The Search for Issac

Author

CHAPTER ONE

The flight of startled mourning doves broke the calm and peace of the valley as Ariana stepped out from the shadows of the forest into the clearing near a two-story home. This was her sanctuary, and was aptly nicknamed the cabin due to its remote location. The cabin was almost picture perfect; the two-story wood-frame house had a wraparound porch, and sat in a remote valley meadow surrounded by forested foothills. Her closest neighbor was over the ridge of the hill, about a half mile up the gravel road, giving her sanctuary almost complete privacy. Daylight arrived, but it was still early morning. Ari noticed how the clouds and mist obscured the sun and the mountains. The fog and mist flowed down the side of the forested hills like an ethereal white liquid pouring into the valley. The sound of harried footsteps breaking the stalks of meadow grass continued to disrupt the tranquil serenity. Ari barely noticed the familiar, bucolic beauty around her. The lingering scent of green grass and wildflowers, mixed with the heady scent of a distant fireplace and the faint odors of coffee and bacon would normally make Ari pause to enjoy the relaxing countryside, but she was almost frantic in her pace across the meadow.

Ari strode quickly toward the cabin. Appearing immediately behind her was her good friend and trusted associate, Jim, and an older man with short red hair named Jesse. Jesse held an injured and bleeding man in his arms. He attempted to hide his apprehension as he tried to reassure his charge, Josh. Despite his training, Jesse’s hazel eyes betrayed the desperation of the situation. Josh, we’re here. Just hang in there, Jesse’s voice quavered with adrenaline as he walked quickly through the meadow toward the cabin.

Ari burst through the door, startling the others who had just sat down for breakfast. She strode past them and quickly cleared the kitchen island. Put Josh here, you can more easily work on him, she told Jesse. The young man groaned in pain as Jesse gingerly laid him on the counter. Grabbing a pair of kitchen shears, Jesse cut Josh’s T-shirt off. They now could clearly see the hilt of a hand blade protruding from the center of Josh’s chest.

Christina bolted from her breakfast and rushed to a back room behind the stairway, and came out with a small chest. She opened it and pulled out packages of pressure bandages and a packet of IV tubes and a needle. Christina forced back tears, focusing on her task as she skillfully prepped the back of his hand and inserted the needle. Once it was inserted, she released it from the cannula, leaving the flexible tube in place in his hand. Jim gave her a bag of saline IV solution, and Christina administered the solution into Josh’s hand. Jim held the bag up, assisting Christina while she continued to prep Josh.

As Christina worked on the IV drip, Jesse quickly scanned the wound before he attempted to remove the blade from Josh’s chest. Ari ripped a package containing a bandage and placed it on another wound at Josh’s abdomen. Pressing the bandage down with one hand, Ari stood on the other side of the counter from Jesse, holding Josh’s hand. Holding back tears, Ari kept eye contact with him, smiling at his green eyes, trying to dispel any fear he had. She combed his long, sandy-brown hair out of his eyes. Josh’s youthful face bore witness to the pain and fear he was experiencing. Ari spoke boldly to him, Josh. We’re with you. Don’t you dare leave us! ‘I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.’ God tells us over and over not to fear. He will never forsake us or leave us. Josh nodded; the furrows in his forehead went away.

At that moment, Jesse attempted to pull the blade out the same way it had entered, causing Josh to cry out in pain. Ari helped hold Josh down as she looked at Jesse. Jesse’s face showed deep distress and frustration when he was unsuccessful in removing the blade. The retractable barbs along the edges of the weapon expanded out with the reverse motion of the blade, as they had been designed to, making it nearly impossible to remove without causing further trauma to the wound. In this case, the barbs caught onto his ribs like a grappling hook, holding fast inside his chest cavity. Everyone at the counter knew that, unless the blade could be removed, Josh’s body would be unable to heal and he would quickly bleed to death.

Ari watched Josh struggle to survive. She knew he, along with everyone else in the room, had been imparted with the extraordinary gift from God to heal quickly from what could be considered a fatal injury, provided the object could be removed immediately. Ari focused on Josh’s face and began to pray over him, Psalms 107 says, ‘He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave.’ Lord I ask Your healing hand to be upon Josh. You are our Jehovah Rapha, God our Healer. He was crushed for our iniquities, and by His wounds, we are healed.

