1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Chapter eighteen, Sasha. Sasha didn't feel safe out on the 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: street after Anne's abduction. The next day, she'd volunteered for 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: four extra hours of duty in the emergency ward. She 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: changed bandages and administered antibiotic salves and delivered food to 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: wounded soldiers until her eyes started to glaze over and 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: doctor Brandt ordered her home. She'd barely had the energy 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: to eat that night, but by the time her driver 8 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: dropped her off at the House of Miriam, it was 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: dark and there'd been no one waiting for her. That 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: strategy hadn't worked. The day after that, doctor Brandt had 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: even tried to send her home early. Sasha had talked 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: him out of it, but not out of sending her 13 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: back downtown at the normal time. She was sure her 14 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: driver must have noticed how anxious she was. By the 15 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: time they reached the main drag, she was drenched in 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: sweat her hands were shaking. She asked him to drop 17 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: her off a half block down from the normal spot 18 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: so she could enter the square from the left side 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: and get a good look at who was hanging out 20 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: near the House of Miriam. Alexander had been there, of course, 21 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: sitting out in front of a building two doors down 22 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: from the house, along with one of his friends. Avoiding 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: them had brought her to the Cafe Clement, and then 24 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: something she could only assume was God's providence had bumped 25 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: her into a manual. He was sweet and fun to 26 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: talk to, and it was actually refreshing to have a 27 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: conversation with some one who didn't constantly quote scripture or 28 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: past her mike. She was surprised at herself for feeling 29 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: that way. A few weeks ago, she'd have given anything 30 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: to have an open conversation about her beliefs, but now 31 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: that she was deep within the Kingdom, it was nice 32 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: to talk about normal things with a normal boy. The 33 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: next day had brought her back to the hospital, which 34 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: was filled with wounded soldiers from an air strike on 35 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: a troop transport. Sasha had spent nine hours without a 36 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: break helping doctor Brandt cut clothing off of horribly burned 37 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: young men. She'd applied slick, gummy burned dressings and changed 38 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: ivy drips of pain killers. The day was long, bloody, 39 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: and brutal. Four men died in front of her eyes, 40 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: and there was no time to really think about it. 41 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: She knew that she should have been more horrified at 42 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: what she was seeing. But the exposed organs and burnt, 43 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 1: shriveled limbs didn't feel like parts of people. Even the 44 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: screams felt more like rhode hazards or bad weather than 45 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: damaged pieces of human beings. They were obstacles to be 46 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: dealt with. She and doctor Brandt dealt with them well. 47 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: A still small voice in the back of her mind 48 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: recoiled in horror at the sheer volume of human misery 49 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: she saw that day, But that voice was quieter than 50 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: it had been on other days, and it grew quieter 51 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: as the day went on and the death toll mounted. 52 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: Sasha had read about post traumatic stress disorder back in school. 53 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: She understood the mechanics of it. The people tended to 54 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: cope with terrifying situations by suppressing their fear. But this 55 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: didn't feel like that. It felt like she was just 56 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: doing her job, and she enjoyed her job. Before she 57 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: knew it, ten hours had gone by, and doctor Brandt 58 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: demanded she find a ride back to the House of 59 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: Miriam and get some rest. That was the first time 60 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 1: in the entire day when Sasha felt truly scared. It 61 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: started in her chest, her heart fluttered faster and faster, 62 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: until the flutter turned to a pounding so loud it 63 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: felt like someone was smashing a hammer on the inner 64 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 1: walls of her cranium. She pressed her back hard into 65 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: the seat of the jeep and hoped her growing panic 66 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: wasn't obvious to the driver. He dropped her off on 67 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: the other side of the square again. She didn't see 68 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: Alexander or his comrades near the House of Miriam this time, 69 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: but she knew that didn't mean they weren't watching the place. 70 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: She had plans to meet Emmanual again anyway. Sasha half 71 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: expected him to have moved on since she'd been so late, 72 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: but he was there, standing out in front of the 73 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: Cafe Clement when she arrived. I'm sorry, I'm so late, 74 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: she said. He shrugged in response, I just got here myself. 