To fully understand the context of what is happening here, I suggest you read the previous two parts first.

There are two characters that appeared in previous stories. Bill Jackson is featured in my "Revenge in Advance" and "The Warren Files" series, and Frank Michaels appeared in "The Warren Files 03." MMAS is not a part of this story.

Many thanks to those who offered comments and constructive criticism on my previous stories. For those who want to say this or that would never happen, remember this is my universe, a place where nearly anything can, and often does, happen. At least on paper...

Please refer to my profile for more on my personal policy regarding comments, feedback, follows, etc. And please remember, this is a work of fiction, not a docu-drama...

The end of Rules, Pt. 02:

"Please, Jon," she said, tears flowing down her cheek, "Don't hate me. I couldn't handle that."

"Hate you?" I asked. "I don't even know you. Not anymore. And right now, I'm too disgusted with you to hate you." She looked down, almost sobbing by now. I stood up. "I'd better go now, before I do or say something I'll really regret. Goodbye." I turned for the door and was halfway there when she cried out.

"Jon," she said. "Please believe me. I do love you!" I stopped and looked back at her.

"Yeah," I said, "Me too." I could hear her sobbing as I left the room.

...

Vern escorted me to the door and shook my hand, giving me the resistance handshake. He looked at me with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jon," he said. "I think you were starting to get through to her. I'll be in touch soon."

"Thanks, Vern," I said. I left and headed home, angry and disgusted. I had no more tears left in me for Sara. The girl I had known and loved since the first grade was now gone, replaced by a brainwashed bitch who expected me to be her willing servant and cuckold.

I reviewed the audio of my meeting with her and forwarded it to both Bill Jackson and Ron. Ron emailed me back, acknowledging receipt of the audio. He also promised to have an answer for me "soon." I wrote him back: "Make it fast. I don't know how much time I have left."

I sat down and ate a sandwich. There was a knock on the door as I finished. I looked through the peephole in the door and saw Judy, my mother-in-law. What did she want, I asked myself. I had purposefully avoided her and Dan, my father-in-law, since this nightmare began. I looked but saw no one else with her. I turned the volume up on the television and opened the door.

"May I come in?" she asked politely. I invited her inside and motioned for her to have a seat. "Do you have to have that on so loud?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "Just in case your investigators are listening. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thanks, Jon," she said. "What investigators are you talking about?"

"Please don't insult my intelligence, Judy," I said.

"Alright, Jon," she said. "I won't."

"What do you want?" I asked, somewhat abruptly.

"I want to know why you were so mean to Sara," she said. "She's done nothing to deserve what you said. And she's no slut." I chuckled.

"Mean?" I asked. "And she's no slut? Really? What would you call a woman who meets her husband with another man's cum on her face and dripping down her legs? Hmm? You weren't there, Judy. She reeked so bad of sex I nearly threw up. Is that what you did to Dan? At least I told her the truth. That's a lot more than I ever got from any of you." I could feel my face burning with rage as I spoke and I sensed Judy could tell I was angry and getting even more so.

"You're right, I wasn't there when you two met," she said. "And what happened during my evaluation is no business of yours. Or Dan's for that matter. And I never lied to you. Not once."

"Bullshit, Judy," I said. She recoiled at that. I had never used such strong language in her presence before. "You lied by omission. All of you did. Yes, you, Sara, Andy - all of you. You kept things from me. Kept the truth from me. My dad sensed something was wrong and tried to warn me but I was too blinded by my love for Sara to see it. If I knew three weeks ago what I know now I never would've married her."

"You can't mean that," she said.

"Oh yes, I do mean it," I said.

"Jon, people are beginning to talk," she said. "You haven't been to church the last two Sundays and people are starting to ask questions. Are you ashamed of Sara or something?"

"Frankly, Judy," I said. "I don't give a damn about what other people think. Am I ashamed? Honestly, yes. I'm ashamed, embarrassed, humiliated and downright pissed off in general. In fact, I've never been so humiliated in my entire life. What you and your daughter have done to me is the worse thing any woman can do to someone they claim to love."

"Jon, you don't understand," she said. "We were following the rules."

"Of course," I said. "You have any idea how many atrocities have been committed by people claiming to follow the rules? Do you?"

"Of course I do, Jon," she said. "But it's not like that at all."

"Sure it is, Judy," I said. "You and Sara and Andy all thought you could use the rules to make me a willing cuckold and a servant, trapped in a loveless and sexless marriage for the rest of my life. And none of you gave a damn about me. Why would you? I'm just an infidel, right?"

"You've got it all wrong, Jon," she said. "Sara's a very special woman with a special place in the church. You should be honored to be next to her."

"Honored?" I asked. "Honored to be a second-class person? Licking the boots of my mistress as she cuckolds me whenever she sees fit? Are you kidding me? You have a warped sense of honor, Judy. Tell me something and be honest for a change."

"What, Jon," she said.

"Since your evaluation, have you ever had sex with anyone but Dan?" I asked. She thought for a moment before she spoke.

"As a member of the Women's Auxiliary, I have provided sexual relief for some of the clergy on occasion, yes," she said. "But it was all according to the rules. They have needs, too, you know."

"I see," I said. "Did Dan know about this at the time? And did he approve of it?"

"Of course he knew," she said. "I don't know if he actually approved, but he never complained or tried to stop me."

"Probably because he was too scared of you and the church to try," I said. "I think you know I'm right. What made you stop?"

"I reached my 40^th birthday," she said. I chuckled at that.

"So, the clerics get ready access to all the young pussy they want, while the husbands get crapped on," I said. "You people are unbelievable."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. "That's the way it has been from the beginning."

"You just don't get it. You present yourselves to the community as upright and moral with your so-called 'divine rules,' but you're all just a bunch of control freaks, sluts and whore-mongers," I said. "Talk about hypocrisy." Her face turned red at that, but she didn't lash out.

"Doesn't that Baptist church your parents attend teach forgiveness?" she asked.

"Yes, it does," I said.

"Well then," she said. "Can't you forgive Sara? Forgive me?"

"That church also teaches repentance," I said. "And so far, I haven't seen any sign of that from any of you."

"So, there's no forgiveness in your heart for Sara?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Not at the moment," I said. "It's not just the sex, although that's bad enough. It's the lies and the disrespect as well. I was never given an opportunity to decide for myself if this is the life I wanted to have with her. It was forced on me. I was given no choice in the matter. And 'I'm just following the rules' doesn't cut it with me anymore."

"So what are you going to do?" she asked. "A divorce would destroy her."

