Day Soldiers

by Brandon Hale

  “Shouldn’t we be hunting down the survivors?”

  “We’ll send some of the bottom feeders to hunt them,” Cassius said, “but I’m not concerned. Their time is over and they know it.”

  “Okay,” Natasha said. “Scientists and engineers. I assume we’re turning them?”

  Cassius nodded. “They will be the founding fathers of our new world.”

  “And you will lead them,” Natasha added.

  Cassius looked at her and chuckled. “No way. I’ve never been one for politics. Staying out of the spotlight has kept me around for a long time. I see no reason to change that now.”

  “They’ll need a leader,” Natasha pressed.

  “What about you?” Cassius offered. “Have you ever considered running for office?”

  “I’ll think about it,” she said with a smile.

  Cassius watched as Lily and Scott stepped onto the street below. He watched as they embraced their friends and celebrated their little victory.

  “Shouldn’t we kill them?” Natasha asked.

  “No,” Cassius said. “Let them go into hiding. They’ve done me a great service today. I feel like this particular group has earned the right to hide in the woods and deal with the werewolves. If we’re really lucky, they’ll just kill each other.”

  Natasha laughed. “So what are you going to call your brave new world?”

  Cassius looked at her and shrugged. “Earth?”

  “Don’t be such a bore,” she countered. “You’re going to create a perfect new world. It needs a perfect new name.”

  “How about Utopia?”

  “You really have no creativity,” Natasha said. “It’s not surprising you’re the same people who called themselves the Legion.”

  “That’s not fair,” Cassius countered. “Humanity gave us that ridiculous name.”

  “Either way,” Natasha said, “Utopia is stupid and unoriginal. How about… Topia?”

  “You just dropped the first letter,” Cassius said.

  “Well, I like it,” Natasha argued. “Topia. It’s a simple, yet elegant name.”

  “Whatever,” Cassius said dismissively. “Call it Happy Blood Land for all I care.”

  Natasha put her arm around Cassius and looked down at the street as the humans left the city. “I remember the day you turned me,” she said. “You promised me the world.”

  Cassius smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  “Big things are happening,” Natasha said. “This is going to be a very fun year.”

  “Don’t be such a small thinker,” Cassius said. “This is going to be a very fun millennium.”

  Chapter 24

  The Cave

  Lily sat by the fire, staring absently at the orange glowing embers. Around her, the other soldiers continued to work on setting up camp. The large cave was their new home, at least for now. In the woods outside, snow continued to fall in great white sheets, but inside the cave, the fires kept it just warm enough to be tolerable.

  “You know,” Scott said as he sat beside her, “you could help us set up camp.”

  “Wallace ordered me to rest,” Lily said. “For once, I’ve decided to do what he says.”

  “First time for everything, I suppose,” Scott said. “So when are you going to get out of this funk? You’ve hardly spoken since we left New York.”

  “So?”

  “So that was two days ago,” Scott pointed out.

  “I’ll come around,” Lily replied, still watching the fire.

  “You’re thinking about what that vampire said,” Scott guessed. “The crap about you causing the fall of humanity.”

  “Nah,” Lily said. “You’re right. That was a load of crap. I didn’t make Dennis a power hungry monster. What happened would have happened with or without my involvement. He could’ve just as easily blamed my grandparents for getting married.”

  “Then why so quiet?” Scott asked. “This is the most you’ve said to me since you shot Dennis.” He grinned and nudged her with his elbow. “Which was awesome, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” Lily said with a soft smile. “And I don’t know why I’m quiet. I think I’m mostly just missing Leo. He should be here.”

  Scott nodded. “Yeah. He should.”

  Lily turned away from the fire and looked at Scott. “When I shot you, why didn’t you get back up? You pretended to be dead while I faced that Arcas guy. Why?”

  “You asked me to trust you,” Scott said. “It was one of the last things you said to me before shooting me in the head. Which hurt like hell, I might add.”

  “Sorry about that,” Lily said with a chuckle. “And thanks. Thanks for trusting me.”

  Scott was quiet for a moment, then asked, “How did you know, Lil?”

  Lil. The word shot through Lily’s heart like a bullet. Until that moment, Leo was the only person who ever called her Lil.

  “You know too much,” she finally answered. “It hit me just before we went into that tunnel outside New York. You always had information that seemed a little too confidential. Even for a specialist. When you talked about the suspicions of high ranking Day Soldier officers, it just clicked.”

  “I can see how you found it weird that I was privy to high level info,” Scott said, “but I don’t see how you connected that to me being a werewolf.”

  “It wasn’t just that,” Lily admitted.

  “So what was it?” Scott pressed.

  Lily sighed. “Okay,” she said. “I’m going to tell you, but don’t let this go to your already big head.”

  “No promises,” Scott said with a grin.

  “I noticed how handsome you are,” Lily admitted. “Even though we had been traveling for days, you still looked perfect.”

  “Wow,” Scott said. “You couldn’t accept that I’m just a good looking guy?”

  “Shut up,” Lily shot back. “When I had that thought, I noticed you didn’t have any cuts or scratches. Nothing. Your face was perfect. After all the fights, you were perfect. Then I remembered the day that werewolf infiltrated Sneaker City. He pulled you through a window, flung you across an alley, and slammed you into a wall. The next day, at the hospital, you didn’t have a scratch.”

  “Not bad,” Scott said.

  “Once it all clicked,” Lily continued, “I knew you had to be one of the seventy-four. That explained everything, including the fact that you had access to high-level information.”

  Scott laughed. “That’s funny.”

  “What?”

  “You came to the right conclusion,” he said, “based on the wrong conclusion. I’m not one of the seventy-four.”

  This surprised Lily. “You’re not?”