75 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: They dismissed us late. We had a special lecture before 76 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: dinner about a His face grew red and he trailed 77 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: off about what she poked. Maybe let's just sit down first, huh. 78 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: So they found a seat and ordered their coffee. Manny 79 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: tried to change the subject by asking Sasha about her day, 80 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: but she was curious about his reaction and would not 81 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: be dissuaded. I'll tell you all about my day if 82 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: you tell me about that lecture and why just thinking 83 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: about it made your face go red. He grew redder 84 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: and stared down into his coffee. Pastor came over to 85 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: lecture us about our duty and helping the heavenly kingdom grow. 86 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: You know our duty, Emmanual gave her a significant look. 87 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,559 Speaker 1: She gathered his meaning, and then she blushed too. That's 88 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: uh why they bust us out here every day, he continued. 89 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: It's so we can get to know the local women 90 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: and then get to know them in the biblical sense. 91 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: She laughed in spite of herself. I think that was 92 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: the first off color joke I've heard in weeks. It 93 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: felt good and risque. It was actually the same sort 94 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: of thrill she'd gotten back home when she'd sneakily read 95 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: issues of Revelator and browsed the media feeds of various 96 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: martyrs brigades. You know, Emmanual, she said, You're not quite 97 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: like anyone else I've met here. It's nice to meet 98 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: someone who wasn't afraid to joke. I didn't think i'd 99 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: missed that. He was quiet for a little while Manny 100 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: stirred his coffee awkwardly cast his eyes down, he went paler, 101 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: you seem different too, I dunno this place. Maybe it's 102 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: not exactly what we thought it would be. She should 103 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: have gotten angry at that. It was the kind of 104 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: common that could have gotten a manual into a lot 105 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: of trouble. Why would he say that to me, she wondered? 106 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: And why am I okay with all this? Maybe it 107 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: was Marigold rubbing off on her. Maybe it was just 108 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: gradual disillusionment, the climax of a process that had started 109 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: with Alexander's betrayal. But the Heavenly Kingdom no longer felt 110 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: magical or even all that wholly. It's complicated here, she 111 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: finally said. I mean, before I came here, I knew 112 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: it couldn't be perfect no places, but yes, it's not 113 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: what I'd hoped to find exactly. Sasha felt a spike 114 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: of panic as soon as the words left her mouth. 115 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: You barely know this man, Sasha. His whole job might 116 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: be ferrying out potential disloyalty. She coughed and tried to 117 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: walk her admission back a little. It's still better than 118 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: the st f or any of the other Heathen states, 119 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: I have to keep telling myself that what's important is 120 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: what we're fighting for, not the imperfections we have to 121 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: live with. In this moment, hum he gave an on 122 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: committal grunt that surprised her. She hadn't expected anything specific exactly, 123 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: but that surprised her. He started to say something else, 124 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: then his eyes went wide. Who he started to say? 125 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: Sasha heard boot falls. She felt the presence of several 126 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: tall men behind her. The heavy, familiar scent of Alexander's 127 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: cologne filled her nostrils. Madyr Emmanuel Sanchez, Miss Sasha, may 128 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: the blessings of the lawd be with you and also 129 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: with you, Sascha replied by rote. Emmanuel chimed in a 130 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: second or two later. He sounded a bit awkward, like 131 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: he wasn't exactly sure which words to use. Alexander pulled 132 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: up a chair and set it against the right side 133 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: of the table. He sat down, placing himself between them. 134 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: He rested one arm on the table, but his left 135 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,799 Speaker 1: arm hung directly over his side arm. He looked at Emmanuel, smiled, 136 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: and then looked at Sasha. She felt a wave of 137 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: nausea grabbed her by the guts and tug. His lips 138 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: curled up, revealing his straight white teeth. Excuse me, Manny said, 139 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: but who are you? Alexander looked back to Manny, his 140 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: expression unchanged. Mata, Alexander du Bois. I'm a friend of Sasha's, 141 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: he glanced back at her with a wink that curdled 142 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: her stomach. And I'm also in charge of recruitment for 143 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: the Storming Battalion. Never heard of it, Emmanuel said in 144 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: a gruff, clipped tone. Sasha realized she was shaking a little. 145 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: Alexander's lips curled up into an even more ghoulish variant 146 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: of his already unsettling smile. He replied, there's a reason 147 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: for that, Mada Sanchez. The Storming Battalion plays a key 148 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: role in our success on the battlefield. They've been central 149 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: in every one of our victory. We don't publicize their 150 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: work for various reasons, but I assure you it's a 151 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: distinct honor to be recruited by me. That's actually why 152 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: I'm here, Emmanuel. We've chosen you. By now, it felt 153 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: like the pit of Sasha's stomach was boiling. Something terrible 154 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: was clearly happening, even Emmanual seemed to realize that his 155 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: face had gone pale. His pupils were the size of 156 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: dinner plates. I ah, thank you for the honor, but 157 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm happy with my unit. I feel that's where the 158 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: Lord needs me. My friend Aaron Alexander put a hand up, 159 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: flat palm facing Emmanual. Your comrade will be taken care of, 160 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: and we'll be the judges of where the Lord needs you. 161 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: Trust me, We've got a lot more experience interpreting his 162 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: will than you do. There's a reason the cross flies 163 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: over this entire city. Emmanuel half stood in his chair. 