Jasper bent down and whispered to Thunder, “Get us out of here, boy.”
Thunder charged forward, leading the way. They moved into a maze of moving crystal walls, and Thunder’s glow was all but muted…Jasper could feel the fear welling up inside of Thunder. He could almost hear the quickened heartbeats. “Don’t be afraid of the dark, Thunder. Close your eyes and let your sense of smell guide the way. We’re together as one, not alone.” Jasper placed the palm of his hand upon Thunder’s back. They moved in sync with each other as never before, and then they disappeared into the utter darkness.
chAPTER forty-four
“You should not be down here, Jasper Indiana,” a weak female voice commented from over his shoulder. She was an angel in a locked cage closest to where he and Thunder had emerged from the crack in the wall. He now stood in horror, attempting to take in and make sense of what he was seeing. His eyes slowly adjusted to the pools and beams of greenish-yellow light, but nothing in his mind could explain away what he was looking at.
“Who are you talking to, Tessa?” said the Irish-sounding angel in the next cage over. She was dripping wet and had a greenish-yellowish glow emulating from her just like the fish, or Thunder when he was in the river. As Jasper looked over the whole scope of the connected cages, it was the same in each one.
“It is okay, baby…help will soon be on the way…rest now.” The Irish angel put her head back down. It was too painful to move, too painful to talk, or do anything but be still and silent because that was the way Lucifer wanted it. Drain the captured angels of their energy, let them rest, then drain them again.
Jasper moved closer to the cage. “I know you…I’ve seen you before in the memory Bell shared with me. You were in her classroom at angel school…Tessa, what has he done to all of you?” Jasper pointed to the hundreds of cages double-and-tripled-stacked upon each other, row after row rising up against the back of the great wall.
“I do not believe the Father can see us or hear us behind that angelic energy barrier. The water is the conduit. Remember that, Jasper. Shut off the water and it ends.” Tess, her voice failing her, slowly dropped her head to the floor of the cage. Facing Jasper, she closed her eyes and cried.
“I’ll tell Abbadorn about this place. Then Creator will learn where you are and he will send help, I’m sure of it. Just hang on.” Jasper and Thunder took a step backward. They could understand it all now. It was so simple: imprisoned angels connected by iron cages with soaking wet copper cables all flowing into the greenish-yellowish energy barrier, same color as the glowing fish, into one point on the barrier wall itself. Jasper moved to stand next to the enormous trunk cable inserted into that single point. He bent over to grab the cable and pull it out of the barrier.
“STOP, do not pull on that cable! It will KILL you,” said Bell from inside his head. Thunder let out a bark; he could hear her, too.
“Bell…how can we hear you?” Jasper said aloud.
“My life force essence is made strong due to the barrier. Just listen to me and try not to talk, or he will hear you. He is never gone from his throne room for long. He needs to constantly recharge his super demonic powers by sitting in his throne. That throne is on the other side of this cable as it goes through the barrier. He is draining the creation life force out of the angels at a slow enough rate to keep them alive but powerless. In this case the water is a river of death, not life. He is truly a master of evil, and he has arrived. Spy on him and learn his truth. You can see him, but no one can see through the barrier from the audience chamber side of his throne room because he wants to keep the secret of his super powers hidden from all his minions or he fears he will lose control over them.”
Lucifer sat upon his throne, and the whole room exploded with the light from the energy barrier. It was a copycat image he had created of the Father’s throne room in Heaven at the Mount of Assembly.
“Stop boring me with your crop circle report. You are wasting my time with wormholes, animal mutilations, and Moth-Man. None of this is bringing me the matching DNA I require to put forth my seed upon the earth. I need my very own Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and you clowns are making circles in cornfields.” Lucifer was nearly shouting at the three aliens that stood before him. There was a lizard-looking man with a tail, a giant bug that resembled a standing praying mantis, and a little grey looking man with an oversized bobble-head and large black eyes. Jasper recognized him from the famous Roswell, New Mexico, crash pictures and dummies on display at the UFO Museum. He must have been from that same race of aliens in the crash of July 1947.
