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Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, Sasha the Lord did not mean for Sasha

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Speaker 1: to be a cleaner. That was her first big lesson

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Speaker 1: as a citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom. She was good

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Speaker 1: enough at it, and she had too much self respect

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Speaker 1: to complain, but the work felt so unrewarding that she

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Speaker 1: knew it must not be what God wanted for her.

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Speaker 1: She'd spent her first night in the Kingdom being pampered

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Speaker 1: and provided for by her fellow sisters in the Faith.

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Speaker 1: They'd fed her, cleaned her, found her fresh clothes, and

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Speaker 1: given her all the emotional rewards she could have ever wanted.

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Speaker 1: And then the next day, Helen had woken her up

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Speaker 1: at seven in the morning to help clean out an

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Speaker 1: old Republic barracks that was being transitioned over to housing

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Speaker 1: for soldiers of the Heavenly Kingdom. She knew it was

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Speaker 1: honorable work, she knew it was necessary work, and she

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Speaker 1: knew from the issues of Revelator she'd read that establishing

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Speaker 1: the Kingdom of Heaven was a job that would not

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Speaker 1: be accomplished easily or without pain. She'd accepted this when

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Speaker 1: she'd made the choice to venture down here, but by

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Speaker 1: the time she'd scrubbed her twelfth toilet of the day,

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Speaker 1: Sasha had to ida that her mind and her loyalty

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Speaker 1: were better used elsewhere. Oddly enough, something her father had

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Speaker 1: told her about the corporate world stopped her from whining.

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Speaker 1: Never complain, never speak ill of your colleagues, and always

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Speaker 1: ask if there's more work you can do. It had

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Speaker 1: been his advice to survive and thrive in business, but

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Speaker 1: she took it to heart here, and by the end

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Speaker 1: of her first full day in the kingdom, she'd scrubbed

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Speaker 1: more toilets than any other girl. She hated the work,

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Speaker 1: but she also took a reverse sort of pride in it.

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Speaker 1: That brought a little guilt because she wasn't here to

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Speaker 1: serve her pride, But also wouldn't the Lord God be

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Speaker 1: happy to see her commitment. I'll ask Helen about that,

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Speaker 1: Sasha told herself. She'll tell me how much of my

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Speaker 1: pride is justified and how much isn't. She didn't see

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Speaker 1: Helen again until the end of that day, when a

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Speaker 1: truck came to gather all the girls up and take

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Speaker 1: them back to the House of Miriam. They all washed

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Speaker 1: up and then sat together around a large oaken table

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Speaker 1: while Helen led them in prayer, She read a chunk

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Speaker 1: of the Book of Isaiah, and then gave a quick

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Speaker 1: lecture on the value of physical labor, each callous on

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Speaker 1: your hand as a kiss from God, before inviting them

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Speaker 1: to tuck in. The dinner wasn't luxurious by sasha standards,

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Speaker 1: just biscuits, a thin brown gravy, and a palm sized

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Speaker 1: slice of beef for each of them. But they had

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Speaker 1: oranges for dessert, which was a treat, and Sasha felt

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Speaker 1: more comfortable than she'd ever have believed. Among her new sisters,

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Speaker 1: Caroline had fled from Florida, North America's bananaist Republic. She'd

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Speaker 1: been shot in the arm making her way to the

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Speaker 1: Heavenly Kingdom. She said almost nothing. Sasha wasn't sure she

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Speaker 1: even spoke English. But Caroline worked hard. There was an

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Speaker 1: intensity in her eyes that was a little scary and

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Speaker 1: humbling at the same time. Then there was Susannah from

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Speaker 1: the black Stone Nation. Sasha couldn't help but notice she

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Speaker 1: was the only black girl there. Susannah had spent most

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Speaker 1: of their work day singing to herself. She had a

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Speaker 1: beautiful singing voice. And then there were the three other

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Speaker 1: am fed girls. Emmeline, Rosie, and Anne. They had all

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Speaker 1: left a few weeks before Sasha had made her own journey.

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Speaker 1: Anne had actually gone to the same middle school as Sasha.

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Speaker 1: She wasn't great with name so most of the other

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Speaker 1: girls in her group were still more of a collection

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Speaker 1: of smiling faces than real people at this point, But

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Speaker 1: they'd all been so warm to her. There was a

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Speaker 1: real effort from all of them to make regular physical contact.

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Speaker 1: They put hands on each other's shoulders and cheeks, They

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Speaker 1: hugged constantly. Sasha experienced more touching in her first twenty

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Speaker 1: four hours here than she'd experienced in her last five

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Speaker 1: years in the American Federation. There was something intoxicating about

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Speaker 1: being touched and feeling so cared for. The only girl

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Speaker 1: she didn't like was May. Like Sasha, May was within

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Speaker 1: spitting distance of age eighteen, She'd fled from the UCS,

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Speaker 1: and she had a gift for letting people around her

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Speaker 1: know when they fell short of God's standards. During their

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Speaker 1: work day, she'd spent more time policing the other girl's

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Speaker 1: posture than she'd spent scrubbing toilets. When Anne had hitched

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Speaker 1: up her shirt sleeves, it was May who had scolded

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Speaker 1: her for a modesty. When Susannah took off her shoes

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Speaker 1: and socks during their lunch break, May had yelled that

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Speaker 1: she was an unfair temptation to the young soldiers walking

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Speaker 1: by on the street. Sasha knew it was unfair and

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Speaker 1: definitely Unchristian to feel this way, but May looked like

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Speaker 1: someone who lived to tell other people what to do.

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Speaker 1: She had the pinched features, squinting eyes, and high pitched

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Speaker 1: voice of a born snitch. May kept her hair tied

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Speaker 1: up in a bun so tight and short it looked military.

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Speaker 1: She never smiled and never seemed to relax, and there

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Speaker 1: was something about the frenzied way she'd pray alone quietly

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Speaker 1: in the corner throughout the day that made Sasha leery.

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Speaker 1: She hated that she'd noticed those things. She knew God

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Speaker 1: didn't want her focusing on what other people were doing wrong.

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Speaker 1: And besides, she told herself, what are you really angry

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Speaker 1: about that? She's too serious about her faith. Isn't that

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Speaker 1: way you left home? Gluttony is a sin too, you know,

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Speaker 1: May said. Sasha realized with a start that May had

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Speaker 1: addressed her. She had been eating her orange and absent

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Speaker 1: minded and tired after a long day of labor. She

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Speaker 1: hadn't realized how messy she'd been about peeling it. Her

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Speaker 1: hands and sleeves were covered with a sticky juice. She

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Speaker 1: looked around at the table and noticed that the other

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Speaker 1: girls had been much more careful their dessert. Sorry, Sasha started,

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Speaker 1: I wasn't thinking. May rolled her eyes and started to

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Speaker 1: say something else, but Helen cut her off. It's quite

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Speaker 1: all right, dear. None of us is perfect. She cast

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Speaker 1: a reproach for lie at May. And we all lose

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Speaker 1: ourselves and thoughts sometimes, especially in the wake of great change.

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Speaker 1: The Lord understands. She looked out to the rest of

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Speaker 1: the table with a gaze that seemed to take in

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Speaker 1: each of the girls collectively and individually. Then she spoke,

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Speaker 1: we are all here because we recognize the primacy of

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Speaker 1: God's word on earth. But we are no more perfect

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Speaker 1: and no more beloved by our Lord than the enemies

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Speaker 1: we face. Never forget that, girls, our foes are as

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Speaker 1: dear to Him as we are. They must be purged

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Speaker 1: when they seek to interfere with God's will, But we

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Speaker 1: should feel sorrow for such losses, and we should never

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Speaker 1: ever Her eyes went to May again, let our fortune

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Speaker 1: in hearing God's word bleat us of compassion, or lead

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Speaker 1: us to arrogance. Sasha's heart swelled at this. She never

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Speaker 1: admired a woman more. Helen had a way of imparting

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Speaker 1: wisdom without judgment, of shining a light on the truth

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Speaker 1: without seeming like it was her truth alone. Helen wasn't

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Speaker 1: a preacher, but Sasha had never heard anyone speak the

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Speaker 1: word of God with more conviction. After dinner, they had

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Speaker 1: an hour of free time to read their bibles, share

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Speaker 1: a few stories of their old lives, and drink a

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Speaker 1: single cup of sweet lemon tea. By nine o'clock it

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Speaker 1: was bedtime. Sasha was rankled a bit by the fact

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Speaker 1: that she and her fellow young women were being ordered

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Speaker 1: into bed at a set hour, but she was so

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Speaker 1: exhausted by her day of labor that she couldn't work

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Speaker 1: up much frustration over the mild injustice. Perhaps, when she'd

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Speaker 1: had more time to adjust, she'd bring this up to Helen.

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Speaker 1: She collapsed in her bunk bed, certain she'd fall asleep

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Speaker 1: in an instant. Instead, she lay awake for the better

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Speaker 1: part of an hour, thinking of Alexander. She'd still heard

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Speaker 1: nothing more from him or about him. She'd asked Helen

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Speaker 1: a couple of times today, and the older woman had

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Speaker 1: almost seemed angry. Somehow, Sasha knew the anger wasn't towards her,

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Speaker 1: and that was doubly confusing Sasha. Anne's voice broke her reverie.

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Speaker 1: The other girl was situated just below her on the

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Speaker 1: bunk bed. Sasha was surprised to hear her still awake. Yes,

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Speaker 1: is something the matter? No, Anne said, I just couldn't sleep.

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Speaker 1: I thought maybe you were awake too. I guess we're

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Speaker 1: both in the same boat. Then Sasha kept her voice low,

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Speaker 1: more to avoid waking any of the others than out

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Speaker 1: of fear of breaking the rules in more ways than one.

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Speaker 1: Anne said, I'm waiting for a man I love too.

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Speaker 1: Sasha's heart beat a little faster. It was like that,

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Speaker 1: with everything that made her think of Alexander, her mind

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Speaker 1: didn't need a great deal of prodding to turn towards him.

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Speaker 1: Your love is at the front, too, Sasha asked, I

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Speaker 1: think so, Anne said, I was lucky enough to get

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Speaker 1: to see him once I arrived in Kappel first, back

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Speaker 1: before the Kingdom took Plaino. We met once then and

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Speaker 1: once more after the city fell and they moved us

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Speaker 1: into the House of Miriam, Jealousy seized Sasha's heart. She

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Speaker 1: tried to replace it with gratitude in the Lord, he'd

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Speaker 1: send her someone who can understand pain and frustration. Wasn't

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Speaker 1: that a blessing? That must be hard for you, she said,

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Speaker 1: getting to see him and then being separated. The words

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Speaker 1: came out a bit stilted and cold. She hoped Anne

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Speaker 1: hadn't noticed it is. Anne said, but it isn't half

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Speaker 1: so rough a place as you're in. I can't imagine

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Speaker 1: how anxious you must be arriving here and not seeing him.

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Speaker 1: He's not the only reason I came, Sasha said, a

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Speaker 1: bit defensively, But yes, it's hard. I'm scared. I don't

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Speaker 1: know why I feel so silly, Admitting that it's certainly

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Speaker 1: not silly, Anne assured her, But I get it. Everyone

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Speaker 1: here is so focused on gratitude and God's wisdom. It

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Speaker 1: almost makes you feel like a traitor for feeling afraid

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Speaker 1: or unhappy. Anne's voice dropped a few decibels, as if

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Speaker 1: she was ashamed of her next words, I almost feel

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Speaker 1: like a liar when I smile. I don't think the

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Speaker 1: Lord wants us to be liars, Sasha said, but I

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Speaker 1: think being happy, or trying to seem happy, is a

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Speaker 1: sacrifice we make for the kingdom. It helps keep everyone

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Speaker 1: else around us strong. Hmm, Anne said, and then yawned.

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Speaker 1: Her voice sounded heavy with sleep. There must have been

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Speaker 1: something contagious in the sound, because Sasha felt her own

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Speaker 1: eyelids start to droop. That's a nice way to look

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Speaker 1: at it, Anne said, I like the way you think, Sasha.

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Speaker 1: Helen woke all of them up the next morning. She

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Speaker 1: was gentle with it, a hand on each girl's shoulder

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Speaker 1: and a word in each of their ears, but there

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Speaker 1: was no mistaking that she meant now. So Sasha got up.

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Speaker 1: Her feet hit the floor just as Anne took her

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Speaker 1: first steps forward towards the dining room. They all filed in,

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Speaker 1: silent and groggy. The girls took their breakfasts in the

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Speaker 1: form of a thick, tasteless protein shake, and then they

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Speaker 1: were loaded onto a heavy military looking bus and driven

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Speaker 1: off to a large, red brick office building. According to

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Speaker 1: the bullet poxed signs, it had once been an administrative

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Speaker 1: building for the corporation that had run most of the

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Speaker 1: Republic schools. Sasha swept up bullet casings and shattered glass.

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Speaker 1: She scrubbed toilets and wiped the blood off the walls,

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Speaker 1: and tried not to think too hard about how it

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Speaker 1: had gotten there. Conversation wasn't forbidden, but there was a

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Speaker 1: lot of ground to cover, and May was quick to

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Speaker 1: scold anyone who dawdled. Sasha and Anne both kept moving,

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Speaker 1: but they passed each other in the halls often. Each

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Speaker 1: time the other girl would favor Sasha with a supportive smile,

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Speaker 1: and Sasha would return it. They broke for lunch a

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Speaker 1: little afternoon, stale cheese sandwiches and orange juice, but instead

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Speaker 1: of getting back to work after their meal, they were

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Speaker 1: met again by the bus that had taken them there.

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Speaker 1: They were told to file inside. Sasha wound up in

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Speaker 1: between Anne and Susannah in the middle row of the bus.

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Speaker 1: It was hot, the air circulation was bad, and the

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Speaker 1: smell of sweat was thick on the bus, but the

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Speaker 1: windows were down, and once the bus got going, the

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Speaker 1: air that blew in felt like Heaven, Lord God, I've

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Speaker 1: been waiting for this all day, said Susannah. I'd stay

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Speaker 1: on this thing all night if they led me. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: Anne said, this is actually a lot more comfortable than

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Speaker 1: the bunk room. Even when the powers working and the

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00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,080
Speaker 1: fans are on. Does the power go out a lot?

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00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,920
Speaker 1: Sasha asked. She felt dumb for even giving voice to

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Speaker 1: the question, but her seatmates didn't treat it like a

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Speaker 1: stupid question. Not a lot, Anne said, but we'll lose

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Speaker 1: an hour or two most days, and it can be

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Speaker 1: out for quite a while when Austin gets a drone through.

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Speaker 1: That doesn't happen often. Susannah assured her. I've been in

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Speaker 1: the Kingdom ten days and we've only had to take

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Speaker 1: shelter once twice for me. Anne said, but I've been

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Speaker 1: here almost three weeks. I'm not scared, Sasha assured them.

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00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:29,280
Speaker 1: I'm just curious. You should be scared. Susannah said, it sucks.

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Speaker 1: It wasn't a long ride, and Sasha was embarrassed at

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Speaker 1: how long it took her to realize the destination. This

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00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,440
Speaker 1: was the same route they'd taken from the House of Miriam,

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Speaker 1: just in reverse. She and the other girls were being

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Speaker 1: taken downtown. Won't she got a good look at the gallows,

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Speaker 1: she understood why there were six people lined up in

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Speaker 1: front of the little stairway that led to the platform.

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Speaker 1: They looked like prisoners. Susannah looked just as confused as Sasha,

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Speaker 1: but Anne seemed to understand what was going on. She

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Speaker 1: scrunched her face in disgusted. Oh no, she said, I

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Speaker 1: hate it when they make us watch this. The two

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Speaker 1: martyrs who had guarded them all day opened the doors

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Speaker 1: and told them to form up outside of the bus.

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Speaker 1: Sasha did as she was told, while grabbing as many

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Speaker 1: long looks at the gallows as she could manage. None

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Speaker 1: of the people who stood out in front of the

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Speaker 1: platform looked like soldiers, or robber barons, or much of

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Speaker 1: anything at all. They just seemed young and scared fags.

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Speaker 1: The martyr standing next to the driver at the bus

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Speaker 1: door grunted as Sasha stepped past him. He waited until

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Speaker 1: the other girls had all filed off the bus before

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00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,320
Speaker 1: he stepped around to stand in front of them. Sasha

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00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,920
Speaker 1: hadn't paid the man too much attention during the day, because,

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00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,040
Speaker 1: in truth, he scared her. He looked old, over forty

253
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Speaker 1: at least, and his face was heavy with scars and tattoos.

254
00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,280
Speaker 1: There were faded blue crosses inked on each of his forearms.

255
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Speaker 1: There wasn't much skin visible under his armor and helmet,

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00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,040
Speaker 1: but the skin she could see was tanned red like leather.

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Speaker 1: His eyes were cold and seemed fixed into a permanent squint.

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Speaker 1: When he addressed the group, it was with a voice

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00:12:57,800 --> 00:12:59,839
Speaker 1: that sounded like it came to them through a filter

260
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Speaker 1: of gravel and glass. These people, he said, and spat.

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Speaker 1: After the word people, gender traitors, there were a few

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00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,520
Speaker 1: gasps from among the crowd. He continued. It took us

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00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:12,960
Speaker 1: a while to crack into the Republic's old files, but

264
00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,120
Speaker 1: we finally got a list of all the fags who

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00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,840
Speaker 1: refused to accept their God given gender. They thought surgery

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00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,959
Speaker 1: could hide him. But there's no hide in the truth

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Speaker 1: from the eyes of God or his true servants, and

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Speaker 1: there's only one fair punishment for someone who turns their

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Speaker 1: back on natural law. Sasha's heart started to pound. She'd known,

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00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:35,000
Speaker 1: of course, that Pastor Mike didn't approve of transgenderism, of

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Speaker 1: gender change surgery, of homosexuality, or of anything else that

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00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,320
Speaker 1: didn't fit into the neat biblical lines of what a

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00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,200
Speaker 1: man and a woman ought to be, but it always

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00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,760
Speaker 1: phrased his objections with such compassion. Queer and trans people

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Speaker 1: weren't monsters deserving of death. They were victims of the

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Speaker 1: fallen secular world, same as anyone else. Sasha agreed they

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00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:59,600
Speaker 1: needed re education, but this the crowd, perhaps three hundred strong,

278
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,040
Speaker 1: eared as the prisoners were led up to the gallows.

279
00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,520
Speaker 1: Sasha's heart beat like a bass drum. She couldn't hear

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Speaker 1: anything else. The voices of the crowd, of her sister's

281
00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,680
Speaker 1: faded behind the beating sound of the blood that coursed

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00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,400
Speaker 1: through her head. But her eyes continued to work, and

283
00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,240
Speaker 1: she watched in horror as they fit nooses around each

284
00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,920
Speaker 1: victim's neck. The young people cried and screamed and begged,

285
00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,320
Speaker 1: but the martyrs paid them no mind. Some of them

286
00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,360
Speaker 1: chanted in tongues while they prepared the killing machine. Sasha

287
00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:29,400
Speaker 1: saw joy in their eyes. She found it revolting. Before long,

288
00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,600
Speaker 1: they'd finished their preparations, and six people were strung up

289
00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,120
Speaker 1: on the gallows before the brays and cries of the crowd.

290
00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,200
Speaker 1: Sasha didn't think it was possible for her heart to

291
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,240
Speaker 1: beat any faster, but it kept speeding up. She felt

292
00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,800
Speaker 1: light headed and nauseous, and a little like she needed

293
00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,360
Speaker 1: to go to the bathroom. Her knees grew weak, and

294
00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,360
Speaker 1: she found herself leaning on Anne. The other woman looked

295
00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,080
Speaker 1: almost as scared as Sasha did, but she weathered it better.

296
00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,080
Speaker 1: She put an arm around Sasha, supporting her, and the

297
00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,560
Speaker 1: two of them looked on as the executioner called out

298
00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,400
Speaker 1: and pulled the lever that sent six human beings dropping

299
00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,360
Speaker 1: down to dangle until they were dead. The snap of

300
00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,560
Speaker 1: their necks was the only thing Sasha heard above the

301
00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,560
Speaker 1: sound of her own pounding heart. She watched them twitch

302
00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,240
Speaker 1: and jerk for a second too, and then her body

303
00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,320
Speaker 1: grew too light, and her legs collapsed beneath her. The

304
00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:19,680
Speaker 1: world went black. She awoke back in the house of Miriam.

305
00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,040
Speaker 1: Her sisters knelt or stood around her. Sasha was gratified

306
00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,520
Speaker 1: to see she wasn't the only one who had passed out.

307
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,040
Speaker 1: Anne lay next to her, clearly disoriented, along with two

308
00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,560
Speaker 1: other women whose name Sasha hadn't quite memorized. Helen set

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00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,560
Speaker 1: in between them, wet washcloth in her hand, and stroked

310
00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,080
Speaker 1: their faces. There, there, DearS, you've had a terrible shock,

311
00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,320
Speaker 1: and there's no shame in your reactions. No shame may

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00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,480
Speaker 1: spat the words. There was a glow to her face

313
00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,080
Speaker 1: and a manic glint in her eyes. Ma'am, with all

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00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,000
Speaker 1: due respect, I don't know how these girls can call

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00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,360
Speaker 1: themselves committed to the heavenly kingdom if the sight of

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00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:56,320
Speaker 1: defying justice hurts them so much. Sasha saw anger in

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00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,840
Speaker 1: Helen's eyes, but the older woman didn't let it carry

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00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,680
Speaker 1: over into her voice. Instead, she fixed May with a

319
00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,920
Speaker 1: cool gaze and said in an even tone, Miss May,

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00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,160
Speaker 1: one can believe in our Lord's justice and still regret

321
00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,080
Speaker 1: the pain that comes with it. That does not signal

322
00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,600
Speaker 1: a lack of devotion. It signals compassion, a trait Jesus

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00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,320
Speaker 1: Christ had an abundance. May frowned and pursed her lips,

324
00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,760
Speaker 1: but she kept them shut for now. Helen turned back

325
00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,600
Speaker 1: to Sasha and the other girls who had fallen. Death

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00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,200
Speaker 1: is never easy to witness, girls. It should be a

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00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,240
Speaker 1: horrible thing to witness. She glanced back to May. And

328
00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,560
Speaker 1: we should all be worried if a day ever comes

329
00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,400
Speaker 1: when we can see such violence without pain in our hearts.

330
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Speaker 1: But these are dire times. The world has fallen too

331
00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,720
Speaker 1: much for pacifism to bring back the rule of God,

332
00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,840
Speaker 1: and so we must use violence. Do you understand? Sasha nodded.

333
00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,440
Speaker 1: She heard the other girls give stuttering, hollow replies. Even

334
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,640
Speaker 1: the girls who'd managed to stay standing looked shaken. May

335
00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,040
Speaker 1: was the only one who wore a smile. They gave

336
00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,080
Speaker 1: her a wide berth the rest of the day. Whoever

337
00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,600
Speaker 1: was in charge of their schedule paid some deference to

338
00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,920
Speaker 1: the fact that they had been forced to watch in execution.

339
00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,119
Speaker 1: There was no more cleaning that day. They spent the

340
00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,760
Speaker 1: rest of the daylight hours seated around the common area

341
00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,560
Speaker 1: in the House of Miriam sewing uniforms. Sasha had never

342
00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,080
Speaker 1: sewn before, but Anne sat next to her and taught

343
00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,959
Speaker 1: her the basics. Her hands were still shaking when they

344
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,119
Speaker 1: got to work, but Anne helped her and eventually, focusing

345
00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,920
Speaker 1: on the meticulous task allowed her to blot out the horror.

346
00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,199
Speaker 1: Once she got a good grip on the basics of

347
00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,200
Speaker 1: what was required of her, she was able to lose

348
00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,000
Speaker 1: herself and quiet productive flow. She was almost disappointed when

349
00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,920
Speaker 1: Helen called them to dinner. They ate the same food

350
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,600
Speaker 1: as the day before. They prayed, and then they had

351
00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,760
Speaker 1: an hour of relatively free time. They couldn't leave the

352
00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:42,919
Speaker 1: House of Miriam since it was after eight, but they

353
00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,040
Speaker 1: could talk. Sasha gravitated naturally to Susannah and Anne. The

354
00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:50,600
Speaker 1: topic of conversation turned at once to the execution. Is

355
00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:55,000
Speaker 1: that always what it's like, Susannah asked. Anne nodded, her

356
00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,680
Speaker 1: voice shook a little when she said, I passed out

357
00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,280
Speaker 1: last time too. I thought it'd be easy year the

358
00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,960
Speaker 1: second time around, but it really wasn't it feels wrong,

359
00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,760
Speaker 1: Sasha whispered. She glanced over to May, who was holding

360
00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,240
Speaker 1: court with a few of the other girls at the

361
00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,640
Speaker 1: other end of the common area. I'm not saying it's

362
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,360
Speaker 1: okay what those people were doing, but surely they deserved

363
00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:17,359
Speaker 1: a chance to repent. Susannah nodded. I don't think Jesus

364
00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,720
Speaker 1: would want us to murder people just for being wrong.

