Justice Serves

"Ellis? No, Nick, I haven't seen him since this mornin'."

Nick stared at Stan, frustrated. "What time?"

"I dunno, nine-ish?" shrugged the store clerk. "He didn't look too good."

"Great."

"Well," replied the old man as he scratched his chin, "he came in and bought some medical supplies."

Nick blinked and leaned in closer. "What kind of medical supplies?"

Stan stepped back slightly, deep in thought. "Let's see, he bought some... gauze, tape, and a whole shitload of pills. Must've been in a lot of pain, that one."

"Which way did he go?" Nick asked quickly. Sweat beaded his forehead and his back under his t-shirt.

"He went up the street."

Nick pushed off the counter and ran out of the shop, jogging up the street.

He thought Ellis needed time to himself to calm down. That's what the conman would need in times like this. Truth be told, Ellis never got angry like he did that morning. Nick didn't know what the hick needed. He had checked the store, the mess hall, CEDA headquarters, and most of the back alleys around the camp. At first, he was angry. But now, he was worried. No one had seen Ellis recently. It was nearing dinner.

He wished Ellis gave him more details on Mac's attack – was he still out there? Was he looking for Ellis? What even happened? Where was Ellis?

Nick gritted his teeth as he ran faster. A shitload of pills...

"Ellis, don't be stupid," Nick huffed out loud. "Don't do it or I'll kill you."

Nick ran past houses and people, heading towards another alley. He rounded the corner and sped down the alley, jumping over various piles of trash and rubble. The alley took him closer towards the wall with every exhausting step. He should have grabbed the hick's hand and brought him back to the safety of his home. He should have spoken up when he had the chance. He should have acted like he usually would have; gotten to the bottom of the problem and fix it. Why didn't he do it?

Fuck CEDA and their project. Fuck them to hell. Nick's chest began to hurt before he made it to the structure.

"Shit," he gasped. He leaned his arm against the wall and pressed his head against it, holding his chest. "Ellis!" he yelled.

Nick slid from the wall and sat on a picnic table that had been shoved against the wall, panting.

Two hours of running around searching for the kid exhausted Nick. Sure, he fought in the apocalypse and survived, but that was a year ago. He pounded his fist into the cement wall and cursed. He didn't even get a chance to explain himself.

Nick heard footsteps approach from behind. He looked back behind his shoulder, half-expecting his lost lover. He didn't expect the man looking back at him.

"Hell, it's like a fuckin' reunion!"

Nick jumped up from his seat and stepped back, knees bent. "You!"

Mac burst out into laughter, raising his hands in disbelief. "Hell, in the same place, too! Nancy was standin' right where you are right now."

Nick felt a cold feeling in his stomach. "Where's Ellis?"

"Can't find him?" Mac snorted. "Well, I did."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nick spat back.

"You should've seen him, running around, sobbing like a baby, lost and confused. Like a puppy."

"I'll kill you," Nick choked. His nostrils flared. His hands balled up into fists.

"No, that ain't happenin'." Mac pulled out a gun and pointed it at the conman. "Not while I have this in my hand. I told Nancy that, too. He didn't listen."

Nick stopped breathing. Ellis...

"And this is the cool part – see this attachment on the end of this beauty?" Mac stroked the silencer on the end of his gun. "Don't worry, no one heard a thing."

Nick's heart felt like it stopped beating all together. His vision went red and his eyes stung as reality set in.

"Well, no one heard the gun. I think a few people heard him screaming, though. Have you ever heard a man beg for death? You see, after I gave him a few rounds as payment for last night, he ended up with some nasty injuries. A few broken bones here and there, some blood on the floor...he had no choice but to grab me and beg. Oh, it killed me, you'd better believe it. To pull the trigger, I mean. I wanted to see how far he could hold on. After an hour, though, his blubbering got annoying."

Nick couldn`t feel anymore.

"Son of a BITCH!" Nick screamed. He leapt over the picnic table and smashed Mac's nose in with his fist. He grabbed the surprised soldier and hurled him into the wall, fuelled by pure adrenaline. Mac's head cracked against the cement.

Mac grabbed his head and glared at Nick through a stream of blood. He grinned again.

"You just pissed me off," he chuckled. "Nancy did that, too."

