veuve | cm x mcu

2 | minimal loss

(3 years later)

"tell us about the 911 call."
"i believe the 'he' they referred to is the church's leader, bejamin cyrus." nancy told us.
"benjamin cyrus— no criminal record. no record at all really. what else do you know about him?"
"it's rumored that he's practicing polygamy and forced marriages."
"any idea who the caller is?"
"uh, jessica evanson is the one who the age fits, but we can't be sure. so i negotiated interviews with all the children. it wasn't easy."
"well considering their views on outsiders, it would be best if you didn't identify us as fbi." reid and i look at each other. "just use our real names and introduce us as child victim interview experts." emily hands reid and me badges as we pull up to the gate.

"i'm looking for mr. benjamin cyrus."
"you found him."
"i'm nancy lunde, we spoke on the phone regarding the allegation."
"savages, they call us. cause our manners differ from theirs."
"we didn't come here to hear you cite scripture, mr. cyrus."
"actually, it's benjamin franklin." reid pipes in.
"emily prentiss, spencer reid, and kate reams. they're child victim interview experts."
"how far from gods word must we have strayed for there to be the need to invent a job called child victim interview expert?" emily nods at him, "we wish we didn't have to be here."
"so do we. but you are welcome nonetheless. the children are in the school as i indicated." emily and nancy walk towards the school while reid and i stay back.
"you're using solar power?" reid questions him.
"yeah. we're completely self sufficient. electricity, food, water. ben franklin said, 'god helps those that helps themselves,' you look surprised."
"no..impressed actually."
"thank you."
"for what?"
"for admitting that." we follow him up the stairs.

"we go to school, we do our chores. and we treat ourselves and each other with the respect god demands."
"but you've never been off the ranch?" i question the girl.
"i brought jessie here when she was 2."
"you've talked to lots of children in your work. tell me, are their lives somehow better than ours."
i think back to the redroom, and dreykov, and killing people because that's what i was trained to do, and i see myself in this little girl. this little girl who knows nothing better than the life she was given by her shitty mother.
"we devote ourselves to god. that doesn't mean we're not devoted to our children."
"we are not here because of your religious beliefs." emily chimes in because she could tell i was getting frustrated with this woman.
"why are you here?"
"we received a phone call alleging that an adult male member of your church was having inappropriate relations with the younger women here."
"you're talking about cyrus."
"what makes you say that?"
jessie's mom starts grabbing her. "is it inappropriate for a husband to share a bed with his wife?"
oh my god.
"you're married to cyrus?"
"yes. cyrus is my husband and a prophet. it's an honor to bare his children."
OH MY GOD.
"jessica, you're 15 years old." reid tells her when he sees the look on mine and emily's faces. "the state of colorado requires parental consent.
"she gave consent." emily deadpans and members walk in with guns.
"get up! stand!"
"what's going on?" nancy questions.
"we just got a very strange phone call from a news reporter." they start to pat us down. "is there anything you want to tell me about a raid maybe?" we all look at him with our mouths dropped, "they don't know."

————————

"what's going on?"
"i don't know. just stay calm." reid reassures nancy.
we all hear gunshots, "alright, move quietly. quickly go to the left. everybody stay together. children listen to your parents. alright, everyone, down to this end. have faith."
"where'd all these guns come from?" emily questions reid and me.
"i don't know. garcia checked with the state police."
"stay together. remain calm." i really wanna punch this guy. "everyone remain calm. there is nothing to fear here."
"this is ridiculous."
"agreed." emily gives me a look, "it's okay. just calm down."
"alright. remain calm, stay quiet. god will protect you." my ass.