April 19th, 2014
Fall's End, Montana
Hope County was alive. People from all over have come to see the high school softball state tournament. The Cougars Softball team was a favored contender. They won the championship last year. This year they were hosting the tournament, hoping to have the same luck.
The beaten down baseball field outside of Fall's End had been built up to look brand new. It took some effort converting it to a softball field, but it got done. Clay was laid down to make a suitable infield. Eli Palmer's construction company installed most of the bleachers and fencing. Hurk Drubman Sr. contributed money (and campaign signs) to the cause. Mary May Fairgrave even pushed the date of the Testy Festy up two months, so it was the same weekend as the tournament. Joseph and his family also donated money. It had been a community effort.
Joseph's boots were silent in the tall grass. It was a hot day. Summer would be here soon. It would be another hot summer without the collapse. He and his family already had a strong presence in the county. All three of his sibling's bunkers were completed. The number of followers in his flock were constantly growing. But The Project wasn't completely revealed yet. They were still trying to keep a low profile.
John accompanied him to the tournament. He had asked Jacob to come with him first, but he declined. His brother said he had more important things to do than "Watch girls run around in the grass".
John hadn't been too happy either but agreed to go. His brothers weren't fond of the locals and didn't want to play 'nice' anymore. Joseph constantly assured them that there would come a time when they wouldn't have to.
The locals of Hope County were sinners in every sense of the word. But there was still hope for them. All they had to do was join the project and he could save them. He would save them all.
Joseph and John leaned on the fence on the first base line. People weren't paying attention to them right now. They were all too focused on the game. The Cougars were playing in the semi-final game. If they won, they would be back in the championship.
There was one girl that Joseph was interested in. She was the second baseman on the team. Her name was Elizabeth. He could see her clearly from where he was standing.
"Why this particular girl, brother?" John asked.
His brother questioned him out of term sometimes. He still didn't understand the importance of loving others. It was something he would have to learn in time.
"Because she will be an important part of our family one day."
The voice told him that this girl would be a part of his family. She would march through the Gates of Eden with them. It may not happen immediately but one day she would join them. He was sure of it.
There were many reasons to bring this girl onto The Project. She was well known within the community. If she were to join, many others would follow suit. Many years ago, he picked her out as a potential candidate for 'Faith'. But he had already found the perfect sister in Rachel Jessop.
Elizabeth was a tiny thing standing on second base. Jacob wouldn't want her. She didn't look strong enough to complete his training program. But she would be useful elsewhere. After completing confession with John, she would serve under his sister Faith. She would be a perfect priestess, preaching his word to the unbelievers. She would do great things with him. Much more important things than playing a game.
He watched as she played admirably. She caught every ball that has hit her way. She was by far the best player on the team, but clearly not the leader. No one on the team looked to her for guidance. How interesting.
The game only lasted about 5 innings. The Cougars won the game with ease by ten runs. Cheers erupted through the crowd. They were going to play in the state championship. Elizabeth joined her team in celebration. They retreated into the dugout. The next game would be starting soon.
He turned to John and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Leave me for now. I'll find you after."
John gave him a curt nod and walked off. He was probably off the harass the Rye's. He wasn't fond of Nick Rye and his wife and bugged them at every possible opportunity.
Joseph had more important things to attend to. He wandered through the crowd. Several members of his flock were here but didn't address them. There was one couple in particular he was looking for. He spotted them standing by the bleachers and walked over to them.
"That was a fantastic game, wasn't it?"
David and Lisa Palmer turned their attention to his voice. He saw the excitement fade from their faces when they saw that it was him. They were nice folk but believed all the rumors that went around.
"Joseph…" David said. There was disgust in his eyes, but he still extended his hand in a friendly gesture.
"Elizabeth played very well. You must be proud of her."
A small smile crossed his face. "We are. Now there's only the championship game to worry about. Let's hope that they can pull this one off too."
"She is a very special girl."
