The forces were gathering as instructed ... everything was always done as instructed. It was the never-ending chase for euphoria, being obeyed and holding people's very next breath in her hand. She hummed with delight. Looking down at the large table she was standing over in her tent, she looked at the possibilities of annihilation and sighed with contentment. This would be a pleasure. She had never known such satisfaction in a large-scale destruction of life as this would be.
"Is everyone ready?" The Calderone asked, looking up and around, irritable as silence followed her question. Everyone was approaching the tent entrance, "What is going on?"
No one answered; instead, they left the tent, gathering in the clearing on the border of the stretch of land that had become No Man's Land. Following them, she stepped out into the clearing, looking around. Tilting her head, she frowned. Was that someone speaking?
The voice came to her on the air from the other side of No Man's Land, but she couldn't hear what was being said. Moving closer, she wandered through the gathering of people. Stepping out into the front line of people and pushing past them, she finally heard what was being said. It made her blood run colder than ice.
It couldn't be.
Her compound was destroyed, her guards dead ... pulling out her phone, she dialled the head of security she had left at the compound. It went straight to voicemail. If the compound was demolished, were her orders carried out or not.
Anger flared as voices identifying themselves as those she had kept prisoner came over the crackling air. Murmurs rose behind her, and she heard gasps and slight movements. Turning, she found people moving away from the group. Where were they going?
"If you leave, I will kill your families," she shouted, "their blood will be on your head."
A man turned slightly, shaking his head, "My daughter's voice just spoke. You have nothing to hold me here. I never wanted to be part of this and will have nothing more to do with it. They are allowing us to surrender with slight implications for those who have been coerced into this. We're leaving."
He turned and, putting an arm around his wife's shoulders, they walked away, heading toward the indicated surrender spot. The horror of the situation hit her; her prisoners were still alive, her compound was destroyed, and men were dead. But not all of them. She still had men who loved what she did. Striding to the tent, she stormed in, finding her faithful bloodthirsty thugs waiting.
"Find out how many are still with us, and we'll make fresh plans," she said, "why is it that I don't have anyone to torture when I really need it?"
"I'll get those figures for you," one of her thugs said, stepping quickly out of the tent.
"Someone find out how they accomplished this and who the traitor is," she snarled, slamming her fist into the tabletop, relishing the pain that lanced through her knuckles and up her arm, "whoever sold me out is going to pay ... they are going to be so sorry."
Picking up the useless plans and strategies, she tore the sheets of paper until it fluttered to the floor as confetti. Panting, she leaned on the table, waiting for information on her new target.
The gathering of people was increasing. Josiah looked at Jake, sighing, "Looks like all the places are going to be filled."
"We do have the communes, which has just been completed," Jake murmured, "when I say just, I mean that ..." he glanced at his father, "... Candy didn't tell you."
"Tell me what?" Josiah asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"She has been working on a place for families or young people in need of a family unit to live," Jake said, "it's on our lands, and she has currently been able to restore ..." he silently counted his fingers until he had his number, "... huh ... seven places that can comfortably house four families each or one family and young people who need a family unit."
"Well, I'll be damned," Josiah smiled, "she's like her mother ... see's a need and goes for it."
"Yeah, she said something about being tired of waiting until you had time to talk to her about it," Jake grinned. "She chatted with Mom, and the two found places not being used and went to work."
"Ahhh, that explains your mother's late nights, trips and preoccupation," Josiah said, "but she never told me why she was doing this."
"She couldn't." Jake shrugged, "she was decorating according to Candy's requirements."
"Candy kept it from her as well," Josiah shook his head, "then how did you know?"
"She needed someone to help her work out the logistics, plus I do work with witness relocation a lot," Jake said, shrugging then frowning, "she was very thorough," shaking his head, "I still think she must have known something we didn't."
They turned to see more people joining those at the point of surrender. Some were weeping openly, others looked scared, and others didn't know what to expect. The one constant throughout the group was pulsating fear.
"We need to get them out of harm's way," Josiah said, "do you have the hall prepared?"
Jake scanned the group of people preparing to receive those surrendering and nodded. A tall man broke away from the group working and approached the crowd.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"Hello, Everyone," he called to the gathering group, "thank you for being courageous and stepping away from what you know is not right. You probably want to know where your families are, and you will see them as soon as they are medically cleared. In the meantime, please go through the tent into a hall where you'll find food and various beverages available to drink."
The silent crowd glanced around, not really understanding what was being said. A young woman stepped forward from the crowd and opened her mouth to speak but had to clear her throat before trying again.
"Are you serious about the food and drink?" her words floated in a hoarse voice, making Josiah and Jake flinch with sympathy.
"Yes, M'am," the man said, "it's through that tent entrance there."
Nodding, the young woman started limping toward the tent entrance, stumbling and falling to her knees. The crowd gasped as the man hurried toward her, gently lifting her to her feet and handing her to a woman who had come to help her on her way.
