Clarity

by SunshineNGunpowder21

Deputy Avery Mason thought she had left the war when she went back to civilian life. Never did she expect to enter a new battle on the homefront of Montana. When things are never what they seem, who can one trust when they are alone? Sometimes a broken mind is what you need to find the truth. Eventual JacobxOC

12. Chapter 12

Five seconds.

For five drawn out seconds, Avery sat on the edge of her mattress as the brute stood in the doorway, his eyes darting between her and Liam. Risking a quick glance to the kid, she saw him frozen in place as if the plumet of the room's temperature settled into his veins. Very quickly, it became clear that the older man was not a friend to him anymore than he was to her.

In those long seconds, there were plenty of things running through her distracted mind. Liam was discovered in her room by one of the few people who despised her. Worst of all, only moments ago both were discussing her escape plans for the following night. At this point, she could either play dumb, or play the intolerable sinner. Judging by Liam's petrified silence, she figured he was lost on what to do next, which meant it was up to her.

Five seconds.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Chuck hissed as he slammed the door behind him.

"I was—I was making sure she ate her food," Liam explained, trying to stick to his alibi he practiced throughout the day. But he knew Chuck wouldn't be satisfied with that answer.

"Were you plotting with the bitch? Does your uncle know you're here?"

"Plotting-? No! Chuck, what are you talking about?"

"You lying sack of shit! You are trying to help her escape! I warned your uncle that your sympathy for her was a liability!"

All the color visibly drained from Liam's face at the accusation and Avery resisted stepping in. She had two options to get them out of it and she had already chosen. She just prayed it was the right one.

"No! I would never do that! I would never go against the Project—"

"And you!" Chuck turned his fury to Avery who fixed him with a vile glare. "You're manipulating him into helping you!"

"You're as delusional as you look." Her response was flat and a degree colder than the air between them. "I was telling the brat to leave me alone. I definitely wasn't trying to humor him with conversation, let alone try to turn his loyalties."

"I don't believe that for a second. You might have Brother John fooled but I know what you are. You are a worthless, conniving whore who is trying to dismantle Eden's Gate."

"I'm trying to be left alone." She gave him one solid impatient look and finally shook her head, as if the whole ordeal was nothing but an inconvenience to her evening.

Lounging down on her bed, she grabbed the book from the end table and opened it to the bookmark. "Please, take the kid back to… wherever. I don't know. Do you live in holes or something? I just want to be left alone."

Liam didn't dare speak a word, even as Chuck looked like he was about to lose whatever control he had on his rage.

"You stupid woman. I know you spared his life weeks ago! I know there is more going on than you're telling me! And you expect me to believe that he was bothering you? Like you aren't trying to take advantage of the weak?" he asked in a taunt voice about to snap.

"To be honest, Chuck, I don't give a flying fuck what you believe." Her tone was annoyed but level, all while never sparing a glance in his direction. The simple act alone cut deeper than his insults to her. All Liam could do was hold his breath and hope Avery knew what she was doing, because he was at a complete loss.

"I spared the kid, yeah, but I didn't know it would turn into this stray-cat-scenario. Besides being a persistent chaperone to me, he's nothing. Not some tool to use against you, we don't have some sort of secret alliance or whatever. He brought me food, for fuck's sake— God, I thought it was only John who was so dramatic! Just… do me a favor and both of you. Get. Out."

If it had been anyone else, Liam was sure it would have been convincing. And perhaps it was convincing to Chuck, but he was just too worked up to see past his fury. In the end, it didn't really matter what he believed was the truth because he was beyond reason.

Avery had disrespected him and his suspicions so severely that any backing down would look like he lost. This woman, this officer who came to take the Father away, who sided with the rebels, and attacked the compound, killing his stepsister; she disrespected him. Shrugged him off and acted like he was nothing more than an annoyance. Some little, insignificant fly that got locked inside her room and constantly buzzing around, looking for a way out.

In an instant, he lost control of his temper and in a blind rage, he trudged forward with fists trembling at his sides.

Despite her attention on the book, she tried to keep a discrete visual on the current threat in the room. She had seen him stomp forward but underestimated how quickly he would reach her side. Realizing he was crossing the room with purpose, she turned her full attention to him and, at the last moment, she raised her arm to block his swing.

But she was too slow.

The back of his hand collided with her cheek with enough force that she saw a flash of white as it spun her to her side. Liam choked out a gasp, but it never registered to her as she was violently yanked off the bed by her ankles, landing with a thud on the floor. The jarring force caused the hot pain to shoot through her chest and neck, though it wasn't enough to knock the wind from her.

"Do you think you are better than me? Do you?!"

Avery cracked her eyes open to see the man towering over her with knuckles bleached white. She wasn't thinking about her act anymore. She was feeling that darkness of hers creeping up, whispering all the ways she could hurt this man. But she refrained. Still aware that Liam was in the room. That she was in enemy territory and trying her damnedest to escape. If she acted against the brute, there was no doubt things would rapidly become more difficult for her.

Not getting an answer, Chuck gripped her hair callously and pulled her to her knees. His fiery gaze turned to Liam who watched with wide eyes, not believing how quickly everything was spinning out of control. Meeting Chuck's stare, his mouth shut into a tight line and his shoulders squared ever so slightly.

Avery noticed it instantly, recognizing what the kid was thinking. Hoping to draw his attention, she growled and made a feeble attempt to free herself from Chuck's grip, but he only tightened his hold, pulling at her roots in warning. Fortunately, it wasn't for nothing as Liam's gaze dropped to her for the barest of seconds. Just enough for her to twitch her head no.

He may not have liked it, which under different circumstances he probably would have argued with her. However, judging by his slackening shoulders, she realized he was going to trust her to fix this because what else could he do? What could he hope to accomplish if he decided to fight Chuck? Now was more important than ever that each of them stick to their roles to keep the truth hidden.

"What do you think, Liam? Do you think she's better than me?"

"…No. Why are you doing this? Brother John won't be pleased—"

"Don't you finish that fucking sentence," he growled. "You are in some hot water, boy. Wait until your uncle hears about this. And Brother John? I'll tell him the truth. That you were plotting with this bitch."

"Where's your proof," Avery spat out, ignoring the pointed look from Liam. "You don't have any, do you?"

Chuck pulled her hair in a jerking motion, causing tears to blur her eyes. She could feel that her cheek was becoming puffy as it swelled from the backhanded hit.

"Shut-up, sinner!"

Avery ignored him. "Do you really think John will believe you? The way I see it, it's 50-50. Maybe even 60-40. My word against yours."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"This kid was just bringing me food and waiting for me to finish eating. You're the one that came in and took your pent-up aggression out on me for killing your stepsister. You could have sent for John at the first suspicion that the kid was trying to help me escape, but instead you came in and started to harass me!"

Chuck snarled at the woman and shoved her forward, causing her drop to her stomach. She attempted to sit up, but he pushed her down with his boot centered on her back.

"Then I'll just tell him that you and the little shit have history together. Tell him that you spared his life at the railyard. I even have his uncle to back me up on that story."

"Get your foot off me—"

"Or what?" He leaned forward, the weight of his leg gradually squeezing the collected air out of her lungs as he got lower. "If you retaliate, then all bets are off. You know that don't you. That's why you haven't lifted a finger against me, because anything I do after I can say was in self-defense."

A deep growl left her throat, and it was all she could do to keep from lashing out at him.

"Come here, boy."

Feet refusing to move, Liam looked at Chuck, stuck between staying out of the way and helping his friend.

"I said, come here!"

Liam jumped at the order and tentatively stepped forward. When he was within distance, Chuck seized his arm and jerked him closer.

"Kick her."

The teen blinked at the order, afraid he heard correctly. "What?"

"I want you to kick her. Show me that you aren't trying to betray us before Brother John shows up."

Liam couldn't believe it. 24 hours. That was all it took before everything Avery warned him about came true.

"It doesn't feel right. She didn't do anything to me," he tried to offer.

Baring his teeth, Chuck violently shoved the teen back, where he tripped over the chair and landed on his backside.

Enough was enough.

