Cursed Presence (Trilogy of the Chosen Book 2)

by J. M. LeDuc

  “It’s appreciated, sir.”

  The President turned to Maddie. She put her hand out to shake his, but he didn’t respond. For one awkward moment, she didn’t know quite what to do.

  The President broke into a huge grin and hugged her. “I want you to know, Maddie, the head of Home Land Security and I couldn’t be happier with what you’ve done with the SIA. Thank you.”

  With that, the only thing an overwhelmed Maddie could answer was, “You’re welcome, Mr. President.”

  “Now,” the President said, “let’s meet our heroes.”

  Brent turned to his squad. Walking beside the President, down the line of men and women. He reintroduced each member to their nation’s Commander-in-Chief.

  After the introduction, the President removed a personally-engraved medal from its box and pinned it to each member’s chest. Soldiers received the Medal of Honor, civilians received the Medal of Freedom; the highest honors a grateful country can bestow on its heroes. Even though the squad was primarily a military unit, it had been placed under the auspices of the Strategic Intelligence Alliance, the SIA.

  After he had awarded medals to Maddie and Joan, the President asked, “Are we missing someone? This last medal has no name on it. Who does it belong to?”

  “To the real hero, sir. To the squad member who made the impossible shot to take out the Butcher.”

  “Well, let me meet him. I wasn’t aware you had added another member to the squad. Keep me abreast of these changes in the future, Colonel Venturi.”

  “Yes, sir. I’m sorry about the oversight. Incidentally, sir, the last member of the squad is not a he. It’s a she.”

  “A she,” the President repeated. He looked around the room. “And where is my daughter? Where is Charlotte? No. Tell me I’m wrong, Brent. Please tell me I’m wrong!”

  “She was born for this, sir. I tried everything I knew of to dissuade her. I even tried to get the guys to scrub her during her training, but this is obviously her destiny.”

  “Where is she?” he spat, anger in every word.

  “Scarlett, please report, front and center,” Brent ordered.

  In the next moment, the doors to the den opened. Charlotte, dressed and looking like a soldier, walked forward. Her father, the President, watched as she took her place at the end of the line. He could not believe she was the same girl he’d had to sedate just two weeks earlier.

  “Charlotte, baby, look at me.”

  Charlotte wore the steely expression of a squad member as she looked into her father’s eyes.

  “Is this really what you want? Is this the kind of life you want for yourself?”

  “More than anything, Sir…Dad. I’ve never been happier than I’ve been since I became part of the squad. The Colonel is right, you know. This is my destiny. I was born for this purpose.”

  “Well then,” he said, “since this rag-tag bunch of misfits has managed to keep one another alive for the past fifteen years, I suppose they can do the same for you.”

  Charlotte looked at her father with love and affection and hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy. I promise to make you proud.”

  “You always have, sweetie, you always have.” He then pinned the Medal of Freedom on Charlotte and kissed her forehead. “Colonel!” he said.

  “Yes, Mr. President.”

  “I expect you and the others to keep…‘Scarlett’ safe.”

  “I watch and protect everyone in my unit, sir. Scarlett will be no different.”

  “Good enough. Now what’s this I hear about a wedding?”

  “Before we get to that, there is one more surprise, sir.”

  “Dear God in heaven, I hope my ticker can take it. What is it now?”

  “Lucille, please bring the President’s surprise into the room,” Brent said.

  “It will be my pleasure.” She walked to the door of the den and signaled Joseph to join her. The two walked into the room, arm in arm

  “I don’t believe my eyes,” the President exclaimed. “My old friend. How is this possible?”

  Brent put his arms around the President and Joseph’s shoulders. “John, why don’t we all take a seat? I want to tell you a little story.”

  CHAPTER 63

  It was a little past midnight. Brent lay in bed. He finished applying a new dressing and bandage on his chest wound. Running his hand over the bandage, he prayed. Thank you, Father, for another chance at life. You have saved me from death’s door so many times. You must have a reason for keeping me here. I will humbly do Your bidding until it’s time for You to take me home. I love You. Amen.

