I think again of Janet’s use of the expression “maybe this time we can finish the job” and wonder if the Final Holy War is still being fought. What the Jews, Muslims and Christians didn’t realize was that they were actually all on the same side fighting a patient, hidden enemy that wanted all of them dead.
I’m snapped out of my thoughts when my com tells me I have an incoming communication from my Aunt Jennifer. We haven’t spoken to each other in many years. When my parents died I went from being the center of my parent’s world to living in the loveless, sterile environment of my aunt. To her I was nothing more than a tool that she couldn’t wait to have grown up and out of the house to do her bidding.
Although I was a very mature eight year old she got a babysitting robot to watch over me. It didn’t do much, it mostly just recorded my activities for Aunt Jennifer to review. I smile when I remember debating myself on the subject of who was more lifelike, Aunt Jennifer or the robot. Needless to say, when I was given the opportunity to start college at ten I left and never looked back.
I don’t know why, but I decide to receive the call. I’m not surprised to see she’s had multiple facial enhancements since I last saw her. When I was younger she was already well on her way to becoming another over-enhanced plastic faced woman trying to deny her age. All the work has served to make her look even more stern and hawkish than she did when I was a child.
“Hello Aunt Jennifer. It’s been a long time.”
“Yes it has,” she says with an uncharacteristic warmth.
“Is everything okay?”
“I just wanted to see you before you go and let you know how proud I am you’ve been selected to be a Traveler. Of course, I’m also proud of myself for helping you to see the importance of studying ancient languages. I always told you that someday you’d be the world’s greatest cult hunter and I was right.”
Everything is always about her.
“Thanks for the good wishes. I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic adventure.”
I remain silent to see what she really called to say.
“Cephas, I hope you realize just how important this mission is to our cause. We may finally be able to break all religions once and for all. You understand how much the world is depending on you, don’t you?”
Getting closer.
“Of course I know that. As a matter of fact I’ve got a lot of training to do--”
“Wait Cephas.”
Please just spit it out.
I know my aunt. She wants something and she’s calculating what she needs to do to put herself into the position she desires. When I was a child I watched her manipulate many people, though sometimes I think she did it just to prove she could.
“It’s okay. You should get back to work. We can talk about it when you come back.” She unexpectedly lets me off the hook. “I’d like it if you’d come see me in person.”
“Sure. We’ll find a time when I get back.”
She uncharacteristically smiles again and ends the call.
What in the world was that about?
***
A few days later Jocie and Thomas arrive from the tour and we all begin training together. The first day of training at the NASA site isn’t “training” at all. We’re all given intensive physical examinations to insure there’s no way we can take any diseases either backward or forward through time and DNA samples are taken from each of us. Bringing a disease forward wouldn’t be a big deal since there are no ancient diseases that modern doctors can’t cure. The much larger concern would be taking something back with us that would wipe out mankind. Fortunately we’re all given a clean bill of health, though I did notice the doctors gave Jocie a particularly thorough examination. The fact she’s willing to stand naked during the examination may have contributed to it.
The next part of our training consists of time with the tech guys. We’re each being issued very complicated cloaks. We can’t walk around with cameras in our hands so the cloaks are imbedded with shoulder cameras and a network of solar cells to run them plus memory chips to store hundreds of hours of footage. They’re activated with a simple on/off switch in the sleeve.
The tech guys almost flip out when I tell them we can’t go back to “year zero” wearing bright purple cloaks with orange stripes and Jocie flips out when I suggest a simple brown or dull red cloak. She seems to have forgotten that the object is to be anonymous observers. After days of fittings and practice shooting video with our cloaks they’re deemed ready.
Our sandals are reasonable reproductions based on samples found at archeological sites but of course are made of synthetics so they’ll be more comfortable and durable. Most people are kept thin these days by chips that circulate in their blood streams to regulate their metabolism and purge excess fat. These “electronic tapeworms” as they’re called keep the fat off but do little for muscle tone so the training team makes us walk many kilometers per day to prepare our feet and muscles for the work ahead. All the while there are camera crews documenting our progress and sending it out to the world. Jocie and Thomas treat their presence like a personal photo shoot while I do my best to avoid them.
I have the extra duty of trying to teach Jocie and Thomas a few words in Aramaic. They’re not willing students and choose instead to act like they’re the king and queen of Sheba and treat me like their local guide and servant. I threaten to sell them both into slavery as soon as we go back in time.
***
It’s finally time for the briefing I’ve been waiting for, the one where someone will describe to me how this whole thing works and answer my questions. The lead scientist is a physicist by the name of Franklin Davis. He does a very short description of the principles of time travel that leave me scratching my head then gets down to more practical matters.
“You’ve all been told I assume that we’ve successfully tested the device by sending two mice back in time on different occasions. One mouse we brought back to the present and the other we intentionally left in the past. The one we brought back was studied extensively and we could find no ill effects of the process whatsoever.”