In one quick motion, Avery pushed herself as much as she could from the ground, making Chuck lose balance from the unexpected thrust. As he began to fall to the side, she twisted her body across, her legs wrapping around his left's upper thigh, arms binding around his calf and palm to his heel, turning it towards his outside. She didn't need to apply much pressure as it would dislocate his knee as easily as snapping a twig.

Chuck let out a roar as she teetered on the threshold, forcing his tendons and ligaments to stretch and tear threateningly. Trying to ease the position, he rolled in an attempt to straighten his heel in her hold, but she was locked in place, fully focused on not adding or taking away pressure. In a feeble act, Chuck struck at her calf near his hip, earning a few curses sent his way, followed by his heel twisting across that threshold further.

The chaos of the evening only intensified as the door abruptly flew open and two men came rushing in, shouting, and hauling her and Chuck apart. Once he was free from her hold, he limped to his feet, gaining his equilibrium before lunging at her. His blood was boiling, and he wanted nothing more than to strangle the life from her.

Dean, who had ahold of Avery, stepped in front of her and blocked Chuck while Terry grabbed the man's arms and held him back.

"Get him out of here!" Dean yelled while Terry, and now Liam started to help push the older man out.

The entire ordeal played out with Chuck spewing curses at Avery who responded by flipping him off. Seeing her hand in the corner of his eye, Dean smacked it down and gave her an appalling look.

"Are you fucking crazy? Stop provoking him into a fight…" The sight of her cheek caused his warning to trail off, as it was useless advice to the deputy given the events of the evening.

As Chuck was involuntarily thrown outside, Liam shut the door, leaving Terry to calm the raging man in the hallway. The air was tense and the silence short lived in the small bedroom before Dean started in on the kid, prying for an explanation on what had led to the scene he walked in on.

"Liam," Dean scolded and stepped to the center of the room, tossing another glance at the deputy who had yet to say anything. "What the hell happened? And be quick about it because Janet went to get Brother John."

Avery wanted to swear at the news, but she figured the outcome was inevitable at this point.

"I was just dropping off her food and making sure she ate while Terry was getting dinner downstairs. Then Chuck came in and started accusing me of shit—"

"What kind of shit?"

"Er…"

"Hurry up—out with it!"

"Like trying to help her escape…"

"Oh, for the love of—tell me you weren't doing that!"

"I… No-no, I wasn't—"

The look he pinned Liam with was one that the teen knew all too well. He wasn't buying the story for a second.

"Ok, ok. I was trying to help her—"

"Liam!" Avery snapped, wondering why the hell she took a beating if he was just going to crumble and spill the truth.

"It's ok, Avery. Dean's my friend."

"What did you say to him?" Dean questioned, now turned around to confront Avery, splitting his frustrations between Liam and the deputy. "This is your fault!"

"My fault?" Oh, there was not a drop of patience left in her body after dealing with these Peggies. "My fault?! I warned him this would happen! I told him I didn't want his help and to leave me be, but he refused to listen! And—and that maniac outside! Why do you even have someone like him in your so-called religion?! He's fucking insane!"

"Avery-Dean, please stop!" Liam pleaded.

"I know he's insane but everyone around here ain't stupid enough to push him like you did! Why would you even try to fight him! No—stop getting me off topic! You should have left Liam out of this!"

"Dean!" but the kid's protests continued to fall on deaf ears.

"I didn't drag him into it to begin with!"

"You did when you spared him!"

"Oh, what would you have me do?" Avery shouted as she tossed her arms in the air. "Would you prefer I killed him too?"

"Fuck no! You never should have gone to the railyard to begin with! You should have minded your own damn business!"

"Don't you think I know that?—Trust me, I know! And I'm fucking sorry!"

The sudden apology drowned the room into a muted silence. Dean was completely taken aback by the admission, and in the stillness, he took note of the situation they were in.

He could see she was in pain, and her stress was, understandably, through the roof with everything that had happened. As if Chuck wasn't enough to deal with, she had to listen to him tear into her too. There wasn't much Dean knew about her but from what Liam had told him and from what he had seen, she was just a regular woman who found herself stuck in the middle of two opposing sides.

The remorse she felt after her announced apology was clear in the way her eyes watered with a new shine and her shoulders lost their stiffness as whatever weight settled began to force them to droop. The details were small in the heat of the argument, but it hit hard enough in the gut to make certain that she wasn't feigning her guilt.

There was no envy for her position, and he realized that despite the stories, she was still human. She was doing what she thought was right, even if it went against his side but that didn't make her the enemy. She still had regret. She made mistakes. And he was just tearing into her after everything she had been through so far.

He suddenly felt uncomfortable, realizing what he had said in their argument.

"I'm sorry," Avery continued in calmer tone, breaking the uncomfortable silence. All the shouting was causing the pain in her cheek to radiate toward her eye and jaw. "I wish I never went there and took the railyard. None of this would be happening if I stayed where I was. If I could take it back or done differently, I promise, I would."

"… Well… I suppose that's a start for your atonement," stated a new voice, causing everyone to spin towards the door.

John stood in the threshold, filling the room with murderous intent as he fixated on Avery with a glowering scowl. His body was tense, and his eyes bore into Avery's with an overwhelming authority that made her realize the unequal ground they stood on. The waves radiating off the Baptist was truly menacing.

No one said a word, and she was certain each of them was holding their breath. She knew she was. Swallowing, the deputy did her best to shake off the sudden anxiety that swept through her system, but she found it near impossible, as her heart had begun to beat a little faster.

Not taking his eyes from her, he raised a hand over his shoulder expectantly where her guard, Terry, placed a radio into. Behind him in the hall, the deputy could see a woman sending a concerned frown to Dean and Liam besides her. Bringing the radio to his mouth, John barked his orders for his followers. Everyone in the hall and room waited anxiously to hear the judgement of the Baptist.

"I want six individuals to come to the second floor at once. Make sure they are armed… Oh, and have someone else prepare my study…"

There was a concurrence on the other end by, who she assumed was the shift lead, before it went silent. Avery heard Dean whisper a curse under his breath at the sound of the study being involved.

Luckily, it went unnoticed by the Baptist who stuffed the radio into his rear pocket and took a long, drawn inhale, collecting any bit of control he had left after the news of chaos in his house. Once he was certain he wouldn't explode, he addressed everyone around him.

"Here's what's going to happen," he began. She was surprised by how level he sounded despite the tenseness in his spine and slight snarl he tried to suppress. "I will speak to every one of you. There will be no talking to each other, and everyone will sit in their designated locations until I call on you next. No one has permission to leave their spot until I give the final answer. No bathroom breaks, no water. You will sit and be quiet. Do I make myself clear?"

Those who didn't lose their voice or nerves nodded their head or offered meek compliances.

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, Brother John."

Seeing that Avery had done neither, he arched a brow delicately and tilted his head in faux interest.

"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't hear you." Although staged, his voice held a lingering threat directed right at her.

"…I understand."

Pursing his lips, he contemplated on whether that was an acceptable answer before giving a stiff nod. Stepping to the side of the doorway he directed his attention to Dean and Liam.

"Everyone, except our guest, out in the hall."

Hastily obeying, both followers shuffled out into the hallway while Liam spared one last glance at her. Avery remained where she was and furrowed her brows, feeling like the night was just going to get worse from here on out.

"You will have a new guard in just a moment, Deputy." The sound of the front door reached through the silence of the second floor, and the Baptist smiled cruelly. "Never mind, it looks like they are here. Try to behave or you will find just how depleted my generosity is."

Before she could say anything on the matter or ask what he intended to do, he shut the door harshly, leaving her alone with nothing but her internal panic.

/././././././

Outside in the hall, each of the followers involved, including Janet were lined against the wall. Chuck was second in the line and occasionally would toss vile glares at Liam from the opposite end who did his best to ignore him completely. John waited in front of them with his hands clasped behind his back and scowl firmly etched into his features. The sound of the study doors shutting below and six new followers coming up the stairs held his attention.

The newcomers, five men and one woman, glanced nervously at the lineup of their companions. Their expressions were a healthy mix of confusion and anxiousness at what must have occurred to result in the Herald calling upon them so late in the evening. Events like these never happened often, if at all, which would no doubt become the new topic of gossip among the Peggies the following morning.

