Read Online Society: After It Happened Book 3 by Devon C Ford - Free Book Online
Authors: Devon C Ford
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normal noise – there was some excitement going on. He dressed in trousers and boots with a t-shirt, fitting a gun behind his back as habitually as lacing his boots. He made his lazy way into the dining room, thinking caffeine thoughts.
A woman and two men were sat at the tables surrounded by those not out at work. Three new pairs of hands were a good thing, Dan thought as he poured a coffee. He turned and rested against the long table as he sipped. Heads moved in the small crowd and he saw the profile of one of the men.
A flash of recognition hit Dan, making him feel sick to his stomach. He knew his man from his distant past.
He put down his coffee cup without taking his eyes away, and reassured himself that the gun was seated just behind his right hip before he stood.
"Kelvin Parkes" he announced in an icy tone that cut through the noise like a razor.
The room was instantly silenced. One of the inexplicable customs of their new world was that nobody ever used a surname. The man went pale and turned towards him.
"Me?" He said "that's not my name!" adding a disarming smile.
The reply gave Dan all the confirmation he needed. That wheedling voice, the slight lisp, the utterly obsequious tone.
It was him, and he absolutely had to go.
"Stand up" Dan commanded. Others started to speak, to question what he was doing. Some of them had heard that tone of voice before. Andrew watched in confused fear; the last time he heard Dan speak like this he had nearly killed a man in a supermarket with his bare hands.
The man didn't move. He looked around smiling at the other faces in the room in silent appeal for help.
Dan took a step forward and drew himself up.
"Stand up. Now" he said, fighting to contain his rising anger.
"What are you doing?" Marie hissed at him.
He didn't take his eyes off the man and replied "I'll tell you in a minute"
He stepped forward, now within reach of the sitting man. "Get. Up." He growled.
The man stood, panic evident on his face, and started to speak. Dan's temper finally snapped. He grabbed the man by his jacket and dragged him from the room on his tiptoes promoting shouts and screams from others.
As he dragged the man out of the room, he threw himself on the floor, holding up his hands to fend off Dan's aggression.
He dragged him to his feet again, locking his arm behind his back with his left and using his right hand to pull the opposite shoulder. The man moved in pain, arching his back to try and relieve the agonising pressure on his right arm and shoulder.
He pleaded with Dan as he was marched out of the house and into Ops. Rich looked up in surprise as the disruption burst into his peace.
He threw the man into the room, making him stagger to remain standing.
"Rich, search him and don't let him out of your sight" Dan snarled. Rich did as he was asked.
Dan turned to see Marie stood in front of him, furious, and a small crowd gathering behind her.
“What the hell…?” she began, lost for words at his sudden violence.
Dan had no choice but to admit what he knew, exposing his history in doing so.
"Because he’s a fucking sex offender" he said loudly, silencing them all.
"I know this. He was sentenced to ten years in prison."
The mixture of shock and disgust at the revelation left them stunned.
"He will not stay here. I will not allow it" he finished.
He saw Cara at the back of the crowd, ushering the growing gaggle of children away into the house.
"You're sure?" Marie asked quietly.
"Positive. Hand on bible." He replied. She knew what that meant.
She thought for a moment before asking Rich to watch the man. She nodded her head back inside to indicate that Dan should follow. She walked towards the dining room. Sending runners to collect the other council members.
A tense wait ensued whilst the others were gathered and Marie sent everyone else from the room.
When they were gathered, Dan asked for a rundown of how the three came to be there.
"Lexi and Joe found
A woman and two men were sat at the tables surrounded by those not out at work. Three new pairs of hands were a good thing, Dan thought as he poured a coffee. He turned and rested against the long table as he sipped. Heads moved in the small crowd and he saw the profile of one of the men.
A flash of recognition hit Dan, making him feel sick to his stomach. He knew his man from his distant past.
He put down his coffee cup without taking his eyes away, and reassured himself that the gun was seated just behind his right hip before he stood.
"Kelvin Parkes" he announced in an icy tone that cut through the noise like a razor.
The room was instantly silenced. One of the inexplicable customs of their new world was that nobody ever used a surname. The man went pale and turned towards him.
"Me?" He said "that's not my name!" adding a disarming smile.
The reply gave Dan all the confirmation he needed. That wheedling voice, the slight lisp, the utterly obsequious tone.
It was him, and he absolutely had to go.
"Stand up" Dan commanded. Others started to speak, to question what he was doing. Some of them had heard that tone of voice before. Andrew watched in confused fear; the last time he heard Dan speak like this he had nearly killed a man in a supermarket with his bare hands.
The man didn't move. He looked around smiling at the other faces in the room in silent appeal for help.
Dan took a step forward and drew himself up.
"Stand up. Now" he said, fighting to contain his rising anger.
"What are you doing?" Marie hissed at him.
He didn't take his eyes off the man and replied "I'll tell you in a minute"
He stepped forward, now within reach of the sitting man. "Get. Up." He growled.
The man stood, panic evident on his face, and started to speak. Dan's temper finally snapped. He grabbed the man by his jacket and dragged him from the room on his tiptoes promoting shouts and screams from others.
As he dragged the man out of the room, he threw himself on the floor, holding up his hands to fend off Dan's aggression.
He dragged him to his feet again, locking his arm behind his back with his left and using his right hand to pull the opposite shoulder. The man moved in pain, arching his back to try and relieve the agonising pressure on his right arm and shoulder.
He pleaded with Dan as he was marched out of the house and into Ops. Rich looked up in surprise as the disruption burst into his peace.
He threw the man into the room, making him stagger to remain standing.
"Rich, search him and don't let him out of your sight" Dan snarled. Rich did as he was asked.
Dan turned to see Marie stood in front of him, furious, and a small crowd gathering behind her.
“What the hell…?” she began, lost for words at his sudden violence.
Dan had no choice but to admit what he knew, exposing his history in doing so.
"Because he’s a fucking sex offender" he said loudly, silencing them all.
"I know this. He was sentenced to ten years in prison."
The mixture of shock and disgust at the revelation left them stunned.
"He will not stay here. I will not allow it" he finished.
He saw Cara at the back of the crowd, ushering the growing gaggle of children away into the house.
"You're sure?" Marie asked quietly.
"Positive. Hand on bible." He replied. She knew what that meant.
She thought for a moment before asking Rich to watch the man. She nodded her head back inside to indicate that Dan should follow. She walked towards the dining room. Sending runners to collect the other council members.
A tense wait ensued whilst the others were gathered and Marie sent everyone else from the room.
When they were gathered, Dan asked for a rundown of how the three came to be there.
"Lexi and Joe found
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