“Why haven’t you tested the machine on something bigger, like a monkey?” Jocie asks.
“Because the power requirements increase exponentially as the amount of matter transported and the distance through time increase. To transport a mouse took enough power to supply a small city, which is why transporting you three will take everything we’ve got from three fusion reactors.”
“Do you transport us from here?” Thomas asks.
“No, the device sends you only through time, not through space. We’re set up in Israel not far from Jerusalem.”
“But the topography has changed over time,” I say. “How do you know we won’t end up in the wall of someone’s house or under a hill?”
“Excellent question. Outside Jerusalem is an ancient cave that’s now an archeological site. Based on the artifacts found, its use predates our target date but it wasn’t in use at year zero due to a landslide that buried it several hundred years B.C. It would still be buried today but ironically the site was uncovered when a nuclear missile aimed at Jerusalem went off target and created a crater that exposed it.”
I smile to myself. He’s talking about the first nuke the Israeli sub commander fired after the massacre of Jerusalem. I wonder if “irony” is the best word to describe the errant missile. Maybe “providence” would be more accurate.
“You want to send us to a cave where we’ll be buried alive?” I ask.
“According to our calculations you’ll need to dig through no more than a meter or two of loose sand and debris to expose the cave entrance. We’ve made a simulation of the cave and you start digging practice tomorrow.”
“How do we get back to the present?” Thomas asks.
“I was hoping you’d ask that question.” Dr. Davis pulls the cover off a structure that’s been sitting to one side to reveal what looks like a tall metal birdcage.
??
?This is how we get you back. This transport arena is made of alloys that didn’t exist until just a few years ago, much less in year zero. We send you back in a first arena and then we set up an identical arena in precisely the same spot. This creates a link or bridge through time that we can lock onto. Once per day at noon we’ll attempt a transport and anything that’s inside the arena at that time will come back to the present. You can send us video messages and we can send you small items that you request.”
“Is that the device above the arena?” I ask, pointing to a something that looks like a few hundred laser pointers attached to a giant ball of tinfoil.
“No. That’s just the prototype device we used for transporting the mice. It’s less powerful than the device you’ll be using, it could transport two people at the most assuming they don’t weigh much and don’t have any heavy gear. Besides, we calculate it only has one or two transports left in it before it fries. Don’t worry, the second generation device that you’ll be using is much more advanced.”
“What about the third generation?” I ask.
“There won’t be one. The devices depend on large native crystals of tellurium 120. It took decades to amass enough for these devices and effectively exhausted the world’s mineable supply. Any other questions?”
“The precise timing of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection are open to debate,” I say. “How do you know exactly when to send us?”
Dr. Davis gets a somewhat sheepish look on his face.
“We’re taking our best guess but the truth is we could be off a month or two. You could be there for a little while.”
“What?” Jocie yells. “A couple of months walking around in the dirt and scraping for every meal? I thought we’d see him hung up on the sticks and three days later we’d have our proof and be out of there.”
“We’ve allotted enough weight for silver and gold coins to buy whatever you need.” You’ll live quite well while you’re there.”
“A month is a long time to be away from her attendants. You’d better learn how to do her hair and make-up, Thomas,” I say.
The scientists start to laugh but stop when they receive sour looks from Jocie and Thomas.
Chapter Nineteen
We all head back to our respective rooms for some rest. The accommodations are pretty Spartan but I refuse to complain. The staff here has enough complaints from Jocie to deal with already.
I’m studying the plant life of Israel in case we end up in a bind for food when there’s a knock on my door. It’s Jocie. She’s been cold towards me since I refused her company in D.C. but for the most part she hasn’t been outwardly hostile.
“Where’s Thomas? We can’t make a love triangle with only two sides. But I guess you figured that out when I refused to play.”
“I didn’t come here to fight, Cephas.”
Her tone is surprisingly gentle and I feel guilty for starting off with a snide comment.
“I’m sorry. What can I do for you then?”
She walks past me and sits on a small couch.
“I thought we might just talk for a while. I thought maybe we should get to know each other better. I have millions of fans but I don’t have many friends. Lately I’ve been thinking about the things you’ve said and wondering if you’re the closest thing I have to a real friend.”
“So no more trying to seduce me?
“That’s right. I respect you, Cephas. More than anyone I’ve ever known. You say what you think I need to hear instead of what you think I want to hear. Nobody has ever done that before.”
I sit beside her.
“What about Thomas?”
“He’s like the rest. He’s part of the show.”
“What do you two talk about anyway?”
“We don’t talk much in private. When we’re not sleeping or having sex he mostly just lectures me on Atheism. Actually, I usually find myself thinking about you.”
She inches closer and takes my hand.
“Your refusal to sleep with me was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I’m glad I could be of help.”
She moves her hand onto my thigh and my entire body tenses with discomfort at her touch.