  “My father was,” Scott explained. “I was thirteen years old when the war started. From birth, my father had kept me hidden from the other werewolves. He had turned his back on that world years earlier, and he didn’t want me to be a part of it. But he taught me everything about them. He wanted me to have every advantage if they ever discovered me. When the war started, he went to Wallace and told him about me. Since I already knew so much, they didn’t hide anything from me. I guess you could say I was raised by the seventy-four.”

  “Well,” Lily said, “I knew it was something like that. Why did you keep it secret after becoming a Day Soldier?”

  “I’m not just a werewolf,” Scott explained. “I’m a poser. We’re every bit as rare as channelers. Wallace made it a standing order that I never reveal myself. If we had been captured at any point, it would be a massive advantage.”

  “Makes sense,” Lily said.

  “Your little plan was kind of stupid, you know,” Scott said. “I could have been a spy. I could have just been another poser who infiltrated the Day Soldiers.”

  “No,” Lily argued. “Your knowledge told me there was more to you than that. Besides, I had that covered.”

  “Oh, really
?”

  Lily smiled. “Why do you think I shot you in the head without explaining anything? If you had jumped back up with an evil werewolf laugh, I would have known it was time to change my plan.”

  “I see,” Scott said. He picked up a stick and tossed it on the fire. “He would be very proud of you, you know.”

  “I know,” Lily said.

  “So how do you think this is going to end?”

  “I have no idea,” Lily said. “We’re facing impossible odds.”

  “We’ve faced impossible odds before.”

  Lily laughed. “Yes, we have.”

  Scott leaned back, resting on his elbows. “It’s going to be a very interesting year.”

  “Don’t think so small,” Lily said. “It’s going to be a very interesting decade.”

  Six Months Later…

  Epilogue

  The Declaration Video, part II

  You think the war is over.

  You’re wrong.

  You’ve enslaved or killed most of us. You think you’ve hunted down the majority of survivors. You think because you have enslaved millions of us, we are defeated.

  Again, you’re wrong.

  We’re still here, and we’re getting stronger. For six months now, we’ve been preparing.

  And you have helped.

  You’ve taught us how to live in the shadows. We understand you now. By stepping into the light, you have exposed yourself to us. We see your weaknesses. We know your strengths.

  This war is not over.

  This war is about to begin.

  If you look behind me, you’ll see we’re filming from one of your towns. When you trace the transmission of this video back to its source, you’ll find this town as empty as it is right now. Well, not empty.

  Just dead.

  This is the beginning.

  Humanity will survive this new war.

  You won’t.

  My name is Lily Baxter and I am a Day Soldier. For nearly eleven years, we have vowed to protect the light.

  Today, we’re making a new vow.

  We’re not protectors any more.

  We are your destroyers.

  Consider this video our declaration of war.

 

  The war against the darkness continues in books two, three, and four of the Day Soldiers saga…

 

  Purging Fires: Day Soldiers Book Two

  Since the Battle of New York, life has not been easy for the Day Soldiers. Humanity is hurt, but not defeated. Led by Commander Wallace, the Day Soldiers have a plan in place to take the world back from the dead.

  Topia: Day Soldiers Book Three

  The Day Soldiers must make a final stand against an ocean of monsters. One way or the other, the war is going to end. Sometimes, redefining victory is the only way to achieve it.

  Evolution: Day Soldiers Book Four

  The world has changed. Everything has changed. In this new world, an even newer threat has emerged. The Day Soldiers quickly learn they have two choices: Evolve… or die.

  And be sure to pick up the Sneaker’s Handbook: A Day Soldiers Guide to Fighting Vampires and Werewolves

  This companion piece is a replica of the Sneaker’s manual that was given to Lily Baxter when she first joined the Day Soldiers. This book was written because it was suggested by fans of Day Soldiers.

  Once you’ve completed your journey with the Day Soldiers, enjoy these other books by Brandon Hale:

  The Gods and the Builders

  This standalone novel is about alien visitation, but it’s not about war or governments. It’s about people. The Gods and the Builders tells the story of four average people as they deal with this monumental event. When the world changes, what in your life will still matter… and what won’t?

  The Man From Newella:

  The Sheriff’s Tale

  This is the first story in the exciting Man From Newella series of novellas by Brandon Hale. It’s about a larger-than-life hero wandering the lands of a post-apocalyptic future. If you like westerns, sci-fi, apocalyptic tales, or even zombies, you’re sure to like The Man From Newella.

  Tales From Hale

  This collection of five short stories is a great way to step into the mind of Brandon Hale. Enter at your risk.

  In Without Holly, a man tries to hold onto his own sanity as he deals with loss and loneliness during a zombie apocalypse.

  In The Dead Initiative, a scientist develops technology that allows us to see ghosts… and soon regrets that breakthrough.

  In The Shoebox, a young boy has the most memorable Christmas of his life.

  In Fred, the Boy, and Forever, an old man faces death in a very unusual way.

  In The Date, a teenager deals with the horrible fact that a zombie apocalypse has completely ruined his date with the most popular girl in school.

  Tales From Hale brings you a wide range of emotions in a very short time. It’s a quick ride, but definitely a fun one.

  Stay up-to-date with Brandon’s newest works by going to www.BooksFromHale.com

  From there, you can sign up to be notified about each new release, follow Books From Hale on Twitter, and like Books From Hale on Facebook. While you’re there, check out Brandon’s blog. From his regular movie reviews to his thoughts on the zombie apocalypse, you’re sure to laugh more than a few times.

  Thanks for reading Day Soldiers. I hope you enjoyed it and I promise I’ll do my very best to continue providing you with fun entertainment for as long as you’re willing to continue reading it. – Brandon