Eight hours later, and a call to her office to explain a family emergency, Roderick directed Lauren to turn down a Kentucky back road.
She'd been quiet as she drove, not sure what to say and not sure if she even wanted to say anything at all.
Roderick's eyes stayed glued to the road, sweeping in front of them and then behind. Lauren felt uneasy being dragged into this wild goose chase of a road trip.
She hadn't asked any questions, sure that if Roderick answered, they answers either wouldn't be clear or they wouldn't be something she wanted to know.
As she turned down the desolate road, she could tell they were getting closer. The sun was starting to go down and she got a chill realizing Roderick may be leading her farther into the rabbit hole of the following.
"So…" she said uncomfortable, navigating the dirt road, "What's going to happen now?"
Lauren glanced over at Roderick but his eyes stayed on the road.
"When we get there, stay in the truck," he said evenly, his tone that of absolute control.
Lauren gripped the steering wheel, rolling her eyes. She'd hoped she'd get more of an answer than that. She decided to suck it up and ask.
"Who's Nathan Mead and why did we drive eight hours to get here?" she said, trying to sound demanding and assertive.
Roderick smirked, chuckling at her attempt to sound like him. He knew he could get away with short, noncommittal answers for a while, but it may be better if she knew the situation in case it didn't go as he planned.
"I recruited Nathan's brother, Charlie, years ago. He was the first of the followers beside myself. He was ex-military, in the Cyber Surveillance Unit, spent four years in Baghdad, and two in Kandahar. He'd killed nine people during his service. When he was psychiatrically discharged, he was in a deep depression and I brought him to meet Joe. Joe noted that Charlie's demons controlled him and that if he was loyal to Joe, that he would teach him how to be free. Charlie was very loyal. He set up the server that I used to recruit additional followers. After that, his main assignment was to follow Claire Matthews and report her activity.
When Joe escaped, he asked Charlie to bring Claire to him. Charlie was able to bring Claire in but the FBI found her. When Charlie couldn't get Claire back, he realized he'd failed Joe… Charlie knew that there was only one way to regain Joe's faith in him and the only way to truly free himself from disappointment… he asked Joe if he would kill him…" Roderick said, an edge of resentment in his voice.
When Roderick looked at Lauren, she looked pale. Into the rabbit hole…
"Being killed by Joe is an honor," Roderick added, "But Charlie's brother, Nathan, will be pretty pissed about it. At least I hope so, I'm counting on it."
Lauren blinked, thinking. 'Being killed by Joe is an honor.'
"What are you hoping he'll do?" she asked, already thinking of her next question.
"Nathan and Charlie grew up in a civilian militia group. Charlie went into the service but Nathan stayed in the militia. He's quite high up now, it's the reason I didn't recruit him. He was already loyal to a different organization. Nathan hasn't heard from Charlie since I recruited him. Finding out his brother has been killed by an escaped infamous serial killer may get his militia moving towards Havenport… especially if I can give him everything he needs," Roderick said, his voice full of testosterone, "There is no way I could get close enough to Joe to kill him. The militia will get the job done… and destroy the following completely."
Lauren thought, not looking at him. He'd been mad the other night that Joe had betrayed him but now he was furious, bent on destroying everything he'd helped build.
Roderick smirked. If Joe wanted him to be ruthless… he would be.
Lauren approached her next question carefully.
"If being killed by Joe is an honor, what are you more mad about? That Joe ordered someone to kill you or that he didn't kill you himself?" she asked cautiously.
Roderick didn't answer. He wasn't sure. He was furious that Joe had betrayed him and used him… but he knew that Joe wouldn't personally kill him. Joe wouldn't give him that honor. He didn't want it now anyways. He had taken Joey, he understood that Joe would want him dead, but he'd sent someone clearly inefficient for the task. Noticeably he was still alive.
"Turn here," Roderick directed and Lauren turned, feeling her stomach knot up as she saw a large cabin, with lights on inside, at the end of the road.
Before she got too close, Roderick put his hand out to stop her.
"Stop here," he said, eyes on the house, "Stay in the truck."
Roderick didn't look at her as he got out, closing the truck door loudly. He wanted Nathan to know he was there, but still didn't want to get too close.
He scanned the perimeter as he approached the house and Lauren watched from the darkness of the truck, Roderick's hands at his side, ready to draw his weapon if necessary.
She watched Roderick climb the steps and knock on the door, then casually looking towards the windows and then into the woods.
A tall man in jeans and a flannel shirt opened the door with a rifle in his hand. Lauren watched nervously as Roderick spoke with the man and she could barely hear their voices.
The man at the door withdrew his rifle and stepped aside, letting Roderick into the house, looking out into the darkness behind him before he shut the door.
Lauren let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She felt uneasy and worried.
She tried to shake her head. Roderick should be able to hand any situation he walked himself into… but she still didn't like it.
She did not want to be here. Granted, she was happy she wasn't sitting at home waiting for Joe Carroll's people to find her, but she'd rather not be in some backwoods Kentucky town alone in a truck. Something about this made her horribly uncomfortable. This was a part of Roderick's life that she didn't want to witness or be involved in.
Minutes felt like hours and there wasn't any sign of Roderick. It was cold, but Lauren rolled down her window in case she could hear anything more.
Lauren began to think of scenarios that might arise…
If Roderick didn't come out, what should she do? She couldn't go to the police and she surely wouldn't go knock on the door and ask for him.
If the sun came up and Roderick was still inside, what would she do? Stay where she was or move the truck out of the driveway?
If Roderick came out, followed by others? Take out her gun and try to cover him? No way… she knew how to use a gun but she wasn't that good, especially not enough to play hero.
Deep in thought, something jarred her out of her thinking and the hairs on her neck stood on end.
