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    Signal Loss
    Signal Loss
    Signal Loss
    Ebook114 pages1 hour

    Signal Loss

    By kd Alexander

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Why can't we go Outside? In the city's shadow, truth challenges power. Challenge Authority. Run. Hide.

    Truth may not be the ONLY Casualty...

    In the ruins outside the walled city of Haven, Mark Sears uncovers a truth that could liberate his people - or doom them forever. The governing Council has lied about the wastelands being uninhabitable, for reasons sinister and unknown.

    Mark's desperate attempts to reveal the Council's deception through underground radio transmissions put him in the crosshairs. Now a fugitive stalked by ruthless enforcers, Mark races against time to share the shocking truth before being silenced forever.

    Meanwhile in Haven, Alex masters his own dangerous quest to unveil the rot lurking beneath the Council's polished veneer. Through archived secrets and restricted data, he discovers the Council has been manipulating citizens, twisting truths to tighten their authoritarian grip.

    Outlawed and hunted, both Mark and Alex sacrifice everything to expose the Council's insidious brainwashing of the populace. But powerful forces aim to bury both courageous men along with their seditious truths.

    In a chilling future where facts are fluid and freedom precarious, can their revelations take root quickly enough to topple the despots before their oppressive system snuffs out the light of hope? Or will unhinged tyranny plunge Haven into darkness eternal?

    The odds are stacked against them, but Mark and Alex cannot surrender - too much depends on wrestling truth from the Council's smothering shroud of lies.

    The fight for freedom is never without sacrifice.

    But some causes are worth dying for.

    LanguageEnglish
    Publisherkd Alexander
    Release dateNov 15, 2023
    Signal Loss
    Author

    kd Alexander

    I write like Michael Bay directs.Put simply, I grew up in a strange time, where parachute pants were cool, and hyper-flourescent colors were all the rage. Cheesy action shows and even cheesier sitcoms fed my television addiction. Comic Books opened my eyes to all sorts of things that my parents would not approve of.Gold Eagle was publishing dirty books that I was never allowed to read. They were full of exotic locations and high stakes adventures. But, the cover art alone convinced my mom that they needed to be passed by. So, instead, she let me read Dragon Lance, Shadowrun, Dark Sun, and Redwall. No really. I was surprised too!When I became a real boy, I made a point to read all the pulpy good stuff I was never allowed to read as a kid. Characters like Conan the Barbarian, Doc Savage, the Shadow, Mack Bolan, and even a little unicorn named Ariel became some of my new heroes.And as a writer, I try to go back to that sense of wonder and adventure that I loved reading about when I was a kid. There’s nothing like the high you get when a book sucks you in. And as you come back to reality, letting the world slowly come back into focus, I hope that you were entertained.

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      Book preview

      Signal Loss - kd Alexander

      SIGNAL LOSS

      KD ALEXANDER

      inKsplashD inKsplashD

      SIGNAL LOSS is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      Copyright © 2023 by kd Alexander

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

      Published in the United States by inKsplashD

      Printed in the United States

      0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      FIRST EDITION

      NOVEMBER 2023

      CONTENTS

      Also by K.D. Alexander

      Ream

      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

      ALSO BY K.D. ALEXANDER

      Dead Man’s Debt: A Weird West Tale

      Beyond the Black: The Forgotten Lands

      Hawk’s Trail

      Hunter’s Moon

      City of Shadows: The Umbra Venatori

      Coming Soon…ish.

      Signal Loss

      Slaver’s Bay: A Weird Western Tale

      Bad Company: The Forgotten Lands - Book 2

      Infernal Highway: The Umbra Venatori - Book 2

      REAM

      Hey, y’all: Did you know there’s another way to support your favorite authors? I’m on this thing called Ream. It’s a serialization platform that works like Patreon. And if you subscribe, you get first access to the raw manuscripts of everything I’m currently working on. There’s a bunch of cool shit there right now, including the original drafts and cool things I’m currently working on.

      Maybe even the sequel to this book you have in your hands right now.

      It’s like buying me a cup of coffee once a month.

      Authors are nothing, if not over caffeinated were-bears.

      Me? I’m a cheap date.

      If you join me on Ream, you’ll be able to get electronic editions of all your favorite stories hot off the presses.

      Ever wonder what my stories look like before I polish up these turds and ship them off? Ream.

      Ever wonder what my stories look like AFTER I polish them up? Ream.

      Ever wonder what else I’ve got hiding or up my sleeve? Ream.

