Memory's Door (A Well Spring Novel) (39 page)

“Why haven’t you restored Reece’s eyesight?”

He smiled with compassion. “Oh, Dana, let your doubts slip away. Have you not understood yet what it says in Isaiah? How my ways are higher than yours and there is purpose in all of them?” He turned to Reece. “How often do I answer you in the way you do not expect?” He turned back to Dana. “Yes, the answer will come for Reece, and I will do what is to be done, but in my way, my timing, and in my wisdom.”

“So that’s the only reason you brought us here?” She narrowed her eyes. “So we could feel the victory?”

“Ah yes, now we come to it. Good for you, Dana. You’ve seen there is another reason we must speak of.” The Lord’s face turned somber. “A father disciplines and instructs every son and daughter he loves. And since you have done so much for the kingdom and sacrificed so much, I desired to bring you here to talk face-to-face about the areas in which you have grown weak.”

“What areas?” Reece frowned, his face like a little boy who is told there are no presents for his birthday.

“You have opened the door of freedom to many, Reece. All of you have. But without care of the hinges, care of the foundation, care of the frame that holds the door, the door will tumble—and crush many with its fall.”

“I don’t understand.”

“This might be hard to bear, but he who has ears, let him hear.” Jesus glanced at Brandon and her, then back to Reece. “Carson Tanner is not your enemy.”

What? Dana’s mind felt thick. Slow. How could Carson not be their enemy? It was what the Spirit had shown them. His mission was to destroy the Warriors Riding. He’d shown that when Brandon was on air.

“He is not the Wolf, Dana.” Jesus focused his gaze on her. “He is a good man, one of my beloved servants, trying to bring truth to the world. Is he mistaken in areas? Yes. Just as you are. Has he taken things too far? Yes. Did he take them too far with you, Brandon? You know that to be true. Does he have areas to grow in and areas where he needs to be reined in? Yes. But much of what he says is truth.”

Reece blinked as if to throw off the bewilderment that must be in his mind as much or more than it was in hers.

“I understand your thoughts and your confusion. Why would Carson tear into the powerful work you’ve been doing at Well Spring? Exactly because it is so powerful. It is changing lives, Reece. But you’ve gone too far. Understand and accept that I used Carson to bring you to this place. I placed the idea in your mind that he was the Wolf so you would engage him and bring you here to this very moment so the wheat and the chaff of your lives could be separated. You would not have heard it otherwise. Although this might sound difficult, I want you to forgive what he has done to you and become his friend. Come alongside him and help him grow when he needs growth. And allow him to help you grow where you need growth. Together you can be a powerful force for the kingdom.”

Jesus strolled back and forth in front of them. “You speak of freedom, my Warriors Riding, but where do you speak of the disciplines? Of fasting? Of solitude? Of regular gatherings of believers? Of memorizing Scripture? Of study?”

Reece shook his head. “We do speak of all those things. That’s part of the training we take people through.”

“Yes, but not enough. Your emphasis on freedom can lead people astray, and it has done so in some cases.” Jesus opened his arms. “That is the reason I brought you here. To lend correction to your path, to strengthen you, to sharpen you, to make you more powerful for my kingdom than ever before. Will you come?”

Dana stared at the faces of the Temple and the Song. They each held a tinge of sorrow. As if Jesus’ words had cut them because they knew the words were true. What was the expression on her own face? Undoubtedly confusion but she wasn’t buying what this Jesus was selling. Something was off.

“Are you ready to be restored? Refreshed?” Reece and Brandon gave a slow nod. Jesus turned to her. “Are you ready to enter my rest, Dana?” He beckoned all of them. “Come, take my hands.”

“Wait.” Dana held her arms out as if to block Reece and Brandon from stepping forward.

“You have warred so hard, Dana. You have led so well. But it is time to rest. There is so much more to be done, and you shall do it, but for now it is time for reprieve and refreshment.” Jesus reached out his arms. “Take hold, and I will take you to a place of respite. Come. Enter into my rest.”

