“Lastly, let me make one more comment about Jayla. In the first angelic rebellion, the angels were expelled from heaven. Jayla is the first to leave of her own free will, so it is possible that grace and redemption remain. There might be a chance to save her from herself. I will take your questions.”
Jasper spoke. “How do you know what his goal is? I mean, what’s to say he doesn’t want it all? I doubt even Gezon would release Lucifer. His demonic ego is too big to step aside and submit to being second again; no, he’s after it all.”
Jasper’s questions started a volley of comments and concerns being voiced by the entire group. Everyone was speaking at once. Some shouted their questions while others merely commented to the person seated next to them. It was like a presidential news conference and Abbadorn was the president.
“What would Jayla look like now that she is fallen?” Lance inquired.
“If I’m not mistaken, Moses and Noah are dead…how can he make a dead person talk?” Mop asked in confusion.
“Do we know where to look for the ships?” asked Stacy.
“How do you navigate a portal ship?” Sir Lord Bucket asked while looking in his reference manual on all things spiritual. Thunder didn’t appreciate the fact that he had stopped scratching behind his ears, but Jasper sighed in a moment of relief, unbeknownst to Stacy.
“I’m betting Jayla has the ‘red eye’ like all those people in pictures where a flash is used,” Aunt Debbie-Lynne said to Lance. Lance nodded his head and lifted his eyebrows in acknowledgement.
“Is Iconium a gated community like heaven? Can’t they just keep the gates closed?” Tammy Sue Tate wondered aloud.
“STOP THIS…all of you.” Abbadorn once again commanded the group’s attention. “I know now that you have many questions and I have answers. I will come to you in your dreams to answer them one at a time. As an angel, I am on a need-to-know basis. Many answers are communicated to me only in the moment in which I need to understand them. Angels call this form of knowledge a revelation. It is time for you humans to sleep. Your stomachs are full, so empty your minds, rest your bodies, and sleep well, for when tomorrow comes you will need all of your strength.” Abbadorn slowly raised his hands forward toward them all, producing a soft yellow glow, and each of them fell asleep where they sat. He moved slowly from person to person arranging their bodies in a comfortable sleep position. Before he would move to the next person he would touch the one he was with on the crown of the head and utter the word, “reveal.”
chAPTER thirty-five
Wednesday Morning
Teddy was in a foul mood. He wanted no part in the mission to discover the location of the portal ships. After breakfast he simply walked away in the direction of the lava slide, with no plans to return until the away teams had departed.
Abbadorn had received revelation. The ships were indeed hidden somewhere on the properties of Noah’s lake and Moses’ garden. He organized the group into two teams. Stacy thought they should have been called hunting parties, as they were hunting for the portal ships. The first team was named Alpha. The Alpha Team consisted of Lance, Aunt Debbie-Lynne, Stacy, Jasper, and Thunder. Their mission was to fly far away to the tall hills, almost mountain, area, which held the location of Noah’s lake. The second team, which would make the moderate hike to Moses’ garden, was code-named Omega. Omega Team consisted of Sir Lord Bucket, Lieutenant Commander Reginald Mop, Agent Tammy Sue Tate, and the black ops assault team. Abbadorn thought it best to stay out of the way of the humans and instead opted to wait for Teddy to return. Abbadorn had a funny feeling about Teddy, which was very weird for an angel. Angels, by their very nature, did not have many feelings, and most certainly not funny ones. Abbadorn could see the darkness that flowed in and out of Teddy’s aura, and it could only mean there was some measure of deceit in his heart. What was Teddy up to? What had he done, and did he have the right to ask? Abbadorn wanted this unpleasant line of questioning answered.
The teams were equipped with two-way radios and orders from Sir Lord Bucket to stay in contact every 30 minutes. He didn’t care if this place was the next best thing to heaven; as far as he was concerned, “caution” was the only way to proceed. Alpha Team headed out first. With a mighty shout of “MALOOF,” Thunder the brave horse was transformed into an enormous spotted owl. Jasper’s imagination made sure he was large enough to hold his four passengers. Stacy sat next to Aunt Debbie-Lynne with Jasper directly behind her, Lance sitting behind Debbie-Lynne. Thunder expanded his wings, and from end to end they were 45 feet long. Three flaps later they had lifted off for the lake and soon were out of sight.
