WEBVTT - Chapter Eighteen

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter eighteen, Sasha. Sasha didn't feel safe out on the

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<v Speaker 1>street after Anne's abduction. The next day, she'd volunteered for

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<v Speaker 1>four extra hours of duty in the emergency ward. She

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<v Speaker 1>changed bandages and administered antibiotic salves and delivered food to

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<v Speaker 1>wounded soldiers until her eyes started to glaze over and

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<v Speaker 1>doctor Brandt ordered her home. She'd barely had the energy

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<v Speaker 1>to eat that night, but by the time her driver

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<v Speaker 1>dropped her off at the House of Miriam, it was

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<v Speaker 1>dark and there'd been no one waiting for her. That

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<v Speaker 1>strategy hadn't worked. The day after that, doctor Brandt had

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<v Speaker 1>even tried to send her home early. Sasha had talked

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<v Speaker 1>him out of it, but not out of sending her

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<v Speaker 1>back downtown at the normal time. She was sure her

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<v Speaker 1>driver must have noticed how anxious she was. By the

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<v Speaker 1>time they reached the main drag, she was drenched in

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<v Speaker 1>sweat her hands were shaking. She asked him to drop

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<v Speaker 1>her off a half block down from the normal spot

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<v Speaker 1>so she could enter the square from the left side

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<v Speaker 1>and get a good look at who was hanging out

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<v Speaker 1>near the House of Miriam. Alexander had been there, of course,

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<v Speaker 1>sitting out in front of a building two doors down

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<v Speaker 1>from the house, along with one of his friends. Avoiding

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<v Speaker 1>them had brought her to the Cafe Clement, and then

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<v Speaker 1>something she could only assume was God's providence had bumped

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<v Speaker 1>her into a manual. He was sweet and fun to

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<v Speaker 1>talk to, and it was actually refreshing to have a

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<v Speaker 1>conversation with some one who didn't constantly quote scripture or

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<v Speaker 1>past her mike. She was surprised at herself for feeling

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<v Speaker 1>that way. A few weeks ago, she'd have given anything

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<v Speaker 1>to have an open conversation about her beliefs, but now

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<v Speaker 1>that she was deep within the Kingdom, it was nice

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<v Speaker 1>to talk about normal things with a normal boy. The

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<v Speaker 1>next day had brought her back to the hospital, which

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<v Speaker 1>was filled with wounded soldiers from an air strike on

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<v Speaker 1>a troop transport. Sasha had spent nine hours without a

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<v Speaker 1>break helping doctor Brandt cut clothing off of horribly burned

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<v Speaker 1>young men. She'd applied slick, gummy burned dressings and changed

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<v Speaker 1>ivy drips of pain killers. The day was long, bloody,

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<v Speaker 1>and brutal. Four men died in front of her eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>and there was no time to really think about it.

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<v Speaker 1>She knew that she should have been more horrified at

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<v Speaker 1>what she was seeing. But the exposed organs and burnt,

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<v Speaker 1>shriveled limbs didn't feel like parts of people. Even the

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<v Speaker 1>screams felt more like rhode hazards or bad weather than

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<v Speaker 1>damaged pieces of human beings. They were obstacles to be

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<v Speaker 1>dealt with. She and doctor Brandt dealt with them well.

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<v Speaker 1>A still small voice in the back of her mind

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<v Speaker 1>recoiled in horror at the sheer volume of human misery

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<v Speaker 1>she saw that day, But that voice was quieter than

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<v Speaker 1>it had been on other days, and it grew quieter

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<v Speaker 1>as the day went on and the death toll mounted.

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<v Speaker 1>Sasha had read about post traumatic stress disorder back in school.

