RACHEL: I didn’t want to go to Italy. My mother didn’t even want to go to Italy. We were busy packing for the move to California so Dad could meet us there in August. Then my uncle came over one night, handed her a ticket, and told her she didn’t have a choice. “It’s up to you to fix this,” he said to her. He slammed the door when he left.
UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN: I was aware of the official campus club. We had no idea it was connected to something like this. We banned them from our campuses even before Emily’s father threatened the lawsuit. We take the safety of our students very seriously. After twenty years as chaplain, I can honestly say the Kingdom is one of the most destructive groups I’ve ever seen.
ANDREW: Emily is one of those people you feel instantly connected to because she’s such a genuine person. Looking back, I wish I had talked her out of going to Italy, but Josh and Ben would have—literally—killed me.
[RESIDENT ASSISTANT AT EMILY'S DORM: That girl was a crazy bitch. Heather was. Not Emily. Emily seemed nice. I didn’t know anyone named Kara.
MEREDITH: I had never even heard of an intern named Kara.
PART TWO Italy, May 1994
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
–VOLTAIRE
Crossing Over
The phone call went like this.
“Daddy?”
“Hi, sweetie. How was Boston Garden?” The sharp pinch of homesickness threw me off for a few seconds, and I had to make myself focus on the purpose of my call.
“Oh, fine,” I said in my breeziest voice. “I mean, it was really cool to see it.”
“Did you go to a game?”
“Uh—” How could I explain everything that’s happened? Where would I even start? “More like a tour.” It was easier to lie.
“Patti loved the pictures you mailed of you and your friend. And she was thrilled you were wearing the outfit she sent, but I almost didn’t recognize you! You must be ready to get back to some good old Southern food—get some meat back on your bones!” He laughed. “Oh. Hang on just a—” He said something to Jean in muffled demands. “Sorry. I’ve got a conference call with a judge in five minutes. So. When will we see you back here, sweetheart?”
My heart fluttered as I took a deep breath. “I wanted to talk to you about that, actually.”
“Go ahead.”
“Well, there’s this internship—”
“Whoa,” he interrupted. “An internship during your first summer in college? Impressive.”
“It’s in Europe. Italy, to be exact.”
He whistled the cartoon falling sound. “I didn’t realize you were interested in world travel.”
“Well, I hadn’t really thought about it until I was selected,” I said.
“Selected,” he repeated. “So, for whom will you be working?” His voice had shifted to a formal business tone. I always forget how intimidating he can be without warning.
I paused again, not sure how to answer. “It’s through the university, so it would be with other students from my campus,” I said tentatively. It wasn’t really lying, since Kingdom on Campus is an official university-approved group. He wouldn’t have understood even if I did explain.
“Sounds promising, especially if you pull another four-point-oh this semester,” he said. His voice momentarily faded as I realized in a panic that I had no idea how I was doing in my classes. But it couldn’t be good. After maxing out my absences, I meant to touch base with my professors, but I was too distracted by everything else going on. “… Tamara might be able to provide you with some good advice about traveling over there. Also, don’t forget my friend Deborah teaches law in Zurich now. It’s not too far away, and she hasn’t seen her very own goddaughter since you were little. I’m going to miss having you home though. You’re still my baby, you know.”
My heart constricted with an overwhelming ache. “I know, Dad,” I say.
A sound beeped on his end of the line. “Sweetie, I’ve got to take this. Listen, it sounds like a great opportunity. I can’t wait to hear more about the details. I love you,” he said.
“Love you too, Daddy.”
I still haven’t shaken my sadness since we hung up.
Trust Games
My first two days in Europe are pure motion.
Will and Meredith set up a competition to see which intern could get to the villa with the most money saved from frugal planning. I researched every route in Let’s Go Europe and I ended up with a flight to Amsterdam (the cheapest one I could find), train to Florence with a student-rate Eurail Pass, and, now, the public bus, which is supposed to stop at the base of a hill leading to the villa where Will and the other interns will be waiting.
