Lara screamed and fell out of bed. Her body thumped on the floor.

Shemuel jumped from the small cot in the corner and hurried to Lara's side. "Missy, are you okay?" He held her quivering hand and rubbed the forearm.

She sat on the floor and gulped for air. Her back leaned against the bed and her eyes searched the ceiling for something to focus on.

Aaron entered and Mina stood by the doorway.

"Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" he asked.

Lara whispered, "A drink of water, please."

Mina left and returned with a cup of water. Lara climbed onto the bed and drank.

Aaron inquired, "What happened?"

She studied his face and asked, "Is there really a Devil? Does such a being exist?"

His head tilted. "Did you have a nightmare?"

A hand wiped her brow. "I have been haunted by a couple of dreams, but I still need to know. Does Satan really exist?"

Aaron sat near the corner of the bed. "Miss Croft, do you believe in God?"

She pouted, "If I say 'yes', does that mean I have to believe in the Devil, too?"

A smile hooked on a corner of his mouth. "No, no it doesn't." He paused. "But looking at newspapers and the evening news of the many wars, violent crimes, and horrendous acts committed against humanity should make us wonder. Where does all this evil come from? Is something influencing the world and relaxing our moral values? If not a being like the Devil, than from where is it coming from? From within humans? From within the deep dark areas of the hearts of men? That line of reasoning doesn't conclude an evil being exists and is actively influencing men's minds, but the alternative is also not very attractive. If this evil lurks within men, then is man a despicable being?"

"But why? If the Devil exists, why does he exist? If God is so good and powerful, why does he allow this evil to exist?" she debated.

Aaron faced her. "What is it that you know about God, Miss Croft?"

She sipped the water and wiped the sweat from her neck. "That He is good. He is all-powerful and knows all things. And He is a God of love."

"Let me add some more attributes to the list and follow it up with a theory of mine, and I hope things will become clearer to you." He folded his arms and cleared his throat.

"God does not change. He is the same no matter how far in the past we go, or how far in the future. Time does not exist for God. Therefore, He is eternal.

"God is everywhere. No matter how far we go into the heavens, no matter how deep we go into the earth or under the water, God is there. We cannot hide from His presence. One reason is because God is a spirit and is not encumbered by our physical limitations or boundaries. His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways are our ways. He sees what resides in men's hearts and does not take into consideration of their outward appearances.

"But of all the things we know about God, there is one thing few people know. God is a jealous God. He desires our worship because He is God of gods and Lord of lords. Whenever men do not worship the Almighty, He becomes jealous. The Bible calls His jealousy, 'a consuming fire'. Anything we hold dear to our hearts, or higher than God, is considered idol worship, which inflames His wrath.

"Second thing people know about God, but do not take into consideration; He is a God of justice, the Supreme Judge. His word is law and unbending, And He Himself will not break them because His laws are true and unerring.

"This all seems contrary to the other attributes God has of being kind, loving, and merciful. Let me continue my explanation with a theory of mine by using this story.

"After God created the universe and the hosts of heaven, there was a period of friendship and communication the angels enjoyed in the presence of the Almighty. They had full access to God and freely worshipped Him. In this choir of angels there were powerful angels, called archangels. One of them was named Lucifer, the first of the created beings. Now under my theory, the Almighty delegated the management of the universe to His archangels. Lucifer oversaw the part of the universe that included our solar system, and the work he produced was greatly received and praised. From that point on ambition grew and he became proud. And pride overtook Lucifer to a point where he considered himself better than God. His desire for praise and worship to come to him, instead of the Almighty, caused him to act. He convinced other angels to follow him and declared before them, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' This act, to attain the throne of God and be like the Almighty, created a devastating chasm between God and the rebellious archangel that was beyond repair. God labeled him as Satan the Adversary, banished him and his followers from His presence, and prepared a place for them called 'the lake of fire'. The Adversary and his followers battled to take heaven by force, but were tossed out. Furious, the Devil destroyed a number of planets and eliminated the life forms on earth. For his actions, God promised swift judgment on him and his followers.

