[Author's Note: I feel like I have to apologize for the first chapter's lack of dialogue and present-day action. I promise that there's not only actual dialogue, but also more present-day and "post cult" action happening in this chapter. This is the chapter I mentioned in the author's note for Chapter 1 that contains very obvious references to the first "Shenmue" game. Just a reminder, "Shenmue", its setting, its characters, etc. are the property of Sega as well as any related companies or entities. No infringement is intended by the use of these properties in my story. On another side note, I'm taking some creative liberties with Deputy Pratt's middle initial, Deputy Hudson's full name, and a small part of the "Shenmue" storyline.]

Chapter 2: Contentment in the Land of the Rising Sun

After Hope County Sheriff Earl Whitehorse, along with his deputies Staci Pratt, Joey Hudson, and Junior Deputy Troy Harrison were given permission to freely walk away from Joseph Seed and the Project Eden's Gate cult, so many significant events had taken place. After realizing that Junior Deputy Harrison was still somewhat under the influence of the now deceased Jacob Seed's mind control techniques, they immediately rushed him to a hospital in Missoula, Montana, where he was held for a psychiatric evaluation. Sheriff Whitehorse and the remaining deputies then headed to Montana's capital city of Helena, where they were able to arrange an emergency meeting with Montana Governor John Albertson and his staff. They were greeted warmly with almost a full-fledged hero's welcome by Governor Albertson himself at the Montana State House. Albertson was a short, smartly-dressed Democrat politician in his late fifties, his thinning white hair and bifocal glasses nearly making him a Bernie Sanders doppelganger.

"Sheriff Whitehorse", the governor greeted with an extended hand.

Sheriff Whitehorse removed his cowboy hat and placed in on the chair beside him before warmly reciprocating the gesture. "Governor", he said, "despite the unfortunate circumstances, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir."

"Likewise," Governor Albertson replied as he broke the handshake and took a seat behind his desk. He then gestured to a tall brunette woman in her mid-forties who sat in a seat to the left of the Governor's desk. "This is Sharon Stanley", the Governor said, "She's the State Representative acting on behalf of Hope County."

Whitehorse, Pratt and Hudson sat in the three seats facing Albertson and Stanley. "No handshakes necessary folks", Representative Stanley told them as she stood up from her seat, "I know you've all been through a lot over the past few months, and I'd like you to make you all aware that I'm personally starting an inquiry on behalf of the State of Montana into Project Eden's Gate and the havoc they've caused you all in Hope County. Could we get your names, occupations, and ranks for the record please?"

Whitehorse nodded. "Earl Whitehorse", he said, "Sheriff of Hope County, Montana."

Deputy Staci Pratt then spoke up, standing from his seat at full attention, as if he was back in the police academy. "Staci D. Pratt", he said, "Deputy Sheriff, Hope County Sheriff's Department, Hope County, Montana."

Once Pratt returned to his seat, it was Deputy Joey Hudson's turn to stand up at attention, which she promptly did. "Joanne L. Hudson", she said, "Deputy Sheriff, Hope County Sheriff's Department, Hope County Montana. Off the record, ma'am, I'd prefer to be called 'Joey', please."

Representative Stanley noted all the information she'd been given onto a large legal pad. "'Joey'", she replied with a comfortable nod, "so noted, Deputy, thank you. Please be seated."

Hudson took a seat as Representative Stanley continued addressing them. "I understand you have one deputy that couldn't join us here today?" Stanley asked the sheriff.

"Yes ma'am", Whitehorse replied, "Troy Harrison. He's our Junior Deputy and the newest member of the department. He was the last deputy I hired before the cult overtook Hope County. The Seeds put him through the ringer, so we took him to Missoula for a psychiatric evaluation, and he's still undergoing his evaluation at a hospital there as we speak."

Representative Stanley briefly flipped through a file of documents, reports, and photographs pertaining to Hope County and Project Eden's Gate. Upon reaching one particular set of reports, she let out a very compassionate sigh. "Oh", she said after a beat, "I see here that you also lost one of your deputies in the line of duty during the cult's siege as well. I'm so very sorry."

Deputy Hudson swallowed the lump of sadness in her throat before chiming in. "Yes", she said, "his name was Christopher Shelby. He was an Army veteran and former Missoula police officer. He'd been with us for a little over three years. He was shot and killed while assisting Deputy Harrison in preventing the Peggies from overtaking our county jail a second time."