"Maybe she needs some destruction to feel what I've been going through the last two weeks," I said. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do, exactly. And even if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't tell you."

"She still loves you, Jon," she said. "And I know she does."

"So she says," I said. "And maybe she does a little bit, kinda like a master loves her pet dog. But she doesn't love me enough to let me be her husband, in the truest sense of the word."

"Don't you still love her?" she asked.

"I love the woman I knew when I was younger," I said. "I don't even know who or what she is right now. What I saw earlier today disgusted me to no end."

"I see," she said, standing up. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, Jon, but I had to try. I'm still your mother-in-law, even if you hate my guts."

"I don't hate your guts, Judy," I said. "I just don't approve of the choices you've made. I appreciate you coming by, though."

"I take it I won't be seeing you in church any time soon, then," she said. I shook my head.

"No," I said.

"Okay, Jon," she said as she prepared to leave. "If it means anything to you, I'm sorry."

"Thanks, Judy," I said. "Tell Dan I said hello." She nodded her head and left. I knew she would be reporting back to Andy, but I really didn't care any more. I finished my day as normal, with a beer and a cigarette on the balcony.

The next day I went to church with my parents and filled them and Pastor Bill in on the week's events. I also informed them that I had put in for a transfer. My parents were sad, but understood my reasons.

Later that afternoon, Vern came by, alone. He greeted me with the resistance handshake and handed me a thumb drive.

"I thought you might want to see this," he said. "You really shook things up yesterday. It was a good thing you left when you did."

"Oh," I said. "Why?"

"I think Proctor Gamble was about ready to pull your ass out of that room," he said. "I explained to him that most men outside the church would probably have reacted the same way you did, if not worse. He calmed down after that. He and her mother got together with Sara after your meeting. Sara was pretty torn up. It took them quite a while to get her calmed down. That thumb drive has a video of their meeting."

"Judy came by here yesterday afternoon," I said.

"I know," Vern told me. "She reported straight to the proctor afterward. There's video of that meeting as well."

"What do you think is going to happen?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I have no idea," he said. "I know they're pretty shook up. There's nothing in the rules about situations like this, so they're kinda flopping around like a fish out of water. I guess they just figured you'd go along with everything in order to stay with Sara."

"Well, they figured wrong," I said. He nodded his head.

"Yeah, I guess they did," he said before standing up to leave. "Watch your six, Jon," he added.

"I will, Vern, thanks," I said.

"Any time," he said, shaking my hand. After he left, I looked at the videos. The first one showed Sara, Andy and Judy in the proctor's office. Sara was sobbing, clearly shook up from what I told her.

"Did you hear what he told me?" she said as tears fell down her face. "He said I was disgusting. He's never talked to me like that before. He hates me now, I know it."

"No, dear, he doesn't hate you," Andy said. "He was just blowing off steam."

"He said I reeked of sex, Andy," she said. "It's like he knows a lot more than we think."

"Of course he doesn't know anything, Sara, he's an infidel," he said. "Once you're back with him, you can put him under control the way we discussed."

"He's not stupid," Sara said. "And he isn't just going to sit there and calmly let me put one of those...things on him. I'd be lucky if he didn't throw me out the window. He is a combat veteran you know." She looked at Andy. "Is it true that you've been giving me something like Ecstasy?" Andy looked a bit embarrassed.

"Yes, Sara," he said. "We gave it to you so you'd be more responsive during your sessions. I'm sorry, I should have discussed it with you first."

"Don't do it any more," she said. "Do you hear me?"

"Of course," he said. "No more."

"Sara, honey, how are you feeling?" Judy asked.

"Not great," she said. "I've felt some nausea lately and I've been a bit more tired than usual in the last day or so."

"Any spotting or cramping?" Judy asked.

"A tiny bit this morning, but I thought it was just due to the sessions," Sara said. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Judy said, looking at Andy with concern on her face. "We'll just need to keep an eye on it, that's all." Judy turned to Andy. "She's right, Andy. There will be no more drugs from this point on."

"I understand," he said. "Do you think she may already be pregnant? It's only been two weeks."

"I don't know," Judy said. "I guess it's possible, though. She was at the most fertile point of her cycle the day she married and she's been inseminated every day since."

"Very well," he said. "The sessions will continue until we confirm that she's pregnant, but we'll hold off on the drugs and let her rest for today. I am concerned about how we should deal with Jon, though. He's not reacting as we thought he might." Sara looked at him and her demeanor instantly changed. I thought I also detected a slight change in her tone of voice. This was a side of her I had never seen before and it frankly scared me just a bit.

"You didn't handle him right," she said, authoritatively. "None of you did. I told you from the beginning that you needed to level with him about the prophesy. There was no need to do what you did to him. Now he hates me."

"Sara, we simply followed the rules," Andy said.

"There's nothing in the rules about forcing him to live a sexless life as my servant," Sara said. "That was your doing. Just as it was your idea to drug me and have me meet with him immediately after a session. You wanted to humiliate him because you see him as an infidel. That disrespect will end. Immediately!"

"But Sara," Andy began before she cut him off.

"But nothing," she hissed. "Thanks to you he no longer trusts us. You forget, Proctor, I am qualified to teach the rules. Am I or am I not to be the Blessed Mother?"

"Yes, of course," he said.

"And does that not make me more esteemed than the First Proctor himself?" she asked.

"Well, yes, it does," he added.

"Very well," she said. "Then there will be no argument. You will call off your dogs immediately. If any harm comes to him, I will personally demand your soul for judgment. And I promise you will not like the way I want it done. Understand?" Andy looked down at the floor.

"Yes, Sara, I understand," he said. "It will be done."

"And you'd better hope he never gets a full understanding of the law," she said. "He could bring us ALL down if he wanted to."

"Perhaps I should speak with him," Judy said. "I am his mother-in-law, after all." Sara looked at her.

"Yes, mother, that would be appropriate," Sara said. "But remember, he is MY husband. Treat him with the respect he deserves."

"I understand, Sara," she said before giving Sara a kiss on her forehead. "I love you." Sara looked up at her with a wan smile on her face.

"I love you too, mother," she said as the video ended. The next video showed Judy and Andy in his office. Sara was not present.

"Where's Sara?" Judy asked.

"She's sleeping at the moment," Andy said. "She's very tired. How did your meeting with Jon go?"

"Actually better that I thought it might," she said. "His emotions are still quite raw, but I guess that's to be expected."

"Any sign that he might relent?" Andy asked. She shook her head.

"Not right now," she said. "His biggest beef seems to be the fact that we weren't straight with him and never gave him an opportunity to decide for himself."

