The Assigned (12 page)

The mysterious Anna emerges from a back bedroom just as a knock is heard at the door. Her new outfit seems to be more in line with the extravagant attire earlier witnessed by Tre. “See, I told you,” he smirks as she walks by to open the door. An Asian inspired floral pant and smock drapes the woman’s petite, yet sturdy frame. Long satin-like, silver colored hair glides down her back. Her change in appearance is truly astounding. There’s a regal temperament to her now.

“So, you must be Zeek. Welcome. I am Anna.”

A grungy Zeek hesitates in shaking Anna’s hand. He wipes his palms on his jeans before lightly cupping her right hand.

“Come in.”

Zeek moves slowly until he catches a glimpse of me and Tre. I wave, hoping to lower his guard.

“And I think you have met the others, Tre and Gloria.”

“Yeah, we definitely met,” says Zeek.

“Good. Would you like a cookie? Lemonade?”

“Enough with the cookies and lemonade,” barks an irritated Tre.

“Yeah, I have to agree,” I say. “You were playing dumb, weren’t you?”

Anna smiles. “Not exactly, my child. I was merely waiting for the third of three to present themselves.”

“The third of three?”

“Yes. There has to be three.”

“Hunh? Three what? Tre asks.

“My children, let me ask you a question. Do you believe in God?”

Tre and I nod.

“And you Zeek?”

Zeek lowers his head. “Not sure what I believe. I’ve seen a lot lately.”

“What about demons?” Anna continues.

Zeek perks up. “Now there’s definitely some of them floating around.”

Anna moves in closer. “Well, if you believe in demons, you must believe in God.”

My mouth drops. “Wow.” Guess I’d never thought of it like that.

“What if I told you a war has raged since Creation?” she asks. “Although the outcome has been decided, the war continues. This is the way. What if I told you, you Three have been chosen to wage battle in this warfare?”

“War?” Tre asks. “Hey, I’m not looking to enlist. Besides, I don’t see no guns or ammunition hiding under this couch.”

“This is a different kind of war, Tre,” says Anna. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers not of this world.”

“Okay,” I say. “So, what do we use?”

“Your Gifts.”

“Gifts?”

“Yes, my child.” Anna walks towards me, taking my hand. “Etes-vous sur que vous voulez savoir?”

Before my thoughts can even gather, my mouth answers back in French. “Oui. S’il vous plait dites-moi.”

“And have you ever been to France, my child?”

“Why …
no
. All this just started last week.”

“Not only can you speak and interpret any language known to man, your ears can pick out a single voice in a crowd of thousands or hear a single whisper a mile away.

“Cool,” I smile … briefly. “I think …”

Of course Tre has to butt in. “No doubt? Okay, so what about me?”

“Tre, you have the Gift of healing. Your body can immediately repair itself from nearly any infirmity. Broken bones, flesh wounds, sickness …”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” he gloats. “I’m like the black Wolverine!”

“I’m sorry?” Anna frowns.

“Nothing,” I say, shaking my head. “Go on, please.”

“Tre, not only can you heal yourself. You can heal others as well, with just one touch to their infirmity. You have the potential to save a lot of people, Tre Turner.”

Tre’s smile fades as if a thought envelopes him.

“So, what about the other things we’ve experienced?” I ask. “All of this strength, quickness, agility? I mean, I’ve done some things I’ve only seen on television.”

“You are familiar with the Bible, correct?” Anna asks.

“Yeah?”

“The Bible speaks of a few chosen, possessing abnormal strength for periods of time, small armies being able to defeat enemies ten—twenty times their size. People speaking languages foreign to them, many being healed of various diseases, some being able to see glimpses of the future.”

“So pretty much … miracles?”

“But of course, my child. A miracle is no more than an interruption, a suspension in the laws that govern this world, physically, mentally, logically. Everything that has been written about can still happen today, even raising the dead.”

“What a minute,” says Tre. “Did you say raising the dead?”

“Yes, my child. But these Gifts are not for show or personal gain. They are for war.”

Zeek finally speaks up. “And just who does this war concern?”

Anna walks towards a large window, peering through open curtains.

“There are those among us who are not as they appear …”

Facing us, she continues. “… demons walk this earth as mortal men. They are persuading many to join their uprising. Any man or woman you see could be one of the Persuaded: your mailman, your doctor, the woman in the car next to you, even members of your family. They normally wear the Shadow and they bear the Mark as a brand or tattoo on their arm or wrist.”

