Deadland's Harves(96)

Our backpacks sat, opened and empty of contents, in a pile behind him, along with our coats. All of our weapons had been confiscated and carried into the store. The bandits who had disarmed me had been overly thorough. I’d wanted to scream and bite as they’d groped, but I’d stood perfectly still with a clenched jaw, afraid of what they’d do to Clutch if I’d reacted. When one was busy checking under my bra with his cold hands, he commented, “Too bad. This one wouldn’t be too bad looking if her face wasn’t so messed up.”

The other one chuckled. “Easy fix. Just turn her around.”

Clutch managed to tackle that one before three others knocked him to the ground. He’d gotten a black eye and swollen cheek, but they moved on from me after that. I felt sorry for the other women, who received the same treatment.

When Mary was grabbed, her husband lunged forward and they kicked him in the stomach. As they dragged her back toward the store, she begged them to stop. Her husband, still holding his stomach, climbed to his feet and ran toward her. A bandit raised his rifle, and my eyes widened. Shots cut through the night air, and I jumped. He collapsed, and she screamed. The bandit holding her punched her and she went limp. Tension hung in the air as she disappeared inside.

“If any of you idiots try something stupid like that,” Hodge said, pointing to the body. “You’re going to end up the same way. Got it?”

No one moved.

Hodge weaved through us, looking at each person one at a time. As he stood behind us, he spoke. “Many of you are wearing uniforms. Are you associated with New Eden?”

No one spoke.

Something moved, and somebody cried out. I swallowed back my fear.

“I’ve never heard of New Eden,” Tyler said from several feet to my left.

The leader came walking around and stood in front of Tyler. “If you’re not with New Eden, what base are you with?”

Tyler didn’t answer.

Hodge bent to stare him down, his smooth brown hair covering some of his face, but Tyler stared straight ahead. “Yeah, you’re military, all right.” He looked up and narrowed his eyes at Clutch. “I’d bet quite a few of you are.” He walked over to Deb and held his pistol to her head. She whimpered and tightened her lips. “Since I’m not, I’ll ask one more time. What base are you with.”

“We’re with the Camp Fox National Guard base,” Tyler ground out.

Hodge lifted his pistol. “Never heard of it, but that doesn’t matter. You military folks are all in bed together, so you are going to help me.”

“Please,” Vicki said through shivers. “We’re hungry. At least feed the children.”

The leader looked up. “Tell me boys. How does a beggar earn food around here?”

“Fuck for it or fight for it,” several bandits replied in unison.

A cruel grin curved upward on Hodge’s face as he bent down to get eye-level with Vicki. “So, which is it going to be?”

Her lips tightened, and she didn’t answer.

He stood, nodded to his men, and they walked around and yanked the adult men forward and made them kneel in front of us. I bit back my cry when they pulled Clutch away and made him kneel with the others. I wanted to lunge forward, to grab him and run, but I didn’t move, feeling like a failure.

Soon, every adult man was kneeling in a row before us in the snow. Clutch and I never broke eye contact. I’d never seen him look as pissed off as he did right now. I prayed he didn’t do something stupid and heroic. Hodge walked behind each of them, holding his pistol in his hand. “So tell me, which one of you are in charge of this little group?”

No one spoke.

“I’m not going to ask again.” He nodded to one of his men, who went to stand next to Vicki, holding his pistol against her temple. She closed her eyes, and tears fell down her cheeks. “In three seconds, I’m going to have my colleague here kill this woman.”

He looked across our faces. “One.”

Clutch opened his mouth to speak. My brows furrowed, and I shook my head once. Don’t you dare.

“Two.”

“I’m in charge,” Bryce said hurriedly from next to Tyler.

The leader’s brows rose as though he was genuinely surprised, and he sauntered over to Bryce. “You? Really?”

“You’ve got me. Release my people. They’ve done nothing wrong,” Bryce added. Even though his voice cracked, he put on a good act. I almost believed it myself.