"We were only following the rules," Andy said.

"He knows that and he understands that, but I don't think that holds any water with him," she said. "He doesn't think very highly of any of us at the moment. Called us all hypocrites, control freaks, sluts and whore-mongers." Andy's eyes flashed at that.

"How do you feel about all of that?" he asked.

"If I were in his shoes, I'd probably be thinking the same things myself," she said.

"Think he'll ever want to embrace Sara again?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "It's going to be a hard row to hoe. She'll really have to up her game for that to happen. The sooner she's released back to him, the better. And I think we're going to have to let them have some semblance of a normal marriage, at least for a while."

"I don't know about that," he said. "I doubt the First Proctor will go along with it. Any idea what Jon intends to do?"

"No," Judy said. "And he made it very clear he wouldn't tell me even if he knew what he plans to do. There's no trust there, Andy. We have ourselves to blame for that. I have to admit, Sara was right about that."

"She has truly embraced her new role," he said. "Just as you said she would."

"Of course," Judy said. "She is my daughter, after all. How are you holding up, Andy?" He looked at her, concern on his face.

"I could use some relief right about now," he said. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"Judy, you aren't in the Women's Auxiliary anymore," he said as she unzipped his trousers. "We really shouldn't do this."

"Consider this part of my tithe," she said. As I watched, Judy climbed into his lap and moaned as she lowered himself onto him.

"What about your husband?" he asked.

"He hasn't touched me since his first strike," she said. "After he was snipped, he figured it was a waste of time since he couldn't father any children. Got rid of our big bed and moved in two twin beds."

"What a fool," he said.

"My thoughts exactly," she told him. "That's why I joined the Auxiliary. Since he wouldn't do his duty to me, I felt it was only reasonable that I get some fulfillment on my own. Now shut up and fuck me."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, bucking into her. Soon, they enjoyed a mutual orgasm and Judy climbed off of him.

"I needed that," she said as Andy zipped his trousers. "Maybe Jon's right."

"About what?" Andy asked.

"About us all being sluts and whore-mongers," she said.

"No," Andy said. "He's an infidel and can never understand our ways. I'm going to need your help to bring him into the fold. Can you do that?"

"What, you want me to fuck him, too?" she asked. "Even though he's my daughter's husband?" Andy looked up at her.

"Do what you need to do, short of that," he said. "But follow the rules."

"I will, Andy," she said, kissing him. "The Divine Lawmaker's will be done." The video ended as she left his office. I stopped playback and seriously considered telling Dan about this. Surely, he deserved to know what his wife was doing behind his back. On the other hand, I thought, he probably didn't care anymore.

I went back to the living room and sat down with a beer, wondering what else I could do. I looked at the church textbook and had a brainstorm.

The Army had taught me that knowing one's enemy was key to success in a military campaign. Strange to think that a church and my wife were now the "enemy," but that's what they had become. I hadn't cracked that book open since the day of my so-called "wedding," but something told me now that I should. So I did. I picked up the book and began scanning through it, looking for any clues.

The prophesy was mentioned, but not in any great detail. I did run across something else, however. Toward the back of the book was something called "misdirection." The idea was that the church considered it proper to "misdirect," or lie to "unbelievers" in order to advance the cause. It seemed somewhat similar in concept to the "taqiyyah" I had heard about in Iraq. Of course, all I had to go on was what other soldiers had told me.
Had Sara and her mother been misdirecting me all this time? Was it all a lie? Did she ever really love me at all? Or were her declarations of love all an act to fulfill some sick prophesy? Two could play that game, I thought to myself as I put the book away. I stepped on the balcony with a beer and a cigarette and considered my options.

The next week flew by for me. I had two interviews for the position in San Jose on Monday. One took place at the office that morning, and the other was done via Skype that afternoon. Both went well, and I was told that it was only a matter of getting the board to sign off on it, which was a mere formality at this point. I was told to expect a written offer by the end of the next business day, which meant I would be moving very soon.

Not only would the move mean a significant increase in pay, but I would be provided a company car and an apartment or a condo at company expense for the first three months. After that, I could opt to either pick up the payments myself or move into something else.

I knew I had a lot to do and not much time in which to do it. I sent an email to Ron and got a response almost instantly.

"I got it," he said. "Watch your email for details." Sure enough, he sent me a detailed document outlining what I needed to do. I also called Bill Jackson to let him know what was going on. He advised me to get with him the next day.

I read the document Ron sent me that night. It was quite detailed, even giving me the right forms to fill out. I smiled as I read what he wrote. Oh yes, I thought. If this works, they would all get burned.

After warming up a piece of lasagna my mother had given me, I sat down to watch some television. There was a knock on the door. Looking through the peephole, I saw Dan and verified he was alone. I opened the door and invited him inside. He accepted my offer of a Coke and sat down.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your dinner," he said.

"No problem," I said. "Mom's lasagna is just as good cold as it is hot. What can I do for you, Dan?"

"Judy asked me to check up on you, make sure you're doing alright," he said.

"You mean, spy on me, right?" I asked. He smiled and looked down.

"I guess so," he said. "Have you decided what you're going to do about Sara?"

"I don't know yet," I said, applying some misdirection of my own. The truth is, I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do, but there was no way in Hell I was going to tell him or Judy - or anyone else from that church.

"Jon," he began, "I know what you're feeling. I know how hard this is for you to accept. Trust me, though, it'll all work out in the end. And you'll have a better relationship with Sara as well."

"Sorry, Dan," I said. "Like I told Judy, there's no way I'll ever accept being a cuckold and a second-class citizen."

"But what about the child?" he asked. "None of this is the child's fault. And the baby will need a father. Can't you set your pride aside for the benefit of the young one?"

"First of all," I said. "I don't know that she is pregnant. You people have seriously misjudged me. I cannot accept raising and supporting a child conceived in adultery. I could never love the child because it would be a constant reminder of what Sara did to me - what all of you did to me." Dan looked shocked.

"You can't be serious," he said.

"Look, Dan," I said. "I think the world of you. I don't know how you kept it together for as long as you did, knowing that Sara wasn't your child. And I don't know how you managed to stay with Judy, knowing what she was doing with those people as a member of the Women's Auxiliary."

"It was my duty," he said, sheepishly. I nodded my head.

"Duty," I said. "I know a little something about duty, you know. I never knew 'duty' meant fucking around on one's spouse."

"What are you talking about?" he asked. I motioned for him to join me in my home office and fired up my computer. I started the video of Judy with Andy. His eyes widened as he watched her fuck the church leader.

