SECRET SALVATION

by Chad Josey

  “Oh, thank you, Thomas. I loved our chat. I can’t wait to tell you about our trip when we return. Oh, I’m assuming you’ll be the one picking us up when we return?” Mary asked.

  “Uh… yes,” Thomas replied as she selected her seat from the many options to choose.

  As Thomas passed Joe who still stood in the front of the cabin, Thomas spoke in a softer voice, which only Joe could hear. “Dr. Bishop, it’s been my pleasure knowing you.”

  Thomas shook Joe’s hand, a crushing handshake before leaving down the stairs onto the tarmac.

  That sounded so final… I wonder what parts of this Thomas knows… I guess it pays to be the driver who hears all the conversations?

  Joe sat beside Mary as he placed his backpack on an empty seat in front of him. The captain re-appeared from the cockpit.

  “Dr. and Mrs. Bishop, we’ll be taking off in about fifteen minutes. During our flight, if you need anything from us, pick up this phone, here. It connects to us in the cockpit.” The captain pointed around the cabin.

  “Drinks and food, help yourself, here. The entertainment system is here. And, once in the air, we’ll come back to you every so often to make sure everything is okay. Any questions?”

  “Yeah, how long is the flight?” Mary asked.

  “Our flight time will be eighteen hours. It’s eleven hours over to Dubai, and then another seven down to Mauritius.”

  “Oh, my… where’s the bathroom?” she asked.

  “It’s back there, and everything operates like you’re used to on a normal passenger plane. Okay, well… again, if you have questions call us once we’re in the air.”

  The captain returned to the cockpit closing the door behind them. Joe and Mary held hands across the open aisle between their seats. Joe sensed her nervousness.

  “It’s okay, Honey. This looks exactly like the same jet I took before, and everything will be all right.”

  “I know, but just in case, I’m ready,” Mary said as she pulled a plastic bag from her purse she carried.

  “What the hell is that for?”

  “Just in case I have to throw-up and can’t make it to the bathroom,” she said as she laughed rubbing her stomach.

  Joe always enjoyed how Mary amused him in unexpected moments. “Ha. Funny. Just be sure if you do, to not get any on me,” he said laughing.

  “I’m kidding. I’m sure these butterflies will go away once we take off?”

  Almost as if on cue, the jet moved forward. They pressed their hands harder together across the empty aisle. The plane made a quick, right turn.

  Over the speaker, the captain’s voice said, “Okay, folks we’re ready to go.”

  As soon as the captain’s voice fell silent, the engines roared faster. The jet shook like an angry tiger. With a sudden jolt, their bodies pressed into the back of their soft, white leather seats. The jet raced down the runway; the bouncing tires reverberated throughout the cabin.

  After few seconds of jostling in their seats, the jet tilted up in front of them, lifting off the runway.

  “Okay, Honey, here we go,” Joe said. The ground grew further and further away. They were leaving home.

  PRESENT - Over the Indian Ocean

  1,686 Days Prior to Impact

  FLYING LOSES ITS EXCITEMENT after the fourth hour. The first flight segment from JFK to Dubai flashed by in an instant. Champagne flowed as they watched movies from the comfort of their reclined leather seats inside the Gulfstream 650.

  After a two-hour layover in Dubai for refueling, the second flight overnight passed in slow motion. The alcohol had worn off its effects as daylight broke over the Indian Ocean.

  “Good morning. We hope you’ve had a good flight,” the Captain said over the cabin speakers. “We’re on our final approach into Mauritius. Please prepare for landing.”

  The voice pierced through their hung-over heads. Mary pressed the button at the window beside her seat. Light shimmered through the cabin reflecting off the ocean as the blackout panel lifted.

  “Oh, wow, Joe… it’s so amazing.”

  Hours of darkness flying overnight had hidden the turquoise water of the Indian Ocean. Daytime exposed the various hues of blue water surrounding a lush, green island below their plane.

  “How did you sleep?” Joe asked.

  “I passed out once we left Dubai… I had too much to—”

  The long flight with their many drinks forced Mary to the bathroom. Faint sounds resulting from the alcohol overindulgence leaked through the closed door. A queasiness hit Joe as well as he too had consumed too much of the champagne during their flight.

