Chase thought he would've gotten used to the cold by now.

A year had passed, and the chilling winter air hadn't become any more bearable. In fact, he was pretty sure it got worse.

So much for global warming.

He had let his hair grow out over the last couple of months. It started off as a way to disguise himself from Atlas patrol units and videos, but he was starting to like how he looked with chin-length hair and a scruffy, dirty blond beard.

The current version of himself was indistinguishable from the one who had been fighting for Atlas three years prior.

A wistful sigh left his blue lips.

That was a long time ago. He was different now.

Everything was different now.

His teeth chattering, he rubbed his fingerless gloves together and continued trudging through the North Dakota snow. He wasn't sure how he and his group ended up in the Midwest. They started in Oregon, but the Atlas agents quickly forced them east. Eventually, they settled in the middle of nowhere in one of the most boring states in the country.

He didn't really mind, though. He preferred boring as opposed to being chased by those he once called his friends.

His jaw clenched at the thought. Three years later and it still stung like a stake to the heart.

Still, he didn't regret his decision. Especially after what had happened to the last three years. He didn't even recognize Atlas anymore. Once the PRA was signed,  the United States military seized all operations—including the Prime  Task Force.

Sighing, he continued stomping through the pine forest. White blanketed the needles, blocking the beaming sun in the gray sky. A breeze whistled through the massive trees, penetrating the many layers of clothes Chase wore. He grit his teeth and forced himself to keep going. Today's patrol wouldn't complete itself.

He and his group—which various news outlets had dubbed The Exiles—arrived in North Dakota a  year ago. Before that, they spent a few months in Wyoming. And before that, they hid out in the mountains of Oregon.

Atlas and the  Jaeger's—the new title for non-powered members of the Prime Task  Force—were still hunting them down, desperate to throw them in The  Vault, the prison for Primes in the Atlantic Ocean.

It was up to him to keep his people safe. They were counting on him.

Which is why he was out on patrol, checking the traps he and Archie set up around their  underground bunker base. Tripwires connected to alarms back at  headquarters lined the perimeter of the forest. A few CCTV cameras  hidden in the trees relayed nonstop footage of their surroundings. If  anything got close, Archie would be the first to know.

Their survival depended on it.

They had to remain alert  and diligent at all times. Chase still remembered the last time they  let their guard down. His jaw clenched at the memory.

Never again.

When they first arrived  in North Dakota, they lucked up and found an abandoned bomb shelter. It  was big enough to house them all and had enough canned food to last a  few months. Whoever built it must have had a huge family, because there  were more than enough rooms to house all of The Exiles. There was even  space for them to store their van, which they had been lugging around  since they went on the run. If it weren't for Andre's background in  mechanics and car repairs, they might not have ever made it out of  Oregon.

Everyone on the team  played their part, though. Chase might have been in charge, but the  others were just as important as he was.

Andre helped Archie with  any mechanical issues around the bunker. Emily managed their weapons  supply. Victor made sure everyone stayed on top of their training. Kai  and Danai helped cook their meals.

Even the newbies who they rescued from Atlas convoys contributed however they could.

They had a good system going. Chase just hoped it would be enough to keep them out of harm's reach.

"Alright, Goldilocks, let's wrap this up," a gruff voice crackled through the walkie-talkie in the pocket of his winter coat.

He pulled it out and  pressed the button on the side. "Copy that, Andre." Pausing, he took a  look around him. None of the trip wires had been tampered with and the  cameras were still in position. Patrol had gone relatively well. "You  see anything out of the ordinary?"

"Negative, boss. All's good over here. How 'bout you?"

"Everything's good—"

A low, rumbling noise  sounded in the distance. Snow shook from the pine needles before falling  to the ground. Scrunching his features together, Chase whipped his head  around in search of the sound.

"You hear that too right, boss?"

"What the hell is it?"

"No clue. But I've got a bad feeling."

"Get back to base. I'll be right behind you."

"Copy."

Andre's line clicked  off. Nodding, Chase stuffed his walkie-talkie back into his jacket and  continued searching for the source of the noise.

It grew louder with  every passing second. The ground shook slightly, almost as if an  earthquake was rippling beneath the snow-covered surface.

Then everything around  him went dark. All the light in the air had been extinguished like a  finger pressing against the wick of a candle. The little bit of warmth  coming from the sun above vanished. As he lifted his head to the sky,  his blue eyes widened with horror.

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⚠️

𝙰 𝙱 𝙾 𝚄 𝚃

When fugitive superhumans learn of a nefarious plot to create artificial life with unfathomable power, they must do everything in their power to stop it.

******

After the fall of Atlas, Chase and the others were branded as fugitives; constantly on the run from the United States military and the Primes still under their control. Atlas, which has been rebranded into the Jaegar Program, has been unfairly imprisoning Primes all over the world at a high rate. While Chase and his group of Exiles want to help, they have their own problems to deal with.

Stella, on the other hand, wants nothing more for the world to be at peace. Having assumed a leadership role in the Jaegar Program, she is forced to adhere to General North's wishes. But when she accidentally sees files from an experiment labeled "Zeo", she begins to wonder if she chose the right side.

A weapon is being created. And this weapon is going to change things. Forever.

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book three | false gods - out now!