Fuji picked up the launch of the fighters on his screen and announced, "Looks like everyone knows where here."
Isabelle saw the situation with more confidence. "They know someone is here."
Ryan added, "Madagascar air force should reach us in 60 seconds."
It was time for action, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by Tasha and her platoon, either. The pilot's voice from the cockpit boomed over the talk-back system. "She's still directly below us."
Without blinking, Tasha's orders came back. "Lose her, Captain!"
The pilot took the powerful plane into a sudden climb and a turn. Isabelle's instinct guided her to stay with her foe's every move. Equipment in the stealth's cargo and personnel decks was falling everywhere from the G-forces generated by the pilot's abrupt maneuvers. Tasha was sitting steadily in her Commander's seat, held in securely by her suspender-type restraints. She heard the pilot's voice on her headset as the series of climbs, turns and drops continued. "Package remains, continuing evasive action."
In the spaceplane, Isabelle was letting her instinct guide her actions. Much like she had been one with the water heater and the mountain in the Arctic, Isabelle had made the stealth an extension of herself. Like banking her bike in a turn, Isabelle's holistic approach to flying enabled her to pilot by feel. Fighter jets were approaching from Madagascar. Soon, they would see the reality of the situation their computers were hiding from them.
Ryan raised a point that was of great concern to him. "If Madagascar fires air to air missiles, their internal guidance will direct them towards us, not the stealth plane."
Isabelle felt no threat in this fact and with a smile replied, "They won't get a chance. We'll set down long before."
Tasha's jet went into another climb, a perfect moment to break away. Isabelle pushed the yoke forward, taking the spaceplane into a steep, high-velocity descent, while the bird of prey continued into the sky. The two fighters were soon near the stealth, drawn in by the still transmitting beacon. Isabelle had slipped away. She took the craft to sea level where she continued on below radar, virtually skimming the ocean waves. The spaceplane approached a delta on the coastline of a small island and followed its river upstream. The commander of the squadron pursuing Tasha had come close enough to spot her bird of darkness.
"Control, I have a visual on the target. It's a stealth bomber. Intentions appear hostile."
Tasha was finding out the trick Isabelle had played on her when the one of the Troopers' voice brought the bad news over the headset. "Captain, our radio beacon is active, broadcasting the target's ID."
The pilot's response reflected his concern. "That means everyone can find us. Turn it off!"
An alarm sounded through the cockpit. Its noise filled Tasha's headphone as the other Trooper responded. "Sir, they have locked weapons on our heat signature."
Once the fighters had spotted Tasha, there was nothing stealthy about her mode of travel. The next voice on Tasha's headphones was not anything she ever wanted to hear in her career as warrior. Underlined by the sound of the weapons-lock alarm from the cockpit, the transmission from the squadron leader left little room for interpretation.
"Pilot of the unmarked stealth bomber! Begin immediate descent to three-five-zero-zero feet or be shot down. This will be the only transmission."
The hunter had become the hunted.
41 THE GANG MEETS THE NATIVE
The spaceplane was tied off by the shore of a jungle lagoon, floating on its pontoons. Tonati was as excited as a puma can get. He had kept a good demeanor onboard the plane, because he understood the ride was reuniting him with Isabelle, but he was not a friend of harnesses or space travel. The surroundings reminded him of a time when he was still a cub, living in the jungle with Isabelle and her parents. After just a moment, he was chasing butterflies, one of his favorite activities.
Ryan was looking at the data on the memory stick Kenshin had given him. "The doomsday device is about eight miles up the river," he proudly proclaimed. "The jungle is too thick for us to get through, it looks like the river is the most direct route."
The river was deep and wide. Its current was too strong to fight without a motor. Ryan came to that realization before Isabelle had to point this out to him. Fuji and her had directed their attention towards a small dwelling a little further down the lagoon. A boat was anchored near the modest house.
"I think there is a way for us," said Fuji. "Maybe we should see who lives there."
