by Keith Holmes
Tara and Asa shared a glance as each exited the van and headed toward the plane.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The family welcomed the comfort the small jet provided, easing into warm seats as they drew quickly skyward. Tara and Catee had fallen asleep almost as soon as the plane leveled off, but Ethan's mind couldn't rest. He stood and checked on his family fighting the urge to pick Catee up to hold her.
Next he glanced out the window to view the darkened earth below. The lights of some small town were passing beneath them. He wondered where they were. Circumstance had lead him to this plane; had forced him to trust this stranger. A part of him still wanted to believe that this was all just a terrible nightmare.
The sound of the cockpit door opening drew his attention. Asa was making his way through it, his wound bandaged as best it could be with the contents of a small jet’s first aid kit. He nodded to Ethan with a tired look upon his face and made his way to the young father. Then he took a seat across from him, pulling the first aid kit into his lap.
"We'll be in New York in another hour or so. Let's get you bandaged up?" he offered.
“How long will we be in New York?” Ethan questioned.
“Not long. A few hours." Asa turned his attention to the wound on Ethan's head.
“And those ‘things’, we won’t see any more of them right?”
“I’ve arranged for some protection while we wait," he said, studying Ethan's wound.
"That's nasty. What happened?"
"Hit my head on Catee's bed," Ethan explained. The monk pulled gauze from the box to cut it to size.
“I’ve been thinking, you know, about those things," he said. “Why is it, we’ve never seen them before? Why hasn’t anyone ever captured one? Why is it, they showed up after we met you?”
Asa tried to hide his anger. He’d nearly died getting this man to safety. Elihu may have given his life protecting him and his family and still he questioned their motives. Patience Asa, he thought to himself. "They have been seen," Asa explained. "Do you not look at the tabloids at the supermarket? There's even a scientific community that studies them: Cryptozoology."
Ethan chuckled. And then he realized that what Asa said was true. He turned that over in his mind for a moment. "So who was that guy - Elihu?"
"Elihu is Chicago's Vigilant, in charge of keeping the city safe from things like you saw tonight."
"Chicago? There's only one of'em?"
Asa patched up Ethan's forehead and nodded. "If there could be more there would be. Elihu is a rare breed. They're called Elohim. It means One Who is Mighty. They're like us but also, well, not. They're stronger, faster, they heal more quickly..."
Ethan watched as worry filled Asa's face and his thoughts wandered. The young father looked down to his wounded knuckles and let his mind rewind to the fierceness and strength the knight had displayed. "Is he.... are you two... what are you?" Ethan asked. The monk looked to Ethan's hand as he explained.
"I am his Chronica. I get him the things that he needs, provide him with information, report his activities."
"So you're like his wife," Ethan grinned. Asa didn't appreciate the humor and it shown on his face.
"Sorry," Ethan offered. "Are you one who is mighty?"
"Not at all. I'm mortal, like you. My order is born of the tradition of the Knight's Templar. We support the Vigilant but our swords are purely ceremonial nowadays," he said, applying a bandage to Ethan's knuckles. "I probably wouldn't be any better at fighting those things than you were."
Ethan tugged his hand back at the shot to his pride and he twisted his mouth to let the monk know about it. But the grin on Asa's face disarmed him. Ethan chuckled. Just then Asa’s cell phone began to ring. He quickly fished it from his pocket and answered it.
“Asa... Paris? Are you sure? I… I… I… Yes. Will there be a safe house?” Asa tried not frown as he stammered. “I understand. Thank you.” Clicking his cell phone closed, Asa looked to Ethan and stood, excusing himself as he made his way toward the cockpit.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa there," Ethan exclaimed, “What’s up?” The rise in Ethan’s voice brought Tara out of her sleep and she began to sit up and take notice.
“Oh," Asa stated, taking a few steps back toward Ethan. “A change of plans. The situation in London… isn’t safe. We’re flying to Paris instead. It’s safe there, I assure you.”
Tara grinned when she heard the change of venue. She had always dreamed of seeing Paris.