Meredith called me the morning after I met Josh at the BU Bridge to coordinate my travel plans, even taking me to lunch at a fancy restaurant, where we worked out the details and logistics of getting me to the Italy mission. We met almost every single day until I left—a welcome distraction since Josh had to fly out early with Andrew and Ben to help prepare for the mission.
There wasn’t enough time for me to fly home before leaving for Italy. Dad wasn’t happy about it, but he was in the midst of a trial, so he eventually agreed to deposit the money I needed for the trip so I could fly directly out of Boston. Meredith hired movers to transport my things from the dorm to their pool house. And I was so busy with the logistics of leaving that I didn’t return messages from Summer or Tamara—both calling to wish me a good trip.
Meredith had even driven me to the airport and walked all the way to my gate. She must have sensed my anxiety about leaving the country alone when she pushed my hair back with softened eyes. “Oh, honey, don’t be nervous. The experienced interns are already there waiting for you.” She grasped both of my hands in hers. “Listen. Just between us, the Italy mission is the most important one of all.”
“Really?” I’d heard there were missions everywhere from Hong Kong to Russia. Why was Italy so special?
Her eyes gleamed with a proud excitement. “Not many people know this, but Will and I are becoming coleaders in the church. In California. There’s been talk about it since Africa, only with the top elders, so we’ve kept it hush-hush. The most important thing your group can do is to stay focused and never lose sight of our goals. The more successful we can make this mission, the faster we can spread the Kingdom’s message like a wildfire across America extending all the way to California.”
Her expression was both adamant and expectant. This wasn’t the first time Meredith had brought up Africa and how it had changed so much for her and Will. She was always so reverent and secretive when bringing it up—sometimes even using the word “miracles.” I asked about it once, but she looked at me in the same way she used to chide Heather for doing the wrong thing. “Unwavering belief is what will get you into heaven someday. Questions of doubt only lead to a prideful heart.” After that, I was scared I might ask the wrong thing, or in the wrong way, and it would be construed as doubting her. So I never asked again.
A vague uneasiness prompted me to take a deep breath as I watched a plane touch down on the nearby runway with the silent motion of a successful landing. I looked back at her and squeezed her hands. “We’ll do our best,” I said.
“Don’t forget you were chosen, Emily,” Meredith said. “And I think you know at least one girl who would have killed for your spot.”
Now after two days of constant travel, I’m not sure even Heather would want to be in my spot anymore. I’m desperate to get to the villa. Besides having no access to a shower and very little money for food (everything was going toward the mission competition), I wasn’t prepared for the sense of loneliness while traveling solo. I’ve been surrounded by people everywhere I’ve been, yet I can’t remember the last time I actually spoke to someone. It reminds me of the period of time after Sadie left, before I found the Kingdom—before Josh found me. I replay my time in Boston with Josh like a secret movie. It will be a huge reli
ef to see a familiar face—though deep down, I know Josh has become so much more than that.
I rest my head against the bus window as we enter a small town near Florence, weaving through curved strips of stores, apartment houses, and ancient buildings. It’s like a dimension where the Middle Ages somehow collided with modern life. Even though I can’t read or speak Italian, I recognize certain words: “perfumeria,” “pizzeria,” “caffetteria.” It’s strange to see camera shops, grocery stores, and restaurants labeled in another language. People file in and out of doorways performing ordinary tasks. They must pass right by all this beautiful stuff every day without even a second glance, carrying out tasks in their glamorous-yet-ordinary everydayness.
My bus pulls into an empty parking lot and whines to a stop. Everyone around me gets up to leave. I grab my bags and follow the crowd, not sure of what to do next. I look around and panic when I don’t see anyone familiar. An Italian man wearing a soccer jersey helps me with my bags. His smile seems genuine.
“Grazie,” I say timidly.
He asks me something in Italian, and I freeze up. I have no idea what he’s saying. A female voice behind me answers him in Italian, and he smiles politely and walks away.
