Thank you so much reading and commenting on my previous chapter. I hope you will find this one to be just as or perhaps even more enjoyable.
Have fun.
Disclaimer: Dredd 3D belongs to Lionsgate, 2000 AD belongs to Rebellion Development
Unbound
She revved up her bike as she cut another insane curve, barely missing an oncoming truck. Suppressing a yawn, she brought her vehicle on level with Dredd.
„What is the plan once we get there,sir?"
„Search the area, apprehend suspects, carry out justice." he retorted.
„Good plan. Very... sophisticated."
„It is the Law."
A tiny smile tugged at her lips. She rubbed her chin to conceal it and dabbed the display of her GPS. She knew the 113 well enough. The apartment she chose was in 115 so every day she had to cross the traffic knot which connected these two districts. Coreys last location was a few hundred meters before crossroads, meaning unless they found a clear clue they would be left with billions of options. Minimum of 6 sectors could be accessed directly from the crossroads and another 14 were less than 20 minutes away.
Once they reached the point Dredd slowed down to an almost walking pace and turned to her.
„Do your thing." he commanded.
Nodding, she pulled her helmet off and extended her mind. It took her months of training to learn to use her powers while performing actions like running, driving and shooting, but it was well worth it. She got brief flashes of memories, distorted thoughts and dreams of drivers passing them occasionally honking and cursing, but absolutely nothing that could be of any use. Not that she expected much. There was no way any of the culprits would stuck around until Judges come.
„Nothing." she shook her head.
With an irritated huff Dredd nodded. „We retrace to the point where the distress call went out. Keep your helm off." he growled and dived into the oncoming traffic retracing the GPS route to a rundown apartment house huddled to ruined warehouses. She followed, her mind extended, smog-filled air gusting in her face.
They parked their Lawmasters in a dirty back alley so potential suspects wouldn't be alarmed right away. Anderson got off, wiped off her tears and run her hand through her tousled hair.
„Found something along the way?" Dredd asked.
„Minor criminals, nothing relevant to our case. You?"
„Nothing."
She pursed her lips. „So what now, sir?"
„We search the flats, then the warehouses. I talk, you check their brains." he briefed her and made his way to the apartment house.
It was less than 40 storeys, on the verge on collapsing, practically untenantable, but Anderson knew these places could still house several thousands people. She wondered whether its denizens were actually classified as homeless. It was more than probable.
A shiver ran down her spine. This could have been her future, was she not recruited to the Judges. An orphaned mutant without any means of protection, sooner or later she would end up thrown out from her City Block. And then... she would have only this place to go, working as a whore or a hired gun, if she was lucky. She shook her head. She needed to concentrate.
„Oi! Whaddaya want here?" a sharp voice came from the side.
An adolescent male, short spiked hair dyed hilarious blue was leaning cockily against a concrete wall, rusted semi-automatic on display. Then he noticed the angry red X on Dredds helmet and any ounce of confidence he had faltered rapidly. He staggered back, the muzzle of his weapon swinging wildly towards them.
Both Judges were already in movement. Anderson somersaulted to the side, Lawgiver perfectly aimed at the teens head. Soles of Dredds shoes dug into the ground as he propelled himself towards the perp. With long strides he closed the distance between him and the culprit. He grabbed the muzzle of the semi-automatic and using his momentum rammed it into the perps face, effectively disarming him in the process. His hand closed around the collar of the perps leather jacket and he slammed him against the concrete.
The perp, clearly overwhelmed threw a few feeble punches at Dredd, none coming even close to doing actual harm. Dredd rammed a knee into his sternum drawing the breath out of him.
„Yesterday a Judge was here. What happened to her. What have you seen?" he growled menacingly.
„Wha- What are you talking about? I have seen nothing. I wasn't even here. I didn't do anything. You are mistaken. She wa- nobody was here. None of your people come here. I didn't do it. You have to believe me. Let me go, please. Please." he whimpered his plead, blood streaming down his face.
„Lies." Anderson stated coldly.
„Hiding relevant information. 15 years in the Cubes. Possession of firearms without legal permit, I presume you don't own such. 30 years in the Cubes. Possession of illegal weaponry. 40 years in the Cubes. Being an accomplice in a first-degree murder. Sentence is death. Being an accomplice in a murder of Judge. Sentence is death. Attacking a Judge. Sentence is death. How do you plead?" he snarled, his Lawgiver presses against the perps jawline.
„Yes! Yes I've seen it, I've seen it all. Ill tell you. Just please don't kill me. I'm no accomplice, I was just here like always. Tell you what. Make it 40 years, hell make it 60 and I'll tell you. Ill lead you to them just don't kill me. Whaddaya say. Deal?" he was almost hyperventilating but still a sly tone entered his voice.
„I. Don't. Negotiate."
A bang echoed and a lifeless body its head virtually missing sank to the ground.
„They were here. Renegade Judges. Corey found them, unintentionally I think. She got into fight with them, but I don't think it was them who killed her, well not literally. I'm not sure, he wasn't there. Only thing I can make out is the name, I think its a gang. The Unbound, ever heard of them? As far as he knew the Renegades passed Corey to them for some reason. Last night the Renegades disappeared, he doesn't seem to know where." she told Dredd. When she was delving into the corruption among the Judges, a formidable part of the force disappeared, the Judges choosing to flee, rather that be punished. They formed their own gang, becoming the most effective and ruthless on the crime scene.
„We will interrogate whoever knows anything about the Judges or the gang. You are the one responsible for detecting them."
