Chapter 8:

Faith sighed as she sat back at her desk. On the screen in front of her were all the reports from the last week. Tyler had really taken a huge chunk out of her operations and it was showings it's toll. Resistance members were all over the streets and they had taken the Truck Stop, Youth Camp, Hotel and the Marina from her followers. She was now certain that Tyler had lead these people down the stray path. The door to her room opened and a priestess walked in.

"Lady Faith," she said. "The Father is here to see you." She then stepped aside and another man walked in. He had a stern look on his face as he walked towards Faith. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze.

"Father?" Faith asked and her voice quivered slightly. Joseph looked down at her.

"What are you doing?" The Father asks, but Faith was certain that he wasn't asking about her life. "Many of your flock have fled across to my island in fear. You've let the Sinner run his destruction through this Project. He was successful in the North and the West and I hoped he would be no more than a snake in the garden." He looked at Faith and removed his finger. He stepped back and leant against the door.

"Father," Faith said. "We are trying everything. We are pushing back and our Bliss production has been almost tripled!" She exclaimed and The Father shook his head in disapproval.

"No, you haven't done all you can." His look turned softer and he released the tension in his shoulders. "You need to use the gift that God has blessed you with." Faith had a confused look on her face.

"What gift is that?" She asked.

"Be yourself. He has a heart even I underestimated. Find a way to gain his affection, and he will join us on our path to a New Eden." Joseph smiled. Faith stared at the door and started to feel sadness. From the little she knew of the Deputy, she also could tell that his heart was pure and just. "And I would like you to get him to talk with me tomorrow."

"Yes Father, of course." Faith said. Joseph nodded and left the room. Faith then looked at the radio on the desk and picked it up. She hit the talk button and took a deep breath.

"Hey Tyler."

The Brewery was one of the larger Outposts Tyler had seen, and John's ranch made everything look small. There were two alarms and probably a large amount of cultists inside, minus the sniper on the roof and the man with a shotgun outside. Seb walked along the short wall they were using as cover and pulled out his binoculars. By now Tyler had become sick of the cult songs on the radio. All it did to its followers was cement the bullshit that Joseph preached. If Tyler ever found the choir that sung all those brain fucking songs, he wouldn't hesitate to make them all dance with lead. The music now however wasn't a large issue as he crept forward with Seb.

"Coast is clear." Seb said. He shuffled across the gap in the wall. Tyler joined him and they were finally able to stand up without being seen. They kept walking alongside the building until something caught not their eyes. A vent. Tyler pulled out his pistol and motioned to the vent. "You head in and see where that leads to." Tyler said. Seb nodded and crept into the vent and disappeared into the darkness. Tyler pulled himself up land over the railing on the balcony above him and headed towards an open window. A cultist was checking something on a clipboard and didn't see Tyler aim his 1911 at him and shoot him. He didn't make a sound as he hit the ground and Tyler also noticed another cultist on the outside of the building just around the corner. She was also in front of a window so Tyler vaulted over the one he was in front of and pulled the female cultist over the next. He pushed her against the wall and kicked her head, snapping her neck in the process. There was a bar behind Tyler so he dragged both corpses behind it to remain out of sight. As he put the last body away his radio crackled and Seb whispered,

"There's a VIP, 4 normal fighters and a flamer. What's the plan?" Tyler crept towards the glass door and peeked around the corner. He saw Seb crouched under a metal distiller and in front of him, a VIP was reading off a clipboard and the man next to him was leaning against a barrel of Bliss just minding his own business. Tyler clicked his radio back on and whispered.

"I'll bring the VIP over here, take out his friend." Seb signalled to him that he heard. Tyler looked around the floor and saw an empty van on the ground. Thinking on the spot, he grabbed it and threw it against the wall to his left. The VIP looked up from his clipboard and drew his handgun. He started walking cautiously towards him, so Tyler backed away and held his breath. The door opened and the man entered but was quickly met with a pair of hands that wrapped around his head and twisted it so it broke his neck. Tyler picked up the dead body and dragged it back to the bar.

"You got him?" Tyler said into the radio.

"Yep, and the other fucker in the warehouse." Seb responded. "I'll take out the guy outside and you take care of the other two out front."

Tyler opened the door and crept towards the open roller door to his right. He heard two pairs of footsteps and a voice speak.

"How good is this?" Asked the cultists. A more muffled voice responded.

"I'd much rather be working my land with my family."

