Louis Collins: A Post-American Odyssey

Louis watched Yamamoto sort the girls into different groups, based on their nationalities and family situations. The Central Union girls would stay at the restaurant, under the protection of UIS, until their families could be contacted. The Dominion girls would be taken to Sacramento tonight, where the Ministry of Interior would help them reconnect with their families. So were a few girls from Dixie, who would be granted asylum. The consuls of the Alliance and the EU had already been informed, and they were on their way to Idaho Falls to pick up their citizens. Rachel was the only one left.

“Where are you from, Rachel?” Louis asked, standing over her.

“I am from the farm,” she said, looking at him.

“Before the farm,” he said, trying to keep his patience.

“Utah,” she said. “My parents died when I was young. I was in a foster home. Then I met Brother John. He brought me to the farm. He said I was chosen.”

Louis sighed. “Okay. Then you’ll stay with us, for now.”

Rachel looked at him. “With you? In the RV?”

“Don’t get too excited,” Gladice said. “You’ll be sleeping on the sofa.”

“That’s fine,” Rachel said, her face bright. “I will sleep wherever the Lord wants me to sleep.” She looked at Cherish. “I’m glad I can share this trial with you, sister.”

Cherish smiled. “I’m glad too.”

“I’m not,” Gladice said. “I’m looking forward to some privacy. The RV is our family’s home.”

“Maybe she can sleep in a hotel room nearby,” Angelique suggested.

Louis looked at Angelique. “Alright. We will arrange a hotel room for her and a guard.”

“Thank you, my shepherd,” Rachel said.

“Stop calling me that,” Louis said. “My name is Louis.”

“Yes, Brothet Louis,” she said.

Louis sighed and went to the private room where Dave and Dan were with their families. Zhang and his men were inside, standing guard. Dave was talking to his wife. His two children were eating ice cream. Dan was sitting with his wife, holding her hand.

“How’s the food?” Louis asked, walking in.

“Good, sir,” Dave said. “Very good.”

“Glad to hear it,” Louis said. “All of you are going to Sacramento tonight. My men will take you to the airport. A plane is waiting for you.”

Dave looked at his wife, then at Louis. “Thank you, sir. We appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me,” Louis said. “Just keep your promise and be good citizens of the Dominion.”

“We will, sir,” Dave said.

Louis turned to Dan. “The same to you, Dan. Follow the instructions, and your new life will be a good one.”

“I understand, sir,” Dan said. “I will cooperate. I swear.”

“I know you will,” Louis said. “Enjoy the flight.” He turned to Zhang. “You have everything you need, Sergeant?”

“Yes, sir,” Zhang said. “We are ready to go.”

“Good,” Louis said. “I’m going to the RV. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Understood, sir,” Zhang said.

Louis left the private room and joined the others at the entrance. Mark and a few of the staff were talking with Venessa. The reporters were still outside, their cameras flashing.

“I’ll see you, Venessa,” Louis said.

“Good luck, Louis,” she said. “I’ll handle the press.”

Louis nodded and got into the RV with Angelique and the others. He looked out the window. García’s team took Rachel and several girls from the Alliance and the EU to a nearby hotel, where Chief Morgan arranged rooms for them. Zhang’s team guided the Turners and the Dominion and Dixie girls to the bus that would take them to the airport.

Louis watched them go, then sat on the sofa. “Now, for Salt Lake City.”

The others took their seats around him. “What did your father say, Louis?” Angelique asked.

“He wants us to use Rachel to get into the Kingdom,” Louis said. “To get closer to Brother John and to the Prophet King.”

“He wants us to use a victim to catch a monster,” Donya said, her voice tight.

“That’s why he’s in charge, Donya,” Gladice said. “And we’re not.”

“I’m not comfortable with this, Louis,” Donya said. “Rachel is a victim. She’s brainwashed. She’s not a tool.”

“I understand, Donya,” Louis said. “I’m not comfortable with it either. But I still don’t know how we can enter Utah without an invasion. I doubt my dad would authorize one.”

“We can sneak in,” Savannah said. “We are good at that.”

“Not good enough,” Angelique said. “I don’t want to be caught and executed in Utah. I don’t want any of us to be.”

