Chapter 18: Starlight Escape Part 3: The End of the Road
"I don't like this Charles!" Hank insisted. Why was he the only one who felt something was wrong?! "It could be a trap!"
"Wanda's brought us this far." Charles pointed out. "I'm sure she knows what she's doing."
Just then, two guards came out of the tavern.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Hank said nervously.
"There they are." The leader of the guards said as he pointed at the car, and everyone began to get nervous.
However, they walked right passed them and went to their own motorcycles.
"Zat vas really close." Kurt said with a relieved sigh.
"Charles, let's get out of here!" Hank insisted. "We can find the meeting on our own!"
"Wanda said she'd be back." Scott pointed out. "I think we should trust her."
"Me too." Jean agreed.
"We'll wait just a while longer." Charles finished.
"But Charles-" Hank began before Charles cut him off.
"Why don't you continue with the story, Moira?" Charles asked as Moira nodded and sat down next to Alex.
"Well, one night, not long after he had called off the wedding, Joseph had a dream.
"'Joseph,' a voice said as if from nowhere. 'You must not be afraid to win Mary. God is the father of her baby, and you will call him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.'
"The next morning, Joseph decided to go ahead with the wedding as planned. Shortly before the baby was due, the Roman Emperor sent out an order to every country in his empire. Hoping to make it easier to collect taxes, he ordered the people to put their names on a register. This really upset many Jews. It reminded them that they were not free. To prevent riots, the emperor ordered everyone to return to the place where they were born to register. This meant that Joseph had to go south to Bethlehem in the province of Judea. Bethlehem is known as the City of David because it is the place where the great shepherd, King David, was born. By the time Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, the baby was ready to be born, but the town was so crowded, that when they finally found a place, there was no room left, and the baby had to be born in the stable. After several hours of hard labor, Mary gave birth to a son just as the angel said to both Joseph and Mary. They wrapped the baby in cloths and laid him in the manger. Not far away, a group of shepherds were tending their flock. Just then, an angel appeared to them.
"'Don't be afraid.' The angel assured them. 'I have good news. Today your savior has been born, who is Christ, the lord. You will find him in the town, lying in the manger.'
"Just then, several more angels appeared, singing out 'Glory to God in the highest.'
"They quickly realized it was truly a message from God and went to Bethlehem. The shepherds told Mary and Joseph what they'd heard about Jesus. Mary kept the things she had heard deep in her heart and continued to think about them. Eight days later, Mary and Joseph named their child Jesus, just as God's messenger had told them to do.
"You want to know one of my favorite things about that story?" Moira asked as all the children nodded. "Ordinary shepherds were among the first to see Jesus."
"I think that's my favorite story, Moira." Alex said with a smile.
"Mine too." A voice called out as everyone turned to see one of Nur's guards standing there with Wanda as Hank held his claws to Wanda's throat.
"I knew it was a trap!" Hank called out the anger that had been boiling for the better part of two days finally overflowing. "You tricked us, Wanda!"
"Now hold on, kid." Wanda said, perfectly calm. "This soldier's a friend, and he's going to personally escort you to the meeting place. It's just a short walk from here."
"He'll escort us right to the lions!" Hank insisted. "That's where he'll take us!"
He looked at the guard. He had short gray hair and blue eyes.
"You must be Henry." The guard said with a chuckle. "He's just as you described him, Charles. But a little taller, maybe."
"Erik?" Charles said after a minute. "Erik Lehnsherr?!"
Erik chuckled as Charles rushed forward.
"I thought I recognized that laugh!" Charles said as he took Hank's shoulder. "You can relax, Hank. Erik and I are old friends."
Everyone starred in shock.
"Don't look so surprised, everyone." Charles said with a smile. "Remy isn't the only Christian in Nur's forces."
After everyone had gotten out, Charles turned to Wanda.
"I don't know what we would've done without you, Wanda." Charles said with a smile.
"Yeah." Jean added. "Thanks for everything."
"Aw, it was nothing." Wanda said with a smile.
"No, it was something." Moira corrected Wanda.
"Good-bye Wanda!" Charles called out. "Take care!"
"Bye Wanda!" Jean called out.
"Safe journey!" Moira added.
"Come, come." Erik said with a smile. "Our meeting place is filled with friends, and they're anxious to hear your stories."
As everyone headed off, Hank took a look at the car. After all that, in turned out that Wanda was alright after all, and so he decided to swallow his pride and rushed after the car.
"Wanda, wait!" Hank called out as the car stopped.
"What is it, kid?" Wanda asked. "Forget something?"
"Well yes." Hank said. "I forgot to thank you, and I owe you an apology."
"Oh, you were just looking out for your friends." Wanda assured Hank.
"Yes, but I think I took it too far." Hank went on.
"A trip like this makes everyone a little jittery." Wanda explained. "Why, once a long time ago, a family hired one of my early ancestors to take them across the desert road to Egypt. Real nice folks, but they'd gotten themselves into some kind of trouble, and they were scared silly, he was gonna turn them in."
"Hank?!" Kurt called out.
"I wish I could remember their names." Wanda said to himself. "Jared and Myra? No, that's not it."
"Hank, come on!" Jean called out too.
"Wanda, I've got to go, but thanks again for everything." Hank said as he headed off while Wanda went back to her drive, though, thanks to his enhanced hearing, Hank still heard what Wanda was musing.
"They had a little boy with them." Wanda went on. "Jason and Marian? Oh, that's right! Joseph and Mary!"
At this, Hank stopped in his tracks and starred at the vanishing car.
"I wonder what ever happened to them." Wanda finished.
Hank was dumbfounded. It couldn't be… Or could it?
Merry Christmas in February, everybody! … One of these days I'll hit the bulls-eye.