“No.” Dana shook her head and drew her hands into fists. “I don’t believe you are who you say you are.”

“Why do you think this, Dana? What is your evidence? What can you point to that proves who I say I am is not true?”

There was nothing she could point to. Every fiber in her said this was Jesus. Every fiber but one. A fiber buried so deep in her spirit, she barely felt it. As if she were in darkness and it was the light of a candle a mile away. “I just know it. I feel it.”

“Feelings are not truth, Dana. They are emotions only and emotions are not reality.” The rider stepped toward her. “Do I speak in the style of our enemy? Do I look like him? Is there anything I’ve said that is not true? How would you have me prove myself to you?”

“I don’t know.”

“But I do. You can choose to doubt. It’s all right.” He smiled. “But come with me now and enter into the place I have created for the three of you, and then you will not be able to deny who I Am and your doubts will vanish in the warm breeze of that land.” He reached out his hand. “Come.”

“What if I refuse?”

Sadness spilled onto his face. “Then you will stay here and I will take the others, and when they return they will tell you of an ecstasy you will long for the rest of your days but will not experience till you join me for eternity in heaven.” The rider had been talking softly, but now his voice grew loud. “Enough. We must go.” He stared at her, his eyes kind but intense.

“Are you coming with the others, daughter?”

FIFTY-THREE

M
ARCUS HELD
K
AT FOR A FEW MORE SECONDS
,
THEN PULLED
back to arm’s length. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

“What? Now?” Kat glanced around their backyard. “Someone is here?”

“Yes. They’ve been—”

“They’ve been here during our whole conversation? Where?”

“In the front yard but not listening. You’ll understand when you meet him.”

“I’d better.” She cocked her head, a wry smile on her face.

Marcus turned and called out, “Tristan!”

The angel strode around the corner of the house a few seconds later, his grin as wide as Marcus had ever seen it.

“You?” Kat stared at him, mouth open.

Marcus glanced back and forth between Kat and Tristan. “You know him? How is that poss—?”

“Hello, Kat, it’s good to see you.”

“Hello, Tristan.” She stared at him as her eyes twinkled. “Yes, I know him. We’ve met once before.”

Tristan gave a nod of his head. “This is true.”

“Care to enlighten me?” Marcus said.

“On the street, in Seattle’s University District. You were the one who saved Jayla almost a year ago from being run over by the car.”

“Unbelievable. Utterly unbelievable,” Marcus muttered.

“Yes. I’m sorry we didn’t have longer to talk that day. It wasn’t time.”

“I understand.” She smiled. “I’m guessing you’ve taken my husband on some interesting adventures as of late.”

“Indeed I have,” Tristan said.

“Daddy?”

Marcus turned. Abbie stood in the doorway leading onto the deck. She hesitated, stepped forward, then ran toward him. She threw her arms around him and buried her head in his chest.

“Hi, Abbie girl.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know.” She lifted her head. “I prayed for you through the night last night.”

“You did?”

“I don’t know why. I couldn’t sleep and I just felt like I was supposed to.” She snuggled back into his chest. “Like you did for me with . . . the other day when . . . at dinner, you know? You fought for me. I felt like I needed to fight for you.”

“You fought well, Abbs.” Marcus blinked back tears as he squeezed Abbie tighter. “Really, really well.”

“You all have.” Tristan looked at Marcus, then Kat, and then Abbie. “But the fight is not over. I’m sorry to pull your husband from you and your father from you again so soon, but he is desperately needed a little longer.” The angel held out his arm. “Take my hand, Professor. You’re due on the radio in five minutes. I wouldn’t want you to be late.”

“What? I’m due where?”

“You’re about to appear on
The Carson Tanner Show
. I believe you are more than ready.”

The air swirled and an instant later Marcus stood in a hallway that led to a thick gray door. Over the top of it was a red sign, lit up with the words
On the Air
.

Marcus stared at the door seven paces in front of them. “Carson’s studio.”

