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  “Please,” he begged. “Please just leave us alone. We’re safe here. We’re just surviving like everyone else.”

  Kane not-so-gently removed the man’s hand, wrenching it behind his back and shoving him into the hallway lined with plastic. “Take me to Džugi.”

  “You could be infected or carrying contaminants. We have procedures. We have quarantine—” The man’s sentence was cut off by Kane’s pistol at the base of his skull.

  “We’ll keep our masks on. Take us inside.” Kane had lost his patience, and he didn’t like the ugly side of himself that came out when he was challenged. “I’m not asking.”

  The man’s voice thickened. “There are children. Please don’t do this; you’ll traumatize them. Just please… Put your weapons down and I’ll take you wherever you want go.”

  “To Luca Džugi.”

  “Fine. Fine, I’ll do it.” The man fell forward when Kane released him. He proceeded to guide the men through the facility, past the quarantine, down onto lower floors. They passed a common area where a group of shocked people scrambled to their feet, tucking the children behind them and covering their faces with cloth. A dark headed woman placed her hand protectively on the shoulder of a young girl with cornrows. A teenager nearby rose from her seat, stepping closer to a man in casts.

  Kane tried to give them all a reassuring smile but he was sure they couldn’t see it because of his mask. Probably better this way. The white-clad man led them to a steel door where he stopped. “I think he’s dead,” the smaller man said morosely. “We couldn’t get through the door to confirm it.” He touched the cold steel through his white suit. “He was…strange, but I just never would have thought…the things you said.”

  Kane touched the man’s wrist and pulled it gently away. “We have to find out the truth. We have to get in there.”

  Defeated, the man relented, backing away.

  Martin and Rickshaw broke through the door while Kane and Montgomery stood guard. When the door opened, Kane walked through first. He didn’t notice any odor through his mask, but it was clear the bodies had begun to decompose. One lay on the floor and one leaned back in the chair. Both killed by gunshot wounds.

  Kane sighed deeply, taking in the form of the black-headed man on the floor. The source of it all. The truest evil Kane had ever witnessed, right there in a decomposing heap. A body reduced to nothing.

  Kane rolled the chair containing the other brother away from the desk. He tapped the space bar on the computer keyboard, waking the machine from its slumber. Sure enough, there sat Harman’s email account. Sending that message was the last thing he’d done before ending his life.

  Montgomery stayed at the door while Rickshaw and Martin joined Kane to search the space. They gathered up the dead man’s hard drives, his computer gear, all his files. Maybe the information on the vaccine Harman mentioned was stored somewhere within. They could get the information to the government’s shelter. Maybe they could turn this around, start helping people. Keep Luca Džugi’s legacy from spreading further.

  The room was solemn. Kane spoke in simple commands to grab this, grab that.

  Maneuvering around Luca’s body, Martin knocked a framed flag from the wall—blue, green, and red.

  “What’s that?” Kane asked, and Martin froze. The spot where the flag had been hanging didn’t look quite like the surrounding wall. Kane set down a box and approached. He touched the bricks that didn’t seem quite flush with the others, running his fingers over them, pressing on places for movement. He made a fist and slammed the side of it against a seam, a thin layer of mortar shattering on impact.

  His eyes widened, and he looked over at Martin who was just as keyed up. Forcing themselves to be careful, they began whittling at the surrounding mortar, releasing brick by brick until a large, hidden cavity had been revealed.

  Kane took a deep breath as he pulled out his flashlight and shone it inside, illuminating steel cases with Peter Franklin Donalds insignias. Gently, they pulled the cases out one by one, setting them on the floor. By the time they’d finally gotten them all out, Kane’s hands were shaking. He didn’t know if this was the virus that had started it all. If it was, everyone in this bunker was at risk.

  They transported the cases outside, with the help of the white-suit man. They loaded the cargo and even helped the man dispose of the bodies. In his time in Kingston, he’d been thoroughly convinced that the Prep for Doom members of this bunker were nothing more than survivors. They knew nothing. So he left them to their safety, wishing them the best, and thanking them for their cooperation. He’d got what he came for—Luca Džugi. Maybe even more than that.

  Back at the CDC offices, Kane went straight for Cassandra. She’d suited up and met him in the decontamination unit. They locked eyes, their chests rising and falling rapidly. Then Kane opened a case. His brows furrowed as he pulled a vial of yellow liquid from a padded slot.

  “What is it?” he said, his voice muffled through dual layers of mask.

  Cassandra took the vial from him and inspected it.

  “This,” she said, eyes wide, “is the vaccine.”