  He was deep in thought when he heard the bathroom door open. He looked over to witness a most beautiful sight and at least one of the reasons he was still on this earth.

  Chloe sauntered toward the bed. She wore a sheer white negligee that took his breath away.

  “Was this the surprise you wanted to talk about? You know how I love surprises, Mrs. Venturi.”

  Chloe stopped at the foot of the bed. “No, you are definitely not strong enough for the surprise you’re thinking about. I just hope you’re strong enough for the one I’m about to tell you.”

  “So you just want to tease me, is that it? Show me what I can’t have.”

  “No, I just want you to take one long look at the way I look right now, because I won’t be staying this way for long.”

  Brent cocked his head to side, confusion written all over his face. “Could you spell that out in a way a man can understand it?”

  “I can,” Chloe said and slid into bed next to Brent. “You’re going to be a daddy,” she whispered.

  Shock replaced confusion. He looked at her, speechless. He put his hand gently on her stomach. “Are you sure?”

  “As sure as three home pregnancy tests and a blood test from the med center could possibly be,” she glowed.

  Raising his hands above his head, Brent hooted and hollered so loud that everyone at the Inn ran to their door to see what had happened to cause the Colonel to make such a ruckus at that hour.

  Seconds later—Brent still yelling with joy—two Secret Service agents barged through the door, guns pointed.

  Seeing the President’s agents standing at their doorway in their boxer shorts, Chloe couldn’t let the moment pass without comment. “Well, that’s not something you see every day.”

  “My God, we thought you were being attacked,” Maddie said. “What in the world are you screaming about? You may have just woken the dead.”

  “If you’ll hand me my robe, Madam Director, we’ll gladly tell you.”

  Maddie threw a robe to Chloe. “Well…we’re waiting.”

  Chloe slipped the robe on, and then stood up to make her announcement. “Dear,” she said coyly, “would you like to tell our friends and family why you were screaming like an overgrown little boy just now?”

  Brent practically jumped out of bed, wrapped his arms around his wife, and said, “We’re gonna have a baby!”

  One second of complete silence was followed by an explosion of laughter, congratulations to the expectant parents and back-slapping all around. It was a dazzling topper to an otherwise amazing day.

  After everyone headed back to their respective bedrooms, Chloe and Brent lay silently, intertwined in each other’s arms. He kissed her ever so gently on the cheek and reached over to shut off the light.

  “Would you turn that back on, please?”

  Brent sensed the apprehension in her voice and immediately reached for the light.

  “What’s wrong, sweetie? Are you all right?”

  “I haven’t been able to sleep with the lights off since that day in the church. When I do finally fall asleep, I have horrible nightmares,” she said, her voice trembling.

  “What kind of nightmares? Tell me about them.”

  Chloe swiped at a tear th
at had fallen on her cheek. “That day in the church just keeps replaying in my head, but the end is always different. In my nightmares, the spirit of The Dark One ends up in you.” She cried uncontrollably. “You turn around and look at me and all I see are those blood red eyes and that’s when I wake up.”

  “I’m so sorry you had to witness what you did. But hey, I’m here with you and The Dark One was sent back to where he belongs.”

  Neither said anything. Chloe continued to sob.

  “Is there anything I can do or say to help you?”

  Chloe thought about that for a moment. Through her sobbing, she said, “Maybe? You could help me understand why you waited to signal Charlotte, and why you didn’t just kill Jonas when you had the chance. He was defenseless and weak. Why did you let that, that thing re-enter his body before you signaled her?”

  “If Jonas had died while The Dark One’s spirit was outside his body, it would have found another host and we’d be doing this all over again at a later date,” Brent said. “I waited for them to reunite, to be one, so to speak, in order to send him back to hell.