Jesse spoke to Josh, This might hurt a bit. Hang on … Saying that, Jesse pulled at the hilt hard, and the blade finally came out. Josh screamed, gripping Ari’s hand tightly. Ari looked at the mangled remains of the blade. Several of the barbs were missing or bent backward. Josh now had a gaping wound in the middle of his chest. Before their eyes, the wound began to close and heal. Jesse quickly removed any visible barbs from the wound before packing it with a pressure bandage.

The injured Outrider began to shiver and lose consciousness. Christina ran to the living room, grabbed a couple of accent pillows off the sofa, and placed them under his legs. Jesse gently slapped Josh’s ashen face, Josh, stay with us. Don’t go to sleep! Despite their efforts, Josh stopped breathing, and his grip on Ari’s hand slackened. The group stood in silent disbelief over his body; one of their own just died.

In anguish, Jesse kicked the island’s cabinet with his foot and slammed his fists onto the woodblock countertop. The blade was up against his spinal column. I couldn’t push it through, he said. Pushing the blade through his back would have kept the barbs retracted, allowing Josh a greater chance of surviving his injury. As a physician, Jesse never liked to see one of his patients die. Ari still held onto Josh’s hand. She felt his warmth ebbing away. Her grasp tightened, hoping the warmth of her hand would bring him back to life.

The group stood around the breakfast table, wondering what just happened. A dark-haired, athletic Outrider named Mike spoke up, What happened? Where are the rest?

No one else survived, Ari said simply, closing Josh’s eyes. We’re it. Several of the Outriders voiced disbelief at the same time, asking a myriad of questions. Looking at the group, she held back tears, trying to portray the stoic leader the group needed. Over the past few years, with all of the deaths and disappearances within the ranks of The Old Guard, Ari had unexpectedly emerged as the most experienced of those who were still alive. They now looked to her for leadership, something she never wanted. She had no choice but to fill the daunting task, at least until someone more qualified stepped up. Ari knew they they needed her to have a clear head now.

Holding her hand up to quiet everyone, Ari addressed the group, Sussex House was ambushed by The Tempest shortly before we arrived. Josh was the only one we found still breathing. Everyone else perished. From what I could tell, some were … Ari paused, searching for the word.

Tortured … added Jim.

Ari quickly corrected him "… interrogated before they were killed. Our location here has probably been compromised, and we are no longer safe here. You all will need to split up and leave before dark today. Be armed for at least the next few weeks." She deliberately didn’t give them any more of the grisly details. That wouldn’t help them anyway, she thought.

Why don’t we just stay together and fight them? We’ll be more vulnerable if we’re alone, countered Dave.

Sussex House had four more Outriders than we have, Jim explained, and that didn’t seem to make any difference in their outcome. The attack was well-planned and methodically executed.

Ari continued, Staying together is no longer an option. My primary concern right now is to keep as many of you alive as possible, for as long as possible. She paused again. She was used to solving issues on the fly, but this time Ari questioned herself and whether her plans still aligned with what the Holy Spirit was telling her. Lord, I can’t believe I’m breaking up The Old Guard … there has to be another way … Obviously you can stay with your spouses, but you can’t let anyone else in this group know where you will be located. Certainly don’t check in with The Organization. After you depart, do not communicate with anyone in the group for the same reason.

What reason is that? Mike asked.

If any of us are interrogated like the others at Sussex, you could inadvertently give away their location, compromising their safety, Jim explained for Ari, now that he knew what direction Ari was going with the discussion.

Ari added, And that goes for family members and friends, too. Remember, your visiting them or staying with them can possibly put them in harm’s way, particularly if they aren’t discreet with information about your whereabouts. We need to remain as invisible to the world as possible, at least for now.

Given our current situation, we need to split up and vacate the cabin today. Looks of concern came from around the table as she continued. She looked at Conrad, You will need to leave, too, and go with Dave and Christina. She kept eye contact with the group, and in a firm and serious tone said, This isn’t easy for me to ask you, so bear with me. All of you will need to forget about going anywhere The Organization may know you could be. You need to find somewhere on this earth to hide, stay low, blend in with the people, and assume normal, everyday lives. As of today, you need to forget you were ever considered an Old Guard, and more importantly, you need to forget yourself as an Outrider.

