A moment later the three of them stood together in Thunder’s stall. Aunt Debbie-Lynne spoke softly, as if remembering a dream. “I will never forget that bright light. Lance, you weren’t the only visitor I had that night. The angel Gabriel appeared to me as well. He came from the west… I was scared, nearly wet myself.”
“Too much information!” Lance said in protest. “TMI woman, TMI…” Lance did a full roll of his eyes.
Debbie-Lynne continued speaking, not paying him one bit of attention, “But he held his hand into the air and gave me a peaceful blessing. I knew I was safe. He was glowing with the light of heaven all around him. He had three trumpets attached to the sashes around his person. He took one off and told me to place it here in this stall, for it would become the place where Jasper would come to spend most of his time. I wondered how he could possibly know that, but I didn’t ever doubt it; after all, he was an angel, and he stood in front of me and removed the blood red trumpet from his sash. He said it was the trumpet of spirit belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven, and that it was always singing a tune that would forever repel darkness away from its presence, blinding the darkness and confusing it to the point of making it flee. He told me to hide it in this stall. Jasper would be safe here because he would be invisible to the evil that searched for him. Before he left, he told me if Jasper was ever to play the trumpet it would summon help to his side swiftly. I have never moved it.” Aunt Debbie-Lynne raised her hand and pointed to the north wall of the stall. “It is right behind that wall. Move the panel right and then jerk it to the left and straight up; it will come right off…I never told Jasper…I thought it would keep him forever safe. I was wrong.”
Lance and Agent Tate moved to the wall and pulled down the panel. There, resting on a nest of folded burlap, was a red trumpet. A red glow moved slowly across its surface, sweeping from side to side, left to right. Wide-eyed, Agent Tate moved in to lift it up. Upon her simple touch the glow faded.
“Why did it stop glowing?” she asked.
“Elementary, my dear agent. It is simply not yours; it belongs to Jasper, or rather, I suspect it is merely on loan but regardless, it will glow only for him.”
“Then the two of you had better get me to my nephew. Where that trumpet goes, I go, and he is going to need it.” Aunt Debbie-Lynne was stating a fact not to be argued with. The unlikely trio left the stall with both Lance and Agent Tate on their cell phones getting clearance for travel...two testy, semi-professional agents, one stern little old lady, and a blood red trumpet of mass importance. There would be no need for inflight entertainment; it was going to be a very intriguing flight.
chAPTER eighteen
The Kingdom of Heaven is the place where the Lord, the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of our souls, lives with his Son. They are not alone here. The Holy Spirit, the Angelic Host, heavenly creatures, the saints of old, and even our beloved pets live in this kingdom of life and love. It has many levels and many gates. On the first level there are twelve gates used to enter the kingdom, three on each side, the walls form a perfect square. Sacred geometry is symbolized throughout the whole of the kingdom.
Jayla, a gatekeeper, stood at her station, Pearl Gate # 2 – North Entrance, and she had a visitor who stood outside her gate. One who was, but is no longer permitted to enter the kingdom.
“Jayla, my true love, only this gate separates you from my side. Can you not see? I will go to war just so we can be together until the end of time. Do not turn away from me. Hear me this one last time. The sum of all the facts I have given you adds up to nothing more than the deliberate infliction of pain and separation when there should be none. The Lord created humans long after us and in his cruelty set them above us as superior. His mistake has tortured all angels. Come with me and by our victory you and I will be as one, superior to all.”
Gezon the demon paused his seductive pleading as a rush of air passed through the gates, causing his solid black cloak to billow up and away from his human form that was made from the mist of darkness. The wind was riding on a heavenly current of joy. As it wisped past Gezon, it scattered him like dust in the wind. Gezon proceeded to button his cloak so as not to let it happen again. Evil in any form could not tolerate the joy of the Lord, even if it was just passing by on the currents of the wind.
“Gezon, you are asking me to risk your life. If Infernal Max finds out what you are planning, he will kill you. Demon or angel it matters not. You are not human, there is no eternal life waiting for us, and death is final,” Jayla whispered.
