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Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen, Sasha. The man on the gurney was the

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Speaker 1: most comprehensively broken human Sasha had ever seen. His jaw

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Speaker 1: had been ripped completely out of its socket and shattered

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Speaker 1: in four places. His eyes had been gouged into horrible, smashed,

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Speaker 1: grape looking things. His hands and fingers were all broken,

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Speaker 1: as were his feet and shins. His ears appeared to

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Speaker 1: have been bitten off. His tongue had been severed, and

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Speaker 1: the wound cauterized with something that had charred the flesh black.

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Speaker 1: Sasha hadn't known a person could take such punishment and survive.

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Speaker 1: The chart at the end of the bed identified him

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Speaker 1: as Sergeant Lufkin, a two year veteran martyr who had

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Speaker 1: been guarding a checkpoint outside of Dallas. He was conscious.

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Speaker 1: Every now and then he'd thrash about and let out

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Speaker 1: a burbling moan, but the man didn't appear capable of

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Speaker 1: any sort of intelligible communication. Well these aren't combat injuries,

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Speaker 1: doctor Brand said. These men look almost like they've been

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Speaker 1: in a car wreck, only the damage is too precise

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Speaker 1: and too liberately targeted. I've never seen anything like it.

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Speaker 1: It was Sasha's duty to administer the men's pain killers

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Speaker 1: just a tiny drop of morphine each. It wasn't enough

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Speaker 1: by any proper hospital standards. The soldiers were all in

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Speaker 1: clear agony, but the Heavenly Kingdom was short on pain killers,

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Speaker 1: and this was the most they could afford to spare

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Speaker 1: for invalids, as doctor Brandt had called them. This frustrated Sasha.

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Speaker 1: Her mother's hospital could have restored all four men to

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Speaker 1: full health and vigor with perhaps a month of treatment

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Speaker 1: and physical therapy, but the Heavenly Kingdom forbade that grown

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Speaker 1: organs and limbs cloning contravened the Lord's will. Sasha agreed

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Speaker 1: with that in theory. She'd fled to the Heavenly Kingdom

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Speaker 1: partly because she believed juven treatments had robbed the ampt

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Speaker 1: of its humanity. But still it seemed so wrong that

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Speaker 1: these men would go the rest of their lives as

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Speaker 1: twitching and sinceate lumps of flesh. The number of things

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Speaker 1: that felt wrong about this place grew every day. The

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Speaker 1: executions had been the first big shock to her system,

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Speaker 1: but she'd accepted Helen's justification. The Bible was filled with

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Speaker 1: decent men doing awful things in times of war. The

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Speaker 1: gallows weren't pretty, but they were hardly without biblical precedent.

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Speaker 1: She'd been unable to justify Alexander's actions in the same way. Oh, yes,

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Speaker 1: she knew polygamy was condoned by the Word of God.

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Speaker 1: She'd read about Lammick and Abraham, and Solomon and David,

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Speaker 1: and of course Jacob, the patriarch of the Twelve Tribes

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Speaker 1: of Israel and a parent namesake for Alexander's order. She

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Speaker 1: still hated what he'd done to her. Sasha couldn't bring

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Speaker 1: herself to believe that a man as truly good as

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Speaker 1: Pastor Mike would condone their actions. Polygamy is a biblically

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Speaker 1: sound strategy for a people on the edge of destruction,

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Speaker 1: He'd written in one of his Revelator columns. But it

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Speaker 1: is not the human ideal. In our Lord's eyes, the

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Speaker 1: most perfect union is one man, one woman, and as

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Speaker 1: many children as they can bear. Had he decided since

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Speaker 1: that the Heavenly Kingdom was a people on the edge

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Speaker 1: of destruction. After the disastrous meet with Alexander, Sasha had

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Speaker 1: made her way back to the House of Miriam. Helen

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Speaker 1: was seated at her desk when Sasha barged in the

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Speaker 1: older woman looked tired, resigned, and almost depressed. It seemed

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Speaker 1: as if she'd been waiting for Sasha. Hello, dear, she said,

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Speaker 1: with a sad smile. I assume you just met Alexander. Yes,

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Speaker 1: Sasha couldn't help but shout. What they're doing is vile, Helen.

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Speaker 1: He wanted me as his third wife. He lied to

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Speaker 1: convince me to come down here. He says. There's a

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Speaker 1: whole group of martyrs. They call themselves Jacobeans, and they're

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Speaker 1: just catfishing girls down here. We have to tell someone.

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Speaker 1: This isn't okay, this is so wrong. I just I can't.

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Speaker 1: Sasha started to sob. She'd been too angry to cry

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Speaker 1: in front of Alexander. But the House of Miriam was

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Speaker 1: a safe place. Helen was a safe person. Sasha's grief

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Speaker 1: caught up with her anger, and she found herself doubled

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Speaker 1: over on the floor, racked by sobs. She lost herself

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Speaker 1: in sorrow for a few long heartbeats, and then Helen

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Speaker 1: was there beside her. She felt the older woman's strong

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Speaker 1: arms around her, felt a hand running through her hair.

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Speaker 1: There there, child, it's all right, it's going to be okay.

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Speaker 1: We have to do something Sasha choked out, Pastor Mike

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Speaker 1: needs to know what's being done in his name. She

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Speaker 1: looked up into Helen's eyes. She saw pain and anger there, Sasha.

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Speaker 1: Helen said, this will be hard for you to understand,

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Speaker 1: but the pastor is well aware of what those men

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Speaker 1: are doing. I've spoken to him about it myself. Sasha stiffened.

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Speaker 1: She pulled away from Helen, and Helen let her go.

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Speaker 1: They sat next to each other on the floor in

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Speaker 1: silence until Sasha spoke again. Authenticity is the strongest arrow

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Speaker 1: in our quiver. She quoted, When did that stop being true?

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Speaker 1: When did it become ok to lie in the name

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Speaker 1: of the Lord? Helen sighed and shook her head. It's

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Speaker 1: not OK, But so much about this world we live

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Speaker 1: in is not OK. They still murder forty thousand babies

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Speaker 1: per year in the American Federation, hundred thousand in the

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Speaker 1: California Republic. Sodomi and cloning are rampant across the world.

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Speaker 1: We the faithful are surrounded on all sides. Sasha recognized

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Speaker 1: that last line. It was the opening sentence of Pastor

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Speaker 1: Mike's infamous Sinful Continent in the Hands of an Angry

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Speaker 1: God column Sasha couldn't deny the truth of those words.

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Speaker 1: Everything Helen said was accurate. But but how are we

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Speaker 1: any better than them if we stooped to dishonesty to

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Speaker 1: fill the heavenly kingdom. Helen stiffened and straightened her back.

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Speaker 1: We are better than them, dear, because our goals are godly.

