Page 65 of The Cult

I poke my head around the building and try to locate where Adam and the rest of the men are positioned, but in the dark, it’s impossible to see. Officer Jameson takes another step out into the middle of the street, unknowingly risking his life.

He has no concept of how dangerous the people he’s dealing with are. He thinks they’re hippies wanting to live on a commune or a religious group dedicated to positivity. He couldn’t be more mistaken.

This time, the silence is broken by a woman crying. It doesn’t sound like Lara, though. Maybe it’s her sister and she’s making some headway in convincing her The Golden Light isn’t what she thinks it is.

“Nash?” a voice cries out, and this time I do recognize it’s Lara’s voice.

“I’m here! You and your sister can come with me. It’s okay. Officer Jameson will escort you over.”

I wait for her answer, but I hear nothing. The officer looks back at me like he doesn’t know what to do next, so I point at the car across the street. “They’re over there.”

He takes a few more steps toward them and calls out, “I’m Officer Jameson, ma’am. I’m here to help. Your friend says you’re in danger. That someone is trying to kidnap you. Is that true?”

“Yes! My sister and I want to leave,” Lara calls out.

Another voice sobs, “I don’t want to leave! The Golden Light is my home. I won’t go!”

Jesus, Micah really has his hooks into her. Rina sounds far too gone to be helped, but I’m afraid Lara isn’t going to leave her.

“Lara, you need to get out of there!” I yell. “You’re not safe. They aren’t going to let you go if you stay any longer.”

I wait, holding my breath to see if she’ll walk away. Officer Jameson looks back at me like he’s unsure if he should do anything more, but I don’t know what to tell him. He might be seconds away from being shot for all I know. Adam’s not exactly a rational person, so at any moment he might just unload his gun and to hell with whoever he hurts or kills.

Another shot breaks the silence, and the cop runs back to where I stand behind the building. Obviously shaken, he gets his walkie talkie and finally calls for help.

“Chief, sergeant, anyone listening! I’ve got a problem over on Elm Street at The Golden Light place. Shots fired. I repeat, shots fired! I need help!”

The panic in his voice echoes through every word, but he truly has no idea just how bad things might get if Adam thinks he has a clear shot at either me or Lara. No doubt he’s been told to make sure she and I either come back into the loving arms of The Golden Light or see to it we die before we can tell the authorities anything about what’s going on in the group.

Officer Jameson’s radio crackles with an answer from another officer telling him they’re on their way. I just hope they get here before all hell breaks loose.

30

Lara

No matterwhat I say to Rina, she refuses to listen. All she keeps saying over and over is Micah has shown her how much true greatness she possesses and she can’t leave him. It’s like she’s not even listening to all the horrible things I saw out at the farm.

Oh, God. Maybe Nash was right. Maybe she is too far gone.

I can’t just leave her to these people, though. No matter what kind of brainwashing she’s suffering from, she’s still my sister.

Taking her by the shoulders, I shake her to try to make her see sense. Her eyes get big, like she can’t believe I’m doing this, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If this is what I have to do to break that man’s hold on her, then that’s what I’ll do.

“He isn’t a leader or anything else. He’s just a guy who drugs women and forces them to work for him. He drugged me! If I hadn’t been protected by Nash, his little minion Nadine would have had her guys beat the hell out of me. Or worse. And don’t think Micah’s only with you. From what I heard out at that farm, he’s got dozens of you. Rina, you aren’t this person. Forget these crazy things, and let’s go home.”

She shakes her head, and I know without even hearing another word from her that she’s not going to leave willingly. Fine. Then she’ll have to do so unwillingly, but I’m not letting her stay here for even another minute with these people.

“Why are you saying all these things, Lara? The Golden Light isn’t a bad thing. It’s all good,” Mario says like he’s lost too.

I stare into his eyes and feel like I’m never going to get them to see the truth. “What is wrong with you two? How is it you’re fooled by this greatness nonsense? You just heard me tell my sister what I saw out at that farm. Don’t you believe me?”

“You don’t understand.”

Arguing with the two of them is getting me nowhere. I’m going to have to force Rina to leave. I have no other choice.

In the distance, I hear the wail of sirens growing closer. Rina gets a terrified look in her eyes and turns to go back into the building. I can’t let her do that, or I might never get a chance to save her again.

I grab onto her arm and clamp my hand down around her wrist. “No! You’re coming home with me, Rina.”

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