Static Equilibrium: The Shockwave Series, #3

By Laura Juntunen

The haven of hope, Oscillation, turned out to be the opposite, imprisoning Dixie and her allies when she was close to discovering a hidden truth. In Dixie's escape, she was forced to leave someone behind with those who have proven themselves to be enemies. But are all the Oscillation leaders corrupt? Is there someone on the inside whom Dixie can trust?

Dixie and her companions continue their plan to rescue lost friends from an unknown fate. On their travels, the pulses continue to strike the country, and no one knows when the shockwaves will stop, or if they even will. With every energy burst, the mystery of who is truly behind their friends' abduction and the shockwaves deepens.

Is everything connected? Will uncovering her past reveal details as to who Dixie should trust? Can she prevent the country's devastation on her own? Or will she need to choose an unlikely ally?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laura Juntunen
• Release date: Oct 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781955010030

Laura Juntunen

Laura Juntunen is a rising author of both fiction and non-fiction books. Her works include 5-Steps to Self-Made Happiness: The Happiless Chokelist Strategy, which was built around her life coaching business practices. Her debut fiction novels, The Shockwave Series, focus on post-apocalyptic survival. When not working on her author career, Laura thrives in the fitness industry as a club manager, personal trainer, and fitness enthusiast. Laura enjoys motorcycling, spending time with family, and diving into dystopian and fantasy novels with a glass of whiskey in her hand. Laura reads, writes, and podcasts out of central Indiana where she lives with her partner Brian and their two bunnies, Flop and Buck.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The air clawed at Dixie, covering her body with energy. The hair on her arms stood. The static buzzed around her. She lowered the binoculars, letting the blue dome fall into her natural sight.

The activity of the Oscillation military resembled ants; people ran from one building to the next, following commands which were only distant shouts. The leaders of the enclosed community stood in silence. Their gaze, once looking up towards the overlook now shifted towards a single woman standing at the edge of a cement platform. The line moved simultaneously; an order had been given.

May.

Dixie turned away from the woman on the platform, away from the slow, repetitious movement of her hand stringing the heart-shaped necklace back and forth, back and forth. May pointed at the overlook and then to Dixie’s husband kneeling on the ground with the other community members who had attempted to escape in the mayhem. Oscillation soldiers swarmed the line of people, roughly pulling them to their feet.

May did this. Her words were whispered, cutting the silence like a knife.

Ego stepped back from the edge of the cliff. A shake of his head told Dixie he knew nothing. A deep breath rose within him; his shoulders reached their maximum height before slowly lowering to rest. Dixie waited for the exhale to end as he eyed her and looked down towards Oscillation once more.

You don’t mean..., the exhale completed with his words. You think she’s behind all this? How? He searched Dixie’s face, though she hoped the darkened evening held most of her emotions in shadows. Ego shifted, looking towards the entrance to the compound, still hissing and smoking from the destroyed machine.

Paul sabotaged the device, the only way in or out of the compound. The shockwave hitting the dome at the same moment of Paul’s destruction was a pleasant surprise, encapsulating the community in electricity. Oscillation military milled around the gate, seeking a way to fix the only exit of the domed enclosure. Community members began stepping out from their residences, seeking freedom from their prison of lightning. They held their heads, the excruciating pain left by the pulse throbbing within their skulls. Dixie turned away. She had seen enough.

How many of your men got trapped inside? Dixie ignored Ego’s inquiry of May, waiting to reply until she knew the right words to use.

Just three, Ego sighed. Ryan is calling ahead to the team at the border. They’ll keep surveillance and report back so we can begin planning a rescue for them. We’ll help any civilians who want to leave. And Paul; we’ll get him out too.

How many did you lose? Dixie asked, ignoring the mention of Paul. The gun shots seemed to echo in her ears. The evidence of death could be seen from their vantage point, bodies and broken souls lingered.

I can’t be sure, Ego steadied his eyes on the scene before them. At least five, he shuttered.

Dixie turned and startled at the crowd gathered in the tree line. A few Oscillation civilians escaped with them in the excitement and were welcomed into Ego’s group. They stood in the trees; seeking to see the destruction of the dome, just as Dixie had.

We have to go back, a voice rose from the crowd. Mumbles of agreement crept through the group in a swirling motion. The voices echoed off the cliff, stretching for miles.

We will, Ego struggled to be heard over the growing energy behind him. We’re going to regroup and come up with a plan; we can’t go back without reinforcements.

A few words of protest rang out, mostly from the escaped civilians. Those already pledged to follow Ego quieted them. Fear, anger, and pain could be seen throughout the group, this mass of survivors, fighters, and fleers. Dixie saw their worry; it mirrored her own.

May has Amy’s necklace, Dixie whispered to Ego. That’s how I know she’s behind all this.

