Warning! Ragedump ahead!

So okay, the YTF aren't completely rock-stupid: they emptied Marjorie's gun and disabled her radio so she can't call for backup. That still doesn't cancel out the complete rock-stupidity of keeping her at the school in the first place, but I take whatever crumbs I can get from these stories.

The conversation between the YTF and Marjorie is mostly bluster so I'll do a lot of summarizing. As always, the Strawman (or woman in this case) always has a point.

The YTF try to convert her but she points out that the Judah-ites (ugh, really hate that term) are the primary suspects in these mysterious attacks and I have to commend Nicky for showing some villain cred by blaming a hated minority that has been unscathed by most of the suffering. It's pretty much the only smart decision he's ever made.

So like I said, the only argument the YTF have is "God did it!" and Marjorie, who's on the fast track to becoming a favorite character, chews them out.

“Right. It was God who let my parents and most of my friends get killed. It was God who killed our principal at Nicolae High. Mrs. Jenness was one of my best friends.…”

Naturally if you're expecting the YTF to total this argument in a dazzling display of wit, you clearly haven't been reading this series. Hello and welcome to the blog. The YTF can't give any kind of response except "Let us help you," because they know that Marjorie's right: God did kill her parents and her friends and he's going to kill two-thirds of the world's population in order that not one might perish, but have eternal life, unless they do perish in which case they have eternal life in Hell.

In Israel, the news media, having read the book summary, have moved on from discussing the recent mysterious terrorist attack that's left millions dead worldwide to more pertinent earth-shattering news: the GC is holding a gala. Judd and Mr. Stein brainstorm about how to witness at said gala and come to this genius conclusion: they're going to hand out pamphlets. My laughter cannot be derisive enough.

But Kasim pulls Judd aside while he's on his way to the print shop. Kasim has decided to assassinate Nicky Blackwelder on the first night of the gala in order to save the witnesses. Judd's all "The Bible says--" but Kasim says he's determined to do his part and rid the world of this evil man and he needs Judd's help, because his dad wussed out on him. Judd is reluctant, but agrees to help him though he says Kasim would do more good by spreading Token Jew's message. But Kasim says nothing will keep him from his mission and that's where the Israel section ends.

In America, well, I think I'll copy and paste so you can see for yourself what's going on.

Vicki didn’t want to lock Marjorie in the basement hideout, but the kids couldn’t let her get away. Vicki made sure Marjorie didn’t see the door to the underground tunnel and that there was enough food and water for the night.

Remember kids, when the GC imprisons people indefinitely in their gulags for believing the wrong things, that's wrong. When Brave RTCs imprison people indefinitely, they're showing pure Christian love. Again, I know killing Marjorie would definitely cause the series to take a darker turn, but they can't deny that imprisoning her and lovebombing her in the hopes that eventually she'll become a good lobotomized follower of Zod, isn't helping much either. It'd be nice if this series would acknowledge the shades of grey that in wartime, sometimes you have to make hard decisions that don't have clear right or wrong answers, but this series refuses to acknowledge the existence of shades of grey and therefore has the heroes do repulsive things while remaining pure and holy because what matters is not what they do, but their saved/unsaved status.

Marjorie tries to spook the YTF by pointing out that the GC are looking for her at the satellite schools, but Mark says it'll take them a few days to reorganize after the attacks. Marjorie then asks them to turn up the radio so she can listen to Nicky's speech.

Nicky's speech is, like all his speeches, a collection of cliches, notable only for the part where he accuses the enemies of peace of causing all this. Then comes this really headdesking part of his speech. Warning, brace yourselves...

“I have plans for at least two of our enemies, and those plans will be carried out at the Gala in Jerusalem. It is time for us to put the death and grieving aside. And so I invite you, wherever you are, to this grand party. Even those who are against our ideals should come. To show how accepting and tolerant I am, I extend a personal invitation to Rabbi Tsion Ben-Judah. He may attend our celebration as an international statesman.”
“That shows you what kind of man the potentate is,” Marjorie said. “He even invites his enemies.”
The camera pulled back as Carpathia walked to the front of his massive desk. “We have every reason to want revenge, but as your leader and a man committed to peace, I offer one more opportunity to our enemies. Let us put aside our differences and strive together for a new world of love and unity. Join the faith of your brothers and sisters across the planet, the Enigma Babylon One World Faith.”

o_O

...

Ahem, Nicky let me explain something to you. I'll even use all-caps in order to drive the point home.

TOKEN JEW IS YOUR SWORN ENEMY AKA THE GUY WHO HAS CONSISTENTLY MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE HATES YOU AND THE EBOWF AND EVERYTHING YOU STAND FOR! NOTHING YOU DO IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT! YOU DO NOT ASK YOUR ENEMY TO HOLD HANDS AND SING KUMBAYAH WITH YOU; IF YOU'RE ANY DECENT THIRD-RATE VILLAIN YOU FLAME-BROIL HIM ON NATIONAL TELEVISION TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF HIM AND YOU DAMN WELL MAKE SURE TO DO IT TO HIS FOLLOWERS! DO YOU GET ME?! DO I NEED TO MAKE MYSELF ANY CLEARER?! DO I NEED TO TATTOO THIS MESSAGE IN FLAMING RED LETTERS ON YOUR SKULL?! DO I NEED HAND PUPPETS AND A SINGALONG?!

...

Sorry about that but the sheer amount of stupid overwhelmed me for a bit. Out of curiosity, just what do they put in tranquilizer darts and is it possible/safe to mainline it?

I'll be charitable an assume that Nicky's statement was supposed to come across as vaguely menacing, but given that it has the same delivery as all his other speeches, chalk it up to yet another thing that Ellanjay fails at.

Anyway, there's really not much more to say for this chapter. Janie comes downstairs and Marjorie recognizes her. I know I shouldn't only do one chapter, but a lot goes down in the next, so I guess this will do for this week.