“Double your efforts, gentlemen, more abduction and more tests. Find me a match, or I will end you.” There was a flash of lightning and a small moment of blindness. Jasper could no longer see the lizard man or praying mantis. They were gone, somehow transported by that lightning. Only the little grey remained. “Sorry to bore you with all of that. You have been brought to me because you are the leader of your planet and your race. I need to know if you will give me your complete assistance?”
“We do not fear you. We know you are imprisoned in this realm and cannot leave this sphere. Why should we help you place your child amongst the human population?”
“Because the humans need a real savior…they are lost without me.”
“It is forbidden to interfere in the Creator’s work on Earth. To do so is to invite destruction. My home world will not become the next Mars.”
“How will destruction look to you as my other alien friends attack your civilization? I will press you into my service, and if you resist me again, I will end you. You will stop shooting down the space crafts of my associates and begin abductions. You will send me your first report in 48 earth hours, or the attack on your home world will begin. Now leave.” A flash of lightning and the little grey was gone, but another stood where he had just been.
“My lord…” The demons, 12 of them, bowed before their master. The one closest to the throne spoke. “The United Nations has just adopted the world flu vaccination program. Within seven years, the entire population on earth will have identical chemicals flowing around inside their human bodies.” The demons let out a bloodcurdling laugh.
“How many years will it take after that for the level of toxins we have placed in the food and water supply to build up in the brain with this vaccine-enabling mind control?”
“We estimate three and a half years. Each human is slightly different. Some will be sooner, and a very small portion will be completely immune, but not many. We will need to ensure that all cell phones worldwide transmit on the same frequency in order to receive your instructions.”
“Good, that will give me time to think of my very first command. Should it be something simple like ‘fall to your knees and worship me.’ Perhaps something rather fun like ‘kill your elected leaders.’ Oh, what joyous days we have ahead of us! We will talk more later; I have another appointment. Go back to the United Nations and work on the cell phone issue. The undeveloped world needs the World Wide Web and smartphones in which to gain access. Internet and phones for all. I am a genius. This is quintessential to my plan, gentlemen. Keep me posted on your progress.”
“Yes, my lord.” The demons bowed and vanished within the bolt of lightning. When the bolt cleared, another visitor stood in Lucifer’s presence. It was Abbadorn. It took all of his might just to stand up. Lucifer had toyed with him hour upon hour, giving him power, then taking it away. Abbadorn was exhausted.
Jasper was startled to see Abbadorn so lifeless, grey, and looking like a thirsty, wilted flower in the hot summer sun of August. What had happened to his friend? Jasper moved forward, pressing against the barrier.
“Jasper, you must not go through the barrier. You and Thunder are part angel, and this barrier kills angels,” Bell said from inside Jasper’s head.
“I can do this, we can do this, we must do this…I’m going to do it now!” Jasper and Thunder pressed through the barrier and emerged into the throne room on the other side
, winded and temporarily impaired.
“What in the me is this?” Lucifer said with curious irrelevance. “You have to leave now. I’m in a meeting, and besides, tours are given on Monday.” Lucifer stepped over to where Jasper and Thunder lay motionless. He bent over to examine the new arrivals closely. “I will need to speak to administration about this. There has been a mistake, and you’re both still alive.” Lucifer sighed. He reached out with both hands. Touching them on their foreheads, he restored their strength. “Well, this is interesting…I behold a boy and his dog, but you’re not completely a boy or completely a dog, so what are you?”
“Abbadorn, look at me,” Jasper said desperately, trying to gain his attention.
“How do we know Abbadorn? I see you are a person of some angelic means…are you a new species?” Jasper did not answer. “You are being rude. May I suggest you answer my question before I become bored and dispose of you with all the rest of my unwanted toys?”
Jasper looked directly into Lucifer’s eyes. “What do you want from me?” Disgust drenched his every word.
