Guardian of Time

by Linda Hawley

  “I think the Nectar Time is good for you, Ann.”

  “I think you’re right. I know you already know…I’ve been dreaming of him more frequently since we’ve been up here.”

  “Yes,” he replied simply.

  “It feels like Armond is nearby. Like in the next room,” I said, amazed. “Why do you think that is?”

  Chow was silent for some time. “Not long before I left Korea as a teenager, we had many family members come to visit. Perhaps they knew Edwin and I were moving away. My uncle, whom I was very close to, came to visit. I always felt like he was a holy man of sorts. He sat down with me one night and spoke of Twin Flames…”

  “What are Twin Flames?” I asked, eager to know.

  “Patience, Ann, patience. Twin flames are literally the other half of our soul…”

  “Oh, you mean soul mates,” I said, interrupting again.

  “No, I do not,” he said sternly.

  Maybe I shouldn’t interrupt him anymore.

  “A human can have more than one soul mate, but there is only one twin flame. Most of us never meet our twin flame in this life. But sometimes, it does happen. Your twin flame is divine love—it is complete and unconditional.”

  I wanted to interrupt Chow, but instead I held my tongue and listed to him.

  “Through this unconditional love, you learn divine empathy. The empathy that you feel for your twin flame then extends to all of mankind, and then to creatures of the earth,” Chow added, then paused.

  He gave me a few moments to process what he had explained.

  “I believe Armond is your twin flame.”

  “You know, I’ve never seen another couple who had the kind of connection that he and I did. At first I thought it was just odd. But as time moved forward, I realized it was incredible.”

  “It is incredible. Uncle told me that twin flames have been known to help one another through the veil, after one has passed on to the world of spirits. Perhaps that is what you are feeling now. Maybe Armond is helping you to bring The Prophecies to pass.”

  Chow’s insight astonished me.

  “This is the first time I have seen you so surprised that you stopped speaking, Ann,” he teased me.

  I smiled, still processing all I had just learned from my friend.

  Chapter 33

  MOUNT ABU, INDIA

  The Year 2015

  We had our answer later that day as we met with the GOG trio. We resumed our same seating on the meeting room floor, atop our cushions.

  “Initial reports are that your mission was a success,” Aarushi said with a smile.

  I sighed a breath of relief. “That’s very good news.”

  “How was it confirmed?” Chow asked.

  “It’s just as you said,” Shubham replied. “The virus you planted changed the formula that computes rations for the people. We received reports from a number of GOG contacts throughout India already; food allotments have increased.”

  Chow and I looked at one another, and we smiled in satisfaction.

  Success, I thought excitedly.

  “But what if they discover the virus? Can’t it simply be quarantined?” Shubham challenged us.

  Chow quickly answered. “Much like living organic viruses, this virus self-replicates using a hidden code within the system…”

  “Won’t the government’s software find your virus at some point?” Shubham said, interjecting.

  “The only way to insert this type of virus is into the server itself; otherwise it would have been caught by their virus defense network. It is now fully concealed,” Chow informed Shubham.

  “I can’t believe that’s possible,” the naysayer said grimly.

  “You see, Shubham, our virus self-replicates randomly. So it is impossible to track. Some of the people will have more rations one day, and then others will have increased rations on another day. It is like a moving target. I expect that the government will have no idea that they even have a problem, until they start to see their hoard of food diminishing faster than what they had originally computed. At first they will likely assume that government workers are stealing it to re-sell the food on the black market. That could go on for some time,” Chow explained, trying to reassure Shubham.

  “What you’ve done here is magnificent,” Aarushi said appreciatively.

  Aahan chimed in. “I agree. On behalf of the people of India, I thank you both for what you’ve done.”

  Shubham remained silent; he seemed ever the skeptic.

  “My friends, I believe our work here is done,” Aarushi announced.

  Chow and I looked at one another; we didn’t expect that. We looked back at the three.

  Shubham added, “Of course, if you have more time, I’d like you to go back in time and change my stock portfolio.” He then laughed obnoxiously.

  “Shubham!” Aarushi scolded him, while Aahan looked at his feet.

  Shubham promptly stopped laughing, but he didn’t look remorseful.

  Aahan looked up at Chow and me. “Again, we are grateful for your travel all this way and for what you have done. I am certain God is happy,” he said, nodding to us in gratitude.

  “Thank you. That’s why we’re fighting the good fight, right?” I said.

  Aarushi and Aahan nodded, while Shubham’s head remained still. Aarushi then stood, with all of us following.

  “Why don’t we have dinner together and then say our farewells?” Aarushi suggested. “The three of us are leaving together tomorrow, just after Amrit Vela.”

  “We would enjoy a final meal together,” I nodded with a smile.

  After parting ways outside our conference room, Chow and I walked the University grounds.

  “What was going on with Shubham?” I asked Chow once we were alone.

  “I sense there is something we do not know about him. I was careful not to explain exactly how the virus works, because I felt uncomfortable with his questions.”

  “I noticed that you didn’t tell him that you changed the algorithm and the logic of the computer itself. I thought that was a pretty significant omission. You don’t trust him?”

