The Extinction Series | Book 3 | Primordial Earth 3 Read online

  Baileigh Higgins

  Primordial Earth - Book 3

  The Extinction Series - A Prehistoric, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi Thriller

  Copyright © 2020 by Baileigh Higgins

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Baileigh Higgins asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  Baileigh Higgins has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

  Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

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  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Chapter 1 - General Sikes

  Chapter 2 - Kat

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5 - Kat

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10 - Seth

  Chapter 11 - General Sikes

  Chapter 12 - Kat

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16 - Kat

  Chapter 17 - General Sikes

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20 - Kat

  Chapter 21 - General Sikes

  Epilogue

  Glossary

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  Author Bio

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to Christian Bentulan for the stunning book cover design. You can check out his portfolio at http://www.coversbychristian.com. He’s an amazing artist.

  Plus, a huge thank you to Graham Rintoul for his tireless dedication to my books, his research, and his input. A big shoutout to Mike Hansen for his support and help, and to all the fans and readers out there. I truly appreciate you all!

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Debra Marie Woods, a staunch supporter of my work. Thank you for all your support and dedication. I couldn’t do this without people like you cheering me on!

  Chapter 1 - General Sikes

  General Sikes stared at his image in the mirror. At sixty-two, he was still a handsome man. The single white streak in his hair gave him an air of sophistication, and his teeth gleamed against his tanned skin like pearls. His muscles were firm and his shoulders broad, the product of years of self-discipline, exercise, and strict dieting. He radiated health and vitality. Unlike that fat pig Douglas.

  With minute precision, he straightened his collar and tie. Numerous medals gleamed against the dark fabric of his jacket, along with his rank and insignia. It was an impressive collection, but Sikes knew the truth. The medals were a lie. So was the rank. It was all a front. An act meant to cow those beneath him into obedience—a show for the masses.

  “You look handsome,” a voice purred from behind him.

  His cold gaze flickered to the image of Kat, his mistress. She lay sprawled on the bed, her generous curves enhanced by a crimson silk negligee. Her black curls tumbled across the sheets, and her full lips were drawn into a pout.

  Sikes felt his groin stir. Even after all these years, she still had the power to seduce him. She was a siren, her dark eyes twin pools of wickedness that drew him like a moth to a flame. Despite his distaste for emotion, she was the closest he’d ever come to love.

  Even so, now was not the time for dalliances, and he dismissed her words with a grunt. “I do not wish for good looks. I wish for power.”

  Focusing on his uniform, he missed the flash of hatred that crossed Kat’s face. But her traitorous expression was gone within an instant, replaced once more by fabricated desire. Kat stood up and padded across the room until she stood behind him. “But you have power. More than you know.”

  With a frown, he watched her hands slide over his shoulders, her nails as red as the silk chemise she wore. “What do you mean? This is not the time for your games, Kat. The men await me.”

  “Exactly,” she replied, her voice low. “They await you. Not Senator Douglas.”

  Understanding dawned, and his eyes narrowed. “It’s too soon.”

  “Is it?” Kat countered. “The men follow you. The Captains owe their posts to you, and so do the quartermasters, head-tradesmen, and the civilian council.”

  “Douglas still wields power,” Sikes said.

  “In some circles, but it grows weaker by the day,” Kat said. Her lips curled with disgust. “He’s nothing but a worm, whereas you…”

  She let the words linger unsaid, and Sikes mulled it over in his mind. It was true. Douglas’ hold on Prime City was tenuous at best. Sikes had made sure of that by replacing key figures in the Watch and around the city with people loyal to him and him alone. It was a plan years in the making.

  “There will never be a better opportunity,” Kat said, pressing her point home. “You’re about to embark on a great venture at the head of an army. You’re a general and a commander. If not now, when?”

  General Sikes allowed her words to flow through him until it solidified into a decision. She was right. Now was the moment to get rid of that fat monstrosity who called himself a senator. Sikes snorted. As if that man could ever be a true leader.

  With the decision made, Sikes proffered a small smile. “You know my mind only too well, my dear. It shall be done.”

  Kat leaned against him. Her plush body molded to his, and her heady perfume teased his nostrils. “I’ll be waiting for you when you come back.”

  Sikes cleared his throat. “I won’t be long.”

  He strode toward the door, his back ramrod straight. It was time to take his rightful place as the leader of Prime City. The true leader.

  Outside the apartment, his personal guard awaited. They fell in behind him, four of Prime’s best, armed to the teeth. He’d made sure they were loyal to him and not to Douglas. He paused and issued a set of instructions that would set into motion a chain of irreversible events. The kind that led to death and rebirth. “Are we clear?” he asked.

