"Take these," Doctor Themopolous ordered, handingRachel two red pills.
"What are those?" Masters asked.
"Just some energy pills, they'll give her a boostand also maintain her blood sugar."
"Blood sugar?" Mathew asked.
Themopolous turned to Rachel. "I am assuming all youhad for breakfast was coffee?"
Rachel nodded. "Just like every morning."
"Yes, well this wasn't like every morning, now wasit?"
***
Doctor Themopolous and the pilots stood at attention asthe transport pulled up.
The side door opened and the base staff exited, forminga semi-circle around the pyre. Capreze exited last. He placed himselfopposite the semi-circle on the other side of the pyre.
Capreze nodded and Jay lifted a small bag labeled"flammable" that lay by his feet. He stepped to the pyre andshook the contents out around Stanislaw's body. Small briquettestumbled from the bag and scattered across Stanislaw's corpse.
Jay stood back as Capreze lifted a torch from the groundand lit it.
Several sobbed quietly.
***
"This is an unfortunate tragedy," Caprese statedsolemnly. He looked at each of the pilot's faces, trying to gaugewhich couldn't cope with their grief. "Stanislaw was a good man,a good pilot and a dear friend."
Some of the attendees sniffed, a few brushed away tears.Most stood stone-faced, burying their pain deep down. Bisby's faceraged.
"Today we set a colleague free, we send his soul aboveand make sure his body stays at rest."
Commander Caprese lifted the torch to the pyre, lightingthe briquettes and setting the platform and what was left ofStanislaw's body ablaze.
***
The base crew each said their goodbyes to Stanislaw ashis body became ash and the ash became smoke, adding to the trillionsand trillions of particulates of burnt, dead heroes already floatingin the atmosphere.
When the train whooshed by, no one turned to look, noone cared about supplies and requisitions, news and gossip from thecity/states or some dumb Rookie thinking he won the lottery and wason his way to glory.
No one could take their eyes off the now smoldering pyreand the scorched pieces of melted metal that was once part ofStanislaw's uniform.
***
"As per tradition and out of respect for our lostfriend and comrade, we will walk back to base. Jay, you bring backRachel's mech," Capreze ordered.
"Yes, sir."
"Sir, if I may?" Themopolous interrupted.
"Yes, Doctor?"
"In my professional opinion, I think Pilot Caprezewould do better catching a ride back to base in the transport. Justto be safe."
"I'm fine," Rachel said quickly.
"For now, but I'd hate to have you relapse."
Rachel crossed her arms, setting her feet firmly.Capreze noted his daughter's stance.
"Understood,Doctor. But, Ithink a walk is just what she needs."
***
The Rookie stood and stretched as the train came to ahalt. He looked at his bloodied hands and broken fingernails, barelybelieving what he'd just been through. His body was exhausted, buthis mind raced, going over and over the mock attack.
The pilot and co-pilot had called back on the com whenthe test was over to congratulate him on a job well done. They bothsaid they hadn't seen anyone figure out how to get out of the traincar that fast before. Ever.
The car door opened and the Rookie confidently steppedout onto the platform.
***
Stanislaw's voice echoed through Bisby's fatiguedbrain. He shook his head violently, trying to dislodge the ghostlymurmurs.
"You okay, Biz?" June asked, placing a hand on hiselbow as they walked back to base.
Bisby didn't answer as he glanced sideways at her, hishaunted eyes rimmed with dark circles. She squeezed his arm.
"Of course you're not. Sorry. Everyone's right, Ido say stupid stuff all the time," June said. "I'm here,though, if you need to talk."
Bisby smiled wanly and patted June's hand. She smiledback and let Bisby move on ahead, giving him his space.
***
"Looks like a funeral," the train's pilot said,stepping past the Rookie.
"I wonder what happened," the Rookie mused aloud,shielding his eyes from the sun, trying to see into the distance.
"Someone died, genius," the co-pilot quipped."Happens a lot out here in the waste."
The Rookie turned to the co-pilot. "Mostly mechdrivers?"
"Pilots, boy. They are pilots. You get caught callingthem drivers and it'll be your corpse getting grilled out there."
"Right, pilots. But, is it? Mostly mech pilots thatdie?"
