The Complete Deadland Saga

by Rachel Aukes

  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.

  “No, I don’t believe I will.” He raised his sidearm, and clicked off the safety.

  “Stop!” Tyler yelled. “I’m Captain Tyler Masden, commanding officer of Camp Fox.”

  Hodge smirked. He grabbed Bryce’s hair and yanked his head back to look him in the face. “That was stupid of you. I already knew that asshole was in charge. Everybody knows that whoever speaks up first is a hero, an idiot, or in charge. Usually all three are the same.”

  He looked up to his men. “Get them to their feet.”

  Tyler, Clutch, and the other fifteen men were pulled to their feet by the eight bandits. I could see in Clutch’s, Tyler’s, and all of the Fox men’s eyes that they wanted to turn and attack. We outnumbered them, but they outgunned us. It would be a massacre.

  The leader stood in front of Tyler. “Now I know how far I can push you and how loyal your people are to you. Disappointing on both counts.”

  He walked down the line of Fox men and back to Tyler. “You are going to help us draw that New Eden squadron into an ambush.”

  “We won’t help you,” Tyler said harshly.

  “I should clarify. I don’t need your help. Your uniforms are going to help us draw the New Eden squadron into an ambush. Now, strip.”

  It took rifles shoved into their backs for them to take off their fatigues. As a scout, I wore fatigues, too, but I wasn’t ordered to take off mine, probably because I was smaller and mine wouldn’t fit any of the bandits. I knelt there and watched as Clutch and the others pulled off their boots and stripped down to their T-shirts, socks, and underwear.

  They stood nearly naked in the freezing morning air, their breaths making cloud puffs, while two of the bandits carried their clothing away. Goosebumps covered Clutch’s tattoos on his arms.

  “Hey, Hodge. We’d better hustle,” a bandit called out as he came running up. “The New Eden pricks are just about to cross the bridge.”

  I think everyone’s gaze turned toward the bridge in the distance. Trees with golden and red leaves blocked much of the view, but it was impossible to miss the squadron of heavily armored vehicles approaching in the distance.

  “Well, then.” Hodge checked his pistol. “Thank you for your service.”

  He walked over to Tyler, held his pistol to Tyler’s temple and fired. A thunderous shot broke the silence. A woman screamed. Tyler fell face-forward, and a pool of dark blood spread out from around his head.

  Air flew from my lungs and I couldn’t breathe. My heart felt like it’d stopped. Someone clung to me—Vicki, I think—and I embraced her numbly. Ice zapped the strength from my legs, yet I somehow managed to stay on my feet. My vision swirled. Not Tyler. He couldn’t die. He was too good to die.

  People cried out. Hodge held his pistol against Bryce’s temple and looked across our faces. He fired, and Bryce collapsed. He moved to the next man, again looked across the group of survivors, and fired.

  My mouth opened as I watched in shock as the bandit stopped next to Clutch. My world spun and my legs gave out. I reached for Clutch. “No!”

  Chapter XXX

  Instead of executing Clutch, Hodge nodded to one of his men who raised his rifle and slammed it down on Clutch’s head from behind. He collapsed into a pile. Tears fell down my cheeks, and I realized the leader was watching me with keen interest.

  “You’re a bastard,” I said simply, the ice in my body having given way to boiling hatred.

  He smiled broadly. “You see,” he said. “I keep the ones with something to lose. It’s entertaining the things I can make them do to try to save each other. I think I’ll have fun with both of you.”

  Never, I thought to myself.

  “Boss,” one of the men said. “They’re coming up fast.”

  He looked toward the bridge, before turning to his men. “Get the rest inside. We’ll finish later. We have to get changed before the squadron arrives.”

  “On your feet,” one of the bandits ordered, waving his gun at us.

  Clutch was just coming to with a groan, and I helped drag him up. The back of his head had a wet spot from an open gash. I slid his arm over my shoulder. His skin was freezing cold. Deb came up and grabbed his other arm. The bandits rushed everyone back into the store and back to our small campsite. The seven small grills still had glowing embers from last night’s fires.

