Redemption
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REDEMPTION
(Book 2 of the 2020 Series)
By Ever N. Hayes
Editorial Review of Book 1: Emergency Exit
(Courtesy of Pure Wander Magazine – Denver, CO)
Genre: General Fiction.
Sub-Genres: Action/Adventure & Dystopian
In a not-too-distant future, seven powerful national form an alliance against America and launch a chemical attack wiping out 90%+ of the North American population. Only people in the most remote areas had a chance at surviving and even then faced an enemy “clean up crew” sweeping across the continent.
The story follows a family and friends in northern MN as they discover what has transpired. That group intercepts a coded message revealing the lone safe haven for Americans—in Hawaii. Their task—to cross a dark continent in the face of an army—is daunting, if not impossible, but they have no choice. “The only way to live is to leave.”
Cast is mixed-age, gender and race—“Average American” if you will. Largely narrated by the father, Ryan (mid-30’s). His son Danny (20) and daughter Hayley (18) are the main characters, combined with a love interest for Ryan and the conflicted antagonist, Eddie. It takes a few chapters to set up the story (and series) and then quickly moves forward. They encounter a mixed bag of friends and foes along the way, allowing for extra character drama, personal challenges, and loss.
It’s hard to say if anything like this could ever occur, but it’s as believable as being wiped out by an EMP, virus, or plague, and more conceivable than the blockbuster dystopian tales out there. If you accept it for what it is, then this is an enjoyable ride with many twists and surprises. You may find yourself wanting more love story or more fighting, but there’s no lack of action, suspense, or intensity.
*** - Pure Wander is a family magazine. Emergency Exit would be appropriate and enjoyed by our audience 13+. (Violence, mild language, adult content.) 4.5/5 Stars.
(Emergency Exit is available on Amazon.com in digital and paperback formats.)
COPYRIGHT PAGE
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
REDEMPTION (Book 2 of the 2020 Series)
Copyright by Ever N. Hayes
All Rights Reserved
No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the written permission of the author.
Published as an eBook in November 2014 by ENH.
Published in paperback in November 2014 by ENH & CreateSpace
Word Count: 122,818
CREDITS & TRIBUTE
Cover Design by James T. Egan of Bookfly Design LLC
Copy/Content Editing by Kira Rubenthaler of Bookfly Design LLC
Copy/Content Editing by Matt Mattingly
Copy/Content Editing by Eileen Cotter
Note from the Author:
Redemption is dedicated to my mentor and loyal friend, Kristie Schreck.
I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Pamela Buttke and Aunt Viv, to my mother, and to my patient wife—for proofreading runs and editing advice. To the handful of people who have supported me and my writing through thick and thin—Joe Sas, Darin Bunch, Steve Wetzler, David Jimenez and Jack Schneider. To the Cleveland Library and Owatonna Book Club for all your incredible support—thank you! To the 26,700 people who downloaded Book 1 of this “2020” series—Emergency Exit—between April 5th and November 5th (2014) and gave a new novelist a chance. And deepest thanks to the readers who took the time to leave an Ama zon review for Emergency Exit. (Honestly, there is no more meaningful gesture—no greater compliment—to a new author.)
Additional gratitude goes out to Joel Randell of MAXIM Magazine, for promoting this series like mad and believing in it enough to mail copies to movie producers. (Fingers crossed.)
And most of all … To my family—my son and three daughters. I realize there were a few days my writing time cut into “Daddy time.” I apologize for that. The four of you are my inspiration in life—the soul to my writing. Thank you to my beautiful wife for allowing me to attempt these ridiculous feats and for encouraging me to their completion. And thank you to my mom, dad, and mother/father in-law for helping out with the kids. I do not take any of you for granted.
20/20 With Author EVER N. HAYES
(20 Questions with 20 Word Responses)
Question: What is your next writing project?
Answer: I have six books outlined, including the final book of this series. Next up is a junior fiction sports story.
Question: Why should a publisher or movie studio consider this book or series?
Answer: Imagine the cast! Similar scripts have garnered billions the past 2-3 years. It’s action-packed and current. This could happen tomorrow.
Question: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Answer: You have to LOVE writing. You’re more likely to become president or make the NFL than receive a publishing contract.
Question: How would you like to see publishing change in today’s eBook revolution?
Answer: Agents and publishers should review books after they’re digitally on Amazon and select stories to represent and publish from there.
Question: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?
Answer: Collecting Amazon reviews. Easily. Emergency Exit (Book 1) was downloaded 26,700 times in the first six months. Yield: 42 reviews.
Question: How much of this book/series is realistic?
Answer: It is as realistic as Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner. More so than Red Dawn. That was my goal.
Question: What authors/books have most influenced your life?
Answer: Tom Clancy, Shel Silverstein, and God… Make Way for Ducklings, Where the Red Fern Grows, Goodnight Moon, and the Bible.