  “Yes, Sir,” they answered in firm tones.

  “Good,” Sikes said, satisfied. “Not a word of this to anyone.”

  He walked to the hotel’s front entrance and out into the dawn of a new day. Overhead, patches of blue showed between the buildings. The larger openings were covered by awnings to protect against flyers, such as the market square, but the smaller ones yawned open. Banks of clouds drifted across the gaps, windows to an outside world of light and life.

  People nodded as he passed, townspeople and soldiers alike, though he ig
nored them. They were beneath his notice, like the rats that scurried through the clogged alleyways. His nose wrinkled when it caught the scent of stale urine on the breeze. Even here in the center of Prime, the decline of the city was noticeable. We need the Zoo and its resources, or we won’t survive for much longer.

  The Watch stood assembled in the town square, their uniforms as neat as possible after so many years. Their boots shone in the early morning sun, polished with bits of tallow, and their backs were ramrod straight.

  General Sikes passed between the ranks and climbed the wooden platform. From the raised dais, he surveyed the soldiers with an expression of pride. After a moment, he gave a curt nod and said, “At ease.”

  The show of approval was enough to motivate the men, but not enough to lull them into a false sense of complacency. A tinge of fear was always a good thing, in his opinion. It ensured obedience and loyalty.

  Senator Douglas joined him not long after, his girth squeezed into a tight-fitting suit. The buttons across his ample stomach bulged open, and sweat poured down his face even though it was still early in the morning.

  “General,” the senator wheezed. “You look distinguished.”

  “You cut a fine figure yourself, Senator. A fine figure indeed,” Sikes lied, watching with ill-concealed amusement as the man puffed up like a peacock.

  “Well, it’s a momentous day, is it not?” Senator Douglas said. “Worthy of our best efforts.”

  “Indeed it is,” the general agreed, looking down at the ranks once more.

  He spotted the cadaverous features of Bones at the front. The man had been awarded the rank of Captain and was now in charge of the entire Watch. With the position came all the perks and luxuries a soldier could desire: Well-appointed quarters, meals in the officer’s den, free booze after hours, and a monthly salary big enough to make most people envious. It was everything he’d asked for, everything except the woman Rogue.

  Sikes studied Bones through slitted lids. The man’s face was expressionless, and since that first near-disastrous meeting, he’d never spoken about Rogue again. He was the soul of efficiency, laying out his information about the Exiles clearly and concisely.

  Yet, Sikes wondered about his loyalty, especially after the rebel leader Moran’s mysterious escape, along with her fellow prisoners and the upstart Rogue. Someone had helped them, and the search was still on for the missing guard.

  He was not concerned, however. His best spies were on the job. The absent guard would be found, and Bones’ involvement or lack thereof would be established. All the guilty parties would be punished. I’ll see to it personally, and I’ll enjoy every second of it.

  At that moment, Senator Douglas stepped forward and began his speech. It was long and tedious. A pompous ode to the magnificence of his leadership and legacy. A legacy that would now be carried into the future on the shoulders of war.

  Sikes stifled a yawn, wishing the man would stop before they all fell asleep. His fingers itched to squeeze the life from Douglas’s fat neck, and he had to remind himself to be patient. It won’t be long now.

  As Senator Douglas’s last words faded away, he nodded at Sikes. “Your turn.”

  Sikes inclined his head. “Thank you.”

  He turned away from his former leader and cohort, a sense of satisfaction running through his veins. This was a moment to be savored, a turning point. His eyes met those of his bodyguards, and silent understanding passed between them. The time had come.

  General Sikes squared his shoulders and gazed at the men. “Today marks the dawn of a new era. An era of conquest and elimination. Three days from now, we will march on the survivor colony at the old Portland Zoo.”

  A ripple of excitement ran through the ranks, and the men of the Watch exchanged covert glances. Could it be true? Another group of survivors? The senator had hinted at war, but this… this was solid confirmation of that fact.

  “They call themselves the Exiles, and they are the enemy,” Sikes continued. “They envy us our high walls and luxuries. Our safety. They would take it from us if they could, and even now, they conspire to attack us here in our home. This, we cannot allow.”

  He paused for dramatic effect, letting the anger build throughout the square. It washed across the assembled faces of townspeople and soldiers alike until it crystalized.

  “We must protect our own, our women and children…our loved ones. We fight for them, not ourselves!” General Sikes stopped once more, his voice echoing around the square. The men of the Watch looked at him with shining eyes, their hands clenched into fists. “We cannot let them steal everything we’ve worked for. We will not.”

  The men roared their approval.

  “I say we strike first, and we strike hard. What do you say?” Sikes bellowed.

