by Donna Raider
“I believe my children would also be your children.” Leah smiled.
“That is as it should be.” Mika laughed as she pulled Leah on top of her. “I love these dangling earrings,” Mika gasped as Leah leaned above her. “I think I will leave them on you while I make love to you.”
“Whatever makes you happy, my angel.” Leah slowly lowered her lips to meet Mika’s. Mika strained to create more pressure between their lips. Leah slowly, seductively moved her soft lips against Mika’s. Mika moaned loudly. “Shush, my darling, this is only going to get more intense. If you can’t be quiet, I will have to take you to the cave.”
##
Amber Stone paced the floor of her apartment. She hadn’t seen Adam in over a week. She was worried. She considered transporting to him but decided against it.
It wasn’t like him to stay away from her this long. He usually appeared around five or six every morning, which was midnight at the ruins. It was past seven.
A tingle ran through her body. He was here.
“Adam,” she breathed his name as he pulled her into his arms. “I was worried about you.”
He kissed her gently, softly, savoring the thrill of her lips on his, the softness of her breasts against his chest. “I love you,” he whispered as he ran his fingers through her long, blonde hair. “I love you so much.”
“Let me look at you.” She sensed something was wrong.
“No.” He gripped her tighter. “We are in a bit of trouble, but I had to see you, if only for a minute. I have to get back.”
Without moving, she lit the room. She gasped as she saw his face. It was cut and covered in crusted blood. His clothes were torn and filthy. Her hands caressed his back. The raised welts told her someone had caned him.
“What is happening? If you don’t tell me, I will follow you back.” She sobbed.
“My team has been taken hostage,” he said quickly. “They are threatening to kill us all if we don’t turn over the relics and findings from the ruins we have been working.”
“Turn them over,” she commanded.
“We can’t. They will destroy them. We have proof of Jesus and his immaculate birth. Proof that he is the son of God. We can’t let them destroy it. Watch the morning news on channel four. They are cooperating with theses bastards.
“I have to go, darling.” He kissed her once more with all his heart. “I love you, Amber Stone. I have always loved you.”
He shoved a cigar box into her hands. “Make certain Mika gets this,” he said, and he was gone.
Her first instinct was to follow him, but knew her presence might only make it worse for him. She reached for her phone and dialed Leah’s number.
“Hello,” a rich, breathless voice answered the phone.
“Leah, this is Amber. Adam is in trouble.”
“Darling, Adam is in trouble,” Leah said huskily to Mika. “Come up here, Amber. Give us a few seconds.”
Amber waited one minute, then transported to Leah and Mika’s apartment. They were just emerging from their bedroom. Mika’s lip was bleeding.
“You, uh, your—” Amber motioned to Mika’s lip.
“Oh, my bad.” Leah touched Mika’s face and her lip was perfect. “What is wrong with Adam?”
“He and his team have been kidnapped and are being held as hostages.” Amber sobbed. “He said to watch the morning news on channel four. He said to make certain you got this.” She shoved the box into Mika’s hands.
Mika flicked on the TV. Channel four was running a live telecast from somewhere in Africa. The cameras slowly scanned the seven-member archaeology team, stopping on Adam. Leah gasped as she saw the condition of her son. Someone was translating the Arabic demands of a scimitar-waving terrorist.
Adam had been careful to keep his family a secret. No one knew he was the son of American actress Leah Redman and Catholic Priest Mika Cross. He knew that would make him a prime kidnapping target. Not realizing his true value, the terrorists wanted to make an example of him.
They watched in horror as the radical terrorists shoved Adam to his knees. A man on each side of him held his arms back so his head hung down. The scimitar wielder grabbed Adam’s hair and yanked his head back, exposing his throat.
“This infidel knows where the lies are hidden,” the translator spoke in English. “If he does not tell us, we will behead him now. Just like we did the dog in the corner.” The camera panned to the corner of the room, where the body of a man lay, his head a few feet from him.
