Shaman - the Awakening (25 page)

“Alright, just be careful,” she replied.

“I will. Now, let's meditate and dreamscape together,” I stated.

The next day, I snuck into the church while they were conducting services and hid in the basement. I would make my presence known at the completion of the service. While in the basement I searched for signs and clues that would lead me to the location they were holding Gracie. I would have gratefully accepted a minute hint or miniscule clue and run out of there with all due haste, instead of the alternative; being captured by these sadistic killers.

When the service ended I made my presence known by knocking over a vase they had in storage. Wauneka caught me. He, along with two other zealots, beat me in the basement and then took me to Roanhorse, who continued the beating. Then they blindfolded me and tied me up. I spent countless hours bleeding on the basement floor before they finally transported me to another location. Perhaps my plan was working and they were taking me to the lair where Gracie was located. On the other hand, maybe they were taking me to a dump to murder me and dispose of my body.

The Chacoans are the original or Ancient Pueblos (Anasazi). They were the great architects and master designers. They gave birth to, and passed on wisdom and knowledge to their Pueblo descendants; the Aztecs, Acoma, Hopituh, Jemez, Keres, Taos, Tewa, Tiwa and Zuni. They were archaeastronomers who built ancient observatories like Fajada Butte and Hovenweep Castle near the Four Corners. They were solar and lunar worshippers who built, aligned and scheduled their culture around solar and lunar cyclic events.

They created buildings to capture the power of the sun and moon as well as solar and lunar calendars and clocks like the Sun dagger petroglyphs and pictographs. They were also believed to be the descendants of the Pleiadians (People of the stars, extraterrestrial beings). The Hopituh called them Chuhukon (Chacoan) which means Pleiadian - `Those who cling together'. The Navajo name for Pleiadian is `Sparkling Sun' or home of the Black God. The color black was associated with royalty and supremacy.

The Black God was ruler of the Upper Realm. The Anasazi built elaborate roads and highways with astronomical symbols and solstice markings. Some believed them to be landing strips for their Pleiadian relatives others believe them to be roads leading back to `Shipapu' – the dimensional doorway of their place of origin
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I was in the Kiva with Gracie. I could feel her presence. I was blindfolded and tied up; thus far my plan was working. I tricked the Coyote into bringing me to his lair. Kayah had stated that I had to trick him at his own game of deception, and it was working. I didn't need my eyes to figure out where we were. I had a bond now with Roanhorse and Wauneka that the Coyote was apparently unaware of. He was becoming sloppy or he just didn't care at this point! The only way to break this bond would be death, and I was sure that's what they had in store for me.

“Gracie, can you hear me? Gracie!”

“Yes, I can hear you. Is that you, Christian? Am I dreaming again?”

“No, Gracie; I'm really here.”

She sounded weak and delusional. She was exhausted from dehydration no doubt.

“Are you alright?” I asked her.

“I didn't think you would find me,” she said her voice sounding weak.

“Don't talk now, Gracie. I'll get us out of here.”

Then Roanhorse and Wauneka came into the Kiva and carried me out. I was taken into another structure. They threw me in a room and began beating me again, while I remained tied. They spent about 30 minutes –which seemed like an eternity – beating me until I passed out. While I was unconscious I reached out to Nina, who was ready to receive me in dreamscape. I showed her through their minds where I was located. I don't know how long I remained unconscious, but they revived me later with a bucket of cold water. That's when Tsosie arrived.

“Who told you to beat him like that? How long was he out for?” Tsosie demanded. Then he turned to me “You have been a tremendous obstacle in my plans, Cheveyo. You have been a bad boy and now I must reprimand you for it.” He was speaking to me as if I were a child and deserved to be punished. They strapped me down to a table. I guess they were about to torture me some more.

“Is this what happened to you at the Jemez Order, Tsosie? Yes, I know what happened to all of you there. I saw it when you were visiting Nina's dreams, the nightmares that you were causing her. I snuck through the backdoor of Roanhorse's subconscious while you were busy with Nina. I knew she could handle you. She has a strong spirit and a lot of experience in vision quest.” I was attempting to get into his head and purchase a little time before they killed me. Then my heart sunk when I felt the presence of someone who shouldn't have been there.

“Agent Ortega, you can come out now, you've assisted them long enough. You've tossed suspicion on the Coyote Clan, your own people and everyone you could think of to divert it from the real culprit,” I stated. He removed blindfold. This confirmed that he intended to kill me.