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Speaker 1: There was a hint of pride in her voice. We

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Speaker 1: are fighting for the one singular truth. You must never

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Speaker 1: forget that the men and women fighting for that truth

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Speaker 1: are flawed. We are all falluable, we will all fall

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Speaker 1: short of God's standards. But we are also the only

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Speaker 1: ones trying to meet God's standards. And that makes what

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Speaker 1: Alexander did okay. Helen shook her head. Sasha saw tears

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Speaker 1: in the corner of the older woman's eyes. No, child,

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Speaker 1: nothing makes it okay. You were wronged. That boy played

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Speaker 1: with your heart. He lied to you about his love,

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Speaker 1: and that's an un a givable thing. But you're here now,

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Speaker 1: aren't you, And that's what matters most. Helen held her

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Speaker 1: and talked with her for the next few hours. By

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Speaker 1: the time the other girls came back, she felt better.

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Speaker 1: Not good exactly, but better, stable enough to not burst

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Speaker 1: into tears during dinner. She kept quiet at meal time

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Speaker 1: and was glad that the others seemed too exhausted from

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Speaker 1: their day of labor to say much either. After dinner,

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Speaker 1: they had another hour of personal time. Anne and Susannah

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Speaker 1: zeroed in on her with military precision. Sasha's vaunted poker

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Speaker 1: face hadn't been enough to hide her sorrow. Her new

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Speaker 1: friends had guided her to a corner of the room

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Speaker 1: where they'd have relative privacy. What's wrong, Anne asked in

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Speaker 1: a low voice. She and Susannah both laid their hands

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Speaker 1: on Sasha's shoulders. Sasha reached up to grasp both their hands.

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Speaker 1: It happened automatically, as if by reflex, but it brought

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Speaker 1: her great comfort. She closed her eyes and stood quiet

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Speaker 1: for a moment as her mind and heart calmed down.

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Speaker 1: I met Alexander today, she said. Anne looked confused. Susannah frowned,

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Speaker 1: then laughed and asked, what did have? Bad breath? Where

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Speaker 1: his eyes all? She blew out her cheeks and crossed

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Speaker 1: her eyes. Anne laughed, but Sasha stayed quiet. Susannah smile faded. Sash,

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Speaker 1: She said, in a quiet voice, what happened? Sasha looked

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Speaker 1: from Susannah to Anne, she felt a surge of gratitude

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Speaker 1: and her new friends for being there at all. She

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Speaker 1: took a deep breath in and then told them what

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Speaker 1: had happened. She went quickly in the hope that her

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Speaker 1: clipped recitation of events would make it all seem less devastating. Oh, Sasha,

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Speaker 1: Anne said, I am so sorry. This has to be

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Speaker 1: some sort of mistake. Helen didn't seem to think so,

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Speaker 1: Sasha said, I don't think Alexander lied about the sons

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Speaker 1: of Jacob being powerful here. It's chaos right now, Sash.

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Speaker 1: Susannah assured her. Maybe a few guys can get away

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Speaker 1: with acting like this now during the war, but once

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Speaker 1: it's over, Pastor Mike won't let them treat us like this.

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Speaker 1: Anne nodded. Kyle gets rotated back from the front tomorrow,

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Speaker 1: she said, I'll ask him about the sons of Jacob.

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Speaker 1: Maybe he'll know something we can to. Sasha knew from

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Speaker 1: the look she'd seen in Helen's eyes that further protest

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Speaker 1: against the Jacobeans would be useless, and besides, she thought

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Speaker 1: the most painful thing was Alexander's dishonesty. He's already hurt

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Speaker 1: me as much as he can. She tried to convince

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Speaker 1: herself of that, just as she tried to enjoy the

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Speaker 1: company of her friends without dwelling on the face of

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Speaker 1: the boy who betrayed her. She was less than successful.

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Speaker 1: Bedtime came, the girls washed up, said their good nights,

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Speaker 1: and snuggled up in their beds. As usual, Sasha's mind

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Speaker 1: stayed awake and active. She wasn't having second thoughts exactly,

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Speaker 1: of course, not never, but so much about today felt wrong.

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Speaker 1: Alexander and the sons of Jacob, of course, but also

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Speaker 1: that the brave men she'd worked on that afternoon would

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Speaker 1: never walk or see your talk again. This is war,

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Speaker 1: she reminded herself. A great deal of it is going

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Speaker 1: to seem wrong. The next morning and afternoon went by

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Speaker 1: in a haze of industrious activity, breakfast in bay iandages

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Speaker 1: and preparing medications for doctors and nurses. Sasha lost herself

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Speaker 1: in the work and for a few hours wasn't happy

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Speaker 1: or sad. Her shift at the hospital ended at five,

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Speaker 1: she took her nightly jeep ride back to the House

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Speaker 1: of Miriam, but rather than going right inside, she decided

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Speaker 1: to take a walk around the downtown strip. She had

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Speaker 1: a few ration scripts in her pocket, enough that she

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Speaker 1: could have bought coffee or even a meal in the

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Speaker 1: one functioning restaurant still in town. But she wasn't hungry.

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Speaker 1: She just wanted to walk. This part of the Heavenly

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Speaker 1: Kingdom looked less like a war zone and more like

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Speaker 1: a functional polus with every passing day. Most of the

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Speaker 1: piles of rubble and spent shell casings were gone. Now

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Speaker 1: there was still quite a lot of damage to all

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Speaker 1: the buildings and very few intact windows to be found,

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Speaker 1: but that strange spoiled milk smell was gone. Some shops

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Speaker 1: were open again, along with a small farmer's market about

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Speaker 1: ten minutes down from the House of Miriam. There were

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Speaker 1: people out too, Not many families yet, but she saw

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Speaker 1: a lot of sweaty, tired looking soldiers. They wandered in

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Speaker 1: small groups and clustered around the strips only functional calf bay.

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Speaker 1: There were refugees too, and new immigrants to the Kingdom.

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Speaker 1: Greeters in blue and white uniforms. The foot soldiers of

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Speaker 1: the Kingdom's Immigration Department led columns of them down the

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Speaker 1: main Dragon into old government buildings that had been repurposed

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Speaker 1: into housing collectives. Sasha felt herself filled with a strange

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Speaker 1: pride at odds with all the doubt that still roiled

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Speaker 1: in her gut. From right here, the Heavenly Kingdom looked

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Speaker 1: exactly like what had been promised to her. It was

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Speaker 1: still rough, raw and unfinished, but it overflowed with the

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Speaker 1: good intentions of godly men and women. Helen had been right.

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Speaker 1: Sasha could see that now, as ugly as Alexander's lies were,

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Speaker 1: as detestable as she found the whole idea of the Jacobeans,

196
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Speaker 1: the Heavenly Kingdom was still a thing of beauty. It

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Speaker 1: was still worth fighting for. She just had to accept

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Speaker 1: that it would never be perfect. And Hello, Sasha, she stopped.

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Speaker 1: The hair prickled up on the back of her neck.

200
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Speaker 1: Sasha turned around to face Alexander. Sasha had been lost

201
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Speaker 1: in thoughts, so it was hard to say for how

202
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Speaker 1: long they've been following her. Three other men were with him.