"The hell?" The first voice said. "You don't want to be here?"

"Well, I guess I do now since Faith helped me open my heart to the Word of Joseph. I walked her pilgrimage and it gave me enlightenment."

"The word of the Father is all I know. It gives me life." The cultists voice trailed of and Tyler made the guess that he'd walked off. Tyler then heard a large sigh. Now Tyler started to fell hesitation. He never gave as much as a second thought as to killing. But this man obviously didn't want to be a part of Eden's Gate. Tyler then had an idea pop into his head. One of his requirements as a law officer was be able to incapacitate someone without killing them. Tyler snuck out and enhanced his inner Batman as he wrapped his arm around the mans neck and covered his mouth and nose with his free hand. The man kicked and struggled but was unable to make a sound. Within 7 seconds, he was out cold. Tyler dragged his unconscious body behind cover and he remove his mask, tank and removed all of his weapons. Seb moved back into the room and saw Tyler, confusion all over his face.

"The fuck?" He whispered. "Why's he still breathing?"

"I'll explain later." Tyler said as he walked out of cover and saw the other cultist had returned but had his back to him. Tyler grabbed his shovel and hurled it at him with a bit of anger and pity for the conversation he just heard. It hit the man on the head and it lodged into his skull and he flew at least 8 feet away. Tyler crept up to him and yanked the shovel out of his head. Just the sniper left. There was a ladder inside that lead to the catwalk above. Tyler walked over and climbed up the ladder. He now got the strong smell of beer. He knew that this place was the Whistling Beaver Brewery but he was told and expected that the cult removed all beer from the facility as this was purely a Bliss production hub. Tyler then saw what looked like a large keg, so he walked over and turned on the tap. Beer flowed out. Tyler was now surprised. The cult enforced such harsh rules on their followers but not all of them were truly faithful and believed in what they were doing. Tyler felt sick. Another ladder led up to the roof and Tyler climbed that quickly and found the sniper on the roof looking out onto the road. Tyler shot him in the head and watched him fall down the roof. Another Peggie stronghold in the hands of the resistance. Tyler scaled down the ladder and kept heading towards Seb and the unconscious cultist. When he got there m, the man had woken up and was looking around confused. Tyler sat down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You alright man?" He asked the confused cultist. The man looked at Tyler and recognition filled his face. He back-pedalled away in fear.

Tyler put up his hands. "We mean you no harm. We are here to help you." He said. The cultist stopped reeling away and once he believed Tyler, he relaxed.

"Why am I not dead?" He asked.

"I heard the conversation you had with the other guy. It seems like you never wanted any of this right?" Tyler asked the man. The cultist nodded his head and started to sob.

"They came," he said between tears. "They came in and demanded that I gave up my home to the Project. I refused and they shot my wife and kid. I had no choice." He was now into a full sob by now.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Tyler asks the man. Seb walks over to the cultist and puts a hand on his other shoulder.

"Well," the man started. "Can I join your side?" Tyler nodded and helped the man up to his feet.

"Of course." He said. "Just change your clothes and head to the Hope County Jail, tell them that Tyler sent you." The cultist had a large smile on his face and he shook Tyler's hand vigorously and then the same with Seb's.

"Thank you both," he said. "You showed me forgiveness and I am forever in your debt." With that he led the Brewery. Seb approaches Tyler and smiled.

"Looks like we are gonna be solving more problems than we thought." He said. Tyler chuckled to himself and picked up his radio. He turned it on and changed his frequency.

"Hello, Sheriff?" He said. The radio crackled and Whitehorse responded.

"Rook, it's been a while." He said.

"Yeah, it has." Tyler said. "Can you tell some of your people to come and hold the Brewery, it's now in our hands."

"Good work Rook," the Sheriff said. "I'll send some folk to go station there. Keep up the good work, people are coming from all over to fight this cult." The radio silenced and Tyler and Seb left the Brewery and almost instantly, his radio crackled again. This time an angry voice.

"Tyler, what did I tell you just hours ago?" Tyler grimaced and hit the talk button.

"I'm sorry Faith, I told you I had to do my job." Faith scoffed on the other side of the line.

"This is my job you're taking apart Tyler," she said. "Why must you keep fighting us? What is the point?" Tyler groaned and spoke again.

"I'm fighting because what your followers were doing was wrong. Even by your own standards." Tyler made an emphasis on the last sentence.

"What's that meant to mean?" Faith asked.

