The Soul Redeemer: From Victim to Victory (41 page)

"I thought these types of things would have gone out with the internet.  Isn't it illegal?" Nicole asked.

"Basically, yes, it's illegal.  But our system is so whacko that very rarely is it being addressed.  They'd rather go after the Christians than the perverts.  And you're right in assuming that the internet stole a lot of the personal porn viewing for a time.  But people get tired of the same thing and after awhile they're looking for something new.  They could look at all of this in the privacy of their own home, but that's old school.  Instead of private viewing, the trend is swinging back to public viewing, and the larger the audience, the better.  Thus the Macchiato Fashion Show." 

"How sad!" Nicole gasped.

"Are you going to get all emotional on me?  Cause I don't have time for that right now.  You don't have to watch you know.  In fact, when the show begins, I suggest that you don't watch it," Sam said as they watched Gus walk through the door and into a plush, luxurious auditorium. 

Most people were already seated and were drinking alcoholic-looking beverages.  The pre-show girls on the stage had already begun dancing to loud, seductive music.  As Gus stepped inside and turned to scan the room, Nicole noticed that there was a large bar in the back that still had a long line of customers waiting for their drinks or whatever drug of choice they were purchasing.  The stage at the front of the auditorium divided into three runways that flowed down the center and both sides of the audience. 

Nicole stood up.  "You're probably right.  I don't want to get in the way."  She went to the bathroom and ran some cold water on her face.  She knew that Gus would try not to look on the defilement that would be going on, yet he had to stay until the show was over in order to have a chance of speaking with Daemon under the guise of purchasing one of the models. 

"God, this world is such a mess, how can you stand it?" she prayed as she held a dry towel over her eyes. 

Sam had briefed her earlier on the types of things that would go on in the course of the show so that she wouldn't be shocked if she happened to see something. 

This was far from a clothing fashion show.  This was a full blown pornographic show, ranging from sexual innuendos to full blown sex acts on the stage, and encompassing everything from heterosexual to homosexual acts, to orgies, masturbation, torture, and even bestiality. 

Nicole knew that most of these people if not all were slaves.  Even if they had not been through SRA or trauma based mind control, they were hurting people who had been enslaved and forced to do unimaginable things according to the wills of perverted humanity. 

Sam had told her that many of these were sold by their parents as children into the sex trade.  Some were runaways who had been snatched up into this system.  Some had stumbled into it through the intoxicating poison of drug addiction mixed with the desire to become a famous model or actor.  And some had been purchased as sex slaves from other countries. 

There was at least one common denominator among them.  Regardless of how they ended up in this place, they were all hopeless; hopeless of ever receiving love; hopeless of having a normal life; hopeless of experiencing joy or peace; hopeless of escaping their life of slavery.  And each of them would do whatever they had to in order to survive and to avoid the punishment of their captors.  Any appearance of pleasure that was portrayed on the stage or in the company of the "john" afterward was all an act.

Nicole fell face down on the floor.  "Oh Lord, how your heart must hurt.  Mine feels as if it's going to break as I think of these poor people.  Isn't there something that can be done for them?"  She wasn't sure how long she lay there, but she got to her feet and opened the bathroom door when she heard Sam talking. 

"The one in the purple tie?"

Nicole went to stand behind Sam to see what was happening.

"Affirmative," Gus replied.  "It's uncertain as to whether or not he recognizes me, but he's a big wig in the sex trade industry and I took him down at a similar affair in Sydney about three years ago."

"Ok, watch his moves.  You may need to abort."

"Not yet.  I had a beard at that time.  My cover may still be intact."

"Copy that.  But on my word, you get out."

Sam had been intensely watching the screen and now he leaned back as he continued to help Gus patrol the room for possible signs of detection. 

Nicole made coffee and brought a cup over to Sam.  She sat on the edge of the sofa with her eyes closed.  She suddenly opened them and asked, "Sam, have you seen a man with a long ponytail?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm not sure, but in my spirit, I see someone like that and I feel that he's dangerous."

Sam hit the talk button.  "Eyes on the ponytail."

They watched carefully as Gus turned his head.  "There!" Nicole said.  "On the far wall across the room."