Ari paused to let everyone absorb her words. Her friends began to voice their disbelief. Ignoring their questions for now, she took another deep breath, still looking everyone in the eye. She sought God, and the inner strength He gave her, to be able to continue. Jim gave her a small smile from across the table, reassuring her. The Old Guard as we know it can no longer exist, she reluctantly said.

Voices of disbelief and confusion climaxed from the group. Ari paused, partly to allow the group to vent, but mostly to allow her to force her emotions deeper from the surface.

What do you mean we can no longer exist? Brad asked Ari.

Without Isaac, The Old Guard can’t survive. We need his leadership, Ari explained.

Ari, a moment ago when you said ‘you all’—you meant all of us, right? a visibly shaken Christina asked. Christina was one of the youngest of the group, and Ari loved how she always thought of others before herself. "When you said ‘you all need to leave,’ you meant yourself, too? I mean, you’re going to leave the cabin, too, right?"

Eventually, but I can’t, at least not right now. Sam is too unstable to travel. I need to stay with him until he’s well enough to be moved, responded Ari. She recalled how she and Jim had rescued him from The Organization’s security cells a few days earlier. The Tempest had locked Sam up for months; his punishment for helping The Old Guard. He had been interrogated repeatedly in an attempt to determine their whereabouts.

Jim shook his head, You can’t stay alone. You won’t make it without help.

I can’t risk anyone else’s life, and I’m not going to allow anyone else to stay, Ari’s level of frustration was beginning to show. She took another deep breath and continued almost apologetically, I can’t abandon Sam. He’s the only father I’ve known since I was a kid. He’s my responsibility for right now. Ari managed to force a small smile. Don’t worry–I should be able to leave in another day or so. We’ll be fine. Ari knew that probably wasn’t going to be the case, but didn’t want the group to worry. Looking around at their faces, she tried to smile again. "Don’t forget, whatever happens, and wherever you are, stay true to Jesus and to your heart. Keep your heart guarded. As long as one of you remains alive, The Old Guard will survive. Perhaps in the near future The Old Guard can be resurrected, but right now the season for us has passed."

The stubborn resolve Ari had in her eyes made Jim speak up, You’re not staying here alone.

I’m not alone, Ari repeated, I’m with Sam and a multitude of angels. We’ll be fine. She walked away from the group and stepped outside.

Ari, this is insane. Let me stay with you, Jim argued as he followed her.

Ari shook her head, No, I’m not going to allow any of you to remain here, least of all you, Jim.

Why not? What do you think you’ll accomplish by getting yourself killed? he argued.

I don’t plan on getting killed. I plan on taking out as many of these bastards as I can, Ari answered as she turned away from him. She continued down a path through the meadow towards a creek.

Jim grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. Exacting revenge for your dead friends isn’t very Christ-like, Ari.

Neither is getting pleasure watching your subjects get eviscerated and tortured, Ari snapped back, as she broke his grip and stormed away. This is personal now.

Personal like when Silas killed John? Jim’s question stopped Ari in her tracks.

That’s a low blow, even for you, Jim, Ari said as she glared at him.

Is it? Ever since his death, your attitude about The Tempest and Silas has changed. You used to want to see The Old Guard and The Tempest reconciled back into one Organization. But since John’s death, you have put up a wall and shut down.

In a rare moment of emotion, Ari’s frustration boiled over. "What do you expect? Look around you, Jim. Our lives are hanging by a thread. Everything we stood for and believed in has vaporized over the past few years to this. We’re like cockroaches in the shadows, hoping not to be found and squashed out of existence. We’re supposed to be warriors, Jim, not vermin. What kind of Christ-like attribute would you consider all this?"

Ari, all I’m saying is you don’t have to always do things alone.

Yeah, right. And you just saw the results of the strength of remaining together, Ari cut back sarcastically. She reached the creek bed and scrambled up onto a large boulder. The frustrated outrider crouched on top of the large rock and held her knees against her chest. Her posture made it apparent to Jim that she has done this before; Ari buried her head between her arms. The sound of water trickling between the rocks and stones muffled her prayers.

Before John died, he made me promise if something happened to him, I would keep an eye on you and make sure you stayed out of trouble, said Jim. You’re making me break my promise to my best friend.

Ari laughed under her breath. He made me promise the same thing about you. She rested her chin on her knees as her eyes momentarily betrayed emotions for her late husband. But then her steely gaze came back. But that’s not going to change my position on this. You’re going to leave like everyone else, Mr. