by Rusty Ellis
James grinned at Chase and Martin.
“Looks like you found us,” he offered.
“Harper brought in the paperwork you requested. The Operator is going through the initial background and review as we speak.”
“Give me a minute,” James said and disappeared through the front door.
After about two minutes he reappeared at the top of the steps and looked down at Chase.
“Looks like everything is set. The Operator finished your initial background. He didn’t find any red flags.”
“Good to hear,” Chase said.
“Ready to start, or do you have somewhere else to be?” James asked.
Chase grinned at the question. The mini-test started. James’ question was a nice way of saying, “Are you here to work or should we part ways?”
“Ready, sir,” Chase verified James’ question.
“Martin, take him into the equipment room and outfit him. We should have enough of everything to get him started. If not, get him the basics and have Operator order him the rest,” James said. He turned to Chase and looked down at his boots and then up to his face, “You’ll need to buy another pair of boots and get rid of the stubble. This isn’t the military, but it is, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes, sir,” Chase agreed.
“You can wear the boots for now. Martin will give you the name and location of the store in Boise where you can pickup a new pair of boots. The owner gives us a discount on anything we order. Once you get your gear squared away with Martin, he’ll get you assigned a walkie-talkie.”
“Will do,” Martin said.
“When you’re ready, Martin can give you the tour of the compound and the basics of our role here. When you’re done, I’ll fill you in on further expectations involving contact, association, and intervention within the Community.”
Chase and Martin both chimed, “Yes, sir.”
“And one last thing. Let me go ahead and update you two while you’re both here. We have a low-level concern on the north perimeter of the property.”
The reference to the north perimeter set off a bell in Chase’s head. He only knew of one person on the north perimeter.
“Phillips noticed someone glassing the Garden from about a quarter mile north of that location. I verified it was the old guy from the house just north of our property line. He was backed into the trees, with a spotting scope, scanning the Garden.”
Martin chuckled and turned to Chase, “There’s an old guy that lives close to the middle and just north of our perimeter. He isn’t much of a problem. Once in a while he pops his head up to look around and see what’s going on. He disappears just as quick, normally.”
“Is he an issue?” Chase asked James.
“Not usually,” James answered.
Not usually?
“He upped the ante today, though.”
“How so,” Chase caught himself sounding a little too interested.
“Today he pointed a rifle in the direction of the Garden.”
33
Adam continued through the front door of the cabin with Megan in tow. He stepped quickly through the living room and made a beeline toward a closed door. Megan looked around the large living room and saw no other doors. She assumed this was Adam’s bedroom, considering the eager pace he was setting to reach the door.
Megan scrambled to come up with a way to skirt Adam’s intentions without being hastily returned to the Community and further from Haley.
She considered finding something in the room to hit him over the head with. She would then have a short window to grab Haley and run. The plan was fleeting, based more on panic than reality. What if she didn’t hit him hard enough and didn’t knock him out? What if she hit him too hard and killed him? What about the security guard; he would surely hear the thump in the room when Adam fell. If she came bolting out of the room, the guard would have to check on Adam and then hunt her and Haley down.
Violence didn’t seem to be the logical answer. Not out of the question, at least for now, but not the current solution.
Adam opened the door to the room and made a sweeping gesture to invite Megan inside. He shut the door behind her and kept ahold of her hand. He pulled her toward the middle of the room. The hardwood floor was covered in a thick woven rug at the center. In the corner was a king-sized bed, covered in pillows and a white comforter. To either side of the bed were more pillows and several oversized beanbag chairs.
The walls were bare. No artwork, no photographs, nothing decorating the bedroom except items for physical comfort. The room clearly existed for one reason, it was Adam’s lair, his Holy Garden.
Adam pulled Megan in closer and reached up and caressed her face as he pulled her chin closer. He leaned in and kissed her gently. He paused, then kissed her again, harder this time, and more aggressive. His hands began to wander over the top of her clothes, causing her to lean back and pull her elbows in toward her sides. He stopped and looked at her, a questioning gaze.
“What’s wrong, my child?”
Megan shook her head, as if hiding a secret, still struggling to bide her time and come up with a plan—and an excuse to stop his progress.
“You asked to come here, didn’t you?”
Megan nodded and did her best to act ashamed.
“Then what’s wrong?” he stepped back and took both her hands in his. “Was I wrong to choose you to come to the Holy Garden?”
“No,” she said.
“Then what is it?”
“I’m… I’m,” she stammered. “I’m not worthy to be here… with you, Adam. Not yet.”
“But you are worthy, I’ve chosen you. I wouldn’t have chosen you from the Community if you weren’t worthy. Are you questioning my knowledge and authority over my flock? Over knowing every one of my sheep? Over knowing the needs and worthiness of my lambs?”
The words streamed out of Adam’s mouth, accusing, belittling, a veiled threat to send Megan back to the Community; her opportunity squandered and no chance at ever earning a place in the Garden, and especially the Holy Garden.
