Nicholas Smith - Extinction Age

“I’m fine,” he grunted, struggling to sit up. He patted his flak jacket and then pressed a paw over the wound on his arm. Chow helped Horn up as Beckham hustled over and knelt by Jensen’s side. He squeezed next to Kate and took over compression from Major Smith, who slumped back onto the asphalt, his uniform stained up to the elbows with his commanding officer’s blood.

“Hang in there, sir. We’re going to get you help,” Beckham said.

“Beckham,” Jensen choked.

“I’m here.”

“You have to…” Jensen coughed, blood gurgling at his lips.

“Sir, just hang on,” Beckham said. He glanced up and yelled, “Where the fuck is that medic?”

Jensen fumbled with his holster and pulled a revolver. He didn’t have the strength to lift it, and his hand flopped back onto the ground. “I want… I want you to have this.”

Beckham looked down at the gun, and after a second of hesitation, he took it.

“I told you… she’s my girl,” Jensen said. “Take her. Defend the island. And make sure…” He gasped, choking as blood filled his lungs. When he spoke again, his once-powerful voice was barely a whisper. “Make sure Kryptonite gets deployed worldwide. Do the right thing. I know you will.”

“I will, sir. I promise you,” Beckham said.

By the time Doctor Hill arrived, Jensen was already dead, his dark eyes staring blankly at the sky.

Beckham slowly placed Jensen’s empty hand on his chest and then stood. Apollo, his snout still bloody, pressed his side against Beckham’s leg. The dog let out a low, melancholy whine like he understood what they had all just lost.

Beckham wanted to scream. He wanted to take Jensen’s gun and unload it into Wood’s corpse, but even that wouldn’t make him feel better. Jensen hadn’t just been a friend; he had been one of the only good officers left. Now they were leaderless, and for the first time in his life, Beckham wasn’t sure what to do.

The sound of raised voices pulled Beckham’s attention to the concrete barriers where the rest of Wood’s men had gathered. The remaining Marines from Bragg were already disarming the Medical Corps soldiers. Riley had his pistol aimed at a man on the ground. Meg was by his side, her knife drawn and one of her crutches pushed down on the fallen soldier’s neck. The only member of Beckham’s team missing was Fitz.

He realized then it was the Marine who had saved their lives. Only he could have nailed those headshots. He saw Fitz rushing over to aid Riley and the other men that had been loyal to Jensen.

Beckham bent down and closed Jensen’s eyes. “Dr. Hill, get us a stretcher. I don’t want to leave him out here like this.”

“My God,” Hill said, looking at the other bodies. “What do we do with them?”

“For now, we leave Wood and his men here. I’ll bury the bastard in an unmarked grave next to Gibson. They can spend the rest of eternity rotting together,” Beckham said.

Hill nodded, radioed for a stretcher, and then ran toward the buildings with Smith. Beckham rose to his feet and looked for Kate. She was checking Horn’s arm.

“Keep pressure on the wound,” Kate said.

“I know the routine,” Horn said. “I better get to my girls.”

“I’ll go too,” Chow said.

The men took off at a trot, leaving Beckham alone with Kate. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the death.

“I’m sorry,” Kate said. “I’m so sorry, Reed.”

Beckham shook his head and looked toward the horizon. He’d gotten his revenge on Wood and his men, but it did nothing to relieve the pain of losing Jensen.

They stood there in silence, Kate’s hand in his. Seconds turned into minutes as neither of them moved.

“What happens now?” Kate finally whispered.

Beckham stared into the dark sky, watching a cloud drift across an ocean of flickering stars. “We get Kryptonite ready and send it over every corner of the goddamn earth.”

Kate rested her head on his shoulder. “And after that?”

“We keep fighting,” he said. “And we never stop.”

Look for Book 4, Extinction Evolution, coming fall of 2015! For updates on the series, information on new releases, and exclusive giveaways, join Nicholas’s mailing list here.

Thank you for reading Extinction Age ! I hope you enjoyed it. If you would take a few minutes to leave a review I would be very grateful. The success of a book isn’t just measured by sales—it’s measured by the quality and quantity of the reviews. Reviews don’t just help others decide whether to spend their quality time and money on a book, as an author—they help me improve my work. I take reader feedback very seriously, as it helps me put out better and more enjoyable books. If you do write an Amazon review, please email me at greatwaveink@gmail.com so I can thank you personally.

Nicholas Sansbury Smith is the author of several post-apocalyptic books and short stories. He worked for the State of Iowa for nearly 10 years before switching careers to focus on his one true passion—writing. When he isn’t daydreaming about the apocalypse he’s likely racing in triathlons around the Midwest. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa with his family and several rescued animals.

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Solar Storms (An Orbs Prequel)

White Sands (An Orbs Prequel)

Red Sands (An Orbs Prequel)

Orbs

Orbs II: Stranded

Orbs III: Redemption

Extinction Horizon

Extinction Edge

Extinction Age

Extinction Evolution (Fall 2015)

The Biomass Revolution

Squad 19: A Short Story

A Royal Knight: A Short Story

Copyright June 2015 by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

All Rights Reserved

Cover Design by Creative Paramita

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Edited by Aaron Sikes and Erin Elizabeth Long

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events locales or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

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