by Robin M Helm
Dr. Sanders tilted his head, a question in his eyes. “That’s exactly the number I had in mind. Five is perfect for me, my wife, and our three children.” He reached in his pocket and drew out a paper. “Before you leave, here is a list with the names of specific Christian OB/GYNs, one each in London, Manila, Cape Town, and Sydney. They all belong to Doctors Without Borders, just as I do. I have already called them and left messages, telling them only that a well-known couple will be contacting them. Now I will write to them, giving them your identities and telling them to expect your calls. I will also send them hand-written records of this visit. Computers and cell phones are not secure, as I have learned from experience.
Elizabeth stepped forward and put out her hand. “Thank you so much for everything, Dr. Sanders. We hope to see you tomorrow night and meet your family.”
The doctor shook her hand, and then Xander’s. “I’ll be praying for you and tracking your progress across the globe. God bless you.”
~~oo~~
“And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders.”
II Thessalonians 2:8-9
The group of powerful Congressmen and Senators sat around the conference table, all of them wondering why this particular group of people had been invited to a power luncheon given by the junior Senator from Massachusetts. The mixed group of twenty-five Democrats, Independents, and Republicans made uncomfortable conversation until Gregory entered the room, taking the seat at the head of the table.
Gregory’s secretary handed out bound folders of papers as his personal caterers served the meal. The men and women scanned the documents as they ate and drank, talking quietly among themselves. The more they read, the louder the conversation became.
Gregory remained silent, observing them through narrowed eyes. His invisible guards stood behind him, eager for their master to show his power. There were no guardians present.
When everyone had finished, they looked toward him expectantly.
“Has everyone had enough to eat?” Gregory asked.
His question was met with a mixture of curt nods and curious stares.
Their plates and utensils immediately disappeared into thin air. A gasp of surprise went up from the assembly.
“What is this? Some sort of a parlor trick? Is that why you called us here, upstart? To show off?” asked one of the Senators belligerently.
Gregory closed his eyes as they briefly flared red, and then opened them when they had returned to their normal amber color. The outspoken Senator grabbed his chest and fell forward, his head hitting the table with a thud. The people seated on each side of him jumped to their feet, looking at the man with horror. One of the Senators, a doctor, rushed to his fallen colleague and checked his pulse at his carotid artery.
He looked at Gregory grimly, “He’s dead. I need to perform CPR immediately.”
Gregory looked at his fingernails, and then at the doctor. “If you wish, but it will do no good,” he said calmly.
The doctor and a few of the men placed the stricken man on the floor, and the doctor began to administer CPR. “Call 911,” he ordered.
As one of the Representatives took his cell phone from his pocket, Gregory fixed him with a steely stare. “Belay that.”
“But we must do something to help him,” said the Congressman.
“No one can help him now,” answered Gregory in a low growl.
“Did you kill him?” asked the doctor, ceasing his ministrations.
“You all saw me sitting here ten feet away from him when he collapsed. He was overweight with high blood pressure and diabetes. The Senator never exercised and did not watch his diet, so he died of a heart attack,” said Gregory nonchalantly.
“We can’t just sit here having a meeting with a dead man on the floor,” said the Congressman.
“I agree with that,” replied Gregory. “Take your folders with you and read them carefully. They outline the plans which I want implemented within the next three years. I will introduce bills, and you will co-sponsor them with me. If a bill has to do with appropriations, one of you Representatives will have to introduce it to the House.”
“Why us?” asked one of the women. “Why are we being singled out?”
Gregory looked at her appraisingly. “You have all been chosen because of your service to your country and your voting records. These plans are the natural extensions of what you have already put into place. You are getting exactly what you have been asking for: redistribution of wealth, control of the citizenry from the cradle to the grave, power in the hands of a few, the growth of government, and the stringent limitations of personal freedoms. After all of these things are achieved, we will institute a state church, curtailing freedom of religion, and we will take our place in the global community. There will be one religion, one language, world citizenship, and a mandatory identification chip to be accepted for implantation by all world citizens. During these three years, we will build a massive military which will control the people of this country by force if necessary.”
There was shocked silence.
Finally, one Senator cleared his throat and asked what the others were thinking. “And what will happen if we choose to decline your invitation to join this august group?”
“Oh, my. This is awkward,” replied Gregory, leaning forward and looking at each person in turn. “I don’t remember giving you a choice; I will do so now. Join me and increase your power, or join your friend on the floor. He should be splitting hell wide open as we speak.”
No one moved.
“Would anyone like to leave?” Gregory asked. “All you have to do to refuse my requests is to stand and walk toward the door.”
He waited a long minute while each one deliberated.
“If you are with me, raise your hand,” he said.
One by one, every hand in the room went up.
“Excellent,” said Gregory, smiling wickedly.
Chapter 13
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
Xander watched his wife carefully on the drive back to the hotel from the doctor’s office. Her color had returned, and she appeared to feel much better. He reached for her hand and held it lightly, stroking the top of it with his thumb.
