The Harvest (Book 1) (27 page)

In an eight by ten room with stark white walls, Austin sat contemplating when he was going to leave. Having spent the past two weeks learning the routine of the disciples and as much as he could about the Section’s layout, Austin was anxious to get topside. Based on his observations security was minimal, with the only functioning cameras being those located in the hallway outside the elevator. And, as far as he was able to ascertain, the elevator remained the only way in and out.

The Disciples day to day activities didn’t vary. Breakfast was at seven and consisted of plain oatmeal and coffee or tea. An hour of prayer in the temple room followed each meal. There was three hours of classroom in the morning taught by a different disciple each day. The teachings were based on a hybrid version of the bible. Austin guessed Roth’s hand was heavily involved in the re-writes. In the afternoon they were supposed to spend time meditating, and the where didn’t matter as long as they did so alone.

This was Austin’s most productive time of the day as it gave him the opportunity to investigate the Section. He searched in vain for Eve, by now certain she was somewhere in the Section. If she was being kept a prisoner, he was sure he didn’t have access to that area of the section and couldn’t risk asking about something he most likely shouldn’t know existed. Yet she persisted, appearing to him on a regular basis and at times seeming impatient. He found himself arguing with her, pleading with her to help him find her. To which she answered with her usual silence. It was maddening.

In fact, the entire Section’s existence was maddening to Austin, who saw what they were doing as pointless and a complete waste of time. When they should have been trying to destroy the Sundogs, they were praying to them. Praying for what, he couldn’t figure out and no one had felt compelled to share. Austin knew there was something going on behind the scenes, but he wasn’t privy to that information and could only assume it was related to the elusive Program he heard whispered about. He wondered if the Program was somehow tied to Eve or maybe she was the Program.

Along with having to spend most every waking moment in the company of the Disciples, Austin attended private meetings with Roth each evening, during which the General shared his philosophy on the current state of the world. This turned out to be a complete waste of time as well, since throughout his meanderings the General never explained in any detail his relationship with the Sundogs. Rather he seemed content to spend hours discussing his thoughts on developing, populating and living in a utopian society. If Austin posed a question, Roth either pretended not to hear or dismissed it as unimportant.

All the psycho babble about a new world order, Austin handled with ease, but when Roth insisted on talking about Roxanne and his son, it took every ounce of his will power not to act out his desire to kill the man. He held his composure, repeating to himself that Roth was more useful to him alive and the time would come to settle the score.

Besides these reasons, something was off in Roth’s account of his relationship with the Sundogs. There were slight discrepancies in his story which prevented Austin from pulling the trigger on snapping the general’s neck. His instincts kept nagging him to look deeper, to open that folder, study the pictures inside, but he couldn’t make himself do it. He glanced at the small night stand where the folder lay, tormenting him by its mere existence. Even if the photos turned out not to be Roxi, or were fakes as he suspected they might be, he couldn’t risk being wrong.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

“Come in.” Austin stood up.

The door opened and Brother Isaiah’s red haired, freckle face popped in. He stared at Austin with an alarmed look. “Brother Austin, why aren’t you wearing your robe?”

“I took a nap and I did not wish to wrinkle it.”

The boy relaxed, seeming to accept this simple lie as valid. “The Father wishes to see you at seven o’clock this evening.”

“Thank you brother Isaiah. I will see the Father at seven.” Austin folded his hands in front of his chest and bowed his head. Isaiah returned with the same gesture and then left the room. 

“Like Guyana.” Austin mumbled low to himself while straightening his uniform. His hand went to rubbing his head and he frowned. His hair was longer than he liked it, but as a
disciple
he wasn’t allowed to shave his head. He couldn’t wait to get away from this place, but he knew they were watching him, judging his actions and reactions. Roth in particular kept an eye on him, and even here in his room he knew he was being observed.

***

At seven sharp Austin, now dressed in a brown robe, knocked on the open door to Roth’s office. Roth welcomed him with his usual glazed stare and a smile that never quite achieved its purpose. Austin walked to the center of room and bowed to Roth.

