Behind The Gates 4: A Post Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (Collapse of America), page 1
BEHIND THE GATES: BOOK FOUR
THE COLLAPSE OF AMERICA SERIES
BOBBY AKART
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading Behind the Gates Four,
the final installment in the Collapse of America series.
Join Bobby Akart’s mailing list to learn about upcoming releases, deals, and appearances. Follow this link to:
BobbyAkart.com
PRAISE FOR BOBBY AKART & THE COLLAPSE OF AMERICA SERIES
“I feel like I know the people in this series. The character development is awesome, the story is intense. I couldn't put the book down!” ~ Amazon review for Behind The Gates Three
“The plot twists in this series are incredible.” ~ Amazon review for Behind The Gates Two
“I have never read a Bobby Akart book I did not love. He spins a story right out of the headlines BUT sometimes the headlines follow his books! I highly recommend everything he has written! This series is no exception. be warned, it will raise your adrenaline and has a good probability of keeping you up at night!” ~ Amazon review of Behind The Gates Three
“Heart pounding action. Great premise. Real-life characters. All very, very believable and possible. Strap in and enjoy the ride.” ~ Amazon review of Behind The Gates Four
“As usual, the author has built a remarkable cast of characters for his wickedly accurate prognostications. He breathes life into his creations and lets the story flow. Great characters and a great storyline are artfully written by a master storyteller. This series is amazing! A great read!” ~ Amazon review of Behind the Gates Three
“Love the intensity of his stories, his through research, his creativity, the characterizations and the abundant action and realistic locations.” ~ Amazon review of the Behind The Gates Series
BEHIND THE GATES
BOOK FOUR
The Collapse of America Series
by
Bobby Akart
OTHER WORKS BY AMAZON CHARTS TOP 25 AUTHOR BOBBY AKART
The Collapse of America Series
Behind the Gates One
Behind the Gates Two
Behind the Gates Three
Behind the Gates Four
The California Dreamin’ Disaster Thrillers
ARkStorm (a standalone, disaster thriller)
Fractured (a standalone, disaster thriller)
Mammoth (a standalone, disaster thriller)
The Perfect Storm Series
Perfect Storm 1
Perfect Storm 2
Perfect Storm 3
Perfect Storm 4
Black Gold (a standalone, terrorism thriller)
Gunner Fox Novels
Made In China (a standalone, terrorism thriller)
The Odessa Trilogy (Gunner Fox)
Odessa Reborn
Odessa Rising
Odessa Strikes
The Asteroid Trilogy (Gunner Fox)
Discovery
Diversion
Destruction
The Nuclear Winter Series
First Strike
Armageddon
Whiteout
Devil Storm
Desolation
New Madrid (a standalone, disaster thriller)
The Virus Hunters
Virus Hunters I
Virus Hunters II
Virus Hunters III
The Geostorm Series
The Shift
The Pulse
The Collapse
The Flood
The Tempest
The Pioneers
The Doomsday Series
Apocalypse
Haven
Anarchy
Minutemen
Civil War
The Yellowstone Series
Hellfire
Inferno
Fallout
Survival
The Lone Star Series
Axis of Evil
Beyond Borders
Lines in the Sand
Texas Strong
Fifth Column
Suicide Six
The Pandemic Series
Beginnings
The Innocents
Level 6
Quietus
The Blackout Series
36 Hours
Zero Hour
Turning Point
Shiloh Ranch
Hornet’s Nest
Devil’s Homecoming
The Boston Brahmin Series
The Loyal Nine
Cyber Attack
Martial Law
False Flag
The Mechanics
Choose Freedom
Patriot’s Farewell (standalone novel)
Black Friday (standalone novel)
Seeds of Liberty (Companion Guide)
The Prepping for Tomorrow Series (non-fiction)
Cyber Warfare
EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse
Economic Collapse
Copyright Information
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, locales, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The author and publisher have provided this eBook to you for your personal use only. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.
Without limiting the author’s and publisher’s exclusive rights, any unauthorized use of this publication to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is expressly prohibited.
Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this novel infringes on the author’s copyright, please notify the publisher at
BobbyAkart@gmail.com.
© 2024 Wisteria Hall Inc. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this book may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means including, but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the express written permission of Wisteria Hall Inc.
CONTENTS
Dedications
Acknowledgments
About the Author, Bobby Akart
Real World News Excerpts
Author’s Note
Epigraph
Author’s Note to the Reader
Part I
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
Part II
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Part III
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Part IV
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Epilogue
Thank You
What’s coming next from Bobby Akart?
More Novels by Amazon Charts Top 25 Author Bobby Akart
DEDICATIONS
To the love of my life, Dani, and our little princesses in training, Bullie & Boom. Every day, you unselfishly smother me with your love, support, and merriment. I may be the machine that produces these words. You are the glue that holds me together and the fuel that winds me up each day so I can tell these stories. I will love you forever.
To my loyal readers and friends who’ve patiently awaited the release of the Collapse of America series. Please indulge me as I repeat the words that popped into my head one cold morning at our Tennessee home some twelve years ago:
All empires collapse eventually, and America is no exception.
Their reign ends when they are defeated by a larger and more powerful enemy,
or when their financing runs out.
History is replete with the rise and fall of empires. Are we so arrogant or oblivious to realize we are in a stage of decline and collapse? I began this journey as an author nine years ago and throughout, my goal has been to raise awareness in my readers. Through your encouragement and support, I continue to tell stories of collapse. Yes, all empires will collapse, America included. I hope that my words have changed your perspective. Be ready my friends.
Choose Freedom and Godspeed, Patriots!
ACKNOWLEDGMEN
Creating a novel that is both informative and entertaining requires a tremendous team effort. Writing is the easy part.
For their efforts in making this novel a reality, I would like to thank Hristo Argirov Kovatliev for his incredible artistic talents in creating my cover art. He and my loving wife, Dani, collaborate (and conspire) to create the most incredible cover art in the publishing business. A huge hug of appreciation goes out to Pauline Nolet, the Professor, for her editorial prowess as sure ensures the millions of pages I have in print are near flawless. Thank you, Drew Avera, a United States Navy veteran, who has brought his talented formatting skills from a writer’s perspective to create multiple formats for reading my novels. Thank you, Andrew Wehrlen, an incredibly talented voice actor and SOVAS award nominee who performs the audio narration of my stories.
I have to thank our dear friends, Ted and Lisa Price, who agreed to have a little fun with their real-world selves and provide me with some biographical background. I used most, but not all. I always have to remind my friends that, in my stories, bad things happen to good people. So is life in a post-apocalyptic world. That said, I do promise not to kill off their character. LOL.
As always, a special thank you to my team of loyal friends and readers who’ve always supported my work and provided me valuable insight over the years.
Thanks, y’all, and Choose Freedom!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, BOBBY AKART
Author Bobby Akart has been ranked by Amazon as #25 on the Amazon Charts list of most popular, bestselling authors. He has achieved recognition as the #1 bestselling Horror Author, #1 bestselling Science Fiction Author, #5 bestselling Action & Adventure Author, #7 bestselling Historical Fiction Author and #10 on Amazon’s bestselling Thriller Author list.
Mr. Akart has delivered up-all-night thrillers to readers in 245 countries and territories worldwide. With over seventy novels in print, he has sold nearly two million books in all formats, which includes over forty international bestsellers, in nearly fifty fiction and nonfiction genres. He has produced more #1 bestselling novels in Science Fiction’s post-apocalyptic genre than any author in Amazon’s history.
His novel Yellowstone: Hellfire reached the Top 25 on the Amazon bestsellers list and earned him multiple Kindle All-Star awards for most pages read in a month and most pages read as an author. The Yellowstone series vaulted him to the #25 bestselling author on Amazon Charts, and the #1 bestselling science fiction author.
Since its release in December 2020, his standalone novel, New Madrid Earthquake, has been ranked #1 on Amazon Charts in multiple countries as a natural disaster thriller.
