Luke Wilmette was never a religious man. Never went to church, never said prayers, and never thanked God for anything. So of course, he didn't think about God when an old friend of his dad asked the rookie ex-military Park Ranger for help on an arrest.
Luke drove down a dirt road that would lead him to the top of a hill overlooking Joseph Seed's compound. Putting his truck in park, he retrieved his rifle off the back. Assembling it and placing tranquilizing rounds into the clip, he sighed. The Montana heat causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead.
Gripping his binoculars that hung from his neck, he surveyed the compound, assessing what the opposition had available. ARs, Dogs... a flamethrower? Before he could conclude as to why, the sound of a helicopters motor in the distance entered his ears. It hovered for a moment before landing on the edge of the compound.
He laid down on the grass and loaded his gun. Peering through the scope, he saw four people get out of the helo, two women, and two men. The women looked to be two deputies, accompanied by a U.S. Marshall, and finally Sheriff Whitehorse.
He watched as they cautiously walked up to the door, hesitating for a moment. Whitehorse held up his radio up to his mouth.
"Pratt, you keep that chopper close, in case we need a quick exit. Wilmette, you make sure you fire only if absolutely necessary." He removed the radio from his mouth.
Wilmette hesitated for a second as he watched the Sheriff look at his position. Pulling his radio off his waistband and brought it to his mouth.
"All clear up here, fire when necessary, you give the call Sheriff." With a slight huff he placed his radio on his hip, returning his view into the scope.
"Hopefully I won't need to son. Whitehorse out."
Wilmette watched as they entered the church, the door closing behind them. As of now they had no help, they were on they're own. The only person who could help them was the Deputy who sat outside of the door.
He had no way to see into the building. He may not be a religious man, but he prays for their safety. As the seconds turned into minutes, it felt like years before several people left the church doors, but none of the law enforcers exited. He began to grow nervous, what ifs filling his head as what felt like years passed by.
When it seemed as if they would never come out, the three people came out with 'The Father' in the hands of the second Deputy. Her face was hidden under the brim of her hat, making her expression unreadable to him.
The Sheriff seemed calm, but a noticeable worry sat in his eyes. The U.S. Marshal held his head high, pride radiating from him. Luke could feel it from where he sat. The last Dep was visibly nervous, her head was scanning each follower as if they may lash out at any minute.
As his sight came back to the Marshal, his breath caught in his throat as he watched him push one back. A sudden outburst and gunshots rang out second later. As all of this happened, the thing that disturbed him the most, was the simple fact of Joseph, although caught in the middle of all the chaos, couldn't seem calmer if he tried.
His radio cracked to life at that moment with the Sheriff's voice.
"Dammit Wilmette we need help, shoot the ones in the middle so you don't hit us, and try to keep them from the other side of the chopper." His voice seemed frantic as the ambient sounds could be heard from both a distance and the radio.
"Dammit Marshal, why the hell did you do that?" He growled through his teeth as he lined up his first shot.
The go ahead from the sheriff was all he needed to hear as he opened fire, sedating a follower with every shot. After emptying his second clip, he quickly panned over to his comrades, but stopped suddenly. Through his scope Joseph was staring at him, somehow through the dark, across the distance he had spotted him.
Sound could not have been it, as he had a silencer on the end of his rifle, and all other left-over noise should be lost in the commotion he was front and center for. Yet still, here he was, staring at him. As he sat there, Joseph said something that sent shivers up his spine, the words he said was this:
"God will not let you take me." That, one, simple phrase froze Luke to his spot. His eyes scanning Joseph's face as he was placed into the chopper. A fear unlike any other surrounded his body, as a heaviness weighed on his mind.
The Chopper took off as followers held onto it. His breath stuttered as he got his bearings. Before he could shoot though, the barking of a dog off to his side caught his attention. Some of the followers from the church began to swarm him, not shooting, but running in his direction.
"Dammit, not now!" Luke mumbled as he climbed to his feet.
He reached for his radio, but as soon as it was unhooked, he lost his grip on it when a dog tackled him to the ground. The voice of the Sheriff came through the radio to warn him.
"-get out – there – too dang-ous – run!" The cracked voice came through in bits and pieces on the radio. He couldn't really hear it above the barking coming from the dog that was on top of him. With one strong push he knocked it off him and took off towards his vehicle. With his rifle over his back, he fumbled with the keys as he climbed into his vehicle.
"Come on, come on, come on dammit!" He yelled at the vehicle in hope that it would start, allowing for his escape. Frantic as the dog clawed at his truck, he turned the key one last time.
Starting the engine, he ducked as bullets peppered his vehicle, a green gas slowly filling the inside. Shoving the gas pedal down to the floor he raced down the hill with reckless abandon, white stars beginning to fill his vision. The only place in Hope County he was even the slightest bit familiar with was the Whitetails, and so that was the destination.
"I don't feel to good, what the hell is this stuff?" he asked himself rolling down his windows to let the gas out. The Green gas was quickly sucked out of the cab.
The longer he drove, the more he had troubles controlling things. He would blackout occasionally, as his vision became worse. The area he was in was not the Whitetails. Flowers were everywhere, he had no idea where he was in the slightest sense of the word.
he mumbled as he leaned forward, attempting to make out anything beyond the hood of his car. "This was a stupid fucking decision. Shoulda just stayed home, but nope had to help arrest a cult leader. If your up there God, this is a sick fucking joke. Where the hell am i anyway?"
Just before he could form any sense of thought on where he was a tree appeared out of nowhere. Swerving too late the front of the vehicle smashed into the aforementioned object. Luke, not bound by a seat-belt, flew out of the windshield. For a moment, he accepted death, feeling as though that was his only option at this point. He didn't scream nor did he cry.
But death did not come, instead the feeling of water surrounded him. Rushing to what he hoped was the surface, he broke through to find his truck on fire, with no form of communication or transportation, he was trapped. A sense of dread washed over him as he climbed out of the water, a fuzzy green haze over everything.
He slowly climbed to his feet and trudged up the small riverbed. Not caring about the flames, he reached into the vehicle and through the fire to retrieve his rifle. Its side slightly scorched, he slung it over his back and slowly made his way to the back and opening the toolbox.
Inside was a small backpack, containing a pistol, clothes, first aid, some food, a canteen of water, and luckily enough for him, a spare radio. Removing his rifle and attaching it to the sack, he slung both back onto his backside continuing his march down the road.
As he walked, he waited for his vehicle to erupt like in the movies, but no such thing happened, the fire died out, and the sounds of nature were all that was left. That's when his situation really began to set in. Limited supplies, no help coming, and alone in enemy territory. He pulled out his radio and turned it on, relieved to here the ambient static kick in.
"This is Park Ranger Luke Wilmette, if anyone can here me, I'm located somewhere in Hope County, somewhere east of Joseph Seeds compound, i think. I'm not sure. I need help, I just crashed, I'm lost, and i have only a minimal supply of resources. Sheriff, if your there, please, send help." he placed his radio on his waist, not knowing how much battery life it had left.
As he walked, he found it exceedingly difficult to continue. The green haze becoming more prevalent as he went on his way. Grass, white flowers, and even butterflies became more frequent. The last thing he remembered was a girl's giggle, before the dark embrace of sleep held him.