Christopher took a step farther into the clearing. “That’s why she’s tied up. I’m really glad you caught her.”
The woman’s voice filled with hatred. “I’ll bet you are, you pervert.”
Mr. Christopher ignored the slight and continued. “She’s a fugitive. And I’m taking her in to answer for her crimes.”
“You’re a lying piece of shit,” Erica said. She wanted to explain it all. She wanted to tell them that he was a bounty hunter and a cold-blooded killer. But she was afraid that her newfound Samaritans would turn into opportunists and try to collect the bounty themselves.
“You three should be commended,” Mr. Christopher continued. “This woman is dangerous and you’ve helped bring her to justice. You’re heroes, really.”
Jillian stopped working on the knot.
“He’s lying.” Erica couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. “He’s lying,” she screamed at Christopher.
The man named Mike studied her for a moment before turning back to the man in white. “She doesn’t look that dangerous to me.”
Mr. Christopher smiled and lowered his hands. “Now that’s what makes her so dangerous. Do you know not who she is? She doesn’t look familiar to you?”
The other man spit on the ground. “We’ve been out of the loop of late.”
“That right there is the Seductive Strangler. She lures her victims to their death with her ... charms.”
Erica jumped off the log. “You son of a bitch!”
“She’s killed dozens of men. Sometimes two or three at a time.”
“He’s lying. Shoot him. Kill him!”
“Listen to her,” Mr. Christopher smiled. “She lives to kill. She loves to watch men suffer. But not until after.”
Erica tore at her bonds. She wanted to strangle him. She wanted to watch the life drain out of his eyes. The ropes still wouldn’t give.
“She killed one man in front of his wife. She made her watch the whole thing.”
“Will one of you please kill him, he’s lying. I’m not who he says I am.”
“Well, you go by so many names: the Whore of the Wasteland, the Harlot of the Holocaust, the Nuclear Nympho. And, the Heaven to Hell Killer.” Mr. Christopher let his eyes wander all over her. “I’m sure you can imagine why.”
Erica seethed. She stared holes through the bounty hunter while he just smiled at her. She looked to the other members of the group and could see that they were torn. Jillian looked confused. She had been the first to offer help. The two men had an even more frightening look on their faces. Erica could see in their eyes that the words of one of the first wasteland adages were running through their mind: Never get involved.
It was easier to turn the other way than to take any kind of risk. Why should they help a stranger? She could see them weighing the costs, and she was coming up on the losing side.
Mr. Christopher must have caught the look as well. He let his hands drop to his side and stepped across the campsite where he reached for Erica while addressing the group. “I admire your bravery, and I’ll be more than happy to take her off your hands. If you give me your names, I’ll see that you are honored officially.”
The three strangers exchanged glances. Jillian gave a small shrug. The second man gave an almost imperceptible shake.
Mr. Christopher reached for Erica’s arms. Mike grabbed his elbow and pulled him back a step. “You know, you’re the first cop I’ve run into since the Crappening.”
Mr. Christopher smiled. “Isn’t it great? Things are getting back to normal every day.”
“What kind of cop did you say you were?” the other man asked.
“It’s probably best to think of me as kind of like a Marshal. I pursue dangerous fugitives like Little Miss Murder Whore here.”
Erica shrunk. “Please. Please, don’t let him take me.”
“Right.” Mike looked at his companions and back to the man in white. “You see the problem we have with that is that, just like this girl, we’re running away from
The woman’s voice filled with hatred. “I’ll bet you are, you pervert.”
Mr. Christopher ignored the slight and continued. “She’s a fugitive. And I’m taking her in to answer for her crimes.”
“You’re a lying piece of shit,” Erica said. She wanted to explain it all. She wanted to tell them that he was a bounty hunter and a cold-blooded killer. But she was afraid that her newfound Samaritans would turn into opportunists and try to collect the bounty themselves.
“You three should be commended,” Mr. Christopher continued. “This woman is dangerous and you’ve helped bring her to justice. You’re heroes, really.”
Jillian stopped working on the knot.
“He’s lying.” Erica couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. “He’s lying,” she screamed at Christopher.
The man named Mike studied her for a moment before turning back to the man in white. “She doesn’t look that dangerous to me.”
Mr. Christopher smiled and lowered his hands. “Now that’s what makes her so dangerous. Do you know not who she is? She doesn’t look familiar to you?”
The other man spit on the ground. “We’ve been out of the loop of late.”
“That right there is the Seductive Strangler. She lures her victims to their death with her ... charms.”
Erica jumped off the log. “You son of a bitch!”
“She’s killed dozens of men. Sometimes two or three at a time.”
“He’s lying. Shoot him. Kill him!”
“Listen to her,” Mr. Christopher smiled. “She lives to kill. She loves to watch men suffer. But not until after.”
Erica tore at her bonds. She wanted to strangle him. She wanted to watch the life drain out of his eyes. The ropes still wouldn’t give.
“She killed one man in front of his wife. She made her watch the whole thing.”
“Will one of you please kill him, he’s lying. I’m not who he says I am.”
“Well, you go by so many names: the Whore of the Wasteland, the Harlot of the Holocaust, the Nuclear Nympho. And, the Heaven to Hell Killer.” Mr. Christopher let his eyes wander all over her. “I’m sure you can imagine why.”
Erica seethed. She stared holes through the bounty hunter while he just smiled at her. She looked to the other members of the group and could see that they were torn. Jillian looked confused. She had been the first to offer help. The two men had an even more frightening look on their faces. Erica could see in their eyes that the words of one of the first wasteland adages were running through their mind: Never get involved.
It was easier to turn the other way than to take any kind of risk. Why should they help a stranger? She could see them weighing the costs, and she was coming up on the losing side.
Mr. Christopher must have caught the look as well. He let his hands drop to his side and stepped across the campsite where he reached for Erica while addressing the group. “I admire your bravery, and I’ll be more than happy to take her off your hands. If you give me your names, I’ll see that you are honored officially.”
The three strangers exchanged glances. Jillian gave a small shrug. The second man gave an almost imperceptible shake.
Mr. Christopher reached for Erica’s arms. Mike grabbed his elbow and pulled him back a step. “You know, you’re the first cop I’ve run into since the Crappening.”
Mr. Christopher smiled. “Isn’t it great? Things are getting back to normal every day.”
“What kind of cop did you say you were?” the other man asked.
“It’s probably best to think of me as kind of like a Marshal. I pursue dangerous fugitives like Little Miss Murder Whore here.”
Erica shrunk. “Please. Please, don’t let him take me.”
“Right.” Mike looked at his companions and back to the man in white. “You see the problem we have with that is that, just like this girl, we’re running away from
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