“For the last time,” the terrorist said as he raised the sword high above his head, “tell us where the falsified lies are hidden, infidel.”
Adam raised his head. He spoke quickly in ancient Greek, “Mika, I won’t do anything to hurt our family.” He spit on the ground in front of him and began praying to his God in English.
The terrorist roared and brought the sword down with great force. Suddenly he swung around and sliced off the heads of the men holding Adam. He then began to butcher all his fellow terrorists. He screamed and cursed, gripping the sword as if he couldn’t let it go. The cameras were following him all over the room as he ravaged and murdered his comrades. He raved like a madman. The translator fled the area as the carnage went on for several minutes. Total silence fell on the room. The swordsman turned to look directly into the camera. Rage filled his face. Suddenly, his face flew at the camera as his body exploded, shooting his head into the camera lens like a cannon ball. Static filled the TV screen as Adam appeared on the carpet of the apartment.
“Darling.” Leah knelt beside her son, running her hands over him, healing him. Instantly he was dressed in clean clothes and his wounds were gone. He looked as if he had just walked out of the bathroom after showering and dressing.
Adam stood slowly, looking around him. Amber rushed into his arms. She covered his face with kisses. “Oh, Adam, I was so afraid I’d lost you,” she sobbed into his chest.
Leah nodded to Mika to give the couple some time together. They walked into their bedroom, leaving Adam and Amber in the family room.
“What happened?” Mika looked at her in awe.
“I wanted the men responsible for this to die,” she said as she exhaled regally. “That is what happened.”
“You are magnificent.” Mika stared at her reverently. Once again, Mika was awed by Leah’s quick actions.
“I saw no good reason to sacrifice our son,” Leah said firmly, her chin held high. “I am afraid I don’t share our God’s love of all mankind.”
##
In her laboratory, Sara answered her phone. “Am I going to see you at all this week?” Jennifer pleaded.
Sara looked up at the clock. It was past six in the morning. “I am so sorry, honey.” She inhaled deeply. “I…I have just discovered something so earth-shattering, I had to rerun the tests to see if I could produce the same results twice.”
“Did you?”
“Yes,” Sara said breathlessly. “I must see my parents.”
“When might I expect to see you?” Jennifer said softly. Jennifer recognized the driven tone in Sara’s voice and knew all she could do was wait.
“Soon,” Sara said. “I love you.” She hung up the phone.
Jennifer showered and made coffee. She couldn’t sleep. Sara Cross was driving her crazy. The girl had locked herself away in her laboratory all week. She was certain Sara hadn’t slept in days. She suddenly knew how Carlie had felt, agonizing over Leah Cross. Fortunately, Jennifer’s feelings were reciprocated. At least, I think they are, she thought.
She carried her cup of coffee to the sofa and sat down, drawing her legs up beside her on the sofa. She’d had a lot of time to think since her talk with Leah. The woman was intense, but very passionate about those she loved. Jennifer realized she was now counted in the number with her children. It was a good feeling. Frightening as hell, but good, too.
She tried to think rationally, separate her desire for Sara from everything else. She thought of what it would be like to
grow old married to a gorgeous thirty-four-year-old blonde. She wondered if jealously would drive her crazy. No, she knew Sara would always be faithful to her. The Crosses were big on fidelity. But how fair would it be to Sara to be tied to an aged woman when she was still vivacious and full of life?
No matter how she tried to rationalize the situation, she always came back to how much she wanted to make love to Sara Cross.
Trying to take her mind off her fiancée, she turned on the television. She channel-surfed briefly then stopped suddenly as she recognized Adam Cross. He was being held by terrorists. They were going to sever his head from his body.
Jennifer cried out involuntarily, her shaking hand spilling her coffee everywhere. She watched in astonishment as the would-be executioner began to butcher his own tribesmen. Adam slumped out of sight of the camera lens as the screen filled with static.
She checked other news channels to see if this was a sick joke, but every news channel in the nation was carrying this execution gone wrong. She thanked God for letting it go awry.