  Deb and I helped Clutch onto his sleeping bag, and I wrapped my bag around his shoulders. I swallowed and my eyes blurred. The shock of everything was starting to give way, and adrenaline and the cold made me shake nearly uncontrollably. I held tightly onto Clutch, and he wrapped his arms around me, shaking just as much.

  “I can’t believe they shot Tyler,” Deb said in a monotone voice.

  All but two bandits disappeared into the back. The pair who remained kept their rifles leveled on us while the others changed. One of the bandits was busy admiring his new rifle: Clutch’s Blaser.

  Less than a minute later, Hodge came out in Guardsman fatigues, walked over to the pair standing guard over us, and said something I couldn’t hear. When he turned to us, his eyes narrowed. “If any of you try to run, you will be shot. Got it?”

  He didn’t wait for a response. He left with the others dressed in clothes our guys had been wearing minutes earlier, and I wanted to see his blood stain the clothes he stole.

  I clung to Clutch, partly to warm him and mostly because I needed to feel him—his breathing, his heartbeat, his life. His breathing steadied my own, and I felt my pounding heart return to a level where it didn’t feel like I was having a panic attack. After a minute or two, his grogginess wore off and he no longer swayed or shook as badly. He gingerly touched the back of his head and winced. “Fuck.”

  I looked up at him. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but when I opened my mouth, a sob threatened to get in the way.

  He cupped my face with both hands. He didn’t kiss me, only pressed our foreheads together as though he needed the physical connection as much as I did. Tears streamed down my cheeks. He brushed away a tear with his thumb. “Sh. Don’t cry,” he whispered softly.

  The soft words were such a contrast to his rough palms, yet both were full of emotion and I leaned into him. “I almost lost you,” I whispered back, my voice cracking.

  He looked up and glared at the bandits, each on opposite sides of our indoor campground, before looking back at me. “You shouldn’t have cried out,” he whispered. “They’ll use me to hurt you now.”

  If I hadn’t cried out, he’d be dead right now. Rather than saying that, I simply shrugged.

  Around us, the remaining Fox survivors all sat in shellshock. Many were crying in despair and loss, some stared blankly into nothingness, and others looked downright pissed, like they were about to go kamikaze on the guards. I don’t know how I looked to them because I was feeling all of those emotions at the
same time.

  Tyler’s rumpled blue sleeping bag sat empty, along with a few others, and I turned away, not having the strength to think about the permanence of what had happened. I could only hope that Jase and Griz were safe.

  The two bandits didn’t stop Benji as he walked around the clothing racks, picking out clothes and bringing piles to each of the men. Diesel barked from one of the back rooms. The dog had gotten lucky. When Diesel had growled when the bandits manhandled Frost, one of the men had raised his rifle to shoot the dog, but the bandit leader took a shine to the dog and claimed him as his. Though, I wasn’t yet convinced the leader wanted Diesel as his pet or for dinner.

  “How did everything go so wrong?” I finally asked against Clutch’s tattooed chest. “What do we do now?”

  He watched the guard, and didn’t speak for at least a minute. His body tensed and his gaze hardened. “I’m getting my rifle back.”

  Chapter XXXI

  “Let me know if the guard on the rock looks this way,” Clutch whispered.

  I frowned, peering into his brown eyes. “Okay.”

  I could feel his arm move behind me. Oh. Careful to reveal nothing, I forced myself to stare blankly in the bandit’s direction as Clutch signaled to the other scouts. The bandit was lounging on a manmade rock next to a stuffed bear.

  The game continued for several minutes. Clutch signaled while I kept an eye on one guard and he watched the one nearest us. I squeezed Clutch’s thigh any time the man I watched looked in our general direction.

  “We’re set. We just need a diversion now,” Clutch whispered finally.