Mac raised his gun and fired. Nick felt the small bullet graze his neck. Nick grabbed the gun and bent Mac's arm back, cracking his arm with a sickening crunch. Nick felt blood run down his shirt. Shit, the bullet must have torn the skin. Nick managed to throw the gun down the alley way before he kicked Mac in the groin.

"Fucker!" he yelled. He threw his arms over Nick's head and locked him in a headlock. Nick opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into the flesh. Blood filled his mouth as he closed his mouth around the wound, severing a chunk of muscle. He spat it out, choking on the blood as Mac reared back, howling in pain.

Nick pulled himself up to his feet. Mac grabbed his arm and twisted it. Nick went with it, trying to avoid a break, yelling out. Mac stood up and threw the gambler onto the picnic table. Nick's head careened into the old wood, knocking him into a daze. Mac pounced on top of him, panting in his ear.

"You can't win, asshole," he sniggered. "And you ain't gonna forget that. I am the boss here, not you or Nancy or the Sergeant. I am."

"Get off!"

"Not until you've learned your lesson."

Mac picked Nick up and slammed him back down, knocking him into semi-consciousness.

Nick couldn't move, but he could hear the faint clinking of metal as his belt fell loose around the soldiers lap. Mac held his prey against the table with his injured arm as Nick realized what was happening. Only problem was: he couldn't move.

"That's the cool thing about doing this. You see, it's all about power. The sex; well, that's just the benefit."

Nick felt the slight tug at his waistband.

Shit, this wasn't happening, this wasn't real. High card, one pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush. Don't think about it, Nick, block it out. Ellis was gone. He was mutilated, humiliated, terminated. Don't think about that. Move your legs, damnit! When was the last time he held Ellis? Shit, shit, shit!

Mac reached down to his pants and grabbed his fly. Nick couldn't move...this was it.

Mac lurched forward, grunting in pain. He pushed off Nick and whirled around. Blood dripped onto the side of Nick's face.

"You!" Mac screamed, blood spurting out of his shoulder. Nick heard the faint pop of Mac's gun go off. A bullet connected with his neck, sending his body flailing into the wall. Nick's vision was blurred, still in a daze as he tried to make out the figure in front of Mac.

"Bet y'all can't stop a bullet. Fucker."

The gun went off one last time. The bullet entered Mac's head, sending his head snapping back. Blood and brain splattered the wall behind them. Mac's eyes stared at the shooter, vacant, surprised, and angry. With a gargle, Mac fell to his knees and tumbled to the ground. Nick heard the gun skitter over the ground and footsteps race up to him. Nick smelled the familiar scent of apples and shaving cream as someone wrapped their arms around him.

"Nick, c'mon!" Nick sucked in a breath and moved his legs to assist in helping him up. Hands grabbed gingerly at his face. "Oh, God, Nick, tell me you're okay!"

"Ellis?"

Ellis grabbed Nick's pants and hiked them up. "Hurry, we gotta get outta here!"

The hick shoved his hand into his right pocket and pulled out an apple. He threw it over the wall. The alarm triggered. Ellis grabbed the gun that was a few feet away and tore off the silencer.

"You're alive," Nick breathed. He felt weak at the knees. Ellis was completely unscathed, save for the old injuries.

"Of course I am! Shuddup an' MOVE!"

Ellis grabbed Nick's wrist and ran towards the alley. Soldiers were closing in from almost every direction.

"In here!" Ellis pointed to a broken window leading into a house. Ellis bent down on one knee and helped Nick into the house. Ellis followed shortly, rolling clumsily into the house before the soldier saw him. He threw the curtains over the window and pressed himself against the wall. Nick was on his hands and knees on the floor. Ellis leaned over him.

"I thought you were dead. I thought he –"

"I'm okay. I'm here. We're safe."

Nick fell over onto Ellis, holding his head.

"Shit." Nick sniffed and rubbed his nose.

"Don't y'all cry on me," Ellis warned.

"I'm not."

Ellis wrapped his arms around Nick and helped him to his feet. "It looks like he punched you in the mouth. You have blood all over yah."

"I went zombie on him; I gave him a nibble," Nick replied, twitching the side of his mouth into a smile. He was smiling. Actually smiling. Ellis matched him with a flash of his teeth.

"No way."

"It was fuckin' disgusting. Don't do it."