As the reticent group came to a halt, John stepped forward, ignoring all pleasantries and began to delegate their individual roles for the evening. He was too eager to get to the bottom of the bedlam that had erupted with the Deputy.

Seeing that John was fully focused on explaining his orders to the newcomers, Dean decided now was the last chance for him to talk to Liam. Taking the barest of opportunity available, Dean breathed out his instruction to the teen, hoping none of the others could hear him.

"Tell him the truth."

Liam had to focus hard on what Dean had said before it registered to him. His attention was being pulled between listening to John's plans for them and what Dean was trying to get across.

"But—"

"Ssh." Dean didn't want Liam to talk or risk anyone hearing them. It was bad enough he was doing it. "Leave out the 'helping' thing. Tell the truth about the rest."

Liam wanted to ask a number of questions, but it was too dangerous. He figured it was all Dean had to say on the matter either way, so he stayed quiet and returned his attention to John.

"Take the others into the spare room and make sure they don't leave until it's their turn. I want everyone nearby incase the Deputy tries anything. Await further instruction through the night. Understand?"

"Yes, Brother John."

Turning back to face the followers along the wall, John regarded each one starting with Chuck and Terry. The older man was wise enough to drop his gaze, clearly berated out of his previous rage. Dread filled him at the thought of what would happen next. As John passed him to look at Janet and the others, Chuck's shoulders visibly slackened, relieved that he wasn't first to be in the Baptist's line of fire.

Janet was only given a glance before John's attention landed squarely on Dean.

"Congratulations, Dean. Your presence here has me most curious, so you will entertain me first." John motioned to the stairs. "Lead the way to the study."

Dean didn't offer a verbal acknowledgment, begrudgingly walking down the hall to the stairway and into the Baptist's den.

/./././././././

The deputy paced in her room with the heels of her boots scraping the rug every so often. Each passing lap did less to ease her worry and she looked at the clock on the end table for the umpteenth time that evening. Only four minutes had passed since she last glanced at the face, eliciting a groan from the woman.

"Damn it!"

She stopped and took note of her room, all her senses drawn to the dim light that crept in from under the doorway. While there was only silence from the hall, she knew at any moment, it would come alive with someone coming to take her to the Baptist. To her left, the book was still on the bed which now had messy covers from her being dragged from it.

There was no way she would be able to distract herself with the novel, even if reading at a time like this would throw a follower off balance at the sight. No matter how hard she tried, Avery couldn't feign the brave and careless image if she tried, especially as her fidgeting would give her away.

Stalking up to the window, she looked out to the grounds and noticed four guards standing together with two of the men smoking cigarettes. Her movement at the second floor caught the attention of one which inevitably attracted the others, stopping them in mid conversation to watch what the deputy would do next.

Another groan left her, and she turned back to the center of the room. The increase of guards was only the beginning of what she knew was to come after that night. In retrospect, Avery would be surprised if she still had half the freedom that she was so-called 'graced' with so far.

"…check for concussion…"

"…you heard his rules…not interested…"

The broken conversation on the other side of the door drew her attention and she took a couple cautious steps closer to listen.

"Brother John told me to check. It wouldn't do anyone any good if the Deputy has a concussion from Chuck. If I wasn't cleared, you know I would still have a guard with me."

"….I don't know," a unknown female voice answered, not convinced.

"30 seconds. That's all I need. Or you can ask Brother John for clarification if you want… He's just starting in with the next person, so I would hurry before you interrupt him. You know how he gets when he's interrupted during confessions."

"…Fine. 30 seconds."

The sound of a chair moving was her only warning before the door opened to reveal a familiar face. The ballcap was no longer present but the tall figure and dusty hair was unmistakable.

As the door shut behind him, Avery opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but Dean interrupted her with a stifled order.

"Shut up and listen. I ain't got much time—And before you get any ideas, I don't care what happens to you, I'm doing this for Liam."

He paused to see if she would counter with anything, expecting her to be offended by his bluntness. When all she did was wait, he continued in a hushed voice.

"Liam is going to tell Brother John about everything from the railyard to tonight and he's going to pretend that the little confession that I didn't hear never happened. So, you need to keep your story straight with his. You helped him and his uncle. He came to give you food and talk to you. You two were having a conversation about some topic, that had nothing to do with escaping when Chuck came in. Keep it as close to the truth as possible or Brother John will pick out the lie."

The words hung in the air between them, and Dean took the time to think over if he missed anything. The thirty minutes with the Baptist had been tense but manageable seeing as he didn't have anything to hide. Regrettably, the same couldn't be said for Liam. While Dean left unharmed, he couldn't be certain that Liam or Chuck would be so lucky. It was a risk to confront Avery after John had ordered no contact, but he had to try to get everyone on the same page. If enough people shared the same story, then Chuck's would be less validated. The white lie to the guard was a risk worth taking in his mind.

Realizing that Avery had yet to say anything, he shifted awkwardly under her gaze. Her cheek was still discolored and swollen, which brought back to his mind the way he accused her earlier.

"Alright…," he offered lamely to fill the silence, not accustomed to the guilt creeping up again. "Glad we had this talk."

As he began to walk away, Avery tried to pick through the many questions she had running through her mind. She didn't think Dean liked her much anymore, especially with his disclaimer that he didn't care what happened to her. Despite that, she didn't consider him the enemy. Or at least her enemy.

"Dean…"

The young man stopped before the door and glanced over his shoulder at the deputy. She took his waiting as a good sign.

"I'm glad Liam has someone who looks after him. Thank you."

The twinge of guilt soared abruptly when he realized that she was giving her appreciation, not for herself, but for the kid. Sighing deeply, he turned back around to face the woman, noticing the sincerity in her words.

"Someone's got to babysit him. He always finds trouble when he's unsupervised…" The weak attempt at humor fell flat, never having a chance to ease the tension in the tiny room. Frowning, Dean added. "Take care, Deputy… and good luck down there."

Taking his leave, Avery was once again left with the back of the door as her only companion.

Dean's idea was a clever approach, which alleviated some of her concerns. In theory, it sounded like a clean solution to have everyone's story match, but whether her and Liam's recount of conversational topics stayed the same was not a likely outcome. At least Dean was more friend than foe to her, or else he wouldn't have left with a positive, albeit hopeless response.

Returning to the flattened fibers of the rug, she peered at the woven colors, all muted in tones beneath her dirty boots. Taking the crumpled napkin from the back of her pocket, she reviewed the drawing before stuffing it back in its place; internally cursing her forgetfulness. If Dean was not under scrutiny anymore, he could have disposed of the napkin for her.

Early, Avery had contemplated getting rid of the evidence, but it wasn't like they allowed her access to a fire or paper shredder. The only option she truly had was to shred it into tiny pieces so they couldn't read it or eat it, which she was not eager to do. Until another option presented itself, her pocket was the safest place for the useless map.

There was no way her escape plan for the following night was going to happen now. Chuck had unraveled her preparations and left her with the inevitable confrontation with the Baptist. She did not expect to get to this point until after a failed escape attempt. She never even had a chance to try.

Whether John would believe her story or not wasn't the issue. Even with the choreographed recount, John would, without a doubt, increase security measures. Any information Liam had gathered previously was void. Outdated. The napkin lingering in her pocket was more risk than reward now.

Sentry routes and numbers would be altered and there would be different schedules for her personal guards. Great.

Everything was about to get much harder after tonight which meant she needed to come up with something else, and quick.

If that wasn't enough for her to worry about, there was a bigger issue at hand. Now that John knew about her and Liam, if she did escape, it would unavoidable lead back to him. Even if the teen never supplied her with the information on leaving the ranch, it would confirm Chuck's warnings and hold more weight in the future against her, Liam, or even Dean.

As much as it pained her, Avery needed to get back to save Pratt and get her team out of here. She could try to misdirect attention from Liam and Dean, but in the end, they were not her priority and there was only so much she could do. She needed to focus on her team.

Do you really think Whitehorse will leave after you retrieve Pratt? mocked the little devil on her shoulder.

…No. It would not be so easy.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that the old man would want to stay and fight the county's battle. The rookie had already tried to convince them to stay together, but he argued that he had to remain at the Prison to help the rebels and tend to Burke. Would anything change when the team reunited? She doubted it, though, she hoped the others could convince him otherwise.

Avery began her pacing again with her fingers twitching nervously at her side. Thankfully, she didn't have some bad habit of biting her nails or else she would be down to the quick. As the minutes ticked by, her mind conjured different scenarios that would affect her team.

If after everything she did to free her coworkers, Whitehorse decided to stay, then there was no hope for ending this nightmare. She would be forced to endure more fighting until the Project was diminished or they got Joseph in custody. Whichever came first. It all seemed delusional to her. Did they really have a chance at succeeding in the mission?

More times than not, she had her doubts.

The Project should not have been confronted carelessly, which is what they did, and they paid the price for it. Still were paying, in fact. It was a complicated mess, one where she felt guilty wanting it to be the National Guard's problem instead of hers. Their little Sheriff's Office was not prepared for the sizable conflict they walked in on. Even with the loudmouth, overconfident Marshal, it was a doomed plan from the start.

How could they possibly turn the tables and gain a strong foothold and weaken the Project's grasp on the county? What hope did Whitehorse have in being successful in the end?

Or was it honor that bound him to the task?

She could not deny the feeling of staying because it was the right thing to do, but the past few years, her view on life had taken a selfish turn. She had lost so much in the pursuit of honor and doing what was right. Escaping to Montana had given her the chance to start over and focus on herself. She joined the Sheriff's department to still do the right thing, but within reasonable means. Working regular hours, dealing with lowly thugs, and traffic tickets while having time off to make herself happy.

What they were doing now was nothing short of a deployment to a foreign land, fighting a militia that had the advantage of numbers and home territory. All while her rabble unit was fractured, undertrained, and behind enemy lines. She could see the unbalanced scales that fate held them at. Why couldn't Whitehorse?

Her ponderings continued as Avery paced between the walls, occasionally sitting on the bed until her fidgeting became too much and she started to tread again. It was just shy of two hours later when the scraping of the chair in the hallway drew her attention and the door opened to reveal a new face.

She stopped halfway in her path and stared back; the unfamiliar person causing her heart race to pick up, pumping dread through her system like poison. Avery could read the unease in the guard's eyes, and she wondered briefly if his concern was for her.

"Your turn, Deputy."

She swallowed hard but found it surprisingly effortless to move her feet toward the newcomer. The walk down the stairs and to the study doors passed by all too quickly. Her mind was too preoccupied with the unknown that she faced which made the decent to the lower level a blur. That is until reality hit like a brick wall, and she found herself outside the threshold of the office as the guard opened the door for her.

Usually, the study was well lit, but the only real source of light in the room was the blaze in the hearth. The fire was insatiable as flames devoured the smoldering wood and heated the rocky ledge around. Despite the warm glow, the room was frigid, and the bookshelves on either side fell into shadows.

Before the fireplace was a lone wooden chair with the couches shoved towards the desk, obviously the only seat she would be allowed to sit in. The familiar rolling cart with the tattoo machine was a few feet from the chair, but much too close for her liking. The cords hung messily over the edges as if just tossed on top, and a few rags draped on the lower shelf of the cart.

A weight settled in her stomach, forcing her to swallow again.

While the office seemed empty at first glance, to the side of one of the couches, John stood with his back slightly turned in her direction. His attention never lifted to meet her as he admired the splatter of blood along his tan wrists and hands. He was methodically wiping the crimson away with a damp towel, appreciating the smear it caused before another swipe cleared his skin from the blemishes.

Avery had never been afraid to be in the study before, but now, the last thing she wanted to do was linger in the room. She was about to be alone with John Seed, passing into his arena once again, and she wasn't certain if she would leave unscathed.

"Are you going to stand in the doorway all night, Deputy?" came John's voice, shattering her thoughts. "Or will I be forced to drag you in here?"

Avery did not reply to the baited query, but she finally stepped into the room. Determined to get the night over with, she made her way to the fire, straining to keep from jumping when the guard shut the study doors, sealing her in.

As Avery made the final steps to the chair, her eyes darted to the cart as she passed. The flames illuminated the shine on the tattoo gun, cleaned and polished as if never used. She knew that wasn't the case. There were new cluster of needles in place, and next to it, a scalpel with a clean blade, although the handle was stained with red fingerprints.

Something else caught her attention on the cart, a pair of shining metal that made her heart lighten ever so slightly, before sinking at the thought of how to obtain them. Her eyes drifted to the Baptist who had not yet faced her, and she committed to the impulse as her hand reached for the object, knowing another opportunity would not be available to her. The deputy's chest tightened along with every muscle in her body until she was certain her lungs would burst from the pressure.

But the metal never made a sound, never drew his attention, and with her minute success, she forced herself to keep the same pace towards the chair and not give away her prize.

Before sitting in the lone chair, she stuffed the cold metal into the back of her jean waist band beneath her shirt and took a seat; her back now involuntarily exposed to John.

"I defended myself against one of your followers and you decide to indulge in theatrics? Is all of this really necessary?" she questioned as casually as she could. "I feel like I'm in some modern inquisition when false accusations are rewarded."

Avery's effort to sound unaffected by his attempt to disconcert her was a wasted effort. Hands cleaned, John finally turned to face the back of the chair, but not without a withering look going unnoticed to the deputy.

"If this were some old-practice inquisition, you would be stripped, tied down by your wrists and ankles, and receive a series of lashings at the least. Although it has proven an effective method throughout history, and I do enjoy a bit of bondage play, I prefer my way to get to the truth of what happened tonight." There was a slight pause before he added as an afterthought. "And who says that false accusations are rewarded? You noticed the blood. Is that considered a reward to you?"

Regretting her meager joke, she decided it best not to give him ideas on further punishment.

"Whose blood is it?" She didn't have to look to know that he was facing her, she could feel him watching to see what reaction he could gleam from her.

The only answer she gained was the crackling of fire in front of her and the sound of a towel landing on the cart, causing the equipment to shutter.

"Here's what's going to happen, Deputy," he resumed, ignoring her question. "I'm going to ask you a series of questions and you will answer each one."

"And if I don't?"

"Consequences will follow."

"What exactly did you have in mind?" she asked, not intending for it to sound inviting. Knowing that going back to reword it would only brandish her apprehension, she stayed quiet, in spite of her mild awkwardness.

Whether John knew what she intended or not, she wasn't sure, but his usual coquettish humor never appeared. The tension in the air was steadily thickening and Avery felt as if her chest would be sore from the pounding of her heart and held breath.

After another passing moment of torturous anticipation, John finally answered, this time closer to her, his footsteps never making a sound.

"You are better off giving me what I want, dear. I saved you for last, though you should be aware that despite my professionalism, I am out of patience for the foreseeable future."

"Are you planning on hurting me?"

"That depends entirely on the level of sin committed by you."

Deciding that was the best answer she would get from him, she stayed silent and waited. Once he was sure she was done with her initial query, John began.

"How do you know the boy, Liam?"

Despite knowing the question would be brought up, she hadn't expected it so soon.

"I came across him and his uncle in the railyard."

The answer was short and to the point. Too much so for John's liking.

"Deputy. This is going to be a long night if you hold out information. That is the only warning you will get from me."

The crackling of the fire swelled between them before Avery continued, not having any desire to push John's perseverance.

"The first time I met him was when I attacked the railyard… I suppose I should back up a little and explain how I got to that point," she redirected with a sprinkle of brass. "I wanted to get a compound for the others, and they disagreed with the idea. We had an argument about it, but I was stubborn and wanted to prove to them that it was a doable task. When I went that night to the railyard, it was only to scout the area. But then I saw that the guards were laxed, so I decided to take it by myself. I took out the alarms and most of the guards around the perimeter before going in. Liam and his uncle were the last that I encountered of your people, so I knocked out the uncle and let them both go."

"Why did you let them go?"

"After his uncle was out, I saw how scared Liam was. He knew they had lost, and I couldn't bring myself to put them down when they were no longer a threat. Especially, a kid."

"And what did your companions think of that decision? To spare some of my followers and set them free."

The answer to the question hurt her to think about. It had lingered in the shadows of her mind, despite trying to bury the truth.

"Deputy…"

Taking a breath, Avery answered, "They didn't know. They still don't."

"They don't know you spared the enemy?"

Knowing he was watching her, Avery shook her head.

"Why would you not tell them? I thought they were the so-called good guys. Are you telling me that the sinners are not all good-hearted like you thought?"

"They're just cautious."

"That's an excuse."

"It's not."

"No? So, then what would they have done if you captured the kid and his uncle? Would they let them go, try to convert them, keep them prisoner? Or would they resort to other measures?"

"… I don't know."

"Oh, yes you do." Suddenly, John was directly behind her with his breath drifting over her ear.

Avery resisted turning to face him, but her involuntary flinch didn't go unnoticed.

"Answer me. What would they have done?"

"… I guess try to convert them back. Maybe keep them guarded until they saw reason and changed sides…"

"And if their loyalties stayed the same?"

"… I don't know."

"Yes. You do."

"Pastor Jerome wouldn't allow them to be hurt."

"You clearly don't know Jerome then. Resources dwindling among the resistance. What little manpower now being stretched to watch and take care of the enemy. Constantly having to worry about them escaping or learning your weaknesses," he listed off. "You cannot expect the extra strain of having prisoners to be welcoming. Especially when the risk outweighs the reward. The wellbeing of his own people is his priority over two enemies, and rightfully so."

"Is this what you wanted to talk about? Jerome? Because I thought it was about what happened tonight," she countered with a hint of vinegar.

The presence behind her shifted and when he spoke, he was further away.

"Am I hitting too close to a nerve, Deputy?... Hm... I will concede the topic for now," he answered evenly. "It seems that I have, at least, given you something to think about later."

Avery didn't need to confirm or deny. They both knew it was true.

"Have you been in contact with Liam since you stole my compound?"

"No… Not until I arrived here at your ranch."

"And when did you realize that he was here?"

"When he delivered dinner to my room."

"And?"

"And… I don't know what you want me to say. I'm sure my arrival was noticed by all your followers. He somehow got wind of it and delivered my food. We were never in contact beforehand."

"You see, that's a problem. I find there's some missing details with what you are telling me because I don't understand why he would voluntarily deliver you food when he has other duties on the grounds. It makes me more curious because you came close to killing him. If someone almost killed me and a family member, I would not be inclined to serve them dinner out of the goodness of my heart."

Avery's hands, which had been resting on the arms of the chair, were now folded in her lap. She could feel John moving just a little bit closer to her, his presence oppressive, the levelness of his tone unnerving.

"So, what is your relationship with him? Why is he infatuated with you?"

"It's not infatuation," she answered after some thought.

"Then what is it?"

"It's… It's more of a sense of gratitude."

John scoffed, sounding further away again and to her right. How he moved so silently, she wasn't sure, but it only made her shift in the chair uncomfortably.

"Misplaced gratitude."

"For once, I agree. I told him so many times, but he was still grateful for me letting them go. It doesn't help that he knows I took a personal risk with my people finding out."

"So, he wanted to return the favor and help you, did he?"

Oh God, he knows, Avery thought hopelessly, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the storm she was certain was coming.

"Is that what you consider delivering food means?" she tried to deflect.

"Answer the question, Deputy," the Baptist demanded icily, causing her to jump when she realized he was close to her once again.

"He wanted to keep me company and thought I needed a friend. He felt bad that so many of your followers hate me."

"And?"

He was fishing for the truth, but whether he knew it from the others or not, she couldn't tell. There was no way she would be the weak link in the recount if they upheld their end of the story.

"And what?" she parried as innocently as she could. She was grateful for him not seeing her face as she tried to hide her deception. "We talked the couple nights he dropped off food. There's not much else to tell."

A hand grasped the back of her neck suddenly, forcing her to startle from the unexpected contact. As the Baptist leaned over her shoulder, she kept her attention on the fire in front of her, afraid that her eyes would give away what she was thinking.

"Let's try this again," John asserted, voice low and disturbingly even. "Did he go to return the favor and get you out?"

"No, John. He did not."

It was a short answer, but any further justification would make it sound forced. The clipped tone she answered with was more from her jumpiness than impatience, but it hid that fact well.

Seconds passed as John remained where he was, mulling over the answer in his head, picking through her tone, tension, and assertion to find any lie underneath.

She still had not turned to look at him, which puzzled him the most. The woman was either doing it to hide the truth, show that she was not affected by his scare tactics, or to obediently do as was expected. The latter wouldn't normally be considered, though seeing how jumpy she was, it was enough to give him pause.

At long last, the hand holding the back of her neck released and John finally stepped into her line of sight. Even though on the surface he was the picture of calm indifference, Avery could see that he was greatly displeased with everything. There was a darkening expression in his eyes, a noted degree of disappointment, and a hint of something she couldn't name but unsettled her none the less.

"Explain the events leading to my arrival tonight."

She wasn't confident that he believed her, and assumed he was going to hear the rest of what she had to say to decide if the truth was there or not. Even though they were drifting away from the main topic of the evening, she didn't dare drop her guard. Under his scrutiny, Avery felt more exposed, especially as the fire danced behind her interrogator hauntingly.

He must have performed drama in high school. The thought was out of place, forced, and did little to give her courage.

"Liam came in and gave me my food. As I ate, we started talking about what I did for the day, and he asked about the book I was reading. I explained the premise of it, but I don't think he was actually interested or paying attention to it."

Avery felt an internal swell of pride from her surprisingly decent lie. Now was as good a time as any for her brain and mouth to be working together.

"After I finished my food, we were discussing the horse and why it was something the Project was invested in. Shortly after, your Neanderthal barged into the room. He started to accuse Liam of being disloyal and helping plan my escape. The entire thing was ridiculous."

"…Ridiculous." John reiterated as if the word left a foul taste in his mouth.

The way he stared at her clearly said he was not moved by her explanation. The ominous figure stepped forward, positioning his hands on the armrests of the chair before leaning in so his face was level with hers.

"The thing is, that neanderthal, as you put it, swears that's exactly what you and Liam were up to. Unfortunately for you, I'm inclined to believe him."

Avery tried to sink into the chair and away from John's increasing proximity, but there was no escape. He had her precisely where he wanted her; cornered and at his mercy. Involuntarily, her eyes darted to John's clean hands, and she couldn't help the daunting thought that the blood may have belonged to Liam.

An image of the teen at the mercy of the Baptist lit something in her stomach because when her eyes met his, her gaze was resolute.

"Liam is a loyal follower. He even tried to paint you in a good light and tell me how being in the Project isn't what it seems. I don't know why he has so much respect for you, but he does, which says a lot more than Chuck's grudge against me."

John's intensity in the face of her sudden resilience didn't waver, but he tilted his head to the side, curious what else she had to say in her moment of self-preservation. It was clear that she had more on her mind.

"I don't know what Chuck has for proof to back his stupid claims," she persisted, "but it's no secret that he despises me. He could have gone to you and brought up his suspicions, but he decided to take it out on me until someone else stepped in to get you."

"That's all very noteworthy, but I'm not hearing you deny the claim, Deputy."

"I don't need to say it, John," she fired back, not sure if it was from being cornered and alone with the man, or from lingering fear of Liam's welfare. "You'll make up your own mind, one way or another."

Being the more emotional sibling, from what she gathered so far, John didn't reveal what he was thinking. Not once. She had never been so afraid to be in his presence before. It all would have been easier if he yelled or gave into his anger. At least she knew how to deal with that. But now, with his thinly veiled resentment and the oppressive sense of control he had over the situation, it was unbearable for her.

"Are you really forfeiting your chance to defend yourself?"

"What is there to defend?"

"Avery," he warned, his control slipping a fraction in his voice. "I'm not playing games—stop dodging the questions and answer them."

