Shaman - the Awakening (19 page)

“Excellent idea,” Nina said. “I'll call Steve and get it approved,” I stated and called him immediately.

“Hello, Steve, can you talk right now?”

“Yeah, how's it going?”

“Very well, but I need a subpoena to question the non-confidential staff at the Jemez Order,” I stated.

“I can't do that, Chris. The A.D. will surely find out. Besides, I would need a judge to write it and we don't have probable cause for it. Chris, I'm really starting to worry about this new course of action. I don't know if I can back your play there. You might want to just sit this one out.”

“Alright, Steve; I'll talk to you later.” The pressures from the A.D. and the ticking clock might have been getting to Steve.

“How did it go?” Nina inquired.

“Not too well. We're on our own,” I replied.

“What do you mean?” Nina inquired.

“Steve said he could no longer back us here.”

“Well, we've practically been doing this on our own since we started,” Nina stated.

“Hey, I understand if you want to quit, Nina.”

“Are you kidding? We started this together, now we're gonna finish it together,” she replied.

“So once again, how do we question the staff?” Nina inquired.

“Leave it to me. It will be plausible deniability for you from here on,” I stated.

Later that day I created a fake subpoena.

We went back to the Jemez Order to question the staff. Monsignor Davis was surprised and perturbed this time with our actions. He even threatened to call their lawyers and the Governor. I had no doubt he would do so. The Order has enough money to make things very difficult for me, Nina, the FBI and BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs). We conducted our interviews in private without the prying eyes and ears of Monsignor Davis. We hadn't completed all the interviews before their gang of lawyers entered and requested to see the subpoena, which I didn't give them.

“These interviews are over. I need to see your credentials and badges,” the lead lawyer stated.

We said thank you to all of them politely, and left without showing them anything. The Monsignor already knew our names, so I guess that would have to suffice. We departed without getting the information that we were seeking. We did acquire the address and location of a soup kitchen operated by the Jemez Order. A staffer informed us that several priests helped out there. We drove down Route 4 from Jemez Springs to Jemez Pueblo, where the soup kitchen was located.

When we arrived at the soup kitchen they were just closing up for the evening. The kitchen was in an old abandoned warehouse that was partially renovated and converted. It provided more than enough space for the kitchen and dining area for the patrons. The sign over the entrance read:
This is the Jemez Order Kitchen- All Are Welcome
. There were two more signs stationed outside the front of the building; the one to the left of the door read:
This will be the site of the Jemez Order Mission Services.
The sign to the right read: In need of
volunteers.

There was no one present when we entered the building. The Monsignors and patrons had already departed and a single volunteer was left to close and lock up. The Jemez Pueblo population was 30% below the poverty line, and the kitchen was fully utilized in this poverty-stricken area. Jemez Pueblo and Jemez Springs were like night and day in reference to income.

The young Latino man was putting up chairs when we entered the warehouse. He was a small fellow in his early twenties, weasel-like in stature. He appeared to be very nervous and jittery when we approached him.

“I'm sorry, but we're closed for the night. You have to come back tomorrow,” he said in a hurried voice, not even looking up at us. “I'm sorry, but were not here for a meal,” I said as he looked up and continued to work.

“Everyone is gone for the day. The priest won't be back until the morning,” he stated.

“Perhaps you can assist us. I'm Christian Sands with the FBI and this is Agent Blackwater with the BIA. Can we ask you a few questions?”

“I don't know,” he replied, his eyes skating away from us.

“Well, if you give us a few minutes, you'll find out, and we'll be on our way,” Nina insisted.

“I don't know,” he repeated. His last recourse was to settle for playing the
`I don't understand English well'
routine. I had experienced this ruse on numerous occasions when a subject didn't want to answer questions. He'd understood English perfectly minutes ago. There was something definitely off about this guy. Anyone could tell.

“OK, let me finish up real quick. I need to close the door, wait here for a second,” he stated, in full command of the language again.

