Wasteland Rules: Kill or Be Killed (The World After Book 1) by J.G. Martin

this “hero” would be
revealed.
      He was so surprised he actually uttered the name
out loud, “Derek Storm!”
      Storm was supposed to be dead, executed by the U.S.T.G..
But there he was, slicing up three men in a matter of seconds. This explained a
lot. Storm was a legend in the Special Forces community and Maximillian had
first-hand experience of the man’s killer instincts. He also personally knew
about Storm’s “rebirth” after the failed op in China. Anger and jealousy warred
within him and he struggled to maintain control of his emotions, emotions he
had thought long dead.
      This made the mission personal for Maximillian and
another emotion long suppressed surfaced, pleasure. He would take great
pleasure in stopping Storm and getting some payback. It would also require
better resources than the raider scum outside. Being able to dispose of them
now would just be a bonus. While he was in the computer, Maximillian altered
the footage to only show Storm killing the “storekeeper” and looting the store.
That ought to slow him down by putting the Regulators on his trail.
      He exited the building and marked the location of
every raider. At his mental command the drones pulled out their energy weapons
and started picking off the raiders one by one. He joined them in the massacre.
The raiders were caught off guard and were no match for the pinpoint accuracy
of Maximillian and his drones. In a few minutes they were all dead. He
commanded the drones to remove the bodies and raider vehicles and burn them. No
evidence of the raider attack could remain.
      He then accessed the satellite footage of the
express station and found Storm’s vehicle leaving. If the U.S.T.G. had faked
his death, then Storm was probably working for them. If he had the device he
would have already called for an extraction. So he must be taking the girl to
get the device. A new strategy was needed here. Maximillian would wait until
Storm retrieved the device and then take it from him. He tasked two more
satellites to follow Storm. There could be no possibility of him getting away.

Chapter 13
      June 10, 2029
      Outside Wichita, KS
      Derek and Rora drove down the highway at breakneck
speed. He was convinced that someone was following them. Whether they were
after the device or not was up for debate. At the very least they would have a
tribe of raiders after them for killing their brothers. Also possibly a pack of
burners and any Night Children survivors. Derek had a knack for making enemies
and it seemed like everywhere they turned was another enemy.
      “What medical device could your father have
possibly made that would get people willing to pay so much money or die to get
it?” He asked her curiously.
      “What makes you think it was a medical device?”
She asked puzzled.
      “He was a doctor, they make medical devices don’t
they.”
      “He was a doctor of neuroscience and had an
advanced degree in engineering, he wasn’t a medical doctor.” Rora replied with
a laugh.
      When Derek didn’t respond, she continued, “My
father worked for the Collective before it became what you know it as today.
Before the Collapse it was a scientific think tank working with the government
to develop so called fringe science into viable technology. Things like life
extension and universal immunity. Its original mission was to improve the lives
of humans all over the world. Doors and several of the government members
twisted the mission and seduced others to their cause. They kept a lot of the
technology for themselves and began working on shadow projects that the U.S.
government was completely unaware of, like cloning. They developed that
completely against all rules set by the government.”
      “This sounds like a bad science fiction TV show.”
Derek scoffed.
     “Unfortunately not. As time went on, the projects
and experiments grew more and more perverse and took a decidedly evil turn.
Plague research and bio-toxins. Splicing