"How did you get this?" he asked.

"That doesn't matter," I said. "What does matter is your wife's continuing adultery. You can't tell me this is sanctioned by the rules, especially since she's no longer an official member of the Women's Auxiliary. In fact, I believe you now have every right to demand they both surrender their souls. After they publicly admit their sin to the congregation." His face turned white and he sat down, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Why would she do this?" he asked.

"Maybe because you chose to remain celibate after your first strike," I said. "Oh, I'm sure you did everything by the rules, but look at where that put you. You think I want to be in your shoes 20 years from now? No fucking way."

"Why did you show me this, Jon?" he asked.

"Because I think you deserve to know the truth," I said. "I'd want to know if I was in your shoes."

"You don't understand," he said. "The women in my wife's family have always taken control. That's the way it has always been."

"Then maybe it's time for you to grow a pair and stand up for yourself," I said. "Look, Dan, I've had a lot of time to think these last two weeks. The six months before our wedding, I was hit with one clue after another. Hell, you gave me a clue yourself. I was in denial at the time because I was blinded by my own love for Sara. I should've seen it, but I didn't. I couldn't believe she'd ever do something like this to me. Now I know the truth. I'm not blind any more." He looked at me.

"So, what ARE you going to do?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I'm not saying," I said. He nodded his head in understanding.

"It's probably best I don't know," he said.

"What are YOU going to do?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"I don't know," he said. "The church doesn't believe in divorce. And Judy is a very powerful woman in the church. I had hoped my actions would have shown her how much I disapproved of her actions. I was wrong."

"Are you going to let things go on the way they are?" I asked.

"I'll have to think about it for a while," he said. "I do thank you for letting me know, though. I had suspected something was going on, but I dared not bring it up. I would not survive a third strike." I knew that a third strike would require him to commit ritual suicide, perhaps even in the presence of his wife and the clerics. He stood and prepared to leave. "I need to go now, Jon. Please stay in touch."

I promised him I would and saw him to the door. After he left, I considered what I had just told him. Thinking on everything now, I realized just how effective their misdirection had been on me. It was true that I had been given lots of clues. Some of those were in the form of rumors, though, and I was never one to put much stock in rumor. I should have realized what "Divine Seed" really meant. Did my love for Sara really blind me that much to the truth, I asked myself. Apparently so. I swore never to let that happen again.

That night, I was plagued by nightmares - nightmares that included reptilian babies with horns and red eyes tearing the skin off my body; Nightmares that had me kneeling helplessly at Sara's feet as she laughed and berated me while ordering me to suck another man's cum out of her freshly-fucked pussy. Nightmares that included devilish creatures with horns and red eyes. I woke with a start, my body drenched with sweat. I was now more determined than ever to carry out the plan Ron had laid out.

The next day at work, I received an email - it was the official offering of the position in San Jose. It also included a list of three two-bedroom condos for me to choose. All of them cost the same, and all of them were very nice and equally close to the office. I sent a reply officially accepting the offer along with my choice of condo.

According to the email, I would need to report to work on Monday, June 15, which didn't give me much time. I would have to leave Friday in order to make the drive and have a few days to set up the condo and get used to the area. That only gave me three days. I called Bill Jackson and told him the plan, letting him know I only had three days to act.

"So you want me to go ahead with the annulment?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "The sooner, the better. Can we get it done in time?"

"With the evidence you've provided, I believe it can be done," he said. "Fortunately, we live in a state where it can be granted quickly on the grounds we've already laid out in our initial filing and I just happen to know a judge who isn't too thrilled with that church right now. Our surveillance indicates Sara is still being held at the church. Is that right?"

"She is," I said.

"Very well," he said. "I'll walk it through myself. You may have to appear before the judge. I'll let you know."

"Thanks," I said before ending the call. I made a few more calls - one to my parents letting them know. They were happy for me, but I could tell the move would hit them hard. They promised to not say anything to anyone and my father offered to take me to the U-Haul place to get a truck and a trailer. I accepted his offer.

I contacted my boss, Ryan, and asked for some comp time so I could arrange the move - I had a lot to do and very little time to get it all done before "D-Day," the day I would escape the church and Sara. He agreed, but made me promise to show up Friday for a farewell gathering.

My father picked me up at work and we drove to the U-Haul place, where I was able to get a truck, some boxes and a trailer to haul the car out west. I also arranged for a small crew to come help pack and load on Thursday. I was even able to arrange for a small crew to help unload in San Jose. It cost me extra, but I figured it was worth it. My father followed me as I drove the truck and trailer home, then took me back to work where I picked up my vehicle.

"Promise me you'll spend Thursday night with us," he said.

"I will, Dad," I said.

"I take it Sara won't be going with you," he said. I shook my head.

"No, Dad, she's not," I said. "She doesn't even know I'm leaving." He shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry, son," he said.

"Not your fault, Dad," I said. "You tried to warn me, but I was too blinded by my love for her."

"I understand that," he said. "I was young, dumb and full of cum once, you know. I lucked out, though. Your mother's been one of the best things to happen to me. I couldn't imagine being without her. Good luck to ya, son. See you Thursday night."

"See ya, Dad," I said. "Thanks."

From there, I wrote up a letter to the apartment complex, attaching a copy of my offer to San Jose. I took it to the office, and they accepted it, with a promise to mail me my deposit within 45 days. Next came calls to cancel utilities, cable and Internet. After that, I began packing up my meager belongings, leaving out just enough to carry me through the next couple days.

I got one call that afternoon - Bill Jackson asked if I could meet him at the judge's chambers early in the morning. I agreed and ended the call. The next morning, I met Bill at the courthouse.

"It's pretty much a done deal," he told me. "The judge just has a few questions for you before he approves it." With that, we went inside and the judge, an elderly man with a gray goatee, greeted Bill, who introduced us. After we shook hands, the judge invited me to sit down.

"I just wanted to put a face to a name," he said. "And ask you some questions. Nothing fancy. First off, have you consummated the marriage with Sara?"

"No sir, I have not," I said. "In fact, Sara and I have never had any sexual relations." He looked at me funny.

"Really?" he asked. "A big strapping boy like yourself? Please don't tell me you're still a virgin." I looked down, a bit embarrassed. He smiled before continuing. "I see. Well, your secret is safe with me, son."

"Thank you, your honor," I said.

"Your attorney tells me you're preparing to leave our wonderful community, is that right?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," I said. "I've been transferred to San Jose. I leave Friday."

"Well, that explains the holiday rush, then," he said. "Tell me, son, did you know anything at all about this prima nocte nonsense or the so-called evaluation prior to being married?"

