Impact (Book 5): Black Read online

  BLACK

  Impact Series

  Book 5

  By

  E.E. Isherwood

  Mike Kraus

  © 2020 Muonic Press Inc

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  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, without the permission in writing from the author.

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

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  Special Thanks

  Special thanks to my awesome beta team, without whom this book wouldn’t be nearly as great.

  Thank you!

  IMPACT Book 6

  Available Here

  CHAPTER 1

  Sidney, NE

  Grace startled herself awake. The train had been rumbling along the tracks since their escape from Denver, and the diesel engine’s whine put her to sleep not long after the sun went down. Now, in the front seat of her park service Chevy Suburban, she saw sunlight. “We’re out of Denver?”

  Asher sat next to her, tapping on his expensive watch-phone. “Yep. We’ve been out of Denver for a long time. We’re in Nebraska. Nothing but flat fields and high grass.” Unlike the boring stretches of eastern Wyoming, Nebraska wasn’t as flat. There was a slight imperfection to the land, as if the horizon were ten feet higher or lower than their current position.

  Shawn’s deep voice spoke from the rear seat. “I live on the plains, and even I don’t recognize where we are.”

  Grace looked to the seats behind her. Shawn Runs Hard sat next to his boy. Diedre, Asher’s sister, sat against the far door, directly behind Asher. Her shoulder had bled through one of the blue security shirts they’d borrowed. The seat was stained. Twisting, she also saw bloodstains on the seat under Shawn’s leg.

  “You two doing all right? We need to find a doctor.”

  “I’ll be fine,” the big Crow man announced proudly.

  Diedre was less enthusiastic, but she flashed a thumbs-up sign.

  When they’d escaped Petteri’s security forces the night before, they’d done it on a train piloted by a group of men who’d been repairing the engine. As a kindness, they’d placed Grace’s truck on a flatbed car with a crane, so she would have it at their destination. She and the others had spent the overnight hours in the truck, which sat alone, secured to the flatbed. It was the last car on the train. A single green boxcar was linked between it and the diesel engine.

  They’d arrived somewhere; the final lurch of the stop was what must have awakened her.

  “It looks like we’re at another repair yard,” she said. Six parallel rows of tracks led into several hangars, almost identical to the one where they’d started their journey. Hundreds of train cars, mostly coal hoppers, waited on the tracks.

  Beyond the buildings and tracks, there was nothing but wild grasses and squares of farmland with grass-like crops, which made it seem like Grace and her friends were on a tiny metal island in the middle of a green sea.

  “We could ask that guy.” Asher pointed to Robert, the older Hispanic man in the grease-covered jumpsuit who was responsible for their escape. He stood about a hundred yards away, talking to several of his peers in front of a covered shed with more trains inside.

  “I’m on it,” Grace said, opening her door. She had to carefully step outside while avoiding the edge of the train car. Once the door was shut, she sat on the wooden frame, then lowered herself down. When she walked toward the front of the three-car train, she saw Asher doing the same thing on the other side.

  He smiled at her through the gap behind the engine.

  When they met in front of the big orange machine, they closed ranks. “Fancy meeting you here,” she said, glad he was with her.

  “What can I say? I’m trying to be a good partner.” Unlike her, he’d grabbed his rifle; it was slung over his shoulder.

  “Well, after yesterday—” Behind the building, miles away, motion in the air caught her attention. A helicopter traveled the sky, not far off the ground, reminding her of a crop duster fertilizing the fields. “—I’d say you’re a great partner.” Together, they’d traveled hundreds of miles across multiple devastated states and made it all the way to Petteri himself.

  “Thanks,” he beamed, before continuing. “I managed to get a signal before we left Denver. I told my folks we weren’t coming to the house and they should get somewhere safe outside the city. Petteri’s goons can’t get to me through them. They promised they would leave as soon as we hung up…”

  “You don’t sound so sure,” she replied.

  He stopped and held her from walking ahead. “My parents are stubborn.”

  She tried to lighten the mood. “Now I know where you get it.”

  Asher smiled at her. “I think they got the message. They said the radio has nothing but news about how TKM was shooting people downtown. I think that put the fear of God in them.”

  Grace pulled out her phone, but it showed zero signal. Not surprising given their remote location. “I wanted to text my dad last night, but he doesn’t have a phone. I was going to try to contact the last number he called me from to see if they’d heard anything from him, but it never connected. I’d do it now, but you know…we’re off the grid.”

  He perked up. “I’ve been thinking about that. Why don’t you change your voicemail message? Tell your dad we’re heading east, and he shouldn’t go to my parents’ house. When he finally gets to a phone, he’ll dial your number and hear your plans when he goes to leave a message.”

