Leaving The Way: Book Two (The Way Trilogy), стр. 26
Nodding again he says, “We don’t have time to discuss it further, but I assume you will handle this new information appropriately?”
Reassuring him I will, the two of us enter the ceremony hall.
We’re the last two to enter, each of the elders already in their places with Vater Henry front and center. Approaching, I pull my notes from their place in the file and start to speak, but I’m cut off by Vater Henry.
“That’s not what we are here for today, my son. We have something equally as important though.” He pauses, as I put away the papers, stepping back a few feet to wait. “As you know, the loss of Elder Jacobs was unfortunate, and it’s imperative that we replace him with someone who is as capable as he was. I had been waiting for God to steer me in the right direction, and last night he spoke to me.”
He pauses, as if for dramatic effect, and I have to actively refrain from rolling my eyes. I’m deeply religious. I believe in and fear God, but Vater Henry is full of shit. God doesn’t speak to him.
When he speaks again, his voice is raised to garner my full attention. “God showed me your face, son.”
Well in that case, speak to God all you want old man.
“And you will be the new elder over the security department.” Mid-sentence, the Vater steps forward, extending his hand to shake before finishing, “I trust you will handle the church’s safety as Elder Jacobs would, if not better.”
Shaking the Vater’s hand firmly, I nod and comment on his expectation, “I assure you, I will have the compound secured as it should be, and I will do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”
Seeing his approval, the other elders in the room make their way over to offer congratulations, and all I can think about is sharing this good news with my future wife.
***
ANNA
The last week training with the General has been a living nightmare. Each day we spend one hour running laps around The Castle, followed by at least thirty minutes of sit-ups and push-ups, before ending with an hour of weight training. By the end of day two I had lost all feeling in my legs, and we didn’t do anything that could be considered fighting until yesterday. When the General finally said okay, let’s see how hard you can hit, he spent twenty minutes knocking me on my ass every time I tried. He’s a damn masochist, I tell ya.
Of course, it hasn’t helped that Brea and Camila have turned our training into some sort of made for T.V. movie. It was just them the first couple days. Then on day three Tommy and Easton joined. On day four three girls I don’t know showed up, and yesterday there were at least fifteen people watching. Luke said I should use it as motivation. I told him to shove his motivation up his ass.
Today after warm ups, we worked on defense. Things like how to get out of a choke hold, and he even showed us a few pressure points. He’d given me the first piece of advice I had really felt was useful when he said with my size, pressure points would be key in a lot of situations. And while I did feel like I learned a few things today, we aren’t moving fast enough for my taste.
We finished about five minutes ago, and I decided a bath was in my future, so now I’m practically sprinting back to my room. As I push through the bedroom door, I run into a very firm chest and stare up into Luke’s worried blue eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, as I make my way over to the bed.
Sitting down, I remove my shoes and socks and turn back to Luke who is leaned against the door frame, arms crossed in front of his chest.
“I just got word a man was asking about you in town today,” he says, his words filled with worry. “One of my guys followed him. He ended up in the woods outside town, and there was a woman with him.”
Balls. Why me? Why is everyone out to get me?
Letting out a deep sigh, I flop back on the bed and then think better of it, getting up to stand instead. The level of nasty sweat on my body right now is not natural, and I don’t want to sleep in it tonight.
“Who do you think it was?” I ask him, crossing my arms to mimic his stance.
Shaking his head, he leaves his place against the door frame and comes to stand in front of me. “I don’t know, but it has to be someone from the Church. You don’t know anyone else, but,” he leans in kissing me on the forehead and adds, “we’ll deal with it later because right now you stink. Go take a bath.”
I push his chest as he stumbles back, and I mock offense.
He’s right though, I do stink.
***
ANNA
Later that evening as we all sat around the dining room table eating dinner, one of Mateo’s men interrupts, informing him the man and woman who had asked about me in town had moved their camp closer to The Castle. He had thanked the man, and told him to keep him posted, but that had been the end of it.
Now as I lie here in bed next to Luke, I can’t stop imagining all the horrible things that may be coming, and who the man and woman might be. There aren’t a lot of options for who it could be. I mean, outside of this castle, I probably know twenty people on the face of the planet. My first guess was David or one of his men, but they wouldn’t have been camped out with a woman. So that limits the options even further.
Looking at the clock, I see its three a.m., and knowing I have training bright and early in the morning, I