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Speaker 1: They all wore clean, pressed, new uniforms and sidearms at

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Speaker 1: their waists. She didn't recognize the rank insickneas on their shoulders,

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Speaker 1: but she did notice that each of them wore a

206
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Speaker 1: large gold badge in the shape of a lion's head

207
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Speaker 1: on their lapel. She'd seen a lot of uniformed martyrs

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Speaker 1: during her short time with the Heavenly Kingdom. She'd never

209
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Speaker 1: seen a badge like that before. Hello, Alexander. She tried

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Speaker 1: to keep her voice cool but respectful. Hello, brothers, Peace

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Speaker 1: be with you and also with you. The other young

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Speaker 1: men mumbled by habit, Are you walking alone right now? Medea,

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Speaker 1: Alexander asked, his lips curled up into an unctuous smile.

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Speaker 1: That worries me. These streets still on as safe as

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Speaker 1: they should be. Let us walk with you a while.

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Speaker 1: Sasha stiffened. There was something dark in Alexander's eyes. She

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Speaker 1: wondered if it had always been there and she'd just

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Speaker 1: ignored it before. Her heart began to race. Sweat beat

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Speaker 1: it on the back of her neck. There were a

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Speaker 1: lot of people around still, but she was away from

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Speaker 1: the most crowded part of the main drag. It wouldn't

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Speaker 1: be hard for three strong young men to move her

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Speaker 1: somewhere less visible. I'd prefer to walk alone, she tried

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Speaker 1: to keep her tone. Even Sasha felt like they must

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Speaker 1: still have heard the trembling in her voice. That's nonsense, Sasha,

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Speaker 1: Alexander said, No, woman wants to be alone when they

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Speaker 1: can enjoy the company of their protect us. He stepped

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Speaker 1: towards her, reached a hand out and brushed the hair

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Speaker 1: away from her eyes. Alexander stroked her cheek. His hand

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Speaker 1: drifted down to her shoulder, where he applied firm pressure.

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Speaker 1: Sasha wanted to pull away, but Alexander was much stronger

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Speaker 1: than she was. He had a gun, and two friends

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Speaker 1: with guns, and apparently the personal support of Pastor Mike,

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Speaker 1: so she stood still and tried to stop her heart

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Speaker 1: from beating quite so fast. Sasha, he said, in the gentle,

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Speaker 1: sweet voice that had helped to carry her here. You

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Speaker 1: deserve to be cared for. I know the full truth

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Speaker 1: was a shock to you, and I'm not angry at

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Speaker 1: your reaction, really, but you still hold it on to

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Speaker 1: fragments of the secular world. You need to drop that

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Speaker 1: veil from your eyes and accept that God wants this.

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Speaker 1: He wants men like us, Alexander gestured to his friends,

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Speaker 1: men with superior talents, to breed and fill the world

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Speaker 1: with more holy warriors. Sasha closed her eyes. She took

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Speaker 1: a deep breath in and out, and then another. Just

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Speaker 1: go with it. A part of her said, he won't

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Speaker 1: hurt you if you just tell him what he wants

248
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Speaker 1: to hear. She knew that wasn't right, though she hadn't

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Speaker 1: risked her life to cross into the heavenly kingdom just

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Speaker 1: to compromise her morals. Now, I am doing good and

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Speaker 1: valuable work here, she replied, in the calmest voice she

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Speaker 1: could muster. I don't want to be your third wife.

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Speaker 1: I know God has another purpose for me, and I

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Speaker 1: intend to seek it. At his hand clinched tight on

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Speaker 1: her shoulder, Sasha's eyes widened in fear. There was something dull,

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Speaker 1: black and hungry in his eyes. The two men behind

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Speaker 1: him straighten their backs and started glancing around, scoping out

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Speaker 1: the area. Sasha, Alexander said, I brought you here. You

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Speaker 1: are my responsibility. I don't believe you're thinking clearly. We

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Speaker 1: should take a walk and find somewhere private to talk

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Speaker 1: about all this. I've come indeed a home near by.

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Speaker 1: Come on, walk with me, he pushed at her. The

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Speaker 1: whole time he spoke and grew angrier with each passing word,

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Speaker 1: so that by the time he said walk with me,

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00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,480
Speaker 1: his voice had grown tight and cold. Sasha steadied her

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Speaker 1: heart met his eyes with as steady a gaze as

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Speaker 1: she could manage, and said, I don't want to walk

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Speaker 1: with you. Her heart was pounding so loud she was

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Speaker 1: sure Alexander and his friends could hear it. But Sasha

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00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,320
Speaker 1: didn't move. She was sure at any minute now he

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Speaker 1: would grab her full on and force her forward. But

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Speaker 1: before he had the chance, a familiar voice called out

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Speaker 1: to her, Sasha, is that you? It was doctor Brandt,

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Speaker 1: and all her focus on Alexander and his posse, she

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00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,840
Speaker 1: hadn't even noticed the electric hum of the doctor's jeep

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Speaker 1: as it pulled up behind them on the main street. Yes, sir,

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00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,240
Speaker 1: she cried, her voice a bit higher and more frantic

278
00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,360
Speaker 1: than she'd meant it to sound. What do you need

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Speaker 1: getting the back girl? You can flirt with soldiers later.

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Speaker 1: The Heavenly Kingdom needs your skills. We've got a bit

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Speaker 1: of an issue. Alexander's face went purple. The two men

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Speaker 1: behind him seemed confused. One put a hand on his gun,

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Speaker 1: but Alexander waved him back. He shot Sasha a vicious

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Speaker 1: look and then turned to doctor Brandt suddenly composed any

285
00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,680
Speaker 1: idea how long you'll need her? What are you a lieutenant?

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00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,400
Speaker 1: Doctor Brandt? Scoffed, She'll be gone as long as the

287
00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,560
Speaker 1: Kingdom needs her. I don't see a ring on either

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Speaker 1: of your fingers, so I'm fairly certain it's not your

289
00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,120
Speaker 1: place to care how long this takes Sasha. He beckoned

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Speaker 1: to her with his index finger. Come on now, girl, gladly,

291
00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,280
Speaker 1: she said with a genuine smile. Sasha darted past Alexander

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Speaker 1: and his men and hopped up into the back seat

293
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,040
Speaker 1: of the jeep. She tried to keep her head and

294
00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,560
Speaker 1: eyes down while the doctor's driver gunned the engine and

295
00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,480
Speaker 1: sped off down the main street. Once they were under way,

296
00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,560
Speaker 1: doctor Brandt turned back to her. Sasha. He asked, was

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00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,440
Speaker 1: anything going on with those young men? Anything untoward? I

298
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,200
Speaker 1: ask because you seem positively elated. I've picked you up

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00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,800
Speaker 1: to deal with a problem. Do I tell him the truth?

300
00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,400
Speaker 1: Sasha wondered, Do I admit I was lured to the

301
00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,480
Speaker 1: kingdom by a catfisher? He'll never take me seriously. Then,

302
00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,600
Speaker 1: this job was her favorite part of serving the Kingdom.

303
00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,080
Speaker 1: Sasha didn't want to do or say anything that might

304
00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,400
Speaker 1: disrupt it. And besides, Doctor Brandt was a busy man.