  “It’s pretty brilliant, but I don’t have a signal,” she said, hopeful and disappointed at the same time.

  “No problem. When it links back up, your voice message will automatically update. This way you don’t have to worry about it, for now.”

  She was already tapping on her phone. “Dad, if you get this message, I’m heading east on a train. Please don’t go to Denver. TKM is trying to hurt us. They’ll try to hurt you if you show up.” She paused, thinking how to end it. “If you hear this, please tell me you’re all right. And tell me where you are. We need a new place to meet. For now, I love you.”

  Grace almost hung up, but added one of her trademark claps, putting the game back in Dad’s court. Only then did
she feel all right hanging up.

  “You going to be okay?” Asher prodded, putting his hand on hers as she held the phone.

  “It was a great idea, Ash. Let’s figure out where we are, and maybe I can update my message when we have a better place picked out to meet my dad.”

  He withdrew his hand. “Sounds good.”

  They walked next to a long line of oily, black coal cars.

  Robert caught sight of them arriving. “Hey, you two.” He left his worker friends and met them next to one of the train tracks. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

  She waved him off. “Where are we?”

  The greasy man ran his fingers through his hair, then scrubbed his forehead with his sleeve. It appeared as if he’d already been hard at work. “We’re at the Sidney Progress repair yard. It’s kind of a sister shop to the one I work at in Denver. I’ve ferried cars up here for years. This is where they fix them up.”

  “You went somewhere you were familiar with,” she said, knowing the feeling.

  Robert nodded. “Bingo. Go with what you know. With all the shooting back in Denver, I’m glad to be out here in the wide-open country. However, I didn’t expect all this action. There must be a thousand broken cars here. A dozen engines are waiting to take them after the boys fix ’em.”

  “What’s it all mean?” she asked, taking notice of how many cars were being serviced inside the machine shop.

  “Every hopper car in America is being drawn into TKM’s asteroid dig sites, apparently. Mostly it is TKM doing the drawing, but other companies are trying to cash in by leasing their cars at ten times the market price of freight. It’s driven up the value of these busted cars…” He pointed all around them.

  The whumping action of the helicopter rotors carried in on the air. Grace tried to ignore it for a few seconds, but it was unmistakably approaching their position. She pointed behind Robert. “I don’t suppose you also repair helicopters? It looks like they’re coming right for us.”

  The older man turned. “Ah, a MH-60 Blackhawk. Like from the movies. If I had to guess, I’d say the military was doing a sweep of the area. I wonder what they want?”

  Grace had other ideas. She tugged at Asher’s hand. “Let’s move.”

  Near Columbia, MO

  “After getting everything we needed to survive out in the wilderness, how the hell did we miss the most important thing?” Ezra asked as he, Butch, and Haley stirred in the early morning mist on the river.

  “Coffee?” Butch replied.

  “A protein shake?” Haley added, cuddling her puggle in her arms.

  “No. Sleeping bags and pillows. Either of them would have made sleeping in the boat a lot less like the torture I endured last night.”

  Haley sat up, stretching. “Eh, it wasn’t too bad. I guess I’m a little sore. I had this pack as a pillow.”

  Butch laughed. “It wasn’t half as bad as Iraq. At least last night I was fairly certain we wouldn’t get shot at. There was still a slight chance, mind you, but that’s the cost of doing business with E-Z.”

  Ezra realized he was the only one who’d been miserable. The two kids could probably sleep on concrete and be happy. They were young.

  Last night, they’d sped upriver to escape the TKM search parties around St. Charles. They found fuel near Herman, Missouri, and traveled another forty miles before calling a halt. They’d agreed to hide the boat in a side channel and skip posting a guard, so everyone was able to sleep. Ezra was awake most of the night anyway, which was why he was the one to greet the others as they woke up.

  “I’m going to let Liam do his business. I’ll take Victoria with me, too.” Haley slid the cat carrier to the front edge of the boat where it was easy to hop down onto the riverbank. She also pulled out a travel litter box and other gear, though Ezra had no idea what she planned to do with it.

  Butch watched her debark as if she were the star of a popular TV program.

  As soon as the young woman was out of earshot, he scooted closer to Butch. “Hey, I’m glad we picked up the extra passenger, plus her two friends, but I’m worried this is going to be too dangerous for her. We know there’s been a disaster in Kansas City. All the trash we saw floating by last night was enough of a clue. Once we get past it, we still have another six hundred miles before we reach Denver.” He scratched his chin. “I don’t know if a cat in a box can make it.”

