Defensive Instinct (Survival Instinct Book 4)

by Kristal Stittle

  “That bird is crazy!”

  “She said something about him being a zombie in a container before slipping into unconsciousness,” Riley quietly told Boyle while Dakota and Gerald continued to yell at one another, Hope joining in and taking Dakota’s side. “I don’t understand what she meant.”

  “I understand. All right, calm down, all of you,” Boyle barked in an unusually harsh tone.

  Everyone fell silent, including others who were watching the confrontation from a distance and whispering to one another.

  “Someone move him to a holding container,” he ordered.

  “But I didn’t do anything!” he cried as a man and a woman swiftly stepped forward and hauled him up as Hope and Peter scattered.

  “Gag him if he won’t shut up,” Boyle ordered.

  “Please don’t leave me for the rats!” he cried as he was hauled out of the community centre.

  Boyle sighed and wavered a bit on his feet as he pinched his eyes shut.

  “Maybe you should sit down for a moment,” Riley advised.

  “Maybe you should too,” Boyle looked pointedly at the hand she had white-knuckle gripped around the IV pole to steady herself.

  Hope, Peter, Dakota, and Quin all helped Riley and Boyle over to the seats they had occupied earlier. The kids had already learned to identify most of the medical supplies and immediately went back to their task, getting Quin to jot it all down and handing out things when doctors came asking for them. Dakota made sure a doctor with more focus than Riley went to check on Nessie.

  “Not the best time to come home,” Boyle commented as he sat in one chair and lifted his injured leg up onto another.

  “No choice.”

  “I heard.”

  “What are we going to do about the rats?”

  “Same thing we’ve done in the past when a bunch of the buggers showed up. Keep the containers shut, guard the walls and doors of this place, and let the dogs, cats, and that mad-ass badger go to town on them.”

  “It won’t be as simple with all those bodies for them to hide in and under.”

  “The bodies will also distract them though. Infect them, sure, but even when made extra aggressive, a fat, fed rat is less likely to pose a threat. We just have to keep clearing the dead away, keep some of our animals around the pile still waiting to be burned, and bludgeon what we can.” Boyle winced.

  “I hear it’s a twisted ankle,” Riley commented on his leg.

  “I hear the same, but with the swelling and no x-ray, no one can say for sure.”

  “What’s going to happen with Gerald?”

  “There will be a trial. We’ll need to hold a couple actually, and the sooner the better in my opinion.”

  “You want to hold a trial in the middle of all this? Does Karsten know?” Riley knew that Karsten hated trials.

  “I guess you didn’t hear. Karsten’s dead.”

  “What?” The words hit Riley like a punch to the gut. The German U-boat captain had been one of the first people to come to the container yard to begin setting it up for habitation. He had literally poured blood, sweat, and tears into getting this place running.

  “I saw it happen. We were to fall back to another container when he slipped on some gore. Managed to keep his feet, but it allowed a zombie to get him. He knew he was done then so he didn’t fall back with the rest of us. Instead, he stayed put and brought down with him as many as he could.”

  Riley swallowed the lump in her throat. She had lost people before, people far more important to her, but it still came as a shock. “How many others?”

  “We don’t know yet. That infection testing board is the best we have to let us know who’s alive,” Boyle nodded in the direction of the white boards and chalkboards, “but not everyone’s been tested yet, and with the rats, some of those people are going to come back for a second or even third testing. We won’t know who’s dead for a while yet.”

  “Maybe someone should go around asking? Ask who they saw die?”

  Boyle shook his head. “Not everyone knows everyone’s name. Besides, you weren’t here so you don’t know what it was like. You could easily think someone was dead when in fact they’re alive and well. I also won’t put them through that. Too many people are still in shock. No, we’ll find out as we go. It’s not like any of them could’ve disappeared only to show up later.”

  Riley nodded, figuring he was probably right. “So, these trials, who’s going to sit on them?”