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<v Speaker 1>She understood the mechanics of it. The people tended to

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<v Speaker 1>cope with terrifying situations by suppressing their fear. But this

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<v Speaker 1>didn't feel like that. It felt like she was just

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<v Speaker 1>doing her job, and she enjoyed her job. Before she

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<v Speaker 1>knew it, ten hours had gone by, and doctor Brandt

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<v Speaker 1>demanded she find a ride back to the House of

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<v Speaker 1>Miriam and get some rest. That was the first time

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<v Speaker 1>in the entire day when Sasha felt truly scared. It

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<v Speaker 1>started in her chest, her heart fluttered faster and faster,

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<v Speaker 1>until the flutter turned to a pounding so loud it

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<v Speaker 1>felt like someone was smashing a hammer on the inner

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<v Speaker 1>walls of her cranium. She pressed her back hard into

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<v Speaker 1>the seat of the jeep and hoped her growing panic

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't obvious to the driver. He dropped her off on

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<v Speaker 1>the other side of the square again. She didn't see

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<v Speaker 1>Alexander or his comrades near the House of Miriam this time,

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<v Speaker 1>but she knew that didn't mean they weren't watching the place.

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<v Speaker 1>She had plans to meet Emmanual again anyway. Sasha half

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<v Speaker 1>expected him to have moved on since she'd been so late,

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<v Speaker 1>but he was there, standing out in front of the

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<v Speaker 1>Cafe Clement when she arrived. I'm sorry, I'm so late,

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<v Speaker 1>she said. He shrugged in response, I just got here myself.

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<v Speaker 1>They dismissed us late. We had a special lecture before

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<v Speaker 1>dinner about a His face grew red and he trailed

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<v Speaker 1>off about what she poked. Maybe let's just sit down first, huh.

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<v Speaker 1>So they found a seat and ordered their coffee. Manny

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<v Speaker 1>tried to change the subject by asking Sasha about her day,

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<v Speaker 1>but she was curious about his reaction and would not

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<v Speaker 1>be dissuaded. I'll tell you all about my day if

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<v Speaker 1>you tell me about that lecture and why just thinking

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<v Speaker 1>about it made your face go red. He grew redder

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<v Speaker 1>and stared down into his coffee. Pastor came over to

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<v Speaker 1>lecture us about our duty and helping the heavenly kingdom grow.

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<v Speaker 1>You know our duty, Emmanual gave her a significant look.

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<v Speaker 1>She gathered his meaning, and then she blushed too. That's

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<v Speaker 1>uh why they bust us out here every day, he continued.

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<v Speaker 1>It's so we can get to know the local women

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<v Speaker 1>and then get to know them in the biblical sense.

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<v Speaker 1>She laughed in spite of herself. I think that was

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<v Speaker 1>the first off color joke I've heard in weeks. It

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<v Speaker 1>felt good and risque. It was actually the same sort

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<v Speaker 1>of thrill she'd gotten back home when she'd sneakily read

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<v Speaker 1>issues of Revelator and browsed the media feeds of various

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<v Speaker 1>martyrs brigades. You know, Emmanual, she said, You're not quite

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<v Speaker 1>like anyone else I've met here. It's nice to meet

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<v Speaker 1>someone who wasn't afraid to joke. I didn't think i'd

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<v Speaker 1>missed that. He was quiet for a little while Manny

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<v Speaker 1>stirred his coffee awkwardly cast his eyes down, he went paler,

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<v Speaker 1>you seem different too, I dunno this place. Maybe it's

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<v Speaker 1>not exactly what we thought it would be. She should

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<v Speaker 1>have gotten angry at that. It was the kind of

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<v Speaker 1>common that could have gotten a manual into a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of trouble. Why would he say that to me, she wondered?

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<v Speaker 1>And why am I okay with all this? Maybe it

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<v Speaker 1>was Marigold rubbing off on her. Maybe it was just

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<v Speaker 1>gradual disillusionment, the climax of a process that had started

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<v Speaker 1>with Alexander's betrayal. But the Heavenly Kingdom no longer felt

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<v Speaker 1>magical or even all that wholly. It's complicated here, she

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<v Speaker 1>finally said. I mean, before I came here, I knew

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<v Speaker 1>it couldn't be perfect no places, but yes, it's not

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<v Speaker 1>what I'd hoped to find exactly. Sasha felt a spike

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<v Speaker 1>of panic as soon as the words left her mouth.