It took all of one hour to walk to Moses’ garden. The splendid beauty on display resembled a picture from the magazine called Better Homes and Gardens. Omega Team could not express with words the vivid colors they witnessed. Birds and butterflies…how did they get down here? They walked slowly, in awe of the gorgeous floras, most of them not seen since the destruction of the Garden of Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve. The flowers were both immense and majestic with their golden trimmings and purple underbellies. Still, despite wanting to linger and take in the beauty of a spectacle never before seen by any of them, the black ops team had to conduct their mission. They searched outside the grounds of the vast gardens while the rest of the team headed inside the home.
Shortly after their inflight radio communication between Lance and Sir Lord Bucket, Thunder circled the lake from above. The water color was a Caribbean light green. It looked out of place in the high hills, better suited for a tropical location than a mountain-like area. Stacy concluded the possibility of all unspoiled bodies of water might have, in fact, looked just like this at one time, but centuries of soil, air, and water pollution had taken a toll on our big blue planet. Thunder landed at the edge of the lake closest to the home of Noah. “Maloof,” Thunder was now a horse again and very happy to be taking in long sips of pure water. The four of them were equally glad to be stretching their legs before going indoors. Once inside they were amazed to see that every object was made out of wood, with the exceptions of fabric-related materials like a bed pillow and cover. Even the windows had wooden shutters. The cups, bowls, plates-all were made from wood. This truly fascinated them all. Lance and Debbie-Lynne announced that they were going to search around the lake and headed outside with not so much as a goodbye. Stacy noticed they were holding hands. This observation completely eluded Jasper, and Stacy thought it best not to bring it to his attention.
“This is a perfect miniature of Noah’s Ark. Do you think Noah made this himself?” Stacy asked.
“It was his house.” Jasper shrugged his shoulders.
“Curious, all the animals are in groups of two with the exception of these 21 sliding seals. They are in a tight circle going up and down this ramp. Do you think seals were his favorite animal while on the ark? A pet seal-I wonder if they can be potty-trained?”
“Twenty-one sliding seals…that means something, but what?” Jasper and Stacy pondered this for a moment as they knelt down to move the seals up and down the wooden slide.
Back at the garden the black ops team had no luck at all in turning over clues leading to the location of the portal ship. It was a game of hide and go seek, and they tired of it very quickly. Inside Moses’ home was another story completely. The evidence on the walls would bring one to conclude that Moses liked to draw. There was a depiction of the parting of the Red Sea and another of the ancient pyramids of Egypt. There were drawings on the ceiling of the “burning bush” and a snake. In the kitchen across the floor the tiles were arranged in the shape of a portal ship, but no one thought for a second the ship was buried beneath the kitchen floor. However, that gave Agent Tammy Sue Tate an idea. What if he had buried the ship beneath the garden? Tammy Sue took Reginald by the hand and headed out into the garden. Bucket’s jaw dropped open. Holding hands is such a grave violation of professional relations and public displays of affection rules. Reggie, you will never get promoted with i
mproper conduct on record, Bucket said to himself.
Sir Lord Bucket was about to follow after them when he was drawn up short by the sight of the Ten Commandments. It wasn’t a drawing like all the rest. This was curious to him and demanded he take a closer look. It was made from burlap and was displayed hanging like a banner with the commandments stitched into place. Three of them, 10, 9, and 2, were out of sequence and stacked upon each other with only a plus sign separating them. That equals 21, thought Bucket. I wonder if Alpha Team has found anything weird that equals 21.
“Lance, this is Bucket, respond.” Bucket waited a few seconds before repeating himself. “Alpha Team leader, do you copy...” Perhaps the house is blocking the signal. I had better step outside and try again.
