“I saw the looks on their faces,” Sarge said. “They heard something, and it wasn’t good.”

What did all this mean? How could millions and millions appear before the throne of God, as Sheila had told him? Wiley could understand every record of every person existing in a complex data storage facility. Man had the technology to do that now, and the technology on Adventus would be much more advanced. And the wonders of the mind were beyond comprehension.

We have probably already appeared before the throne of God.

Was that the brief intrusion into their minds? Had they already been judged? He hoped not … but suspected they had. A separation had occurred.

46 - God or aliens

Jack stood and walked over to the narrow shelving and the thousands of cubes. On close inspection, each cube reminded him of a miniature electrical storm. Sparks of lightning and electric charges shooting along channels he couldn’t see. The information stored in these little cubes was beyond comprehension.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“It is, Cath.” He looked back at their chairs. “Do you know where we’re going with this?”

“Timeline detectives, I think”

“And what does that mean?”

“I don’t know. It was a joke.”

“Jack, Cath, we want to show you something to help you understand the importance of a particular habit.”

They went back to their chairs, placed the devices in their ears and were greeted with a screeching noise. An image appeared. Wiley appeared, next to the man Jack knew as placard man.

“You’re a bit of a goose,” Wiley said, his nose inches away from the placard. He scratched the text with his fingernails.

“Why’s that?” Placard man took a step back, pulling the placard out of Wiley’s reach.

“What do we need to repent from?”

“Your sins.”

Wiley laughed and pushed placard man. He lost his balance and tumbled into a garden bed. Wiley got disgusted looks from two passers-by who stopped to help placard man up.

Placard man stood, removed the placard. “I will be fine now. Thank you all for your assistance. God bless you all.”

He looked at Wiley. “You still here?” Placard man dusted debris off his trousers. “Cowards like you normally rush off.”

“At least I’m not an idiot walking the streets with a large billboard advertising my stupidity.”

The man smiled. “I will pray for you.”

Wiley gave the man a strange look and walked off.

Leo used his finger to fast-forward the scene. His finger stopped and a dull grey door appeared.

A hand turned the door handle and placard man walked into a small room. His eyes scanned the room. The bed was neatly made, and a Bible rested on a small bedside table next to a wooden crucifix. He placed the placards against the wall and looked at the photos displayed on a small floating shelf.

Jack felt his own heart stirring.

Placard man knelt beside his bed.

“Heavenly Father ——.”

Leo froze the scene and gave Ollie a nod.

Ollie stood up and walked over to the image of placard man kneeling beside his bed. “He’s praying for Wiley. And did every day until he was taken up. That’s why God continued to pursue Wiley.”

* * *

Wiley had been connected once. He’d had a soulmate, but that connection was long gone. His dad shared his experience of being born again and connecting to God, that he’d always known something was missing and that God was the missing link. That we were born to be connected to our creator. Wiley stared at his friends, his unconnected friends.

Bruce stood up and walked toward the balcony overlooking the ocean. The outline of a pistol could be seen through the back of his polo shirt, tucked into his shorts. It will be a challenge to get that pistol.

Wiley looked beyond Bruce, out towards the ocean. He could just make out a large naval vessel in the distance. He hoped it was one of theirs, because he didn’t have a good feeling about the future. Beyond the ship, dark clouds were forming on the horizon. A storm was brewing.

Bruce turned. “So our bigoted friends were right about God.”

Sarge sat down on the outdoor sofa. He seemed to be coming back to his right mind. “I don’t think God has been fair. So many different faiths out there, and our Christians friends claiming their God is the right one, the only one.”

“Why are we assuming those who have vanished are Christians?” Bruce asked. “I know I’m making that assumption, but I’m not sure why.”

“I think the proof is in the pudding,” Wiley said. “They’re gone. Christians, that is. My dad was a believer; a close friend was a believer. They’re both gone. I guess other religions will step up and say it’s not only Christians who have gone. But my question would be: What are they still doing here? The Christians have gone, at least those who said they were born again. You know, Sarge, the green ones. Not the flaky ones who said they were Christians.”

“The amber ones. Pity we were never able to test our theory,” Sarge said.

“You could. Go out there, put on your aura glasses, and see if there are any green people wandering around,” Wiley said.

“Does that mean you’ve changed your mind about the alien theory?” Bruce asked Sarge.

“Yes and no. We’re dealing with something from outer space,” Sarge said. “I may need to fine-tune my idea about green aliens.”

“Why’s that? We haven’t seen any lifeforms appear yet. They still could be green.”

“True, but I can’t imagine little green men in that spaceship. I sense power, real power.”

Wiley found a sofa chair and positioned a cushion behind his back. He looked over at Sarge and Bruce. “I’ve come to see we’re as bigoted as the Christians were. We didn’t like their strong unreasonable beliefs and opinions, and they didn’t like our strong unreasonable beliefs and opinions. At the end of the day, it all came down to what God believes. Many turned their back on God because of their own bigoted beliefs—I think pride was a huge stumbling block. We like doing things our way. We struggle being told what to do. To be obedient. To come off our own thrones.”

“That’s deep, Wiley. You been hanging around Christians too much?” Sarge said.

“I have, but it didn’t make much difference because I’m still here. As you can see.”

Sarge moved around on the sofa, trying to get comfortable. “Why Jesus? Why Christians?”

“That question was the reason I joined the society. The arrogance and intolerance of those in claiming Jesus is the only way to God.” Bruce shook his fist. “I can feel the anger building just thinking about them.”

“I asked the same question, and their arrogance towards others also led me to the society,” Wiley said. “But I’ve been trying to understand lately, as I was surrounded by those who truly believe the Lord is the only way.”