Wasteland Rules: Die Fighting (The World After Book 4) by J.G. Martin Page B

wouldn’t
save them. If the U.S.T.G. took over, Derek would have to leave the country.
Forget about the price on his head, he had no desire to live in a fascist
dictatorship. Maybe he would go into Mexico south of Aztlan; there would be
need of his skills there. Since there was nothing he could do about it right
now, he decided to take a nap. His body was exhausted from healing his wounds
and he quickly dropped into a deep sleep. Annoyingly, Rora shook him awake
thirty minutes later.
       “The co-pilot wants to talk to you.” She informed
him.
       With a grumble Derek got to his feet and walked up
to the cockpit. Upon entering the co-pilot turned to him and spoke. “We have an
incoming transmission for you.”
       “It can’t wait until we land?” Derek asked in
annoyance.
       “It’s not from NASA…” The co-pilot told him with a
bewildered look on his face.
       “Who’s it from?”
       “We don’t know. It’s overriding our radio system.”
The pilot said worriedly. “The only way they could do it is if they had the
codes from headquarters. That shouldn’t be possible but it is happening. ”
       “Put it on.” Derek growled. He was very curious who
was reaching out to him.
       “Storm. So nice of you to take my call.” A voice
snarled sarcastically.
       “Zabrowski?” Derek asked in disbelief. “You’re
alive?”
       “No thanks to you.” The man snapped angrily. “And
I’m going to pay you back personally for that. But first I want to make you
suffer. I want to terrorize you.”
       “I’m not afraid of you Zabrowski; I’ve already
bested you multiple times. I think we both know you can’t handle me.” Derek
said with a laugh.
       “That was before Storm.” The former Red Beret said
smoothly. “Things have changed. I’ve changed.”
       “Whatever.” Derek said dismissively. “I’m still
better than you, and messing with me has only brought you pain. So leave me
alone.”
       “I’m not the man I was. Tom Zabrowski is dead; but
he has been reborn as Deimos, god of terror!” The man thundered through the
radio. “You will pay for what you have done, YOU WILL PAY.”
       “I’m tired of this, ‘Deimos’.” Derek said
derisively. “Is there something you wanted besides babbling drivel?”
       “Very well. Have it your way Storm.” Deimos said
evilly. “I am going to take everything away from you before I kill you, and to
do that I decided to start by taking a page out of your playbook. Say goodbye
to your patrons at NASA. I’ll see you soon.”
       The former Red Beret chuckled nastily and then he
cut the transmission. The pilot and co-pilot looked at Derek with looks that
mixed scared and confused. Derek looked out the window as he tried to figure out
what “Deimos” had meant by his cryptic warning. He saw NASA in the distance and
then it hit him.
       “Turn the plane around!” He demanded urgently.
       “What?” The pilot asked, confused. “We are like ten
minutes out.”
       “Turn the plane around, NOW!” Derek demanded again.
       “What is going on?” Rora asked, having moved up to
the cockpit during the conversation with Deimos.
       Before Derek could respond there was a bright flash
of light centered on the NASA base that lit up the entire sky.  Everyone
involuntarily covered their eyes. When they uncovered them, they could see the
distinctive mushroom cloud starting to rise above Cape Canaveral. There was a
moment of stunned silence as they all realized the NASA headquarters had just
been nuked. Everyone and everything was now gone, all the technology and
expertise was now lost, and the last bastion of true learning was now
destroyed.
       The pilot and co-pilot sat there in stunned silence
and Rora made small moaning noises. All three of them were frozen in shocked
disbelief. Derek ground his teeth in anger. The so-called Deimos had indeed
taken a play out of his playbook. One that Derek would have