Author's Notes: It's here the final chapter of this story arc! I sincerely hope you enjoy this.
"Well, don't be shy, take a seat," Miles said warmly, "Don't worry you'll be tried fairly in accordance with our laws. Bring out the jury!"
Several people walked out escorted by guards. Judging from their clothes they seemed to be actual officials and high class citizens.
"We also believe in fair trials so we think you'll be delighted at who we brought," Miles smiled, "Also there's a lawyer provided for you. While I will be serving as the prosecution. There will also be no judge the majority of the jury makes the decision."
Green was escorted in cuffs visibly shaken. They sat him down and cuffed him to the chair. Their lawyer came out and the sight of a lawyer brought some relief to Logan and the others.
"Anyone else suspicious about our lawyer who will probably represent us badly?" Seb whispered.
"Alright now let's begin," Miles started, "These delinquents have shown a clear sign of mental instability. Their constant violence and clear lack of mental stability isn't just a danger to our community anymore. It's a danger to all the people they could run into. I'm sure you've heard of the fire from the hospital, but I'm sure you haven't heard that the culprit of that heinous crime is in this very courtyard."
The jury had a look of disdain as Miles pointed to Mary.
"She has single handedly killed dozens of peoples' significant others and even children with that fire! That's not even where it ends for their complete lack of sanity! When I went to talk to Gregory since he took control I arrived to find his compound in complete distress and disarray and once I entered his office I was horrified by what I found," Miles exclaimed pointing at Henry and Logan, "I saw those two mutilating Gregory's corpse! They don't even have respect for the dead!"
"I object!" their lawyer said, "From what I know these kids were merely acting in self defense!"
"Self defense allows them to kill, mutilate, and burn people alive?" Miles asked.
"We didn't mutilate Gregory, that's bullshit," Logan interjected, "You admitted in the truck ride here it was you who did that!"
Very few members of the jury actually processed what Logan said instead they were interested to see what Miles said next.
"Do you have any proof?" Miles asked, "Because we have all the proof of the people who've died at your hands! Harry bring out exhibit a."
A small man with long hair rolled out a coffin and set it facing upright in a position in which both the jury and defendants could see.
"Now open it," Miles instructed.
Harry revealed Gregory's corpse inside of the coffin for all to see.
"Keep in mind he was only killed about two or so weeks ago. There isn't much rot or deterioration over ninety five percent of that was inflicted by these two!" Miles explained.
"In defense of my clients they were in fear of their lives! I'm sure at one point or another we have had to do something like that which we regret," the lawyer countered.
"Not even their defense has a valid reason!" Miles raged, "This trial is a disgrace to the high principal we've held for over a decade!"
"We'll deliberate and be back within the hour," a woman on the jury said.
They all went into the building behind the table they were sitting at. Green was taken inside there as well.
"You're an asshole," Aasim shouted at the lawyer.
"First of all I'm Sam. Second of all I'm being paid fifty bucks to represent you poorly," Sam replied, "Just had to do it good enough so the jury isn't suspicious."
"That still makes you a huge asshole," Willy scoffed.
"Nothing personal and what're you gonna do? Assault your lawyer?" he asked, "Did you guys really think you'd get out of this alive? There's a reason we skipped the plead part."
The jury returned a few minutes later with a verdict.
"After intense deliberation we've concluded that the defendants are guilty of all charges and sentenced to death," a woman said.
"Miss I respectfully request a rehearing," Bob pleaded.
"Unless you have substantial new evidence or literally any evidence for yourselves then no," she replied.
"Our lawyer was bribed!" Bob told her.
"Pretty substantial claim," Miles scoffed, "Have any proof? Because unless him allegedly being bribed affects how you brutally slaughtered people then I think it's case closed."
Miles motioned for the guards to drag them away.
"Shit!" Logan moaned after being slammed on the concrete ground and handcuffed.
They were dragged to the nearby guillotine and Seb was slammed inside it.
"Any last words?" Karen asked.
"Please don't," Seb begged, "I'm just a teenager this is cruel!"
"So was what your buddies did to our people," Miles replied coldly, "Pull the lever Karen!'
