Jack could guess with his ass what Elijah would say after he brought the deceived women to their destination. It was nothing more than "You have withstood God's test" and so on.
22 people, minus Elijah and the 7-year-old boy Nicholas, there were exactly 10 men and 10 deceived women left. The calculations of these bastards were deafening.
Before nightfall, the wanted criminal team regrouped in Arusha. Detective Pollino also brought Tumo Makanni and his two men over, and with them came some very bad news.
Tanzanian officials have lost their patience and have decided to send out the army for a large-scale search.
The grassroots organizational structure of this country is full of damn laxity. Most civil servants are already extremely conscientious if they can handle one or two official duties properly every week.
They spend the vast majority of their week socializing and entertaining. Detective Pollino, who, upon the arrival of the FBI, refused to shirk responsibility, is a rare sight nationwide.
Tanzanian officials are clearly well aware of this, and their only hope seems to be the army, comprised of non-commissioned officers trained by the University of East Asia.
The leads gathered by the Most Wanted Squad have yet to be shared with the leadership of both sides, but even if they were, it likely wouldn't change their decision.
Tourism is Tanzania's primary source of foreign exchange, earning over $1 billion annually.
Besides the beautiful island of Zanzibar, the natural wonders surrounding Arusha, such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, and Lake Victoria, are also world-renowned.
Most ordinary people around the world's impression of Africa largely comes from documentaries filmed there, including those produced by the Geographic Channel.
Tanzanian wildlife control areas are also the preferred hunting grounds for wealthy individuals with a passion for taxidermy.
Therefore, the biggest concern for Tanzanian officials is that this incident represents a kidnapping of foreign tourists by domestic criminals, a devastating blow to the local tourism industry.
Initially, the Most Wanted team didn't feel any urgency. Working in foreign countries is essentially a supporting role, and excessive meddling or overshadowing the team could easily irritate local police and officials.
Whether it's a large-scale military search or public statements from both countries, it wouldn't affect their systematic investigation and resolution; it would simply be a bit more complex.
However, the case is now largely clear: the perpetrators have nothing to do with Tanzania, but rather a group of American tourists who are causing trouble for the cult.
Once this news reaches the top leadership of both sides, it's bound to be a major event. While the Tanzanian leadership might not react, the Americans would undoubtedly react instantly.
The story begins in the 1970s, when a "Messiah," a saint with the power of mind reading and healing, arrived in California.
This "Messiah," whose real name was Jim Jones, counted among his followers prominent politicians and wealthy individuals, including a former vice president.
Before arriving in California, Jim Jones had founded the Peoples Temple, and over the next nearly 20 years, he amassed a loyal following of over 1,000.
By 1977, facing growing skepticism that the Peoples Temple was a cult, Jim Jones, troubled by the situation, relocated with over 1,000 of his most devoted followers to Guyana, South America.
They established their own commune in an abandoned town in Guyana, naming it Jonestown. Their secluded existence sounded quite idyllic,
but in reality, all followers were deprived of personal freedom and were required to offer unconditional worship, loyalty, and obedience to the "Messiah."
In this isolated "paradise," Jim Jones became a true god, free to engage in sexual activity with the women he chose and enjoy the love and affection of all.
In addition to daily labor, believers were also required to confess their sins according to his written rules. Female believers who had been favored by him were even required to publicly share their wonderful experiences and happiness.
To test the loyalty of his followers, Jim Jones often organized various obedience tests, such as having them drink so-called "poisoned wine."
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Even the most foolish will eventually wake up. Numerous members sent letters to China through various channels, pleading for help. Upon receiving the letters, California prosecutors went through the customary inquiry process.
This process cascaded through the Department of Justice, the State Department, and finally to the U.S. Consulate in Guyana, but naturally, nothing happened.
Meanwhile, Congressman Ryan, a troublemaker sympathetic to the Peoples Temple, decided to personally take reporters to Guyana to refute the rumors with facts.
Truth will inevitably come to light. When the truth finally came to light, Jim Jones's armed guards opened fire on the congressman's plane as it departed, killing five and injuring twelve, including the congressman and the accompanying reporters.
That evening, Jim Jones once again tested his followers' obedience, this time using real, highly toxic cyanide in the "poisoned wine."
When the Guyanese army, ordered to disarm the People's Temple, arrived at Jonestown the next day, they encountered 913 bodies, including Jim Jones himself. Among them were 276 children and infants.
These children and infants had been poisoned by their parents or others, either by force-feeding them with poisoned alcohol or by direct injections of cyanide.
Only four people survived the tragedy, making it the deadliest incident in American history caused by a non-natural disaster before 9/11.
The case now unfolding before everyone was a replica of the Jonestown tragedy. If mishandled and led to serious consequences, news back home would instantly resurface painful memories.
This would undoubtedly cause a political upheaval, both domestically and internationally, and the FBI, the investigators, would naturally bear the brunt of the impact.
Although the Tanzanian army was said to be one of the few elite troops in Africa capable of achieving infantry-tank coordination without overwhelming their own troops, even Jack wouldn't bet on them.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, as Hotchner and Reed deepened their investigation in Texas, more and more evidence was laid bare.
"Elijah's parents were a pair of religious fanatics. They had eight children, of which Elijah was the youngest. His siblings were Ezekiel, Isaac, Luther, Caleb, Miriam, Rachel, and Samuel."
Detective Pollino and Old Muto couldn't help but stare at each name Hotchner mentioned on the phone.
"What does all this mean?" the two locals, who knew little about religion, said in unison.
"Including Elijah, these are all ancient names from the Old Testament, a favorite verse of cult leaders," Jubal explained briefly. "
So we're dealing with a religious lunatic who's been brainwashed by his parents since childhood." Hannah sighed helplessly, pulling out the sighting map she and Jack had drawn up earlier and spreading it out on the table.
"Elijah and his psychopathic followers have kidnapped ten women and one child, hoping to build their own 'Garden of Eden' in Africa. We need to find their camp without alerting them."
"Elijah must have been planning this for a long time. Those supplies are probably for the camp, but the problem is, once the army arrives, there will be a huge commotion."
Clay agreed with Jack, believing that military intervention would only lead to further trouble.
Elijah was able to deceive Toomer Makanni's followers, turning them into accomplices in his kidnapping, and not long ago, he mercilessly executed his loyal deputy, Jacob Bruce.
This fully demonstrates his ability to incite and execute. Such a person cannot be treated with excessive caution.
(End of Chapter)