Jasper and Stacy could hear Sir Lord Bucket on the radio outside the house. When Bucket repeated himself a second time with no answer from Lance or Aunt Debbie-Lynne, they bolted for the front door. Emerging outside, they came to a sudden stop. There on the steps was the radio, but no Lance and no Aunt Debbie-Lynne.
Bucket walked to the edge of the garden before attempting to reach Lance on the radio again. “Alpha Team, this is Omega Team leader. Respond please,” Bucket said in a tone of voice that would be described in America as bored, but by English standards, this was excitement with a dash of danger and a hint of intrigue.
Stacy scooped up the radio as Jasper waved his hands. “Don't answer him just yet.”
“Something is wrong. Why did they leave this radio on the steps?”
“Listen…did you hear that?” Jasper turned to face the direction of the lake. “The water…they fell into the lake.” Jasper took off running with Stacy hot on his heels.
Sir Lord Bucket walked into the garden, all the while tapping the radio into the palm of his right hand. Perhaps the radio had a short wire or a dead battery. Reggie was in charge of preparing the equipment and checking its readiness status before we departed the palace.
Just another reason to block his rank promotion and keep him close for a little longer. Lost in thought over his little brother and his feeble attempt at fixing the radio, Bucket never noticed the motionless legs, lifelessly stretched out across the garden path, until he tripped over them and landed face-down in the dirt. He looked back over his shoulder and swung around just in time to see those legs move. “What is the meaning of this? Come out of those bushes, whoever you are!” Bucket demanded as he stood up, brushing away the dirt.
Stepping into view were none other than Agent Tammy Sue Tate and her new boyfriend, Lieutenant Commander Reginald Mop. They were both highly embarrassed and had nothing to say in the moment, but that was okay because Bucket did not have that problem. In this moment the only thing he lacked was grace; words…he had plenty of them to say and shout them he did, at the top of his voice. So loud, in fact, all of the black ops team came running into assault positions, not knowing if their commanding officer was under duress. They all snickered before they lowered their weapons and walked away.
Meanwhile back at the lake. The splashing of water was all that they heard. Thunder, fully in tune with Jasper’s will, arrived at the lake first and was already in the water by the time Jasper and Stacy made their way around the house. “Maloof!” Jasper screamed, and Thunder transformed into a seal. He dove underwater in search of Aunt Debbie-Lynne and Lance.
They ran at a frantic pace downward toward the lake…Jasper had his eyes on Thunder, but Stacy had her eyes on the two piles of clothes and neatly-stacked shoes placed side by side that Jasper had just run past without noticing. OMG, OMG, OMG…Stacy repeated to herself. She tried to speak. She needed to warn Jasper, but she was out of breath. Lance and Aunt Debbie-Lynne weren’t in trouble; they were skinny-dipping.
Jasper was unsure who broke the surface of the water first: Aunt Debbie-Lynne, Lance, or Thunder; but one fact was crystal clear: they were naked, and the water temperature was nippy.
“Oh, dear Lord, it’s a sea monster!” Aunt Debbie-Lynne screamed.
“No one has ever called it that,” Lance said with a smile across his face.
“What, what is happening here? What are they doing?” Jasper shouted to Stacy.
“We need to go back to the house; call Thunder back here before Aunt Debbie-Lynne has a heart-attack.” Stacy grabbed Jasper by his arm and began pulling him around toward the house, but Jasper was unable to take his bulging eyes off the incredible sight before him.
Much to his disappointment, Lance finally figured out what was causing Debbie-Lynne’s hysterics. “A seal, you are screaming over a seal. He will not harm you, dear woman. He is the gentleman of the seas.” But that statement would prove to be inaccurate, as Jasper had directed Thunder to push Aunt Debbie-Lynne away from Lance and up to the shore. Thunder did so and also managed to use his mighty rear flipper to splash Lance in the face with a wave of water that knocked him off his feet, and he fell beneath the surface of the water with a loud yelp.
“The butler really did it this time,” Jasper kept repeating all the way up the hill.
