Chapter 13: Pep Talk

Jonas was sitting on his bench in the garden. He considered it his bench now since it seemed that he was spending so much time there. He heard Joe clear his throat and looked over at the little old man sitting at the other end of the bench. He smiled at the way Joe's wild white hair lifted in the breeze.

"Joe, would you like a comb or a brush for your birthday?" Jonas joked with a smile. "I don't know if you are aware of it but your hair is wild."

Joe chuckled. "I have a bunch of both but I keep losing them," God joked back.

"So, are Pam and Mary okay?" Jonas asked.

"They're fine. They're a little shaken but they're waiting to thank you," Joe said.

Jonas grunted and said, "I guess that means I lived through it. Did Max make it?"

"Yes he did and I think you have another believer and supporter. Wait until you see Max and Clevis at the hospital together," Joe said with a chuckle. "They don't know if they should glare at each other or hug each other."

Jonas sighed and looked down at his hands thinking. "How long does this last Joe?" Jonas asked softly.

Jonas felt a strong hand on his shoulder and felt peace wash through him like a flood. He looked up and could see the sympathy in Joe's eyes.

"It lasts until it's over," Joe said just as softly but with compassion as deep as the oceans. "I can tell future possibilities for men and women but Protectors fall outside what I can predict. I can't tell you how long you will survive as a Protector. All I can do is let you visit with Sheila and Liz in your dreams and I can give you an idea of what you are accomplishing with your efforts."

"I always look forward to seeing Sheila and Liz but what do you mean by what I am accomplishing? I am protecting the innocent. Isn't that what this is all about?" Jonas asked.

"Yes and no," Joe replied cryptically. "The girl you saved yesterday will go into medical research when she gets to college. That is, if she navigates all the pitfalls along her way, she will discover a universal flu defense and will save hundreds of thousands of lives. The mother of the girls you saved the night Sheila and Liz were killed will encourage one of the girls to go into engineering. If the girl avoids all the pitfalls the Adversary places in her path she will design a new kind of engine that future generations will develop further to drive power plants all over the world and create conditions that can foster peace and prosperity. Pam will grow up to be a mother but she will have a son. Her son, baring interference from the Adversary, will have another son that will unite half the world in a peaceful union that will allow humanity to spread to other planets. If he is successful, he will ensure the survival of the human race when the next cataclysm hits this world. If he isn't successful then some humans will still survive but the race as a whole could be set back thousands of years. There are others that could partially fulfill his purpose and lessen the impact but he would be the best solution." Joe was quiet for a moment then said, "I want only the best for your race but you have free will. All I can do is create the conditions for advancement. It is up to your race to take advantage of the conditions. Of course, the Adversary is always working to throw my plan off track." Joe sighed and said, "Between the free will and the Adversary there isn't a lot of hope for humans. Jonas, you and others like you are the best hope humanity has."

Jonas was silent for a moment before nodding. He took a deep breath and held it. The air in the garden was intoxicating. It made him feel alive like nothing else he had ever experienced, except maybe the first time he held Liz in his arms when she was born. He nodded again and stood up.

"Well, I guess I need to be getting back. Thanks for the pep talk Joe," Jonas said.

"No problem," Joe said hopping up. "I don't get discouraged but sometimes it's a pleasure to be able to give someone a glimpse of why everything in the world is happening. Every person in the world has a reason and a purpose. The trouble is, there aren't very many that take advantage of the help I can give them to figure out what their purpose is."

Jonas chuckled and said, "It sounds like the old leading a horse to water problem huh? Thanks for letting me know there are reasons and purposes."

"One more thing Jonas," Joe said seriously. "You will see a lot more of the Cordova Cartel and Carlos Cruz. Be careful of the Cartel and especially of Carlos." Joe was silent for a moment before continuing. "Jonas, I can't see the Adversary's agents the same as he can't see mine. However, I can often infer where they are based on what I can't see. I think Carlos Cruz is a full agent of the Adversary. Either that or one of his closest advisers is a Red Agent. They have the same powers you do except seeing auras. However, they are much more ruthless. They don't care how many die to reach their goal. If they suspect that you are an agent of mine then they will go after you with all the ferocity and power at their disposal."

Jonas only nodded and looked around and sighed. "It's never easy is it? But, if he's an agent of your Adversary, doesn't that mean I don't need to wait for him to attack an innocent to go after him? Isn't that what you told me?"

Joe nodded and Jonas said, "Okay, how do I get out of here?"

Jonas opened his eyes and groaned. The groan was from the wave of pain that rolled over him. It seemed like every part of his body was in pain. The tall, cadaverous frame of Doctor Corwin appeared over him looking concerned.

"Hi Doc. We need to quit meeting like this," Jonas croaked. The relief on the doctors face was plain so Jonas asked, "Did you see the truck that hit me?"

"Mr. Gianni," the doctor scolded jokingly. "This is the third time this week we have had you under our care. Are you aware we have a quota for how many times a person can check in with massive trauma during any given week?"

Clevis crowded in on the other side of the bed looking worried.

"Don't worry Detective. It looks like I'll be around a while longer so you can build a case against me," Jonas said with a wincing smile. It hurt to turn his head. "How's that working for you? Anything you can take to a grand jury yet?"

"No but I'm having a hell of a time keeping you healthy so I can charge you when I get enough evidence," Detective Jordan grumped.

Max crowded in beside Clevis and growled, "Are you nuts Gianni? You could have got us killed out there yesterday." The big man had a haggard look about him. One side of his face was discolored from a massive bruise and one arm was strapped to his side.

"Ah Max. No one lives forever. Didn't you know that?" Jonas asked a little hoarsely. He felt a straw at his lips and gratefully sipped some water. He smiled his thanks at the doctor before turning his head back to the Detective and the body guard. "Joe said Mary and Pam are OK. I'm sorry we couldn't do anything about Mike but it was probably better this way. At least he didn't suffer. The doctors didn't get all the cancer and he was going to die but it would have been very painful for him." Jonas shook his head and winced at the pain. "I don't know which would be worse. Seeing your husband and father shot down in front of you or watching him die a long, slow, lingering death that you can't do anything about."

Something Max had said filtered into his mind. Yesterday! Had he been out of it for over 12 hours? Maybe even 24 hours. No one was saying anything and he looked at their faces.

"What's wrong?" Jonas asked.

"How did you know Mike Connors was still cancerous?" Doctor Corwin asked breathlessly.

"A, um, a friend of mine told me," Jonas said. "So Doc, did you plug up all my unauthorized holes?" Jonas joked.

Doctor Corwin harrumphed before saying, "We didn't even know he was still cancerous until a couple of hours ago when we finished the autopsy and you've been out since yesterday." He mumbled something before saying, "Okay, your condition is good. You were shot five times. Two hits were in the right side. One of those shots broke a rib. You were hit twice in the right leg and both were flesh wounds. I thought the one in the left arm was going to be a lot more serious. Well, I thought that it would at least be in a sling for a week. I was wrong, again."