The private chapel felt smaller than it really was because the eleven remaining Council members were crammed into a space meant for small prayer groups, not meetings. Candles lined the walls in flickering rows, and their light made shadows that moved and danced across faces that were already scared and sad.
The heavy wooden door had been locked from the inside, keeping them from the outside world and making it seem like this gathering was in its own world. Morgan stood near the back and watched as the council members came in small groups.
Some people looked over their shoulders as if they were ready for an attack at any moment, their hands gripping their bags or purses too tightly. Others walked in with their fists clenched and their jaws set, and their anger was clear from the way they stood.
Sister Margaret sat in the front row and cried openly. Her shoulders shook with sobs that echoed in the small space.
Claire was the last to arrive. She stood in the doorway for a moment before going in.
She looked nervous and out of place, and her eyes were moving around the chapel as if she were trying to figure out where she belonged in this group. This was her first official Council meeting, and the way she moved her body stressed that she was uncomfortable.
She sat in the middle, not quite with the others but not completely alone either, in that awkward space of being a new member. Murphy stood at the front near a simple wooden altar.
His white robes were clean even though it was late. He waited until everyone was comfortable, letting the silence last until it was almost too much to bear. The only sounds were Margaret's soft crying and the sound of feet shuffling on the stone floor.
Murphy finally said, "The enemy fears what we're building."
His voice carried perfectly through the small space, even though he was speaking at a normal volume. "David Chen died as a martyr."
He started to pace slowly, making eye contact with each council member in turn. His face changed from sad to furious with practiced precision.
"David Chen was killed because he was chosen, and his light was too bright."
"And the most important thing is that what we stand for and what God has called us to do is a threat to those who want to keep people weak and divided."
Morgan's stomach tightened as he watched his dad work. Murphy was at his most dangerous when he took tragedy and turned it into a weapon that would make his hold on these people stronger instead of weaker.
"This wasn't just random violence," Murphy said, his voice getting a little louder. "This was planned."
"Someone out there is afraid of the strength we're gaining."
"Someone wants to put an end to God's work."
"They hit David to hit all of us because they saw how devoted he was and how clear his purpose was."
Sister Margaret looked up from her crying. Her face was red and blotchy, but her eyes were fixed on Murphy.
Some people leaned forward in their seats, interested in the story he was telling. Morgan could see it happening right in front of him, where the sadness and fear were being turned into something more focused and dangerous.
"But they've made a mistake," Murphy said, and now his voice had a tone that could have been victory or vindication. "They think fear will bring us down."
"They think that loss will break us up like sheep without a shepherd."
"David's sacrifice will instead bring us together stronger than ever. His death shows that we are on the right track."
"The devil always goes after what's holy."
The change was clear to all of the Council members who were there. With their backs straight, jaws set, and eyes hardening with new determination, they stood tall. Murphy was turning their weakness into strength and their grief into righteousness.
Murphy went on, "God tests those He loves most severely."
His voice became almost conversational and personal. "The fact that people are against us shows that we're doing the right thing."
"Throughout history, people have died for their faith and suffering shows that you are right."
"We must be doing something right if they're trying to stop us."
Sister Margaret stood up quickly, and her chair scraped against the stone. Her tears were still on her face, but her voice was strong and steady. "David knew what we were fighting for."
"He wasn't scared to do what he had to do."
She stopped for a moment, her voice breaking a little before she went on. "I won't let his death be for nothing."
"I promise to give my all to this Council, to Father Murphy, and to God's plan."
Then she dropped to her knees, and the way she did it was so dramatic and religious that it looked like she had practiced it, even though Morgan knew she hadn't. "Anything you need, Father."
"Whatever God wants. I'm ready to give it all, like David did."
Murphy went to her and put both hands on her head in a way that looked like he was blessing her. "Your faith honors him, Sister."
"Your dedication makes us all stronger."
Other members of the Council started to make their own promises, and the promises started to overlap and build on each other. The scared people were asking about safety measures, if they needed protection, and if they were all in danger.
The angry people who want justice are talking about finding the person who did this and making them pay. True believers like Margaret said that persecution was proof that they were doing God's work and that the righteous always faced opposition.
Despite their varying emotions, they were all getting closer. Murphy wanted the shared trauma to make the bonds between people stronger than they were before.
The Council wasn't getting weaker because Chen died. It was making them more dangerous and united.
Morgan looked at Claire and watched her reaction to all of this. She sat with her arms crossed and a defensive posture, but he could see the struggle going on inside her.
Claire looked down at her lap, feeling uncomfortable when Margaret promised to be completely devoted. But when Murphy talked about purpose and meaning, about being chosen and special, she nodded a little, even though she didn't want to.
For a brief moment, their eyes met across the room. Claire's face showed confusion and a silent question that Morgan could see clearly from a distance.
Is this fine? Should I be here? What is going on with me?
He could see something else, though, even though he was confused. She was reacting to the group's energy, the comfort of being part of something special, and the tempting thought of being part of an inner circle during times of chaos.
Morgan had to look away and pay attention to Murphy again as his father kept talking. The words came to him in familiar patterns, like the same manipulative language Morgan had heard in his previous timeline, but this time they were shorter and faster because of the situation.
Murphy was getting his army together faster than ever, and Chen's death was just what he needed to make it happen. Morgan saw his chance when Murphy finally stopped.
He moved forward a little bit, which made people look at him. "Father, if I may."
"I know a thing or two about security."
"I'd like to offer to look into what happened to David. In a quiet way."
"Make sure the police don't miss anything and that we know what they know."