Unleashed

by Patrick McLaughlin

  Chapter 32

  Daniel scolded the make-up artist, “Too much, way too much, are you trying to make me look dishonest? I am a minister of God’s word! Take it off and start again.”

  Didn’t take a genius to know Daniel was far from good looking and television broadcasts made him to look better through the use of make-up and careful studio lighting. Well known to the on-screen specialists were the axioms: not enough touch-up and you look lousy, just enough and your features are positively enhanced, but too much powder and rouge and things went downhill from there. The caked makeup made the celebrity or politician look cheesy or untrustworthy.

  “Just the minimum, smooth out my skin color that’s all! Wait, my phone’s ringing.” Daniel picked up the call.

  “Daniel?” Sally asked.

  “What’s wrong, where are you? You sound terrible. Are you at the studio? We go on in fifteen minutes,” Daniel informed.

  “No Daniel, I’m on Salvation, I need to be here, and I do hope you understand why.”

  “I do hope it is a good reason. You know your input is of great value to me. First though, tell me why you are you so upset?”

  “Daniel, I have to be careful with what I say; I can’t tell you everything or much at all really, but it has to do with my work. I meant to tell you a few things while you were here in Kona but, with Shawn so upset, it slipped my mind.”

  “Yes,” Daniel said sternly. “I hope it’s not the immature ungodly surf photographer who has you so agitated. Why do you stay in contact with him?”

  “No, it’s not Shawn and never mind, he is my friend so no more of that please. It’s the camera I designed. Somehow Shawn figured out a way to use the photos from the Sentient, some software he uses along with some of ours, and his skills in laying images to create a hologram with life in it. It’s all I can tell you and you mustn’t speak to anyone about it, will you promise?”

  “I promise on the word of God!” Daniel assured Sally. “But why are you shaken, it isn’t likely he has actually done so, has he?”

  “Daniel, not only am I afraid it is possible, it is also very likely he has done what he says he has done. I’ve seen it first-hand. You and I know this is against the will of God, to give life where he has taken it away; it is why I wanted to tell you, to seek your guidance, but there’s more. Shawn has gone to Ben’s, I’ll explain who he is later, to see just how far he can take it now that his best friend has died. And what makes matters worse, others have found out about it, and I’m worried. When can you come back? I need you.”

  “The interview is about to begin, can it wait?”

  “Daniel, it can, but there is so much more I’m unable to discuss on the phone. Please hurry!” Sally said distressed.

  “Sally, I will do my best, my congregation comes first as you know, but I’ll come when things wrap up here. If what you say is true, it would be a sin against the divine creation. We are not to meddle with the paths we are obligated in God’s name to follow! I wish you had told me sooner. My poor sweet child, your soul must be in such turmoil. Can you do this for me? Clear your mind and open your heart for the next hour to view my new broadcast and interview. I cherish your feedback. After the taping I will fly back to you and we will pray on this matter. I’ll have the studio crew hook up a video conference or you can watch as the show is live here in Hawaii to be shown in the States tomorrow.”

  “Fine, yes, I think so. I’ll do my best to stay focused. Good luck! Oh, and Daniel, no word to anyone please. This is just between us. I’m not supposed to be speaking of any of this.”

  Sally wasn’t sure if he had heard the last part as she hung up the phone, so she dialed back but no answer. He must be going on now and she promised to call him again when the show ended to have him promise to keep this all confidential.

  Sally called Frisco to her and turned on the large-screen TV in the main cabin and began flipping through hundreds of channels until she found MCN, the minister cable network.

  Frisco had just finished a swim off the stern fetching a tennis ball thrown by Salvation’s chef. They seemed to have taken to each other. After a robust towel rub-down, the chef let him into the cabin and Frisco was ready for a little loving and nestled up around Sally’s neck on the back cushions of the sofa, his favorite perch.

  She had found the station in time to see Daniel introduce his first guest.

  “Welcome, so glad to have you on my National Christian Talk Show, today, live in Honolulu, Hawaii!” Daniel shook hands with the local evangelist. “Our guest tonight, Reverend Martin Forrester of the Oahu Ministry Congregation will speak of how we must abide by the laws of nature God has given us. Reverend, it is our pleasure to have you as our guest. You have much to share, so why don’t you begin.”

  “Well, Daniel I’m blessed to be on your wonderful show, a true expression of God’s word on sharing his message with the world. You know I am very passionate about our topic this morning and eager to extend my interpretation with your followers.” The Reverend continued, “I think God’s laws of nature, science, life and death are pretty clear. He doesn’t do grey areas after all as you would agree. He give’th, and he take’th away, we are his to serve and not intrude in the natural order of our blessed environment around us.”

  Sally did her best to pay attention, but she was exhausted. Even Frisco drooped his head over her shoulder. She straightened herself, fighting her fatigue, as the Reverend went on to speak of the evils of cloning, extending life support to dying patients, and even touched on the sinful choices of suicide and assisted death.

