Wasteland Rules: Die Fighting (The World After Book 4) (17 page)

Chapter
15

Burwell Freehold, Nebraska

September 14, 2029

   Sterling and Rora hurried over as Derek dropped
Devil with one punch. He looked down at her with mixed emotions. He really
didn’t like hitting women. It went against how he had been raised. Sure he had
hit and killed many women over the years, but it didn’t get easier. It used to
be that hitting a woman was a big deal, numerous athletes lost their jobs over
it and men went to jail. Now it was nothing, violence against people in the
World After was largely gender neutral. Everyone had a gun or a knife or both
and was never hesitant to use it. Rule #17, bullets don’t discriminate.

   Feminists would be overjoyed at the equality the
World After provided. And sadly, that’s what the ability to hit women amounted
to. Men and women were treated equally based on their strength and power. Rule
#4, a gun is the great equalizer. And everyone was expected to defend
themselves and not depend on someone else. Funny how things change when
civilization is destroyed.

   Devil was a good example of that. She was one of
the most notorious bounty hunters in the wasteland with hundreds of captures,
most of who were brought in half dead. She had never counted on anyone but
herself, and she was a dangerous and deadly opponent. Especially now that he
had killed her crew. But he hadn’t killed her. He told himself it was because
they needed to interrogate her, but it was also because he didn’t like killing
women; which could be perceived as a weakness in the World After.

   He dragged her inside the RV, stepping over Spuds’
body, and used the myriad of shackles and zip cuffs to secure her. Rora and Sterling
joined him inside the RV, both gingerly stepping over the body. All three stood
and looked down at the unconscious Devil.

   “So what now?” Rora asked.

   “We need to find out what she knows and then get
rid of her.” Derek replied seriously. “Rule #3, don’t leave an enemy at your
back.”

   “What about the RV?” Sterling asked as he looked
around.

   “Let’s take it.” Rora suggested. “It’s full of gear
and it looks like a comfortable ride. Definitely an upgrade from the SUV.”

   “I think that’s a good idea.” Sterling agreed.
“Plus it will make it harder for the satellites to reacquire us.”

   “Okay. Rora you watch her while Sterling and I
strip the bodies and then get the SUV. We’ll move the gear from the SUV to the
RV and then hide it.” Derek ordered.

   “Why hide it?” Rora asked, curious.

   “Hopefully, if the satellites cannot find it; they
will think we took that instead of the RV.” Derek explained.

   “Sounds good.” Rora agreed. “I’ll clean up here
while I wait for you.”

   Twenty minutes later, Derek and Sterling were back
with the SUV and transferred all the gear. They had already stripped Grunk of
his weapons and body armor, while she had stripped Spuds and dumped his body
outside. Derek dragged the bodies of all three men into the SUV and then
concealed it inside a burned out building.

   When he got back, Devil was starting to come
around. Rora had removed the bounty hunter’s boots and bulletproof vest and re-cuffed
her to the bed. Devil snapped awake and instinctively tried to get free before
realizing she was secure. She stared hatefully at Derek.

   “Why do I always seem to end up in this position
around you?” She spat.

   That got a raised eyebrow from Rora, but no
reaction from Sterling. Interesting. So he already knew about Derek and Devil’s
past. What else did this guy know?

   “Probably because you keep trying to kill me.”
Derek said with a frown.

   “You killed my crew!” Devil snapped accusingly.

   “You were trying to kill me.” Derek said
defensively. “You know Rule #1, kill or be killed.”

   “You and your stupid rules.” She retorted
derisively. “That’s what broke us up in the first place.”

   That drew a snort from Rora and again nothing from Sterling.
“I’m pretty sure we broke up because you tried to stab me.” Derek replied
angrily.

   “It was just foreplay.” Devil said sarcastically.

   “Enough.” Derek snapped. “Who gave you access to
the satellites to track me?”