A girl that would help his project in the future. She would help his family save more nonbelievers than they could ever imagine.
"That she is. She's already had several offers from college recruiters. But she won't be deciding until she graduates next year." Lisa pitched in.
"If she decides to stay at home, she will always have a place in The Project. I'm sure we have a program that would be best suited for her."
It wasn't the first time that he had tried to recruit Elizabeth. He had talked to her parents several times about the matter but each time they turned him away. It didn't matter what they said though, she would be with his family eventually.
"We appreciate the offer Joseph, but we don't want your money. Liz will be going to a real school elsewhere. She has a bright future playing softball" David said.
What he was offering was much more important than playing some game. She would be safe from the coming collapse. She would be one of the few people on this planet to survive. And her parents spit the offer back in his face, once again.
"In time I hope that you will reconsider. Enjoy the rest of the evening." He shook David's hand one more time before leaving.
The final game had just started. He left her parents alone. There was no point trying to talk to them anymore. They couldn't see past their own greed.
Joseph sat in the bleachers behind home plate. Everyone around him was on edge. They were all excited watching the game. He could never understand why people would become invested in something so fleeting. The outcome of this game wouldn't matter in the end. The collapse would turn them all to ash.
The game droned on through the night. When it got to the bottom of the 7th inning, the score was 5-6, the Cougars were losing. The tension amongst the crowd and players was high. There were players on second and third base. There were two outs against the Cougars. If something didn't happen, they would lose the game.
"Up next at bat for the Cougars is number 13, Liz Palmer."
The announcer didn't sound very thrilled. A few groans of disapproval came from the crowd. Some people even got up and left. Joseph heard murmurs of how 'the game was already over' and 'there goes winning the championship'.
The girl didn't look deterred by anyone's comments though. She waltzed up to plate, golden hair flipping behind her. There was a glint of determination in her eyes. She was going to prove them all wrong.
The pitcher gave Elizabeth a smirk, clearly thinking that the game had already been won. The girl lined up to bunt but pulled away before the ball crossed the plate. The pitch was lower than her knees, it was called a strike.
A few boos came from the crowd, directed towards the umpire. The girl let out a deep breath. The next pitch was right down the middle. It collided with her bat and flew over one of the dugouts. Foul ball. That was strike two.
What she did now would determine who won the game. Everyone held their breath. The girl took her stance at the plate. She was the only one who didn't look worried. The next pitch came fast, it was low and outside.
Crack!
Her bat hit the ball in the perfect spot. For a moment, time stood still. Even Joseph was kept waiting in suspense. The yellow orb soared over the field and flew until it was all the way over the fence. Home run.
Mouths in the crowd hung open. The tall girl standing in the pitcher's circle looked shocked. No one had been expecting that. No one, except her. She simply sat the bat down and jogged around the bases. There was a huge smirk on her face.
"And it's out of here folks! The Hope County Cougars are your 2014 state champions!" The announcer said.
When Elizabeth's foot touched home plate, the team stormed the field. People in the crowd were screaming and cheering. This was a huge moment for the people of Hope County.
Joseph couldn't help but smile. Not because of the outcome of the game, but because of his faith in that girl. She didn't listen to those who didn't believe in her. A trait that would serve her well when she marched through Eden's Gate.
A crowd of purple jerseys were gathered on the field. A large trophy was brought out to the group of girls. Their cheers carried across the field. Many people took pictures with their phones. Today's people were so concerned with taking pictures, that they forgot to live in the moment. Not his family though. They had more important things to do than send status updates.
He looked around for John but didn't see him. He probably already went to Fall's End. After a while, the crowds began to disperse. People said their congrats, then immediately went to the bar to get drunk. Or they went to the Testy Festy to eat cow balls. Both options disgusted him.
The girl exited the field and leapt into the arms of her parents. They told her that they were so proud of her. She also hugged a young man he assumed was her brother.