Mr. Akart is a graduate of the University of Tennessee after pursuing a dual major in economics and political science. He went on to obtain his master’s degree in business administration and his doctorate degree in law at Tennessee.
Bobby Akart has provided his readers a diverse range of topics that are both informative and entertaining. His attention to detail and impeccable research has allowed him to capture the imagination of his readers through his fictional works and bring them valuable knowledge through his nonfiction books.
SIGN UP for Bobby Akart’s mailing list to learn of special offers, view bonus content, and be the first to receive news about new releases.
Visit www.BobbyAkart.com for details.
REAL WORLD NEWS EXCERPTS
CHINA MAY BE PREPARING TO DEPLOY ECONOMIC’ NUCLEAR OPTION’
~ Newsweek, April 30, 2024
China has been buying up commodities at a rapid clip, prompting analysts to wonder out loud whether Beijing is preparing to choose the economic "nuclear option”.
China is preparing for something major. That seems increasingly obvious judging from the stockpiling of important resources. Could it be that they are preparing a major one-off devaluation of their currency?
Currency devaluation is widely described as a "nuclear option" by economists due to the serious global repercussions it could trigger.
By intentionally devaluing the yuan, for instance, China could boost exports by making its goods cheaper and more competitive—but not without serious repercussions such as riling trade partners and worsening the country's trade war with the United States.
Accumulating resources like gold and oil beforehand could provide some financial security and bargaining power, helping to stabilize the economy against potential negative effects of a devaluation, such as increased import costs and inflation.
CHINA’S $170 BILLION GOLD RUSH TRIGGERS TAIWAN INVASION FEARS
~ The UK Telegraph, April 30, 2024
China has built up a $170bn (£135bn) stockpile of gold after a record buying spree, in a move that has raised fears Beijing is preparing its economy for a possible conflict over Taiwan. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) bought 27 tonnes of gold in the first three months of the year, taking its reserves to a record high of 2,262 tonnes, according to data from the World Gold Council.
China has now been buying gold steadily since October 2022, marking its longest build-up of the precious metal since at least 2000. The 17-month streak has increased its gold reserves by 16pc.
Gold is currently trading near a record high of $2,343 per troy ounce, valuing Beijing’s stockpile at $170.4bn.
Experts said China’s stockpiling was likely an effort to guard its economy against Western sanctions in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.
China’s central bank began purchasing gold shortly after Western nations froze Russian currency reserves held at foreign central banks in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Western sanctions wiped out $350bn of Moscow’s foreign currency.
Experts say there is absolutely no question that the timing and the sustained nature of the purchases are all part of a lesson China has drawn from the Russia-Ukraine war.
AMERICANS FEAR THE END: ECONOMIC COLLAPSE LOOMS LARGEST ON THE NATION’S MIND
~ Fortune Magazine Online, April 12, 2024
A third (33%) of Americans fear the end of the U.S. will be the result of a total economic collapse that ripples across the nation, according to a poll released by Ipsos’ Consumer Tracker. Other apocalyptic anxieties revolve around World War III (25%), climate change (19%), another pandemic (12%), and artificial intelligence(2%).
The economy’s performance and any economic disasters loom large in the public’s mind due to inflationary pressures.
On everyone’s list of potential disasters is another worldwide war, and almost equal concern across all economic metrics. Indeed, Americans are constantly hearing about socioeconomic turmoil and war. America’s plate is full when it comes to all its burgeoning crises and brewing anxieties.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Winter 2024
At the onset of every novel or book series, I ask myself, why am I here? That’s usually followed by will anybody else care. This is more important to me, as an author, than anything else as I take a story from concept to publication for my dear readers. Something of interest to me may not necessarily be of interest to you. Thankfully, with much gratitude, I seemed to find the mark every time.
With the Collapse of America series, I’m putting into fiction what many of us are experiencing in reality. As I’ve said for more than a decade, paraphrasing, all empires collapse eventually, and America will be no exception. They’re either defeated by a stronger, more powerful enemy or they go bankrupt.