305
00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,800
Speaker 1: Lives were in his hands every day. I can't distract

306
00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,160
Speaker 1: him with this. No, no, everything's fine. I'm fine. Doctor

307
00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,080
Speaker 1: Brandt gave her a stern look. Sasha smiled a tense

308
00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,800
Speaker 1: smile in response. He shrugged and turned his head back

309
00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,080
Speaker 1: to the road. All right, he said, And then there

310
00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,360
Speaker 1: was a problem with one of your patient's blood tests. Oh,

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00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:35,800
Speaker 1: Sasha frowned. I'm so sorry. What did I do wrong?

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00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:40,040
Speaker 1: Nothing at all, doctor Branda shared her. But that vile woman, Marigold,

313
00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,640
Speaker 1: she's pregnant. Pregnant, Sasha was shocked. Most adult women in

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00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:49,120
Speaker 1: the American Federation had aphrodity rings installed. Sasha had refused hers,

315
00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,440
Speaker 1: but the government offered them for free. They provided complete

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00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,320
Speaker 1: control over reproduction and allowed women to select whether or

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00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,240
Speaker 1: not they wanted to be fertile. She'd assumed anyone with

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00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,640
Speaker 1: as many bile modifications as mayor Gold would have a

319
00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,560
Speaker 1: ring as well. Maybe she just wants a baby for

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Speaker 1: some reason. Sasha hadn't initially considered that a possibility. It

321
00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,159
Speaker 1: was hard to imagine someone has fallen as Marigold choosing

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00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,800
Speaker 1: to raise children, Yes, Sasha, doctor Brandt said, or at

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00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,639
Speaker 1: least that first test indicated so false positives do still happen.

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00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,119
Speaker 1: That's why we're headed back. We need you to administer

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00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:24,920
Speaker 1: another test so we can be certain. Well, shit, Marigold grunted.

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00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,960
Speaker 1: I didn't expect to see you back this soon. You

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00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,120
Speaker 1: need a friend, darling. The heathen woman looked the same

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00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,520
Speaker 1: as she had on their last interaction. Her hair was

329
00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,560
Speaker 1: less greasy, so they must have let her wash, but

330
00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,480
Speaker 1: she wore the same slip dress and sat in the

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00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,360
Speaker 1: same corner of the same cell. Sorry, no, Sasha said,

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00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:44,600
Speaker 1: I'm here to administer a pregnancy test. Mirrigold's eyes widened

333
00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,520
Speaker 1: for a few seconds. The woman was speechless, her mouth

334
00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,400
Speaker 1: opened and closed. She nodded and clutched her left knee

335
00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:54,520
Speaker 1: with her left hand. Okay, the captive said, right, where

336
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,080
Speaker 1: do you want me to do it? Do? Sasha looked

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00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:58,880
Speaker 1: down at the stick in her hand and then realized

338
00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,879
Speaker 1: how these things worked. I'm sure doctor Brandt doesn't expect

339
00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,720
Speaker 1: me to watch her. Pea, you can go over to

340
00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,080
Speaker 1: your normal space. I'll just I'll turn around. She handed

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00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,280
Speaker 1: Marigold the test and spun around on her heels so

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00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,720
Speaker 1: the other woman wouldn't see how much she'd already started

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00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,800
Speaker 1: to blush. Damn, girl, are you that squicked out by

344
00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,560
Speaker 1: the human body? What Sasha asked, without turning around. Your

345
00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,960
Speaker 1: face is as red as a damn beat. I'm sorry why,

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00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,760
Speaker 1: I don't know. Marigold laughed. You can turn around now,

347
00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:32,120
Speaker 1: I'm decent and done. Sasha turned around. Marigold smirked at her.

348
00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:36,399
Speaker 1: You know, she said, that instinct to apologize might actually

349
00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:38,399
Speaker 1: come in handy around here. I'm sure the sort of

350
00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,800
Speaker 1: men who jump in on this bullshit will appreciate it.

351
00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,040
Speaker 1: Sasha recovered her senses and felt a bit of anger

352
00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,639
Speaker 1: at Marigold's words. I don't appreciate you saying those things.

353
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Speaker 1: She said. The men here are good and brave and uh.

354
00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,280
Speaker 1: Sasha's voice caught it broke just a little. Marigold saw

355
00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,080
Speaker 1: and heard her doubt. The other woman didn't laugh like

356
00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,360
Speaker 1: Sasha expected. In fact, her smile fellow a. Marigold looked

357
00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,400
Speaker 1: at her with something like pity. I know you don't

358
00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,080
Speaker 1: believe that, she said. Sasha closed her eyes and took

359
00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,680
Speaker 1: a deep breath in. Then she replied, no men are perfect,

360
00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,080
Speaker 1: just as no women are perfect. But everyone here in

361
00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:16,920
Speaker 1: the Kingdom tries every day to abide by the Lord's will.

362
00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,120
Speaker 1: That's what elevates us above. Marigold interrupted, does your Lord say,

363
00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,800
Speaker 1: women don't get last names. We don't use last names

364
00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,600
Speaker 1: in the Kingdom because they distract us. We can't afford connect.

365
00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,760
Speaker 1: The men keep their surnames, don't they. That was true.

366
00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,359
Speaker 1: Sasha hadn't thought about it much, what with everything else

367
00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,440
Speaker 1: that was going on. But doctor Brandt went by his

368
00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,600
Speaker 1: last name, didn't he? And Alexander had a surname too.

369
00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,040
Speaker 1: She's trying to weaken your faith in the kingdom. Don't

370
00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,919
Speaker 1: give into the doubts of the serpent. It doesn't matter,

371
00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,359
Speaker 1: Sasha said, and immediately regretted it. Any response would surely

372
00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,840
Speaker 1: just egg Marigold on and sure enough, Oh it doesn't.

373
00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,440
Speaker 1: Then why is that the rule? Well, it's obviously because

374
00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:56,639
Speaker 1: we need some way to tell families apart from one another.

375
00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,159
Speaker 1: Marigold smirked. Now, And the only lineage that matter is

376
00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,159
Speaker 1: the man's, isn't it. Women are just appendages in your

377
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,320
Speaker 1: belief system. I am not an appendage, Sasha shouted, surprised

378
00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:09,960
Speaker 1: at her own anger. She heard shuffling feet, and a

379
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,040
Speaker 1: second later the guard had one hand on the door

380
00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,000
Speaker 1: and another on his rifle. Ever then, all raight, miss,

381
00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:18,520
Speaker 1: he asked, yes, Sasha called back to him over her shoulder.

382
00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,040
Speaker 1: I'm fine, Sorry, she's just Sasha fixed Marigold with a

383
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:27,080
Speaker 1: withering gaze. She's very frustrating. Marigold smirked at that, then

384
00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,679
Speaker 1: she held out the test. Sasha hesitated for just a

385
00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,560
Speaker 1: second before taking the strip from the other woman. Marigold

386
00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:40,399
Speaker 1: smiled at that too. You're pregnant, Sasha said, yep. Marigold nodded. Congratulations.