More than enough time went by, and he didn't return. We decided to look for him when we discovered several armed men at the entrance. They weren't here to welcome us, as the entrance sign stated. We were outnumbered and outgunned. We ran back to the sections of the warehouse that weren't renovated.

A firefight ensued; they began shooting at us, and Nina shot back. We ventured further into the depths of the warehouse to escape the mêlée of gunfire and seek cover.

“They've got us trapped back here,” I stated, panting.

“I know, and I'm running out of bullets,” Nina replied. They had us trapped behind some crates in the warehouse. This was another one of those times I wish I had taken a gun.

“Nina, look; do you see that? It's the transformer box. Can you shoot it out?”

“Yeah, but then we'll be trapped and blind,” she replied.

“Yes, and they will be blind too. Do you trust me?” I inquired.

“Yes,” she responded, looking me firmly in the eyes.

“Then shoot it out,” I urged.

I was taking the huge chance that my other abilities had progressed also since finding my animal Spirit Guide. I was gambling that my ability to see in the dark was enhanced. My night vision was already better than most. However, it would have to be enhanced exponentially for me to see in here, once the lights went completely out.

“I just got this feeling, Nina; I can hear the panther talking to me.”

Then she shot the transformer box. Thick blackness closed in on us like a blanket. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust, but it worked. I could see amazingly clearly, like a cat.

“Did it work?” she whispered in inquiry.

“Yes. Be quiet and I'll get us out of here.”

We barely escaped with our lives, leaving the assailants shooting at each other in the dark. The real question was who wanted us dead? Once again the Great Mother has been proven correct. If Nina hadn't been with me to shoot out those lights, I would have been dead and without my night vision, she'd never have escaped alive. We needed each other to complete this.

When we arrived back at the lodge, I asked Nina to join me in my suite. “I have something for you in my room,” I stated.

“What is it,” she inquired?

“You'll see,” I replied. I pulled out an unopened bottle of Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire 100 year from one of my bags. “I appropriated this from the jet. I was going to drink it with you after this was over, but now seems like as good occasion than any.”

“Thank you. How did you know this was my favorite?” she asked.

“I pay attention,” I responded.

“Yes, you do,” she stated.

Nina looked a little rattled after the shootout. “Are you going to be alright,” I inquired?

“Yeah; it's just that this has been the second gunfight that I've been in since taking this assignment. I never thought I would need a backup gun,” she stated.

“I never thought I'd need a gun at all. Guess we were both wrong,” I stated and poured two glasses of the GM as we toasted to being alive. Nina and I didn't talk about the
`who's and why's'
of the attack tonight.

Nina eventually fell asleep while we were on the sofa. I placed a blanket over her and let her rest. I watched her for a minute or two, staring at her beauty. I reflected back on what had occurred at the warehouse. It was amazing how my powers, if you can call them that, were progressing. It seems the closer I became to my Native American roots, the stronger my abilities became. I decided to put on the Indian attire the Great Mother gave me. She had given Nina and me several gifts before we departed. The clothes weren't anything fancy or ceremonial. It was just a plain ribbon shirt, a pair of buckskin pants and some moccasins. Then I got the prayer rug from my bag.

I didn't utilize the peyote or other dream inducers. I didn't really need it, and I didn't want to go too far under with Nina asleep and gunmen attempting to kill us. I thought we were safe, miles away from the town of Jemez Pueblo in a secluded lodge in the Jemez Mountains. No one knew we were here except the receptionist who signed us in, and we hadn't seen anyone since we arrived. We hadn't spent any time there to be noticed. But I wasn't taking any chances

I heard my cell beep. I had several text messages and emails I had neglected for the longest time, and needed to acknowledge. They were from Steve and Dianna. The email message from Steve read:
What are you doing, Chris? The Governor called the Director. You used a fake subpoena posing as a Federal Agent. The A.D. has a warrant for your arrest for impersonating a Federal Officer, Fraud of a Federal Document, False Arrest when you detained and interviewed the staff of the Jemez Order, harassment, and breaking and entering into a Jemez Order Kitchen in Jemez Pueblo. There is no need to tell you that there's an APB out on you. There was nothing I could do to stop it. I told you to discontinue your investigations of the Jemez Order. Tell Blackwater to get back here immediately!