“I want what you have Cephas. I want people to respect me for who I am and not for my body. Do you think you could find respect for me?”
She leans closer to me.
“I really want it to be mutual.”
I believe this is the most seductive woman on the planet, but I’m seeing right through her reason for being here and am not tempted in the least.
She leans in even closer and whispers “Come on Cephas, let’s be mutual.”
She puckers for a kiss and although I want to laugh, I’m also angry so I stand.
“Enough of your games. Why Jocie? Why is it so damned important for you to sleep with me? What is it you think I can give to you that other men haven’t already done hundreds of times?”
“It’s not what you can give to me, it’s what you’ve taken from me. This is who I am.”
She runs her hands along her curves to drive the point home.
“This is what I do and nobody had ever said ‘no’ to me before you came along. What am I now that you’ve taken this from me? I’ll tell you what I am now. I’m nothing.”
Nothing? That sounds like the perfect place to start.
I look into her eyes and for the first time they don’t look like doll eyes to me. Is something different? Is that a twinkle?
“Is your entire world about what’s taken from you and what you can take from others? Is there no room in your world to consider what you can give? You asked to play the part of the Christian in this project, so why don’t you try playing it? Christians believe Jesus suffered an unimaginably painful death to save the world from its sins. He didn’t take, he gave. He chose to give everything for others, including his life.”
I pause to reflect on my own words and we continue to stare at each other in silence.
“You just asked me what you are now,” I say gently. “I think the question you should be asking is ‘What do you want to be?’ You claim I’ve taken something from you. Well I think maybe I’ve released you from a burden. A burden that’s been holding you back from becoming something even greater.”
She doesn’t break off my stare. She’s furious but as the staring contest continues her features begin to soften and eventually her eyes begin to well up in tears.
“I don’t know how to be anything else.”
She buries her face in her hands.
“I know.”
I sit then reach out and place my hand on her shoulder. At my touch she leaps at me and buries her face in my shoulder and cries. I can’t help but put my arm around her. This isn’t another seduction trick.
“I knew I’d find you someday. I’ve been wanting to meet the real Jocie since that first ridiculous date. All I’ve ever seen is the Jocie who follows a script. The Jocie who plays the role she thinks others want to see. Now I’m finally going to meet the real woman inside.”
Jocie and Martha a just two sides of the same coin, master illusionists. Who would have dreamed I’d end up seeing the real Jocie before seeing the real Martha?
“I don’t want my life anymore. I haven’t for a long time. The whole world says it wants to be my friend, but I’m so lonely.”
She begins to sob on my shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Jocie. That’s a burden I can’t take from you.”
She sits up and looks at me through teary eyes.
“Look into my eyes. Tell me again you see some beauty inside.”
I find myself thrilled to stare into her eyes.
“Yes. It was hard to see before but I can see it clearly now. It’s like a little flickering spark of inner beauty that’s just been born.”
“Really?” She wipes away tears. “Or are you just making fun of me again?”
“I’m not making fun of you. It’s real and I think
it’s growing. Like any flame it’ll grow more if you feed it.”
“How do I feed it?”
“You feed it by showing kindness, caring, and patience for others.”
Like Christ would.
***
As the days roll by the training becomes much harder. We walk ten kilometers per day in cloaks and sandals and practice digging through a couple of meters of loose debris. The food quality goes down too, they feed us rough breads and dried meats to get us used to the diet they anticipate we’ll find waiting for us in the past. Jocie isn’t complaining so much anymore and I notice she’s spending less time with Thomas.
Every evening she stops by my room just to talk and sometimes we’re together until late into the night. When she leaves there’s usually a member of the security team nearby who smiles and gives me a knowing nod because they assume I’ve finally given in to Jocie’s seduction. They’d never guess that I’ve been explaining the foundation of Christianity to her and that she’s really listening. We call it ‘mission preparation’ but the truth is I think I’m ministering to her. Sometimes it seems that I’m watching a spark grow in her eyes nightly.
I try to keep her focused on the joy of the message of Christ but often she slips into deep remorse as she tells me about things from her past that she regrets. She cries nearly every night as I hold her while stroking her hair and kissing her on the head. She doesn’t know it, but I stroke her hair to dry off my own tears as they fall onto her head.
Many of those tears fall on Jocie’s behalf, but some of them fall for Martha. The haunting image of her face and the sound of her voice are still with me and I secretly devote time every day to finding Four, without much success. I hate to admit it, but Jocie’s company in the evenings has been a great comfort to me as I struggle to let go of my feelings for Martha.
***
In mid-December the tech team decides all is ready and it’s time to ship us to Israel. The nearest city to the training facility is Marquette, Michigan so I ask Janet if we can all have one last day off to enjoy modern civilization before we go back in time. She eventually relents on the condition that we take security and camera crews along with us. Jocie stops by my room as I’m grabbing my jacket for the trip.