The keys rattled in the lock. Malachi gave Judd a look. He was questioning him again. A silent disagreement that he didn’t have the voice for in the moment.

“Trust,” was all Judd said, nodding toward the door.

Graves had his concerns about the idea, but something had to give with Garisha. She was becoming too much to handle, even for their combined efforts.

“God help us.” Malachi jerked the lock open and stepped into the room. Judd followed him in.

“Howdy, fellas.” Dr. Glen greeted them. The doctor had beads of sweat dotting his forehead.

“She’s been ornery as hell.” He motioned to the vials, needles, and other medical utensils spread across his table. “We’re gonna need stronger restraints moving forward,” the doc added.

That seemed crazy to Graves. The shackles weren’t medical restraints anymore. Hadn't been for quite some time. They were forged steel industrial manacles secured with locking pins and connected by chain thick enough to secure bulldozers to flatbed trailers.

Malachi offered him only a nod and pulled up a chair next to the bed where Garisha lie sedated. His aged eyes, moist at the ducts, fell upon the face that carried such unimaginable destruction beneath it. He squeezed her hand caringly. God, he hated seeing her restrained like this, knowing the horrors that she endured in such a state long before he rescued her. It seemed like every moment they made progress, his vow to rid her of the curse or whatever godforsaken thing had befallen her took two steps back.

“You ain’t gonna’ be able to hide er’ away forever, reverend.” Judd graced his shoulder with a firm press.

A frustrated huff dropped from Malachi.

“I know, but… it just.. I promised to move heaven and earth to make her whole… and you’re asking me to let her embrace that… that… thing… inside her?”

“You’ve helped er’ a plenty. But you’ve reached the wall. I ain’t askin’ you to let her embrace it all. Just do it in doses so it can take the edge off er’.”

Graves hated that it made sense. Garisha was a lot better off than she was when he’d found her, or rather, she found him, but there wasn’t much else he knew to do to help her control the urges.

“Doc?” Malachi prodded him with a look. “What say you?”

“Judd might be correct. Letting her blow off steam in the ring might sate the urges. I would need to join her at ringside, though, just to be safe. As should you.”

Malachi didn’t reply. He brushed strands of her wild hair away from her face.

Judd consoled him with squeezes on the shoulders.

“Think bout the other aspect too. Fire n’ Brimstone. Punishment of the heathens in XWF. Let her loose on ’em as God did with the Angel of the LORD on the Assyrians.”

“And what if she kills one of them?” Graves countered.

“Then nothing of value would be lost,” Judd shrugged. “She’d be exempt from the law cause that there contract says she ain’t liable for bodily harm or death in that ring. Same as all wrestlers.”

Murder was never part of the punishment of XWF. Exposing them for being weak, showing them their woes, hurting them as penance for their sins, and baptism through suffering was the plan.

…. Yet with death on the menu in XWF nowadays, maybe Judd was onto something.

“Your words carry weight, Judd. Everybody’s part of a faction now. It might be good to have someone watching your back. It’s not like I’m spry enough to throw fists with folks.”

He felt dirty saying that. It was like someone else was speaking for him.

“Might need er’ round real quick-like this Warfare, with Dyson havin’ that big ass faction round him.”

Malachi’s bushy brows heaved.

“This Warfare? Shouldn’t we wait?”

He looked from Judd to the Doctor and noticed the shared glance they gave each other - silent agreement that they were on the same page.

Graves dragged a hand down his face. “Good Lord guide me.” He shook his head. “I won’t agree to it unless she’s okay with it. When she comes around I’ll talk to her.”

His tone thickened.. “And I do mean ONLY I will talk to her about it.”

“Wouldn’t have it any utter’ way, reverend.” Judd said as he backed off and headed for the door.