by JB Penrose
“John and Andrew are the Apostles,” he told her quietly. “Peter, too.”
His eyes never shifted from the road, and Gail was glad he couldn’t see her face. “You expect me to believe that?” Her voice rose unconsciously. She regained her composure and glanced into the back of the van. Neither of the men looked up from their schematics.
“You wanted the truth.” In the brief glance he stole to confirm his statement, Gail realized he actually meant it.
“You mean the names on the list – Mary Magdalene, Jude Iscar, John, James, Andrew and Peter? They’re real?”
“As in Apostles of Christ.” He nodded.
Gail was shocked into momentary silence. A million questions crossed her mind; every one deserved to be asked first. “But – they are still alive?”
“It’s not like you think.”
“What do I think?”
“They’re aliens,” he said casually.
“As in, from Mars?”
“From Biatra-IV,” he told her. “It’s a planet Earth hasn’t discovered yet.”
“But! But you said they were Apostles!”
“They were.”
“But their deaths are recorded in history.”
“Yes, but they were writing the history.”
It was impossible to believe what he told her, yet she did. What else could explain the last twenty-four hours, the bombs, the launch, and the technology? Aliens were as good of reason as Apostle.
Donnally laughed and reached over to squeeze her hand. Gail hoped he couldn’t feel her tremble. At the moment, she acted braver than she felt. The laugh that escaped was as much nerves as humor, but he smiled.
“How long have you known?” Gail asked.
“Since I was a child. In a since, you could say Mary Magdalene was my mother, also.”
“You’re an alien, too?” Gail withdrew her hands, shocked.
“No! Don’t be silly,” he told her. “But I was raised in her orphanage, and it was a very special place, for all of us.”
“All of you?” Do a lot of people know about them?” Gail’s mind was racing. If Frank knew their real identity there would be more trouble.
“Only those of us who grew up in the orphanage, and over a thousand years there is a stong network. It has created quite a fraternity. Even I don’t know everyone, but I know it includes people in every position from Church to State. Now it’s time for them to leave,” Donnally added quietly, “though truthfully I wish I could return home with them.”
“Home.” Gail thought, is definitely where the heart is.
* * *
Saturday
December 31, 2044
In the early dawn, Dalyn arose from the pallet she and James shared. She tried not to wake him, but he immediately sensed her movement.
“Are you worried about John and Andrew? They should be here today.”
The pair had been gone almost two days, and though they hadn’t talked about it, they both felt restless. His brother would be arriving with supplies at any moment, or not at all.
“No, I’m not worried. I’m just taking this chance to say good-bye,” she lied. “I’m going to miss Earth.”
“I know its Roko you’re going to miss. I’m glad we don’t have to leave her alone. And I’m glad it’s Peter.”
“Yes, I’ll miss Peter too,” Mag’Dalyn added. “And Iscar, even. I never thought we’d have to leave them behind.” Dalyn sighed. “I wish we had more time.”
“Don’t be sad, Mags. We’ve waited two thousand years for this moment.”
“I’ll be fine. Go back to sleep,” she said. “I’m still saying good-bye, that’s all.” She pushed him back to the pallet. “Give me a few minutes alone, please. I’ll be fine.”
She knew he reluctantly let her go, but said nothing as she activated the wrist command and re-generated outside the ship.
The dawning sky was clearing from violet to pink, and the DayStar led the path in the sky for the sun to rise. She wanted a few minutes alone to memorize the details while they were fresh in her mind. Even she had to admit her curiosity about the DayStar.
The Aurora was gracefully perched inside a large cavern hidden beneath a large rocky crevice and disguised by the corporeal shroud. The jagged entrance was something only John could have maneuvered into. The ship was accessible only by climbing down from the overhang which was guarded around the edge by a ring of small boulders; the six-hundred-foot drop below the doorway stretched out like a dark sea of nothingness.
Dalyn had been glad to focus on the ship’s repairs; there wasn’t much time for conversations. She wanted a few more minutes to memorize the details while they were fresh in her mind.
Dalyn let her thoughts slip to Roko, Rachel, she reminded herself. It helped that Peter would be there to answer questions about her strange life. Whatever her daughter was here to do as the Spokesmon, he would be there to support her. The strength in Roko’s grasp and the determination in her eyes encouraged Mag’Dalyn. She recalled her daughter’s sweet laughter and how Roko’s dark hair fell loosely about her shoulders. Dalyn’s faith was finally rewarded and she treasured the memories of having finally found her daughter.
The pebbles that fell behind her should have been a clue, but Dalyn failed to heed the warning. Before she realized the danger, an intruder jumped from above and pinned her arms behind her. She bit hard on the gloved hand covering her mouth, but a blow to the back of her knees dropped her to the ground. Her struggle lost its fury in the surprise attack.
With a quick, sure movement from her unseen attacker, Dalyn’s mouth was taped and her hands bound in record time. She was encouraged to her feet with a knife poised at her throat, and backed dangerously close to the ledge. He held her like bait and waited patiently for someone to arrive.
