CHAPTER 19
Roman
Moving carefully,I lift my leg over the seat of the bike and settle my ass on the saddle. It’s not going to be a fun ride, bouncing over the dirt, but I don’t give a fuck how much pain it causes me. That fucking son of a bitch has taken our girl, and I will tear him to shreds when I find him. Physical pain means nothing compared to the spiritual pain I’m experiencing at her loss. I keep wrestling with myself, wishing I’d done something different. Had the protective amulet I’d given her not been enough? If only I hadn’t taken the medication, I’d have noticed her leaving.
On either side of me, Cain and Malachi climb onto their own bikes. We’re all armed and dangerous. Nothing is going to stand in the way of getting Ophelia back. I know the other two are on the same page. We will kill for her, and we’ll do so gladly.
“We’ll find her at the church,” Malachi says, firing his bike to life.
Cain glances over at him. “How can you be sure about that?”
“Because that’s where the Prophet will have taken her. It’ll be sunrise soon. Don’t tell me that he’ll have put a stop to his ascension just because he’s got Ophelia back. Nothing will get in the way of that.”
I grit my teeth. “Apart from us.”
“But what about all the other people in the commune?” Cain says. “Won’t they step in to stop this? If he’s taken her to the church, where the rest of the commune is also supposed to congregate, then they’ll see he has her.”
Mal shakes his head. “They’re his followers. They won’t challenge him. They follow him blindly.”
I turn the key in the ignition, and the bike roars to life. “Let’s check the church first. Then if she’s not there, we’ll overturn every single inch of that damned place.”
“Wait!” a voice shouts from behind us.
It’s Felix. He still looks pale, but he’s standing, albeit shakily.
“Take me, too, on the back of one of the bikes.”
I stare at him. “You can’t come. You’ve been poisoned. You’ll be more hindrance than use.”
“I don’t think I inhaled as much as the others,” he argues. “You can’t go alone. You’ll get yourselves killed.”
Cain’s smirk is nasty. “And then my father will kill you, no? You’re not coming because you care. You’re coming to save your own ass.”
“Does it matter why I’m coming?” He cocks his head to regard us. “The more, the better.”
Cain shakes his head. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”
He laughs. “You can trust that I won’t let those fuckers harm you or your friends.”
“Or the girl.” Deacon joins Felix, and he looks a lot better than he did ten minutes ago. “I’ve dunked my head in cold water and poured half a liter of an energy drink down my throat. I’m thinking clearly and walking in a straight line. Let me help.”
I’m wondering what my other Preachers are thinking. These men weren’t much use when it came to keeping either Ophelia or even themselves safe before. I suppose that was a surprise attack, and they were gassed, which is an entirely differentscenario than fighting. Will they be a liability if we take them with us, or will we be better off having larger numbers?
Ultimately, this is Cain’s decision. They’re his men.
“Fine,” Cain relents.
“Deacon, you ride on the back of Rome’s bike. Felix, you can be with me.” He glances at the other men who are still recovering. “The rest of you. Get the tents packed away and ready to leave ASAP. We might need to get out of here in a hurry.”
I wonder if Deacon would be better off on Malachi’s bike, but I don’t want to call any further attention to my injuries. I’m worried the others might insist I stay with the RV, and there is no fucking way that is happening. My ribs and face might be painful, but there’s nothing wrong with my trigger finger and we will have our guns. Besides, maybe it’s the adrenaline, but I’m sure I’m not in as much pain this morning. I’m starting to heal, but with this fight ahead of us, I don’t know how much longer I’ll stay that way.
I don’t say anything as Deacon climbs on the back. The bikes aren’t big, and he’s a little too close for comfort, but I can’t let that bother me. The clock is ticking, and I swear I can see a slight glimmer of light in the sky between the trees.
“Let’s get as close as possible to the church without being noticed,” Malachi says. “Try to see how many people we’re dealing with.”
Cain gives a curt nod. “Daisy said the Prophet has five men around him. They might be armed. Everyone else is likely to just be cult members.”
“Are they likely to fight back?” I turn a little to look at him.
