Chaos Comes: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (After the EMP Book 4) Read online

  CHAOS COMES

  An After the EMP Novel

  HARLEY TATE

  Copyright © 2017 by Harley Tate. Cover and internal design © by Harley Tate. Cover image copyright © Deposit Photos, 2017.

  All rights reserved.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  The use of stock photo images in this e-book in no way imply that the models depicted personally endorse, condone, or engage in the fictional conduct depicted herein, expressly or by implication. The person(s) depicted are models and are used for illustrative purposes only.

  ISBN: 9781521996164

  CONTENTS

  Chaos Comes

  DAY SIXTEEN WITHOUT POWER

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  DAY SEVENTEEN

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  DAY EIGHTEEN

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  DAY NINETEEN

  Chapter 29

  DAY TWENTY-ONE

  Chapter 30

  Acknowledgments

  About Harley Tate

  CHAOS COMES

  A POST-APOCALYPTIC SURVIVAL THRILLER

  Two weeks into the apocalypse, would your switch be flipped?

  Colt isn’t a family man. As an air marshal, he doesn’t have time for commitment. When his plane emergency lands outside of Eugene, Oregon, he knows it’s the beginning of the end. When he sets off on his own, he’s ready to face the future alone. Rescuing a kid isn’t part of his plan.

  When you have nothing left, can you find the will to survive?

  Dani’s only fifteen, but she’s no stranger to hardship. When the pangs of hunger drive her to the brink, Dani makes the difficult choice to steal. She knows she might get caught. She never expects a stranger to save her.

  The end of the world brings out the best and worst in all of us.

  Colt and Dani will have to fight to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. Joining forces isn’t part of the plan, but desperate times call for desperate measures. With danger around every corner, will they find the strength to trust each other? Or will the past ruin any chance of seeing the future?

  The EMP is only the beginning.

  Chaos Comes is book four in the After the EMP series, a post-apocalyptic thriller series following ordinary people trying to survive after a geomagnetic storm destroys the nation’s power grid.

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  DAY SIXTEEN WITHOUT POWER

  CHAPTER ONE

  COLT

  University of Oregon Campus

  Eugene, Oregon

  8:00 a.m.

  The bed shifted beneath Colt’s weight and he rolled to the side. Heather took up most of the bed, her hips teasing him beneath the threadbare sheet. At any other time in his life, Colt would have slid closer and enjoyed a little extracurricular start to his morning, but not today.

  He sat up and scrubbed at the beard now coating his jaw.

  According to the paper calendar on the wall, the nation’s power grid failed just over two weeks ago. That’s how long he’d been making due in Eugene, Oregon. A spit of a town centered around a college campus and not much more, it wasn’t Colt’s idea of a good time. But then again, Heather had been a welcome distraction.

  Being an air marshal, he’d always had a soft spot for flight attendants.

  Heather murmured in her sleep and rolled onto her back and Colt admired the view. Red curls fanning out across the pillow, soft skin the color of milky tea, freckles unhidden by makeup. Part of him would miss waking up like this every day.

  It had been a shock to watch the lights go out from cruising altitude above Oregon. Thanks to a quick-thinking pilot, the 747 emergency landed on a tiny little airstrip outside of Eugene. But even watching the blackout didn’t prepare Colt for learning the truth on the ground: a massive EMP hit the United States.

  The EMP didn’t come from a terrorist attack or another country, but from the sun. He shook his head in wonder at it all. The same sun they relied on to stay alive had belched out a massive ball of gas so big, it caused an electromagnetic pulse large enough to fry the power grid across the country.

  From what he’d been able to learn from the National Guard the past two weeks, things were bad. Real bad. Riots had shut down all the major cities coast to coast. Thousands of police, firefighters, and military personnel had abandoned their posts, desperate to get home to their families and protect them. Colt knew if he’d had a girlfriend or wife back home, he would have done anything to make it back.

  But he wasn’t a family man. No baggage. No weight. No compromises. That’s how he lived his life ever since he became a SEAL, and that’s how he would live it now that the world was knee-deep in a steaming pile of crap and sinking fast.

  He thought about the pilot of the plane, Walter Sloane. Did he make it home to his family in Sacramento? Were they still alive today? Fear and panic had etched lines into the man’s face as he said goodbye after landing the 747. Colt didn’t blame him for leaving. Worrying about loved ones could tear anyone apart.

  Lucky for Colt that wasn’t a problem.

  He stood up and slipped on his jeans, tugging up the worn and dirty denim before reaching for his shirt. As the black cotton slipped over his head, Heather murmured at him.

  “Where are you going so early?”

  No sense in sugarcoating it. “I’m packing up. Time for me to head out.”

  She sat up, clutching the sheet around her as she blinked herself awake. “Does the army have a job for you or something?”

