Free Sanctuary: A Postapocalyptic Novel (The New World Series) by G. Michael Hopf Page A

gunfire echoed, then screams followed.
    His radio cracked. It was General Pasqual. “Emperor, this is General Pasqual, come in. Over.”
    He pressed the handset that was attached to his shoulder and pressed the button. “Yes, General, what is it?”
    “Sir, we have the lieutenant governor.”
    The first thing Pablo saw when he entered the large room was a beautiful woman standing over a wounded man.
    “Don’t hurt him! Please!” the woman pleaded.
    Pablo rushed to the group standing around the man and woman. He pushed his way through his men until he was in front of the woman.
    “Please don’t hurt him.”
    Pablo’s eyes opened wide when he saw her up close. She was beautiful. Her long, straight black hair hung down to her shoulders. Her olive skin was smooth. As she pleaded for the man on the floor, Pablo could see the intensity projecting from her large brown eyes.
    “Everyone put down your rifles!” Pablo barked.
    All of the soldiers lowered their guns with total obedience.
    The woman looked at Pablo, disgusted, and asked, “Why? Why did you have to do this?”
    “What is your name?” Pablo asked.
    The man on the floor began to cough up blood.
    “Papa, no!” the woman said. She knelt down and held the man’s hand.
    “You’re the daughter of Lieutenant Governor Aguilar?” Pablo asked, amused.
    The woman was doing her best to make the lieutenant governor comfortable. He had been shot in the stomach and was bleeding badly.
    “Since you won’t answer my questions, I’ll just proceed with your father’s execution,” Pablo said calmly.
    His men raised their rifles.
    “Isabelle, my name is Isabelle. Please don’t kill my father!” she begged.
    “Why should I spare you and your father? When we met two days ago, he and the governor made it clear they weren’t surrendering.”
    She naturally wanted to resist him but she couldn’t without running the risk of dying or seeing her father killed. With nothing at her disposal but her femininity, she gave him what many men like him want: recognition. “I know what you want,” she said.
    Pablo looked at her quizzically and asked, “What is it that I want?”
    “Respect.”
    Her answer shocked him. It was as if she looked into his soul.
    She looked up at him and said, “Men like you have been successful throughout history not only by showing your strength of arms, but also by showing your strength through mercy.”
    She left her father’s side and crawled over to him. Grabbing his hand, she looked into his eyes and said, “Please, Emperor, show us mercy and we’ll forever be indebted to you.”
    This woman’s boldness rendered him speechless. All eyes were trained on him.
    Their lives were in the balance. He had the power to crush them or save them. Today had been a turning point for him. The moment he saw the statue he knew it was a sign, and this woman in front of him was another sign. Instead of Columbus at the feet of Queen Isabella, this was a woman named Isabelle at his feet. God was showing him all the signs he needed; God was showing him that he was on the correct path.
    He took her hand and brought her up. He returned her deep look and said, “Isabelle, I pardon you and your father.” He raised his arms, then yelled out, “I’ll go further than that: I’ll pardon anyone we find here who is willing to join our cause.”
    Coos Bay, Oregon
    Barone wasn’t a fan of running, but he couldn’t find a better workout. What he liked most about it was that it cleared his mind. Each bead of sweat signified a release of stress.
    One problem he couldn’t wrap his mind around was the lack of response from the U.S. government in regards to the prisoners he had taken. He knew they were aware of the situation, but there was no sign of the other Marine ARG coming to Portland. Captain White in the USS
Topeka
reported nothing. He had sailed as far south as Long Beach and spotted nothing on his instruments.
    He knew in order for them to be successful, they