Flight to Freedom (Flight Trilogy, Book 3) (17 page)

“AMEN!” The audience was coming alive.

“Sometimes the angels among us are invisible, but sometimes they appear in heavenly form, like the angel sitting on the stone of Jesus’ tomb after his resurrection, dazzling white, reminiscent of lighting. In Matthew 28:2-4 we read:
After
the
Sabbath
,
as
the
first
light
of
the
new
week
dawned
,
Mary
Magdalene
and
the
other
Mary
came
to
keep
vigil
at
the
tomb
.
Suddenly
the
earth
reeled
and
rocked
under
their
feet
as
God’s
angel
came
down
from
heaven
,
came
right
up
to
where
they
were
standing
.
He
rolled
back
the
stone
and
then
sat
on
it
.
Shafts
of
lightning
blazed
from
him
.
His
garments
shimmered
snow
-
white
.
The
guards
at
the
tomb
were
scared
to
death
.
They
were
so
frightened
,
they
couldn’t
move
.

“Yes! Angels are real and they are among us now! They are sent by God to Earth as messengers on assignment, answering prayers, giving guidance, and meeting physical needs. God has given angels power that humans don’t possess, such as knowledge about everything on Earth, the ability to see the future, and the power to perform work with great strength. But as powerful as they are, angels aren’t all-knowing or all-powerful like God.

“While the powerful work of angels may inspire awe, the Bible is clear that we should worship God, not angels. In Revelation, the apostle John began to worship the angel who gave him a vision. In the book of Revelation, the twenty-second book, verses eight and nine, it says:
I
,
John
,
saw
all
these
things
with
my
own
eyes
,
heard
them
with
my
ears
.
Immediately
when
I
heard
and
saw
,
I
fell
on
my
face
to
worship
at
the
feet
of
the
Angel
who
laid
it
all
out
before
me
.
He
objected
, “
No
you
don’t
!
I’m
a
servant
just
like
you
and
your
companions
,
the
prophets
,
and
all
who
keep
the
words
of
this
book
.
Worship
God
!” The angels are mighty, yet not Almighty.”

Ryan listened intently. His unexplainable dream regressions did not seem so farfetched anymore. Pastor Fisher had offered something much more spectacular than anything that might occur in a dream—angels living among us. If angels are among us, it was completely plausible to him that his dreams could be a venue for the angels to bring him a message. Even if his
other
life was only a dream within a dream, perhaps the angels—who know the future and the past—were trying to teach him something or bring him a message from God.

Angel
could
very
possibly
be
an
angel
.

Ryan sensed that Pastor Fisher was reaching the end of his sermon, tying up loose ends and pointing the congregation to the saving work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

Fisher said, “The Bible records that it was an angel who announced that a miracle happened on the first Easter: Jesus Christ, who had died by crucifixion three days earlier and was buried, rose out of his tomb alive again. Jesus' death was a sacrifice to pay for the sins of fallen humanity to make it possible for them to connect with a holy God. Jesus' resurrection was a miracle meant to give us the real hope that we can have eternal life with God through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus. AMEN?”

The congregation replied in complete unison, “AMEN!”

Fisher raised his hands high and looked up toward the ceiling of the sanctuary and said, “Imagine the deafening cheers and applause that must have broken out among the angels at the moment of the resurrection. What shouts of glory must have been heard among the cherubim, seraphim, dominions, thrones, powers, and authorities of heaven!”

The organ struck a startling and unexpected chord. The doors to the sanctuary burst open. Men and women dressed in flowing, white robes entered the sanctuary from the rear and marched down the aisles singing
Christ
is
Risen
!
Hallelujah
. Everyone stood to their feet. Pastor Fisher was frozen, hands uplifted, singing with the choir. The music director took the stage and urged the congregation to join the choir as they marched onto the platform. Ryan glanced at the little old lady to his right. She was red faced, arms raised, and singing the hymn with all her might.

Once the hymn ended, Pastor Fisher said, “How glorious it is that we serve a risen Savior. The angel said to the women:
Do
not
be
afraid
,
for
I
know
that
you
are
looking
for
Jesus
,
who
was
crucified
.
He
is
not
here
;
he
has
risen
,
just
as
he
said
. The angel gives the greatest, most glorious news that the human ear has ever heard:
He
is
not
here
;
he
has
risen
. Do I hear an AMEN!”

“AMEN!”

Pastor Fisher said, “Have a wonderful Easter.” He turned to the music director and said, “Lead us in a closing chorus.”

The music director motioned to the organ, waved his hands at the choir, turned to the congregation and led them in the chorus of
He
Lives
: “
He
lives
!
He
lives
!
Christ
Jesus
lives
today
!
He
walks
with
me
and
talks
with
me
along
life's
narrow
way
.
He
lives
!
He
lives
!
Salvation
to
impart
!
You
ask
me
how
I
know
He
lives
?
He
lives
within
my
heart
.”

Something in the service flipped a switch in Ryan’s head. His pursuit of Angel was more personal now than before. After listening to the sermon on angels, he sensed a new dimension to the world around him—a dimension of angelic proportions. Also, the new possibility that the woman named Angel might actually be a real angel in humanoid form sent from God with a message for him.

Tomorrow he would call Lewis at the Starbucks in Buckhead and see if Angela came into the store, and if she might be the woman he was looking for—his Angel.