  Colt grabbed his shoes and perched on the edge of the bed, concentrating on his socks so he didn’t have to look Heather in the eye. This wasn’t about helping out the National Guard or the people of Eugene or even the SEALs. It was about leaving before he became attached and his choices were no longer one hundred percent his own.

  He shoved one foot in a shoe and then the other. “I’ve been here long enough. It’s time I hit the road.”

  The bed dipped as she scooted closer. “But I’m not ready to leave. We’ve got a place to sleep and so far there’s been enough food and water for everyone here. The army has been good to us.”

  Colt tied his laces. “I’m leaving alone, Heather.”

  The responding silence seized Colt’s insides, squeezing like an anaconda of regret. He sat for a moment, staring at his shoes, contemplating all the things he could say. He could throw out some platitudes and lies, a bit of puffery to ease the passage of the truth. But Colt wasn’t that type of man.

  Standing up, he faced Heather at last. She pressed her plump lips together and stared.

  Colt waited.

  “So that’s it?” Heather broke eye contact
and shook her head. “You shack up with me for two weeks and then you just walk out?”

  “You knew it was temporary. I told you when you offered to share a room that I don’t do relationships.”

  Her curls bounced as she scooted to the edge of the bed. “All men say that.”

  “I meant it.”

  “But where are you going to go? What are you going to do? The government has to be coming soon. This is a big town. There’s a college here. They’ve got supplies and the National Guard and if we just wait it out, someone will come and help us.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it.” Colt grabbed his holster, fitting it inside his waistband before adding his service pistol. So many things had been nagging at him the past two weeks. He’d let them go because of Heather, but he couldn’t any longer. “You should think about what you’re going to do when the army’s hospitality runs out.”

  Heather’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

  “We’ve been lucky so far, but sooner or later, that will change.” He dropped his voice. “There’s something not right here, Heather. Where are all the college kids? The Townies? This campus should be teeming with people. Instead, it’s just us—all the people from the plane who didn’t leave—and the National Guard.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s going to get worse. A hell of a lot worse.”

  She shook her head. “You’re talking crazy.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  Heather rolled her eyes and reached for her clothes on the floor and Colt turned around. He didn’t want to fight with her, but he knew she would never see the world as he did. She would always believe someone out there would help her. So many people in the United States lived in a blissful ignorance about the rest of the world and the danger that lurked beyond their borders.

  Colt had seen enough in his life to know what a farce such naive thinking could be. A crisis this big with no plans in place…

  No one would be coming to help. Not ever. That the army was in Eugene at all surprised him.

  He exhaled and reached for his duffel. Even if he wanted to bring Heather with him, she would never agree to go. She would cling to her hope until she didn’t have the strength to hold on.

  He waited until she’d finished getting dressed. “I’m going to pack my things and head over to the cafeteria. You’re welcome to come with me.”

  “You’re making a mistake, Colt. Once the National Guard gets a handle on the riots in Sacramento, we’ll be able to go home.”

  “Is that what you want? To go back to Sacramento?”

  “Of course I do. I live there. My sister is there and her kids. I need to get home. As soon as they give us the all clear, that’s where I’m headed.”

  “And how are you going to get there?”

  She gawked at him. “In a vehicle, how else? I’m sure there will be buses taking people home soon. We just have to have faith.”

  Colt shook his head. He would never get through to her. He grabbed his bag and began shoving everything into it. First thing he needed to do when he got out of there would be to find a sporting goods store and secure a good backpack, more weapons, and gear.

  It wouldn’t be nearly enough, but it would be a start.

  Heather stood at the edge of the bed, arms folded across her flight crew polo shirt, watching him. He hated to leave her mad and in denial, but he didn’t see another way. She couldn’t come with him.

  Roughing it in the woods far away from civilization wasn’t Heather’s style. The woman still put on a full face of makeup every morning. They didn’t have running water or flushable toilets, but she found a way to apply mascara.

  Colt glanced up at her. “You should start gathering up some gear, Heather. A winter coat, some hiking boots. A flashlight. Maybe even a gun if you can find one.”

  “What would I need a gun for?”

  “To protect yourself.”

  She snorted. “Don’t be silly. No one will attack me.”

  He stood up and waited until she looked him in the eye. “You’re a beautiful woman, Heather.”

  Her whole face lit up at the compliment.

  “The longer this all goes on, the more of a target you’ll become. Men will see you as an opportunity. A prize to be won.”

  Her smile slipped. “You’re talking like this is the end of the world. Like we’re all a few days away from Mad Max.”

  “We are.”

  She rolled her eyes. “After that show on the airplane, I knew you had a few screws loose, but Colt, seriously, this is too much.”