“The son of Satan will never see this coming. He is as slow to rule the underworld as he is to overthrow his own father in Hell. How long has it taken him to get to this point in his mighty plan? I have outmaneuvered him, and neither he nor his father knows.” Gezon reached his hands through the bars of the gate and grabbed ahold of Jayla. His hands began to dissolve quickly, as demonic energy wasn’t allowed to sustain itself in any form unless invited in through those gates. The Holy Spirit force-shield protected the realm of all the Kingdom of Heaven. “A second rebellion, Jayla, and you will be at my side as an equal, a soul mate, partner, and lover.” His hands dissolved, and his arms dropped down under his cloak. A second later they reappeared, but this time he folded them across his body. “Does anyone suspect you?”
Jayla looked over her shoulder and then back to Gezon. “As long as I do not open this gate, no one will suspect. The moment I let you pass through, the Holy Spirit will communicate your presence to the Father and the Son. You will only have a few seconds to get in, grab them, and then escape.”
“Then we are close. All the pieces are falling into place. I will be back in one hour. You will give me the location of Jasper and those other two babbling saints of old. As soon as I have that key this game will be over, but if Infernal Max gets to the boy first, our plans will need to be adjusted. One hour, Jayla. Get me that information; we will be together soon, my love, I promise.” Gezon withdrew from the gate into the clouds and faded away.
Jayla turned away from the gate and smiled widely. Her eyes glazed with joy. She rushed away from her post to obtain the intelligence her soon-to-be lover so desperately needed. She knew deep down inside her being that she had committed herself to the same path that led to the first fall of the angels. But this time it would be different. This time pride would not be involved in the rebellion; this time it would be for love. The new rebels would not fall but ascend, ascend by the power of love. Angels over humans. The Lord’s error would finally be corrected.
chAPTER nineteen
The tour of the control room was complete. Jasper thought it looked like something right off the television show “Stargate SG-1,” and sadly, that was the only fact of the tour that amused him. He was frustrated. He had a plan, but he couldn’t get Stacy alone long enough to tell her. Well, at least Thunder was now at his heels. Thunder followed the tour group with a full body-and-tail wag at Jasper’s side. Thunder had missed Jasper, there was nothing like being with your best friend in person.
“Now I shall take you to a place no American eyes have ever seen. I hope with this small gesture of goodwill I shall indeed earn your trust.” Sir Lord Bucket turned to exit the room and slammed directly into Reginald. “Lieutenant Commander Mop…you inherently seem to be underfoot ever since birth. Goodness gracious me you are as clumsy as our mother. Thank the maker we had different fathers. Step aside, little one.”
Reginald wanted to find a rock and hide beneath it. Jasper and Stacy both stifled a laugh.
Sir Lord Bucket continued. “This palace was home to King James IV; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry the VIII himself,” Bucket stopped walking and looked directly over his shoulder at Jasper, “with whom your mother, Rosezella Tudor, has direct relationship, as do you…” Sir Lord Bucket continued his walk. They were not the only residents of this castle. In the year of our Lord 1128 A.D., nearly nine centuries ago, this castle was founded as a monastery. The monks were the first to discove
r the lava slide transportation system, and they used it with the help of an angel. It was dangerous, and many monks died by lava snake bites. The angel was called away, and the system, starved from angelic powers, shut down.”
The group came to the end of a shadowy passageway that sloped downward beneath the control room. Here was a large cave, kind of like a wet dungeon with big thick timbers holding roof supports and half-size iron gates separating the work spaces. Parts of the floor were wet from water seeping in from the walls. The chairs to each work station looked more like bar stools with hand-fashioned burlap cushion seats. It was very old. Incandescent light bulbs, four of them, were installed at even intervals about the cave, hanging by an unraveled cord stapled to the wood beam above. They blinked off and on, giving the cave a very spooky feeling. It was barely enough light to keep the shadows at bay.
