The Revelation Room (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 1) (11 page)

Ben sat at the kitchen table
sandwiched between Bubba and Tweezer. There was a plastic dinner plate and a plastic
tumbler on the table in front of him, along with a plastic knife and fork. The
tableware reminded Ben of a children’s party. Even though he’d not eaten since
early morning, his appetite flatly refused to be tempted by the food.

Dixie and Alice sat opposite Ben, with Ebb in his rightful
place at the head of the table. Emily was busy setting bowls of salad and new
potatoes on the table. There was a huge plastic jug of lemon juice in the
middle of the table.

Ben looked at Ebb. ‘Where’s Maddie?’  

Tweezer nudged him in the ribs. Hard. It was a nudge that
said
shut up right now!

Ebb stood up and clasped his hands in front of him. He was
wearing a white robe tied around the middle with a black sash. He looked
dressed for martial arts. ‘Since you ask, Benjamin, Madeline is preparing for
inauguration.’

‘What do you mean, “preparing”?’ Ben asked.

Tweezer rounded on him. ‘Be quiet.’

Ebb waved a hand. ‘She’s resting.’

Tweezer looked at Ebb. ‘I apologise for Benjamin’s manners,
Father.’

Ebb smiled that greasy doughnut smile dusted with too much
sugar. ‘He will learn, Brother. He will learn.’

They sat in silence as Emily finished laying the table.
Emily then took her seat alongside Alice and Dixie.

Ebb raised a hand and looked around the table at each member
in turn. He then closed his eyes and bowed his head. ‘Oh merciful Lord, we give
thanks for this wonderful meal which You have so generously provided. We are
not worthy of Your kindness and Your bountiful provision, Lord.’

‘We are not worthy,’ the group chanted.

‘We are Your humble servants, Lord.’

Tweezer raised his hands and looked up at the ceiling.
‘Praise Jesus.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ the group chimed.

Ebb opened his eyes and added a squirt of syrup to that
doughnut smile. ‘I’m ravenous. Pass the sweet potatoes, please, Sister Alice.’

They ate in silence. Ben noticed that most of the members
looked at their food as if mesmerised by it. Next to Ben, Tweezer sniffed and
munched. If Ben’s father had been seated at the table, he might have told Tweezer
to close his mouth while he was eating. He might also have told Bubba to tuck
his elbows in, and Ebb to mop a yellow streak of butter from his chin.

Ben forced food into his mouth and chewed. He hated salad at
the best of times. Thoughts of Maddie dominated his mind. What did “preparing
for inauguration” mean? It sounded creepy and full of menace.

Ebb finished his meal and belched. He wiped grease from his
mouth with a paper napkin. ‘That was a fine meal, Sister Emily.’

Sister Emily inclined her head. ‘Thank you, Father. Shall I
clear the table now, Father?’

‘Yes. Thank you, Sister Emily.’

Ben watched Emily walk around the table and clear the
plates. He wanted to reach out and grab her by the arm, ask her if her name was
Emily Hunt.
The
Emily Hunt. He searched her face for tell-tale signs of
the girl he’d seen in the photograph. There were none. Could four years change
a person so much? The only thing Sister Emily shared with photo-Emily was the
lack of expression on her face.

It’s because her hair’s been cropped
, Ben thought,
clutching at straws.
It makes her face appear much more severe. Angry,
almost. Angry with a hint of sorrow.

But everything else fitted. Marcus. The cult. The names.
Everything. As for Ebb, he looked more than capable of killing someone.
Enjoying it, even. And Tweezer had already confessed to killing a man with a
hammer.

With the table cleared, Ebb told Sister Emily to pour
drinks. She dutifully obliged, filling each member’s plastic beaker from the
jug of iced lemon. Ebb raised his glass. ‘To our merciful Lord.’

‘Our merciful Lord,’ the rest of the group chimed.

Ebb drained his drink in one long draught and banged his
beaker down on the table. The rest of the group followed suit. After a few
moments, Ebb stood up and clapped his hands together like a teacher bringing a
class to attention. ‘I’d like to welcome our good friend, Benjamin, to The Sons
and Daughters of Salvation.’  

‘Welcome, Benjamin,’ Tweezer said.

‘Welcome, Benjamin,’ the rest of the group chanted.

Ben wanted to scream from the top of his lungs that his name
was Ben, not Benjamin. A short and simple name with no fancy frills. Just like
him. He looked at the table. Next to him, Bubba mumbled something
unintelligible.