Amy? Ego glanced at her, the crease in his brow prominent. He waved a hand at the group in the tree line and motioned towards the vehicles. People shifted and disappeared into the trees. A few stood their ground, still watching the blue flashing of the dome, needing a moment more.

Genny and Camden’s aunt. You remember; we found her in the woods before...well, before a lot of things happened. It was just outside of the safe zone. Genny left that necklace at her aunt’s grave. Dixie turned back to the ledge and pointed down towards the milling group of Oscillation military, handing the binoculars to Ego. The static in the air fired as their fingers nearly touched. The shock jolted Dixie’s entire being. She sucked in a breath before pushing the binoculars toward Ego again. She shifted uneasily, rubbing her hands on her legs. Static, she muttered.

Ego lifted the binoculars, searching for where May stood in the blue tinted dome. Dixie recalled how visibility was limited from within; she doubted May could see them, though her gaze seemed to penetrate Dixie’s sense of security all the same.

May held the necklace, still stringing it back and forth across the chain clasped around her neck. She’s taunting me, Dixie thought. The adrenaline from their escape was long gone, and now anger boiled up within. Her breath became fierce and heated. Ego seemed oblivious of the taunt; he stood stoic and calm, still gazing through the binoculars.

We have to go back. Dixie swirled, aiming for the trucks on the other side of the trees. She went to push the nearest branch out of her way when Ego launched himself at her.

Wait! He grabbed her arm. Dixie, you heard what I told them. He motioned towards the crowd still making their way through the trees to the caravan of vehicles. "We are going to go back. We just can’t right now."

Dixie’s brows furrowed. She looked at the large hand gripping her bicep. Let me go, she said calmly. Her eyes flicked up to find his, the man she began to trust mere days before. The electricity in the air pulsed through Ego and into Dixie’s bicep. The look on his face startled her; it was soft, full of sadness and something she could not decipher. What? she asked.

Think about the girls, he nodded towards the tree line.

Dixie glanced towards the trees, knowing Genny and Deni were waiting for them to return to continue their escape. The girls, along with everyone else, needed to leave now. She looked back at Ego, his look pleading.

Dixie, are you going to tell them what you saw? The necklace? Ego’s words were slow, soft. His eyes held pain and Dixie could see he felt for her, and for the girls.

May’s evil ways were surfacing, and Dixie’s mind raced with the possibilities of what the woman was capable of.

I don’t know, Dixie pulled her arm free from Ego’s grip, rubbing it with her hand. She saw confusion flash across his face; he fought for the right words. Crossing through the force field and falling into his arms came to mind. The need of safety and security outweighed any thought of how she felt for the man; she had needed protection, not an embrace. She shook her head and looked away.

Ego took a deep breath and rubbed at the back of his neck. He pulled his head side to side. Dixie could see the stress, the pent-up energy within the mysterious man. She saw the leader within; the strength needed to manage the border guards was tenuous. She softened herself, knowing her anger would not help in rescuing anyone from Oscillation. She took a deep breath, mirroring Ego’s energy the best she could.

He pulled his hand from his neck and looked down to Dixie. He towered over her, being over six feet tall.

I’ll have to tell them at some point, Dixie whispered. She took a step towards the ledge and looked down into Oscillation. She could see the military officers surrounding the machine at the entrance. A few civilians were being pulled towards it. She assumed the unlucky individuals were the scientists of the community, being recruited to fix the portal so the guards could begin their trek after their escaped prisoners. Her eyes searched the space where May had been standing; now empty. All leaders and prisoners were nowhere in sight.

Alright, Dixie sighed. Let’s regroup. The moment you and your men are ready, we’re going back in. May has to answer for what she’s done.

You can’t assume she killed Amy. We don’t know what she’s involved in, Ego said. I know you saw something, and you want to believe your instincts, but we don’t have the answers yet. Ego nodded thoughtfully. His gaze left Dixie; she could see the wheels turning. And Paul? What happened in there? Why would he stay back to pull the switch?

Dixie shook her head and walked towards the tree line. They were the last two left on the overlook, the rest of the group all eager to escape the blue glow of their old prison.

Paul’s sacrifice in their escape gave Dixie reason to trust him again, but her heart still ached at the guilt she felt within. She left him before, and now she was forced to leave him again. He said he tried to get back to me. He thought I was angry with him for not returning. Well, I suppose I am. I was. Dixie’s feelings continued dividing upon themselves, muddling her thoughts and sense of who she was.

I’m not really sure, Dixie said, pushing a branch over her head as she walked towards Ego’s truck. That’s something I plan to ask the next time I see him.

CHAPTER 2

The echo of laughter bounced through the back seat as Dixie pushed herself upright. The muffled noise of life reflected from the front windshield. She gasped.

The Lake Glad resort compound was transformed. Men and women meandered, carrying supplies and ammunition. Vehicles drove in and out of the parking lot, some filled with supplies and others empty, being moved out of the way for the next truck to unload.

