Chapter 17 : Triple Threat
"I saw this day coming." He said as he walked towards the duo. "I foresaw your return deputy, back to where it all began. However, it seems that all was not revealed to me." He glanced at Rachel before continuing. "Deputy, do you know what your greatest sin is?"
"Wrath." Chris offered.
Joseph shook his head. No, John was wrong. No deputy, your greatest sin is pride. You couldn't just walk away. You just had to kill my brothers Jacob and John, right? When are you going to learn that not every problem can be solved with a bullet?"
"I have my proof right here." Chris retorted.
"Ah yes. Another example of your pride. It wasn't enough for you to kill my family. You had to turn them against me too. You just had to corrupt her with your sin, make her forget who saved her when she had nothing…" Chris cast a quick glance at Rachel whose hands were shaking in clenched fists.
"Oh I remember you 'saving' me! Rachel yelled. "Pumping me full of drugs. Bending me to your will. Having me kill countless people while drugging even more, you bastard!"
Joseph turned back to look at Rachel, his expression unchanging. "And weren't you happy?"
Rachel was seething. "I thought I was. But then Chris came along." She grabbed Chris' arm. "He showed me it was false happiness! He showed me true joy! Where you want to be with someone because you love them not because you fear them!"
Joseph smiled slightly. "Yet another sign of corruption. Lust. You were once pure but now the deputy has blackened you with sin." He turned back to Chris. "So now in God's mercy, I offer you a way out deputy. I will let you and your little band leave in peace. Leave the county. But there's one condition. Faith stays with me. She must be cleansed of her sins"
"Its Rachel!" She yelled.
Joseph ignored her. "Like I said, she needs to be cleansed." He said more menacingly. "So what's it gonna be deputy? Remember, God is watching."
Chris looked at Joseph who was looking up at the sky. He then turned to look at Rachel who was looking back at him. He took a deep long look at her. He zeroed in on her face and then her eyes. Those loving, beautiful, blue eyes. He gave one more look at the woman he had fallen for, his mind made up long ago. He then turned back to Joseph with a calm fury in his eyes.
"Go fuck yourself Joseph."
Joseph merely shook his head in disappointment. "I may have forgotten to mention that I leaked word of your arrival to the resistance. I also spread word that you were coming to make a deal with me, to deliver Faith to me in exchange for a way out. They're on their way now. Even though you refuse, they will come and kill you." Chris remembered what Nick had said before. They had been mobilizing. He heard vehicles starting to approach the compound. "Remember, traitors burn in the 9th circle of hell." Joseph threatened as he walked back to the doors. Chris could hear footsteps behind them.
"Rachel run!" The duo then sprinted back towards their group as all hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted as the resistance filed out of their trucks and vans and began firing. They were met by the cultists who had been hiding in the adjoining buildings. As they were running, Chris could hear shouting from the resistance side,
"Kill Joseph! Kill Faith! Kill that traitor deputy and all that protect them!"
Luckily, the cultists and resistance drew each other's' attention which allowed Chris and Rachel to make it back without incident.
"Rook! What the fuck is this? We got both cultists and RESISTANCE firing on us!" Whitehorse shouted.
"Guess they REALLY didn't like my decision" Chris shouted back.
"I didn't expect to have to fight the whole fucking county!" He yelled back as he returned fire. Even with the appearance of the Whitetails and Cougars united as one, no one else in Chris' group has second thoughts. They all stuck to their jobs and fired on both cultist and resistance alike. It was a testament of their loyalty to Chris, their trust in him. Chris heard two chosen plans make strafing runs on resistance positions but Nick intercepted them because they could target Chris' band. Adelaide was providing covering fire from a decent distance away from her chopper. She also took down a few helicopters that made an appearance which Chris was grateful for. Hurk was blowing up resistance vehicles and cultist defenses. After running out of ammo, he was letting loose with an uzi. Grace was picking people off with precision. She had finally been convinced by Chris to use a silencer so her targets had no idea where she was hitting them from. Sharky was firing wildly from the turret. Chris hoped his 'Rambo' antics wouldn't get him killed. Jess was just as silent as deadly as Grace, killing with pinpoint arrows. Chris noticed that she kept near himself and Rachel would made him smile inside. He noticed the sheriff and his group taking cover behind their van, firing back as they could. Chris couldn't blame them for their reluctance. They were fighting their own people now.
