Randy's nose was broken, his face was bruised, and there were two huge lumps on the cranium. Cameron was a bit tempted to put a bullet between the bastard's eyes, but he knew that that would only lead to his own demise. So as soon as the man woke up Cameron knew he was fucked.
"Holy shit!" the bandit exclaimed.
"That's why you don't fuck with Yuba," Cameron told him, massaging his neck.
A minute later Becky returned, her face anxious. "I sent the e-mail. God I hope Isturez gets it soon."
"If not we're done for."
"Well," the bandit said. "Aren't ya gonna run for it?"
"Right, with just one gun, walls surrounding the entire town, and each gate being watched by armed guards?" Cameron rebutted, dismantling the gun. He and Becky then stepped into the cell, and locked themselves inside as they waited for the consequences of their actions.
Two hours later Cameron was handcuffed to a chair in an empty room, and he got the beating of a lifetime. The jailer and another person took turns as they punched him, kicked him, and beat him with all manners of blunt objects.
"Why did you do it?" the jailer asked, his face covered in bandages.
Cameron spit out some blood, and said, "I'm pissed. Does there have to be any other reason?"
"You didn't even try to run."
"Because I knew there was no getting away," Cameron told him. "I just wanted to take out my frustrations, that's all."
He punched Cameron again. "Then why did you tell that girl to run for it?"
"I wasn't thinking," he lied. "Good thing she didn't try to run, otherwise your people might've shot her."
The jailer put a gun to Cameron's head. "And what makes me think I won't shoot you?"
"Cause I didn't shoot you," Cameron responded, surprising himself with the quick reply. "And believe me, it would've been no problem at all."
He struck Cameron with the butt of the gun, when a voice said behind him, "Enough." Donnelly walked into the room. "Leave us."
Not daring to disobey, his two followers left the room.
"Why did you do it?" the Father asked, disappointed.
"I want to fucking go home—and you won't let me!" he spat in anger.
"Well, that is one strike against you. You've seen what happens if you accumulate two more," Donnelly told him coldly.
Over the next week it was the same routine. He and Becky were woken up in the morning, attended mass, and occasionally watched some poor bastard get branded. Someone replaced Randy so that the bastard could heal. But every time, before Cameron was thrown back into the cell, the new guy would give him a punch in the gut.
It wasn't limited to daily masses, though. Cameron and Becky also went to prayer circles, which consisted mostly of the other people trying to convince them what a great man Father Donnelly was. Jules definitely wasn't wrong when she told him how much the people of Gibbons revered Donnelly, but what she said was still a gross understatement. To them Donnelly was the number three guy—just behind Jesus and God Himself.
If they wanted to believe that, fine. But it was not their business to try and convert others using force.
"Why don't you give him a chance?" one of them asked Cameron sincerely.
Because I have brain, he didn't say. "Would you be happy if you were kept from your friends and family?"
"No."
"How the fuck do you think I feel?" Cameron responded in a pissed off tone.
Eight days into their incarceration, the new jailer led in Jules, her "husband", and another douche. The douche walked up to the cell and looked into it expectantly. He smiled and looked over at Ben.
"Your words didn't do her justice," he said, causing Ben to smile, Becky to arch an eyebrow, and Cameron to sit up cautiously. "Yes, I think I'll have her as my wife when she becomes cooperative."
"Fuck off," Becky responded, taken back.
"It seems as if your words really didn't have any affect on them," Ben told Jules sadly.
"Well I tried my best," Jules said, her jaw clenched.
"My home is much more comfortable than this cell," the man told Becky earnestly. "Come with me and we can build a wonderful family!"
"I'll kill you before you can even touch her!" Cameron shouted, standing up and grabbing the bars of his cell, before Becky could speak for herself.
When the new guy was going to respond two more men barged into the room looking incensed.
"What did you do?" Randy demanded of Cameron and Becky.
"What?" Becky asked.
The both of them took out pistols, moving Jules and the other two out of the way. "You're coming with us," said Gerry. With absolutely no room for delicacy, the two of them dragged Cameron and Becky out of their cell and through town. It appeared as if they were headed towards the eastern gate—and they weren't the only ones.
Not far from the gate just about everyone in Gibbons amassed to find out what was going on. Standing in front of the closed gates were four gunmen, with two more on the walls. Becky and Cameron were thrown on the ground not too far away, and both guns were aimed directly at the back of their heads.
"Move and you both die," Gerry threatened.
"Open it," Donnelly commanded, appearing from the crowd.
As the gates opened the two of them let out a gasp upon seeing who was on the other side.
"Well, it about fucking time," Harry said, his arms crossed and looking thoroughly pissed. "I've been waiting here for twenty goddamn minutes!"
"May I ask who you are and what your business is here?" Donnelly asked from behind the gunmen.
"Harry Galt, Defense advisor for Yuba," he answered swiftly. "And I'm here to save my people."
Out of the corner of his eye, Cameron noticed some people pushing to the front of the crowd. Most of them were the victims of branding and looked at Harry with hope. Jules appeared there too, looking from Cameron to Harry. Ben tried asking her what she was doing, but she ignored him.