“Good evening father.” Austin did not look up.

“Good evening my young disciple. Please sit. Sit.” Roth instructed. “We have much to discuss tonight.” He waited for Austin to take his seat. “I have received communication from my Disciples. A communication that was of a very disturbing nature and requires that we take action immediately.”

“Is it the Sundogs?”

“Six days ago a subject was lost by three Disciples. They had stopped at a ranch house to rest and she somehow managed to escape into the woods on an ATV. They pursued her into the forest, but her tracks went cold. Since then, I’ve sent two teams back to the woods with no luck in locating her.”

“The subject’s a woman?”

“The girl is still alive and I want you to find her. Tomorrow morning you and Disciple Morgan will return to the woods outside Pueblo and resume the search. She is out there and I want
you
to bring her back here.”

“Why do you think she’s still alive?”

“Disciple Morgan will come for you in the morning. He’s an early riser, such as yourself, so be ready at zero five hundred.” Roth stood up, signaling their meeting was over. He walked around the desk, stood in front of Austin and placed his hands on his shoulders. “The prisoner must be found and brought back to the Section. She is vital to the Program.”

Not knowing what to make of this and never having any luck getting the general to tell him more about the Program, Austin only bowed his head in acceptance of his task. When he looked up again Roth was still staring at him and, for the briefest of moments, Austin saw past the eyes of the crazy man. If Austin had to swear to it, he would say behind that glassy gaze the general was very alert and was nervous or agitated or both. These were not emotions Roth had exhibited in the past two weeks, at least not in front of Austin.

Roth dropped his hands from Austin’s shoulders and returned to sit behind his desk. He picked up a pen and began to write in his journal. Several minutes went by before Roth dismissed Austin and did so without pausing or looking up from his task. Austin hesitated for a moment, watching Roth, who was deeply engrossed in his writing, and wondered what in the hell the general was writing about.

***

Back in his room, Austin finished packing for the trip. Roth hadn’t mentioned and Austin wasn’t going to ask, but he hoped to get his weapons back, especially his knife. During one of their afternoon meditation sessions, he had happened upon a senior Disciple entering a room located on the west side of the Section. Catching a glimpse inside, he saw it was being used for weapons storage and that his back pack was hanging on the wall. He didn’t want to leave without his knife, but the combination lock was going to be a problem if he had to break in. 

With his packing complete, there was nothing left to do except wait, so he sat on the bed and closed his eyes. Austin hadn’t slept for more than a two hour stretch since arriving. At night the Section felt more like a tomb, with an air that suffocated him so much so that he longed for the blistering cold of an open field or even the confines of a dairy freezer.

Again he wondered what it was that Roth had promised his disciples to keep them down here. He knew the Program was the key, but still had no idea what it entailed. No one discussed it, but each day Roth read out a name and that disciple was always extremely happy to be chosen. The others would congratulate him, some appeared more envious than the others, but they never alluded to what it was the disciple had been chosen for and it was never mentioned afterwards.

Setting his uneasy feelings about the Program aside, Austin attempted to force his body and mind to relax by using methods he learned in survival school. He had used these methods in much worse situations and had better success, but down here, underneath miles of earth and granite, rest continued to elude him. Taking in another deep breath, he held it until his lungs screamed for release. As the air left his body, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He was no longer alone. 

He opened his eyes and across from him stood Eve. Again, as in Roth’s office, she ventured close enough that he could have touched her. But she wasn’t there in flesh and blood. He could see through her the wall and door. She beckoned for him to follow. He stood up obeying, thinking she was going to lead him to her.

Outside his room voices drew his attention from Eve. The voices grew louder and then stopped in front of his door. Eve vanished like a dream when you awake. There was a knock and the door opened before he could answer. Brother Isaiah stood in the doorway. His usual friendly expression replaced by a frown. Behind him stood another of the brothers, one Austin had seen around, but wasn’t familiar with. They both appeared anxious.