"In the solemn courtroom before the Lord and the rest of the angels, Satan argued his case. 'How can all of you serve the Most High, who proclaims Himself to be a God of love, but judges us, fellow members of His creation, to a damnable place called 'the lake of fire'? How can all of you witness this judgment and still call Him the God of love? This very trial is a contradiction to His nature!' Without remorse, he addressed the point to the other angels.

"Mute, the hosts of heaven waited for the Lord's reply.

"God observed the tactic and saw the reason for his argument; to enlist the others to rebel against the Almighty. Thus, the strategy was to demonstrate to all creation which of God's nature was the prevalent one."

Lara's head rose. "Seems like a dilemma to me. Pass judgment on the fallen angels and have the others question His love, or show mercy to the rebels and compromise His justice."

Aaron nodded, "In this respect, Satan believed he would be victorious if God's laws were bent for him. For rebelliousness in the presence of the Lord is sin for the angels, and the wages for their sin is separation from God. Therefore, the Almighty saw it as a challenge to demonstrate His justice and love.

"The judgment was postponed and a battlefield was laid out. Earth was re-established to support new life, and God created in His image another being called man. From the dust of the earth, He formed man's body and gave him the breath of life. Man became a living being who walked on the earth, created in God's image, with a spirit to communicate with God. Man was given the earth and heavens to rule over, the ability to procreate, and the right to choose. God placed man into His garden and gave one command, 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat...'

"Perplexed, Satan questioned, 'Why have you given this life form, this insignificant speck on an unnoticeable planet, such authority? Although You have given man more than the angels have, man will rebel against Your law and turn his back on You.' With that decree, the battle was drawn for man's soul."

"But Adam and Eve were thrown out of the garden," Lara responded. "Was that their punishment for disobeying God's command?"

"No. God said to Adam, '... for in the day that you eat of the fruit you shall surely die.' This proclamation not only meant a physical death but a spiritual one as well. On the day they ate the fruit, their bodies started to age until physical death, but the immediate result was a separation of God's spirit from man, a condition inherited to all men, even today.

"Satan celebrated his victory. Man, separated from God, was now like the fallen angels and under Satan's influence. He proclaimed this battle proved his power greater than the Almighty.

"But the Lord said the battle is not over, for He will save man to demonstrate His love and justice.

"The Devil debated, 'Will the Lord save this sinful creature without a just punishment for his rebelliousness? Will the Almighty demonstrate mercy without payment for their sins? We, your first creation and fallen angels, must forfeit our lives to eternal damnation! In like manner a just punishment is required of man before mercy can be shown!'

"God replied, 'That is correct. Man's life is in the blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of his sins.'

"Satan laughed, 'What a conundrum You have made! If man spills his blood, he must face justice for his sins when he dies! He is still separated from God, because his own blood is tainted with sin! Who's life are You going to accept?'

"The Lord answered, 'I will give man My laws, and the life who fulfills the Law, his life I will accept.'

"Satan retorted, 'This is too rich! No man born is without sin, and You are giving him the Law so he will know how more sinful he is? Admit defeat right now because You cannot win this battle!'

"God responded, 'I will save man.'"

Lara spoke, "I see where this is going. God appointed Jesus of Nazareth to live the perfect life and spilled his blood on the cross as payment for man's sins. But, if I may ask, why Jesus? Couldn't anyone else have lived the perfect life required by God?"

Aaron hesitated. "No. The reason is, only God could live the life required by His Law. In His plan, He knew this. Therefore, God became a man, lived the perfect life, and fulfilled the requirements of the Law. And why did He do that? Because God loved man and wanted to save him."

The room was silent.

Mina appeared at the doorway.

Aaron stood and spoke, "Allow a few minutes for me to say goodbye to my wife, then we will leave." He stepped close to Mina, shuffled down the hallway, and whispered into her ear.

Lara peeked around the corner and watched.

He embraced and kissed Mina. A silver chain where a small black crucifix hung was removed from around his neck and placed in her hand.

Mina wept.

With a voice that choked back his tears, Aaron called, "Miss Croft... Shemuel... are you ready... to leave?"

* * *

The taxi moved through the awakening streets of Paphos towards the harbor. Dressed in casual clothes, Aaron's expression appeared pensive while staring into the sky.