Ebb moved away from the table and stood with his hands
resting on the back of his chair. ‘It’s been an eventful day, brothers and
sisters, indeed it has. A day to be thankful. It’s not often we get to welcome
two
new members into our fold. We thank You, Lord, for bringing Madeline and Benjamin
to The Sons and Daughters of Salvation.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ Tweezer said.

Ebb smiled and inclined his head. ‘Praise Jesus, indeed.’

Did you smile like that when you killed my father
?
Ben thought.
Did you grin like that while dear old Brother Tweezer smashed
his skull to a pulp with a hammer?

Ebb looked at his watch. ‘How the time flies. Jesus must
have given it wings today.’

The group responded with polite laughter.

Ebb raised a hand. ‘It’s nearly seven-thirty. Benjamin’s
inauguration will take place at nine prompt. I believe Sister Alice has
prepared the robes?’

Alice bowed her head. ‘All done, Father.’

‘Thank you, Sister Alice. You are commended for doing such a
wonderful job at such short notice. Sunday will indeed be a day of rest for
you.’

Sister Alice thanked him as if he’d just offered her a
detached cottage in the countryside complete with housemaids and gardeners.

Ebb dabbed his forehead with the same napkin he’d used to
wipe his mouth. He turned his attention to Bubba. ‘Your task is to erect the
apparatus for Benjamin’s inauguration in the Gathering Barn, okay?’

Bubba nodded his head.

Ebb pursed his lips. ‘Don’t let me down.’

Bubba shook his head.

Ebb clapped his hands at Bubba as though addressing a
servant. ‘You are relieved. Go to your duties.’

Bubba ambled from the room with his shoulders stooped. His
bones poked through the yellow overalls like tent poles beneath canvas. Ben’s
mother would have described Bubba as someone who looked as if they’d
been
through the wars
.

Ebb turned to Alice. ‘You and the sisters can attend to the
dishes. After that, go and get ready.’

Alice bowed her head. ‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb waited for the women to set about their duties and then
sat down. ‘How are you settling in, Benjamin?’

About as well as a cat in a kennel
. ‘Okay.’

‘Address the Father properly,’ Tweezer said.

‘Fine, thank you, Father.’

Ebb looked at Tweezer with that shadow lurking in his eyes
again. ‘I’m sure Benjamin will learn his manners in due course.’

Tweezer looked away. ‘Of course.’

‘What do you think of our humble abode? Do you think you’ll
fit in?’ Ebb asked.

Ben nodded. ‘Yes, Father.’

‘I’m afraid the place is in dire need of a makeover. I
believe autumn is pencilled in, Brother Tweezer?’

‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb nodded. ‘The Lord has set us a heavy workload. I’m
afraid the farm has suffered as a consequence. But we do as best we can. Do you
have any special skills, Benjamin?’

‘No, Father.’

Ebb smiled. ‘Everyone has a skill. Sometimes it’s just a
case of digging deep to find it. I’m sure you can use a paintbrush?’

Ben hated painting. Gloss paint always gave him a sore
throat and brought him out in boils the size of grapes. ‘I don’t mind
painting.’

Ebb pursed his lips. ‘Do you like animals?’

A vision of a snarling, slobbering Alsatian popped into
Ben’s head. ‘I don’t mind them, Father.’

‘Perhaps you could help Bubba with the goats. We sell their
milk to a local shop. It’s good for children with allergies.’

Ben thought Tweezer could do with some goat’s milk to help
with his hay fever.

‘Are you a vegetarian?’ Ebb asked.

‘Not really.’

Ebb grinned. ‘Not really? That’s a strange answer.’

‘Yes or no,’ Tweezer prompted.

‘I only like chicken.’

Ebb studied him with those button brown eyes. ‘We don’t
believe in slaughtering animals. We believe the Lord made all creatures to live
a life free of persecution. We believe that we should respect the wishes of the
Lord.’

‘Amen,’ Tweezer agreed.

‘Only the ill-informed resort to killing and eating animals,
Benjamin.’

Ben wondered how Ebb’s philosophy squared with Jesus feeding
the five thousand with fish. Or wasn’t a fish considered worthy of
consideration?

Ebb formed a steeple with his fingers. He reminded Ben of a
scorpion about to strike. ‘It’s a savage world you have left behind, Benjamin.
But you are free now. Free of the burdens of greed and barbarity.’