“You didn’t sound so sure on the phone," he pointed out.
“I don’t know the Parisian Chronica like I know the one from London, but I’m sure he’ll take good care of you.”
Ethan stood as he raised his voice. “You mean you’re leaving us?”
Asa closed his eyes and drooped his head in frustration. “Yes Ethan," he stated softly.
“You are the only guy we know in all of this shit! You are the only guy we trust! There is no way in Hell we’re going anywhere without you!” A growl had lifted the corner of his upper lip.
Asa narrowed his eyes. “I have a job to do. I am on this plane right now and I don’t know if the knight that I’ve known for three years, a man I consider my friend, is alive or dead. Tell me Ethan, when you escaped your apartment, did it look like Elihu was winning or losing?”
Ethan averted his eyes as he remembered his last vision of Elihu.
“I promise you that the Chronica in Paris will be a good man. He will help you. The Templars and our Knight's Vigil will protect you… or we’ll die trying.”
Somehow Ethan had managed to fall asleep but he woke with a start. The light of dawn was breaking through the tiny window at his shoulder. He could see that they were on the ground. It frustrated him that he'd allowed himself to sleep through it. He stood and stretched. The movement roused Tara but Catee was fast asleep.
"Where's Asa?" she asked in a sleepy tone. Ethan turned to confirm that there was no sign of the monk.
"Asa?" he called, moving toward an open cockpit door but heard only silence. Apprehension welled up inside as he reached the debarking door when suddenly it opened. Ethan froze as feet thumped up the short flight of steps and then Asa emerged a large figure behind him.
"I didn't think you'd wake up," Asa greeted.
"Where the hell have you been?" Ethan barked. Asa nodded his head toward a piece of paper still clinging to the young father's shirt. Ethan ripped it free and read it. Meeting Vigilant in Hangar A. The young father calmed down. "Who leaves notes like that?" he grumbled.
Asa grinned and stepped down the aisle. A muscular man shadowed him. He had piercing gray eyes and cropped blonde hair. Ethan knew at once this man must be a knight. It wasn't the tell-tale swords strapped to his sides. Rather it was an aura, an inexplicable intensity that these Vigilant exuded.
"Tara, Ethan, this is Isaiah. He is New York's Vigilant."
Isaiah nodded to each, looking at little Catee with reverence. The little one was still sleeping but Tara seemed to perk up, smitten by the handsome knight. Ethan groused at her and rolled his eyes.
“You have a beautiful child,” The knight's voice seemed mismatched to his body. It was soft like a whisper yet somehow commanding. Catee stirred, then sat up groggily. Her gaze found Isaiah and she grinned a ‘morning grin’ as she addressed him. “You are a dream,” she offered, without further explanation. It wasn’t at all what it sounded like but Tara, whose mind had already made a similar distinction, flushed red. She pulled the little one into her lap.
“You gotta go?” Ethan asked, turning to Asa.
The monk nodded. “A colleague is outside. He’s agreed to help me get back to Chicago.” Asa was very worried about Elihu, but a part of him wanted to stay with them.
“Know that you will all be in my prayers for the rest of my life. So long as I have breath in me a part of it will be reserved for blessing you and your family.” He extended a handshake to Ethan who quickly took it.
“You too,” Ethan said, squa
ring his jaw to keep his emotions in check. He squeezed Asa's hand just a little harder and put a hand on his shoulder.
Asa turned to offer Tara and Catee a smile. The little girl opened her arms wide and demanded a hug. The monk bent to scoop her into his arms. The embrace lasted longer than Asa had expected, coming from a child who hardly knew him. But when it broke he knew it was exactly as long as it needed to be, to lift his sad heart. Catee looked to his bandaged face.
"You got a boo-boo?" she asked.
Asa shook his head. “You’ve felt enough pain little one. This will heal, all on its own,” he said as he retuned her to her seat.
Asa and Tara’s eyes met finally. Though they'd known each other for little better than a day, the two of them shared a bond, one born of hardship. Hers was a cheerless grin as she opened her arms to hug him. He stepped into the embrace and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Be as strong as you have been and all will be well.”
