CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“What’s your name, son?” asked Rush once they were finally airborne.
“Jeremiah, sir.”
“You don’t have to call me sir. Jeremiah, how old are you?”
“Twenty-one,” he said almost shyly. “Zane and Monty were going to send for me and my other brothers when they were safe. Then we heard that the hunters had killed Monty and Zane got away.”
“He’s safe,” said Remington, watching King continue to work on his wounds.
What they hadn’t seen were the old wounds on his legs that hadn’t healed yet. King had him wrapped in a sheet, covering his mid-section but exposing his legs, arms, chest, and back.
“What happened to your legs, Jeremiah?” asked Remington.
“What always happens to our bodies. Our mother. I know what you’re all thinking, why didn’t we fight back.
You don’t understand how vicious she really is.
She beats you until you’re terrified every time she comes toward you.
She didn’t want any of us to marry because she said touching a woman was filthy. ”
“Did she touch you, like a man and woman do?” asked King.
“No,” he said shaking his head. “Never. I can assure you of that. But my father damn sure never stepped in when we were being beaten. She’s big, she’s strong and if you tried to run, she’d just put something in your food to make you sick or drug you. And no one dared to step in. No one.”
“She sounds positively lovely,” frowned Joseph.
“She’s an animal. All of this, all of that was her idea. She’s the one that told them they could make money doing this. She hates animals and I’m pretty sure she was one of those kids that tortured dogs and cats as a kid.”
“That makes sense,” said Remington. “It’s a pattern we see with abusers.”
“I’m so tired of being scared and running,” he said holding back tears. “I go to bed terrified. I wake up terrified. I’m afraid to eat, not sure if she’s put something in my food. And my father is useless against her.”
“We’re going to make sure you’re safe and we’re going to do everything we can to get your other brothers away from her,” said Remington. The screens on the jet illuminated and AJ stared at them.
“Hey guys, is Jeremiah there?” he asked.
“Right here, sir,” said the young man. The camera automatically adjusted to bring him into the picture as well.
“Jeremiah, we’ve contacted Zane and sent someone to pick him up. He’ll be here by the time you arrive. We’re going to give both of you safety until we can get your other brothers, then we’ll make sure you’re all together and can start a new life.”
“Oh, my God,” he cried. “Zane. He’s okay. Thank you!”
“You’re welcome,” nodded AJ. “Medical is ready and will meet you when you land.”
“Thanks, AJ,’ said Remington. “Just try to rest, Jeremiah. You’re going to be able to start a new life with your brothers. Is there something you want to do? A profession you want to do?”
“I’ve always liked building things. I’m good at it. I build cabinets and dressers and things for the people at the compound. I’d like to make money doing that.”
“Well, you might be going to the right place. When you’re well, we’ll have you speak to a friend of ours, Grant. He owns his own construction company and has more work than he can handle.”
“That would be amazing,” he said as his eyes fluttered closed. They all looked at King.
“I started an IV to give him some fluids and pain meds. The kid is so used to the agony, he wasn’t paying attention to how much pain he’s really in.”
“The woman, Mrs. Miller, it sounds like she’s the person in charge of most of this. She’s the one we want,” said Remington. “We need to find their new location and get to the animals and then to the people before they get more hunters out there.”