"It's an honest question though," she argued, trying to keep her tone level. "I have nothing to defend. I didn't try to change Liam's loyalties. Before the chaos upstairs, he was happy being here. In fact, I was suspicious of him coming to see me and telling me about how you aren't so bad, and how the Project provides for its people. I thought you sent him to help change my loyalties over as a cheap trick."

"I don't use others to do my work."

"I don't know that."

"Well, now you do."

"That's not how this works. You can't just tell me something and I blindly believe you. There needs to be trust to do that."

John's hand lifted to Avery's face, and she suppressed the urge to flinch. His fingertips brushed the swollen cheek tenderly before his thumb traced beneath her eye where the skin was somewhat discolored.

"What have I done to not deserve your trust?"

Avery opened her mouth to spew out what he was sure was a long list of misdeeds in her eyes, so he cut her off.

"I have been transparent in everything I have done. Not once have I lied to you or tried to puppeteer the will of people. We disagree on philosophical topics, yes, and I have punished you for your sins. But I have been honest and open in all my actions."

Avery tried to pick out an argument to counter with, but for some reason, her brain failed to recollect events she knew would help. She wasn't sure if it was from his hand caressing her face, his proximity, or the fact that he always had a perfected answer in place.

"Forgive me for finding it hard to trust a sadist."

"Falling back to name calling now?"

"Do you deny it?" she continued, despite her knowing it was a feeble offense.

A hint of his displeasure dissipated as John considered it.

"No. Not really. But that's a weak attempt to argue with me. Regardless of what you still feel, I have been honest with you and would not send a teenage boy to change your loyalties. That is something you need to do on your own to reach atonement."

A few memories of stories from Fall's End came back to Avery, a little late but still there.

"You say you don't manipulate people's will, yet you threaten them and take their property. That's not them joining by their own choice."

John didn't reveal much to her accusations, though his hand returned to the armrest.

"The threats are no different than I have used on you and Hudson. And the property is transferred legally."

"I doubt that."

"Doubt it if you want. If you were really interested in learning the legal side of how we have been growing so rapidly, you could have just said something."

"It would probably make me sick."

The comment caused John's displeasure to return instantly, making Avery hate her runaway mouth.

"Your attitude leaves much to be desired. I don't think you realize how thin of ice you're standing on right now."

"I'm aware," she admitted, feeling claustrophobic suddenly. "I just can't help it sometimes."

Much to her relief, John stood and regarded her placably. His analyzing gaze didn't register with Avery as she was busy appreciating the distance given.

"Similar to how you can't help but continue to sin."

The words were a degree colder, causing Avery to meet his eyes with a new sense of dismay.

"…What?"

Instead of answering her right away, John walked out of her line of site. Avery resisted the urge to let her eyes follow and looked back to the fire. It was still devouring the logs, but the flames did not reach as high as when she first arrived.

"You have repeated your sin tonight, Deputy." The sound of the rolling cart being disturbed caused Avery's fists to clench in her lap. "And you need to pay the penance for it."

If Avery wasn't sweating before, now she was. Ignoring all self-control, Avery jumped to her feet as John reached the chair and raised her hands in surrender.

"Wait— hold on, John—This isn't fair! I didn't commit any sin tonight."

"Sit down." His voice was a low snarl as he glowered at her.

Avery swallowed but her knees refused to buckle to his command. "John, I didn't do anything—"

"Sit down or I will force you!"

His outburst made her jump, but she obeyed, not wanting another repeat of others holding her down for him to carve her flesh. Clenching her fists once more, she tried to suppress the shaking the new level of fear caused.

John rolled the cart the last few feet to the chair and picked up the gun before turning it on then off. The buzzing was a horrible sound that she was not eager to hear again in her lifetime.

"I didn't commit any sin," she repeated as calmly as she could, hoping he would listen to her.

After a moment of silence, a hand settled on her shoulder, just above the tender letters of 'WRATH'. His fingertips dipped a little lower and squeezed, knowing the pain it inflicted.

"According to everyone present this evening, you and Chuck had to be pulled apart. Seems like you acted out to me. Now I told you, if you repeat your sin, I will be forced to make your penance… deeper."

The increased pain and remembrance if how it was inflicted caused Avery to tense every muscle involuntarily at the thought. The sudden shift in events did not sit well with the deputy who scrambled to find a way for him to listen.

"Er… I take back what I said. I'm not forfeiting my chance to defend my actions."

John chuckled at that, but it held no warmth or humor. Stepping to the side, hand still on her shoulder, he bent down to look her in the eyes. "It's a little late for that."

He was relishing in her fear, enjoying how she squirmed and nearly begged to explain her actions. It was addicting to have her of all people urging for his ear and opinion.

Unfortunately, it was still Avery Mason. The rookie Deputy, who was no rookie at all. The bane of the Project. Any upper hand he held over her never lasted long; the back and forth a constant between them.

"Then you lied…" she disputed. "You are rewarding false accusations and half-truths."

She had him there. He could argue it, of course, but it wouldn't change the fact that he didn't hear her side of the story. Or the fact that it went against all his arguments for that evening.

Liam's and Chuck's recounts were different from each other's, and from the group that arrived after the chaos. He needed to hear what she had to say, there was no denying that.

"Alright, Deputy. You have the floor."

He stepped out of her line of sight again, a method to keep her anxious she was certain. Regardless, she didn't let it keep her from defending her actions.

"I didn't want Chuck in there with me and Liam. Not for any secret meeting, but because he's an ass and hates my existence. I tried to send them out and ignore his accusations, which I admit, I did it rudely. I don't like him anymore than he likes me. I get that I deserve his hatred, but I don't have to sit there and take it. So, I went to my bed, opened my book, and pretended like he wasn't worth my time."

"And here I thought you were smart," came John's off-handed insult.

"It wasn't my brightest move, you're right. He backhanded me and dragged me from the bed. Then he pulled me up by my hair, ranted and raved a bit before throwing me on the ground and telling Liam to kick me."

She wasn't sure what Liam and Chuck's recount led from this point and didn't want to delve into the details when it came to Liam's loyalties, so she skipped to the point she was trying to make.

"I could have responded and fought back. You know I could have. And truthfully, I wanted to hurt him. I really did. But I withheld and let him hit me and drag me around. It wasn't until he shoved Liam, that I had enough of it, and I put him in a knee bar. And you can try to argue that I did that out of wrath, but," she held up a finger to make her point,"I didn't dislocate anything or break his leg. I only restrained him until everyone came in and pulled us apart."

After defending her actions, the tension only seemed to increase. Straining her ears, she tried to listen for any clue as to John's location behind her, but like the other times that evening, he was silent.

Would it be enough to convince him not to harm her? She hoped so. Really, really hoped so.

The shadows shifted to her left where the cart sat, stirring Avery from her silent prayer. John stepped in front of the hearth and evaluated the deputy, leaving his expression difficult to read. Trying to conceal her restlessness, Avery stared back, unflinchingly.

"You make a valid argument for your actions…"

Bending down with his hands returning to the armrests, he held her gaze, undaunted by her resilience. The trailing sentence didn't escape her knowledge, so after another moment of uncertainty, she questioned him.

"What are you going to do to me?"

His expression became devious as his eyes dropped down to her carving hiding beneath the fabric. Lifting his hand to her shirt, he pulled the collar down to expose the claret scabbed letters.

"I haven't decided yet," he replied distantly, fingers tracing the puckered skin.

Avery felt like her nerves were teeming with small electrodes under his touch and she stifled the urge to shiver.

"…What would you have done to him?" he queried evenly.

Avery didn't answer. She was in an internal struggle between defensiveness and obedience. There was no plan. It was as if she was back to the first night with the Baptist again, in which the evening only promised pain.

And yet, he caressed her skin with delicate fingers and hid all his true thoughts behind a veil of quiet discontent. It was impossible to get a read on him. At any moment, she feared he would call for others to hold her down and start carving her skin for the sheer pleasure of it. Yet, she hoped that he was more interested in preserving his current work, wherever that would lead.

Only getting silence, John met her questioning gaze and elaborated, not aware of her inner conflict. A new light of hunger shining in his azure reflection, caused Avery to shift in her seat, feeling exposed.