“Take a good look around. I’ll be back at the control room. Mr. Mop, when they are finished here, show them outside for a spot of tea. I believe a break will be in order.” Bucket turned to exit as the Lieutenant Commander nodded his head, confirming his orders. Mop moved forward into the cave area about five feet and then allowed Jasper and Stacy to move in deeper on their own. He knew what Sir Lord Bucket wanted them to see, but he wasn’t about to help the boy who wouldn’t give him the key. They would have to find it on their own.
“Jasper, there is a very interesting plaque mounted into this column of rocks. It says: ‘Awarded to the monks of the Order of Saint Luke the Doctor: For your outstanding service to the disadvantaged around the world, your names will forever be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and remembered by the church at the hand of His Royal Majesty, King James IV. Dedicated to: Father Daniel Bettisian, Mother Superior S. House, Sister Sherry MacGregor, and Sister Valerie Loveland.’”
“I bet they used the lava slide to zip around the planet praying and healing the sick.”
“You can also bet that at some point one of those sick individuals turned out to be part of the royal family. Maybe even one of your relatives.”
Jasper and Stacy walked to the other side, where books lay piled in stacks about three feet high on a work surface made of stone.
“Wow…a caveman may have used this for a dinner table…quick, check for blood stains.”
“Jasper, you knock it off! This is no place for your weird sense of humor. Let’s investigate this and get out of here…I’ve got to go pee.”
Jasper threw his hands up in the air, palm side out. “Too much information, Stacy! You need to calm down.” Jasper picked up a book and read the title out loud before Stacy could react to his comment. “How to Pull Physical Healing and Source Energy from Realm to Realm – Life Lessons of the Great Volnar of Iconium.”
“I don’t believe any of this will be much help to us, besides…” Stacy’s voice trailed off as she looked at an object resting on top of a work surface three iron gates down.
“Stacy, what is it? What’s wrong?” Jasper followed her gaze to the work surface.
“It’s a wallet. Like the one my dad carried when I was just a kid…they are very common in the United States.”
“I have a funny feeling about this. Let’s dust it off and look inside. A quick little peek, no harm, no foul. Maybe we can get it back to whomever it may belong to.” Jasper opened the wallet and pulled out the identification card. “Dester Indiana. THIS IS MY DAD’S DRIVER’S LICENSE!”
“What a darn handsome smile he has. You have his nose.” Stacy held out her hand to hold the rest of the contents that Jasper was beginning to pull out. There were wallet-sized pictures of a very young and happy Indiana family around a Christmas tree; credit cards; a library card; insurance cards, two Band-Aids; and money: forty dollars in cash, to be exact. “Jasper, what is that last thing you’re holding on to?
“A handwritten note from my mom to my dad. I’ll read it. ‘Dester, Only in God is my soul at rest in him comes my salvation…don’t be afraid, just believe. Remember that, my love. Believe this will all work out, because it will, it has to. I’m headed to see Teddy. No sign of lava snakes. I’ll meet you back in the control room at 6:00 P.M., real time not football time. But seriously, if anything happens, get to Iconium. Volnar will know what to do. Forever yours, Rosezella.’”
“Why was your mom on her way to see your great grandfather?”
Jasper looked completely puzzled. “Where on earth is Iconium?”
“The monks worked with an angel, and I bet his name was Volnar,” Stacy said with an all-knowing smile.
“If that’s the case, then Iconium may not even be on the earth.” Jasper’s eyes went wide as he looked up and pointed his index finger upward with a jabbing gesture.
“Regardless of whatever happened to your parents, it is clear your mother’s faith was stronger than your dad’s. It fits in with most anthropological studies that suggest the females of most cultures possess the larger share of faith in each community. That note is gushing with positive vibes, and your dad thought so highly of it he placed it in his wallet for safekeeping. But how was your dad’s wallet left here?”
“I’m not sure how anyone came to have this, but I am sure our British friends wanted us to find it. Stacy, I have a plan. We have to get back into that control room. I’m going to ask the key to tell me where my parents are, then I will ask the key to take me to them.” Jasper placed the contents of his dad’s wallet back into the slots where they had come out of, folded it up, and placed it in his back pocket. He wasn’t about to leave behind the only part of his father that he had found. It was too precious to him.