Lara ventured a question, "Could you explain more of God's love and justice through Jesus?"

His head turned toward the others and his eyes looked at the ceiling of the taxi. "Through Jesus the requirement for a perfect life to live according to the Law was fulfilled. Through the shedding of His blood on the cross the justice required by the Law was fulfilled. Mercy is extended to all men by His sacrifice. From this act God demonstrated His love for men by having Jesus die on the cross for their sins. God won the battle with Satan and showed to all creation that He is a God of love and justice. While we were still in our sins and had no hope to escape punishment, God had the Messiah die in our place. With this salvation, we can enter the Lord's courtroom and not be judged of our sins, because it has been paid in full on the cross."

Lara wondered aloud, "So what you are saying is all men's sins are forgiven. If that is true then what is judgment day about? I mean, after someone dies what is there to be judged for if the person is forgiven?"

"Very good question," Aaron replied. "The answer is each man has a choice to accept God's provision of redemption or not. Either he chooses God's grace and bypasses judgment, or enters the Lord's courtroom and faces the Law. God is patient and waits for each man to decide before physical death claims him. Meanwhile every man continues to enjoy all the blessings God has placed on the earth."

"So why doesn't everyone choose forgiveness instead of being judged?" she asked.

He replied, "Because of three things prevents certain men from accepting it. One, the Devil is still at work in the world. His actions continue to cloud, conceal, and confuse men's mind to God's way of forgiveness. Still determined to bend God's laws, he maintains the plan of keeping mankind separated from the Almighty. Therefore, his manipulations of the world have created the belief in men that they can attain heaven through their own efforts. With his lies, he appeals to the very thing inside every man's heart - pride.

"Which leads to reason two, pride is what caused Satan to be separated from God, and pride is what will keep men separated from the knowledge of God's plan. Humbleness and humility are considered a sign of weakness to the world. But God said, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit.' The psalmist wrote, 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.'

"The third reason is a lack of faith in God's plan. People can see the reasons for the Lord's crucifixion, they know the story, but do not believe or commit themselves to believe. Normally I relate a small story to illustrate the difference between men's view of the term 'to believe' and God's view.

"The story begins with a man who noticed an individual putting up a poster. The poster was an invitation to come and watch the greatest tightrope walker that ever lived. The man scoffed, 'The greatest tightrope walker? What is this guy going to do that is so great?' The individual, who placed up the poster, responded, 'Would you believe on a wire stretched across the Niagara Falls, I will walk and push a wheelbarrow containing bricks, from one side to the other?' The man laughed, 'I'll believe that when I see it.' The individual invited the man to be at the reception area after the stunt. The man accepted. On the day of the stunt, and with great fanfare, the tightrope walker approached the wire and began his walk, pushing a wheelbarrow with bricks inside. With slow, steady, and sure steps, the individual traveled the nerve-racking distance high above the falls. The spellbound crowd watched in silence. On his final step, he dismounted the wire and bowed to a thunderous applause. The tightrope walker greeted the invited man and asked, 'Do you believe I can walk on a wire above the Niagara Falls while pushing a wheelbarrow?' The man answered, 'Yes, I do! I know you can do it!' The individual asked again, 'Do you really believe I can walk on a wire above the Niagara Falls while pushing a wheelbarrow?' The man responded, 'Yes, I just saw you do it! I believe you can!' The individual looked into the man's eyes, 'Good! I'm going back to the other side, and I want you to get into the wheelbarrow!'

"That is the difference between men's definition and God's definition of the term, 'to believe'. The inability to step into God's 'wheelbarrow' is where the lack of faith resides."

The taxi stopped near the marina. Aaron, Lara, and Shemuel marched to the docks where The Cotillion was located.

"Lara! Over here!" Gavin waved near the end of the pier. He approached and asked, "How are you feeling? Do you need to rest?"

Lara answered, " A bit weak, but I should feel better after a good breakfast."

Gavin extended a hand towards Aaron. "Hello, I'm Gavin Williams."

Aaron shook hands. "Hello, Gavin. My name is Aaron BenYohanan. I understand you have my father aboard your boat."