  “Ugh, I am much better now,” Mary said leaving the bathroom returning. As she fastened her seatbelt, she said, “Yeah, way too much to drink last night.”

  The jet lunged forward as it made its final descent to the runway. Joe and Mary peeked out their windows. The turquoise water had disappeared. Lush greenery expanded as the island grew close.

  Their seats jolted as the wheels contacted the ground. Their bodies pushed forward with the braking and taxiing to the terminal building.

  “Welcome to Mauritius, Dr. and Mrs. Bishop,” came the Captain’s voice over the speakers.

  Joe and Mary unbuckled their seatbelts as the cockpit door opened. The co-pilot emerged opening the side, entry door. Voices from the ground crew rippled into the cabin as they positioned the gangway.

  “Good morning, Gabriel,” the co-pilot said to the man entering the cabin from the stairs. The co-pilot disappeared behind Gabriel out of the plane.

  “Gabriel… I didn’t know … ” Joe said as he stood to greet him.

  “Hope you had a good flight?”

  “Yes, it was wonderful,” Joe said. “This is my wife.”

  “Hello, Mary. Joseph has said so many wonderful things,” Gabriel said as he offered his hand to her as she stood.

  “Mary, this, is Gabriel. He’s the one I’ve been working with from the Eden Foundation.”

  She reached her arms around Gabriel’s shoulders giving him a familiar hug. “So, you’re the one I need to thank for this vacation and for funding my husband’s research?”

  Gabriel returned her affection. “Yes… we at Eden think highly of your husband and his work.” As Mary released her hold on Gabriel, he continued, “Come, let’s go. We’ve got an hour ride to the resort where you’ll be staying.”

  Joe stood in silence smiling.

  I’m glad they seem to get along well. I will need all his help to tell her what’s coming next.

  “So, if you are here too, y’all won't be talking about any research will you since we’re on vacation?” Mary asked as she flashed a grin to Joe. He recognized Mary’s signal. This trip is about relaxing, not work.

  “Oh no, not at all. Our Foundation has invited several people to our resort this week to thank them for their efforts. Part of my job is to make sure we take care of everyone while they are here.”

  Mary clasped Joe’s arm drawing him closer. “Honey, you never mentioned his name, but you always said he was a good guy.”

  “Yeah, Gabriel has been helpful through everything,” Joe said.

  “Come, let’s go.” Gabriel ushered them to a waiting limo.

  Gabriel led Joe and Mary to the backseat. A ground crew member placed their luggage inside the trunk.

  “Please, help yourself. There’s a nice fully stocked bar back here.” Gabriel pushed open the wood-paneled door behind the front seat hiding the drinks.

  “Oh, no more for me. My stomach can’t take any more alcohol… I’ll take a water if that’s okay?”

  “Absolutely, Mrs. Bishop, here you go.” Gabriel gave her a half-liter bottle of water. Beads of condensation dripped from the bottom given the humid, tropical island air.

  “Oh, please, please call me Mary. Mrs. Bishop sounds too formal for me.”

  “I’ll take one, too.” The limo drove from the airport through the outskirts of a small village. “How long have you been here?” Joe a
sked.

  “Our first guests arrived a few days ago… so, it’s been about two weeks.” As he spoke, Gabriel texted on his phone. “So, either of you ever been to this part of the world?”

  “Are you kidding? We’ve been to Paris. That’s about it, other than our home in Texas. Heck, we’ve never even been in the southern hemisphere before.” Mary's voice cracked in amazement as she stared out the window at the passing landscape.

  “You will find Mauritius to be an exquisite place.”

  “Does the Foundation own the resort?” Mary asked.

  “Yes. Our resort is on the Le Morne peninsula on the south-end of the island. It’s very secluded there as our guests enjoy the privacy we offer.”

  The two-lane road twisted through plantations of sugarcane fields stretching for miles around the limo. Gentle, rolling hills broke the monotony of the flat trail they had traversed. Small villages appeared at the end of each plantation where the locals lived who worked the fields. As the last village drifted away hidden by the fertile fields, the first glimpses of turquoise water emerged as they reached the island coastline.

