Compass Call: Survival & Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 3) (2 page)

Almost immediately after hearing the helicopter, more sounds began to reach his ears. Off in the distance, toward the base, the sound of multiple sirens filled the air. John looked down and saw, approaching fast on the two-lane road below, a four-vehicle military convoy. It was an air force security patrol, and it screamed past the stationary vehicles as if responding to a real world threat. John saw many curious faces peeking from open vehicle windows. To him, it looked like an exercise, some kind of emergency response drill, but he never saw such activity occur off a military base before.

John studied the scene with interest, and saw that the lead vehicle was a dark blue, air force security police pickup. It was followed by two MRAPs, which were the heavy-duty, four-wheeled, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected armored vehicles John himself used while in Iraq. The MRAPs were followed by a single up-armored Humvee. John also noticed that every vehicle but the pickup was equipped with a roof-mounted, crew-served, weapon. An alert Airman stood ready in each turret. It was an impressive display of force.

The small, fast moving convoy continued to hold John’s interest as it passed under the interstate overpass and turned left to head east on
I-80. He was about to ask Eli for a second time, why he was here, when he heard yet more sirens. A second convoy was fast approaching, with blue lights flashing and sirens wailing, but there was something different about the convoy this time. In the middle rolled, like some large, white, sacred cow, a specially designed tractor-trailer rig bracketed by several more MRAPs.

The cab of the truck’s large white tractor was of a design unfamiliar to John, but it was obviously armored, and it pulled an equally armored and strange looking white trailer. As it passed beneath him, John noticed that the trailer had a strange, butterfly-like shaped door on the side of it. Three more armed and ready MRAPs followed the trailer, and John turned to ask Eli, “What was in that trailer?”

“What do you think was in that trailer?” asked Eli in return.

John searched his mind and an image appeared. “Is it a warhead for a nuclear missile?” asked John.

“That would be a very good guess,” replied Eli.

Less than a minute later, another convoy screamed by. It was the third and final convoy, similar to the first, except it included a large, black, armored car near the rear of the formation. John was certain it contained a Special Response Team. The black truck looked like any big city SWAT vehicle, except it was unmarked, and apparently tailored specifically for special escort missions. “Well, that was interesting,” said John.

Eli nodded and held out his hand. They jumped again, and this time John found himself standing in a well-lit and technical looking service bay. Unfamiliar equipment, electronics, and special tools filled the space in carts and on tables around him. John watched as a man, dressed in white protective clothing and equipment, worked under the supervision of two similarly dressed men. The first man seemed to be some kind of technician or inspector. He was examining the interior components of a strange looking device that was resting on a specially designed steel support structure.

“When and where are we?” asked John.

“We have moved back to three days before the convoy. You see before you the same nuclear missile warhead that passed us on the road moments ago,” replied Eli.

“Why am I to see it here?” asked John.

“That man is about to sabotage the nuclear device. He is setting it up to detonate before it launches from its underground silo,” replied Eli.

“What!” said John, “How can he do that? Aren’t those men supposed to be watching him?”

“Yes, they are watching him,” replied Eli, “but they don’t see what he is doing. They have no reason to suspect he’s inappropriately tampering with the sequencing of that nuclear device because he has worked here for many years. They trust him,” finished Eli.

“But who would want to do such a thing?”

“That is not the correct question to ask,” replied Eli.

“What is the correct question?” asked John, slightly annoyed at Eli’s apparent disinterest in the seriousness of the situation.

“Come,” said Eli, and he held out his hand to John. John took Eli’s hand and they were immediately lifted high above the ground. John watched as everything sped up around him. The sun and moon rose and fell, and then rose and fell again, over and over, quickly, passing overhead in a kaleidoscope of color and movement. The clouds also came and went as time accelerated, faster and faster. Then, when John was about to inquire of Eli once again, a huge wall of ash approached and moved past them, snuffing out all the lights below. The city of Cheyenne was gone, buried under mountains of ash.