“Mags?” James re-generated from the ship, and dropped the breakfast plates he held when he saw her captive.
“That’s close enough.” The low voice growled from behind her. He kept a tight grip on his insurance, and his voice carried an excited edge to it.
“What do you want?” James kept a safe distance between them. “Are you Frank Morrow?”
“So you’ve heard of me?” Morrow adjusted his grip on Dalyn. “Just do as I say and your lady friend will be fine. All I want is the ship.”
“That’s all you want?” James choked on his demand. “You think I’d let you - one man - take the Aurora?”
“Who says I’m one person? Besides,” he pressed his knife to Mag’Dalyn’s throat. “I have something you want. Where are the others?” She felt a sting and the warm trickle of blood on her neck. The tape over her mouth was all that kept Dalyn from urging him on.
“Let her go,” James said. “I’ll do what you ask.”
“You’d better.” Frank tightened his hold on the arm pinned behind her back. “Lead me to the Aurora.”
“There’s nothing left,” James told him. “It was damaged and we had to crash land. Why do you think we’re living in this cave?”
“Don’t lie to me. You’d better believe I’m serious. Where are the others? And where is the Aurora?”
It was only a scratch, Dalyn thought, but the fact that Morrow had drawn blood on her frightened James enough to do as he asked. Where was that Divine protection now?
“Where are the others? And where is the Aurora?” Morrow jerked Dalyn roughly by her hair and kept the knife to her throat. “Don’t try anything.”
She tried to signal James with her eyes, Be ready. Warily, Morrow followed her into the cavern. Hopefully, the shroud would mislead Morrow into the seemingly open area. If Dalyn could back him into the static field around the ship, he might be stunned enough for James to overpower him.
Her flightsuit protected her from the current that enveloped Morrow, but not from his weight when Morrow grabbed her to keep from sinking to his knees as the static stunned him. As he fell, the blade of his knife buried itself deeply and ripped down her shoulder. Dalyn felt warm blood satu
rate her flightsuit.
James grabbed her hand to pull her from the static charge. It pulled Morrow free as well, and Mag’Dalyn was suspended between them like a puppet. Lightheaded, she tried to keep her feet beneath her.
Morrow dropped the knife and immediately pulled a laser handgun from his belt. He jerked back on her wounded shoulder and when she cried out, James released his hold.
Pushing the gun against the back of her neck he shook her roughly. “Stop or I’ll shoot! Next time will be the last. Now, turn that thing off!”
Dalyn gave a muffled answer and Morrow ripped the tape from her mouth. “There’s a control unit,” she said weakly.
“Where?” He shook her again.
The pain in her shoulder throbbed, and Mag’Dalyn fought the wave of nausea trying to consume her. James stepped forward nodded to the unit that hung from his belt.
“No! James!” Dalyn tried to stop him, but seconds later Morrow had the remote in his possession and began to press all the settings.
The shroud deactivated in a quick blue flash, and Frank half-ran, half-dragged Mag’Dalyn until they stood beneath the ship. He was breathing hard and his eyes were wide with excitement. He pressed the remote again and again; nothing happened.
“Open the door.” Morrow thrust the control unit in her face. “No tricks or I’ll kill both of you.”
Dalyn was unwilling to give in to his demands for her sake, but the look in James’ eyes beseeched her to cooperate. She nodded, and saw his face relax with her agreement.
“Aurora. All to the cargo deck,” she said quietly.
The static mist electrified around them, and before Morrow could grab her again they were inside the second level cargo hold.
He renewed his hold on Dalyn, purposely doing as much damage to her bleeding shoulder as possible. She tried not to give him the satisfaction of her pain.
“This is it. You know it can’t go anywhere. Nothing works,” she said.
“That shield thing works.” He put the remote in his pocket and patted it smugly. “We’ll wait here until the others arrive.”
Holding the gun to her ribs, he spilled the contents of his climbing pack on the floor and isolated a roll of fabric tape. He tore another piece and covered Mag’Dalyn’s mouth without wiping the dried blood from her cheek, then cut her hands free. Morrow thrust the tape toward her.
“Wrap your friend’s feet at the ankles. And don’t try anything.” He pushed her toward James. “And tape his hands in front of him where I can see them.”
James slid to the floor where he stood, and lifted his feet to make it easier to wrap his ankles. Dalyn felt the barrel of the gun at the base of her neck. Tears blinded her eyes from the pain in her shoulder each time she tore the tape. Morrow laughed watching her strain to move.
It was a relief when she finished. Her efforts tired her greatly and the bleeding continued. Morrow pushed her into a separate corner and she fell to the floor. Drifting in and out of consciousness Dalyn barely realized he re-taped her hands and feet.
* * *
The truck labored all afternoon toward a hidden ridge deep in the canyon that could not be identified by any route on a map. John drove the final leg of the trip, and from the back of the van Gail was as lost as she could be. Her excitement heightened when they stopped. Andrew opened the door for them to get out and she looked around with a twinge of disappointment. They stood at the top of a flat, unmarked ridge.
