“Mostly food and ammo. That shit’s worth a ton now.”
Angry mutters spread throughout the room. Cam forced himself to face forward. He didn’t want to look at Dolores. He’d known she was guilty, but hearing the words and the reasoning made the pit in his stomach expand. She made him sick. He could see how this would play out.
“Then what, Mr. Blake?”
“Well, we couldn’t exactly keep all that extra stuff in our bunkers, since it was supposed to be secret. So, the mayor let us into the empty bunkers we’d already cleaned out, and we stored our separated crates.”
Mayor Winters flicked a glance at Dolores. “I see. Then what?”
Blake leaned back. “About three years ago, she ordered a discreet relocation of the bulk of the supplies to a specific location outside the walls. Every quarter, we moved more. A few of us transported them when we went hunting.”
“Were you told why?”
“She said it was our contingency plan.” For the first time, Blake turned around to face Dolores. “Mayor Montgomery promised we wouldn’t get in trouble.”
The weight of his accusation seemed to hang heavy in the air.
Dolores stood up, her chair scraping with the motion. “This is rubbish. I don’t have to listen to this.” She stomped up the aisle, arms swinging as she marched toward the exit. Her pace slowed when she reached Captain Wilson.
He didn’t move. “Dolores, could you please join Eli Blake at the front? The Council has additional questions.”
“I don’t answer to any of you.” Her tone sliced in its sharpness while her watery green eyes darted one way, then the other. Her pale cheeks were flushed.
“Dolores. I’m afraid I disagree. Please join Eli at the front.”
She puffed herself up. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Christopher Winters leaned into his microphone. “Dolores Montgomery, please proceed to the front. We have questions.”
She slowly turned and stalked to the extra chair at Blake’s table. She sat, crossing her arms. The room waited, with an expectant hush hanging over the crowd. Cam held his breath. Dolores stared toward the corner of the room over Mayor Winter’s shoulder.
The mayor spoke again, his tone surprisingly conversational. “Dolores Montgomery, what do you believe is the duty of the Mayor of xTerra?”
She jerked her head and met his gaze. “To protect our community.”
“Did you order Eli Blake and his brother to steal supplies that belonged to everyone at xTerra and hide them in unused bunkers?”
She shrugged. “I don’t recall telling them to move the crates.” She studied her fingers.
“What about later? Did you have knowledge of where they took the crates outside the wall? She scoffed. “Of course not. I didn’t suggest they take supplies to that dank mine tunnel.”
The buzz of the crowd alerted her to her misstep.
“Or wherever you found the crates.” Her pale skin broke out in red blotches.
Mayor Winters said, “We didn’t mention where we found the crates. Did you order Eli Blake, his brother and later, your son Aiden to steal supplies and deliver them to the old mine for the Slains?”
“It wasn’t stealing. It was protection.” She hadn’t answered the question. Her jaw flared as she spoke, biting off each word.
“Protection from what?” said the mayor.
“Protection from all of you,” she spat, waving her hand at the Councillors.
Several Councillors sat back, startled expressions on their faces at her sudden vehemence. Mayor Winters simply nodded. “From us? Who specifically? The Council?”
“All of you newcomers and refugees. Everyone who showed up here after the asteroid, looking for handouts and to take over. There’s a community of us who were here before. You’ve stolen everything. Including our way of life.”
“Did the original inhabitants vote on this action?”
