Page 1 of Malachi
PROLOGUE
Standing in front of the large window fogged with morning dew, I gazed down into the parking lot where Titus Temple stood speaking with his eldest son. Even from here, I could see the tension in the young Elder. Good. It was necessary to keep him off balance.
Leviticus was a situation that needed to be handled. We had done so during our recently concluded trip, but there was still too much at stake to simply trust that it was enough.
“Reverend?” a voice called from the doorway. I stifled a burst of frustration at the interruption.
“Yes, Elder Shepherd?” I smiled as I turned to greet him.
“We have received the shipment without issue,” he announced with a smile.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it,” I answered.
“I’m also thankful that the situation with Leviticus has been effectively handled.” There was a smugness to his face as he spoke.
“Elder Shepherd, if you think that we have fully handled the situation with the Temple sons, think again,” I said, pouring all the gravity of the situation into my words. “The Temple sons are a threat to all we hold dear here in Zion.”
“Yes, of course, but with Leviticus on our side now, the others will surely fall in line,” he argued gently.
“I refuse to allow the sons of Titus Temple to crack the foundation we have built here,” I sneered. “Put the second phase of the plan into action, Elder Shepherd.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?” he questioned. I leveled him with narrowed eyes.
“Extremely.”
CHAPTER1
MALACHI
They know I know.
The words of Levi’s text message rattled around my brain, repeating over and over like a chant. It didn’t make any sense. He had returned home from the trip, and nothing had been the same since. Gone was the brother I had known for the last thirty-two years, and in his place was someone else. I guess the most apt way to put it would be to say that he had turned into a clone of Titus Temple. Levi had returned home and had not said a single word to any of us brothers. Not a normal one, anyway.
He had not answered a single text or phone call since that ominous message nearly two weeks ago. He had been gone for an entire week. To make matters worse, Ruth had completely changed as well. She refused to speak to any of us, or to her sisters-in-law. They had even skipped a brother’s dinner at Ollie’s house a few nights ago.
I had attempted to pull Levi aside at church on Sunday, but when I tried to find out what was going on, he had simply clapped his hand on my shoulder with a grin worthy of the goddamn Reverend and said,“Malachi, the Lord has plans for us we know not of. We must rest in His blessed prophecy and live in the truth and light.”
What the fuck did that even mean?
Whatever had happened on that trip, it wasn’t Levi who had returned.
Shaking my head and focusing on the present, I fixed my tie for the tenth time, looking into the small mirror in the Sunday school room. It was the big day, and all I wanted was a damned drink. My brothers would all be standing with me today, and my younger siblings were all on their way. Levi and Ruth had arrived with Father, though I had not seen Levi other than in passing. He was too busy doing god knows what.
The sound of voices in the hallway caught my attention. Expecting it to be my brothers, it surprised me to hear Father’s voice instead.
“I’m pleased you came clean, my son,” his muffled voice filtered in from the hall. I tiptoed towards the door, staying close to the wall to avoid notice.
“Of course, Father. It was only right to tell you what we had planned. Now that I understand things clearly,” It was Levi’s voice, sounding like the perfect, respectful child of Zion he had become.
“Knowing what you boys were planning was a shock, to say the least. Now that I know, and now that you understand our calling from the Lord here, you can help me convince your brothers to see reason.” My stomach rolled, disbelief and anger souring in my gut at Father’s words.
“Consider it done, Father. My brotherswilljoin the ranks of the Elders of Zion and continue the mission God has given us,” Levi spoke with a conviction I had never heard from him before.
“That’s my boy,” Father praised. I heard footsteps and hurried back to the mirror, pretending to fix my suit. Levi stepped into the room quietly.
“Malachi,” he greeted solemnly.
“Leviticus,” I shot back, clenching my teeth, trying to keep any kind of hold on the rage I was feeling. My mind was still reeling from what I had heard.
