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  With all the decay, violence, death and germs in the city, Malcolm had thought it better to start fresh. Plus, he had said, the destruction would have to be fixed, and the uneducated people could be put to work doing basic infrastructure jobs for which they would be paid well while their children went to school. They would slowly rebuild all of society.

  Of course, many were still dying. The holding area reported dozens of deaths each day, though they’d tried to quarantine the ill. Before anyone was allowed on a ship to Terrecina, they went through rigorous testing, to be sure they weren’t carrying the germs with them. While everyone on the island was vaccinated, new strains of the viruses were a concern.

  Each week, they took on two hundred more, to vaccinate and train in whatever field they’d like to work. The training was basic, of course. Many of these people couldn’t read or write, and it would take years of consistent schooling to get them back on their feet. For now, Malcolm’s staff taught them construction skills and made sure that when they went back to work, there would be enough time off so that they could learn more if they wanted.

  Malcolm had quickly put into place a board of elected officials to take the pressure off himself, George and Julie. None of them wanted to be the leaders of the New New Government after all. They were simply filling in on a temporary basis.

  They didn’t know if they could save the world. Illness, plagues, poverty, droughts and all manner of disaster still needed fixing, should they take it on. They’d decided to start with New York City and move outward from there. They only took on as much as they could handle, and each day, more people became strong enough to join the effort.

  And throughout it all, as she fell into bed next to Malcolm each night, Julie knew that they had done the right thing. They couldn’t forecast the future, and they might still fail at saving the world, but at least, they had a working system again. And most importantly, they had each other.

  About the Author

  When not writing her next romance, Ninette Swann spends her days rock-climbing and taming wild horses. Or not. You decide. Or ask her about it at [email protected].

  She lives with her amazing husband and children in Florida…not to be confused with Miami, unfortunately.

  You can find her at http://ninetteswann.com.

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