Leaving The Way: Book Two (The Way Trilogy), стр. 35
He waves his hand and asks what I had hoped he would. “What do you need, Elder?”
I explain that we need to take our security team from roughly seventy-five men, given the ones we just lost in Greenville, to no less than two-hundred and fifty. And that I need those men to be at my disposal twenty-four seven, to allow me to get them trained as quickly as possible. The gangs could attack at any time, and we have to be ready. I tell him I need a month to get everything ready, and if they haven’t shown their faces here by then, my men and I will march to Greenville and destroy every last one of them. Then I promise I will bring Anna Cress back here for a trial. That last part’s a lie. I’m going to torture that little bitch before I kill her slowly, but he doesn’t need to know that.
As I walk back to my room after the meeting is over and he’d given me everything I asked for, I think of all the ways I’m going to make Anna Cress suffer.
***
ANNA
It didn’t long for Luke to find me after I left lunch yesterday. I had found a spot under a large oak tree behind The Castle to sit and think. On the one hand, part of me wanted to be alone. On the other, I didn’t. Just knowing that Luke was there, even though neither of us spoke for the longest time, helped reassure me I would never be alone again. After at least an hour, he had done his best to console me, telling me absolutely nothing bad would happen at the council meeting. He’d also mentioned that the Osage were the wild card here, that they had been one of the violent groups at the last meeting, but that they had lost a lot of men since then, and they were ruled by a new Chief. A fact that had him believing things would be different this time.
As we had been about to get up and head back inside, Ash and Chase had shown up, shortly followed by Cody, Easton, and Tommy. The seven of us had ended up sitting in a circle, talking and laughing for the rest of the day. Brea had even had our dinner sent outside to us, and we’d continued talking late into the night.
Just after midnight, each of us had gradually made our way to bed, Ash, Chase, Luke, and I going up last. At the top of the stairs, Ash had pulled me in for a tight hug, whispering reassurances, and I’d tried to do the same for her.
This morning I found myself outback a half hour early, waiting on the General to show up for training. Now more than ever, I felt like this was important. We had been caught completely off guard when David showed up on our turf. Us being so far away from the compound, I think it gave us a false sense of safety, or at least that’s how I had felt. Never had I imagined that David would show up and attack us with the intention of dragging me back to the church. And why? Why do they care if I left? As much trouble as they think I’ve caused them, why not just let me leave?
For David, I think it’s personal. Within days of him taking over the security department, not only is the compound attacked, but my team stages an escape. I think he feels like that’s a direct negative reflection on him and his ability to do his job. He needs to bring me back to prove he’s capable. At least that’s what he wants the church to think, but I think an even bigger purpose is revenge. David wants revenge on me.
With my wondering thoughts, I hadn’t noticed the General appear through the back door, or him taking a seat next to me on the bench that has been my place for the last half hour. When he speaks, I nearly jump out of my skin.
“Lord Paul and his men just arrived, and it was reported that Dakota of the Osage would be here within the hour.” He stares out across the property, seeming lost in thought before he speaks again. “You’re worried about Luke, but that isn’t the thing you should be focused on.”
I turn to him surprised by his words. What could be more worrisome than a council meeting turned blood bath?
Seeing the look on my face he adds, “The last meeting of the council was nothing like this one. For starters, every lord and leader across the country was called in. Granted, only eight showed, but most of those didn’t have a vested interest in the issue. The rogue gang was attacking an area that really only affected Diablo and the Titans, possibly Osage, but not really. The other leaders didn’t care what was happening in someone else’s territory. They were just trying to take care of and rebuild their own.” Turning to me, his eyes are filled with knowledge and compassion, so when he speaks again, I truly listen. “The fact that it didn’t affect them made it easy to look away and try to make it about other things. That’s what caused all the fighting. This is different, Anna. Things are different now. Every leader, every gang, tribe, republic whatever, they are all affected by the church. It’s a common interest. They’ll want to work together.”
Standing, he steps away from me seeing Cody and Chase step through the back door, and then he turns and adds one more thing, “The council meeting won’t end in blood shed, you don’t have to worry about Luke or the other leaders.