  “No.”

  Reflexively, I turned my head to look at Chow as we walked. For him not to trust a senior GOG member was very significant. I would have to be on my guard with Shubham at dinner and not reveal anything further.

  The climate on Mount Abu was cool and soothing as we walked. As we strolled the trail leading up to the garden behind the Universal Peace Hall, I paid attention to the rhythm of our shoes hitting the path, as the spicy flower scents permeated my being. The visual delight of the blooming flowers aided the journey.

  After we walked quietly for some time, Chow gently asked, “Since we have an extra day tomorrow, would you like to go explore some of the Jain temples on Mount Abu?” He looked over at me. “I would really like to see the Dilwara temples—they are carved of white marble,” he said excitedly.

  “Ooh…and I know how much you like white marble,” I said gently, teasing him about its abundance in his Vancouver apartment.

  He smiled. “I do, and I am not ashamed of it,” Chow said in mock seriousness, then grinned.

  Chapter 34

  MOUNT ABU, INDIA

  The Year 2015

  At dinner we enjoyed ourselves and were surprised when Shubham behaved light and cheerful, seeming to have lost his earlier intensity. It made for a pleasant evening, and I didn’t need to be on guard. After dinner, I walked in the garden with Aahan, while Chow met with Aarushi.

  “I’ve enjoyed coming to know you in the time you’ve been here,” Aahan said to me as we strolled.

  “I feel the same about you; I believe we are parting friends.”

  He smiled and nodded. “Ann, you must remember that you have a great many spiritual gifts.”

  I remained silent, but nodded in acknowledgement. Being in Aahan’s presence filled me with peace, and I felt stillness in me as we walked.

  “When the spiritual masters merge a
pure heart with the power of their mind, great events can occur. Change can happen. This special place we are in…” He raised his hands, gesturing to our surroundings. “…It has a powerful vibration of peace.”

  He looked at me, and I nodded in agreement.

  “As you know, many pilgrims are traveling here this season. There are many who have experienced insight on their path towards enlightenment while staying on Mount Abu.”

  He stopped speaking, then looked at me expectantly, as though I had something to tell him. I considered what he said and reflected on my own experience here.

  “If there was only one way to explain the growth I’ve experienced on Mount Abu, I would say that I feel lighter.”

  “The vegetarian cuisine appeals to you,” he spoke softly and then giggled.

  I couldn’t help but chuckle at Aahan; it was unusual for him to joke.

  “Since I’ve been here, I can sense God’s purpose for me. I also feel my deceased husband very near. I’ve been dreaming of him every night, but I don’t dream of things we’ve experienced together. Instead, I dream of us having a future together. It’s the strangest thing.”

  “There is a Hindi saying: ‘Pratyakshya ko praman ki aavashykta nahi.’”

  I smiled; Aahan knew that I did not know Hindi. I waited for the explanation. It didn’t come.

  “Aahan, are you planning to tell me the meaning?”

  “Meditate on this before you leave Mount Abu, Ann: Things that are visible do not need proof for their existence.”

  I let it seed in my being, wondering what would grow.

  Chapter 35

  MOUNT ABU, INDIA

  The Year 2015

  Chow and I met up with Aarushi and Aahan at breakfast.

  “Where’s Shubham?” I asked.

  “He wasn’t well this morning. He will wait and return to Udaipur tomorrow. Aahan and I will fly home today; our wives are expecting us.”

  “We are going to the Dilwara temples today, then leaving tomorrow. Should we offer to drive him down the mountain?” I asked them.

  “He told me that he knows one of the pilgrims and will ride down the mountain with him tomorrow. He’s all sorted out,” Aarushi explained.

  I wasn’t about to try to figure out Shubham, so I said, “Okay,” while Chow remained silent.

  After breakfast we had our farewells with Aarushi and Aahan. I would miss my friend.

  Chow and I took a twenty-minute bus ride to the Dilwara temples. The bus was only half full, but it reeked of a cacophony of smells, which sidetracked me from enjoying the scenic journey. By the time we arrived at the first temple, I was scent-saturated, and exiting the bus was a tremendous relief to my olfactory. Chow thought it was humorous.

  There were five temples; all of them were built between eight hundred and twelve hundred AD. From the exterior, none of the temples were very exciting to look at. But when crossing the thresholds, the interiors were unparalleled in beauty, and reverence was the only possible response. Intricate marble carvings adorned ceilings and pillars. One extraordinary fact was that these structures were built at a time when the only available transport for slabs of marble were elephants. Not only was the marble carried on the backs of elephants, there were no roads on this 1200-meter-high remote mountain. The fact that five temples were built this way was unimaginable. Chow and I were both deeply affected by our visit.

  By dinnertime, we had returned to the Brahma Kumaris University. Our last night on Mount Abu was a silent dinner for all present. It was a perfect end to our visit.

