THe Sentinal Satellite Read online

  Some natives thought it was too fanciful of a story to believe. Others envied the little girl for seeing jungle spirits that none had ever seen before. She continued.

  “When the three demons that entered the great mound came out, one of them aimed a flaming arrow at the different creature still up in the air but missed. Then arrows of flame spit out of the creature up there and hit the demons on the ground. Two of the demons exploded in a burst of blood while the other was badly hurt.”

  It was clear by the expression on one young native’s face that he would be a great hunter if only he possessed such magnificent flaming arrows. Jinga continued.

  “When the bird that shone as bright as the sun landed, it opened its mouth. I saw two creatures emerge and one was a female spirit. Moments later, our magical healer, and the man she lived with entered the great bird’s mouth. The strange bird then flew away with Belle.”

  As if wanting to prove her fanciful story to the stunned crowd, she added,

  “If you don’t believe me, the bodies of the creatures and strange birds are still over there.”

  To see proof of the incredible story of spirits and a great aerial battle, most of the village followed Jinga over to Liana’s house. When they approached, they saw smoldering metal and black smoke. It was as she had said, there on the ground were the three dead birds that had fallen from the sky. Jinga’s strange story of a war between the spirits was given credence.

  The village elders agreed that the good jungle spirits would not be happy to have demon birds and dead creatures scattered about on Liana’s sacred ground. They gathered up the broken pieces of the metallic birds, including the bodies of the fallen spirits and threw them into a deep hole. The jungle would hide the rest. Forever after, the story of how the jungle spirits fought a great aerial war above their village became a legend for the ages. Many generations later, when the accounts of a war of the spirits was told to missionaries they would not believe it, quickly attributing it to misguided and fanciful stories from simple minds.

  Chapter 30

  There are only two days left before the truth of the faith must be revealed to the world or suffer the annihilation of the Vatican and its high-ranking officials. Early in the morning, Commander Razk was called to the main Vatican Library for an important meeting. Upon arrival, he saw two elderly Cardinals sitting at a research table. As he approached, he recognized them as Cardinal Ramone and Cardinal Linsky, both were members of the Guardian of the Faith. Even at this distance, he saw that they were wrapped in a shroud of concern and fear. When they saw him approaching, they got up and indicated for him to follow.

  They led him into the library basement and then through a storage area for antiquated books and scrolls. When they finally stopped at a great wooden door Cardinal Ramone turned to Razk and demanded,

  “Is it true Commander that under penalty of excommunication, all high ranked officials are restricted to Vatican soil for the next few days?”

  Razk, although suspicious of their purpose, simply nodded. The Cardinal then continued.

  “Is it also true that there is great danger to the Vatican if certain conditions imposed by the devil are not met?”

  Again, Razk merely nodded.

  The other Cardinal then struggled to open the great door. As Head of Confidences to Three Cardinals and Chief Overlord of all Security, Razk knew what was behind this door and did not like it. As they entered the tunnel, Cardinal Ramone said,

  “Come and explain this to us.”

  Both Cardinals led the way with flashlights and he dutifully followed them deep into the tunnel.

  Should the Vatican ever be attacked, ancient Popes had constructed a secure above ground bridge over to Castle St. Angelo, not far away. The bridge was called Pont de St. Angelo. In the castle were many secret ‘safe rooms’ for the Pope to hide. What only a few high Vatican officials knew was that there was also a secret tunnel leading to the castle and safety.

  At about the point where the tunnel reached the edge of the Vatican property, entering the territory of Rome, both Cardinals stopped and faced Razk. Because his patience was running thin, he was about to demand the purpose of this furtive expedition when Cardinal Ramone said,

  “As if Excommunication was not enough of a threat to keep us here, why has death been added to the threat?”

  Now even more confused Razk demanded,

  “Tell me what happened and maybe I can explain it to you.”

  At that, the Cardinal turned his attention back to the tunnel, pointed further into it and demanded,

  “Why can we go no farther?”

  Because there was no apparent reason why they could not, still bewildered, Razk asked,

  “I do not know. Why can you not?”

  “I think that might be a question you should ask Bishop Donahue.”

  “Where is Bishop Donahue then?”

  Cardinal Ramone raised his voice and demanded,

  “That is the question we are asking you. Where is he?”

  Frustrated at what Razk considered a game of questions and confusion, he exercised his authority and demanded,

  “Perhaps full disclosure might be in order.”

  It was Cardinal Linsky who confessed,

  “The three of us knew of the edict to stay within the grounds. We also heard rumors that the devil would strike the Vatican soon. Wishing to avoid death by evil, we planned to escape through this secret tunnel. Bishop Donahue was in the lead when he suddenly screamed in pain. A blue light flashed and he disappeared right in front of our eyes.”

  He pointed just a foot or two in front of them and added,

  “Right here is as far as we got.”