Dianna's messages were pretty much the same as Steve's, asking me to turn myself in.
What's happening to you, Chris? I don't hear from you for days, and now this? You're wanted for questioning by the FBI. You need to turn yourself in, Chris. I don't think you should try to get in touch with me until you do.

I had anticipated the Monsignor would carry out his threats when the lawyers arrived, but I didn't think this would be the reaction of Dianna. I couldn't think about this right now. I had work to do in dreamscape, so I flushed it from my mind. I sat down on the prayer rug, and began chanting quietly. I visited Gracie first to let her know that I was still searching for her and to calm her fears. The killer was taking care of her now, like the rest of the women he'd abducted. He was feeding her and bathing her. There were still no further clues or breaks in his calculating and meticulous regimen.

My next dream visit involved Monsignor Davis. This would be the first time for me to visit the dreams of a priest. I had never been that close to any priest to perform dreamscape. For that matter, I never had a reason. I didn't know if I should. Was this something sacred that I shouldn't violate, like holy ground? Then again, didn't priests do the same thing when they question people's psyches and dreams? Nonetheless, I wasn't a priest and still had some things to learn about shamanism.

I decided to leave it in the hands of the Spirit World. If I wasn't meant to go there, my spirit guide would let me know. The door to the Monsignor's dreams was wide open. His dreams weren't empyrean as I would have expected. In fact, they were dark and filled with dirty secrets.

I didn't want to see anymore. I had seen as much as I could take. I was raised as a Christian and looking into the darkness of his dreams made me jerk out of dreamscape. It was like when I was a kid, escaping the horrible nightmares in my past before I learned how to control my dreams. I was sweating and trembling, not from fear but from the disgust and abhorrence of it all. When I came out of the dream, Nina was still asleep. I went outside to catch a breath of fresh air after my unpleasant experience.

I came back inside after several minutes and decided to calm my nerves by getting into the Jacuzzi. The water always had a soothing and calming effect on me. I took off the Indian clothing and jumped in. The water felt excellent, I wished I had one of these in my home. For about 30 minutes I just cleared my mind in meditation. I didn't think about anything, I needed to download and shut it all off.

“There you are.” a female voice broke into my thoughts.

“Yeah, look; I'm sorry, you were asleep so I jumped in,” I stated, embarrassed to be naked in the Jacuzzi. My clothes were clearly on the floor for her to see, including my underwear.

“Mind if I join you?” she inquired.

“But I'm naked in here.”

“What was it you said last time I found you in the water?
I don't think anyone will mind.
” Then she disrobed and jumped in naked also. When it came to physique, she had the full package.

“I know what you're going to say. “Nothing I haven't already seen, right?” I quipped.

“No, that's not what I was going to say,” she said. “I was going to say thank you for saving my life.” she moved in even closer and kissed me. There was no use in fighting this any longer. I could not resist these fervent emotions. We made love in the Jacuzzi, the passion had overwhelmed us both. There was nothing or no one else in the world at this moment in time. Then we moved out of the water and continued on the floor. It was like the animal was coming out of me. I couldn't let her go, I just wanted to stay within her and lose myself in this ecstasy. We finally made it to the bedroom, and continued making love blissfully into the morning.

I was every bit of the non-monogamous animal that Asku and my Spirit Guide said I was. I liked to think that I was above animal magnetism and urges and could resist temptation, but apparently not. As good as I felt, another part of me was aching inside with regret and pain.

“Wake up, Nina, they're here!”

“Who?” she inquired, her voice filled with anxiety.

“I'll explain later, but we have to go!” I threw on the closest available items; the Indian clothing that was on the floor. Nina slipped into her military fatigues and threw on a blouse. We quickly stuffed our bags and departed. We could see vehicles heading up the mountain trail miles away. Nina stopped for a second outside and observed them.

“How did you know,” she whispered, but I could still hear the cat in my head.