  Chapter 36

  INDIA

  The Year 2015

  We descended Mount Abu towards Ahmedabad in the jeep that had returned for us. As the driver navigated the winding roads, my breath was often caught in my throat at the dangerous conditions. We eventually followed a fleet of trucks filled with rocks meant for repairing roads; it seemed the road building was continuous. We also passed a long row of women with shovels on the side of the road; I guessed they were the workforce. As we got closer to the city, the choking dust returned, and I wondered how the driver could see clearly. I was already missing Mount Abu.

  As we bounced around inside the jeep, I imagined breathing the fragrant mountain air, and suddenly I felt a sense of knowing come over me. I understood the Hindi saying Aahan had left me with.

  The fact is that Armond exists. He exists not only in this moment, but thousands of years from now, he will still exist.

  I didn’t need proof that it was so; I knew it in the depth of my spirit. A sense of pure joy filled my heart, and I smiled broadly in response.

  It took six hours to descent the mountain and navigate through traffic, but eventually we made it to Dabok Airport in Udaipur.

  During Chow’s meeting with Aarushi the night before they left Mount Abu, he learned that our next GOG assignment was in Barcelona. We had a three-hour flight to New Delhi, at least an hour flight to Paris, then finally on to Barcelona. Since we had two hours before our first plane departed, we took up two chairs opposite one another at the airport café and ordered drinks.

  “I’ve been pondering something since they first told us about their problem,” I said, leaving out details that I didn’t want overheard by the throngs of people around us.

  “Yes?” Chow said, his attention on me.

  From my messenger bag, I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. I would use images and written words to explain. Chow leaned toward me. I drew a human, then the words:

  biometric scans

  eye and fingerprints

  Then said to Chow, “First we are human—with our free will—and then we are digitized records.” I went back to my drawing. I wrote more words on the paper:

  digitized records are controlled by government

  digitized records are expendable

  NO MORE FREE WILL

  what’s next?

  government makes the weak and the poor disappear = genocide?

  Chow’s face reacted in shock when he read the final word.

  “I think we need a back door in,” I said to him.

  Chow pondered this; I could see the wheels churning. “With remote access and control from the outside,” he added, agreeing.

  “That way we can watch for signs of it,” I said.

  “I’ll figure out how,” he offered.

  I nodded in agreement.

  “You are the guardian,” he said firmly, eyes fixed on mine. “When we get to Spain.”

  Chapter 37

  BARCELONA, SPAIN

  The Year 2015

  We landed in Barcelona, twenty-five hours after we left India. I felt calm inside, even though my body was physically tired. Chow was impressed that I wasn’t grossly jet lagged as usual. I explained to him that Nectar Hour meditation had shifted something within me.

  Within an hour of landing, we were checking into the Hotel Arts Barcelona. GOG had booked us into a two-bedroom apartment that looked out onto spectacular panoramic views of the blue Mediterranean Sea. As I looked out on this clear day, I imagined sailing upon it, then immediately felt sad that the Woohoo that housed so many fond memories of Armond was now lost to me. I left the window and explored the rest of the apartment.

  It was flooded with light from the large picture windows that looked to the sea. The décor was minimalist and modern, with warm wood cabinets and color throughout. The scent of fresh flowers permeated the space. It felt good to return to Spain again; it was yet another place that Armond and I had made many fond memories, and I smiled at those remembrances.

  As I explored the apartment, I called out to Chow. “I think you should see this.”

  He was by my side in a flash. “What is it?” he said with concern.

  I looked him intently in the eyes. “Marble,” I said very seriously, then laughed as I left the bathroom that was covered in white marble.

  We had a day to relax before our meeting. I picked up the hotel phone and dialed room service. After ordering an assortment of ta
pas—white asparagus, artichoke, mushroom, crab, white shrimp, and avocado—I also asked for a tray of cheeses. For dessert, I ordered two Crème Brûlées. After hanging up, I dialed the spa and made an appointment for eighty minutes of pleasure: a massage, a full-body exfoliation, and a citrus gel body wrap. My previous spa experience in Spain taught me that the Spaniards knew how to rejuvenate a woman properly. I looked forward to my morning appointment.

  As Chow came into the living room, I announced, “I’ve ordered us a meal, then we can sleep.”

  He smiled; he knew how much I loved to eat, even when I was tired. As we waited for our food, I looked through the brochures on the sofa table as Chow watched the sailboats out the windows.

  “Oh, hey…Chow,” I called out to him excitedly, even though he stood a mere ten feet away.

  He turned to me without saying anything.

  I looked at him for a minute. He looks pensive.

  “What is it, Ann?” he asked me quietly.

  He brought me back to my original thought. “This brochure is for a bicycle tour through Barcelona’s Old Town—through the Gothic Quarter. Wanna go with me?”

  “I do not have a bike here.”

  I laughed. “Chow, are you all right? Do you have jet lag? The bike is included in the tour; they size one to you.”

  He sneered at me. “Is it one of those no-speed bikes, or is it a normal bike?” he asked, coming over to sit next to me to see the brochure.

  “They look normal to me,” I answered, handing him the brochure. “Look,” I said pointing, “it says the tour is perfect for art and history lovers. You love art and history,” I said with a smile, trying to cheer him.

  “Maybe they just put the normal bikes on the brochure and then give you a no-speed bike from 1950,” he said glumly.