She scurried off to the Testy Family with her family. Joseph followed and made small talk with a few of the locals. He did his best to stay back but was close enough to hear her conversations.
"Hey Uncle Eli! How many of these do you think I can it into my mouth at once?" She held up a plate a testicles to her Uncle. How disgusting. When she joined his family, she would have no interest for such things.
"I don't know Lizzie. My record is five, you think you can beat that?"
"Oh, hell yeah! You're on!"
Eli Palmer was a huge threat to The Project. He was the one to build his family their bunkers. But Eli figured out what was going on. Once he caught whiff of The Project's true intentions, he quit working for them. He had started building a militia to fight back. There were only a few members in the militia, but they were organized.
Jacob wasn't happy about that. He despised Eli and his family. It was his personal mission to kill all The Palmers. Maybe it was a good thing that he hadn't come today. Joseph didn't need him causing a scene or trying to hurt the girl.
"Unkwle Ewli… look! 6!" The girl turned to her Uncle, with her mouth full of cow testicles. She held up six fingers.
Joseph was appalled. It almost made him not want this girl anymore. But the voice told him that she was important. He had prayed over it many nights. After atonement she would be pure once again, all of this filth would be washed away from her.
She was approached by one the Sherriff's Deputies. The Deputy had dark hair that was pulled back into a braid. It was Joey Hudson. Hudson had helped the Cougars win the championship several years ago.
Joseph didn't like the cops. He did his best to avoid them, but some things couldn't be put off forever. When that time came, he would give them a choice to walk away.
The girl was surprised by her visitor and spit the testicles out of her mouth.
"That was a hell of a hit, Palmer." Hudson said.
The two women shook hands.
"Wow! Thank you so much! Can I say, it's a total honor to finally meet you. You're like a Hope County legend!" There was a big grin on the girl's face.
They talked for a few minutes. The girl clearly looked up to the dark-haired deputy.
"Keep up the good work and you'll be a legend yourself. See you around." Hudson left.
She was approached by several other people including; Pastor Jerome, Virgil Minkler, and Hurk Drubman Sr. Drubman even talked to her about volunteering for his campaign. All of them were sinners. She wouldn't join any of them though. Her fate was already decided.
He followed as her family left the festival and headed into town. There were people all around. Joseph passed several idiots that were already black out drunk. Two of them were Hurk Drubman Jr. and Sharky Boshaw. They were the two dumbest people Joseph had ever met. He didn't want them anywhere near The Project. It would take forever the cleanse the filth from their souls.
The girl retreated into the general store with her father. She exited carrying a bag of barbecue chips. How strange. She and her family went into the Spread Eagle Bar. Joseph hated this place. The establishment was a disgrace to the county.
John was sitting outside, drinking a beer. His brother had spent too much time in bars when he was younger. It was a hard habit for him to break. Joseph took the beer out of his hands and sat it on the table. John didn't say anything.
"I'll only be a moment."
John gave him a small nod, he was still staring at the beer that sat on the table.
Joseph left him sitting outside and entered the bar. He took off his yellow sunglasses. No one was paying attention to him. They were all too drunk. Her parents were sitting at the bar. She was standing over in the corner, holding the championship trophy.
Mary May was taking a picture of her standing by the logo. "That one's going on the wall. That was a hell of a game. You did a great job, Liz."
"Thanks Mary May." She gave the bartender a big grin.
She sat down at a table. There was a bowl of barbecue chips and a glass of what looked to be soda, sitting in front of her. Why Lord, was this girl important? He always tried not to question The Voice. But this girl would be joining his family and he had no reason as to why. Maybe she wouldn't be important to him but to one of his siblings…
This was his chance to speak to the girl, she was sitting alone. He had never spoken to her before now, out of respect to her parents.
"Is this seat taken?"
Her head perked up. She shook her head. "Nope."
