It seemed as hard to accept the loss of the idea as it was to comprehend the death of the man. He stared at the motionless figure of his friend and hoped and prayed that something would change. His rage buried itself beneath a cold numbness that half-convinced him that his mind was playing tricks on him. At any moment, Tinker would scramble to his feet and laugh at the tears that trickled down his cheeks.
Gustav15 turned to the other pilots. "Get the rest of them up. We'll head to FEMA City."
Hands grasped Hammerhand’s shoulders and forced him to his feet. They shouted at him but he barely heard them and twisted for one last over-the-shoulder glimpse of Tinker. One last hope flickered.
It was impossible. Tinker couldn’t be dead. He didn’t notice that they shouted at him to move faster or that they shoved the butts of their rifles harshly into his ribs to force him forward as the light slowly flickered out behind them.
Chapter Sixty-Four
Dozens of people were called to the scaffold and every one of them was jeered and yelled at by the crowd who were kept barely under control.
Jessica13 wondered if the only thing keeping them subdued was the fact that every single sentence was the same.
Death by hanging. Death by hanging. Death by hanging.
They were all marched off the scaffold once their fate was announced. Mayor Jones possibly wanted to make it something of a display for them and so would kill everyone in quick succession once all the sentences were handed out. There would be no surprises, no mercy, and no possibility that any of them would come away with their lives.
The crowd seemed all too happy to watch dozens being led to the gallows and hung, but Jones had a flair for the dramatic and deliberately delayed the tableau he had planned. The last of the sentences was pronounced when the sun came out directly above them, the heat now almost unbearable.
"We'll take a recess," the mayor announced once he’d ensured that he had the attention of all present by thumping the table with the cup in his hand. "During that time, we will determine when to begin the hangings."
The crowd cheered as the tribunal stood and moved into one of the nearby tents, likely to escape the heat.
She paid little attention to the weather and had already sweated and trembled with every second that ticked by and every sentence announced. Watching the whole display presented by Mayor Jones told her there was little interest in his mind for justice. He, like the other people of Auburn and the woman in the tribunal, wanted revenge.
Wilbur seemed different, however, and he appeared to enjoy seeing the suffering in the eyes of the condemned more than any desire for vengeance. She noted each sadistic smile and every time he seemed willing to make the prisoner in front of him wait a little longer to extend their suffering as much as he could. Some inner instinct told her that he would want to put them through more punishment than merely a hanging.
"What are you thinking, Jessica13?"
Mini's ability to read her intentions could become problematic eventually but in this case, she was glad to have someone she could express her frustrations to.
"This isn't justice. I can't stand for this, right? How can I stand by and let them kill these people without any reason?"
"You mean aside from the fact that they attacked the town?"
"They followed orders under threat of their own death. At least, that's what Robert7 said."
"And you believe him? Trust him over Mayor Jones' judgment?"
"I think we should at least give them the chance to defend themselves properly instead of having everyone killed because of someone's lust for blood. And why are you trying to defend them? You said that whatever they did today was nothing like the justice Jones promised."
Mini stopped talking for a few seconds to give his processors enough time to engage with his core. "I know that, but I wanted to make sure you felt that way as well. It is interesting to see that you support your emotional response with at least a passably logical foundation. As I’ve said before, I do need significant upgrades to many things pertaining to detailed information. But if history is any indicator based on the data I do have available, your response is not as common in humans as one might think.”
Jessica13 settled into her controls while she considered what he meant by that. It was probably something valuable—an insight she could glean and learn from—but she wasn't in the mood to be taught any lessons at the moment. All she had time for was to wrack her brain for how she could help.
"And so, I ask again—what are you thinking, Jessica13? I assume you will consider a plan to break the prisoners out of their confinement?"
"Unless you think there's any chance we would convince the tribunal to stay their execution until a proper court can be organized."
"Is that rhetorical or would you want me to run the odds?"
She didn't have time to respond as already, the people began to return despite the fact that the heat of the midday sun had barely begun to fade. Whatever she chose to do, it had to be soon. She steadied her tattered nerves by taking slow, deep breaths.
"I think it will be messy but it will be the best option that doesn't end with me on the chopping block as well."
"I can't help but agree."
Her gaze fixed on the gathering crowd, she allowed herself a few more seconds to calm, although a frown settled in when she considered the obstacles the people might create in her rescue attempt.
One of the townsfolk approached her where she remained in the mech. The Auburnites hadn't yet forgiven her for trying to help Robert7, and the only reason they hadn't been openly hostile was because she was a member of the Knights Mechanica. While the Minato was small in