“Tell me a little about yourself. A name would be a perfect place to start, but as I am your unwilling and gracious host, I’ll go first. My name is Lucifer Morningstar, the King of the Underworld, the Prince of the Air, Earth, and Seas. I produce hurricanes, floods, tornados, mudslides, forest fires, earthquakes, and tidal waves, but I’m not limited to weather. I also have a knack for murder and war; they are fun hobbies of mine. I enjoy long and unending plagues and sunset walks on the beach after a good tsunami.”
Jasper shook his head; he was fearful in this moment but decided to play it cool. “A pleasure to meet you, Lucifer Morningstar. I’m a really big admirer of some of your work. My name is Jasper Indiana, and this is my faithful companion, Thunder. We are here to collect our friend Abbadorn and go home.”
“Jasper, is it?” Lucifer began to walk circles around him and Thunder. He looked hungry. “I am not accustomed to sharing my toys. This is my sandbox and besides, Abbadorn just appeared out of nowhere, he wants to be here.” Lucifer smiled. “I know your great grandfather. How is Teddy doing these days? We miss our little fireside chats with him.” He tightened his circle, drawing closer to them both as they stood up.
That question had the desired effect, for it sent chills down Jasper’s back, and Thunder couldn’t help but bark. Jasper reached around his back and pulled at his sash, taking his trumpet into his hands. “Don’t make me use this. I have a feeling it might hurt just a little bit, and it won’t be because I’m off-tune.”
Lucifer stopped cold in his tracks. “What is a human child from Allegan, Michigan, doing with the trumpet of Gabriel? Jasper, you are a naughty boy. How did you steal that?” Jasper looked shocked. He knew where he was from…what else could he know. “I know who you are…Gezon’s little pet project. I have watched you most of your life. How is Stacy? Her parents are in China this week. I keep tabs on the Applekart family. Her uncle had some DNA back in the day and it was so close to what I require. I wonder if Stacy’s body has what I need.” Lucifer walked back to sit in his throne. The throne emitted a dazzling display of lights, then subsided leaving an image shimmering in front of him like a movie projection. Lucifer narrated as the vision was set in motion. “I remember the first week Nibbles the hamster came to live with her, she never put him down…but her cat Kelso had other thoughts about that critter, thoughts that I was very fond of. He wanted to murder Nibbles, and who could blame him? He became such a plump hamster, y-u-m-m-y.”
“Leave Stacy alone, you beast!” the image vanished.
“Now, now, now, why are we reduced to name-calling? You really need to use those good manners Aunt Debbie-Lynne taught you; you can do better than this if you just try. You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar. How about a fish story? Did Stacy ever tell you about the time she thought her fish had disappeared, only to later find its bones stuck inside the shell at the bottom of the tank that it had become trapped in?”
“Oh, bibble babble bubble bottoms,” Jasper said as incoherently as possible.
“That is not the answer I was looking for. Really, Jasper, I know all about you and your friends. I have a new idea: why don’t you come to work for us? Why, we have a lot of opportunities for a boy such as you. With the proper instruction you could become a key asset.”
Jasper’s intuition told him this game of chicken was coming to an end. By now Jasper understood he wouldn’t be able to defeat the Father of Lies in a battle of wits. Jasper and Thunder ran over to Abbadorn. Jasper shook him, and when his blank stare was unchanged, he slapped him across the face. Abbadorn came out of his trance-like state.
“Jasper…why did you come here?” Abbadorn whispered.
“To save my friend.” and in that single moment of understanding they both shared in a smile together.
Lucifer screamed from his throne. “HOW DARE YOU!” The light increased to such a degree that even the shadows were chased away from the throne room. Jasper could now see beyond the room and out through the six archways that led away from the throne room. He picked the one closest to them and made sure Thunder knew which escape route they would be taking when the time came. Lucifer understood what Jasper was doing and began to openly mock his offer of human friendship.
Bell…this is the moment of truth. If ever you were going to speak in my head, do it now for Abbadorn’s sake, Jasper said to himself, knowing that both Thunder and Bell would hear him. Abbadorn was at a fork in the road. Which path would he choose to step upon and what would he choose to believe? Jasper hoped his new friend had yet to be seduced by power. Suddenly Jasper had a shift in vision, and he was seeing for the first time as angels see things. Abbadorn was covered by a black auric field of energy, and Lucifer was covered in an angry red energy with a deep black outlines. Bell’s words tumbled into his head, and he spoke them.
