Page 115 of Malachi
“Don’t fucking point that at me! I’m the one that fuckingcalledyou here!” Levi shouted, frantically pulling at his hair.
“Levi, calm down,” I yelled, hoping to get through to my brother. He was in full-blown panic mode. I couldn’t blame him. I was half a second away from it myself, the panic vibrating right along the edge of my sense of reason.
“Hold up, hold up! Levi Temple?” A man called from the front of the room, where he was putting cuffs on Elder Shepherd.
“Yeah, that’s me!” Levi shouted, his head turning to look at the man. His eyes were completely wild with fear.
“I’m Agent Driscoll,” the man announced, giving Elder Shepherd into the custody of another agent, before walking towards him.
“Oh, thank fuck,” Levi groaned with relief.
“What the hell happened here?” Agent Driscoll asked, looking around the room with a careful eye.
“We have to go! We have to go now!” Levi cried out, nearly deranged.
“Take a breath. We’re here to help,” Agent Driscoll said calmly.
“Then get me the fuck out of here! They are after our wives. They are going to kill them!” Levi cried out.
“He’s right. The Reverend, our father, and a group of the Elders, the elite circle, have gone after our wives. We need to go, fast,” Ollie agreed.
“They are headed to the bunker,” Zeke’s voice sounded from the hallway leading to the back offices.
“Zeke, thank fucking Christ,” I sighed with so much relief, I feared I would pass out from it. But I couldn’t let go. Not yet. Not until I had Eden safe and in my arms again.
“I couldn’t leave my office. They forgot about me and…” Zeke trailed off. I could see him visibly shaking.
I rushed to him, clasping my hands around his biceps and squeezing until Zeke lifted his eyes and refocused on me, right there in front of him.
“You’re safe. You did the right thing. And you’re safe,” I uttered over and over like a mantra.
“I called the girls. They are headed to the bunker.” He barely got out, his voice shaky, breaking with emotion. “I called the FBI. I tried to stay quiet. I thought they had shot Levi,” He muttered, his eyes glazing over as he struggled to process the last few hours of our lives.
“You did good, brother. You did so good. But keep it together. Talia is still—”
“Talia!” That snapped him out of it. His eyes became immediately sharp and focused, shifting to mine with an intensity and a purpose that we all needed in that moment.
“Where is this bunker?” Agent Driscoll called from where he was speaking with a gathered group of agents.
“It’s on my property. I’ll lead the way,” I explained, walking alongside Zeke as we rushed to join Levi where he was still trying desperately to get past the brigade of blue FBI coats.
“Hold up,” Agent Driscoll stopped me with a hand to my chest. “Just give us the coordinates and we’ll take it from here.”
“Like fuck you will. I don’t have coordinates. I show you the way or our wives die. The longer you sit here debating with me, the less likely we are to get to them in time,” I barked right back.
I watched the man consider his options for a moment before nodding and removing his hand.
“He’s leading the way. Let’s go!” he called, making a motion in the air. Ollie had grabbed Gideon and was pulling him along with us. I had half a mind to tell them to stay behind, but I wasn’t about to waste any more time.
* * *
Flashing lights.
Trees racing by.
The smell of new car leather.
The minutes passed by in a blur as we raced towards the bunker. The line of FBI cars sped out over my yard and towards the treeline.