“It’s not that,” she started, “I’m just not prepared for you. I want you to have all of me, everything I have to offer, every inch of my body, my mind, my soul. But I can’t do that now, I’m not prepared.”
Adam watched and listened, more tuned into watching her than listening to what she had to say.
“You could take me now, without hesitation, I would give myself to you,” she offered. “But, you would not have the whole of me, only a part of me, a shallow carnal version of me.”
“Go on,” he said and continued to consume her with his eyes.
She gently pushed back from his chest with her palm. Using her free hand, she motioned up and down her body, from her feet to the top of her head and back.
“But if you want all of me,” she looked longingly into his eyes and breathed deeper, noticeable enough for him to see, “I need a night to prepare for you and our meeting.”
Megan waited, unsure of the battle waging in Adam’s mind. She’d gone all-in, agreeing to give herself, a simple version of herself to him, here and now. Her offer to delay their meeting in order to give of herself completely was a commitment she was unsure she could stomach. She closed her eyes as Adam began to pace, an uncomfortable silence filled the air, leaving only the sound of Adam’s shuffling footsteps and her heartbeat in her ears.
The tension grew with the silence. Panic filled her mind as she attempted to read Adam’s mind and the choice he was about to make. She thought of Haley, more than likely on the other side of the door in the living room, just feet from her. The thought of Haley and her need to stay close waged a battle inside, with the need to stay close keeping her from lashing out with her initial plan.
She opened her eyes and saw Adam standing directly in front of her. A smile drew up the corners of his mouth as he reached down and took her hands in his. He stepped forward and kissed her again, pulling her to him, firmly against his chest.
He moved to her neck and took in a deep breath of her skin before kissing a spot directly beneath her ear.
She could feel his hot breath as he whispered in her ear, “I would have you now.”
Megan tensed, clinching her fists at his words. Her plans derailed, her offer discarded.
Haley.
She loosened her grip, letting her fingers extend and then rest in their natural state.
“But, I would rather have all of you, to your full potential,” Adam said.
He stepped back and looked her over, holding her hands and raising them up on either side to get a better look at her.
Megan fought back a tear, replacing it with an awkward feeling of graciousness. She had bought time.
“What do you need from me to prepare?” Adam asked.
“You’re not angry with me?”
Adam looked more intrigued than irritated. He’d conceded the smaller battle but looked as if he had won the war.
He shook his head and repeated, “What do you need from me?”
“I need time to meditate. To make myself pure for you,” she said.
Adam furrowed his brow, “And why would this make me angry?”
“I need to do it alone, to remove all distractions.”
“You want me to leave?” Adam’s smile disappeared. “To leave my own room?”
Megan scrambled to walk through the maze of the plan she had yet to create. She felt as if she was building an airplane, mid-flight. She needed to work out her plan and to have the freedom of some type of unfettered movement. The danger was having Adam send her to another part of the Community, away from the Garden, away from Haley.
“I’m sorry for asking, Adam,” she dropped to her knees in front of him. “I can feel you here, your spirit, the power of your words. I draw strength from this room, yet wanting you and having you near me would distract me from ascending to the spiritual heights where you and I will most benefit.”
Megan felt as if she was looking behind the curtain of the great and mighty Oz. Adam’s presence boomed over the Community. Yet, behind the curtain was a simple—yet twisted—man with his hands on the controls. She had used his own game to sway him to her needs, and more so to play into his grandiose existence. Ultimately, she had played on his curiosity, offering a side of her he could only have through a bout of patience.
“How long do you need?” he asked.
“Tomorrow. After the Enlightenment Circle. You will be at the peak of your spiritual awareness and won’t have to use any of that energy on choosing another follower to come to the Holy Garden. I will be here, waiting for your return. Ready for you. All of me.”
The explanation gave Megan a little time and the freedom she needed. She wasn’t sure if she was asking for too much, if he had bought the combination of her willingness matched with his spiritual greatness.
“I will stay with you for the next hour or so in the room,” he gave a nod toward the other girls in the living room, inferring the need to salvage his reputation. “You can then have the room for a few hours to prepare. I will be sleeping in my bed tonight, though.” He pointed toward the side of the bed, “You can sleep on the floor or on one of the beanbags.”
She looked at the beanbag chairs on either side of the bed. The visual of her sleeping on the floor next to the bed gave her the feeling of being a pet. But as long as he left her alone for the night, she was content to play the role.
Megan was still on her knees in front of him. Relieved at the arrangement she’d bargained; the time she’d bought. She had the rest of the day and the evening to work out a plan to snatch Haley and escape the Garden. She had at least a one-hour window in the morning during the Enlightenment Circle.
She reached up and took Adam’s hand in both of hers and kissed the back of it. He used his free hand to stroke the side of her face.
A one-hour window to save my daughter and get away from you.
34
The equipment room was impressive. It would thrill any bootcamp to have the order and supplies available to their recruits.
