Don't hate me...lol
Jumping to Conclusions by Oldest Man
Chapter 4
Location: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
He hurt. All over. He could taste dried blood on his lips. Oh God, it hurt. He heard voices; a child's voice and another. He slipped back into a deep sleep and waited for the nightmare to end.
Location: Somewhere you can't find me
"Don't move, mister. Lady, he's…"
"Shh. Yeah, I know. That's 3 of us out of 9. See what you can scrounge. Don't move around much though. Try to ignore the others, honey. They can't hurt you."
"Is he going to die?"
"I don't know, Sweetie. Now, be careful. See if there's anything to drink back there in the galley. There should be a small refrigerator someplace. The attendants were getting ready to serve beverages when - ."
Location: HellifIknow
"Mister, wake up. The lady says you have to drink some water. It's to keep you from dying. Open wide, Mister. My mom always says that. It's water."
"Hurts. Where…we?"
"Don't look at the other people 'cause they're dead. Drink."
He couldn't swallow and choked on the liquid. He hurt all over and was so tired he couldn't even open his eyes. His breathing slowed and then -
He felt different. He felt 25 again. The pain was gone and so was the bitter cold that seemed to get into his bones and sap the heat from him.
"Richard Rogers, age 40, single, survived by one daughter, Alexis Castle (Arrival Date: 2063) and a mother, Martha (Arrival Date 2028). Mr. Rogers, welcome. I'm your Guide for the initial orientation prior to your Determination. I'm sure you have questions."
They always had questions – especially the ones who passed suddenly. Questions, demands, weeping, wailing, telling him that it was a mistake.
"Where am I?" Guide sighed. At least this one was predictable.
"You're at a Way Station. Some wags call it Limbo while others, Purgatory. Yes, Richard, may I call you Richard? Yes, Richard, you are dead."
"Well, that sucks. I don't want to be dead. I have something I have to do. I have to make her understand that it was all a horrible misunderstanding. I have to tell her she was wrong and that I love her. I need to go back. I have unfinished business."
"Sorry. You died. There is no going back." So predictable.
"Well, damn it, you're not the final arbiter. I want to speak to the Almighty, Jehovah, Yahweh, whatever name you use."
"Jesse." This will really be a pleasant experience.
"Jesse? God's name is 'Jesse'? That's not even Old Testament. Whatever He calls Himself, I need to speak to Him.
The rules forbid it but what the Heaven, Jesse had never conducted an actual interview and it wouldn't hurt one bit to see what Guides had to put up with.
"Mr. Rogers – "
"Rick. Just Rick."
"Fine. Wait here. I'll be back shortly. I have to see when Jesse can see you."
"Hey, can I get a cup of coffee? I'm really parched for some reason."
"Mister – Rick. Just imagine a cup in your hand and you'll have it. This is Almost-Heaven and most things are possible."
There was a slight 'pop' in the air and the Guide was gone. Another 'pop' and Rick's much-needed cup of coffee appeared in his hand, perfect temperature, perfect amount of sugar and an exquisite roast. His thirst was suddenly out of control and he sucked the blessed liquid into his mouth and sighed. Nirvana in a cup.
But it didn't quench his thirst. It didn't even touch it.
He took in his surroundings for the first time. A meadow that hadn't seen rain in a while. The grass was brown and crackled under his feet when he turned. There appeared to be mountains in the distance but he'd never seen mountains that high before.
Another 'pop' and a young woman of 25 or so appeared. She was wearing a Denver Broncos football jersey, jeans and flip-flops. Her long dark hair was in a ponytail and she wasn't wearing any makeup.
"Ok, Rogers. You have 30 seconds." She looked at him impatiently and he just gaped. Her eyes were a kaleidoscope of changing colors and she impatiently tapped a delicate fingernail on the bezel of her watch.
He blurted out his situation and for just a brief instant he thought he saw something like pity flood her eyes but it was gone almost before he realized it had been there.
"No. Sorry. No can do. I admit it sucks but that's the way it went down. Now, I have things to do. Welcome to the Way Station, Rogers. Don't dally. Determination is scheduled for this afternoon."
There was that 'pop' again and she was gone.
What the hell was 'Determination'? Guide had mentioned it and now the girl had used the word again.
His thirst seemed all-consuming and he imagined a tall glass of ice water and 'pop', it was in his hand, the glass all sweaty and the water as sweet as any he'd ever tasted.
"Well, Rick, I tried. Jesse will try to drop by momentarily. Amazing. The last time Jesse intervened was – let me think – never."
"A young woman popped by and told me 'no, sorry no can do'. I suppose His Almightiness sent her. She certainly looked like an angel."
Guide started to cough suddenly and Castle handed him the refilled ice water glass.
"You mean Jesse's already been here? Oh, my. She must have really been interested in your situation."
