger and weariness after their travels almost erased. He walked to the back door and called outside. “Amanda’s back. Can you help unload the groceries?” he asked.

  “I’ll help,” Malachi said, jumping up from the bench.

  “I think she got a few things for your mom and the others,” Austin informed him as Malachi came inside.

  “We really appreciate that. She told me to invite you to the service on Sunday. We’d all really love for you to come—and the rest of the family, of course.”

  “I’ll talk with Amanda. I’m sure she’d like to see you all. How is everyone?” he asked.

  “Gretchen has been helping some of the townspeople with medicinal herbs and stuff. She’s like the town doctor for now. My mom helps her a lot, and Harlen is always with her. I think they like each other. Drew’s leg still bothers him, but he’s been a real help around the house. Ezra’s met a woman, too, and I think it’s serious,” he said.

  “Wow. I’ve missed a lot,” Austin said with a chuckle, knowing he’d been keeping to himself more than the others might have preferred. “I promise we’ll get into town to visit soon. I’ve been working nonstop around here getting ready for the winter,” he said, feeling a little guilty for his lack of friendship. He’d retreated to the mountain hideaway like a self-proclaimed hermit, needing time alone and away from reminders of all that had happened.

  “It’s okay. We understand. I’m just glad I got to come up and stay for a few days. I kind of miss being in the mountains,” he said with a laugh.

  “Trust me, I think this winter is going to be a real wake-up call. We might be coming down to your house in town for refuge,” Austin joked.

  “My mom would be happy to have you. We all would,” he said.

  Tonya and the others had decided to stay together. Because of their “hero” status, they’d been given the pick of the empty houses in town. They’d chosen a larger home on a piece of land they planned to farm. Tonya was going to be picking up where her husband had left off with his ministry. They were excited to be holding services, and, next year, they planned to be able to feed those who were hungry while providing shelter on the farm they were building. It was a noble idea, and Austin had faith they’d make it work.

  Austin and Malachi walked around the cabin and began the task of unloading the cart and carrying the goods inside while Savannah caught up with Amanda. It felt good to be establishing a new normal. Austin looked forward to the day when he could flip a switch and have lights, but he was okay with the way things were. Having Amanda in his life, along with Andy and Savannah, was all he needed. It made him feel complete once again. He had a loving family and his heart was full. It was something he had been missing in the year before his world had been turned upside down.

  Things had been dark long before the EMP had hit. Now, he was finally walking in the light.

  End of Survive the Conflict

  Do you love post-apocalyptic fiction? Then keep reading for an exclusive extract from Dark Retreat.

  Thank You

  Thank you for purchasing Small Town EMP

  (The Complete Series)

  Get prepared and sign-up to Grace’s mailing list and be notified of her next release:

  www.gracehamiltonbooks.com/mailing-list

  If you enjoyed this book:

  Share it with a friend,

  www.GraceHamiltonBooks.com/books

  Leave a review at:

  About Grace Hamilton

  Grace Hamilton is the prepper pen-name for a bad-ass, survivalist momma-bear of four kids, and wife to a wonderful husband. After being stuck in a mountain cabin for six days following a flash flood, she decided she never wanted to feel so powerless or have to send her kids to bed hungry again. Now she lives the prepper lifestyle and knows that if SHTF or TEOTWAWKI happens, she’ll be ready to help protect and provide for her family.

  Combine this survivalist mentality with a vivid imagination (as well as a slightly unhealthy day dreaming habit) and you get a prepper fiction author. Grace spends her days thinking about the worst possible survival situations that a person could be thrown into, then throwing her characters into these nightmares while trying to figure out "What SHOULD you do in this situation?"

  You will find Grace on:

  BLURB

  Three months after life as she knows it was decimated, Megan Wolford has only one goal: protect her daughter, Caitlin, at any cost. When a mysterious illness strikes Caitlin down, Megan is forced to forage for medical supplies at a remote lodge. The last thing she wants is help from her fellow survivors when so many in her life have let her down—but soon she'll find herself with no other option.

  Ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Morris is doing everything he can to hold his family together after the tragic death of his prepper Dad, so when Megan enters their lands, he is mistrustful at first despite feeling drawn to her. He won't turn away an ill child though--no matter how deadly the world has become. But the arrival of another stranger named Kyle soon gives them all a new reason to be suspicious. Wyatt knows he’ll have to forge alliances in order to keep his family safe, but trusting the wrong person could be a deadly mistake.

  When Megan and Wyatt discover her daughter’s illness may be linked to Kyle’s arrival, it sets off a race to discover the truth before it’s too late to save Caitlin—and the rest of the Morris clan. Can they work together for survival . . . and something more?

  Get your copy of Dark Retreat (EMP Lodge Book 1) from Amazon

  EXCERPT

  Wyatt crept into the house with his pistol leading the way. When they returned home, they found the back door had been busted in. His senses went on high alert at the thought of someone inside. He gestured to his brother, Jack, to stay quiet. They were expecting looters at some point. Wyatt had put the boards over the windows, hoping to deter anyone. They had worked too long and too hard to build this place up and make it into the safe retreat his family needed.

  The cabin and all of preps that were concealed in and around it, were a labor of love for him and his father. This was the place they were all going to live out their days when it hit the fan. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned and now they were forced to improvise.

  Jack grabbed his wife's arm. “Take Ryland and hide,” he whispered into her ear.

  Willow nodded and used her eyes to direct her 12-year-old son to follow her. Jack and Wyatt's mom, Rosie, already knew she was to go with her daughter-in-law and grandson and quietly followed them into the thick trees that surrounded the lodge. Wyatt had created a blind beyond the backyard. This was the designated area for them to hide should intruders show up. The blind created a small space between the rocky hillside and the house. They could stay out of sight while looters did their thing. Wyatt had made it look like the place had already been looted. He had tossed the trash around and littered the area with broken glass to sell the story. Behind the boards, the windows were in tact. He only wanted to appear looted and abandoned. If someone did get in, they wouldn't find anything. Once the would-be bandits realized there was nothing there, they would leave and the family could go back to whatever it was they had been doing.

  Wyatt designated himself as the one to enter the cabin, with his younger brother standing guard outside. The door had something blocking it. Not a problem considering Wyatt had the keys to the front door. It seemed silly to carry around keys nowadays, but it was a habit and a locked door could be enough deterrent to keep looters out. He instructed Chase and Albert to stay at the back while he and Jack went to the front. Using hand gestures, he ordered Jack to go upstairs while he searched below.

  He walked through the house, not making a sound. His Navy Seal training kicked in and he carefully went about clearing each room. When he walked into his own room, he was stunned by what he found. A woman and child were sleeping in his bed. It felt like a scene out of the Goldilocks fairy tale.

  Wyatt took a few seconds to evaluate the situation. The child was clearly not well. Her face was unnaturally pale and the area around her eyes was black. A black-haired woman was curled around the little girl in a protective gesture, even in sleep. He couldn't see much of her features, but he judged her to be in her late 20s or so. He imagined she must be the girl's mother, the resemblance was plain to see.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81