365
00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:22,440
Speaker 1: It's one thing to kill an atheist or an apostate

366
00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,720
Speaker 1: who's attacking you. It's another thing to just Her voice

367
00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,679
Speaker 1: caught a bit hank people. Anne shook her head in

368
00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:34,480
Speaker 1: an absent sort of way. Kyle told me it was necessary. Kyle,

369
00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,960
Speaker 1: Susannah asked, my intended Anne said, I watched the first

370
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,200
Speaker 1: execution with him when I passed out. He was so sweet.

371
00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,920
Speaker 1: I came to when he was holding me, petting my head.

372
00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,680
Speaker 1: Anne's eyes shone with love, and Sasha had to fight

373
00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,399
Speaker 1: hard to keep the jealousy from her own face. He

374
00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,280
Speaker 1: explained that the Heavenly Kingdom couldn't afford to re educate

375
00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,399
Speaker 1: the fallen. They are too many and we are too surrounded.

376
00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,480
Speaker 1: If someone is capable of changing, God will know, and

377
00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,000
Speaker 1: he will sure they get their just reward in heaven.

378
00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:06,520
Speaker 1: Sasha was not entirely convinced, but she also wasn't willing

379
00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:08,960
Speaker 1: to argue with Anne. It felt a little dicey just

380
00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,040
Speaker 1: admitting her continued discomfort with the executions, so she stayed quiet,

381
00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,720
Speaker 1: and the talk turned to more comfortable matters, what they

382
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,959
Speaker 1: expected from the next day's work and what sort of

383
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,199
Speaker 1: lives they lead. When the fighting was over and they

384
00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,840
Speaker 1: were settled down with the Gallant warriors, they knew they'd

385
00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,159
Speaker 1: marry soon. The girls all filed off to their small

386
00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,800
Speaker 1: snug beds after a long day of work and stress.

387
00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,919
Speaker 1: The bed felt so good that it made Sasha feel guilty.

388
00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,520
Speaker 1: Alexander was fighting right now, he'd surely seem more death

389
00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,399
Speaker 1: than she had, and he didn't have the option of

390
00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,240
Speaker 1: fainting or crying about it. As she drifted off to

391
00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,359
Speaker 1: sleep again, Sasha promised herself that she would never faint

392
00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,200
Speaker 1: or cry out in the face of death again. If

393
00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,960
Speaker 1: this was the way God had ordained, his kingdom must come,

394
00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,439
Speaker 1: she owed it to herself and to her Lord to

395
00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,280
Speaker 1: stand and see it. The next day, they all went

396
00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,359
Speaker 1: back to the same battered administrative building as the day before.

397
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,560
Speaker 1: Sasha scrubbed and swept, ate her lunch and got right

398
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,639
Speaker 1: back to work. She forced herself into enthusiasm for the

399
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,080
Speaker 1: menial labor with the same discipline she'd used when it

400
00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:09,919
Speaker 1: had been time to study for an exam and a

401
00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,880
Speaker 1: class she hated. The same tactic worked in both high

402
00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,240
Speaker 1: school and the Heavenly Kingdom. About two hours before the

403
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,000
Speaker 1: end of their workday, Sasha's rhythm was interrupted by the

404
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,840
Speaker 1: sound of a crash and a scream from one of

405
00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:22,840
Speaker 1: the girls in the bathroom next door to the room

406
00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,040
Speaker 1: she was in. Sasha dropped her scrub brush and darted over.

407
00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,760
Speaker 1: She was the first one into the room. It took

408
00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:30,880
Speaker 1: her a moment to piece together what must have happened.

409
00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,399
Speaker 1: Susannah had been scrubbing a sink that had been badly

410
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,240
Speaker 1: damaged by shellfire. The sink had collapsed while she had

411
00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,600
Speaker 1: scrubbed it, and a jagged edge of porcelain had torn

412
00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,960
Speaker 1: open the girl's hand. There was already an enormous amount

413
00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,080
Speaker 1: of blood. By the time Sasha arrived. Susannah looked pale.

414
00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,480
Speaker 1: She backed up against the wall and was just screaming wordlessly.

415
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,919
Speaker 1: Sasha had taken three semesters of premed classes in the

416
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,720
Speaker 1: last two years. She had a good basic instruction and

417
00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,480
Speaker 1: first aid. She pulled her shirt off over her head

418
00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,840
Speaker 1: and wrapped it around the gash on the other girl's hand.

419
00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,200
Speaker 1: It was the spare shirt she had brought from home,

420
00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,879
Speaker 1: and it had an antimicrobial weave that should make it

421
00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,000
Speaker 1: relatively safe as a wound dressing. She pulled it tight,

422
00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,800
Speaker 1: watted the extra fabric up over the wound, and applied

423
00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,960
Speaker 1: as much pressure as she could. Susannah kept screaming, but

424
00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,040
Speaker 1: the flow of blood from her wound slowed. Breathe with me,

425
00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,240
Speaker 1: Sasha told Susannah as she stared into the other girl's eyes.

426
00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,960
Speaker 1: In she inhaled, and out she exhaled. She repeated this

427
00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,320
Speaker 1: several times until Susanna stopped screaming and started breathing in

428
00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,080
Speaker 1: time with her. Several of the girls had crowded around

429
00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,560
Speaker 1: the entrance to the bathroom at this point, when Sasha

430
00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,640
Speaker 1: glanced up, she could see May's face in the back

431
00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,680
Speaker 1: of the crowd. She looked disgusted, probably at the fact

432
00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,399
Speaker 1: that Sasha had torn off her shirt. Please call for

433
00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,520
Speaker 1: the martyrs, Sasha asked, no one in particular. Tell them

434
00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,080
Speaker 1: Susanna needs medical attention. I don't think she has any

435
00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,720
Speaker 1: clotting agents in her blood. No one moved, so Sasha

436
00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,520
Speaker 1: locked eyes with Anne and told her, please go now.

437
00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:56,000
Speaker 1: We shouldn't take any chances with a wound like this.

438
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,800
Speaker 1: Anne nodded, broke away from the glawking group and stumbled

439
00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,240
Speaker 1: off to find help. Sasha looked back to Susannah. She

440
00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,640
Speaker 1: coaxed the other girl to sit down against the wall

441
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,280
Speaker 1: and sat down next to her, applying pressure to her

442
00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,760
Speaker 1: hand the entire time. Sasha's shirt was now soaked through

443
00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,679
Speaker 1: with hot, sticky blood. Her hands were wet too, but

444
00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,040
Speaker 1: she didn't feel squeamish about this. She'd expected to after

445
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,680
Speaker 1: her reaction to the hangings, but somehow the sight of

446
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,520
Speaker 1: all this blood actually combed her. She knew what to

447
00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,199
Speaker 1: do here. It felt good to take effective action. The

448
00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,639
Speaker 1: martyrs arrived a minute or so later, with a medic

449
00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,640
Speaker 1: close behind by that point, Susanna's bleeding had stopped entirely.

450
00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,840
Speaker 1: The medic was impressed and he said, so you have

451
00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,399
Speaker 1: some kind of training, ma'am, you handled this very well.

452
00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,719
Speaker 1: Three semesters of premed. She had answered, it was only

453
00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,760
Speaker 1: high school premed, but they made us do a lot

454
00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,760
Speaker 1: of first aid drills. The medic gave her a significant

455
00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:52,159
Speaker 1: look and then asked, what's your name, miss Sasha? She

456
00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,840
Speaker 1: had started before correcting herself Sasha. Susannah was taken off

457
00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,240
Speaker 1: to whatever served as a hospital for the Heavenly Kingdom

458
00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,280
Speaker 1: while Sasha and the rest of the girls finished their

459
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,880
Speaker 1: work day. It was uneventful after that, but the other

460
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,959
Speaker 1: girl's attitudes towards her seemed to have shifted. Anne had

461
00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,040
Speaker 1: given her a big hug, of course, but everyone was

462
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,720
Speaker 1: more respectful. Several of them came to her to ask

463
00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,600
Speaker 1: minor things, advice on how best to clean a room

464
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,320
Speaker 1: or clear a pile of rubble. At one point, Sasha

465
00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:19,840
Speaker 1: had divided four girls up into two teams to remove

466
00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,080
Speaker 1: a huge amount of shattered glass. While she directed the effort,

467
00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,240
Speaker 1: may had walked by the room and butted her head in.

468
00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:27,760
Speaker 1: Just because she knows a little first day doesn't make

469
00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,240
Speaker 1: her a foreman. She sneered. The other girls didn't pay

470
00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,560
Speaker 1: May any mind. They left for the day at the

471
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,080
Speaker 1: usual time and arrived back at the house of Miriam

472
00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,679
Speaker 1: in the early evening. Helen was waiting for them at

473
00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,159
Speaker 1: the door. Behind her stood an older man in a

474
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,600
Speaker 1: white lab coat. He had a cross pinned to his

475
00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,160
Speaker 1: lapel and a larger red cross on his arm band.

476
00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,160
Speaker 1: As the girls all filed into the building, Sasha saw

477
00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,280
Speaker 1: Helen point to her and whisper something to the man.

478
00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:55,840
Speaker 1: He nodded, Miss Sasha, he called out. As she headed

479
00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,360
Speaker 1: to her seat at the dinner table. Sasha pealed off

480
00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,639
Speaker 1: and approached him. Helen stood nearby, distant enough to make

481
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,200
Speaker 1: it clear that this conversation was between her and the man,

482
00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,959
Speaker 1: but close enough that her presence provided a warm kernel

483
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,280
Speaker 1: of certainty and support. Yes, Sasha asked. The man had

484
00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:14,080
Speaker 1: a sharp, narrow jaw and a long nose. There were

485
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,080
Speaker 1: deep bags under his eyes, and his hair was at

486
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,000
Speaker 1: the grayest end of pepper gray. He wasn't very large,

487
00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,760
Speaker 1: but he used his physicality well. He moved like he

488
00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,840
Speaker 1: was used to controlling the room. Sasha, I'm Dr Brandt,

489
00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,280
Speaker 1: one of our medics, was very impressed with your work

490
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,199
Speaker 1: earlier today on the injured girl. Sir all I did

491
00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,760
Speaker 1: was trying to stanish the bleeding. Anyone could have handled that.

492
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,040
Speaker 1: It didn't require any special knowledge. No, he interrupted her,

493
00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,600
Speaker 1: it did not. The knowledge of how to stim bleeding

494
00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,840
Speaker 1: is not rare or special, but the willingness to jump

495
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,200
Speaker 1: in during an emergency and to get blood on one's

496
00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,199
Speaker 1: own hands is rather rare. I understand you have some

497
00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,600
Speaker 1: form of medical training, very little, Sir. I took three

498
00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,480
Speaker 1: semesters of pre medical courses in high school. I was

499
00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:59,160
Speaker 1: thinking about a medical career before. I yes, well, three

500
00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,360
Speaker 1: semesters of an kind of training almost makes you a doctor. Here,

501
00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,000
Speaker 1: we're not exactly flooded with qualified medical experts. Doctor Brandt

502
00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,159
Speaker 1: lacked Helen's gift for interrupting without seeming rude, but he

503
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,400
Speaker 1: was clearly a busy man, and the fact that he'd

504
00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,080
Speaker 1: offered praise made it hard for Sasha to take offense.

505
00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,479
Speaker 1: Miss Helen. He snapped back at the older woman, I'm

506
00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,000
Speaker 1: putting this one on special duty. Would that be all right?

507
00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:25,240
Speaker 1: Of course, doctor Brandt. Helen said she smiled at Sasha,

508
00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,200
Speaker 1: and there was honest pride in that smile. More pride

509
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,840
Speaker 1: than she had ever seen in her mother's eyes. Sasha

510
00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,399
Speaker 1: resisted the urge to tear up. In response, Doctor Brandt

511
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,080
Speaker 1: turned to Sasha next and asked, what do you know

512
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,200
Speaker 1: about the people of the road. She frowned. Post humans

513
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,639
Speaker 1: were a popular topic of discussion in her high school.

514
00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,720
Speaker 1: Sasha had seen waste Land Warriors a couple of years back,

515
00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,040
Speaker 1: and benis enthralled as everyone else, but her school curriculum

516
00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,400
Speaker 1: didn't talk much about them and definitely downplayed their influence

517
00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:55,920
Speaker 1: in the rest of the continent. Her father had called

518
00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,399
Speaker 1: them a bunch of idiots dancing around the desert to

519
00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,520
Speaker 1: win drugs and robbing people. She decided to use a

520
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,040
Speaker 1: variant of that for her answer. Their drug addled pagans

521
00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:08,880
Speaker 1: fornicating and spurning the will of God. Doctor Brandt smiled.

522
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 1: He had such a serious face and such stern features

523
00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,520
Speaker 1: that Sasha was shocked by the honest kindness of that smile.

524
00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,720
Speaker 1: I'd say that's basically accurate, he chuckled, perhaps even a

525
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,480
Speaker 1: bit charitable. It turns out one of these groups sent

526
00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,040
Speaker 1: some emissaries into Plano just before the city fell. They

527
00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,640
Speaker 1: were on some trade mission. They wound up getting stuck

528
00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:29,760
Speaker 1: in a pin with a few other prisoners. We didn't

529
00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,600
Speaker 1: even realize who we had until their people contacted us

530
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,640
Speaker 1: and demanded their release. Sasha's eyes widened. All she could

531
00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,280
Speaker 1: think of were the grainy video fragments from one section

532
00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:42,520
Speaker 1: of Waste Land Warriors. It was supposedly a recording of

533
00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,000
Speaker 1: an attack on an Agis Biosystem's convoy headed from Milwaukee

534
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,919
Speaker 1: to Denver. The convoy had been well armed, but it

535
00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,439
Speaker 1: had been taken apart in a matter of seconds. The

536
00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,359
Speaker 1: assailants moved so fast that the documentarians had needed to

537
00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,600
Speaker 1: slow the video to make them visible as anything but

538
00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,879
Speaker 1: flashes on the screen. How could something that fast and

539
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,600
Speaker 1: deadly be captured? Doctor Brandt answered her question before she

540
00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,400
Speaker 1: could ask it. I'm going to guess her wondering how

541
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,680
Speaker 1: he managed to capture three of those Frankenstein abominations. Yes, sir,

542
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,280
Speaker 1: Sasha said, well, Doctor Brandt popped the glasses off his

543
00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,639
Speaker 1: face and buffed the lenses on his shirt while he spoke.

544
00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,000
Speaker 1: Most members of any given group aren't quite like that. Oh,

545
00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:23,600
Speaker 1: they're all Pagans are atheists, just some kind of heathen.

546
00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,119
Speaker 1: They have a lot of aesthetic modifications. Led tattoos and

547
00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,480
Speaker 1: body lighting and some sensory upgrades, but few of them

548
00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:36,600
Speaker 1: have military style implants. I see, as you know, cities

549
00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:39,920
Speaker 1: and civilized nations tend to ban those implants within their borders.

550
00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,080
Speaker 1: Doctor Brandt slid his glasses back into place on his nose.

551
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:45,480
Speaker 1: So the people of the road have to send their

552
00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:49,240
Speaker 1: less modified citizens out to negotiate, et cetera. Which means

553
00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,240
Speaker 1: we've got a bit of a tiger by the tail

554
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:55,760
Speaker 1: situation here. What do you mean, Sir Sasha asked, Well,

555
00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,119
Speaker 1: the stories about these types are absolutely true. Some of

556
00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,320
Speaker 1: them have hundreds of warriors packed to the gills with

557
00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,119
Speaker 1: nightmare technology. There are individuals who are capable of taking

558
00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:09,080
Speaker 1: on entire companies of human war fighters. The tribe these

559
00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:12,960
Speaker 1: particular captives hail from, well, their name is quite obscene.

560
00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,800
Speaker 1: The City of Wheels would be the most polite variant

561
00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:17,960
Speaker 1: there is lost as it gets when it comes to

562
00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,520
Speaker 1: the Word of God. But they've got about six hundred

563
00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,320
Speaker 1: post human citizens. Sasha thought back to what a dozen

564
00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,920
Speaker 1: of those things had done to that convoy. She tried

565
00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,399
Speaker 1: to imagine the carnage six hundred of them could unleash

566
00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:34,000
Speaker 1: upon the heavenly Kingdom. A shiver ran down her spine exactly.

567
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,320
Speaker 1: Doctor Brandt nodded at her like I said, we've got

568
00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,400
Speaker 1: a tiger by the tail. They might not intervene while

569
00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,680
Speaker 1: we have their people, so we've got to make sure

570
00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,800
Speaker 1: our captives are well taken care of. That's where you

571
00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:50,040
Speaker 1: come in me. Two of the captives are women, Sasha.

572
00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,480
Speaker 1: They'll need to be inspected by someone besides me. We

573
00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,880
Speaker 1: do have some qualified female nurses, but an sdf drone

574
00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,440
Speaker 1: at one of our troop transports about two hours ago,

575
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,160
Speaker 1: and I'm afraid they're both in the thick of that mess.

576
00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:05,400
Speaker 1: So you're coming with me to handle this job. I'm

577
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,840
Speaker 1: proud to do it, sir. She wasn't sure what else

578
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,840
Speaker 1: to say, and besides, it was true. The first captive

579
00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:13,960
Speaker 1: sat on a small concrete bench in the back of

580
00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,440
Speaker 1: an eight by ten cell. Her hair had been shaved

581
00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,800
Speaker 1: into a mohawk, but the purple hair was deflated and greasy. Now.

582
00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:22,240
Speaker 1: There was stubble on the sides of her head. Her

583
00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,120
Speaker 1: face was round but lean. There were slight laugh lines

584
00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:26,920
Speaker 1: at the corners of her cheeks in the edges of

585
00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,960
Speaker 1: her eyes. She wore a sleeveless purple and black dress

586
00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,880
Speaker 1: that was by now filthy. Her arms were covered in

587
00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:36,280
Speaker 1: a strange series of tattoos, dozens of branching lines that

588
00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:40,800
Speaker 1: each terminated in a box. They looked almost like circuit diagrams.

589
00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,960
Speaker 1: Sasha quickly realized that each box held a little led screen.

590
00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:47,920
Speaker 1: Most of the screens were set to a dull red color,

591
00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:50,600
Speaker 1: but once she stepped into the women's cell, they flashed

592
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:54,200
Speaker 1: bright orange. The woman looked up and snarled at doctor Brandt.

593
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,600
Speaker 1: Fuck do you want shipbird? She looked over to Sasha

594
00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:02,800
Speaker 1: and then added, sorry, ship birds, Sasha. Doctor Brandt sighed,

595
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,880
Speaker 1: kneading the bridge of his nose. Meet Marigold Fulton. Jesus

596
00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,240
Speaker 1: fucking Christ, what are you? Six? Fucking ten? Marigold said

597
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,840
Speaker 1: to Sasha. Then she looked to doctor Brandt. That's fucked up, man.

598
00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,640
Speaker 1: Doctor Brandt winced at both curses. Sasha glanced down and

599
00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,520
Speaker 1: saw that his right hand was bawled up into a

600
00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:24,040
Speaker 1: fist and clinched tight. Marigold, this is Sasha, he said,

601
00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,840
Speaker 1: through gritted lips. She'll be performing your intake exam. We

602
00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,360
Speaker 1: need to make sure you're uninjured, uninfectious, and not hiding

603
00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:36,400
Speaker 1: any weaponry. I would recommend compliance your kind always do.

604
00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:41,440
Speaker 1: The woman spat back, Sasha, you've got this. Doctor Brandt

605
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,640
Speaker 1: gave her a curt nod, turned on his heels, and

606
00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,360
Speaker 1: headed back out of the cell. There was an armed

607
00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,400
Speaker 1: guard just outside the cell. As doctor brand had instructed,

608
00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:52,000
Speaker 1: Sasha pulled along privacy screen out from the far end

609
00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:53,560
Speaker 1: of the wall and clasped it to a set of

610
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,200
Speaker 1: hooks on the other end. The captives were being held

611
00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,200
Speaker 1: in the old plain o jail, which made this one

612
00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,560
Speaker 1: of the rare buildings in the Heavenly Kingdom being used

613
00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:04,200
Speaker 1: for its intended purpose. Sasha was grateful for the privacy screen.

614
00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,160
Speaker 1: She was also unbearably nervous about what came next. I'm

615
00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:10,720
Speaker 1: going to have to ask you. In one smooth motion,

616
00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:13,520
Speaker 1: Marigold pulled the dress up over her shoulders and off

617
00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,080
Speaker 1: of her body. She wore nothing underneath it. Her purt breasts,

618
00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,320
Speaker 1: her little belly, her pubic mound, and its shock of

619
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,440
Speaker 1: purple hair were suddenly just there. You're gonna do your job?

620
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:26,200
Speaker 1: Are you just gonna stand there and Jill off? Marigold

621
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:30,880
Speaker 1: asked what. Jill Marigold gave a harsh laugh. It's sending

622
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:35,160
Speaker 1: him from masturbation, Lady, masturbation. You don't do that, do you, Sugar.

623
00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,680
Speaker 1: I'm gonna guess the Heavenly Kingdom frowns on girls having

624
00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,800
Speaker 1: fun without the help of boys. Sasha grimaced. The Heavenly

625
00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,200
Speaker 1: Kingdom doesn't frown on women having fun, but it does

626
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:49,000
Speaker 1: encourage self control. Mr. What you're talking about, it's a distraction,

627
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:53,560
Speaker 1: It's worldly. Marigold whistled and mocked surprise, and said, spoken

628
00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:57,000
Speaker 1: like a lady who truly needs an orgasm. What I

629
00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:58,960
Speaker 1: need to do is draw some of your blood and

630
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,920
Speaker 1: some of your saliva and then perform a cavity search.

631
00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,480
Speaker 1: Marigold's lips curled up into a catlike smile. She opened

632
00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 1: her legs. Sasha had seen other women's vaginas before, but

633
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,880
Speaker 1: only in textbooks and movies. This was the first time

634
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,560
Speaker 1: she'd found herself staring directly down the barrel of one,

635
00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,520
Speaker 1: so to speak. She gulped, Ah, Darlin, am I your first?

636
00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:22,920
Speaker 1: Don't be scared. I got some crumb in me, but

637
00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,560
Speaker 1: I never wound up putting defensive teeth in there. Now,

638
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,480
Speaker 1: my fer in topaz. Stop. I know what you're trying

639
00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,160
Speaker 1: to do. Just stop. Sasha hadn't thought the woman's smile

640
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,160
Speaker 1: could get any whider, but it did. And what am

641
00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:39,600
Speaker 1: I trying to do? Child? You're trying to to fluster me,

642
00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:44,080
Speaker 1: to distract me or Marigold rolled her eyes as she replied,

643
00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,600
Speaker 1: I'm bored. You Fox have kept me in one holding

644
00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,840
Speaker 1: area or sell or another for almost a week. I

645
00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:50,960
Speaker 1: spent three days shifting in the corner of a gym,

646
00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,920
Speaker 1: but at least Rick and Tullie were there too. The

647
00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,520
Speaker 1: woman smile softened for a moment. She looked troubled, vulnerable.

648
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,120
Speaker 1: You don't have any idea where my people are, do you?

649
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,560
Speaker 1: Sasha shook her head. She felt guilty for some reason.

650
00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,640
Speaker 1: That was stupid. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she

651
00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:10,160
Speaker 1: felt the need to assuage the other woman's fears. I

652
00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:13,840
Speaker 1: don't I'm sure they're all right, though we wouldn't execute

653
00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,560
Speaker 1: them just for being in the wrong place at the

654
00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:20,200
Speaker 1: wrong time. Marigold snorted, maybe you wouldn't love your friends.

655
00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:22,880
Speaker 1: Though I've seen your gallows. It doesn't seem like the

656
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,280
Speaker 1: kind of things someone builds just for show. We have

657
00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,800
Speaker 1: a right to enforce our laws, God's laws. What am

658
00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:32,600
Speaker 1: I doing defending the kingdom to someone who's clearly blind

659
00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:35,400
Speaker 1: to the word. Sasha shook her head. She opened the

660
00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,040
Speaker 1: blood testing kit doctor Brandt had given her, and stepped

661
00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:41,640
Speaker 1: back towards Marigold. Look, I've got to do this. Just

662
00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,200
Speaker 1: hold still and it'll be quick. It was. The other

663
00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,240
Speaker 1: woman offered no resistance when Sasha told her to stand.

664
00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,240
Speaker 1: She stood. When Sasha reached a gloved hand up inside

665
00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,680
Speaker 1: her to search for foreign objects, Marigold said nothing. She

666
00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,520
Speaker 1: didn't even flinch. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on Sasha's.

667
00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:01,880
Speaker 1: The other woman barely blinked. In about two minutes, Sasha

668
00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,440
Speaker 1: had finished her examination and collected her samples. She started

669
00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:08,480
Speaker 1: to step back, but Marigold's hand shot out whip fast

670
00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:13,040
Speaker 1: and grasped her around the wrist. Listen. Sasha stopped and listened.

