Deadland Rising (part 3 of the Deadland Saga)

Justice (Chapter 19)

Christmas day

Hodge wasn't dead. The leader of the Black Sheep-Camp Fox's captor-was alive. He bore a scar from where my bullet had skimmed his neck. If my shot had been one inch more accurate, the murderer would've been dead.

I stood outside the silo, my shirt doing nothing to block the cold air. "They'd be alive if I'd killed him when I'd had the chance."

"It's not your fault, so get that thought out of your head," Jase said while he rolled snow into a ball. "There aren't any guarantees in this life. Picadilly and the others could've just as easily been killed by zeds or animals than by Hodge. That you clipped him while he was speeding away with his tail between his legs is amazing enough."

I sighed and rested my head against the concrete wall. "I can't believe that he's been near New Eden for months. We've been feeding him. For all we know, we led him to the house, and he killed them."

"You can spend all day wondering what happened, but unless he talks, we'll never know. So, quit beating yourself up over it."

"But, Camp Fox is gone because of him. He killed so many people...Tyler-"

"I know," Jase said softly before scowling and tossing the snowball at a tree. "But, he's not going to hurt anyone else ever again."

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

He stuck out his chest. "Of course I'm right. Now, let's get inside before we freeze to death out here."

We entered the silo to find a flurry of activity. I stopped the first person we came to. "What's going on? I didn't think the Christmas stuff was starting for a couple hours yet."

"Justin decided to get Hodge's trial out of the way. They're bringing him up now."

Jase and I glanced at each other, and we both hustled toward the control room, which served as town hall. Justin stood there, with Dr. Edmund at his side. Clutch and Griz, surrounded by a dozen other guards, led a bound Hodge up the steps and before Justin.

Hodge was clean now, a stark difference from how he'd been a few hours earlier. My brain would be forever scarred with seeing his naked body after we brought him to New Eden. I'd stood guard while Clutch and Griz had stripped him out of his flea- and lice-infested clothes before bringing him into the silo. The man hadn't bathed in months and reeked of sweat and shit. He'd even had the gall to wag his tongue at me when he stood naked in the snow.

"Like what you see, don't ya," he'd said.

"Not impressed," I'd said drily.

Clutch had also replied for me with a punch to Hodge's stomach. I'd smiled when the man was bent over, dry heaving his guts out. It was then I'd seen the scar across the side of his throat-the one I gave him.

He should've been dead.

Instead, he stood in New Eden, healthy and fed.

"Hodge, you have been judged and found guilty by a jury of New Eden citizens. You are here today to receive sentencing for your crimes in leading a group of bandits into ruthlessly attacking, without provocation, the peaceful citizens of New Eden, Camp Fox, and other groups of survivors. Your Black Sheep are responsible for over one hundred murders of innocent people, including children. You have been a festering sore on the communities working hard to rebuild after the outbreak. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Hodge spat on the floor. "Fuck you."

"So be it," Justin said. "Whether you live or die will be in the hands of fate."

Hodge laughed. "You think you can live like you could before? That you can have laws and jails? That's bullshit. The zeds have already won the war. To survive, you have to be like the zeds. You have to take what you need, or else you'll die. Hell, you're dead already. You just don't know it yet."

"It's ironic you say you must be like the zeds," Justin said. "Because, in a way, that's your punishment."

Hodge cocked his head.

Justin continued. "Our people are working on a vaccine against the virus. We lost our lead researcher two days ago, but our research team, with the guidance of Dr. Edmund, has isolated an antigen. You will serve as its test subject. If you survive, you will serve out the rest of your life, however long it may be, in a tiny prison cell."

"Ha," Hodge called out. "Give me what you got. I'll outlive you all."

"We shall see." Justin motioned to Dr. Edmund.

The doctor stepped forward with a syringe. We all watched in silence as Dr. Edmund injected Hodge with the antigen.

"It's done," the doctor said and took a step back.

I prayed Hodge survived, because I wanted to be the one who killed him.