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<v Speaker 1>You barely know this man, Sasha. His whole job might

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<v Speaker 1>be ferrying out potential disloyalty. She coughed and tried to

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<v Speaker 1>walk her admission back a little. It's still better than

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<v Speaker 1>the st f or any of the other Heathen states,

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<v Speaker 1>I have to keep telling myself that what's important is

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<v Speaker 1>what we're fighting for, not the imperfections we have to

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<v Speaker 1>live with. In this moment, hum he gave an on

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<v Speaker 1>committal grunt that surprised her. She hadn't expected anything specific exactly,

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<v Speaker 1>but that surprised her. He started to say something else,

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<v Speaker 1>then his eyes went wide. Who he started to say?

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<v Speaker 1>Sasha heard boot falls. She felt the presence of several

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<v Speaker 1>tall men behind her. The heavy, familiar scent of Alexander's

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<v Speaker 1>cologne filled her nostrils. Madyr Emmanuel Sanchez, Miss Sasha, may

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<v Speaker 1>the blessings of the lawd be with you and also

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<v Speaker 1>with you, Sascha replied by rote. Emmanuel chimed in a

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<v Speaker 1>second or two later. He sounded a bit awkward, like

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<v Speaker 1>he wasn't exactly sure which words to use. Alexander pulled

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<v Speaker 1>up a chair and set it against the right side

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<v Speaker 1>of the table. He sat down, placing himself between them.

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<v Speaker 1>He rested one arm on the table, but his left

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<v Speaker 1>arm hung directly over his side arm. He looked at Emmanuel, smiled,

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<v Speaker 1>and then looked at Sasha. She felt a wave of

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<v Speaker 1>nausea grabbed her by the guts and tug. His lips

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<v Speaker 1>curled up, revealing his straight white teeth. Excuse me, Manny said,

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<v Speaker 1>but who are you? Alexander looked back to Manny, his

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<v Speaker 1>expression unchanged. Mata, Alexander du Bois. I'm a friend of Sasha's,

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<v Speaker 1>he glanced back at her with a wink that curdled

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<v Speaker 1>her stomach. And I'm also in charge of recruitment for

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<v Speaker 1>the Storming Battalion. Never heard of it, Emmanuel said in

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<v Speaker 1>a gruff, clipped tone. Sasha realized she was shaking a little.

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<v Speaker 1>Alexander's lips curled up into an even more ghoulish variant

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<v Speaker 1>of his already unsettling smile. He replied, there's a reason

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<v Speaker 1>for that, Mada Sanchez. The Storming Battalion plays a key

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<v Speaker 1>role in our success on the battlefield. They've been central

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<v Speaker 1>in every one of our victory. We don't publicize their

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<v Speaker 1>work for various reasons, but I assure you it's a

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<v Speaker 1>distinct honor to be recruited by me. That's actually why

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<v Speaker 1>I'm here, Emmanuel. We've chosen you. By now, it felt

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<v Speaker 1>like the pit of Sasha's stomach was boiling. Something terrible

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<v Speaker 1>was clearly happening, even Emmanual seemed to realize that his

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<v Speaker 1>face had gone pale. His pupils were the size of

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<v Speaker 1>dinner plates. I ah, thank you for the honor, but

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<v Speaker 1>I'm happy with my unit. I feel that's where the

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<v Speaker 1>Lord needs me. My friend Aaron Alexander put a hand up,

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<v Speaker 1>flat palm facing Emmanual. Your comrade will be taken care of,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be the judges of where the Lord needs you.

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<v Speaker 1>Trust me, We've got a lot more experience interpreting his

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<v Speaker 1>will than you do. There's a reason the cross flies

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<v Speaker 1>over this entire city. Emmanuel half stood in his chair.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a sudden gesture, and a faintly aggressive one.

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<v Speaker 1>Sasha noticed his hands were bawled up into fists. His

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<v Speaker 1>eyes darted left and right. He seemed to be looking

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<v Speaker 1>over the heads of Alexander and his men. Alexander tensed.