Almost as if in a nightmare, she called Sara. The girl didn’t answer. Jennifer ran to her car and drove to Cross Tower.
##
A soft knock sounded at their door. Leah opened the door and pulled her son into her arms. “We’ve made our professions to one another.” He grinned as he caught Amber’s hand. “You and Mika may rejoin us.”
They all gathered in the kitchen as Mika made coffee and set out pastries.
Sara suddenly appeared in their midst.
“Oh, thank God,” Sara screamed as she rushed into her brother’s arms. “You’re safe.” She felt him all over, running her hands down his arms and touching his beautiful face. She peppered his face with kisses and tears. “What happened?”
A ding told everyone the elevator was coming up. They looked at each other. It was too early for the children to be awake.
Dr. Jennifer Jordon stepped into the twilight zone. At least, that is what she thought. The Crosses were sitting at their breakfast bar, drinking coffee and eating pastries like any all-American family. Only the tears still streaming down Sara’s pale face told her she hadn’t been dreaming.
Sara rushed into Jennifer’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “I thought he was dead,” she cried. “I thought he had sacrificed himself for us all.”
Jennifer clutched the girl to her, talking to her in soothing tones, gently massaging her back. “It’s okay, baby,” she cooed. “I am beginning to suspect it takes a lot more than that to kill a Cross.”
“Coffee?” Mika held up a cup to Jennifer.
“Yes, please.” Her hand was still shaking as she reached for the cup. “I am afraid I spilled the one I had all over my apartment when I saw the news clip. What happened?”
Adam looked questioningly at his mother. “It’s okay.” Leah smiled. “Jennifer knows about us. She has courageously asked your sister to marry her.”
Adam smiled; his beautiful face filled with happiness for his sister. “About time, I was afraid you two would spend your lives waltzing around each other. Congratulations!” He sat at the breakfast bar with his arms draped around Amber. She was standing between his knees, leaning back against him, content to feel the warmth of him against her back.
“I need to talk to you about your early morning visits, young man.” Mika smirked at him.
“Purely platonic, I promise.” Adam held up his hand as if making a pledge. Amber nodded.
Mika smiled. She knew her son and she knew Amber. She knew neither would have relations outside of marriage. And neither would marry until they were certain they were mating for life.
“They were going to kill you because you wouldn’t turn over the evidence that proved the existence of Jesus,” Sara stated flatly.
“Yes.” Adam nodded. “I gave it to you and Amber. There was no way I would have told those monsters you had it. They would have killed you for it.
“When we received the DNA report from the lab in Germany, we knew we had found proof. What did you find?” he asked his sister.
“First we conducted a test on the blood samples and ascertained the blood was from a male,” Sara said.
“There is only mitochondrial DNA.” Looking at the blank faces staring back at her, Sara explained, “We each have twenty-three pairs of chromosomes. Of each pair, one was received from the father and one was received from the mother. In the blood sample I examined, there was only the chromosomes from the mother, presumably Mary. There were no male chromosomes. Also, a father always passes the Y or male chromosome to his son. That is what determines the child is male. No Y chromosome existed in the blood I tested. That is impossible. I am running dating tests on the blood and spike to verify they date to the time of Christ.
“We have no DNA from Mary with which to compare, but I definitely believe we have the DNA of Christ.”
Adam nodded. “That is what we found too. Unfortunately, the ten ossuaries taken from the Talpiot Tomb, or the Jesus Tomb, didn’t provide us anything significant. Of course, one was stolen before we could do DNA testing on it. I believe that was Mary’s remains, but I can’t prove that. That is what would have happened to our findings, if I hadn’t been able to get them to Sara and Amber. They would have simply disappeared.”
Sara listened silently to her brother as he agonized over the lost ossuary. She debated over whether she should share the rest of her findings with the small group gathered in her mother’s kitchen. She wasn’t certain her mother knew.
“Why so quiet, dear?” Leah’s gaze held her daughter’s for a long time. “Is something bothering you?”
