“Let me look at that page about Lotan again,” Sam says.
I bring up the site again and look at him curiously.
“What are you looking for?”
“You saying that made me think of something I noticed.” He reads through the page rapidly, then nods. “Here. In the footnotes.”
“The mythology of Lotan and the Leviathan are often considered parallels to the defeat of Tiamat in Mesopotamian lore,” I read.
“Who is that?” Dean asks.
“Tiamat,” I read from another note. “The primordial goddess seen as a symbol of the chaos of creation.”
“There’s that word,” Sam notes. “Chaos.”
“So, whoever this is has not only gotten Hebrew mythology wrong but also mixed it with Mesopotamian mythology?” Dean asks. “They must not be too serious about it.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” I say. “In fact, those inaccuracies would make me lean toward being more wary of him. We keep thinking cult when we hear Martin talking, but we have to think of it differently. We see a cult because we see the negative nature of it. But someone who believes it with all their being will see it as something else.”
“As what?” he asks.
“Their religion. Whether they fully recognize that or not, the devotion, commitment, and belief turns followers into zealots. The most intense zealots truly think what they believe is absolutely right and everyone else has just been getting things wrong. They will pick and choose elements of different religions, cultures, and ideas, just so they can piece together their ideal version. Within the circles they create, those who question the teachings or actions are deemed non-believers or seen as not having enough faith. They aren’t pure, aren’t worthy. Those who believe and follow what they are instructed are told they are the true followers. The chosen ones. They are special and will be rewarded in some way.
“Everything becomes seen as a test, even when the leader of the group has nothing to do with it. They have to prove themselves at all times, which makes believers, and those who want to be believers, more intense. More driven down into it. The leader is allowed to stitch different pieces of things together to make something totally new because they know more than an average person.
“If you don’t understand it or think it’s wrong, you’re blasphemous or too stupid, or corrupt, or misled to grasp the truth, and the cult casts you away. So, you dig your heels in. You become louder, more intense, more devoted. You prove to everyone around you and to yourself every day that you are the most loyal and adoring follower, so you don’t face the wrath or lose the validation of the group.”
“So, what you’re saying is this is legit,” Dean says.
I eat a few more bites of my breakfast. It’s cold now, but it’s something to fill the aching emptiness in my stomach.
“That depends on what you mean by legit. If you mean that what they do is right and I should condone everything about it, no. Absolutely not. Martin is ranting about chaos and destruction, and those videos have specifically talked about at least six incidents involving deaths. No. Not legit. But if you mean the loyalty and passion, and genuine belief in what they do, whatever it is that they do, then yes. I saw practically the same myself when I was captured by The Society. I think Martin is being completely honest. He really thinks those videos are going to be the history lessons of the future… which he believes will be a new world crafted out of chaos and lead fearlessly by Lotan.”
“Now the question is, who the hell is Lotan?” asks Sam. “If Martin was a follower of Lotan, could Lotan have a connection to Catch Me?”
“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Alright, thanks. Just keep those words in mind. If you hear or see anything that has to do with them, even if it doesn’t seem like it means anything or has anything to do with anything, let me know. Talk to you soon.”
I end the call and swipe my hand back over my forehead to smooth the loose strands of hair down again.
“That was Eric,” I sigh, tossing my phone onto the couch. “He went through every possible database he could think of, and the only thing he came up with was a couple of tattoos. Nothing with either of those words and the guys the tattoos were on didn’t have any criminal background or link to anyone who did.”
“Then why were they in the database?” Sam asks.
“Murder victims,” I explain.
“Could the tattoos have been added as part of the murder?” he muses. “A serial killer’s signature?”
I shake my head and walk over to the window to stare out at the late morning. It’s one of those days that looks totally white like the sky has been drained of all its color. It will probably snow soon. February in Virginia usually means the worst of winter is over. But maybe the worst is still to come.
“The medical examiner was pretty certain they weren’t new and had been done at different times.”
“The victims could have been kept for an extended period of time by the killer. You’ve seen branding before,” he argues.
“I have, but it’s usually fairly simple, and it’s done with the intention to show ownership of the victim.