"I don' intend on it, thanks." Ellis pulled Nick into the kitchen and set him on the floor. "I was in this house las' night with Becky. I broke the window." He grabbed a rag and soaked it in some hot water. He sat with Nick and started to clean his face. "You're neck is bleeding, too."

"He shot me."

"You're lucky, then. He missed."

"Obviously not."

Ellis gave Nick the rag to press against his wound. He grabbed another and resumed cleaning his face.

"You left. Mac said he found you. He said he..."

"I hid from him. He never found me."

"You were gone for hours," Nick murmured. "I couldn't find you."

"'Cause I was hidin'?"

"You shot him...you murdered him."

"I did the world a favour. I did Becky a favour. I did us a favour. An' it was to get him off you."

"The soldiers'll come after us."

"With what equipment? You bit him, right? And someone shot him. I triggered the alarm. Totally set the stage. The soldiers'll think he tried to escape, he got bitten, and someone shot him and ran."

Nick stared at Ellis, dumbfounded. He shook his head in amazement.

"Ellis, I'm sorry. I should've –"

"Listened?" Ellis stated. "I should've told you to begin with."

The two men sat in silence, Nick wincing at Ellis' touches. Nick's neck stopped bleeding and Nick's face was clean of sticky blood and Mac's smell.

"My shirt is ruined." Nick tugged at his collar, wet with blood.

"C'mon. Gimme your shirt."

Nick pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it into Ellis' hands.

Ellis went into the bathroom and threw it in the sink. He turned on the tap to let cold water run over the fabric.

Did he feel bad about killing Mac? Yes. Was he happy about doing it, though? Kinda. Even though killing infected was easy after a few days, killing a living, breathing human was something else. The rage helped, though. It helped him not feel anything. When he saw Mac over Nick like that, his troubles flittered away. So he picked up that gun.

Ellis scrubbed at the fabric quickly, watching the blood ebb away in the water. He heard footsteps behind him. Nick leaned against the doorframe. "Soldiers are everywhere. They cleaned up the mess, though. I think they bought it."

"Good," Ellis replied. He stopped the tap and stared at the wet fabric in his hands. "Can I know somethin'?"

"Sure, kid."

"Do you think you got Debbie pregnant?" Ellis looked up and looked straight into Nick's eyes. To his surprise, Nick didn't even blink.

"No, I don't."

"How certain are you? Because I don' really wan' her coming back an' movin' in an' shit."

"I am absolutely positive. She's extremely Christian. She wants marriage before anything like that."

Ellis blinked at stared at Nick with a funny face. He laughed, relieved. "So you never –"

"I never even touched her," Nick replied. He flashed a mocking grin at Ellis, who wouldn't stop smiling.

Ellis ran his fingers through his hair and laughed again. He stepped towards Nick and grabbed him, smothering him with a hug. He pulled back and pressed his lips against his lover's.

At first, it was supposed to be innocent, but it quickly turned into passion.

Ellis shoved Nick into the wall across from the bathroom and encased his open mouth with his, wrapping his arms around him. Their tongues entered each other's mouths, alive and hot. Ellis pushed Nick further into the wall with a hint of desperation. The smile on his face disappeared and took the moment as if it would never happen again.

Nick grabbed Ellis' head and pulled him closer yet, spinning the couple around. He pushed Ellis into the wall roughly and took a step back. He hit the wall across from Ellis, separating the two of them.

"No," he panted. Ellis stared back at him, lips slightly open. Nick shut his eyes tight

This was wrong. This whole set up was wrong. Mac abused both Ellis and Nick and left injuries. And he just tried to violate Nick. No, this wasn't right. It shouldn't be right. He shouldn't want this so much; but he did. And Ellis wanted it too, that was certain.

Ellis raised and arm and wiped his mouth. With a nod he stepped over to go to the kitchen. Nick sucked in a breath through his nostrils, feeling guiltier with every shuffle the hick made. Nick balled his fists, desire burning through every inch of him. Nick jumped over to Ellis and grabbed his arm. He spun him around and locked the kid's mouth with his. It was Nick's turn to take them to the wall as he shoved Ellis' back into the drywall, tugging his shirt.