Tonati was a step ahead already. He was chasing a blue and yellow butterfly through ferns and reeds along the water's edge towards the jungle hut. The three friends followed his tracks. As they were nearing the little house, a very friendly-looking, dark-skinned native appeared in the front door. By his side was a little monkey, Isabelle realized right away the two must have had a similar relationship as Tonati and her. The monkey was bigger than just a few bites, but Tonati recognized the primate as the companion of the person about to greet them. He didn't consider the monkey a meal but an equal, and more importantly, a possible new friend. The native looked a bit surprised when Tonati lost interest in the butterfly and ran directly towards him and his furry companion. Most people would have run away in fear at the sight of a charging wildcat, as did many of Isabelle's potential mates. Pumas, however, were not native to the jungle of Madagascar. The man didn't fear nature but embraced it for all its diversity. He felt no threat from Tonati, which he saw confirmed when the cat approached the monkey and the two sniffed each other’s noses in greeting. With a warm smile, the native welcomed Isabelle, Fuji and Ryan.
"I see you're friends of nature. Your cat bears one of the great spirits of the jungle."
Isabelle was only too happy to talk about Tonati who had been the one true love of her life. "Thank you. He's been with me since he was a cub."
The islander saw Fuji was at the end of his strength and the blood-soaked bandage on his shoulder was testament to the source of his weakness. He ushered the weary warriors of the light in. Referring to Fuji's plane, he commented, "The urban jungle from which you come bears great dangers. Come, you're safe in here."
The interior of the home was without electric appliances or electronics, yet it didn't appear to be lacking in comfort or amenities. The clay walls provided protection from the elements and his furnishings of bamboo and teak were ample. He produced healing herbs and large leaves for tending Fuji's wounds from a cupboard. The native grabbed a beautiful cup that had been carved out of a coconut and dropped a handful of herbs into it. A kettle that had been simmering on his wood-burning stove provided the hot water needed for the tea.
"This will help you get better. I know you are hurting, but the pain is an important part of healing. If you suppress it, you push the illness deep within yourself and you will carry the pain with you, always." Fuji understood and, with a grimace, he sipped the tea whose aromatic steam was rising from the coconut. The native seemed to have no name. When the three had introduced themselves, he responded only with his inviting hospitality. When Ryan couldn't stand it anymore and asked who he was the native replied in surprise. "What do you mean? I am me." He removed the lifesaving bandage Isabelle had applied in the skies over Berlin. "This is what your technology brings you? Your wound is deep and serious," he said right away. "I can help you, but you have to stay and rest."
This was not what Fuji wanted to hear. "I wish I could, but we are on a very important mission, for the benefit of all of humanity."
The native returned a look that alone explained the seriousness of Fuji's injuries and added, "What good can you be even on the most important of missions when you don't survive the journey there?"
Fuji looked at Isabelle, then Ryan. Isabelle knew the mission was hers.
A little later, Fuji and Isabelle were outside, his wounds covered with ground herbs and wrapped in banana leaves. He was visibly weakened by the strain of his injury. Fuji was sitting on the ground, his legs crossed, a couple of clay jars by his side. Isabelle sat opposite him. A pi
le of colorful leaves that looked like they had come from the native's hut laid in between them. Isabelle felt overwhelmed by the gravity of her mission and the devastating consequences failure had brought to those closest to her. The lightwarrior looked at Fuji with deep worry in her eyes. She took a deep breath and exhaled, pushing out the negative energy of fear.
"I feel like the battle between good and evil has landed in my lap." Isabelle’s eyes were searching for encouragement in Fuji's. Before he would answer, Fuji reached for one of the jars by his side and emptied its yellow, powdery contents over the pile of leaves. His eyes met Isabelle's and he began to explain how very correct she was.
"For the moment it has, and so the universe has guided you on your path. That's why everyone you've encountered was able to help you on your quest."
