Little Red (Jacob Seed)

17. And Hell Followed

Things had changed in Hope County, the locals didn't realise it but a lot had changed. The Seeds knew it, they could see the difference. They could see the difference in the Whitetail Mountains. The recruits where doing better, completing their training faster and there were less casualties. After meeting Rieka, Joseph was a little concerned that Jacob would begin to slack on his duties but instead he was working harder than ever with her assistance.

It been months since Jacob had allowed Rieka into his life and it couldn't have been better for him or for the cult. Joseph had even given her a title; Rieka "Red" Seed, the Healer. She controls the Whitetail Mountains alongside the Soldier, even though he is the most feared person in the region she is the most beloved. The one who brings them health and healing, Joseph couldn't be more proud about how things turned out.

Every Friday the Seeds would gather at the compound and have their weekly family dinner, and every Sunday they all met at church to watch the Father's service.

However the Seeds knew it and the flock knew it, something was coming that would threaten their home and their lives. The Seeds stood at the end of the church, standing to the sides as Joseph preached to his flock.

They listened to the sound of the flock singing amazing grace as the sound of a helicopter landing came from outside. Joseph promised that God would not let anyone or anything take him, but Rieka was scared. She wasn't religious and she knew that this would be the authorities, she didn't believe that Joseph would escape this.

"Something is coming. You can feel it, can't you?" Joseph spoke, turning to his children in the pews as the church doors opened. "That we are creeping towards the edge...and there will be a reckoning. That's why we started The Project. Because we know what happens next. They will come. They will try to take from us. Take our guns. Take our freedom...Take our Faith" he continued to preach as the Sheriff, the Marshall and the Junior Deputy walked towards him. His children rising from their seats. Jacob took his eyes off of them for a moment to look down at Rieka, who had laced her fingers through his. He squeezed her hand to reassure her that everything would be fine before turning his attention back to his brother and those who would try to take him.

"But we will not let them. We will not let their greed, or their immorality, or their depravity hurt us anymore! There will be no more suffering..." Joseph continued only to be interrupted by the Marshall.

"Joseph Seed! I have a warrant issued for your arrest on the suspicion of kidnapping with the intent to harm. Now I want you to step forward and keep your hands where I can see 'em" The Marshall demanded, holding the warrant out towards the Father, who raised his hands towards them.

"Here they are...the Locusts in our garden...You see they've come for me" Joseph spoke calmly as he flock stepped between him and the authorities. "They've come to take me away from you. They've come to destroy all that we have built" he exclaimed.

The flock and the authorities began to shout and protest, Jacob gripped Rieka's hand a little tighter. She knew that this must be affecting him, considering his PTSD. She stepped closer to him nervously, he always makes her feel safer. Joseph stepped down from his platform and shushed his flock while his family took their places on the platform behind him. Jacob had let go of Rieka's hand but never left her side.

John stood on the platform at the back with his hand folded behind his back while Faith stood in front of his with her legs crossed and her arms by her sides. Jacob stood to the other side behind Joseph with his arms crossed, Rieka stood right beside him on his right. Her hands stuffed nervously in her coat pockets, Jacob's gaze kept flickering from her to his brother. Rieka had formed a close friendship with the family now, they were her family, and she didn't want to loose them yet. Especially her soldier.

"We knew this moment would come. We have prepared for it. Go. Go...God will not let them take me" The Father assured them as his children left the church. "I saw when the Lamb opened the First Seal, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts say, come and see..." Joseph raised his hand to the sky as he spoke confidently.

"Step forward" The Marshall interrupted, sounding irritated.

"...and I saw, and behold it was a white horse...and Hell followed with him" the Father spoke, directing the last part to the deputy.

"Rookie, cuff this son of a bitch" the Marshall ordered as Joseph held his wrists out to the deputy.

The deputy didn't cuff him instantly, they took some time to examine the four people behind him. First their gaze landed on Faith; a young woman who seemed calm and made the people around her feel calm, she had the smallest smile on her face, she wasn't worried at all. Then John; the best groomed man between the three of them, calm and collected as he focused his unnerving gaze on the deputy. Next was Jacob; clearly a soldier of some kind, the tallest and most muscular of them all, also the most dirty and least suitable for church. Finally the deputy's gaze landed on the young woman beside the soldier, large worried eyes and soft dark hair, she was short but looked tiny beside the soldier. She looked the most out of place, yet she seemed completely comfortable with the family.

The deputy snapped out of their trance before cuffing Joseph and walking him out of the church. As soon as the doors closed the four heralds broke out of their positions.

"What now?" Rieka asked quietly and Jacob placed a firm hand on the small of her back to calm her.

"Joseph said that God will not let them take him, he warned us about this day" John explained as he stepped down from the platform.

They listened to the sounds of shouting, gunfire and the helicopter coming from outside. The four of them waited, preparing themselves with weapons and equipment, as soon as they were informed of the crash they jumped into separate trucks and did what they had to do. They drove to the crash and saw Joseph preaching to some of his children, standing on top of a car.

As the heralds climbed out of their trucks some cultists informed them that the ones who had tried to take Joseph had gotten away. John, Jacob, and Faith had taken some men to try and find the ones who had escaped while Rieka remained at the crash site, picking up her heavy beg and walking over to Joseph who was now sitting on the hood of the car. Alone.

"It has begun, but all shall be alright child. I see your fear, your fear for our family and I promise you that all will go according to God's plan. He brought you to us for a reason" the Father assured Red as he touched his forehead to hers, she was now standing in front of him.

"That doesn't matter right now. Right now, we need to fix you up" Rieka smiled softly as she placed her bag down and pulled out the required equipment. She began patching up the small wounds on the Father's face and torso, she was amazed that he had come out of the crash in such good condition. Perhaps God did have a soft spot for Joseph Seed.

Once she had cleaned up the blood, stitched up anything that required it and cleaned all of his wounds, she drove Joseph back to the compound. After he thanked her for driving him home she drove back to the Whitetail Mountains and back to the cabin. She didn't expect Jacob to be home yet but she was still disappointed and concerned when his truck wasn't parked outside.

She climbed out of the truck and walked into the cabin, sitting on the sofa, waiting and hoping for Jacob to come home...