by Summer Lane
Uriah is gone.
Uriah True, my trusted lieutenant, my watchful guardian, my troubled and dark comrade through the worst moments in my life. He left to hunt Omega loyalists…but I am the one who drove him away. He left because he thought I would marry Chris like I was supposed to long ago, and because he didn’t want to be the one who got between us.
But he did, and he’s gone, and without either of them…
I am lonely.
I take a deep breath and refocus on the speaker. The hall we’re in is like an oven, body heat rolling off the crowd. It’s almost 115 degrees outside today, the summer sun baking the hot dirt of the Bakersfield area, scorching it like fire. Of course, the people call it Bakers’ Village these days, but I’ll always remember it by its pre-Collapse name.
I lick my lips, parched and thirsty, feeling the sweat run down my shirt and slicking my light blouse to my back. I mentally curse the obnoxious nature of these clothes, preferring pants, boots, and a tank top…but the presidency comes with many expectations, and one of them is that the people expect me to look presidential. So I throw on some nice clothes when I’m in public, and when I’m not…I wear what I am comfortable in, and that makes me happy.
“Without further ado,” the Midwest man says, grinning, “I want to introduce the President of the Western Republic, Cassidy Hart!”
I swallow my discomfort and offer a polite smile, standing slowly. As I climb the few steps to the podium, I rehearse in my head the few words I am supposed to say while I am here. Words of support and comfort, of encouragement and promise. Easy enough, but I hate being the one up here…I belong on the rooftops with the rest of the snipers, scanning for enemies and-Stop, Cassidy! The war is over. This is your job, now. Do it well.
I cross the stage, and the Midwest man offers his hand, and after we exchange a few pleasant words, he grabs the water bottle from the podium and walks down the stairs. As he moves, he takes a drink of water and then turns to look at me one last time. As he does so, his expression freezes, and for an instant, I think that he is going to say something.
He doesn’t. Instead, he coughs, and his face turns purple, and saliva foams at the corners of his mouth. I stare at him, cold shock coursing through me. He drops the bottle and falls to the floor, jerking and seizing in a few long, horrible death throes. Vera and Andrew and the security detail inside the building rush to the podium and surround me, and then they are pulling me off the stage, outside, into the glaring hot sun as the man dies on the floor, killed by a poison that was no doubt meant for me.
The killing never stops, I think, grimly, as we move away. Never.
Even now, the presence of Omega won’t leave.
I am afraid they will haunt us forever.
The Collapse Series
State of Emergency
State of Chaos
State of Rebellion
State of Pursuit
State of Alliance
State of Vengeance
State of Destruction
State of Fear
State of Allegiance
State of Hope
The Zero Trilogy
Day Zero
Day One
End of Day
The Bravo Saga
Bravo: Apocalypse Mission
Bravo: Blood Road
More
Collapse: The Illustrated Guide
Unbreakable SEAL
Coming Soon:
Resurrection: Shadows of Omega
About the Author
Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of the Collapse Series, Zero Trilogy, Bravo Saga, Collapse: The Illustrated Guide and Unbreakable SEAL. She owns Writing Belle Publishing. Summer is also an extensively experienced journalist and creative writing teacher. She owns an online magazine, Writing Belle. Look for her upcoming novels, Resurrection: Shadows of Omega, and Running with Wolves.
Summer lives in the Central Valley of California with her husband, Scott, and their German Shepherd, Kona. Summer loves to travel, read and cook. She is inspired by writers like Jack London, Charlotte Bronte and James P. White.
Connect with Summer online at:
Summerlaneauthor.com
WritingBelle.com
Twitter: @SummerEllenLane
Facebook: @SummerLaneAuthor
To stay up to date on all upcoming releases, visit her official website and sign up for Summer’s newsletter.
You may send fan mail to:
[email protected]
And
Summer Lane/Writing Belle Publishing
P.O. Box 994
Reedley, CA 93654
Final Acknowledgements
Because this is the 17th acknowledgements page I’ve written, I sometimes feel that I get a bit repetitive with my thanks. Yet the feeling remains: gratitude. Endless gratitude to my readers and every kind soul who has offered a helping hand or an encouraging word throughout this journey of Collapse.
I remember when I estimated the year and time I would finish the final installment of this series. “2017,” I thought. “Such a long time from now.” How wrong I was! Time flies when you live within six-month windows. Each book has been released within 6-7 month windows, meaning I’m always focused on releasing the next one, and that has driven the past 5 years forward faster than time-warping in a DeLorean (forgive the nerdy reference).
I can honestly say that what makes this series so unique and special to me – personally – is the fact that Cassidy’s growth has much mirrored the growth in my own life. The last 5 years have shaped my path and career in ways I never would have anticipated while I was in high school.
I began with a girl, and I ended with a woman. Cassidy is quite literally my friend. Cherished, dear and forever my favorite character of all time. No matter where I go, and no matter what I write, she will always be the first great heroine of my heart.
There are many people I have met and worked with on this journey; artists, illustrators, editors, proofreaders, publicists, journalists and more. I’ve listed them all before in previous books (seriously: just check out the other 16 thus far), and my gratitude is immense.
I would be remiss without mentioning the creative talent I collaborated with while readying for this final installment. Lindsey Goudreau is the artist whom helped me to bring the two illustrations in this book to life: first, the portrait of Cassidy Hart and the concept art included in the middle of the book, a five-character frame I have titled The Last Great War. She is very talented, and working with her was great fun and an absolute pleasure.
Thanks to my veteran editors, and to the ones I am just beginning to work alongside (oo-rah, Marcie!). I must also give one big shout-out to Steven Catizone, who has faithfully and unfailingly helped me to bring every single Collapse cover to life with realism and a wonderful sense of imagination. You all know who he is by now, but as this is the last Collapse novel, I have to mention it once more. I’m so glad I have a cover artist who understands that I appreciate things grim and gritty (“No sunshine here – just doom!”).
I have to say, I have received some of the most wonderful fan mail in the world in the last two years. Most letters have a theme: the revelation that Cassidy Hart helped them through a hard time, that she showed them that anybody can fight back, and everyone can take control of their life even in the most dire of circumstances. I’ve even come across a therapist who stocks her shelves with my novels, assigning them to clients who need an illustration of overcoming despair and tragedy. Cassidy Hart has become a beacon of hope for so many – me most of all. She gives me confidence and direction.
Thank you for reading this series. Thank you for loving these characters and living in this world with me for the past 5 years. It means everything to me.
I have new projects ahead. Cassidy’s story isn’t really over – but this plot is, and so are some of the characters who appear within. Resurrection: Shadows of Omega is actually a story that I have been saving since I was 14; it is not an errant a
fterthought. I have been waiting for a long time to run with this. I’m looking forward to its release later down the line. Not only that, I have some other projects on the horizon. I will be announcing them later, but that’s besides the point.
I’m here because people read. Because people love. Because people fall and get back up and conquer and overcome.
The truth is, you inspire me, readers. All of you.
Never lose hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Part One - Death and Resurrection
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thriteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Part Two - The Last Great War
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Bonus Story
About the Author
Final Acknowledgements