  “Me, for one. Either Crichton or Bronislav, but not both. One of them should continue to run things while we do this. I thought you might be a good choice.”

  “Me?”

  “You weren’t here so you can be considered impartial to a degree, and people respect doctors; it’s not like there’s much else you can do right now.”

  He had a point. “How many trials?”

  “There will be three; we’ll try to get through them as quickly as we can. I already have suggestions I’d like to put forth during two of them.”

  “Who else will sit? Don’t you usually have five for these things?”

  Boyle nodded. “I want one more person from the container yard, and one from the Black Box. We’re also going to have a sixth sit with us.”

  “A sixth?”

  “I don’t know how much you’ve heard, but we were warned of the zombies’ coming. A group of five people had been tracking them. Two of them are still outside the walls somewhere, but the other three are in here with us. If at least one of them is still alive, they might be able to give us the opinion of a total outsider.”

  “You trust them that much?”

  “I’m not giving them the power of a vote, just an opinion.” Boyle spotted Claire in the crowd that was growing and flagged her down. Since the call of rats, those too tired and weary to fight were moving indoors, as was the food that had only recently exited the building. “Claire, I need you to find some people for me. Do you know everyone on this list?” he handed her a scrap of paper.

  “Yeah, I think I know what they all look like. Except for these two.”

  “Ask someone from the container yard: they’ll likely know who they both are. Find everyone on that list and send them to me. Oh, and if you spot either Crichton or Bronislav, send them too, whichever you find first but not both.”

  “On it.” Claire pressed into the growing throng and disappeared into it.

  “I’m guessing witnesses were on that list as well?” Riley asked.

  Boyle nodded. “Come on, we should clear out a small corner of this place for our deliberations.”

  Riley would rather remain seated, but she got up to follow Boyle anyway. Touching her bandages, she noticed a gross dampness in them, most likely from her drainage tubes. She was going need that looked at before the day was over, but first she thought she should find a jacket to hide it for the trials.

  ***

  “Riley? You awake?” a gentle hand lighted upon her shoulder.

  “Yeah, I’m awake.” Her eyes shot open, but she couldn’t say for sure if she was lying or not. She had been in that state between waking and sleeping, able to hear what was going on around her but paying no attention to it, her mind drifting.

  Riley sat in a chair in the corner of the community centre, wearing a leather jacket with a busted zipper that hid most, but not all, of her bandages. Her seat was part of a ring of eight, all of them so close together that most people’s knees were brushing. Only two remained empty for the moment. Around the ring sat Crichton, Boyle, a woman named Angela who had lived at the Black Box since before the Diana residents arrived, and Harry, whom Riley was very happy to see had survived the attack. His mind was a very valuable asset, and on top of that, his son was a good friend of Hope’s. The newest addition to the ring, the reason Harry had woken her, was someone Riley didn’t know.

  “This is Tommy,” Boyle told the ring by way of introduction. “He carries no vote, but is here to provide an impartial, outside view should we need one.”r />
  “I’m not sure I’ll be much use.” Tommy wiggled uncomfortably in his seat, but made no attempt to leave.

  “Let’s get started. Bring forth the first case.”

  A crowd of people stood outside the ring, watching the proceedings, but most were there out of necessity rather than real interest. Bronislav was in the process of moving people around, getting those who couldn’t work just yet to safe resting places, but for now the community centre was overcrowded. As Claire pushed through them to get someone, Riley’s eyes found Max, who was lying on a nearby cot and watching from between two people standing beside him.

  Claire returned with a large blond man, whose pants were stiff with blood. His T-shirt was somewhat cleaner, but based on where the stains were, Riley guessed it was one he had worn beneath a longer-sleeved shirt that had been removed. Slung over one shoulder was a large sword that he didn’t remove when he sat down.

  “This is Evans, leader of the group who attacked our walls before the zombies came,” Boyle told the circle. “We’re to decide what to do with both him, and the people who followed him.”