I turn around to see a tall, skinny girl with long, black hair. “You must be Emily,” she says. If she hadn’t said my name, I would have mistaken her for a local.
“Hi,” I say. “I mean, yes, I’m Emily. And you’re …” Talking is awkward. It’s been days since I’ve held a conversation. I try to remember all the Kingdom students I’d seen around Boston, yet I can’t place her.
“The person who’ll show you where to go.” She smiles. It isn’t the reassuring kind, more like an amused “private joke” one. “I’m Kara,” she says with a brief laugh, extending her hand. Her fingers are adorned with stacks of rings.
“Emily,” I say. I shake her hand, and her eyes wander to my mother’s charm necklace resting against my chest.
“Love the necklace,” she says.
“Thanks …” My voice trails off. My hands fidget with it instinctively. Kara is looking around as if scanning the area, already on to the next task.
I sway, suddenly unsteady from exhaustion. Why would they send a total stranger to meet me? Where is Josh? And Will? Or even Andrew? I reach down and grip my suitcase handle, ready to follow her lead. Everyone we pass is speaking Italian. Across the street, the green-shuttered apartment buildings loom over us. My jet lag kicks in again, like a wavy brightness infecting my peripheral vision.
“Are you all right?” Kara touches my arm to steady me.
The stress from the journey catches up with me as my hands begin to shake. I try to remember the last time I slept or ate.
“Hey. It’s going to be okay,” she says. “The first few days can be a little rough, but don’t worry. I’m a pro.” She laughs. Even my thoughts seem upside down. Just putting one foot in front of the other is a challenge. Questions spin through my mind like manic sound bites from somewhere else. Who is this girl? being at the top of the list. I do my best to suppress them as I follow Kara. I feel like I’m gliding just above the ground.
Kara takes my bag as if sensing my instability. “The villa isn’t far from here. It’s right up this hill, actually,” she says, rolling my bag behind her with a grinding racket.
I grip my backpack straps, trying to hide how I feel about having to trek by foot up a steep hill after days of nonstop traveling. Some welcome wagon.
The narrow road is just wide enough for two small cars, and we have to step into the grass when we hear one coming. There’s hardly any traffic as we make our way up the hill. I look around at the landscape dotted with ancient buildings amid olive groves and vineyards. Majestic cypress trees stretch into jagged points against the sky. Bright red poppies sprout wildly across the fields and through cracks in the stone-lined wall. The wall curves all the way to a tall rusted gate anchored by two of the most enormous cypresses I’ve ever seen.
I’m embarrassed by how much I huff and puff as we make our way up the hill. “There isn’t a car or something to take us up and down?” I ask, wiping sweat from my forehead.
“I thought after your long bus ride you’d want to stretch your legs,” Kara answers. I prickle at her almost mocking tone. “I swear we’re almost there—it’s just through that gate.”
Our footsteps crunch through a wide path of pea gravel for a couple more long minutes before we pass the cypress trees and go through the gate. We step into an open courtyard, where a tangle of flowering vines spills over a rickety pergola in desperate need of repair. Andrew is the first person I see. He looks happy and rested, and I feel a smile spread across my face when he sees me.
“Em!” Andrew yells, running up to give me a hug. “It’s so good to see you!” I’m overwhelmed with relief to see he’s here. Other than assuring me Josh would be here, Meredith was very secretive about who else made the cut. I inhale his cologne—the familiar smell of Andrew: Calvin Klein’s Obsession.
“You too,” I say, suddenly overwhelmed, unexpected tears springing to my eyes.
Andrew steps back. His eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Are you okay?” he asks.
I don’t know. I don’t say it out loud, yet I hear the words so clearly in my mind.
Kara taps me on the arm. “Hey. You can leave your bags here, but let’s go inside and check in at the office.”
“We’ll talk soon,” Andrew says, giving me a small wave, his expression still showing concern. I must look like a wreck. I almost hope I don’t see Josh right away.