Ben could think of better ways to describe the world he’d
left behind. Sane, for instance. ‘Thank you, Father.’

Ebb licked his top lip. ‘Abstinence is sustenance.’

What the hell was that supposed to mean?
‘Yes,
Father.’

‘Less is more,’ Tweezer elaborated.

Ebb glanced at Tweezer. ‘Precisely, Brother Tweezer. I’m
sure Benjamin understands the concept of greed well enough.’

Ben didn’t. All he could grasp right now was he was sitting
with the two men who had probably murdered his father.

‘Brother Tweezer tells me you were homeless, Benjamin.’

‘Yes, Father.’

‘Walking the streets of your own volition?’

‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb regarded him as a cat might a bird. ‘Why did you leave
home?’

Ben’s stomach tightened. ‘I didn’t get on with my parents.’

‘Why?’

There was no room for errors now. The cat looked ready to
pounce. ‘I didn’t like the way they lived. It was all for show.’

‘The vulgarity of pretentiousness.’

‘They were more concerned about the legitimacy of their
Persian rugs than they were about me.’

Ebb looked pleased. ‘Bourgeois pigs.’

Ben agreed. ‘They were constantly on at me to do this and do
that. Be more like them. But I didn’t want to. Why couldn’t they see I just
wanted to be myself?’

Ebb banged the table, making Ben jump. ‘You are made in
God’s image, Benjamin. How dare they try to mould you in their own?’

Ben nodded and crossed his fingers beneath the table. His
stomach churned. ‘In the end, I’d just had enough. Me and Maddie drew out all
our savings and hit the road.’

Ebb smiled. ‘Very commendable. How long have you been away
from home?’

‘Six months, Father.’

‘Brother Tweezer tells me your possessions were stolen?’

‘Yes, Father. We were staying at a campsite down by the
river. We went to get a shower, and when we came back, everything was gone.
Tents. Money. The lot.’

Ebb raised his hands. ‘It was all part of God’s plan to
bring you here. The Lord chose you to serve, Benjamin. Hand-picked you. Do you
believe in destiny?’

‘I don’t know, I—’

‘Do you believe that anything is possible?’

Ben nodded. It was a damned sight easier to agree with Ebb
than challenge him. A damned sight safer, too. ‘Yes, Father.’

‘The Lord has shown you the sin of opulence. He has shown
you the vulgarity of competition. Brother Tweezer tells me that your father is
a banker?’

‘Yes, Father.’

‘A fat greedy banker who rubs his hands together in glee
whilst the poor rub their hands together to stay warm.’

‘A parasite,’ Tweezer added.

Ebb brushed something off the front of his robe. ‘A
parasite, indeed. Just like the energy company bosses who condemn the poor to
freeze in order to furnish their yachts and private jets. Sunning their bloated
bodies in the Mediterranean whilst the poor have to choose between eating and
heating.’

‘Hypocrites,’ Tweezer shouted.

Ebb took a deep breath. ‘Corrupt to the core. But you have
been chosen, Benjamin. Chosen to stand against them. Are you ready to accept
the Lord’s challenge?’

‘Yes, Father,’ Ben lied.

‘The Sons and Daughters of Salvation allow no room for
Satan. We believe in hard work and honest endeavour. We shall stand shoulder to
shoulder and be resolute in our purpose.’

‘Amen,’ Tweezer agreed.

‘Are you ready for that challenge, Benjamin?’

Ben looked into the black abyss of Ebb’s eyes. ‘Yes,
Father.’

‘Are you ready to commit your life to the Lord Jesus
Christ?’

‘Yes, Father.’

‘You can have no contact with the outside world. The outside
world has no place in The Sons and Daughters of Salvation.’

Ben remembered the tower and the man standing guard at the
top with a rifle.

‘The Sons and Daughters of Salvation is not for the
faint-hearted. You are about to be inaugurated into a cause from which there
will be no return. Are you ready for the journey, Benjamin?’

Ben’s heart fluttered like a wild bird trapped in a cage.
‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb smiled. ‘Brother Tweezer will prepare you for your
inauguration.’

Ben felt sick to his stomach. ‘Yes, Father.’

Dressed in a white gown secured
around the middle with a bright yellow sash, Ben followed Tweezer down the
stairs and into the kitchen. The tops of his feet were sunburnt. The coarse
fabric of the robe rubbed against them as he walked. Tweezer had pre-warned Ben
not to speak unless in direct response to a question from Ebb.