Surprised, Gavin quipped, "Father? Yohan must be older than he looks."

"You haven't heard the full story," Lara commented.

They headed for The Cotillion.

* * *

Lara inquired in Greek, "[What is happening that I should become involved in all this?]"

Yohan replied, "[A great evil is coming into this world and must be stopped.]"

Puzzled, she asked, "[I don't understand. Is the Devil about to enter our world?]"

He shook his head. "[The Devil will embody the person known as the Antichrist. But he will not enter because the 'restrainer' is still on the earth. When the 'restrainer' is taken away, then the Devil will come to rule the world. Until that time, certain demonic powers will try to attain authority over the earth.]"

"[Who is the 'restrainer'?]" she questioned.

Yohan bowed his head. "[I am the 'restrainer'. This vocation was handed to me through the seven peals of thunder during the Lord's revelation of the last days. Aaron, Yonah, and Shemuel will be witnesses to my vocation, like the others before them. Their witness will testify I have not departed from what the Lord had assigned to me.]"

Lara inquired, "[And how do I fit into all this?]"

"[That is what Aaron and I will try to find out. The items that were taken, what were they?]"

Her eyes darted, "[Some contained mysterious and horrendous powers. Of them, one was the Dagger of Xian, which was acquired from China. The other was a levitating orb obtained from a Middle Eastern gravesite. That one has yet to be classified. There are others, but those two are the most dangerous.]"

Aaron looked at Yohan. "[Demonized artifacts.]"

Yohan wiped his mouth with a finger. "[We must get Yonah and begin to fast and pray.]"

Aaron asked, "[Miss Croft, the thieves of these items have designs to use the powers stored within. Most likely, they have not left your city or country, but are in search of the oldest burial site or religious structure. Can you recall any site that falls into those categories close to your home?]"

"What are you guys mumbling about?" Gavin interrupted and invaded the small circle.

Lara stood, pulled him away, and spoke in urgency, "I need to go to Athens and fly back home! The thieves have taken some protected artifacts!"

Gavin's face twisted in doubt. "I understand the robbery has bothered you, but the thieves probably sold those items for a king's ransom by now. Let the authorities handle it. We still have a job to do."

Her eyebrows raised and she pleaded, "Gavin, I have found objects from a number of past explorations that defy an explanation. The most dangerous ones I have secretly kept in a sealed room. The thieves broke into that room, and Yohan and Aaron know why."

Gavin studied her face and sighed. "It's going to take all day to travel there by boat. That should give plenty of time for an explanation why the need to return to Athens and what you were talking to them about."

"Excuse me for eavesdropping, but don't I get a say in this?" Tim charged in. "We're on the edge of becoming independently wealthy, and you want to go back and forth across the Mediterranean just because you had a thing for her?"

Lara snapped, "That was uncalled for!"

"You are out of line, Tim!" Gavin added.

"Am I, Boss? Am I? It's obvious you have been sidetracked as soon as she arrived, and now you are pandering to her needs just when we are about to hit the mother lode! For what? To pick up a stranger in Cyprus for an old man? What are we, treasure hunters or searchers for long lost relatives? I say let's leave them on the docks, let them find a flight to Athens, and we can go back to what we are here for!"

Gavin argued, "The treasures are not going anywhere and our permits are good for another thirty days!"

"If you are worried about whether I will be around to finish the job, then know this! I will keep my promise and finish the job!" Lara injected. "Even if it takes sleepless nights, I will finish the job! But there is an urgency and danger they have brought up and I must return home!"

Tim huffed, "I say let's put it to a vote and see who wants to go on this wild goose chase!" He waved to Lisa and asked her to vote.

Lisa wrote, 'Does this involve the 'Lion of God' artifact?'

"What?" Tim's face looked like a question mark.

Lara read and nodded, "Yes, and I will explain everything I know while on the way."

Lisa nodded and placed a hand on Gavin's arm.

"This is a total waste of time! A total waste of time!" Tim ranted and stormed the hallway to his cabin.

* * *

The short female clerk at the County Council office eyed the two men. "You want the permit when again?"

"For tomorrow evening," the shorter one responded.