"If you acted on Wrath rather than detaining him, would you have killed him?

"…No."

"Are you lying?"

"No, I'm not lying. I didn't want or need to kill him."

"Then tell me," he instructed, his hand now clasping her jaw.

Instinctively, her hands shot to his wrist, but he didn't add any force to his grasp. It was a false comfort for her to have a hold of him. If John wanted to hurt or choke her, he could easily enough.

"Tell me what that dark, little voice wanted you to do to him. I'm curious."

She wasn't sure if it was a trap or if he was genuinely interested. Either way, she couldn't get out of hiding the truth, seeing as she admitted to the desire of harming his follower already.

"…I wanted to hurt him. Enough for him to get the message to leave me alone. I didn't want to kill him, especially in front of Liam… But I wanted to make him bleed and regret harassing me."

An approving smile tugged at John's lips, unbalancing Avery's schooled features. She hadn't expected him to take her confession with his follower any way, other than anger. His hand shifted to her hair, causing her own hands to fall onto the seat for whatever support it offered. Leaning closer, filling the diminishing space between them with the scent of sweat and waned cologne, John's eyes steadily wandered down to her sin, still peeking through the stretched collar, over her neck, and back to her face.

Her breathing had gradually picked up the closer he got, and her hands on the chair left her exposed, unintentionally letting him into her space inch by inch. She must have known, but she never crossed her arms or pushed him away. Probably from fear of his own wrath, should she be defiant. Whatever the reasoning, it had ebbed the man's anger away as the minutes ticked through the night and replaced it with his fondness for the feisty deputy.

Retuning back to her confession, he felt a twinge of excitement that she wanted to enact pain on the assaulting follower. Despite being his devotee, John couldn't deny that he would have like to see Avery make the man bleed for his insubordination. Chuck could be a tiresome man, even to the Herald of Holland Valley.

"Rightfully so, dear…" he breathed and then he kissed her.

Avery's eyes widened at the sudden contact and her body stiffened against the back of the chair. The hand on the back of her hair glided to the side of her face, causing the softness of the motion to ease her in the barest way. His lips moved against hers, asking for her to return it, and despite everything that she knew the man was, the gratefulness of intimate contact was welcoming from the cruelty she expected.

Closing her eyes, she responded to his touches, but the movement felt forced and stiff, even to her.

Pulling away, John pinned her with a smirk and a teasing lift of his brow.

"Been awhile, has it?"

Flustered, and slightly ashamed to be so unstable that evening, Avery returned his cockiness with a vicious glare.

"What're you trying to do, John? Are you going to hurt me now?"

"No. I'm rewarding you."

The admission made Avery feel worse. The last thing she wanted was to be rewarded by a Herald of the Project.

"Rewarding me for wanting to hurt your follower? That seems like a stupid excuse or it's a trap."

"No, Deputy… For resisting the urge to give into your sin," John elaborated impatiently, his earlier discontent not fully sated.

Avery wasn't sure where this was going but she wanted nothing to do with it. She was feeling fatigued trying to dance away from the truth and punishment, and now she had to deal with John 'rewarding' her. His moods were hard to follow, let alone predict.

"Can…Can I go to my room now?" She felt childish for asking.

"I don't think you have been properly rewarded, dear."

Before she could stop herself, Avery's eyes drifted to his lips before she jerked them back to his eyes. She added a scowl to make her point.

"I think I get the idea."

"Once again, running away from a simple kiss," he leaned in more, this time filling the space between them with a new tension that seemed thicker than the apprehension previously.

Avery's hand connected with his chest as she tried to keep him from creeping closer. In response, his hands wrapped around her wrist, if only to show he would have the advantage.

"I suspect you don't reward your followers like this," she argued weakly, leaning into the back of the chair as much as she could.

The space was dwindling.

"Like I have said before, you're special."

Once again, he kissed her, although this time Avery knew what was happening. Her resistance only lasted a fraction of the time before she gave in to the foreign feeling of affection and returned the kiss.

It's better than the alternative, she tried to tell herself as all comprehension became overshadowed by John's onslaught.

The only thing her senses perceived was John's mouth and how his palms had somehow managed to land on the tops of her thighs. Her hands that were on his chest now had her fingers intertwined with the front of his shirt, neither pulling him closer nor pushing him away.

It's better than the alternative…

His fingers caressed their way towards her calves, gripping and pulling as they went until stopping at the backs of her knees. Before she could register what he was doing, he yanked her to the edge of the chair where her legs were now on either side of him, emitting a startled gasp from her as she was forced to lean back to avoid her chest colliding with his.

Breaking contact with her lips, John chuckled, causing Avery's skin to crawl with unintentional pleasure.

"Relax," he purred, hands creeping beneath her thighs.

"That's not going to hap—"

Instantly, her weak retort was interrupted as he lifted her off the chair; the motion causing her to instinctively tighten her legs around his ribs for support. Before her mind could tell her to defiantly put her legs down, her back collided with the warm stone cropping of the fireplace. The sharp edges dug into her flesh causing her to arch her back at the harsh contact. Separating her knees from his sides, she slid a few inches down the rocky outcropping until her feet touched the ground.

Being lifted so suddenly released a sense of panic at the thought of her stolen object being discovered in her waistband. As her only defense, it would be catastrophic if he realized what she had the entire time, which made her grateful for the uncomfortable situation she found herself at.

Unaware of her guarded position, John trailed his hands to the curve of her hips and dipped his head closer. In an effort to distract herself from the simmer of lust, Avery tilted her head back so she could hold his gaze.

"Do you do this with all the women?" she queried pointedly, earning a raised brow from Baptist. "Because womanizer is not a title for you that I've heard yet, but it would be fitting."

"My sexual life is healthy, if that's what you're wondering. As for rewarding my female followers, the answer is no. Normally, they're in tears or overly submissive for my taste," he husked, head dipping lower so his lips could trail along her jaw.

"I figured submissive was your type," she rattled on as her eyes darted around the empty room, looking for any way out of this before it went too far.

"Oh, it is…" One of his hands nudged the collar of her shirt down so he could stroke the etching. His lips brushed against the lobe of her ear while mutinous strands of his dark hair tickled her neck "But within reason. There is a threshold where it gets boring."

"That's where we differ in partners." It was becoming harder to keep her voice unaffected to his attention. "I like sharing control."

His hand that was over her wound was now taking a slow, leisurely voyage down the front of her shirt, between her breasts. The warmth was returning to her stomach, and she cursed how welcoming the desire to be touched was to her body.

"And I like fighting for it."

Cutting off another argument, he returned to kissing her. The man knew what he was doing as he alternated between caressing her lips with his and boldly tasting her with his tongue. His hands were now holding her to him as if a small part of him was afraid that she'd pull away, but Avery stayed where she was, relishing in the sensation he was creating in her.

She began to respond in kind, with the previous scheming starting to fade into the background. Her hands began wander and explore, smoothing over his abdomen, when John's kiss stopped abruptly, and he snatched her wrists away from him.

"You're not allowed to touch, Deputy."

Before she could retaliate or get too upset with him, he appeased her with lighter kisses along her neck.

"You seriously think that this is going to make me atone?"

"Well, you shouldn't rule anything out."

Gritting her teeth, Avery tried to pull away from John's lips.

"You do know that the earth revolves around the sun and not you, right?"

John straightened enough to shoot her with a withering look.

"Do you ever have anything nice to say or is insults the only thing in your vocabulary?"

"I'm actually a very nice person. Just not to narcissistic assholes."

John seemed to consider her riposte before finally releasing her wrists, albeit grudgingly. Her resilience and attitude were dampening his mood. If releasing her hands made her more receptive to his advances, then it was worth him giving up a fraction of control.

"Don't get greedy," he warned before dipping his head and sated her by kissing the side of her neck, his lips leaving fire in their wake.

In a half-groan Avery, bit out, "You're one to talk."

John reacted with a sharp nip, instigating a flinch from the woman. Avery set a hand against the stone hearth and inched towards the bookshelf that was flush against the fireplace. John only answered by placing his hand against the shelf to block her from moving.