We walk through a concrete archway and a long hallway, at the end of which stands an ancient, imposing wooden door. Kara knocks forcefully. I hear the rustling of papers through the door. “Come in.” I recognize the voice. Will.
Kara pushes it with one hand, her other on my shoulder. “Look who’s here,” Kara says with an optimistic tone.
His face lights up when he sees me. “Emily! Come in! How was your trip?” He seems more relaxed here. His hair has grown out, making it seem even more disheveled, and he appears to be growing a shadow of a beard. I can’t imagine Meredith approving of his look. The intense amount of time I spent with her before flying out taught me that she loves order, neatness, and groomed appearances.
“Great,” I lie. I’m doing my best to keep it together, but lightheadedness and hunger are threatening to overcome me.
Will straightens the various stacks of papers and passports on his desk. “I’m keeping our items in a safe here in my office so nothing gets stolen,” he says.
“Oh. Okay.” I pull the pouch hanging around my neck over my head and dig out my passport, Eurail pass, credit cards, and the traveler’s checks Meredith had helped me get at the American Express office in Boston. She said I could sign them over when I get here, but until then they could be replaced if stolen. I touch my collarbone, checking for my mother’s necklace, which slipped underneath my shirt. Rather than ask him to put it in the safe, I quickly decide to keep it hidden.
He looks up at me. “Are you okay, Emily?”
“Uh, yeah. I think so. I mean, I haven’t really slept since…” I hear my voice trail off as I search my brain for today’s date to match it with the day I left Boston, but it’s all jumbled.
“It’s a long journey, I know. And you took the really long route to be more fruitful and generous to our mission. We appreciate that kind of dedication. So …” He backs away and slides behind his desk. “Let’s see how you did.”
My brain is like a stalled car trying to crank itself into motion. Kara nudges me. “The competition,” she whispers. Kara hovers over Will as he counts the money and taps numbers into a calculator.
He looks up and smiles. “We have a winner,” he says. “That means you and Kara may have the private building.”
“Yes!” Kara says under her breath.
“We’ll hold on to all of this in the safe for you,” Will says. “Then you’ll get everything back once I’m finished
with the books and our budget.” He sorts through the cards, cash, and traveler’s checks, making neat stacks for each.
I notice the phone on his desk. “Can I call home? I promised my dad I’d call him when I got here.”
Will shuffles through some papers on his desk. “We prefer to make the initial call. Parents like knowing you’re in good hands. I plan to take care of that this afternoon. Here. Fill this out,” he says, handing me a form for emergency contacts.
“Oh. Okay,” I say. I fill it out, hand it to him, and turn to leave with Kara, who is almost out the door.
“Wait,” he says. He digs through a drawer and pulls out a blank airmail letter. “You’ll need to write home today so we can go ahead and mail it.” He glances at Kara.
“I can help her with that this afternoon,” she says.
Will pushes his chair back and stands dramatically. “All right, then.” His voice echoes through the room. “It’s time to get started.”
“Oh,” I say, surprised. “I was actually hoping to clean myself up, maybe take a nap….”
Will’s eyes flash for just a moment. “There isn’t a moment to waste, Emily. There are souls waiting to be saved.” My head droops in shame. My first day—my first minute—here and I’m already disappointing Will. Meredith’s words echo in my head: Our future depends on Italy.
Kara nudges me forward and leads me out of the office. We pass through an open space, and into a large room where the other interns are waiting.
Josh is the first person I see, and relief floods through me—any concerns about how I look are gone. He raises his eyebrows and smiles at me, like he wasn’t sure until just now that I’d actually be here. My heart pounds as I smile back. I make to move toward him, but Kara gently grabs my arm. “You’re over here,” she says, guiding me toward a semicircle of chairs. I turn to look at Josh. He only offers an apologetic shrug. After weeks of imagining this scenario, it’s disappointing to see him in passing and without the opportunity to talk.
Those Who Prey Page 10
