Free Dark New World (Book 3): EMP Deadfall by J.J. Holden, Henry G. Foster Page B

stress points we’ll have when we hitch it up.”
    Dean nodded and looked to the wagon, but he was thinking more about Monique and Cassy than about the job at hand. Maybe it was time to put that whole mess of women-in-conflict behind him. New world, new start, new friends. He’d have to talk to his wife about that later, when the day’s work was done.

    * * *

    The shirtless man squatted, peering at the small homestead with so many meals walking around inside it. Over his head, he wore a red t-shirt, tied up like a shemagh over his face. In his right hand he held his necklace, with its ten teeth strung on it—one for every man he’d killed taking over the Locusts. It was a trophy, and a warning, but it wouldn’t help in cracking this farm wide open.  
    Earlier he’d sent a few troublemakers out to raid it, to earn the right to challenge him for leadership, but half didn’t come back at all, and the other half he called cowards. They tasted pretty damn good, and the stew his people made of their leftovers would last a week.
    Still, they’d run out of stew eventually and needed to restock. This farm would do just fine. Not to mention all the glorious real food they had. Not one of his people would rather eat long pig than fruit, nuts, beef, and bread. It was disgusting, eating the locals. But, it was definitely better than starving to death like half the people they found as they scouted the region.
    To his second-in-command, a burly man nearly twice his own mass but dumb as rocks, he said, “So, there’s at least two dozen people in there now and a couple more every few days. The house is bulletproof somehow, too. They got some crack shots and a guard tower. How do you figure we should take this place, Ed?”
    “I don’t know, Max. You’re the smart one. Shoot them, maybe?”
    The shirtless man laughed. “Eventually, but that’s the hard part. But in the meantime, maybe it would be better to go after that new group moving through the area. Those farmers with all those wagons. They’ve beaten two teams of scouts, so far. I don’t mind, of course. Scouts aren’t supposed to try to ambush meat on their own, but they wanted the glory and got the dirt nap instead. I think I’ll have to gather all the Locusts to get that one done, but half of those farmers won’t have the stones to fight if we offer to let ’em join us. The other half, who fight, we’ll eat or use for entertainment. After that, we ought to have all the people we need to bulldoze right over this farm.”
    “You got a bulldozer, Max?”
    The man frowned. What an idiot. But, a useful idiot. “We will, in a manner of speaking. Let’s go.”
    The two slid away into the forest shadows, and Max noted with satisfaction that the guy on the watchtower hadn’t seen them at all. When the time came, that fresh meat in the tower wouldn’t see it coming. Nor would the rest of the meatbags at that farm. And every liver he ate only made him stronger. Those, he’d order the Locusts to set aside for him.

- 5 -

    1000 HOURS - ZERO DAY +22

    STANDING IN THE kitchen, Frank paused to think about Chihun before he answered Cassy, but he felt pretty sure of his judgment. “Well, he did every task he was assigned, without complaint and without taking his sweet time about it. Choony also found helpful things to do when he was done, before I gave him another task. If he keeps that up, he’ll be fine by me.”
    Michael shook his head. “But Cassy, that’s just what a spy would do. Same with a soldier trying to get in with the locals. He’s Korean , for chrissake.”
    Cassy said, “Michael, watch that language. You know Grandma Mandy hates it.”
    “Sorry. It’s just a habit. I’m working on it though.”
    “Thanks,” Cassy said, “I appreciate it. Anyway, I don’t know what to make of this guy. Choony is pulling his weight for now, but it’s only been a day, and he knows we’re watching every move he makes. Let’s see how it goes after a week, and