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<v Speaker 1>Both the men put hands over their side arms, but

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<v Speaker 1>Emmanuel didn't take any further action. After a few turns

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<v Speaker 1>of his head, he stopped looking, relaxed his hands, and

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<v Speaker 1>sat back down. Okay, he said, I get the feeling

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<v Speaker 1>you want me to go with you now. Alexander smiled.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a vicious, oily thing, and it confirmed in

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<v Speaker 1>Sasha's heart that he had something terrible planned. Yes, that's

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<v Speaker 1>exactly what I want. He cocked his head up and

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<v Speaker 1>pursed his lips in an exaggerated gesture of consideration. Well, actually,

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to go with these men. I need

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<v Speaker 1>to stay here and have a wood with Sasha. Emmanuel

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<v Speaker 1>looked into her eyes. He was scared clearly, but he

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<v Speaker 1>kept his voice steady when he spoke, Sasha, I've got

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<v Speaker 1>to go do my duty find errand for me. Will

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<v Speaker 1>you tell him I am wish him the best, and

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<v Speaker 1>I hope to see him soon. He put definite emphasis

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<v Speaker 1>on that last word, and then he gave Sasha a

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<v Speaker 1>very deliberate nod before he stood and stepped towards Alexander's men.

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<v Speaker 1>Take him to the factory for his intake process, and

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<v Speaker 1>I'll be along. Showtly, Alexander said. He put a hand

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<v Speaker 1>on Emmanuel's forearm as the young man passed by, and said,

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<v Speaker 1>you should give a prayer of thanks, brother, God has

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<v Speaker 1>blessed you with a great honor. Emmanuel smile was as

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<v Speaker 1>false as Alexander's God bless you, Martyr du Bois. I'll

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<v Speaker 1>pray that you and all your men grow closer to

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<v Speaker 1>our lord. Was that a threat, she wondered, before deciding,

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<v Speaker 1>of course it was. In a more normal situation, Sasha

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<v Speaker 1>would have molled that over It certainly was not the

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<v Speaker 1>sort of comment she'd have expected from a true martyr,

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<v Speaker 1>But just then she was far too consumed with terror,

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<v Speaker 1>both for Immanuel and for herself. Alexander's guards led Manny away,

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<v Speaker 1>and Alexander took his place at the table. He took

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<v Speaker 1>a long sip from Emmanuel's cooling coffee and smiled his

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<v Speaker 1>snake smile again. I must say, Sasha, I thought you

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<v Speaker 1>had better taste than that. For the first time in

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<v Speaker 1>her life, Sasha found herself trying to stare daggers at someone.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh if only I could shoot knives out of my eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>she thought, as she imagined one striking Alexander in the

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<v Speaker 1>forehead with enough force to burst out the back of

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<v Speaker 1>his skull. Is that something chromed people can do, she wondered,

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<v Speaker 1>and decided she'd ask Marigold if she had forgot another

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<v Speaker 1>chance to talk to the woman. Hey, he snapped his

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<v Speaker 1>fingers in front of her eyes, and she hated him

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<v Speaker 1>a little more. She was sort of surprised to learn

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<v Speaker 1>that was possible. Look, I know coming here can be disorienting.

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<v Speaker 1>I know this is a lot to get used to.

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<v Speaker 1>But him a fucking' it's people like him who filled

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<v Speaker 1>this continent with them mongrel spawn and tore American civilization

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<v Speaker 1>to splint us. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ,

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<v Speaker 1>she said. We are all the fruit fruit of the

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<v Speaker 1>same tree. Yeah, I know, I've met Pastor Mike. I

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<v Speaker 1>know God made us all, and also know he made

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<v Speaker 1>some of us better than others. There's a reason civilization

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<v Speaker 1>reached its peak under white Man, and there's a reason

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<v Speaker 1>it crumbled once. We let them take the reins for

0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:14.559
<v Speaker 1>a while, it's not worth arguing with him, she told herself.

0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:18.400
<v Speaker 1>So Sasha decided to ask a blunt question. What's going

0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:23.440
<v Speaker 1>to happen to Emmanuel? Alexander smiled, Exactly what I said

0:12:23.559 --> 0:12:25.880
<v Speaker 1>was going to happen to him. He's goin to the

0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:29.680
<v Speaker 1>factory for a trainin' and then he'll participate in the

0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:33.880
<v Speaker 1>invasion of Waco as part of the Storming Battalion. And

0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.320
<v Speaker 1>what is that? In a way, it's the luckiest unit

0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:40.480
<v Speaker 1>in the Heavenly Kingdom's whole military. They are the first

0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:44.840
<v Speaker 1>ones in guaranteed glory. He took another long, slow sip

0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:48.240
<v Speaker 1>from Mannie's coffee, his eyes bored into her all the while,

0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:53.640
<v Speaker 1>and guaranteed modydom. Sasha felt a little pride for not crying.

