EMP Post-Apocalyptic Survival by Hunt, James (acx book reading .TXT) 📗

to think quickly before Abe could poison the situation with the truth. “Thank God you’re here, Wendy.” She gestured to Abe. “We heard a disturbance at Marty’s place and then came into find this.”

“That’s a lie,” Abe said.

“Shut up!” Jane shouted.

“He did that?” Wendy asked. “You really are a cold-blooded monster!”

“Wendy,” Jane said, trying to bring the women off the ledge. “Wendy, I need you to look at me now.”

Wendy turned her tear-streaked face to Jane.

“Go get Liz,” Jane said. “She needs to know what’s happened. In fact, get everyone.” Jane looked back at Abe. “It’s time this man received the justice he deserves.”

After the vote was over, Nancy knew there was going to be a conversation between herself and Mrs. Riker. She had caught the angry glares sent her way and knew that it was only a matter of time before Mrs. Riker spoke to her, so she decided to face up to it immediately.

Nancy walked over to Mrs. Riker’s portable and waited for her to show up. She was more nervous than she’d ever been in her life, but she knew she had done the right thing. There was no question about that. She was more nervous about facing Mrs. Riker’s disappointment. She had clearly gone against her wishes, and Nancy wasn’t sure what kind of consequences lay ahead of her.

Lost in her own thoughts and worry, Nancy didn’t notice Mrs. Riker approach until she was standing at the foot of the steps where Nancy had sat down.

“I didn’t expect to find you here,” Mrs. Riker said.

Nancy stood and cleared her throat. “I thought it best if you and I spoke sooner rather than later.”

Mrs. Riker remained silent, and Nancy wasn’t sure what kind of hell would rain down on her, but when Mrs. Riker sighed and slowly trudged up the steps to join Nancy by the door, she looked more exhausted than angry.

“Let’s talk inside,” Mrs. Riker said.

Nancy followed Mrs. Riker into the portable and remained standing while Mrs. Riker sat down on one of the beds and rubbed her face.

“I spoke to Gray,” Nancy said. “I put the idea in his head to say what he did at the meeting.”

“I figured as much,” Mrs. Riker said, still rubbing her face.

“I understand if you’re angry,” Nancy said, “and I’m prepared to face whatever punishment you deem fit.” She straightened up. “But I want to be clear that if I had the opportunity, I would do it all over again.”

Mrs. Riker finally looked up at Nancy, her face red. “You really aren’t the scared little girl who came here with us anymore, are you?” She stood and then walked over to Nancy. “I know you believe that what you did was the right thing to do, but you also need to understand the consequences of your actions.”

“I told you I’m ready—”

“I’m not talking about some kind of punishment I would give you,” Mrs. Riker said. “Which, for the record, I’m not.”

Nancy frowned. “You’re not?”

“No,” Mrs. Riker answered as she returned to the cot and sat down. “Because the truth of the matter is you were right. If Gray hadn’t spoken up, I don’t think I would still be in charge.”

Nancy was a little shocked. She hadn’t expected Mrs. Riker to side with her. “Then, what do you mean by consequences?”

“You know Jane Percy pretty well by now,” Mrs. Riker answered. “You don’t think she’s going to put together what happened tonight? She’s not a forgiving woman, Nancy. And what you did will have consequences beyond this evening. Lines have been drawn. It’s only a matter of time before—”

“Marty’s dead!” Wendy rushed into the portable, shoulder-checking the door open as she caught her breath from the sprint to find them.

Mrs. Riker shot up from bed. “What?”

“The prisoner got out and killed him,” Wendy answered. “You need to come over now!”

Wendy was out the door before Mrs. Riker or Nancy could gather any more information, but neither of them dawdled as they sprinted for Marty’s portable.

A crowd had gathered outside Marty’s portable. Everybody in the compound had shown up. And when Nancy saw Jane and Lester Percy at the top of the steps with Abe, who was covered in blood, she pushed through the crowd to rush to his aid, Mrs. Riker close behind.

“Let him go!” Nancy shouted.

“He’s a murderer,” Jane said. “Killed Marty in cold blood.”

“I did no such thing—”

Lester jammed the butt of his rifle against Abe’s back, knocking him to his knees. Nancy was about to jump forward, but Mrs. Riker held her back.

“This man needs to be served the justice he should have been given the moment he was brought here,” Jane said, speaking to the crowd as much as she was to Mrs. Riker. “You and your husband have kept him alive for too long.”

Nancy turned to Mrs. Riker, pleading. “She’s lying. Abe wouldn’t kill him. He was locked up!” She hated how much she sounded like a whiny teenager, but she couldn’t help herself.

Mrs. Riker kept her cool despite the crowd behind them growing antsier and more upset the longer Abe didn’t have a bullet in his head.

“If he’s guilty, then he should stand trial,” Mrs. Riker said.

“Trial?” Jane asked. “He killed one of our people! Someone you vowed to protect! Why should he get the benefit of a trial?”

Nancy could tell that Jane had set an elaborate trap, and no matter what Mrs. Riker did, she was damned. If she didn’t kill Abe, the crowd would turn against her. If she did kill Abe… then she would be murdering an innocent man.

“Hand him over, Jane,” Mrs. Riker said, walking up the steps.

Jane Percy looked like she had no intention of handing over Abe, but Nancy was surprised when she shoved Abe forward and into Mrs. Riker’s arms.

“No!” a voice from the crowd shouted, and Nancy turned to see Wendy Sutton pushing her way through the crowd. “He needs to pay!”

The other spectators gave her a wide berth, and as the people