“Father wants everyone in the gathering room right away.” Isaiah announced.

Austin maintained a calm expression. “Did he say why?”

“The Father’s commands are to be followed not questioned.” The unfamiliar brother replied evenly, his tone letting Austin know he didn’t approve.

“Please Brother Austin we must not keep the father waiting.” Brother Isaiah urged.

Austin walked toward them.

“Your robe, Brother Austin.” Brother Isaiah pointed to Austin’s robe that was lying over his chair. Austin nodded and quickly slipped it on.

In the gathering room the disciples and brothers milled about in silence. Austin found a space in the back where he could observe everyone. It was the first time he had been together with all of the followers at once. He did a head count. There were forty five brothers, including himself and nine disciples. He counted a second time and came up with the same number. Three disciples were missing. It was possible the missing men were above ground, but before he could give this more thought Roth entered the room. The disciples folded their hands and bowed their heads.

“Good evening my loyal followers.” Roth’s empty gaze scanned the room, pausing on Austin.

“Good evening father.” They answered in unison.

“You may be at peace.”

They lowered their hands and raised their heads. Behind Roth, the two missing disciples entered the room. Between them was a shackled man, who looked to be in his late thirties and reminded Austin of Edward.

“We have an unfortunate situation to settle tonight.” He waved for the shackled man to be brought forward. “Disciple Thomas has violated the most sacred rule of the Program by taking that which was not his.” The others shared looks of alarm and disgust. “We will cast a vote.”    

Thomas raised his head. His eyes flashed crazed anger. “You’re all fucking crazy!” Thomas yelled out. “And he’s the fucking craziest mother fucker down here.” He jerked his head at Roth.

The group gasped. This outburst was as alarming as was his crime.

Roth walked over to Thomas. He brushed the man’s hair off his forehead. Thomas jerked away from Roth’s touch giving him a look of disgust, frosted with pure hatred. Out of nowhere Roth hit Thomas with a powerful punch to his solar plexus, knocking his breath away. Thomas would have fallen to the floor had the two Disciples not been holding onto him.

Roth turned back to his followers. “Please cast your votes.”

Around the room each member raised a hand. Being in the dark, Austin remained neutral, not raising either hand. He wasn’t about to condemn a man without knowing what crime he committed. As soon as the last man raised his right hand, Roth raised his right hand as well. It appeared there were only rights.

Thomas knew what this meant and laughed out loud. A laugh of an innocent man who can’t believe the judgment passed against him “You’re all murderers and rapists. I hope you rot down here. I hope the fucking Sundogs eat your fucking hearts out.”

Another collective gasp rose in the room. The Disciples didn’t speak about the Sundogs and to speak out against them, was blasphemy.

“That’s right. You fucking idiots! You fucking sheep. Follow the wolf to your death.” Thomas searched the group until he found Austin. “Ask him about the Program. Ask him about it and hear the lies. Ask him about the prisoner in the...”

Thomas’ last words were cut off by the sound of a gunshot. Roth had placed a gun to Thomas’ head and pulled the trigger. Blood and brains splattered on the disciples holding him and on those closest to the victim. If Austin was surprised by what he’d just witnessed he didn’t let on. He met Roth’s quiet gaze from across the room with one equally calm. At that very instant, he knew Roth had shot Thomas to keep him from telling the section’s secrets, as much as to punish him for whatever imagined rule he’d broken.

***

The concrete room was sound proof, so the girls had not heard the gunshot, but Eve had. This was not the first time hearing this and if the past was any indicator of the future, the general would bring her a meal tonight. The blood would be fresher than normal, but most likely still at room temperature.

She wanted to search for the captain again, before he could leave the mountain, but she needed to eat. Her need to eat on a regular basis was becoming a problem. Prior to capture she went weeks at a time without feeding, never feeling the lethargy she’d experienced lately. Except for...

She paused in her thinking. A thought popped into her head. That was unless she drank the tainted blood of a junkie. The tainted blood of a junkie she repeated, letting the words sink in.