387
00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,480
Speaker 1: Sasha tried to sound genuine. Marigold's eye roll didn't help that, cause,

388
00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,400
Speaker 1: oh yeah, the other woman said, this is a real

389
00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,480
Speaker 1: joyous moment for me. I hope your people let me

390
00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,320
Speaker 1: live long enough to know whether or not my kid

391
00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,679
Speaker 1: will deserve a last name. You know, Sasha said, in

392
00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,320
Speaker 1: growing anger. This place isn't perfect, but if you've got

393
00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,800
Speaker 1: to know the people here, you'd understand they are the

394
00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,119
Speaker 1: best people I've ever met. I wish you could have

395
00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,200
Speaker 1: seen the welcome I received. I've never felt so loved.

396
00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,560
Speaker 1: Marigold asked, like, all you needed to do was show

397
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,160
Speaker 1: up to earn their acceptance. Yes, Sasha admitted, suspicious. Did

398
00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,400
Speaker 1: they sort of swarm you but in a nice way?

399
00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,000
Speaker 1: Everyone hugging you and holding you and offering you, say

400
00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,720
Speaker 1: physical affection? Yes, Marigold nodded, as if she'd just gotten

401
00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,399
Speaker 1: the answer to a longstanding question. They love bombed you what.

402
00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,359
Speaker 1: It's a tactic colts use, Marigold explained, you sort of

403
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,439
Speaker 1: overwhelmed someone with love and acceptance and camaraderie and all

404
00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,879
Speaker 1: that It nurtures loyalty and dependence. She shrugged. It's a

405
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,600
Speaker 1: smart way to manipulate young people in your position. You've

406
00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,760
Speaker 1: just fled your home and family for a strange and

407
00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,040
Speaker 1: dangerous land. You're scared and alone and isolated, and then,

408
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,920
Speaker 1: like magic, you've got a family in a support network.

409
00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,119
Speaker 1: You are so cynical. Sasha had the fight back, the

410
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,360
Speaker 1: urge to say damned cynical. This woman was making her

411
00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,040
Speaker 1: forget herself. She opened her mouth as if to deliver

412
00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,840
Speaker 1: a tongue lashing, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she

413
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,199
Speaker 1: just narrowed her eyes at Marigold and stared for a

414
00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,560
Speaker 1: few seconds. I'm leaving now, she said, I'm going to

415
00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,800
Speaker 1: go enjoy the companionship of my new family. You enjoy

416
00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,440
Speaker 1: this cell. Then Sasha turned on her heels and walked out.

417
00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,720
Speaker 1: She returned late to the house of Miriam. The other

418
00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,120
Speaker 1: girls had already finished dinner, Helen had left out Sasha's plate,

419
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,600
Speaker 1: a ham sandwich, carrot sticks and apple and a small

420
00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,000
Speaker 1: block of cheese, and she took it into the common room,

421
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,280
Speaker 1: where the other girls were talking and winding down from

422
00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:38,120
Speaker 1: their day. Look who finally showed up. May sneered when

423
00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,280
Speaker 1: she walked in. I guess you're too important to eat

424
00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,399
Speaker 1: with the rest of us now, I Sasha started to reply.

425
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,040
Speaker 1: Then she saw Anne and Susannah huddled in the same

426
00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,840
Speaker 1: corner where they'd all sat last night. There were tears

427
00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,240
Speaker 1: in Anne's face, and her eyes looked swollen in red.

428
00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,840
Speaker 1: She made no noise, but her back and shoulders shook

429
00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,240
Speaker 1: as she sat there, half shielded from view in Susanna's embrace.

430
00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,040
Speaker 1: Sasha gave maya withering glare, but turned and moved past

431
00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,119
Speaker 1: her towards her friends. She heard the other girl scoff

432
00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,080
Speaker 1: and say something to her coterie of friends. Sasha couldn't

433
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,640
Speaker 1: hear what, though, and she didn't much care. She squatted

434
00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,359
Speaker 1: down next to Anne and put a hand on the

435
00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:14,399
Speaker 1: back of her neck. Hey, she said, not sure of

436
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,399
Speaker 1: what else to say. Susannah met Sasha's eyes and offered

437
00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,760
Speaker 1: up a sad smile. Anne continued to sob. For a

438
00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,040
Speaker 1: few minutes, they just held her. Sasha burned with morbid

439
00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,480
Speaker 1: curiosity over what exactly had happened. She knew it must

440
00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,800
Speaker 1: have something to do with Kyle, and had been set

441
00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,320
Speaker 1: to meet with him today. Had he revealed himself to

442
00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,000
Speaker 1: be a son of Jacob too. He's dead, Anne whispered

443
00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,479
Speaker 1: in a cracked, broken voice. I went to meet him

444
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,720
Speaker 1: at the Cafe Clement, and there were two martyrs there

445
00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,400
Speaker 1: waiting for me. They both she stifled a sob. They

446
00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,080
Speaker 1: both smiled when they told me he'd been killed. They

447
00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,080
Speaker 1: said I should thank God for the blessing of a

448
00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:53,639
Speaker 1: death and battle. I'm so sorry Anne, Sasha said, Susannah

449
00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:55,400
Speaker 1: and I are here, though, we'll take care of you.

450
00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,080
Speaker 1: She hoped that might comfort Anne a little, but the

451
00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,600
Speaker 1: other girl lost herself in another fit of tears. Sasha's

452
00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,680
Speaker 1: heart broke for her. The pain over her own comparatively

453
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,639
Speaker 1: minor tragedy flowed into the empathy she felt for Anne,

454
00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,879
Speaker 1: and soon Sasha was crying too. She was sure some

455
00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,159
Speaker 1: of the other girls were whispering about them. Egged on

456
00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,040
Speaker 1: by May, she didn't care. After a few more minutes

457
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,720
Speaker 1: of tears, Anne managed to clear her throat and speak again.

458
00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,480
Speaker 1: The man the martyrs I met told me the same thing.

459
00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 1: She said. They told me I'd be taken care of,

460
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,160
Speaker 1: that they'd find God's choice for me among the martyrs,

461
00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,320
Speaker 1: and tried to tell them, I don't want anyone else,

462
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,119
Speaker 1: not now, I need to mourn, But they said, they said.

463
00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:35,879
Speaker 1: Anne's voice caught in her throat, and she fought to

464
00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,359
Speaker 1: throttle another sob before she continued. He said, the heavenly

465
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,080
Speaker 1: Kingdom might not be able to wait for my grief

466
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,840
Speaker 1: to pass. What's that supposed to mean, Susannah asked. Sasha

467
00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:49,520
Speaker 1: didn't say anything, because the only answer that occurred to

468
00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,000
Speaker 1: her was surely unhelpful. She had a strong suspicion that

469
00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,560
Speaker 1: the sons of Jacob had turned their eyes on Anne.