  “Aye,” the soldiers howled from unified throats while stamping their feet. “Strike, strike, strike, strike!”

  Once he had their blood up, Sikes finished with a grand flourish. “To War!”

  “To War!” the men echoed.

  The townspeople joined in, and for several minutes, the square was in an uproar. Cheers of joy did the rounds, and the air took on a festive vibe. Men, women, and children jumped up and down, exchanging hugs, kisses, and slaps on the back.

  Senator Douglas watched on with barely concealed contempt. “I say. It doesn’t take much to please the masses. Such peasants.”

  General Sikes remained silent, calculating the right moment to execute his plan. Timing was everything.

  “Do quiet them down,” Douglas commanded. “This ruckus is hurting my ears, and I want to get back to the hotel.”

  “Of course,” Sikes agreed, but obedience was the furthest thing from his mind. He stepped forward and raised his arms. “Silence, please. Silence!”

  Gradually, the crowd grew quiet until only a few whispers lingered. Expectant faces turned upward, and restless feet milled about on the cobblestones.

  Once he was able to speak, the general continued. “I have another announcement to make.”

  Expectant murmurs rose.

  “From this day forth, I’ll be in command of Prime City,” General Sikes said. “I will be your leader, both in government and war.”

  “What?” Senator Douglas cried, his voice shrill.

  A couple of the townspeople gasped out loud, but the Watch remained silent. Most of them knew about the coming coup d’etat, their loyalty bought with extra coins and rations. Those who didn’t, knew better than to protest, their mouths silenced by warning looks from their betters.

  General Sikes smiled, pleased by the Watch’s reaction. Kat had been right. Now was the time. They were ready, but the townspeople still had to be won over—an easy task considering the senator’s reputation.

  Ignoring the indignant sputters and protests of Douglas, Sikes continued. “Senator Douglas will step down with immediate effect, and his personal council shall be dissolved.”

  “No, you can’t do this!” Douglas said, his cheeks turning puce with anger.

  “A new council will be chosen within the next two days, and one seat will go to a citizen of the people’s choosing. That person will represent the town’s interests, and will report directly to me, General Sikes.”

  Tentative murmurs of approval rose among the crowd. The thought of having a representative within the government gave them hope. Hope that they’d no longer be invisible. Unheard and unseen.

  “Impossible. You can’t do this,” Senator Douglas cried. He tried to push his way forward, but Sike’s personal guard restrained him. He struggled against their hold until one pressed a knife against his throat. “Keep still.”

  Douglas’ eyes grew wide.

  “All of his belongings will go to the poor,” General Sikes continued, undeterred.

  A few cheers broke out among the crowd.

  “Finally, Senator Douglas is to be exiled for his crimes against the people of Prime City. Crimes such as greed, corruption, incompetence, and many more.”

>   Now the masses cheered in earnest, their hatred for Douglas brought to the fore in all of its fury. As one, they forgot about the general’s role in their history of suffering. For now, he was their savior—the man who’d changed it all for the better in one fell swoop.

  General Sikes suppressed a satisfied grin. It was all going according to plan. In fact, it was almost too easy. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Raise the platform.”

  “No,” the senator said, shaking his head. “This isn’t happening. You don’t have the authority.”

  “You are no longer in charge. I am,” the general said. “The sooner you accept that, the better.”

  Slowly, the platform rose in the air. The ropes squeaked with each turn of the wheel, the sound loud in the breathless hush. Hundreds of people watched their ascent to the top, drinking in every detail of Douglas’ humiliation.

  In sharp contrast, Sikes stood with his hands clasped behind his back, balanced on the balls of his feet. Compared to the quivering Douglas, he was the picture of regal pride and nobility.

  The entire way to the top, Senator Douglas alternated between vague threats, promises of riches unknown, desperate pleas, and finally, incoherent blubbering. With a sigh, General Sikes said, “Stop your wailing, man. Have you got no pride?”

  “No, no, no, please. I’ll do anything,” the former senator said, his enormous chin jiggling against his chest.

  Sikes nodded at the wall. “You either go over yourself, or I’ll have you tossed over headfirst. Your choice.”

  Douglas refused to move, wringing his hands while he continued to plead. “Please, have mercy.”

  Sikes rolled his eyes. “Toss him over, will you? I don’t have all day.”

  Two of his personal guards grabbed Douglas by the arms and hauled him toward the wall. He screamed, long and loudly, fighting every step of the way. In the end, it took all four of the guards to drag him to the edge. When they tried to pitch him over, he yelled, “Wait, wait, wait! I’ll do it myself.”

  General Sikes frowned. “That’s too bad. I was looking forward to witnessing your execution, but I did give you a choice. Fair is fair.”