Now that each of us are hidden inside the tree line, everyone dismounts or climbs from their wagons and gathers around as Mateo prepares to give his big pep talk.
“This has been a long time coming for many of us,” Mateo bellows. “The church has spent more than two decades killing us, stealing from us, and trying to destroy our way of life. We have tried to fight back in the past. Little things, but nothing like this.” With his shoulders squared and his head held high, he scans the crowd of faces before looking to the sky. “When we step out of this tree line there will be no turning back, and when we step through that gate, we will not stop until those that have hurt us are destroyed. Who’s with me?” He ends on a howl as everyone around us pumps their fists in the air, roaring their approval.
As loud as it was it’s possible people in the compound heard us, but that’s okay. Let them hear us, let David hear us. Let him know we are coming for him because we are. We are coming for him.
With that, over four hundred people set off through the trees, headed for the north wall of the compound. From there we’ll make our way along the wall directly to the front gate, and once there, we make as much noise as possible until enough people are watching. Then we make the big reveal. Vater Henry.
The Vater looks solemn just feet away from me, with his head hung low and his shoulders slumped. I can understand why. David took everything from him, and nearly his life. I know he wants to see David be put in his place, I just hope once that happens, the Vater doesn’t go back on his word.
Out of the corner of my eye I see a familiar face, and what the hell? Storming in that direction, leaving Luke confused behind me, I approach a man who should not be here.
“What are you doing here?” I ask my father, grabbing him by the shoulder and stopping him in his tracks.
Looking me in the eye he looks confident, and I can tell he isn’t going to back down on this. “I have no intentions of letting my daughter walk into a fight while I sit like a coward at home.” I start to argue but he cuts me off. “No. This isn’t up for discussion, Anna.”
With a growl, I turn to walk away, but thinking better of it, I whip back around throw my arms around his neck and tell him I love him. You know, just in case. He returns the sentiment, squeezing me tight before letting go.
Returning to my spot near Luke, with Ash and Cody on my other side, the wall comes into view. This is it, months of terror and planning, finally ends. And I am so for it.
***
ANNA
With my group leading the charge we had made it to the north wall about ten minutes ago, and they most certainly knew we were here, although no one had made a move to attack us. They even had archers in each of the turrets, and still nothing. I wasn’t sure what David’s play was here, but his inaction made me even more nervous.
Our group has already stationed ourselves directly in front of the metal gates leading into the compound, but with four hundred people we had to wait until everyone had time to make it into position. Vater Henry is being kept hidden mid-way back in the crowd wearing a cloak to keep his face covered, at least until it’s time to reveal him.
A crowd is starting to gather just inside the gates which was exactly what we had wanted, except it’s not as big as we had planned. This was the part we needed Andy to handle, but unfortunately he had been caught before then. Regardless, it didn’t matter, we would just have to make do and hope it worked.
Mateo turns to each of us, giving me a smile and a wink before he opens his mouth to address the church. “People of The Way, we don’t want to fight you. We don’t want to hurt you. But we do want you to know what your elders and new Vater have done to us.” He pauses, as I try to count the number of people gathered watching him closely.
There are at least five men in the two turrets I can see, ten men lined up directly this side of the gate, and another twenty on the other side. Behind them regular members of the church are gathering, and so far I’ve only counted fifty.
“Your elders have been stealing from us for years. Attacking our supply runs and killing our people. But they aren’t just killing our people they’re killing yours too.” Before Mateo can utter another word, David makes his move.
Luke dives over me, covering my body with his, and through the small space I can see Cody do the same with Ash. The archers are firing on us, right in front of their own people. They’re firing on a group of people who have done nothing to incite violence. This was meant to be a peaceful protest, and they’ve taken that away from us.
There’s a break in the whistle of flying arrows and Mateo stands from his crouched position and begins again. “David, your new Vater, stabbed Vater Henry in the side, threw him out of…” And with that another round of arrows comes flying.
For someone who prides himself in being beyond competent in the art of war, David isn’t very good at this. Seems to me it would be smarter if the archers took turns firing, with the first firing and then reloading while the second takes their shot. That way there is a constant barrage of arrows coming our way, but instead his method allows for a gap, giving us the time we
