'How?'
'You aren't afraid of me.'
'Why should I be? You're on my side, aren't you?'
And if that force that sits by the right hand of God, that force of all that is good and pure and just, could chuckle, it did. 'Confidence is good, of course, all great warriors must possess it, but don't allow it to cloud your judgment.'
'I don't intend to do that. But I will tell you this much: as soon as I get some sign from you, or the feeling is right—whatever—I'm goin' to Falcon House and kill every swinging di … uh … everybody in there.'
Again, Sam got the impression the mighty voice was laughing.
'With the jawbone of an ass?'
'Did that really happen?'
'In a manner of speaking, certainly.'
Sam held up the Thompson. 'I'll start with this … no telling what I might end up with, though.'
'Live a good, strong, healthy, productive life, offspring of Sam Balon. And when your time on earth is over, I will personally welcome you home.'
'My time on earth could very well be short.'
'That is entirely possible.'
'Tell me something.'
'If it is permitted.'
'Am I really speaking with you? Are you Michael? And will I remember any of this—if I get out alive, that is?'
'You ask probing questions, young warrior. Inquiries I am forbidden to answer.'
'I won't ask why.'
'Wise of one so young.'
'Instead I'll ask this: when do I start my mission?'
'You have wards to look after, lives in your care. A flock, if you will. But remember this: sometimes a wolf may disguise itself to enter the flock. And a cabin of evil may sometimes be turned into a fortress of truth. If you desire, you may begin whenever you are ready.' The voice faded away.
'Sam?' Nydia said, watching the young man she loved get to his feet. 'What are you going to do?'
'Start a war,' he said quietly.
The weather had held for the good, and they rested and slept on ground sheets, in sleeping bags. Sam had talked long into the night with Nydia, with her asking all the voice had said.
'There is only one cabin on our land,' she told him. 'That I know of, and I think I would know of any others. That's several miles north of the house. Falcon had it built. It's quite cozy.'
Sam glanced at the sun peeking through the tall timber. 'If we head due west, we should hit the cabin. With any luck,' he added.
'You think that's what the voice was saying?'
'Honey, I just don't know. I've studied his words, over and over. That's the only thing I can think of. As for that bit about a fortress of truth … I don't know.'
'Well … I'm ready anytime you are,' she said.
He grinned at her.
'No way,' she said, verbally tossing cold water on him.
'Ever since we witnessed that … display in the Heavens, Ralph, you've been moody. Out of sorts. What's the matter, honey?'
'You remember I went into town the next morning?'
'Yes.'
'Well, I made some phone calls; I made about a dozen phone calls. Charged them on our credit card.' He grinned ruefully. 'Our phone bill next month should be a real doozie. I called four stargazers in America, one in Canada, the rest overseas and in South America.' He looked at his wife. When he again spoke, his words were soft. 'All that activity we watched: the sky changing colors, the plumes of dirty … smoke—whatever it was; those odd, unexplainable occurrences … everything. Betty, we were the only ones to have witnessed anything unusual that night. The only ones in … this … world!'
'That's impossible,' she protested. 'Ralph, it went on for more than an hour! Somebody, somewhere, has to have seen it.'
He solemnly shook his head. 'No one I spoke with. And I talked with the best people in the business.'
'1 … don't understand, Ralph. We certainly didn't dream what we witnessed. That was a heavenly phenomenon unequalled … well, by anything I've ever seen or read of. I'm sorry the camera malfunctioned and we didn't get it.'