164 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: It was a sudden gesture, and a faintly aggressive one. 165 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: Sasha noticed his hands were bawled up into fists. His 166 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: eyes darted left and right. He seemed to be looking 167 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: over the heads of Alexander and his men. Alexander tensed. 168 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: Both the men put hands over their side arms, but 169 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: Emmanuel didn't take any further action. After a few turns 170 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: of his head, he stopped looking, relaxed his hands, and 171 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: sat back down. Okay, he said, I get the feeling 172 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: you want me to go with you now. Alexander smiled. 173 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: It was a vicious, oily thing, and it confirmed in 174 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: Sasha's heart that he had something terrible planned. Yes, that's 175 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: exactly what I want. He cocked his head up and 176 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: pursed his lips in an exaggerated gesture of consideration. Well, actually, 177 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: I want you to go with these men. I need 178 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: to stay here and have a wood with Sasha. Emmanuel 179 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: looked into her eyes. He was scared clearly, but he 180 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: kept his voice steady when he spoke, Sasha, I've got 181 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: to go do my duty find errand for me. Will 182 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: you tell him I am wish him the best, and 183 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: I hope to see him soon. He put definite emphasis 184 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,199 Speaker 1: on that last word, and then he gave Sasha a 185 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: very deliberate nod before he stood and stepped towards Alexander's men. 186 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 1: Take him to the factory for his intake process, and 187 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: I'll be along. Showtly, Alexander said. He put a hand 188 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 1: on Emmanuel's forearm as the young man passed by, and said, 189 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: you should give a prayer of thanks, brother, God has 190 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: blessed you with a great honor. Emmanuel smile was as 191 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: false as Alexander's God bless you, Martyr du Bois. I'll 192 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: pray that you and all your men grow closer to 193 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: our lord. Was that a threat, she wondered, before deciding, 194 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: of course it was. In a more normal situation, Sasha 195 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: would have molled that over It certainly was not the 196 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: sort of comment she'd have expected from a true martyr, 197 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: But just then she was far too consumed with terror, 198 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: both for Immanuel and for herself. Alexander's guards led Manny away, 199 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: and Alexander took his place at the table. He took 200 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: a long sip from Emmanuel's cooling coffee and smiled his 201 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: snake smile again. I must say, Sasha, I thought you 202 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: had better taste than that. For the first time in 203 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: her life, Sasha found herself trying to stare daggers at someone. 204 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: Oh if only I could shoot knives out of my eyes, 205 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: she thought, as she imagined one striking Alexander in the 206 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: forehead with enough force to burst out the back of 207 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: his skull. Is that something chromed people can do, she wondered, 208 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: and decided she'd ask Marigold if she had forgot another 209 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: chance to talk to the woman. Hey, he snapped his 210 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: fingers in front of her eyes, and she hated him 211 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: a little more. She was sort of surprised to learn 212 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: that was possible. Look, I know coming here can be disorienting. 213 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: I know this is a lot to get used to. 214 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: But him a fucking' it's people like him who filled 215 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: this continent with them mongrel spawn and tore American civilization 216 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: to splint us. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, 217 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,679 Speaker 1: she said. We are all the fruit fruit of the 218 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: same tree. Yeah, I know, I've met Pastor Mike. I 219 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: know God made us all, and also know he made 220 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,479 Speaker 1: some of us better than others. There's a reason civilization 221 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: reached its peak under white Man, and there's a reason 222 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: it crumbled once. We let them take the reins for 223 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: a while, it's not worth arguing with him, she told herself. 224 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: So Sasha decided to ask a blunt question. What's going 225 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:23,440 Speaker 1: to happen to Emmanuel? Alexander smiled, Exactly what I said 226 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: was going to happen to him. He's goin to the 227 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: factory for a trainin' and then he'll participate in the 228 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: invasion of Waco as part of the Storming Battalion. And 229 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: what is that? In a way, it's the luckiest unit 230 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: in the Heavenly Kingdom's whole military. They are the first 231 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: ones in guaranteed glory. He took another long, slow sip 232 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: from Mannie's coffee, his eyes bored into her all the while, 233 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: and guaranteed modydom. Sasha felt a little pride for not crying. 