The volume grew as the countdown continued:
8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...
The numbers disappeared from the display and were replaced by giant letters that flashed:
COMMENCE EXECUTION!
The crowd went wild at a sudden close-up of Tessa’s face, just as the injection was pushed into her veins by the automated delivery system.
A digital timer appeared in the upper-right corner of the video feed, showing the seconds tick by now that the process had begun. It was labeled as the OFFICIAL EXECUTION TIME.
USA Today described the injection process as a mix of lethal compounds administered in small, arbitrary increments to lengthen the process and randomize the time of death, all of it geared specifically to maximize both her suffering and the network ratings.
Simon winced when Tessa’s head began to thrash back and forth and her blue eyes went wild with fright. Her full, pink lips contorted in a feral display of anguish as spittle flew from her lips. She moaned and cried out under a torrent of sweat and tears streaming down her face.
“DIE, MURDERER, DIE!” the crowd yelled as a mixed chorus of cheers, whistles and boos echoed off the walls of the arena. The public had been waiting for this event with bated breath, and the execution had been marketed to perfection—StarBright Networks knew what it was doing.
Tessa opened her mouth to speak again, but her body twitched and a gurgling noise rose from her throat. The process was now in full swing, ravaging her body from the inside out. The cheers and jeers from the live audience grew in volume and intensity at the sight of her grimacing and drooling. The spectators around him were all on their feet, waving their arms in the air and shaking their fists.
Simon tore his eyes from the video screen and scanned the crowd below. Behind the families of the victims sat invited government and network VIPs, each with popcorn and beer in their laps, cheering with the rest of the crowd. Everyone in the first level of the stadium seats had a perfect view of the one-way window into the execution chamber.
Emotions were at a fever pitch in all directions, and he assumed the same was occurring all around the world. He imagined scores of drunken spectators in bars, homes and off-site betting houses throwing their money down—in officially sanctioned locations. The wagers were all in virtual currency, of course, except in the seedy, black market betting parlors where old school paper currency passed between the rough, calloused hands of hardened criminals, drug addicts, and down-on-their-luck outcasts.
Everyone was betting on one thing . . . How long would it take until the end?
The end of his wife and the end of his marriage.
Two minutes? Three minutes? Five minutes?
The official timer in the upper corner of the screen kept ticking, tracking every second that scrolled by like some twisted scoreboard of the damned. When Tessa’s life eventually came to an end, fortunes would arrive for those with the precise wager that matched the official execution time—down to a tenth of a second.
The light in the execution chamber faded and a red glow surrounded the gleaming steel table. A single, soft white spotlight illuminated Tessa’s face. Her skin began to grow pink as small purple sores appeared on her cheeks and neck. The image on the screen panned back to reveal her entire body.
She was clad in a tight white athletic bra and matching tight white shorts, both chosen to maximize the bloodbath that was about to begin. Two more chamber lights ignited and then panned up to show her body more clearly. The blanket of purple sores began to erupt, first on her arms, then her legs and torso.
Simon gulped with hands shaking, hating himself for turning his back on her. But she’d left him no choice. All that was left to do now was to stand with the others and watch the criminal die. Then his torment would finally be over.
Tessa rolled her head to the side and found her voice again, though it was thready and uneven.
“Simon,” she pleaded through the obvious pain, “Simon . . . help . . . me. I love . . . you, darling with . . . all my heart.”
His heart stung, but his feet never moved while the crowd screamed despicable insults at her.
More sores appeared and spread across her face and chest, getting larger as her skin changed color from pink to dark red. Then her body began to shake uncontrollably. Her eyes went bloodshot and her arms and legs began to swell like inflating balloons. The swelling filled her torso, then her face and head. The skin of her face stretched tight, distorting her features into a sickening, clown-like grimace.
The theater shook as the audience in the balconies stomped their feet and chanted in unison, “DIE! DIE! DIE!”
The boils across her body had grown and merged together, making her skin purple from head to toe. A moment later, they began to split and crack—first on her chest as blood seeped through the clean white top she wore. Then her forehead began to break apart, turning her face into something less than human, her body expanding around the straps holding her in place.
Then it happened.
She exploded from the inside out, sending a shower of blood and gore outward, covering the inside of the one-way glass and all of the cameras in the execution chamber with a viscous pink and red film.
“Official execution time: four minutes, thirty-two point zero four seconds,” the MC announced at the same moment 4:32:04 flashed in bright red letters across the video screen.
Streaks of blood and bits of flesh dripped down the chamber window, giving the families of the victims and the rest of the witnesses around the world what they needed most—closure. Simon never looked away, wanting the ghastly image to burn into his soul as a reminder. A reminder of what can happen when your focus wanders and you lose situational awareness. Yes, even in a loving marriage, diligence is needed on multiple levels. Not just with focusing your love and dedication, but watching for changes in behavior and motivation.
Simon stared at Tessa’s family huddled together in the protected chamber down in front as he made his way past the other people in his row. The murderer’s sister, mother, father and cousins each had their heads down, buried inside an emotional family hug. His former in-laws were obviously grief-stricken and dumbfounded, unable to process the horrifying spectacle they’d just witnessed.