He sat down in the chair across from her. She seemed timid. She was still wearing her purple Hope County jersey. Sweat rested on her brow. She looked exhausted. It had been a long day indeed.
"Hello Elizabeth."
"It's Liz, actually. I mean Elizabeth is technically my name, but everybody calls me Liz… Have we met before?" There was confusion across her face.
He didn't answer the girl's question. "You played very well today. A lot of other people seem to think so. But it didn't seem that way at your last at bat."
Her eyes grew wide.
"You heard those murmurs too?" She scoffed.
Anger flashed across her face. She looked around to see who was watching them, but no one was. She was clearly very smart, always thinking before making harsh decisions.
"I thought I was the only one that heard the sighs when I walked up to the plate. Everyone seems to like me now that I won the game for them. Bunch of assholes…"
There was a bit of fire that he hadn't been expecting. She was very blunt with people. She didn't even know his name but already disclosed some information with him that she hadn't shared with anyone else.
"You're not fond of these people?"
She racked her brain, looking for the right answer. "I mean… I love 'em. They're family you know? But people around here only like me when things are good. Wouldn't want to imagine what would happen if I didn't hit that home run."
She shoveled more barbecue chips into her mouth.
"Oh… I never asked your name by the way. What school are you from? And I probably shouldn't have cussed in front of you… sorry."
It was a lot of information thrown at him at once. She looked a little nervous. From the sound of it, she thought that he was a softball recruiter. But he had much more important things to offer than a sports scholarship.
"That's alright. My name is Joseph. I'm not from a school but I do have an opportunity for you, if you're interested in hearing about it."
They shook hands. It was a name that she wouldn't remember in the future. But fate has a funny way of bringing people back together.
Her eyebrow quirked in curiosity. "Opportunity? Yeah I'll hear about it."
He smiled. Of course, she was going to listen to him. He should have talked to her directly from the beginning. Her parents were too wrapped up in greed to see the truth.
"I lead a large community, a Project, so to speak. I recruit people who are very special. And you are one of those people. It shines right off of you."
"So, is this like school or a job? What does this Project do exactly?"
"Well, that all depends on which of my heralds you will work under. I think you would work well with my sister. You are very talented, and we would put that talent to use. All I need to know right now, is if you are interested."
The girl thought about it for a moment. He could clearly see the confliction within her, but she would choose correctly, he was sure of it.
"Yeah, I can say that I'm… interested. I'm really looking to play softball in college, but I'll keep my options open."
"Lizzie!"
The girl turned her attention behind him. Eli Palmer was walking their way. He didn't look so happy.
"Hey Uncle Eli! I was just talking to… I'm sorry what was your name again?" She said.
Eli walked over to where she was sitting. His voice was harsh. "Lizzie, get up."
"Why? What's wrong?" She was still smiling. She had no idea who Joseph really was. Eli knew though. That's why he had cut their conversation short. That's why he was in such a panic.
"Get up." He practically snatched her out of the chair to get her away from Joseph.
"Uncle Eli… What did I do?" The smile faded from her face. She looked flustered. He drug her to the other side of the bar and out the door.
Joseph could hear part of their conversation. He spotted them out the window. Eli was scolding the girl.
"Don't you ever go near that man, Lizzie. Do you hear me? He is trouble. I'm telling your parents and taking you home."
"But… What did I…" The girl was almost in tears. Tears that should have never came to her eyes on a night like this.
"I just want you to be safe."
Eli and the girl left. Joseph was still sitting at the table. Another failed attempt to recruit the girl. It didn't matter though. The voice wasn't wrong. It told him that the girl would join The Project.
It may not be today or tomorrow, but one day she would be a part of his family.
…
April 26th, 2015
Silver Lake Trailer Park, Holland Valley
David and Lisa Palmer sat nervously at their kitchen table. Last week their daughter Liz played in the state championship game for the third year in a row.
The Cougars lost this year.