All the other members of the group, except for Marcus, stood
around the table like nervous guests at a wedding. They were all dressed in
matching white robes with yellow sashes, except for Ebb, who had a distinctive
black sash with purple embroidered edges.

Ebb clapped his hands together. ‘Brother Bubba is ready for
us. If you’d all like to follow me outside, we’ll begin.’

Tweezer held onto Ben’s elbow and guided him into place
behind Ebb. The rest of the group fell into line behind them and they walked
out of the kitchen, along the hall and out of the front door. A slight breeze
whispered among the trees. A plane flew overhead. Ben wished with all his heart
he was on that plane.

Ebb led them through the courtyard and into the barn which
Bubba had been working in when they’d arrived at the farm. The barn was cool
after the stifling heat of the farmhouse. Lanterns cast shadows across the
walls. Ben saw Bubba standing at the far end of the barn, hands on hips, back
against the wall. Bubba didn’t look up or acknowledge their arrival in any way.

Ebb stopped and turned to face the group. ‘Get into place,
please.’

The group formed a semicircle behind Ebb, Tweezer and Ben.

Ben stared in disbelief at a full-sized wooden cross lying
on the floor in the middle of the barn.

‘Are the preparations complete?’ Ebb asked Bubba.

Bubba looked up and nodded.

Ebb beckoned Bubba towards him. ‘Come and help Brother
Tweezer get Benjamin onto the cross.’

Ben tried to take a step back, but Tweezer held his arm in a
vice-like grip. ‘We must do as the Father says.’

‘No. I’m not—’

Ebb pointed at him. His eyes looked like splotches of oil.
‘Silence. You are to comply with all aspects of your inauguration.’

Ben bit down on his tongue. His bad knee threatened to spill
him onto the ground.

Bubba moved in front of Ben and untied the sash securing his
robe. The coarse material slipped from his shoulders and formed a puddle of
fabric on the floor.

Ebb stood over the cross. ‘We ask You to bless our humble
servant, Benjamin, Lord. We ask You in the name of Jesus Christ to forgive his
wretched soul.’

Tweezer told Ben to lie down on the cross

‘Why?’

Tweezer took a deep breath. ‘Do not question God’s will. Lie
down on the cross with your arms stretched out over the crosspiece.’

Ben grappled with reality. ‘You’re going to crucify me?’

Ebb smiled. ‘Only metaphorically, Benjamin. We won’t use a
hammer and nails. Jesus Christ suffered unimaginable horror on the cross to save
our wretched souls. Your suffering is not of comparable magnitude.’

‘But why are you doing this?’

‘Your inauguration is not a question and answer session.
Please refrain from being disrespectful.’

Ben shook his head. ‘I’m not being disrespectful. I just
don’t understand why I—’

Ebb held up a hand. ‘The very fact that you are talking back
to me is showing a distinct lack of respect. A flagrant disregard for the will
of the Lord.’

 Ben resorted to the truth. ‘I’ve got a bad knee.’

Tweezer stepped in front of Ben and hit him across the left
cheek with the back of his hand. The sound echoed through the hollow acoustics
of the barn. Ben staggered back and put a hand to his cheek. Tears blurred his
vision.

‘Lie down on the cross, Benjamin,’ Ebb said.

‘I can’t.’

Ebb turned to the rest of the group. ‘Pray for Benjamin.
Pray that he may find the strength to overcome his weakness.’

The group bowed their heads.

Ebb turned his attention back to Ben. Beads of sweat
glistened on his forehead like tiny jewels. ‘Benjamin?’

‘What?’

Tweezer drew back his hand again, making ready to strike.
Ebb stilled him. ‘Join the rest of the group and pray for Benjamin.’

Tweezer lowered his hand. ‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb smiled at Ben. ‘I understand you’re afraid. Fear is a
natural response to the unknown. But I can tell you right now; fear is Satan’s
greatest ally. That heinous beast feasts upon fear. What do you fear,
Benjamin?’

Being stripped naked and pinned to a cross by a bunch of
mad bastards in white robes.
‘I don’t know, Father.’

‘Precisely. You don’t know. But let me tell you, Benjamin,
fear turns brother against brother, sister against sister and father against
son. Fear is the stampede in the burning building. Do you understand?’

Ben didn’t. ‘Yes, Father.’

