The Relic Keeper

by Anderson, N David

  “We felt it necessary to help Mathew escape from the clinic when they started making plans to end his life.”

  “Yes Lyal, the famous patient at the clinic. He isn’t dead?”

  “No, he’s being taken out of the country.”

  “So, Mr Lyal is headed to safety, despite stories to the contrary about his condition. How interesting. Although I am rather,” she paused while she looked for the right word, “confused, I suppose, as to why you felt the need to take a sick man out of hospital. Although, I’m sure that your reasons completely justify your action.”

  “Yes they do,” replied Deon, being unintentionally brusque.

  “Would you care to elucidate?”

  Deon looked blank.

  “Why did you break Lyal out of the hospital?” assisted Aaron.

  “Oh. Well, they were going to kill him, you know.” Caroline and Aaron looked puzzled and Deon realised that they required a more full explanation. He hadn’t wanted to go into any great details about Mathew, but now, as it was Caroline who was asking and the arrangements were all made, there seemed no harm. Although somewhere at the back of his mind he wondered if he had in fact made all the arrangements, perhaps he’d forgotten to complete some part of it, he’d need to check. He wished that he could leave a message for himself on his c-pac, but he remembered how Caroline had hated the devices, so he thought it prudent to keep his secret still. He managed to feel for it in his inside pocket and activate the record function. When he listened back later he’d remember why he’d done that and check that everything was in place. Perhaps he could check it when he was alone, and then maybe contact Rei and ask how their journey was going. It would be good to know that everything was fine, and to arrange a time to meet up. He was brought back to the present suddenly when he realised that Aaron was calling his name.

  “Deon. What happened at the hospital?”

  “Oh, well, sorry, I was thinking of something else. Yeah, the Walden Centre was using Mathew for something.”

  “What exactly?”

  “I don’t know. But they were lying about his condition, and I know that ’cos they fired Rei, er that’s Miss…” he strained his memory for Rei’s surname, but he couldn’t recall it. “Anyway, they fired the nurse who looked after him. Then they said he was dying, but he wasn’t. He’s fine now, and going abroad. We’re going to get him to Southampton, then France and then to Japan.”

  “The hospital are now saying that Lyal has died,” interjected Aaron.

  “Yeah, Philip said they’d do that, ’cos they don’t want to look bad, but he’s not dead, no not at all. The three of us got him out together, it was a critical achievement.”

  “Who’s Philip?”

  “He’s my best friend. Philip Brading. He helped Mathew.”

  “What would have happened had you not rescued Lyal?”

  “I don’t know. He’d have been in trouble though.”

  “What do you think they would have done?”

  “Maybe they’d have killed him anyway.”

  “Would that have upset you?”

  “Of course. Mathew’s my friend, too and he needs help ’cos he has a daughter he’s looking for. But also he’s very important ’cos he’s been dead for nearly a hundred years, you know.”

  “Yes, I did know about that. What is your view on Mathew’s condition because of that?”

  “Well, he’s, you know, he’s…” Deon felt a little sheepish and wished that Caroline and Aaron could just know what he was thinking, rather than making him explain himself. By their blank expressions he thought he’d need to clarify his thoughts. “He’s been to heaven, hasn’t he? Mathew Lyal has met God and come back. And if anyone has a message for us from God then it has to be someone who’s met him. But Mathew doesn’t know how important he is yet, so he needs protecting. Caroline, remember that you told us that God would allow us to live again, well Mathew has lived again. He has the spirit of the Lord within him, and people need to hear him and follow his word, because he’s the first person in over two thousand years to have had personal access to God.” He stopped while the other two thought of what he’d just said. “It’s important that he gets to deliver his message, and that the enemies of God, like those people at the clinic, that those people don’t kill him, because I know that they want to.” He paused and then added. “Just as the Jews killed our Lord.”

  “I see,” said Caroline at last, leaning back in her chair and smiling. “Has Mathew divulged any of his message to you yet?”

