Push Back: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller (The Disruption Series Book 2) Read Online Free
Author: R.E. McDermott
Tags: Survival, dystopian fiction, apocalyptic fiction, survival fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, EMP, prepper fiction
concentrate on the maps.”
The keys were in the dead woman’s pocket. As an afterthought, he took the woman’s boots and tossed them in the back of the SUV. He got behind the wheel to find Tex focused on The AT Guide and a local map.
“There are sure to be roadblocks on the main roads.”
Wiggins nodded. “We can’t be caught in this thing anyway. If we break contact, we’ll have a shot at playing innocent if they catch us. There are two five-gallon gas cans in the back; let’s find an empty car, gas it up, and get off road. With any luck we can find a four-wheel drive. Try to find us a nice secluded logging road that might keep us near the AT.”
Tex nodded as Wiggins swung the car north and accelerated off the bridge. He floored it, and the trees flashed by on either side.
“How long do you think we have before someone comes looking?” asked Tex, eyes still on the map.
Wiggins shrugged. “Who knows? A half hour maybe?”
The radio squawked, “Unit 17, what is status of reported contact? Request immediate SITREP. Over.”
“Or not,” Tex said. “Should we try to fake it?”
Wiggins shook his head. “They didn’t say anything about us moving, so either they aren’t tracking this thing, or all the GPS birds are finally down. If we answer and they don’t buy it, we’re blown, but no response might just be a comms problem. That might buy us a few minutes of indecision. But there will be cars or a chopper coming our way soon, maybe both.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“We’ll stick out like a sore thumb to a chopper no matter which way we run, so we have to ditch this thing and fast. Find a place to bury this beast in the woods.” He sighed. “It was nice while it lasted, but we’re afoot again.”
Tex nodded and turned back to the map.
“Slow down,” she said.
“SLOW DOWN? Are you serious? We have to get a little farther than this before we ditch—”
“Just slow down! I’ve got an idea, but I need a minute and I don’t want to overshoot our turn,” Tex said, turning back to the map.
Wiggins slowed and glanced over with a concerned look. “I sure hope you know what you’re—”
“There! Right on Keep Tryst Road ahead.”
Tires squealed as Wiggins powered the SUV around a long sweeping curve onto Keep Tryst Road and started to accelerate.
“SLOW DOWN,” Tex said, “and get ready to turn onto Sandy Hook Road. It’s a very sharp right just ahead.”
Wiggins nodded and skidded around the turn onto Sandy Hook Road.
“Tex, this is taking us back—”
“Trust me. Watch for a dirt road to the left.”
Wiggins’ concern grew as they powered down the narrow road southwest, then swung due west and he saw US 340, the highway they’d just exited, loom above them in the near distance.
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING US, TEX?”
“There,” she said, pointing to the left, “turn there. And put this sucker in low.”
“WHERE?” Wiggins demanded; then he saw it, a dirt track through the trees. He braked hard to make the turn and dropped the SUV in low gear. He powered down the narrow track, dodging trees and mowing down scattered saplings as thick as his finger until they broke out of the trees and he slammed to a stop before a steep gravel-covered embankment rising across their path.
“What the hell—”
“Get us up on the railroad tracks,” Tex said.
“What? Which way?”
“Either. We won’t be there long,” she said.
Wiggins cursed and started up the embankment at an angle, his heart in his mouth as the tires slipped in the loose gravel and the SUV rocked on its suspension, threatening to roll at any moment. He gained the top and they bounced due east along the tracks; Tex focused on the tree line down the embankment to their right.
“When do we get off this damn thing?” Wiggins asked, fighting the wheel, his speech unsteady as the vehicle slammed across the track ties at twenty miles an hour. “We may blow a tire any minute at this rate.”
“As
The keys were in the dead woman’s pocket. As an afterthought, he took the woman’s boots and tossed them in the back of the SUV. He got behind the wheel to find Tex focused on The AT Guide and a local map.
“There are sure to be roadblocks on the main roads.”
Wiggins nodded. “We can’t be caught in this thing anyway. If we break contact, we’ll have a shot at playing innocent if they catch us. There are two five-gallon gas cans in the back; let’s find an empty car, gas it up, and get off road. With any luck we can find a four-wheel drive. Try to find us a nice secluded logging road that might keep us near the AT.”
Tex nodded as Wiggins swung the car north and accelerated off the bridge. He floored it, and the trees flashed by on either side.
“How long do you think we have before someone comes looking?” asked Tex, eyes still on the map.
Wiggins shrugged. “Who knows? A half hour maybe?”
The radio squawked, “Unit 17, what is status of reported contact? Request immediate SITREP. Over.”
“Or not,” Tex said. “Should we try to fake it?”
Wiggins shook his head. “They didn’t say anything about us moving, so either they aren’t tracking this thing, or all the GPS birds are finally down. If we answer and they don’t buy it, we’re blown, but no response might just be a comms problem. That might buy us a few minutes of indecision. But there will be cars or a chopper coming our way soon, maybe both.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“We’ll stick out like a sore thumb to a chopper no matter which way we run, so we have to ditch this thing and fast. Find a place to bury this beast in the woods.” He sighed. “It was nice while it lasted, but we’re afoot again.”
Tex nodded and turned back to the map.
“Slow down,” she said.
“SLOW DOWN? Are you serious? We have to get a little farther than this before we ditch—”
“Just slow down! I’ve got an idea, but I need a minute and I don’t want to overshoot our turn,” Tex said, turning back to the map.
Wiggins slowed and glanced over with a concerned look. “I sure hope you know what you’re—”
“There! Right on Keep Tryst Road ahead.”
Tires squealed as Wiggins powered the SUV around a long sweeping curve onto Keep Tryst Road and started to accelerate.
“SLOW DOWN,” Tex said, “and get ready to turn onto Sandy Hook Road. It’s a very sharp right just ahead.”
Wiggins nodded and skidded around the turn onto Sandy Hook Road.
“Tex, this is taking us back—”
“Trust me. Watch for a dirt road to the left.”
Wiggins’ concern grew as they powered down the narrow road southwest, then swung due west and he saw US 340, the highway they’d just exited, loom above them in the near distance.
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING US, TEX?”
“There,” she said, pointing to the left, “turn there. And put this sucker in low.”
“WHERE?” Wiggins demanded; then he saw it, a dirt track through the trees. He braked hard to make the turn and dropped the SUV in low gear. He powered down the narrow track, dodging trees and mowing down scattered saplings as thick as his finger until they broke out of the trees and he slammed to a stop before a steep gravel-covered embankment rising across their path.
“What the hell—”
“Get us up on the railroad tracks,” Tex said.
“What? Which way?”
“Either. We won’t be there long,” she said.
Wiggins cursed and started up the embankment at an angle, his heart in his mouth as the tires slipped in the loose gravel and the SUV rocked on its suspension, threatening to roll at any moment. He gained the top and they bounced due east along the tracks; Tex focused on the tree line down the embankment to their right.
“When do we get off this damn thing?” Wiggins asked, fighting the wheel, his speech unsteady as the vehicle slammed across the track ties at twenty miles an hour. “We may blow a tire any minute at this rate.”
“As
Readers choose
Tamsin Baker
Claire Thompson
Adam Mansbach
Jeffrey Meyers
Robert Sheckley
Jessica Wood
Tom Bale
C. S. Friedman
Sharon Biggs Waller
Laurie Paige