Read The Effacing (Book 1.5): Valley's End for Free Online Page A

security was considered a priority on the To Do list, equivalent to finding Rebekah, Ann and Trivo.
       Maria led the group of survivors, sprinting toward the dupes across the street, the safest place, she figured, for the group to hideout while waiting on the resistance to catch up. And the perfect opportunity for her to solely recover her missing allies.
       “I need one of you to kick the door in.” Maria exclaimed, to the M16 wielding hoods through the bails of rain. “Two of you go in! The other two get to the rear and cover us!”
       Two of the hoods hustled to the rear of the huddled group, one of them passed Maria his M16 and pulled a Glock .45 with a small custom flashlight attachment from underneath his sweater, kicked the door.
       BOOM!
       Two entered.
       The house, cleared. The rest hurried inside flicking Bic lighters and flashlights. And Maria, after everyone was accounted for, addressed the group. 
       “Everyone needs to stay here until I return. Barricade the door and stay as quiet as possible. Hell, light a fire to keep warm. If I’m not back by the time the guys get here… don’t wait up.” Maria said, in a convincing tone, passing the M16 back to its owner.
       “How will they know where to find us?” a woman called out from the crowd.
       “The vehicles are parked across the street. I should see them they come my way.” Maria finished, made her way back out into the storm. The hood began closing the door behind her.
       “Hey!” Neshia exclaimed, as Baker pushed pass her.
       Baker zipped for the dupe’s front door as it was being shut, slipped through the just-big-enough crack in route behind Maria, fast. But if he wanted to prove himself worthy to the group, then he should have stayed with the group and not run off behind her. Rebekah mentioned that to him earlier, but Baker was too big-headed to listen.
       “Stop him!” Neshia called out, as she attempted to stop Baker, dashed behind him, keeping hold of Rebekah’s gun.
       The thug at the door missed him flying by, extended his arm across the crack preventing Neshia from going out.
       The beefed up gangster said, “Let him go. You go out there...” he shook his head, “The nurse chick catches up with the others and he’ll be alright.”
       Everyone else looked on, listened and observed, but none disputed, not a mouth-drop in the building. Clearly they’d been panicky, now pushed into a corner waiting on their salvation.
       “It’s not right!” Neshia said, Chase and Brea now by her side.
       “It’s okay, baby.” Brea said, to her daughter, hand braced upon her shoulder. “They don’t move much in the rain anyhow. He’ll be alright.”
     

CHAPTER 12
     
     
       “We can get outta here from off the fire escape.” Jim pointed at the window.
       “Great.” Rebekah stated, moving toward the frame, lifting the window. “Everyone should be together by now.”
       “We don’t know what’s down there.” Girder warned.
       Rebekah held half of herself out the window, pulled back a dripping wet upper-body. “You can stay here if you want.”
       “I’m right behind you, girl.” Ann mentioned.             
       Rebekah continued onto the fire escape, into the stormy night.
       Jim looked to Girder. Girder shrugged his shoulders.
       Ann made her way out.
       “I ain’t stayin’ up in this bitch witcha. You better getcha ass up.” Jim ordered, moving to the window.
       “Main, we don’t know what’s out there.”
       “We know the building’s burning down. Sworn an dem gotta be gone by now.” 
       “Main… we don’t even know what’s at the bottom.”
       As Jim reached the window, Ann shot back through. Rebekah followed. Both girls were drenched, Ann was panicking.
       “We do now!” Rebekah exclaimed, slamming the window shut. “We need to put anything that moves against the windows… like now!”
       “What is