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  “A what?”

  “Used on ships, in bunkers and the like, as part of an oxygenation system to keep the air breathable. Why?”

  “Just curious,” I said with a thoughtful nod. “Thanks.”

  They filed out of the room and I turned back to Lily who stared at me with something in her gaze that I couldn’t decipher.

  “Hello, Lily.”

  “Hello, Ryan.”

  “It’s been an interesting trip but not as interesting as yours I don’t think.”

  “Interesting isn’t a word I’d use,” she said and winced as she shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

  “You’re hurt?”

  “We’re fine,” she said and I blinked as her words registered.

  “We?”

  “Yes. You, me and our baby.”

  Epilogue.

  I walked through the silent town, my thoughts tumbling over themselves as I contemplated the news I had received. I was going to be a parent. A father.

  A novel concept, and one I was certainly not prepared for. It would mean a significant adjustment to my thinking. Lily had patiently explained that she would understand if I had no interest in raising the child and I had laughed.

  Who else would I trust to raise it?

  A child. My child. Our child.

  I shook my head, bemused at the thought. It was not something that I had ever considered to be an option and as such had never contemplated such a thing happening. It would be a challenge but one I would relish, I thought with a smile.

  Two of my minions approached. Dressed all in black with their shrouds covering their faces, they would be a common sight around town for the foreseeable future. Shahid was still at large but she would be dealt with in time and I was pretty sure that Lily would be convinced to let me kill the colonel.

  The minions nodded a greeting as they passed and I did the same as I carried on my walk. Then I stopped, hand going to the hilt of my knife.

  “I did say you were a clever bastard,” Isaac said as the barrel of the gun was pressed against the back of my head.

  “Didn’t expect to see you here,” I admitted. “Let me guess, you killed the two I sent to follow you and stowed away on the ship?”

  “See, you keep showing how clever you are.”

  “So,” I said with an easy smile as the other person, Dawn I guessed, removed my knives. “What do you plan to do now?”

  “Well, mate. You asked who ‘they’ were. Well, now, you’re going to find out and trust me when I say they are going to have a lot of questions about this nice little island you have.”

  “I’m sure it will be an interesting meeting, but I’m afraid that I have things to do here so will have to decline the invite.”

  “Like you have a fucking choice,” Dawn said as she stabbed a needle into my neck and the world faded to black.

  Note from the author.

  Thank you for reading this story and, as always, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  The first book in a new series is always daunting, but I think that this one has started well. Lily has taken charge of not only her destiny but that of the people she is determined to save and Ryan, has an entirely new challenge to come that he can’t fight or kill his way out of.

  Whatever comes next, it will surely be interesting and I hope you are as excited for the journey as I am.

  As always, you can find irregular updates here: https://www.facebook.com/KillingtheDead

  Regards

  Richard