Primal Shift: Episode 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

now she wasn’t going to make it, not unless she left right away. A white guy with a dirty crew cut and a wife beater was running her way, the metal rod in his hand cocked like a Samurai going in for the kill.
    Dana started inching away with almost painful reluctance. “Damn you, lady.” Then she broke into a run, both hands clutching the SIG. Samurai Guy was closing fast. He was a good fifteen feet ahead of the pack and if she didn’t do something quick she might not make it. She drew to a stop, planted her feet, steadied her breathing and then squeezed off two quick shots. The first struck him in the shoulder, spinning him around, the second entered through his neck and the sickening sound of his skull hitting the pavement made her wince.
    She stood for a second, staring. Then that voice from inside. 
    Move your ass girl!
    She listened. The Nissan was wedged between a Buick and a Smart Car. She threw it into reverse and hit the gas. Tires screeched as she rocked back and forth to give herself the room she needed to escape. The front of the Cube scraped the Buick’s rear bumper as it tore free and no sooner was it out than she came face to face with the mob. She punched the accelerator as far as it would go, causing the car to nearly fishtail out of control. One of the men raised the metal pole in his hands, preparing to smash her windshield, when the Cube plowed right into him. His eyes grew wide before the rest of him disappeared beneath the car. Two tiny bumps gave only the slightest hint that her tires had just crushed him into the ground.
    Dana was crying as she drove away. Crying for leaving the woman all alone. Crying for the two men she had been forced to kill. But most of all, she was crying for what her beloved city had become.

Carole Cartright
    Salt Lake City Airport
    The crackly message on the ham radio continued to repeat over and over again.
    “Destruction is worldwide. Safety and a fresh start awaits you. 41 degrees, 14 minutes, 42 seconds north... 111 degrees, 93 minutes, 0 seconds west.”
    “I don’t understand,” Nikki said, raising her voice in frustration.
    “Maybe they’re the coordinates to a FEMA camp,” Alice said.
    Carole stood. “This soon? We haven’t seen a single sign of any government agency even attempting to lend a hand and you’re saying FEMA’s already got a camp up and running.”
    “Don’t yell at Alice, Mom,” Aiden said, raising his own voice. “This isn’t her fault. Maybe they haven’t been able to.” He looked down thoughtfully. “Maybe whatever happened to the people around the airport also took out the police and ambulance workers.”
    Alice was still fiddling with the knob, trying to clean up the signal. “Thank you, Aiden. Your mother is frustrated. We’re all frustrated. But I can tell you all one thing about this message. It’s being broadcast on a loop, so I can’t very well call in and ask who’s sending it.”
    Carole rubbed her eyes with the tips of her finger. “I’m sorry Alice, I didn’t mean to shoot the messenger; I’m only trying to avoid a major let down.”
    “No need to explain yourself to me. If it wasn’t for you, who knows what would have happened to us yesterday. I’m deeply thankful.” Alice turned to Nikki, who was wringing her hands. “There’s a map book in the desk drawer up front. I think one of the guards must have been planning a trip. Nikki, can you run and grab it for me?”
    Nikki nodded and sprinted from the room. Carole watched her go, conscious of how different this new Nikki was from the daughter she’d watched transform over the last few years from a little princess, to an angry young woman. Amazing how in a flash, all that angst had evaporated like a shallow pool of water in the desert.
    A minute later Nikki returned with the book. Alice took it from her and flipped through it while Aiden held the light.
    The message on the ham radio continued to play. “a fresh start awaits you. 41 degrees, 14 minutes,