  He blinked. She didn’t approve of how he handled the situation? “The man made terroristic threats on an airplane. I had to bring him in.”

  “He was harmless. You didn’t need to draw a gun on him and lead him out in handcuffs. I know you guys like to make a big deal out of your jobs and all, but you could have tried talking to the guy.”

  Colt’s jaw ticked. He did talk to him until the conversation incited panic among the other passengers. If he hadn’t taken that guy off the airplane, all hell would have broken loose. They would never have taken off… and they would still be in Sacramento. Was that why she was so mad? Did she blame him for being stuck in Eugene?

  He frowned. “I was doing my job.”

  “A little too well, if you ask me.”

  I didn’t. Colt picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. A million thoughts swirled inside his head, none of them good. “Remember what I said, Heather. You need to prepare and stay vigilant.”

  “You’ll see, Colt. In a few days, we’ll be on the way back home and you’ll be wishing you stayed right here on campus.”

  “For your sake, I hope you’re right.” Colt closed the distance between them in two strides. He knew now that whatever drew them together these past weeks, it wasn’t real. They were just two people in the right place at the right time.

  He unzipped his bag and pulled out a small folding knife. He wouldn’t part with his service weapon, but Heather could have his backup. She needed a weapon. He grabbed her hand and set the knife in her waiting palm. “Take this. It’s not a gun, but it’s a good blade. It could save your life.”

  “Colt, I don’t—”

  “Just take it. For me.”

  She closed her fingers over the folded knife and nodded. “You sure I can’t change your mind? That bed will be awful empty without you.”

  He nodded. “I need to go.”

  “Okay.” She reached up and smoothed the front of his shirt, fingers lingering on the swell of his chest. “It was fun while it lasted.”

  “Yes, it was.” Colt leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Be careful, Heather. And good luck.”

  “Good luck to you, too. When all of this blows over, come look me up in Sacramento, will you?” Heather stepped back and headed to the nightstand. She scribbled something on a scrap of paper and handed it to Colt.

  Her phone number. Colt swallowed. No point in telling her it would probably never work again.

  “Thanks, Heather.” After one more kiss, Colt turned and headed toward the door. He’d spent the last two weeks in denial about the future, wrapped up in the arms of a woman who would never come to terms with this new reality. Vacation was over. Colt needed to get to work.

  CHAPTER TWO

  DANI

  Sunnyvale Convalescent Hospital

  Eugene, Oregon

  9:00 a.m.

  “Danielle, stop staring out that window and come over here.”

  Dani sighed and turned away from the glass to smile at her grandmother. No matter how many times she asked the seventy-nine-year-old to call her Dani, it didn’t stick. “What is it, Gran?”

  “You should eat. Come and have my applesauce.”

  “I’m not going to eat all of your food.”

  “Please, Danielle. I don’t want it to go to waste.”

  Her grandmother pushed the little cup of applesauce across the tray table and Dani reluctantly picked it up. She peeled back the a
luminum lid and stuck the plastic spork into the cup before shoving it into her mouth. The nursing home where her grandmother lived was low on everything.

  Water. Food. Bathrooms.

  Dani had been camping out there for the past week, hiding from the handful of employees who still made the rounds of the recovery wing and sharing her grandmother’s dwindling meals. Dani didn’t know if it was their proximity to the college campus, or the quick thinking of the staff, but this place had done all right for itself for the past two weeks.

  But even her grandmother knew their time at Sunnyvale Convalescent Hospital was running short. As Dani finished the last of the applesauce, she turned her attention back to the window. From her grandmother’s room on the third floor, she could see a few blocks across town to the stadium for the University of Oregon. National Guardsmen stood outside, rifles in their hands as they stood watch.

  She had read enough books growing up that she knew those guys were the only reason the hospital hadn’t been looted. Other parts of Eugene still smoldered. Thanks to her history class, Dani knew that at a hundred and fifty thousand people, Eugene was the second largest city in Oregon.

  That meant Eugene had its fair share of thugs and the drugs to go along with them. She snorted as images of her mother came to mind. The world ended and her mother didn’t even bother to come home.

  She shouldn’t care, but she couldn’t help it. Dani turned around. “Do you think Mom will come home one of these days?”

  Her grandmother clucked. “Don’t you fret about your mother. That woman doesn’t deserve your attention.”

  Dani chewed on her lip. How she wished Gran had never gotten sick. If only cancer hadn’t reared its ugly head, they would still be living in that apartment uptown with working heat and food in the fridge and a good high school just down the street.

  Life didn’t ever seem to work out the way Dani wanted it.

  Her grandmother interrupted her thoughts. “Your mother probably found somewhere else to stay.”

  Dani nodded. It wasn’t the first time her mother had disappeared for days at a time. But with the power still out and no help other than the army, Dani wondered. Where is she?