The Cold Light of Day Read Online Free Page B

him.”
    “Good. Then you’ll remember how long his sentence was.”
    “Five years. Some thought it a little harsh at the time, but as I recall you backed me up on that.”
    Ruiz set her helmet down on a chair, then crossed her arms and leaned back against a work-counter. She stared at him. “I did. So you remember how long ago that was?”
    “Five years and two months. So Chalk served his time and now he’s turned to murder?”
    “Right. But we don’t yet know why . That’s what you and I have to find out.”
    Dredd nodded slowly. “And Sector Chief Mendillo wants you to take the lead because you were the only Judge present when he was first arrested. Where do we start?”
    “We start by getting something straight. What happened five years ago... Well, someone screwed up, and scuttlebutt is blaming you. Word is spreading that Chalk is a Judge-killer and that’s down to your mistake.”
    Dredd considered that. “I’m not aware of making any mistakes.”
    “They’re saying that your judgement was flawed.” Ruiz kept her eyes fixed on him, not blinking. “Do you understand what that means, Joe?”
    “I understand. And I deny the accusation. My judgement was sound.”
    “That’s what I thought then,” Ruiz said. “Now, I’m not so sure.”

 
     
    The Cursed Earth
    2075 AD

 
     
    Four
     
     
    “H OT- D OG R UN ” WAS the informal name given to out-of-city excursions by cadet Judges. They were intended to get them used to working as a team, handling their Lawmasters over difficult terrain, and dispensing instant justice: aspects of judging that they were taught at the Academy, but lessons were no substitute for actual experience.
    The year-eleven cadets, under the supervision of Judge Amber Ruiz, undertook a gruelling two-day ride—seventeen hours each day on the bikes—deep into the Cursed Earth south-west of Mega-City One.
    Night had fallen by the time they reached their destination: the outskirts of Eminence, one of the many ruined-and-rebuilt pre-war towns that still blighted the landscape of what was once North America. Judge Ruiz ordered a dismount. “Town centre’s ten kilometres west. We camp here for the night. You know what to do.”
    The sixteen-year-old cadets arranged their Lawmasters in a circle, facing out: the bikes’ sensors would alert them of the approach of anything larger than a rad-rat.
    Cadets Hunt, Wagner and Gibson were assigned to prepare the rations, while Joe and Rico Dredd took first patrol on the perimeter.
    Once they were out of sight of the others, Rico said, “Hold up a sec, Joe.” He turned his back on his brother, unzipped the fly on his uniform and emptied his bladder into the darkness. “Ahh... Man , that feels good! Nothing better than peeing in the open air, right?”
    “Sure,” Joe said.
    “What about you? You’ve got to be bursting.”
    “I’ll wait until you’re done. Can’t both be distracted at the same time.”
    When Rico was finished, Dredd took his turn at relieving himself.
    “So what’s this about, you reckon?” Rico asked as they resumed patrol. “We here at random, or has Ruiz got something planned?”
    “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
    “Yeah.” Rico stopped, and put his hand on Joe’s arm. “Smell that? Woodsmoke. Not more than a day old. We’re not alone out here.”
    “I know. Saw fresh tracks in the dust a few kilometres before we stopped. Three vehicles. Thread impressions were deep, the edges clean. That means—”
    Rico finished for him: “New tyres. Which tells us they’re probably not muties. Muties never have anything new. The vehicles are from the city.” He walked on. “Guess we could always ask Ruiz what’s happening.”
    Joe followed after his brother. “She won’t tell us until she thinks we need to know.”
    “True.” Rico turned around to face Joe, walking backward ahead of him. “How do you think we’re doing? Overall, I mean. Not just here.”
    “Okay, I figure.” Joe shrugged.