The Treasure
Paul approached Jesse and said “There is one more thing we have to do. We have to go back to the barn in Canada and retrieve the artifacts you left there for us. Would you like to come with us?”
“You bet I would! I bet Susan would as well.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Janet and I have something to ask you. Seeing as how that old barn and its chapel underneath brought us all together, it is only fitting that we get married there. We would like you to perform the ceremony, if you would.”
“I would consider it my honor.”
Jack overheard this and smiled. “It’s strange how things work out,” he thought. “Not too long ago, Janet and Paul seemed to hate each other and now this.”
It took them a few days for Janet to get the dig opened again. She checked out a hovercraft as well as some additional equipment, namely shelters for Jesse and Susan. She met Jack and his old hovercraft just outside the front gate of the city, and they started the short trip to Canada.
Jesse marveled about the vast empty countryside. He said “This is the legacy left by the idiots in charge during my day?”
Paul said “The population is kept steady at one half billion and has been that way for centuries. Having seen what it once was like, I can see how wrong this way is.”
Astonished, Jesse said “Maybe we should think of a way to rectify the situation. One half billion indeed! God created this world to be filled with people, not left to waste away like this! Even as far back as Jack’s day there were seven billion people on the planet and more during my day.”
Jack smiled and merely said “You’re preaching to the choir, reverend. I’m certainly in agreement there!”
When they got to Canada, Jesse and Susan were amazed at the amount of ice covering the ground. Paul and Jack set up the extra shelter modules and in less than an hour, they were ready to go down to the barn.
Paul led the way as the senior archeologist. Jack took up the rear to ensure no one strayed off to the other tunnels. They entered the barn, where Jesse made the comment that the old van looked like it would still run. Jack agreed with him.
Paul opened the trap door and let Jesse be first down the ladder. Jesse descended the ladder to find the lights still worked. However, when he got to the bottom, he was in for a surprise. Suzie was waiting there for him.
She waited until he turned around and simply said “Hi!”
Jesse just about jumped out of his skin and Suzie laughed. Susan was watching from the top floor and laughed right along with Suzie. Suzie said “Sorry Jesse. But you have to admit, that never really gets old, does it?”
Jesse, having recovered simply said “Not everyone would agree with you young lady” then gave her a smile to let her know he wasn’t mad.
Everyone made their way down to the chapel as Jesse continued to the podium. Once there, he placed the three disks in the indentations on the podium and pressed them in order. The secret panel opened and inside was the treasure box as well as Jesse’s hologram.
After closing the panel, he activated his hologram. Once again, the hologram of Jesse appeared. Suzie spoke first saying “Welcome back Jesse! I missed you!”
The holographic Jesse said “It is nice to be back and always pleasant to be missed.”
The real Jesse then said “I can see we are going to have a problem with names here. Perhaps my counterpart wouldn’t mind being called ‘Jay’” then, looking directly at the hologram said “unless you have another name in mind?”
The hologram said “Actually ‘Jay’ suits me just fine.” He paused a moment, obviously in thought, then continued “This is somewhat odd. My reason for being here was supposed to be for guidance, but now that you are here, I would seem to be irrelevant.”
Jesse said “Not at all, Jay. You must remember that we, along with the handful of people who came with us are all who are left. We have a mission here that will be monumental to say the least!” He then turned to Paul and said “Paul, we did not leave you with just this one hologram and a single Bible. We also left you with a storeroom full of supplies that you will need to begin a missionary journey.”
He walked to the back wall and pressed a spot that seemed to be nowhere special and the wall opened to reveal a doorway. The doorway led to a room with several boxes in it. Jesse said “This room was sealed before we left. Hopefully, it has remained that way for these long centuries and the contents are still intact.”
He opened a box to reveal Bibles. Paul said “Wow, there must be hundreds of them!”
Jesse said “Seven hundred, actually. Enough to get started, but not nearly as many as hopefully will be needed. Now that we are here, we can begin to spread the word somehow. Obviously, you and Janet will be helpful in that way. We will need to learn as much as we can about this time and its laws before we get started.”