‘You only fear the cross because you don’t understand why I
am asking you to lie down on it.’

Ben massaged his cheek. ‘Yes, Father.’

‘Would it make you feel better if I told you that you have
nothing to fear but fear itself?’

‘Yes, Father,’ Ben lied. It was like being reassured by a
crocodile that it was safe to swim in the river.

Ebb smiled. ‘Do you know what courage is, Benjamin?’

‘Overcoming fear?’ Ben tried.

Ebb pursed his lips and studied Ben for a few moments.
‘Courage is not wanting to do something, but doing it anyway. Does that sound
like a fair description to you?’

‘Yes, Father.’

Ebb pointed at the cross. ‘This cross represents courage.
Think how Jesus must have felt being nailed to His cross. Do you think He
blubbed like a baby in bath water and pleaded with Pontius Pilate to let Him
run off home to His mother?’

Ben shook his head. ‘No, Father.’

‘You’re damn right he didn’t, Pixie-pea. Jesus embraced
death. He went to His cross with valour and dignity.’

Tweezer punched the air. ‘Praise Jesus.’

Ebb seemed annoyed by Tweezer’s interruption. And then: ‘He
suffered to save us, Benjamin. So don’t you stand there and fear the reaper
when the reaper isn’t even in attendance. Lie down on your cross.’

Ben looked from Ebb to Bubba and then back again at Ebb.
Surely they were all going to burst out laughing in a minute, pat him on the
back and tell him this was all a silly joke in a silly  nightmare. Just
like his mother used to when he was plain old Stutter-buck dreaming about the
bullies who drove him up a conker tree.

Ebb held out his hands, palms up. ‘Embrace this night,
Benjamin. This is your time. Your Night of Naked Reconciliation.’

Ben shuddered. He looked at the cross. There were manacles
secured to each end of the crossbeam. He hadn’t noticed them before. Not when
his mind had been expecting nails.

‘Go to your cross, Benjamin. Brother Bubba will assist you.’

Ben knelt down on the floor and allowed Bubba to help him
into position. He lay on his back with his arms stretched out over the
crossbeam. Bubba secured his wrists in the manacles. He then used a leather
strap to secure Ben’s ankles to the cross.

Ben tried to make eye contact with the big guy, but Bubba
refused to look at him. The wooden cross was hard and rigid beneath his spine.
Every fibre in his body ached. At least Maddie wasn’t there to witness his
humiliation.  

Ebb stood over him and grinned. ‘That wasn’t so bad, was
it?’

Nope. Just normal run-of-the-mill stuff you do every day.
‘No, Father.’

‘Brother Tweezer?’

‘Yes, Father.’

‘You and Brother Bubba may raise the cross now.’

As the two men hauled the cross into an upright position,
the force of gravity almost wrenched Ben’s shoulders from their sockets. He
cried out and twisted his head from side to side. He bit down on his tongue
hard enough to draw blood. His right knee buckled and his shoulders jarred as
the two men dragged the cross over to the far wall. When it was in place, Bubba
secured it to the barn’s timber frame with four massive screws.  

Ebb walked over and stood in front of Ben. ‘It might be a
little uncomfortable at first, but you will soon acclimatise.’

Ben writhed and tried to push up to relieve the pressure on
his shoulders. His right knee collapsed.

‘It will pay you to keep still. Wriggling like a maggot on a
fish hook will do nothing other than cause stress to your joints.’

Ben tried to relax and take the tension out of his
shoulders. He took several deep breaths. Bile burned his throat.

Ebb looked up at him and smiled like a salesman about to
complete a rather good deal. ‘That’s better. You’ll appreciate my advice as the
night wears on.’

‘I’ve got bad knees.’

‘We all have our cross to bear, Benjamin. Every single one
of us. You are not unique. Anyway, we’re not here to discuss your knees. We’re
here to observe the Night of Naked Reconciliation.’

Ben turned his head to one side so he didn’t have to look at
Ebb’s grotesque face. It was getting more and more difficult to draw breath.

Ebb raised his right hand. ‘I call The Sons and Daughters of
Salvation into attendance.’

Ben watched the group shuffle forwards. All eyes were on him
as Tweezer and Bubba joined Alice, Dixie and Emily. Only Marcus was absent, but
Ben knew where he was: manning the watchtower, ready to shoot anyone who might
be dumb enough to try and escape.  

