Final Epilogue #2
Uri shrugs. “God is the only One who knows the future, not me nor any other angel in His army. If Daisy is in danger, I have not been made aware. As for why I’m here, I’ve come with a message.”
His gaze moves across the room, landing on Scott, then finally resting on Jeremy. “Dominion took a significant blow with their science facilities being ransacked and stripped bare. Make no mistake, Dominion is far from being destroyed.”
Angel pinches the bridge of his nose. “Did Ludlow renege on his promise to stop the experiments?”
“No. Ludlow is fulfilling his promise to the American people and doing his part. However, Dominion is an operation that seeks to bring about global order. It has tendrils in every facet of human daily life from food production, commerce, drugs, politics, religion, technology, social welfare programs, and anything else that comes to mind.”
I grip Angel’s hand so tight I’m surprised his fingers aren’t purple from the loss of circulation. “Then it’s not over yet.”
“The abductions specifically tied to CIPHER will come to a halt for the foreseeable future, but Dominion is claiming that the CIA is the one to blame, as well as other governments throughout the world,” Uri says.
“The money trail proves as much, and as such, Dominion will recover. I have that information on good authority. However, before they can be stopped, other facets of their operation need to be exposed. That’s where you all come in. ”
Uri begins to walk around the room, and somehow the space feels even smaller as he does so. It’s not just because of his size or presence; it’s from the gravity of what’s about to come next.
“Dominion seeks to weaken the people of this world by drawing them toward anything that can take the place of the Word of God—drugs, pornography, gambling, and countless other temptations that offer only fleeting pleasure before giving way to despair. And when that despair becomes too much to bear, they return to the very thing that caused it, searching for relief and finding only another turn of the same destructive cycle.”
“What do you need us to do?” Roger asks.
“Nothing for now,” Uri replies. “Before Chelsea Ludlow assumed her new identity, she was Abigail Calvert. Abigail was abducted from her family, who were active members of the religious cult TRUST: Transformation Retreat for Universal Spiritual Truth.”
We bob our heads up and down to silently affirm that we are aware of this information.
“Grace is already looking into it,” Scott tells him.
Uri’s expression turns grim. “And what she will discover will lead you to the parent organization, one you are familiar with, Scott.”
Scott doesn’t even need to ask which one. He just mumbles, “TO-CARE: Tiburon Organization for Conscious Ascension, Renewal, and Evolution. My father’s ‘retreat’ center.”
Knocking on the table to keep Scott present in the moment, Uri then tells him, “A few months ago, you made a promise to yourself that you would destroy TO-CARE from the inside out. You also made a promise that you would help Jeremy rescue a friend from its clutches, did you not?”
That gets Jeremy’s attention. “Hope Talbot; my sister’s best friend. The last I’d heard from her was that she was going to the retreat center to get help with her addiction. Is she still alive?”
“Yes,” Uri acknowledges. “But she is not the same person she once was.”
Uri moves to the head of the table and stands next to Roger.
“Here is the message I am to deliver: In a few months’ time, you will be given the opportunity to fulfill the promise Scott made.
When that time comes, Roger, you will be tempted to put Scott in charge, but it is not his mission to fulfill, nor is it his purpose. ”
“Then whose is it?” Scott asks, sounding almost annoyed. It’s his father’s organization and his promise, so I can understand the frustration.
Uri’s eyes move from Scott to the person on his left. “It’s Jeremy’s.”
“Will you be helping us with this fight?” I ask. There’s no missing the hope in my voice.
Uri looks up, closes his eyes, and waits for several moments. Then he looks at me with fire in his eyes. “Not on the physical battlefield. My brethren and I will be fighting a dominion of a different kind.”
He walks over to Jeremy, rests his hand on Jeremy’s shoulder, and says, “It is time for me to go, but I’ll leave you with this.
‘Not everything is as it seems, and everything that has led to this moment is with purpose. You are a Southern Knight because you were chosen for this mission, and when you feel betrayed, I say to you, keep the faith. Harbor Hope in times of darkness instead of pushing her away.’”
Surprising everyone, Uri uses the door to leave instead of simply fading away.
“That was a bit cryptic,” Jeremy says to break the silence that has descended upon us.
I chuckle as I get up and walk around the table, throwing my arms around his neck in a sisterly embrace. “The Lord may speak in riddles because He wants us to actively seek Him for answers. In this case, I think the message is clear as day.”
“Not to me,” he says.
“Uri said for you to ‘Harbor Hope in times of darkness instead of pushing her away.’ Jeremy, I do believe you will get the second chance you hoped for.” I kiss the top of his head. “Pun intended.”
The End.