by Lori Darnell
We ran to the main building to receive our papers. They had to take our pictures and while they finished the documents Jill and I tried frantically to keep up with James.
“Come on. I am hoping we can still leave today. All the other arrangements have been made.”
“What arrangements?”
“You will see.” James smiled back at us as we were still following behind him. I could only think of where we would be sleeping tonight. I was still exhausted, and I knew Jill was just as tired.
We rushed through the piles of clothes. Jill was excited when she found a long orange dress that tied behind her neck. It looked nice against the light cream of her skin. Very, very nice. We packed our new clothes into the black suitcase that James had procured for us. Then we were on the run again, dressed in our traveling clothes, back to the main compound to get our finished documents.
“James!” The Priest that headed our class came running after us.
“Yes, how can I help you?” He answered coolly.
“I wanted to thank you for your recommendation. There were many competing for the post, but your letter convinced them I was the man for the job.” His smile was triumphant.
“That is wonderful – congratulations! We are just getting our final arrangements made. By sundown you will have your office and private quarters. Enjoy.”
The Priest walked away, nearly skipping toward the main building. We were running again back to James’ office.
“Get anything that you would like to take with you Jill. Marcus, please come with me to the bedroom.” I followed him in silence. “Marcus, help me strip the bed. You and Jill have made a mess of things. We need to leave no evidence behind. I looked down and there was a large spot of blood on the sheets. It made me shudder. I hadn’t even thought of that.
We cleaned the room and James took the sheets and wadded them in one of the travel bags, to be disposed of later. Jill was sitting on her suitcase when we came back to the room. I was blushing; curious; she read what had just transpired. She bowed her head to hide her own blush from James. James caught us both.
“You should feel shame. What would have happened if one of your teachers came in here and found that? We may not have been able to make it very far. Now, both of you be on your best behavior. We have to go in front of the council in less than an hour. They will be giving you your first assignment. Quickly now, let’s move our stuff into the car I have been provided.” James shook the little silver key in front of us. We were ecstatic. Neither of us has been allowed to leave the compound since the day we were brought through those doors. It was often easy to forget we were sitting in the heart of Rome. The world didn’t really exist outside these walls, for us at least. We walked behind James into the open parking lot, the rows of cars glistened in the fading sunset. Beyond the cars we could see and hear the busy city. We didn’t linger long. No sooner than we had the car packed, James took both of our hands and led us back to the compound.
“Hurry, we are running late.”
James led us to the council chamber doors. Neither of us had ever been here; the council members would come to us to observe or test, but we had never been inside their realm.
“Don’t speak unless they ask you a direct question. Keep your eyes to the ground and pray we get out quickly.” James imparted a quick lecture at the door.
“Don’t worry about me. And I really don’t think you have to worry about Jill, either. Jill won’t let them delay us.” Jill nodded, and he looked at us shaking his head.
“What am I going to do with you clowns?” He wondered aloud, smiling and pushing the large doors open.
The chamber itself seemed as though it should be huge from the outside. However inside it wasn’t much bigger than James’ office had been. There were several desks strewn in a circular fashion. A long conference table took the rest of the space. There were five men sitting at the end of the table, looking at us. I didn’t know their names, but they were all several years, possibly even decades, older that James, and they all wore the same expression - disapproval. I froze.
“Ah, I see you have our newest Witnesses. We have a special assignment for them. I am glad you have decided to lead them on their journeys. The assignment is to locate the girl Jenna and bring both her and her father back to us alive. There was a wealth of information we were able to extract from this last round of witness training shows us where the Jenna and her father may be hiding. Bring them both here. Everything you need is in this case.” The man who was speaking took hold of the suitcase on the opposite end of the table and pushed it toward James.
“We wanted to show you our gratitude for your years of service here. All three accounts have been doubled. Also, a larger home has been made available to you outside of Rome. Please feel free to use it as you wish. We wish you well on your endeavors and look forward to your detailed reports. The phone inside the case has the number programmed in, for reporting. We will require written reports on their progress as well.” He motioned his hand to both Jill and me. “May God lead your way.”
With that, we were dismissed. I was in shock. Three days ago we were facing our possible deaths, separation from James, and worst, the possible separation from each other. That would have been unbearable.
“Well kids, are you ready to leave this place?” James said, buoyancy filtering into both his voice and his steps as he led us out of the chamber.
“More than you can imagine. Where are we going first?”
“Well since it is getting dark I wanted to check out the house they gave us. It is just outside of Rome so we shouldn’t be too far away.”
We walked back down the path to a row of gleaming black cars. Each car had a wide red stripe that ran the length of the car. Unlike the cars I had seen in passing, this color formation signified Church cars. Since it was getting dark it was hard to see which car we had packed earlier. James pushed a button and one of the cars beeped back. “I guess that is our car.” With a shrug, we walked toward the car.