“I’ll never be able to thank you enough Asa. Say we’ll meet again.”
“If God is willing,” he said, leaving her arms, reflecting for a moment. “Well,” he began, “I’ll get out of here now. God bless you all.” With that Asa took one last look at them and turned to go.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As the sun rose higher Tara took a seat by her husband, resting her cheek on his shoulder. Holding his hand, she followed his stare to the back of Isaiah's head. Catee had gone up to sit beside the knight.
“She’s fine. Asa wouldn’t have sent someone who would hurt us,” she whispered.
“I don't know that,” Ethan huffed.
Squeezing his fingers she continued. “Well I trust them. Asa's done nothing but help us.”
“Do you trust them because they’re trustworthy or because they’re sending us to Paris?” Ethan asked. She didn't answer. “I mean, this is some Twilight Zone shit Tara, a bad episode of Svengoolie. How do we know these guys aren’t just going to take Catee from us when we get to wherever-it-is we’re going?” Tara’s smile passed as she considered Ethan’s insinuation.
“You won’t let that happen, will you?” she asked rhetorically.
“Hell no,” he replied.
“Well, neither will I. Maybe they are up to more than they’re saying, but I know this: Wherever we’re going will be better than where we just came from. I mean, even if we went to your parent's…” Ethan stopped her short and he jolted upright.
“Mom and Dad!” he exclaimed. “We gotta call Mom and Dad!”
Ethan stood. Tara tightened her grip on his hand. Isaiah looked back toward the disturbance.
“Ethan no… wait until someone gets here to tell us what to do!”
“I’ll just get off for a second, find a phone and make sure they’re okay. I’ll call your mom too,” he offered, hoping that the mention of her mother might sway her.
“But what are you going to tell them?” she asked, loosening her grip a little.
“I… I’ll tell’em the truth… kind of,” he replied as he paused to concoct a story in his head. “I’ll tell them we’re going to Paris. That the police are footing the bill to get us out of town for awhile until this dies down.”
Tara smiled at the answer. She was sure they’d buy it. “Okay," she agreed, “but hurry up.”
Ethan was bounding down the aisle with ever-quickening steps when Isaiah arose to block his path. Ethan prepared for a confrontation. “Are we going to have a problem?" Ethan asked.
"No," Isaiah shook his head but before he could continue the young father stepped forward, ready to shove by the knight.
"Good. Because we aren't prisoners last I checked," he challenged. Isaiah planted his strong hand against Ethan's chest. The young father swatted at it. He'd intended to knock it away but it didn't budge.
"Mr. Moyer..."
“It doesn’t have to be like this!” Ethan growled, his fist clinching.
Isaiah pointed toward a skyphone in the adjacent aisle. “No, it doesn’t,” he explained.
“Oh," Ethan managed. “I thought… sorry.”
"Tell them you're going to London. The less they know, the safer they are,” Isaiah instructed before removing his hand from Ethan’s chest and returning to his seat.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Catee was admiring one of Isaiah's swords.
"Are you special?" she asked. He turned to her. The low light in the cabin had made his eyes take on a strange glow. Softly he shook his head.
"How come you get 'dem?" she asked.
"I'm a knight. Knight's have swords," he explained.
Catee grew quiet for a moment and then looked out the window. "In my dream we watch squirrels," she added. "Do you like squirrels?"
"I never gave them much thought," the young knight answered.
"Oh," she said with a frown. "Well you should lik'em. They're fuzzy."
"I'll try to pay more attention," he said softly.
Ethan had just finished feeding the story he’d designed to Tara’s mom when two men boarded the plane. The first turned quickly into the cockpit but the second, clad in tie-dye, made his way down the aisle. He wore his hair long and accompanied it with a beard and mustache, a slight man with gold wire framed glasses that caught the dim lights of the cabin above. His arms were filled with fast food bags and a drink carrier jutted before him as he carefully balanced it with the tips of his fingers. Isaiah arose and greeted the man with a nod, helping bear some of the load.
