This is part 5. See previous posts for parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.
A few days in, Mira heard an audio track that began with Sarah whispering sharply. "There's someone at my door," she said to her hidden recording device.
"Neptune, it's you!" said Sarah a moment later. "Come in, of course."
"Thank you," came Neptune's distinctive voice. "The Pattern directs me to come and speak with you. Should we do it over tea?"
Mira heard the sounds of tea being prepared and served. She couldn't wait to hear what the cult leader was going to say.
"What do you know about abundance?" asked Neptune after three minutes of suspense.
"There is abundance and scarcity in the pattern," said Sarah. "Hearken chooses abundance."
"That's right," said Neptune. "And how do you think you're doing with that?"
"How do you mean?" asked Sarah.
"Do the things that you're doing reflect that you're choosing abundance for Hearken?" asked Neptune.
"I ... think so," said Sarah.
"Then why are you withholding the tips you receive as a waitress from us?" asked Neptune. "Don't we provide you with everything you need? Don't you trust us to continue providing you with joyous abundance?"
"Wait," said Sarah. "You want the seventeen dollars I made today? I guess I just didn't think it was important."
"Even the smallest things matter," said Neptune. "Though if you're feeling ready to begin contributing a little more to Hearken's abundance, a position is opening up in our office at the end of the month."
"That ... sounds promising," said Sarah carefully. "What do I need to do? Do I have the right skills?"
"Indeed you do," said Neptune. "The most important skill is that you are trainable. You'll also need good communication and organizational skills, which I see in you clearly."
"Well, thanks," said Sarah. "Should I give notice at the restaurant?"
"Up to you," said Neptune. "And now that we've got business out of the way, there's something more serious we need to discuss. Todd Woger. He's the one who reported to me that you were withholding your tips. He thought he was doing the right thing, but his truest motivation might have been to harm you in my eyes. Which would be impossible, so you've got nothing to worry about there."
"Should I talk to him?" asked Sarah. "I know who he is, but we don't even know each other. Why would he do that?"
"Why indeed?" asked Neptune. "He's been an adept for over five years. Can you think of anything you might have done to upset him?"
"I don't know," said Sarah. "I'm outgoing and likable. Maybe he didn't like that. Or maybe he just wanted attention. Or even genuinely felt like my behavior was wrong."
"I think he saw a star rising and wanted to push her down," said Neptune. "If you do decide to talk to him, it might be wise to thank him for bringing your transgression to light."
"My transgression was never a secret, but okay," said Sarah.
"Adepts like Todd must be cared for in a certain way," explained Neptune. "Men like him, with large necks and a wobble in their walk, make excellent laborers and ideal soldiers. Todd has been an adept for a long time. His position here is perfect for him, yet his lack of advancement is a source of frustration, so he's become overzealous about rules. If you tell him that you noticed him protecting our way of life, this will affirm his protective nature, bringing him contentment. And we want him content, as opposed to striving for more or pursuing petty grievances."
"Why do I get the feeling that this is about something bigger?" asked Sarah. "You've never come to see me yourself before."
"Do you sense The Pattern in play?" asked Neptune. "The job in our office that I mentioned involves documenting and resolving complaints. Your handling of the Todd situation will be good practice for the role you'll soon take on. Of course, you could also go a different direction and end up like Todd in five years. Is that what you want?"
"I surrender my desire to The Pattern," said Sarah.
"As do we all, beneath the confusion," returned Neptune, completing the cult saying Mira had heard a few times, now.
"I got a Neptune!" Mira exclaimed, once the recording had ended, entering the file's data in their spreadsheet. "He's just ordered Sarah to take a new job."
Elliot paused his work and removed his headphones. "Anything important enough to go up on the wall?" he asked.
"Maybe," said Mira. "God, that guy is so manipulative. I don't know how Sarah does it. I'd go totally nuts!"
"She is an excellent actor," said Elliot. "She has a background in government and I always just assumed she was some kind of spy. Maybe military."
"Still, aren't you worried for her safety?" asked Mira. "What if she gets caught making these recordings?"
"I've been assured by the company that there's an extraction plan in place, in case of emergency," said Elliot. "I'd be more worried if she'd ended up in Hearken's new militia. We still have almost no idea what they're up to, except that they drill with AR-15s and report to Karen Klaus, the most secretive of the ascendants."
"I still can't believe all those people just give their paychecks over to the cult," said Mira.
"Paychecks, inheritances, tax returns, everything," said Elliot. "Neophytes are allowed to manage their own finances, but part of becoming an adept is turning all of your money over. From then on, it's Hearken food, Hearken housing, Hearken clothes, and even Hearken medical care for most routine matters."
"How do people even stand it?" asked Mira.
"You'd be surprised what people will put up with, and even come to love," said Elliot. "To be honest, when I first left the group as a youth, I found all of the little choices we make in society paralyzing. My foster parents would tell me to go pick out a toothbrush at the store and I'd just stand there, looking at all of the options, overwhelmed by the choices. Once I even started crying. It took me years to get over that."
(Feature image from Pixabay.)
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