Nuketown

By Winters

Nuketown is a thrilling, spacefaring version of the Cold War packed with twists and intrigue that keeps the reader wanting more. It explores the cycles of violence, whether on the battleground of wartime or the household of the nuclear family, mainly through the eyes of a

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paranormal Publishing
• Release date: Mar 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869247971

Winters

Lucas Winters was born on October 23, 1994, on the mean streets of deep south Alabama. Throughout his childhood, he has dreamed of forging new universes for the humble people of Earth to explore. Under the tutelage of fellow Alabama author and artist, Dee Jordan (also known as N.L. Snowden, writer of In And Out of Madness), he studied creative writing a few years after leaving high school to properly sculpt his ideas from the raw clay of imagination to the journeys they were meant to be.Natural born storyteller that he is, Lucas dabbles in many forms of creative expression, from novels and short stories, to film and television screenplays, scripts for comic books, and even plans to create video games and perform music. Aside from writing, Lucas enjoys playing video games, his favorite console being the Sony PlayStation, and his favorite game genres being Role-Playing games such as Fallout and Pokemon, and Platformers and Shooters. Lucas is also an avid film buff, who enjoys all kind of cinema ranging from exciting action flicks, dangerous crime thrillers, and movingly grandiose dramas. Lucas loves to hang out with his best friends, learn about scientific advancements of space travel and artificial intelligence, and explore all types of interesting fictional stories he can get his hands on.

Book preview

Nuketown

by

Lucas Winters

Category (Young Adult)

Genre (Science Fiction)

---

Chapter 1

Spy In The House Of The Night

The view is lovely tonight. Karina said, twisting the glass of champagne in her hand as gentle as her accented voice as she looked out from the window. The way Mars and her moons line up perfectly with the sun. The light accentuates Mars’ curves in the most wondrous ways. Mars’ beauty is like no other in the system. Like she was made to rule, wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Chase?

Gordon Chase smiled down at the silky red dress-clad woman.

You know me. Gordon said with a sultry tone. I can always appreciate some good curves.

Karina giggled into her champagne glass.

Always the charmer, Mr. Chase.

Karina turned to face Gordon, playfully pulling the tie of the black tuxedo clinging to his broad chest.

The way you hang on to my every word. Karina looked up at Gordon, and batted her eyelashes thrice.

Gordon raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his scotch. He caught on to Karina’s secret direction.

‘ Every third word, eh ?’ Gordon thought.

 Karina went back to the window.

I think you have seen the Martian peaks, correct? You must have by now. I haven’t been. They were made perfectly for skiing. You simply must visit someday! A perfect escape into a winter wonderland.

Gordon’s heart skipped under his firm facade at the coded message. He gulped a sip of scotch and put on a smile for Karina and anyone else watching.

Thank you Karina. With such a glowing review from you, my dear? I’ll have to get out there as soon as possible.

See that you do. Karina smiled up at Gordon.

Karina noticed someone waving her over from across the ballroom.

Looks like I’m needed elsewhere. Enjoy the party, Mr. Chase. Karina said.

Gordon tipped his scotch glass and nodded at her as she sauntered away. Gordon looked around, eyes slow, scanning the golden ballroom for anyone who’s eyes were on him at the moment. He took his other hand from his suit pocket to check the watch on the wrist of his scotch hand. Once more he quickly flicked his eyes up to check for prying eyes, before pressing on the small watch face. He raised his glass to pretend and take a sip.

Operative Chase to Langley requesting extraction. He harshly whispered into his wrist behind the scotch glass. He took another sip of the drink before repeating. Repeat, Chase to Langley requesting extraction.

Before Gordon could move, an announcement from the far end of the ballroom drew everyone’s attention.

Ladies and Gentlemen of The Imperial Dreadnought Damocles. Our host, Chairman Sebastian Knyazev!

From the end of the ballroom, at the top of a set of stairs, a man descended. Gordon had read all the reports, and anything he could get his hands on about Sebastian Knyazev. Chairman of the Republic of Martian Colonies. The full head of raven dark hair on his head, neatly combed, gave him the appearance of youth that betrayed his age. Rarely seen without the uniformed, scar-faced blonde woman at his side, Ashley Savage, head of the Mars Security Unit. The two of them, along with a couple more hardened MSU soldiers, strode down the stairs. Halfway down, Sebastian started to speak.

