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I know the rest of the congregation will not be back for another two days, so I have some time to get everything cleaned back up again.
"This time, maybe you go through the front?" I say joking with him. He chuckles, and we walk slowly towards the door, more like friends than someone who was just being held hostage by the other.
It's amazing how mysterious the Lord's ways are. I thought I was going to find an enemy in this man, but instead I found someone to force me into the light. A light I didn't even know I was missing.
"What are you going to do with this stuff? Give it to the authorities?" I ask him and he shakes his head no.
"My lamb, you know that sometimes there are things that the police aren't able to do, right? There is too much red tape, too many hands that need to be in the pie before anyone can actively get anything done. Most of the time, once something has gotten this far, the best thing that can be done is for people with something equal to gain to step in. That is where me and the folks that I work for show up. We will find these children and women if we can, and either get them back to their people or help them find a better way for themselves. For monetary gain, of course." He says, and at first, I'm aghast.
Basically, he's going to do the same things that Father Joseph and whoever he's working with is choosing to do, the only difference is the women and children will probably know what is coming to them
"I hope you find them and set them free, the same way you've done me."
"Oh, but I got what I wanted from you." He says and moves a little closer, letting the box fall to the side while he peers into my eyes. He reaches up to my face and tilts my chin up. I know he's going to kiss me and I know that I should say no, but I want it so bad. It feels like I'd be telling my heart to stop beating if I asked him not to kiss me right now.
"I got to see that beautiful face of yours again. And I got to feel those lips against mine." He leans down and kisses me tenderly. Much different than the first time, but just as awe-inspiring.
"Let me leave before I end up doing something that I regret." He says and takes a step back from me. We walk to the door and open it. The both of us stand there for a moment in shock at what it looks like outside. I throw my head back and start to cackle at the sight of it.
There is at least three feet of snow on the ground where two hours ago there was nothing. That storm that everyone warned us was about to happen must have blown in while Zeus and I were busy looking for what Father Joseph was hiding.
"Well fuck me." Zeus says and runs a hand through his hair.
I don't even know where his truck is, but there was no way unless it was capable of flying that he was going to be able to go anywhere tonight. The best that he was going to be able to do was find someplace warm and wait it out. Lucky for him, I had just the place for him. Grabbing hold of his hand, I turn him back inside.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm a woman of god. Do you honestly think that I'd let you go out there on your own? You'd freeze to death before you ever made back to wherever it was that you were staying. No, my home is empty and there are plenty of places for you to sleep. Like you said earlier, there is no one around that's going to come looking, so I'm not worried about being in trouble right now. "
I explain as I close the door behind him and shut out the cold air.
"Truly, you'd be okay with me staying here with you. I'm sure I could wait it out in the car. Like I said, I'm from Croatia, I may not like the cold, but it's not going to kill me." He offers up to me, his face a mask of suspicion.
"Zeus, I've been living in a convent with a bunch of people I would have bet my life were religious do-good folk, only to find out that it probably isn't the case. I just helped you find some plutonium and the information for various missing children and women. I'm not sure about much in these trying times, but what I am sure about is I don't want you out there in the cold. Out of everyone, you may be the only one who has told me most of the truth. I'm not going to ask where the name Mr. Reese came from." I raise an eyebrow at him, and he laughs heartily as I walk with him over to the study. There is a large fireplace in there where we can keep warm.
"I'm not in the business of giving my name out very much."
"What kind of business do you do, then?" I ask, sitting down at the table and waiting for him to join me. He's hesitant at first, but soon he drops the box in my hand and pulls up the chair, so he can sit down.
"I usually have some vodka before I spill my guts to people." He says.
"Vodka. The last person I spilled my guts too was an inanimate object. We're both working outside our comfort zone right now." I tell him which get another smile.
"That's true." He looks down at his hands before he glances back up at me with a squint. "I'm worried that if I tell you what I do you'll think less of me, not that you hold me in very high esteem right now, I can imagine."
"All I expect is the truth, if you give me that, then I can accept mostly anything. What do you do?"
He shrugs his shoulders and leans back against the chair. Well, the quick and dirty version is I extort people." He says, and my eyes open up like saucers.
"Really? That's your job?"
"Yeah."
I get up and walk over to the cabinet where I know Father Joseph keeps a bottle of liquor. He tried to hide it, but I saw it the last time he indulged.
"Holding out on me, huh?" Zeus says when I pull out the one glass and pour a large helping.
"We'll have to share." I tell him and he nods. He takes a sip of the whiskey and pulls a funny face as if he doesn't like the flavor.