  Razk did not get this job because he was the most faithful of the flock. He got it because he understood the difference between an act of God and technology. Knowing what the two Cardinals did not, he played on their fear of the devil and supernatural powers. He said,

  “Perhaps you should accept the warning to go no farther. Do not tell anyone of your defiance of a church decree and make no other attempt to leave the Vatican.”

  The two men stood stunned. As he turned to leave, he added,

  “Perhaps a prayer and Last Rites for the soul of Bishop Donahue might be in order.”

  Back in his office, Razk attempted to contact Santo to warn him that somehow the power of the satellite was guarding not only surface gates but the most secret of Vatican exits as well. When he reached Jessika by secure channels and asked for Captain Martinez, he was told that he was on a mission and would call him back.

  As he sat at his desk, his mind filled with perplexing questions. How was it possible for a computer operated satellite to know of such deep Vatican secrets? Only a few high ranking Vatican officials knew about that escape tunnel. Cardinal Ramone was one of those few. Razk’s saving grace was now in jeopardy. Does the satellite know of the secret escape route he and the Colonel of the Swiss Guard were going to use?

  Chapter 31

  While flying to a secret location to hide Belle, Santo obeyed one of Edward’s conditions that they must not know where they were going. The computer was doing the flying, taking them to an unknown place. With the canopy turned dark it was necessary to turn on the interior lights. In the soft glow, Maria sat silent lost to remorseful thoughts. Santo thought she was upset because maybe he had over reacted to her disobeying a direct order by contacting Belle regardless of his command.

  He was not aware that although hating it, she had accepted his anger as something she deserved. He was also not aware that the cold silence was despondency at having lost his trust. Santo saw no reason to apologise and therefore ignored her cold silence. Liana and Quastima were fast asleep in the back seat.

  Two hours later, Belle lazily opened her eyes and asked,

  “Are we there yet?”

  Santo understood that with the secrecy restraints, Edward was not going to give them coordinates directly to this mysterious location. For all he knew they were eith
er zipping through the stratosphere or simply hovering over the spot right now. There was no doubt in his mind that the purpose of the time was to disguise the distance from the Amazon to wherever they were going. He answered his daughter the only way he could.

  “It shouldn’t be long now honey.”

  Because of the independent interior gravity of the D-wing and the blanked out dome, it was impossible to tell if they were descending or still orbiting high above the Earth, at least to normal senses. Quastima suddenly opened his eyes and said,

  “We have landed.”

  When the black dome turned clear, natural light filled the cockpit. Quastima was right. They had landed. As Santo looked through the canopy, his sharp senses heightened looking for danger.

  Belle was the first to make a comment on what they were seeing. Wrapped in excitement she said,

  “It’s beautiful. Can we go outside?”

  Maria knew that Santo needed to finish scanning the area with sensors and therefore answered,

  “Let daddy do his job first okay.”

  Liana’s heightened sense to danger was faster than the D-wing’s scan and so eagerly announced,

  “It’s beautiful and perfectly safe. Let’s get out of these damned cramped quarters.”

  Belle looked to her mother and reported Liana’s crime.

  “Grandma swore.”

  After struggling out of the cockpit, all looked around to see that they had put down in a large clearing surrounded by a dense forest. Although it was a cloudy day, it was hot and humid. Quastima was the first to notice an anomaly.

  “I’ve never seen trees like that before.”

  Neither had Maria. She voiced an uncomfortable concern.

  “I sure hope we are still on Earth.”

  After smelling the air, Liana’s reply quashed any fear they may have had about extra-terrestrial travel.

  “No doubt we are on Earth. I just don’t know where though.”

  Belle’s naiveté of adult qualms allowed her to see the beauty of their location. Although she too had never seen such tall trees that was not what enthralled her. A flock of birds near the far trees darting about as if in a playful manner captivated her. While the adults were busy looking about, Belle approached the birds.

  They were about the size of her little fist. True to this mysterious place, she had never seen birds so beautiful and colorful. As curious as she was about them, they seemed equally curious about her. However, when she stepped closer, they darted away and she never got a good look at them. Back at the D-wing, Maria saw Belle in the distance seemingly talking to the birds and called her back.

  Santo was walking toward a cottage under a massive tree at the edge of the clearing. When Maria turned and saw the cottage, she thought it belonged in a fairy tale. Thick moss on the roof draped down over the eaves. If there was intent to conceal the cottage, whoever built it had done a good job. As it looked inviting, all obeyed the allure and approached it.

  The small exterior concealed the massive interior. Although projecting a fairy tale appearance on the outside, the inside had morphed into a modern well-furnished home. As Maria had discovered, the cupboards were stocked with plenty of food. Santo said,

  “Edward promised to have it well supplied.”

  She looked around and said,

  “Well, he certainly kept his promise.”