“They were holding hands earlier, but wow, I sure as heck didn’t see that coming. Do you think it is possible for this place to enhance love between couples, like the love you feel for God when you are face to face with him in heaven? This place is, after all, part of the supernatural realm. Love connections or emotions could be affected in different ways here.”
“True enough, but, my level of love for you hasn’t changed one bit.”
“Well, of course not. You are part angel at the moment. Currently we are not a completely human couple.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. That jerk Lance needs to keep his hands off my aunt.”
“Just leave them be, Jasper. At their age this might well be the last human love affair they ever have. Besides, they make a great couple.”
“Whatever.” Jasper walked back into the house and shut the door, leaving Stacy standing alone outside. She put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. In all the years she had known Jasper, she had never seen him this flustered. It was cute.
“Bucket to Lance.”
“Sir Lord Bucket, this is Stacy. Lance is helping Aunt Debbie-Lynne out of the water. We are not in danger, just a little wet. Should I tell him to report in when he is available?”
“Yes, that will do. Tell him I need him to look for anything that equals 21, copy.”
“I can answer that now…yes, 21 sliding seals grouped around a miniature Noah’s Ark set. Jasper said it means something. Perhaps Abbadorn can shed some light on the issue. Did you find the ship?”
“Agent Tate believes it is hidden beneath the garden. We will need to go back to the palace to get the proper equipment in order to locate it below. Good thinking from both our ladies, I would say. Debbie-Lynne is forthright to look under the water for the ship on her own without the aid of diving gear. Brave woman, she would have made the most brilliant seamen in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy.”
“Copy that,” Stacy said. For the second time in mere moments she found herself covering her mouth with her hand trying to hold in her snicker. She was so glad it wasn’t up to her to have to explain the details of the event that had just happened.
Meanwhile, back at Teddy’s house, Abbadorn heard Teddy approach long before he ever smelled him. Machine-gun Teddy came up over the hill with a smile on his face until he saw the angel standing by his front door. “Why are you waiting for me, Abbadorn?”
“What are you hiding, Teddy?” Abbadorn waited for Teddy to provide an answer, but instead Teddy walked right past him without saying a word.
Later that night the teams returned. Abbadorn confirmed Stacy’s theory on the new love twosomes. She shared that information with Sir Lord Bucket and Jasper but stopped short of telling the happy couples, because she herself was a hopeless romantic and would take no part in ending their passionate narrative.
The teams briefed each other for a good hour on their findings. There was a discussion concerning the
number 21, and Abbadorn received revelation at that very moment. He revealed to the group that they were to proceed to lava slide destination 21. Bucket sent part of the black ops team back on the lava slide to the palace. They later returned with ground-and-water-penetrating sonar equipment to aid in the pinpoint location of the ships.
Although the mission at hand was extremely important, the group still needed rest; they were, after all, only human. It was late into the night, and Abbadorn instructed them to sleep while he watched over them. Jasper made sure his aunt was not much more than five feet away before closing his own eyes. Lance would not be getting away with any “funny business” on this night. Stacy was amused by his behavior and said to herself, Lord have mercy on the boy who dates our daughter. Stacy realized this was how her parents behaved during the church camping trips. She could never figure out why her dad sat up at the campfire all night, but now she did. Daddy was watching out, watching out to prevent “funny business” from happening to his little girl. After that thought she felt homesick, wishing that her parents were with her right now; but ten seconds later, after closing her eyes while resting her head on Jasper’s chest, she decided that she really didn’t miss them all that much. Daddy certainly wouldn’t approve of the “funny business” she now employed with her part-human part-angel boyfriend. She fell asleep, a smile upon her face and Jasper’s arms tightly around her waist. For now, with Jasper and Thunder sharing angelic powers, she was safe from the “funny business” that Jasper would be all too willing to join in on. The last thought that occupied her mind before sleep took her away was this one nagging but sad question: Can angels fall in love?
Jasper: Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight (Jasper - Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight Book 1) Page 19