ALIVE: The Aftermath Chronicles (Book 1)

Chapter 7 - TORNADO

A blow to his ego, maybe, but the man she helped build-up to this ego needed to hear the truth. Not just for Hannah's life, but obviously, for hers. She tended to stay hidden so to miss the blame, but hatred was a disease far more contagious than the carrion virus. It would spread, not just to Russell, but to those under his direct line. Kate fell completely underneath as second in command, thanks not just to the commander of District 4, but by her own charms. Next to her came that rat trap, Ana Maria. Her presence, nothing more than an instigator to Russell's desires for ruthless power in the colony that Kate tried so desperately to quell lately in the needing to keep his high-stature.

Like so many men she'd known, his desire for power and his cushy seat in it started to drive him to the point of madness.

He spins back, watching his guard taking control of the situation outside of the hospital. From his vantage point, he can hear the screams, the arguing, the need for his own presence should the crowd further in aggression. Standing, Russell knows he wants nothing more than to see that girl dead. Hannah, sister to a man he himself, slaughtered in the night in secret, had been on his shortlist for some time. Hadn't it been for the affections of his nephew, Hannah would've been gone long ago too. A nuisance gene, that obviously ran strong in their family.

"What are you going to do?" Kate asks, her freshly painted pink nails chipping in her fidgeting.
He lingers at the door, casting back to her, "Getting her away from Ana Maria before those parasites have something real to complain about..."

***

Russell's brilliant, shiniest smile planted, it grows to full fruition as he steps up before his people. Hand out to calm them, he puts on his performance that worked wonders in front of any crowd. A charmer to the masses, a sadist on his own time, Russell perpetuated another lie that they ate up quicker than the colony bakers could send out fresh bread.

"The sheriff will be punished for her actions here today and I assure you, whatever Hannah has endured has been put to an end. I ask for all of you to return to your homes, enjoy your supper, and meet me in the civilian center for picking jurors for Hannah's trial. We are going to need fair, neutral individuals to have our dear Hannah pay for her crimes accordingly. I ask you all to be forgiving of our sheriff, who is not in her right mind after the cruel attack from Hannah earlier today. I thank all of you for your concerns, but there's nothing left for y'all to witness here! It's merely a quarrel between two women gone out of control and it will be handled accordingly!"

He ushers to his right, like the parting of the red sea might guide them out of his sight.

They are reluctant, but as per usual, some of the crowd begins to dissipate. Looking back, but with tails tucked between their legs. Concern, that Russell knows won't keep them blind to Hannah's condition should Ana Maria have done anything horrific yet to the girl. If that were the case, Russell would have to keep her here to keep from instigating further panic. Imagining her wounds would need tending to anyway, it's not a twist of his arm given to keep her here, out of sight till the trial where her injuries might sway susceptible jurors to emotions and other nonsensical things building against him in their eyes.

The members of the guard alongside him, they make their way through the medical unit. Checking room by room for anyone who may have even witnessed any crimes here, Russell is displeased to see that Elisa is gone, and not a single person in their already diminished medical staff is on duty.

"Y'all stay down here!" he yells to his men as he continues on.

He climbs the stairs from the first floor, making Russell's complexion turn far redder since these floors were off-limits for his own needs. The trail of blood, the stench of it far fresher than what he remembered from his trip here yesterday on his own, Russell is ready to kill Ana Maria himself over the shit she pulled today. Not even she, was above his orders to stay off of this floor, and the other higher still.