“You mean, like the Mark of the Beast that’s talked about in Revelation?” Tre asks.

“That is correct, Tre. I’m sure your father has preached about it before.”

What? I have
to jump in on this one. “Wait. YOUR father is a Reverend? Unbelievable …” I’ve heard it all now. Tre opens his mouth, but obviously can’t think of a good enough rebuttal.

“And what’s this Shadow business?” asks Zeek.

“The demonic-influenced people I speak of—our kind likes to refer to them as the
Persuaded
—they manifest a portion of their inner darkness outwardly. It rises like—”

“—like a black, smoke-like, haze,” Zeek finishes.

“You have seen it?”

Each of us nods. Anna shakes her head as she paces around the suite. “Time draws nearer than expected. It should not be happening in this manner. We are not ready.”

“Wait a minute. Slow down.”

“Every few generations, God chooses Three to assist him in this ever present battle. Some say Jesus’ most inner circle, Peter, James, and John, were the first Three. God assigns them individual and collective powers that exceed any myth or fable.”

“Okay!” shouts Tre, bobbing up and down like an excited child. “So, we’re like modern day superheroes right?! Now that’s what I’m talking about! How many superheroes do you know, hunh Gloria?”

It doesn’t take much effort to ignore his comment. “So these Persuaded, I think that’s what we saw today. That was a demon?”

“Not a demon, per se,” Anna answers. “Rather, demonically influenced. The Persuaded are mortal, but can possess supernatural abilities, just as you. It seems as if they are increasing in number. There has to be a Familiar in close proximity.”

“
Oooookay
,” Tre says, not trying to hide his sarcasm. “And that is …?”

“A Familiar
is a spirit, a true demon. A demon enclosed in flesh. It is not uncommon for disputes to arise in Hell and for demons to be banished or attempt to leave on their own.”

“Maybe that’s what we saw in the park,” I say.

“I suspect not, my child. Familiars are much more powerful than the Persuaded. Your countenance does not wear the fatigue of battling a Familiar. Besides, the last Familiar to enclose himself in flesh was the demon Beelzebub. But he was cast out forty years ago. This new Familiar could be masquerading as anyone.”

“Okay, this still doesn’t make sense,” says Zeek. I’m sure by now, Anna’s descriptions of supernatural occurrences has Zeek’s logic turned upside down. “I mean why me?” Zeek goes on. “This guy’s dad’s a preacher. She’s probably some goody-two-shoes,” he says pointing to me, although that is definitely not the case. “And me? I’ve never even really believed in a god, much less stepped foot inside a church.”

“This is not about any church, Zeek,” Anna says firmly. “This is about a Kingdom. One the Enemy wants to control … or destroy. What if I told you there IS a God?” she continues. “The same God your wife believed in, and He is just as real as anything you’ve encountered the last few days.”

Zeek’s defenses swell up. “Whoa. Wait a minute lady. What do you know about my wife? Who are you?”

“I am Anna, the Prophetess. I see and I know. I know you loved your young wife very much and I see you still live in the past.”

“What’d you say lady? Look, I’m out of here—”

“Hold up Zeek!” Tre pleads. “Let her finish, then it’s your call.”

Breathing heavily, Zeek stands by the door.

“God has shown me your paths,” says Anna. “He has sent me here to help you. To guide you.”

“So, you’re an angel or something?” asks Tre.

“Oh no, Tre. As you, I am flesh and blood. I am simply here to—as you say— fill in the blanks.”

“So you knew we would meet in the park.” I say.

“Not exactly, my child. I was led to this city. Once I found Tre, it was only a matter of time before your paths intertwined. I knew once your Gifts began to manifest, it would probably—what do you young people say now?—freak you out?
Of course it would be apparent I was an individual completely peculiar to Tre’s surroundings. So peculiar, I may be the only person willing to believe the abnormalities happening in his life, thus yours as well.”

Makes sense to me. Tre too, we both nod in agreement. Zeek, however, is not so easily sold. “So you’re saying God, or whoever, set up this whole day—my daughter being abducted, me nearly being choked to death by some devil police officer, just so I could meet you and become some assassin of his?”