  Part of why he’d agreed to allow Haley on board was how obvious it was Butch had been smitten. He judged it likely the youngster would have stayed in St. Charles to be with her, rather than stick it out with him on the boat. To avoid forcing the issue, he’d accepted Haley’s offer to join them. At the time, they were all being pursued by TKM, so it was safer to stick together. However, with each town they’d passed along the river, he wondered if she’d be safer on shore. It was his first chance to speak in private with Butch about his concerns.

  “Don’t worry about her. I’ll keep an eye on her pets. I love that little dog, don’t you?” He laughed, checking the shore as if expecting the dog to run out of the woods to him.

  “Well, it’s just—” Ezra started to say, before Butch stopped him.

  “I know what you’re thinking. Is JJ Butcher going to blow the mission because he’s got other things on his mind?” He took a deep breath. “I can’t deny she’s a ten on this Kentucky boy’s country music volume meter, but I made a promise to you, E-Z. We’re going to find your daughter. From what I’ve seen, she’s as tough as either of us. I think she’ll help us more than slow us down.”

  Ezra had expected such an answer. It would have shocked him if the kid had suggested dropping her off. However, he’d made his position known, as did Butch. By the time Haley and her pals were back on the pontoon boat, he knew he could rely on his friend.

  “What were you two boys talking about while we were gone?” Haley passed a glance between him and Butch, but she spent more time on his buddy.

  “My daughter,” he said dryly. “I told her we’d meet in Denver, but we’ve been dragging butt the last few days. I’d like to find a phone so I can call and see if she’s waiting for us.”

  “You can use mine!” Haley said, pulling a slim black smartphone from a pocket in her Yoga pants.

  “Oh, thanks.” Ezra dialed Grace’s number, but it didn’t ring. It instantly went to voicemail. Her voice message had been changed.

  “Dad, if you get this message, I’m heading east on a train. Please don’t go to Denver. TKM is trying to hurt us. They’ll try to hurt you if you show up.” She hesitated before continuing. “If you hear this, please tell me you’re all right. And tell me where you are. We need a new place to meet. For now, I love you.” It ended with a smacking sound, which was obviously her clapping into the microphone.

  He thought about what to say. He glanced at Butch. “Things have changed. I have to leave a message.”

  After the beep, he spoke. “Hi Grace. Me and Butch are on the river, moving closer to you. I think we’re close to Columbia, Missouri. That puts us…about a week out of Denver, though we won’t go there now.” He laughed. “But seriously, we’re making our way slowly out west where we can meet up. Wherever you end up, I’ll get there. Please call me back at this number. It belongs to a young woman traveling with us. I love you, kiddo. Talk soon.” He clapped once, laughing as he did it, then hung up.

  “I hope you win your game, E-Z,” Butch said with sarcasm.

  “Oh, I’m just happy to have some fun with her. Winning isn’t part of it.”

  Butch laughed. “Whatever you say.” He then clapped while wearing an expectant expression.

  Ezra shook his head. “Don’t get me started. One game is plenty for me.”

  “Party pooper,” Butch said, pretending to be hurt.

  After handing the phone back, and securing all the loose gear on the floor, it was time to start the boat.

  Ezra got in his captain’s chair, followed a second later by Liam. The little brown puggle hopped on his lap and braced
his front paws on the steering wheel, as if ready to pilot the boat himself.

  “Oh, sorry,” Haley said, trying to grab the pup.

  “It’s fine,” Ezra replied. “I’m currently winning my clapping competition and I feel like this little guy is going to bring us more good luck today.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Sidney, NE

  Grace and Asher trotted inside the entrance of the railway repair shed, which reminded her of an oversized barn made of metal. The inside was spacious, about a hundred yards long on each side, with enough room for all six tracks to go in through the front doors. Like the repair yard in Denver, the place had several hoists and cranes, some holding pieces of the numerous coal cars in for repair.

  Asher stood closest to the exit. “If TKM has an attack helicopter, we’re screwed.”

  Many of the men stayed outside the building, as if they didn’t share the urgency of she and Asher felt. Robert came in, however. “I don’t think there’s a military base within hundreds of miles of here. I’ve never seen a helicopter at this shop, if it comforts you at all.”

  “It doesn’t,” she said dryly.

  Robert gestured to Asher’s rifle. “At least you have one of those.”

  She was glad to have it, for sure, but it wasn’t exactly comforting. “If we have to go against a helicopter, I don’t think any weapon in our arsenal would make a difference. Plus, who knows how many men they have on board?”

  The helicopter was almost there. She had enough time to look at her ruined Chevy park service vehicle, aware her friends needed to stay hidden inside. Two injured people and one teenager were no threat to anyone. She prayed they didn’t try to get out.

  The rotor noise echoed off the metal frame of the building and reverberated inside the spacious interior as it neared. The dull gray helicopter came in about fifty feet above the ground, passing over the middle of the train yard at a high rate of speed.