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Back 36 Righteous Men Save as PDF
Chapters (43)
  1. Cover
  2. BOOK ONE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. BOOK TWO
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. BOOK THREE
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. BOOK FOUR
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. BOOK FIVE
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. BOOK SIX
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. BOOK SEVEN
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. BOOK EIGHT
  41. 32
  42. SPECIAL THANKS
  43. ALSO BY STEVEN PRESSFIELD

This video proves nothing, Manning. Rachel has already admitted to a relationship. Stop terrorizing her!

Ben-David tells Manning again, as he had earlier this evening at Beth Shalom, that Rachel had volunteered for the Gehenna dig at his, Ben-David’s, suggestion. Rachel had just been ordained after three arduous years of rabbinical studies. Ben-David thought the physical toil would be restorative for her. The experience would deepen her understanding of biblical lore and amplify her sense of the antiquity of the Jewish people.

BEN-DAVID

Yes, Rachel met Instancer at Gehenna. But she had no idea what he was. He fooled her. He fooled everyone. He appeared like a normal person.

Manning glowers. Ben-David describes the Gehenna excavation. An exploration shaft tunneled beneath the earth for nine levels, a hundred and twenty feet down. A geothermal field lay a quarter mile below that. Temperatures were so extreme at the deepest two levels, Ben-David says, that all access was sealed off. Thermal barricades were erected. Students and visitors were forbidden to descend past these warning markers.

MANNING

(to Rachel)

But you went anyway.

Rachel sobs.

MANNING

You went down, didn’t you?

BEN-DAVID

Stop bullying her!

MANNING

Something happened down there, didn’t it?

Again Manning thrusts my phone with the shower video before Rachel’s eyes.

MANNING

You went deeper than anyone else. Past the barriers. You went all the way down, didn’t you? What happened? What happened down there?

RACHEL

He appeared.

MANNING

Who?

RACHEL

Who the fuck do you think?

Manning seizes Rachel by both shoulders.

RACHEL

He said he was a grad student working on the dig.

MANNING

(scoffs)

And you believed him?

RACHEL

I’ve told you all this! He looked like he does now! He was cute. He was funny. He flirted with me.

MANNING

So you did what?

Rachel won’t answer.

MANNING

What, goddamn you? You did what?

RACHEL

I couldn’t help myself.

Rachel turns. She tries to bolt. Manning catches her and hauls her back. He slaps Rachel across the face. Ben-David seizes Manning’s arm, tries to pull him away.

RACHEL

He overwhelmed me! I couldn’t—

MANNING

Couldn’t what? Couldn’t stop? Couldn’t resist him?

Now I jump in. I push past Manning to Rachel’s side.

ME

That’s enough, Manning!

BEN-DAVID

Stop this!

ME

Leave her alone!

Manning’s open hand is raised to swat Rachel again. He restrains himself, barely.

MANNING

You “conducted” him in. You were the human medium he used to enter the world.

RACHEL

How could I know? He looked like a person! I couldn’t stop! I couldn’t help myself!

Rachel’s eyes meet Manning’s in anguish. Manning faces me and Ben-David, who are lined up against him, protecting Rachel.

Rachel breaks down.

Manning steps back.

MANNING

(to Rachel)

Whose idea was it to compile the list? The Righteous Man list.

Rachel’s tears answer for her.

MANNING

You did it for him. You couldn’t help yourself.

24