“How long have you known?” he inquired.

“I suspected at the jail. The Great Mother would have never confided in you, Ortega. That's why she asked me to investigate the Jemez Order. She knew of your corruption. Also, you called me by my spirit name; Cheveyo. Only a few people know me by that name and the Great Mother would have never shared it with you. You gave Tsosie the connection he needed to kill Burkhart at the hotel.”

“I applaud you, Cheveyo. You haven't disappointed me. You've lived up to your reputation,” Ortega stated with a smile and clapped his hands in approval.

“So when were you recruited, Agent Ortega?” I inquired with a saddened heart.

“It's more like when did I recruit them? I was a Reservation sheriff at the time the first priest began going missing, but no one was interested in a few missing brown priests. My brother was one of the first to disappear when it was the Servants of Paraclete Ministry. Nothing was done and nobody listened. It was a cover-up. The Archdiocese might have changed the name, but it remained the same. Now a few gringo girls go missing and they send a team of specialists,” he replied.

“So you justify the killing of all these innocent women because of church atrocities?” I demanded, laying it on the line.

“These atrocities have been happening to my people since the Spaniards came to the Americas.”

“And what about Gracie? I've exposed the Jemez Order. You don't have to continue,” I replied.

“They are the necessary sacrifices that will forever keep our lands safe and prosperous.”

“Tsosie has brainwashed you with his mind games,” I retorted.

“No. He is a great Shaman. He was one of the priests who managed to escape. He walks with the Kachinas,” Agent Ortega stated.

“
He is the Kachina who doesn't speak!”
I thought to myself.

“Yes. He told us you would come and everyone would feel the strength of the Chacoans once again!” Ortega stated.

“So you blame it on the Coyote Clan, the Hopis and whoever you could to deflect suspicion from yourself,” I replied.

“You should have left when you were given the opportunity,” he retorted.

“You mean after you attempted to kill us with the snakes?” I said.

“He wanted to give you a chance to live since you are of Indian heritage,” Ortega replied.

“You're insane,” I replied!

“No, Cheveyo; he isn't insane. He is like you. Both of you have the half blood. You have great potential, Cheveyo, and I would love to have you with us, but the white man's world has tainted you. I know your dreams. You don't know who you are or where you belong. Sorry it had to come to this,” Tsosie stated.

“Now I see why the Great Mother didn't trust you to investigate the missing Hopi priests, Ortega. The Hopis and the Coyote Clan didn't accept you, so you found your own clan with these maniac priests,” I said, baiting him. He glared for a moment his hand balling into a fist. He hit me before and stalked out, trailing behind his Shaman master.

Roanhorse and Wauneka were sloppy and careless, but meticulous when it came to torturing me. They began cutting me repeatedly. This was an old and painful torture trick where the victim died slowly from wounds and loss of blood, but not before feeling every knife slice. Then to solidify the deal with irony, they threw salt on my wounds. The salt added to the pain tremendously. It also slowed the bleeding. They wanted to take their time. They were all sadists and received pleasure from injuring others; it was like some sort of rush or high for them. I only hoped Nina would make it here in time. I passed out again. They left me tied to the table, unconscious, and went to prepare for the ceremony.

In dreamscape, I reached out to Nina. “Steve; I have the location of the serial killers. They've formed some kind of cult. They're in Chaco Canyon. They have Chris and Gracie. I'll text you the location. I'm on my way there now,” Nina said into her cell phone. She would arrive before Steve and the FBI.

Nina parked a mile from where they were keeping us. It was dark outside, but there was a full moon which gave her good visibility. There were several cult members congregating outside. She saw the priests carry Gracie from the Kiva and tie her to the sacrificial post. Gracie was naked and covered in Aramaic writings and symbols. She remained blindfolded and gagged. There was firewood surrounding the post. Then the three priests who were dressed in Kachina costumes called the cult to order. The priests chanted and danced around Gracie. The other zealots formed a circle around her as they joined in the chanting. They hadn't lit the fire yet.

Nina was a natural fighter and utilized my bowie knife and the stealth of a Cherokee Warrior to take out many of the zealots standing guard outside. She was quiet, deadly and on a mission. She had been taught well by her tribe. She was like a warrior princess, clearing a path to the structure they were holding me in. My connection with her was acute. She entered the building unnoticed; they were all outside at this point and busy with Gracie. I was elated to see her. Although I knew she would find me, I hadn't been sure if I would be alive. Kayah had said she would rescue me and I was depending on the prophecy.

