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“About that. The Snake said he was ordered to kidnap Dr. Rogers?” I pressed my lips in a tight line and threw an accusing look back at Chris. “You said this was about a cancer treatment.”
“No.” Chris held my gaze. “I said Kestler approached Dr. Rogers offering to pay for his research in exchange for his cooperation. I never said what he wanted Dr. Rogers to do.”
“But you know, don’t you?” I leaned against Chris’s car for support as I turned and confronted Chris about yet another SATURN secret. “Does this have anything to do with my parents?”
“Dr. Rogers, thank you so much for your service.” Chris stepped past me as he shook Dr. Roger’s hand. “Agents Richards and Jorel will take you and Gene to the safe house, at least until we can set up a more permanent place for you two.”
“Are you kidding me?” I shifted my position with a groan. The pain was just not letting up. “Dr. Rogers, had you ever met my parents before this week?”
Dr. Rogers looked to Chris for help, but didn’t meet my gaze.
“Enough, Scott.” Chris cut me off with a sharp gesture and a warning glare. “The secrets are there for your protection. Dr. Rogers doesn’t know anything that will help get your parents back. Leave it at that.”
Biting back a sharp reply, I made a mental to push for more information later.
“Goodbye, Gene.” I stepped away from the support of Chris’s car and shook Gene’s hand. “I’m glad you’re with your dad again, but we’ll miss you at the Academy.”
“I’ll miss you guys, too.” Gene gave me a lopsided grin. “Maybe not Winston so much.”
After seeing Gene and his dad off, Chris took Matt and me to the ER. The doctor bandaged Matt’s scrape properly and prescribed me bed rest for a week, on top of all the instructions I had before. I guess he didn’t trust my ability to stay out of trouble. Go figure.
It was getting late by the time we pulled through the Academy gate. I was nearly asleep in the back seat when I heard Matt speak.
“Why are we going this way?”
I opened my eyes and looked out the window. Chris had turned into the faculty housing area.
“Trinity got home this evening,” Chris responded. “Her dad asked me to bring you by if we got back before curfew. She’s been insisting on seeing Scott. That is, if Scott feels up to it.”
Matt turned in his seat and grinned at me. “She’s been asking for Scott, has she?”
I kicked the back of his seat playfully. “The pain meds the doctor gave me are helping. I think I could handle a short visit. Did she say what she wanted?”
“No.” Chris shook his head as he parked the car in front of her house. “But her dad said she wouldn’t rest until she saw you. I figured you would want to talk to her before you had to be on bed rest.”
“I did want to see her, too.” I glanced at Matt meaningfully. There was something very important I needed to talk to her about. “I’m glad I can see her tonight. I’m not going to be going anywhere for a while.”
Chris waited in the car as Matt and I climbed out. Matt took the porch stairs all at once while I shuffled carefully to the top.
Maybe a very short visit.
Coach Shiloh opened the front door almost as soon as I had pressed the doorbell.
“Sorry we’re so late, Coach,” I apologized. “But we came as soon as we got back to school.”
“Come on in.” Coach Shiloh smiled at us tiredly. “Trinity’s been asking for you all day. She was beginning to worry. You’ll have to keep it short, though. She needs to rest.”
“Don’t worry.” Matt grinned. “So does Scott.”
Coach Shiloh looked puzzled, but Trinity’s voice interrupted before he could say anything.
“Is that Scott?” she called from the living room.
“Hi, Trinity.” I walked into the room with Matt following close behind. Trinity was lying on the couch with a folding tray beside her and the latest Star trek movie playing on the TV. Her face was pale and a line of stitches peeked out from behind her ear.
“Hey, Scott.” She smiled at me brightly and paused the movie. “I’m so glad to see you. I was beginning to worry.”
“We were a little busy.” I returned the smile and leaned on the back of the couch for support. “Rescuing Gene.”
“Gene’s safe?” She squealed with delight.
“And the Snake is behind bars.” Matt sat down in a nearby chair.