Sam directed Gus, "He's watching the purple tie, and now he's looking your way.  Turn slightly to the left…Ponytail is communicating via lapel.  The camera above him is moving toward you.  Look up slightly to the right….We have movement in the gallery above…I see two, no three from different directions heading toward the elevator.   Gus, stand up, exit your row to the left and walk toward the back of the room," Sam continued to direct. 

Two guards walked in the back door and looked toward the place where Gus had been sitting a moment earlier.  "Looks like purple tie recognized you.  Abort.  I repeat abort!" Sam ordered. 

"Roger."

Nicole couldn't follow the images that flashed across the screen as Gus worked his way through the crowd of people, using them as his cover.  If the situation hadn't been so serious, she would have been tempted to laugh at his attempts at kindness during his escape. 

"Oh, sorry."  "Here's your purse Ma'am."  "Excuse me sir."  "Did you drop this?"  "Sorry.  Sorry, sorry."  "Oh pardon me." 

"What is he doing?" Nicole asked.

"It looks as if he's crawling on his hands and knees through the auditorium.  I think he's working his way to the front.  The back would have been too difficult to navigate through."

They suddenly saw that Gus had stood up and was very near the front stage.  There were five guards lining the stage to keep back any of the crowd who might try to get involved with the show or the people on stage.  Gus used the element of surprise as he suddenly leaped up onto the stage between two guards and ran past the frenzied actors toward the rear stage exit. 

Nicole hadn't seen the angel body guard once since he had entered the hotel, but she caught a glimpse of him again as Gus charged past the dancers.  He had stopped beside a young lady who had been virtually hiding behind the other actors.  Nicole yelled, "STOP!  Tell him to stop!"

Sam turned and looked at her.  "Why?"

"Didn't you see the angel Sam?"

Sam hit the button, "Gus, stop and turn back around."  As he did, Sam saw the angel standing near the young girl.  "See the girl with the red negligee?  Grab her and take her with you!"

"What?  No time!"  He started running toward the back stage exit.  He was almost there and the guards were already on the stage coming towards him.

"Gus!  That angel is here for the girl.  You have to go back and get her!"

They watched as Gus stopped, looked back, then ran to the girl, picked her up and flew out the back door of the building.  He stopped to look around and get his bearings.

Sam said, "I've got eyes on the street.  Go to the right.  Good.  Turn into the alley.  See the door standing ajar?  Go in there.  Good.  The car will pick you up one block west of your present location and one street to the south.  Can you get there?"

"Affirmative," Gus responded. 

They were standing in the back room of a tobacco shop.  The sign in the front window was blinking, "OPEN 24 Hours."  He put the girl down and said, "I can take you to a safe place.  Do you want to go?  To be rescued?"

Nicole about melted as the girl who couldn't have been more than fourteen years old looked up into Gus' eyes with such a hopeless, lost puppy dog expression even through her drug induced gaze, and nodded her head, yes.

"Ok then," Gus said.  "I need you to listen to me and do whatever I say.  Will you do that?"

The girl reached out and put her hand in his as her answer.  Gus took his jacket off and wrapped it tightly around her.  Then he took her hand again and they walked through the shop without interference. 

He looked out the front door of the shop to get his bearings.  They were on a side road behind the hotel.  No sign of trouble.  Yet.  They exited the building and walked as quickly as possible down one block, and stepped out into the cross walk to go one street south.  He heard a shout, picked up the girl and ran.  A bullet whizzed past his ear as he rounded the side of the building on the other side of the street.

Nicole breathed an audible sigh of relief as the car pulled up next to them just in time. 

Gus threw the girl in and yelled, "Drive!" before he even had both feet in the car.  He shut the door and pushed the girl to the floor as another bullet flew through the rear window and exited the windshield on the passenger side.  "That was close.  Where to Sam?"

He thought for a moment before answering.  "There's a safe house on the north end of town.  Do you know the place?"

"Been a long time.  What's the address?"

"357 W. Oak St.  302," Sam directed.  "I'll call ahead and let them know you're coming." 

"Copy that," Gus confirmed.

Nicole disappointedly asked, "You mean he's not bringing her here?  Shouldn't we take care of her?"

Sam turned and looked at her.  "She's not a lost puppy, Nicole.  Just because we found her doesn't mean we get to keep her.  Get a hold of yourself.  We've got other things to worry about!" 