671
00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:15,440
Speaker 1: She wasn't sure why. It was something about the other

672
00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:19,320
Speaker 1: woman's tone. She'd heard the term command voice before, Sasha

673
00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,600
Speaker 1: hadn't understood what that term meant until now. When Marigold

674
00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:24,839
Speaker 1: spoke again, it was in a hushed tone, barely more

675
00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,359
Speaker 1: than a whisper. I don't know what brought you here,

676
00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,480
Speaker 1: but you're obviously smart. You don't have those dead zelad eyes.

677
00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,120
Speaker 1: She jerked her head in the direction of the guard outside.

678
00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,759
Speaker 1: When I mentioned the gallows, you looked fucking ill. I'm

679
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,239
Speaker 1: gonna guess you haven't been here long. You're probably having

680
00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,879
Speaker 1: second thoughts. Help me get my people out of here.

681
00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,240
Speaker 1: If we can get back to my city, you'll be safe.

682
00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:47,520
Speaker 1: We'll take you wherever you need to go. I Sasha

683
00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,719
Speaker 1: wasn't sure what to say. She should have slapped the

684
00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,440
Speaker 1: other woman or spit in her eye, but she didn't.

685
00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,960
Speaker 1: Don't say anything. You'll be back here, I promise. Think

686
00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:59,520
Speaker 1: about what I've said, Think about where you are just

687
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:04,560
Speaker 1: sucking think. She let go. Sasha stepped back. The two

688
00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,320
Speaker 1: women locked eyes for a long moment, and then Marigold

689
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,600
Speaker 1: grabbed her slip dress off the floor and slid it

690
00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:13,120
Speaker 1: back down her thin frame. Sasha unclipped the privacy curtain

691
00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:16,240
Speaker 1: and headed back out into the hallway. The other woman,

692
00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:19,560
Speaker 1: captive Tullie, was tall and muscular. She had a wide

693
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,280
Speaker 1: face with cheek bones so sharp they were almost jagged.

694
00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,280
Speaker 1: Her skin was a dusky brown. Her eyes were alert

695
00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,480
Speaker 1: and moved rapidly between Sasha, doctor Brandt, and the guard

696
00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,720
Speaker 1: who led them into the room. Her name is Tullie,

697
00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:34,640
Speaker 1: doctor brand said, and she's probably going to threaten you

698
00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:37,600
Speaker 1: pay her no mind. He turned away and left, while

699
00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:39,719
Speaker 1: the guards stayed behind and kept a close eye on

700
00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,520
Speaker 1: the tall woman. Sasha was scared to approach Tuli at first.

701
00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,279
Speaker 1: The woman's forearms were corded with muscles, and she had

702
00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,120
Speaker 1: biceps that looked as broad as Sasha's thighs. But the

703
00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,239
Speaker 1: woman didn't move an inch or say a word the

704
00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,360
Speaker 1: entire time Sasha worked on her. Tullie didn't even blink.

705
00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:57,279
Speaker 1: She complied to every one of Sasha's requests without eye

706
00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,120
Speaker 1: contact or any other form of acknowledgment. The woman and

707
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:03,920
Speaker 1: seemed dead to the world. Somehow, Toollie's quietness and seeming

708
00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:08,640
Speaker 1: stupefaction were more uncomfortable than Marigold's aggressive words. Sasha finished

709
00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,239
Speaker 1: her work in short order. Once the last vial was

710
00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:13,600
Speaker 1: sealed and her gloves removed, she took a final look

711
00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:17,000
Speaker 1: at the captive. I hope you get back to your

712
00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:21,000
Speaker 1: home soon. Sasha immediately regretted the words. This woman is

713
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:22,840
Speaker 1: the enemy. Why would you try to comfort her? She

714
00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,880
Speaker 1: won't even look at you. Tullie let out a dull laugh.

715
00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:28,800
Speaker 1: She had been so silent earlier that it shocked Sasha.

716
00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:32,160
Speaker 1: The other woman turned her head and stared at Sasha.

717
00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,719
Speaker 1: I will return home soon, and fire and blood will

718
00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,759
Speaker 1: come to this place because you've held me here. You're

719
00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:41,920
Speaker 1: a dead woman walking enjoy the last beats of your heart.

720
00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,239
Speaker 1: Sasha didn't know what to say. What could you say

721
00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:49,400
Speaker 1: to that? So she took her samples and left. Doctor

722
00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,799
Speaker 1: Brandt dropped her off outside the house of Miriam and

723
00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:53,840
Speaker 1: told her he'd send a jeep out tomorrow morning to

724
00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:57,040
Speaker 1: take her to the hospital. Sasha thanked him and headed inside.

725
00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:00,319
Speaker 1: The other girls were already almost finished with her when

726
00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,840
Speaker 1: Sasha sat down and joined the group. She gave a

727
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,560
Speaker 1: quiet smile to Susannah and nodded at the other girl's

728
00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:09,160
Speaker 1: bandaged hand. When dessert a banana this time, was over,

729
00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:11,919
Speaker 1: Miss Helen took Sasha aside while the other girls broke

730
00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:14,760
Speaker 1: off to read their bibles and drink their nightly tea.

731
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,480
Speaker 1: I have some news for you, yes, ma'am, Sasha asked.

732
00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:23,040
Speaker 1: Alexander has been rotated back from the front, and that

733
00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:26,520
Speaker 1: strange look of mingled frustration and anger crossed Helen's face again.

734
00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:31,120
Speaker 1: You'll be able to see him tomorrow. After lunch, Sasha's

735
00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:33,680
Speaker 1: heart pounded an excitement that made her feel guilty and

736
00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:36,560
Speaker 1: elated at the same time. I'm afraid it won't be

737
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,920
Speaker 1: a long visit, Helen continued, but you'll have a bit

738
00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:41,759
Speaker 1: of time with him, and then Helen's sighed again, just

739
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,640
Speaker 1: a little. Sasha was sure she wasn't supposed to have

740
00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:47,840
Speaker 1: noticed it, but Miss Helen's eyes looked a bit watery.

741
00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:51,280
Speaker 1: Sasha was so happy, so excited, that her brain glossed

742
00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,200
Speaker 1: over this fact. Instead, she gave Miss Helen a hug.

743
00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,080
Speaker 1: It wasn't nearly the first one they'd shared, but this

744
00:37:57,160 --> 00:37:59,440
Speaker 1: was the first time. The older woman seemed hesitant in

745
00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,600
Speaker 1: returning it, but she did after a moment, and Sasha's

746
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:05,040
Speaker 1: joy drunk brain wrote over any sense of doubt she

747
00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,719
Speaker 1: ought to have felt. Sasha buzzed with uncontained energy. The

748
00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:12,200
Speaker 1: rest of the night. Sleep was near impossible. She tossed

749
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,520
Speaker 1: until the small hours of the morning, turning over her

750
00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:18,040
Speaker 1: memories of chat conversation she'd had with Alexander. His face

751
00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,080
Speaker 1: felt so clear and real in her memory that she

752
00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,799
Speaker 1: could almost touch it, and tomorrow she'd be able to

753
00:38:22,840 --> 00:38:26,840
Speaker 1: do just that. Sasha finally passed out about two hours

754
00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,720
Speaker 1: before Helen came round to wake them up. She should

755
00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:32,799
Speaker 1: have been exhausted. Instead, she found herself out of bed,

756
00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:35,799
Speaker 1: feet planted firmly on the ground before her mind was

757
00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:39,240
Speaker 1: even fully awake. Her subconscious was that eager to start

758
00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,480
Speaker 1: the day. She rinsed herself with extra care that morning.

759
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:44,799
Speaker 1: May seemed to notice the added efforts she put into

760
00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:47,360
Speaker 1: primping and called her out for it. You're not working

761
00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:49,840
Speaker 1: at the hospital to snag a doctor, she sneered. You

762
00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:54,000
Speaker 1: know that right. Sasha tried to ignore the comment. Susannah,

763
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,479
Speaker 1: whose hand was still bandaged from her injury the other day,

764
00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:59,560
Speaker 1: spoke up in her defense. There's nothing wrong with me

765
00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:02,279
Speaker 1: an extra clean May. It's probably important for the work

766
00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:05,200
Speaker 1: she's doing over there. Sasha's dealing with wounds and stuff,

767
00:39:05,239 --> 00:39:09,319
Speaker 1: She's not scrubbing toilets like you. Sasha was gratified by

768
00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,440
Speaker 1: how that made May's face blush. She flashed Susannah a

769
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,080
Speaker 1: grateful smile and shuffled out of the washroom as quick

770
00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:18,080
Speaker 1: as she could manage. She headed outside and took in

771
00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:21,320
Speaker 1: her first deep gulp of the cool morning air. Cool

772
00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,440
Speaker 1: might have been too strong a word to use, but

773
00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:26,319
Speaker 1: the fresh air felt good on her skin. It only

774
00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:28,400
Speaker 1: took her a few seconds to spot the battered and

775
00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:31,239
Speaker 1: dirt specked jeep doctor Brandt had sent to pick her up.

776
00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:33,799
Speaker 1: A young man, maybe as young as her, with a

777
00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:36,680
Speaker 1: weak chin and an acne pocked face, sat behind the wheel.

778
00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:40,759
Speaker 1: Sasha waved to him, ran up and hopped in. It

779
00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,640
Speaker 1: wasn't a quick ride to the hospital. Large sections of

780
00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,120
Speaker 1: the road were destroyed, blocked by rubble, or jammed with

781
00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:49,799
Speaker 1: traffic from refugees entering the Heavenly Kingdom. Seeing that had

782
00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:53,920
Speaker 1: gratified Sasha. More souls coming to God, she thought. For

783
00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:56,600
Speaker 1: the most part, she lost herself in thoughts of Alexander

784
00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:59,600
Speaker 1: until forty minutes later, the jeep rolled to a creaky

785
00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,560
Speaker 1: stop in front of the medical city of Plano. The

786
00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:06,959
Speaker 1: enormous hospital complex looked badly damaged and largely abandoned. Many

787
00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:09,120
Speaker 1: of the windows had been shot out or shattered by

788
00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:12,319
Speaker 1: large blasts. Several buildings had chunks of wall and roof

789
00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,640
Speaker 1: that had fallen in, but there were lights on in

790
00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:17,040
Speaker 1: many of the windows, and the hum of generators filled

791
00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:20,040
Speaker 1: the air of the front courtyard. Dozens of people milled about,

792
00:40:20,239 --> 00:40:23,960
Speaker 1: filled with purpose, running wires and wheeling patients. Sasha was

793
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:25,880
Speaker 1: excited at the thought that she might get to do

794
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:29,080
Speaker 1: some actual work in a functioning emergency room. When she

795
00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:32,160
Speaker 1: found doctor Brandt, he quickly disabused her of those notions.

796
00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:35,200
Speaker 1: We're doing all right today. What I need you to

797
00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,399
Speaker 1: do is come in here and help me catalog which

798
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:40,799
Speaker 1: medicines have spoiled. The power had gone out during the

799
00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:43,680
Speaker 1: fighting for the city, doctor Brandt explained, and the medical

800
00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:46,760
Speaker 1: storage room had been without refrigeration for almost two days.

801
00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:49,400
Speaker 1: He showed her how to check medical vials for signs

802
00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:52,120
Speaker 1: of spoilage, handed her a clipboard to mark her findings,

803
00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:54,760
Speaker 1: and told her to get to work. It was a menial,

804
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:58,160
Speaker 1: painstaking task, and Sasha found herself missing the hell out

805
00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:01,440
Speaker 1: of cleaning. She hated it. She devoted herself to the work,

806
00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:05,200
Speaker 1: and minute by minute the time passed. Eventually it was

807
00:41:05,239 --> 00:41:08,600
Speaker 1: time for her meeting with Alexander. Sasha pulled herself away

808
00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,000
Speaker 1: from the rows of vials and jars and blister packs

809
00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,439
Speaker 1: and headed outside to where she knew the jeep would

810
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:16,760
Speaker 1: be waiting. Her driver that afternoon was a different martyr,

811
00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:20,120
Speaker 1: slightly older but still young. She was so preoccupied with

812
00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,799
Speaker 1: thoughts of Alexander that she almost forgot to greet the man.

813
00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:25,439
Speaker 1: He didn't seem to be in a talkative mood either, though,

814
00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:28,040
Speaker 1: and they rode in silence back to the center of town.

815
00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:31,200
Speaker 1: Sasha was so focused on the butterflies in her stomach

816
00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:33,239
Speaker 1: and trying to catch glimpses of her hair and face

817
00:41:33,239 --> 00:41:35,480
Speaker 1: in the rear view mirror that she didn't notice the

818
00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,280
Speaker 1: crowds thronging downtown until the jeep rolled to a stop

819
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,200
Speaker 1: and it was time for her to disembark. A familiar

820
00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:44,360
Speaker 1: sense of queasy dread gripped Sasha's guts as she exited

821
00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:47,120
Speaker 1: the vehicle and looked out over the crowd. They were

822
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,600
Speaker 1: converged around the gallows. Once again, Sasha craned her neck

823
00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:52,760
Speaker 1: and she was able to see four men in filthy,

824
00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,920
Speaker 1: tattered rags standing before the killing instrument. It took her

825
00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:57,920
Speaker 1: a second to recognize two of the men as the

826
00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,000
Speaker 1: porters who had first unloaded her from the crate. An older,

827
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,919
Speaker 1: bearded martyr and jet black body armor stood before them.

828
00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,200
Speaker 1: He held a bible in one hand and a formidable

829
00:42:06,239 --> 00:42:09,000
Speaker 1: looking handgun in the other. Sasha started to push her

830
00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,280
Speaker 1: way through the crowd for a better look. She hadn't

831
00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,680
Speaker 1: made it far when the bearded martyr addressed the crowd.

832
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:17,640
Speaker 1: These four men were all once employees of the secular

833
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:21,200
Speaker 1: abomination that calls itself the Republic of Texas. He said,

834
00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:24,759
Speaker 1: in his booming, stentorian voice. The Heavenly Kingdom offered them

835
00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:28,200
Speaker 1: mercy in the form of indentured servitude. All we asked,

836
00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:31,000
Speaker 1: he scanned his eyes across the crowd. The left corner

837
00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:33,680
Speaker 1: of his lip curled up into a slight growl. All

838
00:42:33,719 --> 00:42:37,319
Speaker 1: we asked for was their honest, obedient labor. And they

839
00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:40,759
Speaker 1: repaid this mercy by stealing food and supplies meant for

840
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:44,600
Speaker 1: the Heavenly Kingdom's brave soldiers. He lifted his big pistol

841
00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,040
Speaker 1: up into the sky and fired off four shots in

842
00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:51,080
Speaker 1: quick secession. These men stole from God. There is only

843
00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:54,399
Speaker 1: one proper punishment for such a sin. He turned back

844
00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:56,879
Speaker 1: towards the gallows and knotted at a hooded martyr who

845
00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:59,040
Speaker 1: stood behind him with a hand on the thick wooden

846
00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:02,359
Speaker 1: lever that operated the whole grim apparatus. The other man

847
00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:05,440
Speaker 1: pulled downwards, and the four bodies on the scaffold dropped

848
00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:08,720
Speaker 1: with a sickening chorus of snaps. Sasha felt her stomach

849
00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:12,319
Speaker 1: turned sour. This time, though she watched, she didn't take

850
00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:14,680
Speaker 1: her eyes off the gallows until the last man had

851
00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:18,200
Speaker 1: ceased his twitching. It's not a pleasant side, is it?

852
00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:22,680
Speaker 1: That voice? Sasha recognized it immediately. It was the voice

853
00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,160
Speaker 1: she'd heard a hundred different times over her deck, hidden

854
00:43:25,239 --> 00:43:27,120
Speaker 1: up in her room back in the am fed. It

855
00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:29,680
Speaker 1: was the voice of the first man she'd ever really loved.

856
00:43:30,120 --> 00:43:33,680
Speaker 1: It was Alexander. Sasha turned around, and her heart nearly

857
00:43:33,719 --> 00:43:36,400
Speaker 1: burst at the sight of him. He was tall, broad,

858
00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:39,120
Speaker 1: and muscular in a way that somehow seemed comforting and

859
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:43,000
Speaker 1: not scary. His mop of curly brown hair, lopsided smile,

860
00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,200
Speaker 1: and round, permanent jawline were all exactly as she remembered

861
00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:49,200
Speaker 1: from their dozens of chat sessions. He wore alive green

862
00:43:49,239 --> 00:43:51,920
Speaker 1: fatigues that looked stained and burned in a few places.

863
00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:54,920
Speaker 1: His hair was greasy, and there were great big bags

864
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:57,920
Speaker 1: under his eyes. But he was here, He was real.

865
00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:01,600
Speaker 1: She collapsed into him. Before she realized it, she'd started

866
00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:03,440
Speaker 1: to sob. I love you, I love you, I love you.

867
00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:05,960
Speaker 1: I thought you were dead. I love you. He hesitated

868
00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,719
Speaker 1: for several long beats before he returned her embrace, but

869
00:44:08,760 --> 00:44:11,799
Speaker 1: he returned it with gusto. His hands crept down from

870
00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:14,400
Speaker 1: her sides to her buttocks. He squeezed her. It was

871
00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:17,440
Speaker 1: a gesture she'd fantasized about several times in her weaker,

872
00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:21,000
Speaker 1: more carnal moments. It was not something she'd expected a

873
00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:24,160
Speaker 1: godly man like Alexander to do out in public, surrounded

874
00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:28,240
Speaker 1: by people in the immediate aftermath of an execution. Sasha

875
00:44:28,280 --> 00:44:31,799
Speaker 1: pulled back and coughed in surprise. She didn't say anything, though,

876
00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:33,960
Speaker 1: she didn't want to mar their first meeting with that,

877
00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:36,920
Speaker 1: and she also remembered something Pastor Mike had written in

878
00:44:36,920 --> 00:44:40,640
Speaker 1: Revelator that the beastly nature of man must be salved

879
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:43,759
Speaker 1: by the goodness of women. Alexander had just spent several

880
00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:46,520
Speaker 1: days up at the front. He must have seen terrible things.

881
00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:49,160
Speaker 1: It was understandable that his self control would not be

882
00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:52,560
Speaker 1: at its peak right now. Still, she didn't like the

883
00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:54,840
Speaker 1: way he looked her up and down. There was something

884
00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:56,960
Speaker 1: of the wolf in his eyes. It was not the

885
00:44:57,040 --> 00:45:01,040
Speaker 1: look she'd dreamed of seeing. But then he spoke, Sasha,

886
00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:03,480
Speaker 1: I'm so proud of you. I didn't know if i'd

887
00:45:03,480 --> 00:45:05,759
Speaker 1: ever get to see you here. I wasn't sure if

888
00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:08,160
Speaker 1: you'd be willing to truly commit yourself to our Lord.

889
00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:10,440
Speaker 1: But I prayed that you would, And now, by the

890
00:45:10,520 --> 00:45:13,480
Speaker 1: grace of God, you're here, and you're even more beautiful

891
00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:18,320
Speaker 1: than you looked online. Sasha blushed. How could she not look?

892
00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:21,200
Speaker 1: He waved a hand towards the gallows and the bodies.

893
00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:23,799
Speaker 1: Things are still sort of a mess around here, But

894
00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:26,400
Speaker 1: I know one cafe near by us up and running again.

895
00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:28,759
Speaker 1: I've got enough rash and tokens to get us both

896
00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,160
Speaker 1: a cup of coffee. What would you say to that,

897
00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:35,839
Speaker 1: I'd say yes, She smiled at him. Her earlier reservations

898
00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:38,319
Speaker 1: dissolved as she took his hand and followed him down

899
00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:41,239
Speaker 1: the street, past the gallows, in the dispersing crowd, and

900
00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:44,080
Speaker 1: towards the cafe. In a minute, they were there. It

901
00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:47,440
Speaker 1: was a small place, one rectangular room with a coffee maker,

902
00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:50,239
Speaker 1: a half dozen tables in an outer patio area with

903
00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:53,719
Speaker 1: another half dozen tables. There was a generator, power and

904
00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:57,239
Speaker 1: air conditioning inside. So they sat there. Alexander ordered them

905
00:45:57,280 --> 00:46:00,239
Speaker 1: two large cups of black coffee. He sat down while

906
00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:02,520
Speaker 1: he waited for their order and stared into her eyes.

907
00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:05,759
Speaker 1: She stared back for a while. That was all they

908
00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:09,160
Speaker 1: did It's so good to see you, Sasha said. I've

909
00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,120
Speaker 1: been working at the hospital and I've seen so many

910
00:46:11,120 --> 00:46:13,560
Speaker 1: wounded men. I couldn't stop thinking I was going to

911
00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:16,160
Speaker 1: see you in one of those beds, broken and bleeding.

912
00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:18,960
Speaker 1: He smiled at her. Then he reached his left hand

913
00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:21,840
Speaker 1: out and sat it on top of hers. Sasha shivered.

914
00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:25,359
Speaker 1: She couldn't help it. Things stirred inside her. She felt

915
00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:28,439
Speaker 1: a sudden, powerful urge to possess his body, to hold

916
00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:31,040
Speaker 1: him and squeeze him and be explored in turn. She

917
00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,960
Speaker 1: clamped her mouth tight and focused on trying not to

918
00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:38,280
Speaker 1: give all her thoughts away through the blush in her cheeks. Sasha,

919
00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:41,560
Speaker 1: he said, it brings me such joy to see you here.

920
00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:44,320
Speaker 1: And don't worry. I know the situation at the Ladies

921
00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:47,840
Speaker 1: Barracks is rather primitive, but I'm talking to my commanding offices.

922
00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:50,319
Speaker 1: As soon as we get married, you'll be a part

923
00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:53,439
Speaker 1: of my household. We'll be able to live together. We'll

924
00:46:53,440 --> 00:46:56,120
Speaker 1: build a life, and that life will help build the heaven,

925
00:46:56,160 --> 00:46:59,759
Speaker 1: the kingdom. She was stunned for a moment. Sasha began

926
00:46:59,800 --> 00:47:01,680
Speaker 1: to hear up, and all she could do was not

927
00:47:01,840 --> 00:47:04,800
Speaker 1: at him. This was like a dream. It was, of course,

928
00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:08,520
Speaker 1: rather different from her actual dreams, which had involved Alexander

929
00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:11,080
Speaker 1: in a house, but not so many bleeding and dying men,

930
00:47:11,480 --> 00:47:15,479
Speaker 1: nor a gallows. Their coffee arrived, Alexander took a sip

931
00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:18,960
Speaker 1: and she followed suit. He continued, I know you're working

932
00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:22,120
Speaker 1: at the hospital now. I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry

933
00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:25,160
Speaker 1: you had to spend so much time scrubbing toilets. As

934
00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:27,359
Speaker 1: soon as I can get you off those duties, I will.

935
00:47:27,560 --> 00:47:30,360
Speaker 1: Oh no, she interjected, I love working with Dr Brandt.

936
00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:32,239
Speaker 1: It's important and I want to do my part to

937
00:47:32,239 --> 00:47:36,319
Speaker 1: help the kingdom thrive. Something passed across Alexander's face. It

938
00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:39,520
Speaker 1: looked like irritation, perhaps at her interruption, but it was

939
00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:44,120
Speaker 1: gone quickly and his smile returned. That's admirable, Sasha. You're

940
00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:47,000
Speaker 1: a remarkable young woman. If that's what you want, I'm

941
00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:49,399
Speaker 1: sure you can continue to help out there until you're

942
00:47:49,440 --> 00:47:53,480
Speaker 1: with child. With child, Sasha felt guilty for the horror

943
00:47:53,480 --> 00:47:56,239
Speaker 1: in her voice. Of course she wanted children, she just

944
00:47:56,280 --> 00:48:01,360
Speaker 1: didn't want them now or particularly soon. Alexander nodded, we

945
00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,320
Speaker 1: must be fruitful in multiply so the heaven the kingdom

946
00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:08,240
Speaker 1: can remain and expand. His smile was so warm, so kind.

947
00:48:08,800 --> 00:48:10,680
Speaker 1: I know you've read more of past to my ex

948
00:48:10,719 --> 00:48:13,840
Speaker 1: writing than I have. Sasha, you're a very smart girl,

949
00:48:14,280 --> 00:48:17,160
Speaker 1: but God made you to bring forth more children. You

950
00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,960
Speaker 1: wouldn't want to delay your purpose, would you? Maybe? A little?

951
00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:26,520
Speaker 1: She thought? No, she lied good. He smiled again. And

952
00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:29,280
Speaker 1: don't worry. You won't have to do it alone. Mallia

953
00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:32,840
Speaker 1: already has a child, and Adelaide's two months pregnant. They'll

954
00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:36,359
Speaker 1: help you too. The world stopped, at least it did

955
00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:39,440
Speaker 1: for Sasha. She could tell people were still moving around her,

956
00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:42,160
Speaker 1: but Sasha's reality had shrunk to the pounding sound of

957
00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:46,680
Speaker 1: her heart in a twisting in her gut. Adelaide and Mollia.

958
00:48:47,320 --> 00:48:50,719
Speaker 1: Alexander gritted his teeth. There was something almost practiced in

959
00:48:50,719 --> 00:48:54,000
Speaker 1: the way he said. What came next? Adelaide and Mallia

960
00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:58,799
Speaker 1: are my wives as you will be. Alexander, you didn't

961
00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:01,600
Speaker 1: say anything about other Why you never mentioned them at all?