“Of course.”

“He has no idea I’m here.”

“No, that would ruin the surprise.” Tristan smiled. “But have no doubt as soon as he sees you he’ll be more than willing to scrap his intended show and welcome you on the air as his special guest.”

They walked toward the door.

“Hey!” A voice rang out behind them. “You can’t go in there.”

Marcus turned to find a slender woman twenty paces back striding toward them.

“I’m guessing you’re Sooz,” Marcus said.

“Yeah, who are you?”

“Marcus Amber, one of the Warriors Riding.”

Surprise splashed on Sooz’s face, replaced quickly by a gleam in her eyes that shouted,
This is going to be very, very good.

“A pleasure to meet you, Professor.” She pointed over his shoulder toward the studio door. “I’m thinking you’d like to be a special surprise guest on Carson’s show.”

“If he can squeeze me in.”

“I’m almost certain that can be arranged. Do you mind if I let Carson know you’re here?” She slid by them on the right and stopped.

“Not at all.”

Sooz fixed her gaze on the sign above the door, apparently waiting for it to go off. The three stood not moving, the silence growing awkward. Sooz glanced back at Tristan, then at Marcus. “Who is your friend here?”

“A friend.”

“I see.”

Sooz opened her mouth, probably to press for a more complete answer, but before she could, the red light above the door went off. “Stay here.” She opened the studio door and stepped through.

Tristan put his hand on Marcus’s shoulder. “You’re about to walk through another door, Marcus Amber. A different kind, but still one
that will change you as your door of memories did. Are you ready?” Tristan smiled at him and it filled Marcus with hope and power.

A moment later Carson Tanner strode through his studio door, light laughter filling the hallway. “Wow! Talk about slapping a surprise on my forehead like a God Bless You tattoo. It’s good to meet you, Professor, and I hope”—he motioned behind him—“to have you on my show. What do you say?”

“I gratefully accept your invitation.”

“No, no, no.” Carson waved his hands. “The gratitude is mine. Shall we?”

Forty-five seconds later Marcus sat across from Carson, a pair of headphones on his head, his mind racing, his heart pumping. To his right and behind him, leaning against the wall, stood Tristan. “Are you sure you want to be here, Professor Amber? We’re on the air in thirty seconds.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Love the sinner, hate the sin. Or put another way, I’m guessing you heard my interview with your buddy Brandon.”

“I did.”

“In an attitude of truth, since that’s what we’re all about here, I need to tell you this won’t go well for you.” Carson grinned. “You still want to go on?”

Marcus didn’t answer and adjusted his headphones.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Carson kept grinning as he pushed his mic button. “Shake it, bake it, but there’s no way we’ll take it.” Carson shifted his weight back and forth on his chair like he was trying to dance sitting down and the microphone was his partner. “Take what? Lies. No thank you, we don’t want ’em! On
The Carson Tanner Show
we’re all about truth, and right now I have a very special guest in the studio who might be tempted to tell you mixed truth that isn’t truth at all. Just warning you. Keep your minds sharp ’cause we’ve got with us right now in the studio one of the brightest minds in the country—professor of physics at the University of Washington, Marcus Amber! Welcome, Professor.”

“Thank you.”

“Folks, just to remind you, we’ve been talking about this cult-like group called Warriors Riding that Brandon Scott got himself caught up in. That they’re spreading their heresy all over the country with their training, and the Lord has told us to do our part in stopping it. Did you catch my interview with Brandon where we exposed the lies? Worth listening to.”

Carson grinned and pointed at Marcus. “The professor here is part of the leadership of this group, and I had no idea till three—yeah, three minutes ago we were going to get the chance to talk to him. So let’s get to it, Professor. What are you doing here?”

Marcus stared at Carson. It was an excellent question. Why was he here? Tristan obviously knew, but there hadn’t been time to ask the angel what the purpose was in bringing him onto the show. He opened his mouth to confess to Carson he didn’t know, but the words that spilled out were not an admittance of ignorance.