Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
His dog, Mercy, follows. He doesn’t even have her on a lead today, but she stays right by his side like they’ve been partners forever.
The Revival is beautiful, as always. Particularly because of the children’s choir, which has always been my favorite part, but also because Simon isn’t loud and charismatic like he was yesterday. He’s never been as good a preacher as Mr. Creed was. He will never fill those shoes. Mr. Creed could really wring the emotions out of a person.
But Simon’s sermon is nice. It’s all about new beginnings—fitting, for Easter Sunday and the springtime in general.
And right during the middle of it, the rain starts. Coming down hard on the overarching tent above the one we’re in.
People stir a little, but there are no leaks. And after just a few minutes, the pounding rain and cracking thunder becomes just another part of the show. A backdrop soundtrack or something.
Rosie and Bryn both take turns fainting when Simon raises his hands up for some reason or another. I notice Amon off to the left shoutin’ particularly loud ‘amens.’
Old Man Hunt is led up to the front for healing, and of course, there’s a miracle and subsequent rejoicing. Then more music, and more singing, and fainting.
It’s a good show. Kinda like it was back when I was a kid.
When it’s over, people linger and chat, but Collin and I just wander out with the guests like we’re not playing any parts at all. I do notice that Jacob Wonder is taking a lot of pictures of us, which means we’re probably gonna be back on the front page of the program next weekend, but I don’t mention this to Collin. There’s no need to worry about things that haven’t happened yet.
We go over to the river on the far side of the tent grounds. There’s no tent roof here, but there is a little tunnel of canvas that leads right to the same dock where we spent time on Friday.
When we get there, I have a little worry that we won’t be able to fill this day and it will be nothing but a whole lot of awkward silences and such. But then Collin starts talking, telling me more about his time away. Not sad stories this time. Just regular stuff. Starting off with how he and Amon spent the first two years in the Marines before they were discharged.
“What does a counterintelligence specialist do?” I ask him.
“It’s a spy thing.”
“You were a spy?”
“No. I was just learning how it all works. I didn’t go out into the field at all those first two years. I just sat in that room filled with computers looking at other people’s computer screens and listening in on their conversations with their assets. Which means people. Which actually means snitches and shit. I was just there to observe.”
“Sounds boring.”
“It was so fuckin’ boring.”
“You didn’t have a choice in this?”
“Nope. They just told me what to do, and then I did it.”
“After the two years, though? Did you have a choice in that?”
“Sure. I did. And I could’ve said no, I guess. But what else was I gonna do? I wasn’t in the Marines anymore. If I did it the way they wanted me to—set up a private security team—then they would pay for all that start-up shit. And it would all be in my name.”
“All of it? What about Amon?”
“No. It was all in my name. Which isn’t a great thing, actually. It’s just someone to blame when the shit goes sideways.”
“Did they blame you?”
“They tried.” Collin takes a moment to laugh here. “They did try. But I didn’t do anything wrong. I was offered military contracts signed by a five-star general, not to mention a whole horde of his underlings. I didn’t do a damn thing wrong.”
“Why do you think they set it up that way?”
“What do ya mean?”
“That you would get off scot-free, and those men would take the fall.”
He blows out a breath. “Well, the only real explanation is that they still need me. And those guys who took the fall were no longer necessary.”
“Yeah.” I look out over the water, just watching the rain as it pelts the surface, making it all jagged with splashes. “That’s how it looks to me too. But you’re not workin’ for them?”
“I already told you I wasn’t. But…” He pauses. “I mean, the government is my main client, Lowyn. So it’s all very same-same, ya know?”
I nod at him. And I do understand this, I’m just kinda worried about what it might mean.
Mercy barks and both Collin and I look over to find her staring down at the river, which is flowing really fast right now since it’s spring and raining.
Collin walks over to her, peering down into the river, then looks at me and shrugs. “No idea what this dog is barking about. Probably saw a rabbit or something. Maybe I should take her back to the tent. It’s probably time for her to eat, anyway.”