"You mean that was – "
Guide nodded his head. "Yep. And before you ask, 'no' means 'no'. Now, your Determination will be held this afternoon. It's a mere formality. I'm sure you'll get a most excellent placement since Jesse actually made an appearance. Amazing." Another 'pop' and Castle was alone again.
"Bloody irritating when they do that, isn't it, luv?"
Castle was startled by a soft voice that seemed to whisper in his ear. He turned and stepped back in surprise.
"Oh, c'mon, mate. It isn't as if ye haven't seen a woman before now, is it?" And it was a woman. She was almost as tall as he was and she was standing well within his personal comfort zone. And she was wearing almost nothing at all.
"Look, let's take this conversation somewhere a little more intimate, shall we, luv?" A 'pop' and a tug and they were standing at a bar in a 1940s nightclub. He was wearing a tuxedo from the period and she was wearing an off-the-shoulder gown and was holding a martini glass in one hand and a long ebony cigarette holder in the other. There was a band playing some dance music and men in uniform and women in elegant gowns danced to the music.
"Better? I love this time. It's so full of desperate people in a desperate time. So, to business. I understand you were turned down by the Almighty in person. That's never happened before. I mean the 'in person' part. That caught my attention, luv, and I did a quick replay and I heard what ye said."
Castle was clueless about what he'd said. The woman was just about the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on but there was something 'off' about her until he looked into her eyes. They lacked a defining color and when he looked into them he thought he saw something like desperation in them.
"What I said?" She laughed and he had to smile. It was a sexy laugh, deep and throaty but also a little sad, almost as if she didn't really have reason to laugh often.
" Let's see, yeah. 'I have one woman in my life and I'm going to marry her if I have to wage war on Heaven itself.' That's a bold statement if ever I heard one and I do believe you would."
The look she gave him almost burned him with its intensity. She reached up and took a clip from her hair and let it fall, shaking her head to loosen the long reddish tresses from their bonds.
"Let's go someplace where we can talk." 'Pop' and they were in bed, naked, and from the way she was looking at him, about to have mind-blowing sex.
"Ah, this is so much more to my liking. Now, to business before I pleasure you. I'm recruiting a team, a force, to right some ancient wrongs and I've found my general in you. Castle, I want to stage a coup d'etat and overthrow the current Heavenly Host and bring in some new blood. Lots of new blood. In exchange for that, I'll send you back, guarantee you that what has happened to you will never have happened and that you and Kate will have the life most can only dream about."
Rick stammered and stuttered in utter shock. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm known by many names, Richard Castle, but since we're about to become intimately acquainted, you can call me by my real name – Luci." Something about her eyes made him realize that she was being truthful.
"You want me to – kill The Almighty? Are you out of your mind?"
"Oh, Hades, no! Nothing of the sort. I just need to get Jesse's attention and bring the Double-H to the negotiating table."
"Double-H?" He was totally lost.
"Heavenly Host! Have ye no religious training? No proper up-bringing? Are ye blind to what is going on around ye?" Luci seemed mortified that she had to explain such simple concepts to him.
"No wonder business has been so damned good lately. You've lost yer roots as a species. It's a bloody wonder the Trumpet hasn't sounded and ended ye all long before this."
Castle recoiled in horror as Luci morphed into Kate Beckett and tried to kiss him.
"No! I won't do it. This isn't right. Something's wrong. I know you now. I know who you are – you're Lucif – "
"Oh no you don't." She reached a long gnarled finger and pushed it deep into his chest and sighed. Another opportunity lost.
Location: Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Jesse breathed a sigh of relief. Another soul saved from the eternal fires.
'Canyon Country'
USMC Search & Rescue Helicopter
"We better head in. Fuel state is – whoa, what the hell was that?"
"I don't know but we're 12 miles off course. It was like a huge gust of wind – Hey! What's that 40 degrees to port? Looked like a flash of sunlight on metal. I'm going down to take a look."
4 Hours Later
"Beckett." She didn't bother looking at the caller ID. She didn't care who called. She had the same terse response – No Damned Comment! - on the tip of her tongue when she heard a man's hoarse voice whisper 'Kate'.
She heard some fumbling on the phone and then a woman's voice asking if she could please talk since no one would be able to understand him.
"Ms. Beckett, this is Major Mara Downs at 29 Palms Marine Training Base. Our SAR team picked up three survivors from the TransCon flight and one of them demanded to speak with you before he'd let us do more than give him water and hang an IV. Ms. Beckett? Are you there, ma'am?"
"This is Dr. Parish and I'm a friend of Ms. Beckett's. She's a little overcome with emotion right now. Can you give me a run-down on injuries and prognosis? And also, where are you and how do we get there?"
One or two chapters remaining. Happy Monday, toilers.