“Chris, I'm here. Wake up. This is no time to sleep.” Her words dragged me up from the depths so the dreamscape image of my beloved merged with the corporeal one. “Are you alright? Are you able to move?” she inquired.

“Yes; I knew you would come,” I replied.

“We're surrounded and they have Gracie tied to a stake outside. She's naked with all sorts of writings on her body. They're going to burn her at the stake,” Nina stated. Then she pulled out her Beretta 9mm.

“Here's your knife,” she said. It still had blood on it. “But I suggest you use this.” She handed me her spare Glock.

“You used this?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied. This was the second time the bowie knife had saved my life, as Asku had predicted. “Whatever you do, Christian, don't shoot Gracie. I know it's been a while since you've used one of these.”

“That's just it, Nina; suppose she gets wounded in the crossfire?”

“We have no choice. They're out there chanting, ready to torch her. We need to strike now and take them by surprise,” she replied.

The cult members were scantily dressed, almost naked, as they moved back and forth in rhythm to the chant. Tsosie and the other two priests, Roanhorse and Wauneka, continued their ceremonial Kachina dance, circling the stake were Gracie was bound. They hadn't noticed their fallen brethren on the perimeter yet. They were too excited. The cult and the chanting became louder and louder as they seemed to lose themselves in the euphoria.

It was different than I recalled in my dreams of Jessica. This was a bigger production; perhaps was intended to be the last of the killings for a while.

“They must be following the folklore about the seasonal appearance of the Kachinas,” I whispered as we watched the crowd. It was all clear to me now. “The abducted women are sacrifices to the Great Spirit Massauu. This is the end of the season. They will appear again next season and start the killings all over again.”

“No. This ends here, Chris,” Nina stated emphatically.

“OK, Nina, but let me distract them. We'll split them up. You're a better shot than I am, so I'll lead some away and make it easier for you. You get in a position where you can direct the gunfire away from Gracie.”

“Can you run in your condition?”

“Don't worry about me. I'll give myself a head start before I let them notice me,” I said.

“Alright, Chris, but be safe,” Nina replied, and kissed me.

I took a position near the parked vehicles about 10 yards from where the ceremony was taking place. I couldn't see Nina from where I was located, but what I did observe totally took me by surprise. I fixed my gaze on Tsosie the whole time while I was taking position. The cult was in some sort of transcendental state. I was certain they were all high on something. Tsosie took off his clothes and continued circling the stake. His irises began to change color and became a golden yellow. They glowed. Then he fell to the ground on his knees, as if he was having spasms or a seizure.

The cult backed off from him further. It was harder to see through them while he was on the ground. There was only the light from the fires and torches and the moonlit sky, but my vision was as clear as a panther's. Tsosie began to shift into the largest coyote I've ever seen. I couldn't believe I was witnessing what I thought to be true. It was one thing to view the size of the coyote on camera, but he seemed even larger in person. The coyote continued circling. Roanhorse and Wauneka grabbed torches from the surrounding fires. They were preparing to light Gracie on fire.

I began shooting in the air. About half of the zealots and Roanhorse directed their attention towards me. They followed me over to the vehicles and began shooting in my direction. Then Nina began her assault. She picked off the other armed zealots, one by one. I wasn't doing badly either. I could hear Steve and the sirens approaching in the distance before anyone else, as I led my group further into the darkness. I was like a cat playing with its prey, as I maneuvered them away from all the lights and fires burning. They were under the impression that they were stalking me, as I utilized the night as a panther would and began my assault.

My night vision was acute as I killed them silently with my bowie knife. They never heard me coming. I slit their throats one after another. Then they heard the sirens begin to close in. That's when they panicked and began to scatter.

Now the hunt was on for Roanhorse. He attempted to flee, but there was nowhere for him to hide. Not only was my vision extraordinary, but I had a psychic connection with him now. I could feel where he was located as I meticulously hunted him. He ran further into the night, opposite the sacrificial gathering. The police were there and he wanted to get as far away from them as he could. He could feel me on his heels as he ran panicking through the moonlight. I was calm and cool in my chase. He was out of shape and became winded soon. I caught up with him. He was bending over and breathing hard. He couldn't see me as I spoke to him from the darkness.