It’s the End of the World as We Know ItBut all is not lost.  A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have defended their new home—the fortified town of Ashley Oaks, Texas—against ravenous zombies and cruel bandits.  They have gathered supplies, established a civil government, and even found love among the ruins.  An excellent tactician who has led the town’s defenders more than once, Katie has made peace with the loss of her beloved wife.  She is remarried and pregnant with her husband’s child.  Jenni, a zombie killer beyond compare, fled an abusive husband and formed a new, loving family with her stepson, his dog, and her new love.  Jenni’s still the first to volunteer for any dangerous mission—but now she has a reason to survive.  A deadly supply run leads to the discovery of hundreds of survivors trapped in a failing shopping mall, their lives controlled by a power-hungry U.S. Senator and the military men and women who follow her.  News that there are civilians living in peace outside the mall is earth-shattering for all of them.The final battle for the fort—and, in a way, for the soul of America—is about to begin.