"No sir, I did not," I said.

"Did you ask anyone about any of these 'rites' before the marriage?" he asked.

"I asked about a number of things I saw, but the answers I got were evasive at best," I said. "The church has a policy of what it calls 'misdirection' when it comes to dealing with outsiders."

"I see," he said. "So you believe you were tricked into this marriage?"

"I believe so," I said. He nodded his head. He looked at Bill before speaking again.

"Will your task force be getting involved with this?" he asked. Task force? What was that, I wondered. Bill shook his head.

"We've been conducting surveillance on the church, but we haven't come up with anything concrete yet," Bill said. "At this point, I doubt we'll be taking any action, but we will watch things for a few days just to make sure."

"I see," the judge said. He called for his assistant to come into the office. "Linda, I need you to witness and notarize this, please," he said when his assistant, a middle-aged woman, came into the office. The judge looked at me before speaking. "I hereby declare this marriage annulled," he said, signing the paperwork. The assistant witnessed the signature and notarized the paperwork. He handed it to her. "Please file this and get a copy to Mr. Jackson and Mr. Carlson," he said. The assistant nodded her head and left the room. After she left, the judge looked at me.

"Mr. Carlson," he said. "I want you to know I've heard things - just rumors, you know - about that church. You're the first person I've ever met to come forward with anything concrete. The evidence you've provided is certainly eye-opening. How did you come across this, by the way?" I held up my key chain and showed him my audio recorder.

"I recorded some of the audio myself," I said. "And I got video from someone inside the church." I purposefully did not tell the judge about the information John pulled off the church servers, concerned that might put me in hot water.

"I see," he said. He looked at Bill before speaking. "Perhaps you should consider opening a formal case on this church," he said. "I'd be very interested to see what you find out." Bill nodded his head.

"I'll seriously consider it, your honor," he said. I looked at the judge.

"What's this task force you're talking about?" I asked. The judge looked at Bill before speaking.

"Holding out on your client, are you?" he asked. "That's not very nice." Bill smiled briefly before addressing me.

"I run something called the 'HomeFront Security Task Force,' a group that deals with situations somewhat similar to yours," he said.

"That's why you had that Frank guy in our meeting, isn't it?" I asked. He nodded his head.

"Yes," he said. "We weren't sure if your situation warranted our intervention." I thought for a moment about all the data John had collected of their server. "If you have any additional information, Jon, I'd really like to see it."

"Can we talk after we're done here?" I asked. He nodded his head.

"Of course," he said. By then, the assistant returned with copies of the final paperwork. She handed a copy to Bill and a copy to me.

"Well, young man," the judge said. "I think our business here is concluded. Good luck," he added, shaking my hand.

"Thank you, your honor," I said.

"Are we still on for golf this Saturday?" he asked Bill.

"Of course, your honor," Bill said. "It's always a pleasure taking your money." The judge laughed.

"We'll see about that," he said. "I've been practicing, you know." After the two men said their goodbyes, we left. Bill stopped me after we were well outside the courthouse.

"What's going on, Jon?" he asked. "What information do you have?"

"You're still my attorney, right?" I asked. "This still falls under attorney-client privilege?"

"Yes," he said. "Why? Have you done something illegal?"

"No," I said. "At least I don't think so. Remember I told you how I got all of this information? I was given the IP address of their server and the the admin credentials for it by the same guy who gave me the first set of videos I showed you. I told you about this earlier in an email. A colleague of mine went in and got a ton of information."

"Yes, I remember that," he said. "That's when you learned about the Ecstasy and the hypnotherapy. You still have all this data?" Bill asked.

"Yes, I do," I said.

"I want you to hand that over to me by tomorrow morning at the latest," he said. "Have you looked at it?"

"Some of it," I admitted. "There's a lot of financial stuff that didn't make much sense to me. But there's a lot of documents and video. Really damning stuff."

"I see," he said. "Look, just get me the drive. I'll do everything in my power to keep your name out of it. You promise me you didn't hack into their server?"

"Absolutely not," I said.

"Alright, get it to me and I'll have my people look into it," he said. "And tell your colleague to stay out of their server."

"Got it," I said. I left for home and received a call from John when I pulled in.

"Hey, buddy," he said. "What's this I hear about a transfer? You leaving me after all we've been through?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, that's just the way I am," I joked. "What's up?"

"I think they changed their admin password," he said. "I can't get into their server. Want me to try and hack in?"

"Absolutely not," I said. "In fact, get rid of whatever you have."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes, absolutely," I said.

"You got it," he said. "You planning on coming up for your farewell wing-ding?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I said, ending the call. I went on my computer and pulled up a few videos and documents off the external drive I got from John - mostly those featuring punishments meted out to church members and a few of the gangbangs featuring Sara and other newly-married women. I copied those to a thumb drive for further use. I wiped my fingerprints off the large external drive and carefully wrapped it up and packed it into a box for Bill.

The next call came from U-Haul, confirming that three people would be at the apartment at 10:30 am to pack and move. I thanked the caller and hung up.

After I sat down to eat, there was a knock at the door. I looked through the peephole and saw Judy. Damn, I thought. The last thing I needed was her looking around, wondering why I was packing. I opened the door just a bit, not letting her look inside.

"What do you want, Judy?" I asked. "I'm quite busy right now and the place is a mess."

"What's going on, Jon?" she asked.

"I'm just doing some work and the place is totally messed up," I told her. "I really don't want anyone coming in right now. It's a surprise for Sara."

"A surprise? I love surprises. Maybe I can help," she said.

"No, this is something I have to do myself," I said.

"I see," she said, not totally convinced. "You aren't entertaining a woman, are you?" she asked.

"I'm not the one cheating in this relationship, Judy," I said. "You know better than to ask that. Please, I'm really very busy. What do you want?"

"Proctor wants to know if you can come by Friday afternoon," she said. "I think he's going to let Sara come home with you. Can you be there at, say, 4:30 pm?"

"I'll be there, Judy," I said. "Thanks for letting me know. Now, I have to get back to work."

"Okay," she said, trying to look around the door to see what was going on. I managed to block her view, and she left, a puzzled look on her face. I closed and locked the door. What next, I wondered.
After I ate, I turned to my packing and managed to get quite a lot done. I wasn't what you'd call "extra careful," but I did manage to mark all of the boxes for the crew coming tomorrow. I stayed up a bit later than normal to get as much packing done as I could. I didn't want the crew spending too much time going through what I had.

Early the next day, I took the box with the drive to Bill's office.