He looked at Nicole's face and realized he may have sounded harsh.  "I'm sorry Breeze.  She'll be in good hands, really she will.  They'll know how to take care of her better than we could, and she's going to need a lot of care at first.  Drug addiction, broken heart, broken spirit…"

"You just called me Breeze," Nicole said.  "You're right Harry.  I need to thank God for rescuing her and remember what we are here to do.  We probably should get used to calling each other by our working names."

"And another thing we should do is get some sleep," Harry said.  "You take whichever bed you want.  I'm going to make a call and then watch until Gus gets back."

Nicole suddenly realized that she was exhausted.  She lay down on the bed nearest the window and said, "Goodnight Harry."  She never heard his reply.  In fact she didn't hear anything until she woke up at 6:00 am. 

She looked around and saw that Gus had returned and was asleep on the other bed.  Harry was asleep in the chair.  She got up and used the restroom as quietly as she could. 

As she washed up, she looked in the mirror and reality suddenly hit her.  She had been so preoccupied with the rescue of the girl that she had forgotten that Gus' failure to procure an interview with Daemon meant that she was going to have face the enemy.

S
am's phone rang
startling him awake.  Nicole giggled as he looked around trying to make sense out of his surroundings.  "You want me to get that Sam?" Nicole offered.

His answer was to grab the phone and look at the number calling.  "Sir," he answered.

Joel said, "The package was delivered, disconnected, and the new eyes are in process."

"Plan B?" Sam asked.

"Affirmative.  Go to the place of the package and wait for the next order."

"Sir?  The package is in compliance?"

"Yes.  Take Breeze and Gus.  Go."

"Roger."

Sam put the phone down and rubbed the top of his head while he yawned.  Nicole wanted to ask questions but decided she better make some coffee first.  She was pleasantly surprised when Sam offered an explanation. 

"We're going to go talk with Megan.  She's in compliance.  We should be able to get the Intel that'll make your job possible."

Nicole stopped pouring water into the top of the coffee maker and looked at Sam.  "You mean we’re going to Samaria?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes.  And Gus is coming too."

"I'll get to see Jake!" she exclaimed.  And then another thought hit her.  "I can see Jake can't I?"  She was consumed with a sudden wave of homesickness, and the thought of being so close to her husband and being deprived of that privilege was almost too much to bear.

"I'm sure we can work that out.  But you've got to keep your mind on the business at hand.  Remember the goal.  Until it's accomplished, you can't go home permanently."  Sam got up and stretched, then stepped into the bathroom.  Nicole finished preparing the coffee and turned it on.

"Did I hear Sam say that I'm with you on Plan B?" Gus asked.  He was sitting up on the edge of the bed with his elbows on his knees and his hands supporting his head.

"Good morning Gus.  Yes you did," Nicole responded.

He picked up his phone and looked at it.  "Text from my wife Bertha.  Our cat had kittens last night."

"Congratulations," Nicole said as she sat down in Sam's chair.  She was surprised and pleased that Gus had volunteered some personal information.  Maybe he was beginning to accept her.  She was feeling something else though.  It was the thought of kittens.  Something simple, lovable and beautiful and
normal
!  Thinking of kittens made her feel as if there was still a connection to the world as she had known it before her world had come crashing down on her.  "How many?"

"Four.  One gray, one orange, two black."  He handed the phone to her. 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the proud momma nursing her four little ones.  "They're adorable!  Do you have any children?"  She handed the phone back.

"Two.  Tasha's a junior in high school and Todd is a freshman in college."  He handed her his phone again so that she could see a picture of his family. 

"They look happy.  Your wife is beautiful."

"Bertha is the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth!" he said proudly.

Nicole smiled.  Sam came back into the room and poured a cup of coffee even though it wasn't quite done.  "Ok, I'll book us a flight to Samaria," he said as he waved Nicole out of his chair and began to access flight schedules. "Your intercessor friends must have done a good job, Breeze.  I don't know what we'll find exactly, but Joel said she was compliant which means that she's willing to share info.  They have also copied her lenses and they'll be up and running soon."