She stifled a laugh. "I am sorry, sir, but we do not give out any permits to anyone for the next evening, and especially during a full moon. We could give you a permit for a date two weeks from now, and it would be for daylight hours only. Also I need proper identification, the company that you represent, and the reasons for closer access to the stones."

"But we need to get the effect the moonlight provides for our photographs," he argued.

The clerk frowned in disinterest. "Sorry, but those are the conditions. Why don't you superimpose the moon on one of the stock photos of Stonehenge?"

"Do you understand we are photographers for a men's magazine? We need to have the ladies and the moon together with the stones."

"So superimpose all three in the darkroom, or manipulate the images on your computer. I know that can be done," she shrugged.

The tall one stared while the shorter one argued. "No, you see, we won't get the same effect or the same realism."

"What are you talking about? Most of your buyers will be leering at the naked ladies. You could have them pose in front of any stone wall and nobody will know the difference if it's Stonehenge or not."

The shorter one huffed in frustration. He studied the short, obese woman behind the counter and asked, "How would you like to be in one of our photo sessions and be part of a featured spread entitled, 'The Women of the County Council's Office'?"

Her finger pointed to the door. "Get out of here."

They exited the office.

As soon as they left the building and were out on the street, the tall one pulled the shorter one aside. He chewed his words in the short one's ear, "Right. We tried to gain access your way. Now we will do it my way."

* * *

Lara sat across from Gavin, but looked at Yohan, Aaron, and Shemuel. She watched them huddled and their eyes closed.

"It is hard to believe anything you have told me, Lara. I'm just following my instincts and taking your word," Gavin whispered.

Frustrated, she wondered if her explanation was light on the details and made a couple of motions to speak. Her eyes darted between the huddle and Gavin, her mouth partially opened.

He responded to her faltering attempts and replied, "Let's wait until they are done. I want to ask a couple of questions."

Fifteen minutes later Aaron stood and stretched. Lara signaled for him to come near. "Aaron, I hope you don't mind answering some of Gavin's questions."

"Of course not, Miss Croft." He stood at the end of the table and faced Gavin. "Mr. Williams, we appreciate the time you have set aside to take us to Athens. You will be remembered and rewarded."

Gavin spoke, "Lara told me as much as she could about you, Shemuel, and Yohan. But I can see you don't look very enthused about this trip. Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Aaron placed fingertips on the surface of the table. "Mr. Williams, I have left a comfortable position as a priest of a neighborhood church and a five year marriage to a loving wife, in order to follow a command I knew would come some time in my life. Excuse me if I don't appear to be zealous at this moment." He swallowed hard. "My heart hurts because I will miss them."

Surprised, Lara questioned, "You are returning back home after this is over, aren't you?"

"Fifteen or twenty years ago I would have vehemently debated those words and responded by saying, 'My home is not here on earth, but with the Almighty.' A deriding smugness was evident of my character in the past to anyone who wasn't a believer. I was eager to preach and do the Lord's work but distant from the cares and worries of others. With the underlining knowledge a command would come soon, I convinced myself it would be the following year. Well, when that year came and went, and the command didn't come, I sat back and wondered. Was there something else I had to learn? A year later I became involved with the community on Cyprus, where you located me, for the next twelve years. From their influence, my rough edges were softened and smoothed. I learned to have compassion and sympathy for others. While in my second year, Mina told me the people not only wanted to hear what I had to teach them, but also to know how human I was, not necessarily how spiritual I had become. She said, 'Show us God's love not by your words only, but by your actions as well.' With her gentle suggestions, I opened my heart to them and became a part of their lives, and theirs a part of mine. The words of Jesus became clearer, 'A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another. As I have loved you, you also go out and love one another. By this, all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'" Aaron bowed his head, took out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes. "To answer your question, Miss Croft, I have to say this. My home is not here on earth, it's with the Almighty, but He has shown me what it is to be a disciple of Jesus by making me a part of other people's lives here on earth, caring for their needs, and loving them. He has made my heart tender and compassionate. Where He will lead me next, I don't know, but I can say with confidence, I am ready to follow His command. My only regret is that..." He covered his eyes and took rapid breaths, "... is that Mina..." He fell onto a chair and sobbed.

