53

Chase rode in the front of the hearse with Shorty. Mom sat beside Amos, who was stretched out in the back. Maybe the verses above his head would be a comfort. Chase perused the programs of the underground in hope of finding Mel’s implanted Bible.

The ride to Gagnon, if a covert operation could be called carefree, was just that. No sign of federal deputies. No drones. They passed only two vehicles.

Chase hoped Mel had gone to sleep, but he sent her a message anyway.

We’re almost there. No problems. I love you.

Her reply was instant—she wasn’t sleeping. This bed is too big without you. I love you forever.

She must be on one of her old laptops. Good to know that’d work with this new capability. “Just don’t jump ship, Sparky.”

“Excuse me?” Shorty held the wheel with one finger. He maneuvered through the dark at full speed.

“Sorry. I was talking to my wife.”

“You can do that in your head?”

“Yep.”

“Did you marry that pretty girl with the dark curls?”

“I sure did.”

“Congratulations. Happened awful fast. You been hitched, what…two days?”

“Fourteen hours. And thank you.”

The transport pulled into Gagnon and stopped in front of the old schoolhouse. Dr. John met them outside. He’d read the data. Residents helped Mom get Amos inside. Chase and the doctor remained under the starlit sky.

“From what I understand, Chase, this procedure will deplete you of your own ability to heal. Is Amos aware of that? And your mother?”

“It’s nothing to be concerned about,” Chase told him. “No sense in worrying them.”

“We’ll let Amos rest until dawn. The whole procedure shouldn’t take more than an hour. We’ll be making medical history and no one will know.”

“So you think it will work.”

“I believe there’s a good chance,” Dr. John said.

The two went inside, and the doctor went to his quarters to get some sleep. Chase found his mom sitting in a chair in the hallway that led to the clinic.

“Is Amos settled in?” he asked her.

“He’s sleeping.”

“You should do the same. Dr. John says there are a couple of sofas in a meeting room back the other way.”

“Will you stay with me?” She followed Chase down the hall.

“Sure. I don’t need much sleep, but I’ll sit with you.”

They found the room with mismatched old sofas. Mom stretched out on one. Chase sat on the other. Not a sound resonated in the place called Storm on the River.

“I don’t know if I should leave Amos alone,” Mom said.

“I’ll go check on him in a while. It’ll give me something to do besides think about…”

“About the honeymoon you should be on right now?”

“Yeah. I can’t stand being away from her.”

“You made quite a sacrifice for Amos. You just met him a few days ago. And yet, you’re willing to give up so much for him. Why?”

“The overwhelming urge in my gut, I guess. I had to do it.”

“Sounds like God directed you.” She smiled.

“I’m going to turn the light off, Mom. Get some sleep.”

“OK, son.”

Chase reached for a small lamp and twisted the switch. He stared at the window, its filmy curtain not holding out the light of the stars.

“Chase?”

“Yes, Mom?”

“If anything happens after you leave us here, and you have to move on—you and Melody—don’t look back. Follow God’s lead, son. I’m so glad to have spent these last days with you. But if you can’t come back for me, I’ll understand. We’ll see each other again.”

He powered his night vision to see her face. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Something in my gut, maybe.”

“Well, stop talking like that. I don’t know about all these feelings that come from the gut. Maybe we ate some bad meat. Now go to sleep.”

She didn’t say another word. Chase powered down the night vision and ran through WR programs. All quiet in Quebec. Some rumblings in the EU. Nothing new about that.

But then a communication in progress crept into his mind. A dispatch to federal agents throughout the Northwest Territory called for anyone not assigned to essential activities to report to the detention center north of Herouxville with all available transport vehicles.

What were they planning? Were they ready to activate that awful machine, Bloodless?

Had Mel intercepted the information yet? Should he notify her? No, he’d wait for more intel. During the pre-dawn hours he went to sit by Amos’s side. An hour before sunrise, Amos opened his eyes and reached for Chase’s hand.

“Soon, Amos. You’ll be feeling better soon.”

“Perhaps. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done. And I’ve pulled some crazy stunts these last few years in the underground.”

“It’s meant to be,” Chase told him. “You’re needed here.”

“Here? You mean here in Gagnon?”

Chase remembered his mother’s unsettling words. “I don’t know about that, but it’s a nice place. I wouldn’t mind staying here.”

Amos shrugged. “I don’t know if I want to be living anywhere—not on this planet. Why am I willing to put off Heaven? That’s where I belong.”

“But you know this is supposed to happen. Don’t you, Amos?”

“It’s hard to imagine why.” He closed his eyes.

“Rest,” Chase said. “It’ll be time soon.”