470
00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,040
Speaker 1: Sasha stared into Marigold's vagina. She'd seen it befo for,

471
00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,480
Speaker 1: of course, the first time they'd met, but it hadn't

472
00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,159
Speaker 1: been her focus then, and she'd tried very hard not

473
00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,800
Speaker 1: to look at it too much now, though the point

474
00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,639
Speaker 1: was to look. Doctor Brandt had picked her up halfway

475
00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,640
Speaker 1: through her shift at the hospital to conduct a pap

476
00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,239
Speaker 1: smere on the captured woman. She'd only had about an

477
00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,480
Speaker 1: hour to practice. It's a procedure I've done myself a

478
00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,240
Speaker 1: hundred times, doctor brand had told her, but that was

479
00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,399
Speaker 1: back in the am Fed. It's a simvil thing for

480
00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,200
Speaker 1: a man to touch a woman other than his wife.

481
00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,480
Speaker 1: That's why the Israelites used midwives. That's why we used midwives.

482
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,720
Speaker 1: And I think this kind of work might be why

483
00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,159
Speaker 1: God drew you here. His words made her proud. She

484
00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,320
Speaker 1: liked doctor Brandt for all his prickliness. She also liked

485
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,240
Speaker 1: to learn it and feeling like she had a useful

486
00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:42,400
Speaker 1: skill that made her special. So she'd paid close attention

487
00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:44,879
Speaker 1: as doctor Brandt had walked her through the procedure. It

488
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,359
Speaker 1: had been fun, and the act of learning had distracted

489
00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:49,720
Speaker 1: her from her worries about Anne and her own grief

490
00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,960
Speaker 1: over Alexander. Marigold shuddered as Sasha slid the speculum in

491
00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,240
Speaker 1: past her labia. You could stand to be a little gentler,

492
00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:58,840
Speaker 1: and would it kill you to, I don't know, warm

493
00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,679
Speaker 1: it up first or something. Doctor Brandt didn't say to

494
00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,240
Speaker 1: do that. Sasha kept her voice firm. This is for

495
00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,080
Speaker 1: the baby's good. I'm sorry if it's uncomfortable. This is

496
00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,920
Speaker 1: my first time. The woman snorted, Oh, well, in that case,

497
00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,640
Speaker 1: you're doing a great jow, maybe a little less hard,

498
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,959
Speaker 1: and mine slopes down. You're going against the grain the grain.

499
00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,880
Speaker 1: Marigold rolled her eyes in disdain, but didn't dignify Sasha

500
00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:25,440
Speaker 1: with a response, you're pushing the wrong way. Sasha readjusted,

501
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,520
Speaker 1: and Marigold gave a sigh of relief. That sucks less

502
00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,159
Speaker 1: at least, thanks. Sasha busied herself with the swabbing and

503
00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,119
Speaker 1: rubbing that came next. She worked slow, methodical, with as

504
00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,880
Speaker 1: much care and gentleness as the instruction she'd received from

505
00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 1: doctor Brandt would allow. She did her best to focus,

506
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,640
Speaker 1: but the other woman kept talking, You don't look old

507
00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:45,960
Speaker 1: enough to have graduated high school. I'm gon A guess

508
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,000
Speaker 1: they don't train teenagers to do pap smears in the

509
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:52,560
Speaker 1: am fed Marigold added, do they, with surprising earnestness, No,

510
00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,040
Speaker 1: Sasha grunted, And a guest, doctor what's his name, taught

511
00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,280
Speaker 1: you then, because why he's too scared of my demon

512
00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:00,320
Speaker 1: snatch to come in here and do with the jab'm's self.

513
00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,119
Speaker 1: Sasha's face reddened. She did not like the words snatch

514
00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,399
Speaker 1: or Marigold's casual mention of demons, but She kept her

515
00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,080
Speaker 1: eyes straight and stared into the other woman's vagina. I

516
00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,240
Speaker 1: have one too. It's not that big a deal, she

517
00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:15,560
Speaker 1: told herself. It's impressive you were able to learn that.

518
00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,280
Speaker 1: I'm serious. Real props, lady, you're the only woman I've

519
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,359
Speaker 1: seen do a damn thing around here. How do you

520
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,439
Speaker 1: trick them into treating you sort of like a person?

521
00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:26,879
Speaker 1: Sasha's ire Rose and Rose Lord, Calm my heart, she prayed.

522
00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,160
Speaker 1: I know she's just trying to set me off. It's

523
00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,760
Speaker 1: just desperation, she told herself. How long do you think

524
00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:34,920
Speaker 1: they'll let you keep playing like you've got a real life.

525
00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,159
Speaker 1: I'm gonna guess it won't be too long before somebody

526
00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:38,800
Speaker 1: puts a baby in you. You know that'll be the

527
00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:40,880
Speaker 1: end of all this, right, like your life, using your

528
00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,639
Speaker 1: brain all that, you're going to be a broodmare before

529
00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,400
Speaker 1: to stop. Sasha didn't yell, but she used her firmest voice,

530
00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,320
Speaker 1: and she was quite loud about it, despite herself. She

531
00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,159
Speaker 1: looked up from her work and at Marigold's face. The

532
00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,000
Speaker 1: other woman didn't look surprised or chagrinned. One edge of

533
00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,200
Speaker 1: her lips curled up into a wry grin. Her eyes twinkled.

534
00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,560
Speaker 1: Sasha had never actually seen someone's eyes twinkle before. There

535
00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,720
Speaker 1: we go. I wondered where the edge was the edge

536
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,360
Speaker 1: of what Sasha asked, without thinking, idiot, this is exactly

537
00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:13,639
Speaker 1: what she wants you to do, the edge of your patients,

538
00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,760
Speaker 1: the point where meekness ends. I was worried they've beating

539
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,919
Speaker 1: it out of you. No one beat me, Sasha insisted,

540
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,800
Speaker 1: And there's nothing wrong with being meek. The Lord asks

541
00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:25,760
Speaker 1: us to put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness,

542
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,080
Speaker 1: and patience. Maybe you wouldn't be in a cell if

543
00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:31,280
Speaker 1: you'd accepted that for yourself. I'm in a cell because

544
00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,760
Speaker 1: I came here to trade. We weren't waging any kind

545
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,640
Speaker 1: of war. We weren't harming anyone. We wanted freaking cheetos

546
00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,520
Speaker 1: in exchange for our latest coffee crop. Your people killed

547
00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,120
Speaker 1: the old government and captured us. Sasha closed her eyes,

548
00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,040
Speaker 1: breathed in and out, and tried to calm herself. For

549
00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,120
Speaker 1: some reason, Marigold's words made her feel anxious and angry.

550
00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,880
Speaker 1: She wanted to say the anger was towards the other woman,

551
00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,720
Speaker 1: but that wasn't quite right. Marigold had been sarcastic and caddy,

552
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,880
Speaker 1: but she had also been complimentary, thoughtful, and far from cruel.

553
00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,000
Speaker 1: I'm sure you'll be sent back to your people soon.

554
00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,560
Speaker 1: The heavenly Kingdom doesn't want any kind of fight with

555
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:09,040
Speaker 1: with your city yet. Sasha finished her work. She withdrew

556
00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,000
Speaker 1: the speculum and started gathering up her kit. I do

557
00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,400
Speaker 1: hope you're not laboring under the impression that this war

558
00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,800
Speaker 1: will ever end, Marigold said, because it won't, not while

559
00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,560
Speaker 1: your kingdom exists. You're wrong. Will take Austin soon and

560
00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,560
Speaker 1: then there will be peace. And what about San Antonio?

