Chapter Seventeen
Sage
There he is. There is that motherfucker that started this whole thing.
Rage burns through my veins and I want nothing more than to raise my gun and shoot him in front of all these people, but that’s not going to do me any favors.
I need to know where Takoda is, and dead men don’t tell secrets.
I need to play this cool, but it’s killing me.
Especially as he stands up there, with this smug doughy face, acting like God himself.
“He’s a decoy,” Justice says from his position behind me.
“What?” I ask, over my shoulder.
“Nathaniel. He’s a decoy. He isn’t the leader.”
“How do you know?” It irritates me that I don’t know these things.
I mean, I love that I didnt have to grow up in a fucked up cult, but in this situation I’m on the back foot. I don’t know enough about Eden’s Keep to be able to read these men like Justice and Loyal.
“He’s too vain,” Loyal answers, eyes glued to Nathaniel.
“Look at him up there, he’s preaching to the masses, but he’s also revelling in it.
The Prophet always preached that vanity was a sin, unless it was instilled in one of his choosing as a burden to bear for the good of the flock.
The Prophet taught that the flock is easier led by a shepherd people wish to look upon.
It also makes the shepherd the target if something was to go wrong. ”
“Like a public assassination,” I mutter. “Damn he’s butt ugly.” I’m repulsed by the bulging vein in Nathaniel’s forehead as spittle flies from his mouth.
“His soul is, but he’s conventionally attractive,” Joe says, eyes on the crowd. “Look at the young girls, swooning over him.”
I follow her gaze and frown. There are women of all ages who seem to buy into Nathaniel’s charm, and what a dangerous fucking charm is it.
While they all watch him, he watches them back.
His assessing gaze drifts over the crowd.
I know not all the women he’ll lure will join him.
Some are worth more to him and his business partner on the black market.
Standing up there, proselytizing for Ashfall or the New Eden’s Keep is Nathaniel Mercy.
But when he drives away with a van full of women?
That man is Richard McDonald. And my biological father taught him everything he knows.
“Lift up, oh lord, lift up the hands of those who believe in the word and wish to seek a higher meaning!” Nathaniel yells from his position at the front of the crowd.
I take in the crowd. Some leave looking disinterested while others raise their hands in the air, smiles on their faces, looking like they’ve found salvation.
Out of nowhere, men dressed like frat boys in chinos and polos start walking through the masses.
They head straight for the people with their hands up, speaking in low voices, accompanying them to somewhere off to the side of the stage.
Most of them are young, attractive women.
I keep my eye on them, watching like a hawk as they speak with the women.
Some have their phones out taking pictures and I have the biggest urge to rush over there and slap their phones out of their hands.
I know without a doubt that any woman with her photo taken will be in the back of a van later.
My body jolts when my gaze catches on Damian’s face. Jaw tense as he stands with the polo wearing douche bags. He gives me a subtle head shake, and I realize that somehow he’s part of this.
“What the fuck?” I whisper to myself, body tense as I take in Damian’s tidy polo and chinos. He never did tell me why he was dressed like that.
“He’s been working on gaining their trust. All going well, he’ll be baptized soon,” Justice murmurs, the weight of his hand on my shoulder grounding me enough to not do anything just yet. “He’s almost in. This is his last test.”
Swallowing, my throat feels thick as I try to nod.
Damian is a natural up there, smiling, flirting with the women as he gets them to smile while he takes pictures of them.
I feel sick, but at least I know that Damian wouldn’t hurt them.
Not like some of the other men he’s standing with.
Each and every one of them gives off predator vibes.
Shaking my head slightly, I draw my gaze back to the front, and the cold blue eyes that stare down at me.
“Today is a good day.” Nathaniel begins, “our brothers and sisters have taken on the word of our lord, and are willing to submit-” his chin dips as a cold smile spreads across his face, his eye contact never wavering, “submit to the shepherd that guides the lambs away from temptation and lust, to a higher purpose.”
The weight of Nathaniel’s words press heavily on my chest. Our lives have been linked since my father promised me to this monster.
Since my father showed Nathaniel how to mix religion with the activities of the devil.
Our lives will remain linked until I break that chain.
And I will, because my higher purpose is not to marry Nathaniel Mercy.
It’s to wipe that mother fucker off the face of the earth.
Nathaniel’s gaze breaks from mine and he plasters a smile on his face, arms open wide as he moves off the short, makeshift stage he was on, and makes his way to the group of women to the side.
Damian stands head and shoulders above everyone else, so it’s easy to catch his head movement, a quick jerk to the side telling me that if I want answers to where Takoda may be, now is the time to find them.
My little crew must all be on the same page as we move as one, past the crowd and into the edge of the supermarket parking lot. There, lined up, are five pure white SUVs. It doesn't take a genius to figure out this must belong to the God Squad.
“So, what's the plan? We gonna break into these or something else?”
“Well, I was planning on putting trackers on the SUVs.” I open my palm, holding four small, black devices.
“Where the hell did you get those?” Loyal asks, wide eyed.
“Jay and Theo. They have all sorts of goodies in their room.”
“And they gave them to you?” Joe asks.
“Meh, something like that.” I grin as my little team all shake their heads.
I move to step forward, ready to place these where they’ll never be found, when Justice steps in front of me, palm out.
“No! These are mine!” I fist them close to my chest.
“Swap?” Joe asks, with a grin.
I stare from Joe, to Justice who holds up a jar.
My brows pull in. “Did you have that on you the whole time?”
“You asked me to bring two. I could only fit one in my pocket.” Justice shrugs.
“Have I told you lately how much I adore you?”
