Desolation

Wilber’s face dropped in disbelief. “Do you believe this guy?” he rhetorically asked Steve who trained a rifle on Thomas, not sure what to trust or believe. Steve shrugged in response.

“Well, instead of that, you can just get moving along. If you need water, there is a trough full of it at the end of a path you passed on your way up my driveway.”

Thomas then repeated the words he was told to say. “I’m afraid, sir, you don’t understand. Do not mistake my words as a request. You have only two choices. You can accept us with open arms, and we will let you live and we may allow you and your people to join our quest; or you can reject us and receive the Teacher’s judgment. God grants you free will. This is the one freedom we will not take from you.”

Wilber’s face was much more serious now. He had no idea how big this group was, but obviously, based on this man’s comments, they believed they had the force to take what they wanted and either kill him, his family, and friends, or induct them all into this Teacher’s cult.

“Can we hold them off if we say no?” Steve asked, his voice betraying his concern.

“Unless he has more than, say a hundred men, we can hold him off with all our defenses. We’ll be fine.” Wilber’s tone held doubt salted with flashes of anger.

He stood up as high as he could over the four-foot wall, so that he could be easily seen. Then he yelled down to the stranger making threats, “How dare you come onto my private property and make demands? This property has been in my family’s hands for generations. So, I’m sure as hell not going to turn it over to some religious narcissistic freak who thinks he’s the Second Coming. Get out of here, and tell your Teacher if I see any of his people anywhere on my property, I will send them to hell.”

Thomas’s face didn’t change at all. Just before he opened his mouth to speak, Wilber was sure he saw a little bit of a smirk on it. “Then beware, as Jesus once said, ‘I came not to bring peace, but to bring a sword.’” He turned and walked away.

“Matthew 10:34?” It was Olive’s voice from behind them. “Why was that man quoting from Matthew?” she asked, after just stepping outside to better overhear the conversation.

“O, I’m sorry to say this, but we need to prepare to defend our home. This asshole just delivered a threat from some religious cult and he seems to have the means to try and carry it out,” Wilber said glumly.

~~~

While Thomas was delivering the Teacher’s ultimatum, almost all two hundred men and women from God’s Army were taking up positions at all points around the perimeter. They were slowly approaching the base of the hill, where they would wait for a signal from him to tell them to start their holy war against these infidel farmers. They were told that they would see some resistance, but that no mere mortal was any match for God’s Army.

Thomas stopped at a table set up on the Wright Ranch, just off the long dirt road. John held up an arm band with their GA insignia, although more professional looking than previous hand-done versions, and slipped it over Thomas’s right arm, who hoisted on a military-type vest at the same time.

“Going according to plan, Brother Thomas?” John asked, as he handed him a rifle.

“Perfectly, Brother John.”

Beside John were two men and two women dressed in their olive drab shirts and GA arm bands, awaiting Thomas’s orders.

Looking at them now, Thomas commanded, “Go tell your squads that they have maybe ten people at the most behind a wall that surrounds the top-part of a hill. That’s where their compound is. Make sure they wait at the base of the hill, at the new fence line, until you hear my shots behind the wall. Then start your assault.”

“Yes, Brother Thomas,” the four said in unison, while bowing in supplication to him, before running toward their pre-determined positions.

He waited until they were out of earshot and then said to John, “Make sure none of our troops leave until this is over.” The look he gave his second in command brooked no disagreement.

“I’ve already dispatched the Loyalty Officers. They’ll keep our people in line or remove them from service permanently.”

“Excellent. Give me about twenty minutes and then you should start hearing the shooting,” Thomas said as he readied his rifle and took one last swig of water, and then faced John, with his hand out.

“I’ll be ready, Brother Thomas.” John sealed the statement with a firm shake.

“Thanks, Brother John.” Thomas jogged back toward the ranch, taking a route around the side where he wouldn’t be seen.