Rage - Book One: Rage Worlds Series, #1

By Gent Adams

Standing up means rebelling against the Alpha Society and facing the undead.
Complying means becoming a mindless artificial intelligence soldier.
In the ruins of a place once known as the United States, all that roams the apocalyptic world are greedy humans, undead Ragers, and controlled soldiers. Three years prior, a street drug named Rage was released on the unsuspecting masses. It lived up to its name and created vicious undead creatures.
Seventeen-year-old O Brightly is alone and in trouble. While traveling home for the first time in three years, she is bitten by a Rager, forcing her to reach out for the help of strangers.
Eighteen-year-old Maddie Rivers is fighting for his group and family. Taken by the Alpha Society, he is forced to act like he belongs. Forced to forget his people for their safety. Forced to be someone he isn't to save himself.
To survive, O must risk her life for her saviors.
To exist, Maddie will have to keep his curiosity at bay long enough to learn the truth about the Alpha Society.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gent Adams
• Release date: Feb 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781694782465

Book preview

1

O BRIGHTLY

1310 DAYS

AUGUST 3RD, 2152

A deep, inhuman growl wakes O from her sleep.  She moves quickly, grabbing her weapon and hopping to her feet. It takes her a moment to realize where she is and what is going on. Her eyes adjust to the glimmering sun before she scans the tall grass of the field, trying to figure out where the growl came from. Her eyes move fast over the openings of the fields.

Her stomach churns and her palms begin to sweat. She angry at herself for falling asleep last night, but the long trip through miles and miles of the Wasteland wore her out.

O catches sight of the infected Rager, trying to get its way through the tall grass. Once it breaks through, it heads toward her, baring its teeth. It moves fast – telling her, it just ate dinner and now she is the desert. In one swift, downward swing of her machete, she comes down on the Rager’s head. It stops trying to eat her and drops next to the already dead firepit.

Relief washes over her when she hears the silence of the field. No cracking of the overgrown grass. No inhuman growls coming anymore. Silence. The small open spot in the spacious, overgrown field provides cover for her from whatever’s out to get her. Safe for now, she stares at the corpse before her.

Three years ago, I would never have been able to stomach this dead body, she thinks, studying it. It is dressed up in a soldier uniform. An A. S. sits on the flak jackets breast pocket. Its skin under the clothes lacks the color it needs, having turned gray once the infection took over. Red veins travel all over its body, from its feet to its forehead. It died with its eyes open. The middles of the eyes are brown, while the rest has turned as red as the veins in its arms. It’s clothes aren’t as dirty as any normal Rager.

A.S. O says to herself out loud. She’s seen the symbol before, and it brings back the feeling of hatred. She sees a corner of something gray sticking from his army flak jacket. She uses the end of her machete to push the dead Rager, fearing that it may reanimate again.

It doesn’t move.

Her clammy handshake harder than ever before. After three years, she thought she’d be used to it. She counts to three in her head slowly before snatching the gray rectangle thing from him.

It’s a tablet, embroidered with A.S. on the gray cover. She flips it open and tries to power it on once again. It flashes a battery sign and goes back to pitch black. She scans the area around her, wondering if she’ll find more undead soldiers.

To her left, she can see the start of the Wastelands. Miles and miles of dry, uninhabitable land. The dry dirt has turned a tan color, wishing it would rain soon. A heat wave in the air spreads across the desert. There is no way she can see the ending of it.

To her right, she can see an old, rustic barn sitting comfortably on the horizon line, just outside the tall field she is in.

Throwing the tablet in her bag, she resigns to sitting on the long log she set up last night. She had set up base last night in the small opening in the field, starting a fire in the firepit she made earlier.

She stares at the body before grabbing the walkie-talkie on her radio. My name is O Brightly, she starts, her voice tired and weary from her journey. "It's been 1,310 days since the disease, Rage, infested our country with no hope of getting better, and honestly, it's getting weirder and weirder every day.

I lived in New Cali for a few years of my life, just outside of the big city, Atlas, she speaks into the radio, doing her morning broadcast. She really doesn’t know if this old ham radio even works, but it makes her feel a little less alone. But before that, I was living in Kedo, across the whole wasteland of the United States. Not so lucky, I was in Atlas when the infection took over the main cities and turned people against each other. And today... She pauses, breathing in the fresh air of the countryside. I made it across the Wasteland and into Kedo. I found a tablet on a freshly, dead soldier. A. S. branded on his chest and the cover of the tablet. Who is using it with no electricity? I–,

As if on cue, a helicopter shaped like a number eight flies overhead. Grass and hair whips around from the burst of air, stinging her face. Fear enters her body as she scrambles to her feet, gathering all her things. She didn’t even know there were still helicopters around these days, and she sure doesn’t want to meet whoever is in there.