  “Am I allowed a statement?” Evans asked.

  “Yes, but generally we wait until after the evidence has been aired.”

  Evans politely gestured for Boyle to continue.

  “Evidence against: there’s no doubt about you leading your people to our wall in order to attack us. I saw you, as did Harry, and others in your group have confirmed that you’re in charge for the most part. Evidence for: you surrendered peacefully, obeying every command we gave. Both you and your people were a valuable asset during the zombie attack and are even now helping with the aftermath. I feel it important to note that none of us were killed during your group’s attack, not even the hostages you held, although some were injured. Also, when one of your men attempted to harm one of ours during your surrender, you personally aided in putting a stop to it. That man is dead. He continued to be uncooperative during the zombie assault and shot Nessie. His own people threw him to the undead hordes in response. Any evidence I missed?”

  “I’d like to mention that when I came across him outside the wall during his assault, Evans didn’t look like he wanted to be there,” the man named Tommy spoke up, albeit somewhat hesitantly.

  Boyle nodded and looked around the circle, but no one else had anything to add. “Evans, you can make your statement now if you’d like.”

  “I won’t try to put my blame on someone else. Yes, I led my people here to attack. Most of them are innocent, however, especially those who went to that island of yours. My party was just scared, angry, and swept up in the idea of vengeance. Having talked with those I captured, and now seeing you here, I’ve come to believe your people had no part in what happened to mine. For all I know, they were killed by that same group who has taken over your second camp that I’ve heard others talking about. If there’s to be punishment, apply it to me, not those who don’t deserve it.”

  “Very well. I’d like to put forth a resolution,” Boyle told the circle. “I believe we should allow Evans and his people to stay if they wish. Based on what I’ve heard both here and from others, this has all just been a disastrous misunderstanding, one which they’ve been working hard to make up for. Any objections?”

  No one objected.

  “Vote.”

  All five who had votes raised their hands. No one knew this case better than Boyle, and no one was about to argue with him about it.

  “There you have it, Evans: you and your group are welcome to join us. If not, you’re free to take any supplies you brought with you.”

  “Thank you.” Up until that moment, Evans had been sitting like a large rock, a posture Riley had mistaken for a natural one. Now, he visibly relaxed, becoming less imposing with his relief. He had been far more worried about this than she had realized. “I’d like to talk about those who attacked your other camp if I may.”

  “Once we’re done with the trials; hopefully they’ll be as fast as yours. Feel free to remain seated. Second trial is against Nessie.”

  Riley frowned, as did others, finding this trial unexpected.

  “Nessie is accused of having contraband materials, specifically grenades. Evidence against: they were seen in her room; in fact, she showed them to us. She wouldn’t say when or where she had gotten them from. Evidence for: in the end, she showed them to us, knowing there could be consequences, because she believed they could help us against the zombies.”

  “And they did,” Tommy added, speaking more confidently than previously. “We haven’t yet been able to go looking for any parts of his corpse, but considering no one has seen an armoured zombie, we’re fairly confident that Dean was taken out in the opening salvo.”

  “I’d also like to point out that Nessie gave us a lot of her good fabrics, leathers, and blankets so that we could muffle the logs we used for rolling the containers,” Harry also spoke up. “And I’d heard that she took that bullet while protecting the youngest around her.”

  “I heard the same,” Angela added. “The kids she pushed over seem to believe she saved their lives.”

  “I’d like to put forth a resolution,” Boyle said again. “The materials she gave up to Harry and his crew will not be returned to her. If they’re still good, they will be evenly distributed to anyone who wants them. Objections?”

  Everyone shook their heads.

  “Vote.”

  All five raised their hands again. Boyle had clearly thought about both of these trials beforehand and planned their outcomes.

  “Now, our last trial. Claire, please go get Gerald. If he’s still being difficult, get the guards to help you.”

