Chapter Fifteen
Action Begun
Flint set foot down onto the island with trepidation. He didn’t want to be here. The chopper powered down behind him, Temple and Maria soon joined him. Flint started up the path that led to the house reluctantly.
The door was open and someone was sweeping dust out of it. This must be her then. She glanced up from her work and studied them as they approached.
“You must be James.” She said, as she studied him inquisitively.
Flint nodded, “If you don’t mind, call me Flint, instead of James though.”
“Oh yes, I forgot about all the secret agent stuff. You would be Maria and I believe you would be Temple?” Both nodded and she stepped back to the side, “Won’t you come in. You’re a little earlier than we were expecting.”
The three stepped into the snug one room house. Flint’s eyes were focused sickly on Asia’s hand, “You’re married?”
She smiled, “Yes, I am.”
“I am so sorry! I……”
“To your brother.” Asia said, cutting him off her face still wreathed in a peaceful smile.
All three newcomers to the island wore matching expressions of astonishment.
“Can I get you anything?” Asia offered politely.
Temple spoke up, “The Code, were you able to break it?”
Asia gestured to the computers in the corner, “How about I show you.”
Temple followed her across the room, “So you broke it?”
“Not exactly, but I think you’ll like what I did.” Asia said confidently.
Meanwhile, Flint had been looking around at the feminine touches on display throughout the room, “Is Logan here?”
“Oh he’s somewhere on the island, not sure where though. Wander around long enough and you’ll find him.”
Flint nodded and left leaving Maria to stay at the house, while he went out in search of his brother.
He walked down the flagstone paths in search of his brother. He hadn’t been expecting at all the situation he had just stepped into. A glint of the sun shining off something reflective caught his eye and he diverged down another path.
It led to an overlook promontory graced by a little grave and a warrior’s sword. Flint stopped beside the little grave swallowing down emotion at what the obvious significance of the scene was.
“You’re early.” I said from behind my brother. He turned quickly to me and it didn’t surprise me, when he came up to me and hugged me.
He was a good brother, always had been and I hugged him back for a long moment. We walked along the flagstone pathway to nowhere in particular.
“You’ve changed!” Flint exclaimed.
I nodded.
“You’re married!”
I nodded and added, “I have faith to brother.”
Flint just shook his head, “What did she do to win you over that I haven’t tried?”
I smiled, “Well brother she’s a lot prettier than you!”
Flint laughed hard and long. “Why yes, she is! The good Lord sure does work in mysterious ways!” Flint said slapping me on the back hard.
We walked along for a while, “You’re coming with us then?” Flint asked.
“What do you think?” I snorted out derisively.
Flint’s arm settled over the back of my shoulders, “Good to have you back in the fight little brother!”
Temple’s face reflected shock, as he stared at what Asia had done with the Code. “This is a miracle!” He exclaimed.
“Perhaps, really though it’s just borrowing from an old idea.” Asia said humbly.
She started to get up, but Temple’s hand lightly grasped her arm forestalling her. She looked at him questioningly, as it looked like he was at a loss for words in an attempt to say something important. “I’m glad it looks like it’s working out for you and Logan.” Temple said before letting go of her arm.
Asia hesitated for a moment, “John told me about your sister. I think he’s lying about it. No, I change that; I know he’s lying about it.”
Temple surprised her then, “I think so too, otherwise I would’ve killed him long ago.”
The two stared at each other for a moment, “Well I’m him glad that you didn’t.” Asia finally commented.
Temple nodded and then started transferring Asia’s cure for the Code over to a series of devices that he had brought with him. Maria had been eavesdropping the whole time and now looked elsewhere, in an attempt to find something to stay busy at herself. Asia began packing what few things she was taking and Maria offered to help.
Maria watched, as Asia folded a leather shirt that had to be John’s. Asia folded it with such care that it could only be considered a loving touch.
“How did you tame the beast?” Maria asked genuinely curious.
Asia glanced up, “Prayer and pressure points.” Then Asia smiled to herself, as she glanced back down at the shirt in her hands, “And lots and lots of sex.”
Maria’s eyebrows rose at that and she thought better about asking any more questions.
I held Asia’s hand, as we sat beside each other on the chopper, as it lifted off quietly from the island. Whether we came back or settled elsewhere a special part of both of us would always be on this island.
It was a very long flight and restless as usual I found sleep impossible, especially heading into danger as we were. Asia was asleep nestled trustingly against my side still clasping my hand in hers. I wish I could sleep like her. Flint had been asleep, but I’d noticed him awake for awhile now.
He leaned over to me showing me something in his hand. I took the picture that he was offering to me. It was of a woman with light chocolate skin, she had perhaps the most classically beautiful face I’d ever seen on a woman of any ethnicity.
“Your wife?”
He nodded proudly.
“You did well for yourself brother!” I said.
“So did you brother.” He commented glancing at Asia still sleeping against me.
“Yeah, I’d say we both won the lottery, wife wise anyway.”
I handed the picture back inwardly proud of myself. I had wondered what my reaction would be the first time I saw a beautiful woman other than my wife and I found myself oddly content with my nonreactive answer given my past history.
I could acknowledge the attractiveness of another woman, but I hadn’t let my thoughts go any further. It was a milestone of moral authenticity in my life. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to imagine more, but rather that there was something stronger within me that now said no to the inherent carnality of my flesh and mind. I was ruled by the Holy Spirit instead of ruled by my fleshly desires.
In some ways I’d never thought this day would come to me and now that it had I saw it both for the gift it was, as well as the honor of being separate from the desires of the world. It was good to know about myself in this moment, but it was a battle I would have to keep fighting for the rest of my life.
Flint was handing me more pictures. One was of a girl and the other was of a boy. I was an uncle. I couldn’t help the thought that I wished I was more than just that, and that I was a father myself.
Flint’s hand grasped mine, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
I nodded, but he didn’t let go of my hand.
“Our first one ended like yours. It’s kind of a common occurrence in first time pregnancy. Like the body isn’t ready yet for the next stage of advancement, but as you can see it didn’t stop us. We have two and another one on the way. I’m confident that it will be successful for you the next time as well.”
“I hope so!” I mumbled out. I didn’t ever want to go through what we just had ever again!
Flint handed me one last picture of two people. I recognized enough from my fragmented memory to know that I was looking at my parents. I stared at the picture for a long time as it helped me remember things I had forgotten.
“Do you want this back?” I asked.
“Keep it John. John?”
I glanced up.
“They would have been proud of you! I’m proud of you!”
“Why?”
“Because you decided to change and let God run your life instead.”
I had done just that, but it seemed like a result garnered less by my own efforts and one more due to the grace extended to me largely in the form of my amazing wife in her willingness to sacrifice everything, when it was asked of her. It was all very humbling to look back on now.