John couldn’t tell if time had returned to normal speed, but as he watched he saw several small fires appear and twinkle against the dark gray matted landscape below. “Are we still above Cheyenne?” asked John.

Eli nodded. He then pointed and said, “Watch . . . over there.”

John followed Eli’s hand and looked. Far below, a bright flash of light illuminated the dreary darkness of the ash filled night. Like a
bright star, the flash blossomed outward from its center, in a clean circle of energy, until it reached its limits and turned its attention skyward. John watched as the unmistakable shape of a large mushroom cloud appeared below, roiling upward, grateful for its release. Moments later another flash occurred, followed by another, and another. John stopped counting when he reached seven such flashes of light. He turned and looked at Eli with surprise.

“Do you know what you see?” asked Eli.

“I do,” said John, “the world as we know it has officially come to an end.”

“Not exactly,” said Eli, “but it certainly will change things for this part of the world.”

“I understand, but there’s more to this than what you’re showing me, isn’t there?” asked John. He stared intently at Eli, trying to see more than his words. For some reason he couldn’t penetrate his resolve. Eli’s thoughts were being blocked from him, and it annoyed John.

“Indeed there is,” replied Eli, “this is a coordinated, pre-emptive strike on America. These missiles were being fired at the enemy, in response to their missile launches, when they were destroyed in their silos. “

“When is this going to happen?”

“In the very near future, but be not concerned. You and your family will be safe,” replied Eli

John turned to look at the rising mushroom clouds and asked, “A foreign government did this? Does that mean an invasion is coming? Are we going to be invaded?” asked John, as he fired off his questions in quick and angry succession.

“Yes to both, but not all foreign troops will arrive intent on adding to the destruction. Some will come to help.”

“We’ll fight them,” said John.

“The lack of organized resistance will render it little more than an uncontested occupation. The destruction has rendered America virtually incapable of policing or defending itself for many years to come.
There will be a collaboration with the surviving American armed forces. The foreign troops will arrive as peacekeepers.”

John sighed and asked, “Who did this? What country is responsible for the nuclear attack?”

“Country?” asked Eli, with raised eyebrows.

John quietly considered Eli’s answer, and then said, “More than one country . . . I see. But surely, no foreign government is responsible for the eruption. They just decided to kick us while we’re down. They’re taking advantage of an opportunity to keep us down.”

Eli nodded and said, “It’s not important to know who is responsible for the attack, but you are right, foreign troops will arrive from many countries. Some will arrive to help, and some will come to serve the specific interests of their government. Their arrival will be announced as aid and recovery, but their mission will quickly transition to peacekeeping, and then to occupation with an intent of domination. All the big cities in America are troubled by chaos, and many will be abandoned by all but evil. Foreign troops will arrive and attempt to reestablish order,” said Eli.

“Order,” said John, as if the word was bitter in his mouth. “They’ll bring martial law and oppression,” and as an afterthought, he added, “But I guess it’s no different than what we did in Iraq.”

“Perhaps,” said Eli, “Though the America government did not wish rule over Iraq, nor did it forcibly relocate or exterminate its people.”

“The destruction was the only way to change our course then?” asked John.

“It’s more than that. It’s the beginning of the end. The last days are upon the face of the earth. As for America, there are plans to neutralize the last vestiges of your government, to eliminate any possibility that America will ever recover and become a world power again,” said Eli.

“China!” said John. “It’s got to be China. It is, isn’t it?” John asked.

“Again, it’s not important. What is important is that you are ready . . . you are prepared,” said Eli.

John looked at Eli. He studied his grandson’s face, but it revealed nothing more than what Eli was willing to give. John concluded it was impossible to read more than what a heavenly messenger was willing or allowed to give. Then again, he knew Eli wouldn’t hold anything back unless it was for a very good reason. John knew Eli was right, he was prepared, but he wished he was better prepared. “That’s not all, is it?” asked John.

“You will need to leave your home,” said Eli. “If you stay where you are, you and your family will not live.”