“No, of course not, Zeek. It’s much more complicated than that. You have to—”

“Save it,” Zeek cuts in. “This is ridiculous. I’m outta here.”

Anna raises her voice just as Zeek is about to walk out. “I know that like me, you have the gift of Seeing. You see visions. And when the time is right, I won’t have to find you … YOU will find me.”

Her last statement does little to bring Zeek back in. Tre and I follow.

“Hey, Zeek wait up!”

“For what?!” he yells back. “To hear more ghost stories? I’ve heard enough.”

Now at the elevator, Zeek punches the down button.

“Zeek, I know it doesn’t all make sense,” I try to reason. “But you’ve gotta admit, something is definitely going on with us and she seemed to know a lot.”

Tre joins in. “Yeah man. You saw that thing at the park just like we did. I’m not trying to be a guinea pig for God or anyone else for that matter. But if there’s gonna be something coming for me, I wanna be ready.”

The elevator doors finally open as Zeek steps inside. “Look. It was great meeting you guys but I was doing just fine before today and I’ll be just fine after this day is over.”

The doors begin to close. “Tell your fairy godmother thanks, but no thanks.
Sayonara
.”

“What is with that guy?” Tre frowns. “Every time I see him I get a headache.”

“Maybe people say the same about you,” I say making my way back to the suite.

“Say what?”

“Nothing …”

Back in the suite, I watch as Anna casually puts up the yet-to-be-touched lemonade and cookies. “So what do we do now, Anna?” I ask.

“Give him time, my children,” she responds. “This is much to digest for anyone. The day has waxed into night. You two should go home and rest. We have tarried long. Today, our enemy tried to abase. Tomorrow we will abound as we continue the journey!”

Tre and I try our best to make to make the most out of Anna’s jargon.

“Uhh, yeah. Sure … okay.”

She smiles. “Return tomorrow my children. Upon then, you will learn more.”

“Oh okay,” grins Tre. “Cool. We’ll be back tomorrow. Thanks.”

“Nice to meet you, Anna,” I smile, as we head for the door.

***

“Mannn, what have we gotten ourselves into?” Tre asks as we wait for the elevator.

“I … I don’t know,” I laugh.

“Wait. What’s that?”

“What?”

“You smiled,” he says. For a brief moment, he almost seems … charming. Key

word—brief.

“And?”

“Why do you act as if you don’t like me?” he smiles. I quickly erase the grin from my face, can’t give him any fuel. “Maybe it’s because I don’t,” I say blankly.

Tre looks at his reflection in the buffed, polished steel doors of the elevator. Flexing his shoulders he says, “Nah … can’t be that …”

I thought so. Nothing’s changed in the last couple of hours. He’s still stuck on himself. Casually, I look him head to toe. “You’re not all that.”

“But I’m close enough,” Tre snaps back.

“Ugggghhhh,” I grunt as the elevator doors open. “Why do I put up with you?”

“Because I’m your personal superhero,” he bows. “I’m here to protect you, my lady.”

“Oh please. How ‘bout I protect you.”

“If I recall, it was I who saved you at the park.”

We continue our debate all the way down the elevator.

-----------T H E A S S I G N E D-----------

“What’s with these people?!” I shout through the drab parking lot. No one is there to answer back as I head for my bike. First, all this talk of soldiers and demons. Now, some lady I’ve never met is rambling off about Angel? That’s where I draw the line. I’ll just have to figure this thing out for myself. Or better yet, just leave it alone. It’s sure to die down on its own. One thing’s for sure, powers or not, I don’t owe God, or anyone for that matter.

Three stalls later and my bike still won’t crank. This is definitely not the time. It’s enough I’m parked at this ritzy hotel. The valet boys are already starting to mumble. Don’t worry guys, I’ll be gone before you build up the nerve to approach.

Okay, let’s try this again. I attempt to jumpstart the aging and stubborn chopper but she won’t budge. Frustration sets in as familiar voices shout at me from across the street.

“Hey Zeek! You okay?!”

I nod, at the same time speeding up my process. Key, clutch, kick. Again. “Come on!” I shout. Tre and Gloria are headed this way and that’s the last thing I need.

“Are you okay, Zeek?” asks Gloria.

“Everything’s fine,” I say, wildly jumping up and down on the start.

“Looks like you’re the one who needs a fairy godmother,” laughs Tre.