Free The Overlord: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel by Jared Paul

almost forgotten, we embraced to taste each other's lips.
    "No." Coming to my senses, I pulled back and apologized, "I am truly sorry. I have had to move on in your absence. I should probably continue to do so."
    "I understand." Considerately, Deadstock folded the robe back over his chest, retying it at the waist.
    He may have accepted my objection, but the look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. We were still married in his mind. Perhaps, we were still husband and wife in my mind too, but I had not the time to entertain such thoughts anymore.
    I then remembered the transport outside, patiently waiting for me. "I should be going. I have a new job now. You are looking at the President of the United Corps, the head of the Free World."
    "Impressive," complimented Deadstock. "A far cry from the humble pacifist that I used to know. I thought you hated being in politics?"
    "The fact that I hate politics is the very reason why I chose to be involved with them. I cannot change that which I am not a part of. Besides, somebody had to clean up the mess you left behind. Might as well have been me." That was not a fair thing to say, but it felt justified on a personal level. I then shoved past him as I headed for the elevator door.
    He took hold of my arm from behind as I walked away, "It's not like I left without telling you, Ember."
    It was true. He said goodbye before leaving Earth on the Last Day of the Last War. Even bid me farewell in that very room. Yet, it had never seemed enough.
    I veered back around, "Yes, but you never told me why."
    Charismatically, Deadstock attempted to alleviate, "I left so that humanity could make its own choice. It's the fighters that hold the power now, the survivors. They alone must decide how this ends."
    "How what ends?" I queried.
    "All of it," he answered, revolving his head in gesture to the world around us.
    I ridiculed, "Is that the best you got?"
    The Overlord released my arm and spoke out in sincerity, "It's all I've ever had to say these past twenty years."
    Pretending to settle for his answer, I turned away. As I was leaving, I noticed that a dossier had been placed on an end table by the lift. The file was concerning Fever Island. I would have never given Commander Zero my approval if I had known he was planning on pulling Dr. Deadstock into his antics. An inclination then came upon me to try and help the man that I once knew as my partner in life.
    I informed him, "You should know that my sources out in the wasteland have been unable to verify the existence of the Plague of Phantoms. No one really knows for sure what is actually on Fever Island. Only rumors shed any info, so be careful out there. The world may be at ceasefire, but with or without peace, I will never fully trust Commander Zero."
    "I wouldn't trust any of us," warned my husband, the Overlord.
    Entering the lift, I finished, "I would ask you to try to do some good while you are here, but I think it would be best if I asked you not to try anything at all."
    Much to my surprise, he then threw out a hand to stop the compartment doors from closing and raised a question from seemingly out of nowhere, "What do you know about my old friend, Choke?"
    "Chokeberry is gone," I confirmed with regret.
    "What happened to him?" Deadstock pressed.
    "The same thing that happened to most people." I made clear, "He either lost hope or went to find it in a place it could never be found."
    Saddened, Deadstock's hand retracted from the frame and the elevator doors began sliding shut. Before the flaps came to a close, I unveiled a hint of an encouraging smile.
    "Goodnight, Doctor," I bid from inside the compartment. "Thank you for seeing me."
    "Thank you for finding me," he repaid.
    A flash of lightning crossed over his purple eyes. The doors then sharply sealed, locking me from his neon gaze. Thunder cracked from beyond and the lift carried me away.
    ▲
    At the bottom of the President's article, I noticed an odd signature. It was