Ebb turned his back on Ben and addressed the group.
‘Brothers and Sisters. My loyal, faithful servants. The Lord is with us. Praise
the Lord.’

‘Praise the Lord,’ the group chanted.

‘He shines His everlasting light upon you all. He recognises
the invaluable contribution you have made to The Sons and Daughters of
Salvation. He wants you all to be assured that your effort and sacrifice shall
be rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven.’

‘Praise the Lord,’ Tweezer shouted.

The rest of the group followed Tweezer’s lead.  

Ebb raised both hands in the air. ‘Please join me in wishing
well our humble servant, Benjamin, as he faces this night, The Night of Naked
Reconciliation. Let Jesus shine his light and love upon him as he sheds the
shackles of his past. Let Jesus nurture him as he is born again into a world of
sacrifice and servitude. Praise Benjamin.’

‘Praise Benjamin,’ the group chanted.

‘We ask you, Lord, to give Benjamin the courage and the
strength he needs to overcome adversity. Praise Benjamin.’

‘Praise Benjamin.’

Ben noticed that Bubba made no attempt to speak. The big man
stared at the ground as Ebb rambled on. It looked as if Bubba wanted the ground
to open up and swallow him whole. Ben wished that the ground would open up and
swallow all The Sons and Daughters of Salvation.

Ebb reached into a pocket sewn into the side of his robe and
pulled out a pair of surgical gloves. He snapped them on. ‘Benjamin?’

Ben looked at Ebb’s hands and shuddered. ‘Yes, Father?’

‘Satan is inside you.’

‘No. No, he’s not, Father.’

Ebb smiled. His tongue peeked from his lips like a serpent
about to strike. ‘He is, Benjamin. He might use his slippery charm to hide
himself, but he doesn’t fool me. Not one bit. Are you aware of the tactics of
terrorists?’

Ben stared at those murderous hands and shook his head.

‘A popular tactic of the terrorist is to hide among
civilians. Why do you think they do that?’

Ben shook his head. He couldn’t care less what terrorists
did.

‘They do it because that way no one can distinguish them
from innocent civilians. Cowards, jackals, ferrets and weasels. They would even
let a child be blown to pieces in the name of their ridiculous cause. What do
you think about that, Benjamin? Disgusting, right?’

Ben looked at Ebb’s hands and imagined them probing his
naked body, seeking Satan.

‘Satan is a terrorist,’ Ebb continued. ‘He is a terrorist of
the worst kind. He hides among all of us, the good, the great, the weak, the
strong, hoping that we do not find him and flush him out. But Satan is
mistaken. He does not fool us.’

Tweezer stepped forward and joined Ebb at the foot of the
cross. ‘Satan does not fool us.’

Ebb licked his lips. ‘We have learned to look behind the
bushes.’

‘And under the rocks,’ Tweezer added.

Ebb looked at Ben like a man doubting the pedigree of a
horse. ‘Where does he hide in you, Benjamin?’

Ben pushed up. The leather restraints cut into his ankles.
‘He’s not inside me.’

Ebb stepped forward and jabbed Ben in the ribs with his
forefinger. ‘He’s in you, all right, Pixie-pea. I can smell his rancid breath
on your lips.’

Ben twisted his head to one side.

Ebb turned to Tweezer. ‘I fear he’s already laid siege to
Benjamin’s tongue.’

Tweezer nodded. ‘You’re right, Father. Satan speaks with his
tongue.’

Ben writhed on the cross. ‘Satan’s not fucking well inside
me.’

‘Satan decorates the denial of his own existence with
profanity,’ Ebb announced. ‘I pay no heed to such blatant assassination of our
language.’

Ben’s bladder threatened to empty. What the hell did you say
to Ebb?
All right, it’s a fair cop, Satan’s inside me. Go get him.

Ebb took a step back. ‘Do you know what the good guys do
when the terrorists hide among the civilians?’

Ben didn’t have a clue.

Ebb inhaled and puffed out his chest. ‘They attack anyway.
It’s better to attack than it is to surrender to their cowardly tactics. To do
so would allow them to multiply like cancer cells. Do you see the logic in
that?’

Ben didn’t see the logic in anything anymore. ‘I suppose.’

‘Satan hides inside you. It’s my job to flush him out,
Benjamin.’

Ben shook his head. ‘Satan’s not inside me.’

Tweezer looked up at Ben and stroked his goatee. ‘Do you
doubt the Father’s integrity?’