      Seriously. There’s stuff there that might not make it to Amazon for like another year. You know you want to be the coolest kid on your block telling all your friends about kd Alexander’s unpublished works - just think! Maybe when I’m old and gray you’ll still have your Ream treasure trove and can sell it at Sotheby’s for a small fortune. Who else has access to the complete unpublished works of their favorite author?

      Ream supporters. That’s who.

      Clicky linky.

      https://www.reamstories.com/inksplashd

      ONE

      In the dying light of a crimson sun, a lone Scout adjusted the straps on her worn leather armor. Her fingers trembled, not from the cold, but from the weight of her mission. She looked back one last time at the towering walls of Haven, a silhouette against the darkening sky. Then, she activated the mechanical lock on the gate and stepped into the wasteland.

      The air was thick with the stench of rot and decay, a foul odor that no amount of time could ever make familiar. Her boots crunched on the ashen ground, each step a reminder of the world that was lost.

      The scout had barely covered a mile when she heard it—a guttural growl, low and menacing, echoing through the skeletal remains of a once-thriving forest. She tightened her grip on the plasma rifle slung over her shoulder and quickened her pace. But it was too late.

      From the shadows, they emerged—feral creatures, their eyes glowing an eerie yellow, their bodies a grotesque mix of flesh and machinery. The Scout raised her rifle, her finger trembling on the trigger. She managed to take down two before they were upon her, their claws tearing through her armor, their fangs sinking into her flesh.

      And then, darkness.

      [protocol A-03X2: Unclassified]

      Anchor: While Zenith continues to gain popularity, a few voices are raising concerns about potential side effects.

      Female Voice: My brother started Zenith three months ago. He's lost weight, yes, but he's... different. Distant. Emotionless.

      NexaCorp Staffer: The vast majority report positive outcomes with Zenith. However, like any medication, there might be isolated cases of adverse reactions. We're closely monitoring the situation.

      Anchor: NexaCorp has assured the public that they are committed to Zenith's safety and will investigate any reported concerns.

      [End Recording]

      TWO

      Mark Sears hunched against the empty darkness of an abandoned subway station, the only light coming from a distant emergency exit sign. Cold concrete sent a chill through his aching body. This place was a temporary refuge, but it felt more like a tomb. His breath was shaky, raspy. He closed his eyes listening for any sign he'd been followed.

      A foul water drip somewhere in the shadows was the only response. For now, he was alone. Shadows danced on the concrete walls, bare except for the graffiti Ancient symbols and pictures. A needle. Blood. Stick-figure families and a single word screaming at him in spattered red paint:

      Hide.

      Mark opened his eyes, determination etched on his face. He fumbled for the transmitter, fingers slick with blood. The cracked screen flickered, buttons sticky from days of sweat. It barely worked, but it was his only lifeline back to Haven. The device sputtered to life, its red light barely visible in the darkness.

      This is Mark Sears, transmitting on emergency frequency nine, he began, voice echoing off the damp concrete walls. I’ve made a discovery that changes everything...

      This place was a refuge and a trap. He'd crawled here, clutching his gut, stumbling over rubble, convinced each breath would be his last. But he'd found temporary sanctuary in this hollowed shell.

      Mark winced, peeling back the filthy bandage on his hand. The gash beneath was red and swollen, early signs of infection. His face throbbed where a rifle butt had smashed his cheekbone. He probed the tender skin with a gentle finger, biting back a groan. The bruises would fade, but the internal damage was more severe. They'd nearly killed him this time.

      He had to tell them. But doubt crept in, cold and paralyzing. What if they didn't believe him? What if he endangered them all?

      A scraping sound outside made him freeze. He glanced toward the empty doorframe with its jagged teeth of glass. Were they coming for him? He looked back at the transmitter, heart pounding. There might not be another chance.

      He held his breath for a beat. Exhalation built resolve. He pushed the transmit button. I don't know how long I have, so I'll make this quick.

      His eyes darted towards the doorframe again, body tensing with every distant sound. He knew he was being hunted, and his time was running out.

      Listen carefully. There's something you need to know. I've discovered... His words trailed off.

      Blood pooled in sticky ichor along the ground. He needed to get that wound checked. Needed to get.

      Focus.

      Alright, he finally continued, fear and determination mingling in his voice. I've discovered evidence that changes everything. It proves that...

      The transmission cut off mid-sentence. The screen blinked and went dead. White noise. Static. Signal lost. Mark stared at the device, panic welling up

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