He rolls his eyes as I step forward, taking the jar from him. He, Joe and Loyal all take one device each and scatter between the SUVs as I tilt my head, deciding which one to pick.
“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. You’re it.”
Skipping to the SUV that pulled the short straw, I drop to my knees, and twist the lid of the jar, tightening it all the way like Elio taught me.
Some weird flakey stuff drops down into the jar, the way Elio said it would, so I drop flat on my belly and roll the jar gently so it sits as close to the center of the SUV as I can get it.
I don’t wait to see exactly where it stops, it doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters is that we have 20 seconds to get out of the way.
“Elio said it’ll be a small kaboom, but we should get back anyway. We want them to panic then scatter,” I tell my friends, herding them away from the SUVs to somewhere we can watch.
The cars are parked at the far end of the lot, along a grassy bank, a fair way away from where Nathaniel is trying to woo the crowds. Once this goes off the public will go running. That should keep some of those women safe at least.
“How long did you say this would ta-”
A deafening roar hits me, almost blowing me back against Loyal. Explosions are weird and not like they are in movies. I swear I heard and felt it before my eyes registered the SUV in the air on fire.
“Holy fucking shit,” Loyal yells and I can’t help myself.
That language coming out of prim and proper Loyal just sets me off into a fit of snorting, cackling laughter.
I can't even pay attention to the chino clad camel toe sprinting toward Ashfall’s SUVss.
I laugh my tits off as I watch Ashfall and Nathaniel charge toward their SUVs, arms flapping wildly as they argue amongst themselves.
I can’t believe these are the guys that managed to get the jump on Takoda and are terrorizing Adonner and the surrounding towns. Like what the fuck?
“I think you got their attention,” Justice says, tipping his chin toward Nathaniel, who stands stoically, cold eyes boring into mine.
“Sure looks it,” I reply before smirking, and giving Nathaniel a little finger wave.
Damian’s giant body gets in the way of my view of Nathaniel as he leans in.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Loyal asks, peeking over my shoulder.
We watch as whatever Damian tells Nathaniel registers.
The pasty fuck’s eyes widen as he looks around, then nods at Damian and lets him lead him to one of the tracked SUVs.
Damian opens the door for him, waiting patiently for Nathaniel to tuck tail and get in before slamming it a little harder than was probably necessary.
He looks in our direction, gives us a wink and then settles into the driver's seat.
“That sneak is going to lead us all the way to Chef,” Joe whispers, shocked.
I can’t help the grin on my face as I take my phone from my pocket and hit my saved contact.
“Sage?”
“Hey, Prez. Tell Jay and Theo to turn on their trackers. They’ll lead us to Chef.”
Dex
I huff out a breath when Sage hangs up on me.
I fucking knew she would do it. I didn’t think it’d take her three days, but she surprised me.
Sage has the makings of a fucking dangerous ol lady.
She’s well trained, level headed enough to loop me in, and she's patient. The Rose Grove Ol Ladies would have gone in guns blazing and gators at the ready. I’m pleased our Ol Ladies are a little more measured.
Standing, I stretch out my back before leaving my office and heading down the hall. Banging twice on the door with my fist I let myself into Jay and Theo’s man cave. It’s dark as fuck in here save for the neon lights and the glow from their computer screens.
“Dex.” Jay nods, his twin doing the same.
“I need you to turn on your trackers.”
Theo spins in his ergonomic chair to face me, brows pulled low. “What trackers?”
I let out a sigh. These two are pretty anal when it comes to their tech. They’re liable to lose their shit once I say what I gotta say.
“Sage called me to pass on the message. I’m betting shes…borrowed some. And judging by the screams I heard in the background, whatever she’s got going on is urgent.”
Theo jumps up faster than I’ve ever seen the man move, heading to a large, locked cabinet. He fiddles with something on the front before it beeps and he swings the doors open.
“She stole from us! That cute, sweet girl is a fucking thief!”
“And a good one,” Jay mutters. “Whatever she’s attached them to, all four of them are moving. Fast.”
“Keep an eye on it. Let me know where they all land. We don’t have enough men to follow all four.”
Jay and Theo nod. Well, Jay does, Theo keeps muttering under his breath over Sage’s light fingers, but I know he’s not gonna say shit to her. Why? Because he knows as well as I do that Sage will do what she needs to do.
“Ah, Prez?” Jay says, nervously.
“Yeah?”
“We got a location lock on three of them. I know where they’re headed.”
I stare at the back of his head and he must feel my gaze. He spins slowly in his seat, his body moving before his gaze which is locked onto his screen until the last moment. I raise my brow, waiting for him to tell me.
“They’re coming here.”
Damian
Well now, things gettin’ real. There I was just mindin’ the girls, keeping ‘em away from the camel toes, next minute I’m escorting the big man himself. Now I’m driving like a bat outta hell and I know I’m headin’ straight for Chef.
“That fucking cunt! Did you see her?” Nathaniel is wild, spittle flying on the dashboard as he grips it and rocks back and forward. Man needs to settle his shit.
“I ain’t seen nothin’. But I’m guessing you riled up the locals.”
His eyes narrow at me. “You’re friends with her. You work with that bitch. Tell her to meet you. I have something she wants.” A cruel smile spreads across his pale face.
“Oh yeah?” I keep it relaxed. “What’s that cher?”
“Her filthy fucking boyfriend.”
“I think you mean her husband.”
He growls low beside me, but I don’t move, just keep driving in a straight line to the address he barked at me when our asses first hit the leather seats of the SUV.
“Fucking call her. Otherwise you’re just another lamb ready for the slaughter.”
Cold metal presses against my temple, jolting my head to the side a little. Huh. Ain't this a fun little turn of events?
“Game on, preacher man.”