Comrades of the Cosmos...it has now been ten years since the Star Confederacy emerged from the chokehold of the Galactic Alliance. From the darkness of the System’s superpowers consolidating their own interests in the fallout of tragedy. We have entered a new age. As well as a new war. Sebastian started.

He continued his speech as he further descended the stairs.

The Republic of Martian Colonies has itself become a superpower within the System despite the actions of the enemies who try to stifle our greatness. The Galactic Alliance, the United Earth Federation…

Sebastian scanned the crowd, and for a split second, Gordon felt like the Chairman’s eyes landed on him directly.

The C.I.A. Sebastian grinned.

Gordon sipped his scotch once more, eyes scanning the room himself, looking for a way out as Chairman Knyazev strode through the ballroom crowd.

These enemies are afraid of our might. We pose the greatest threat to their hegemony on the Cosmos. That is why they try to keep valuable terraforming technology from us. Why they feebly try to outpace our weapons and soldiers. Sebastian started. He walked his way up to where Gordon was standing among the crowd, and shot him another quick and dirty look. Why they send their spies to our glorious world.

Gordon started to slink away through the crowd while the Chairman spoke to the hallway at the far end.

But soon, my comrades, the Republic will shine throughout the universe as the beacon of victory. I have set in motion the final victory over Earth and their allies.

Just a few more feet. Gordon could play it off like he was going off to use the restroom.

From the seeds of chaos I have sewn, the destruction of Earth will bloom and feed the growth of the Martian Revolution. But until then, comrades...we will, as the Earthers say, party like it’s 2199!

The partygoers softly clapped as Chairman Knyazev raised a glass of champagne he got from a passing server, and Gordon started his way down the hall. The hallway of the dreadnought was just as lavish as the ballroom, complete with a red carpet leading down it. The carpet softened his footsteps, but didn’t do the same for the Unit soldier following him. Gordon quickened his pace, turning down the left corner.

Hey! the Unit soldier ran after him. Get back here!

The Unit soldier caught up to Gordon, snatching his arm.

Hey, woah, sorry! Gordon laughed it off. I thought the bathroom was this way. Do you know where it is?

It’s not here. And I know who you are, C.I.A. the soldier replied.

You think I’m...what? Gordon chuckled and gave a questioning smile. If I were in the C.I.A., do you think I could do this?

While the soldier was rolling his eyes, Gordon connected a swift chop to the man’s throat. Before he could even cough, Gordon pulled him close, wrapping his thick forearm around his neck in a chokehold. He squeezed his arm until he heard a soft crack and the Unit soldier fell limp. Gordon looked around. He opened the closest door and threw the man in. Luckily a broom closet.

Chase to Langley, come the fuck in already and give me an E.T.A. on that extraction. Gordon hissed into his ear as he frisked the Unit soldier’s corpse. He managed to find a shiny ruby keycard that could come in handy and also his pistol, which he tucked away in his back waist. I have crucial information from the Republic that the Earth President is going to be assassinated soon!

Langley to Chase? a staticy voice sounded in his ear. Langley to Chase, come in.

Chase here. Gordon said, standing and traipsing down the hall once more. I need immediate extraction. I’ve been made.

A sigh broke through the crackly airway in his earpiece.

Can you get to an escape pod? the C.I.A. analyst behind the speaker said.

I can try. Just need to know where to go when I land.

There’s an extraction point on Mars. the analyst said. Get to the pod, open a channel from it, and we’ll send you the coordinates.

Got it.

Gordon started to break into a brisk sprint down the hall, darting his eyes around, searching for an exit.  He spotted an elevator going to the lower levels of the dreadnought at the end of the right hallway, and ran to it. With a swipe of the keycard on the panel next to it, the elevator doors started to slide open. Gordon hopped in, swiping his keycard in the slot next to the buttons to gain access to the restricted areas. With a ping, the door started to slide close, and Gordon leaned against the elevator wall and sighed a breath of relief.

Hey, hold that door! the voice of a Unit soldier called from in the hall.

‘ So much for an easy ride. ’ Gordon thought, as he sprung from the wall to press the close button as rapidly as he could.

The doors were almost to a close when a hand darted into the elevator. The motion detectors on the door made it open back up again.

Shit. Gordon spat a whisper.