He took a moment to send a stream of compassionate thoughts to them from his elevated position in the balcony. What had happened wasn’t their fault, it was his. He should have noticed the changes in his wife. He should have stopped her from killing all those innocents. After all, he was the world’s most famous intelligence expert, and yet he never realized that a swell of evil had taken root in the marital bed next to him.
The path out of the theater was slow going as he worked through the cheering and applauding band of spectators milling about and congratulating each other. Simon was careful to avoid making eye contact with anyone, just needing to find the exit and let his nightmare end.
The rest of his plan was simple: slip away into the nothingness that was his future.
TO BE CONTINUED in Chapter 2 of REDFALL: Fight for Survival
GOLD MEDAL WINNING FICTION
Click the links below to grab your copies of this award-winning thriller today!
REDFALL: Fight for Survival Book 1
REDFALL: Freedom Fighters Book 2
Voted #1 Best Dystopia Fiction for 2016 by Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards. Click here for more information about the awards.
BOOKS BY JAY J. FALCONER
Narrows of Time Series
Linkage
Incursion
Reversion
Time Jumper Series
Shadow Games
Shadow Prey
Shadow Justice
Note: these books were previously published under their respective “Glassford Girl” titles
American Prepper Series
Redfall: Fight for Survival
Redfall: Freedom Fighters
Redfall: Shadow Realm (coming soon)
Redfall: Trackin
g Point (coming soon)
Mission Critical Series
Bunker: Born to Fight
Bunker: Dogs of War
Bunker: Code of Honor
Bunker: Lock and Load
Bunker: Zero Hour (coming soon)
For more information about the author or his books, please visit:
www.JayFalconer.com
www.Facebook.com/NarrowsOfTime
Dedication
This novel is dedicated to the loving memory of John, Dorothy, and Dana. We miss you more than you know.
Special Thanks
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Ret. Sergeant Major Dennis R. and former sniper Rocket H. Your help with military tactics, operations, munitions, and weapons is invaluable. This series doesn’t succeed without your insight and your patience. I am forever in your debt.
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MORE FREE STUFF
Take a moment to visit the author’s website located at:
www.JayFalconer.com
and check out the Special Offers page. You’ll find some valuable goodies there.
MISSION CRITICAL SERIES
Bunker: Born to Fight (available now)
Bunker: Dogs of War (available now)
Bunker: Code of Honor (available now)
Bunker: Lock and Load (available now)
Bunker: Zero Hour (available soon)
Click here for more information.
AMERICAN PREPPER SERIES
Redfall: Fight for Survival (available now)
Redfall: Freedom Fighters (available now)
Redfall: Shadow Realm (coming soon)
Redfall: Tracking Point (coming soon)
Click here for more information.
NARROWS OF TIME SERIES
Linkage (available now)
Incursion (available now)
Reversion (available now)
Click here for more information.
TIME JUMPER SERIES
Shadow Games (available now)
Shadow Prey (available now)
Shadow Justice (available now)
Click here for more information.
Note: these three books were previously published under their “Glassford Girl” titles
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Hey everybody, I have a huge favor to ask.
Would you please post a star rating (5 stars being the highest) and a quick review to help get the word out about this book? It’ll only take a minute and doesn’t have to be long or involved. Just a sentence or two that tells other readers what you liked about the book. Your comments will help others know why they might like this book, too, and also provide feedback so I may write more of what you love to read.
Most readers don’t realize that independent authors like myself don’t have the backing of a major publishing house or a marketing budget to speak of. We work long hours and usually two jobs, trying to gain footing in a very crowded marketplace. In the end, we are judged by our star ratings and reviews. They are very important and the lifeblood of our efforts. Without reviews, indie books like this one are almost impossible to market.
Thank you in advance for your feedback and your support. With your help, I hope to someday achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a full time, successful writer.
Take care and thank you for reading my work.
Jay
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Falconer was awarded the Gold Medal for Best Dystopia Book of 2016 (Redfall) and Gold Medal for Best Young Adult Action Book of 2017 (Shadow Games) by Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.
In addition to being an author, Mr. Falconer is also a survivalist, engineer, and Sci-Fi junkie. He’s an Amazon #1 Bestselling author in Action & Adventure as well as Post-Apocalyptic Fiction and lives in the mountains of northern Arizona where the brisk, clean air and stunning mountain views inspire his day.
When he's not busy paying the bills with his regular, full time engineering job, he's either trying to steal a few hours at night or on weekends to work on his next novel, or he's out training, shooting, hunting, or preparing for whatever comes next.
He makes his on-line home at www.JayFalconer.com. If the mood strikes you, please use the Contact the Author form on his website to connect with him, or send email directly to his email address below. Mr. Falconer would love to hear from you. He personally reads and responds to all inquiries.
You may also connect with him on Facebook at the following address: www.facebook.com/NarrowsOfTime
Twitter: @JayJFalconer
Email: [email protected]
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