“She has a point,” Gladice said. “After Dixie, I’ve had enough of being a fugitive.”

“None of us want to be fugitives,” Savannah said.

“Then what do we do?” Willa asked. “We need a plan.”

“First, we need to confirm Rachel’s story,” Angelique said. “We need to be sure she’s not a liar.”

Willa nodded. “I’ll cross-check her with the data we took. See if her name appears in any of the records. And see if there’s any connection to the Prophet King.” She began to type on her laptop.

“Good idea,” Louis said. “Before that, let’s assume her story is true. What’s our next step?”

“We need to find a way to contact the Prophet King’s court and tell him that we have Rachel,” Angelique said. “And that we want to talk.”

“He will send a welcoming party, I’m sure,” Maeve said, crossing her legs. “With a lot of guns.”

“Then we have to be prepared for that,” Savannah said. “We can’t go in alone. We need the guards.”

“I agree,” Louis said. “We will keep our convoy.”

“But can we take the whole convoy into Utah?” Donya asked. “I doubt they will let us.”

“Not if we ask nicely,” Louis said. “We will go in as a diplomatic delegation. To return a lost bride to her betrothed.”

“A lost bride?” Donya asked, her eyebrows raised. “That’s a lie.”

“Diplomacy is a lie, Donya,” Gladice said. “A beautiful, well-dressed lie.”

“I still don’t like it,” Donya said. “We’re deceiving them. And we’re using Rachel.”

“I don’t like it either, Donya,” Louis said. “But I don’t see another way. Do you?”

Donya shook her head. “No, but maybe we can stop thinking of vengeance and start thinking of healing and forgiveness.”

“I’ll forgive them after I kill them,” Maeve said. “Then I’ll forget about them.”

“The only forgiveness they will understand is the one that comes from the barrel of a gun,” Savannah said.

Donya sighed. “I just wish there was another way.”

“There is,” Angelique said. “We can walk away. We can go home, and let Constantine’s intelligence services handle it. But we all know that’s not what we want. We want to finish what we started.”

“Angel’s right,” Gladice said. “I’m not leaving until I see Brother John’s head on a stick.”

“I like that,” Maeve said. “But I want to keep his skull as a souvenir.”

“That’s unhygienic,” Willa said, not looking up from her laptop. “But I understand the sentiment.”

“Then it’s settled,” Louis said. “We’re going to Salt Lake City. But we’re not going until we have a solid plan. And that starts with confirming Rachel’s story.”

Willa looked up. “I already cross-checked her with the data. Her name is Rachel Allred. She’s from Salt Lake City. Her parents died in a car crash when she was ten. She was in a foster home for three years, then she ran away. She was then picked up by Brother John, who brought her to the farm. He told her she was special. And he started grooming her for the Prophet King.”

“Grooming her?” Donya asked. “What does that mean?”

“He trained her to be a perfect wife,” Willa said, her voice cold. “He taught her how to cook, how to clean, how to sew, how to please a man in every way. And he brainwashed her with his twisted version of the Bible. He made her believe that her only purpose in life was to marry the Prophet King and bear his children. He even taught her how to pleasure him.”

“How did you find all that?” Angelique asked.

“It’s in the farm’s records,” Willa said. “A file on each of the girls. Their backgrounds, their training, their progress. And their buyers. Rachel’s file says she was bought by the Prophet King himself. For a million euros in a remote auction in Salt Lake City last week.”

“A million euros?” Gladice whistled. “That’s a lot of money for a brainwashed girl.”

“She’s not just a brainwashed girl,” Willa said. “She’s a virgin and a supposed saint. A rare commodity for a holy man.”

“A saint?” Donya asked, her face pale.

“That’s what Brother John called her,” Willa said. “A living saint. A vessel of the Lord’s grace. He claimed she had visions and could perform miracles. Of course, it was all bullshit. But the Prophet King bought it.”

“This is sick,” Cherish said, her voice trembling.

“It’s a business,” Savannah said. “A very lucrative, very sick business.”

“Then her story is true,” Angelique said. “She is the key.”

“I have to be honest with all of you,” Donya said. “I’m not comfortable using her. She is a victim. She needs help, not more trauma.”

