Apocalypse, Post Apocalypse, Thriller, Female Heroine, New Adult
Date Published: 10-04-2021
You’re at work, in school, at home, out shopping, trapped in an elevator, or sky-high on an amusement park ride when the power and lights suddenly go out. For a moment, you’re just annoyed, expecting only a momentary problem. Doesn’t happen! Along with the power outage, all means of communication have been severed. The Internet is down, and a terrorist’s face on the screen gloats. Fear now creeps into your optimism. Hours later, with a world overly dependent on cyberspace, global economies begin to crumble from this irrevocable cyberattack. Totally freaked out, what will you do to survive the anarchy?
Annie Oakley Frye is a Cyber Warfare Specialist accepted cyberspace had become a cesspool of evil based on the multitude of daily cyberattacks. Annie does not live in a dystopian, fantasy world like Katniss Everdeen, Beatrice Prior, and Lara Croft—she lives among us. Once she discovers this invisible menace is lurking in a million networks, and it can’t be stopped from obliterating world economies, she sheds her mild-mannered personality and becomes the lioness of her youth to survive. Out of kindness, she warns her friends about this approaching cyber nightmare, but they scoff at her insider information and doomsday scenario, believing the government won't let it happen. Once the cyber nightmare launches a surprise arrives at her door!
Praise
“I can't put your book down. It's a page turner for sure. Really having an awesome time reading it.”
-Reviewer
Excerpt
“Look what happened with the WannaCry ransomware that locked up
automobile companies, hospitals, schools, delivery services, communication
companies, universities, and I think a railway system. There were over two
hundred thousand victims in over one hundred and fifty countries. Refreshing
your memory, it had a worm functionality so the infection spread from server to
server. And once it grabbed hold of a network, it didn’t let go until the
company paid the ransom.”
He shrugged his disagreement. “That’s true. But haven’t I proved
my point? The world didn’t end.”
She wanted to slap some sense into his thick skull, but didn’t.
“Because it was a ransomware attack! The companies paid the ransoms, and they
were back in business. With terrorism—destruction and death are its design.
Delicate economies that depend on the cyber universe will implode. America
would destabilize. How many times have we bantered this about?” She put another
Greenwood video on her screen. “This is terror, Brandon. Panic. Rioting. Chaos.
Murder. This virus could cause terrorism of biblical proportions.”
“You know Homeland Security and the FBI have investigative
teams. They’re probably checking on Greenwood right now. We’re not the only
ones watching these videos.”
“They’ll investigate Greenwood, but since this virus annihilated
itself, what will they find? Nothing. And when they find nothing—they’ll do
nothing.” She grinned like a sly fox, not revealing her intentions. “But I can
do something they can’t.”
“Like what?”
“I’ll let you know. But, by knowing the future, I can prepare
for my survival. And even your survival.”
“How would you do that?”
Oops! “When I have my
proof, I’ll let you know.”
What Annie just intimated struck him as contrary to her
personality. What have you been hiding about yourself? Curiosity
captured and held his attention, but he didn’t explore further. He’d wait for
her to explain.
Barney, their immediate boss, stopped by Annie’s cubicle.
“What’s happening on your screen?” he asked Annie.
“A mob scene at a regional bank in Oklahoma.”
“Annie thinks there’s a global crisis coming with a new form of
a Wiper virus,” Brandon said. With Annie’s nod of approval, he told him about
Greenwood Savings and Loan and other regional banks around the world.
He looked at Annie and snickered. “Another international
conspiracy theory? What is this—three times since the New Year?”
His skepticism could end up being his death sentence for himself
and his family. “At this moment, I’m just being vigilant. I
don’t . . . and you shouldn’t ignore the smoke and rumblings of
a volcano that is about to encase you in molten lava.”
Barney’s voice turned authoritative, like all angry fathers.
“Look, Annie, here’s my opinion. Keep this theory of yours to yourself. You go
around telling people the sky is falling, and you cause a panic. People get
hurt. I’m sure you get the
point. If there’s a threat to our economic infrastructure, the feds
are already on it. Don’t stoke the flames.”
Annie shrugged, deciding Barney’s viewpoint naïve. “Let’s just
hope this isn’t Pompeii.”
Brandon sighed heavily. He knew there was no use in arguing with
her. He saw a change in her face and demeanor. It hardened like steel. So
weird. “First you have to have a volcano before an eruption.”
Time for a history lesson. “The people of Pompeii had never seen or heard of a volcanic
eruption. Mount Vesuvius hadn’t erupted in thousands of years. Therefore, the
early rumblings didn’t frighten them. However, many wise residents still fled
because the mountain appeared threatening. They reacted to the possibility of
harm.” She turned her eyes back to the computer screen.
“Just keep this conspiracy theory to yourself,” Barney demanded.
“Okaaay!”
“Whatever!” she replied snidely and turned away from him.
About the Author
Like Shakespeare and Hemmingway, I am an eclectic writer. My stories develop from my imagination and passions, usually just before I fall asleep. Before I became an Indie author, I had two novels published by a respected independent publisher, which went out of business. Since books cannot be removed from Amazon, A Sinister Obsession is now Dead Can’t Haunt You, and Stardust Dreams will soon be Forrester’s Folly. During my clinical careers as a School Psychologist and Clinical Social Worker in private practice, I had a book on human nature published by a traditional publisher and when the editor passed away, it vanished. That book will be updated and launched next year. Happily, I am now an Indie author with the same quality of work but now under my control. My genres have been horror, suspense/thriller, senior romance, sci/fi, and now apocalyptic, which is based on my worries about the precarious future of cyberspace. Besides writing, I am an avid golfer, bowler, and tennis player. I reside in Florida with my lovely wife and Mickey, our handsome Shih Tzu.
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