"You'll see," Tyler said. "You'll see, just wait until this evening. I'll tell you what I've learnt."

As they entered their cabin, both Tyler and Seb were met with pats on their backs and congratulations. All of his friends had heard about the news of the Brewery. Tyler sat down on his mattress and Boomer walked towards him. The dog lay down on his lap and licked at Tyler's hand. Tyler scratched behind Boomers ear, the dog panted and rolled around in joy. Nick walked up to him and sat next to him.

"So, what were they doing at Whistling Beavers?" Nick asked him.

"They we're using the warehouse as a production site for the Bliss," Tyler explained. "It was one of their major production sites." Nick grinned and ran a hand through his long hair.

"Fucking Peggies," he muttered under his breath. "They don't have much left holding them up so they?"

"Not really," Tyler said as he thought about what had happened the past few weeks. "I guess it's just Faith and then the Father."

Nick hummed in agreement and lay back on the mattress.

"That son of a bitch had caused me and my family all kindsa hell. You find that nut job and you give him hell Tyler." Tyler nodded in acknowledgment and stood up and headed for the map of the county. It was know filled with markers and papers of intel that they had found out. The to-do-list was now the longest it had ever been. 1. Kill Faith Seed, 2. Destroy all of the Shrines in the county, 3. Liberate the Conservatory, 4. Take out Feeny(one of the cults leading Bliss producers), 5. Destroy the Father's statue, 6. Find Peaches Taxidermy and finally number 7. Liberate Eden's Convent. The list was daunting but with the team that they had, dividing and conquering wouldn't be a problem. The more pressing matter on Tyler's mind was the meeting he was meant to have with Faith in just over an hour. Tyler walked over to Seb and nudged him out of his light sleep.

"C'mon," he said to Seb. "Time to go see Faith." Seb rolled off his mattress and stood up. They both headed down the hill towards their car that was still hidden by the Youth Camp. They loaded the car with their guns and equipment and headed off down the road towards the bridge that connects the Henbane River region to the Father's Island. As they drove along the road, Tyler noticed a large amount of roadside hostages. An even more unusual number then usual. They kept driving forwards and eventually they saw the road sign that signalled towards the Holland Valley, The Whitetail Mountains and the Cult Compound, the latter being spray painted to the metal sign. Tyler parked the car under the sign and hopped out. He took his assault rifle and handgun out and equipped them. They waited for about 10 minutes before a cult truck pulled over right next to them. 2 armed cult members stepped out of the vehicle and one opened the back door and Faith Seed walked out of the car. She walked over to Tyler and Seb and had a frown on her face.

"Tyler," she said. "Who's your friend?" She asked.

"This is Seb," Tyler said as he gestured to his friend behind him. Seb nodded at Faith and offered her a small smile.

"Nice to meet you Seb," Faith says. She then turns back to Tyler. "I don't get it."

"What don't you get?" Tyler asks her.

"Friends aren't supposed to hurt each other knowingly," she says. However, her voice was not filled with anger. "They're meant to care for each other." Faith had a sad expression on her face and Tyler felt his heart melt just a bit.

"I do care for you Faith," Tyler said. "Just not the rest of your family." She sighed and started walking toward the bridge.

"Well, that doesn't matter," she said. "The Father is probably waiting for us all." Tyler and Seb caught up with her and started walking towards the compound. The walk was a trip through hell as Tyler recognised landmarks from after the helicopter crash. The cabin in which he found the Marshall, the other hunting lodge he ran to after breaking out of the fiery helicopter and then he saw it. The large spire of the church and then the rest of the compound. Although this time it was completely empty. Tyler, Seb and Faith walked towards the front gates to the compound and walked along the dirt path to the church. Feelings of déjà vu flooded back to him and he could practically see the figures of Hudson, Pratt, the Sheriff and the Marshall ahead of him as they walked towards the church. Just like the first time, they reached the doors and Faith pulled them open and there he was. His bare back to them with the cult cross prominently glowing in the candle lit room. His scars and sins on his flesh still as red and raw as they were when he first met him. He turned around to look at who entered the church. He stepped forwards and kept his gaze calm and fixed in Tyler.

"Deputy," Joseph Seed said. "I'm glad you're here."

Note:

Hi, this chapter came out much quicker than I thought. This one is kind of a two part chapter, and I should upload the second part within the next day or so. Hope you enjoy reading and please let me know what you think.