  “It’s so beautiful,” Mary said as the sunlight reflected into the backseat off the water.

  “Speaking of beautiful, Mary, the stones in your necklace match the colors of the ocean,” Gabriel said.

  Mary placed her hand onto the diamond-encrusted pendant, “Thanks. This was my Christmas gift this year from Joe.” She leaned over on Joe's arm smiling at Gabriel.

  “Looks expensive,” Gabriel said, his eyes piercing at Joe.

  “Well, you know, she’s special and deserves the best. I thought I’d get her something out of this world,” Joe said as he smiled with his inside joke. Gabriel returned a smile to Joe.

  Expensive? Hell… your Foundation has financed Salvation for who knows how many trillions of dollars. I don’t think you’ll miss what I spent on her necklace.

  The limo continued along the coastline. Crystal-clear water bordered golden, sandy beaches. After forty-five minutes, the water disappeared.

  A lush jungle of thick, green trees emerged. Branches stretched over the road creating a canopy blocking most of the sunlight.

  “Wow.” Mary’s mouth dropped open as she saw a single mountain appear as the canopy of trees cleared.

  Green foliage covered the two-thousand-foot mountain. A steep, brown cliff faced its southern side. Between the lush vegetation and metallic-gray rocks, a waterfall crashed to the jungle floor.

  “I know. It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Gabriel said. “We should be there in a few minutes.”

  The tree canopy appeared again blocking the sight of the mountain. A never-ending, ten-foot-tall, black-iron fence followed alongside the road.

  “As I mentioned, our resort is very secluded,” Gabriel said.

  The limo slowed turning into a gated driveway. Two large metal doors with the resort’s red-triangle logo opened allowing the limo to pass. Iron crashed together following the car as the gate closed behind them.

  They stopped in front of a thatched-roof building. Two small, dark-skinned men in white suits waived. Each man approached either side of the limo opening both back doors in unison. The passengers left the limo as one man retrieved the luggage.

  They walked through a courtyard overflowing with yellow and orange orchids. The sweet-scented pollen was a delight to the purple dragonflies dancing across the flower tops.

  “They will take your luggage to your room. Before you go to your room, I will show you around our resort,” Gabriel said.

  Gabriel led Joe and Mary through a covered walkway absent any walls allowing the sea breeze to pass through from the Indian Ocean. Lily pads with lavender stems floated on the ponds under the elevated walkway. Bumblebees chased their competition for their turn of the flowers’ nectar.

  Swaying palm trees lined the deep-blue water of an infinity swimming pool stretching ahead to the ocean. The blue sky kissed the horizon in the distance. Fountains on either side of the pool sprayed water high into the air splashing over fish statues as if they had jumped in from the sea.

  “It’s just so... ” Mary said pausing to take in all the sights as Gabriel explained the different restaurant options.

  “ So, this is the swimming pool area. There’s a pool bar, there. The restaurant is down this way beyond the spa. And, on the other side is the beach.” Gabriel pointed the directions to the jet-lagged couple. “All the people you see in the pool, they’re our guests. You’ll get to meet them in due time.”

  Are they coming with us too? How many of us are going together? Do they all know about Salvation?

  “So, they’re researchers, too?” Joe asked.

  “Some are. Our Foundation represents many interests… but, we’ll talk more about it later.”

  Gabriel completed the tour around the grounds of the resort returning to the open-air entrance. A different small, dark-skinned man greeted them.

  “This is Sami. He will be your butler for your stay. If you need anything, anything at all, Sami is your man,” Gabriel said. After handing Joe and Mary over to Sami, Gabriel said, “Okay, you two get settled in. I will stop by to see how you are doing, soon.”

  “Welcome to paradise, Dr. and Mrs. Bishop. Please, follow me. I will take you to your bungalow.” Sami motioned them to follow him down a path between the main thatched-roof building and the spa.

  Similar to the other two men, who had greeted them upon their arrival, Sami was of Indian descent. His uniform was immaculate. A pressed, dark-blue cotton shirt complimented his bright, white pants and matching white gloves. Sami, as a butler, stood-out among the others working at the resort.