Dixie pushed the door open and stood at the sidelines. The wind whipped her hair in circles, giving her a crisp embrace. The trees rustled above her, reaching for the sky with elegance and power. The laughter that woke her moments before drifted around the compound, following the energy of the group. Any sign of evil had been evacuated; the Chasers long gone.

When did they take over this place? she whispered the words to herself, shuddering at the memory of the last time she laid eyes on the Lake Glad lodge.

Apparently, today, Dixie jumped at the words. Genny’s smile was infectious.

Where did you come from? Dixie took the young woman into her arms and squeezed her tight. How long was I asleep?

I was just back there, Genny broke the embrace and pointed to a picnic table where Deni sat, doe-eyed and overly alert. We arrived a few minutes ago. You heard what Ego said at Oscillation, I guess this is the safest place they could find to regroup.

I thought we would stay at the border, Dixie squinted her eyes in the bright morning sun. We must have driven all night.

When we passed the border last night, you were already snoring, Genny smirked. Dixie rolled her eyes. She had not known how tired she was. The team packed up when you guys were imprisoned; they knew they needed to leave. It wasn’t safe there anymore.

The women stood in silence. They watched as Deni slowly stood from the picnic table, eyeing Genny. The nod of permission brought a smile to the young girl’s face as she slowly paced towards the lake trail, bustling with people. The reunited border team were full of animated tales of their escape, while some were more sober, remembered those who were left behind or lost in the escape.

Ego stood at the steps of the resort. Dixie watched as he spoke with a few men, gesturing toward task locations and jobs to be accomplished. She felt unease sweep through her remembering the many unanswered questions from the night before.

We have to be strategic about our next move, Dixie said, more to herself than to Genny. Ego and his men will be set on disbanding the corruption within Oscillation, or at least rescuing those who want to get out. I’m not sure he’ll want to help us rescue Brin and Rob anymore.

Well, duh, Genny shook her head. There are hundreds who were forced into the leaders’ schemes at Oscillation; we have to fight for them. It’s obvious, we need to help hundreds over a mere two.

Right. But we can’t exactly give up on Brin and Rob. They’re connected to all this. I know it. Dixie bit her lip. She had contemplated whether to go back for Paul and the other prisoners, or to push forward and find her stolen friends. Between this decision and knowing she should tell Genny about the necklace she saw strung on May’s neck, the lines blurred. Too many connections crossed, muddling what was right and wrong; May and Amy, Rob and Roger, and Brin and the Chasers. There are too many unknowns.

We can’t be in two places at once; there’s no way to go to Brin and Rob, and also have a rescue mission to Oscillation, Genny kicked at the dirt. We don’t have enough people to do both.

What if we found reinforcements? Dixie’s head lifted towards the resort. The men had left Ego’s side and he now squatted, speaking with a young boy. There was a light in his eye as he spoke to the child. What if we have to complete one rescue before even attempting another?

That’s exactly what I’m saying, Dixie, Genny’s face squinched as she rolled her eyes.

No, Dixie took a deep breath. We need reinforcements, right? Genny nodded. And we also want to get Brin and Roger back, right? Genny shifted, leaning on one leg. Her crossed arms were seeping sarcastic teenager. Stay with me, Dixie huffed. What if we could rescue Brin and Rob, and build up our reinforcements at the same time?

You’ve lost it, Genny’s arms dropped to her sides. Ego will never go for it. He already has reinforcements in mind; we’re waiting for them here before finalizing any plans to back to Oscillation.

We need to think through all this and make a plan. Dixie took a step forward, but Genny pulled her back.

Did you even hear me? Genny asked. You’ve lost it, Dix. There are people in trouble back at Oscillation. We should be helping them. Brin and Rob are God knows where; we don’t even really know where to start. Plus, it’s not like they’ve got a whole army to spare once we hypothetically find them. Ego says we have to wait.

Dixie paused, seeing the pain in Genny’s eyes for the first time. Brin and Rob need our help just as much as those people do, Dixie swatted playfully at Genny’s arm. What happened to the fighter from inside Oscillation? Dixie eyed the young woman, hoping to pull that exact fighter out with the taunt.

She’s right here telling you we need to help Oscillation first, Genny crossed her arms. Two people aren’t as important as hundreds. Don’t get me wrong, I want to get Brin and Rob back, but we have to look at the big picture. You and Brin weren’t too eager to rescue me when the Chasers lifted me from the highway. Why are they any more important?

Genny, Dixie realized the truth in her friend’s words. You’re right, Dixie stood, speechless. You...

It doesn’t matter, Genny cut her off. I get it, she held up her hand to stop Dixie from speaking. It was just the two of you, you didn’t know what the Chasers would do to me, or if I was even alive. I get it.