  “The only way to kill evil is with love. There’s nothing that demonstrates love more than the Blood of Christ. I had Charlotte soak that arrow in the blessed wine I’d been given down in the tabernacle. That was the only way I could defeat him. So I had to wait, I had no choice. The only open portal back to the underworld was through the Book of Sufferings, only the Blood of Jesus could force him back inside.”

  Chloe’s sobs grew quieter and further apart. “Will you promise me something?”

  “Anything.”

  “If you are ever asked to face him again, promise me you’ll refuse.”

  “That won’t be a problem,” Brent smiled. “I have it on the best authority that his spirit will never be that strong again until the end times, and we’ll all be gone before that happens.”

  “What would have happened if he had won? Do you know?” she asked.

  “Yes, I do know, as a matter of fact,” Brent’s voice quivered. “When I was down in the Holy of Holies and faced my fears and temptations, I was also given a glimpse into what would happen if I lost. The shift between good and evil would have gone so far to the left that the world would have quickly decayed to the point where Sodom and Gomorrah would have looked like a G-rated movie.”

  “But evil still exists. What did your winning accomplish?”

  “It kept man’s will free. It allowed mankind to continue to see the Light and to have a conscience. God continues to bring people to Him so that they may one day enjoy eternity in paradise.”

  They both fell silent as Chloe digested everything Brent had told her.

  “You can turn off the light now.”

  CHAPTER 64

  The day of Maddie and Seven’s wedding dawned. They were blessed with perfect weather.

  Maddie looked gorgeous, her hair, her exquisite dress and veil, the smile on her face. She simply glowed.

  Chloe was beautiful as the matron of honor and Joan was an equally beautiful bridesmaid. She even surprised Maddie by dyeing her hair back to its natural light-brown color.

  The beauty of the day was only surpassed by seeing Maddie walked down the aisle by the two people she considered her parents.

  Brent was best man. The boys showed up in full dress uniform. They looked majestic.

  The single best sight for Maddie was her husband-to-be, waiting for her at the altar. He was dressed in a fitted Armani tux.

  Father Jessup surprised everyone by conducting the ceremony and, at Maddie’s insistence, he invited his congregation to the wedding.

  The reception site was also a surprise Maddie hadn’t revealed to anyone. She and Seven had asked Father Jessup if he would allow them to hold it at his church.

  When the limos and bus arrived at the dilapidated warehouse, everyone was surprised.

  The hall inside the warehouse where the homeless were usually fed and allowed to sleep had been transformed into an enchanted palace. It took Maddie’s breath away when she saw it.

  When it was time to give his speech, Brent made everyone laugh and cry. At its conclusion, he announced, “I know that Maddie and Seven planned to spend their honeymoon in Key West, but I’m afraid they’ll have to change their plans.” He solemnly looked at the couple. “Early this morning, I was on the phone with a certain cardinal we all know. He told me to tell you that the Pope…” Brent broke into a huge smile, “has invited us all to spend a week with him in the Vatican, all expenses paid.” Everyone sent up a roar of approval, one that was probably heard in Palm Cove.

  After the speeches and the dinner, Brent stood off to the side watching his amazing wife dance with Seven.

  “So we meet again,” came a voice on his left.

  Brent turned to look into the face of the same proper woman whom he had spoken to the day he first met Father Jessup.

  “So we do,” he said.

  “I hear you’re quite the amazing man.”

  “I’m afraid someone has exaggerated,” Brent replied. “The one who deserves the accolades is Father Jessup. His work here is what’s amazing.”

  “You are right about that, Colonel Venturi. But so am I. My son doesn’t exaggerate.”

  “Your son?”

  Father Jessup walked over to them. “Mom, there you are. I came over to ask you for a dance. I see you’ve met Brent.”

  Brent looked at Father Jessup, and then smiled. Father Jessup’s mother winked and smiled back.