“Abbadorn, you have lost your way, but the Father can find you if you let him.”
“It is impossible,” Abbadorn snapped.
“No, with Creator all things are possible.”
“I have nothing left, and I cannot give Him what I no longer have.”
“HIS grace is sufficient.”
“I do not know which way to go…Bell, is that you? Help me...please.”
“HE will direct your steps.”
“I am not worth it. The journey is not worth the pain; there is no hope, only harm.”
“HE will make it worth it.”
Abruptly Lucifer jumped off of his throne. He realized he was losing his grip over Abbadorn and was not about to let that happen. The room went dark the second he left the throne. Jasper could still see him through Bell’s angel vision; he was walking swiftly toward them. Jasper and Thunder moved in front of Abbadorn to block Lucifer’s approach. Standing between them, he placed his hands upon Abbadorn’s shoulders. A shower of golden light fell from a swirling cloud that had formed high above them in the very top of the throne room. Lucifer fell to the floor, covering his eyes and shouting repeatedly, “HOLY SPIRIT, NOOO!!! It’s not my time, not my time, not my time.”
Abbadorn continued, “I can’t manage.”
A booming voice spoke inside the swirling light. “I will supply all your needs.”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I will give you wisdom.”
“I can’t forgive myself. I have been wrong to doubt.”
“Cast all your cares upon me, Abbadorn, for I will never leave you or forsake you. Abbadorn, I love you.”
There was a short pause before Abbadorn declared, “I believe you. I renounce the presence of evil, and I resist it. Thank you for my existence. Forgive me.”
“Forgiveness is not necessary.”
The cloud of the Holy Spirit dissipated and the golden light of protection disappeared with it. Jasper and Thunder could feel Bell’s presences within them receding quickly; the last word she said, with all the muster of her still, small voice, was “RUN!”
chAPTER forty-five
Jayla was the best choice for pilot, and she knew it. No one else possessed the angelic knowledge needed just to open the door and enter the ships, let alone move them to Teddy’s house. That was why, at the urging of Commander Mop and Agent Tate, she accepted the task of moving those ships. Jayla concluded that she had indeed been accepted into Jasper’s group by her actions alone. Surely she had proved her good intentions and loyalty, but no one trusted her. There was an air of doubt that surrounded her, seemingly radiating off her like water from a lawn sprinkler. Everything she touched, everything she did, had a tangible question mark next to it, leaving the entire group asking one question: “Why is she helping us?”
But no one could deny it, Jayla was more than helpful; she was an asset to the performance of the teams. If it wasn’t for her, the portal ships would still be right where they had found them. Beyond that, she also must still hold some divine creation energy; pure evil was unable to produce that which was needed for flight in a portal ship. Everyone wondered about this, yet no one was bold enough to ask her directly. The team had split into two recovery units, both with the same type of sonar equipment. Locating The Noah was easy; it was, in fact, at the bottom of the lake. They pinpointed its location on the monitor, and afterward Jayla joined hands with Agent Tate and misted away, popping up inside the ship.
As soon as they were on board, the interior gem lights glowed to life, and the craft lit up outside like a star. Agent Tate radioed their status while Jayla achieved liftoff. Within minutes they had risen out from the lake and were hovering for a landing near Teddy’s house. It was as easy as 1, 2, and 3.
Moving The Moses took much more effort. For starters, it took twice as long to locate. A ship hiding underwater sends back a clearer ping result than a ship under tons of rocks and dirt. Calibration of the image scanners to identify the known and unknown core minerals of a part of the planet where no sonar had gone before was difficult at best. Commander Mop was amazed that the solution to his new problem came from the youngest person in the group. It was Stacy’s brilliant idea to sample and X-ray The Noah. Placing those results into the equipment database, the mission obstacle had been removed.
Jasper: Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight (Jasper - Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight Book 1) Page 24