James opened the back door, Jill and I slid in. Both of us looked like we were about to drop. Jill put her head in my lap, and I stroked the side of her face as I leaned back on the seat. “You kids behave. I’ll wake you when we get there.” James walked around the back of the car to the driver side and got in. I leaned my head back and was grateful for the dark tint on the windows. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the gentle motion of the car going down the road. Jill rolled onto her back and I could hear her deep even breathing. She was resting heavily against my leg. I closed my eyes, looking for my rest as well.
Chapter 14
“Marcus, are you awake?” James looked at me through his rear view mirror. I was hesitant to speak.
“Yeah, kind of.”
“This house we are going to. It is just for tonight, or the next few days. It all depends on what we find there.” I was too tired to translate that cryptic message, I just nodded. “We won’t live there. We have to maintain our separate areas. We will all have our own rooms. I don’t know if the house has cameras or anything else. Until my friend, someone I have known for years and trust, comes in the morning, we can’t be sure. So we need to be on our best behavior.” Apparently, James was not so confident that we were free and clear. I knew everything had been too easy.
“James, will we ever be safe?” I asked, exasperated.
“No. But given time you and Jill can develop an open relationship. This would be looked on very favorably by the Church, once they think it’s their idea. They would be very interested in any children produced by your union. You two are the most powerful psychics to ever leave the Church." A thoughtful look washed across his eyes in the rearview mirror; it made me shudder. "Yes, they would be very encouraging. It is just too soon right now. Be patient.”
I looked out the dark window. The fields were whizzing by. I casually wondered how fast he was driving, but didn’t care enough to ponder on that for long. “How long is it till we get there?”
“
Soon.”
“My friend that is coming in the morning, his name is Dean. I think you will like him, I hope so. He has something that will help us a lot. He has a machine that can tell us if there are any cameras or microphones in the house. Once we find them, we can remove them. It is too much to hope they are not there.”
“Why do they want to keep tabs on us?”
“Because of your value. They want to know what you are doing at all times. They know you didn’t train with the other Priests, so they don’t trust me.”
I listened for the warning to come from the woman in my head. She was watching. I could feel it. I pondered the idea that no matter what I did someone would always be watching me. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt privacy. If I ever felt it again it would probably feel strange to me, like being abandoned, but in a good way.
The car pulled into a large subdivision. There were rows and rows of large three and four story homes that were connected. They were very colorful, even in the darkness. James pulled the car into a small driveway in front of a dark red house. The house to the left was yellow; the house to the right was a medium blue.
Jill was still asleep when the engine cut off. I curled the palm of my hand around her chin and lifted her face to mine. I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers. “Wake up, we are home.” She smiled and opened her eyes. I could see the twinkle in them. She was excited to be gone from that place, just like the rest of us. My worry over her health abated a bit as she walked with more spring in her step down the short path to the front door. James was there, holding the front door for us.
We took our time turning on lights and exploring the house. It was massive. I was suspicious. Space was valuable. At least three families could have lived here. On the main level, there was a kitchen with a dining room table inside it. It had six chairs all around it. Down a small hall was a large room, the living room. It had a TV mounted on the wall and a large black leather couch. Behind the television there was a staircase.
The second level had a small landing and two doors that led to two bedrooms. In between the two bedrooms was a bathroom with a tub and shower. I looked at James, and he smiled. “You and Jill will have these two rooms. But remember what I said in the car. We can talk again tomorrow afternoon.” He raised an eyebrow and looked around. I understood. Jill immediately understood as well. Both bedrooms were identical with a large bed in the corner and a desk next to it. There were also closets that took up the opposing wall. It reminded me of my old room within the compound... only much bigger.
As we took another staircase up to the third level, James was searching with his eyes. There were no doors on this level, just a large room with a bed in the center of the back wall. To the side of the expansive room was a door. James opened the door, smiling. “Looks like the only people who will have to share a bathroom here are you and Jill.”
We spent the next several hours unpacking our meager belongings that we had brought with us. Jill and I unpacked our clothes and hung them in the massive closet. What a waste of space. The closet could have fit my old room in it.
When we came downstairs to the kitchen, James had already prepared dinner. “It looks like the kitchen has been stocked. I made you some ham and potatoes. Eat up, we need to get some real rest tonight. And leave your bathroom light on. I don’t want to have to trip down the stairs if anything happens,” he stated, mock-stern. I shook my head and looked down at my plate. It looked delicious - our first meal of freedom. I glanced at Jill but she was already downing it by the mouthful. I smiled and followed suit. Freedom tasted good.
With full bellies and a quiet, locked house, we felt safe. We all wandered to our rooms. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, making sure to remember to leave the light on. Jill was already there, doing the same thing. Great minds think alike, I thought, briefly wondering if she thought the same thing, and how ironic that would be. She looked up at me. Apparently. I was prepared to wait my turn but I saw there were two sinks – wasteful, but luxurious.