"Save?" the Father inquired curiously. "Why, I'm already in the process of saving them."
"Well can you tell me why the hell you have guns pointed at the back of their skulls?" Harry retorted, gesturing towards them.
"They've been hesitant so far, that's all."
Harry put his hands on his hips and bowed his head. "Christ almighty. Whatever the case I'm taking them back."
"I don't think so," the Father responded.
"Look," he went on. "I'll make it simple: I want my people back. And, once this whole thing is water under the bridge, Yuba would like to make an alliance, seeing as the only other colony we know of is in Hawaii."
"Like I said, that's not happening," Donnelly said. "And you'll also be joining us. Take him."
"You heard him, let's go," one of the gunmen said, jabbing his weapon at Harry.
"You don't want to do that!" Harry yelled, his face screwing up in anger. "Keep that weapon pointed at me, and you will be classified as an enemy combatant!"
"I don't care. Now get inside!"
"You have five seconds to get that thing pointed away from me," he declared. "Five!"
"Move it!"
"Four…three."
"Go!"
"Two!"
"Damn it, I said—"
"ONE!" Harry casually flicked his wrist, and a split second later the man that was pointing the gun at him went down with a bullet through his head. It took a little while for what just happened to sink in. Finally, some of the citizens in the background started screaming in panic, the Father looked dumbfounded, and all the other gunmen began pointing their rifles up.
Instantly all of the gunmen were taken down, none receiving anything worse than a flesh wound, though. Horribly, Cameron heard the gun cocking behind his head. But as soon as that happened both Gerry and Randy were shot and fell to the ground dead.
"What did you do?" Donnelly demanded, looking horrified at what had just transpired in only a few seconds.
"Consider yourself lucky," Harry spat. "In the event that you people became hostile I set up over half a dozen snipers behind me. Their orders were to disable those with guns, and kill those that posed an immediate threat. Marsh, Robinson, let's go."
Not needing to be told twice, Becky and Cameron stood up, picked up the guns that had just been pointed at them, and made their way outside the gate.
"Thank you so much, Harry," Becky said breathlessly, turning on the safety and tucking the pistol into her pants.
"You really saved our asses," Cameron conquered.
"What happened to you?" Harry asked, taken back by his appearance.
"This?" he asked, touching his bruises. "Just the consequences of calling for help." Pulling Harry in by the shoulder, he said, "Hey, a lot of people don't wanna be here. We have to—"
"Enough," Harry told him. "You think you and Robinson were the only things Recon reported back to us?" Facing the crowd, and yelling so that everyone could hear, he said, "It's unfortunate how things went south like this. So, here's the deal: I know not all of you are happy with the things are run here, so if you wanna come with us now's your only chance. People in Yuba pull their own weight, food and supplies are evenly distributed, you make your own decisions, and this mother fucker," he added, pointing at Donnelly, "isn't in charge."
With that, he turned around and walked down the road. Ever so slowly, the people that looked hopeful at Harry's arrival began walking forward. Clayton just about had to drag his two brainwashed children kicking and screaming with him. Eventually, one of the other defectors picked up one of his kids, so that they could both be carried out. The rest of the civilians looked disbelievingly at what was happening before them—none more so than Donnelly.
"Julia, where are you going?" Cameron heard Ben ask.
Cameron turned to look as Jules punched her former "husband". "My name is Jules, asshole!" As she approached Cameron, he smiled at her and patted her on the back.
"Can't you see I'm trying to save you?" Donnelly asked everyone that was walking away. "Can't you see? No! I'm not letting anyone go!" From within his robes he pulled out a pistol, turning it on his deserters. Before he even got a chance to fire it off, a bullet passed right through his groin splattering blood all over his neat robes!
"Holy shit!" Cameron exclaimed, as the castrated Father was flocked over by his followers.
"Yeah," Harry said casually. "Robinson mentioned in the e-mail that the guy was a fucking pedophile. So, orders were that if he didn't play nice, he gets his dick blown off. And this way they'll be too scared to take any kind of revenge."
Finding it disturbingly satisfying, Cameron spotted Francine Decker, who met his gaze. Smiling, he raised his middle finger before turning to leave. A mile down, the road two trucks were sitting idle with people outside greeting them with a tremendous applause. Even the people on top of the trucks that were on zombie watch let their guard down for a second to clap along. Cameron and Becky shared hugs and handshakes all around.
"Sorry you got involved," Cameron said to Becky as they loaded onto the trucks.
She smiled as she planted a kiss on his lips. "I'm not, cause you wouldn't've gotten out without me." Well that was certainly true enough.
"Hey, Cam," Dennis said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Marge says she's gonna kill you when we get back."
"What the fuck for?" he asked, horrified. All of a sudden staying with the religious nut jobs seemed like the better alternative.
"For making her worry. Just passing it along."
"Who's Marge?" Jules asked curiously.
"You'll see," Cameron breathed heavily.