The Sixth Extinction: The Squads First Three Weeks – Echo's Story.

By Glen Johnson

Mankind is no longer at the top of the food chain.

The Sixth Extinction Series is an apocalyptic tale about a pandemic that sweeps the globe, decimating the human race, leaving humanity struggling to survive. Within three weeks, everything has changed. Social structure has collapsed. The police are non-existent, and the army concentrates on the cities. Gangs of yobs rule the streets.

While on her annual leave in Mexico City, Mexico, Echo learns that the seventh pod has been activated, and the virus is spreading. It becomes a rush against the clock to get her back to the base in England.

The secret base, hidden deep below a government-run prison on Dartmoor, has been working with a skeleton crew for over thirty years. Now the place is a hive of activity as more personnel are drafted in, trying to get all the supplies and Adam and Eve finalists below ground before the order to seal the massive bunker is issued.

Everything around Echo collapses, with countries falling one after another, as the virus spreads death and destruction across the world, transforming the human hosts into the ultimate killing machines. Echo fights her own personal battle against her inner demons and the strained relationship with her father, who is the senior officer in charge of the military installation – all she wants from him is his love and acceptance.

Echo is on the front line for the battle for humanity. Her actions will shape the future of a dying species, a species a new outbreak is trying to wipe from the planets surface with extreme prejudice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Glen Johnson
• Release date: Jun 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311183200

Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson was born in Devon, England in 1973. He is the author of 55 fiction and non-fiction books. In August 2014, he gave away all his belongings and bought a backpack and he started travelling around Southeast Asia. While he travels, he helps charitable organizations, writing and releasing books about their foundations, leaving them with all the royalties. His first charity book is called Soi Dog: The Story Behind Asia’s Largest Animal Welfare Shelter and it’s available in ebook and paperback worldwide. He has also started to release a series of books about his travel adventures as they unfold, and Living the Dream: Part One – Khaosan Road, Thailand, and Part Two – Krabi, Thailand is available from all good ebook retailers. He also loves to travel and has spent over eleven years living and travelling around the world – so far, he has explored forty-three different countries. At present, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand, but he has also lived in Mexico, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore. He is also the lead writer on the development team for a new computer game called The Seed (2018), from the creators of the award-winning S.T.A.L.K.E.R Misery mod.Why not add Glen as a friend on Facebook. From his author’s page, you can keep up to date with all his new releases and when his kindle books are free on Amazon. He checks it daily, so pop on and say hello. Don’t be shy, he’s friendly and accepts friend requests.www.facebook.com/GlenJohnsonAuthorwww.facebook.com/RedSkullPublishing and all good ebook retailers.Glen has published 174 books worldwide (via two publishing companies he owns). 55 are his own work; the other 119 are modern-classic-fiction books that can be found on all good eBook and paperback retailers.Books Released by Sinuous Mind Books, and Coming Soon –Books released under his real name Glen JohnsonNON-FICTION BOOKS –CHARITY BOOKS (with Gary Johnson)Soi Dog – The Story Behind Asia’s Largest Animal Welfare Shelter (2015)BEES Elephants Sanctuary: A Haven for Old and Retired Elephants (Coming Soon)TRAVEL BOOKS (with Gary Johnson)Living the Dream 1 – Khaosan Road – Thailand (2015)Living the Dream 2 – Krabi – Thailand (2019)Living the Dream 3 – Penang – Malaysia (Coming Soon)FICTION BOOKS –APOCALYPTIC/DYSTOPIAN/HORRORTHE SIXTH EXTINCTION SERIES (A #1 Best Seller on Amazon UK Horror Short Stories)The Sixth Extinction 1 – Outbreak (2013)The Sixth Extinction 2 – Ruin (2013)The Sixth Extinction 3 – Infested (2013)The Sixth Extinction 4 – The Ark (2013)The Sixth Extinction 1-4 – Omnibus Edition (2013)THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: THE FIRST THREE WEEKS SERIES (A #1 Best Seller on Amazon UK Horror Short stories)The Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks 1 – Noah’s Story (2013)The Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks 2 – Red’s Story (2013)The Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks 3 – Betty and Lennie’s Story (2013)The Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks 4 – Doctor Lazaro’s Story (2013)The First Three Weeks 1-4 – Omnibus Edition (2013)THE SIXTH EXTINCTION & THE FIRST THREE WEEKS SERIES OMNIBUS (A #1 Best Seller on Amazon UK Horror Short stories)The Sixth Extinction & The First Three Weeks 1-8 – Omnibus Edition (2013)The Sixth Extinction & The First Three Weeks & The Sixth Extinction America 1-12 – Omnibus Edition (2014)The Sixth Extinction & The First Three Weeks & The First Three Weeks The Squads Stories & The Sixth Extinction America & The Seven Seeds of the Gods 1-23 – Omnibus Edition (2017)THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: THE FIRST THREE WEEKS – THE SQUADThe Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks – The Squad – Echo’s Story (2014)The Sixth Extinction Series: The First Three Weeks – The Squad – Coco’s Story (2014)THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: AMERICA SERIES (A #1 Best Seller on Amazon UK Horror Short stories)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part One: The Black Spores (2014)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Two: False Hope (2014)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Three: The Pods (2014)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Four: The Long Road (2014)The Sixth Extinction: America – 1-4 Omnibus Edition (2014)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Five: No Turning Back (2015)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Six: A Friend in Need (2015)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Seven: All Aboard (2015)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Eight: New Hope (2015)The Sixth Extinction: America – 1-8 Omnibus Edition (2015)The Sixth Extinction: America – 1-20 Omnibus Edition (2016)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Nine: Keep Running (2016)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Ten: Don’t Look Back (2016)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Eleven: Resurrection (2016)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Twelve: Alliance (2018)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Thirteen: Abandon (2019)The Sixth Extinction: America – Part Fourteen: Burn (Coming Soon)THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: BOOK EXTRASThe Sixth Extinction: The Seven Seeds of the Gods. Book One – Ancient Egypt (2016)The Sixth Extinction: The Seven Seeds of the Gods. Book Two – Ancient Mayan (Coming Soon)The Sixth Extinction: One Year On (England) (Coming Soon)The Sixth Extinction: Clarkson’s Discovery (Coming Soon)THE ENDLESS SERIESEndless: Part One – Sorrow (2019)Endless: Part Two – Fear (Coming Soon)Endless: Part Three - Anger (Coming Soon)THE EVENT SERIESThe Event: Part One – The Last Hope (2019)The Event: Part Two – Crashing Down (Coming Soon)THE HUMAN NATURE SERIES (A #1 Best Seller on Amazon UK Horror Short Stories)Lamb Chops and Chainsaws – Vol.1 (2012)Lobsters and Landmines – Vol.2 (2012)French Fries and Flamethrowers – Vol.3 (2014)The Human Nature Series 1-3 – Omnibus Edition (2014)Backpacks and Body Bags – Vol.4 (Coming Soon)THE EXTREME HUMAN NATURE SERIES (Extreme Horror Short Stories)Condoms and Cabbages (2015)GHOST (Short Stories)Sea of Trees (2017)Child Angels (2018)Tall Ghosts (2020)The Lost Cat (2023)HORROR (Short Stories)Quarantine (2020)Laugh Out Loud (2021)Secrets and Lies (2021)Blood Lotus (With Hathairat Phuekhiran – 2023)HORRORThe Watchers (2014)THE WAR OF THE GOD’S SERIESWar of the Gods 1 – The Devil’s Tarots (2012)War of the Gods 2 – Lilith’s Revenge (Coming Soon)THE SEVEN WORLDS SERIES (with Gary Johnson)The Gateway – World One (2014)The Keystone – World Two (2015)Even Jewel – World Three (2017)The Sleeping Gods – World Four (Coming Soon)The Turquoise Abyss – World Five (Coming Soon)Oceans of Fire – World Six (Coming Soon)Journeys End – World Seven (Coming Soon)THE SPELL OF BINDING SERIESThe Spell of Binding – Part One (2012)The Spell of Binding – Part Two (Coming Soon)THE PARKINGDOM SERIESParkingdom – Book One (2012)Parkingdom – Book Two (Coming Soon)OTHER BOOKSTales from the Lake Vol.2. Short Story: Prime Cuts (A mixed horror anthology with 18 other writers – published by Crystal Lake Publishing. 2016)Books released under the pseudonym J.G. NewtonEROTIC PLEASURES SERIES (#1 Best Seller on Amazon USA and UK Erotic/Suspense)Guilty Pleasures: Erotic Pleasures Series (2014)Dirty Pleasures: Erotic Pleasures Series (2014)Secret Pleasures: Erotic Pleasures Series (2014)Kinky Pleasures: Erotic Pleasures Series (2014)Erotic Pleasures Series 1-4 – Omnibus Edition (2014)EROTIC MONSTERS SERIES (#1 Best Seller on Amazon USA and UK Erotic/Suspense/Horror/Humorous)Frankenstein’s Monster: Erotic Monsters Series (2014)Dracula’s Lover: Erotic Monsters Series (2014)Mummy’s Desire: Erotic Monsters Series (Coming Soon)Werewolf’s Lust: Erotic Monsters Series (Coming Soon)COMPUTER GAMETHE SEEDGlen Johnson is on the development team as the lead writer (eight writers) for a new computer game series called The Seed. The Seed is a story-driven post-apocalyptic video game set in Eastern Europe in 2026. It’s a single-player 2D interactive novel, deeply rooted in HEXACO psychology – it showcases the gravity of choice. It’s by the same team that created the award-winning game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Misery mod.The Seed: Act 1 (2018)The Seed: Act 2 (Coming Soon)The Seed: Act 3 (Coming Soon)If you need to get hold of Glen Johnson, email him on: [e-mail]