  I tried to think of anything I could do to distract the bandits. Outside, I could hear the sounds of big engines, signaling the approach of New Eden. I hoped they saw through the bandits’ charade, but I couldn’t count on it. As I concentrated on thinking of a diversion, I noticed Vicki watching us intently. Her cheeks were splotchy from crying. With the slowest movement, she gave a nod like she knew Clutch was up to something. I supposed, since she was sitting in between Clutch and the other scouts, chances were she was quite aware of exactly what was about to happen.

  Vicki stood abruptly.

  The bandit nearest us swung Clutch’s rifle around. “Whoa there, lady. What do you think you’re doing?”

  Vicki pointed to Deb, who was lying on her side. “She’s pregnant. If she doesn’t eat soon, she’ll lose the baby.”

  “So? Why would I care?”

  Vicki took a deep breath and then untucked her shirt. “I’m buying her a meal.”

  It took a moment for her offer to register, and then a huge grin spanned the bandit’s face. He looked up to his partner. “What do you think?”

  The other bandit shrugged. “As long as you do it in here, the boss won’t care. Just keep your rifle on them.”

  The bandit turned back to Vicki. “You got yourself a deal. A meal for the broad. Come here.”

  She stood adamant, and her jaw jutted out. “Give her something to eat first.”

  He thought for a moment and then shrugged, reached into his vest pocket, and tossed a small bag to Deb. “Okay. Done. Now, get over here,” he motioned to Vicki. “Grab onto that clothes rack. Face your friends.”

  I found myself holding my breath as Vicki took slow, tentative steps to the bandit. I slowly pulled away from Clutch so he could make his move, whatever it may be. My arms wrapped around my abdomen on their own, and I swallowed back fear and hate.

  The bandit grabbed Vicki’s belt and yanked her to him. He almost put his rifle down to go for her pants, and then seemed to realize he was still guarding us. “Pull your pants down.”

  She moved stiffly as she undid her belt and unbuttoned her jeans, one slow button at a time. He watched her, but every second, he glanced nervously up at us. As soon as she unbuttoned the last button, he turned her around and yanked her pants down. “Grab that rack. Don’t let go or else.”

  She reached out and grabbed the silver bar. I felt Clutch move away from me, and I’d nearly forgotten why Vicki was up there. I heard the sound of big engines outside. The New Eden squadron had arrived.

  Vicki stood there. Her determined gaze leveled above our group while the bandit struggled with unfastening his belt and pants with only one hand. The other bandit had leaned forward, captivated by the scene and oblivious to Joe and three other scouts inching closer to the rock. Clutch still sat next to me, but I noticed he now had his feet poised under him, like he was a sprinter at the gate.

  The bandit finally had his pants undone, and he grabbed Vicki’s hip. As he moved close to her, she shoved her head back and nailed him directly on the nose.

  “Uh! Bitch!” he cried out, taking a step back, momentarily stunned.

  She grabbed the barrel of his gun, and he tried to yank it from her. Clutch shoved off and closed the ten feet to them with more strength and agility than I thought he had regained. I jumped and ran after him. A couple shots fired from the direction of the other bandit, but I didn’t look.

  Clutch reached the bandit as soon as he yanked the rifle from Vicki and knocked her to the floor. Clutch tackled him, and I grabbed the bandit’s rifle and kneeled on his wrist. He cried out, and I pulled the rifle free. Clutch chopped the guy in the throat and rolled off him. The guy got to his knees, struggling to breathe.

  Vicki reached for the rifle. I handed it to her. She raised it and shot the bandit in the gut. He took a step back, tripped, and lay there, holding his bleeding stomach. She handed the rifle back to me, fastened her jeans, and then headed back to the group. I’m guessing she was aiming lower, but I didn’t care as long as he was down.

  Several had gathered around the other, clearly dead bandit, and I saw Joe on the floor, a stream of blood trailing from his neck. Deb looked over and sadly shook her head.