  THE END

  Learn more about ER Arroyo

  Acknowledgements

  First and foremost, Band of Dystopian would like to thank our Prep For Doom authors: Laura Albins, Amy Bartelloni, Brea Behn, Casey L. Bond, TK Carter, Kate Corcino, Harlow C. Fallon, Kelsey D. Garmendia, Caroline A. Gill, DelSheree Gladden, John Gregory Hancock, Casey Hays, Kate L. Mary, Jon Messenger, Monica Enderle Pierce, Cameo Renae, Hilary Thompson, Yvonne Ventresca, and Megan White. Working with you all has been a pleasure and we want to thank you so much for the incredible trust you placed in us and in each other over the course of completing this project. It’s pretty amazing what we’ve done, and it’s been because of your faith in this book that we pulled it off!

  We want to thank Casey L. Bond for giving us the idea to have the short stories exist in the same universe—it sparked the idea that eventually grew into this massive concept for an anthology that reads like a novel. We also want to thank Jon Messenger for not only contributing two stories, but also helping ER Arroyo create the fundamental details upon which the entire book was built. Your help in those early stages was crucial. Thank you!

  We want to thank Sara Benedict and the entire team at Your Elemental Solutions for partnering with us on this project, for getting behind our book launch, and for being with us every step of the way.

  Thank you Maia Driver for squeezing such a huge project into your schedule for us to get this puppy polished up and ready for the world.

  Most importantly, BOD would like to thank all of our Band of Dystopian Authors and Fans group members—past, present, and still to come. You all have turned our small idea into an amazing group of which we could not be prouder. You have kept the wind in our sails with your enthusiasm, support, and friendliness. Onward and upward we go, thanks to all of you.

  - ER Arroyo and Cheer Papworth

  About Band of Dystopian Authors and Fans

  Band of Dystopian (BOD) is a Facebook group, blog, and company dedicated to dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic books. Our mission is to help fans of dystopian fiction find books they will love and help authors of the genre get the word out about their work. Our community of over 2,300 readers and authors has become a supportive, interactive, and insanely fun place to be. We are branching into the publishing world with our first anthology, Prep For Doom.

  We have over 150 authors in the group, plenty of great conversation, tons of giveaways, and the perfect place for dystopian lovers to find their next great read.

  www.facebook.com/groups/bandofdystopian

  www.bandofdystopian.com

  www.prepfordoom.com

  About the Authors

  Caroline A. Gill

  The Gift (Prologue)

  Caroline A. Gill went to school at UCLA and NIU. She married the love of her life. Facing the world with children made her aware of how vulnerable they
are. Weaving tales of courage, she tries to find hope. Living near the great California Redwoods, she finds a sense of the finite and infinite touching. The creative world is like that, especially when authors feel inspired.

  In July 2015, she will publish her first dystopian novel: Flying Away. For a thrill unlike any other, order it at:

  www.authorcarolineagill.com

  Worlds of magic live right inside our own houses, flights of possibility. Come fly away!

  TK Carter

  Lethal Inception (Chapter One)

  TK Carter is a Southern born-and-bred middle child with all of the complexes that accompany this birth order. She lives in central Missouri and has two children, two dogs, a mortgage, and a dream. She is the author of Collapse and Three Meals to Anarchy—books one and two in The Yellow Flag Series—Independence, The Breakup Mix, and the short story, "An Afternoon with Aunt Viv."

  tkcarter-author.com

  Megan White

  Siren (Chapter Two)

  Megan White is the young adult and new adult author of The Parish Secrets Trilogy and The Supremacy Trilogy. Raised as a “military brat,” she’s had the opportunity to live in many locals, but presently resides in the south and loves the hometown she has been adopted into. When not writing, she can be found advocating for human rights, and across-the-board equality on numerous platforms, both online and at the judicial level.

  www.facebook.com/AuthorMeganLWhite

  Casey L. Bond

  Unsafe Haven (Chapter Three)

  Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction. You can find more information about Bond’s books at

  www.authorcaseybond.com

  Jon Messenger

  HAZMAT (Chapter Four)

  & CDC (Chapter Ten)

  Jon Messenger (Born 1979 in London, England) serves as a United States Army Major in the Medical Service Corps. Jon wrote his first science fiction trilogy in 2008 and has since written and published over 10 novels. The scope of his writing has expanded beyond science fiction to include the new adult and steampunk genres. His books have become Amazon bestsellers, been translated into foreign languages, and have won numerous awards both for content and covers.

  www.jonmessengerauthor.com

  Cameo Renae

  Existing (Chapter Five)

  Cameo Renae was born in San Francisco, was raised in Maui, Hawaii, and recently moved with her husband and children to Alaska. She's a daydreamer, a caffeine and peppermint addict, loves to laugh, loves to read, and loves to escape reality. One of her greatest joys is creating fantasy worlds filled with adventure and romance, and sharing them with others. One day she hopes to find her own magic wardrobe, and ride away on her magical unicorn. Until then…she'll keep writing!

  www.cameorenae.com

  John Gregory Hancock

  Trust (Chapter Six)

  John Gregory Hancock has been a newspaper graphic designer for several decades. He's lived in so many cities and towns he's lost count.

  His visual sense feeds into his writing.