“I’m sure we will both be glad to help in any way we can.”
“Great! Now that that is settled, we have other rather important and somewhat urgent business to attend to, namely, the wedding of Paul and Janet. As I understand it, this will be the first wedding in many centuries. Before we get started, I must ask the new couple if there are any special requests as to the ceremony.”
Paul said “Actually, we have very limited information concerning how such ceremonies are conducted. Perhaps you could just do what is normally done.”
“I have something for both of you before we get started” said Jack. “I’m sure you remember our encounter with pirates? I saved two rings from that treasure chest, one for each of you.”
He then gave them the rings and Janet’s eyes sparkled in the refraction of the large diamond in her ring. Paul said “Thank you Jack, this means a lot to both of us.” Jack took his position beside and slightly behind Paul, as the best man. Suzie stepped in as the bride’s maid for Janet.
Jesse then said “We are gathered here today to join these two people in the bonds of holy matrimony. God created both man and woman with the intent of them being married. He speaks of it in several places in the Bible, beginning in Genesis. Obviously, it is an important matter to Him.”
“Paul, Janet, if you are now ready to accept each other as husband and wife, to pursue life’s journey together, acknowledge this decision of hearts by taking each other by the right hand.”
“Do you, Paul, take Janet, whom you hold by the hand, to be your true and lawful wife, to love and cherish her, in joy or sadness, in sickness or health and forsaking all others, to cleave to her only, so long as you both shall live?”
Paul said “I do.” He then smiled nervously at Janet as Jesse continued.
“Do you, Janet, take Paul, whom you hold by the hand, to be your true and lawful husband, to love, honor, and cherish him, in joy or sadness, in sickness or health; and forsaking all others, to cleave to him only, so long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
Jesse said “May I have the rings?” Holding one up, he said “This ring is an emblem of the purity of marriage. Our ancestors were reminded by the circle of eternity, as it is so fashioned, to have neither beginning nor end; while gold is so incorruptible that it cannot be tarnished by age or time. So may this union be incorruptible in its purity and more everlasting than time itself.”
Handing the ring to Paul, he said “Repeat after me; with this ring, as a token of my love, I thee wed.”
Paul slipped the ring on Janet’s finger as Jesse said “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Paul, you may now kiss your bride.”
Paul swept Janet off her feet and gently kissed her. Both Susan and Suzie cried tears of happiness for the new couple.
Jack said “Congratulations Paul and Janet! I know you will be happy together! I have another surprise for you, if you want it. It is traditional for the newlywed couple to take a vacation or honeymoon. I would like to give you a month at a resort near my island, just the two of you to enjoy and relax and really get to know each other better. These past few weeks have been quite an adventure and some relaxation is in order, I’m sure.”
Janet said “Jack that sounds wonderful! Thank you very much!”
Paul said “I agree, thanks Jack. But, I hate to be the practical one here, but Jesse and his people are still new here. We can’t just leave them alone while we wander off to the past again.”
Jack said “Paul, you seem to forget. With my boat, you can be back the same day, if you like.”
“Well, in that case, we accept your wonderful gift, Jack!”
Shivering, Jesse said “Shall we get back to someplace warm?”
Jack said “Yes, by all means, let’s go back to the surface.”
They headed back to the control room and warmth. The next day they packed the boxes of Bibles in the hovercraft and returned to Freedom Base. Jesse and his people made plans to build a church near the surface ruins of Freedom Base.
Over the course of the next few weeks, construction began on the church. The two men from the underworld turned out to be eager helpers. They actually just seemed to enjoy being considered as an equal for a change, instead of something inferior.
Suzie and Jay became almost inseparable, and Jack and Susan seemed to be hitting it off pretty well, too. Jack invited Susan to his castle for company while he waited for Janet and Paul to enjoy their month long honeymoon.
To his surprise, she said yes.
Jack mused to himself "This has been such an adventure. My life is so different now than it was just a few short months ago. I wonder what adventure lies ahead." He would soon find out…