  “Here’s our spa. We have a wonderful menu of options there to relieve any stress. Here, please.” Sami led them to a parked, white golf cart with three rows of leather-covered seats.

  Sami drove. A small, black paved road, only wide enough to allow a single cart to pass, meandered through the resort. Small bridges crossed streams connecting different ponds and flower gardens between the bungalows.

  “Here we are,” Sami said. The cart stopped at a bungalow near the edge of the beach.

  Sami guided them up the few steps to their bungalow and pushed open the door. Joe and Mary followed. A rush of cold air hit them as the muggy, tropical air stayed outside.

  “Here is your bedroom… over here…. is your bar… and, here is the bathroom…”

  “Oh my, look at that tub,” Mary said. A deep, large stone tub enticed her in the center of the floor.

  “Out this door, is your shower.”

  “Wow, it’s outside,” Mary said, her eyebrows lifted to Joe.

  “And, here is the best part of our whole place.” Sami walked through the bedroom to two large curtains drawn together pushing them apart in one quick motion. Like a magician, he revealed a glorious view. “Here is your beach.”

  French doors opened outward to the sandy beach. Two bamboo chairs sat around a small table. A hammock stretched between two, fat palm trees provided the perfect shade from the summer sun. The golden sandy beach tempted them a few feet from their door.

  “Oh, my God,” Joe and Mary said together as they stepped barefoot on the warm sand.

  “I can’t wait to get in that water, Joe.”

  “Again, if you need anything… anything at all, please call me at this number.” Sami presented Joe his small business card. “This number will ring my phone. I always have this with me.”

  The three of them went back inside the bungalow. Sami started toward the front door. “Is there anything you need, now?”

  “I’m a little hungry,” Mary said looking at Joe.

  “Okay, I’ll have fruit brought to your room. Here’s the room-service menu. You can order anything you’d like, or you can visit any of the restaurants. As we say here, whatever you want, we will make it happen.”

  “Thanks, Sami,” Joe said.

  The door closed behind Sami as he left them alone. Mary placed her arms on Joe�
�s shoulders pulling her closer. She looked up into his eyes. “Thank you for bringing me here. I love it.”

  “We should thank Gabriel and the Foundation.”

  “Maybe, but after your hard work you’ve done… your research brought us here.”

  “True. We will see where else my research can take us,” Joe said withholding the rest of his secret.

  Joe fell with Mary onto the bed kissing each other. After a few moments, a knock at the front door interrupted them.

  Mary stood from the bed to answer. Sami returned holding a chilled, glass plate with green, red, yellow, and purple fruit. The sweetness lifted off the plate. Mary took the plate as Sami reminded them to call if they needed anything.

  Sami left. Joe and Mary were alone.

  Joe looked out the glass doors to the beach, while Mary ate the fruit, most she had never before seen. Joe smiled. He was at peace.

  This has to be the most beautiful place on Earth.

  “Okay, they are settled into their room,” Sami said into his cell phone.

  Sami sat in the golf cart looking at an iPad in his lap. A video feed of Joe and Mary played from within the bungalow. Sami watched as Mary sat the fruit plate on a table beside the bed before slipping off her shirt. Her bare chest pressed into Joe's back.

  “I’ll let you know if there are any problems, Mr. Gabriel.”

  PRESENT - Mauritius

  1,685 Days Prior to Impact

  A DAY OF BLUE SKIES devoid of clouds basking in the summer, Southern Hemisphere sun, Mauritius may as well have been a world far removed from Long Island. Crystal-clear, turquoise water surrounded the island peninsula of the resort.

  A snorkeler’s paradise lies within a coral reef five-hundred foot offshore creating a calm lagoon, which encircled the island. Warm, tropical breezes pushed through the coconut palm trees swaying in the afternoon sun.

  Joe and Mary enjoyed a secluded stretch of beach within the expansive resort. The spa effects of the golden, powdered sand provided warmth under their feet leaving the water carrying their dripping masks.

  Sami greeted them as they returned to their bamboo beach chairs under a thatched-roof umbrella. “Good afternoon. Hope you are having a great day?” Sami asked.