“This is your reckoning. Unfortunately, Ash is unavailable, but the good news is Dr. Ortiz can fill in,” Nate said. The reckoning? What the hell was a reckoning? Nate glanced over at Becca.

“Oh, she’s not familiar with the reckoning. Mo, why don’t you educate her?” Nate demanded. Mo didn’t speak. Nate stepped forward, the gun inches from her head. She swallowed hard.

“The reckoning was how we kept things functioning. When you joined the Tribe, you promised to uphold the standards of the group. If you violated our trust, you were punished.”

“By death. That’s what Mo and Vic fucking left out. Somehow it wasn’t in the goddamn fine print,” Nate said through gritted teeth.

“Vic and I were trying to maintain order. Things were good for so long. You have to understand…”

“Shut up,” Nate said, his movements sharp and precise as he backhanded Mo with the butt of the gun. Her head flopped backward as if on springs. It took at least thirty seconds before it returned to its normal position. Mo raised her hand to assess the damage, blood trickling down the side of her face. Becca could see the raw hurt in Nate’s eyes. He had been pushed too far, his suffering was too much, and he had snapped.

“Nate, I know you’re hurting. I know. I am too. But Mo confessed. We can end this now. We can make sure she gets justice,” Becca said.

Nate shook his head emphatically. “We don’t need the cops for that,” Nate said. He grabbed the discarded knife from the floor and held it out. “Take it,” he said. “Go on. Take it.” He placed the knife in Becca’s hand. “Today is your lucky day. You get the first cut, Doc. Go on. Cut her,” Nate said.

Everything was happening so fast, it took Becca a second to realize what Nate was asking. Kill Mo? He wanted her to kill Mo.

“Go on. You saw what she did to Ash, and the others. It’s only fair,” Nate said.

“Mo, tell him to stop. Let’s end this,” Becca said softly, locking eyes with Mo.

“If Nathaniel feels like this is a fitting end to everything we’ve built, then who am I to argue?” Mo said. Becca couldn’t believe it. This woman was endorsing her own murder. Nate nudged Becca with the tip of the pistol.

“See there, she’s ready. Fucking do it already.”