Compass Call: Survival & Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 3) (43 page)

W
hen Tony pointed out Joel’s house, Pete ran up to the front door and taped a note to it. He then rejoined John in the street, and the two men resumed escorting Tony to John’s house. As promised, John released Pam from her bonds before they left, but he cautioned her not to cause any trouble or stir up the neighborhood. He said that if she behaved she would see her husband again. John hated threatening her by holding Tony hostage, but he was tired of the entire affair and just wanted it finished as quickly and quietly as possible. Not that a neighborhood meeting with court-like proceedings would be quiet, John just didn’t want to hurt anyone who came looking for trouble.

John didn’t trust Pam as far as he could throw her, no thanks to her husband, but that didn’t mean he was willing to tie her up and take her hostage. If he took anyone else hostage it would be Joel and Randy, Tony’s two young henchmen. But for the time being, Tony was more than enough for them to handle. As for the note on Joel’s door, John was straight to the point, “Call a neighborhood meeting for noon today. Tony is in my protective custody. Don’t start any trouble and you’ll see him at the meeting.”

John and Pete talked casually between themselves as they walked briskly back to John’s house. Pete occasionally prodded Tony to pick up the pace whenever he slowed or dragged his feet, but otherwise he moved along in the dark as directed. They had only one curious stare from a backlit window, but no one opened a door to call out a challenge to them. Four o’clock in the morning was still early for most
folks, so they traveled the short distance through the neighborhood undisturbed.

The two men discussed where to secure Tony until the meeting, unconcerned that he could hear their entire conversation. John wasn’t planning to hold Tony long enough for it to really matter if he knew where or how he was being held because he planned to get rid of him as soon as possible anyway, but the meeting was still about eight hours away. Other than chaining him to the front patio, John was at a loss for where to secure his prisoner. In the house, or even the shop or the garage, was out of the question. John didn’t have to explain that to Pete, because his friend knew, all too well, that Tony couldn’t learn about what they had for preps, or that they planned to leave shortly. Both men knew Tony had to be held somewhere apart from the company, but still close enough to keep an eye on him.

“Why don’t we just put him in Steve’s van?” asked Pete. “We can park it in the driveway and block it between our two trucks . . . just in case there’s an extra set of keys floating around out there.”

“That’s a good idea, and appropriate too. But I think I’d rather park it somewhere we can keep an eye on it from the house . . . you know . . . from the alcove. Park it on the front lawn and disconnect the battery or something,” said John.

Pete said, “It’s definitely better than leaving him tied to the front porch.” And John agreed.

When they reached the house, John guarded Tony while Pete moved the van onto the front yard. He parked it just to the side of the driveway with the hood facing the street. John was satisfied the van’s single sliding side door could be observed by the alcove guard, but the driver’s side door was hidden from view, so Pete repositioned the van at a better angle. When he was done, all the van doors and windows could be observed from the safety of the alcove window.

In preparation for his detainment, Pete gagged and blindfolded Tony while issuing a warning that any attempt to rescue him would result in his death. He told Tony that if he tried to escape he would be
shot, and if anyone tried to rescue him they would open fire on the van, explode the fuel tank, and cook him alive in the flames. John cringed as Pete delivered the warning, but he didn’t stop him. The thought of Tony suffering such a painful death appealed to John’s sense of justice, but he wasn’t about to facilitate such an end. John was confident he could securely hold the troublemaker in the van, and then safely deliver him to the meeting later that very day.

Bored of watching the scene from the alcove, Paul came down and watched as Pete set Tony in the back of the van. “You’re right over the fuel tank. If you behave yourself I’ll bring you water in an hour,” said Pete. He then slammed the rear doors closed and wiped his hands on his pants.

“We should toss the head in there with him,” said Paul.

Pete shrugged. “That’s fine by me,” he said while pointing toward the house. “It’s in a garbage bag over there . . . behind the bushes.”

Paul went to retrieve the bag and hefted it in his hands. “It’s heavier than I thought it would be,” added Paul, as he carried the bag to the van. He held the bag out to his side as if touching it would somehow contaminate him, or freak him out.

“His arm is in there too,” said Pete.

Paul nodded and said, “Ah. Do you want to see it, John?”

“No thanks. I’ve seen a severed head before. But it might be good for the neighbors to see . . . if they need proof and all that. Just be sure to tie a knot in the bag so it doesn’t stink up the van. We still have to drive it to the meeting,” replied John.

“We should put it on a stick . . . as a warning. Maybe at the front of the neighborhood,” said Paul.

“I don’t think we want to communicate ourselves like that,” said John

“What do you mean?” asked Paul.

“I mean . . . displaying the head or heads of our enemy is barbaric. That’s not how we roll,” said John. “We’ll deal in violence, but we won’t surround ourselves with it, not if we don’t’ have to.”

“Violence is a way of life now. Hiding from it won’t make it go away,” said Paul.

“I’m not saying we should hide from it . . . it will find us . . . sure enough. I just think we don’t need to gloat or boast about our victory. Besides, such a display comes at a cost. There’s a delicate balance between communicating threats and capabilities. The head might attract the wrong kind of attention, or worse yet, scare away good people . . . people who could actually help this neighborhood. Besides, that’s something the biker gang would do, not us,” finished John.

“I see your point,” said Paul. “It’s just that I think we need to communicate our capabilities more effectively. I think it will be the only way people will leave us alone here . . .”

Paul’s sentence tailed off, and John figured he remembered they were preparing to leave. John knew the conversation was over, but he added as an afterthought, “Besides, there’s only communication value for the head if it’s widely recognized. I doubt many people in this area, or even the neighborhood for that matter, will recognize Raul’s head for what it is . . . or was,” finished John.

“I think Tony will recognize the head,” said Paul.