  “I’d love to, Stephen. Sweep me away.”

  CHAPTER 65

  The last day of their Vatican City vacation dawned. The squad and Father Jessup sat at the table in the dining room, sipping cups of coffee while they waited for the women to finish dressing for church.

  “There you are,” said Cardinal Bullini as he entered the dining area. “I have a special request from his Eminence. He asked if you, Stephen, would say mass in his stead this morning. It would be his privilege and my own to hear you give the homily.”

  Father Jessup was stunned at the request. All he could do was to nod.

  St. Peter’s Basilica was packed for High Mass. The Pope and Cardinal Bullini sat in the front row with Cynthia, Father Jessup’s mother and the rest of the Vatican dignitaries. The squad and the SIA leadership team sat in the pew behind them.

  When it was time for the sermon, Father Jessup picked up his well-worn Bible and stepped to the middle of the altar. As he looked out at the crowd of people who waited in silent anticipation, he shook his head in disbelief. He closed his eyes for a moment, looked toward the heavens and prayed. Father, please inspire me, or, at least, don’t let me make a fool of myself.

  Then he spoke. “I’m afraid I haven’t had much time to prepare a proper sermon. If you’ll indulge me, I’ll speak to you from my heart.” He spoke in a gentle, soft voice, without aid of a microphone, yet everyone heard him as if he stood next to them.

  “A great deal has changed in my life in the past three weeks. More than I could begin to tell you. But one thing has not changed.” He paused for dramatic effect. “There was, is, and always will be, until our Lord and Savior comes back for His thousand-year reign, good and evil.

  “It is up to each one of us to walk on the side of good, and to stay away from the side of evil. It sounds simple enough, does it not?” He saw heads bob in agreement. “But, my brothers and sisters, I’m afraid it’s not.”

  For the next forty minutes, Father Jessup kept the congregation spellbound. He spoke of lines of resistance, where to draw them and he of the inherent temptations present in all lives. He made them laugh and cry as he spoke of subjects that were usually difficult to communicate to others.

  Then he stopped and walked to the side of the altar. Everyone thought he was finished. Instead, he picked up a chair and brought it to the middle of the altar where he s
at down.

  “Now,” he said, “let’s talk about love. Love, you will notice, is a four-letter word. It’s sometimes used in ways that are no better than other four-letter words. Love is not something to be taken casually, and it is not a word to be used without giving it a great deal of thought.

  “Love, our Lord has articulated to us, is the greatest of all gifts. He has told us that we are to love one another as He has loved us. How many of us can say that we have done that? I cannot.” Father Jessup looked down and shook his head. When he looked up a single tear slid down his cheek. “Why is it so hard for us to see others for their virtues, instead of for their faults? Why is it so hard for us to see past the exterior, whether it’s someone’s color or their station in life and see them for who they are on the inside?”

  Again he bowed his head, shaking it gently from side to side. “I’ll tell you why. Because we are human, and we are sinners.”

  He stood up, walked to the edge of the altar and spoke in a loud and authoritative voice. “We were born sinners and we will live as sinners until we are taken out of this world. This is the cold, hard truth and there is only one way to combat our sinful nature. And that,” he said, holding his Bible for all to see, “is by trusting in the Word of God and basking in the love of Jesus Christ!”

  Father Jessup’s chest heaved with emotion as he lowered his Bible. Scanning the faces before him, he saw that he was not the only one dealing with his emotions. Even the Pope sat motionless, his mouth agape. Father Jessup wasn’t certain if that was a good sign or a bad one.

  “Now, let us all pray.”

  Turning his back to the congregation, he thought he heard murmuring. It became louder until it broke into thunderous applause. He turned again to face the congregation. Everyone, even the Pope, stood and clapped. Father Jessup watched for a moment, and then raised his Bible high.

  The applause stopped instantly and everyone took their seats. “Thank you, but let us not forget Whose house we are in, Whose words I speak.”