The huge eight-shaped helicopter turns around and begins heading for her. She only says one word, Fuck, before she ditches her black bag into the grass to hide it. O can barely think to grab her weapon but still, she springs into action, running toward the scattered tree line. She glances over her shoulder and sees a huge metal cube drop from the helicopter.

It crashes loudly against the ground, making her lose balance and tumble to the ground. She blocks her face, scraping her elbows and knees on the ground. From under the cube, a dust cloud rises, surrounding her and the field.

O turns around and raises her arm to block her eyes from the dust. She can’t even see the helicopter through the thick cloud. She can only hear the whirling noise of the aircraft going away. Once some of the dust clears, she searches the sky for it, but it is out of sight by that time. She stares at the metal cube, waiting for something to happen and debating on whether to approach it or not.

Don’t. Could be a bomb. Why and who would they drop a cube in front of me?

She doesn’t know the people in the helicopter, and she certainly doesn’t know what the cube is. She narrows her eyes until she can finally see the writing on the side of the cube.

Alpha Society, she gasps out loud, climbing to her knees. She remembers seeing the name, more than once, graffitied on buildings along the streets. The words Alpha Society is here to help you in your time of need were on most alley walls in Atlas. Most of it has been crossed out with red paint that reads: Don’t trust.

She wants to move to the cube and see what it is, but she hesitates. She doesn’t trust the Alpha Society – not from what has been written about them. How can she? They’ve never been around to help her in her time of need.

A loud click comes from the cube, making O flinch at the sound. After the click, the top of the cube flips open. She climbs to her feet, wondering if she should take off running. Before she can decide, a small whirring sound fills the air and out flies a few miniature drones. The silver of the drones gleams in the morning sun. The drones hover and fly to her, facing her as if they are looking at her.

What the... She questions.

O Brightly, one of the drones speaks. The voice pierces O’s eardrum. The high-pitched hum of the drone creates static when it talks. In the cube is food, water, and supplies to help you survive. All you have to do is leave the tablet, take what you can, and go. Deal?

Who am I speaking to? She questions, not trusting a drone that has no human face.

My name is Omega Genesis.

Omega?... Omega Genesis, Her brows come together. The last president since the apocalypse?

What’s left of it, Omega says. O, you can leave now and still live.

Are you threatening me? O’s eyes narrow on the drones. She doesn’t take too kindly to being threatened. What’s on the tablet? Something you don’t want the rest of the world to know? Well, – she smiles, and her eyebrows bounce up quickly – what’s left of it.

Last chance, he warns.

Take a drone and shove it up your– O doesn’t get the chance to finish what she has to say. The drones jump up, hovering higher in the sky and in one swift movement, all the drones flip out miniguns. Red dots shine against her.

Fuck, she mutters, going cross-eyed trying to see all the dots on her forehead.

2

MADDIE RIVERS

1310 DAYS

AUGUST 3RD, 2152

An eight-shaped figure flies overhead, knocking strands of hair out of Maddie’s ponytail. He doesn’t get to see it before it disappears behind the trees, but he can still hear the whirring of the chopper.

What was that? One of Maddie’s crew members ask the others.

Maddie glares at him, almost saying that that was the dumbest question to ask. Instead, he says, A helicopter.

Thanks, Captain Obvious, the guy mutters.

Maddie ignores him.

Are they going to the same city we are going to? one of the group members, Bloom, asks the rest of the group. Maddie trusts him to have his back in any situation, even if he isn’t as skilled as the others in fighting. Bloom had put the group together last minute before they all ventured out to find anything of use and Maddie only knew one of them, Bloom.

They all pause, trying to hear where the helicopter went, but all they can now hear is the wind blowing. The leaves rustle and crackle under the pressure. If there are any infected people nearby, they would be able to hear them. Their groans would usually fill the empty space, and echo throughout the forest. The wooded area they are in is quiet. No birds chirping at the light of dawn. No squirrels running around trying to prepare for the winter. No signs of any life.

A chill runs down his spine, making his body shudder. If they are, he breaks the silence, pushing loose hair behind his ears, do we risk getting help, or go back home? He feels more like the leader than anyone else because of his military background. Even though he is young, everyone always looks to him to know exactly what to do. And most of the time, he knows what to do. But if given the choice to do something where it risks his crew’s live, he always would like to know what they want to do.

Well, what if they are the Alphas? Bloom shakes with fear at the thought of it.

Maddie rolls his eyes, cocking his pistol. One, we’d kill them before they could do their little A.I. superpowers. Two, they aren’t real, and you’ve been listening to O Brightly too much.

His friend laughs nervously. She’s never really mentioned them before. I don’t think she’s seen them before, but others have. Plus, I’m missing her morning broadcast right now. Maybe we should go home.

Maddie turns to the group. Show of hands for not going home.

Out of the six kids with him, everyone but Bloom raises their hands. Maddie thinks that maybe they are sick of having no answers about the boogey man soldiers that were all around them, but they’ve never seen them. In all honesty, Maddie wants answers too, mainly on why his search crews keep going missing every time they go out. Besides the infected, it used to be safe.