  Outside, there was yelling, and then the sound of gunfire erupted. Several bandits sprinted into the store. Hodge, whose eyes were already wide, froze when he saw us, and anger tightened his visage.

  “Incoming!” I yelled. I tumbled with Clutch behind a toppled display and handed him his rifle.

  Clutch shouted, “Everyone, take cover! Head for the back rooms!”

  He laid down cover fire while the women and children ran. The scouts took up position behind various forms of cover. The bandits fired wildly as though they were trying to decide which direction they wanted to go. White fuzz exploded from sleeping bags. Someone cried out in sharp pain.

  “We need to get to a better position.” Clutch looked around. “This way.”

  We ran and slid across a sales counter. No one seemed to be firing at us, but the entire store was filled with the sound of gunfire, and I suspected the bandits were now shooting at the New Eden soldiers and not us.

  “I’m going to give you a push, and we’ll take position there behind that big support beam.” Clutch pointed.

  I looked up at the rock ledge filled with various stuffed animals. Toward the middle, just above the giant aquariums, was what I figured had to be the support beam Clutch was talking about: a tree trunk going from floor to ceiling.

  “Ready?”

  I nodded. We both climbed onto the glass counter. I jumped up at the same time Clutch heaved me, and I flew onto the ledge above. He tossed me his rifle and then climbed up. I slung the rifle over my shoulder, grabbed his jeans, and helped pull him up the last bit. We ran around the animals and behind the disguised support beam. Clutch crouched, took aim, and fired. I was behind the beam and couldn’t see, but knew that since Clutch hadn’t fired a second shot, a bandit had just gone down.

  A grenade exploded, and I peeked around the other side of the beam. Dust and flames flickered near the front sales counters. Then, a massive explosion shook the building. Something big and black crashed down onto me, and I tumbled off the ledge and into the stagnant fish tank below. The falling object landed on top of me, knocking the air from my lungs and pressing me against the bottom of the tank.

  I tried to shove out from under it�
��a stuffed grizzly bear—but it weighed too much. Stale water filled my nose and crept down my throat. My lungs burned as I struggled harder against the bear. I grabbed at its fur and tried to twist away. Blackness and stars overtook my vision. A pounding sound reverberated through the water, and I felt a wave around me as the water flowed away. I coughed and breathed, but the bear was still crushing me. Arms yanked at me. My limbs were going numb, and I felt like I was falling.

  “Cash. Godammit, look at me, girl.”

  The voice sounded like Clutch but it was so distant. Gradually, it drew closer and louder until I found myself coughing water and sucking air.

  “Thank God,” Clutch said as he held me in his arms. “Are you okay?”

  After a final cough, I held up my thumb.

  He gave me a hard kiss and then pulled me to my feet before I’d even realized what he’d done. A blend of shock and thrill brought me back to reality.

  “They’re bringing this place down with artillery fire. We need to get out of here.”

  Chapter XXXII

  Clutch practically dragged me through the store. I recognized a couple of the bodies lying motionless on the floor, but, thankfully, nearly all of the Fox survivors were nowhere in sight. I had to believe they’d made it out okay. No one was shooting at us. The fight seemed to have moved back outside, but rounds were still going off everywhere around us. When we reached the hallway under the Exit sign, Clutch took the lead.

  We ran past a room where Mary’s body lay crumpled next to a desk, her lifeless eyes staring at us. Not far from her, I saw our weapons in a big pile. The bandits must’ve dumped them there when they were in a hurry to prepare for the New Eden guys. I stopped and pulled Clutch back. “Wait. We’ll need these.”

  He stopped but didn’t let go until he noticed the weapons. We rushed into the room, and I picked through the pile to find my rifle and knife. I couldn’t find my pistol, so I just started pulling out anything that looked like something I could use. The entire time I focused completely on the weapons and refused to look anywhere even close in the direction of Mary’s broken body.