Michael and Gabriel flew above the rental car, constantly scanning for spies. Though Xander and Elizabeth had been very careful, their caution would be useless if they were seen leaving the office of an OB/GYN.
“Are you feeling better, love?” Xander asked, keeping his eyes on the traffic and listening for the directions from the GPS.
“Please don’t worry about me. Morning sickness is normal, and mine is actually very mild compared to what I’ve heard described by other women. If I avoid the smell of meat, I think I probably won’t be sick at all. I’m a very healthy, young woman. And, yes, I feel quite well now. We can go to rehearsal with everyone else.”
He glanced at her, his brows drawn together. “We do not have to rehearse today. You should not overdo. After the long plane trip, do you not think you should rest?”
She smiled and looked at his perfect profile. “My sweet husband, pregnancy is a normal condition, not a sickness. There is nothing wrong with me. We’re going to be traveling for the next five months, and I likely will tire more easily as I get bigger, but right now, I’m feeling well. Let’s keep things as normal as possible for as long as we can; otherwise, all this secrecy has been for nothing. People will ask questions if we start skipping rehearsals and acting differently. You can’t treat me like I’m made of glass. Everyone will notice and wonder what’s wrong with me, and it won’t take them long to come to the correct conclusion.” She lifted his hand and kissed it.
She makes sense – as usual, Xander, though
t Michael while his keen eyes searched every alley and doorway.
I think you must take her feelings into consideration, brother, added Gabriel gently. Elizabeth does not wish to be viewed as sickly, and, in truth, she is not.
Xander sighed. “I am outnumbered, it seems. We will go to rehearsal if you feel well after eating a healthy lunch.”
“Actually, I’m hungry now. If we go straight to the arena, we can eat with everyone else. You can fill a plate for me, avoiding meat or anything fried. If I stay away from the smells, I think I’ll be able to eat,” she answered.
He took his phone from his pocket and handed it to her, sighing as he did so. “I give up. Pull up the arena address so that we can program it into the GPS. I know that it is not far from the hotel, and we are almost there.”
Elizabeth leaned over and kissed her husband’s cheek. “I know that was hard for you, my love. Thank you.” She pulled up the information and tapped it into the rental car’s navigation system. “We’ll just tell everyone that the doctor said I am fine, and that I’m feeling better now. We can talk to Jonathan and Charlotte after rehearsal when we get back to the hotel.”
Xander was silent.
“I love you,” said Elizabeth, stroking his cheek.
He turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand, keeping his eyes on the road. “I love you more. I win.”
~~oo~~
Xander noticed that Charlotte was watching him closely as he took Elizabeth a glass of water and bowl of soup. He could tell by her thoughts that she knew they had not heard the whole story about his wife’s trip to the doctor, but he could not risk telling her, even by telepathy, because of her possible reaction to their news. Charlotte would probably be overjoyed, and her squeals of delight would draw attention.
Elizabeth sat at a table well away from the others, and Charlotte, followed by Jonathan, took her plate and walked over to sit with her. Michael stood behind Elizabeth, and Lexus and Edward accompanied their charges as they joined her.
Xander made a quick decision. Speaking into the minds of Jonathan, Charlotte, and Elizabeth at the same time, he thought, Charlotte, you are right; there is more to tell. Come to our room when we get back to the hotel, and we will talk together. We need to keep this a private matter as long as we can.
Jonathan’s eyes showed his concern. Is everything all right? Is Elizabeth sick?
Xander smiled as he walked over to them holding his own plate and drink, Gabriel by his side. He again spoke into their minds. Everything is fine, Jonathan. Do not worry. The news is good, actually, but we must not talk about it now.
Charlotte suppressed a smile and squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. I knew it.
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly at Charlotte and Jonathan, and then noted the foods on their plates. Jonathan was eating a grilled chicken salad, and Charlotte was indulging in a cheeseburger. Xander, the chicken and beef don’t seem to bother me. This morning, you had sausage, and the others had bacon and ham. Maybe pork products are the only meats that make me feel sick, or perhaps the smells upset my stomach only in the morning. This may be easier to control than we think.
Xander sat beside Elizabeth, putting his bowl on the table. Do you think you could eat more than the potato soup I brought you?
She eyed Jonathan’s plate. Jonathan’s lunch looks good to me. Would you mind getting me a little of what he has? Please get something else for yourself, too. You can’t go the rest of the day with fruit for breakfast and a bowl of soup for lunch. You have to eat, whether I can or not.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, whispering, “I love you.” He then went back to the buffet, returning shortly with two grilled chicken salads.
Elizabeth took a few tentative bites, smiled at her husband, and continued to eat.
Nobody noticed Amy as she watched them, smiling sweetly at the scene, or observed her as she pulled out her cell phone and began to text.
~~oo~~
The rest of the afternoon was spent in rehearsals, and everyone returned to the hotel by six for a relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep. Jonathan had made arrangements for Charlotte, Xander, Elizabeth, and him to meet with local pastors after breakfast on the following day concerning counselors for the rallies. Material to be used in training sessions for volunteers had been sent ahead to each location months in advance, and nearly a thousand people had taken the classes in every city.