“Nothing important.” Sara smiled weakly.
“You found something else, didn’t you?” Adam asked excitedly. “What? You have to share it with us.”
“I ran the DNA for you and me.” Sara bowed her head.
“Why would you do that?” her brother asked.
“A scientist’s curiosity.” She shrugged.
“And?” Adam raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Leah moved to take Mika’s hand.
“We have only mitochondrial DNA, Queen Mommy’s DNA.” Sara grimaced. “You have no Y chromosome. Neither does Mika.”
All eyes turned toward Mika and Leah. “I know what Mika is,” Leah said majestically. “You do too. She’s an angel. She is not of this Earth. The only thing that holds her here is me.”
Jennifer gasped. “Mika gave up heaven for you?”
“Yes,” Leah said defiantly.
“You will find my DNA is the same as Mika’s,” Amber said softly.
“Does that mean we can’t have children?” Adam frowned.
“We will just have to see, won’t we, darling?” Amber smiled seductively. “It doesn’t seem to have affected Mika.”
“But if all you have is mitochondrial DNA, that doesn’t prove it is Jesus.” Jennifer pointed out the obvious. “It could have come from another being like yourselves.”
“God exists. Jesus Christ came to Earth to save mankind,” Mika said quietly. “I can promise you these are two irrefutable facts.”
“I believe it with all my heart.” Leah smiled.
“Okay,” Sara said with a smile, “enough about all the DNA and mysteries. What happened with Adam? That assassin seemed to go berserk.”
“Your mother.” Mika smiled proudly. “While I was sucking air, she was saving our son.”
“You did that, Mom?” Adam grinned broadly. “Of course you did. Nothing is more deadly than a mother protecting her offspring.”
“How did you keep from killing everyone in the room?” Jennifer asked.
Once again, Leah repeated her strategy. “I willed the men responsible to die.”
“What did you say before you spit on the ground?” Jennifer asked Adam, still watching the TV replay of the massacre. “It was a language I’ve never heard.”
“Ancient Greek! He said, ‘Mika, I won’t do anything to hurt our family.’” Sara answered for her brother
, who was busy kissing Amber.
“That is when I realized he wasn’t going to save himself,” Leah said, “and took action. I have lost one son. I won’t lose another if I can help it.”
##
Sara followed her mother into the kitchen to make another pot of coffee.
“Have you considered asking Jennifer to go to Texas with us for the summer?” Leah suggested.
“Would that be okay with everyone?” Sara beamed.
“Of course, dear. Mika and I will be teaching all of you survival 101. If Jennifer is marrying into this family, she needs to participate too.”
“Queen Mommy, I love you so much.” Sara embraced her mother. “Thank you.” She scurried from the kitchen.
Leah found herself alone making coffee. Powerful arms slipped around her and pulled her tightly against soft breasts. She leaned back hard against the solidity of Mika. “You are very impressive, my queen,” Mika whispered in her ear. “Want to go spelunking with me?”
“I would love to.” Leah turned in Mika’s arms and kissed her fervently. “We’d better see to our offspring first.” Leah gasped as she pulled her lips from Mika’s.
“I have to get back there,” Adam was saying as his parents entered the room.
“I don’t think so,” Leah growled.
“I have to, Queen Mommy. If I don’t, everyone will be wondering what happened to me,” her son argued. “It will look strange if I turn up here in New York.”
“I am certain there are terrorists swarming all over that place.” She frowned. “Wait a few days and show up at the US embassy and say you have been hiding from the terrorists. Request safe passage home.”
“That is an excellent idea.” Amber laced her fingers with Adam’s. “I know where you can hide.”
Leah raised her eyebrows.
“Just hide, Leah.” Amber grinned at her.
“Listen.” Sara turned up the TV again.
“In continuing breaking news coverage, it has been reported that over two hundred influential people in various countries died of sudden heart attacks early this morning.”
“That will teach them to threaten my children,” the queen hissed.