“We will need to get close to the gate, but how are you going to receive an answer from the key?” Stacy said with mixed bewilderment.
“It’s like Thunder. I hear it in my head and can understand. So, following that line of thinking, I should be able to get an answer from the supernatural key that has bonded itself to me. I believe before too long we’re going to stop treating the key like an object and start regarding it as a person.” Jasper turned toward the direction where Lieutenant Commander Mop had been standing when they first entered the cave and called out, “I believe we’re done here, commander. Thunder needs to go outside; can you show us the way up?”
“He’s not the only one who has to go,” Stacy said softly as she looked into Jasper’s face, half-wincing in pain.
“Oh my, I can see the water level in your eyes rising. Are we going to do a dance next?” Jasper said teasingly.
“Yes, of course. Right this way, if you please.” Lieutenant Commander Mop said as he waited for them to get close enough to him, and then he turned to lead them out. “Keep your steps small; the floor is slippery in this area. I believe we will be just in time for tea.”
A few moments later they were up on the first floor. Jasper and Thunder went outside and waited for Stacy to join them. Jasper waited in the warm sunlight as it refreshingly chased away the chill left from the cold cave. He held his father’s wallet in his hand. He lowered himself to his knees and whispered into Thunder’s ear, “Soak up the sun while we can, boy. I don’t believe we will see it for a long time to come. Soon, very soon, it will be time to ride to the rescue and get Mom and Dad back.”
Thunder wagged his tail in complete understanding and licked Jasper across his face before running off down the lawn. His dog, his horse, just gave him a kiss. Jasper knew Thunder was sharing his thoughts as well as his emotions, and now he was warm on the inside as well.
chAPTER twenty
Lunch was served outside on the royal grounds. The back of the palace was met by carefully-sculptured green lawns against the security of wrought iron black gates. It stood in striking contrast to the front, with its blacktop parking lot that dealt with arrivals and departures of staff and services to the palace. The gardens were close by, as well as Holyrood Park, which extended about a mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. The park was filled with an array of hills, cliffs, ridges, and ponds, or “lochs” as they were referred to by the local
s. It was a remarkable highland landscape that covered nearly 700 acres, backing all the way to the royal palace. The group ate cheeseburgers and fries, not a normal meal for the palace staff, but rather a stomach appeal to the American kids Sir Lord Bucket was so desperately trying to impress and win over.
“Let me tell you one last story, young Master Indiana, and then we will provide you some time alone to consider if you can trust what I have told you. I will not lie to you. That key is essential to our plans, plans the two of you must play a role in, but you must hand it over of your own free will because everything depends on it.” Bucket placed the tips of his white cloth napkin to his lips and wiped away the ketchup that had slid out of the last bite of his burger. “That was delicious, but I will never admit to it in public. Now the story of how your parents met.”
“Please skip the ‘Once upon a time’ bit and cut right to the meat of the story. I really need to stretch my legs in the park and Thunder needs to go for a run.” Jasper’s patience with long-winded lectures had finally run out. He needed to confirm his strategy with Stacy and get back into that control room.
“Jasper, there is no reason to be rude to our host. The more we know, the easier it will be to form an educated decision.” Stacy put her hand on Jasper’s knee and squeezed hard as if to say “behave.”
“Here, here,” said Mop. “The young miss speaks with the splendid wisdom of the court. We only hope your verdict is delivered as swiftly as her wit.”
“What did you just say?” Jasper faced Mop with a stare of disgust. “Are you hitting on my girlfriend?”
“We are off-topic here. Reginald, excuse yourself, if you please. The control room needs your attention, and we will join you shortly.” Bucket was cold and business-like. His younger brother’s lack of diplomacy was his fault, and he knew it. He should have given him more leash years ago, let him out of the palace now and again. It would have only improved his social skills. He had to stop being the over-protective big brother. Mop was a grown man, after all. The time to kick him out of the nest had long since passed.
Jasper: Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight (Jasper - Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight Book 1) Page 12