As the four of them exited the hotel, followed by their guardians, they were greeted by photographers angling to get a picture of Xander and Elizabeth. The presence of the press was not unusual; they had become well-known figures over the years. The couple had even graciously released some photographs of their wedding to several newspapers, magazines, and television networks. In doing so, they had hoped to maintain some control over which pictures were publicized. Their latest CD of solos, instrumentals, and duets including “Forever” and “My Angel’s Kiss” was topping the charts in Christian music and was receiving attention on secular radio stations as well. The two solos from their wedding were being sung at weddings throughout the United States and Canada, and they were consistently in the top ten on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.
Photographers were to be expected, but their questions were not. “Are the rumors that Elizabeth is pregnant true?” asked one. “How far along is she? Will she be able to complete the tour?” asked another.
Xander held up his hand and said, “We have no comment at this time. Please allow us our privacy. We will issue a statement later, but for now, you may say that Elizabeth is well, and that we have no intentions of leaving the tour.”
He put his arm around Elizabeth, and they hurried to the car, sliding into the back seat. Jonathan and Charlotte got into the front seat, and he started the engine. The photographers stepped away from the car when they saw his reverse lights come on.
Elizabeth looked at Xander with shock apparent in her eyes. “How could they know so quickly? We took every precaution, and we found out only yesterday ourselves.”
Xander knew from Charlotte’s and Jonathan’s thoughts that they had told no one, nor had they talked about it outside of their room.
He breathed deeply to calm himself. “Someone on the tour with us must have speculated about your condition when you were sick in the morning, went to a doctor, and seemed fine after we arrived at the arena. Even if they did so, I cannot imagine that anyone would have alerted the press.”
I have not sensed anyone having any animosity toward the two of you, thought Michael, flying with the other guardians above the car.
The only one who even thought you could possibly be pregnant was Amy, added Gabriel. She would not have told the news people, but she may have told a friend or relative. Even if she did, how could the media know so quickly?
Lexus and Edward remained silent, but they frowned at the thought of betrayal.
“Jonathan, we need to meet with Dave, Mark, and Amy as soon as we return to the hotel,” said Xander, laying his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“I’ll call them and set it up,” answered Jonathan, looking at Xander in the rearview mirror.
“No, don’t call them,” said Xander quickly. “We will go to their rooms in person and ask them to come to our room for a quick meeting.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow and looked over her seat at Xander. “You suspect that one of them told the press that Elizabeth is pregnant? They don’t even know about the baby themselves.”
“They wouldn’t have done it on purpose,” answered Elizabeth, chewing her lower lip, deep in thought.
“No, they would not have; however, Amy, being a woman, may have suspected that Elizabeth had morning sickness. She may have mentioned it to a friend or family member in a text or phone call,” replied Xander.
“You think whomever she talked to, if she did that, alerted the media? I can’t imagine that. Too many dots have to connect very rapidly,” said Jonathan.
Could Gregory have some way to monitor her phone? asked Michael.
Anything is possible with him, thought Gabriel.
“Before we jump to any conclusions, we need to talk to both of them,” said Xander firmly.
Elizabeth took her cell phone from her purse and pulled up a number.
“You’re calling Mom?” Xander asked. Ah, now I understand.
“Yes. She and Dad are going to hear this from us before they read about it in the paper, hear it on the radio, or see it on the news. There is no need for secrecy any longer, and I’m calling Janna after I tell Mom and Dad,” Elizabeth answered.
“Maybe secrecy was not the best route anyway. Mom and Dad can activate the Tabernacle prayer chain, and we can ask for prayer worldwide as we travel,” said Xander. “We will put on the whole armor of God instead of hiding.”
Above the car, four angels smiled widely.
I love playing offense, thought Michael.
You love playing defense, too, thought Gabriel, chuckling.
Michael grinned. True.
~~oo~~
As soon as they returned to the hotel, Charlotte went to Amy’s room and Jonathan went to Dave’s and Mark’s, asking them to join them for a meeting in Xander and Elizabeth’s room. Hector, Custodio, and Esmund joined Edward and Lexus, following their charges to the Xander’s room. Esmund’s eyes widened in surprise as they entered the room to find it lined with inscrutable, brawny warriors.
Xander stood behind Elizabeth with his arms crossed; Charlotte, Amy, Mark, and Dave joined Elizabeth at the table, and Jonathan stood by the window, close to Charlotte’s chair. Xander heard him wondering why their curtains were always closed.
When Xander cleared his throat, everyone looked at him.
“My wife, Elizabeth, is indeed pregnant. Did any of you tell anyone that you suspected that she was with child?” His face was somber.
Amy, Mark, and Dave looked at each other, puzzled.
Dave spoke at once. “I had no idea that she was pregnant, but you have my heartiest congratulations.” He smiled and reached across the table to shake first Elizabeth’s hand and then Xander’s.