962
00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:03,960
Speaker 1: Why are how can you be telling me all this now?

963
00:49:04,760 --> 00:49:07,279
Speaker 1: His smile turned sad, or at least it gave the

964
00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:10,800
Speaker 1: illusion of sadness. Sasha was still too shocked for anger.

965
00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:12,920
Speaker 1: She felt like a whole had just been knocked in

966
00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:15,360
Speaker 1: her heart. She knew she should be angry, but she

967
00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:18,360
Speaker 1: also felt like there must be something missing, something she

968
00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:22,400
Speaker 1: didn't understand yet. Alexander was a sweet boy. He wouldn't

969
00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:26,000
Speaker 1: do this to her. Look, he said, I'm sorry. This

970
00:49:26,080 --> 00:49:30,120
Speaker 1: is never easy. You understand how important the Heavenly Kingdom is, Sasha.

971
00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:33,360
Speaker 1: Nothing in the world could, Madam are, and the kingdom

972
00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:36,480
Speaker 1: will not survive without people like you. One of my

973
00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:38,960
Speaker 1: jobs here is to push young women like you to

974
00:49:39,040 --> 00:49:42,880
Speaker 1: take the terrible risk of coming here. And so you lied,

975
00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:46,120
Speaker 1: She croaked, barely able to believe what was happening, you,

976
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:50,960
Speaker 1: poor false witness. Alexander. I I did not lie. His

977
00:49:51,080 --> 00:49:53,680
Speaker 1: voice hardened, and so did his eyes. I did not

978
00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:56,520
Speaker 1: tell you about every aspect of my life here, but

979
00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:59,520
Speaker 1: I did not lie. He sighed, took a sip from

980
00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:02,840
Speaker 1: his coffee, and continued. I'm part of a special unit

981
00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:05,280
Speaker 1: within the Kingdom. Foamed on the order of the past

982
00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:08,799
Speaker 1: to himself, he calls us jacobeans. It is our job

983
00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:12,200
Speaker 1: to see the next generation of modus. We take personal

984
00:50:12,239 --> 00:50:16,239
Speaker 1: responsibility for the Kingdom's expansion. Finding you and bringing you

985
00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:18,720
Speaker 1: here was one part of my work in this great cause.

986
00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:22,400
Speaker 1: If I'd told you every detail about life here, every

987
00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:25,719
Speaker 1: single thing, you wouldn't have come and your soul would

988
00:50:25,719 --> 00:50:29,359
Speaker 1: have stayed in jeopardy. He took another deep, arrogant sip

989
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:32,400
Speaker 1: of his coffee. I'm sorry if this hurts you, but

990
00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:35,239
Speaker 1: it was for the greater good. We must sometimes do

991
00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:39,839
Speaker 1: distasteful things to serve God's design. Sasha's vision went red.

992
00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:43,399
Speaker 1: She stood and, without thinking, grabbed her now lukewarm mug

993
00:50:43,400 --> 00:50:46,520
Speaker 1: of coffee and splashed the whole thing in Alexander's face.

994
00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:49,279
Speaker 1: He yelled at her and sputtered like a goldfish, but

995
00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:51,560
Speaker 1: she was already up and heading for the door. She

996
00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:54,400
Speaker 1: flung it open, walked out into the crowded street, and

997
00:50:54,480 --> 00:50:56,400
Speaker 1: lost herself in the press of the crowd and the

998
00:50:56,440 --> 00:51:10,600
Speaker 1: boiling waves of her own anger. Chapter thirteen, Manny Manny

999
00:51:10,680 --> 00:51:13,080
Speaker 1: woke up feeling like his mouth was filled with cotton

1000
00:51:13,200 --> 00:51:15,880
Speaker 1: and his head was filled with spiders. It took him

1001
00:51:15,920 --> 00:51:18,440
Speaker 1: a few long seconds to remember where he was and

1002
00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:21,400
Speaker 1: what had happened to bring him here. He activated his

1003
00:51:21,480 --> 00:51:23,480
Speaker 1: deck and was shocked to see that more than a

1004
00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:26,560
Speaker 1: day had passed since he dropped into bed. His first

1005
00:51:26,600 --> 00:51:28,839
Speaker 1: guess was that he was suffering some side effect from

1006
00:51:28,880 --> 00:51:31,920
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike's blood. He couldn't think of any other times

1007
00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:34,319
Speaker 1: he'd slept that long, although he also couldn't think of

1008
00:51:34,360 --> 00:51:36,759
Speaker 1: any other times he'd survived a drone attack and an

1009
00:51:36,800 --> 00:51:40,800
Speaker 1: intentional car crash in the same minute. Merit, He cursed,

1010
00:51:41,080 --> 00:51:43,960
Speaker 1: and then called out Reggie. He looked over to the

1011
00:51:44,000 --> 00:51:46,600
Speaker 1: cot the journalist had been sleeping on. It was dark

1012
00:51:46,640 --> 00:51:49,279
Speaker 1: in the little room Nana Yazi had provided. He could

1013
00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:52,160
Speaker 1: see the outline of Reggie's empty cot and not much else.

1014
00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:54,880
Speaker 1: The room was just one tin by tin section of

1015
00:51:54,920 --> 00:51:57,759
Speaker 1: an old shipping crate. Manny knew the only things in

1016
00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:00,200
Speaker 1: the room besides their cots were a table with a

1017
00:52:00,239 --> 00:52:02,880
Speaker 1: built in coffee maker and a pair of folding chairs.

1018
00:52:03,600 --> 00:52:06,400
Speaker 1: Manny sat up, groaned as every palpable thing in his

1019
00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:09,319
Speaker 1: body popped, and then rose to his feet. As he

1020
00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:11,880
Speaker 1: stumbled to the door, his deck started to populate with

1021
00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:14,880
Speaker 1: messages from friends and family back in Austin. By the

1022
00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:16,920
Speaker 1: time his hand touched the knob, there were more than

1023
00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:20,000
Speaker 1: fifty translucent messages hovering at the edges of his field

1024
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:23,720
Speaker 1: of vision. He blink selected a mass response template filled

1025
00:52:23,719 --> 00:52:25,720
Speaker 1: it with the names of everyone who had sent him something,

1026
00:52:25,920 --> 00:52:30,640
Speaker 1: and typed out an update, not dead details later. He

1027
00:52:30,719 --> 00:52:33,200
Speaker 1: almost sent it, but then he noticed one of the names,

1028
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:37,520
Speaker 1: Aisha Martinez, Oscar's wife. He could only see the first

1029
00:52:37,560 --> 00:52:40,040
Speaker 1: few lines of the message without opening it, but what

1030
00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:43,040
Speaker 1: he saw made it clear she was terrified for her husband.

1031
00:52:43,560 --> 00:52:46,000
Speaker 1: Manny De selected her from the list and sent the

1032
00:52:46,080 --> 00:52:48,680
Speaker 1: mass message off to everyone else, and then scrolled through

1033
00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:52,080
Speaker 1: his messages until he found Oscar's message stack. The other

1034
00:52:52,120 --> 00:52:55,480
Speaker 1: fixer still hadn't said anything, not since the assault had begun.

1035
00:52:56,280 --> 00:52:59,120
Speaker 1: Many opened up Ayisha's message. He tried to read it,

1036
00:52:59,239 --> 00:53:01,600
Speaker 1: he really did, but his brain wouldn't let his eyes

1037
00:53:01,640 --> 00:53:04,799
Speaker 1: focus on the words. His heart started to pound, his

1038
00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:08,200
Speaker 1: gut curdled, and instead of reading it, he typed her

1039
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:11,799
Speaker 1: a quick response, I'm alive. I'm so sorry, but I

1040
00:53:11,800 --> 00:53:14,040
Speaker 1: don't know where Oscar is or if he's made it out,

1041
00:53:14,520 --> 00:53:17,320
Speaker 1: And then he typed a sentence he knew instantly he'd regret.

1042
00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:21,080
Speaker 1: I will do everything I can to find your husband.

1043
00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:24,320
Speaker 1: Then he sent the message and stepped out of the

1044
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:27,440
Speaker 1: room into the dying light of the late North Texas afternoon.

1045
00:53:28,239 --> 00:53:31,640
Speaker 1: Rolling fuck unspooled around him. It was crowded or at

1046
00:53:31,680 --> 00:53:34,920
Speaker 1: least more crowded than it had been yesterday. Dozens of

1047
00:53:34,960 --> 00:53:37,640
Speaker 1: people and non human people were packed onto the gantry

1048
00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:40,360
Speaker 1: ways and into the sundry buildings added around the rollers

1049
00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:43,279
Speaker 1: and up on the spires. One building that jutted off

1050
00:53:43,280 --> 00:53:45,640
Speaker 1: the rear roller looked like a carousel ride, with little

1051
00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:48,480
Speaker 1: rocket ships instead of horses. It appeared to function as

1052
00:53:48,480 --> 00:53:52,080
Speaker 1: a spinning bar. Drunk people rode little ships while bartenders

1053
00:53:52,120 --> 00:53:54,760
Speaker 1: in the middle kept them liquored up. Some one shoved

1054
00:53:54,760 --> 00:53:57,800
Speaker 1: by him, a heavily chromed person with three tails, each

1055
00:53:57,840 --> 00:54:00,840
Speaker 1: topped by the fully articulated and seeming sentient head of

1056
00:54:00,880 --> 00:54:03,480
Speaker 1: a cat. One of the cat heads belched a small

1057
00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:06,600
Speaker 1: puff of fire at Manny as their wearer passed. He

1058
00:54:06,640 --> 00:54:08,440
Speaker 1: shook his head and squeezed his way over to the

1059
00:54:08,480 --> 00:54:10,960
Speaker 1: main roller. It helped little to pretend he was just

1060
00:54:11,080 --> 00:54:14,200
Speaker 1: pushing his way onto the Austin Metro. While he walked,

1061
00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:16,680
Speaker 1: he noticed a message from Reggie. He blink clicked it

1062
00:54:16,760 --> 00:54:19,520
Speaker 1: open and heard Reggie's voice in his ear at the

1063
00:54:19,600 --> 00:54:22,239
Speaker 1: rooftop bar, drinking my way through some research fund me.

1064
00:54:22,239 --> 00:54:25,560
Speaker 1: When you wake up, I'm onto something. Of Course, Manny

1065
00:54:25,640 --> 00:54:27,839
Speaker 1: had already been on his way there before he'd seen

1066
00:54:27,880 --> 00:54:31,480
Speaker 1: Reggie's message. That was the simple reality of British journalists.

1067
00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:33,879
Speaker 1: If it was possible for one to be drinking, that's

1068
00:54:33,880 --> 00:54:37,240
Speaker 1: what they'd be doing. The walk took about ten minutes.

1069
00:54:37,480 --> 00:54:40,600
Speaker 1: He crossed a combination of gantry ways, staircases, and even

1070
00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:43,600
Speaker 1: one webbed net. The bar was packed when he arrived,

1071
00:54:43,600 --> 00:54:46,080
Speaker 1: but it was easy enough to pick out Reggie. Both

1072
00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:48,640
Speaker 1: his holographic screens were up and active on the bar

1073
00:54:48,719 --> 00:54:51,000
Speaker 1: top in front of them. He was seated next to

1074
00:54:51,040 --> 00:54:54,080
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike and they were deep in conversation when Manny

1075
00:54:54,160 --> 00:54:57,440
Speaker 1: walked up. Hey, brother, Reggie said, you've been out for

1076
00:54:57,480 --> 00:55:01,160
Speaker 1: a long time. Yeah, Manny said, nothing like that's ever

1077
00:55:01,239 --> 00:55:03,840
Speaker 1: happened to me before. How long were you out? The

1078
00:55:03,920 --> 00:55:06,840
Speaker 1: journalist thought for a moment and then answered, odd, guess

1079
00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:10,439
Speaker 1: like a day, he said. Mike told me that's not weird. Yeah.

1080
00:55:10,520 --> 00:55:13,400
Speaker 1: The chrome man chuckled, All medicine's got side effects, my

1081
00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:16,279
Speaker 1: weird ass. Blood's no different, y'all. Cute little humans ain't

1082
00:55:16,320 --> 00:55:20,200
Speaker 1: made for it, schoofucker. Mike and Reggie were both clearly drunk,

1083
00:55:20,320 --> 00:55:22,440
Speaker 1: and just as clearly not as drunk as they planned

1084
00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:24,880
Speaker 1: to be. By the end of the night. Mike flashed

1085
00:55:24,880 --> 00:55:26,640
Speaker 1: a grin at Manny and offered a hug that the

1086
00:55:26,680 --> 00:55:30,399
Speaker 1: fixer accepted awkwardly. Guy, it's good to see you, Mike said,

1087
00:55:30,560 --> 00:55:32,799
Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, I'm kind of jealous of your nap.

1088
00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:35,279
Speaker 1: I miss sleep like that with all this chrome in me.

1089
00:55:35,440 --> 00:55:38,040
Speaker 1: He waved a hand vaguely over his head. I can't

1090
00:55:38,040 --> 00:55:41,000
Speaker 1: get exhausted like that anymore. You miss it when it's gone.

1091
00:55:41,080 --> 00:55:43,600
Speaker 1: I got a drink like thirty of these fucking things.

1092
00:55:44,080 --> 00:55:46,279
Speaker 1: Mike gestured to the half full drink in front of him.

1093
00:55:46,480 --> 00:55:49,680
Speaker 1: It looked like a Penia colatta, a strange incensey odor.

1094
00:55:49,719 --> 00:55:51,920
Speaker 1: Wafted it up from it just to pass out like

1095
00:55:51,960 --> 00:55:55,520
Speaker 1: a normal person. Reggie was drinking the same thing. He

1096
00:55:55,640 --> 00:55:58,480
Speaker 1: offered his half full glass to Manny. These things are

1097
00:55:58,480 --> 00:56:02,680
Speaker 1: the best man Vodka Opium colottus. They got a little

1098
00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:05,279
Speaker 1: bit of THC in them too, Mike added, in a

1099
00:56:05,360 --> 00:56:10,080
Speaker 1: high sing song voice. Manny waved them off. I'm good, thanks,

1100
00:56:10,200 --> 00:56:12,920
Speaker 1: I just woke up a minute ago. I probably shouldn't

1101
00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:17,200
Speaker 1: immediately take three different drugs. Reggie and skullfucker Mike both

1102
00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:20,319
Speaker 1: looked at him like he was an alien. Weird, they

1103
00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:23,400
Speaker 1: said at the exact same time. Mike laughed and Reggie

1104
00:56:23,440 --> 00:56:25,960
Speaker 1: looked back at his screen as a push notification popped

1105
00:56:26,000 --> 00:56:30,880
Speaker 1: up with a cheery shitting tits. He cursed Manny and skullfucker.

1106
00:56:30,920 --> 00:56:33,960
Speaker 1: Mike leaned into the screen. The notification was a newswire

1107
00:56:34,040 --> 00:56:36,080
Speaker 1: update with a journalist who must have been embedded with

1108
00:56:36,080 --> 00:56:39,279
Speaker 1: either the SDF or Austin's forces. The title said, at

1109
00:56:39,320 --> 00:56:43,520
Speaker 1: all as the Heavenly Kingdom prepares for another assault, SDF

1110
00:56:43,520 --> 00:56:47,319
Speaker 1: and Austin abandoned WACO. I'm not surprised they're pulling out,

1111
00:56:47,480 --> 00:56:49,960
Speaker 1: Mike said. Your people are good enough fighters on a

1112
00:56:50,000 --> 00:56:52,600
Speaker 1: normal day, but the sdfs built to dominate a bunch

1113
00:56:52,600 --> 00:56:54,920
Speaker 1: of squabbling militias. They were never going to hold off

1114
00:56:54,920 --> 00:56:57,960
Speaker 1: a sustained assault from a real army. The sleep was

1115
00:56:58,000 --> 00:57:00,880
Speaker 1: fully banished now Manny was awake, and the gravity of

1116
00:57:00,920 --> 00:57:03,200
Speaker 1: what had happened over the last few days sank in again.

1117
00:57:03,560 --> 00:57:06,239
Speaker 1: Amide and de Shaun, We're probably dead, so was mister

1118
00:57:06,360 --> 00:57:09,759
Speaker 1: perrone an Oscar Holy shit, Holy shit, what am I

1119
00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:13,240
Speaker 1: going to tell Ayesha? And then the darker, more selfish thoughts.

1120
00:57:13,440 --> 00:57:15,480
Speaker 1: Am I going to have time to fly out of Austin.

1121
00:57:16,560 --> 00:57:18,680
Speaker 1: How the hell did the martyrs turn into a real

1122
00:57:18,800 --> 00:57:21,880
Speaker 1: fucking army overnight? He asked, with more fear in his

1123
00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:25,680
Speaker 1: voice than he meant to display. Well, Reggie said, as

1124
00:57:25,680 --> 00:57:28,480
Speaker 1: he gestured to a series of curated social media posts

1125
00:57:28,480 --> 00:57:31,960
Speaker 1: from people in and around Siadad de Muerta. Best as

1126
00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:34,240
Speaker 1: we can figure, they sort of stole most of the

1127
00:57:34,280 --> 00:57:37,920
Speaker 1: Republic's army. There are reports of entire units of Republic soldiers,

1128
00:57:38,000 --> 00:57:41,320
Speaker 1: thousands of fight us turning at once. He gestured to

1129
00:57:41,360 --> 00:57:44,280
Speaker 1: a live updating political map of Texas. It was a

1130
00:57:44,320 --> 00:57:48,240
Speaker 1: map Manny consulted regularly. The Heavenly Kingdom's territory was outlined

1131
00:57:48,240 --> 00:57:50,280
Speaker 1: and read. There was a lot more read on the

1132
00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:57,560
Speaker 1: map today. It seemed impossible that Sancharados Manny breathed. Galveston. Yeah,

1133
00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:00,640
Speaker 1: Reggie gave a grim nod. Fell about and hours ago.

1134
00:58:00,880 --> 00:58:03,880
Speaker 1: Heaven the Kingdoms pushing into the Lake Houston suburbs. Right now,

1135
00:58:04,160 --> 00:58:07,200
Speaker 1: the holding position in Dallas, though, digesting the gains, still

1136
00:58:07,840 --> 00:58:10,600
Speaker 1: ain't gonna be long before they hit Austin, Mike said,

1137
00:58:10,880 --> 00:58:14,560
Speaker 1: maybe a week, maybe two. Many stood there for a moment.

1138
00:58:14,760 --> 00:58:17,360
Speaker 1: He thought about his father, his friends. He thought about

1139
00:58:17,360 --> 00:58:19,160
Speaker 1: the house where he'd grown up. In the view of

1140
00:58:19,200 --> 00:58:23,000
Speaker 1: Austin sprawl from his roof, he imagined golden Cross banners

1141
00:58:23,000 --> 00:58:26,040
Speaker 1: flapping in the breeze above burnt out buildings. He pictured

1142
00:58:26,080 --> 00:58:29,320
Speaker 1: gallows filled with people strung out along Sixth Street. A

1143
00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:32,280
Speaker 1: knot of nausea started to build in his belly. What

1144
00:58:32,440 --> 00:58:36,000
Speaker 1: will you do, Emmanuel? He heard mister Perrone's voice echo

1145
00:58:36,080 --> 00:58:39,320
Speaker 1: in his conscience. Many shook the dead man's words away.

1146
00:58:40,240 --> 00:58:42,440
Speaker 1: I need to get back home, he insisted. Is there

1147
00:58:42,440 --> 00:58:45,240
Speaker 1: some way you can get me a ride? Schofucker? Mike

1148
00:58:45,320 --> 00:58:48,000
Speaker 1: took a long pull from his drink. He squinted it, Manny,

1149
00:58:48,080 --> 00:58:51,040
Speaker 1: and the chrombed man's eyes focused. One iris looked a

1150
00:58:51,040 --> 00:58:53,360
Speaker 1: lot larger than the others. Mike swayed a bit in

1151
00:58:53,440 --> 00:58:57,040
Speaker 1: his seat, but he seemed lucid mostly. And what are

1152
00:58:57,120 --> 00:58:59,640
Speaker 1: you gonna do in Austin? He said, Pick up a

1153
00:58:59,680 --> 00:59:03,080
Speaker 1: gun and die fighting, Unless you're hiding some serious mods

1154
00:59:03,120 --> 00:59:05,040
Speaker 1: under that skin. I don't think your help will make

1155
00:59:05,040 --> 00:59:08,360
Speaker 1: a rat ship worth a difference. I know I'm not

1156
00:59:08,440 --> 00:59:11,120
Speaker 1: going there to fight. I need to what fly away?

1157
00:59:11,280 --> 00:59:14,600
Speaker 1: Go to fucking California. Try your luck in Europe. Mike

1158
00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:18,040
Speaker 1: shook his head You've got a chance to actually do something.

1159
00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:20,480
Speaker 1: Help us get our people out of Dallas, and we

1160
00:59:20,600 --> 00:59:23,680
Speaker 1: can fuck the Kingdom's advance, maybe even throw him back.

1161
00:59:24,680 --> 00:59:27,720
Speaker 1: Many thought about it, sighed, and said, I think I

1162
00:59:27,760 --> 00:59:31,360
Speaker 1: do need a drink, skullfucker. Mike nodded. He pointed over

1163
00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:33,640
Speaker 1: to a table lined with a dozen different beer taps,

1164
00:59:34,320 --> 00:59:37,080
Speaker 1: the normal stuff, self service. I recommend the Wheat Hayes.

1165
00:59:37,160 --> 00:59:40,040
Speaker 1: Pretty mild, but it's good for stock humans like yourself.

1166
00:59:41,200 --> 00:59:43,440
Speaker 1: Many got up, grabbed a glass from a dispenser at

1167
00:59:43,440 --> 00:59:44,960
Speaker 1: the edge of the bar, and walked over to the

1168
00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:47,640
Speaker 1: beer table. Each keg had a thick strip of white

1169
00:59:47,640 --> 00:59:50,720
Speaker 1: tape across the front. The only details given about each

1170
00:59:50,760 --> 00:59:54,880
Speaker 1: beer were vague, almost allegibly scrawled names. Many found two

1171
00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:57,760
Speaker 1: labels that both looked like they might say Wheat Hayes.

1172
00:59:58,120 --> 01:00:00,360
Speaker 1: He picked one at random, then headed back to the

1173
01:00:00,360 --> 01:00:03,480
Speaker 1: bar and sat next to Reggie. Mike looked impressed for

1174
01:00:03,520 --> 01:00:07,200
Speaker 1: some reason. Good choice, he said, with a nod. Manny

1175
01:00:07,240 --> 01:00:09,880
Speaker 1: took a sip. It was really good, a mild, pale

1176
01:00:09,880 --> 01:00:12,360
Speaker 1: asle with just a hint of sour. He leaned in

1177
01:00:12,440 --> 01:00:15,200
Speaker 1: and looked at the maps and scrolling updates on Reggie Screen.

1178
01:00:15,640 --> 01:00:18,000
Speaker 1: The journalist finished writing down a couple of notes and

1179
01:00:18,040 --> 01:00:21,880
Speaker 1: shook his head. I'm really sorry, man, truly, he gestured

1180
01:00:21,880 --> 01:00:25,400
Speaker 1: towards the live map. This is so fucked You're gonna

1181
01:00:25,440 --> 01:00:28,440
Speaker 1: stay here to cover the fall, Mike asked. Reggie shook

1182
01:00:28,440 --> 01:00:31,280
Speaker 1: his head. He looked frustrated. Got a message from my

1183
01:00:31,400 --> 01:00:33,200
Speaker 1: editor a bit ago, and they're trying to work out

1184
01:00:33,200 --> 01:00:35,280
Speaker 1: an extract for me. Gonna send a team at here

1185
01:00:35,320 --> 01:00:37,880
Speaker 1: to drive me west to El Paso. I guess it's

1186
01:00:37,880 --> 01:00:39,800
Speaker 1: not safe to fly out of Austin right now, so

1187
01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:42,960
Speaker 1: he trailed off. The three of them drank in silence

1188
01:00:43,000 --> 01:00:45,600
Speaker 1: for a minute. Schoolfucker Might, gulped down the last of

1189
01:00:45,640 --> 01:00:48,480
Speaker 1: his glass and ordered another, along with three shots of bourbon.

1190
01:00:49,040 --> 01:00:51,160
Speaker 1: Manny started to turn down the shot, but it was

1191
01:00:51,200 --> 01:00:53,760
Speaker 1: soon apparent that Mike wanted all three shots for himself.