  Sally agreed with most everything the guest reverend spoke upon, except perhaps cloning where she had substantial experience. After all, animals had no soul, so where was the harm in improving a species via exacting duplication of superior specimens. Other than that, it was the same old messages. That is, until Daniel began to speak.

  “Reverend, your words are all relevant to us in our everyday lives, as sciences and medical doctors do their very best to distort the will of God! If I may, let me pose a hypothetical question.”

  “Yes of course, Daniel. Your comments are always insightful and thought-provoking, please continue,” Reverend Forrester invited.

  Sally was dozing, half-listening; Frisco’s lips flapped as he snored.

  Daniel leaned forward in his chair, elbows to knees, hands clasped together. “What if one of your favorite pets — a dog, a horse, whatever — is hit by a car. It’s beyond saving. Should you end its suffering, humanely so to speak, or should you merely try to ease its passing?”

  “Surely we would assist in ending its suffering by easing its pain in passing as best we could, to allow the creature to die. But we already agree, animals have no soul; tell me how does this apply to man?” the Reverend asked.

  Sally came to attention: where is Daniel going with this?

  “Reverend, God says you can take the life of your treasured pet to spare its suffering. But we agree it is against God’s will to do the same for our wife, child, and beloved friend. What if their agony is interminable and seems cruel to allow them to live, consumed by pain. Do you firmly believe God wants us to stand by and limit our assistance to prayer?”

  “As you well know, Daniel, there is a difference. Their agony is not interminable. It lasts a mere moment in the scope of time, and then, a joyous afterlife through infinity with our creator. While we spare the horned, hoofed and winged creature’s physical suffering for that reason alone, they have no spiritual connection to God; we, unlike our pets, have an immortal soul. We ease the passing of a pet through kindness and with sadness because we loved them as our companions. But we shall be joyous when a wife, child or friend moves on as they will soon sit at the right hand of the Father for all eternity to come.”

  “Then we agree thus far. Another question, if I may,” Daniel said. “Our Lord Himself brought Lazarus back from the dead, but why? What message was he delivering to us?”

  Sally’s face turned whit
e. “Daniel, you wouldn’t!”

  “Again as you are aware, Daniel, it’s right there in the text, John eleven, four. Jesus said, ‘It is for God’s glory, that God’s son may be glorified through it.’”

  “Of course Reverend, and later in verse forty he tells Martha, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed in me you would see God’s glory?’ It has been written and so we believe.”

  “Correct once more, Daniel. Christ did it for us, not for Lazarus,” the Reverend agreed.

  Daniel continued, “As the scripture says, Lazarus was already home. So if modern science found a means to bring someone back, I think most theologians would agree as well, it would be considered a sin against creation to restore life to those God has chosen to be with Him. Would you agree Reverend?”

  “Exactly so, and those who were returned would be called an abomination, loved by no one, guaranteed to burn in hell!”

  “Reverend, what if I was to tell you, while here on your beautiful islands, I have come to know of a new process in science where an individual who has passed from life to death could be brought back against their, and God’s, will? It has come to my attention that the government has enlisted a company called Photon Corporation to develop a camera whose images can bring a soul back to life. Very credible sources have told me attempts of this very nature are currently being made in the Photon laboratories of Silicon Valley. I also have good knowledge scientists have been working in secret to reproduce life from extremely sensitive photographic data used by the military for defense purposes. These unscrupulous God players are aiming to be able to recreate human beings from…”

  Sally slammed the remote down onto the table, pounded both fists into the base of the sofa over and over. Through a veil of rage, she listened as Daniel repeated almost word for word all she had told her on the phone only moments ago. Frisco sensed her turmoil, but couldn’t find the best dog-way to behave, so he paced along the top ridge of the sofa back, stopping ever so often to poke his nose into her shoulder. She scowled as Daniel thanked his guest and said, “The valued role I play in service to the Lord is underscored by my success in sharing this new knowledge of corrupt research with our congregations and other God-fearing souls!”

  A scream exploded from Sally. “You horrid man! You untrustworthy, self-serving, egotistical son-of-a-bitch!” Not knowing what to make of Sally’s outburst, poor Frisco cowered behind a sofa cushion when two of the crew came running through the parlor. “Ms. Evans, are you alright?”

  “No, I am not okay, get my things together, I’ll be leaving the Salvation first thing tomorrow morning and never returning. Make arrangements for a cab. If your boss calls, tell the bastard I’m already gone and you don’t know where to. I have no desire to speak to him.”

  The interview was still live on the monitor and Sally turned to hear the Reverend’s last comments.

  “Then Daniel, they must be stopped because if they’re not, as it is told in the scriptures, this could signal the sign of the second coming!”

  “Amen, brother, let us pray! Praise Jesus!”