  When Santo saw the plate of sandwiches on the table, he knew what he had to do. Stating his hunger, he reached and ate one of them. It was a reminder to the rest that they too were hungry and all enjoyed their lunch. Santo heard what Edward had said back in the jungle, that the House of the Second Creation trusted his loyalty. However, as a sign of good faith and trust in the House, Santo ate another sandwich.

  While Liana and Quastima were enjoying the comfort of the loungers, Maria noticed that Santo had gone outside. He seemed to be suspiciously looking across the field toward the forest. She joined him and asked,

  “What’s the matter Santo? You are looking for something. What is it?”

  With eyes still attentive to the forest Santo explained,

  “Edward said there were others hiding here. I would like to meet them before we leave.”

  As both stood in the doorway looking at the forest, Belle darted past them. Both watched as she made her way across the field to the edge of the forest. Once there, Belle held out her hand trying to entice one of the swarming birds to land on it. Although Santo knew it was safe, Maria, alerted to Santo’s concern for the mysterious others hiding here did not want Belle that close to the forest and called her back.

  Disappointed at not allowed to make friends with the birds, Bell regrettably returned to her parents. She asked why she could not play with her new friends. With Santo still attentive to the forest, Maria said,

  “We were told that there are others here but we can’t see them. Stay close until we know who they are.”

  Both Santo and Maria were stunned when Belle pointed to the trees and said,

  “There are lots of others here.”

  They looked in the direction Belle was pointing but all they saw were the birds. Confused, Maria asked where she was pointing. Annoyed that they did not see what she saw, Belle replied,

  “They are right there.”

  Trusting that his daughter was seeing something, Santo took steps toward the forest with Maria close behind. He said,

  “Stay close to me.”

  At the edge of the forest, one of the birds was brave enough to dart very close to Maria’s face. Because it flitted from side to side and wings producing a strange droning sound, she thought it might be a large humming bird. She shooed it away with a gentle wave of her hand. Again, what Belle said greatly added to the mystery.

  “She likes you mommy.”

  Maria looked to Santo who was staring at the swarm as if strangely mesmerized by them. He then slowly outstretched his hand and a bird landed on it. She saw him smile and reach toward her as if attempting to show her what was on his hand. When she finally realized what it was, she became overwhelmed and whispered,

  “My god Santo.”

  Belle was all smiles and said,

  “She likes daddy too.”

  Hoping for the same result, Maria slowly held out her hand and sure enough, another bird gently landed on it. It was not a bird. As to not scare it, Maria whispered,

  “My, aren’t you a beautiful little thing.”

  She then looked up and for the first time noticed that the hundreds of birds zipping around them were all fairies.

  Belle was ecstatic to discover something that she had only read about in books were actually real. She was running in playful circles gently waving at them. Maria too accepted the realization of the impossibility. Of all the strange and unbelievable things that happened to them as members of the House of the Nazarene, aliens, dimensional warps and time dilation, it was not difficult for Santo to accept the truth of fairy tales. The reality of it all plus Belle’s childish exuberance surfaced. He could not help but smile at the one standing on his hand.

  With the swarm following, they walked back to the cottage to see Liana and Quastima standing in the doorway watching them. With a smile and a joyful tone Liana asked,

  “So, I gather those are the mysterious neighbors?”

  Maria cheerfully replied,

  “Yes, I guess these are the other people you will be sharing this place with.”

  Quastima looked past them, toward the trees to see a large dark shadow moving deep inside the forest. Santo, knowing that this was going to be a safe place for his daughter was enjoying a moment of ease until he saw the concerned expression on Quastima. Understanding his keen sense for danger, Santo snapped around looking for what had concerned him. Seeing nothing, he turned back and cast Quastima a concerned look. Seeing it, Quastima assured him,

  “Whatever it was, there is no danger.”

  Although the fairies were swarming around their new neighbors, they would not come into the cottage. A
s it was time to leave, Santo picked up Belle and gave her a warm hug and kiss good-bye. He then turned to Maria and said,

  “Say goodbye now. We have to get going.”

  Santo then walked into the clearing toward the waiting D-wing. When he turned around to see what was keeping Maria, he was surprised to see her standing back there with Belle in hand. Confused, he walked back to her and asked,

  “Is something wrong? Why are you not coming?”

  Feeling the guilt of contacting Belle after warned not to and now demoted in the eyes of Santo, she felt the full weight of her blunder. It weighed a ton. It was difficult for her to say,

  “You go ahead. I will stay here with Belle.”

  It was true that Santo expected her to act as a seasoned soldier. Many times he had silently reprimanded her for emotional choices rather than hard military ones but he was aware of those failings. He understood that the woman he loved was after all, a scientist, not a disciplined soldier. Nevertheless, through all the years together and dangers they had faced, she had shown wisdom, strength, and bravery. Thinking that her decision was based on missing Belle, he cast a hard stare at her. In a stern tone he said,