0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:57.920
<v Speaker 1>Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes. Praise be

0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:01.800
<v Speaker 1>to God, she choked out, followed by I still have

0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:05.960
<v Speaker 1>duties tonight at the house. May I go? Alexander sneered

0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:07.760
<v Speaker 1>at that, and then he waved his hand in a

0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:10.559
<v Speaker 1>gesture that was surely meant to be casual and dismissive.

0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.960
<v Speaker 1>It looked calculated, though, like it was important to him

0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.959
<v Speaker 1>that she feels like this didn't matter to him. For

0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:20.240
<v Speaker 1>some reason, that observation made Sasha feel a little stronger.

0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:24.880
<v Speaker 1>Go on. Then he said, we'll talk tomorrow. Maybe we'll

0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:29.040
<v Speaker 1>do more than talk. Maybe not. She stood up, still

0:13:29.080 --> 0:13:32.280
<v Speaker 1>fighting back tears, and left the cafe without a response.

0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:42.600
<v Speaker 1>Sasha wanted to go to someone, anyone, in the wake

0:13:42.679 --> 0:13:45.680
<v Speaker 1>of all this. There's nothing to do. The smarter, colder

0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.880
<v Speaker 1>part of her brain, the part that always sounded like

0:13:47.920 --> 0:13:51.120
<v Speaker 1>her mother, warned her, anything you say will only make

0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:54.760
<v Speaker 1>it worse. She knew that was true. Even Helen couldn't

0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:57.640
<v Speaker 1>do anything for Emmanual. Now she'd made it very clear

0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.439
<v Speaker 1>that military matters took precedence over everything else in the

0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:04.560
<v Speaker 1>Heavenly Kingdom. It made sense, and yet shouldn't right and

0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:07.920
<v Speaker 1>wrong be what matter most here? She wasn't even sure

0:14:07.960 --> 0:14:11.160
<v Speaker 1>what either of those words meant anymore? Was this really

0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:14.040
<v Speaker 1>what God wanted? Was this how a society based on

0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:18.080
<v Speaker 1>his laws operated? Sasha told herself over and over again

0:14:18.160 --> 0:14:21.360
<v Speaker 1>that she'd made the right decision, that the Kingdom wasn't perfect,

0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:23.560
<v Speaker 1>but it was the best of all the other options.

0:14:24.040 --> 0:14:27.040
<v Speaker 1>That voice grew quieter and less convincing as she walked

0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:29.240
<v Speaker 1>through the doors at the House of Miriam and noticed

0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:34.520
<v Speaker 1>another missing person. Where's Suzanne, she asked Helen, after scanning

0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.800
<v Speaker 1>the dining room for her friend. The older woman smiled,

0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.600
<v Speaker 1>but it wasn't the warm look Sasha had come to expect.

0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:46.200
<v Speaker 1>Helen looked strained, tired, perhaps even a little ill. Suzanne

0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:50.400
<v Speaker 1>met her husband today, Sasha narrowed her eyes and fought

0:14:50.440 --> 0:14:53.920
<v Speaker 1>down an immediate surge of rage. She met him or

0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:56.320
<v Speaker 1>did he see her and claim her? Like Anne suitor?

0:14:57.080 --> 0:14:59.960
<v Speaker 1>Helen did not like that. She almost growled her neck

0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:03.920
<v Speaker 1>to words. Be very careful with what you insinuate, Miss Sasha.

0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:05.880
<v Speaker 1>I know this isn't what any of you dreamed of,

0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.120
<v Speaker 1>but you did come here to help further the kingdom.

0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:12.160
<v Speaker 1>This is how that looks Sasha knew in that moment

0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:14.200
<v Speaker 1>that there was nothing else she could say to Helen.

