Phil looks at me after hearing that Brad and Faith are at Citrus Oaks.
“Okay, what should I tell them?” asks Brody over the radio.
“Did you expect them?” asks Phil to me.
I answer into my radio to Brody, “Have them wait near the front entrance like you had TJ do.”
I answer Phil, “Brad said he would try to come around, but he didn’t know when.”
“Okay, he said they’ll wait for you,” replies Brody over the radio.
“Everything okay Ryan?” asks William.
“Yeah, we just have two guests back home waiting for us,” I answer William.
“We’ll get you back to the Haven and to your vehicle,” says William.
“Thank you William,” I reply.
I say into my radio to Brody, “We’ll be home in a little bit, but remember don’t let them go around the neighborhood.”
“Yes sir,” replies Brody over the radio.
“What does Brad want?” asks Phil.
“I’m not sure, but I’m going to play it safe and see if he’s still acting weird,” I answer Phil as I walk with Phil and Shaun towards William’s electric truck.
CHAPTER 12
I THINK I WILL
“What’s up Brad?” I ask Brad as Phil and I stand near our electric truck and Brad and Faith stand next to their car inside Citrus Oaks near our main entrance.
“Faith has some new information about her daughter,” answers Brad.
I look at Faith and Faith says, “I believe there is a church that is connected with taking people and my daughter could have been taken there.”
Phil looks at Faith and asks, “What makes you say that?”
“I heard people talking about a church and how people went there, and they never came back,” answers Faith.
“But you said your daughter was taken from the stadium,” I reply.
“Yeah, but she could have been taken from the stadium and given to the church,” responds Faith.
I think about Faith’s statement and think that it is plausible but I’m still not seeing the connection.
“But why would they take people from one location to another?” asks Phil.
“I don’t know, but it’s just something I thought could help,” answers Faith.
“What do you think Brad?” I ask.
Brad looks at me and answers, “It could be a connection.”
“Have you heard anything about that happening? Has Sal or anyone at Channelside dealt with the church?” I ask Brad.
“Wasn’t the church pastor, that you guys took, from the church that was taking people?” asks Brody as he stands on the lookout platform at our main entrance.
I feel Faith and Brad looking at me for further explanation.
“Yes, but we don’t know of any connections with the stadium and the church,” I answer.
“You know about the church? Have you been there?” asks Faith.
“We know some basic information about the church, and we heard about an island that they were taking women to,” answers Phil.
“Maybe they took Rachel there?” asks Faith.
“Can we talk with the pastor?” asks Brad.
“He’s gone,” I answer Brad.
“Where is he? Is he back at the church?” asks Faith.
“He’s in our freezer,” I answer Faith.
Faith gives me a confused look.
“He’s dead, one of our people shot him before she died,” I say.
“Well, that’s fucking great,” says Faith with an angry tone.
I look at Phil and say to Faith, “You are more than welcome to go talk with the people at the church.”
“I think I will,” replies Faith with an aggressive tone.
Part of me understands that Faith is mad and frustrated about her daughter, but I also feel that she is taking her frustrations out on me.
I look at Faith and say, “Look, I understand what you are feeling, but we didn’t take your daughter and we don’t deserve the attitude.”
Faith is about to respond, when I say to Brad, “And you, what the fuck are you up to?”
“What?” asks Brad with a nervous tone.
“We know you are up to something; you and Eric were fucking weird when we went to the stadium, and you were really pressing meeting me the other day. You trying to pull something?” I say to Brad with an agitated tone.
Brad looks at me, but doesn’t say anything.
“What, you don’t have anything to say about it?” I ask Brad.
“Let’s get out of here,” says Faith.
Faith and Brad step towards their car and Faith gets into the passenger seat of Brad’s car.
Brad is about to get into the driver seat of his car, and he stops. Brad looks at me and I make eye contact with Brad.
I feel that Brad wants to say something, but he is hesitant.
I start to feel bad for yelling at Faith and Brad, but I’m stressed out and I got enough on my plate right now.
“Come on Brad!” shouts Faith from inside Brad’s car.
Brad gets into his car without saying anything to me and he exits Citrus Oaks.
“Something is definitely bothering Brad,” I say.
“Yeah, it’s most likely something to do with Sal and Channelside, but until he tells us what’s going on we should stay away from him,” replies Phil.
“Did I ruin your meeting with what I said about the pastor?” asks Brody to Phil and me.
“Yeah, you did,” jokes Phil.
“Sorry,” quickly replies Brody.
“He’s only kidding, Faith is looking for her daughter and she’s just frustrated,” I say.
Phil drives his electric car towards my house, and he stops in front of my driveway.
“Did you get a chance to talk with William about the guards that were sent from the Haven?” asks Phil.
“Briefly, but he said that good people have been hard to find lately and he’s sorry that we’re having problems with our guards,” I answer Phil.
“I wonder where Li and her group went?” asks Phil.
“Me too, but she and Tran had a much larger