561
00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,640
Speaker 1: Sasha shrugged, heathen nation, But they haven't launched any strikes

562
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:30,600
Speaker 1: against us. If they'll let us be, will let them

563
00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:35,040
Speaker 1: be remain and expand? Marigold quoted one of the slogans

564
00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:38,120
Speaker 1: Pastor Mike had coined during the early days of the kingdom.

565
00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,200
Speaker 1: The other woman had a surprisingly deep understanding of their movement.

566
00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,959
Speaker 1: Marigold continued, The Kingdom of God will remain and expand

567
00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,240
Speaker 1: until it reunites this broken land from sea to shining sea.

568
00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,880
Speaker 1: That's your profit, right, You're mighty, Pastor sure, sounds like

569
00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,719
Speaker 1: a recipe for eternal war. Mexico, the Navajo, the California

570
00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 1: Republic and the King of goddamn Albuquerque don't seem likely

571
00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,000
Speaker 1: to sign up for a theocracy, and those are just

572
00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,320
Speaker 1: the big powers in the Southwest. Pastor Mike would have

573
00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,560
Speaker 1: had an answer to that, of course. He'd said that

574
00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,160
Speaker 1: as the Heavenly Kingdom grew, it would draw in millions

575
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,720
Speaker 1: from around the world and become a shining beacon to

576
00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,080
Speaker 1: the fallen peoples of the world. Fighting would be replaced

577
00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:19,200
Speaker 1: by peaceful annexation. She'd believed that once before she'd left

578
00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:23,520
Speaker 1: the American Federation. It had seemed sensible. With Alexander's romantic

579
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,000
Speaker 1: words in her ear and the fiery prose from Revelator

580
00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,720
Speaker 1: in her mind, how could she not believe? But now

581
00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,360
Speaker 1: she'd spent time in the reality of the Heavenly Kingdom.

582
00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,320
Speaker 1: She'd met beautiful people and seeing wondrous things, but she'd

583
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,160
Speaker 1: also helped treat a seemingly endless train of broken men

584
00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,320
Speaker 1: whose bodies had been shattered by war. She'd watched a

585
00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:44,720
Speaker 1: dozen people be executed by hanging. Sasha was anxious, and

586
00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,360
Speaker 1: Marigold must have picked up on it. The other woman's

587
00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,360
Speaker 1: eyes changed. There was something almost predatory in them. She

588
00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,360
Speaker 1: leaned forward I know I'm hitting nerves, Sasha. That's because

589
00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,240
Speaker 1: you're too smart for this ship. You got suckered into

590
00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:01,760
Speaker 1: a fucking nightmare. It's time to wake up. Sasha kept

591
00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,760
Speaker 1: Marigold's words in her mind. She headed back to the hospital.

592
00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,320
Speaker 1: A fresh wave of wounded men had been sent over

593
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,720
Speaker 1: from the Lake Houston Front, and she wound up working

594
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,400
Speaker 1: three hours later than normal just to help handle the load.

595
00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,720
Speaker 1: It was a whirlwind of bloody bandages, screaming martyrs, and

596
00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,880
Speaker 1: irate exhausted doctors trying to do too much with far

597
00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,480
Speaker 1: too little. By the time she got off shift, it

598
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:25,320
Speaker 1: was dark outside and downtown was almost deserted. Her driver

599
00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,280
Speaker 1: dropped her off in a weird spot at the other

600
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,720
Speaker 1: end of Main Street. It was a good two blocks

601
00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,239
Speaker 1: away from the normal location, but she chalked that up

602
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,920
Speaker 1: to the fact that this wasn't her normal driver. She

603
00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,600
Speaker 1: didn't really mind the extra walk. In fact, after a

604
00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,480
Speaker 1: long day under the hospital's fluorescent lights, a dark walk

605
00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,840
Speaker 1: and some fresh air seemed relaxing, So she strolled, and

606
00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:45,840
Speaker 1: she tried to forget the faces of the men she'd

607
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,240
Speaker 1: seen that day. For a few blissful minutes. Marigold's words

608
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,440
Speaker 1: fled from her head, and she lost herself and the

609
00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,640
Speaker 1: peace that came at the end of a good day's labor.

610
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,840
Speaker 1: The streets of the heavenly Kingdom felt safe. She'd done

611
00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,000
Speaker 1: meaningful work. The Lord must be hey, hey, no, please?

612
00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,760
Speaker 1: Is I really don't want to? Sasha heard a familiar

613
00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:05,920
Speaker 1: female voice cry out in distress. A man yelled something,

614
00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,160
Speaker 1: but she couldn't tell what. The woman let out a

615
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,320
Speaker 1: brief scream that was muffled by something. Her voice sounded familiar,

616
00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,600
Speaker 1: Very familiar was that an Sasha rounded a corner and

617
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,200
Speaker 1: saw them. It was Anne, all right. The girl had

618
00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,400
Speaker 1: a bag over her head, but Sasha clearly recognized her friend.

619
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,320
Speaker 1: Two men in black uniforms held her by either arm

620
00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:26,800
Speaker 1: and forced her to walk forward with them. Two other

621
00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,160
Speaker 1: men walked beside them. They all wore red berets. The

622
00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,520
Speaker 1: man who seemed to be their leader locked eyes with her.

623
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,840
Speaker 1: It was Alexander, Sasha, He said, in a clipped tone,

624
00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:41,480
Speaker 1: you're out late. She stopped, stared, and continued to thrash

625
00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,800
Speaker 1: between the men. Her cries were muffled by the bag,

626
00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,640
Speaker 1: but far from an audible She seemed terrified. You you

627
00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,080
Speaker 1: all need to let her go. Sasha insisted she belongs

628
00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,520
Speaker 1: at the house of Miriam. Alexander laughed, where do you

629
00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,440
Speaker 1: think we gotta from, silly girl. Two of the other

630
00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,240
Speaker 1: men laughed at that. They seemed nervous, though she see

631
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,840
Speaker 1: both hunger and a strange sort of anxiety in their eyes.

632
00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:08,360
Speaker 1: Alexander was all hunger. Alexander, please, please, what he asked,

633
00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:11,400
Speaker 1: with a wry smirk, Deny this girl the bliss of

634
00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,360
Speaker 1: servant God? Why would you want that for her? Do

635
00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,960
Speaker 1: you even believe anymore? Sasha, his lips, the lips she

636
00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,080
Speaker 1: dreamed about for months, the lips she'd watched say such

637
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:25,360
Speaker 1: lovely things to her. Curled up in disgust. Look at you.

638
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:29,040
Speaker 1: You're wearing surgical scrubs. You look like a man. You've

639
00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:31,920
Speaker 1: lost your proper place in the world. It disgusts me

640
00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,760
Speaker 1: that they let you do that work. Have you forgotten

641
00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:39,240
Speaker 1: what God himself calls on you to be Titus two five, Sasha,

642
00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,720
Speaker 1: Our Lord wants you to be discreet, chaste, homemaker's good,

643
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,880
Speaker 1: obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God

644
00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:50,040
Speaker 1: may not be blasphemed. Remember that, Sasha, none of you

645
00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:54,400
Speaker 1: are her husband. Alexander laughed, that's not true at all.