0:15:14.640 --> 0:15:17.640
<v Speaker 1>What would be the point? So she nodded meekly, and

0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:20.480
<v Speaker 1>she apologized, and then she ate her dinner like a

0:15:20.560 --> 0:15:24.440
<v Speaker 1>robot and cleaned up for bed. Throughout all that, Marigold's

0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:27.400
<v Speaker 1>words rang louder in her memory. You got suckered into

0:15:27.400 --> 0:15:29.880
<v Speaker 1>a fucking nightmare. It's time to wake up. It's time

0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:32.440
<v Speaker 1>to wake ups, time to wake up. Time. Sasha went

0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:35.520
<v Speaker 1>to bed around nine. She'd had a long and exhausting day.

0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:38.080
<v Speaker 1>Tomorrow was sure to be more of the same, but

0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:40.840
<v Speaker 1>she couldn't sleep. Now that she was safely in bed,

0:15:41.000 --> 0:15:43.960
<v Speaker 1>hidden from the world, the tears refused to stay hidden

0:15:44.000 --> 0:15:46.680
<v Speaker 1>behind her eyes. It was all Sasha could do to

0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:50.400
<v Speaker 1>avoid audible sobs. She lay awake for an hour, maybe more,

0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:54.600
<v Speaker 1>until she heard a thwack followed by a thump. She

0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:57.040
<v Speaker 1>opened her eyes and rolled over to face the door,

0:15:57.400 --> 0:15:59.520
<v Speaker 1>and the time it took to complete that motion she

0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:01.840
<v Speaker 1>heard the were whoosh open and then a series of

0:16:01.840 --> 0:16:04.760
<v Speaker 1>thumps so rapid they sounded like one long drum roll.

0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.200
<v Speaker 1>Sasha felt a rush of air, and then since the

0:16:07.240 --> 0:16:10.080
<v Speaker 1>presence of a new person. The instant before she completed

0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:12.520
<v Speaker 1>her role, she looked up to see a man at

0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:14.920
<v Speaker 1>the side of her bed. He was big, broad, and

0:16:15.000 --> 0:16:18.040
<v Speaker 1>clad in a torn and bloodied Martyrs uniform. He had

0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:20.760
<v Speaker 1>a heavy metal pipe in his hand. Sasha rose her

0:16:20.760 --> 0:16:23.480
<v Speaker 1>hands up in an instinctive gesture of self defense. The

0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:26.680
<v Speaker 1>moment before she saw the holking man's face and realized

0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:31.280
<v Speaker 1>who he was, Aaron. The man blinked. He looked confused

0:16:31.320 --> 0:16:34.480
<v Speaker 1>for a moment, and then he laughed, all right, Yes,

0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.920
<v Speaker 1>saw my name, Han, you can call me Roland. What

0:16:37.960 --> 0:16:42.160
<v Speaker 1>do you what's happening? Are we under attack? Yes, porta

0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.040
<v Speaker 1>by me. I knocked out the old lady. He gestured

0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:47.640
<v Speaker 1>his head back towards the other girls sleeping in their beds.

0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:50.880
<v Speaker 1>I knocked them all out too, just minor concussions, but

0:16:51.080 --> 0:16:54.880
<v Speaker 1>they're out cold. I am very confused, Sasha said, in

0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:59.520
<v Speaker 1>a flat voice, and very frightened. You're not frightened. She

0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:02.560
<v Speaker 1>was rise to realize that he was right. Sasha knew

0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:05.120
<v Speaker 1>she should have been scared, but her heart rate didn't elevate,

0:17:05.400 --> 0:17:08.639
<v Speaker 1>she didn't start to sweat. She did feel confused, but

0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:12.439
<v Speaker 1>she also felt calm. Maybe I've just been so scared

0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:14.960
<v Speaker 1>the last few days my body can't handle anymore of it.

0:17:15.359 --> 0:17:17.879
<v Speaker 1>Maybe I've reached the limit of my capacity for fear.

0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:21.640
<v Speaker 1>I guess you're right, she said, I should be afraid.

0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:25.760
<v Speaker 1>This is also She trailed off, grasping for words. Yeah,

0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:28.280
<v Speaker 1>it's fucked, Roland said, and then he pulled up a

0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.520
<v Speaker 1>canteen that had been hanging from his shoulder and took

0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.560
<v Speaker 1>a deep poll. The scent of alcohol wafted over to her.