Sorry. Had to get to the maintenance area. the Unit soldier said. Before looking up to notice Gordon. What the...you’re not supposed to be here!

So I’ve heard. Gordon replied.

The Unit soldier started to reach for his weapon. Gordon gave the man a swift kick to the chest. As he bounced off the farther wall of the elevator, Gordon quickly pressed the button on the elevator to go to the restricted docking bay. The Unit soldier swung a fist, which Gordon blocked with his left forearm. The move stumbled the soldier, giving Gordon an opportunity to grab his arm, and pull him in to punch him across the cheek. The Unit soldier spun around while the elevator doors closed and the elevator started its wispy descent. Gordon grabbed the back of his head and slammed him head first into the elevator wall. Once, twice, and a third time he threw his head into the wall, before the soldier slumped in defeat. The elevator shook into a braking stop, as an alarm sounded through the dreadnought.

It never gets easier. Gordon sighed.

Gordon looked around, settling his eyes on the roof of the elevator, where the escape hatch sat. He whipped out the pistol, shooting a bolt of red plasma at the lock. The hatch door swung down and Gordon jumped to grab the handle of it and climb into the elevator shaft. The shaft was darkened, lit only by the red flashing of the alarm lights. Gordon went over across the elevator roof to a vent. Gordon shot off the screws with the laser gun, and kicked the cover in. He crawled his way inside, shuffling his way through the dusty metal. Further and further he crawled, the dust itching in his sinuses making his face cringe. The alarm in his head seeming to get louder with each second. He reached the end, reeling back an arm to punch out the vent cover. As he emerged, stretching and shaking the dust off himself, he found himself on a railing overlooking the docking bay. Before he could even scan the room, a soldier spotted him.

Up there! I see the spy! a Unit soldier on the ground below called out.

 Gordon broke into a run, ducking the laser shots and pulling out his pistol to shoot back. He crouched before the railing, at an intersection of it which sat before a door. As he crouched behind cover and shot below, a couple of Unit soldiers opened the door quietly, trying to sneak up and get the drop on him. Closer and closer they two of them got. They smiled and nodded at each other, readying their guns to point at the back of his head. They wanted him alive to hand deliver to Chairman Knyazev for him to torture for information. A hefty bonus was sure to follow for them both if they managed it. But the creak of the overhead railing floor gave them away. Gordon whipped back to shoot down the first soldier, before jumping up to run at the second. He punched him across the jaw, and snatched him up into his hostage.

You expect to get away with this, Earth scum!? the Unit soldier spat as Gordon walked him back to the edge of the railing. You’ll never get out of here alive!

We’ll see about that. Gordon replied.

Gordon threw themselves both over the railing edge. As they fell, Gordon managed to position himself so that the Unit soldier was on the bottom of their descent. He yelled for a second before they hit the floor. Gordon rolled off the fallen Unit soldier, mostly unharmed, and went straight to shooting and running for the nearest escape pod. The bulky cylindrical shaped pods sat in rows, on the far side of the room. Gordon flung the door open, tumbling inside, and getting to work on the console within. First, taking off. The pod rumbled fiercely as the rockets at its bottom end kickstarted. It shot out of the open hatch in the wall of the dreadnought ship into space. A window on the door of the hatch let in the view of the dark ocean of bodies passing by. The enemy planet of Mars hung in the sky once more, lit by the sun at her back. Gordon had to tear his eyes from the window to open the chat line.

Chase to Langley, I’m in the pod. he said. "Send me the extraction point.

A set of coordinates were programmed into the pod’s computer. The pod started to direct itself to Mars’ surface. A few minutes of drifting and weaving through the darkness allowed Gordon to sit back in the pod’s chair and relax.

Another job well done, Chase. Gordon smiled to himself. Another job well done.

The pod landed somewhere in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Terraforming was low here, which meant he still needed a helmet. Luckily there was a spare in the pod. Gordon slipped it on, and stepped out of the pod into the airy cold of Mars’ red surface. He was met with a party of fellow C.I.A. agents. The leader of the bunch surprised him. A man with dark hair slicked back on his head under the helmet. He recognized his sharp eyebrows and scarred jawline anywhere. Director of the C.I.A. itself, Ronald Richards.

Director Richards, sir? Gordon said.

That was some tough shit, going this deep behind enemy lines. Director Richards’ growling voice said. A natural growl that always accentuated his speech. His growl right now seemed happy