Sheriff Whitehorse put a soothing hand on Hudson's shoulder before adding to her statement. "I myself was personally abducted by Faith Seed during that second siege Miss Stanley", he said, "And our Mayor, Virgil Minkler, was also killed. Junior Deputy Harrison was personally responsible for saving our lives and ending the lives of the three Seed siblings."

Stanley nodded. "And what is Deputy Harrison's current condition?" she asked.

"The psychiatrist at the hospital admitted him for a seventy-two-hour hold", Whitehorse replied, "as I said before, the cult, in particular Jacob and Faith Seed, really did a number on his mental state. His preliminary diagnosis is 'severe anxiety, situational mania, and exhaustion'."

"Did your late Deputy Shelby have any next of kin to speak of?" Governor Albertson asked.

"Yes Governor", Hudson replied, "Deputy Harrison and I were able to locate his mother following the sheriff's successful rescue from the cult. She requested that his funeral be given full military and sheriff's department honors. He'll be buried in the Lamb of God cemetery in the Holland Valley region of our county."

Governor Albertson took a moment to think. "But in order for you to successfully do that", he said, "we have to deal with the Eden's Gate members who are still very present in your county, including Joseph Seed, who's also known as 'The Father', correct?"

"Yes", Pratt replied, "as much hard work as we've put in to dealing with the Seeds and all of their disciples, Eden's Gate still does very much linger in Hope County."

Representative Stanley examined the Eden's Gate folder again for a moment. "I see that the federal arrest warrant for Joseph Seed on multiple kidnapping charges is still valid", she said.

"It is", Sheriff Whitehorse replied, "Despite our initial attempts to arrest him proving unsuccessful and the death of Deputy U.S. Marshal Cameron Burke."

Governor Albertson took another moment of contemplation before deciding on a plan. "Here's what I'll do", he began, "Effective immediately, I'm signing an emergency order declaring Martial Law on Hope County, Montana. I'm therefore ordering both the Montana National Guard and the FBI to execute operations against Joseph Seed and the Project Eden's Gate cult. The specific orders will be for Joseph and any remaining cult members to be forcefully brought in dead or alive. Medical and humanitarian aid will also be given to the citizens of Hope County as needed, and the jurisdictional authority of the Hope County Sheriff's Department will remain intact."

Deputy Hudson briefly raised a hand before posing a question. "If I may ask Governor", she began, "Isn't it the President's responsibility to declare Martial Law on a specific area?"

The Governor shook his head in response. "No ma'am", he replied, "If the War Powers Act was being invoked, then that would indeed be the obligation of the President and the White House. But this is one county in our State of Montana. The responsibility to save you fine, brave folks from Joseph Seed and his unbalanced band of whackos is ours and only ours."

He was right. The current President of the United States, despite having a substantial number of supporters, was considered a very unpopular leader by the majority of Americans. He certainly had his hands full as it was, largely due to allegations of corruption, sexual misconduct, and collusion with a certain foreign government, among other allegations. As Governor Albertson saw it, there was no way the Commander-in-Chief would resort to the radical measure of invoking the War Powers Act solely for one Montana County. The primary responsibility of saving Hope County from Joseph Seed and the Project Eden's Gate cult was theirs and only theirs, and it would all start with the Governor putting his signature on that emergency Martial Law declaration order.

Hazuki Dojo and Residence
Yokosuka, Japan
3 Weeks Later

Junior Deputy Troy Harrison was in a totally different space now, in every sense of that phrasing. After being released from the Missoula, Montana hospital where he had spent three straight days being evaluated by a team of psychiatric professionals, his body and mind felt all but completely worn out. He decided to make an urgent phone call to his old friend and martial arts teacher, Ryo Hazuki, at his home in Japan, where he ran a dojo out of his home. He very graciously asked his revered sensei if he could come to Japan and stay with him for a while so that he can re-train his mind and body to hopefully bring himself out of the mental and physical slumps he had found himself in after his ordeal with Project Eden's Gate and his subsequent psychiatric hospitalization.

During his hospitalization, he had been aggressively treated with various medications and electroconvulsive therapy, known to most people by its simpler name, "shock therapy". Ryo wholeheartedly accepted his old pupil's request, finding comfort in the idea of reuniting with the young man that he at one time was very fond of.