Lara stepped near and knelt. Lisa appeared, rushed to his side, and patted his back.

Yohan approached, embraced him, and whispered, "[You have excelled beyond my expectations. You are a true man, Aaron.]"

After a few minutes passed, Aaron reclaimed strength in his voice. "Let me use the restroom and wash up. Excuse me." He lumbered into the hallway.

Gavin closed in on Yohan and asked in Greek, "[Why do I get the feeling this is a one way trip for all of you? What is going to happen to him? No disrespect, but I want some answers!]"

Yohan sighed, "[I am sorry if the full truth of our quest has not been revealed. What my destination will be has already been written. But for my sons, they will go home and be with the Lord.]"

Lara responded, "[That is a very euphemistic way of saying they are going to die! Is that what you mean? Shemuel, too?]"

Yohan's eyes drooped. "[I will explain everything as soon as Yonah is found.]" He walked towards Shemuel, sat, and kissed his son's forehead.

* * *

It was evening when Captain and Junior agreed to stay on the boat and guard the equipment. Lara and the others headed towards a small seafood restaurant near the Athenian coastline. A poorly lit street crossed the entrance. Lara entered first and noticed a couple eating supper within the cramped quarters.

A young woman greeted in English, "How many are here for dinner?"

Lara answered, "I would like to speak with Yonah BenYohanan."

The woman creased her brow, "Are you talking about Benny? He is the owner and chef. Is there something wrong?"

Lara glanced back to the others, who were hidden in the shadow of the entryway. "I need to speak with him, please."

"And what is your name," she asked and glanced into the shadows.

"Lara Croft."

"I don't know anyone named Lara Croft." A man stepped out of the kitchen. Dark eyes and curly dark hair, he appeared to be in his thirties. A towel draped over his shoulder. "If you're not here for dinner then what do you want?"

Lara stared and answered, "It is time to come home."

Shocked, he hesitated, and stammered, "Who-who s-sent you?"

Yohan stepped out of the shadow.

"[No, Papa, no! You didn't give me enough time!]"

"[Yonah, the Lord is calling, and we must obey,]" Yohan responded.

"[Papa, are you sure it is the right time? What is the sign that it is?]" Benny added.

Yohan pointed to Lara. "[She is the sign! Her presence and visions have proclaimed the Lord is calling. And she has stepped forward to declare, 'It is time to come home!']"

Lara interrupted, "[I have to ask again because of his statement. Are we all going to die?]"

The young woman asked, "Benny, what is going on? Who are these people?"

Benny answered, "Marta, twenty-two years ago this old man, whom I called Papa, took me off the streets and adopted me when I was eleven." He noticed the others as they stepped out of the shadow. "I have seen you before." His finger pointed to Aaron.

"That was twenty years ago," Aaron replied. "Papa adopted me, too."

Gavin spoke to Yohan in Greek, "[You said an explanation would be given as soon as Yonah was found. I assume Benny here is Yonah. Now is a good time to explain things.]"

Yohan nodded and motioned to the chairs. "[Please sit.]" He took in a deep breath. "[During my life, I have seen the progress of men, and, to my simple mind, amazing things they have developed. For instance, I wrote that I saw the world watching the judgment of God's final witnesses. Little did I know men would develop an instrument called television to make that prediction possible.]" He looked at the surprised faces to those who understood. "[Yes, I am the disciple Jesus loved, John, the son of Zebedee. My final ministry on earth is the restrainer of the demons, the powers, and the principalities of Satan, who wish to torment and enslave men, destroy the work of the Lord, and keep the knowledge of His salvation from the hearts of men. In past times, they have possessed individuals in an attempt to wreck havoc among nations, but with the Lord's help, I and a chosen few have stood in their way. Now the time has come to rid another great evil. This is not the Antichrist. For the time of the Antichrist is after the departure of the restrainer and the saints. Satan knows this. To determine if this time has approached, he sends his powerful demons, hopefully to destroy me and those with me.]" His eyes roamed about the silenced room. "[Do you have questions?]"