Genny, wait, Dixie stopped the young woman from leaving. Why have you waited so long to say anything? I’m so sorry. I...I didn’t even realize.

She thought back to the moment Genny hit the pavement; she had seen and heard the crack of her skull on the road. Dixie swung the car battery to the engine, trying to escape capture with Brin by her side. The moments of freedom that followed now filled with guilt and regret. She looked at the lake, the same lake Brin and she swam and laughed in after losing Genny to the Chasers.

I’ve been so selfish, she whispered. She knew in that moment she had to try harder and live up to the respect Genny always gave her. Please forgive me.

Dixie could see the woman’s demeanor shift; her shoulders rose, and her chin lifted. The strength was seeping from her; a leader being formed. I already have, she whispered. But I guess I just needed to let it out.

I like the fighter in you, Dixie smirked. She knew Genny was right about the rescue, but she felt a pit in her stomach at delaying Brin and Rob’s rescue any longer. "You’re right, we should be looking at the big picture. And the big picture, and my gut, is pointing me towards Brin and Rob. I have to do what I never did for you, and rescue them. We went to Oscillation to get their help in this rescue, and we opened up a huge can of worms. We have to go back to the beginning to fix all this. And the start is with Brin." Dixie rubbed her temple with her hand, pushing a lingering headache away.

You think she has answers, don’t you? Genny asked, contemplation plain on her face, though the hurt from the truth divulged still lingered.

I don’t know what she knows, but I’m sure it’s more than us. Come on, let’s go see what Ego thinks of all this. Dixie turned to begin her march towards the resort.

Genny fell in step beside Dixie, grasping her hand as they walked across the rocky parking lot. The light squeeze reassured Dixie of her friendship, though she felt she didn’t deserve it.

The border team, Oscillation refugees, and other general apocalypse survivors melded together. Dixie observed the newly populated camp; military uniforms decorated the scene, along with hiking gear and rumpled attire, which must have looked pristine and proper at one time. Half-naked bodies donned with swimming suits still wet from the lake, scattered among the crowd.

Shouts and screams of joy could be heard from far off; children swimming or playing on the beach. The happiness mixed with the war-stricken faces of the groups of fighters was jarring. She looked towards her friend. Genny’s energy was pulsing.

Spit it out, Dixie laughed, seeing the teenager struggle with whether she should speak or not.

Do you think Oscillation is coming after us? Genny asked.

Yes, Dixie paused, knowing she had to be truthful. I think Oscillation is likely on our tails, though I’m not sure they know where we are exactly. There’s no way we can get out of that fight alive if they find us. We’re outnumbered, even with Ego’s whole community armed.

Genny nodded, not pursuing the topic further. Dixie was grateful for the quiet. She rolled over the events of their escape. There was no way of knowing if Oscillation was still trapped under the electric dome, a lingering energy surrounding them. They’ll get out eventually, she reasoned.

Her hands went to her hips and wrapped around to her back. Her wound was completely healed, though it should not have been such a quick recovery. The ointment from the Oscillation Cure Center sped up the process exponentially and she felt stronger than even before the initial shockwave.

The ointment. That nurse. The accusation of me stealing. Dixie slowed her breathing, the allegations once again causing rage to fill her body. Practicing her calming technique, it still worked. After years since creating the routine, it was her unconscious tactic against anxiety or anger. Deep breath in, hold, and release.

They nearly made it to the lodge stairs when Dixie saw Deni coming up from the lake trail. She elbowed Genny and nodded towards the young girl. A smile spread across Genny’s face. They watched her, oblivious of the commotion swarming around as she picked up a leaf and hopped a line of boulders. Dixie could see her talking to herself, maybe even singing.

A flash from her past crossed Dixie’s vision. She saw herself the first time she visited the resort. I hopped across those boulders. She could remember falling more than balancing. She smiled, happy to find a memory long forgotten.

Genny took a step off their path and turned towards the back of the resort. Dixie tracked her gaze as the young woman watched Ryan at the tailgate of a truck. He pulled at a box with two other men. In all this chaos, the girl knows exactly where her crush is. Dixie shook her head with a smile.

Her heart ached as Paul came to mind. Between Brin and Rob, and Oscillation, she had pushed Paul out of her thoughts, again. The realization of her loyalty struck her; she cared more for her new friends than for her own husband. She still loved him; she felt it while standing on the overlook. She saw him kneeling next to May and knew she still cared for him, but she was disconnected to the idea of him even being alive. For weeks she told herself he was dead. It was hard to believe otherwise.

Dixie came up to the edge of the parking lot pavement, circling around the groups of people being reunited. A gust of wind hit canvas, the noise loud and hollow. The billowing white tent from the border was now set up behind the lodge. The tent once housed a community space and Ego’s makeshift office, now it was littered with supplies to be sorted. The final panels were yet to be tied down; they soared in the breeze coming off the lake.