TJ could be guarding the Elysian bitch’s offspring or protecting the Elders. He could be doing anything else but following Sawyer D’Angelo all day. But he has his orders, and it was very clear that if he failed and Sawyer D’Angelo fucked up the policy change announcement, he would be dismissed. Tonight is important to the Elders and the entire country.
Therefore, TJ is here, watching the rebel walk around the convention with a sneer that makes him want to put a bullet in her mouth.
He should shoot her. She deserves to die more than most people. She’s a snake in the grass, and someone must chop off her head before she damns anyone with the seduction of an apple filled with false knowledge.
She and the Elysian bitch have pushed the plan off the rails too often to keep living. They’re standing on two of the tallest peaks in the country, guiding the American people further from who they were created to be. TJ expected them to have jumped or fallen off the cliffs already. But they’re helping each other climb even higher.
He thought the Elders would order their deaths after what he overheard on Wednesday, but they didn’t. In fact, they said by any means necessary, Lynell Elysian has to stay alive. None of them except Elder D’Angelo cared about Sawyer. Elder D’Angelo has been giving TJ orders concerning his daughter for six years. Each has been coated with a reason the other Elders agree with, but the center is something more. Something only TJ knows.
First, kill Ellery. Because she was going to give a speech that could ruin everything and because she was dragging D’Angelo’s daughter into a life of sin.
Next, plant a mole in the Resurrection to keep an eye on the rebels but also to lead Sawyer away from dangerous activities during her angry rebel phase.
Then, follow her, because the Resurrection was getting too big but also because D’Angelo was worried she was getting too deeply attached to the rebellion independent of Ellery. When it became clear that was happening, threaten her. On the surface, to take the Resurrection leader off the board. To D’Angelo, to scare his daughter into safety.
Now, do whatever it takes to make sure Sawyer doesn’t do anything reckless with Lynell. The Elders don’t want them working together. Elder D’Angelo doesn’t want Sawyer becoming such a problem that she has to be killed.
TJ has studied each rebellion, each religiously driven crusade, each man or group who has attempted to cleanse history, establish a new ruling order, or do God’s will as closely as possible. They all failed. One main reason is that emotion plays too much a part in their actions. They selfishly crave control through violence and chaos. They act out of anger.
Or, worse, they don’t act because of some perverted sense of love and justice. Weaker men see it as morality, but TJ sees it for what it is: a refusal to make sacrifices for the greater good.
He doesn’t want to admit it, but TJ is beginning to worry that Elder D’Angelo might be one of those weaker men. His refusal to sacrifice his sinful, broken, selfish daughter could ruin everything. The possibility is dynamite stuffed between TJ’s ribs.
Elder D’Angelo is the reason he and the others were brought together to become the Sin-Fighting Warriors. He gave them a direction and a purpose. Those early years were full of small yet powerful acts. Then, they managed to make a real statement. To silence twelve voices that were misleading the entire country was an honor. The purpose and direction grew to bigger, better things. The other Elders joined, and TJ saw hope for a new future. He gladly surrendered his independence and autonomy to wiser men for the good of the country. He willingly sacrificed anything and everything for the future the Elders promised. Sacrifices are necessary.
But at a certain point, it’s no longer sacrificing. It’s surrendering.
TJ does not surrender.