A branch snapped in the woods beside the truck, right outside her open window. Close.
Taking a deep breath, trying to gather her courage and tell herself it was probably just a raccoon, she turned her head, her breathing shallow.
Instead, a very large man with a very large rifle stood at her door, the rifle tucked in his shoulder, pointed at her head, inches from her skin.
Lauren froze, her eyes dilating.
"Goddamnit, Williams!" the man growled, his head cocked and voice behind him, "I told you to be fucking quiet. Lord knows I ain't taking you anywhere anymore!"
The man turned back to Lauren, rifle still held high. He had a very thick beard and a hat on. Lauren couldn't see anyone behind him in the darkness.
"Evenin' ma'am," he said sarcastically, rifle still in place, "You know, this is private property… and in Kentucky, we ain't too fond of calling the law… we prefer to deal with trespassers ourselves."
Someone behind him snickered. The man rolled his eyes at his counterparts.
Lauren remained frozen. She'd never been at the opposite end of a rifle before.
The man smiled, coughed, and did his best police officer impression. "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the vehicle. Sherriff's orders."
Lauren didn't move. Roderick told her to stay in the truck. He definitely didn't tell her about this…
The man rolled his eyes. "The Sherriff would like you to come inside."
Lauren looked up towards the cabin, not seeing any sign of Roderick, and looked back at the man.
He lowered his rifle a few inches but did not withdraw it completely. "Let's go, darlin'…"
Taking one last look at the cabin, Lauren swallowed. She felt uneasy.
As she moved to open the door, the man outside withdrew his rifle and opened the door from the outside.
Stepping out and feeling her boots on the cold ground, she saw three other men step forward from the darkness.
Eyes on her, the man in front of her towered over her, one hand on his rifle and the other in his pocket.
"I'll ask you nicely," he said in a southern drawl, "Are you armed?"
Lauren felt the heavy weight of the .22 in her pocket and started to shake her head no, but then realized that if this is a militia group, they would search her and they'd find it anyways and she might be in a worse situation.
She nodded but she didn't reach for it. Reaching for a weapon was as good as being shot.
"Right pocket of my coat," she said quietly.
"Good girl," he said with a bearded smile.
He stepped forward, reached into her pocket, and took out the .22. He tested its weight in his hand and handed it to someone behind him.
The large man stepped aside and motioned into the darkness. "After you."
Lauren frowned and stepped past him. All of this felt strange. She wasn't sure if they were really taking her to Roderick or not, but there was no sense in defying them. That would just get her killed.
One man in front of her led the way while a man on either side flanked out to cover them. The large man stayed behind her. All men had rifles tucked into their shoulders and kept them raised.
They moved quietly, eyes forward, sweeping the area. It was like their legs were detached from their bodies, carefully avoiding branches and twigs without having to look. Lauren had to look at the ground to keep from stumbling.
Within moments, they approached a dark, dilapidated barn. The man Lauren was following went straight to a door on the side of the barn while the two men on the sides turned their backs and scanned the area.
Lauren really wondered if there was anything anywhere these men had to worry about.
The barn smelled musty and old and was very dark. Lauren paused inside the door, not able to see anything but the large man behind her nudged her in farther.
Finally, on the other side of the barn, a light came on and Lauren shielded her eyes, feeling the man behind her pushing her in farther.
The barn was full of old tractors and machinery but complete with a wall of semiautomatic weapons. The man who pushed her in started to pat her down, checking to make sure she'd been honest about only having one weapon.
Lauren carefully looked around the barn. Roderick was definitely not there. She felt uneasy and uncomfortable, but yet she stayed quiet.
She was definitely far down the rabbit hole.
The man who'd brought her here stepped in front of her while the man who'd led the way cleaned a gun in the corner.
"Maryland license plate," he said in a gruff voice, "What the hell are you doing all the way out here?"
Lauren swallowed. Her palms were sweaty and her coat was barely keeping her warm.
"I came with the Sheriff," she said, not meeting his eyes, "He came to speak with Nathan Mead."
The man chuckled. "At this time of night? Ain't no way it's on official business…"
Lauren didn't say anything. She wasn't sure if that was a question.
The man stiffened, touching his beard. "Why the hell are you out here?"
Lauren didn't know how much to say. Surely she shouldn't tell this man about Roderick's plans…
"Do I need to repeat myself?" he growled, "Why the hell are you out here?"
Lauren's head swam with different options of what to say… if to say anything at all.
"Aw, hell," the man in the corner said, gun in hand at his side, cigarette dangling from his mouth.
It took him four strides to get to Lauren and as he finished the fourth, he reached out and hit Lauren with his unarmed hand.
It hadn't been hard, not hard at all, but enough to make her neck snap to the side. She'd grown up with three brothers and the hit hadn't been bad. It was loose handed, with no real muscle behind it.
He'd just wanted to make a point.
The man in front of her pushed the other away.
"Goddamnit, Adam, what the fuck are you doing?" he yelled at the cigarette smoking, gun-wielding man.
He shook him off. "You're too fucking soft, Caleb. You wanna know shit, you gotta ask right. Pretty please ain't gonna get you shit."
Adam walked back to her corner, arms crossed and watching.
Caleb looked back at Lauren who had a red cheek but wasn't worse for wear.
"What are you doing out here?" Caleb asked again with a firmer voice.
Lauren frowned, looking at Adam. "The Sheriff needed to talk to Nathan Mead about his brother, Charlie."
Caleb chuckled. "Nah, I don't think he'll care all that much. And we both know that Maryland Sheriffs don't make house calls at this time of night in Kentucky…"
Lauren shifted her weight. A cell phone rang and Caleb fished it out of his pocket.
"Yeah?" he answered, "Alright…"
Caleb grinned as he hung up the phone. "The Nathan Mead would like to see you now."