“I am sorry, but I had transferred my program to the ship. When I detected the gunshots, I—”
“Just get us the hell out of here!” Michael shouted.
They ran up the metal platform into the ship. This craft was perhaps a third smaller than the Hive, but the most striking difference was that everything here was new. Dusty plastic covered the upholstery, and nothing was patched or dinged.
Timothy sealed the door behind them.
“Is there anything on board that we need to be aware of?” Layla asked. “Any monsters you’ve forgotten to mention?”
“There are only four life forms present,” Timothy said. “Follow this light strip to the bridge. I will join you there.”
They ran down a long hallway that ended at a circular steel door. Timothy was already waiting there. He raised a hand as the doors parted, revealing a bridge fitted with more advanced computer technology and control panels than Michael had ever seen. The operations room was furnished with metal stations and a single steering wheel. Control panels were already flashing, and a mounted monitor taking up an entire wall came online with the view above them.
Heart pounding, he staggered inside. Blood sang in his ears, and a wave of vertigo passed over him.
Michael blinked and drew in a long breath as he followed the other divers onto the bridge. A distant thud rang out, and the ship trembled.
“Stand by for launch,” Timothy said. “The air is safe and clear of toxins, by the way. Feel free to take off your helmets and settle into your seats.”
He sat at a station and watched the monitor as the other divers stripped off their gear. The doors above them opened slowly. Lightning zigzagged across the storm clouds over the Hilltop Bastion. The floor rattled, and the bulkheads groaned.
Michael removed his helmet and inhaled his first breath of unfiltered air outside the Hive.
“Engines online,” Timothy said. “Now activating the turbofans. Please fasten your harnesses.”
“Hold on, Timothy,” Rodger said. He looked at Magnolia, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “Weaver gave his life to save mine, so I’m not going to waste any more time.” The ship vibrated as Timothy activated the turbofans, and they rose off the platforms.
Rodger steadied himself and reached into his vest. He pulled out a small wood figurine and handed it to Magnolia.
“I made this for you,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to tell you how I feel, but now… well, if you don’t already know, there’s no point in saying it.”
“It’s an elephant,” she said. “You remembered!”
She held it in her palm and began to sob.
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping away the tears with her sleeve. “It’s just, I’ve never had anyone be so nice to me.”
Rodger put a hand on her arm. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay now. You can trust me. Trust is the only thing that’s going to keep us alive.”
“He’s right,” Michael said. He grabbed Layla’s hand as the ship slowly rose out of the hangar. The frame creaked and groaned like a beast coming out of hibernation.
“Please fasten your harnesses,” Timothy said again. “This could be a bit rough.”
The divers all strapped in to watch the ship rise out of the Hilltop Bastion. On-screen, the ruined city stretched around them, a gray and brown halo of devastation.
As soon as they were hovering over the ITC facility, Timothy turned from the screen to look at Michael. The other divers all looked at him as well. With Weaver gone, Michael now held rank.
“What heading should I set, Commander Everhart?” Timothy asked.
There was no hesitation in Michael’s reply. “To the last known coordinates for Commander Xavier Rodriguez.”
Timothy nodded, and the ship slowly rotated to change course, giving them a view of the ocean to the east, and the red lighthouse they all had seen on the dive.
“Guess I won’t be dipping my feet in the ocean anytime soon,” Magnolia said.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Timothy said. “It appears the last known location of Commander Rodriguez is in southern Florida.”
“Florida,” Layla said. “I think I’ve heard of that place in the archives. There was a magical kingdom there once, according to the old stories.”
Michael felt a smile coming on, but he didn’t let it. Instead, he gripped her hand tighter. They had lost Weaver and Pipe, and Jordan had forsaken them, but they were going to find X. If he was still alive, he was their best hope of saving the human race.
Magnolia put the elephant on her lap and waved at Timothy. “Hey, I forgot to ask you something. What’s this ship called?”
“Deliverance,” Michael said. “We’re calling her Deliverance.”
Will the heroic Hell Divers locate the man that can lead them to a new home, or is humanity doomed forever?
While you’re waiting for Hell Divers III: Deliverance, dive into Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s other series, Trackers. Ripped from the headlines, the explosive new saga is a hard-hitting and realistic depiction of what a North Korean EMP attack might look like at a time when the threat has never been more real. Grab your copy today by clicking here!
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Books by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Hell Divers III: Deliverance (Summer 2018—preorder here)