John was already unpacking the van for ropes and pulleys. There were other items she didn’t recognize and her panic mounted. Donnally sensed her uneasiness and helped gather the tools she would need.
It went a lot easier than Donnally had explained, and the group climbed down with excitement. When she dropped at last, into his arms, she stood at the entrance with some trepidation. No one spoke. Gail was sure the silence was a bad sign; she had that feeling in the pit of her stomach again.
It was mid-afternoon and the colorful reflections against the surface of the ship were a brilliant camouflage. It seemed smaller than she expected, but gigantic inside the cave. She couldn’t dream how Captain Reider managed to pass a spaceship through the jagged edges of that entrance. Her excitement surged until she realized the apprehension of the others. There was no activity outside the Aurora.
“Why isn’t the corporal shroud activated?” Andrew wondered.
Donnally stayed with her while Andrew and John checked the perimeter. John returned shaking his head. “I don’t like this.”
“You’ll like this even less.” Andrew brandished a bloody hunting knife. “What do you think has happened?”
“Where Morrow is involved, we’d better be prepared for anything,” John checked his wrist device. “The only activity I can monitor is in Cargo Bay Two. You go first. I’ll come up behind you.”
“Maybe we should go in together,” Andrew suggested. “Someone already has control of the ship and crew. We may need the numbers as well as the surprise.”
“Gail, why don’t you wait out here?” Andrew asked her.
“No, I can defend myself.” She hoped she sounded braver than she felt. “I have a brown-belt in karate.”
“I’d feel better if you stayed out here,” Donnally said.
“I don’t see that happening,” she informed him tartly. “I’m a member of this team.”
Donnally smiled. “Then stick with me. I’ll watch your back.”
Andrew nodded, then activated something on his watch and spoke into it. “Aurora. All to Cargo Bay Two.”
The rocky surroundings disappeared particle by particle. In the split second it took to reappear inside the Aurora, Gail realized the tingling feeling meant she re-generated inside the spaceship. She was momentarily blinded until her eyes adjusted. The twinkling lights reminded her of the underground computer room.
A painful jerk meant someone had pulled her hair; her brother used to do that all the time. She lost her balance, and felt other arms wrestling her to her feet and pulling her backward at the same time. Gail struggled unsuccessfully to free herself.
“You’re late for work.” He smelled faintly of cigarette smoke. Frank Morrow!
Her heart pounded. “I quit.”
“Don’t bother. You’re fired!” He pushed a gun barrel hard under her jawbone and forced her step backward.
When her vision focused she saw someone in the corner, bound and gagged, and another body laying curled in a pool of blood. There was a heavy rope net draped over John, Andrew and Donnally. Although Donnally and John were working the netting to the edge, Gail could tell it would take some time for them to be freed from their captivity. Andrew was furiously sawing at the rope with a pocket knife. She wasn’t sure what the netting would have held, but it covered everything in the cargo bay except her and Frank. Gail didn’t feel that lucky.
Donnally stole a quick glance toward her, concerned and reassuring, but otherwise never looked away from Morrow. All eyes were on Frank, and Frank had obviously gone over the edge of reality. Gail thought his voice even sounded strange.
“Do you know how many times I’ve tried to kill you, Reider?” He swiftly taped her wrists together and pulled her around the room by her hair as he taunted them. “How unfortunate Iscar missed you at the OneWorld Conference, but now, here you are with your friends. What a lovely treat for me!”
“That bomb didn’t accomplish anything but the murder of two innocent people,” John said. “The Conference will continue.”
“Then I suppose you haven’t heard about the computer virus, yet.” Morrow continued to drag Gail around the boundaries of the netting. Gail tried to keep her feet from tangling in the web but with each mis-step he pushed the gun tighter under her chin and she gagged on a scream.
“The conference can continue whenever it wants; Iscar guarantees the technology will be lost.”
“You put too much trust in the people you work for.” John’s sarcasm did little to hide his anger.
“I don’t work for Iscar
– we’re partners.”
“You are sadly mistaken if you think Iscar partners with anyone.”
John and Donnally were methodically working their way out of the net; Andrew had worked his way toward the body on the floor. Gail was trying to formulate her own plan, after all, she was a brown-belt in karate.
* * *
A hint of jasmine floated to her senses and Rachel followed the scent into wispy clouds, finally unafraid. Out of the clouds an image formed in front of her, and for the first time in these dreams Rachel faced the angel in full form, a being of radiant white whose face glowed from within, who looked at her through unearthly blue eyes. Rachel felt her love, her encouragement, and her respect.
“Uri.” Rachel remembered her name.
The being nodded with approval. “Someone you love has been hurt.”
Rachel knew instantly it was Gail. “I must find her. I should help her.”
“It is not so easy to un-do, even for the Spokesmon.” Uri’s voice sounded deep in Rachel’s mind, not heard through her ears. “If you choose to become involved with one, you choose to become involved with all. You choose to be the Spokesmon.”
“Then I have chosen,” Rachel said. “I involved Gail in all of this. I can’t let her go now.”
“The Spokesmon will have to stand against those whose hearts have hardened to the Kingdom of God.”