The cyclist looked at the Rev. “Look, I’m sorry. But I need to go.” The cyclist moved his body on to the bike.
They watched as he rode off.
Mackenzie tucked her arm in Aaron’s. He looked down at her. She gave a sigh. “Aaron, it’s all a bit close to home, this. I couldn’t help thinking of the minister and what he wanted to achieve with his technology. He wanted to stop people from breaking laws. You know, he may have been on to something. See how inconvenienced, put out, that person was starting to feel.”
They looked at the Rev. He was fine.
“Laws are there to protect us. But most people are a law unto themselves. The Lord knew this would happen. God’s law is written on their hearts. They choose not to obey them unless it suits them,” the Rev said.
Aaron watched Mackenzie nod in agreement.
<°)))><
Aaron and Mackenzie walked down to the Botanic Gardens. They sat at the river’s edge and stared at some of the moored boats. An expensive-looking yacht sat in the water. Aaron thought of the cost. Maybe it was a gift from someone. He thought of the gift the Rev spoke about.
“How do I get this gift, Kenz . . . the one the Rev spoke about?”
“It’s all about Jesus, Aaron. It’s about what he did on the cross and you seeking forgiveness and believing in him. This all comes from the heart. God will soften your heart and give you understanding—you just need to ask him. God sees your heart, Aaron. He knows if it is genuine or not.”
Aaron watched as she grabbed a piece of paper and pen from her bag and then looked up at him. “Why am I doing this? We have technology. Open up the notes app on your smartphone, Aaron.”
Aaron did as Mackenzie suggested.
“Type in Romans 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10. Remember, the first number is chapter, followed by the verse. Study those verses and we can discuss them next time we meet.”
“I have to meet Mum soon. Let’s go, we pass your place on the way there, I can drop you off.”
They reached the M on Mary. Mackenzie gave Aaron a hug and told him that she loved him. “You can also download a Bible app for your phone.” She gave him a wink and off she went.
Aaron smiled and watched her walking off. She was safe now. The technology was locked up in some super-secure Defence establishment. What would Defence do with the technology? Aaron was sure that modern warfare would make use of the technology. He was also sure that some world powers were hovering.
He watched Mackenzie crossing the road. Saw some more jaywalkers. What was that minister’s goal? To stop people breaking laws? Most people were a law unto themselves. They do things their own way and follow their own ideas about how to live, instead of following laws or customs. What can we do? The minister had a plan—it just wasn’t well thought-out. It was clouded by things, emotions, feelings. He wondered about the other person, the Professor. What were his intentions?
Chapter 36
ABOUT AN HOUR SOUTH of Brisbane city, a coastline of golden beaches stretches for fifty-seven kilometres. The coastline was given a name by real estate investors: they called it the Gold Coast. Aaron and Mackenzie were heading there for a day trip.
Aaron wanted to stop off at Eight Mile Plains on the way, to share some things with Mackenzie and pay his respects.
He hadn’t noticed the sculptured lions at the entrance to the car park before. Last time, he’d had a different mindset. Now he told the lions to lift their game in guarding this car park.
They got out of the car. Aaron put his arm over Mackenzie’s shoulder.
Aaron pointed “That’s where my dad’s body was found.”
Mackenzie squeezed his arm.
Aaron looked over towards the bush where the track went. He wasn’t going to tell Mackenzie about the animals. There was still some scaffolding up around the building, but most of the fire damage had been repaired. They headed down to the building’s main entrance where a cross and some fresh flowers sat. Aaron took an envelope out of his pocket.
“What’s that, Aaron?”
Looking at the envelope, Aaron turned to Mackenzie, “Around the time of Dad’s death, there was a fire here, Kenz. Two young men lost their lives. I encountered a grieving couple when I first came here. They believed the fire wasn’t an accident, and it turned out they were right. I told them that I would do what I could to help. I’ve written a letter to tell them that new information has come to light—the suggestion of an explosive device and the suspect being hunted down.” Aaron placed the envelope under the flowers.
“They may already know, but I wanted to make sure. I also wanted to thank the man, because he trusted me with information that helped track Lucas down.”
They walked back to the car. “I spoke to the Rev yesterday,” Mackenzie said. “He told me that after Lucas and Tag were ‘brought out of hibernation’—as the secular experts put it—he has been busy but hoped the government media campaign to curb the panic will work. The government wants people to know that the deceased cannot be brought back from the dead. The experts stressed that the hibernation was caused by the technology, and that these people didn’t die, so they weren’t brought back to life. People can’t be brought back from the dead, they say.”
They stopped at the car, Aaron looked back. “I suppose the Rev would be happy with that. It takes the pressure off him. People don’t want loved ones to die. God has a plan though, doesn’t he, Kenz?”
“He does, Aaron, and we just need to make sure we’re part of it.”
They drove out of the car park and headed towards the motorway.
<°)))><
Windsor sat on his bunk. It was good of the Reverend to visit him.
He had a lot of time to think in here.
The Prison Ministry had asked Windsor to speak at a Bible study class recently.
“Evil lives in all of us,” he told them. “It’s waiting to strike. Stress and emotions lift the boom gate, and evil sprints through. It’s what happens to those affected by drink and drugs—the boom gate gets lifted, and those pesky things get in there and run amok.”
“What are the pesky things?” someone asked.
“Demons.” Windsor told him. “Demons . . . those pesky things are demons. They do a lot of damage.” And he wondered what the statistics were in relation to crimes being committed while under demonic influence. “I’ve met a lot of people in here who have told me they were not in their right mind when they committed their crimes, and they believe they were influenced by something.”
A few of the men had nodded in agreement.