“I understand,” Louis said. “And I agree. We are going to help her. We are going to save her from the Prophet King and from Brother John.”

“How?” Donya asked. “By walking into his palace and telling him to let her go?”

“We’re going to negotiate,” Louis said. “We’re going to offer him an olive branch from the Dominion of the Pacific. A new era of cooperation between our two states, with a trade deal that will benefit both of us. And in return, he will give us Brother John and the whole Lumen Path network.”

“You think he will agree to that?” Angelique asked. “The Kingdom is isolationist. They don’t trade with the outside world. And they hate our guts.”

“He might,” Louis said. “If he sees an opportunity. The Kingdom is not self-sufficient. They need resources and allies, especially if they want to survive. The world is changing. And they know it.”

“What if he doesn’t agree?” Maeve asked.

“Then we will have to find another way,” Louis said. “Like supporting a new Prophet King.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Donya asked.

“It means a coup,” Gladice said. “A change of leadership.”

“You’re suggesting we overthrow the Prophet King?” Donya stared at her.

“I’m suggesting we keep our options open,” Louis said. “And that we prepare for every possible outcome. Including a hostile one.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Louis,” Angelique said.

“I know,” Louis said. “But that’s the game we’re in. And I’m not going to lose.” He looked at Willa. “Now, let’s contact the Prophet King. See how he reacts.”

Willa nodded. “I’ll find a secure channel. I’ll craft a message that is both diplomatic and intriguing.”

“Do it,” Louis said.

Willa turned to her laptop and started typing. Louis watched her.

To the Esteemed Prophet King Joseph Taylor of the Kingdom of Utah,

We bring you greetings from the Dominion of the Pacific. We have in our care a woman named Rachel Allred, who claims to be your betrothed. She was rescued from a dangerous situation in the Central Union. She is safe, and she wishes to be reunited with you. We would be honored to facilitate her return, and to discuss a matter of mutual interest regarding her ordeal and those responsible.

We await your response.

Sincerely,

Louis Collins

Willa looked up. “That’s good?”

“It’s good,” Louis said. “It’s polite, respectful, and intriguing.”

“Should I add a picture of Rachel?” Willa asked.

“No,” Louis said. “Let him ask for it. We want him to be the one to initiate the contact.”

“Alright,” Willa said. “I’m sending it now.”

“Do you think he will reply?” Donya asked.

“He will,” Louis said. “He can’t ignore a message from me. Especially not one that mentions Rachel.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, waiting. Willa kept an eye on her laptop. The others sipped their wine. The RV was quiet.

“Got it,” Willa said, her eyes fixed on the screen. “We have a reply.”

“What does it say?” Angelique asked.

Willa read the message aloud. “Mr. Collins. Your message has been received. We are grateful for your concern for our Sister Rachel. We have been worried about her wellbeing. We are pleased to hear she is safe. We would like to invite your delegation to Salt Lake City to discuss her return and the matter you mentioned. We await your arrival in peace. The office of the Prophet King.”

“Wow,” Gladice said. “That was fast.”

“He must have been waiting for our message,” Louis said. “Which means he knows about the raid on the farm. And he’s worried.”

“Or he’s just curious about you,” Savannah said. “The famous Louis Collins. The Prince of the Dominion.”

“Or both,” Angelique said. “We should be careful.”

“We will,” Louis said. “Willa, reply to him. Tell him we will go to Salt Lake City tomorrow with our convoy. And that we expect a safe and respectful welcome.”

Willa typed. “Done.”

“Good,” Louis said. “Now, let’s get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“How should we arrange the rooms for the night?” Willa asked.

“I’ll take one with Angi, Gladie and you,” Louis said. “I want to try the lower bedroom tonight.”

“Guess I’ll go with Donya, Mae-Mae and Cherry,” Savannah said, winking. “We need a girls’ night.”

Cherish’s cheeks turned pink. “But I want to be with you, Louis.”

“I know, Cherry,” Louis said. “Tomorrow.” He kissed her. “Good night, my love.”

“Good night, Louis,” she said.

He kissed Savannah, Donya and Maeve, and then went to the lower bedroom with Angelique, Gladice, and Willa.