Enter System, page 48
part #1 of Natural Laws Apocalypse Series
He knew that the old Roman salute had been co-opted by the Nazis, so he didn't go with that, instead when his father knocked on the gates, Marc flung them open.
The first hundred yards of the road into the Safe Zone was lined with adventurers on either side, the rest of Marc's party being the closest to the gate. As Sean Cavanaugh entered the Safe Zone, Marc gave a piercing whistle and the adventurers all drew whatever their favored weapon was, holding it up at an angle to form a corridor through which the entering people would traverse.
Sean stared at his son, then to the adventurers and back to his son, raising an eyebrow. Marc just grinned and turned, using a sweeping gesture of his arm to invite his father into the Safe Zone. Marc had planned on some words for this point, but he found his throat was tightened enough that he wasn't going to try to speak.
As he led his father deeper into the Safe Zone, his party fell in alongside of him, the rest of the adventurers holding their salute until the entire group of new people had made it in. Then Conner closed the gate behind them.
“Mr. Digby tells me that this is your Safe Zone?” Sean asked.
“Yeah, almost more trouble than it's worth running this place,” Marc said. “You want it?”
Sean shook his head.
“Oh, hell no.”
“Good, because I'd hoped to offer you a position as the head of the defensive force for it. I'm going to ask mom if she wants to be an administrator here also, since I know that's what she's good at.”
Sean was looking around at all the buildings, the brand new buildings, inside the Safe Zone.
“I want to know how you managed all this. We stumbled on a couple of Safe Zones on the way back, but nothing this size or with lots of brand new buildings.”
“Well dad, let's get all of you settled in, go through the rules, let Al tell you what we've figured out about the System, and then we can talk,” Marc said.
Sean nodded.
“Oh yeah, we definitely need to talk.”
* * *
Continued in:
System Return
Natural Laws Apocalypse #2
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Other books by Tom Larcombe:
Light Online is a Gamelit/LitRPG series. Eddie Hunter joins a virtual reality game to work as a farmer, just not the type of farmer he'd expected when he signed on. (Completed Series)
Light Online - Series Page
The Crow Hill series is an apocalyptic urban fantasy (more along the lines of Harry Dresden than the romantic urban fantasy popular currently) set in Colorado. (Completed Series)
Crow Hill - Series Page
An Untimely Error: this series is a triology about the wizard Merlin reawakening in the midst of WWII. This is in the same world as the Crow Hill series, just much earlier in time. (Completed Series)
An Untimely Error - Series Page
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About the Author
Living at a high altitude in the Rocky Mountain foothills (approx. 8200 feet) is a different experience. Especially after having grown up in New England. The temperature fluctuations can be impressive on a daily basis and we've had years where we've gotten -20°F with windchill in the winter and 120°F in the following summer. It's fun stuff, for certain definitions of fun at least.
I live here with my wife, two daughters, cats, chickens, budgies, and a bunch of friendly wildlife. Beggar, from this novel, is based on a raccoon who used to hop up on the lid of our hot tub and lie down there, or walk around the rim and play with my, and my wife's, hair. We'll be seeing more of him in the following books of the series.
Reviews are the lifeblood of the independent author. I always hated reading the author's request for reviews in the backs of their books, but now that I've seen the difference that a large number of decent reviews has on a book, I understand why they ask. Please take moment to leave a review on this book if you're willing.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom Larcombe, Enter System