646
00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:56,360
Speaker 1: He put a hand on the shoulder of one of

647
00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:00,320
Speaker 1: the men restraining, and Tamashia married her. Today. We're just

648
00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,560
Speaker 1: helping the happy couple to their marital bed. Then why

649
00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:06,200
Speaker 1: is there a bag over her head? Why is she fighting?

650
00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:10,560
Speaker 1: Because it was a rather abrupt marriage, Alexander frowned, and

651
00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,759
Speaker 1: her mind is still polluted with ungodly ideas about how

652
00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,440
Speaker 1: a marriage should look. Thomas chose her. The spirit of

653
00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:20,160
Speaker 1: the Lord spoke to him when he saw her from afar.

654
00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,840
Speaker 1: It is right and good that they should be wed.

655
00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:25,839
Speaker 1: And he moves up to the front tomorrow Tonight will

656
00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,359
Speaker 1: be his first and maybe a last chance to help

657
00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:32,200
Speaker 1: the kingdom remain and expand. He held out a seal,

658
00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,480
Speaker 1: a golden badge in the shape of a shield with

659
00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:37,760
Speaker 1: a heavenly cross and blazoned on the front. This comes

660
00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,440
Speaker 1: from the pasta I have the authority to grant marriages

661
00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,640
Speaker 1: to any worthy men who wish them. He smiled again.

662
00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:48,000
Speaker 1: Sasha's heart fluttered. She felt nausea rise up inside her.

663
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,200
Speaker 1: So back away. Let us pass, and I'd suggest you

664
00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,359
Speaker 1: dedicate some more time to thinking about why God brought

665
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,520
Speaker 1: you here. When your time comes, I think You'd prefer

666
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,600
Speaker 1: doing this without the bag, but I'm fine other way. Really,

667
00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:06,520
Speaker 1: it was past dinner and passed bedtime when she entered

668
00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,160
Speaker 1: the house of Miriam. Helen was seated at her desk.

669
00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,600
Speaker 1: She looked up as Sasha entered, and in an instant

670
00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:13,920
Speaker 1: Sasha knew there was no use in reporting what had

671
00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:18,000
Speaker 1: happened to Anne. Helen's eyes were bloodshot and puffy with tears.

672
00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:22,239
Speaker 1: She knew, Sasha, the older woman said, I have some

673
00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:26,200
Speaker 1: bad news. I saw them, Sasha said, is that what's

674
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:28,120
Speaker 1: going to happen to all of us? Is this place

675
00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,319
Speaker 1: just a bolding area until we get married off? This

676
00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:33,960
Speaker 1: place is your home, Helen said, in a voice that

677
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,240
Speaker 1: was almost pleading. It's here, and I'm here to shepherd

678
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:39,520
Speaker 1: you to the next phase of your life. Don't you

679
00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:43,200
Speaker 1: believe I want the best for you? I do, Sasha said,

680
00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:46,320
Speaker 1: her voice softened. But Anne didn't want this, she told

681
00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:50,160
Speaker 1: me so. Didn't she deserve time to grieve? She did,

682
00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:54,359
Speaker 1: Helen said, But the Lord demands sacrifices from all of us,

683
00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:58,520
Speaker 1: sometimes more sacrifices than seemed fair. Anne is in a

684
00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,759
Speaker 1: dark place now, but the or it will send his

685
00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,759
Speaker 1: light to guide her Helen seemed to straighten up as

686
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,000
Speaker 1: she spoke. Sasha saw resolve settle into the older woman's

687
00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,399
Speaker 1: flint gray eyes. So may it be, she said, May

688
00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:14,360
Speaker 1: the peace of the Lord be with you. Sasha started

689
00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,200
Speaker 1: to walk off. She didn't trust herself to stay and talk.

690
00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:19,600
Speaker 1: She was sure more of her anger would bleed out

691
00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:22,319
Speaker 1: into the conversation, and she wasn't sure what Helen would

692
00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,640
Speaker 1: do if she got the impression that Sasha's loyalty had

693
00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:28,959
Speaker 1: started to waver. Sasha dear, she said, and Sasha looked back.

694
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,000
Speaker 1: You forgot your dinner. It's in a bag on the table.

695
00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:35,800
Speaker 1: Sasha took it and Aiden's silence as fast as decorum

696
00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,600
Speaker 1: would allow. Then she cleaned up for bed and headed

697
00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,279
Speaker 1: back into the dormitories. As soon as she saw the

698
00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,120
Speaker 1: light glinting off of Susanna's open eyes, she knew the

699
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:46,959
Speaker 1: other girl was awake. Sasha knelt down at her bed

700
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:49,960
Speaker 1: and the two shared a long look. Susannah held out

701
00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,480
Speaker 1: her hand and Sasha took it. What happened, she asked,

702
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:56,880
Speaker 1: They let us out early and drop us off down town.

703
00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,640
Speaker 1: Susanna's eyes were wet with tears, and and I had

704
00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:04,120
Speaker 1: a coffee and we visited the market. It was nice, normal,

705
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,759
Speaker 1: almost We headed for the House of Miriam once it

706
00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:09,840
Speaker 1: started to get dark, and she gulped. They were just

707
00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:14,560
Speaker 1: there waiting with Miss Helen. Susannah swallowed loudly and her

708
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,840
Speaker 1: eyes grew watery, but she didn't cry. Sasha was proud

709
00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:21,920
Speaker 1: of her friend. That was them, wasn't it. Susannah asked.

710
00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:26,200
Speaker 1: Those men were the sons of Jacob. Sasha just nodded.

711
00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:34,200
Speaker 1: How long until they take me too? Hey, I'm Robert Evans.

712
00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:36,239
Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope you enjoyed

713
00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:38,120
Speaker 1: the chapters to come. You can find the free e

714
00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,600
Speaker 1: pub of every chapter and eventually the whole book at

715
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:44,040
Speaker 1: a t r book dot com, complete with illustrations. If

716
00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:46,360
Speaker 1: you want to support me in writing the sequel, you

717
00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,239
Speaker 1: can crowdfund me at After the Revolution the Sequel at

718
00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:51,560
Speaker 1: go fund me. Just type and go fund me after

719
00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:54,640
Speaker 1: the Revolution the Sequel Um. I'd like my books to

720
00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:56,800
Speaker 1: always be free, so I'm just going to try to

721
00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,480
Speaker 1: crowdfund the next one and see how that works. So

722
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,879
Speaker 1: After Revolution the Sequel on go fund Me. You can

723
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,000
Speaker 1: also find the community of fans of this book online

724
00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:10,760
Speaker 1: at our slash after the Revolution on Reddit, So after

725
00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,239
Speaker 1: the Revolution, the sequel on go fund me, and our

726
00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,200
Speaker 1: slash after the Revolution on Reddit. A t r book

727
00:38:16,239 --> 00:38:17,800
Speaker 1: dot Com for the whole book. Thanks