Book preview

Prologue

The Sixth Extinction is a period of time from present to around 10,000 BCE – where a large number of extinctions span numerous plants and animals, including birds, amphibians, arthropods, and mammals.

The main reason for the hundreds of thousands of extinctions, which is speeding the sixth extinction along, is due to one mammal – the homosapien. Without intervention, the human race will cause the next mass extinction.

Echo’s Story is set three weeks before

THE SIXTH EXTINCTION

Part One – Outbreak

And running parallel with

THE SIXTH EXTINCTION

THE FIRST THREE WEEKS SERIES

THE ARK MAP ZONES

1. Main city

2. Artificial crop fields

3. Food storage area

4. Live animal section

5. Seed storage area

6. Military barracks

7. Military vehicle storage area

8. Artillery and uranium/plutonium storage

9. Natural underground freshwater reservoir

10. Water purification and waste sewage plant

11. DNA storage vault

12. Data storage and supercomputer

Stars represent artificial islands built in the underground reservoir.

The nuclear reactor power plant and power storage is four hundred feet below Zone 1.

Alexis Carrie Philips (Echo)

Mexico City D.F

Belisario Dominguez

Coyoacán

Mexico

Works for the British army in a clandestine unit in an undisclosed military base called The Ark, situated below Dartmoor Prison, in Princetown, Dartmoor, England.

1

Alexis Carrie Philips (Echo)

Mexico City D.F

Belisario Dominguez

Coyoacán

Mexico

Thursday 20th December 2012

Five Days After the Start of the Outbreak

Day 5

Echo was woken up by the stifling heat. She lay on a king-size bed. The large room was airy and light. The balcony door was open, with the silky curtains wafting in the warm breeze. She brushed her mouse coloured long hair out of her green eyes, so she could check her watch.

7:42 AM.

So that’s UTC time zone. So in England, GMT it’s 1:42 PM.

The bright sunshine poured through the large balcony windows, illuminating the pastoral coloured walls and chunky, rustic furniture.