1192
01:00:54,280 --> 01:00:56,320
Speaker 1: He downed them all in the space of around a second,

1193
01:00:56,480 --> 01:01:00,320
Speaker 1: belched loudly, and then returned to staring at Reggie Screen. Fuck,

1194
01:01:00,560 --> 01:01:04,760
Speaker 1: he sighed out again. Funcket he fuck fuck. Manny was

1195
01:01:04,800 --> 01:01:07,760
Speaker 1: halfway through his beer when Donald Ferris approached. The old

1196
01:01:07,800 --> 01:01:11,560
Speaker 1: documentarian wore a burgundy velvet waistcoat underneath a slightly battered

1197
01:01:11,600 --> 01:01:14,320
Speaker 1: but well tailored tweed jacket. He had a glass of

1198
01:01:14,360 --> 01:01:17,000
Speaker 1: probable whiskey at his hand, and the soberest eyes Manny

1199
01:01:17,040 --> 01:01:20,919
Speaker 1: had seen that day. Hello, the gentleman school funcker, Mike,

1200
01:01:21,040 --> 01:01:25,080
Speaker 1: getting caught up on the latest catastrophes, ali Yep, said, Mike,

1201
01:01:25,240 --> 01:01:27,800
Speaker 1: how you been. The older man shrugged and took his

1202
01:01:27,840 --> 01:01:29,959
Speaker 1: seat at the table. He gulped his whiskey and looked

1203
01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:32,439
Speaker 1: down the table at Manny. It was strange to see

1204
01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:35,520
Speaker 1: an actual old person this close up. The creases on

1205
01:01:35,560 --> 01:01:37,640
Speaker 1: his forehead and around his lips were so deep they

1206
01:01:37,680 --> 01:01:40,160
Speaker 1: could have been carved with a knife. There were spots

1207
01:01:40,160 --> 01:01:42,920
Speaker 1: on him, a clear sign he'd taken no juven treatments

1208
01:01:42,960 --> 01:01:45,600
Speaker 1: at all. His face had a deep, craggy richness that

1209
01:01:45,680 --> 01:01:49,240
Speaker 1: lent every word he said, a certain vague majesty. Donald

1210
01:01:49,280 --> 01:01:52,760
Speaker 1: Ferris spoke, and many felt compelled to listen. You can

1211
01:01:52,840 --> 01:01:55,840
Speaker 1: hope this. You know, was stuck negotiating with the Kingdom now,

1212
01:01:55,880 --> 01:02:00,000
Speaker 1: and they are most recalcitrant. But the Fucians quite a second, Reggie,

1213
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:04,480
Speaker 1: he interrupted, fuckans really. Donald and Mike exchanged a look,

1214
01:02:04,640 --> 01:02:08,800
Speaker 1: then a laugh. Donald replied, the city's not exactly famed

1215
01:02:08,800 --> 01:02:11,680
Speaker 1: for consistency. Almost any collective now and you can think

1216
01:02:11,680 --> 01:02:14,760
Speaker 1: of would be appropriate. He took another sip from his

1217
01:02:14,800 --> 01:02:16,480
Speaker 1: glass and set it down on the bar top with

1218
01:02:16,520 --> 01:02:19,240
Speaker 1: a clack. Donald Ferris leaned in at that and eyed

1219
01:02:19,280 --> 01:02:21,560
Speaker 1: the glass as he rotated it around on the table.

1220
01:02:21,800 --> 01:02:24,080
Speaker 1: He tapped it again, smiled, and looked back up to

1221
01:02:24,120 --> 01:02:26,880
Speaker 1: the group. Now, young man, let me explain why you

1222
01:02:26,880 --> 01:02:29,360
Speaker 1: should go risk your life on a daring and dangerous

1223
01:02:29,400 --> 01:02:33,560
Speaker 1: rescue mission. Manny grunted and shook his head reflexively defensive.

1224
01:02:33,960 --> 01:02:36,360
Speaker 1: I'd rather not talk about it right now, if that's cool,

1225
01:02:36,440 --> 01:02:39,520
Speaker 1: he said. I just woke up. This place is ridiculous,

1226
01:02:39,520 --> 01:02:41,440
Speaker 1: and I'm not going to decide to go into terrible

1227
01:02:41,520 --> 01:02:43,919
Speaker 1: danger because some old man gilt trips me at a bar.

1228
01:02:44,600 --> 01:02:48,240
Speaker 1: Suit yourself. Donald smiled. I can't imagine how stressful this

1229
01:02:48,320 --> 01:02:50,720
Speaker 1: is all bidden for you. I'm a little surprised you'd

1230
01:02:50,760 --> 01:02:53,560
Speaker 1: choose to trip balls at a time like this. What

1231
01:02:53,600 --> 01:02:56,920
Speaker 1: do you mean, Manny asked, with growing anxiety. That's a

1232
01:02:57,080 --> 01:03:00,800
Speaker 1: white haze, right, I think Mike said it so wheat haze,

1233
01:03:00,840 --> 01:03:04,200
Speaker 1: but I couldn't really read the labels. Shit. Mike cursed,

1234
01:03:04,280 --> 01:03:08,120
Speaker 1: while Donald Ferris fought back a laugh. What Manny asked,

1235
01:03:08,600 --> 01:03:11,680
Speaker 1: Mike should have warned you. The wheat haze is normal alcohol.

1236
01:03:11,920 --> 01:03:15,520
Speaker 1: The white haze packs about two hits of lesurgic diethyl acid.

1237
01:03:15,520 --> 01:03:18,600
Speaker 1: Put pint be anxious, not in. Manny's gut began to

1238
01:03:18,640 --> 01:03:21,760
Speaker 1: pound in pulse. He looked to skullfucker Mike, furious. What

1239
01:03:21,920 --> 01:03:27,000
Speaker 1: the funk man? Mike winced, He looked genuinely rueful. I'm

1240
01:03:27,120 --> 01:03:29,720
Speaker 1: really sorry, he said. I'm not used to it making

1241
01:03:29,720 --> 01:03:31,919
Speaker 1: a difference. Most people here take two or three hits

1242
01:03:31,920 --> 01:03:35,960
Speaker 1: acid with their breakfast cigarettes. Oh shit. Manny slumped forward

1243
01:03:35,960 --> 01:03:38,720
Speaker 1: and put his head in his hands. He started to hyperventilate.

1244
01:03:38,880 --> 01:03:41,160
Speaker 1: The edges of his vision blurred, and many couldn't tell

1245
01:03:41,160 --> 01:03:42,920
Speaker 1: if that was from the drugs kicking in or just

1246
01:03:43,040 --> 01:03:46,000
Speaker 1: a consequence of his own panic. He could feel Oscar's

1247
01:03:46,040 --> 01:03:48,200
Speaker 1: face hanging out just at the back of his mind,

1248
01:03:48,360 --> 01:03:50,760
Speaker 1: afloat on a river of guilt. He didn't want to

1249
01:03:50,760 --> 01:03:53,200
Speaker 1: know what a headful of acid would do with those feelings.

1250
01:03:53,720 --> 01:03:55,800
Speaker 1: I gotta get back to the room, he said. I

1251
01:03:55,840 --> 01:03:58,880
Speaker 1: can't handle that. Donald put a hand on his shoulder.

1252
01:03:59,160 --> 01:04:01,920
Speaker 1: He was stronger than Manny would have guessed you've got

1253
01:04:01,920 --> 01:04:04,360
Speaker 1: a head full of surprise. I said, boy, the last

1254
01:04:04,360 --> 01:04:06,400
Speaker 1: thing you need is to sit in a dock room

1255
01:04:06,400 --> 01:04:09,760
Speaker 1: and stew with your demons. He exchanged another look with

1256
01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:13,040
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike and said brain breakers ought to be kicking

1257
01:04:13,080 --> 01:04:15,240
Speaker 1: off right now. That's the place for a man in

1258
01:04:15,280 --> 01:04:19,320
Speaker 1: your condition. But started Manny, what the hell is that?

1259
01:04:19,480 --> 01:04:23,840
Speaker 1: Reggie asked, Wait, Manny continued. Donald ignored him and replied

1260
01:04:23,840 --> 01:04:26,720
Speaker 1: to Reggie, it's the best damn party on the continent,

1261
01:04:26,880 --> 01:04:29,520
Speaker 1: or at least the best one humans can attend and survive.

1262
01:04:30,600 --> 01:04:33,800
Speaker 1: I don't really want to, Manny started, Scofucker Mike added

1263
01:04:33,840 --> 01:04:37,360
Speaker 1: his hand to Manny's shoulder. You really do trust us

1264
01:04:37,360 --> 01:04:41,840
Speaker 1: on this. In the end, scullfucker, Mike and Donald convinced

1265
01:04:41,880 --> 01:04:45,000
Speaker 1: him to go. Reggie surprisingly opted to stay at the

1266
01:04:45,000 --> 01:04:47,880
Speaker 1: bar and continue his work. He said he was close

1267
01:04:47,920 --> 01:04:51,040
Speaker 1: to something Manny really wished he chosen to come along.

1268
01:04:51,240 --> 01:04:53,600
Speaker 1: He didn't know the journalist well, but Mike and Donald

1269
01:04:53,600 --> 01:04:56,560
Speaker 1: were complete strangers. Manny was not looking forward to the

1270
01:04:56,640 --> 01:04:59,240
Speaker 1: drugs kicking in. He also wasn't sure a giant rave

1271
01:04:59,320 --> 01:05:00,960
Speaker 1: room was the best place for him to be when

1272
01:05:01,000 --> 01:05:04,400
Speaker 1: they did as they approached it, Many realized he'd seen

1273
01:05:04,440 --> 01:05:07,040
Speaker 1: the structure when they first arrived at the City of Wheels.

1274
01:05:07,480 --> 01:05:10,080
Speaker 1: Brain Breakers was a three story cube at the top

1275
01:05:10,120 --> 01:05:13,240
Speaker 1: of Rolling Fox highest gantry. The cube appeared to have

1276
01:05:13,240 --> 01:05:16,400
Speaker 1: been knitted together from long strands of black metal. Multi

1277
01:05:16,400 --> 01:05:18,840
Speaker 1: colored light pulsed inside it and bled out through the

1278
01:05:18,880 --> 01:05:22,160
Speaker 1: gaps and the knitted metal of the sides. Schoolfucker Mike

1279
01:05:22,280 --> 01:05:25,080
Speaker 1: led them down the gantry towards the cube. There didn't

1280
01:05:25,120 --> 01:05:27,360
Speaker 1: appear to be any kind of entrance. The wall on

1281
01:05:27,400 --> 01:05:30,120
Speaker 1: this side was the same knitted steel as every other side,

1282
01:05:30,400 --> 01:05:33,160
Speaker 1: but once they reached it, Mike simply stepped into the wall.

1283
01:05:33,520 --> 01:05:36,760
Speaker 1: The woven metal writhed like something alive and curled back

1284
01:05:36,800 --> 01:05:39,880
Speaker 1: to admit the big post human. The metal tendrils caressed

1285
01:05:39,880 --> 01:05:43,160
Speaker 1: Mike's body as he walked through. Manny flashed a questioning

1286
01:05:43,200 --> 01:05:48,200
Speaker 1: look at Donald. It it feels nice, he explained. Many

1287
01:05:48,280 --> 01:05:51,920
Speaker 1: side exasperated and furious. Is this whole damned city built

1288
01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:56,200
Speaker 1: around drugs and fondling? Yes? Donald grinned a spidery old

1289
01:05:56,200 --> 01:06:00,160
Speaker 1: man grinned now insoide with you. Many Sides swallow out

1290
01:06:00,200 --> 01:06:02,400
Speaker 1: and walked up to the wall. The metal, which felt

1291
01:06:02,400 --> 01:06:05,800
Speaker 1: surprisingly soft and warm slithered around him, and Mother of God,

1292
01:06:05,880 --> 01:06:08,280
Speaker 1: it felt good. That might have had something to do

1293
01:06:08,360 --> 01:06:10,480
Speaker 1: with the acid percolating in the back of his brain.

1294
01:06:10,840 --> 01:06:14,120
Speaker 1: The sensation was a cross between being tickled and being caressed.

1295
01:06:14,480 --> 01:06:17,840
Speaker 1: He was reminded, uncomfortably of his mother's stroking his forehead

1296
01:06:17,840 --> 01:06:20,280
Speaker 1: when he had a fever as a child. And then

1297
01:06:20,280 --> 01:06:22,720
Speaker 1: he was through. It took him a moment to realize

1298
01:06:22,720 --> 01:06:25,680
Speaker 1: he was breathing heavily and covered in cold sweat. It

1299
01:06:25,800 --> 01:06:27,680
Speaker 1: was then that Manny got his first view of the

1300
01:06:27,720 --> 01:06:30,640
Speaker 1: interior of Brain Breakers. It looked a little like a

1301
01:06:30,680 --> 01:06:33,600
Speaker 1: space station designed by M. C Esher with a drunken

1302
01:06:33,760 --> 01:06:36,920
Speaker 1: hr Geiger as the contractor. There were a half dozen

1303
01:06:36,920 --> 01:06:40,280
Speaker 1: different stages protruding at various levels from the walls. Three

1304
01:06:40,320 --> 01:06:43,840
Speaker 1: of the stages were currently occupied. One performer was an enormous,

1305
01:06:43,880 --> 01:06:47,960
Speaker 1: seemingly sentient xylophone that pranced about on stage, playing itself

1306
01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:51,400
Speaker 1: with eight knob and arms. Another stage held four human

1307
01:06:51,440 --> 01:06:54,960
Speaker 1: looking individuals. They were all naked, and they were all fighting.

1308
01:06:55,440 --> 01:06:58,040
Speaker 1: Many watched and slacked jawed awe as they punched and

1309
01:06:58,080 --> 01:07:00,760
Speaker 1: bit and kicked and choked each other. Every impact sent

1310
01:07:00,880 --> 01:07:03,680
Speaker 1: a chorus of warbling sounds pouring out from speakers at

1311
01:07:03,680 --> 01:07:06,400
Speaker 1: the base of the stage. The longer he listened, the

1312
01:07:06,440 --> 01:07:10,840
Speaker 1: more hypnotic the music seemed. The third inhabited stage held

1313
01:07:10,880 --> 01:07:12,840
Speaker 1: what looked like a normal d J booth with a

1314
01:07:12,840 --> 01:07:16,120
Speaker 1: presumptive person behind it. Manny guessed that was the source

1315
01:07:16,160 --> 01:07:18,720
Speaker 1: of the bass, heavy rhythmic pounding that filled the square.

1316
01:07:19,080 --> 01:07:21,920
Speaker 1: The remaining stages were empty for now, but the place

1317
01:07:21,960 --> 01:07:24,400
Speaker 1: was so full of sound that Manny couldn't imagine two

1318
01:07:24,480 --> 01:07:27,680
Speaker 1: more acts making things any louder. It was chaotic and

1319
01:07:27,720 --> 01:07:31,040
Speaker 1: confusing and a little uncomfortable, but after a few seconds,

1320
01:07:31,160 --> 01:07:34,160
Speaker 1: Manny started to pick up on an overarching rhythm. All

1321
01:07:34,240 --> 01:07:37,560
Speaker 1: three acts were making very different music at very different paces,

1322
01:07:37,720 --> 01:07:41,200
Speaker 1: but somehow it all tied together. The inner walls of

1323
01:07:41,240 --> 01:07:44,320
Speaker 1: the place were covered in projection art. Giant human sized

1324
01:07:44,360 --> 01:07:47,520
Speaker 1: silhouettes stalked the walls, floor, and roof. At times, they

1325
01:07:47,520 --> 01:07:50,160
Speaker 1: moved so fast they looked almost like wisps of smoke.

1326
01:07:50,600 --> 01:07:52,480
Speaker 1: But here and there one would stop long enough for

1327
01:07:52,480 --> 01:07:55,480
Speaker 1: Manny to get a solid look. He saw several different figures,

1328
01:07:55,720 --> 01:07:59,520
Speaker 1: a tall, muscular but androgynous person, a small, lithe young woman,

1329
01:07:59,720 --> 01:08:02,280
Speaker 1: a rod the squat man, with a bald head. They

1330
01:08:02,360 --> 01:08:05,120
Speaker 1: danced around each other, flittering up and down the walls.

1331
01:08:05,360 --> 01:08:07,600
Speaker 1: Their pace and the nature of their motions varied depending

1332
01:08:07,640 --> 01:08:10,360
Speaker 1: on the tempo and pitch of the music nearest to them.

1333
01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:13,720
Speaker 1: It was mesmerizing. Manny stared for what felt like minutes.

1334
01:08:14,120 --> 01:08:16,320
Speaker 1: The sensation of his body faded away from him, and

1335
01:08:16,360 --> 01:08:19,080
Speaker 1: his vision tunneled in on the dancing figures. Their dance

1336
01:08:19,120 --> 01:08:21,639
Speaker 1: had looked joyous and sensual at first, but the longer

1337
01:08:21,680 --> 01:08:24,400
Speaker 1: he watched, the more frenetic it seemed. The more danger

1338
01:08:24,439 --> 01:08:26,920
Speaker 1: he spotted in their jerking limbs, the arc of their necks,

1339
01:08:26,960 --> 01:08:29,599
Speaker 1: the uncontrolled way they spun round and into one another.

1340
01:08:29,920 --> 01:08:32,200
Speaker 1: Anxiety started to build in the pit of his stomach.

1341
01:08:32,680 --> 01:08:36,880
Speaker 1: And then there was a person beside him. Mike, Hey, buddy,

1342
01:08:37,160 --> 01:08:39,400
Speaker 1: He grinned. The other man's pupils were the size of

1343
01:08:39,479 --> 01:08:42,439
Speaker 1: dinner plates. He clenched and ground his teeth back and forth.

1344
01:08:42,960 --> 01:08:46,400
Speaker 1: Is it o'kay if I put a hand on your shoulder? Uh? Sure,

1345
01:08:46,680 --> 01:08:50,960
Speaker 1: Manny said, surprising himself cool. Mike smiled and did so.

1346
01:08:51,320 --> 01:08:54,920
Speaker 1: His hand felt supportive, comforting. How you liken the party?

1347
01:08:55,680 --> 01:08:58,720
Speaker 1: Manny really wasn't sure. It was beautiful? Here. Now that

1348
01:08:58,760 --> 01:09:01,680
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike had pulled his attention from the dancing silhouettes,

1349
01:09:01,680 --> 01:09:03,799
Speaker 1: He'd started to focus more in the crowds of people

1350
01:09:04,200 --> 01:09:07,160
Speaker 1: dancing and drinking and fucking across the assorted dance floors,

1351
01:09:07,200 --> 01:09:10,439
Speaker 1: cuttle spaces, and bar tops of brain breakers. Most of

1352
01:09:10,439 --> 01:09:13,120
Speaker 1: the celebrants were visibly chromed. He saw a woman with

1353
01:09:13,200 --> 01:09:15,519
Speaker 1: six arms, a couple of things he could only describe

1354
01:09:15,520 --> 01:09:18,200
Speaker 1: as dick centaurs, a man with the head of a dolphin,

1355
01:09:18,320 --> 01:09:21,000
Speaker 1: and countless people in bizarre costumes built of light and

1356
01:09:21,040 --> 01:09:23,840
Speaker 1: fur and liquid metal. It was hard to tell how

1357
01:09:23,960 --> 01:09:25,720
Speaker 1: much of this was real and how much of it

1358
01:09:25,760 --> 01:09:28,400
Speaker 1: was the drugs. The acid was hitting his head pretty

1359
01:09:28,479 --> 01:09:32,120
Speaker 1: damn hard. Schoolfucker Mike squeezed his shoulders and brought Manny

1360
01:09:32,200 --> 01:09:36,400
Speaker 1: back again. The fixer blinked and then finally responded, it's

1361
01:09:36,479 --> 01:09:41,280
Speaker 1: a good, good, fucking great. Let's get you some whippets

1362
01:09:41,280 --> 01:09:43,200
Speaker 1: and head over to the fireworks table. They're about to

1363
01:09:43,240 --> 01:09:47,640
Speaker 1: open it up fireworks inside. Mike laughed. It's hardly a

1364
01:09:47,680 --> 01:09:50,800
Speaker 1: party without explosives. Brother, just go with it, and so

1365
01:09:51,000 --> 01:09:53,639
Speaker 1: many did. He and Mike did some whippets, which meshed

1366
01:09:53,640 --> 01:09:56,640
Speaker 1: gloriously with the acid. Then they stood up on stumbling

1367
01:09:56,640 --> 01:09:59,360
Speaker 1: feet and headed over to the fireworks table. Things seemed

1368
01:09:59,360 --> 01:10:02,240
Speaker 1: to be just get started. Over there, Manny inspected a

1369
01:10:02,240 --> 01:10:05,920
Speaker 1: few different brightly colored explosive toys before something burst next

1370
01:10:05,960 --> 01:10:07,920
Speaker 1: to his ear, and he looked up to see Skullfucker

1371
01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:11,400
Speaker 1: Mike firing a massive Roman candle towards the musical, punching

1372
01:10:11,400 --> 01:10:14,719
Speaker 1: people on the stage. The sound of it wholly held

1373
01:10:14,720 --> 01:10:16,920
Speaker 1: a sound. It might have been the most compelling thing

1374
01:10:16,960 --> 01:10:20,080
Speaker 1: his ears had ever heard. The acid is definitely hitting

1375
01:10:20,080 --> 01:10:23,200
Speaker 1: hard now, Manny thought, Holy funk, Holy funk, what is this?

1376
01:10:23,800 --> 01:10:25,840
Speaker 1: The rest of his night faded into a blur of

1377
01:10:25,920 --> 01:10:29,479
Speaker 1: lights and music and strange, indefinable sense memories. It was

1378
01:10:29,560 --> 01:10:33,880
Speaker 1: disorienting and exhilarating an equal measure. Hours went by, the

1379
01:10:33,920 --> 01:10:37,360
Speaker 1: acid faded, and eventually Manny found himself on a bunch

1380
01:10:37,400 --> 01:10:40,120
Speaker 1: of cushions, sitting around a table with Skullfucker Mike and

1381
01:10:40,200 --> 01:10:43,240
Speaker 1: other Fuccians. He couldn't remember any of their names, but

1382
01:10:43,439 --> 01:10:46,160
Speaker 1: after a few minutes of relative lucidity, Manny was able

1383
01:10:46,200 --> 01:10:48,040
Speaker 1: to piece together that they were all friends of the

1384
01:10:48,040 --> 01:10:50,640
Speaker 1: people who had been captured. One of the men, a

1385
01:10:50,640 --> 01:10:53,080
Speaker 1: bearded guy, with multi jointed fingers the length and with

1386
01:10:53,280 --> 01:10:56,080
Speaker 1: the rulers reached over Manny to grab a beer. He

1387
01:10:56,160 --> 01:10:58,599
Speaker 1: pulled it back, took a sip, and settled into his seat.

1388
01:10:59,320 --> 01:11:02,120
Speaker 1: My favorite Maria Merrigold, he said, it's from back when

1389
01:11:02,120 --> 01:11:04,559
Speaker 1: we were still building this city, right after we stole

1390
01:11:04,600 --> 01:11:06,559
Speaker 1: the bagger. She got a hair up her ass that

1391
01:11:06,600 --> 01:11:08,640
Speaker 1: there ought to be a big purple clubhouse at the

1392
01:11:08,640 --> 01:11:11,400
Speaker 1: top for folks to do cocaine in and watch sunsets.

1393
01:11:11,960 --> 01:11:14,360
Speaker 1: I remember she strapped an armed little wood to her back,

1394
01:11:14,360 --> 01:11:16,559
Speaker 1: grabbed a can of spray paint, took a big rail

1395
01:11:16,600 --> 01:11:18,799
Speaker 1: of meth, and just started climbing up the center spindle

1396
01:11:18,840 --> 01:11:20,759
Speaker 1: like she was gonna do the whole damn job herself.

1397
01:11:20,920 --> 01:11:23,000
Speaker 1: She got fucking stuck two thirds of the way up,

1398
01:11:23,120 --> 01:11:25,200
Speaker 1: just hanging out there with her panties in the breeze,

1399
01:11:25,200 --> 01:11:29,040
Speaker 1: screaming like a scared cat. Mike laughed. I remember that

1400
01:11:29,240 --> 01:11:31,439
Speaker 1: me and Topez had to climb up in freer, and

1401
01:11:31,479 --> 01:11:33,000
Speaker 1: then she climbed the rest of the way up and

1402
01:11:33,040 --> 01:11:37,680
Speaker 1: started laying down boards. Fingerman nodded, yeah, I remember when

1403
01:11:37,680 --> 01:11:39,679
Speaker 1: I climbed up there an hour or so later. She's

1404
01:11:39,720 --> 01:11:42,200
Speaker 1: all frantic and fiddling with nails and bolts and turned

1405
01:11:42,200 --> 01:11:45,920
Speaker 1: to Funck but like making progress too, And I asked her, Marigold,

1406
01:11:46,040 --> 01:11:48,360
Speaker 1: why are you doing this? This ain't a one person job,

1407
01:11:48,720 --> 01:11:51,800
Speaker 1: and she said, I know, but unless I start building it,

1408
01:11:51,800 --> 01:11:54,920
Speaker 1: it'll never be real. There was quiet for a while.

1409
01:11:55,400 --> 01:11:57,360
Speaker 1: Many could feel the pain in the pause and see

1410
01:11:57,360 --> 01:12:00,240
Speaker 1: it on everyone's face. He didn't want to say any thing.

