Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

whether to reject everything she’d been taught . Exactly how much did she know? How deep was the group’s dogma implanted in this fourteen-year-old innocent’s brain? She could lead him right to Slater or Compton and he wouldn’t know the difference. With nothing and everything to lose, h e had no choice but to trust her. “ Okay . Who else is in these cabins?”
    “You’re the only one. They said you were going through indoctrination.”
    Lucier snorted. “Yeah, if you call indoctrination being tied to a chair and shot full of drugs for two days.” The heavy weight of the Glock pressed against the small of his back gave him a measure of comfort. But one gun didn’t mean much in a place where the only escape was a plane trip out.
    “ W here are they keeping Ms. Racine?” The girl hesitated. “It’s a matter of life and death, Anna. Please.”
    Still wary, she glanced back at the cabin. “In …in the visitor’s quarters. I served her.”
    “Now tell me, is Mr. Compton here? Mr. Crane? What about Mr. Slater?”
    “You mean Brother Osiris?”
    Lucier almost laughed. He wondered if Anna’s mythology classes told the story of the mythical Osiris. Somehow he doubted it. “Yes.”
    “I think so. T hey’ll want to hear how badly you’ve been treated.”
    Oh, for sure . Ha d this child already been taught to worship a dark god ? Lucier doubted they were given a choice . He thought back to other compounds, other messianic cult leaders who led their flocks to follow, even to their deaths.
    “ I’m sure they will too , sweetheart. Now , how do we get to the visitors’ quarters without exposing ourselves ?”
    She stared into the dark night. Was she having second thoughts ? He was telling her to hide from people she ’d trusted all her young life and help him, an outsider, who wanted to stop everything she’d ever known. He needed this girl to get to Diana and figure out the next move after he found her . Come on, Stallings . Keep searching those tangled deeds and trusts until you find this place .
    “Do you trust me, Anna?”
    She hesitated. “I don’t want anyone hurt.”
    “ Has anyone been hurt?”
    She didn’t answer for a n excruciatingly long time. Every minute meant more danger for Diana.
    “Miss Maia is locked up, too.”
    Had he heard right ? “Maia ? H ere?”
    “She’s always been my friend, and now I can’t even talk to her. She’s in a guest suite.”
    “ If Maia is here, she’s in danger too , Anna,” Lucier said. “You must trust me.”
    Tears fell from the young girl’s eyes. He understood h er confusion. He’d made his case. Either she bought his story or she didn’t.
    “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you? About Miss Maia, I mean.”
    He met her gaze . “ I’m telling you the truth .”
    She nodded , let out a long breath . “I can get you to the building. After that, I can’t guarantee no one will see us. I’m expected to return to my group with the man you left tied to the bed. Someone might be out looking for us already.”
    “ Guess w e’ll have to take our chance s.”
    “Okay.”
    Anna ’s directions led them on a dirt trail through the woods, skirt ing the main area of the compound. The drive went on forever . How big was this place? Where was it? He doubted most people there knew ; otherwise, how could Compton keep the compound secret ? E ventually someone would talk. A spike of reality caused a shiver. Talk to whom?
    “Where are we? What state?” he asked.
    “Paradise,” she answered. “We’ve always been told we’re in Paradise . ”

Chapter Fifty -One
    L ast Try, Do or Die

    C ompton and Slater left the two women in the suite, assuring them they’d return after their meeting to discuss the new problem . Diana lifted the whimpering Maia to her feet to direct her to one of the cushioned chairs. A t her touch, a vision filled her head.
    Maia with children clutching at her.
    Fear as thick as morning fog.
    What did that mean ?
    “Diana?
    Diana felt a tug on her arm.
    “Diana?”
    Maia’s voice broke through her haze. “ Wh … wh at?”
    “Are you all right?”
    Was she? “Yes, yes. I’m fine.” Diana had experienced telepathic moments hundreds , no thousands, of times in her life , but she needed to put this one out of her mind . Not now . Concentrate on get ting out of here. T he red light twinkled in the vent . “ Are there hidden microphone s ?”
    “ Only video unless they’ve changed the equipment .”
    Diana hoped she was