An uncomfortable feeling was beginning to rise up in her stomach.  She would have to face Megan.  She decided not to dwell on that thought.  She poured a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa.  "Why is Gus on this assignment?  I thought he'd be done after last night."

"Body guard," Sam said, and then he looked up and smiled at her.  "We do use physical body guards sometimes," he said.

"You guys talking about that angel last night?" Gus asked.  "I never saw it, but I have no doubt it was really there because there's no way I could have rescued Mandy without divine help."

"It seems that God is allowing us to see angels and even interact with them lately."  Nicole told Gus about Maria and the men in black while Sam booked their flight.

That afternoon, Gus pulled the rental car into the yard at Liz's cabin, and when Nicole saw Jake sitting on the front deck, she jumped out the door before the car had come to a complete stop.  They met half way and were in each other's arms, crying and hugging and completely unaware of the others who were gathering around introducing themselves. 

Reluctantly, Jake pulled himself away from his wife so that Liz, Casie and Deanne could greet her. Nicole quickly looked around and was relieved when she didn't see Megan.  Jake said, "Nicole, come walk with me for a minute before we go in."

Jake took her hand and led her around back.  He stopped when he realized that Gus was following them.  "Can you give us a minute alone?" he asked. 

"I'll stay out of hearing distance, but I will not let Nicole out of my sight," he answered. 

Jake smiled.  "As frustrating as that seems right now, that's actually very reassuring.  Thanks for watching over my wife." 

They sat as close as possible on a log at the edge of the yard, their arms linked together.  "There's so much to say and not nearly enough time," he said to Nicole.  "Before you go in, we need to talk about Megan.  Have you thought about how you'll feel when you meet her?"

Nicole sighed before answering.  "I've tried.  I can hardly imagine it though.  There are so many conflicting emotions!  I have forgiven her in my heart and will continue to, but my mind is in constant battle with my heart.  They say she's compliant.  What does that mean?  Is she defiantly compliant or truly willing to be helpful?"

"I believe that she wants to help."  Jake paused, trying to find the words to say that would explain the changes that had taken place.  "This has all happened so fast and only time will really tell, but once Megan was disconnected from her contacts and the demons were bound, she was open to Jesus.  In fact she chose Jesus and was delivered from the demons.  Right now she seems vulnerable."

"And you think she's serious and not just manipulating you?  Do Casie and Liz believe it's for real?" Nicole asked.

"I'm pretty sure she's serious.  She has a whole different demeanor than she did.  And you can ask them what they think, but you are good at discerning spirits and I think you'll know more when you meet her."

"I'm just not sure I can be objective in this case.  But I do choose to continue to forgive her because I will not be taken captive by bitterness.  Lord Jesus help me!" Nicole pleaded.  Then she said, "We should probably go in.  I think I'll feel better once I get the first meeting over with."

She started to get up but Jake held her back.  "There is one more thing I need to tell you.  Please listen before you respond."  He looked at her until she nodded her head in agreement.  "I did something in obedience to the Holy Spirit but it affects you as well.  He showed me that if we were going to expect Megan to renounce her old life and turn from her 'family,' so to speak, she needed a replacement."

Nicole suddenly knew what Jake was going to say.  She groaned and her head fell to her knees.  "You asked her to be a part of our family didn't you?"

"Well think about it hon.  She has your DNA.  Like a sister, sort of."

Nicole groaned again, and then lifted her head with a tormented look on her face.  "I guess this is where the rubber meets the road.  I've chosen the path of forgiveness and now I have to walk in it."

"You choose to walk in it," Jake corrected.

Bitterness rose up inside Nicole's heart.  "I didn't choose this!  You did!  And now I'm stuck with this decision."

He was quiet and allowed her to think about what she had just said.  Then he said, "We can go in and I'll explain to Megan that you aren't quite ready to make the jump to family yet.  I think she would understand.  She was concerned that you might not like it, but I told her that I thought that God had probably already been working in your heart.  I may have overstepped my bounds.  Maybe I didn't really hear God like I thought I had."

This time Nicole sighed instead of groaned.  "No, I'm sure you heard God right."  She took his hands in hers.  "I'm sorry I lashed out at you like that.  I'm actually very proud of what you did.  If it would have been anybody other than Megan, I would be ok with it.  But, that's my old nature talking, and I refuse to listen to it." 