"Watch it!" gasped Ellis. His burns throbbed slightly. Nick groaned and grabbed the cotton in his hands. He tore the shirt open and threw it off him. He grabbed Ellis' face and pulled it to his. Ellis dug his fingers into Nick's back with a moan. Nick grabbed Ellis' leg and hooked it over his hip, pushing his pulsating groin into the hick's. Ellis squirmed and moaned again, panting like the conman. Nick rotated his hips and dragged his fingers over Ellis' chest, clawing at his flesh.

They dragged their fingers every where they could reach, feeling over their familiar bodies, panting and groaning with every rotation Nick made with his pelvis. Ellis turned his head to the side, sweat beading on his forehead, breathing in an uneven pace. He pushed his ass against Nick and pulled away as if he were pushing him away.

The conman grinned again and grinded even rougher.

"Uhnn! S-Stop!"

"Goin' soft? Nick murmured, shoving against him again. Strands of hair fell in front of his gaze as he panted through his smile.

"Hardly," Ellis panted.

"Very funny."

"Don't do that."

"What, this?" Nick pressed into Ellis harder, feeling the contours of his package through his pants.

Nick entwined his fingers in Ellis' auburn hair, pulling his head closer to his, kissing him again. Nick used his other and brought it to his lips. He licked them and grabbed one of the hick's exposed nipples. Ellis gasped and pushed his head into the wall.

"Shit, kid," Nick mumbled as a bead of sweat trickled over his temple. Nick ran his damp hand from Ellis' chest down to his pants. He grabbed the button of his pants and flicked his fingers, opening them. He grazed his knuckles over the sensitive skin covered in soft hair, sucking on the kid's neck. He undid his fly and pushed his hand into the kid's boxers. Ellis moaned louder as Nick slowly pumped his hand, burying his face in Ellis' shoulder. Nick grabbed Ellis's hands and shoved them to the wall, leaving his chest open and ready for the taking. He opened his mouth and hungrily grazed his tongue over Ellis' throat, down to his collar bone. Ellis shuddered.

He felt his pants fall around his feet. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of them.

"I would have expected you to want to go home," Nick murmured. He pulled Ellis' naked leg back up over his hip.

"The house – was made – for this," panted Ellis.

"Fuck, you're the second guy who's wanted to get in my pants in the past hour," Nick smirked.

"I haven't – had sex with you – in over a week. Gimme a break."

Ellis moaned. He couldn't move away from Nick, pressed up against the cold wall, grinding Nick in his boxers.

Nick pulled away from Ellis and let his pants drop. He shoved Ellis to the ground and crawled on top of him.

Nick held Ellis' shoulders to the ground and kissed him deeply, grinding him into the ground. He bit his lover's lip and stared into his blue eyes. Nick stared back as he reached over and pulled Ellis' boxers down to his knees. Ellis pulled Nick's down and ran his hands over the familiar body over him. Nick pulled Ellis' ass closer to him and spread his legs wider, grimacing as he pushed himself in. The contact made Ellis squirm with trepidation, parting his lips to gasp.

Nick didn't let Ellis recover and persisted, holding Ellis' hips as he pounded into him, aware of the pain and pleasure rocking the kid. Ellis grabbed his arms and shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut.

Nick started thrusting, and Ellis grimaced, biting his lips. "It...hurts," he gasped.

"You like it," Nick panted back with a smile. Ellis smiled and moaned louder.

Nick went faster, deprived of sexual contact for days. Ellis gasped and dug his nails into the conman's back as Nick reached down and clutched his partner's member.

Ellis' back arched off the carpeted ground, gasping a fragmented gasp.

"Shit," Nick groaned as he accelerated. He released the hick's dick and hooked his arms under his legs. He pulled Ellis' legs up and pinned his knees to his chest. He slammed into him, sweat dripping off his face.

Ellis released a loud cry and lost his breath as he came, sending his seed spurting onto his bandages and stomach. Ellis' grip and choking gasps sent Nick into pure exhilaration. He slammed into him three more times before filling his lover with liquid.

Nick uttered a final moan before falling on top of the twitching kid into his mess, trying to catch his breath.

"Shit," rasped Ellis. He sucked in a few breaths and rubbed his eyes. His mouth twitched into a smile and pressed his cheek against Nick's wet forehead.

Soldiers ran around the house, calling out orders and quarantining Mac's body. They knew the two of them would be thrown back into the project the next day. They knew that everything wasn't solved. They knew they had injuries that would hurt even more in the morning. They just didn't give a shit.