0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:36.399
<v Speaker 1>You want some, he asked. I made it in my

0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:40.840
<v Speaker 1>guts filled a canteen as I finished up at the base. Wait,

0:17:41.000 --> 0:17:44.440
<v Speaker 1>Sasha said, what happened at the base? Roland gave another

0:17:44.440 --> 0:17:47.560
<v Speaker 1>shrug and took another pull. The boss guys told me

0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:49.760
<v Speaker 1>Manny had been reassigned to some sort of I don't know,

0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:53.480
<v Speaker 1>suicide battalion. This pissed me off, so I broke exactly

0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:57.280
<v Speaker 1>half of their bones. Sasha could hear sirens now often

0:17:57.280 --> 0:17:59.639
<v Speaker 1>the distance. It sounded like there were rather a lot

0:17:59.720 --> 0:18:02.800
<v Speaker 1>of them. She imagined this was connected to whatever Roland

0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:06.840
<v Speaker 1>had done. I'm going to guess you and Emmanual aren't

0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:11.760
<v Speaker 1>really martyrs, are you, he chuckled. I mean maybe some days, sister.

0:18:11.960 --> 0:18:14.320
<v Speaker 1>Just now, I don't say any causes worth dying for,

0:18:14.680 --> 0:18:16.600
<v Speaker 1>but I get your meaning. And no, I don't give

0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:19.679
<v Speaker 1>a shit about your heavenly kingdom. Man he actively hates it.

0:18:20.000 --> 0:18:23.200
<v Speaker 1>We're spies, or we were spies. Now he's a captive

0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:27.880
<v Speaker 1>and I'm a terrorist again. Oh, she said, And then

0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:31.320
<v Speaker 1>I think I would like a drink. He handed her

0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:34.359
<v Speaker 1>the canteen, and she took a generous gulp. Sasha had

0:18:34.359 --> 0:18:37.880
<v Speaker 1>only tried alcohol once before. She'd been thirteen, not yet

0:18:37.880 --> 0:18:40.120
<v Speaker 1>a Christian, and at a party she'd been far too

0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:43.560
<v Speaker 1>young to attend. She remembered the sensation of gentle warmth

0:18:43.600 --> 0:18:46.000
<v Speaker 1>spreading down her throat, and the sense of elation and

0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:49.119
<v Speaker 1>well being that had followed. She'd taken a few more SIPs,

0:18:49.160 --> 0:18:51.800
<v Speaker 1>which had made the world far too spinny for her comfort.

0:18:52.119 --> 0:18:55.720
<v Speaker 1>She'd vomited not long after, but she figured if there

0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:58.280
<v Speaker 1>was ever a time to try alcohol again, it's now.

0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:01.840
<v Speaker 1>The drink easted like beer, but it burned like a

0:19:01.840 --> 0:19:05.320
<v Speaker 1>shot of hard liquor. Sasha passed the canteen back. She

0:19:05.400 --> 0:19:08.880
<v Speaker 1>felt like taking more would be a bad idea. All right, then,

0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:12.000
<v Speaker 1>Roland said, I'm gonna make a few guesses. I guess

0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:14.640
<v Speaker 1>one is that you're a little less than enthusiastic about

0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:16.719
<v Speaker 1>the heavenly Kingdom now that you've seen it up close.

0:19:17.240 --> 0:19:19.800
<v Speaker 1>Guests too is that you're looking for a way out.

0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:22.560
<v Speaker 1>And Guests three is that you know something about where

0:19:22.600 --> 0:19:27.240
<v Speaker 1>my little buddy went. Huh, Immanuel, Manny, you know where

0:19:27.240 --> 0:19:30.639
<v Speaker 1>he is? I don't, she started. I'll bet you do.

0:19:30.880 --> 0:19:32.800
<v Speaker 1>Even if you don't know, you do. I know you

0:19:32.840 --> 0:19:34.840
<v Speaker 1>were there when he was taken. I could smell it

0:19:34.840 --> 0:19:38.720
<v Speaker 1>in the street. Smell it. He sighed, and needed the

0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:41.399
<v Speaker 1>bridge of his nose. This is the time where you

0:19:41.520 --> 0:19:44.480
<v Speaker 1>explain things. The time where I explained things comes later,

0:19:44.720 --> 0:19:46.919
<v Speaker 1>or maybe never. He lifted up the pipe in his

0:19:47.000 --> 0:19:49.439
<v Speaker 1>hand so she could see how bloody and dnted it was.

