Free THE KILLER ANGEL : Book Three "Journey" (THE KILLER ANGEL TRILOGY 3) by Myles Stafford Page A

wasn’t their fault, even though they were among the privileged class who were supposed to bring the world back to stability, such as it was. Unfortunately for these semi-survivors, bureaucrats and politicians served little purpose in the post-apocalypse, although truly good leaders and organizers would always be in demand.
    My mind flickered back to those awful moments in Phoenix as, trembling and petrified in fright, I watched the fearsome horrific end of civilization unfold from the darkness of my hotel room window, barely daring to take a quiet drink from a bathtub I had filled with water. My stomach clenched at the memory. The dauntless Nicki Redstone of today was then nothing more than a scared child, herself hoping for some hero savior.
    Yes, I saw those early speeding, shock-force mobs, crashing into anything that might hold a warm body; dragging defenseless men, women and children from their cars and shops, ripping them to shreds, and no one – NO ONE had the power to intervene. Once the insane onslaught began, there was nothing on earth that couldstop it. Yes, I saw it all. I lived the horrific tragedy, deadly and up close, over the last two years.
    I took a deep breath, sucking in the fresh, clean, forest scented air. My mind drifted briefly...
I miss camping with my family
...
    “So why the trap?” I inquired, refocusing my thoughts to the present, wondering how the bunker colonists planned to force someone to assist, given their impotent circumstances.
    “Desperation,” he replied. “We just wanted to talk, but the rare passers-by always run when they see the suit, but it’s our only way out of the shelter.”
    I thought for a moment. “Let’s go in. I’ll stay in your air lock. It has windows, right?”
    “Yes, yes, thank you, thank you Ms. Redstone.” Ahh... indeed. The man angled his face mask around to look at me, “By the way, just call me ‘Tim’.”
    The rather cleverly hidden entrance was inside of a country retail boutique setup; a small rustic, two-story wooden building with many leased out spaces. Perfect for the furtive comings and goings of undercover government minions. Who would have ever guessed?
    Passing through the back door of one shop, Tim pressed his ID card on to a plate on a side wall, then entered numbers on key panel. Then another door and key panel were revealed, only this time it was a blast door that must have been eighteen inches thick. When opened, metal caged ceiling lights revealed a hallway and stairs, which we walked down into a well litchamber with large windows on three walls.
    “Please wait here, Ms. Redstone.” Tim said as I gently rubbed Ben’s neck.
    Even though the other side of the glass was dark, I could feel eyes upon us.
    A light clicked on automatically in the small side room into which Tim had shuffled. He set down his bag and was rinsed off. He moved to another adjacent room, removed his suit, rinsed off again, then moved to a third chamber and dressed himself in well worn clothing.
    Tim Gardner, the man in the yellow suit, was just an ordinary looking guy, thin, rather pale, gray hair, maybe in his fifties. Nothing at all noteworthy.
    Finally, Tim completed the last stage of his return by passing his security card over a reader, then held it between his teeth as he turned a latch and shoved open a heavy door to the main bunker. As he did so, ceiling lights flickered on to reveal a very large, open room, perhaps a supply receiving area, packed with staring people.
    I was in shock. I had not seen so many living, breathing human beings in one place since this nightmare began.
Could this be all of the one hundred ninety-three survivors?
They were all pale and rather unwell looking. No doubt, two years underground was not the best environment for robust health.
    The whole place was unattractively sterile, as milk white walls and pale blue fluorescent tubes offered a cold, unhealthy contrast to the verdant, moist hills thatwere, for me, only a few easy