The man had barely finished speaking when Chris snapped sharply, "Shut up."
The reprimand was immediate.
Then he looked back up at Suzy and the others, the same pleasant smile returning to his face as if nothing had happened.
"Everyone, you understand how the world works now."
His voice was calm and almost persuasive.
"At this point, nearly the entire community is under our management. We came here today because we wanted to offer you an opportunity. Join us, become one of us, and you'll have protection whenever you go outside. You won't have to spend every day looking over your shoulder. That's far better than trying to survive alone."
He paused. His gaze drifted across the group before settling on Suzy once more.
"What do you think?"
Silence followed. Both sides watched one another. Chris waited patiently for an answer.
A cold laugh escaped Elijah's lips. "And if we say no?"
Everything Chris had described sounded wonderful on the surface.
