There is no way, no how I am doing this! We really don't need the radio waves, do we? Ugh! Fuck, we do. I need to do this. It is just a few ladders up, to get the switch on. This would help Dutch out, get him in touch with people who would eventually help me out.
"You sure I can't persuade you to go up instead, Jim bo," I ask, looking at the high reaching radio tower. After our lunch, we take a small hike down to the radio tower, destroying another shrine on our way here. I thought the switch would be in the office, but nope. Dutch informs me, its on the tower. High above. At the tippy top. Fuck me.
"You got money to pay me, Deputy? I know you save me and all, but there are somethings that aren't free," Jim said, refusing to help little old me. I scoff in annoyance. I hate heights. I really hate heights. I hate flying too. Shayna was surprise to hear that I drove for hours on end just to get here. There is no force on this earth that's going to make me get on an airplane. Well maybe my job, but nothing else.
I sigh, knowing I am losing time here. I salute Jim.
"It's been nice knowing you, Jim. I know you need to get back to your family," I inform him, since he is not going up this thing. He nods and says his goodbyes. I thank him for helping me with the station and another shrine we just hit.
"You got this. One step at a time," I mumble to myself as I go up the ladder. Once I hit a platform, I crawl to the ladder and slowly get up. The first platform is okay for me, but once I hit the second platform, fear made me its prey. I didn't want to do this. My fingers grab onto the grate of the platform, trembling at how high I am. This is too far high. I might fall and break my neck, or worse. DEATH!
I let a whimpering, closing my eyes. Creaking trees and the breeze, my nerves are on high alert. This is completely bull shit. Come on, Rhea. Get angry! You need to hurry up, but this pep talk is not helping.
"Hey, Rook. I know what you're thinking and no I ain't gonna have you climbing towers all over the county for me, so don't worry…..also try not to fall from up there."
I choke on a sob, not wanting to be there at all.I wipe my tears away and look up. I have one more platform to go. I can do this. I let go of the grate of my death grip and pull myself up with the ladder. One step at a time.
Four.
Oh Shit! It's moving. ITS MOVING!
Three.
Two…...One. Finally, I reach the lever, my body shaking as if I'm walking on a wobbly bridge. I hear it turn on, hopefully Dutch has -
"Hey Deputy. I'm getting a stronger signal now. Head back to the bunker. The fog should be clearing soon by tomorrow, which means we can get you off this island and start helping people in Hope County," Dutch radios in. Clutching to the wires and not caring how dangerous it is, I unclip my radio and respond to him. It would be dark soon, so it is better to head back and start early tomorrow.
"Deputy here. Coming back asap," I said, getting down from there. I take my time getting dow, before jumping the last two steps. Never again! I really don't like heights. I look around the tower, hoping to loot somethings. I find nothing and make my way towards the bunker.
"Oh shit...Deputy, get here fast. I'm pickin' up something new outta Holland Valley. It's a broadcast from John...You need to see this." Dutch said, worrying me. This can't be good. It's probably some sick thing of getting the sinner and protecting Edin's gate thing.
Walking down the path, I don't rush to the bunk. I have little food in my stomach to go wasting one end of the island. I past the station, seeing the civilians, cleaning up the place. I wave at them, going on my merry way. They wave back before going out of sight.
I hope everything would fall into place. Wishful thinking, I know it's going to be nothing but hell for me. When I get my hands on Joseph, I'm going to tear him apart. He should know his place.
Nearing the bunker, I smell around, seeing if someone is following me. Just in case, they knew about the cameras around here. I try to open the door, seeing it is open. I bet Dutch knew I was close by. I close and lock it behind me, before descending down. I already know Dutch would be in his red room, gathering information. I enter it, setting my bag on the table. Dutch is writing down something before putting it on the board. He looks at me with pityness?
"Take a seat, Deputy," Dutch said, showing me the way. My eyebrows furrow. What's going on? I take a seat and he raise the volume up to this broadcast.
At first, it was static coming through before it starts. It is a very close up of someone wearing a blue pattern shirt. They turn around and its John 's picture of him did not do him justice. What strikes me the most are his baby blue eyes, reminding me of blue jays flying around winter. What a handsome guy he is. For a moment, I thought he and I could talk this out.
"We are all sinners. Every one of us."
Welp. There goes that plan. He fuck it up by opening his mouth. I mean he is a good looking guy, but horrible personality I can tell. I mean what is with his broadcast. It's like a late night infomercial during Toonami. Not important and lame. Oh god it even has background music.
"You. Me. Even the Father knows deeply of sin. It's a poison that clouds the mind,"
…...Fuck he is good.I need to be careful with this one. Unlike his brother Joseph, John hasn't lost his sanity just yet. His morals maybe. He is a bitch. A smart bitch, who uses the system to hijack that child's support money from the baby daddy.
"What if I told you, you can be free of sin? What if I told you that everything you ever dreamed could come true? What if I told you that everything could be overcome if you embrace an idea,"
John is selling everything and giving me used car salesman tactics realness up in here. I mean this is pretty good for being amatuer productions. Hell even the homeless looking Peggies are selling it. The camera gives me another angle and I get a glimpse of my partner. Joey Hudson. Tied up and duct taped.
I grip onto the arms of the chair, and really study this broadcast, learning who is there, hopefully where it is, how does John acts and anything Joey might give me.
