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An hour after speaking with his son, Adrian pushed open the cold steel door that led to the small room dedicated for religious services in the rebel base. The small room could only hold a maximum of one hundred people, but it was wired for sound so that thousands of other people inhabiting the underground base could listen to the weekly meetings.
In the twenty-five years since Adrian crashed landed on this planet, he had not only become their military leader, but their spiritual leader as well because the peoples of both worlds shared one common Deity - Jesus Christ.
After entering the room, he walked to the back and knelt before a Terrestrian artist's rendition of the Savior. As soon as his knees hit the floor, he burst into tears. He could hardly control his sobbing as he prayed. He thanked his Father for Jake and for Jake's journey to this new world. He continued to pray and sob, thanking the Lord for everything he was blessed with and to help him with the burden he faced to free the Terrestrian people.
When he finished, he heard someone's feet shuffle. He quickly turned around.
"Sorry, Adrian. I knew you would be in here."
Adrian smiled and walked toward Sean Gibson, the computer specialist from the original Mars mission. Sean, dressed in the same military clothing, leaned against the bench in the first row. Sean was now thoroughly bald but still had the same spectacles he had worn twenty plus years ago.
"It's okay, Sean," Adrian said. "I needed to come in here and thank our Father in Heaven for all of our blessings."
Sean just nodded.
Adrian continued, "Anyway, what did you need?"
Sean stood straight up and walked closer toward Adrian. "I just wanted to know how Jake was doing and whether you had told him or not?"
Adrian bowed and shook his head. "Jake is fine. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him yet."
With frustration in his voice, Sean said, "Adrian, you know he needs to know the truth."
Adrian looked back into Sean's eyes. "The truth, Sean. I don't even know what the truth is. When I spoke to Jake, I felt impressed not to tell him yet. The spirit told me that he wasn't ready."
"I understand, Adrian. But sooner or later, he's going to find out."
Adrian nodded in agreement. "I know, but I just don't think he's ready to know why I am here ?" He paused, turned, and looked into the eyes of his Redeemer in the painting on the wall. "? and most importantly, why he is here."
Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1) Page 27