Gavin spoke in English, "You want us to believe you are St. John the Apostle? You want us to believe you are almost two thousand years old? Excuse me if that sounds incredulous, but how is that possible?"

Tim injected, "I told you this was a stupid trip to chase after! This old man is off his rocker!"

Yohan addressed Gavin, "[To God, all things are possible.]"

Gavin debated, "Well, you better give some reassurances or possibilities what you're saying is true! I am not going to stand by and let one of my team members walk towards her death, following a pied piper with others who are willing to go on a suicide mission! Do you understand me?"

Tim jumped in, "Yeah, old man! Tell us who you really are!"

"Gavin, that is not your concern!" Lara answered.

"Lara, you know what I mean! It's just--." Gavin noticed Yohan approaching.

Yohan placed a hand on Gavin's shoulder and spoke in a low voice. "[I know you wish to believe. So, for you, God will give a sign of His power.]" With a gentle touch, he covered Lisa's ears and commanded, "[In the name of the Lord Jesus, open your ears, young lady.]"

Lisa's eyes grew large and circled. Her mouth opened. "Ma... ma... my... I... I hear... I--."

Gavin faced her. "Lisa?"

"I hear you... I can hear you! I can hear! Oh my God! I can hear!" Her voice rang.

Stunned, Gavin repeated, "Lisa? You can hear me?"

Her eyes welled with tears. "Yes! Yes! Oh, Gavin! You have a beautiful voice!"

Astonished, Tim piped in, "After all these years... and now you can hear? How did this happen?"

Lisa smiled at him. "Tim, your voice is so strong and bold." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't know how it happened! I felt his hands on my ears... and now I can hear! She looked at Lara. "Say something! Please!"

Perplexed, Lara looked at the others and spoke, "I... don't know what to say? Can you really hear me?"

Lisa exclaimed, "Your voice is like a refreshing drink from a cool river. It's beautiful! Oh my God! I can hear you! I can hear all of you!" She turned towards Yohan and cried, "Thank you, thank you! God bless you! Oh thank you so much!"

Gavin's mouth opened but nothing came out. His surprised expression gazed at Yohan.

Tim backtracked through the entrance. "I can't believe this! This is not happening, this is not happening." He stepped outside.

After a few seconds, Yohan spoke in English, "We must fast and pray." He motioned to Aaron, Yonah, and Shemuel.

As Yohan passed by, Lara held out a hand, touched his sleeve, and whispered a question, "[How were you able to do that?]"

He responded, "[No, my dear. The correct question to ask is why do you become deaf when God calls? He is very close, and gently He calls for you.]" His eyes sparkled. "[I see another vision that is unanswered and will pray the Lord will give you an answer.]"

Her hand dropped as Yohan stepped away. Lara turned towards Lisa and Gavin. His expression had not changed, but a tear rolled out from a corner of his eye.

* * *

Using her many Athenian connections, a jet was chartered in haste. The occupants included the pilot, co-pilot, Yohan, Aaron, Yonah (Benny), Shemuel, Lara, Gavin, Lisa, and Tim.

Before take off, Benny instructed Marta to remain behind and manage the restaurant. After a passionate kiss, he placed in her hand a small black crucifix that hung on a silver rope.

"You're coming back, aren't you, Benny?" she inquired in a timid tone.

His hands rubbed her neck. "Don't worry about that, okay? This will all be over before you know it."

A brave smile crossed their faces.

He sat next to the window and watched Marta wave goodbye as the plane taxied to the runway. His eyes did not turn away even after take off.

Lara observed it all and kept a close eye on him. When the jet reached a cruising altitude, she moved to the seat next to him. "I hope you don't mind if I ask a couple of questions--."

Benny faced her. "Excuse me, Miss, I don't want to sound rude but I have no desire to talk right now." He pointed to Aaron. "Maybe he will be better with conversations. Go ask him your questions, okay?" His face turned towards the window.

Embarrassed, Lara maneuvered closer to Aaron. "Do you have any idea what you are heading into?"

Aaron mustered a smile. "No, I don't."

"Then why are you going? Why are you doing this?"

"There is a saying from my youth, 'It is better to be in the middle of the battle with God than on the sidelines with the Devil.' Many people don't know there is a battle for their lives and have already chosen sides, whether consciously or unconsciously."