She nodded. „Let's start then."
In the course of following 19 hours they interrogated more than 350 people without any truly useful information. She wasn't too surprised, the people that actually could have relevant information probably fled the second they heard that Judges have come. Still they got tidbits on the Unbound, apparently they were a new gang dabbling into almost everything, drugs, weapons, whores and perhaps obscenely brutal Judge-murders. The information on Renegade Judges was much scarcer. They were gone so much was certain.
She rubbed her eyes. „This took a little longer than expected."
Dredd just grunted in response. „We'll check the warehouses next."
She nodded, a grim expression settling on her face. Yes, she was tired and irritated but this was her duty and she would see it done.
Searching the warehouses proved to be frustratingly pointless. Gate after gate they found only spotless, empty spaces obviously cleared out less that 24 hours prior. But they went on hoping that behind the next door they would find something of value.
Anderson stumbled. With the effort necessary to keep her consciousness expanded her vision was getting blurry. Or maybe it was exhaustion, she couldn't really tell. With a sigh she opened the last metal gate revealing the last disappointing room.
Dredd let out a strangled furious noise. „Fine. Enough for tonight."
They made their way back to their bikes, Anderson stumbling a few more times. With every step she withdrew her consciousness feeling her energy streaming back.
A strong hand gripped her forearm. With a small start she looked up to Dredd.
„Listen." he whispered.
When she concentrated she could hear it too, the very distinctive roar of a Lawmaster engine.
„Back-up, maybe?" she asked already knowing the answer.
„No."
Reaching out with her mind she began collecting information, all her exhaustion forgotten in a sudden rush of adrenaline.
„Seven. Armed with primary weapons and a sten-gun. They were informed of our position. Objective: to kill or... or capture us. Distance is less that 300 meters." she whispered hastily.
They took cover in one of the warehouses. While it provided sufficient protection it also hindered their sight field and prevented them from making the first move.
„Get Hi-Ex. I have armour piercing. Kill on sight."
Anderson nodded and switched her firing mode. While they waited she scanned the heads of the Renegades. Not even they were given the info on the new HQ of the gang, they were supposed to be informed after they dealt with Dredd and her.
„Hey! You inside! You are outnumbered. Come out now and we can negotiate!" echoed a voice from outside.
Dredd flashed his teeth in a feral snarl. „I don't negotiate! Capitulate now and receive swift judgement!" he shouted back and pressed himself to the wall right to the metal door. Anderson mimicked his movement to the left.
„Fuck you, Dredd." was heard from the other side.
The sten-gun roared into action, shattering the windows and ripping apart the metal door of the warehouse. Anderson had her mind pressed against the gunners. They needed to take action in the split second before he could reload. The magazine of the sten-gun would run dry right about-
„NOW!" she shouted and leaned out of her hiding place. She sent four Hi-Ex missiles aimed at the sten-gun and immediately fell back. At least one bullet connected, the secondary explosion of the gun killing one Judge and wounding other two, their minds flaring out with pain. Dredd took out other two, his precise shots killing one of the wounded Judges.
A small object flew into the room. Anderson barely had the time to close her eyes and open her mouth before the stun grenade exploded. Disorientated, her world swaying a little she didn't notice one of the Renegades was moving.
A dark figure leaped through the shattered gate, its Lawgiver spitting fire in Dredds direction. Dredd, his trained reflexes kicking in, sent two shots into his attacker, before taking at least five hits. The Renegade toppled to the ground blood oozing from the dark crevice that was once his face.
„Armour piercing." Anderson shouted and sent six shots out. Four connected with one of the Judges, killing him instantly, one missed, and one hit the already wounded Judge, knocking him unconscious.
The seventh Judge noticing how the tables have turned, jumped onto his Lawmaster and turned to run. Anderson jumped out from her cover and followed, the gun in her hand sending another four death sentences. She landed three shots into the Judges back, the fourth scraping his bike. The Judge swerved and crashed into a wall. Dead.
She planted one last bullet into the unconscious Judge and hurried to Dredds side.
He was alive and conscious, no bullet penetrated the bullet-proof chest-piece of his uniform.
„You alright, sir? May I look?" she asked as she knelt beside him.
He nodded curtly. She unzipped his uniform and examined his thorax briefly, occasionally drawing a deep breath from him, when she applied pressure to a painful spot.
„So how long do I have, doctor?" he asked when she was finished, his voice hoarse.
She raised an eyebrow at him. Was that a joke? Or at least a not very good attempt at one?
„No ribs broken as far as I can tell, but definitely bruised, one or two cracked. The two that hit you in abdomen worry me a little since they could cause internal bleeding. The blow you took to the knee must hurt like hell, but the joint is fine. I should call the medics, they would tell you more." she summarized his condition to him.
„No need. I'm fine." he said gruffly.
„As you will." she said as she called for meat wagon and offered him hand. He accepted her help, clear sign that he wasn't as fine as he would have her believe. She put his arm around her shoulders, her left arm wrapping itself around his midriff.
Slowly they made her way back to their bikes.
„Are you fit to drive?" she asked him when they got there.
He nodded and mounted his bike, his face contorting into a pained grimace for a split second.
„Are you going back to 44?" she asked. Most Judges chose to live close to the Hall. From their current position it was more that one and half hour long journey.
„Yes."
„That will be painful."
„Yes."
„And exhausting."
„Yes." he growled. „What are you getting at?"
„I happen to live close from here. And I do own a couch."
He looked at her, his mouth a tight line. „Lead the way."