Liz had struck out in the final inning. She was in her room right now, still bawling her eyes out. Their son David Jr. was off at work. David and Lisa didn't want their kids in the room when he got here.
They didn't know what to do. Liz had received many offers from colleges. But after this last game, they all took back their scholarships. The recruiters made a lot of excuses, that she was too small, or her grades weren't good enough. But the real reason was because she had struck out in that last inning.
This was the only thing they could do. They just wanted Liz to be happy. She deserved to be happy. She wanted to go to college, but they didn't have the money to send her. Hope County was quickly changing. A lot of bad things were happening. They didn't want Liz around to see it. Leaving Montana was the best option for her. It would also be the only thing that would keep her safe.
A white truck pulled up outside the mobile home. It had a black cross painted on the side. There were a lot of rumors going around about the Eden's Gate folks. Rumors that even David and Lisa had believed at one point. But those couldn't possibly be true. Eden's Gate had been very kind to their family.
Joseph Seed stepped out of the passenger side of the truck. Another man exited from the driver side. He had red hair and was wearing a dark gray T-Shirt. It was one of Joseph's brothers, Jacob. Eli had worked for the eldest Seed brother for a while. But he quit not long after the stories about the Seeds started to go around.
Eli told them not to mess with the Seeds. Told them that they were trouble. That if something wasn't done about them, there would be a war. They trusted Eli, but he wasn't always right. He was just being a little paranoid.
When they reached out to Joseph about reconsidering, he was more than happy to listen. They were wrong to have denied his offer so many times. He had been very kind to their family.
Joseph approached the door and knocked. His brother Jacob hung back. He leaned against the frame of the truck with his arms crossed. A handgun rested at his hip. He was clearly the protection if something went wrong.
David got up and let Joseph inside. The man that was called The Father was surely a sight to look at. He wore a black quilted vest with cowboy boots. And the same yellow sunglasses sat on his face.
"Joseph. Thank you for coming." David said. They shook hands.
"Of course. I'm happy to be here." Joseph gave them a kind smile.
They still didn't know why Joseph even wanted Liz in his project. She was a very talented girl but not what they would be looking for. Eden's Gate was a cult. But for some reason its leader had taken a special interest in their daughter.
"Would you like to sit?"
He nodded and sat down across from David and Lisa. How had it come to this? For years they dismissed Joseph as a crazy man. But now they needed him, they needed his money. It was wrong to take money from the Seeds. When people did business with them it didn't end up well. But they were desperate. They wanted to make their daughter happy.
"I was happy to hear that you changed your minds."
A few days ago, they had gone to Joseph's church to talk about Liz working for him. He had asked what they wanted in return for such an exchange. They said they needed money to send her off to college.
It sounded a lot like they sold her off to the cult. That's pretty much what they had done. Liz's parents thought that they were helping her but, they were only hurting her.
"Well, we just want what's best for her."
"As do I. You're making the right choice."
Loud sobs continued to come from her room. Joseph's head glanced in the direction of the noise. Curiosity crossed his face.
"How is she?"
David and Lisa gave him a grim look. She wasn't doing well. A lot of people were angry with her from the events of the game. People in small towns didn't really know how to let go of things. If she continued to live here, it was something that would stick with her.
"She's still upset from the game. A lot of people are… But we really appreciate what you're doing. Is our deal to the terms that we agreed on earlier?" David said.
Joseph nodded. "I have the money that you requested. Are there any other questions you have for me? I'd be happy to answer them."
"So… Liz goes to college for four years. She's left alone. But after that she comes back home and works for you…"
"Yes. But if she decides to come home earlier, the deal still stands. The minute she steps back into Hope County, she works for The Project."
"What exactly will she be doing while working for you?" Lisa asked. There was apprehension in her voice.
Joseph knew how to read the room, as always. "Do not worry. Her talents will be put to use. You will be able to visit her anytime you want. There is always room for others in our family."