The muffled sounds of the street outside floated up to her window.

In Mexico City – which sat between two and four thousand feet in elevation – December normally peaked between twenty and twenty-five degrees celsius. However, the month so far was a scorcher, hitting the mid thirties. The city was wilting under the barrage. The pavements shimmered in the heat, and windows were painful to glance at.

She found it strange walking around in the heat with Christmas decorations everywhere. People dressed in thick Santa gear with sweat pouring down their faces, and fake snow melting to the glaring windows.

Echo needed the break. Two weeks away from the madness of the base and her father. One week in Mexico City, sightseeing, and then another week in Cancun swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. She had two days left in the large city before heading to the country’s golden east coast.

It was so claustrophobic working below ground; it was great to have a change of scenery and feel the sun and breeze on her face. She also enjoyed the solitude. After being surrounded by people all day, everyday, it was nice to be alone – alone in the sense she was a stranger to everyone around her.

She always traveled alone. She could be herself. No need for pretence when there’s no one around to try to impress.

It was her fifth day staying in Coyoacán. She loved the area that is officially known as the Historical Centre of the city. With its huge market in the Plaza Hidalgo, and large churches such as Parish of San Juan Bautista. She enjoyed walking around eating from the many street food stalls.

Her favorite place to eat in the city so far was from the famous Tostadas de Coyoacán restaurant, just inside the Mercado Coyoacán, at Calle Malintzin, a short walk from the central plaza. A tostadas is a deep fried corn tortilla heaped with anything of your choice. She loved the chicken in a brick-red sauce, and the pork in the dark rich chocolatey mole. She had tried the pulpo, but wasn’t too keen on octopus, and cochinita pibil, a tangy pulled pork from the Yucatán, which was a little bit too spicy for her British taste buds. She washed it down with agua de frutas – literally fruit flavored water.

She also enjoyed the flautas, an elongated rolled corn tortilla, filled with barbacoa – roast lamb, or a variety of other ingredient, which is deep-fried and topped with sour cream and salsa verde, and sprinkled with grated queso fresco – white cheese. And for some reason, regardless of what type of flautas you ordered, it was always served with caldo de gallina – chicken soup.

Echo is sure she’d put on a couple of pounds since arriving in the vast, bustling city.

She had been all over the city in the quirky little green and white beetle taxis, which had the front passenger seat removed, leaving room to climb into the back.

She loved El Zócalo the main plaza in the heart of the historic centre – Plaza de la Constitución, which was one of the largest open spaces in a city centre in the world, just after Tiananmen Square China and Red Square Russia.

She spent an hour just looking around The Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María – The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, the second largest Catholic church in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican. She was amazed at the amount of gold used on the alters. Also at the amount of people inside praying, and meaning it. Not just someone bowing and making the sign of the cross, but people deep in prayer, kneeling, giving it all they had. Some were even crying and whimpering as they prayed with their eyes squeezed tight.

When she returned outside, she stood staring up at the huge flag flapping gently in the breeze that stood on a one hundred and twenty meter flagpole in the middle of the square.

She watched the flag change when she was here a few days ago. It is so large it needs twenty-five soldiers to carry it and raise it, which was changed every evening at 6 PM.

Echo showered and dressed in a simple cream coloured summer dress. She grabbed the big floppy hat she had purchased as soon as she arrived. White sandals finished the outfit.

Today she was going to attempt to use the subway system. They called it Sistema de Transporte Colectivo – or simply put a metro system. It was the second largest metro system in the Americas after New York.

Echo slung her bag over a shoulder and grabbed her sunglasses off the dresser. She looked down at her mobile phone. It had been switched off since she arrived. No texts. No phone calls. Also no newspapers or the TV. It was bliss. She was completely disconnected from the world, and she made a point of ignoring the front covers on newspapers – not that she would understand them in Spanish. Also, she didn’t book a hotel in advance. When she arrived, she walked around with her bags and decided to stay somewhere that she felt a connection with.

She decided to