A short blonde woman pulled the lever and the guillotine blade swung down. Right as it chopped Seb's head off they immediately threw his corpse out and forced Bob into it.
"John! Dave!" Karen called, "Get this boy's body into the furnace!"
John and Dave quickly took Seb's body and quickly rushed off as they didn't want to see any more than they needed to.
"Any last words?" Miles asked, smiling.
"It's easy to hate, it takes strength to forgive. I can promise you that this won't make you feel any better and you'll receive your due in karma soon," Bob scowled.
"Always a pain to the end aren't you Bob?" Miles chuckled, "I'll pull this myself."
Everyone was scared. They were in a single file line awaiting their death.
"Oh Bob, always a pain to the end,* Miles smiled.
Miles grabbed the lever with both hands. The roar of an engine quickly came within earshot. Miles let go of the lever and walked towards the sound to investigate.
A metal scraping was heard and a metal plate which blocked the street flew into the soldiers holding them at gunpoint. Miles knew he was screwed so he immediately ran away leaving the startled Sam. Sam almost shit his pants since the tables had turned and they knew he was representing them poorly.
Willy quickly broke out of his poorly tied restraints and picked up one of the assault rifles the soldiers dropped and pointed it at Sam.
"Now hold on!" Sam babbled, "I was just trying to support myself in this capitalist economy here, don't kill me! It wouldn't be honorable!"
A truck pulled into the courtyard. Clementine and the others got out of it and ran over to them. Quickly untying them since the guards would flock in on them soon.
"What the fuck does honor have anything to do with the way things are? When it comes to defending the things that matter most?" Bob asked getting up from the guillotine.
"You can shove that honor right up your ass," Clementine muttered, as she shot Sam in the neck.
Sam fell on his knees holding his neck.
"You're assholes," he choked before collapsing to the ground.
"Alright guys we need to go immediately!" Clementine said.
"How? I don't think that truck is going to fix that smoking engine itself," Aasim replied.
"If we can get wherever the semi trucks are I can hotwire it and drive us away," Logan suggested.
"Great let's get to it," Clementine said.
They ran through the empty streets of the town. The families inside were watching in horror as they passed by. An old man was standing in the street with a shotgun. His aim was nowhere close to steady and all his neighbors were watching afraid of what could happen to him.
"You despicable degenerates killed my daughter when you burned that hospital," he scowled slightly, tearing up, "She was the only person I had left!"
"Just put down the shotgun," Clementine said calmly.
"No!" he shouted, "You killed Tom's son who was a week away from retirement! Not to mention Betty's whole family who were serving at that outpost!"
"Bill this isn't worth it get inside," a man called from a window.
"No Tom!" Bill shouted, "These fuckers need to hear this!"
While Bill was distracted talking to Tom, Clementine quickly ran up and disarmed him by kicking him to the ground. BIll was groaning in pain and blood was coming from his head. Clementine raised her gun about to finish him off.
"Stop!" Bob interfered, "We're not playing judge, jury, and executioner! He's a poor old man!"
"Listen we're in trouble right now! We can't take the chance!" Clementine replied.
A gunshot pierced through the tense silence filling it with the screams of the old man, but it wasn't Clemetine who fired it. They looked over and were shocked to see that it was Aj who shot the main in his shoulder.
"You sick bastard," Logan snapped.
"Hey don't talk to him like that," Clementine argued.
"So we just let the boy shoot people? You can't even say it was out of fear or some bullshit like last time! He's shot three people as of now!" Logan retorted.
"We don't have time for this, the soldiers will be here any second!" Bob interrupted.
They started running again, but this time soldiers had a definite area they would be in.
"We need a higher vantage point!" Henry said.
"I don't suppose you have a ladder up your ass do you?" Ellie asked.
Henry rolled his eyes right before he ran straight into a ladder.
"Damn I guess you do," she chuckled.
They climbed up the ladder with haste. Wasting no time they started looking for the semi trucks. Ellie spotted it a few seconds later and it was dead ahead.
"If we're careful we can run from roof to roof," Bob said.
"Great I've always wanted to fall and snap my neck," Ellie said sarcastically.
Bob led them across slowly. Aj took a step and the roofs started cracking.
