Chapter 29
Sean erupted out of the barn, his entire world a rage-filled explosion of frustration and helplessness. When he had seen Jessie kneeling atop Deb like that, he had completely lost his mind with anger.
His wife and son were supposed to be off-limits, as per the original deal he had made with Chainz. Sure, Deb was mouthing off a little too much in front of Chain Gang members, but that didn’t give Jessie the right to nearly split his wife open right there in the stable.
Sean had sacrificed everything for the sake of his family. He had given up everything, turned over everything just to make sure Deb and Jimmy lived through the horror of this new world. He had lost so much through this deal, but Deb’s affection was a loss he hadn’t expected.
She was so angry, so bitter. He had been so sure she would see the logic behind his actions and understand he was fighting for them, even now. He wasn’t sure how the two of them could ever possibly come back from this, and he feared they never would.
Of course, he wasn’t without power. Chainz had seen the value in bringing Sean aboard, and he consulted him on matters concerning expansion and military-style operations. He had become a valued member of the hierarchy, or so he had thought.
The way Jessie had openly mocked him, with no fear or hesitation, had shaken him. Sean had always commanded respect, whether it had been on the streets of Phoenix, on the ranch, or in the service. Now he felt like a very small fish in a very large pond, and that was new for Sean.
He had done so much for Chainz and handed him the keys to the kingdom. He had even done the unthinkable and murdered someone for the man. Someone he once considered a friend and brother.
Sean had taken many lives throughout a long, storied, bloody career. He had taken many lives in the last six months alone since the EMP blast had decimated the world and created this new reality.
But that one had hurt. And he thought about it every day. Adding to his crushing guilt over Vin’s tragic end was how Vin had saved his life only minutes before. He wouldn’t be standing here right now if it hadn’t been for Vin, and because of him, Vin would never stand anywhere ever again.
What was more, there was no one he could talk to about this tragic turn of events.
Deb could never know. That much was incredibly obvious.
And he had no friends among the Chain Gang.
Even the ranch workers had shunned him, knowing full well that it was through Sean’s actions that their lives had spiraled into this indentured servitude.
So, he stood alone with the crushing weight of all he had done pressing down on him from all angles all day, every day. That was Sean’s lot in life, and that was the price he had to pay to secure the safety and continued existence of his family.
He believed deep down that Deb would eventually forgive him. As they watched Jimmy grow into a strong young man together, she would come to see the necessity of his actions. She would come to forget about Vin and see Sean as the hero he truly was.
Or was that all just a heaping stack of bullshit Sean fed himself to be able to continue putting one foot in front of the other?
It didn’t matter one way or the other. His wants, his needs, and his desire for validation all meant nothing when measured against his one and only goal—the protection of his family.
He needed to let it be known that threats against Deb or Jimmy weren’t going to fly and that his continued cooperation banked on their safety.
But saying that to Jessie wasn’t going to make a dent in his point.
He needed to go straight to the top, look Chainz in the eye, and tell him it wasn’t acceptable.
So why weren’t his legs moving toward the house?
Sean had always known Chainz to be a vicious bastard, but since the fall of society and the ouster of the remnant, he had somehow become even more terrifying.
Chainz had set himself up like a king here on the ranch, and from this location, he coordinated troop movements, made decisions on ration distribution, punished those who opposed him, and doled out sweeping orders that affected the lives of thousands.
In essence, he had become the government.
Sean had longed for a society free of government oversight.
He had wished to break the system and return power to the people, where it belonged.
Now, through his actions, a madman had claimed power and was ruling over the state like a king.
He was more oppressive than the government had been, and people no longer even had the illusion of freedom in their daily lives.
And he had seen how Chainz put down resistance. He had watched in horror as executions unfolded before his eyes. All of these grisly murders had one thing in common. The person being violently put down had in some way angered, offended, or upset Chainz.
Sometimes that meant breaking one of his many rules and laws. Other times it meant saying something cross to him or responding in a way Chainz thought carried some attitude or perceived resistance to his will.
Sometimes there seemed to be no reason at all. It was just the whim of a demon made flesh who wanted to see someone pulled apart.
Sean had seen people shot, beaten to death, dismembered, even tied to horses and dragged. Chainz seemed to delight in coming up with new and creative ways to end lives. And now he was going to walk into his presence and start making demands.
But it was for Deb. It was for Jimmy. The safety of his family had to come first, or what else had this all been for?
That thought was enough to get Sean moving, and he locked his eyes on the house he once called home.
Keeping that destination in his sights, the rest of the world seemed to vanish.
It was an interesting and humbling feeling when you believed you might be walking to your death.
There was fear but also a sense of finality that Sean felt—it was almost comforting.
He realized at that moment how much he was tired of this life. How much he hated living under the lash of Chainz and the disdain of the woman he loved, the person he had done all of this for.
The house loomed larger as he approached, and Sean took a deep breath, ready to stand up for his family and face the music if necessary.