Survival, Dark Times Read online

  Survival

  Dark Times

  Dylan R. Johnson

  ZEC Publishing

  Copyright © 2019 by Dylan Johnson. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

  For more information, address:

  ZachEvans Creative LLC

  601 N Ashley Drive Ste 1100-93513

  Tampa, FL 33602

  [email protected]

  Printed in the USA.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be assumed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Acknowledgments

  There are too many people to thank that have impacted this book and my life, so if you are reading this, know that you are important to me in more ways than I can express. However, I will try to thank as many people as I can.

  First, to Alex and the team at ZEC who have supported this unconventional, out-of-the-box idea since day 1 and worked so hard to make this book possible.

  Abby and Houston, who have brilliantly contributed to this story in more ways than most know.

  Casey and Sara, the greatest friends who listened to me ramble, took the time to read this, and still provide joyful encouragement to me in every way.

  Tyler, my best friend & roommate; we've stuck together through all the highs, lows, laughs, cries, fun times, and crazy times, and you've always been my brother at the end of the day.

  Katie Watson, my close friend since day one who would do literally anything for me.

  Collin, who cheered me on daily and literally watched me write this book.

  Kenny, who kept me company when this thing could have driven me crazy.

  Katie Scott, who always champions me and generously provided my photos.

  Jules, who always kept me laughing while also keeping me sharp and always looking out for my best interest.

  Braxton, whose pride in my accomplishments and knowledge of story structure always refreshes me.

  To Shane, Carissa, Amy, Hailey, and Shelby, who always embrace me as their own. To Blake, Gabi, Georgi, Ivy, & Jet, the best little siblings I could ask for. To Jo, Ian, Case, Derek, Max, Jake, Myles, Jakob, Kyle, Logan, Griffin, Jack, Samuel, Ethan, Caleb, Josh, Addison, Seth, Tristan, and Daniel; I love all of you more than I can say and each one of our discipleship relationships is so special.

  Finally, to Jesus Christ, who gives me purpose and identity.

  Dedicated to my unconditionally loving and wild grandparents, John & Barbie Heinen, who have supported me in every way possible since I was born.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  About the Author

  Prologue

  The Killer

  The shuttle dropped out of hyperspace, causing the rushing blur of blue to transform into an elaborate display of well-defined, bright stars surrounded by a black background. Sora crossed his arms as he gazed out of the viewport inside the cockpit. The consistent artwork of space travel could get mundane, but it still managed to impress him for a moment on every trip.

  The red orb that centered itself among the stars always failed to impress him, however. The planet of Bolton shone brightly alongside the stars of this system, but Sora had made enough visits to the planet over the last five years, even though Bolton was on the outskirts of the Nebula galaxy. He nearly rolled his eyes as the shuttle flew toward the planet, preparing to enter the atmosphere.

  Nonetheless, he needed the money.

  Sora turned as he heard the door slide open, watching his black-haired and blue-eyed friend step through the new opening. Viktor folded his gloved hands behind his back as he gave Sora a slight nod. His completely white suit fit him well. Every time Sora saw him, he couldn’t help but notice how much Viktor looked the role of a scientist.

  “The engines have cooled, Captain, but the process still took a few minutes longer than it should have,” Viktor said. He tilted his head slightly to the left, blinking. “I fear that our next flight won’t be as, um, successful.”

  Sora sighed, glancing around the cockpit. Computer consoles littered the cockpit, flashing red and blue lights. Unfortunately, most of them no longer worked, as age and use had taken their toll. “We’ll deal with that once we are finished on Bolton,” he said, returning his gaze to Viktor. Honestly, Sora needed a new ship. “But thanks for the update. And Viktor?”

  “Yes?”

  “Please call me Sora,” he said. Sora had lost count of how many times he’d said that over the last month.

  Viktor’s eyebrows rose and he motioned to the viewport. Sora turned around to see that the stars had disappeared and, in their place, dust collided with the viewport. He only saw trillions of orange specs spinning around the viewport.

  They had entered the planet’s atmosphere. Sora stepped forward to the main controls, checking to ensure the autopilot still followed the correct course.

  “Does it clear up at all?” Viktor said, stepping forward to Sora’s side. Sora glanced over to see Viktor’s eyes fixed on the dust storm before them.

  “No. It won’t until we reach Felicia’s bunker,” Sora said. The standard climate on Bolton caused dust storms over the planet throughout the entirety of each day. “Don’t worry. I’ve been here plenty of times.”

  “So you say.”

  Sora felt the planet’s gravity pull on the shuttle as they continued to descend. That meant they were closing in on their destination. He and Viktor continued to stand side-by-side, watching orange dust hit the glass as the ship proceeded onward. Their location changed every second, but the view never did.

  Ten minutes passed until Sora finally spotted what he awaited: a small hint of dark gray in the distance. He smiled, elbowing Viktor’s right arm. “See? Our destination.”