"This is everything besides the updates you gave me?" he asked. I nodded my head.

"Yes, it is," I said.

"Alright," he told me. "I'll have my people go through this and see what we can find. Thanks."

"You're welcome," I told him. "By the way, the church wants me to go by there tomorrow afternoon. Judy says they may release Sara to me."

"And that's when you plan to give her the annulment papers?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Do you need me to be there?" he asked. I thought about it for a moment, but decided he might not approve of what else I had planned.

"No, I think I can handle it," I said.

"Okay," he said. "You let me know if you change your mind."

"I will," I said. "Thank you for everything." He smiled and shook my hand.

"You're welcome, and good luck," he said. I headed back to the house and continued packing while waiting for the crew. They showed up right at 10:30 and immediately began moving things to the truck.

As they carried the furniture down, I looked at the wedding album I had just received. I thought about burning it, but decided to give it to Sara, along with the photo album I had that was crammed with pictures of us together over the years. I put both into my briefcase along with the annulment and the papers I would present to Andy.

The crew moved with lightning speed and had everything boxed up and into the truck by noon. All that remained were the clothes and toiletries I had packed into two suitcases. I paid the crew and gave them an extra $100 for their speed and efficiency. They earned it, in my mind. They thanked me profusely before leaving and wished me a safe journey.

I ran the vacuum one last time and made one last sweep to ensure everything was clean. Once I knew the place was as clean as I could get it, I put the vacuum in the truck, along with my suitcases and checked the garage to make sure it was swept clean, then headed to the office, where I gave them my keys and verified they had my new address.

After I closed and locked the door on the truck, I attached the trailer and loaded up my vehicle with the help of an office worker who guided me as I drove. I secured my vehicle, jumped in the truck and headed to my parent's house, where I would spend my last night in town.

My father insisted I pull the truck and trailer around back, into a spot he had set up for the RV he intended to purchase one day. We verified it would fit, so I drove into the alley and gently worked the rig into the spot after he opened the gate for me. After I was in, he closed and locked the gate.

"Don't worry," he said. "If you have problems backing out, I'll do it for you. This way, it won't be sitting on the front curb where prying eyes can see it." Prying eyes, like those belonging to Dan and/or Judy, I thought. He had a point, but I was concerned about getting out in the morning. I grabbed my bags and headed inside, where my mother got me settled down for the night. We talked after dinner.

"How long are you going to be in San Jose?" my mother asked.

"It's a four-year assignment, so I'll be gone at least four years," I said. "I don't know where I'll be after that."

"We're gonna miss ya, son," my father said. For a moment, I thought he was going to tear up, but he hid it well.

"I'm gonna miss you guys, too," I said.

"I'm sure there's lots of nice girls in San Jose," my mother said. "You can't keep moping around forever, you know." My father laughed.

"She's right, son. Better listen to your mother," he joked. Mom slapped him across the shoulder in jest.

"Does Sara know about the annulment," my mother asked.

"Not yet," I said. "She'll find out tomorrow afternoon."

"This is going to tear her to pieces," my mother said.

"That's just too damn bad," my father said.

"That's not nice, Nils," my mother said. "She's a nice girl."

"You haven't seen her lately, Mom," I said. "Trust me, you wouldn't recognize her. It's like she's been brainwashed or something."

"Well, they've had over 20 years to do it, so I'm not surprised," my father said. "Trust me, son, this all didn't just happen overnight. Believe me."

"I know, Dad," I said.

"Maybe next time, you'll listen to the old man," he said with a smile and a wink. "I may have been born at night, but by God, it wasn't last night." I knew he was trying to be funny, but deep down, I knew he was right. I should've listened to him from the beginning. His mood suddenly changed. "Look, son, I know this has been hard on you. Hell, it's been hard on all of us. The truth is, I'm damn proud of the way you've handled yourself. Yeah, you screwed up in the beginning, signing up for those classes and whatnot, but you got your shit together. I know you've loved Sara since you were a kid. Hell, we all loved her. I just hope the next time, you'll think with your big brain and not your little one."

"I will, Dad, promise," I said. He smiled and handed me another beer.

"C'mon, let's go enjoy a cigar," he said. Mom didn't like cigar smoke in the house, so we went out back and sat on the porch with a beer and a cigar, swapped war stories and reminisced about this and that. Finally, it was bedtime, so I headed upstairs to my old room. The next morning, I got up, showered, shaved, dressed and headed downstairs where my mother was making bacon and eggs.

"About time you got your ass outta bed," my father joked. "Hell, it's already 6:30. Half the damn day's gone by."

"Good morning to you too," I said, jokingly. I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat at the table while my mother put breakfast in front of us. My father took a bite of egg and closed his eyes as he praised my mother's cooking.

"Damn, woman," he said. "Those are some mighty fine eggs. I think I might just keep ya." My mother smiled her appreciation.

"Well, now that I've finally gotten you to put the toilet seat down, I just might keep you," she said, smiling. I loved hearing this - it was the way things had always been around the house. I thought I would miss this banter more than anything else.

After we finished, Dad got up and kissed my mother full on the lips.

"There's a lot more appreciation where that comes from," he said, tapping her on the bottom.

"Damn well better be," she said with a smile.

"Please guys, get a room," I said.

"We have a room," my father said. "It's the same one we had when we made you, after all." He came over and hugged me, tight. "I love you, son. Never forget that," he said, blinking back a tear. "C'mon, we gotta get that rig of yours out of my back yard."

We headed out back and my father opened the gate as I fired up the truck. He guided me back slowly, giving me directions as I moved slowly out of the yard. We finally got out of the yard and I pulled to the side of the alleyway.

"You should be okay here for a few hours," he said. He gave me one last bear hug. "You stay in touch now, you hear?"

"I will, Dad, promise," I said. I watched him head out for work, wondering if I would ever see him do that again. I looked at my mother, and saw her dab tears from her eyes with a Kleenex. I hugged her, tight.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Jon," she said.

"I'll be back," I said. "It's not like I'm joining the Army. I'll just be in California."

"I know," she said. "I had just hoped you could've had a life here and we could all be together. I don't blame you for leaving, though. I think it'll be for the best. Maybe you can put all this behind you and meet a nice girl out there."

"We'll see," I said. I had a few hours before the company shindig, so I relaxed for a while as my mother went about her business. Finally, it was time for me to leave and my mother, now in "full Mom" mode, peppered me with questions.

"Do you have enough money? Should I make you a sandwich or a thermos of coffee? Do you have a good map? Are you awake enough to drive?" were just a few of the questions she asked.

