Last Stand
Robert Ciancio
Copyright © 2020 Robert Ciancio
All rights reserved
First Edition
Fulton Books, Inc.
Meadville, PA
Published by Fulton Books 2020
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
ISBN 978-1-64654-504-9 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-64654-605-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-64654-505-6 (digital)
Printed in the United States of America
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I would like to thank my beautiful and wonderful fiancée, Melissa, for her support while writing this book. She pushed me and gave me the motivation to finish it and pushed me to have it published. Without her, it would not have been completed.
Next, I would like to thank Bill Everts, a close friend and mentor, for planting the seed which led to me wanting to be an author. Without his encouragement, it would not have been started.
I would also like to thank my family, Bob, June, and Cari, for providing me the education, love of books, and work ethic that was needed to not only undertake such a task but the fortitude to finish it.
And finally, I would like to thank my hero when it comes to writing. D. J. Molles, author of the “Remaining” series, is a self-published author that took a dream and made it into reality. Thank you for doing what you do. It helped me move forward into what I hope is a new career path.
Part 1
The Journey Home
Going by my past journey, I am not certain where life will take me, what turns and twists will happen; nobody knows where they will end up. As life changes direction, flow with it.
—Katrina Kaif
Prologue: A Ronin Is Born
Ronin—a warrior with no lord or master during the feudal period (1185–1868) of Japan. A warrior became masterless from the death or fall of his master, destined to wander the countryside in search of purpose.
“Dude, What the fuck?”
“Hey brother. Glad to see you too.”
“I was afraid you were dead. Come on, let’s walk. Tell me what happened.”
1
My morning started with a cold nose to the back of the head.
“Shit, Fred. Go lay down. It’s too early for this shit!”
Fred, actually Freddy, was