   “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Devil
said innocently. “We heard about the bounty and just happened to run across
you, so we decided to collect it.”

   “You have a GPS unit up front that connects to the
satellites.” Rora observed. “Someone gave that to you.”

   “Oh that.” Devil said with a sneer. “I don’t know
where Spuds got that.”

   “Come on.” Derek insisted. “There is no way you
found me by coincidence. Who are you working with? Who wants me dead?”

   “I think it’s a little more complicated than that.”
Sterling interrupted. “Angela here is a GIA operative.”

   “She started working for the government that exiled
her?” Derek asked, bewildered.

   “No. She always worked for them.” Sterling informed
him emotionlessly.

   “I don’t understand. “Rora said.

   “The exile was a cover designed to get her out into
the wasteland and allow her to collect intelligence for the U.S.T.G. and
perform targeted assassinations when necessary.” Sterling explained.

   Derek was stunned and stood there staring at her
with his mouth hanging open. He was doubtful at first, but the look on her face
convinced him it was true. She was really a government agent the entire time.
So that meant…

   “And I was one of her assignments?” He asked Sterling.

   “That’s right.” Sterling said slowly with a nod.

   “It wasn’t like that Derek.” Devil protested. “I
was in love with you.”

   “But only because your masters told you to be.” He
said heatedly.

   “No. I was just supposed to keep an eye on you by
bringing you into my crew. They hoped they could still use you.” Devil tried to
explain.

   “You mean you were trying to use me.” Derek
snarled.

   Devil looked to Sterling for help, but he just
stared at her placidly. Derek could see her try to think of something she could
use to talk her way out of it, and fail.

   “Okay. Yes. It’s true; I was and am a GIA
operative.” Devil admitted. “I can be useful to you, just don’t kill me.”

   “How can you be helpful?” Rora asked.

   “I can contact my handler and tell them I lost you.
Without the satellites they won’t be able to find you for a while.” Devil
offered.

   “I have an even better idea. Tell them you lost us
and that you are headed to Wichita to look for us.” Sterling instructed. “That
way they won’t be suspicious when the RV heads that way.”

   “And you’ll let me go if I do that?” Devil asked
slyly.

   “Yeah right.” Derek told her. “You’re coming with
us to Wichita. If we get there in one piece I might let you go.”

   “What about Rule#3?” Rora whispered.

   Derek held up a hand to silence her before asking.
“Do we have a deal Devil?”

   “Fine.” Devil agreed dejectedly. “Take me to the
radio.”

   “Try to warn them or send some sort of coded
message and Sterling will know.” Derek warned her. “And then I’ll blow your
head off.”

   She nodded defeatedly and they untied her. Derek
held a gun on her while she called her handler just in case she was faking it.
But Devil held up her end of the bargain and it appeared she had convinced the
handler without warning her, that Derek had gotten away. He had Rora tie Devil
back up and assigned her to keep an eye on the wily bounty hunter.

   He and Sterling spent another hour stripping the
vehicles left by the dead or fleeing patron and inhabitants of the freehold.
They siphoned off the extra gas, took weapons and gear, and even car parts.
They even searched through the rubble and stripped the dead bodies of weapons
and ammo. Derek also made a trip to one of the undamaged coolers and liberated
some cold brews for the trip. Rules #8, 9, and 18.

   Derek sat up front with Sterling as he drove. The
sight of his former lover made him furious as he considered her betrayal and
use of him. How many of those bounties had been legit? How many might he have
unwittingly murdered or tracked down for the U.S.T.G.? How much innocent blood
was on his hands? It really galled him to think he had been fooled, but it
galled him even more that it was the U.S.T.G. that had used him.

   The ride was quiet as he and Sterling were lost in
their own thoughts; but Derek did notice Rora and Devil having conversations.
He could only imagine what they were discussing. He grimaced at the thought of
what his ex-lover might tell Rora about him. Devil could be very persuasive, so
he would need to keep an eye on that. But for now there was nothing he could
do, so he pretended to ignore it.