"I got it under control, Mom," I said, wrapping her in my arms as she cried. "It'll be alright."

"Make sure you call us when you stop for the night, okay?" she asked. "And make sure to call when you get there."

"I will, Mom," I said.

"I love you so much, Jon," she said.

"I love you, too, Mom," I told her. "I'll be okay, promise."

"You'd better be," she said. We finally separated and I headed out. My mother stood at the back gate, waving as I drove off. God, I was going to miss those two.

I got to the office just as the party was beginning. Fortunately, there was no alcohol, but there was cake, ice cream and punch - lots of punch. We talked old times, laughed, joked and reminisced about jobs we had done in the past. Even though I hadn't been there that long, I felt a certain kinship with these people.

Ryan pulled me aside as things were beginning to end and handed me a check along with a piece of paper with addresses and numbers.

"The check is a bonus and something to help cover moving expenses. The addresses are just a few places I've been to during my trips there," he said. "I've always enjoyed them and thought you might as well."

"Thanks," I said.

"The bottom number is for a counselor in the area," he said. "I think you really need to talk to her about everything that's been going on here. Get some closure, so to speak."

"Thanks, Ryan, but I'm okay, really," I said. He shook his head.

"No, you're not. This isn't a request, Jon," he said. "The board is concerned and so am I. You're a damn good employee with lots of potential. You need to get closure on all the personal stuff that's been going on here. Let's face it, you've been to Hell and back over this crap with your wife. I'd hate to see you get screwed up in the head over this. I've already called Jolene, the counselor, and she's expecting to hear from you when you get there. Don't worry about the cost. The company's paying the tab on this." I understood what he was saying and I agreed that I needed to put all this behind me and move on.

"Thanks, Ryan," I said. "I'll call her my first full day there."

"Do that, Jon," he said. "Have a safe trip and let us know when you get there." After saying my goodbyes, I headed to my last stop before leaving town - the church.

I pulled up in front of the church and grabbed my briefcase. I said a quick prayer before leaving the truck and headed inside. Vern met me at the door.

"Going somewhere?" he asked. I nodded my head.

"Yup," I said, concentrating on the trek to Andy's office. I wasn't saying anything more and Vern got the message loud and clear. He stopped me and checked me for weapons as always. As before, I pulled out my key chain so he could inspect it. He nodded his head, indicating everything was okay. I slipped the key chain in my pocket, surreptitiously starting a new recording.

Sara was sitting in a chair along the wall and Andy was behind his desk. As before, Sara sat staring straight ahead at a point on the opposite wall. Her hands were neatly folded in her lap and her face showed no emotion. The high priest stood along the wall opposite Sara. I thought I detected a slight smile on his face. I put my briefcase on the chair in front of Andy's desk.

"Please have a seat," Andy said.

"I prefer to stand," I said.

"Very well, have it your way," he said. "Sara's evaluation is officially complete. She is free to return to your home." I looked at Sara. She looked up at me.

"I am pregnant," she said. "We are going to have a child and you will be the father." I couldn't believe she actually said that with a straight face. I shook my head and opened the briefcase. Fortunately, I had stopped and made two copies of the annulment. I pulled them out of the folder and handed one to Sara and one to Andy. They looked at the paperwork, confusion on their faces.

"What is this?" Andy asked. "Are you divorcing Sara?"

"No," I said. "That is an annulment. As far as the state is concerned, we were never married. And the state takes priority in these matters as you well know."

"But," Sara began. "We're married. We exchanged vows right here in the church."

"No, Sara," I said. "We are not married, and according to state law, have never been married. You are not now, nor have you ever been, legally, anyway, my wife." Tears started filling her eyes.

"But what about our baby?" she asked.

"WE don't have a baby. We never had a baby because we never consummated our relationship," I said. I looked at Andy. "I think you understand the ramifications of that, right?" His face started to turn pale as I spoke.

"What kind of treachery is this?" he asked, angrily.

"No treachery," I said. "It's the law. State law. And speaking of the law," I added, pulling out another form. "According to Section 2105 of your divine law book, as a plebe, I have the same right of redress as any credentialed church member." Andy looked at the priest, who merely smiled and nodded his head in agreement. I handed another form to Andy.

"Therefore," I said, "I am formally demanding redress for the crime of adultery, as specified in Section 2378 of your divine laws and for the misdirection of a church member according to Section 1815. Said adultery, haven repeatedly taken place on church property, by members of the church, with a woman who is not legally married, and which has produced a child out of wedlock. All of this is spelled out on the form per your own rules."

"You can't be serious," Andy said. He looked at the form and handed it to the priest who smiled and nodded his head.

"I am serious, Proctor," I said. "Moreover, as I have stipulated in the form, I accuse you and the church of usurping said law for your own gain. Specifically, by misdirecting me into accepting a relationship that is outside the definition of your law."

"Therefore, I demand that you and all those who participated in or facilitated this adultery surrender your souls for eternal judgment," I said. "And according to Section 2378, subsection 2(A), I demand it be done by fire." Andy's eyes grew wide as he looked at me in shock. He turned to the priest, who was busy looking over the form. "I understand this is normally done immediately upon filing, which was done the moment I handed you the form, per Section 2410 of your own law. However, I will give you 12 hours to make this happen."

"And if we don't?" Andy asked, challenging me.

"Then I hope anal inspection is something you enjoy, Proctor," I said. "Because I intend to have state and federal authorities crawling in and out of every orifice in this building. Not to mention the media, and you know how they like to dig, especially when there's sex involved."

"He can't do this," Andy said, looking at the priest. "That can't be right."

"Actually, Proctor, he is right, and everything here seems to be in order," the priest said, nonchalantly.

"You don't honestly expect me to submit to the will of a plebe, do you, Excellency?" Andy asked. The priest looked at Andy as a teacher might look at a child.

"As leaders of the church, we are held to a much higher standard," he said. "You know this. If the law doesn't apply to us, how can we possibly expect the congregation to follow. Surely, you understand this."

"But what about the prophesy?" Andy asked.

"The prophesy IS being fulfilled, Proctor," the priest said. "After the First Prophet made his initial announcement, he spoke privately to his acolytes. He warned them of what could happen if the husband of the Blessed Mother was treated with anything other than the utmost reverence and respect. He told them the husband could burn the church to the ground if pushed too far. This warning was made part of the priestly annals and passed down through the generations."

"I never saw any of that," Andy said.

"Of course not," the priest said. "Not even the First Proctor has access to the priest's annals."

"But I should have been warned," Andy said.