I decided I would remain standing as long as I could. Getting up and down still hurt a lot.
Trinity looked at me intently before asking softly. “What about your parents?”
“They’re alive. I saw them.” I tried to sound more upbeat than I felt. “Chris hopes to get them home soon.”
Trinity looked at me silently, as if she weren’t sure whether to congratulate me or feel sorry for me. I was glad when she did neither.
“Perhaps we should go, Trinity,” Matt spoke up. “Your dad said you need to rest.”
“Wait, I’m fine.” She pushed herself higher on the couch. “I have to ask Scott one question, then I’ll rest.”
Lord, give me an opportunity to talk to her about You before we go. “Sure, what is it?”
“It’s been bothering me ever since I woke up in the hospital.” She paused and looked down at her hands. “I’m lucky to be alive. God has given me a second chance.”
Surely she’s not going to ask what I think she is.
She paused uncomfortably, twisting her locket between her fingers. “I want to go to heaven, Scott. I know you’ve told me before, but I’d like you to tell me about Jesus again. I’m ready this time.” She looked up at me and added hurriedly, “That is, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind.” I grinned. “I was praying God would give me an opportunity to do that anyway.”
Glancing to Matt for encouragement, I lowered myself carefully into an armchair facing Trinity. If she noticed my discomfort, she gave no indication. “Jesus is God’s Son, who came to earth and died to pay the penalty for your sins.” I paused. “You do know what sins are, right?”
“I’m pretty sure lying to my dad and sneaking out the window to visit a crime scene alone would count.” She looked at me seriously. “But why would He want to die for my sins?”
“Because He loves you and wants you to go to heaven with Him,” I responded. “But He didn’t stay dead. He came back to life three days later. All you have to do is accept His payment for your sins and ask Him to be your Savior.”
“That’s all? You’re sure?” Trinity looked at me hopefully.
“Absolutely.” I smiled. “People have been doing it that way for nearly two thousand years.”
“Okay, how do I do it?”
A wide grin split my face. I had been praying for this moment for so long! “You just need to pray and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and tell Him that you accept Him as your Savior. I can help, if you want.”
Trinity thought for a moment. “No, I think I want to do this myself.”
Matt and I bowed our heads with her as she began to pray.
“Jesus,” she began awkwardly. “I’m praying to ask you to forgive my sins. I want to accept you as my Savior and go to heaven someday. Thank you for loving me enough to die for me.” She paused again uncertainly. “Amen.”
“Amen.” Matt and I echoed.
Thank you, Lord! I eased myself out of the chair and stood to go. “Trinity, you need to rest now. So do I. The doctor put me on a week’s bed rest for my ribs. We’ll see you later.”
“You get plenty of rest. I’ll see you later.” She waved as we left and the sounds of a loud space battle followed us from the room. “And thanks.”
By the time we got to our dorm, I was ready to collapse. Between the exhaustion of the day and the high dose of pain reliever the doctor had given me, I almost felt like I was sleepwalking. I lay down carefully on my bed and kicked my shoes off. I needed to change and shower, but I really didn’t feel up to it.
“I’m so exhausted.” I groaned.
“I know what you mean.” Matt shoved a pile of books off his bed and onto the floor before throwing himself down in it. “What a day. We rescued Gene and his dad, caught the Snake, and led Trinity to the Lord. All without getting ourselves killed. I’d say it was a pretty good day.”
“It only lacked one thing to be perfect,” I said softly.
Matt nodded silently. He knew I wasn’t talking about my ribs.
“Do you think things will ever be normal again?” I asked, staring at the ceiling.
“Scott, your family was never normal.” Matt laughed. “Your parents are spies, remember. And, sorry pal, you’re not that normal either. Normal people don’t get their ribs busted twice in one week.”
“Point taken.” I smiled slightly, then continued, “Gene and his dad are a family again. I got so close to my parents, only to lose them again.”
I paused to swallow a lump that was rising in my throat. “I’m beginning to wonder if we will ever be a family again.”