Turning to the crowd, the man looked at the fearful faces, "You probably think this is a trap, but we don't operate as you're used to. You are in the right place if you're looking for peace, security and ... family. If you'd like to be looked after and, believe it or not, given a chance to live with love and knowledge that you are safe and protected when you step outside... you need to walk through that tent entrance and feed yourselves."
Josiah glanced at Jake before looking back at the gathering people, "I've never seen people who find it this hard to trust the words and intentions."
"The young woman did," Jakes said.
"That wasn't trust," Josiah said, "that was desperation. She has been beaten and tortured lately, plus she is probably starving and thirsty."
"Oh wait," Jake whispered, "I think we have takers."
A tall man holding a weeping woman to his side shuffled them forward, "It sounds idyllic, but we've been sold a happily ever after only to end up in hell."
"Yes, The Calderone does have a way of distorting people's trust," the man said, "but we don't expect you to trust us because of what we say ... we want to feed you, protect you and give you a chance to heal and thrive. We cannot do that unless you take a chance and enter the tent."
"You won't force us?" a young woman asked from the side of the clearing, "You won't... compel us?
The crowd shuddered at those words and shifted uncomfortably as she stepped away from the protection of the crowd.
"It is not our way to compel anyone," the man said, "we give you back what was yours ... choice. You can choose to stay with us, or you may leave."
"What happens if we leave?" a young man asked.
"It will be a sad day that we will not be able to help and protect you until you can make it on your own, but we will be here if you need our protection and help," the man said, "if you're meaning will we hunt you down if you leave ..." the young man nodded, "...we don't do that here. If you leave, it's your choice, and we will wish you well and remind you we are here to help should you need it."
"And if we stay?" a heavily pregnant young woman asked as she cradled her swollen stomach.
"If you stay ..." the man sighed, "... a place to stay, food, safety, medical assistance when needed and the knowledge that everyone on this land is family ... perhaps not blood-related but will be there for each of you as they are for those living here."
"Sound like a fantasy?" she said, tears tracking her face.
"I thought so when I first arrived here," he said, nodding, "being hunted because you stick to your beliefs and refuse to be a pawn in a madman's game is not fun. It's hard to live on the run all the time. When I came here it was surreal. People helped me ..." he sighed, "... they helped me understand I was safe, I learned to trust the people on this land who fed me while I adjusted and healed, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. Having my family move here so we could live safely together wasn't my idea. It was done so I could be whole and live without worry. That is what being on these lands means, no one forced me to trust them or compelled me to do anything. They met my needs and loved me unconditionally. We'd like the chance to do the same for you, but the choice is ultimately yours."
Silence fell as everyone stared at him for several heartbeats. The pregnant young woman slowly started moving forward; each step she took was heavy and uncomfortable. The man turned and motioned to two men standing beside the entrance. They hurried forward, approaching the young woman who froze and stared at them with fear and determination.
"Make a seat for her," the man told them, "carry her to wherever she tells you."
They nodded, crossing their arms and waiting for her to lower her weight onto the makeshift chair, sighing she complied.
"I need food and a bed," she said, "if that is through the tent entrance, take me there."
Nodding, they silently lifted her and carried her toward the entrance; as she disappeared, a teenage girl forced her way through the crowd, panting in desperation.
"Nessie," she called, looking around and spotting the pregnant woman being carried, "Nessie, wait."
She ran after the men carrying Nessie and disappeared into the tent.
"This is going to take forever," Josiah said, glancing toward the other side of the camp, "she could strike at any time now."
"Then we need to add something else into the mix," Jake said, stepping forward and standing next to the man who had been addressing the crowd, "hello everyone, my name is Jake ..." he noticed murmuring in the crowd and decided to ignore it for the moment, "... my family run these lands and have protected many people over the years. We are giving you a chance at a new life, but our ultimate goal is to protect you all and keep you alive."
"Then why aren't you compelling us?" a man in the group's centre asked.
Jake smiled, "Compelling anyone to do anything against their will is called manipulation, and we don't do that. Besides, it's against the law. But for those of you who are weighing your options and are not sure ... we understand," he glanced behind him as a rage-induced roar could be heard, "Okay, we are now out of time. I'm sure you all want to be away from whatever The Calderone is currently up to; you have two choices ... take our protection and head through the tent, or should you not want our protection and see your family but don't want anything to do with whatever is happening behind me please head to you right, there will be people who will escort you to a place of safety."
"Where is the place of safety?" asked another man, looking around.
"Not on these lands," Jake said.
"How will we see our families then?" asked the same man.
"If your families decide to join you, we'll bring them to you," Jake said, "but if they decide to stay here ..." Jake shrugged, "... I'm apologising in advance ... that will be their choice," glancing in the direction of the building commotion and giving silently hand commands to armed men and women who raced to take positions between the people and the rising commotion, turning to the people again he sighed, "you have about ..." glancing at his watch, "... three minutes to decide. Please excuse me, but I must protect my family and friends."
Turning, he joined the line of those taking a position with the others to defend the surrendered people.