After checking on all his friends, Chris took a position with his MG42 and began firing at any approaching hostiles. Rachel was right beside him, keeping her head down. A She looked up and saw Chris firing with a determined look on his face. As much as she wanted to help, she knew she would do very little with a pistol in this battle. She could only protect Chris if anyone got too close. The three-way civil war dragged on for what seemed like hours. The large numbers of the resistance and the cultists worked against them as they spent more of their time weakening each other than focusing on Chris' group. Although small, Chris' squad had perhaps the most firepower out of the three sides. Eventually the gunfire was silenced as the battle drew to a close. Rachel looked up again and saw a tired Chris scanner for any more targets. She looked back and saw everyone else who had the same fatigue that Chris was showing. But the good news is that they were all alive. The same could not be said of the others. Bodies and blood were strewn everywhere. The silence was broken by Chris on his radio.
"Nick, Adelaide, thanks so much for your help. We'll take it from here. We'll meet you at Fall's End later." The two aircraft then flew away. Chris turned towards the group. "Fan out, check for any survivors."
The group then cautiously advanced towards the remains of the carnage. Chris was followed by Rachel and Jess. Most of what he saw was the same. Bodies with their weapons beside them. Chris didn't see anyone he recognized until he came across a particular corpse. It was the body of Tammy, leader of the Whitetails after Eli had died. Chris turned towards Jess who shrugged after briefly starting at the body.
"She made her choice." They continued on until they heard a shout.
"Rook! We got a live one!"
The trio ran over to where the sheriff and his crew were huddling over someone. It was Tracey, leader of the Cougars.
"She doesn't have long to live" Hudson announced. They parted to allow Chris, Rachel, and Jess access. Tracey immediately noticed Rachel.
"Faith…." She moaned in pain. Rachel knelt down beside her and held her hand.
"Its Rachel. I'm here Tracey."
Tracey had tears in her battered face. "I'm sorry Rachel. I was consumed by hate for what you did. I couldn't let it go, unlike you. Forgive me Rachel. Please live the life we've both chased after…." Her hand then dropped as she passed on.
Rachel also had tears in her eyes. "I do. I will." She stood up and faced Chris. "Let's go to the church."
Chris nodded and they made their way over. Chris told jess to stay outside the doors just in case as they entered. Instead of cultists, the church was empty, save for one Joseph Seed who was standing at the altar, his back turned.
"Its over Joseph!" Chris yelled.
"Walk away deputy…."
"Its over!"
"Don't make me use this." Joseph turned around and revealed a radio in his hand. Chris recognized his plan but continued to advance.
"You're done!"
"You leave me no choice then!" Joseph then pressed a button and 'Only You' started playing. Chris stopped, took in the song briefly then quickly turned around and kissed Rachel on the lips while embracing her. Rachel was surprised but took it in stride, matching Chris' passion. Who was shocked most of all was Joseph who realized the 'conditioning' wasn't triggering.
"No! NO! NO! Why? Your sin is supposed to be unleashed! How? How is this possible? How did I not see this?" He collapsed on his knees. Chris broke his embrace with Rachel and approached him.
"We helped each other. She helped me rid myself of the 'conditioning'. As much as you preach about the sins of humanity, you have just witnessed their greatest strength, the ability to love one another unconditionally."
"How could I be such a fool?" Joseph muttered hanging his head down. "To ignore such a simple message from God. I was blinded by my sin. I only saw what I wanted to see. I've failed Him."
Chris turned to Rachel. "Give me your gun." She dutifully handed it to him where upon he tossed it to Joseph.
"Chris!' Rachel exclaimed. "What are you doing? That bastard can't be trusted!"
"Its okay Rachel." He turned back to Joseph. "End this now Joseph. Go be with God."
Joseph took the gun, staring at it. He then looked upward. "Oh merciful God, please welcome your wretched servant. Please forgive him for his terrible sins. Finally, please allow these two to have the happiness that I've tried to take away." He then pointed the gun at his head and pulled the trigger. Joseph collapsed in a pool of blood. Joseph Seed was dead. Jess stormed in hearing the gunshot.
"What the fuck happened?" She then saw Joseph's body.
"Its over." Chris said somberly. "Let's go home."