234 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. Praise be 235 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: to God, she choked out, followed by I still have 236 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: duties tonight at the house. May I go? Alexander sneered 237 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: at that, and then he waved his hand in a 238 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 1: gesture that was surely meant to be casual and dismissive. 239 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: It looked calculated, though, like it was important to him 240 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,959 Speaker 1: that she feels like this didn't matter to him. For 241 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: some reason, that observation made Sasha feel a little stronger. 242 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: Go on. Then he said, we'll talk tomorrow. Maybe we'll 243 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: do more than talk. Maybe not. She stood up, still 244 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: fighting back tears, and left the cafe without a response. 245 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: Sasha wanted to go to someone, anyone, in the wake 246 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: of all this. There's nothing to do. The smarter, colder 247 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: part of her brain, the part that always sounded like 248 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: her mother, warned her, anything you say will only make 249 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: it worse. She knew that was true. Even Helen couldn't 250 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: do anything for Emmanual. Now she'd made it very clear 251 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 1: that military matters took precedence over everything else in the 252 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: Heavenly Kingdom. It made sense, and yet shouldn't right and 253 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: wrong be what matter most here? She wasn't even sure 254 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: what either of those words meant anymore? Was this really 255 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: what God wanted? Was this how a society based on 256 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: his laws operated? Sasha told herself over and over again 257 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: that she'd made the right decision, that the Kingdom wasn't perfect, 258 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: but it was the best of all the other options. 259 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: That voice grew quieter and less convincing as she walked 260 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: through the doors at the House of Miriam and noticed 261 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: another missing person. Where's Suzanne, she asked Helen, after scanning 262 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: the dining room for her friend. The older woman smiled, 263 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: but it wasn't the warm look Sasha had come to expect. 264 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: Helen looked strained, tired, perhaps even a little ill. Suzanne 265 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: met her husband today, Sasha narrowed her eyes and fought 266 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: down an immediate surge of rage. She met him or 267 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: did he see her and claim her? Like Anne suitor? 268 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: Helen did not like that. She almost growled her neck 269 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: to words. Be very careful with what you insinuate, Miss Sasha. 270 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: I know this isn't what any of you dreamed of, 271 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: but you did come here to help further the kingdom. 272 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: This is how that looks Sasha knew in that moment 273 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: that there was nothing else she could say to Helen. 274 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: What would be the point? So she nodded meekly, and 275 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: she apologized, and then she ate her dinner like a 276 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 1: robot and cleaned up for bed. Throughout all that, Marigold's 277 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: words rang louder in her memory. You got suckered into 278 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: a fucking nightmare. It's time to wake up. It's time 279 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: to wake ups, time to wake up. Time. Sasha went 280 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: to bed around nine. She'd had a long and exhausting day. 281 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: Tomorrow was sure to be more of the same, but 282 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: she couldn't sleep. Now that she was safely in bed, 283 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: hidden from the world, the tears refused to stay hidden 284 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: behind her eyes. It was all Sasha could do to 285 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: avoid audible sobs. She lay awake for an hour, maybe more, 286 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: until she heard a thwack followed by a thump. She 287 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: opened her eyes and rolled over to face the door, 288 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: and the time it took to complete that motion she 289 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: heard the were whoosh open and then a series of 290 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: thumps so rapid they sounded like one long drum roll. 291 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: Sasha felt a rush of air, and then since the 292 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: presence of a new person. The instant before she completed 293 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: her role, she looked up to see a man at 294 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: the side of her bed. He was big, broad, and 295 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: clad in a torn and bloodied Martyrs uniform. He had 296 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: a heavy metal pipe in his hand. Sasha rose her 297 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: hands up in an instinctive gesture of self defense. The 298 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: moment before she saw the holking man's face and realized 299 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: who he was, Aaron. The man blinked. He looked confused 300 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: for a moment, and then he laughed, all right, Yes, 301 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: saw my name, Han, you can call me Roland. What 302 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: do you what's happening? Are we under attack? Yes, porta 303 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: by me. I knocked out the old lady. He gestured 304 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: his head back towards the other girls sleeping in their beds. 305 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: I knocked them all out too, just minor concussions, but 306 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: they're out cold. I am very confused, Sasha said, in 307 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: a flat voice, and very frightened. You're not frightened. She 308 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: was rise to realize that he was right. Sasha knew 309 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 1: she should have been scared, but her heart rate didn't elevate, 310 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: she didn't start to sweat. She did feel confused, but 311 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: she also felt calm. Maybe I've just been so scared 312 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: the last few days my body can't handle anymore of it. 313 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: Maybe I've reached the limit of my capacity for fear. 314 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: I guess you're right, she said, I should be afraid. 