  “Not directly as such. But he has allowed me to hear what he listens to when he’s thinking, and it’s his whole way of thinking of life.”

  “He’s shared his philosophy with you?”

  “Er, yeah. When he was in the clinic I found him a c-pac and some music and he used to listen to it and chant to the singing.”

  “What did he chant, Deon?”

  Deon closed his eyes and tried to remember the tune to the mantra that Mathew used when he was recovering. Still with his eyes shut he quietly sang:

  “All you need is love, All you need is love, All you need is love, love, Love is all you need.” He opened his eyes and looked at Caroline and Aaron. “He sang that often, I think it’s part of the Lord’s message.”

  “Well, Brother Deon, it seems that you are indeed chosen. And I may also have a very important mission for you, because we have a task to perform for God’s glory.”

  “What do want me to do, Caroline? Will I be working with Aaron in the outside world?”

  “No,” said the man who had brought so many people to the Disciples of Christ. “I am required to work in the world alone seeking those people who are in need of our help and are able and willing to work for God’s glory.” Deon looked disappointed.

  “No, I have a much more important job for you, Brother Deon,” Caroline explained. “You have to understand that we are now at war, Deon, and I need you to be one of my ground troops.”

  Looking at Caroline as she spoke he thought he could see a faint glow from around her head. He watched in awe as it grew and took shape around her body; a shimmering silver light that seemed to surround her and glistened as it pulsed in and out of her body, changing intensity as she talked. The aura often focused itself around her head and Deon tried hard not to stare as it appeared to fashion a halo above the woman. He knew that this was a sign for him; there was no other explanation. He heard a quiet voice far away somewhere whisper to him: “She’s the one, follow her. She’s successful. She’s not like you, you fucking useless bastard.” He tried to concentrate on Caroline to stop the voices coming and distracting him. Inadvertently he snapped his head towards the sound of the voice.

  “Shut up,” he hissed under his breath.

  “Sorry?” said Caroline. “Did you say something?”

  “No, I just heard something.” He forced himself to think of the conversation that they were having. “I want to help in any way that I can.”

  “Good, then I have to explain what we need. We three have been spared the fate of the others at Unit because our purpose is not yet fulfilled. We have a task to undertake. I’m sure that you, Brother Deon, have often felt that God had a duty for you, but you were unsure of the precise nature of that mission.” Deon nodded. “You have several very unique attributes. You are valiant and true in your faith, you realise the importance of the mission that we are embarked on and you have access to this man Lyal, and I gather from what you have told me that you have gained his trust.”

  “Yes, I’ve been helping him.”

  “And you were right to, because now he can help you to help us to help God. You are aware that there have been a number of attacks on the Christian faith. Our churches, our leaders, our followers, all viciously assaulted. Our enemies are massing at our gates, Deon. They wish to destroy us, and they have already started. Our leaders and followers are tainted by their wishes to compromise with these people. This is why God is allowing them to be cleansed from the Earth. They ar
e not truly worthy of the gift of life that He has granted us. But we know the truth and we can lead people to the right path. We have the power to give people the salvation that they seek, so long as they recognise it. We need to be visible in this task, and people need to be aware who we are and what we are doing. The attacks on Christianity allow us to do this. Now we need to build on this, and take the covert war that is being waged to a new level. We need the people of this country to know that the atheists and the Jews and the Muslims and the Asians are not our friends, but our enemies, and to work with them for peace is to allow them to use their covert methods to undermine and destroy our way of life and our path to salvation. Do you understand?”

  Yes, Deon thought. It made sense that working with other religions for peace must weaken your own faith; after all, both points of view couldn’t possibly be right, could they? He nodded again, trying to ignore that mist that was rising, clouding his mind.

