chapter 19 - Anna’s Got Her Groove Back
ANNA
The last week has been hectic to say the least. Mateo sent an order to Greenville calling on every able bodied man and woman to make their way to Bonham. The following day Lord Paul sent out a similar order to his main base camp. Lord Paul had not given his men and woman a choice. Apparently, when he calls on them to come, they come or else. Mateo on the other hand gave his people the choice. If it was me, I would be far more likely to fight beside a leader I chose to fight with, than one who forced me, but to each his own.
If every person from both gangs that was called on comes, we will end up with about three-hundred and fifty fighters. That includes those of us that are already here. That many would probably be fine if we were walking into a battle in the middle of an open field, but that isn’t the case. Instead, we have to fight our way through the walls of the compound. Meaning we will literally be beating our heads against the wall, losing many of our fighters before we even break in. That is, unless we find an easier way in.
When the Titans attacked the compound weeks ago, the council had not been expecting it, including David, but now they had already upped their security force and reinforced their north and south walls. Right now we had a man inside, and Chase had been communicating with him all week. Andy. When Chase met with him last night he’d said David had increased their security department to two-hundred and fifty men, and there was talk of adding another fifty. He’d also mentioned they adjusted their perimeter checks, added archers to the turrets, and a few other things I didn’t understand, but Luke and the others had seemed to.
With our new knowledge, Mateo and Paul had made a few adjustments on our end, and they had even fortified the town of Bonham just in case David tried to attack us before we attacked them.
With everything we had learned, and all the planning that had been done in the last few days, all we could do now was wait. Until all our forces arrive, and we know for sure what our numbers look like, we can’t do much else. Did I mention I hate waiting?
I wanna attack right now, this second, when they least expect it. For every day that we wait, David and the church are better prepared to fend us off, better prepared to win. And what then? What happens if they do win? Do we step back, regroup, and attack again? And again, and again, and again, until every last one of us is dead?
I don’t know if I have it in me, and to think even if we do win, overthrowing David, then taking control of the compound, it isn’t over. No, we still have what might be an even bigger threat to deal with. Vater Roger. Right now, I don’t think we can win the bigger picture. We know we will lose good men and women fighting David, and then we’re just expected to traipse around the countryside taking down every single compound? It’s too much.
Luke says I need to not think about the bigger picture right now. That I need to focus on one thing at a time. Easy for him to say, that’s just not how my brain works. It’s not how it’s worked for the last week, and it’s not how it’s worked for my whole life.
Everything just plays on a loop, which is why it’s noon, and I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet. I just keep laying here thinking that this time will be the time I figure it all out, but each time it all plays out the same. David destroys every last one of us, and I have to watch as he kills everyone I love.
A knock at the door sounds pulling me from my thoughts, and I call for them to come in, only no one does. “Hello! I said…COME. IN.” I wait, and still nothing. If this is someone doing this shit to get me out of bed, I swear heads will roll.
Rolling off the bed and landing on my hands and knees, I crawl to the door before opening it. Flopping out like a fish, I look up to see the General’s face staring down at me with a confused smirk.
“Get up, you look ridiculous,” he says, grabbing me under the arms and dragging me to my feet. “Everyone else is busting their asses while you lay in bed pouting. Suck it up.” And with that, he turns, leaving me standing there feeling like a complete ass.
Honestly, he’s right and I know it. Everyone is hard at work preparing to fight the church for me while I pout. Okay maybe not for me, but at least partially for me. Also, I’m the one that said this had to be done. I’m the one that said we had to destroy the church, that we had to stop them from selling girls and stealing supplies. That was me. Sure everyone agrees, but when we left the compound that was legitimately Team Samurai Sparkle’s mission statement.
Hmm, I kinda like that one. I wish Ash was here so I could get her input.
I’m sure she’s heard about Mateo’s orders by now, but to be honest, I highly doubt she or Chase come, and Cody is a strong maybe. Maybe that’s for the better because after everything David did to her, I don’t want him near her ever again. Yes, this