"Shit," he yelped as the floor collapsed under his foot.
Clementine looked back worried and as she did the roof fully collapsed under her.
"Shit! Start running!" Bob yelled.
Logan caught up to Mary and they started talking.
"Fuck I don't thnk we're going to make it out of this," Mary said.
"We'll be fine as long as Clementine and any others who fell down can catch back up," Logan assured her.
Logan noticed that Mary was about to say something, but they were tackled off the roof. They fell through the utility shed which sat nearby. Mary was the most injured due to her being closer to the ledge.
Logan was disoriented for a few seconds. When his vision wasn't blurred he saw Miles charging towards him. Logan had no time to even react before Miles punched him in the face.
"Here's how this is going to work," Miles coughed, "I'm going to kill you then I'm going to kill that bitch over there and then the rest of your friends will be gunned down while they either wait for you to hotwire the trucks or their dumbasses try to hotwire the truck."
"Why can't you just let us live at the school in peace?" Logan asked as he got up.
"Your little school was blown to bits at this point every walker in a ten mile radius is there," Miles laughed, "And that bitch over there killed my family."
Logan grabbed a hatched which was hung on the wall. He swung it desperately trying to hit Miles. Logan knew he was in no shape to fight even though he didn't take as much damage as Mary. Miles sweeped Logan's leg and grabbed the hatchet from him.
"I don't need this to beat a kid," Miles muttered as he threw it outside.
Logan groaned trying to stand up before Miles beat him back down.
After a few hits Logan was coughing up blood. Miles smirked as he watched Logan try to crawl away.
"Mary," he grunted, "Help!"
Mary was still knocked out on the floor. Logan found the pistol Mary had on her and he quickly picked it up.
"I'll tell you what if you can even get one shot remotely near me then I'll let you live," Miles croaked.
Logan aimed the pistol trying not to let his shaky hands mess him up. The gun fired narrowly missing Miles.
"Damn," Miles gasped, "That's impressive you almost surely have a concussion. If only I honored my word, but what're you gonna do? Limp angrily?"
"I wasn't aiming for you," Logan chuckled.
"What do you mean?" Miles asked.
Logan used what was left of his strength to pull Miles in closer.
"Look at the gas pipe," Logan wheezed.
"That goes to the town!" Miles shouted, "It's only a matter of time before it blows!"
"A means to an end, you would do the same thing," Logan coughed.
Explosions started going off in the distance. Miles rushed over to the window and watched in terror. The pipe next to him blew up and sent him flying across the shed. Miles was lying face first on the ground.
"Get up," Logan growled.
He limped over to Miles and kicked him.
"Get up!" Logan shouted.
Logan turned Miles over and stepped back. The explosion had burned his face giving him a slight Darth Vader appearance. His chest had even more severe burns and the sound of labored breathing. He desperately tried to speak one last time.
"I'll see you in hell," Miles croaked as he exhaled his last breath.
"So much for beating a kid without a gun," Logan muttered, "Rest in peace you sick bastard."
Logan picked up Mary and limped towards where the two trucks were. Everyone was there and had been waiting for them as they held off the guards
"Great let's go!" Bob said getting in the driver's seat while Ellie was driving the other one.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Aasim asked, hopping in.
Aasim's clip ran out of ammo so he pulled down the closed the trailer's door.
Logan placed Mary in the back of one of the trucks they had and hopped in quickly. Clementine pulled down the door and then banged on the back of the trailer. They sped off down the road and plowed through the gates. Bob's truck was in the front while Ellie drove behind him.
"Where are we going?" Logan asked.
"Bob says he knows a place where we can hide for a couple days before figuring out where to go next," Clementine explained, "It's some old gas station in Pleasance, West Virginia."
"That's good," Logan coughed.
"Are you okay?" Clementine asked.
"I'll be fine," Logan answered, "Mary will probably be fine too."
"If only we didn't lose the school," Willy sighed.
"Believe me I'd love to go back to it, but unless any of us know how to fix the walls then we can't," Clementine replied.
Willy sighed and laid down. The morale was undeniably low at least in this truck.
"We're going to be okay," Clementine assured them, "I'm sure of it."