His lips were now devouring the crook between her neck and the curve of her shoulder, a weakness of hers that made her tremble as she tried to keep her lust contained. The way his other hand smoothed and stroked her side and waist were purposeful and practiced. Each time he crept lower, teasing her and earning winces from hitting ticklish spots. The desire that was swelling frightened her.

She felt so out of control, and the more rational side of her brain told her that it wasn't real, that she was being manipulated. Yet, deep in the dark corner of her mind, she didn't care.

It had been such a long time since she felt wanted like she did now. Despite a part of her wanting to give in, she was not the kind of woman to take kindly to greedy lovers. He was just using her to get what he wanted, whether it was confessions or her flesh.

Oh, how she hated him!

Before the madness could continue any further, Avery used the only weapon she had at her disposal. As John began to lift the edges of her shirt, she braced herself for what would happen next.

Bare fingers brushed along her abdomen in an upward trek to the edges of her bra. His ministrations were deliberate but not overpowering, as he took his time feeding the tension between them. He never noticed her hand sneaking from the small of her back and towards the shelf.

Click-click-cliiiiiiiiiick

John stilled in his attentions, and without hesitation, Avery pulled away, ducking beneath his arm and putting distance between them. The figure tried to grab her arm when he realized she was escaping, but the time it took him to register what was happening made him too slow as she danced from his outstretched arm.

Now lingering by the fireplace, he confronted the handcuffs linking his wrist to the bookshelf post. While twisting his arm around, as if interpreting if it was real or not, Avery could see the edges of his temper chip away at his previous desire. In that moment, she could swear she could hear his blood boiling at the audacity she had to cuff him in the middle of his praise.

Ignoring the urge to put more space between them, she remained near the wooden chair and waited for what the Baptist would do next with bated breath. Although the moment of lunacy was over, Avery silently hated the loss of his interest. Nevertheless, she accepted it and tried to appear as unaffected by him as possible. She didn't want him to see her real disappointment, not that it would matter when he was clearly so livid.

Finally turning to face her, he shook his arm in the air, letting the handcuffs rattle against the post.

"I told you not to get greedy," he cautioned icily.

"You did say you like fighting for control." Avery visible cringed at her retort, realizing that even though he was restrained, she was putting a larger target on herself by taunting him.

The narrowing of his eyes was enough to tell her that.

"So, what's your plan now? Run back to the sinners and continue your pointless chore?" he mocked callously.

He was still willing to talk obligingly, rather than calling the guards. Why was he not calling for the guards? What was he planning?

Trying to hide her suspicion behind her moment of success, she answered as level as possible. "I don't have a choice on the matter."

"You do have a choice! If you would just listen, you would have heard me telling you that the last dozen times," he snapped. Rather than continue his tirade, he paused, running his free hand through his hair to collect himself. The tension never eased, nor did the stiffness in his stance.

"…I suppose," he began, once he was composed, "I misread the situation this evening... Chuck was correct about this."

"Chuck is a lunatic," she grated, despising the idea that the plan was backfiring faster than she could stay ahead of it. "You even admitted before that you knew I would try to escape—Everyone out there knew it was only a matter of time! Chuck just wanted to drag his vendetta against me into something that involved Liam."

"And why would I believe that, when Chuck is beginning to look like the innocent one tonight?"

"I never lied or hid the fact that I wanted to escape, John," she grounded out, desperate to keep any heat from Liam. "And if you must know, I decided if I was going to escape, tonight was the best time to do it. There are the least number of guards around whenever I'm in your presence, so it only made sense."

John took a deep inhale as he closed his eyes, using every ounce of control to contain his aggravation, his right arm hung half suspended in the air. His wounded pride and ridiculous situation steadily feeding his indignation. Seconds ticked by as each remained where they were, neither making the effort to change the situation they found themselves in.

Avery was beginning to wonder what would happen if she turned to leave. Would he yell for guards or try to rip the bookshelf from the wall to pursue her? Either option sounded horrible for her. Especially when there was no plan, and she was flying by the seat of her pants.

Finally, John looked back to Avery with a new façade of coldness.

"If you leave, you know what will happen."

It wasn't a question.

She knew.

Nevertheless, going to the mountains was the only option for her. No matter what, she needed to try to save Pratt. If the patterns of the last two regions were anything to go off of, it was only a matter of time before Jacob got a hold of her, but maybe she could use that to her advantage to get Pratt.

"If you leave, I won't be able to protect you."

That was unexpected.

Avery met his gaze and was shocked to see sincerity reflecting back.

The admission injected a chill in her bones. It was becoming a pattern of people warning her against going to Jacob's territory, which made the self-doubt root inside her chest and constrict her lungs.

"You have a shitty way of protecting someone," she chided, trying to hide her unease with false humor.

John wasn't laughing.

Dropping the attempt to hide her discomfort, Avery bit the inside of her cheek before returning to John's gaze.

"I understand that you believe what you are doing is right, but this shouldn't be my team's battle. I just want them out of here and away from the danger…."

The words hung between them for a moment longer before she continued despite the thickening air around her. John hadn't said or moved from his spot.

Perhaps, there was something else she could barter with before possibly making things worse by the rash strategy. Despite it being an ideal time to escape, there was something that felt wrong about it, and it soured her stomach. As if there were consequences she didn't foresee that would inevitable sneak up on her later.

Consequences that would do more damage than she was prepared for.

John must have seen her turmoil because he waited for her to find the words to her next questions.

"Is there any chance," she began apprehensively, "any at all, that Joseph would allow my team passage out of the county? Even if…. I didn't go with them, in exchange?"

John didn't take much time to mull over the words.

"No."

Avery didn't expect much different of response, but it still twisted at her to know the determination of the Seed's and their obvious advantage in all of this. The bleakness of the situation was a heavy weight that bore down on her mentally.

She had thought that maybe offering herself in exchange for her friends' freedom would be the easiest way to avoid more conflict. But the truth was, they were still a threat to the Project if they escaped. They could call the National Guard and get others to raid the county and rid them of the plague. It was all hopeless. She was destined to keep fighting and making these tough decisions and stuck in the middle of it all.

Always someone else's battle that she would fight. Always the tough decisions resting with her, and all the consequences that followed. Moving to Montana, she thought she was moving past all of that. She thought maybe she could make something for herself that didn't involve the violence she was so accustomed to.

What a fucking idiot.

It wasn't going to happen for her. Peace was a fickle thing and dissolved through her fingers like vapor if she held it for any length of time.

Fuck this place.

She needed to get Pratt.

Get her team out.

After that, she would figure out how to leave the county.

Stuffing her emotions down, she took a breath and straightened her shoulders. The look she fixed him with was cool and controlled.

"Then, really, there is no other choice."

John watched as she turned from him and walked towards the door. The rage scorched under his skin, but he sustained it.

"Jacob will capture you…"

Avery stopped at the door, nausea returning as John's words whittled away at her façade.

"And when he does, you will never be yourself again. You'll change and just become a hollow shell of what you once were. If you survive, that is. But… if you stay here, you will be safe. I can keep you safe."

The sincerity was there; under the layers of threat or promises, she wasn't sure, but it was there. Perhaps, he was trying to manipulate her. Trying to play the role of knight protecting her from the violent fire. Or maybe it was true. That Jacob was on a whole other level that she hadn't come to comprehend yet. Whether it was a trick to get the Deputy to stay or not, she did know one thing.

John's promise created a real fear in her that overshadowed Whitehorse and Dutch's warnings. Maybe from his firsthand account or because she had some inkling of respect for the Baptist…

Whatever it was, she couldn't focus on that.

The only thing she could do was swallow her hesitation and get the job done. Retrieve Pratt and get the hell out of here.

"It's not going to change my mind, John. I'm going to free my team and get them out of this county." She opened the door, mentally preparing for whatever battle she would have to face outside the walls. Before the doors shut behind her, she gave one last message to the fuming Baptist.

"Even if I have to burn this fucking place down."

It's heating up a bit more!

Thank you for the amazing reviews and helpful advice for my writing! I feel like I am improving with each chapter and critique I receive. I really appreciate the feedback from everyone so thank you again!