Chapter 17: Starlight Escape Part 2: Back on Track
As Wanda had promised, the group was soon right back on schedule. As Hank went for a drink of water, an unseen pothole caused a good half of his bottle to spill all over him.
"Whoever heard of driving down a riverbed?!" Hank asked angrily after everyone had finished laughing. "Was this your idea, Wanda, or did Regis suggest it?"
"Very funny." Wanda said sarcastically. "He's just a car."
Just then, the dashboard lit up.
"No, there's nothing wrong with being a car." Wanda quickly added. "I'm just saying."
"One thing's for sure." Charles said as he leaned back in his seat. "Nur's guards will never find us down here."
"Exactly." Wanda added. "Kid, I know these parts better than the back of my hand. There is no quicker way to Boston than through this riverbed."
"But…" Scott said a bit nervous now. "We're going to New Jersey."
"I know that!" Wanda said before covertly turning the car around and going the other way, causing Hank to roll his eyes. This was the man they were trusting to take them to the meeting?
"Moira, were you ever in Bethlehem?" Alex asked as the ride went on.
"No." Moira answered. "But my parents once passed through Nazareth. That's the town in Judea where Joseph and Mary lived."
"But I thought Jesus was born in Bethlehem." Jean said.
"He was." Moira admitted. "But the story really begins before that.
"You see, in those days, Joseph worked as a carpenter. He had just become engaged to Mary, who lived nearby. Now, Nazareth is only a small town. For that matter, Israel is only a small country, and as any historian of that time could tell you, the people had always hated being ruled by the Roman Emperor. Just like with Brainiac today, they longed to be free and dreamed of the day God would send them a great leader. Some prepared to fight, and others, like Mary, prayed.
"Then one day, a bright light shone from her window, and a voice said, 'Peace be with you, Mary. The Lord is with you and has blessed you.'
"Mary was confused by the voice, and wondered what it meant until it added, 'God is pleased with you. You will have a son and will call him, Jesus. God will make him a king, and his kingdom shall never end.'
"'But,' Mary nervously asked. 'How can this happen since I'm still a virgin?'
"'There is nothing God cannot do.' The voice answered. 'His spirit will come to you, and his powers will rest on you. The child will be a holy child. He will be called the Son of God.'
"Mary knelt down and replied, 'I am the Lord's servant. Let it happen to me as you have said.'
"And so it did. Mary soon learned she was going to have a baby. Because they were not yet married, Joseph thought the right thing to do was break off their engagement quietly."
Just then, the car stopped, and everyone looked out to find that they were in the outskirts of Jersey.
"Hey!" Hank called out. "Why are we stopping here?!"
"You folks stay here." Wanda said. "I'll be right back."
"Wait!" Hank said as he grabbed Wanda's shoulder. "Where are you going?"
"Where's it look like I'm going?!" Wanda retorted. "I have to talk with someone inside to get the location of this secret meeting of yours."
Wanda then walked off into the tavern as a couple of people were watching them.
Ooh, tense… And short.