Harrison, along with his cousin Bill Harvey, had spent two consecutive summers living and training at the Hazuki Dojo during their college years. It was there that they studied the Hazuki family's unique style of Ju-Jitsu under the tutelage of Sensei Ryo and his fellow teacher, Masayuki Fukuhara, known simply by the nicknames "Fuku-san" or "Fuku Sensei". Fuku-san and Ryo lived and worked together for many years in Ryo's home and dojo in the residential Yamanose District of Yokosuka, Japan.

The Hazuki home was one of the last houses in the neighborhood to have been built in the traditional Japanese style. Adjoining the property's main house was the Hazuki Dojo. The dojo had originally been founded by Ryo's father, Iwao Hazuki, the Grand Master and originator of the Hazuki style of Ju-Jitsu. Iwao ran the family dojo until his death in 1986, after which time the Hazuki property was passed on to Ryo. The dojo thrived under Ryo and Fuku-san's supervision to this day, Ryo and Fuku-san having both achieved the status of Grand Master of the Hazuki Style some time ago.

On this particular morning, Harrison was busy practicing the Iron Palm maneuver in the Hazuki Dojo. Dressed in his martial arts Gi and wearing the Blue Belt he had proudly achieved all those years ago in college, he quickly and repeatedly thrust the palm of his right hand out in front of him while keeping his right hand clenched in a tight fist. After roughly half a dozen attempts at performing the Iron Palm maneuver, he thrust his fisted right hand out in front of him, letting out a sharply guttural yell.

Ryo Hazuki nodded affirmatively at his reinstated pupil as he stood at the front of the dojo. "Very good, Troy-san", he said, "I see that despite all you've apparently been through, you still remember your training. Well done."

With that, Harrison put his arms at his sides and gave his sensei a courteous and traditional martial arts bow, known as a "rei". "Thank you, Sensei," he replied, "Your teachings were extremely beneficial during those trying times in Montana."

Ryo sat down in an Indian-style position on the dojo's hardwood floor and motioned for Harrison to do the same. The Junior Deputy complied and sat down across from his Sensei. "Are you still struggling with the traumas you suffered there?" Ryo asked.

"Unfortunately, yes", Harrison replied after a deep sigh, "Since I've been here, I've had a lot of trouble sleeping and I'm fighting nightmares about those times in captivity with Faith and Jacob Seed. I still hear their voices in my head sometimes."

"I'm sure that's very scary and very strange to you", Ryo said, "but that's to be expected after all that they put you and all those other people through."

Harrison nodded. "I know Sensei", he replied, "I guess I just thought that the electroconvulsive therapy I endured was supposed to wipe all the scary things from my memory entirely, like a computer file that gets erased."

"The human mind is not an electronic machine Troy-san", Ryo said with a very reassuring but still somewhat stern tone, "and you yourself are not a machine either. You are a normal, decent, flesh-and-blood human being like everybody else in this world. I'm sure that drastic therapy of yours helped, but you will always have pieces of these memories in your head."

"I guess I don't know how to deal with them", Harrison said with a sort of defeated tone in his voice.

Ryo rose to his feet and stepped slightly closer to his still-seated pupil. "Fight them like you would any real enemy", he told him, "Realize that no matter how strong you believe that enemy to be, your own strength is just as solid, in some cases even more so."

Harrison rose to his feet, stepped back a beat, and gave Ryo another polite "Rei". "Thank you again, Sensei", he said.

Ryo gave his own brief "Rei". "You're very welcome Troy-san", he said, "You're dismissed for the rest of today. After dinner, I'd like you to go to bed a little early and try and get some rest."

Later that evening, Harrison and Ryo were joined at dinner by Masayuki Fukuhara and his wife, Akemi Fukuhara, who also lived with Ryo and Fuku-san at the Hazuki Home. The four of them dined on a hearty meal of customary Japanese cuisine, including grilled Yakitori chicken, Miso soup, and buckwheat flour-based Soba noodles.

"How is the food Troy-san?" Akemi asked.

Harrison paused from sipping spoonfuls of his Miso soup to nod positively to Akemi. "It's quite delicious Akemi-san", he replied, "The food here is very unlike the food we have back in Montana."