  He is a simple storyteller, in the grand human tradition of old men caught spinning yarns at village campfires. His characters tell him what to say, and he chooses only those tales he wants to hear.

  Like his character Old Earl, life has shaped and unshaped him.

  johngregoryhancock.com

  Kelsey D. Garmendia

  Roland (Chapter Seven)

  Kelsey D. Garmendia, 25, an alumnus of the State University of New York at New Paltz, is originally from Pine Bush, N.Y. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in creative writing. Garmendia is featured in Confettifall, Embodied Effigies, Penduline Press, The Stonesthrow Review, My Unfinished Novel, Poydras Review, and Midnight Screaming. She also has four self-published novels: The Burn Our Houses Down Series (Burn Our Houses Down, If I Lose, Painted Red) and a stand-alone novel titled Disenchanted.

  http://kgarmendia.wordpress.com

  Amy Bartelloni

  Second Chances (Chapter Eight)

  Amy Bartelloni is a reader, writer, and coffee addict who lives with her husband, three children, and various animals in the northeastern U.S. When she's not playing mom-taxi, you can find her with her nose in a book or her head in the clouds. A people watcher and science fiction junkie, she still believes dreams can come true. Amy is the author of The Andromeda Series with Limitless Publishing, which has been optioned for a TV series or movie. Her next project falls in the sci-fi genre because the possibilities are endless, and she'll never stop asking “what if?”

  www.amybartelloni.com

  Laura Albins

  Nan Tapper (Chapter Nine)

  Laura Albins is a British writer living in Suffolk, England. Laura grew up in Birmingham, but has lived and travelled all over, her love of seeing the world only matched by her love of reading. After years of enjoying other people’s stories she decided to write some of her own and hasn’t stopped since. Her first book, The Ninth Star, was published in 2013, followed by the sequel, Starscape, and a third installment in the series is due for release in 2015. Laura currently lives in Ipswich with her husband, two kids, and lots and lots of books.

  www.lauraalbins.com

  Hilary Thompson

  Lucky (Chapter Eleven)

  Hilary Thompson was born to parents who took many roads less traveled. But she was also a Libra and an independent, willful child, so she has made a habit of taking a few roads on her own. After trying many paths, she retreated back to her first loves of education and writing.

  Hilary now teaches high school, writes whenever and wherever she can, and reads as much as her eyes can handle. She tries not to spoil her own independent, willful children or neglect her wonderful soul-mate of a husband. She tends to ignore laundry baskets and dirty dishes.

  www.hilarythompsonauthor.com

  Brea Behn

  Proof Falls Down (Chapter Twelve)

  Brea Behn is very passionate about reading and writing in all genres. She began writing at the age of fifteen, when she wrote a memoir for her twin brother. Currently, she writes fiction of several genres, nonfiction, and is building her career as an author and public speaker.

  When Brea is not writing, she is reading, usually several books at the same time. She also volunteers at her local humane society, gardens, and homeschools her children.

  Brea lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their two children.

  www.Breasbooks.com

  Yvonne Ventresca

  Escape to Orange Blossom (Chapter Thirteen)

  Yvonne Ventresca is the author of Pandemic(Sky Pony Press, 2014), a young adult novel about an emotionally traumatized teenager struggling to survive a deadly bird flu outbreak. School Library Journal calls Pandemic "an engrossing apocalyptic story” and Jim Cobb of Survival Weekly says that it “easily ranks in my top 25 favorite disaster novels." Yvonne’s other writing credits include two nonfiction books for teens, Avril Lavigne (a biography of the singer) and Publishing (about careers in the field). Yvonne lives with her family and dogs in New Jersey.

  YvonneVentresca.com

  DelSheree Gladden

  As The Pieces Fell (Chapter Fourteen)

  I love books. I love reading them. I love writing them.

  Fiction makes it possible to survive reality.

  Writing is my escape, and I have escaped to Aztec temples in The Escaping Fate Series, into Native American myths in The Twin Souls Saga, to a dystopian reality in The Destroyer Trilogy, into invisibility in The Aerling Series, into wicked desires in The Someone Wicked This Way Comes Series, and into sweet romances in The Date Shark Series.

  DelSheree is a USA Today bestselling author and has several new projects for 2015, including The Ghost Host!

  www.delshereegladden.com

  Casey Hays

  Edge of a Promise (Chapter Fifteen
)

  Casey Hays graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 1995, with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Modern and Classical Languages. A former high school English teacher, she launched her writing career with her debut young adult novel, The Cadence, in 2012. Her YA dystopian novel, Breeder, the first in The Arrow’s Flight Series won the Kindle Hub Dystopian Book of the Year for 2014. As evidenced by her stories, her Christian faith plays an important role in her life and her writing. Casey Hays resides in New Mexico with her husband of twenty-four years and their two children.

  www.whisperingpages.com

  Harlow C. Fallon

  Where You Hang Your Hat (Chapter Sixteen)