Three painful weeks had passed since the assassination attempt on Bowtie Island. Small though it was, the .22 caliber bullet fired from Bo’s pistol had severed Mac’s femoral artery and almost killed her. Two surgeries later, she was still recovering and grateful to be alive. Grateful, and a bit guilty, because she had survived when so many had died. Some at her hand, some in her arms, and thousands upon thousands in battles she had no knowledge of.
Most of them were good people. Better people. All because of what? Destiny? Or just plain luck? Yes, Mac thought. Luck. Nothing else can account for it.
The screen door slammed. Sloan appeared. He held a steaming mug in each hand. “Here it is,” he said. “Just what the doctor ordered. Instant Starbucks.”
“Oh my God,” Mac said. “Is it my birthday?”
“No, but you’ve been a good girl and deserve a reward.” Sloan put his coffee down before leaning in to kiss her. The usual spark jumped the gap. Many things were wrong with the world… But one thing felt right. And, for that, Mac was grateful.
About the Author
William C. Dietz is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, some of which have been translated into German, Russian, and Japanese. His works include the America Rising novels, the Legion of the Damned® novels, and the Mutant Files series. He grew up in the Seattle area, served as a medic with the Navy and Marine Corps, graduated from the University of Washington, and has been employed as a surgical technician, college instructor, and television news writer, director, and producer. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Dietz served as director of public relations and marketing for an international telephone company. He and his wife live near Gig Harbor, Washington.
Visit him online at williamcdietz.com, facebook.com/williamcdietz, and twitter.com/wcdietz.
ACE BOOKS BY WILLIAM C. DIETZ
AMERICA RISING SERIES
Into the Guns
Seek and Destroy
Battle Hymn
MUTANT FILES SERIES
Deadeye
Redzone
Graveyard
LEGION OF THE DAMNED SERIES
Legion of the Damned
The Final Battle
By Blood Alone
By Force of Arms
For More Than Glory
For Those Who Fell
When All Seems Lost
When Duty Calls
A Fighting Chance
Andromeda’s Fall
Andromeda’s Choice
Andromeda’s War
DRIFTER SERIES
Drifter
Drifter’s Run
Drifter’s War
SAM MCCADE SERIES
Galactic Bounty
Imperial Bounty
Alien Bounty
McCade’s Bounty
SAURON DUOLOGY
DeathDay
EarthRise
JAK REBO SERIES
Runner
Logos Run
JAK CATO SERIES
At Empire’s Edge
Bones of Empire
Freehold
Prison Planet
Bodyguard
Where the Ships Die
Steelheart
Newsletter
Copyright
Published by Berkley
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
Copyright © 2018 by William C. Dietz
Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.
ACE is a registered trademark and the A colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.
LEGION OF THE DAMNED is a registered trademark of William C. Dietz.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Dietz, William C., author.
Title: Battle hymn / William C. Dietz.
Description: First edition. | New York : ACE, 2018. | Series: America rising ; 3
Identifiers: LCCN 2017012871 (print) | LCCN 2017018389 (ebook) | ISBN 9780698184459 (ebook) | ISBN 9780425278741 (hardcover)
Subjects: | GSAFD: Science fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3554.I388 (ebook) | LCC PS3554.I388 B38 2018 (print) | DDC 813/.54—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017012871
First Edition: February 2018
Cover art by Paul Youll
Cover design by Sarah Oberrender
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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