Question: Which actors/actresses would you like to see playing the lead character of your books?
Answer: I present a Hollywood “Dream Casting” on the last page of each book. Easily the feature I’m emailed about most.
Question: How long did it take you to write this book?
Answer: 80 days… and nearly seven months to edit/revise. Emergency Exit took 72 days to write and eight months for revisions.
Question: Do you proofread/edit your own books or pay a professional?
Answer: Both. I hired four editors (copy and content) for Emergency Exit and made 29 comprehensive draft revisions before publishing.
Question: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Answer: With what I pay professional editors I don’t believe 1-star reviews are credible (actual readers). Everything else is emotionally absorbed.
Question: Have you made any marketing mistakes?
Answer: Thinking outside the box! I sent every Emergency Exit “Dream Cast” member a signed copy ($200 hit). Not one response.
Question: What advice would you give your younger self?
Answer: Wait one more year to buy a house. Forget sports cards. Be honest … but realize truth is often irrelevant.
Question: Is there a certain type of scene that's especially difficult to write?
Answer: Physical and/or sexual abuse. As a fiercely protective father I loathe even the most remote acceptance of it in society.
Question: What are your greatest fears?
Answer: Outliving any of my kids. Dying before 75. Losing my faith. Discovering karma doesn’t exist and/or that heaven isn’t real.
Question: What is something you want to accomplish before you die?
Answer: I’d love to see one of my books promoted to the big screen… Talk about #Ci
nderellaStory. (And visit New Zealand.)
Question: What are some of the hardest lessons you’ve learned in life?
Answer: Rumors are far more powerful than truth. Christians are often the least Christian. Good intentions are wasted on wicked people.
Question: What were you like as a child? Did you have a favorite toy?
Answer: I was a naïve, hypersensitive, people pleaser with a nasty stubborn streak. My favorite toy was a Popple named Dunker.
Question: Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Answer: From my dreams, failed movie scripts, and popular books with storylines I know I could easily and distinctly improve on.
Question: What comments are most impactful to you as a writer?
Answer: “Much better than expected.” I don’t mind being doubted … but I was a professional journalist for 8 years before this.
BONUS: A publisher or movie studio offers you a $1 million contract for one of your stories. The only contingency … you must spend it all in 24 hours. How do you spend it?
Answer: Medical bills ($80K). Braces for kids ($60K). Other relative/family debts ($50K). A nice car—for once ($60K). Alaskan Cruise package for my parents ($9999.995). House in Colorado or Oregon ($470K). Donate ($100K) to Books for Africa. Donate ($50K) to Nothing But Nets. Sponsor four missionary friends in West Africa ($100K). Pay for family vacation in Australia/New Zealand ($20K). And a thick chocolate malt ($5).
“EMERGENCY EXIT” Cast Recap
(Warning: Contains Spoilers If You Didn’t Read Book 1.)
Ryan Miner: 39 years old in 2020. Primary narrator.
Sophie Miner: Died in car accident in 2016.
Danny Miner: 20 years old in 2020. All-State quarterback in high school. Eagle Scout. Cameron’s best friend since childhood. Joined the Marines Special Ops out of high school with Cameron. Recently completed Scout Sniper training at Quantico.
Hayley Miner: 18 years old in 2020. Expert archer.
Logan Miner: Died in 2012 just before his 2nd birthday.
Kate Becker: 21 years old in 2020. Danny’s girlfriend. Pursuing her Education degree.
Jackie Becker: 42 years old in 2020. Kate’s mom. Took Hayley in after Sophie’s death.
Cameron Tatum: 20 years old in 2020. All-State wide receiver in high school. Danny’s best friend since childhood. Joined the Marines Special Ops out of high school with Danny. Recently completed Scout Sniper training at Quantico. Died in mountain lion attack in Emergency Exit.
Jenna Stone: 21 years old in 2020. Kate’s best friend since childhood. Pursuing her Medical degree.
Grandpa Dan: 59 years old in 2020. Former Marine chaplain. Eagle Scout.
Grandma Ollie: 60 years old in 2020. Former teacher. Died on flight to Hawaii in Emergency Exit.
Eddie Bayo: 29 years old in 2020. Captain in the Libyan Army. Military Intelligence background. Promoted to major in Qi Jia’s military.
Lazzo Bayo: 27 years old in 2020. Lieutenant in the Libyan Army. Military Intelligence and Aviation background. Promoted to captain in Qi Jia’s military.
Markus Malik: Eddie’s close personal friend. Killed by Danny in Grand Forks in Emergency Exit.
Wesley Tolbert: Age 62 in 2020. Former Army Corps of Engineers officer and ex-Navy SEAL. Built the cabin and bunker at Devil’s Lake in North Dakota. Died in Colorado flood in Emergency Exit.
Sam Tolbert: Age 26 in 2020. Wesley’s oldest son. Engineering student. Helped his dad build the Devil’s Lake bunker. Now dating Hayley.