Gene and Tasha's efforts had left their effect on Isabelle. "Gene destroys anyone who stands in his way. I don't have a chance fighting evil."
Fuji reached for the second jar and replied, "When you face him, his weapons won't matter. You, like all of us, can tap into something greater."
Fuji emptied the contents of the jar in his hand over the pile between them. In a flash, the two powders ignited the layer of leaves and colorful smoke began to rise. Just like in her previous visions, Isabelle was making out shapes that the flames and smoke were producing. The shapes united before her eyes to form an animation. It took her consciousness to old Japan in 1271.
A modest home laid peaceful and serene. The flicker of a candle was shining through one of its windows into the darkness. A man in his fifties, Nichiren Daishonin, was sitting on a cushion inside, writing on a piece of paper. It was a time of totalitarian rule, where the emperor and the priesthood suppressed free thought and liberty of the individual. The strain of the lack of freedom amongst the people showed in the man's face. He was writing a shopping list for quills, ink, fruit, incense and a blank scroll.
Fuji’s voice explained Isabelle’s vision. "A man in the 13th century set out to teach this knowledge to the people. Doing so posed a threat to the ruling power."
Troopers surrounded and stormed the house. The heavy boot of one of the Troopers left the imprint of its sole in the grain of the wooden front door as he kicked it open. Splinters shot from the doorframe towards Nichiren, announcing the arrival of darkness.
A flood of Troopers poured in through windows and doors like water into a capsized ship. Nichiren looked up from his notes with a smile, as if he'd been expecting his violent visitors. One of the Troopers took a scroll off a shelf filled with writings and knocked the piece of furniture to the ground. Nichiren felt faint when the Trooper's strong hand struck the back of his head with the scroll’s wooden core. Some of the other Troopers knocked dishes and decorations to the floor as the man was getting dragged outside violently.
Isabelle's vision took her to nearby Tatsunokuchi beach where the Troopers threw their prisoner to his knees. Their leader stood behind Nichiren and lifted his sword to execute him.
"However, his work was of such fundamental importance to the spread of harmony, that Nature protected him."
Suddenly a brilliant orb of ball lightning appeared in the sky and rushed towards the group. Out of fear, the Troopers scattered in many directions and spared Nichiren’s life.
Isabelle's consciousness returned to the jungle in which she was. She looked at Fuji and with a degree of doubt said to her mentor, "You know I don't believe in miracles."
Fuji looked her in the eyes. "I don't believe in coincidences. What protected him was the life force of the Universe." Fuji noticed the scratches on Isabelle's wrist from Spitsbergen had almost healed. He continued. "Just like your body is healing your cuts, this life force protects and heals itself." Fuji placed a few small sticks on the fire that had burned down. Isabelle took in his wisdom as he explained the secret of life. "It keeps a delicate balance between the forces of light and shadow, neither of which can exist without the other." The sticks flamed up and returned the pile to a strong fire, illustrating Fuji's words. "Only a harmonious flow of energy throughout the universe maintains this balance. At times like these, that harmony has been disrupted." Fuji reached for some large, wet leaves and placed them on the fire. Lacking oxygen, the flames diminished. The fire turned into nothing by thick, dark smoke. "Too many people have given in to the temptations of evil and spent their days in the shadows of darkness. Isabelle, you must recognize that you have come to this lifetime to restore that balance." Fuji took a stick and pushed the wet leaves that were smothering the flames off the pile. The fire burned normal again.
Isabelle leaned against the rock behind her. She was overwhelmed by this information. She had left Los Angeles to save her father’s life and failed. Now she was fighting for her own survival and that of her cat. That was a large enough task in itself, but Isabelle had not expected that the fate of humanity would rest on her shoulders. Gene and his corporation were a strong force that had successfully suppressed the human spirit and brought fear and suffering to the furthest reaches of the world. How could she as a single unarmed woman defeat who no one has been able to beat? With great worry and disbelief, she looked at Fuji.
"There aren't enough weapons in the world for a fight like this."