CHAPTER 23

Southern
California

Monday
morning
—
April
21
,
2003

Ryan rolled over in bed. The clock on the nightstand glowed 4:10 a.m. Eager to see if Lewis had made contact with Angela, Ryan slipped out of bed, went downstairs, and into the garage—not taking any chances that Keri might hear him making the phone call. Considering the three hour time change, he knew Lewis would be busy making lattes by now. He took extra precaution and sat in the car to place the call.

He dialed the number on Lewis’s business card. After the first ring, he put the phone on speaker and adjusted the volume down.

“Starbucks, this is Lewis speaking.”

“Hi, Lewis. This is Ryan Mitchell. I was in your store last Thursday and…”

“Yes. I remember. You gave me the note to give to one of my customers.”

“That’s me. So, did Angela come in over the weekend?”

“Yes.”

“Great! Did she say anything after reading the note?”

“I’m sorry, but I have some bad news. I misplaced the note you gave me. I believe one of my employees mistook it for trash and tossed it.”

Ryan sank when he heard the news. “Did you happen to mention anything to her about the note…perhaps attempt to describe me to her and see if she remembered ever meeting me?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Mitchell, but you really didn’t tell me too much about yourself. I didn’t want to alarm Angela by telling her some man was looking for her.”

“I understand. No worries.” Ryan paused. Lewis was his only connection to any hope of finding Angel. “Did she come in on both Saturday and Sunday morning?”

“I only saw her on Saturday morning.”

Sunday
was
Easter
.

“Listen, thanks for trying. I’ll be sure to stop by the next time I’m in your area.”

“Again, I’m sorry.”

“No problem. Take care.”

Ryan sat in the dark car, debating when he should return to Georgia. John had offered to send the Gulfstream over to pick him up whenever he wished—an offer that Ryan still had trouble believing was real. It would have to be a Saturday or Sunday if he wanted to meet Angela. There were two weekends before Mother’s Day; the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. Being gone on Mother’s Day would not be the best idea.

He had to fly to Maui on Wednesday and Thursday and was scheduled to be off on the weekend. He either had to drop the Maui trip and tell Keri he was flying on the weekend, or fly the trip and figure out some way to convince her that he had been assigned to fly the weekend, too. Regardless of how he lied to Keri, getting back to Georgia as soon as possible was his top priority.

He dialed John Dross’s cell. John picked up on the first ring. “Hi, Ryan, you need a lift?”

“Wow! I still find this hard to believe.”

“Like Mr. Hart said, ‘anything’.”

“How does Friday sound?”

“The 25th is perfect. I’ve got a quick trip on Wednesday and Thursday, but I’ll be free on Friday. I can be there anytime, but how does ten o’clock Pacific Time sound?”

“That would be fantastic! Unless I hear from you, I’ll be at Signature waiting.”

“Ryan, I’ll take care of your hotel and have a car waiting for you. Is the DoubleTree still good, or would you like a different location?”

“The DoubleTree is perfect.”

“I’ll take care of it. Look forward to seeing you on Friday at ten o’clock.”

“Thank you, John.”

If there ever was an angel sent by God to help him, it was John Dross. This was exactly what Pastor Fisher must have been talking about.

If
angels
are
real
,
what
happens
to
them
when
their
mission
is
complete
?
Does
the
humanoid
vanish
?
Will
John
Dross
vanish
after
his
work
is
done
?

Ryan left the garage and quietly returned to the bedroom. Keri was sound asleep. The digits on the clock read 4:54 a.m. He eased back the covers and slipped into bed.

“Baby,” Keri said softly, “where did you go?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I went to the kitchen for a snack,” he lied…again. Sadly, it was becoming easy.

“Oh,” she said.

Her hand rubbed his chest, stomach, and then explored lower. Electric currents shot through his body, arousing him. His heart thumped hard and steady. Her leg slowly crossed over his as she rolled on top of him. Her body was warm and soft. Words were not necessary. They knew each other’s thoughts.

As she fulfilled his desires, he could only think of the lies he would have to tell her in the morning.

CHAPTER 24

Southern
California

Tuesday
noon
—
April
22
,
2003

It was noon before Ryan had the nerve to break the news to Keri he would be out of town on the weekend.

He could easily fly his regularly scheduled trip to Maui on Wednesday and Thursday and be back in plenty of time to meet John on Friday morning at John Wayne Airport. However, that would mean his time at home with Keri before heading to Georgia would be limited.

It was hard enough lying to her, but being gone five days in a row—when he didn’t have to—compounded his guilt. His conscious wouldn’t let him do it, so he dropped the trip to Maui.

Keri had prepared sandwiches for lunch, but a twisted sick feeling in his gut quenched his appetite when she said, “Don’t you have a trip tomorrow?”

“Well, I was supposed to fly tomorrow but crew schedule called and asked if I would fly the same trip on Friday instead.”

That’s
good
.
Make
it
sound
like
it’s
not
your
fault
.

Keri looked at him with a sad face. “That means you have to work the entire weekend?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Sunday, too?”

“I’ll be home Sunday afternoon.” Trying to sound cheerful, he said, “On the positive side, it gives me an extra day of flying, and we could use the money.” The sick feeling in his stomach crawled into his chest. She didn’t know it, but he was actually losing money by dropping the trip.