  “To work with these people,” Caroline continued, “is to accept that their views have credence, but in doing so that means that we must accept the possibility that our views are wrong. And they are not, Deon, they are not wrong at all. To work with the atheist, the Jew, the Muslim, which ever group that is not part of our assembly, that is to work against ourselves. This is what the Christians have been doing, and this is why our faith is crumbling and God has decreed that these people may die. Those who have died have been the followers of a false and corrupt religion that is not the true faith. But we have liberated them from the shackles of Earthly slavery and have set in motion the way forward. Soon the vile enemies of God shall start to retaliate further, and so we will gain momentum in our task and a great throng of people shall join us. Already our followers have increased in number. For years the Church of Christ has been neglected, but now the people of this Christian country are again able recognise the work and importance of the one true king and are starting to return to the fold. Our enemies are many, but they are not united. As the new Church of Britain spreads across the country we shall be able to lead it in the fight for salvation, Deon. We shall be at its head. We need people like you, Deon, to aid us. Will you help us to establish a new, vigorous state Church that is true and formidable?”

  “Like we did in Unit?”

  “No, Deon. I do not mean to create a small commune. We shall do our work on a national scale, and re-establish the Holy Land right here.”

  Deon heard the words reverberate around his head. The true faith, against the vile enemies of God. Some of Caroline’s words echoed flatly with no meaning, but most of it made perfect sense. Why help those who were destroying his faith? Yes, he could see that they were fighting a war, and this was his chance to aid the cause. He thought of the blast that nearly killed himself and Rei, not to mention Mathew and Philip. If Mathew were a victim in this war the consequences would be disastrous.

  “Yes,” he said. “I should love to be part of this.” And he concentrated only on the parts of her speech that appealed to him, while his brain blocked the rest.

  “Come,” demanded Aaron. “We have a place where you may rest and wait until we shall speak again.” And he started to lead him down the complex maze of corridors to a long room with flickering neon lights, where he was to remain for the moment.

  Somewhere at the back of his mind a voice nagged Deon quietly. What exactly did Caroline mean when she spoke of those who God had decreed may die. But his excitement quickly quietened his doubts. And in his pocket his c-pac beeped every hour to remind him that it was still recording.

  47

  They’d had a hard day. After leaving Clifton Farm they had spent three hours heading south. Mathew seemed amazed at the time it took to cover any distance, but was highly enthusiastic about the Jaguar. Philip found the car hot and uncomfortable. He moaned without stopping about being boxed into the vehicle and not being able to walk about. Still, his sense of history allowed him enough interest to see the adventure, and when Mathew mentioned that his leg was aching Philip took over the driving after a brief lesson. The steering seemed heavy to him and co-ordinating his hands and feet to control the gearshift proved difficult, causing the car to judder ungainly as it picked up speed or turned a sharp bend – neither of which happened often. Rei watched with a sense of relief as Mathew and Philip discussed the controls of the car. It seemed to her that every time they appeared to be getting on better, something would happen to take them back to a level of mutual dislike. At least while they could talk about the vehicle and how to drive it they were not at each other’s throats, and for this reason she kept to herself that she already knew how to drive a car and had done so since she was 8, when she learnt on a farm belonging to her great aunt.

  “You need to let the clutch out gently, Phil, and give her a little gas at the same time.”

  “Yeah, remember it’s Philip, not Phil, ok? And I am letting the clutch out slowly.” The car shuddered to a halt. “The fuckin’ thing’s stopped again. If everyone had one of these things, why were they so hard to move?”

  “It’s not hard. You’re just not concentrating, and now it’s stalled,” said Mathew reaching across and starting the engine again. “Now a little gas.”

  “I’m pressing the fucking gas pedal.”

  “No that’s the brake, the accelerator is the one to the far right, yeah that’s it, now gently lift the clutch, the one to the left, yeah, and we’re moving, that’s good.” Philip smiled as the car lurched forward and picked up speed.

  “Yeah, this is simple,” he yelled. “Rei, you should have a go.”

  “No, I like being a passenger,” she lied.

  “Just keep it smooth and watch the road ahead for potholes. You sure you can drive with your hand like that?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine, well, sort of. I’ve been shot before now, pal, a Roamer’s boot ain’t going to kill me.”

