each other. “You promised us women—good women—but the risk has become almost too great.”
“You and your men have been loyal to my plan,” Gabriel countered smoothly. They had walked
away from their lives, and most even from their wives, to construct the compound that would house
everyone who chose to embrace Gabriel’s dream of building a world of their own. “You deserve
to have women who will do whatever it takes to become prosperous,” he continued. “Resourceful
women who will survive what we will have to put them through.”
Gabriel’s wife, Jean, had handpicked women from across the United States who were strong,
beautiful, and smart, despite their lack of formal education. She made sure they were of child-
bearing age and either young widows, ladies of the night, or women who had landed in frightfully
unhappy marriages. Gabriel expected that those whom society shunned or ignored would be ripe
for an opportunity that would make them wealthy and—even more important—that would make
them feel safe and valued. If not, the sacrifices he had made for The Heaven Project so far had been
for nothing.
“What I tell them tonight,” Gabriel added, “might be the most lethal thing some of them will ever
hear.”
Jeremiah flinched, folding his arms across his massive chest, his thin lips set into a disapproving
line.
Gabriel waited for his right-hand man to absorb those words, while mentally revising his speech.
He had to give enough information to completely draw in thirty of the women, but not so much
that anyone left behind could lead law enforcement to them once they left. Gabriel looked over
Jeremiah’s shoulder at the woman he loved more than life itself and said, “Killing the ones who
refuse my offer tonight might be the only way to know our people will be safe. You will not be
pleased, but at least you’ll be alive.”
Jeremiah shook his head wearily and stepped away, weaving his way through the throngs of
people.
Gabriel walked to the dark wood podium, and a hushed silence fell over the group. He glared
at a few of the uninvited men who had taken seats that were meant for his special guests. “Let the
women sit down.” His words and tone caused an avalanche of movement, curses, and protests.
But within seconds, all of the women were in their rightful place, and about one hundred men were
standing along the brick walls. Gabriel’s men instinctively planted themselves next to those who
were the most physically threatening.
Williams Hall had been secretly constructed for this gathering. The people had been ushered
through a huge foyer and into Room 1. A closed door in the corner led to two more rooms, each
smaller than the last. Finally, an anteroom opened into a wooded area behind the hall. Buses, painted
to look like a traveling music revue, sat ready to whisk them all away to an undisclosed location
when the time came.
Jeremiah came back to Gabriel, who was taking in the flurry of activity outside the small window.
44 | NKLC Magazine