John thought about the preparations he made, and all the supplies he accumulated. He didn’t want to leave. He didn’t like not having a choice in the matter. “How long do I have . . . where am I supposed to go?”

“You will be shown where to go, but you must first prepare to leave.” Then Eli sang a short and melodic verse, “The road to safety is neigh, and the path you must take is high. There is work yet to do, and a plan to trust that is true. Hold on to that which you know, and in time I will continue to show; that your journey will not be in vein, and your reward at the end will be gain.”

Eli’s song penetrated John’s mind like a data download. It felt like a coded message, a burst transmission that traveled through his ears, into his brain, and down to his heart. His chest burned with a desire to immediately fulfill his purpose. He was ready to leave. In fact, he knew the importance of leaving home with every fiber of his being, he just couldn’t articulate that feeling. It was like he saw it all before, and was just now reminded of it.

Then a new conflict bubbled up from below, rising slowly up from his feet. He wasn’t excited about leaving. He spent a lot of time, energy and money turning his home into something of a survival compound.
Well, not exactly a compound
, thought John,
but it was certainly something that could stand up to a prolonged survival challenge
. He had everything he needed at home; food, water, power, security, and an underground shelter meant to comfortably weather any storm. He
could live a self-sustained life at home for many years to come, all he needed was to be left alone. A little peace is all he really needed to endure the disaster and make it through the survival period. But the truth was undeniable. He knew it wasn’t possible to stay, that there was no peace to be had for him.

“Why do I have to leave?” asked John, not as a complaint, or even as a whine, but with a sincere desire to understand the reason.

“You don’t have to leave, Papa. You’re certainly free to choose your own path. But if you stay . . . you will lose everything, even me,” finished Eli, solemnly.

“Well, that’s not much of a choice then, is it? I mean, really, Eli?”

“True. You have been given information that has already changed that outcome. If you decide to stay, you will do everything in your power to protect your son, but at the cost of others you love. You will also take many lives in the defense of your family and property, but is that something you are willing to do to pay the price for your determination, to pay with the lives of desperate people?” Eli paused as if to study John, and then added, “Do you think Father would ask you to leave and go somewhere else if it wasn’t absolutely necessary, if it wouldn’t bless you in the end? You cannot fulfill your purpose from here, Papa,” finished Eli.

“You’re right. I understand. When should I leave, and where will I go?” asked John.

“You will leave when you are ready, and you will go to Colorado. But worry not, you will be given more information. For now, it is important that you prepare your company for departure,” finished Eli, and he reached out and took John’s hand.

They jumped to John’s bedroom to find Sarrif standing watch over John and Jenna’s sleeping bodies like a sentinel. He greeted them warmly upon their arrival and said, “Welcome back,” with a cheerful and casual salute.

John returned a greeting and walked over to stand next to Jenna’s sleeping body. He looked at her and noted how relaxed and comfortable
she looked. A physical part of John envied her for her deep and comfortable sleep, and he longed to join her. But he was curious, and he turned to Eli and asked, “Why can’t I talk to Jenna . . . her spirit I mean? If I can separate from my body, can she?”

“She can,” said Eli, “but the difference will always be with the remembrance. As you have learned, there are many degrees of remembrance. Remembering the work on your side is very different from remembering the work on this side. To remember, to be given remembrance while you walk the earth in a body is a very special and uncommon privilege. That is why you have not yet been given your full remembrance. Many conditions had to be met and resolved before you were granted your current level of remembrance.” Eli moved to stand next to John and said, “Here, would you like to wake Jenna?”

John turned to study Eli closely, and asked, “But she won’t remember it?”

“Sometimes remembering comes as an impression on the mind, which can be interpreted as a dream memory. She may remember a small part of you visiting her, or she may remember everything about seeing and talking with you, it just depends on her willingness and openness to perceive you spiritually, and how deeply it touches her physical mind. It also depends on her ability to maintain her connection to you through sleep,” answered Eli.