Chapter 9 : Pain is beauty

"In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth"

- Psalm 110 : 3b

Pete brought out his gun to shoot, "Stay the hell back, First Disciple".

"Let's not get hostile, Peter", the blindfolded woman laughs.

"Sure, put your knife away and I'll take you seriously" Pete pointed the gun at her.

"Fine", Josie dropped the knife and removed her blindfold. Her eyes were still closed.

"Why?", asked Chioma.

Josie looked at them, "Let's not be rude. Have a seat. I'm here to talk".

"I don't trust you", Pete still held his gun.

"Put down your gun, Pete. Put it down", Chioma looked at him, "Please".

"Fine", Pete put his gun in its holster and stepped back, "Settle this".

"You wanted to talk. So talk", Chioma balled her hands into fists.

Josie laughed, "You're trembling. Chill out. Someone might think I bullied you".

"You think this is funny?", Yelled Chichi.

Josie put her fingers to her lips, "shh".

"Sit down", the last put a stool for Chioma.

"Go ahead. its safe", Josie smiled.

Chioma took out her gun and shot 3 rounds at the chair, "Its safe enough".

Josie laughed again, "You carck me up".

"I'd rather stand", Chioma frowned.

"It ain't gonna be my legs that'll be cramping soon", Josie took a seat on her own stool.

She began, "Do you know my favourite character in the bible?".

"Daniel", replied Chioma.

"Ah. You still remembered", Josie smiled. Her eyes still closed, "Do you know that Nebuchadnezzar tried to burn the Hebrew boys in the fiery pit?".

"Yeah. God delivered them from the burning fiery furnance", Pete said, "What's your point?".

"I like when the king had the pit heated 7 more times but his men were kindled instead", Josie laughed.

Chioma had a realization, "Is that what you did at the church two days ago?".

Josie whooped while clapping her hands, "I love your way of thinking. Its excellent".

"You killed 36 innocent people", Yelled Chioma.

"Who said they were innocent?", Josie stood up, "They were devils".

"Shut up. You're worse than the devil. You're just a godless murderer. You killed your own family. Your own son", Chioma began to cry.

A slap ran across her face. Josie staggered backwards, holding her cheeks, "What was that for?".

"I'm sorry", the lady standing by hit Josie's head and she fell.

"You did well, Diana", Pete exhaled.

Chioma was shocked, "Diana?".

Sirens resounded outside the house. She turned to Pete, "You told HPD? I trusted you".

"I'm glad I got help", Pete and Diana grabbed Josie after cuffing her.

"What about the lady I was supposed to meet?", asked Chioma.

"We got here. Asked a few questions. She resisted. We tortured her and got some answers. She works for Josie so Diana disguises as her beyond Josie's Knowledge", Diana answered.

They take the culprit outside leaving Chioma behind. She reached for the paper that fell from Josie's hand dress.

"Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the the wicked shall do wickedly none of them shall understand but only the wise shall understand".

She stopped, "Purified.....made white. The wicked shall do wickedly but the white shall understand".

She looked around, the paper crumpled in hr hand.

Abby looked terrified, "Mommy, this is bad. Josie wouldn't want to be caught like this after escaping jail".

"I know", She sighed, "She's up to something".

"Someone was murdered at your precinct. Who is next? Who caught First Disciple with you 5 years ago?", asked Abby.

"Shit", She ran out, "Pete".

"What?", Pete stopped. The police cars drove away leaving both of them.

Chioma came towards him searching him, "There must be something. Where is it?".

"Chioma, calm down", He cupped her cheeks, "Focus, okay? what happened?".

Chioma moved back, "Nothing".

"We'll figure it out together, Mom. Let's go home. Dad is awake", Abby smiles at her.

"Nothing. I messee up", Chioma walked away.

She was close to home when she found Aaron standing by the gate. She could tell he was angry.

"Don't worry, Mommy. He's not mad", Abby held her mother's hand.

"Okay", Chioma marched towards the gate and it opened.

Aaron walked away. She followed him quietly as the automatic gate closed by itself.

They got into the house not saying anything to each other.

Aaron ran his hand through his hair and frowned. In a deep voice, he asked, "What were you thinking?".

"I'm sorry. I wanted to check it out by myself", She looked down.

"Pete called me yesterday. He had said you were following a lead. That's why you distracted me earlier", He whipped around to look at her.

She kept her gaze down, "I'm sorry", squeezing the paper in her fist.

"What am I going to do with you?", He sighed.

"I'm sorry", She broke into sobs, "I'm sorry".

Aaron pulled her into a hug, "I didn't mean to snap at you".

Her cries worsened, "I can never figure it out. I can never figure anything out".

"Don't say that, please. What happened?", Aaron still held onto her.

"I saw First Disciple. I saw Josie", She said.

"What?", Aaron pulled away immediately, "What did you say?".

"I saw Josie tonight. They caught her", She tells him.

"That's not possible", He exclaimed, "Are you sure?".

"I was there", she wiped her eyes.

"Wow", Aaron hugged her again, "Baby, this is good news".

"No, it isn't", She pulled away.

"She got caught. That's enough news for me", Aaron almost raised his voice.

"I need some air", She turns to take her leave.

"Its like that, huh", Aaron followed behind her and grabbed her, "Stop. Okay? Stop this. This isn't you".

Chioma's breath became shaky, "Hold me, please".

He hugged her from behind, "it's okay".

Hedgeford Police Department (HPD)

1 : 16 am

"Ladies and gentlemen. We got her", Diana raises a red plastic cup in her hand.

"Yeah", The team of officers chorus in a loud roar, "Everyone is safe now".

"Look at her slanty eyes", One of the officers mocked Josie.

Josie held onto the bars of the cell, "Son of man, set your face towards the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them and say, 'O mountain of Israel, hear the word of the lord God! Thus says the lord God, I will bring a sword against you and I will destroy your high places".

"The fuck is she saying?", One of the officers laughed.

Josie smiled and held onto her chaplet, "And they shall know that I am the lord. I have not said in vain that I would bring calamity upon them".