Vigo's Lament: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

right. I should have told them. If I did, these people might still be alive. This won’t make up for it, but it’s a start.”
    “I’ll put in a good word for you,” she said, walking past him. She covered Izzy’s eyes as they passed by the bodies.
    Vince took a deep breath and surveyed the land. A night of digging would be exhausting, but it was something he felt he must do. It was something he wanted to do. He walked to the supply shed to fetch a shovel. After everything he put up with over the last two hundred years, one cold night of digging did not sound so bad.

FIVE
    TRISH BUZZED UNIT Three of Building Twenty-Six and turned around to watch the street while she waited. Ever since the Spire fell, the streets were more crowded than ever. Former Spire workers roamed about with no place to go. They were forced to sleep on the outside. Trish was one of the lucky ones. She did not have any family, but was fortunate enough to know Warren and his wife, Dana. They welcomed her into their home with open arms.
    Not many home dwellers were willing to help the homeless, now that Greene was dead and Simon was in charge. Anyone from the Spire or associated with Greene in any way now had to watch their back. Trish was convinced that Simon was on a mission to eliminate every last one of them. Now that he was in control of the Spire and the surveillance systems, that mission was hauntingly reachable. She spun around to buzz again, but the door swung open before she could.
    It was Dana. “Trish, please come in.” She leaned in to offer a hug and then led her up the long flight of stairs. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Warren has his hands full with dinner at the moment.”
    “No worries. I think waiting outside for a few minutes is the least of anyone’s problems nowadays.”
    “How bad is it out there?”
    “Pretty bad. And it’s getting worse.”
    Dana shook her head. “There’s nowhere for anyone to go. Everyone’s too afraid of Simon.”
    They passed unit two and twisted around with the staircase. “ I’m afraid of Simon. Aren’t you?”
    Dana shrugged. “I suppose.”
    “I hear the news stories from the Eastern District. He’s been attacking neighborhoods. Wiping out anyone who’s ever worked for Greene.”
    “They say he’s looking for a girl. I don’t know who this girl is, but she’s the reason for all of this madness.”
    Trish lowered her head. “Yes, I’ve heard that too. He’s never going to find her, though.”
    They reached unit three and Dana opened the door to a room filled with a fresh garlic scent. “She’s out there somewhere. They’re bound to find her eventually.”
    “No,” Trish whispered to herself. “They won’t.”
    “What are you two going on about?” Warren said from around the corner.
    Dana entered the kitchen and pecked a kiss on his cheek. “We’re talking about that girl Simon’s looking for.”
    He shook his head. “I don’t understand why that girl is so goddamn important.” He looked to Trish. “You got the vegetables?”
    She handed over a bag. “Chopped up and ready to go.”
    “Perfect timing.” He poured the chopped vegetables in and stirred. The pan sizzled with an alluring scent. “I’ve seen the posters blowing around the streets. There are so many of them. Is the girl really worth all of this trouble?”
    “She must be,” Dana said. “Otherwise, he would let it go.”
    “We don’t even know who she is,” he said. “She’s a mystery girl. What, is she like Simon’s daughter or something?”
    Trish hesitated and decided not to respond.
    “Whoever she is, I hope they find her soon. Too many people are dying because of her.”
    “Amen,” Warren said, pouring the veggies onto a plate, next to a pile of chicken and rice. “Let’s eat.”
    They carried the food to the dining room and sat around the table. Trish scooted her chair up, admiring the food. “I’m starving. Everything looks wonderful. You’ve really outdone yourself,