“You going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Antonio grinds out.
“We got a message right before we left the station. He cut her up and displayed her like she’s some sort of canvas,” I snarl.
Right as I spit it out, the image blows up on the screen. He curses under his breath at the gruesome scene. Codes start to appear, blocking the view, scrolling at a speed that causes my head to go dizzy. I have to look away to avoid vomiting all over the expensive rug. Not just at the rapid fire numbers, but seeing her on display like that again.
“Found it!” Beckett exclaims. “But this doesn’t make sense. Isn’t this where we’d searched and came up empty?”
The location brings us back to the very community that we raided with no sign of life. Did he go back and the priest, pastor, or whatever the hell he is, is covering for him? Antonio and I look at each other and as if we’re talking with our eyes, we race out of the room.
Once outside, he pops open his trunk of the SUV and presses a button where a secret compartment appears right under the base of it. Guns, knives, ropes, and other weapons display ready to be picked. Before he goes for his choice, he pulls on leather gloves and tosses me a pair.
“Go put your gun in your car and put these on. Nothing can be traced back.” He hands me a set of gloves and gestures over at my car with the tip of his chin.
I don’t think twice and do what he says. Leaving my badge, gun, wallet, and anything that could identify me. The mask of a soldier begins to bind itself to me and I welcome it with open arms. Returning, I put the gloves on and he hands me a gunthat I assume has no serial number and a knife. Once we have everything we need, he shuts the compartment and trunk, and we head out to the most holy little community there is. For the sake of the people, they better take shelter.
The tires kick up rocks as we make our way down the dirt road and come to a halting stop in front of the church. We received a call from Samson that the IP leads right to this god-forsaken place.
Antonio gets out and picks the lock granting us access inside. Candles are lit all around casting a glow throughout the space. We raise our guns, checking around us for any movement, clearing the big room. The rest of the doors are open with no one inside. We finally get to the one door that's closed and it’s locked. Antonio wastes no time and kicks it in, causing it to crash to the floor.
There’s a woman bent over the desk crying out, begging for it to stop. The fucking holy man who’s supposed to represent something so good, is committing something so evil. He’s buried deep inside her getting his fill as she’s shaking, snot running down her face. The primal rage takes over and I launch myself at him, ripping him off her, causing him to crash into a shelf on the side wall.
Antonio runs over to her, helping her cover up and whispers to her to get out of here and don’t look back. She doesn’t hesitate and runs out the room as quickly as she can without looking back. He peeks out the door to make sure she made it out the front door before he nods to continue.
Stunned, laying on the floor, Pastor Jefferson looks up at me with so much horror. Like I interrupted something sosacred. My fist flies connecting to his face and I yank him up, throwing him across the desk. Antonio moves, grabbing him by the throat and raises him up against the wall.
“Where are they?” he yells.
He claws at his hands trying to relieve the pressure to get a sliver of air. Antonio bangs his head against the wall, losing all patience. When he realizes the man between his hands is starting to turn blue, he lightens up on his hold before slamming him into a chair.
“How dare you,” he gasps, catching his breath. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Antonio ties his hands to the arms of the chair as I stride over to stand right in front of him.
“I knew you were lying when we were here last. You knew what Oliver was doing. Why is the IP coming back to this very church? Where is he holding them?” I snarl.
He scrunches his face as if he’s trying to figure out what we’re referring to but realization dawns on him.
“He’s doing the Lord's work. He was summoned to bring peace to this world. You must let it play out for everyone's sake,” he preaches with so much pride.
“Just like you were doing the Lord's work with that girl? You’re using the excuse of religion to commit sins. I’ve never seen this play out and I know Christ would not approve of the very thing you are claiming He allows.” I pull out my knife and with one fluid motion, I swing it downward cutting off his manhood.
I may not be a religious man, but my parents are and growing up in church, this was nothing they would have accepted. They would have shunned him out for his outrageous acts. This is not what faith is about. This is a cult disguised as something holy and this will end now.
He screams in pain as blood gushes out of him. He will die from this but not before I get my answers.
“Tell us where he is before we cut another piece of you off.” Antonio steps forward with a lethal promise.
“He’s an hour away!” he yells. “Please, he’s at the old house on Maple Street. You can’t miss it, it’s the only house. The address is in the top drawer.”
Reaching over to the desk, I open the drawer and find a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. I grab it, handing it over to Antonio. He takes it and makes his way out of the church.
“Please, don’t leave me here. Help me!” the piss-poor of a man cries.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” I give him a side smirk before I pull the gun from my waist band and fire at the side of his head, killing him instantly.
I return to the SUV, getting in before Antonio takes off down the road. A million thoughts run through my head. The way I cut the guy's dick off and killed him without hesitation. I don’t feel anything, not like I should.
“I already called the crew. They’ll be here in a few to clean up the mess and make sure no one saw anything and if they did, they’ll be hushed. It was too dark for the woman to recognize us but I have a feeling she’ll keep quiet,” he informs me as we make our way off this poisonous land.