  The Jaguar lurched south until they hit the coastal road. Deciding it was too late to get to Beer that day as none of them wanted to carry on driving in the dark they stopped for the night in a field off the main route. Mathew and Rei divided the small amount of food they had with them and Philip made notes onto pieces of paper and into his c-pac for several hours. He looked at the information that he had on the Walden Centre. It starting to make some sense to him, he thought. If he could still find someone to use his copy after this he’d have a hell of a story.

  Mathew was asleep in the car, and Philip had finished all he was going to write for the day. He walked across to the small embankment where Rei was standing, staring out to the sea.

  “Ok?”

  “Yes,” she answered. “It’s very calm tonight.” The sea shimmered as it had for over 4 billion years, unconcerned by the anxieties of humans. The moon cast silver shapes on the crests of the small waves that broke quietly onto the stony shore.

  “It’s been a hell of a week,” Philip said softly. “I just hope we can all get out of this mess ok.”

  “A little faith, Philip, that’s what you need.”

  “Yeah, well I’m not too comfortable with faith I’m afraid. I like things a little more prosaic.”

  They stood silently, then both started talking together.

  “Go on, you first,” prompted Rei.

  “Well I was just going to say…about the row we had a while ago. You know, back at the camp before we left London. Well, I’m sorry, I’m a bit stressed at the moment, but I was wrong to speak to you like that. And, well, you did pretty well earlier at the farm. Are you really a champion shooter?”

  “I do a lot of things. I’m sure I could be a champion markswoman if I wanted.”

  Philip laughed. “You’re funny, you know that.”

  “Well, I have to think on my feet, as Mathew would say. I don’t suppose that I’ll be the same girl when I get back to Japan. I think this whole episode has made me think in a different way.”

  “How?”

  “Well, about what I want, how I live. My perspectives have changed. I don’t know if Ma
thew was right to do what he did or not, but he obviously felt that he needed to spend more time with his family, and thought that the suspension process would help him do that.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t think he thought it through, did he?”

  “No, I don’t think he did. But it makes you realise how precious the time we have is. I think I’ll view my life differently after this. I think I need to make more time for people, and perhaps I shouldn’t be quite so concerned about my career. I’m sure that I can help people and live my life at the same time.”

  “Well, yeah, I guess we could all do that.”

  “It’s funny; you and I are quite alike in many ways.” Philip gave her a look that begged her to continue. “We are both intelligent people who put work before our personal lives.”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s true. Although I’m not certain that either of us will work again after all this. I’ve missed two issue deadlines with my story, broke a patient out of a hospital, crossed county borders without any papers, travelled with Roamers, witnessed a murder, nearly been part of another, and stolen an antique vehicle. Makes you wonder what we’ll do tomorrow, eh?”

  Rei laughed. She looked especially pretty when she smiled, thought Philip. It was a shame that she did it so seldom. He felt an emotion that he’d suppressed for 10 years as he watched this girl that he hardly knew, and the guilt washed over him.

  “I wonder how we’ll look back on everything that’s happened,” he said.

  “We can definitely learn from all this. Mind you, I’m still concerned about Mathew’s determination to meet Jessica. It really could put him in danger. And he has no idea how she will react to the return of her long-dead father.”

  “Well, that’s the thing with kids, Rei. You have to remember that for Mathew it doesn’t really matter if he puts himself in danger, and I doubt he hasn’t spent an hour without wondering how the meeting with his daughter will go. But he feels that he has to do this. You just said that you feel that you should spend more time on your family and on your relationships. I don’t know anything about your family, your parents, what it was like for you growing up as an intellectual prodigy, but I bet that, whatever you may feel, your parents had your best interest at heart. They may have been wrong, but they almost certainly acted with good intent. That’s what Mathew did, and that’s what he is doing when he says he needs to see Jessica. When you have kids they become more important than your own life. It’s just what happens.”