Tim snickered, "What a load of bull."

Lara ignored the comment and asked, "How does anyone bypass judgment day?"

Aaron's eyes fixed on Lara's. "Paul of Tarsus wrote in the letter to the Romans, '... if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.' In the Gospel of John it is written, 'He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.' In the first letter from John, these words appear, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'" He paused. "Confess your sins to God. Be sorry you broke His Laws. Acknowledge the fact Jesus died in your place for your sins. Believe in your heart He was raised from the dead, and you will pass from death to life and bypass judgment day. Jesus said it best when speaking with Nicodemus, 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged...'"

Lara noticed Lisa and Gavin were listening and soaking up every word. "I am sure you are asked this question," she continued, "but here it comes. Explain the Trinity. Is there one God, or are there three?"

Aaron answered, "That is a very good question. Many educated and gifted scholars have better explanations of the Trinity than I do. My first reaction is to hesitate and ask you to locate their published papers. But let me say this, it is a mystery, yet the Trinity is something we can understand. I will use an example to illustrate how I perceive it. If I say, 'H-two-O', you would reply to me by saying, 'Water,' because that is what water is made of. And if I ask, 'What about steam and ice?' You would say, 'Yes, H-two-O is also steam and ice.' Now if we use this example to speak about the Trinity, the concept is not hard to imagine. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To explain any further would be like grasping the infinite and squeezing it into the finite mind, or like understanding the ocean by looking at a bucket of water. It will not fit. Miss Croft, if you and I stood at the shoreline, we could see how vast and immense the ocean is by viewing its surface and the pounding waves. But from the shoreline we cannot imagine how deep it is or the forces and secrets it holds within. It is the same when we view the Trinity. We cannot imagine the depth behind it, but God manifested Himself to us through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." His head tilted. "Miss Croft, do you believe in the saving grace of God through the redemptive power of the crucifixion? Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?"

"I believe!" Lisa chimed.

Gavin followed, "I believe!"

Aaron turned towards them. "Bow your heads and pray with me." A hand extended to Lara. "Would you like to join us in prayer?"

Lara hesitated. "Erm... no. You go ahead... I need some time to think." She moved to another seat near a window and watched Lisa, Gavin, and Aaron huddled together.

Sitting behind her, Tim leaned forward and spoke, "What's the matter, Dreamy? Don't have enough faith?"

Lara snapped, "And what interests do you have in being here, Tim? There is nothing monetary to gain on this trip. Why didn't you stay with Captain Konas and Junior?"

Tim sneered, "Gavin and I go back a long way. We met at a South Pacific resort. Both of us taught diving lessons to tourists. But on the side, he would dive for pearls. Call it a natural gift, luck, or whatever, he always found treasures. I stayed close to him because he was my ticket to the good life. So whatever happens to him, I want to know about it." He pointed to the huddle. "Now Lisa... I met her and taught her how to dive." He gazed at Lisa for a moment in silence. "I had my eye on her first... but she wanted to take the advance class Gavin was teaching. He became interested in her and started to learn sign language so they could talk. Five years ago he enlisted her to be part of the team." His eyes met Lara's. "I didn't understand why he undertook the trouble of getting to know a deaf girl, but now the reasons behind it have become very apparent. She looked like someone from his past."

Lara responded, "Lisa is very warm and friendly in her own right, but I'm puzzled you are not amazed that she can now hear. Why is that?"

"Call me a skeptic, but this all sounds too weird. That old man doesn't look a day over sixty-five. And these other guys? Who are they? Nobodies! Why are we so concerned about gathering them as well? And for what?" Tim sat back and folded his arms. "We are wasting our time."

Lara repeated, "You didn't answer my question. Don't you think it is miraculous Lisa is able to hear after she was touched?"

Tim harrumphed, "I don't have an answer for that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't believe in miracles!"

Lara pointed to Lisa. "She can hear! What would you call it?"

"I said I don't have an answer for you... yet!" he snarled and looked out the window.

Lara settled back, stroked a hand through her hair, and eyed Lisa and Gavin as they spoke with Aaron.