1411
01:12:00,360 --> 01:12:03,240
Speaker 1: He was pretty sure there was nothing worthwhile he could say.

1412
01:12:03,320 --> 01:12:06,280
Speaker 1: But then he spoke, anyway, can you tell me about

1413
01:12:06,320 --> 01:12:09,599
Speaker 1: the others, the other two who were captured. Another of

1414
01:12:09,600 --> 01:12:12,000
Speaker 1: Mike's friends, a tall black woman in a bright blue

1415
01:12:12,000 --> 01:12:15,600
Speaker 1: shark Onesie, nodded and replied. Rick's a little dude, a

1416
01:12:15,640 --> 01:12:18,880
Speaker 1: great painter and a pretty good pyrotechnician. He's no kind

1417
01:12:18,880 --> 01:12:21,439
Speaker 1: of fighter, but he's got a real sweet way about him.

1418
01:12:21,560 --> 01:12:24,000
Speaker 1: He puts people at ease, so he goes out on

1419
01:12:24,040 --> 01:12:25,920
Speaker 1: a lot of these delegations to be a good face

1420
01:12:25,960 --> 01:12:29,200
Speaker 1: for the city. Marigold is always the main negotiator, but

1421
01:12:29,240 --> 01:12:32,519
Speaker 1: we sent Tully out too. She's newish to the city,

1422
01:12:32,720 --> 01:12:35,320
Speaker 1: used to be an activist in Albuquerque before the King

1423
01:12:35,400 --> 01:12:39,160
Speaker 1: took over and started boiling people. She's a good talker.

1424
01:12:39,240 --> 01:12:41,360
Speaker 1: We had her studying under Mary so she could pick

1425
01:12:41,400 --> 01:12:45,080
Speaker 1: up some of the load in the future. They're all

1426
01:12:45,160 --> 01:12:48,679
Speaker 1: good people, Fingerman added, Marigolds saved my life a few times.

1427
01:12:48,800 --> 01:12:51,680
Speaker 1: Back during the revolution. She helped found this place. It

1428
01:12:51,760 --> 01:12:54,599
Speaker 1: started out as just a big caravan RV's and mobile

1429
01:12:54,680 --> 01:12:58,920
Speaker 1: hydroponics units. She'd find isolated communities bring him food and such.

1430
01:12:59,320 --> 01:13:01,640
Speaker 1: No government was much use back then, so for a

1431
01:13:01,640 --> 01:13:04,280
Speaker 1: lot of folks, Mary's caravan was the line between life

1432
01:13:04,280 --> 01:13:08,160
Speaker 1: and death. Yep, said skullfucker Mike. She's the one who

1433
01:13:08,160 --> 01:13:11,000
Speaker 1: found topaz in me. After the boss went missing. We

1434
01:13:11,000 --> 01:13:14,160
Speaker 1: were pretty lost, doing a lot of freelance violence, but

1435
01:13:14,200 --> 01:13:18,240
Speaker 1: not making anything, not building a damn thing. Marigold told us.

1436
01:13:18,240 --> 01:13:20,920
Speaker 1: Her vision for this big, stupid city got us hooked

1437
01:13:20,960 --> 01:13:24,320
Speaker 1: on the idea. Many noticed tears at the corner of

1438
01:13:24,320 --> 01:13:28,000
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike's eyes that felt somehow wronged him. Someone so

1439
01:13:28,040 --> 01:13:30,680
Speaker 1: powerful and inhuman shouldn't be able to cry and make

1440
01:13:30,680 --> 01:13:34,720
Speaker 1: it look so normal, But there he was crying. And

1441
01:13:34,760 --> 01:13:36,840
Speaker 1: then for the first time in the trip, the thing

1442
01:13:36,880 --> 01:13:40,240
Speaker 1: Manny had most feared happened. He thought about Oscar. He

1443
01:13:40,280 --> 01:13:43,280
Speaker 1: remembered a picnic he'd taken with the stringer, his wife, Aisha,

1444
01:13:43,400 --> 01:13:46,160
Speaker 1: and their two kids. It had been a lovely spring day,

1445
01:13:46,360 --> 01:13:48,439
Speaker 1: one of the dozen ish days a year in Austin

1446
01:13:48,479 --> 01:13:51,120
Speaker 1: where the air felt good on your skin. They drank

1447
01:13:51,200 --> 01:13:54,000
Speaker 1: cheap beer and eating hot dogs and watched the kayakers

1448
01:13:54,120 --> 01:13:57,320
Speaker 1: roll along the Colorado River. I sent him out there,

1449
01:13:57,320 --> 01:14:00,960
Speaker 1: and now he's probably dead. You know there's something else

1450
01:14:01,040 --> 01:14:05,120
Speaker 1: we share, Mike said, his voice low and somber. We've

1451
01:14:05,160 --> 01:14:08,240
Speaker 1: both spent way too much of our lives feeling helpless.

1452
01:14:09,000 --> 01:14:12,599
Speaker 1: Manny cocked a disbelieving eyebrow up at skullfucker Mike ere

1453
01:14:13,000 --> 01:14:16,080
Speaker 1: the chrombed man chuckled. I know what you're thinking, but

1454
01:14:16,160 --> 01:14:19,719
Speaker 1: you'd be surprised how often the fancy hardware doesn't matter.

1455
01:14:20,479 --> 01:14:23,400
Speaker 1: Mike's face twitched and more tears poured down his face.

1456
01:14:23,720 --> 01:14:26,840
Speaker 1: He took a deep breath, fixed Manny with bloodshot puffy eyes,

1457
01:14:26,960 --> 01:14:30,840
Speaker 1: and spoke again. We all spend a lot of life helpless,

1458
01:14:31,280 --> 01:14:33,600
Speaker 1: So when you have a chance to do something to

1459
01:14:33,680 --> 01:14:37,680
Speaker 1: make a difference for some one personally, I recommend you

1460
01:14:37,720 --> 01:14:41,639
Speaker 1: fuckin take it. Manny woke up the next day feeling

1461
01:14:41,680 --> 01:14:44,840
Speaker 1: out of place and vaguely unstuck. From time he could

1462
01:14:44,880 --> 01:14:47,680
Speaker 1: hear Reggie snoring on the next bed. The room was

1463
01:14:47,760 --> 01:14:50,200
Speaker 1: very dark and it was impossible to tell what time

1464
01:14:50,200 --> 01:14:53,320
Speaker 1: it might be. Manny thought about activating his deck, but

1465
01:14:53,439 --> 01:14:56,880
Speaker 1: decided against it. There was something almost nauseating about the

1466
01:14:56,920 --> 01:14:59,559
Speaker 1: thought of being flooded with the outside world right now.

1467
01:15:00,360 --> 01:15:03,000
Speaker 1: He stood up and went outside to wander the spindles

1468
01:15:03,000 --> 01:15:05,720
Speaker 1: and gantries of rolling Fuck for a while. At one

1469
01:15:05,760 --> 01:15:08,600
Speaker 1: point a man walked by with a plateful of breakfast burritos,

1470
01:15:08,720 --> 01:15:11,479
Speaker 1: and so Mannie had breakfast. A little while later he

1471
01:15:11,479 --> 01:15:13,960
Speaker 1: found a self served coffee house stationed next to one

1472
01:15:13,960 --> 01:15:16,760
Speaker 1: of the fondle boats, and so he had coffee. He

1473
01:15:16,880 --> 01:15:19,000
Speaker 1: was just starting to think about turning on his deck

1474
01:15:19,000 --> 01:15:22,559
Speaker 1: and welcoming in the world when Donald Ferris found him. Mannie,

1475
01:15:22,560 --> 01:15:25,599
Speaker 1: my boy, I hope your ascid hangovers not too bad,

1476
01:15:26,479 --> 01:15:29,639
Speaker 1: Mannie shrugged. I actually feel all right. It was a

1477
01:15:29,920 --> 01:15:32,080
Speaker 1: It was good and help me sort some things out.

1478
01:15:32,520 --> 01:15:35,400
Speaker 1: The older man smiled. I'm genuinely happy to hear that.

1479
01:15:35,640 --> 01:15:37,760
Speaker 1: There's nothing like a headful of acid to help you

1480
01:15:37,840 --> 01:15:41,479
Speaker 1: see what's important. Now. Listen, I hate to interrupt your morning,

1481
01:15:41,520 --> 01:15:44,679
Speaker 1: but there've been some developments. Nana Yazzi and I need

1482
01:15:44,720 --> 01:15:47,800
Speaker 1: to talk to you. Mannie went with him back down

1483
01:15:47,800 --> 01:15:50,200
Speaker 1: into the main roller in that weird conference room where

1484
01:15:50,200 --> 01:15:52,559
Speaker 1: they'd met on his first day in the city. There

1485
01:15:52,560 --> 01:15:55,240
Speaker 1: were more people there now. Nana Yazzi sat in the

1486
01:15:55,280 --> 01:15:57,519
Speaker 1: same spot at the end of the table. Reggie was

1487
01:15:57,560 --> 01:16:00,160
Speaker 1: there fiddling with one of his screens scuff a her

1488
01:16:00,160 --> 01:16:02,559
Speaker 1: Mike sat next to him, and then at the other

1489
01:16:02,680 --> 01:16:05,000
Speaker 1: end of the table was a large black dude Manny

1490
01:16:05,080 --> 01:16:08,639
Speaker 1: had never seen before. He was muscular, but in the lean,

1491
01:16:08,760 --> 01:16:12,320
Speaker 1: wiry way of a construction worker or a particularly swollen hobo.

1492
01:16:12,760 --> 01:16:15,320
Speaker 1: He had a long, gaunt face with prominent sheet bones

1493
01:16:15,360 --> 01:16:18,400
Speaker 1: and an oft broken nose. His hands were big, there

1494
01:16:18,439 --> 01:16:21,080
Speaker 1: was something menacing about them, but his face was the

1495
01:16:21,160 --> 01:16:24,360
Speaker 1: least threatening thing in the world. His eyes were litted, half,

1496
01:16:24,360 --> 01:16:27,240
Speaker 1: focused and dreamy. His jaw was just a little slack.

1497
01:16:27,600 --> 01:16:30,400
Speaker 1: He had short hair, stubble really, and a patchy six

1498
01:16:30,479 --> 01:16:34,960
Speaker 1: day beard. He looked stoned. Welcome, Manny, said Nana Yazi.

1499
01:16:35,200 --> 01:16:38,320
Speaker 1: She gestured towards the big man. This is Rowland. If

1500
01:16:38,360 --> 01:16:40,640
Speaker 1: you choose to help us rescue your people, he'll be

1501
01:16:40,640 --> 01:16:43,679
Speaker 1: our escort into the Heavenly Kingdom and your escape plan.

1502
01:16:44,320 --> 01:16:46,559
Speaker 1: Donald shut the door behind them, walked around to the

1503
01:16:46,560 --> 01:16:48,519
Speaker 1: other side of the table and sat down next to

1504
01:16:48,600 --> 01:16:51,920
Speaker 1: Nana Yazzi. We've tried to give you time and space

1505
01:16:51,920 --> 01:16:54,280
Speaker 1: on this, he said, but I'm afraid both of those

1506
01:16:54,320 --> 01:16:57,400
Speaker 1: things are running out. All our intelligence suggests the Heavenly

1507
01:16:57,479 --> 01:16:59,840
Speaker 1: Kingdom is very close to another roll out as salt.

1508
01:17:00,240 --> 01:17:02,760
Speaker 1: They'll move on Waco in four or five days. It

1509
01:17:02,800 --> 01:17:05,559
Speaker 1: could be outside of Austin in a week's time. You

1510
01:17:05,640 --> 01:17:07,960
Speaker 1: are free to make whatever call you want, or offer

1511
01:17:08,040 --> 01:17:10,840
Speaker 1: to fly you to Austin still stands, mi Ho, said

1512
01:17:10,920 --> 01:17:13,400
Speaker 1: Nana Yazi. But I am afraid we need you to

1513
01:17:13,439 --> 01:17:18,360
Speaker 1: make a decision. Now, I'll do it, Manny said. Almost

1514
01:17:18,400 --> 01:17:22,719
Speaker 1: everyone looked surprised. Donald coughed. Nana Yazi's eyes went wide,

1515
01:17:23,000 --> 01:17:26,400
Speaker 1: Reggie did a double take schofucker. Mike just smiled and

1516
01:17:26,479 --> 01:17:29,160
Speaker 1: nodded at Mannie. Roland didn't look as if he'd been

1517
01:17:29,160 --> 01:17:32,360
Speaker 1: affected in any way. In fact, Mannie was pretty sure

1518
01:17:32,400 --> 01:17:35,080
Speaker 1: he was drumming along to some music only he could hear.

1519
01:17:35,520 --> 01:17:49,439
Speaker 1: It might have been Ronnie James Dio's Holy Diver Chapter fourteen. Roland.

1520
01:17:50,600 --> 01:17:53,280
Speaker 1: Once he'd been dismissed, Roland had made it his immediate

1521
01:17:53,280 --> 01:17:56,200
Speaker 1: business to get as high as post humanly possible before

1522
01:17:56,240 --> 01:17:59,679
Speaker 1: he was needed. This was not a difficult task. Rolling

1523
01:17:59,720 --> 01:18:02,760
Speaker 1: Funck had been built to keep buzzes going. The main

1524
01:18:02,840 --> 01:18:06,600
Speaker 1: rollers bar stocked an assortment of beers mixed with LSD laudanum,

1525
01:18:06,640 --> 01:18:09,320
Speaker 1: dimethyl trip to mean, and a half dozen shogun chemicals.

1526
01:18:09,800 --> 01:18:12,759
Speaker 1: Roland started off by sampling them all. He drank until

1527
01:18:12,760 --> 01:18:15,879
Speaker 1: the fireworks showing his head was indistinguishable from the actual

1528
01:18:15,960 --> 01:18:19,559
Speaker 1: fireworks outside and those real or am I just fucking lit?

1529
01:18:20,200 --> 01:18:23,240
Speaker 1: Roland decided that answering that question wouldn't make him happier.

1530
01:18:23,680 --> 01:18:26,080
Speaker 1: He lost himself for a while and drifted from one

1531
01:18:26,120 --> 01:18:28,000
Speaker 1: of the fondel boats to a dance party in a

1532
01:18:28,040 --> 01:18:31,519
Speaker 1: field underneath the main gantry. After hours of that, Roland

1533
01:18:31,600 --> 01:18:33,599
Speaker 1: had his fill of rhythm, so he found his way

1534
01:18:33,640 --> 01:18:35,920
Speaker 1: to a coke benge in a weird purple house atop

1535
01:18:35,960 --> 01:18:38,080
Speaker 1: one of the spindles. The rest of the night he

1536
01:18:38,160 --> 01:18:40,640
Speaker 1: spent testing the limits of his talks and filters, and

1537
01:18:40,760 --> 01:18:44,640
Speaker 1: his tolerance for human contact. The latter came first. He

1538
01:18:44,720 --> 01:18:47,599
Speaker 1: abandoned the coke party and stumbled through Rolling Funk until

1539
01:18:47,600 --> 01:18:50,840
Speaker 1: he reached a small booth with baggies of umnuloch, a

1540
01:18:50,920 --> 01:18:54,519
Speaker 1: d m T based hallucinogen made from synthetically grown giraffe liver.

1541
01:18:55,240 --> 01:18:58,360
Speaker 1: Thanks got fuzzy. After that, there was a fireworks fight

1542
01:18:58,400 --> 01:19:00,479
Speaker 1: on a spindle that caught a shack on fire. He

1543
01:19:00,560 --> 01:19:02,799
Speaker 1: downed a shipload of mescal and as the sun breached,

1544
01:19:03,040 --> 01:19:05,760
Speaker 1: and then quite suddenly it was afternoon and he was

1545
01:19:05,840 --> 01:19:08,120
Speaker 1: lying on his back across the baking hot metal of

1546
01:19:08,160 --> 01:19:11,599
Speaker 1: one of the spindles. Schoolfucker Mike stood above him, naked

1547
01:19:11,640 --> 01:19:13,479
Speaker 1: as the day he was born, and holding some sort

1548
01:19:13,520 --> 01:19:17,320
Speaker 1: of frosty purple beverage in a large teeky cup. Hey man,

1549
01:19:17,720 --> 01:19:19,960
Speaker 1: Mike said, as he took a sip, Nanny as he

1550
01:19:20,040 --> 01:19:22,400
Speaker 1: told me to find you you straight enough to talk

1551
01:19:22,439 --> 01:19:25,960
Speaker 1: to people. Roland nodded. He wasn't, really, but he could

1552
01:19:25,960 --> 01:19:30,160
Speaker 1: sober up fast. Maybe sober wasn't the right word. His

1553
01:19:30,360 --> 01:19:34,560
Speaker 1: brain could flood itself with focusing drugs to offset the hallucinogens,

1554
01:19:35,040 --> 01:19:37,719
Speaker 1: and he had a vial of liquid meth amphetamine somewhere

1555
01:19:37,760 --> 01:19:41,679
Speaker 1: in his pack that might do the trick. Roland sat up, grunted,

1556
01:19:41,720 --> 01:19:44,080
Speaker 1: and waved a hand at Mike. Then he dug around

1557
01:19:44,120 --> 01:19:46,280
Speaker 1: in his pack for the vial. He found it and

1558
01:19:46,360 --> 01:19:49,760
Speaker 1: drained half. All right, let's go, he said. Let's go

1559
01:19:49,800 --> 01:19:52,760
Speaker 1: to the place and do the things. Mike helped him

1560
01:19:52,760 --> 01:19:55,920
Speaker 1: down the spindle. Roland's unsteady legs were proof that he'd

1561
01:19:55,920 --> 01:19:59,600
Speaker 1: managed to find himself a worthy drug bench. The satisfaction

1562
01:19:59,640 --> 01:20:02,480
Speaker 1: he felt from that mixed well with the initial meth euphoria.

1563
01:20:02,720 --> 01:20:04,680
Speaker 1: By the time they reached the conference room, he was

1564
01:20:04,760 --> 01:20:07,320
Speaker 1: wired as fuck and kind of wishing he'd picked a

1565
01:20:07,320 --> 01:20:10,760
Speaker 1: different drug to spend his mood. Roland sat down and

1566
01:20:10,840 --> 01:20:14,120
Speaker 1: eased into his chair. A short, young Anglo fellow entered

1567
01:20:14,160 --> 01:20:16,200
Speaker 1: next and sat down on the opposite side of the

1568
01:20:16,200 --> 01:20:20,040
Speaker 1: conference table. He looked and smelled nervous. Roland paid him

1569
01:20:20,080 --> 01:20:22,600
Speaker 1: little mind. He was too jittery from the meth to

1570
01:20:22,640 --> 01:20:25,240
Speaker 1: want to talk. He decided a nice dose of some

1571
01:20:25,360 --> 01:20:28,320
Speaker 1: downers would help his situation and rooted around for his

1572
01:20:28,360 --> 01:20:32,720
Speaker 1: heroine kit. At that moment, another young man entered the room.

1573
01:20:32,760 --> 01:20:35,719
Speaker 1: He was short, Hispanic, and about twenty one years old.

1574
01:20:36,200 --> 01:20:39,200
Speaker 1: Nana Yazzi embraced the kid schoffucker might clapped him on

1575
01:20:39,240 --> 01:20:41,920
Speaker 1: the shoulder. They started talking. The kid said something that

1576
01:20:41,960 --> 01:20:44,120
Speaker 1: seemed to surprise most of the people in the room.

1577
01:20:44,640 --> 01:20:46,880
Speaker 1: Roland half paid attention to all that while he loaded

1578
01:20:46,960 --> 01:20:49,360
Speaker 1: up his syringe and tied off his arm. He stopped

1579
01:20:49,400 --> 01:20:52,639
Speaker 1: when he realized everyone else in the room was staring ey.

1580
01:20:53,200 --> 01:20:57,240
Speaker 1: Something wrong, he asked Roland. Nana Yazi said in a

1581
01:20:57,280 --> 01:21:00,400
Speaker 1: warm voice as she gestured to the Hispanic kid. This

1582
01:21:00,600 --> 01:21:03,000
Speaker 1: is Mannie. He's going to be your partner for the mission.

1583
01:21:03,160 --> 01:21:05,840
Speaker 1: He grew up in the Republic, and he's a skilled negotiator.

1584
01:21:06,120 --> 01:21:08,160
Speaker 1: He'll help you blend in while you do your work.

1585
01:21:09,000 --> 01:21:13,240
Speaker 1: Er hh cool, Roland grunted and returned to his heroine, Rowland.

1586
01:21:13,640 --> 01:21:16,760
Speaker 1: If you wouldn't mind, Reggie was about to speak. Naniyazi's

1587
01:21:16,760 --> 01:21:20,240
Speaker 1: smile was as indulgent as ever. He's uncovered something important

1588
01:21:20,240 --> 01:21:22,720
Speaker 1: about the heavenly Kingdom. It might be useful to you,

1589
01:21:23,520 --> 01:21:26,960
Speaker 1: Roland shrugged. Mossy's gallus, to which bartenders in plain o

1590
01:21:27,040 --> 01:21:29,759
Speaker 1: make a pass of a whisky. Sar can't imagine caring.

1591
01:21:30,080 --> 01:21:32,200
Speaker 1: But if you let me finish this, he jiggled the

1592
01:21:32,240 --> 01:21:34,320
Speaker 1: syringe in the air, I might be able to at

1593
01:21:34,360 --> 01:21:37,400
Speaker 1: least pay attention right now. I'm white too, metht out

1594
01:21:37,400 --> 01:21:41,240
Speaker 1: to focus. The old man leaned forward and sighed. The

1595
01:21:41,320 --> 01:21:43,920
Speaker 1: kid looked horrified. He started working his mouth and what

1596
01:21:44,080 --> 01:21:46,280
Speaker 1: Roland was pretty sure must be the prelude to some

1597
01:21:46,360 --> 01:21:50,519
Speaker 1: sort of expression of shock or offense. Schofucker Mike preempted him.

1598
01:21:51,280 --> 01:21:54,599
Speaker 1: Let Roland shoot up. Trust me, drugs aren't gonna make

1599
01:21:54,640 --> 01:21:58,680
Speaker 1: him any more or less effective. Here, Roland grinned, Schoofucker

1600
01:21:58,760 --> 01:22:01,320
Speaker 1: might clearly knew him, even if he could only sort

1601
01:22:01,320 --> 01:22:04,479
Speaker 1: of remember skullfucker Mike. He went back to tying off

1602
01:22:04,520 --> 01:22:06,719
Speaker 1: his arm and shooting up, while the younger Brits stumbled

1603
01:22:06,720 --> 01:22:10,679
Speaker 1: into the start of his speech. Yes, well, I've been

1604
01:22:10,720 --> 01:22:13,439
Speaker 1: going over the last few days of successful vehicle based

1605
01:22:13,439 --> 01:22:16,559
Speaker 1: bombings on checkpoints from Galveston and Lake Houston and all

1606
01:22:16,600 --> 01:22:20,160
Speaker 1: across the Dallas Fort Worth area. In total, I've identified

1607
01:22:20,240 --> 01:22:22,639
Speaker 1: three hundred twenty one bombings that appear to have been

1608
01:22:22,640 --> 01:22:26,000
Speaker 1: carried out as part of this overall offensive. Two hundred

1609
01:22:26,040 --> 01:22:29,440
Speaker 1: and forty of those bombings involve autonomous vehicles hitting dedicated

1610
01:22:29,479 --> 01:22:33,839
Speaker 1: autonomous vehicle checkpoints. Right on cue, a projection map flickered

1611
01:22:33,840 --> 01:22:36,200
Speaker 1: to life on the wall behind him. Hundreds of red

1612
01:22:36,240 --> 01:22:39,240
Speaker 1: dots populated a map of the conflict riddled regions of

1613
01:22:39,280 --> 01:22:42,400
Speaker 1: north central Texas. It looked like the pattern of attacks

1614
01:22:42,439 --> 01:22:45,560
Speaker 1: you'd want in order to funnel the stf's limited resources

1615
01:22:45,600 --> 01:22:48,680
Speaker 1: towards the least defensible chunks of their line. What was

1616
01:22:48,760 --> 01:22:51,680
Speaker 1: weird was that so many bomb rigged autonomous vehicles had

1617
01:22:51,680 --> 01:22:55,719
Speaker 1: gotten through the scanners. So Roland asked, how the fuckers

1618
01:22:55,760 --> 01:22:59,280
Speaker 1: do it? Lunch zero days. Reggie shook his head. That's

1619
01:22:59,320 --> 01:23:01,919
Speaker 1: what I thought at first, he said, But these attacks

1620
01:23:02,000 --> 01:23:04,920
Speaker 1: actually started more than a month before this offensive. If

1621
01:23:04,960 --> 01:23:07,240
Speaker 1: they were relying on exploits, the s df I T

1622
01:23:07,400 --> 01:23:10,080
Speaker 1: folks would have caught something by now. The most likely

1623
01:23:10,160 --> 01:23:12,679
Speaker 1: explanation is that the martyrs found some way to make

1624
01:23:12,760 --> 01:23:18,080
Speaker 1: vehicles that aren't autonomous. Seemed that way, yeah, Manny said.

