“Running won’t be smart,” said Sor. “Why did you lie, Brett? Who are you to him?”
“We believe in the same things,” said the young man.
“Same things? You believe in beating women into submission all for your own personal joy?”
“It’s not for our joy! It’s the way it should be! Ephesians 5:22-24 – ‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything’. Everything!
“Colossians 3:18 – ‘Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord’. 1 Peter 3:1 –‘Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands’. We are doing what God tells us to do.”
“Where in all those fine quotes does it say to beat a woman nearly to death?” asked Quinn. “Where does it say to abuse, rape, and punish?”
“You missed parts of the passage,” said Finn. “Ephesians 5:21-33 – ‘Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ’. One another. That means both in case you missed that. ‘Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it’. Is this how you love God? If you saw him, face-to-face, you’d beat him, punish him?”
“Stop! You know nothing! That’s not what it says. It’s not!” he cried out.
“Somebody has done a number on your brain Brett, but it won’t matter in a court of law,” said Finn. “You’re an adult. Another thing you lied about. You’re over twenty-one.”
“I never told you my age,” he said defiantly.
“Nope. You didn’t but you didn’t offer it either. You let us believe you were younger. The thing is,” smirked Finn, “the courts won’t give a shit. You’ll be tried as an adult.”
“No. No, I can’t go to jail,” he said in a panic.
“You will go to jail,” said River.
“I’ll help. What do you want to know? I’ll help you and you’ll be easy on me. That’s what they do, right?”
“Suddenly so cooperative,” smirked Finn. “Worried that the boys in prison might appreciate your boyish charm, Brett?”
“Please.”
“Where are the other men?” he asked. Brett actually gasped, then closed his mouth. “You know that there are more out there looking for women. Where are they?”
“If I tell you, they’ll beat me. I’ll never be allowed to get my own wife,” he frowned.
Rush shoved forward, gripping the young man under his armpits. He lifted him, shoving him into the car behind him. He shoved so hard, they heard the metal as it dented.
“Listen to me you little piece of garbage. You, will never have a wife. Never. I will make sure of it even if I have to castrate you myself.” His eyes went wide, tears building as the thought of losing his manhood hit his young mind.
“If I tell you, if you find them, will you go easy on me?” he asked.
“Oh, no. See, we’re not the prosecutors and the judges, not in the traditional sense. We can definitely lay down some judgment, but it’s usually the final judgement,” smirked Finn. “They’ll know that you helped us and that might save you from the death penalty. Maybe.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
The young Brett was more than happy to sing like a canary when he realized that he could get life in prison or the death penalty. Either was not something he wanted. Even if he couldn’t go home, he truly believed he would be allowed freedom to do as he wished.
Seven other young men were wandering the country seeking wives, just like Tyler. Given their primary locations, the Shadow Warriors sent teams to find them and bring them to justice. One way or another.
“It’s over?” asked Willa.
“For now,” said Finn, hugging her. “The compound is being investigated by the FBI but the challenge is getting those terrified young women to testify against the men. Even the children are refusing to say anything.”
“How can people be so brainwashed?” she asked.
“Babe these people have been screwed with for years. They’re either terrified, brainwashed, or just stupid. It could be all three but when their brains are messed with it takes time to get them right again.”
“Esther is being moved to a facility in Idaho,” said Willa. “They’re known for helping to detox and retrain the brain but also deal with her multiple injuries. She seemed relieved.”