You are free to walk home alone, Maddie tells Bloom, knowing he won’t do it alone. He begins to walk toward the little city they intend on looting.

Behind him, the cocky guy whispers in Bloom’s ear, Don’t let the A.I.’s get you, Bloomy. Maddox won’t be there to protect you.

Maddie looks back at his friend. His friend looks even more terrified than he is about going to the city. Maddie jerks his head to motion him to come up front with him. Bloom jogs to catch up. When he does, Maddie throws his arm around him. The black, beaded bracelet on his wrist jingles. I promised Hana I’d protect you. Don’t worry, buddy. Hana, Maddie’s girlfriend, worries whenever Bloom is anywhere but behind a computer screen.

At the edge of the city, Maddie scans the open street. The city is filled with multiple layers of dark skyscrapers and dwellings. The buildings are scattered about but still close to one another, slating but clinging to each other for support. Multiple non-lit neon signs hang on the buildings he can see. Though the words are still collecting dust, he can see the different colors among them. He wonders if, in a few years, they’ll be too dusty to see the bright colors at all.

He knows this city was known as a party city. He imagines the busy street with glowing hover cars and people walking under them. People laughing and hugging others, either making their way to a club or to a restaurant. The city is lit up, especially at night. The neon colors are lit to catch people’s eye. Maybe to lure them into a strip club with holographic girls in the window, dressed to please everyone’s type of girl.

His father brought him here as a kid. As an innocent kid, he shielded his eyes from the naked women as they called down the street after them. Those are high-priced women, Maddie. You never want to pay for the fake when you can get the real, his father said, leading the way into a real-life strip club that wasn’t well lit or clean.

He shakes the memory from his head, smiling. His older brother thought Maddie was cool for months because their Dad didn’t take him there.

Now, the small city sits, rotting away into the ground. It is empty from what he can see – empty of Ragers and of humans. They normally try to stay away from the bigger cities, thinking it will have more Ragers than this. It is like a ghost town – quiet enough to hear a pin drop and cold enough to snow.

Move, Maddie orders after he scans the area for any life with his gun’s scope. One of his crew members launches himself forward into the city, gun raised. Maddie grabs him at the last moment. Slowly. We can’t see all the streets from here. He lets the guy go and leads the way. The rest follow.

You would think, the cocky guy says, gun raised in the same fashion as Maddie, looking around every dark corner for any signs of life, that 2149’s technology would prevent a damn apocalypse. They turn down an alleyway, going deeper into the city.

The president had other things to worry about. He doesn’t care about us, Bloom says. He is the only one without a gun, but he holds a small pocketknife for dear life. Maddie tries so hard to get him to carry a bigger knife, but he refuses.

With an A.I. army, the guy mocks. Maddie really wishes he could remember the cocky guy’s name, but he can’t. His face is familiar: big nose, dark hair, scrawny. Maddie can’t forget an ugly mug like his. 

Cockiness will get you killed, Maddie remembers his mother’s voice when she used to slap him on the back of the head with the spoon she was cooking with. Stay humble. You’re not all that great, Maddox. Trust me, I have been with you your whole life.

I heard there’s a civilization in Atlas that’s thriving, the only girl of the group says.

Don’t believe everything you hear on the radio, Maddie says, exiting the alley.

Suddenly, something buzzes over their heads, making them all point their weapons at the thing. It is hovering and whirling around like a small helicopter. A drone? he thinks.

A drone, Bloom confirms. It’s recording us. He observes the red flashing light on the small camera. He steps closer, but it makes the drone back up and fly down the street.

Why would it be recording us? The girl asks. Maddie can’t remember her name or even her face, but Bloom knows her.

I’m not sure, but let's find out. Maddie lowers his gun to the side and begins running after the drone. Hesitantly, the rest follow.

3

O BRIGHTLY

1310 DAYS

AUGUST 3RD, 2152

O ducks behind the crate as the first drone opens fire. A bunch of small bullets clank against the metal crate. Some pass over O’s shoulder. She makes herself smaller, trying not to get hit by ricochet bullets.

The loud clanking stops. Then, a drone goes around the crate and faces O.

She freezes. Her back stiffens as her heart stops, wondering if this is really the end. The drone can put a small bullet in her head quickly and end it all.

Omega speaks through the drone again. Hand over the tablet or face death.

O holds up her hands. Okay, okay, let me grab it. It's in my bag. The drones follow her as she walks through the field, hands still in the air. She finds her bag in a small patch in the field. The stuff that was in it is now scattered around the area. She spots the only gun she owns, which she rarely uses. She turns her head slightly, observing where the closest drones are.

Hurry up, the drone commands.

Why? O replies. Got a hot date? When the person in the drone doesn’t answer, she jumps into action. She dives toward the gun. Once her hands grab it, she twists around and pulls the trigger twice. Her aim is spot