Lucas laughed. “We’re looking at two million dollars. There’s a piece of paper with a number on it on the bedside table there. I’m sure you would consider the technology a good investment. If you would like to pursue the investment, leave a message at the number on that piece of paper in three days’ time.”
Lucas waited for him to grab the piece of paper. “Put your helmet on. This technology’s really easy to use and I don’t want you to hurt your head.” Lucas walked backwards with the gun still pointing towards Biker Bill. A device sat on a table near the door. “Real easy.” He pushed a button. Biker Bill was gone.
Lucas felt that three days gave them enough time to think about the benefits of the technology. It also gave him time for another activity he wanted to pursue.
Chapter 32
AARON HAD GONE INTO protective mode with Mackenzie. His daily regime involved a bike ride from the city to Mackenzie’s place and joining her on a train ride back to the city. He completed the regime with a bike ride back to the city after he got her home safely. She had finally convinced him that he didn’t need to do it every day; they settled on just every second day. He tried to use the excuse that he needed the exercise. She had laughed at that.
He was on protective duty today.
Aaron looked around the train carriage. Everyone was stained, covered with spots of sin—some with a few, some with many.
Aaron reckoned he had worked it out—well, most of it. There was no connection to God, no relationship with God, because of his sins. He was stained. But he hadn’t quite worked out what he was meant to do about it. The stains needed to be covered and he knew it had something to do with Jesus. The Rev referred to Aaron as a dead man walking. Aaron had laughed and asked how a dead man could walk.
The Rev told him that in the scheme of things man was going to live forever, but sin through Adam brought an end to that. With sin came death, which we were all born into, hence the term dead man walking. We are all born dead, spiritually dead.
“Thinking about something, Aaron?”
Aaron smiled as he turned to Mackenzie. She had her iPad on her lap. He saw behind her that they were passing Roma Street station. “Just pondering things that the Rev has been telling me.”
“Can I help?”
“Just thinking about sin, death, and living forever.”
She smiled. “Take a look at this.”
He leaned over. She tapped an area of her Bible. It said:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“Ponder that, Aaron. Ask God to give you understanding.”
<°)))><
Aaron was still pondering when they pulled into Central Station.
He had an appointment on the other side of the city this morning. He didn’t tell Mackenzie. She would have insisted that he not walk her to work. But there was time. He could do both.
Mackenzie was in good spirits, and keen to cross over where the incident occurred. She said it was time they put it all behind them. She was busy at work and had just completed a number of technology proposals for some clients. Aaron knew her busyness was helping the healing process but it was also making her a bit careless. He knew danger still lurked.
They crossed over the road without incident and headed towards Mackenzie’s work. Aaron was a bit more vigilant today as there were rumours circulating about another vanishing, a biker fellow. Aaron knew that the police would find it hard to get any information. But Aaron was concerned. If Lucas was behind the latest disappearance, his appetite for using the technology had been activated again. He remembered how stoned Lucas was that night he visited Aaron, and he knew drug users could be unpredictable.
What was Lucas up to? Aaron wanted Lucas to make an appearance as they had unfinished business. He had moved from his Morningside flat, and Aaron had been unable to track him down.
Aaron still had a battlefield sixth sense. He could become overly sensitive to the environment he was in. There was short-term parking available on the road across from Mackenzie’s work. A number of parking spaces were available. One space was taken up by a white Ford Taurus. There was a large man sitting in the car. Aaron looked toward the car. The man looked the other way.
“Mackenzie. You know I’m paranoid, but there’s a white car over there that concerns me.” Aaron looked around and noticed a coffee place just behind them. “How about you drop in there and grab a coffee and I’ll go and check out the car.”
Mackenzie looked at the coffee shop. “Okay, but I’m sure it’s nothing. There are lots of white cars in the city . . . okay . . . be careful.”
Aaron walked away from the car, crossed the road and came up behind the vehicle. As he got closer to the vehicle it drove off. He recorded its number plate—if he saw it again in the vicinity he would follow it up with the police. But then again the person may work around here. For some reason Aaron doubted that.
Aaron dropped Mackenzie safely off at work and headed towards his appointment. He jumped on a free City Loop bus to get over the other side of the city. There were a few work messages on his phone. He looked up to ponder a message and watched cars going by. A white Ford Taurus passed and he glanced at its number plate. It was the same car, and it was heading back in the direction of Mackenzie’s work.
Aaron fought with himself. Was he being paranoid? But there was a knowing spirit at work in him. He got off at the next stop.
He kept telling himself that all was okay but he still rushed along the footpath, back towards Mackenzie’s work. He could see the car in the distance working its way through the traffic.
At an intersection, he had to wait for cars to pass and watched the Taurus go over a crest. When the cars had passed, he crossed the road, ignoring the red man, the Don’t Walk symbol. He had to do the same at the next crossing. The roads were busy.
<°)))><
Mackenzie looked at her phone. The battery was dead. She left it on her desk, recharging, while she hand-delivered a proposal to a client just down the street.
She stepped out into the street. It was quiet. The client’s office was in an old renovated building a few blocks away. She crossed the road, heading towards the building, and noticed a white car. Was it the same white car again? Aaron must be getting to her. Now she was feeling paranoid as well.
She knew it was happening. How stupid. It wasn’t paranoia: it was the Spirit prompting. She entered the realm again.
Chapter 33
“HELLO, MACKENZIE.”
Mackenzie's reaction to this transfer was different. She knew what had happened and she was alert to her surroundings. The man had the same build as the one from the shed. “No mask today?” she asked.
She was ignored. “Are you feeling okay, all intact?
“I am. Thank you for your concern.” This was different. She felt God’s strength like never before. “Why are you doing this?”