Jill watched me finish. I could feel her stare as I rinsed my mouth out. I smiled, and I could feel my blush. Dang it, there had to be a way to control that. I could control my mind numbing visions, but this girl could turn me into that nine year old boy just by looking at me. I sighed and turned to her.
“Whatever your thinking it is off limits, at least until James talks to me tomorrow.” She sighed and pouted, lips full and inviting. I sighted wistfully. “No, not even that. Goodnight, try to get some sleep. I will see you in the morning.” It killed me to deny her a kiss goodnight. Would that have been so bad? I knew there was more on her mind, and just like that blush, I knew I would give her what she wanted. Luckily she didn’t press the point and turned toward her room.
Grateful for the reprieve, I quickly turned toward mine. We both left the bathroom door open and we could see each other in bed through the door. She waved. I waved back and smiled. At least we could see each other.
Sometime during the pre-dawn hours I heard James move about above us. It sounded like he was getting ready for the day. I opened my eyes to see Jill staring at me. She giggled and rolled over. I heard James’ boots clunking down the stairs. He would never be able to sneak up on us, I realized. Laughing as I sat up in bed, I waited for him to knock on my door. It him took thirty entire seconds. What took him so long?
“Marcus, are you awake?”
“Come on in, we heard you coming down the stairs.” The door opened and James was frantic. He must have thought Jill was with me. I laughed and pointed through the bathroom to where she was barely visible under the poofy comforter. James laughed, relaxing visibly.
“My friend will be here very soon. Get dressed and meet me downstairs.”
“No problem, I will be down in a minute,”
James left my room not closing the door. I didn’t think much of it, maybe it was out of habit, or maybe it was to encourage my best behavior. I went to my huge closet and got dressed quickly, then ran down the stairs.
As I reached the bottom of the staircase the door bell rang. Well, that should get Jill up - it echoed through the whole house. But it made sense; it had to be heard from the third floor.
“Dean, it is so good of you to come see us, especially at this early hour! I haven’t seen you in ages. How have you been?” I heard James talking to his friend.
“Same old stuff - not getting in trouble are you? I never thought you would leave. Nice cushy job and all.” I could hear the teasing tone in Dean’s voice.
“Well, these kids made the job too tempting. You will see. They are quite gifted. I wanted to lead them myself. You know how it is. You can’t let your prize pig go to market alone.” Well that sounded weird. Jill and I were prized pigs? I shook my head and approached them at the door, feeling a tinge of apprehension.
Dean was a man well into his sixties. He was tall, but hunched over just a bit with age, hiding some of his height. Most of his hair was white, with a few red streaks running through it. It gave him a slightly comical appearance.
“Ah, Marcus. I would like you to meet my friend, Dean. Dean, this is Marcus. Probably one of the most powerful Witnesses to ever leave the training of the Church.” Dean’s glanced at me in appraisal and his eyes widened.
“Very interesting… Marcus? It is nice to meet you.” He looked down at James. “Shall we get started?” His voice was low. James shook his head once in agreement. Dean extracted a large black box with a switch from his bag. He flipped the switch on, I could hear a faint static in the air and the box seemed to shake. My vision wavered. I shook my head trying to clear it of the feeling. Dean looked up at me and his eyes widened. “He really is a powerful psychic.” Dean wrote on a small pad, and showed it to James and myself. It said ‘the cameras won’t show any picture while the box is on, but the microphones need to be disconnected’. James nodded and Dean pulled out a long stick, with wires attached. I followed them as they moved from room to room. They stopped in front of the sin
k in the kitchen. Dean moved the wand back and forth. He nodded to James. James leaned in and pulled several small disks from his pocket. He placed one beside the light. Dean moved his wand again and moved on. They made several stops all over the house. The most surprising was in my room and in Jill’s. There were several places where James had to put the disks. Jill was still in bed but she was awake. Still not a morning person… she sat up in bed as James put the disks over her bed, near her desk and in the closet. Two more went in our bathroom. I sat on the bed next to her.
Dean looked at us both and laughed. “It’s safe now. James and I will go up to the third floor and take care of that area.”
“Marcus, can you make sure that Jill is dressed and ready to go within the next hour? We have a lot to go over, and we need both of you in the living room.”
Jill tugged on my arm. I tried to ignore her as they walked out of the room. James shut the door behind me. I could hear the laughing as they walked down the hall and up the stairs.
“Jill, I don’t think that this is a good idea.” She tugged my arm again. I turned around, against my better judgment. She smiled, feigning innocence, and I was done for. I leaned in close; she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself closer. “Jill, are you sure?” She answered with a kiss. It was hot and demanding. She stroked my face as I leaned down over her. She was already moving her hands down to remove my clothes.
“Well he did say we had an hour.” She smiled up triumphantly as she continued her assault. It would never stop amazing me that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Through the passion I heard a soft muted sound, a radio upstairs. I laughed and went back to the object of my desire. I glanced briefly at the clock. I only had an hour; I had to use my time wisely.