#TimeToTakeOutTheTrash
I can hear every word that transpires between my band, Yivi, and the Leader. It sickens me to my stomach. This man can’t be allowed to get away with this. I know he’s going to keep coming after Yivi no matter how much money she gives him. He’s corrupt, and nothing will stop him.
My hands shake, and I try my hardest to stay in the car and resist the urge to kill him, but I can’t. I have to protect my wife by all means possible. I’m out of the car and running with fists clenched as Zoey screams my name from behind.
Yivi turns to me with wide eyes as I race past her and directly toward the man who has controlled her for most of her life. The red mist descends further, and I can’t see or think straight. All I know is I want the Leader’s blood on my hands.
I bring my fist up and catch him off guard when he reaches for the suitcase, knocking him over. I’m on top of him, ready to throw another punch, before I notice my bandmates pulling me off him as I struggle against them.
“Let me kill him,” I scream. “Let me end his life so he won’t hurt anyone else.”
Cameron, Tate, and Austin use all their strength and somehow manage to pull me off the Leader, but Austin gets a whack to the head for his trouble. He stumbles back for a few seconds in shock, giving me the opportunity to make for the Leader again. I aim a kick to his groin area, and he doubles over in pain.
My friends finally manage to get ahold of me when Austin regains his senses, and I’m pushed down to the ground where they put all their weight on me to stop me moving.
“Get the fuck off me!” I scream.
“Stop recording,” Tate shouts across to our driver. “Delete the video,” he orders next, knowing it’s incriminating evidence in any assault charges the Leader will bring against me.
I stare deep into the Leader’s eyes as he straightens out of the fetal position he’s been lying in while yelling out in pain, following the kick I managed to land. His nose is bleeding, but he doesn’t look scared. Instead, he appears triumphant as he stands and looks toward his car. I follow his malevolent stare. There’s a small recording device in the windshield. He’s been videoing the whole encounter as well.
With almighty strength, I send Cameron, Tate, and Austin flying off me.
He’s recorded me issuing death threats and attacking him. I’ll be going to prison now anyway. I might as well go down for a long time and make sure he can’t hurt anyone else ever again.
“Stop.” Yivi jumps in front of me. I try to push her away, but she stands her ground, even though I’m much stronger than her.
She falls to her knees before me.
“Please, Liam, listen to me.”
Cameron, Tate, and Austin grab me again. This time I don’t fight against them. I remain still. Yivi’s bright, brown eyes are imploring me to listen to her.
“He needs to die,” I repeat my threat, another blemish on my record.
“Don’t waste your life for him. He’s not worth it. I finally realize that now. He’s the source of the corruption in the world where I used to live. A liar, a thief, and lots of other things.” Yivi places her hands together in a prayer position. “Don’t let him take you from me, Liam. I need you. I can’t be the person I’m supposed to without you. You’re my husband. I want to travel this world with you so we can learn about it together.”
“Too late for that, Harmony. I’ll be going straight to the police later this afternoon and making sure they file charges against Liam for death threats and assault. I’m sure he won’t be able to buy his way out of some prison time, but even if he does, his career will be over.” Yivi stands up and turns to face him. I want to wrap her in my arms to protect her, but my bandmates are still holding me.
“Leave her. She needs to do this alone,” Austin whispers in my ear.
“Go ahead, report it. It’ll do you little good,” Yivi tells the Leader.
“I’ll get satisfaction from punishing a sinner.”
Yivi laughs. “I used to believe this stuff coming out of your mouth. Why the hell did I do that? I must have really been brainwashed. No, I was scared. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents or you, and I didn’t want to risk being put in the hole. I’m thankful I did believe and obey, though, because otherwise I’d have witnessed your sin firsthand. You’ve never cared for the people in the way you’re supposed to. We worshiped you and were grateful to you for showing us what we thought was the righteous path, but in return you gave us nothing. I saw people die of starvation, but you told us it was because they had sinned, and God had punished them. How many bodies would we find hidden on the compound if it was dug up? How many unmarked graves as a result of your sin?”
“Foolish girl, you know nothing.” The Leader chuckles at Yivi. “You’ve always been too weak to change your future. I was surprised when you ran away. It was definitely out of character. I’ve embraced my power. I’ve built an empire on fear, and it will never be destroyed by the likes of you.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the security team arrive. In the distance, I can hear the sound of police sirens.
“Thank you for calling the police,” the Leader acknowledges. “It will save me the effort of having to go to the station to report Mr. Romero.”
It’s Yivi’s turn to laugh this time. She shows her phone to the Leader, and I realize what she’s done when I see the number 911 on the screen. She was the one to call the police.
The Leader’s eyes go wide with shock.
“I may know very little about the cult, but I’m willing to tell everything I do know to the police. You will never hurt anyone else again,” Yivi states.
The Leader tries to make a run for it and heads in the direction of his car, but our bodyguards are on him immediately, restraining him until the police arrive. My bandmates and I, together with Yivi and Zoey, stand around lost in our own thoughts, watching in silence while the Leader is taken away screaming and shouting about how he’ll be pressing charges against me for assault.
I’m the first to move as I make my way to Yivi and take her phone from her. I hang up and put it in my pocket before wrapping my arms around her. She turns her head and looks up at me.
“I’m no longer scared of him.”
“Good.” I press a kiss to her lips as a police officer approaches us. I know it’s to arrest me, so I stand to the side and hold my hands out.
He looks at me and shakes his head. “You’ll need to come to the station to make a statement, Mr. Romero, but I won’t be arresting you just yet. I doubt the assault charges being bandied about will stick. We’ll be exploring a lot more serious charges against the man we just arrested.” The police officer holds out his hand to Yivi. She takes it, and he shakes her hand. “Mrs. Romero, I can’t thank you enough for your call. I’ve just spoken to a colleague in Nevada, and they’ve been investigating the cult for a number of years but have never been able to get anyone to talk. They’re over the moon that you’re willing to talk to us.”
“I can’t promise I’ll have anything incriminating to say,” Yivi informs the officer. “But I want to try. I can tell you quite a lot—the layout of the compound and the names of people who’ve disappeared.”