0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:52.560
<v Speaker 1>I have the pipe. Whoever's got the pipe doesn't have

0:19:52.640 --> 0:19:56.600
<v Speaker 1>to explain shit. Sasha couldn't argue with his logic, and

0:19:56.680 --> 0:19:59.720
<v Speaker 1>she did want to see emmanual, free and safe. Look,

0:20:00.040 --> 0:20:03.800
<v Speaker 1>she said, this, this boy, I know, Alexander. He found

0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:06.520
<v Speaker 1>us at the cafe. We were just sitting down to coffee.

0:20:06.760 --> 0:20:08.600
<v Speaker 1>He had two men with him, and he said, Emmanuel

0:20:08.640 --> 0:20:11.679
<v Speaker 1>had been selected for the Storming Battalion. Do you have

0:20:11.720 --> 0:20:14.320
<v Speaker 1>any idea where they took him? The kids sent trail

0:20:14.400 --> 0:20:17.960
<v Speaker 1>grows cold about a mile from here. Sasha racked her brain.

0:20:18.280 --> 0:20:20.560
<v Speaker 1>Of course, she didn't know where the Heavenly Kingdom did

0:20:20.600 --> 0:20:25.119
<v Speaker 1>this sort of training, but Alexander's said something about the factory,

0:20:26.040 --> 0:20:29.119
<v Speaker 1>and at that Roland's eyes lit up. He turned around

0:20:29.200 --> 0:20:31.960
<v Speaker 1>as if to leave. I know where he is. Then

0:20:32.520 --> 0:20:35.760
<v Speaker 1>he looked back and down to Sasha and said, moment

0:20:35.800 --> 0:20:37.800
<v Speaker 1>of truth time, Darlin, you want to stay here in

0:20:37.800 --> 0:20:40.639
<v Speaker 1>this ship pile Kingdom? Or He jerked his thumb to

0:20:40.680 --> 0:20:42.800
<v Speaker 1>the door. Do you want me to break you out?

0:20:43.080 --> 0:20:45.320
<v Speaker 1>And I'll make offers like that often, so take it

0:20:45.359 --> 0:20:48.679
<v Speaker 1>as a compliment. This time. It didn't take long for

0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:52.359
<v Speaker 1>Sasha to make up her mind. Yes, she said, I'd

0:20:52.359 --> 0:20:59.760
<v Speaker 1>like to go with you. Hey, I'm Robert Evans. I

0:20:59.800 --> 0:21:01.600
<v Speaker 1>hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope you enjoyed the

0:21:01.680 --> 0:21:03.840
<v Speaker 1>chapters to come. You can find the free e pub

0:21:03.880 --> 0:21:05.960
<v Speaker 1>of every chapter and eventually the whole book at a

0:21:06.080 --> 0:21:09.399
<v Speaker 1>t r book dot com, complete with illustrations if you

0:21:09.440 --> 0:21:11.840
<v Speaker 1>want to support me in writing the sequel, you can

0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:14.639
<v Speaker 1>crowdfund me at after the Revolution the Sequel at go

0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:17.000
<v Speaker 1>fund Me. Just type and go fund me after the

0:21:17.000 --> 0:21:20.240
<v Speaker 1>Revolution the Sequel Um. I'd like my books to always

0:21:20.280 --> 0:21:22.719
<v Speaker 1>be free, so I'm just going to try to crowdfund

0:21:23.160 --> 0:21:25.160
<v Speaker 1>the next one and see how that works. So After

0:21:25.200 --> 0:21:28.160
<v Speaker 1>the Revolution the Sequel on go fund Me. You can

0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:31.320
<v Speaker 1>also find the community of fans of this book online

0:21:31.640 --> 0:21:36.040
<v Speaker 1>at our slash after the Revolution on Reddit. So after

0:21:36.080 --> 0:21:38.520
<v Speaker 1>the Revolution the Sequel on go fund me and are

0:21:38.600 --> 0:21:41.480
<v Speaker 1>slash after the Revolution on Reddit. A t r book

0:21:41.520 --> 0:21:43.040
<v Speaker 1>dot com for the whole book. Thanks