Masayuki and Akemi Fukuhara had been married for 27 years. Akemi was a petite, stunning brunette who was only a year younger than her husband. The two had originally met in 1985, when Akemi was working as a hostess at the Bar Yokosuka, a local watering hole which eventually became a respected staple of the nightlife in Yokosuka's Dobuita shopping and business district. By now, Akemi was Bar Yokosuka's managing owner, having had the humbling responsibility bestowed upon her in 1992 after the retirement of the bar's original owner.

"Just out of curiosity", Fuku-san then asked, "what do you guys eat most of the time in Montana?"

Harrison chuckled a bit and gave a lighthearted smile. "Anything from plain old cheeseburgers to grilled bear meat sandwiches!" he said.

The dining table in the Hazuki kitchen then erupted in uproarious laughter from the four of them. For Harrison, it had been the first time in however long since he'd really taken the time to just laugh and enjoy the jovial moments that life had to offer. He didn't have to deal with cults, violence, death, or pain, be it his own pain or that of others. At this moment here in Japan, he was the closest to truly happy he'd been since the tumultuous ordeal with the Seeds and Project Eden's Gate had begun.

This upbeat moment was interrupted with the shrill ringing of the black rotary telephone in the Hazuki's small foyer area near the kitchen. Fuku-san politely excused himself from the and left the room to answer it. With the kitchen's sliding door open, Harrison could see him over his shoulder from where he sat at the head of the table.

"Hello", Fuku-san greeted when he picked up the receiver, "Hazuki Dojo. May I help you?"

Harrison noticed a slightly confused, if not simultaneously intrigued look on Fuku-san's face as he listened to whomever was on the other end of the line. "Yes, he's right here", Fuku-san said, "Just a moment please."

With that, Fuku-san placed one hand over the bottom of the receiver and looked over to Harrison, who by now was just as interested as he was. "Troy-san", he said to him in a quiet tone, "There's a man calling for you from the United States. His name is Earl Whitehorse."

Harrison nodded and got up from the table and went to pick up the call. He gave Fuku-san a brief appreciative bow before taking the receiver and putting it to his ear.

"Hello Earl", Harrison greeted the sheriff, "If you're taking the time to get ahold of me while I'm on the opposite end of the globe, this can't just be a social call."

The Junior Deputy could here his estranged boss laugh on the other end of the line. "How've you been Rook?" Whitehorse asked, "We've been worried about you back here in Hope County."

Harrison sighed again, reassured by Whitehorse's calm tone and concern. "Better and better, Sheriff", he said, "One day at a time. If you don't mind my asking, sir, how did you figure out I was here in Japan? My apologies and I mean no disrespect, but I didn't exactly think to send you guys a postcard."

"Joey Hudson checked with the State Department", Whitehorse said, "Your passport was stamped by a Japanese Customs official at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo seventeen days ago. Then, she called your mother in Vermont to figure out where in all of Japan you might go."

Harrison chuckled at that. "She called my mother huh?" he asked with a surreptitious tone.

"Listen Rook", the sheriff replied, his tone switching to a more serious one, "I'm giving some thought to finally retiring from the department. Governor Albertson invoked a Martial Law order on all of Hope County right after we checked you into that hospital. The FBI and the Montana National Guard did a huge sweep of the entire county, nailing every associate of the cult that they could find."

"And?" a now very interested Harrison asked.

"As of yesterday,", Whitehorse said, "The final tally stands at thirty-three Peggies dead and an additional seven in federal custody awaiting court dates on numerous charges. In case you were wondering, they picked up Joseph Seed on those open kidnapping charges that we tried to nail him on."

Harrison slid down the wall, sitting down on his knees as he let out a huge sigh of relief. "Where is the bastard?" he asked.

"The Attorney General ordered him transferred to the U.S. Penitentiary in Florence, Colorado", Whitehorse said, "It's the only facility closest enough to us that didn't have any Peggie bastards already in it. He's been awaiting trial in a solitary confinement cell for the last twelve days."

"When's the trial?" Harrison asked.

"Seed's attorney was granted a Sixth Amendment motion on the original kidnapping charges", Whitehorse explained, "He was given a speedy trial. The thing is, it was a bench trial with no jury. The federal judge who presided over the trial tacked on Capital Murder charges for killing Chris Shelby once the defense attorney submitted all the case documents."

"He got a bench trial on that too I hope", Harrison said.

"Charges on that are pending", Whitehorse said, "So that's up in the air for now. The judge on the kidnapping trial found him guilty on all counts. Life in prison without parole."