Family. There was something about that didn't sit right with them. They had been told that this was a job, an internship. Not some kind of community. They should have known better. They should have listened to all the rumors that they heard from everyone. The Seeds were not good people.
"Do we still have a deal?" Joseph asked.
There should have never been a deal at all. But as David and Lisa Palmer sat there and listened to the sobs of their daughter, they were heartbroken. Liz deserved to get out of Hope County. These people would never forget what she did.
Maybe Joseph would forget though. Four years was a long time to wait. By the time she had graduated college, the cult might have forgotten about her. This was their chance to give her a fresh start.
"Yes." David shook hands with him once more.
"Very well. I'll be speaking with you soon." Joseph got up from the table and left.
What the hell did they just do? They did business with the Seeds. That was what everyone had warned them about. The Palmers were in for some serious trouble.
His brother strode inside carrying a bag. He didn't bother knocking. His boots were loud on the floor of the mobile home. Jacob Seed was an intimidating figure. He stood over six feet tall and had gruesome scars that covered his entire body. This is the man the Eli told them to stay away from. That he had a personal vendetta against The Palmers.
Jacob dropped the bag on the kitchen table. "It's all in there. 40,000 like we agreed. You can count it if you want."
Offering to count it was a threat. The eldest Seed clearly wanted to see if they were going to challenge him.
David opened the bag and saw stacks of one hundred-dollar bills. They didn't count it. They trusted Joseph's word, not his brother's. If Joseph said all of the money was in there, then it was. David gave the redheaded man a curt nod. He didn't return it.
Jacob was staring at a door down the hall. It was slightly cracked open, with hazel eyes peering out. The scowl on his face faded into confusion. There weren't sobs coming from Liz's room anymore. They heard a soft click of her door being shut. She had listened to part of their exchange.
It was a small interaction that no one would remember in a few years. Not her parents, not him, and especially not her.
The redheaded man scoffed and strode out the front door. They could hear his complaints as he left.
"All this trouble, for one damn girl."
The Seeds climbed into their truck and left. David and Lisa sat at the kitchen table, staring at the large bag of cash. Their daughter belonged to Eden's Gate now…
They called Eli. He would know what to do. They should have called him before all of this, but they hadn't. The deal with the Seeds was made now. There was no going back.
When the bill came due, Liz was going to be the one to pay the price.
Eli's truck pulled up not long after they called him. He let himself inside.
"What did you do?" He looked angry. Eli already knew what they did. They had explained it over the phone. He didn't like the Seeds one bit. He had even started a resistance against them. They were calling themselves 'The Whitetail Militia'.
"Joseph brought us the money. That money is going to help Liz. Four years from now he'll have forgotten about the deal." David said.
Eli was practically pulling his hair out. "Eden's Gate does not forget! The Seeds don't forget! You took money from them. They will not be happy if you try to screw them over."
"They've been nothing but kind to us. The Seeds are nice people. Those rumors can't possibly be true." Lisa said.
Except those rumors were true. Everything that was said about the Seeds was true. Eden's Gate only wanted to hurt people.
"Was there anyone with Joseph when he came here?" Eli pulled his brother aside. There was fear in Eli's eyes. He was searching for answers.
"The oldest brother was with him."
Eli's eyes grew wide. "Jacob? He was here… Do you know who he is? What he does?"
There were a lot of rumors about Jacob Seed. The word was that he was building an army. He would buy up all the guns and ammo, then show people how to use them. He tuned people into killers. But they were all just rumors. They weren't true. They couldn't be. There's no way something like that could be happening in Hope County.
"He'll come for her…" Eli said.
"But Joseph said four years." That was the agreement. She goes to college for four years and then she works for Eden's Gate.
"I'm not talking about Joseph. I'm talking about Jacob… He's the one to worry about, he does what he wants. He won't come for her immediately. He'll wait until your not expecting it. Do you know what will happen if he gets her?"
David and Lisa said nothing.