  Claire nodded and dashed off. Riley shifted in her seat, attempting to sit more upright. This was the trial that Boyle didn’t know what to do about, the one that would require more focus.

  When Gerald was brought before them, he immediately tried to speak, but closed his mouth again after a stern look and hand gesture from Boyle.

  “Gerald, have you ever witnessed a trial before?” Boyle asked the boy.

  “No,” he answered, more words trembling on his lips but staying put.

  “You will be given a chance to make a statement after evidence is given. You’re free to demand any witnesses mentioned against you be called forth; however, the reason they’re not here now is that they’re rather busy at the moment. While evidence is given, keep your mouth shut; you can argue against it in your statement. Think you can do that?”

  Gerald nodded, his jaw clenched tight.

  “Gerald stands accused of harbouring a zombie within our walls, and the attempted murder of Nessie. Evidence against: chains that match the description of those seen holding the zombie were found in your container. Tools that match the bolts left behind in the container were also found, as were healthy hair samples that match the colour and length of your hair. Some of your neighbours have attested to seeing or hearing you leave your container in the middle of the night and not return until hours later. No one has yet claimed to be your friend or really knows you all that well, which speaks against your character. As to Nessie, you were seen attempting to strangle her. Unfortunately, she is still unconscious and no one has yet been able to determine if she’ll ever awaken. Riley says that before she fell unconscious, Nessie told her that you had something to do with the zombie in the container. For those of you who may not know, Nessie was the one to report the zombie to us after some kids discovered it and went to her about it. Freya conducted the majority of the investigation. Evidence for: no one has seen the zombie since it was moved. No one has actually seen Gerald anywhere near where the zombie was kept. Thankfully, no one’s been killed so far, and only Nessie’s been hurt. Several people have also attested that Gerald fought the zombies just as hard as anyone. I think that about covers everything.” Boyle’s announcement that a zombie had been found being kept within the container yard’s wall rippled through the crowded community centre.

  “I’m on tria
l because I have no friends?” Gerald’s voice cracked. “I have trouble sleeping at night so I go for walks sometimes. I’m not the only one. I’ve seen lots of people out at night, and I guess my neighbours aren’t sleeping either if they noticed. My hair is brown and kept short like every other guy here. Harry, your hair is the same. And plenty of people have tools in their containers, and the chains I bring outside the wall with me when I help clear containers. Sometimes we have a use for them depending on what we find. And I was trying to help Nessie when that bird attacked me.” He gestured to the puffy red scratches on his face and bandages someone had applied to the deeper wounds that had bled.

  Riley knew he was lying about the last bit, which immediately put everything else into question for her. Why would he try to kill Nessie if it wasn’t related to this captive zombie?

  “Anyone have any resolutions to put forth?” Boyle asked wearily. “Gerald, please don’t speak during this unless asked.”

  “I say we execute him,” Angela immediately suggested, fully believing in Gerald’s guilt.

  “That’s too extreme: no one was killed,” Crichton countered.

  “Can I ask a question?” Riley spoke up. “Gerald, how old are you?”

  “Eighteen, or there abouts.” His face had paled at Angela’s suggestion, making the scratches look almost unreal in their red contrast.

  “Who’s your guardian?” Harry asked next.

  “I came here two years ago and you guys said I was old enough and capable enough not to need one.” Gerald’s voice was tight, suggesting his throat was swelling with tension. Riley felt fine with that, hoping he struggled to breathe so that he would know what it was like for Nessie right now.

  “Who took care of you before you got here?” Harry continued.

  Gerald shrugged. “Various people. Most of them kept dying.”

  “I see.” Harry nodded as if something had been confirmed for him.

  “I think I know what you’re getting at, if I may speak,” Evans chimed in.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Children raised outside walls like these, with no one teaching them in any consistent way, turn strange. I’ve seen it happen. Watching so many die around them, they develop a skewed view on death and can no longer properly connect with people. Adults break out there, while children merely bend into something twisted.”