Isaac Tolbert: Age 24 in 2020. Wesley’s youngest son. Communications Technology student. Died on flight to Hawaii in Emergency Exit.
Mark “Wooly” Dickson: Age 44 in 2020. Landscaper. Beefy, bald, arrogant jerk from Minnesota. Killed in Devil’s Lake, ND.
Tara West: Age 35 in 2020. Farmer. Was raped in college and got pregnant with Emily. Currently engaged to Ryan. Carrying their child.
Emily West: Age 11 in 2020. Tara’s daughter.
Blake Brady: Age 27 in 2020. Kaci’s older brother. Adopted by his aunt and uncle. Extreme sports fanatic: mountain climbing, river rafting, snowboarding, BASE jumping, etc. Joined the group in Medora, ND.
Nathan Solga: Age 26 in 2020. Blake’s friend. Killed in Cheyenne, WY in Emergency Exit.
Reagan Moore: Age 24 in 2020. Vice President’s daughter. Abbey’s older sister. Martial arts expert. Captured and raped by Qi Jia. Rescued by Danny and Cameron in Estes Park, CO in Emergency Exit.
Vice President Moore: Age 52 in 2020. Ex-Special Forces. Air Force One was shot down and there has been no word from the US President. Moore was acting Commander in Chief until he was captured by Qi Jia. Danny gave him a capsule to kill himself in Emergency Exit.
Abbey Moore: Age 12 in 2020. Vice President’s youngest daughter. Captured by Qi Jia. Rescued by her father and hidden in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO where she was later rescued again—this time by Danny, Cameron, Blake and Hayley.
Omar and Cabo: Two of Eddie’s best men. Killed in their sleep on orders from Qi Jia command after Vice President Moore’s death.
Captain Kubar: Officer in the Qi Jia military that Eddie befriended.
Secret Service Agents Adams, Walker, Deere and Smith: Vice President Moore’s security detail. They were killed protecting his daughter, Abbey at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado.
Russian Commander: One of the seven Qi Jia commanders. Vice President Moore committed suicide on his watch and he pinned the blame on Eddie, leading to Eddie and Lazzo being demoted.
Kaci Brady: Age 26 in 2020. Blake’s younger sister. Had left for their private island in Hawaii before the Qi Jia attacks.
Commander Boli: Highest ranked officer in the Libyan Army and one of the seven commanders of Qi Jia. Direct supervisor of Eddie.
Sergeant Agos: Mexican officer at camp Eddie and Lazzo were reassigned to after their demotions (when Vice President Moore died). Eddie killed him at that camp.
General Roman Roja: Mexico’s highest ranked military officer. Replaced Sergeant Agos at the Buena Vista camp. Led the pursuit of the Americans from Colorado to Lake Powell.
Amadi Ndiaye: The only other African at the Buena Vista camp. He was General Roja’s mole to spy on Eddie and Lazzo until Roja’s attitude towards him caused him to flip. He then helped Eddie and Lazzo save the Americans, before he was killed by Roja’s men.
TABLE of CONTENTS
Editorial Review of Book 1: Emergency Exit
Credits
Author Questions &Answers
“2020 Series” Complete Cast
About the Author
Movie “Dream Cast” for Redemption
REDEMPTION Chapters
PROLOGUE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
ACT II
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
FORTY-THREE
FORTY-FOUR
ACT III
FORTY-FIVE
FORTY-SIX
FORTY-SEVEN
FORTY-EIGHT
FORTY-NINE
FIFTY-ONE
FIFTY-TWO
FIFTY-THREE
FIFTY-FOUR
FIFTY-FIVE
FIFTY-SIX
FIFTY-SEVEN
FIFTY-EIGHT
FIFTY-NINE
SIXTY
SIXTY-ONE
SIXTY-TWO
SIXTY-THREE
SIXTY-FOUR
SIXTY-FIVE
SIXTY-SIX
SIXTY-SEVEN
SIXTY-EIGHT
SIXTY-NINE
EPILOGUE
“If you’re white and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. If you’re black and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green—God makes no rules about color … only society makes such rules. That is why we must have redemption and have it now.”
- Bob Marley
PROLOGUE
(Ryan)
I couldn’t tell you how many times I’d sat in an Adirondack chair on the edge of Redemption Island’s eastern cliff and gazed across the ocean toward mainland America—or what used to be America. Once a day, or night—at least—a Ripken streak of my very own.
I watched for boats on the water. I watched the stars in the sky. I thought. I dreamed. Occasionally I even cried … a little. The truth hurts.
Four wooden chairs stood sentry around a makeshift fire pit, high above the crashing waves. Most of the time three of them remained empty. Most of the time I was alone with my thoughts. But we’d all sat there at one point or another. We’d all stared down the same expanse of water, struggled with the same thoughts, and pondered a similar batch of questions. We’d all wondered how we made it. Why us, specifically?