"Listen kid, you need to learn that Death iseveryone's bunkmate out in the waste."
***
"Probably not the best day for a Rookie to arrive,"Capreze said walking arm in arm with Rachel.
"I disagree. It's probably the best day for him toarrive. No illusions as to what it's like out here," Rachelresponded. They walked along in silence for a moment, Rachel kickingstones with her boots, the Commander staring at the base, his base,lost in thought.
"Have any idea who you want to mentor the Rookie?"Rachel asked, knowing it wasn't the most appropriate thing to say,but she couldn't take the silence anymore.
"Yep."
"And...?"
"You, Baby Girl."
Rachel nodded.
***
"Good luck, kid," the pilot said, shaking theRookie's hand.
"You're not staying?"
"Nope," the co-pilot answered, shaking the Rookie'shand as well. "We're all fueled up. As soon as they all clearoff, we'll be gone." The co-pilot motioned towards the groupcoming up the tracks. "We've got two days of wasteland to cover.The sooner, the better."
"Two?" the Rookie asked. "It took four."
The pilot laughed. "The test was four. The trip wastwo. Better get used to things not being what they seem out here."
"Thanks, I will," the Rookie muttered as the train'sdoor shut.
***
The Rookie watched from the train platform as the basecrew slowly walked back up the tracks, smoke from the pyre reachingtowards the sky behind them.
The first pilot to reach him was Bisby and the Rookiestepped off the platform, hand outstretched.
"Hey, there I'm-," but his greeting was cut shortby Bisby's right fist connecting with his jaw. The world spun andthe Rookie took a header to the ground.
"I don't give a FUCK what your name is Rookie!"was the last thing the Rookie heard before his world went black andthe pain became darkness.
Free Excerpt From TheAmericans-
Description:
Hundredsof years after the United States is turned into a radioactive, zombieinfested wasteland, the descendants of peacekeeping troops strandedabroad are now the world's marshals, keeping law and order in afuturistic landscape of high-tech feudalism and raw, bioorganicmetal.
Theyare known simply as: The Americans.
Theexciting sidequel to DEAD MECH takes you on a hellride throughEurope, Asia and beyond as American Ghost Heather Walton must saveher family, her friends, and an all important cargo, as all Americansstruggle to maintain their place in a world where the powers that beno longer want them. And will stop at nothing to put an end to theirstanding and their very existence!
Haven'tread DEAD MECH? Not a problem! The Americans is a stand-alone novelthat takes place at the same time as the events in DEAD MECH. Readeither one first then get ready for the third and final book in theApex Trilogy, Metal And Ash, coming in the Fall of 2012!
Prologue
The members of the League of Monarchs were not pleasedwith the director and their holographic images showed it plainly.
"As I have said, Your Highnesses, the Three haveassured me that everything will be in place soon," Mr. Geinplacated. A small, middle-aged man, pudgy about the waist and neckand director of the League of Monarchies Security Division (LOMSD),Mr. Gein stood before the holo-projections of all the reigningmonarchs of Europe, trying not to sweat through his suit coat.
"But, you have been saying that for weeks," EmperorRenaldo Giraldi of the Holy Roman Empire insisted. "We are tired ofthe delays!"
"Yes, Mr. Gein," Empress Natalya Tartorov added."When you first approached us with the Three's proposal to removethe Americans from power and free the LOM and all of Europe fromtheir oversight and martial authority, you promised us it would be aspeedy process with little to no effort on our part."
Mr. Gein held up his hands. "I understand yourfrustration, but this is happening quite fast despite the enormity ofthe task," he responded. "It must be done correctly or we willnot get a second chance, and the LOM will be left open for Americantakeover under the Articles of Sanctuary." The monarchs grumbledand complained, but none offered any other solutions or withdrewtheir support. "Please, my Lords and Ladies, it will not be longbefore everything is set in motion. You can expect results within theweek."
"We had better," growled Queen Constancia De Riveraof Spain. "Remember, Señor Gein, it is your neck on the choppingblock, not the Three's if this all falls through."
The bureaucrat gulped and tried to smile, but it justmade him look pain-stricken. "I understand, Your Highness, and Ihave always taken that into account. Thank you."