Finest Hour (The Survivalist, #6)

by Arthur T. Bradley

Winston Churchill eloquently summed up the battle by saying, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” In every person’s life there comes a high point, a finest hour in which they too must rise to their full potential. For some, it comes in the heat of combat, airmen dogfighting their way across smoke-filled skies, or grunts rushing toward the enemy with bayonets extended. For others, it comes when they must prove themselves capable of great sacrifice. Regardless of the outcome, success or failure, the act itself is what ultimately defines the individual.

More than ninety percent of the world’s population had perished from the Superpox-99 virus, and dried, withering bodies would no doubt litter the planet for some time to come.

“Those in power convincing themselves that the rights of the many should take precedence over those of the few.” “But isn’t that the right way? The fair way?” He looked over at her and smiled. “That depends, darlin’.” “On what?” “On whether or not you’re one of the few.”

“I don’t ask for mercy, and I don’t give any either.

Those hardships were precisely what President Pike was counting on. Once a chill came into the air and people found themselves in need, they would be quick to forget baseless charges. Instead, they would embrace anyone who could help to relieve their suffering. Provide a woman and her children with a blanket and a warm meal, and she would be the first to sing a politician’s praises. History had shown this to be the case, and Pike had full confidence that it would be so again.

“You live a dangerous life, Marshal Raines.” “Isn’t that the truth.” “How is it that you’ve escaped death for so long?” “Simple. I stopped running from it.” “What does that mean?” “When the Angel of Death comes for me, I’ll be ready. Until then, I’m going to fight the good fight, one battle at a time.”

“Easy. The battery wire is almost always red. The starter wire is usually yellow or brown, and that leaves blue as our ignition wire.”

“Next, we cut the starter wire.” He snipped the yellow wire and quickly stripped one end. “If there were two starter wires, we’d just touch them together. But since there’s only one, we need to briefly touch it to the battery wire.”

“Sam, you should know by now that I’m the guy they call in to deal with horrible people.” “Right,” she said, eyeing the bloody scratches on his arm. “Because you’re just as terrible as they are.” “No, darlin’. Because I’m worse.”

“It’s important to mourn their loss. I would, however, remind you that when brave men die, their courage lives on to stoke a thousand fires in the hearts of the living.”

that the nation’s survival was more important than a little political infighting.

Hood would need to be killed, of course. But that was going to take place regardless of his success or failure. He was the only person left alive who knew where the skeletons were buried, and thus by necessity, had to join them.

It was fitting that his demise would be at the hands of his own men. That fortuitous arrangement had been brokered when Pike learned of the displeasure the Black Dogs felt over their recent loss of ten men, a loss ...

Once the mission was complete, it was agreed that the general would be burned and buried alongside any bodies recovered from the bunker. With Hood and Glass both removed, Pike coul...

Not only would he be celebrated as the greatest president to have ever lived, he would ultimately ascend to a lev...

“What I should have said is that I can’t care. I have to delegate some of this to you, and you in turn have to delegate it to others. There are too many moving pieces for the two of us to handle alone. We have to be the leaders that this nation needs.”

“Andrew, I shouldn’t have to tell you that this is a huge responsibility, one that might well define your legacy as vice president.”

“You have to understand. They’re like angry little children. Deep down, they want someone to step in and establish order and discipline.”

“So, you’re their father now?” “No, Marshal, I’m their god.”

Their unbreakable bond wasn’t forged out of his willingness to protect her. If she were forced to pick a single moment when she knew for certain that their fates were forever joined, it was when he had first introduced her as his daughter. He would claim that it had been done solely out of convenience, a way to avoid awkward questions by people who might cause trouble, but she knew better. By identifying her as his daughter, Tanner had made a conscious decision to take her in, to make her his own. And that, she thought, was when they both knew that wherever one went, the other would follow.