   His musing were interrupted when Rora made her way
up to the front of the RV. “How’s your new best friend doing?” Derek asked
sarcastically. “You can’t believe a word she says. Spies are professional
liars…No offense Sterling.”

   Sterling merely smiled and gave a small nod as if
conceding the point. Derek still didn’t trust the man, but his interests did
seem to align with theirs. And he had helped save Derek’s life. So for now,
Derek would give him the benefit of the doubt. But he would keep an eye on him
since Rule #10 always applied, always watch your back. If only he had followed
that when it came to Devil years ago.

   “It’s not like that Derek.” Rora said with a frown.
“She has had a rough life.”

   “Except for you, we have all had rough lives.”
Derek said pointedly.

   “You know what I mean.” Rora snapped back.

   Derek just grunted. He didn’t want to argue the
point. Living in the World After had made him cynical and he knew it, but that
didn’t make what he said any less true. It just wasn’t worth arguing with Rora.
Sometimes the best way to learn was the hard way. The key was not to make the
same mistake twice.

   “So what’s the story on Wichita?” She asked,
changing the subject.

   “It is the largest independent city in the
wasteland and the center for free trade.” Derek explained. “The Great Junk Market
takes up the entirety of what was McConnell Air Force Base. It is the world’s
largest flea Market. There are over a thousand vendors that sell their wares
ranging from fresh apples to spent brass for reloading or melting to surplus
MREs to homemade clothes to missile launchers and technicals to zebra meat.
Just about anything that can be scavenged, built, harvested, or made can be
found there.”

   “In addition to the thousand or so vendors, some of
whom are permanent residents, there are thousands more locals who provide labor
and other services to the shoppers at the Market.” Sterling added. “The whole
thing is ruled over by a clique called the Junk Traders made up of the largest
and richest vendors. They provide security and maintain order, including
arbitrating trade disputes.”

   “Although, security is really more of a protection
racket.” Derek told her cynically. “The Junk Traders control all the heavy
weaponry and each of them has their own militia. No one else is allowed to
maintain any kind of armed group. The Junk Traders’ militias patrol the city
and collect a tax from all the vendors to pay for the city’s ‘upkeep’. If they
don’t pay, then their stall mysteriously burns down. The Junk Traders control
the fire trucks; which if you haven’t paid up always show up just in time to
keep the fire from spreading, but too late to save the stall.”

   “Why would vendors tolerate that?” Rora asked.

   “Because if they pay, it is a safe environment to
sell in; and it is the biggest Market in the wasteland. Everyone can carry
weapons but the Junk Traders crack down on any violence or theft; all of which
are bad for business.” Derek answered. “They reach more customers and make more
money at the Great Junk Market than anywhere else, so they pay the tax. The
Junk Traders are careful not to take so much that the vendors can’t make a
living. The more profitable the merchants are, the more vendors there are, and
that means more customers; which ultimately means more money for the Junk
Traders since they also run the local businesses like the bars.”

   “If it is so big and profitable, how have they
stayed independent?” Rora inquired.

   “They are too far away right now for the U.S.T.G.,
but I wouldn’t doubt that they have plans to take Wichita once they crush the
C.C.A.” Derek replied acidly. “Nothing is going to be free for long if they
aren’t stopped.”

   “Raiders have also tried to attack the city several
times, but the Junk Traders have military grade equipment and well paid merks
as part of their militias.” Sterling added. “They beat back the raider attacks
easily and caused heavy losses. Now the raiders stay outside Wichita and only
attack individuals or small caravans since the Junk Traders protection only
extends as far as the city limits. The Junk Traders also have a deal with the
Brotherhood of Justice and the Regulators maintain a large station house in
Wichita and lend assistance in case of large scale attacks. They also actively
pursue the raiders near the city. Overall, the city and surrounding area are
fairly safe.”