315 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: This is also She trailed off, grasping for words. Yeah, 316 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: it's fucked, Roland said, and then he pulled up a 317 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: canteen that had been hanging from his shoulder and took 318 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: a deep poll. The scent of alcohol wafted over to her. 319 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: You want some, he asked. I made it in my 320 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: guts filled a canteen as I finished up at the base. Wait, 321 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 1: Sasha said, what happened at the base? Roland gave another 322 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: shrug and took another pull. The boss guys told me 323 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: Manny had been reassigned to some sort of I don't know, 324 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: suicide battalion. This pissed me off, so I broke exactly 325 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: half of their bones. Sasha could hear sirens now often 326 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: the distance. It sounded like there were rather a lot 327 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: of them. She imagined this was connected to whatever Roland 328 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: had done. I'm going to guess you and Emmanual aren't 329 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: really martyrs, are you, he chuckled. I mean maybe some days, sister. 330 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: Just now, I don't say any causes worth dying for, 331 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: but I get your meaning. And no, I don't give 332 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: a shit about your heavenly kingdom. Man he actively hates it. 333 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: We're spies, or we were spies. Now he's a captive 334 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: and I'm a terrorist again. Oh, she said, And then 335 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: I think I would like a drink. He handed her 336 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: the canteen, and she took a generous gulp. Sasha had 337 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: only tried alcohol once before. She'd been thirteen, not yet 338 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 1: a Christian, and at a party she'd been far too 339 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: young to attend. She remembered the sensation of gentle warmth 340 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: spreading down her throat, and the sense of elation and 341 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 1: well being that had followed. She'd taken a few more SIPs, 342 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: which had made the world far too spinny for her comfort. 343 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: She'd vomited not long after, but she figured if there 344 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: was ever a time to try alcohol again, it's now. 345 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: The drink easted like beer, but it burned like a 346 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: shot of hard liquor. Sasha passed the canteen back. She 347 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 1: felt like taking more would be a bad idea. All right, then, 348 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: Roland said, I'm gonna make a few guesses. I guess 349 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: one is that you're a little less than enthusiastic about 350 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,719 Speaker 1: the heavenly Kingdom now that you've seen it up close. 351 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: Guests too is that you're looking for a way out. 352 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: And Guests three is that you know something about where 353 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: my little buddy went. Huh, Immanuel, Manny, you know where 354 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 1: he is? I don't, she started. I'll bet you do. 355 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: Even if you don't know, you do. I know you 356 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: were there when he was taken. I could smell it 357 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: in the street. Smell it. He sighed, and needed the 358 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: bridge of his nose. This is the time where you 359 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: explain things. The time where I explained things comes later, 360 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: or maybe never. He lifted up the pipe in his 361 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,439 Speaker 1: hand so she could see how bloody and dnted it was. 362 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: I have the pipe. Whoever's got the pipe doesn't have 363 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: to explain shit. Sasha couldn't argue with his logic, and 364 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: she did want to see emmanual, free and safe. Look, 365 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: she said, this, this boy, I know, Alexander. He found 366 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: us at the cafe. We were just sitting down to coffee. 367 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: He had two men with him, and he said, Emmanuel 368 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: had been selected for the Storming Battalion. Do you have 369 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: any idea where they took him? The kids sent trail 370 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: grows cold about a mile from here. Sasha racked her brain. 371 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: Of course, she didn't know where the Heavenly Kingdom did 372 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: this sort of training, but Alexander's said something about the factory, 373 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: and at that Roland's eyes lit up. He turned around 374 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: as if to leave. I know where he is. Then 375 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: he looked back and down to Sasha and said, moment 376 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: of truth time, Darlin, you want to stay here in 377 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 1: this ship pile Kingdom? Or He jerked his thumb to 378 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: the door. Do you want me to break you out? 379 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: And I'll make offers like that often, so take it 380 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: as a compliment. This time. It didn't take long for 381 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: Sasha to make up her mind. Yes, she said, I'd 382 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: like to go with you. Hey, I'm Robert Evans. I 383 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the 384 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: chapters to come. You can find the free e pub 385 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: of every chapter and eventually the whole book at a 386 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 1: t r book dot com, complete with illustrations if you 387 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: want to support me in writing the sequel, you can 388 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: crowdfund me at after the Revolution the Sequel at go 389 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: fund Me. Just type and go fund me after the 390 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: Revolution the Sequel Um. I'd like my books to always 391 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,719 Speaker 1: be free, so I'm just going to try to crowdfund 392 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: the next one and see how that works. So After 393 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: the Revolution the Sequel on go fund Me. 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