Charles Emary
Fall of the House of Echelon - Wastelands

Fall of the House of Echelon - Wastelands

Mar 15, 2022

About the Book

Wastelands is the second book in the “Fall of the House of Echelon” trilogy, picking up where the first left off as our protagonist continues his journey into a far more dangerous world. No longer a tourist, he has become a man shaped by experience—drawn into secretive societies, shadowed conflicts, and forces operating just beyond public view.

As his skills sharpen and his understanding deepens, he encounters events that defy explanation—haunting, supernatural moments that blur the line between reality and illusion. Each step forward leaves him questioning not only the world around him, but his place within it.

Details

Sweet Seductions

Nico loved the island. The food was good; the climate was amazing and the people were relaxed. He spent his days carefully observing the two women. Tailing the women had proven to be easier than he had expected. The main square had many of the same people day to day, so it was not surprising to see the same faces.

Nico left the hotel and took a leisurely walk to the main square. Today his stomach was rumbling more than normal. He had made a call to his concierge to get more beef delivered, but it had not arrived. Nico had single-handedly created a beef shortage on the island. He casually chatted with people that he recently met. He could remember details better than ever and everyone wanted to talk to anyone that would listen. He wondered what the world had come to. Today he sat with an elderly woman. She was intent on setting him up with her daughter.

“Ciao, Mrs. Alboni. How are you today?”

“Nico dear, I am fine. Did you see my beautiful daughter on the Internet?”

“Mrs Alboni, I fell asleep early last night and did not get to it.”

“Nico, I told you to call me Louise. Maybe tonight you can see her.”

Nico saw the woman that he had been tracking. She entered the square alone.

“Nico, that girl is too skinny for you. You need a girl that has some flesh on her.”

“Louise, I am not looking for a girl. I am a man of the world and women just want to settle down.”

“Nico, a man of your age should settle down. You need to have children.”

Nico was talking and watching the girl. She had sat down at a sidewalk cafe and ordered something. She glanced here and there as if she were waiting for someone. Her phone rang and she eagerly answered it.

“Nico, if you like the girl, just go say hello. If you do not, you will regret it. When does an American man have the opportunity to find a good Italian woman?”

“I am really interested in her friend.”

“Oh No, that will lead to nothing good.”

A slender woman dressed in short leather pants walked up to the woman sitting at the restaurant. The woman rose, they hugged one another. The woman in leather took the other woman’s chin and pulled it to the front, where she kissed her on the lips. She seemed to resist momentarily, but quickly returned the kiss.

Louise said, “Well, there you go, Nico. It looks to me like you have no chance with either. My daughter would love to meet you.”

Monte Blanc

Salskuld felt a hard shove and pitched forward into the darkness. His arms and legs flailed as he careened into the inky blackness. He thought he could hear giggling and then clapping. Had the girls pushed him over the edge on purpose? As Salskuld fell, he remembered the trip to this place.

It had been long, hot and dusty. They had ridden in old military vehicles as there was no more reliable way to get around. The roads were all dirt. The trip had taken weeks, but had been well worth it. He and his friends hunted day and night, feasting on the flesh of animals and humans. He had been meeting with the Prime Nà-sær and they had told him this trip would be a surprise.

It had been a surprise in so many ways. He and the Primes had come to an understanding. They had provided him with two women to satiate his needs. The two had practically worshipped him. The whole hunting trip was the idea of the Primes. He had not trusted them, but over time, they had proven to be reliable and had earned his trust. This trip was supposed to have been the last step in a permanent agreement between him and the Nà-sær.

The force of his body violently impacting the ground brought him back to reality. He vaguely registered pain, but his powerful frame was not really damaged. It was pitch black and the place reeked of death. The ground under him kept shifting, and it was difficult for him to stand. He knew the smell well. He was lying in a deep pile of bones. As he tried to stand, the bones shifted and gave way.