Chase picked out three polo shirts and three pair of black BDU pants. He slipped on the shirt and pants and put his worn boots back on. He hung his civilian clothes on a wooden peg above the box of polo shirts and looked down at his boots. The finish was worn and heavily scuffed from the repeated abuse of hunting and farm work. He definitely needed a new pair to blend in.
The number one rule of surviving within the ranks: Don’t Stand Out. Being special was overrated. Do your best to fit the mold and make yourself an indistinguishable member of the squad.
Martin walked him through the rest of the room and pulled items from the shelves in front of him. He handed them backward to Chase without looking back.
Chase held the duty belt in front of him and slipped on the holsters for the items Martin handed back to him. Satisfied with the location of the holsters on his belt, Chase wrapped the belt around himself and lined up the front buckle before committing the velcro of the belt to the matching velcro under-belt he had already put on. Martin looked at the belt, tilting his head to each side and returned to the actual gear to fill the holsters: pepper spray, a collapsable baton, a pair of black handcuffs, and two pairs of black rubber gloves for the smallest pouch on the belt.
The lone empty holster was square, enough space for a walkie-talkie. Martin led Chase out of the backroom toward where the Operator was sitting. He slipped behind the Operator’s desk to a table of walkie-talkies parked in a long row of chargers.
“You can take whichever one you want when you come on shift,” Martin said.
Chase looked at the glow of green lights under the units and grabbed the closest one to him. A cord was wrapped around the antennae. He uncurled the cord and looked at the end pieces. The main cord split into two pieces, an earpiece and an attachable microphone. Chase slipped the walkie-talkie into its holster then ran the earpiece cord over the back of his shoulder and twisted it into place. He ran the mic cord across his chest and attached it between the lowest two buttons on his collar.
Martin grabbed a clipboard hanging just above the charging units, “Make sure and put your unit number here.”
Martin added Chase’s name to the list and wrote “13” next to it.
“Great number,” Martin laughed.
“My favorite, actually.”
“Ready to do a round?” Martin asked.
“Sure,” Chase said.
Martin reached the door first and offered a sweeping gesture with his hand, “After you.”
“You’re a peach,” Chase answered.
“Hey, Harper!”
Chase looked back at the Operator.
“Welcome aboard,” he said.
Chase nodded and reached down to flip the switch on his walkie-talkie.
Glad to be here.
“The outer perimeter is just over three miles. We don’t post up as much as we roam. Popov prefers continuous motion. He feels it has better overlap and is less chance of someone figuring out a patrol pattern from outside the compound,” Martin said.
“Who’s looking for a patrol pattern?”
“Everyone out there, apparently. It’s a lot the same as being deployed; us against them. Well, us-us-and-them,” Martin laughed.
Chase stepped over a fallen log and waited for Martin to explain.
“Us, security. Us, Community. And Them, everyone on the other side of the sensors.”
“Sensors, really?” Chase acted surprised.
“Yeah, Adam had seismic sensors installed along the entire perimeter of the compound, sorry, I mean the Community.”
“Seismic sensors. That’s an impressive financial commitment, especially for a religious colony,” Chase said.
Martin shrugged and continued to walk in the direction of a tree he had pointed out as a reference point.
“Are they effective?” Chase asked.
“They provide an invisible forty foot swath just inside the property line. Alerts are h
andled by the Operator. The sensors are tied into two panels,” Martin explained. He chuckled, “There are so many sensors they had to buy two panels to handle them all.”
“Do you get a lot of false-positives?”
“Just deer, elk, and an occasional bear. They set the sensors to go off for anything over a hundred pounds,” Martin said. “Most of the problems are at the middle of the east perimeter. Less human traffic on that side.”
“Does it happen very often?” Chase asked.
“We get a couple deer a week over there. We get an occasional seven-hundred pound elk that sets the sensors off and makes the Operator drool and scramble for a set of hunting tags he keeps on hand. You should see his face when that happens. He looks like he won the lottery,” Martin laughed.
“Are you stuck responding to all the crossings?”
“Just anything under three-hundred fifty pounds,” Martin said.
Martin slowed as he reached a clearing. A cabin was sitting against the far corner of the opening. Chase recognized the cabin and green roofing. The one he’d seen in the furthest northeast corner of the property.
Martin stopped and pointed at the cabin, “Welcome to Casa de Adam. Otherwise known as the Garden.”
“The Garden,” Chase began to ask then caught himself, “Adam. The Garden. Got it.”
Martin rolled his eyes, “Yeah, I know. Inside the Garden is Adam’s bedroom.”
Chase watched for the punchline and looked at Martin.
“Known by Adam and throughout the Community as the Holy Garden.”
Chase shook his head and then noticed movement through the picture window above the porch. He peered closer and could make out several girls dancing about, chatting, and laughing. Each a looker in their own right.
“There’s an unwritten policy here,” Martin said, “peek don’t stare.”
Chase laughed and turned his head, “Sound a little creepy.”
“It’s better than the other policy,” Martin said.
“What’s that,” Chase said and looked back at the window.