Broken Roads: A Tale of Survival in a Powerless World (Broken Lines Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

everything to stink. Mike motioned for Nelson and Sean to move in close. His voice was barely above a whisper.
     
    “Look for food. You’ll want to take non-perishable items. Anything in a can or a wrapper should be okay. Bottled water is another good thing to grab. Also, be on the lookout for backpacks we can use to store what we find, okay?”
     
    “What about weapons?” Nelson asked.
     
    “I don’t think we’ll find anything like that here, but if you do grab it.”
     
    Mike squinted his eyes, trying to see deeper into the depths of the airport, but he could only see as far as the light from outside would reach through the windows. No windows, no light. The only things visible were security lines and metal detectors.
     
    Tables and chairs from the food court were flipped on their sides and backs. Broken glass from display cases and vending machines scattered the floor. Sean reached down and picked up a candy bar and showed it to his father. Nelson gave him a thumbs up. Just as Sean pocketed it they heard a crash coming from the back of the Burger King kitchen.
     
    “Stay here,” Mike said.
     
    Mike climbed over the Burger King counter, landing quietly on the other side. He could feel his pulse beat faster. A dim light glowed under the crack of the door leading to the kitchen. He raised his weapon, his knuckles turning white against the black composite of his 9mm and burst through the swinging door.
     
    A group of people was huddled on the floor, all of them with their hands up in surrender. A family with two small children, a young woman, a middle aged man, and an overweight man dressed in a TSA uniform looked at him.
     
    “Hey, man. We don’t want any trouble. Just take what you want and be on your way, okay?” the TSA agent said.
     
    Mike kept his weapon aimed, but moved his finger from the trigger. He glanced around at the group. Each time he swept the pistol over them they crouched lower to the ground. Finally, Mike lowered his gun, clicked the safety back on, and tucked the pistol in the belt of his pants.
     
    “I’m not here to hurt anyone,” Mike said.
     
    “Mike?” Nelson called from the counter.
     
    “We’re good, Nelson. C’mon back,” Mike answered.
     
    The TSA man extended his hand.
     
    “Clarence Furns,” he said.
     
    The two men shook hands.
     
    “That’s Tom Wrink, Fay Cam, Jung To, Jenna To, and their two little ones, Jung Jr. and Claire,” Clarence said.
     
    Tom wore the remnants of what was left of his business suit. His beard crept down along his neck. When Mike went to shake his hand it was grimy with dirt, skin, and whatever he’d ate at his last meal.
     
    Fay’s hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her nails were long, the nail polish flaking off. Mike noticed the tattoos along her arm, exposed from her tank top.
     
    Jung and Jenna stayed close to one another. They were both dressed in what looked like comfortable clothing for a long trip. Jung Jr. and Claire hid behind their parent’s legs, glancing up at Mike. 
     
    Mike introduced Nelson and Sean.
     
    “So, what’s for breakfast?” Nelson asked.
     
    Clarence picked up the lantern and walked them back into the kitchen. The group had stacked the kitchen with boxes of food rations, vending machine boxes, and canned goods.
     
    “You can take as much as you need and stay for as long as you’d like, but I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to last here,” Clarence said.
     
    “What are you talking about? There’s enough food here to last you for the rest of the year,” Nelson said.
     
    “When everything stopped working most of the airport was evacuated. They marched people to local hotels, into the city, wherever. There were quite a few that were just left here, and everything was fine for the first few days,” Clarence said.
     
    “Then people from the city started showing up. I guess they thought they could escape on a plane or something. They came in droves and when