"He'll take her, torture her, and mark her as weak. Jacob will kill her for joy of it, all because she's related to me…" Eli said.
The color drained from their faces. They were in shock. It wasn't an easy thing to hear. Especially when it was about their daughter. All they wanted to do was keep her safe. But they had failed at their job.
"What are we supposed to do?" David asked. Truthfully, they felt like terrible parents. They had become greedy for money and lost sight of what was most important.
"Lizzie can come stay at The Wolf's Den with me for a while. She'll be safe there."
Eli hadn't told them the location of their bunker. It was kept a secret. Eli said that if they knew the location, they would become targets. But thanks to their deal with the Seeds, they already were.
"No. She's only 17. She graduates high school in a month. We don't want her living in a doomsday bunker…" Lisa said.
The sound of a bedroom door opening made everyone go silent. Liz stepped out of her room. Her face was red and puffy. She looked distraught. David and Lisa hated seeing their daughter this way.
She walked out into the living room. She gave her uncle a small wave, he returned the gesture. How much of that had she heard? Did she know what just happened? The best-case scenario was that she knew nothing.
"Who was that man? Did he come here to tell me that I sucked for losing the game. He probably hates me just like everyone else…"
David and Lisa let out a sigh of relief. She had been referring to Jacob but wasn't aware of who he was. Thank gosh. She thought he was just some angry fan. She was still worried about the game she had lost. Of course, she would be. Softball was what she knew and loved. She had no idea what Eden's Gate was.
"Liz, no one hates you." Lisa said.
"Everyone hates me! Anytime I leave the house I get booed because it's all my fault we lost! All the recruiters think I suck anyways…" Tears ran down her face and fell onto her Hope County Softball T-Shirt.
"Come here." Her mother held out her arms. Liz walked over and climbed into her lap.
"Is there anywhere else you want to go to college?"
Her head perked up. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well… There is this one place. It's far away but um… I already got accepted. I didn't tell you guys about it."
Liz ran back into her room and returned with her laptop.
"It's in South Florida, so it's really far away. It's right on the beach! And I've always wanted to see the ocean! It looks so pretty. But it's expensive… If ya'll won't let me go, I understand…"
South Florida. That was absolutely perfect. It was about as far from Hope County as they could send her. Eden's Gate would never find her there. They could afford to do it now that they were $40,000 richer. They already took the money from the Seeds, they might as well use it.
"That sounds absolutely perfect Liz. It doesn't matter how much it is, you can go." David said.
Excitement crossed her face. "Really? Oh my gosh, this is awesome! Thank you so much."
"When would you move down?"
"Well most likely in the fall, but there is the one program that starts in the summer. I think I still have time to get into it. But I would have to leave like the day after graduation."
Even better. The quicker she got out of Hope County, the safer she would be.
"The summer sounds perfect. Apply to it tonight and we'll talk about it tomorrow." David gave his wife a look. She nodded, understanding what that meant. She told Liz that she would go help her apply in her room. The two women left.
"I'll have Whitetails placed outside the house all the time. They'll keep Liz safe, and she won't know." Eli said.
"Thank you for everything Eli. I'm sorry we didn't listen to your before…"
"It's okay. There's still time to fix this. I'll do anything to protect you, Lisa, and Lizzie."
There was still time. Liz would be okay. They would protect her, Eli would protect her. Despite Eli's assurances, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of David's mind. A feeling that had everything to do with the redheaded soldier that Eli told them to fear.
"If she's taken… do you have any idea what he'll do to her?" David asked.
It was a question that Eli had already answered. But he needed to hear it again. He needed to know how dangerous this situation was. How much trouble their daughter was in. Even if it broke his heart, he needed to know.
"I know exactly what he'd do. And that's what terrifies me." Eli said.
There wasn't much that could terrify Eli. But if Jacob Seed scared him, then everyone on the planet should. Eli gave his brother a grim look. One that was filled with hopelessness.
"He would destroy her…"