"Come on partner. Give me some morse code. Anything," I whisper out loud.
"That freedom from sin can come from the power of just one word…" John raises his hands, the camera panning out to the word YES. People were clapping and cheering or is it a recording? My gasp as not only Hudson was brought out, but my sister. My poor, out of it sister.
Both of them look like they were drag through the mud, and the fear etching itself onto their face. Hudson looks like she put up some fight until she couldn't fight anymore. Her mascara running as if she was crying for hours on end. Sigh…..I told her to buy the waterproof one, but noooooo she had to go cheap.
My sister seams out of it. Like a twink of the deep end. Her head has bandages around it, blood staining it. Black hair sticking out like a madwoman, and her hazel eyes out of focus. Her skin looks like an ashy brown color. She can barely walk let alone stand by herself. A head injury, which explains the cut off connections. I let out a sigh of relief though. They look like their injuries are being taken care of. For now.
"Yes, I am a sinner. Yes I wish to be unburdened. Yes...I must be redeemed. If you are watching this, know that you have been selected. You will be cleansed. You will confess your sins, and you will be offered atonement."
"Sick fuck," Dutch harshly whispers, stepping away. He starts to pace around the room while I watch the rest.
"Don't worry you don't have to do anything. We'll come for you...Welcome to Eden's Gate."
I have a death grip on the chair, watching my helpless sister like that. John Seed. You really fuck with the wrong family. I decided to go after him as I see him close his hands around my sister's neck.
"Sorry, Dep. It seems that John has your partner and your little sister," he said. I let out a small laugh. A lot of people confuse me as the big sister because of our size.
"John Seed has my big sister, Dutch. Tomorrow, I will give him my answer. I'm going to burn his whole operation to the ground, then I'm going to kill him like the animal he is," I snarl at the end. Dutch doesn't say anything, doesnt show any emotion at all.
I take a few breaths in and out. My whole body just wants to run out there and save my Beta. My sister, but I know better. I need to plan it out. The T.V goes back to the commercial again. This is the only thing I have into getting information on him. Slowly, I start to grin, a smile covering half of my face.
"This is perfect!" I exclaim, holding the T.V for a bit. I look at Dutch and he is confused like a teen girl with her period for the first time.
"I need paper and something to write," I ask of him. He goes over to a drawer and gives me the stuff I need. I go back on the chair, sitting Indian style and watching the broadcast over and over again.
"You aren't going to watch this over and-"
"Yes. Don't you see!. With this, I can see how he acts, what he wants everyone to believe in, his mannerism. This broadcast will ruin him. With my B.A in Criminology and Masters in Psychology, I am going to analyze this to the minuscule of details," I said, not letting my eyes leave the screen. Dutch mutters something and leaves me here.
With every rerun, I write something done, writing everything that comes to mind. Ignoring Dutch, I continue to watch this over and over again.
Dutch left for a while, probably to relax and away from hearing John's voice over and over again. He comes in with some type of soup and crackers at first. I devour it, not tasting how bland it is.
I quickly write down more as I look around the background of the video. The Peggies seem new, not used to carrying a gun. Some of them even have their fingers on the trigger, which means they don't have training in gun's safety. Hell their stance are shit too. Now, I'm only focusing on him and him alone.
Dutch sets another meal in front of me. This time fish with some canned peas and corn.
"I think that's enough, Deputy. It's already ten p.m. Take a rest and start fresh tomorrow," Dutch kindly said to me. I go over and lower the volume to silence the broadcast and deeply sigh. He is right. I need a long deep sleep to get my body it's time to fully rest.
"Yea. I'll head to one of the spare cots you have and thank you for the meal. Is it okay to bounce off ideas, Dutch? I have some theories," I mumble the last part. I brush my hair back behind my ear to see he is suprises.
"Sure. Lay it on me," he said, taking a crate to sit on. I stretch my legs, getting the flow of blood in them before taking my list from the desk.
"So I notice some things: One: His Peggies do not have any gun training. Two: He was an abused victim or has a kink with self mutilation. I see that he had a scar on his chest with blood still visibly there. Which leads me to believe to Three:" I rant, stopping to put some food in my mouth. I wipe my mouth to continue.
"Three: He gets off with hurting people, playing with people's lives and being the one to save them like his brother save him," I ended with that. I look up to see that Dutch is impress with my find.
"And ya find that all with just his broadcast. While I be damn, we might have hope to take back the whole county," Dutch compliments me. I flip my hair back and relish in the praise.
"Aww thanks. I'm still paying those student loans though," I said, reminding myself about how much in debt I'm already in. Dutch lets out a chuckle.
"Well, when this is over, I will personally help you out-"
"It's about 98,600 dollars loan, Dutch" I cut him off. His jaw drops and curses.
"Yep, but look at the uses of those degrees. Taking out a cult in Montana,saving people lives and shit," I said, finishing my meal.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Dutch," I said, picking up my plate. He says his goodnight and I place the dirty plate in the sink. I'll clean up tomorrow. I head to the room with the bunk beds in them. I take off my shoes and just lay on it. I finally know where my sister is. Soon, Shayna. I'm coming for you. Soon, I'll change and rip his throat out and paint the walls red with his blood. He will see the monster we truly are and we shall devour him.