  Viktor shrugged, not breaking his stare. Sora briefly faced forward again, watching the amount of dust decrease and a landing bay appear before them, the only inhabitable place on Bolton. Within seconds, the shuttle entered and automatically began landing procedures.

  Now, Sora saw a tall, gray wall and four individuals. All four of them stared at the shuttle. He turned and began to walk toward the door, motioning for Viktor to follow. “Come on, Viktor, let’s introduce you to Felicia Malone.”

  One minute later, Sora walked down the boarding ramp and approached the group. Felicia stood in front and she hadn’t changed since Sora last saw her. She stood around five feet nine inches, only a few inches shorter than him. Her short, black hair spiked upward and a fur coat covered her tight, leather suit.

  Even on a desolate planet, luxury still had its place.

  Three large cronies stood behind her, holding assault rifles. Sora didn’t really care to pay attention to what they looked like. She had new thugs each month.

  Sora glanced to his left to see a circular, wide ship next to his own shuttle, a ship that he knew well: Felicia’s personal star cruiser, Jewel’s Eye. Much larger than his shuttle, its circular exterior contained a heavy, silver armor, almost like a mix of a freighter and a battle ship. It looked bu
lky in design but had a turret on every side of the exterior. The cockpit sat in the center-front, barely extending past the body of the ship. Felicia had it designed so she could battle in it if necessary, but also so she could slip in and out of any situation.

  He turned his attention back to Felicia. She smiled, opening her dark-skinned arms as she approached Sora. “Sora Trok. It has been too long. Like what I’ve done to my Jewel? I’ve upgraded the turrets and engines since you last saw it,” she said as she pulled him into an embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder as he barely touched her back and she put her lips to his ear. “I am glad that you came. I need your help.”

  Her voice sounded like a hiss. Sora stepped back and she gently removed her arms. He gave her a light smile. “What do you need transported, Felicia? You know my rules,” he said, locking eyes with her. Her brown and blue eyes stared back.

  Felicia continued to smile, letting herself chuckle slightly. “Don’t worry, my dear friend, you won’t have to transport any of my drugs. Actually, you won’t have to transport anything at all. This job is much more serious,” she said and her smile instantly faded.

  She paused, looking behind Sora. She pointed to Viktor, who still stood behind Sora. “And who is this fine man?”

  Sora smiled again, stepping an inch to the side. He gestured to Viktor, who stepped forward. “Felicia, this is a new friend of mine: Dr. Viktor Atkins. We met on a job and he expressed a desire to begin traveling with me,” he said. He looked at Viktor. “Viktor, this is Felicia Malone. An old friend.”

  Viktor stepped forward, extending his hand. Felicia shook it, turning her head to look at Sora. “Sora Trok traveling with a well-dressed, well-educated man like this? I’m shocked,” she said with a small laugh.

  Sora nodded, as Viktor stepped back. “Now, Felicia, what is going on?”

  Felicia’s cheer vanished again as a stoic look crossed her face. “It’s personal for both of us, Sora,” she said, clearing her throat as she glanced in the direction of the rest of the building. “The Queen of our illustrious galaxy seems to have a sudden desire to crack down on the drug trade.”

  Sora raised an eyebrow. He didn’t hear much of the law and criminal underworld interacting. The government and crime lords went about their own business. Queen Bettina, the reigning monarch, was the official authority throughout the entire galaxy, but several planets contained too much lawlessness to listen to her authority. Felicia was one of several crime lords who “ruled” those planets and, usually, neither the Queen nor her Parliament paid Felicia much mind. Sora didn’t know if he approved of that or not but, regardless, the galaxy worked that way.

  Felicia stepped closer to Sora again. She put her hands on his upper arms and Sora noticed her black nails as she slowly ran her fingers up to his shoulders. “She’s sent men here, Sora, to the spice mine. Not any of her soldiers either. She’s hired an assassin to come and destroy the mine. If this assassin succeeds, I will die and my drug trade will be ruined.”

  Sora paused. He’d expected a mission much different from this. “Is the assassin here now?”

  She slowly nodded. Her eyes widened. “He and his thugs have been here for three days. They’re already underground in the mine. My own men have tried to track and kill them, but they’ve been unsuccessful.”

  Sora’s shoulders tensed. He transported spice shipments, but he did not fight battles. “If these are professionals from the Queen herself, why did you call me here?”

  “You’re the only one who I know can get the job done, Sora,” Felicia said, leaning forward. Their faces stood inches apart. “I told you that it was personal for both of us.”

  Sora exhaled a breath. He didn’t like how this sounded. He briefly glanced at Viktor, who gave him an uneasy look. Sora looked back to Felicia. “Felicia, no games. Just tell me what you’re trying to get at.”