1625
01:23:18,200 --> 01:23:20,880
Speaker 1: The martyrs have tried to hide drivers and autonomous vehicles

1626
01:23:20,920 --> 01:23:24,280
Speaker 1: before the s d F watches for it, which means

1627
01:23:24,280 --> 01:23:27,440
Speaker 1: the martyrs have figured out something new, said the journalist,

1628
01:23:27,720 --> 01:23:30,080
Speaker 1: some new way to hide a human driver that doesn't

1629
01:23:30,120 --> 01:23:35,240
Speaker 1: register on conventional senses. And that way is nanny, Yazi asked.

1630
01:23:35,439 --> 01:23:38,719
Speaker 1: Reggie's face reddened. He grunted and swallowed, and then spoke,

1631
01:23:39,520 --> 01:23:42,280
Speaker 1: I've got no idea, but I think I know where

1632
01:23:42,320 --> 01:23:45,679
Speaker 1: they're putting these new vehicles together. He snapped, his fingers,

1633
01:23:45,720 --> 01:23:48,000
Speaker 1: and the projected image changed to a map of a

1634
01:23:48,000 --> 01:23:51,559
Speaker 1: city called McKinney and the Dallas suburbs. It zoomed into

1635
01:23:51,600 --> 01:23:54,600
Speaker 1: an aerial shot of one enormous factory building near the

1636
01:23:54,600 --> 01:23:58,519
Speaker 1: outskirts of the city. The BBC pays for access to

1637
01:23:58,600 --> 01:24:02,160
Speaker 1: a few independent satellites that overlooked this part of North America.

1638
01:24:02,640 --> 01:24:05,120
Speaker 1: We also pay the SDA for limited access to some

1639
01:24:05,160 --> 01:24:08,000
Speaker 1: of their drone surveillance footage. From all that, I was

1640
01:24:08,040 --> 01:24:10,320
Speaker 1: able to trace out pass for seventy eight of the

1641
01:24:10,400 --> 01:24:13,639
Speaker 1: vehicles used in these attacks. Every one of them started

1642
01:24:13,680 --> 01:24:17,080
Speaker 1: their journey here. The projection changed again to it looked

1643
01:24:17,080 --> 01:24:19,240
Speaker 1: like a stock photograph of the front of a large

1644
01:24:19,240 --> 01:24:22,840
Speaker 1: white factory building. The Tesla logo was displayed prominently by

1645
01:24:22,840 --> 01:24:26,240
Speaker 1: the front door. It's an old Tesla plant. They finished

1646
01:24:26,240 --> 01:24:28,640
Speaker 1: it about a year before the Civil War. It's been

1647
01:24:28,680 --> 01:24:31,240
Speaker 1: in and out of operation since then, as best as

1648
01:24:31,240 --> 01:24:33,640
Speaker 1: I can tell. The last normal vehicle rolled off the

1649
01:24:33,680 --> 01:24:37,000
Speaker 1: line three years ago, before the Heavenly Kingdom started cocking

1650
01:24:37,080 --> 01:24:39,880
Speaker 1: things up. McKinney was one of the first parts of

1651
01:24:39,880 --> 01:24:42,200
Speaker 1: the old Metroplex to fall, so they've had plenty of

1652
01:24:42,240 --> 01:24:45,519
Speaker 1: time to fiddle with shit Roland raised his arm and

1653
01:24:45,560 --> 01:24:48,599
Speaker 1: realized belatedly that the needle was still dangling out of it.

1654
01:24:48,920 --> 01:24:52,160
Speaker 1: The old man sighed again, but Roland bravely ignored him.

1655
01:24:52,320 --> 01:24:54,080
Speaker 1: So what does this have to do with your captives,

1656
01:24:54,160 --> 01:24:56,479
Speaker 1: he asked. I didn't sign on to help you guys

1657
01:24:56,479 --> 01:24:58,720
Speaker 1: spy or blow up of factories in this data to

1658
01:24:58,760 --> 01:25:02,000
Speaker 1: the SDF for Austin. If you think it matters, schoolfucker,

1659
01:25:02,040 --> 01:25:05,080
Speaker 1: Mike put a hand forward in a placating gesture. We're

1660
01:25:05,080 --> 01:25:07,840
Speaker 1: not asking you to do anything about this, he said,

1661
01:25:08,080 --> 01:25:09,960
Speaker 1: but you and Manny will be our only eyes and

1662
01:25:10,040 --> 01:25:12,200
Speaker 1: ears inside the kingdom. If you get a hint of

1663
01:25:12,200 --> 01:25:14,760
Speaker 1: how they've accomplished all this, it will be valuable to

1664
01:25:14,880 --> 01:25:17,439
Speaker 1: us in the SDF. We'll find a way to make

1665
01:25:17,479 --> 01:25:21,000
Speaker 1: it worth your while. I mean, the drinks are free, right,

1666
01:25:21,200 --> 01:25:23,200
Speaker 1: Roland asked. I don't know what else you got that

1667
01:25:23,240 --> 01:25:27,080
Speaker 1: I might want. Mike smiled and gestured to Roland's backpack

1668
01:25:27,120 --> 01:25:29,320
Speaker 1: of narcotics, which sat next to him on the big

1669
01:25:29,360 --> 01:25:32,920
Speaker 1: redwood table. By my account, you've gone through about half

1670
01:25:32,920 --> 01:25:35,240
Speaker 1: your stash that's coming out here. If you're able to

1671
01:25:35,280 --> 01:25:37,960
Speaker 1: get us any worthwhile info, I'll make sure the bags

1672
01:25:38,000 --> 01:25:42,040
Speaker 1: full before you leave, Roland narrowed his eyes. It would

1673
01:25:42,120 --> 01:25:43,680
Speaker 1: be a giant pain in the ask to find a

1674
01:25:43,720 --> 01:25:48,360
Speaker 1: good percoset between here and Campbeltown. He sighed, all right, fine,

1675
01:25:48,520 --> 01:25:50,599
Speaker 1: if we hear something, we'll look into it, but don't

1676
01:25:50,600 --> 01:25:54,880
Speaker 1: hold your breath. After the meeting, schoolfucker Mike took Roland

1677
01:25:54,920 --> 01:25:57,519
Speaker 1: down to the city's makeshift more so he could steal

1678
01:25:57,560 --> 01:26:00,920
Speaker 1: a dead man's face. Rolling Fox Militia had found the

1679
01:26:00,920 --> 01:26:03,679
Speaker 1: fresh corpse of some guy Roland's rough height and build.

1680
01:26:04,120 --> 01:26:06,240
Speaker 1: He'd fled Dallas and made it almost as far as

1681
01:26:06,240 --> 01:26:09,120
Speaker 1: Waco before getting hit by a drone attack. The foe

1682
01:26:09,200 --> 01:26:11,559
Speaker 1: Fuk had been gutted by shrapnel, but his face was

1683
01:26:11,600 --> 01:26:15,439
Speaker 1: intact enough for Roland's chameleon implant. Roland hadn't used the

1684
01:26:15,479 --> 01:26:17,679
Speaker 1: thing in so long he worried it might not work.

1685
01:26:18,680 --> 01:26:20,760
Speaker 1: He stared down at the man's face and took in

1686
01:26:20,800 --> 01:26:23,720
Speaker 1: his features. The fellow was white, but his skin was

1687
01:26:23,760 --> 01:26:26,479
Speaker 1: burnt a deep reddish brown. He'd clearly spent a lot

1688
01:26:26,520 --> 01:26:29,040
Speaker 1: of time under the Texas sun. He appeared to be

1689
01:26:29,080 --> 01:26:33,040
Speaker 1: in his early forties and clearly hadn't taken many juven treatments.

1690
01:26:33,120 --> 01:26:35,280
Speaker 1: His hairline was fine, but the man's eyes and the

1691
01:26:35,360 --> 01:26:38,000
Speaker 1: edges of his lips were creased with wrinkles. His dead,

1692
01:26:38,160 --> 01:26:41,720
Speaker 1: staring eyes were blue. There were deep dark bags beneath them.

1693
01:26:42,200 --> 01:26:45,640
Speaker 1: Plenty of time to sleep, now, Buddy Roland thought. He

1694
01:26:45,720 --> 01:26:48,320
Speaker 1: closed his eyes, focused on the dead man's face, and

1695
01:26:48,360 --> 01:26:51,000
Speaker 1: felt his facial bones start to tear themselves apart and

1696
01:26:51,000 --> 01:26:54,240
Speaker 1: then reform. He felt the pigments and his skin shift two,

1697
01:26:54,439 --> 01:26:57,800
Speaker 1: which was always strange. The sensation of his pigments opening

1698
01:26:57,880 --> 01:26:59,760
Speaker 1: up and taking in more light felt a little like

1699
01:27:00,040 --> 01:27:03,479
Speaker 1: dripping off a thin layer of clothing. While Roland did this,

1700
01:27:03,640 --> 01:27:06,519
Speaker 1: skullfucker Mike ran a scanner over the corpse and located

1701
01:27:06,560 --> 01:27:09,360
Speaker 1: the I D card in its right forearm. Mike used

1702
01:27:09,400 --> 01:27:11,320
Speaker 1: a tool that looked like a long metal straw to

1703
01:27:11,400 --> 01:27:13,519
Speaker 1: suck the I D free and then shoot the tag

1704
01:27:13,560 --> 01:27:16,240
Speaker 1: into Roland's own arm. He took a second for Roland's

1705
01:27:16,280 --> 01:27:19,000
Speaker 1: body to pull the data. His name was erin Wether's.

1706
01:27:19,120 --> 01:27:21,400
Speaker 1: He was single. He worked as a mechanic in Arlington

1707
01:27:21,479 --> 01:27:23,800
Speaker 1: for most of his life. He had a clean criminal record,

1708
01:27:23,920 --> 01:27:27,519
Speaker 1: save for a drunk driving arrest in his early thirties. Roland,

1709
01:27:27,640 --> 01:27:30,400
Speaker 1: now Aaron, left the morgue with skullfucker Mike and headed

1710
01:27:30,439 --> 01:27:33,200
Speaker 1: for the ride that would take him into the Heavenly Kingdom.

1711
01:27:33,240 --> 01:27:35,400
Speaker 1: He used the walk as an opportunity to smoke a

1712
01:27:35,400 --> 01:27:38,280
Speaker 1: couple of grams of fine Afghan opium. He was still

1713
01:27:38,360 --> 01:27:40,680
Speaker 1: smoking when they reached the batted old pickup truck on

1714
01:27:40,720 --> 01:27:44,200
Speaker 1: the outskirts of Rolling Fox campground. The kid Manny was

1715
01:27:44,240 --> 01:27:47,599
Speaker 1: in the driver's seat. Hey, Manny said, and stared wide

1716
01:27:47,640 --> 01:27:50,600
Speaker 1: eyed at him. You look different, he added, with a

1717
01:27:50,640 --> 01:27:54,600
Speaker 1: forced smile. Yeah, Roland replied and pulled himself into the

1718
01:27:54,600 --> 01:27:58,799
Speaker 1: passenger seat. Mike tapped him on the shoulder. What, Roland asked,

1719
01:27:59,400 --> 01:28:01,560
Speaker 1: I'm gonna need your bag, man. He pointed to the

1720
01:28:01,600 --> 01:28:04,880
Speaker 1: still smoking opium pipe in Roland's hand, and that the

1721
01:28:04,920 --> 01:28:08,479
Speaker 1: Heavenly Kingdoms got a pretty strict policy on intoxicans. You're

1722
01:28:08,479 --> 01:28:10,720
Speaker 1: not going to get a backpack full of narcotics through

1723
01:28:10,760 --> 01:28:14,960
Speaker 1: their checkpoints. Roland growled at Mike. He couldn't fault the

1724
01:28:14,960 --> 01:28:17,519
Speaker 1: other post humans logic, but he'd be damned he was

1725
01:28:17,520 --> 01:28:19,640
Speaker 1: going to spend several days surrounded by a bunch of

1726
01:28:19,640 --> 01:28:24,200
Speaker 1: religious nuts and do its sober. Roland locked eyes with skullfucker. Mike,

1727
01:28:24,520 --> 01:28:27,160
Speaker 1: opened his bag and grabbed a heavy handful of drugs.

1728
01:28:27,520 --> 01:28:30,879
Speaker 1: He swallowed them all one by one, pillbottles and baggies,

1729
01:28:30,960 --> 01:28:34,559
Speaker 1: vellucinogens and vials of amphetamines. He ordered his gut to

1730
01:28:34,560 --> 01:28:36,960
Speaker 1: reduce its acidity so he could store the drugs for

1731
01:28:37,040 --> 01:28:40,679
Speaker 1: later regurgitation and consumption. Then he took one last deep

1732
01:28:40,760 --> 01:28:43,080
Speaker 1: hit from his opium pipe and handed it and the

1733
01:28:43,120 --> 01:28:46,280
Speaker 1: bag to Mike man He popped the car and to drive,

1734
01:28:46,360 --> 01:28:49,320
Speaker 1: and they rolled off into the night. They drove in

1735
01:28:49,400 --> 01:28:52,280
Speaker 1: silence for a while. Roland's hind brain would have marked

1736
01:28:52,280 --> 01:28:54,639
Speaker 1: the time if he hadn't done such a successful job

1737
01:28:54,680 --> 01:28:57,759
Speaker 1: of pickling it with opium before they left. The quiet

1738
01:28:57,760 --> 01:29:01,040
Speaker 1: got awkward and boring pretty quick though. He considered putting

1739
01:29:01,040 --> 01:29:03,439
Speaker 1: on music, but of course his head wear was severed

1740
01:29:03,479 --> 01:29:06,160
Speaker 1: from all outside networks. He couldn't connect to the car

1741
01:29:06,280 --> 01:29:08,600
Speaker 1: any more than he could blinks into an email. He

1742
01:29:08,680 --> 01:29:12,439
Speaker 1: decided to ask Manny to put something on niggay music,

1743
01:29:12,520 --> 01:29:15,360
Speaker 1: Can you music? Roland realized he was slurring and his

1744
01:29:15,400 --> 01:29:17,760
Speaker 1: words were not coming out the way he'd intended. The

1745
01:29:17,880 --> 01:29:21,920
Speaker 1: kid Manny looked irritated. How fucked up are you right now?

1746
01:29:22,720 --> 01:29:26,280
Speaker 1: Roland gave a shrug that meant very You know, my

1747
01:29:26,400 --> 01:29:28,240
Speaker 1: ass is on the line here too. I'm not made

1748
01:29:28,280 --> 01:29:30,400
Speaker 1: of whatever fucked up science you've got in your veins.

1749
01:29:30,479 --> 01:29:33,960
Speaker 1: I'd appreciate it if you took this seriously on an

1750
01:29:33,960 --> 01:29:36,760
Speaker 1: objective level. The kid's request was fair. This must be

1751
01:29:36,800 --> 01:29:38,920
Speaker 1: a big moment for him, going off on a dangerous

1752
01:29:38,960 --> 01:29:42,519
Speaker 1: mission to enemy territory, et cetera. But to Rowland, this

1753
01:29:42,640 --> 01:29:46,439
Speaker 1: was Tuesday or whatever day it actually was. He disabled

1754
01:29:46,439 --> 01:29:49,120
Speaker 1: his clock and calendar years ago because funk that noise.

1755
01:29:49,520 --> 01:29:52,639
Speaker 1: Funk that noise, he said, without meaning to good God,

1756
01:29:52,680 --> 01:29:58,000
Speaker 1: I'm so high. What Manny sounded confused and perturbed. H sorry,

1757
01:29:58,040 --> 01:30:01,080
Speaker 1: man Roland rubbed his eyes A little days from the opium.

1758
01:30:01,400 --> 01:30:04,000
Speaker 1: I wasn't talking to you. I am the only other

1759
01:30:04,080 --> 01:30:07,519
Speaker 1: person in this car, Manny said, Yeah, you know him.

1760
01:30:07,560 --> 01:30:10,719
Speaker 1: Highest shit words come out sometimes they are meant for anyone.

1761
01:30:10,800 --> 01:30:14,080
Speaker 1: They just happened. The car slowed, and many pulled over

1762
01:30:14,120 --> 01:30:16,840
Speaker 1: to the shoulder of the cracked old highway. When the

1763
01:30:16,880 --> 01:30:18,720
Speaker 1: car came to a stop, he put his head in

1764
01:30:18,800 --> 01:30:21,599
Speaker 1: his hands and breathed in and and out very slowly.

1765
01:30:22,080 --> 01:30:24,360
Speaker 1: It took Roland a moment to realize the kid was

1766
01:30:24,400 --> 01:30:27,479
Speaker 1: going through a panic attack. He's never done anything like

1767
01:30:27,520 --> 01:30:30,760
Speaker 1: this before. Of course, he's terrified. Roland wondered if he

1768
01:30:30,760 --> 01:30:34,360
Speaker 1: should do something to comfort the kid. You know, he said,

1769
01:30:34,880 --> 01:30:39,240
Speaker 1: I've killed about twelve thousand armed people. Many turned to

1770
01:30:39,320 --> 01:30:42,120
Speaker 1: stare at him. He looked shocked, but Roland noted with

1771
01:30:42,200 --> 01:30:46,640
Speaker 1: satisfaction the statement had disrupted his panic. What what the

1772
01:30:47,240 --> 01:30:50,000
Speaker 1: I mean, give or take a handful? Roland continued, I

1773
01:30:50,040 --> 01:30:52,800
Speaker 1: burnt my brains, killed canter out with crocodile and sheep

1774
01:30:52,880 --> 01:30:56,080
Speaker 1: vodka while back. Why would you tell me this? Why

1775
01:30:56,120 --> 01:30:59,720
Speaker 1: would you think this would help? Because, Roland said, We're

1776
01:30:59,720 --> 01:31:03,000
Speaker 1: about to go into a very dangerous place together. You're

1777
01:31:03,040 --> 01:31:05,120
Speaker 1: scared you're gonna die, and I want you to know,

1778
01:31:05,320 --> 01:31:08,080
Speaker 1: however many arm nut jobs are in that city, I

1779
01:31:08,120 --> 01:31:12,280
Speaker 1: can murder them, all of them. Manny stared at him.

1780
01:31:12,320 --> 01:31:15,360
Speaker 1: He still looked terrified and vaguely pissed, but his heart

1781
01:31:15,439 --> 01:31:18,760
Speaker 1: rate was steadier, his breathing had slowed. Roland declared his

1782
01:31:18,760 --> 01:31:24,480
Speaker 1: gambit a success. Okay, the kid finally said that's actually comforting,

1783
01:31:24,720 --> 01:31:27,519
Speaker 1: thank you. There was silence for a beat, and then

1784
01:31:27,600 --> 01:31:31,160
Speaker 1: Roland spoke again that all sudden, I'd prefer not to

1785
01:31:31,240 --> 01:31:34,160
Speaker 1: kill anyone I'd really prefer that. I was on a

1786
01:31:34,160 --> 01:31:36,760
Speaker 1: pretty good no murder streak until a couple of days back.

1787
01:31:36,880 --> 01:31:40,200
Speaker 1: I'm trying to stay on the wagons, so a talk, well,

1788
01:31:40,400 --> 01:31:42,559
Speaker 1: be a good face, man. This will all be easier

1789
01:31:42,560 --> 01:31:45,640
Speaker 1: if I don't have to commit murder. Manny looked a

1790
01:31:45,640 --> 01:31:48,080
Speaker 1: bit nervous again, but he popped the car into drive

1791
01:31:48,160 --> 01:31:51,479
Speaker 1: and rolled back onto the highway. I'll do my best,

1792
01:31:51,720 --> 01:31:54,880
Speaker 1: he said. They were an hour outside of Dallas when

1793
01:31:54,920 --> 01:31:57,760
Speaker 1: they hit the first checkpoint and the Kingdom's guards ordered

1794
01:31:57,760 --> 01:32:00,240
Speaker 1: them out of the truck. Roland stepped out with his

1795
01:32:00,320 --> 01:32:03,760
Speaker 1: hands up. Manny had done the same. The guards scanned them,

1796
01:32:04,080 --> 01:32:07,799
Speaker 1: verified their status as Republic citizens, and then the questioning started.

1797
01:32:08,600 --> 01:32:11,160
Speaker 1: What brings you to the heavenly Kingdom? Their leader, a

1798
01:32:11,200 --> 01:32:14,439
Speaker 1: fat man with a kalashnikov, asked Manny. We heard about

1799
01:32:14,479 --> 01:32:17,000
Speaker 1: the amnesty, Manny replied, and we thought it sounded good.

1800
01:32:17,040 --> 01:32:18,840
Speaker 1: We we want to live under the rule of God.

1801
01:32:20,040 --> 01:32:24,240
Speaker 1: The fat man grunted. So you're both good, God fearing men, then, yes, sir,

1802
01:32:24,560 --> 01:32:27,000
Speaker 1: Manny nodded, of course, and praise be to God for

1803
01:32:27,040 --> 01:32:29,960
Speaker 1: all the victories you've won here. The fat man sniffed

1804
01:32:29,960 --> 01:32:32,240
Speaker 1: at the air and looked over to his partner. I'm

1805
01:32:32,240 --> 01:32:34,960
Speaker 1: not wild about another skin here, Hanson. You think we

1806
01:32:35,000 --> 01:32:38,960
Speaker 1: need any more Mexicans? Hanson shrugged, orders say, the faithful

1807
01:32:38,960 --> 01:32:43,080
Speaker 1: are all welcome. Yeah, the fat guy continued, if they're faithful.

1808
01:32:43,400 --> 01:32:45,320
Speaker 1: He looked back to Manny, why did it take a

1809
01:32:45,360 --> 01:32:47,920
Speaker 1: couple of devout men like yourselves so long to make

1810
01:32:47,920 --> 01:32:50,240
Speaker 1: a break for the heavenly kingdom. We've been at this

1811
01:32:50,280 --> 01:32:53,519
Speaker 1: fight for a while, you know, I. I mean we

1812
01:32:53,520 --> 01:32:55,880
Speaker 1: we were scared, and we didn't we weren't sure what

1813
01:32:56,000 --> 01:32:58,559
Speaker 1: to believe. What you're supposed to believe is the word

1814
01:32:58,600 --> 01:33:01,320
Speaker 1: of God, the man snarl. And that's as clear as

1815
01:33:01,360 --> 01:33:04,320
Speaker 1: day to everyone who lives inside the kingdom. He looked

1816
01:33:04,320 --> 01:33:06,880
Speaker 1: back at his men and smiled an evil wolfie grin

1817
01:33:07,240 --> 01:33:10,360
Speaker 1: Hanson malloy, I think we might need to question these

1818
01:33:10,360 --> 01:33:14,920
Speaker 1: two more intensively radio command And that was the last

1819
01:33:14,960 --> 01:33:18,920
Speaker 1: thing the fat man said, probably ever. Roland shoved a

1820
01:33:18,960 --> 01:33:21,960
Speaker 1: hand into the martyr's mouth, pulled downwards, and shattered his

1821
01:33:22,040 --> 01:33:25,160
Speaker 1: jaw in four places. Then he leapt into the others.

1822
01:33:25,479 --> 01:33:28,840
Speaker 1: It went quickly. He gouged eyes, broke jaws, severed tongues,

1823
01:33:28,920 --> 01:33:31,240
Speaker 1: and then started in on their limbs. By the end

1824
01:33:31,240 --> 01:33:33,800
Speaker 1: of it, all four men were still alive, but none

1825
01:33:33,840 --> 01:33:35,720
Speaker 1: of them were in any shape to report on what

1826
01:33:35,760 --> 01:33:40,160
Speaker 1: they'd seen. Manny vomited several times. What I wanted to

1827
01:33:40,200 --> 01:33:43,639
Speaker 1: do in your best, Manny, Roland asked, more irritated than angry.

1828
01:33:43,680 --> 01:33:47,200
Speaker 1: Once he'd finished, the kid recoiled, Roland realized Manny had

1829
01:33:47,240 --> 01:33:49,760
Speaker 1: started to shake a little. He also realized there was

1830
01:33:49,800 --> 01:33:51,519
Speaker 1: still a part of a man's ear in his mouth.

1831
01:33:51,800 --> 01:33:55,240
Speaker 1: A hell, you scared him, Sorry, kid, he said, and

1832
01:33:55,240 --> 01:33:58,439
Speaker 1: squatted down next to Manny. Look, the odds were always

1833
01:33:58,439 --> 01:34:01,080
Speaker 1: good that this first trial was gonna you scratch. The

1834
01:34:01,120 --> 01:34:03,960
Speaker 1: good news is they've got other checkpoints. Will hop on

1835
01:34:03,960 --> 01:34:07,360
Speaker 1: the access road and find the next one. It'll be fine.