“Thank you Isaiah,” the man said before addressing Ethan and Tara. “Hello Moyers. My name is Cyrus. I thought you might be hungry.” Tara chimed in, thankful for the food but more interested in other topics.
“Are we still going to Paris?” she asked, accepting a child-sized juice he had extended to her.
“Yes you are,” he said. Ethan opened a breakfast sandwich before raising it in the air, toasting Cyrus.
“Thanks. I was starved,” the young father said, but before his second bite he paused to stare at his sandwich. Right about now he'd be gathered around the tailgate of his truck, sharing a breakfast with his crew and planning the day's work. Ethan had worked hard everyday of his life, even when most kids were just trying to get through high school. There were no vacations, no plane trips. He had become a creature of such intrinsic habit, so firmly planted in Chicago's pavement, that he felt as though he'd wither if he were ever plucked from it. A knot twisted in his belly, but his apprehension went unnoticed for the moment.
"Mommy, could you give me my breakfast up here? Isaiah needs me sit by him," came a little voice calling to a few rows back. Isaiah had said nothing of the kind and shook his head to refute the accusation but Tara thought little of it. Catee would occasionally take to someone. Tara struggled to stand, food in each hand but fell back into her seat.
"Let me help," Cyrus smiled, taking the food and delivering it. "Well, you folks are about to be on your way and so Isaiah and I should be also."
The casual way Cyrus made his announcement added insult to Ethan's injury. He was lost in contemplation, trying to make peace with the fact that he was about to not only leave his home city, but his country behind - no idea when he'd see either again - and the thought that someone could be chipper about that ran him through. His face set hard, he stood blocking Cyrus' way and extended his hand. Cyrus turned, surprised by the look on the young father's face and took his handshake, only to have it cinched tight. The inflection of Ethan's voice shook slightly and came in dark and low.
“I am trusting you people with the most important things in my life. If I find out you’re lying to me…”
The grin on Cyrus' face faded. He realized that he'd diminished the gravity of the situation with his attempt to be friendly. He looked into Ethan's eyes with candor.
“I understand Mr. Moyer. With God as my witness, you and your family will be protected." The sincerity in Cyrus’ voice rang true with Ethan. He nodded and released the Monk's hand.
Isaiah was about to stand as Catee wrapped her arms arou
nd his neck. It was clearly awkward for the Knight even though he returned the gesture, lifting her into the air as her legs dangled beneath her. After hanging on for a moment she released his neck and looked into his eyes.
“It’s okay to love Katie,” she said, a statement that caused Isaiah’s eyes to widen with surprise. Noticing the young knight’s reaction, Tara stood to rescue him from her eccentric little girl. She gently plucked Catee from the seat before him.
“He knows it's okay to love you baby,” she said, smiling to Isaiah. He nodded in thanks then silently, he turned away and headed up the aisle. Cyrus turned to go too.
"God speed," he offered, then he hurried his steps to catch the Vigilant.
It wasn’t long before the jet was taxiing toward the runway. Ethan watched as Tara tickled Catee, both celebrating a trip as though they were going on vacation but he couldn’t share their enthusiasm. Instead he moved to a window and rested his head against it. His eyes affixed on American soil as they burst down the runway, building speed in a shaking drag race into the sky. Tara and Catee’s giggling voices were growing distant as the plane left the ground. Just after the landing gear thumped into place Ethan fell asleep.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Asa walked quickly from the passenger loading area and toward a bank of phones. He snatched a receiver into his hand and fished in his pockets for change - wishing that he hadn't left his flip phone in the work van - before finally finding the quarter he needed. He dialed, forcing himself to slow to avoid a misdial with his only coin, and then he waited. Each ring caused his posture to sink a bit more. An anonymous voicemail greeting finally answered. He waited for the tone and then spoke hushed and hurried.
"Elihu, meet me at my house as soon as you can."
He sighed as he hung up and then marched toward the exit and hailed a cab. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his stomach. Asa bowed his head to say a silent prayer for his friend, and then he glued his attention to the streets hoping to see the Vigilant.