"Yes!" Harrison replied in almost a shout. "What a good time to retire huh?"

"That's the point I'm trying to make Rook", Whitehorse said, "I'm preparing a list of qualified candidates to replace me. Staci Pratt expressed interest."

Harrison instinctively nodded at that, though he knew the sheriff obviously couldn't see that. "He's a good cop", he replied, "and he's been in Hope County much longer than I have."

"Those are two good points on his part Rook", Whitehorse said, "But I'm worried his Post Traumatic Stress from the Peggies is getting to him. He almost drove his own patrol car off the road in the Whitetail Mountains last week."

Harrison lunged forward in a very worried way. "Is he okay?" he asked.

"That's what concerns me", Whitehorse said, "When I noticed the dent on his fender and asked him about it, he said he had no memory of what happened. Only thing he did remember was patrolling up in the Whitetails alone earlier that afternoon."

"Was he on anything to the best of your knowledge Sheriff?" Harrison asked.

"I sent him to the clinic to have his blood and urine checked for alcohol or drugs", Whitehorse said, "Negative across the board on both. I have no hard evidence to justify suspending him, and he's too damn good a deputy for me to fire him. So, I have Joey Hudson partnered up with him until further notice."

"Okay", Harrison said, "What about Joey? She's wicked smart, resourceful, and in my opinion more than capable…"

"She declined the offered Rook", Whitehorse abruptly replied, cutting him off, "She gave me a very well-thought letter of recommendation suggesting you for the position instead."

With that, Harrison's jaw dropped, stunned at the idea. "Me?" he anxiously said after snapping out of his briefly speechless state, "Replace you as the Sheriff of Hope County?"

Whitehorse chuckled at the Junior Deputy's reaction. "Why not Rook?" Whitehorse said, "You're not exactly the average, everyday rookie deputy, are you? You were an FBI agent, then a police officer in two cities before coming to us. Not only that, but you saved our lives and helped make this county livable despite those fucking Peggies being there."

"I couldn't save Chris", Harrison flatly stated.

"That's a chance every one of us takes when we put the uniform on every day Rook", Whitehorse said, "Chris died fighting the Seeds and protecting Hope County, not because of anything you personally did."

Harrison let out another deep sigh and excused himself before placing the phone's receiver on his lap for a brief moment and composing his emotions. "The answer is 'yes' Earl", he finally said, "I accept. I expect that with all those prior resignations and Chris dying, we have some spots open in the department, correct?"

Whitehouse let out a sigh of his own on his end of the line, perhaps one of relief and/or comfort in his choice of a successor, before replying. "We do, yes. State funding given to the county allows for a maximum of eight full-time law enforcement officer positions and four dispatcher positions within the Sheriff's Office."

"So have Pratt and Hudson decided to stay onboard even after all the shit hit the fan?" Harrison asked.

"Yes", Whitehorse replied, "Hudson's keeping an eye on Pratt for the time being at my request. As for other staff members, we've hired two brand new deputies since you've been away. My son, Michael, just happens to be one of them."

"You've mentioned him before", Harrison said, "You said he served two tours in Afghanistan with the Army as a Military Police Officer. Is he still in the service?"

"He received his Honorable Discharge papers three years ago", Whitehorse explained, "He spent the next two years as a Tribal Police Officer on the Blackfeet Reservation near Browning. Our entire Whitehorse clan, myself included, is from there."

"Cool", an interested Harrison replied, "What about the other new deputy?"

"Kevin Dodd Junior", Whitehorse replied, "He was a college senior playing halfback for Oklahoma State football when the Peggies overtook the county. He graduated with a law degree and spent six months with Oklahoma City PD before I offered him the job here. His mom owns the diner in Henbane River, and his dad is our local garbage man."

"You mean Aubrey's Diner?" Harrison asked, "That place is open again?"

"Yep", Whitehorse said, "Thanks in no small part to you and the Resistance."

Harrison sighed deeply once more in yet another moment of deep contemplation. "That's three spots for me to fill", he said very matter-of-factly, "and I don't want to leave them open very long, Earl. Luckily, I have three good friends who I think could use some changes in their scenery. I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks Rook", Whitehorse said, "I really appreciate this, and I think you'll be just as good a help to Hope County with Sheriff's stars on your shoulders."