1836
01:34:07,760 --> 01:34:10,880
Speaker 1: What did you too to Manny started? I stopped them

1837
01:34:10,880 --> 01:34:14,280
Speaker 1: from talking, he said, very quickly. No one's dead. There'll

1838
01:34:14,280 --> 01:34:17,160
Speaker 1: be uh. He glanced down at the burbling, bleeding mess

1839
01:34:17,160 --> 01:34:20,040
Speaker 1: of shattered humans. Will be. I but we need to

1840
01:34:20,080 --> 01:34:22,800
Speaker 1: move now before someone else comes along. And I got

1841
01:34:22,800 --> 01:34:26,200
Speaker 1: to break them too. Roland popped open the cab so

1842
01:34:26,240 --> 01:34:28,519
Speaker 1: he could change into a clean set of spare clothes.

1843
01:34:28,880 --> 01:34:31,439
Speaker 1: It was grateful that skullfucker Mike had packed them bags

1844
01:34:31,479 --> 01:34:35,360
Speaker 1: to lend their story extra versimilitude. Manny changed too, and

1845
01:34:35,400 --> 01:34:37,720
Speaker 1: once his hands stopped shaking, they rolled off to the

1846
01:34:37,760 --> 01:34:41,000
Speaker 1: next checkpoint. Roland tried not to think too much about

1847
01:34:41,000 --> 01:34:43,400
Speaker 1: the men he'd just broken. That helped that one of

1848
01:34:43,439 --> 01:34:45,280
Speaker 1: them had been an asshole. It helped that none of

1849
01:34:45,280 --> 01:34:49,040
Speaker 1: them had died. But still they hit the next checkpoint

1850
01:34:49,080 --> 01:34:51,880
Speaker 1: eight minutes later, and things went much better this time.

1851
01:34:52,320 --> 01:34:55,120
Speaker 1: For one thing, it was busier. There were already a

1852
01:34:55,160 --> 01:34:57,439
Speaker 1: dozen other cars in line when they pulled in. The

1853
01:34:57,439 --> 01:34:59,759
Speaker 1: guy who was questioning them was less of an asshole.

1854
01:35:00,080 --> 01:35:03,679
Speaker 1: He seemed to buy Manny's claim. We weren't brave enough

1855
01:35:03,720 --> 01:35:05,920
Speaker 1: to make the journey until now, but we prayed all

1856
01:35:06,040 --> 01:35:08,439
Speaker 1: night about this. I know it's the right thing to do.

1857
01:35:09,320 --> 01:35:12,040
Speaker 1: Roland had to fight to avoid rolling his eyes. The

1858
01:35:12,120 --> 01:35:14,640
Speaker 1: line worked, though. The man at the checkpoint waved the

1859
01:35:14,640 --> 01:35:17,800
Speaker 1: men and issued them a temporary transit pass. This is

1860
01:35:17,840 --> 01:35:21,400
Speaker 1: good for six hours, The checkpoint officer said, that's plenty

1861
01:35:21,400 --> 01:35:23,920
Speaker 1: of time to find the immigration center, and poured in

1862
01:35:24,240 --> 01:35:26,840
Speaker 1: if you're caught driving around the Kingdom after that, it

1863
01:35:26,880 --> 01:35:30,240
Speaker 1: won't end well for you. They drove on, but it

1864
01:35:30,320 --> 01:35:33,360
Speaker 1: was slow going after the checkpoint. The roads into Dallas

1865
01:35:33,360 --> 01:35:36,800
Speaker 1: were choked with ruined vehicles and actual traffic. It looked

1866
01:35:36,800 --> 01:35:39,120
Speaker 1: as if hundreds of people had taken the Heavenly Kingdom

1867
01:35:39,200 --> 01:35:42,960
Speaker 1: up on its amnesty offer. Roland couldn't fault them for that.

1868
01:35:43,320 --> 01:35:46,679
Speaker 1: The Kingdom seemed to be winning. As they rolled towards Plano,

1869
01:35:46,720 --> 01:35:49,559
Speaker 1: they were stopped regularly by patrolling martyrs and asked to

1870
01:35:49,560 --> 01:35:52,200
Speaker 1: present their papers. But bit by bit they made their

1871
01:35:52,200 --> 01:35:55,160
Speaker 1: way onto and through the packed and crumbling highways of

1872
01:35:55,160 --> 01:35:58,960
Speaker 1: Old Dallas. At one point they found themselves installed traffic

1873
01:35:59,040 --> 01:36:02,360
Speaker 1: on Highway seventy five, overlooking the cratered ruins of the

1874
01:36:02,439 --> 01:36:06,360
Speaker 1: Lakewood Blast. He felt cold October air. He smelled barrel

1875
01:36:06,400 --> 01:36:09,120
Speaker 1: fires and heard the sharp crack of rifley. He saw

1876
01:36:09,160 --> 01:36:11,600
Speaker 1: flashes of a face it might have been Gem's, and

1877
01:36:11,600 --> 01:36:14,320
Speaker 1: he remembered the feeling of a cold metal handle attached

1878
01:36:14,360 --> 01:36:18,120
Speaker 1: to something heavy, dense. He remembered yelling to a small,

1879
01:36:18,160 --> 01:36:21,639
Speaker 1: sweaty hand held tight in his own. He remembered guilt.

1880
01:36:23,320 --> 01:36:26,280
Speaker 1: What's up, Manny asked. He looked over at Roland and

1881
01:36:26,320 --> 01:36:28,840
Speaker 1: his eyes widened. Dude, you're shaking. Don't tell me you're

1882
01:36:28,840 --> 01:36:30,800
Speaker 1: flipping out now, we're way too deep in this thing.

1883
01:36:31,840 --> 01:36:34,880
Speaker 1: Roland shook his head. It's it's it's nothing, he said.

1884
01:36:35,280 --> 01:36:37,080
Speaker 1: Just a piece of an old memory hit me in

1885
01:36:37,120 --> 01:36:39,200
Speaker 1: the face. I think I was in town when that

1886
01:36:39,400 --> 01:36:42,679
Speaker 1: fucker went off. The young man's pupils grew as big

1887
01:36:42,720 --> 01:36:47,559
Speaker 1: as saucers virga. He spit, you're fullish shit. Roland shrugged.

1888
01:36:47,720 --> 01:36:49,759
Speaker 1: I don't know. Maybe it's just a piece of a memory.

1889
01:36:49,840 --> 01:36:52,760
Speaker 1: I might be confusing it with something else. Sure got

1890
01:36:52,800 --> 01:36:56,360
Speaker 1: triggered by seeing the blast side, though Manny was not

1891
01:36:56,600 --> 01:36:59,960
Speaker 1: satisfied by that answer. I refuse to believe that someone

1892
01:37:00,040 --> 01:37:02,680
Speaker 1: could watch an atom bomb eviscerat a city and not

1893
01:37:02,760 --> 01:37:04,639
Speaker 1: have a clear memory of it. I had to take

1894
01:37:04,680 --> 01:37:08,120
Speaker 1: anti radtles my whole childhood because of that bomb. I

1895
01:37:08,160 --> 01:37:11,240
Speaker 1: don't have any clear memories, kid, none from further back

1896
01:37:11,280 --> 01:37:14,120
Speaker 1: than about I guess fibery years ago. I don't have

1897
01:37:14,160 --> 01:37:16,479
Speaker 1: a whole lot of clear memories since then, either, but

1898
01:37:16,520 --> 01:37:19,200
Speaker 1: that's from the drugs. What the hell happened to you,

1899
01:37:19,360 --> 01:37:22,120
Speaker 1: Manny asked, I thought you post humans all had hard

1900
01:37:22,200 --> 01:37:24,519
Speaker 1: drives running through your blood. Were you too cheap to

1901
01:37:24,520 --> 01:37:28,479
Speaker 1: pay for a photographic memory? Roland scratched his neck he

1902
01:37:28,600 --> 01:37:31,280
Speaker 1: wasn't ditchy. It was a nervous gesture. He was a

1903
01:37:31,320 --> 01:37:33,840
Speaker 1: little fascinated at the fact that this line of questioning

1904
01:37:33,880 --> 01:37:37,000
Speaker 1: made him feel nervous. He really couldn't remember the last

1905
01:37:37,040 --> 01:37:39,799
Speaker 1: time a conversation had made him feel that way. Weird.

1906
01:37:40,840 --> 01:37:43,600
Speaker 1: I got hurt, was all he could honestly say. I

1907
01:37:43,600 --> 01:37:46,320
Speaker 1: don't remember much of anything from before the revolution. Hell,

1908
01:37:46,760 --> 01:37:50,719
Speaker 1: I don't really remember the revolution. The line of cars

1909
01:37:50,720 --> 01:37:53,960
Speaker 1: started moving again. Many popped the car back into drive,

1910
01:37:54,040 --> 01:37:57,160
Speaker 1: and they rolled further into the Heavenly Kingdom. Both men

1911
01:37:57,200 --> 01:38:01,000
Speaker 1: were quiet for a minute until Roland spoke again, That's

1912
01:38:01,000 --> 01:38:03,800
Speaker 1: why I'm doing this, you know. He wasn't sure why

1913
01:38:03,800 --> 01:38:06,040
Speaker 1: he was saying all this, but Roland found he couldn't

1914
01:38:06,040 --> 01:38:08,960
Speaker 1: stop himself. Jim, the guy who brought me on you

1915
01:38:09,040 --> 01:38:11,880
Speaker 1: knows some fucking East Coast surgeon who specializes in post

1916
01:38:11,960 --> 01:38:15,000
Speaker 1: human brains. They think they can give me back my memory.

1917
01:38:15,320 --> 01:38:18,479
Speaker 1: This rescue mission is uh, that's how I pay for that.

1918
01:38:19,400 --> 01:38:22,799
Speaker 1: Are you sure you want those memories back? Manny asked

1919
01:38:23,200 --> 01:38:24,880
Speaker 1: the fund Do you mean I don't even know who

1920
01:38:24,880 --> 01:38:27,200
Speaker 1: I am or was right now? Wouldn't you want that

1921
01:38:27,240 --> 01:38:30,960
Speaker 1: ship back if you lost it? Manny glanced over to him.

1922
01:38:31,000 --> 01:38:34,320
Speaker 1: They locked eyes. I don't know, the kid said, you

1923
01:38:34,439 --> 01:38:37,320
Speaker 1: say you killed at least twelve thousand people. I've been

1924
01:38:37,320 --> 01:38:39,360
Speaker 1: working as a fixer for the last two years, and

1925
01:38:39,360 --> 01:38:42,120
Speaker 1: I've seen a lot of fucked up eyes, dead eyes

1926
01:38:42,160 --> 01:38:44,639
Speaker 1: on men who have done too much killing. But none

1927
01:38:44,640 --> 01:38:46,840
Speaker 1: of them hold a candle to what's going on there.

1928
01:38:47,080 --> 01:38:50,040
Speaker 1: He pointed to Roland's face. I don't know. I got

1929
01:38:50,120 --> 01:38:52,679
Speaker 1: a feeling your past is one big fucked up nightmare.

1930
01:38:53,120 --> 01:38:56,559
Speaker 1: Maybe you're better off without it. Roland was quiet for

1931
01:38:56,600 --> 01:38:59,759
Speaker 1: a while, and Manny didn't say anything else. They crept

1932
01:38:59,760 --> 01:39:02,400
Speaker 1: along and stops and starts, and inched closer to Plano

1933
01:39:02,479 --> 01:39:06,000
Speaker 1: as the sun cracked open the horizon. Kid. At a point,

1934
01:39:06,160 --> 01:39:09,400
Speaker 1: Roland decided he'd worried about the same thing himself since

1935
01:39:09,479 --> 01:39:12,280
Speaker 1: Jim made the offer. Every hour or so, he still

1936
01:39:12,320 --> 01:39:15,240
Speaker 1: found himself thinking about the driver of that technical The

1937
01:39:15,360 --> 01:39:18,360
Speaker 1: man had reeked of love, and yeah, the guy had

1938
01:39:18,360 --> 01:39:22,000
Speaker 1: been fighting to establish a Cristo fascist nightmare state. Somehow

1939
01:39:22,040 --> 01:39:25,240
Speaker 1: that didn't mitigate his death. In Roland's head, most causes

1940
01:39:25,240 --> 01:39:28,760
Speaker 1: were ship. Most men who fought for anything fought for nightmares.

1941
01:39:29,280 --> 01:39:31,400
Speaker 1: That guy and all his friends had just been doing

1942
01:39:31,439 --> 01:39:33,920
Speaker 1: what felt right. Based on the ship lives they'd lived.

1943
01:39:34,320 --> 01:39:35,960
Speaker 1: The same thing had to be true for most of

1944
01:39:36,000 --> 01:39:39,720
Speaker 1: the soldiers and insurgents Roland had killed. How many civilians

1945
01:39:39,760 --> 01:39:42,360
Speaker 1: did you kill, Roland, how many lives did you in

1946
01:39:42,520 --> 01:39:45,679
Speaker 1: just to keep the battle drugs flowing? When he thought

1947
01:39:45,720 --> 01:39:48,719
Speaker 1: about it that way, he really didn't want his memories back.

1948
01:39:49,680 --> 01:39:52,479
Speaker 1: But then, of course there was Topaz. He loved her

1949
01:39:52,520 --> 01:39:55,559
Speaker 1: so much, or rather, the pieces of him that remembered

1950
01:39:55,600 --> 01:39:58,639
Speaker 1: her loved her so much. Roland knew he wanted those

1951
01:39:58,680 --> 01:40:01,920
Speaker 1: memories back. He needed them back. Every time he thought

1952
01:40:01,960 --> 01:40:04,600
Speaker 1: about her face, something twisted inside him, as if his

1953
01:40:04,640 --> 01:40:07,160
Speaker 1: guts were being tugged in whatever direction he thought she

1954
01:40:07,240 --> 01:40:09,720
Speaker 1: might be. It was a weird way to feel about

1955
01:40:09,720 --> 01:40:13,160
Speaker 1: a woman he only remembered in fragments. Roland shook his

1956
01:40:13,200 --> 01:40:15,439
Speaker 1: head in a nervous attempt to shake the thoughts from

1957
01:40:15,479 --> 01:40:18,519
Speaker 1: his mind. Then he stared ahead at the line of cars.

1958
01:40:19,560 --> 01:40:22,479
Speaker 1: The immigration center was chaotic, crowded, and heavy with the

1959
01:40:22,520 --> 01:40:25,400
Speaker 1: smell of scared humans. It was also a happier place

1960
01:40:25,439 --> 01:40:28,800
Speaker 1: than Roland would have expected. Martyrs and fresh, olive, drab

1961
01:40:28,880 --> 01:40:31,679
Speaker 1: uniforms with bright golden crosses and blazoned on the arms,

1962
01:40:31,720 --> 01:40:34,360
Speaker 1: handed out food, water, and even cups of instant coffee

1963
01:40:34,360 --> 01:40:37,400
Speaker 1: to the adults. They posed for pictures with children. The

1964
01:40:37,439 --> 01:40:39,880
Speaker 1: whole place almost had the air of a party about it.

1965
01:40:40,200 --> 01:40:43,040
Speaker 1: There was someone filming too. Roland guessed he must be

1966
01:40:43,080 --> 01:40:46,720
Speaker 1: a propagandist for the Kingdom, putting together some sort of documentary.

1967
01:40:47,240 --> 01:40:49,439
Speaker 1: They stood in line for two full hours before it

1968
01:40:49,520 --> 01:40:52,240
Speaker 1: was their turn in front of the intake officer. He

1969
01:40:52,360 --> 01:40:55,599
Speaker 1: was an older man with a big, bushy mustache, red jowls,

1970
01:40:55,640 --> 01:40:58,040
Speaker 1: and a droopy rooster wattle of a throat. He had

1971
01:40:58,080 --> 01:41:00,519
Speaker 1: a whiny voice that barraged them with questions as soon

1972
01:41:00,560 --> 01:41:03,800
Speaker 1: as they sat down at his desk. How many apostles

1973
01:41:03,800 --> 01:41:05,800
Speaker 1: did Christ have? What was the name of the hill

1974
01:41:05,840 --> 01:41:08,800
Speaker 1: where our Lord was crucified? What is the fifth Commandment?

1975
01:41:09,600 --> 01:41:12,599
Speaker 1: Manny answered every question while Roland sat there and smiled

1976
01:41:12,680 --> 01:41:15,680
Speaker 1: vacantly like an invalid. They decided in the car that

1977
01:41:15,800 --> 01:41:18,920
Speaker 1: playing dumb was his best option. He'd probably wind up

1978
01:41:18,960 --> 01:41:21,400
Speaker 1: starting a fight if he talked to the man. And besides,

1979
01:41:21,680 --> 01:41:24,160
Speaker 1: Bland didn't know shit about the Bible. He didn't even

1980
01:41:24,240 --> 01:41:27,360
Speaker 1: have any memory fragments of church services, and why is

1981
01:41:27,400 --> 01:41:29,840
Speaker 1: it that you're answering all the questions, young man. The

1982
01:41:29,920 --> 01:41:34,520
Speaker 1: officer finally asked, what about your friend here erin is it? Ah? Yeah,

1983
01:41:34,600 --> 01:41:37,840
Speaker 1: Roland replied, I just I don't know. I don't test

1984
01:41:37,880 --> 01:41:40,680
Speaker 1: so good. Mom said, I ain't a thinker, but you

1985
01:41:40,720 --> 01:41:44,960
Speaker 1: are a Christian. Yes, oh, yes, sir, he nodded enthusiastically.

1986
01:41:45,080 --> 01:41:48,599
Speaker 1: I love God. I am all about God. The intake

1987
01:41:48,640 --> 01:41:51,559
Speaker 1: officer narrowed his eyes at Roland Manny flashed him a

1988
01:41:51,560 --> 01:41:53,519
Speaker 1: look of fury, and then quickly turned it into a

1989
01:41:53,560 --> 01:41:57,080
Speaker 1: smile directed at the officer. He's a he's slow, sir.

1990
01:41:57,479 --> 01:41:59,320
Speaker 1: His mama took care of him, but she died in

1991
01:41:59,360 --> 01:42:02,400
Speaker 1: a drone st two months back from the SDF. I'm

1992
01:42:02,439 --> 01:42:06,040
Speaker 1: just trying to make sure he's okay. The man grunted

1993
01:42:06,080 --> 01:42:08,519
Speaker 1: and then looked to Roland. I imagine that must make

1994
01:42:08,560 --> 01:42:11,880
Speaker 1: you angry, losing your mother. Roland nodded and put on

1995
01:42:11,960 --> 01:42:15,080
Speaker 1: his best fasimile of an angry face. They're bad men.

1996
01:42:15,280 --> 01:42:19,439
Speaker 1: I want to hurt them back. The intake officer chuckled, Well,

1997
01:42:19,479 --> 01:42:22,080
Speaker 1: I've got good news for you. Then, the Heavenly Kingdom

1998
01:42:22,120 --> 01:42:25,000
Speaker 1: needs soldiers. I'm sending you both to a training platoon.

1999
01:42:25,160 --> 01:42:27,559
Speaker 1: In a few days, you'll be martyrs and you'll have

2000
01:42:27,560 --> 01:42:30,960
Speaker 1: a chance to get your revenge. Wait, Mann, he asked,

2001
01:42:31,120 --> 01:42:35,640
Speaker 1: we're being drafted. The officer narrowed his piggy eyes. The

2002
01:42:35,680 --> 01:42:38,800
Speaker 1: heavenly Kingdom is fighting for its life. Boys. Every person

2003
01:42:38,880 --> 01:42:41,439
Speaker 1: we let in has a job. There are no shirkers here,

2004
01:42:41,560 --> 01:42:43,880
Speaker 1: no layabouts. If you aren't willing to help build the

2005
01:42:43,960 --> 01:42:46,200
Speaker 1: Kingdom of God on earth, we have no use for you.

2006
01:42:46,520 --> 01:42:49,320
Speaker 1: And I've decided you boys will best serve God in

2007
01:42:49,320 --> 01:42:54,040
Speaker 1: our infantry. And just like that, Roland found himself inducted

2008
01:42:54,040 --> 01:42:56,920
Speaker 1: into a military for what was at least the second

2009
01:42:56,960 --> 01:43:00,240
Speaker 1: time in his life. The intake officer gave them more pays,

2010
01:43:00,360 --> 01:43:02,920
Speaker 1: signed a mustering order, and sent them off with directions

2011
01:43:02,960 --> 01:43:05,679
Speaker 1: to find the barracks that was apparently their new home.

2012
01:43:06,439 --> 01:43:09,160
Speaker 1: Manny handled the rest of the interaction well. He even

2013
01:43:09,200 --> 01:43:12,880
Speaker 1: managed to act enthusiastic after his first startled outburst. But

2014
01:43:12,920 --> 01:43:14,880
Speaker 1: once they were out of ear shot back in the truck,

2015
01:43:15,080 --> 01:43:19,280
Speaker 1: he started to hyperventilate again. It looked like another panic attack, heerd.

2016
01:43:19,560 --> 01:43:23,000
Speaker 1: He cursed, this was such a fucking bad idea. Hey,

2017
01:43:23,280 --> 01:43:25,280
Speaker 1: Roland patted the kid on the shoulder, It's gonna be

2018
01:43:25,320 --> 01:43:28,599
Speaker 1: all right, buddy. Some aspect of his comforting tactic must

2019
01:43:28,600 --> 01:43:31,320
Speaker 1: have gone wrong, because the kid just looked pissed. Do

2020
01:43:31,360 --> 01:43:34,559
Speaker 1: you not realize how fun this is? Manny shoved Roland back.

2021
01:43:34,720 --> 01:43:37,479
Speaker 1: We're supposed to be effecting a rescue here, he yelled.

2022
01:43:37,600 --> 01:43:39,840
Speaker 1: They're going to have us drilling and training day and night,

2023
01:43:39,960 --> 01:43:42,160
Speaker 1: will be surrounded by soldiers. I thought we'd just be

2024
01:43:42,160 --> 01:43:44,280
Speaker 1: squatting in an apartment saying some piece be with you

2025
01:43:44,360 --> 01:43:46,120
Speaker 1: is When we went outside, I thought we were going

2026
01:43:46,160 --> 01:43:48,479
Speaker 1: to track down those hostages and like a day. Now,

2027
01:43:48,479 --> 01:43:51,080
Speaker 1: what the funk are we supposed to do? Roland thought

2028
01:43:51,080 --> 01:43:53,400
Speaker 1: about that for a moment. He thought about the martyrs

2029
01:43:53,400 --> 01:43:55,599
Speaker 1: he'd faced on the battlefield three days ago, in their

2030
01:43:55,640 --> 01:44:00,160
Speaker 1: motley armor and battered, rusted weaponry. Look, he said, this,

2031
01:44:00,200 --> 01:44:02,479
Speaker 1: for a real army, we'd be fucked. But you've seen

2032
01:44:02,560 --> 01:44:06,479
Speaker 1: how these guys fight. They had numbers and some professionals,

2033
01:44:06,520 --> 01:44:08,760
Speaker 1: but the bulk of their forces are just poor dumb

2034
01:44:08,800 --> 01:44:11,000
Speaker 1: fox with a week's worth of training and whatever gun

2035
01:44:11,120 --> 01:44:13,720
Speaker 1: was lying around. We're not going to be drilling from

2036
01:44:13,800 --> 01:44:17,360
Speaker 1: dawn till dusk. He gestured at the truck's dashboard, they're

2037
01:44:17,439 --> 01:44:19,519
Speaker 1: letting us drive our own fucking truck up there. This

2038
01:44:19,560 --> 01:44:22,240
Speaker 1: ain't gonna be like a real army. I guarantee you

2039
01:44:22,280 --> 01:44:25,000
Speaker 1: will have time to do our ship. Stay calm, stick

2040
01:44:25,040 --> 01:44:27,439
Speaker 1: close to me, do what I do. I'm real fucking

2041
01:44:27,439 --> 01:44:30,479
Speaker 1: good at soldiering. If you follow my lead, they love us,

2042
01:44:30,479 --> 01:44:33,000
Speaker 1: and our job will be that much easier. And what

2043
01:44:33,080 --> 01:44:35,840
Speaker 1: if something goes wrong, Manny asked, what if they catch us?

2044
01:44:36,360 --> 01:44:39,000
Speaker 1: Roland shrugged. If they catch us, them will already be

2045
01:44:39,040 --> 01:44:41,080
Speaker 1: in the middle of their army. That will save me

2046
01:44:41,240 --> 01:44:46,639
Speaker 1: so much time. Hey, I've written a novel. It's called

2047
01:44:46,680 --> 01:44:48,840
Speaker 1: After the Revolution. You can find it as a podcast

2048
01:44:48,920 --> 01:44:50,960
Speaker 1: under After the Revolution, and you can find it at

2049
01:44:50,960 --> 01:44:53,080
Speaker 1: a t r book dot com as a free e

2050
01:44:53,280 --> 01:44:56,439
Speaker 1: pub if you like it. I am crowdfunding the sequel

2051
01:44:56,479 --> 01:44:58,680
Speaker 1: so that I can keep making my books free. That

2052
01:44:58,760 --> 01:45:01,120
Speaker 1: will be it after the revel solution, the sequel on

2053
01:45:01,280 --> 01:45:04,040
Speaker 1: go fund me. That's After the Revolution, the sequel on

2054
01:45:04,200 --> 01:45:10,000
Speaker 1: go fund mem