Nicole closed her eyes.  "Lord Jesus, please change my heart.  I choose to put on Your Love.  Help me to be discerning, to know the truth where Megan is concerned, and to love her.  Help us to know if this is a trick on her part or if she is genuine.  But no matter what, help us to walk in love and to know what You want that to look like." 

Nicole didn't exactly feel peaceful, but she did feel better.   They sat a moment longer, knowing it was time to go in, but also relishing their moment together, not wanting it to end.  Finally Jake stood and pulled Nicole up and into his embrace.  "Do you forgive me for making such an important decision without you?"

"Yes, of course I do.  You did right, and I love you."

"We'll go through this together, my love," he whispered into her ear.  He breathed in the scent of her hair as though it was life giving, then he wrapped one arm around her and led her into the house.

Megan was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hands when they entered the kitchen through the back door.  Nicole stopped.  Everything stopped in the deafening silence as the two women looked into each other's eyes. 

Nicole's piercing gaze was met with Megan's unspoken plea for understanding.  Without dropping her gaze, Nicole took a step toward her, then another and another until she was standing at the edge of the table. 

"I hear that we have become sisters," Nicole said as she suddenly smiled and held out her hand to the one who had been her enemy.

Megan's gaze never faltered either.  She reached out to take Nicole's hand as she pushed her chair back and stood up to meet her....her what?  Was she really being accepted? 

The two ladies stood eye to eye, hand in hand for what seemed like forever as they measured each other without a spoken word between them, and then suddenly they were embracing each other and both began to cry and to talk at once. 

Jake breathed a visible sigh of relief and Liz came into the room to see what was happening.  Her worried expression turned to delight as she watched Nicole and Megan hug each other, then look at each other, then laugh.  She went to stand beside Jake and Gus.  "I'm glad I remember what they were wearing or else I wouldn't be able to tell them apart!" she laughed.

Nicole suddenly felt the need to sit down.  Megan and Jake joined her.  Liz poured them all a cup of coffee then she and Gus left them to talk among themselves.

Megan began.  "Nicole," she said seriously, "I'm so sorry for the grief I've caused you.  Please forgive me."

Nicole squeezed her hand.  "Yes, I do forgive you.  And please forgive me for hating you.  I've confessed this to God and now to you."

Megan squeezed back, "Of course.  Jesus has forgiven me and I forgive you too."

Sam came in and as he looked back and forth between them he commented, "Well, I'll be."  He sat down.  "Remarkable.  Nicole," he said looking at Megan, and before he could say anything else, both women started laughing. 

He looked at the other and asked, "Nicole?"  Which sent them into another laughing fit because he had to ask.  Sam threw up his hands in surrender and looked at Jake, who was just sitting there with a silly grin on his face. 

"Oh fine!" he said.  "I'll just make some name tags.  How do you like them apples?   No, I'll have them tattooed on your foreheads instead so that you can't exchange them and torment me like I’m sure you'd like to!"  And then he smiled. 

Nicole raised her hands in front of her eyes like she was holding a camera, and made a clicking sound as she took an invisible picture.  "Megan, remember that smile.  It doesn't appear very often."

Sam looked at Nicole.  "Ha!  Got ya.  Ok, Nicole's wearing a black t-shirt."  He looked at Jake.  "I'm not so good at remembering details like that."

"I hear ya," Jake responded.

Gus stepped back into the kitchen and stood in front of the counter facing the table with his arms crossed.

Sam looked at Gus and his expression became serious.  "I hate to rush things, but we don't have much time.  I suggest we get down to business."

"What do you need to know?" Megan asked.

"What do you know of the ultimate plan for the clones?" Sam asked.

"We are not privy to that kind of information.  We are designed to fulfill a purpose, and that purpose is all we know.  But I have heard things and will tell you what I think.  I should probably explain something to you though." 

Megan looked at Sam and he nodded, then she continued.  "While I am a clone, I am an old school model.  Like prehistoric.  No one really pays much attention to me other than Peter.  He calls himself my father because he saved me, then trained me for this specific job, at which I failed terribly.  He will be so mad when he finds out the truth!" Megan shook her head as if to clear it of that line of thought.