With a single sentence of wisdom, the mentor gave his disciple all the armament she needed. "Only light can extinguish darkness."
Isabelle drew strength from his words. Finally, she understood that because of the goodness of her heart, she truly was the most powerful person in the world. The puttering of a motorboat ended her moment of reflecting. She turned her head and saw Ryan and Tonati approach on the river. Her knight in shining armor was behind the wheel of the boat that had been moored by the jungle hut. Tonati was at the bow with his paws on the railing. His loud roar echoed through the jungle. He was anxious to go.
Ryan shouted. "I told the native what we were doing. He said we can borrow this till we get back. Can you believe it?"
This action gave Isabelle the confidence she needed to go into battle against darkness. She felt the support of the protective forces of the universe behind her. With great strength, the young lightworker rose from her spot. A smile found its way back onto her face as she turned to Fuji and said relieved, "I see what you mean."
Fuji's final instructions would stay with Isabelle for the remainder of her journey.
"Remember, Isabelle, it is fear that gives Gene his strength. He is powerless against your valor."
42 THE CAGED BUZZARD GROWS NEW WINGS
Tasha was sitting across the desk from General Morabi at Madagascar's military headquarters. The island nation's defense leader was visibly agitated about Tasha's violation of his country's sovereignty. It had been the government's policy to minimize spending on weapons and pour what little funds were available into providing for the needs of the people. Madagascar's political leadership knew it would be impossible to match the staggering amounts of money military superpowers were spending every year on destruction and the mass-killings of people that had not succumb to Gene and Yubellow's politics of fear. Morabi knew that a strong military force in his country would do little but pose a threat to the world's military powers and spell certain doom for the safety of his people. With few profitable resources, Madagascar was of no interest to Gene and his friends in the military-industrial complex. At least, so he thought, unaware of the true purpose of Apophis' presence on one of the smaller islands. As far as Morabi knew, Gene operated a graphite mine and housed an air-freight fleet there. Apophis was the poor nation's largest corporate tax-payer and the government would think twice about questioning any of Gene's operations on their own soil.
Tasha was shifting impatiently in her wooden chair. An old jungle-green metal desk separated her from the General. He had been to Eritrea on several diplomatic missions to accompany Madagascar's leadership. Morabi understood Tasha belonged to Apophis' security forces, and felt a bit of relief it wasn't one of the superpowers' militaries that had invaded his airspa
ce. He took a deep breath and exhaled, pushing out the bad feelings from what he had initially interpreted as an attack. His next breath would lead him into what he was hoping to be a long lecture.
"If I didn't know your father, you'd be shark food. We're fueling your plane right now to get you back to international airspace as soon as possible."
Morabi had his hands folded on the desk and was leaning into every word he spoke. He paused to hear what he expected to be Tasha's apology so he could continue his speech. The warrior across from him, however, was far from giving up or apologizing. Her reply was curt and played on his military sense.
"I'm on the hunt."
Morabi sighed. Tasha's words had a strong effect on the General. He leaned back in his chair and after a moment of reflection, he reached to pick up the receiver off the old-fashioned telephone on his desk.
43 THE LIGHT AND HER SHADOW COME EYE TO EYE
Smoke was spewing from the boat's put-put motor as Isabelle, Ryan and Tonati were making their way upriver. A single spotlight showed the band of rebels their way through the jungle night. Monkeys and parrots were curiously watching the unusual sight travel through their kingdom. The beauty of her surroundings reminded the young journalist of the importance of her mission. She stood at the conn of the little craft, Tonati at the bow like a scout. The puma's tribulations of being separated from his companion and the extended space travel had long left his consciousness. He has spent his adult life away from the jungle with Isabelle. Although she had gone out of her way to provide her furry friend with a natural environment, their home in Los Angeles was no match for the abundance of life force that surrounded them at this moment. Isabelle's eyes were on her cat and she felt his happiness radiate all around.
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