  Felicia took a deep breath, sinking her nails into Sora’s shoulders. He gritted his teeth. “Sora, I’ve given you jobs since you were seventeen years old and I’ve always delivered. You know you can trust me, don’t you?”

  Sora groaned. He’d had enough of this. “Felicia, I told you: no more. What is it?”

  She straightened herself, standing tall. “I believe that this assassin is the same robot that killed your father: 13-BZ.”

  Sora stumbled backward, causing Felicia to release her hands from his shoulders. He hadn’t thought of his father’s killer in a few years. Rather, he hadn’t thought of trying to find him, because he always thought he would waste his time. He had never been able to escape images of his father’s death, but if he pushed them to the back of his mind, at least they would not be as prevalent. “What makes you think that?”

  “My men have seen him in the mines, Sora. The few that made it back alive did,” Felicia said, holding her left index finger in the air. “I guarantee you it is him. If you do this, you can finally avenge your father and save my empire.”

  Sora froze. Felicia, her thugs and the hangar slowly faded from his sight. Instead, flames flashed before him. His father’s screams as he rolled around in the alleyway. The robot towering above him, waving his flamethrower around and talking about the unpaid debt that his dad owned. The sobs of a seven-year-old boy.

  Fifteen years passed since that day, but the memory remained vivid.

  “Do it, Sora. Go down there and get rid of him for both our sakes,” Felicia said. Sora snapped back into reality, feeling the tickle of her hand run across his cheek. “Don’t even speak to him. Just go and take him out. You will be rewarded.”

  Sora slowly locked eyes with her again. Her brown and blue eyes stared at him, wide and pleading. “Please. I need you, Sora.”

  Sora looked at Viktor. His hands folded behind his back and his eyes fixed on Sora. “Get a weapon,” Sora said. “We’re going down there.”

  Sora stood in the service elevator, holding an assault rifle to his chest. Viktor stood beside him, holding a small pistol in his right hand. Felicia and her men stood in the doorway of the elevator. She held her hands on her hips as Sora activated the elevator, punching the button that would take them directly to the underground mine.

  “Remember, Sora, don’t speak to 13-BZ. It will only give him a chance to manipulate you. Destroy him,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “For your father.”

  Sora didn’t respond as the doors closed and the elevator descended. He closed his eyes, inhaling the oxygen around him. This had all happened fast and he usually didn’t perform these types of operations. He hadn’t fought anyone in a long time.

  Still, he needed to do it for his father.

  He opened his eyes and looked at Viktor. His friend shook slightly, looking down at his pistol.

  Sora sighed. “Fought much, Viktor?”

  Viktor’s head snapped up. “Um, no, Captain, I haven’t,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I will leave most of that to you while I work on making sure that Miss Malone’s mine is still operational.”

  Sora nodded. He didn’t enjoy dragging Viktor into this, but he appreciated the willingness.

  “Have you fought much?” Viktor said.

  Sora shrugged. “Some. Growing up on a planet surrounded by crime, I had no choice,” he said, gesturing to their surroundings. “Obviously, I haven’t gotten away from it much.”

  The next few seconds passed with silence. Sora heard Viktor gulp. “Captain, I didn’t know about your father. I am sorry.”

  Sora gave Viktor a very slight smile. “I don’t talk about it much. I was only seven years old. My father had some unpaid debts and a crime lord hired this robot to kill him. I always knew who the assassin was, but I’ve never been able to track him down.”

  Until now.

  Several minutes later, the elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open and the smell of spice hit Sora’s nose. The strength of it nearly made him gag. He stepped out of the elevator into the narrow passage in front of them, examining the maroon rock walls that surrounded them.


  Viktor coughed twice as he followed Sora. “Pure spice,” he said, while Sora gently stepped forward. “Quite fascinating.”

  Sora had never travelled inside the mine before. He had only known of it. Very few people ever discovered spice of this caliber and in this amount. He could see how Felicia had managed to keep such a monopoly over the drug trade for decades.

  As he took another step, he felt his foot collide with something. Sora glanced down to see a bloody, dead body underneath him. The man wore an orange suit.

  He sighed. 13-BZ and his assistants had wasted no time dealing with the workers.

  Sora began to quicken his pace as Viktor followed closely. They continued down the cavern, making several turns as they proceeded onwards. They needed to reach the core of the mine. Sora suspected that 13-BZ had stationed himself in the core until he could destroy it. After rounding another corner, Sora came to a stop when he saw a man several feet in front of them. He wore armor around his thick, protruding chest and arms, while he held a three-foot-long cannon. His head swerved around to face Sora.

  He didn’t waste time talking. As Sora aimed his rifle, the man raised his cannon and fired. Sora grabbed Viktor by the collar and jumped to the side, barely missing the blast as it zoomed past. Sora quickly lifted his rifle again and fired several times. Blue lasers twirled around the man’s head and he managed to dodge the first three, but the last one, however, burned itself into his forehead. Seconds later, the man hit the ground.