“I’m sure he will,” said John. “It will serve a purpose for him, and that’s exactly why we should bury it before the meeting.”

“You’re right. I’ll bury it,” said Paul. “It’s just that he’s responsible for a lot of pain. I just want to get even a little.”

“I’d say you’re more than even,” replied Pete. “You’re alive, and he’s dead. I’d say that puts you way ahead of the game.”

“I’m also talking about Tony,” said Paul.

“You’re right to feel that way about Tony, but I think his end is near. The thing is, we have to let the neighborhood decide what to do with him, and the head shouldn’t be a part of it,” said John.

Paul nodded and said, “It’s funny how quickly our lives have changed. A week ago we’d have been sitting around talking about sports, or finances, or something else, but here we are talking about
what to do with someone’s head and a prisoner. It’s a little strange when you think about it.”

“It’s very strange,” said John.

Paul dropped the bag behind the bushes and joined his friends at the front door. “I’ll bury it in the morning, but I have a feeling we’ll be dealing with stranger things than this head business . . . like how John got away from all those bikers without a scratch” said Paul, as he opened the front door and slipped inside.

John was surprised that Paul knew enough about the situation to make such a comment, and was at a loss for words. He knew where Pete stood when it came to his spiritual activity, but he also had a pretty good idea where Paul stood as well. By John’s reckoning, the two men were at opposite ends of the scale. Besides, John also wasn’t ready to discuss the roadhouse incident with Paul, just as he wasn’t ready to discuss the farmhouse incident and compass with Pete. He was at a point where he really had to talk with Jenna. She deserved to know what was going on before Pete, and definitely before Paul. He just didn’t know how or when that would happen. After slipping through the door and standing in the entryway next to Paul, John whispered, “I left my body and killed them from the other side.”

Paul’s expression went from surprise, to humor, to skepticism, and then back to humor. He smiled and whispered back, “Good one, John. You almost had me there,” and climbed up the ladder to join Marcus.

Pete looked at john and smirked. His expression said everything to John, but the clearest unspoken comment was, “See what your honesty got you.” John smiled and followed his friend into the kitchen. He was happy. The answer had worked exactly as he anticipated.

Marissa was hand mixing tortilla dough in a large glass bowl when John and Pete entered the kitchen. “I’m sorry they’re not ready yet,”
she apologized. “I’ll have hot ones in a few minute.” The guys thanked her and took a seat at the counter. A moment later Paul walked in, and without asking he grabbed the first of the hot tortillas off the pan. Marissa shooed him away and told him to wait his turn. Paul kissed her temple and returned to the alcove.

Pete grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and returned to his seat near John. “How do you think the meeting will go today? You said something about letting the neighbors decide Tony’s fate,” he added, as he sipped tentatively from his mug.

“I’ll stand up and explain my side of the story, and then I’ll let Tony do the same,” said John.

“Is that such a good idea? I mean, Tony’s a smooth talker. He’s got the backing of at least half the neighborhood,” said Pete.

“Perhaps, but I’m not worried about Tony, or what he says. I’m not worried about him or anything anymore . . . not after the roadhouse incident,” said John thoughtfully, as if in a contemplative mood.

Pete considered John’s words for a moment and said, “But that doesn’t mean you can’t be hurt on this side . . . physically I mean. You can still lose your body. And then what? Then you’re stuck on the other side permanently.”

“Dead is dead, Pete. It tends to be permanent,” teased John.

“You know what I mean,” said Pete, and he poked John with a finger when he added, “You can’t forget you’ve got only one body. When it’s gone, it’s gone.”

From the stove, Marissa turned slightly and said over her shoulder, “Not if you believe in resurrection.”

Pete looked to Marissa and asked, “Resurrection?”

“Resurrection,” echoed John.

“I’ve heard the word, but I really don’t know what it means,” replied Pete. “Are you talking like, resurrected the same way Jesus did?”

“Yes. In a way. Most Christians believe in resurrection, a reuniting of the spirit with the body. Only the body will be changed, it will be more perfect than before,” said John.

“Jesus made resurrection possible for us,” added Marissa. “He conquered death so we can live again, in the flesh.”

“So you’re not worried about death because you think you can resurrect yourself, is that it?” asked Pete, more curious than agitated.

“No,” said John. “I’m not saying that if I get killed I’ll be able to resurrect myself. I believe in a resurrection, but it won’t happen when I choose. All I’m saying is that I’m not worried about dying, Pete. I’ve seen what’s on the other side. And frankly, I won’t miss this body. It’s weak compared to what I am on the other side.”

“You’ve always thought like that about death. How is this any different than before?” asked Pete.

“Different is an interesting choice of words. I don’t consider it different, but I am much more aware. I’ve awakened to many marvelous things. I can do things that I couldn’t do before. I guess what I’m saying is that I’ve changed, Pete. And I’m still changing. I’m still John, it’s just that I’m not as worried about things like I used to be. You’re right when you say I wasn’t worried about death before, but it’s a stronger belief now. But I have my family and friends to live for, so I’ll respect my body, and take care of it for as long as I’m allowed. I won’t take any unnecessary risks,” finished John.

“Besides,” added Marissa, as she sat a plate of tortillas on the counter by John and Pete, “This life isn’t defined by our selfish interests. We have an obligation to serve others, to help others find their way.”

John said, “Amen,” and proceeded to slather peanut butter on his tortilla.

“That explains why you don’t want me to shoot Tony,” said Pete.

“That’s part of it, yes,” said John.

Pete grabbed a tortilla of his own and asked, “So, are you going to take me through the rest of the gates before we leave?”

“Gates?” asked Marissa. Pete looked at John, and John at Pete. They smiled and turned to see Marissa staring at them. “What do you mean, gates?” she asked.