"You mean, the way you warned Mr. Carlson?" the priest asked. "The truth is, Proctor, you were warned. Many times. You foolishly chose to ignore our concerns and continued down the path that could only lead to destruction." Andy shook his head before looking at me.

"Don't think you've heard the last of this," he hissed.

"Well, Proctor, since you want to play hardball," I said. "I didn't include this in my initial filing, but maybe the church would be very interested in learning about your own adultery with Mrs. Jenkins." The priest looked at me as I said this, and Andy's eyes grew wide. Sara looked at me, shocked.

"Please continue, Mr. Carlson," the priest said. I nodded my head.

"It seems that the Proctor and Mrs. Jenkins have engaged in at least one act of unlawful carnal knowledge right here in this office," I said, pulling out a photo showing Judy in Andy's lap. I handed it to the priest. "I happen to know that she is no longer an official member of the Women's Auxiliary due to her age. Apparently, the proctor here thinks he can bend the rules for his own amusement."

"How did you get this photo?" the priest asked.

"It was given to me," I said. "Actually, it was part of a video I received. How I got it is of no importance. You can see the church logo in the corner as well as the date and time. That can be confirmed by the official visitor logs I know you maintain." He nodded his head.

"Excellency, please," Andy begged. The priest held up his hand.

"Mr. Carlson, you have done us a great service by bringing this to our attention," he said. "Truthfully, I have suspected something like this for a while now. Proctor, you have a choice. You can either accede to Mr. Carlson's demand or you can be excommunicated in disgrace. Either way, you will be required to surrender your soul. If you have served the Lawmaker well, you will be rewarded and given a spot in the Great Beyond. If not, well..." he began before shrugging his shoulders. "So, which is it to be?" Andy slumped down in his chair, defeated.

"All right, Jon," he said. "You win. I hope you're happy."

"I'm not happy, Proctor. Not happy at all. I haven't been happy since this whole nightmare began," I said. "I doubt I'll ever be happy again." Sara leaned to Andy. For a moment, her mask fell and she appeared to be the Sara I knew before the wedding.

"Proctor, I demand marital sanctuary under Section 2900 of the law," she said. Andy and the priest looked at her.

"Child, you don't know what you're asking," Andy said.

"Yes, I do, Proctor," she said. "I have destroyed the only man I've ever truly loved. I've hurt him in the worse way I could. This is the least I can do." Andy looked at the priest, who nodded his head, sadness on his face.

"Very well, Sara," Andy said. I reached into my briefcase and pulled out the wedding book and my photo album and handed them to her.

"Why are you giving me these?" she asked.

"Too many painful memories," I said. "You keep them. And this," I added, taking my wedding ring off. I handed it to her and tears began falling down her face. Andy looked at the priest before speaking.

"Make the necessary arrangements," he said. The priest bowed slightly, then stepped before me, his back to Andy. He took my hand in his and I noticed he gave the resistance handshake. He looked deep in my face and I suddenly saw something I never noticed before. His eyes were the deepest shade of blue I had ever seen except for Sara's. And they were shaped very much like hers. He smiled broadly and I was reminded of Sara's dimples. Could this be Sara's biological father? And is he the sperm donor of Sara's child?
"For what it's worth, Mr. Carlson," he said. "Please accept my apologies. Your grievances will be addressed as you have asked."

"Thank you, Excellency," I said.

"Safe journey," he said before breaking the handshake. He turned to Andy before speaking again. "If you will excuse me, I have preparations to make. Good day." He left as Andy waved him out of the room. Sara stood and faced me, tears in her eyes. She took my hands in hers.

"What did he mean, Jon?" she asked. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes," I said. "I'm being transferred out of state. I don't know when or if I'll ever be back."

"Please believe me when I say I love you and I never wanted to hurt you," she said, tears falling down her face. I had never seen her so sad before. I wanted to take her in my arms and comfort her, but I kept myself under control. This was part of her doing as well. "I'll wait for you, I promise. I don't care if I have to wait for all eternity. We will be together again and I'll keep myself pure for you. I promise," she said.

"I can't make that same promise, Sara," I said.

"I understand," she said, crying. "It will be part of my penance and if I have to share you with another, I will. I just want you to be happy." She kissed me on the cheek. I had to get out of that room before I lost control.

"Goodbye, Sara," I said. She began sobbing as I let go of her and gathered my briefcase. Andy sat at his desk quietly, his face wrought with emotion. He was about to die and he knew it. I thought about saying something sarcastic like, "live by the rules, die by the rules." But I kept myself under control. I had won the battle and didn't feel it was necessary to kick a man when he was already down.

I turned and left the office. Vern met me outside the office and escorted me to the door. When we got there, he gave me the resistance handshake.

"Vaya con dios, my friend," he said. I nodded my head and looked back to see Sara sobbing uncontrollably in her chair. She was about to die and she knew it. I wanted to punish her for what she did, and make her feel some of the pain I had felt since the wedding. But I didn't want to see her dead. I whispered in Vern's ear.

"One soldier to another. Get her the HELL out of this place," I told him quietly. "No matter what it takes. No matter what you have to do. Get her out of here as soon as you can. You won't have much time." Vern looked at me, shocked. "Understand me, Vern?" I asked. He nodded his head slowly.

"I will, brother," he said. "Count on it. Army Strong."

"Hooah," I said. He smiled as we shook hands for the last time. "See ya around, brother," I told him. "Take care of yourself. And thanks for everything."

"I will," he said. I left, got into the truck and headed west for California. I jumped on I-40 and stopped only for gas, coffee and food. I found a country station on the radio and turned it up loud to keep thoughts of Sara out of my head. Finally, about 11 hours later, I stopped outside Amarillo, Texas. I found a spot with a motel and a 24-hour diner. I grabbed a burger at the diner and got myself a room.

Apparently, the last person to rent this room liked Fox News, because that's what came up when I turned the television on. I brushed my teeth, put on my pajamas and prepared to jump in the bed when I heard the trademark, "Fox News Alert." Great, I thought to myself. Maybe the president just took a crap. What I saw on the television, though, shocked me to my core.

"Firefighters are feverishly working to save an iconic 110-year-old church in Missouri that caught fire this evening," an announcer said. As she continued talking, the scene changed to show video of the church I left earlier today. The outside walls were still standing, but the interior was a bright yellow from the flames and the fire had already destroyed the roof.

"It is not known how the fire started and we have not heard if anyone was in the structure when it caught fire," the announcer added. "Stay tuned to Fox News for updates as they occur."

"Damn," I said to the empty room. "They actually did it. The bastards actually fucking did it."

...

To be continued...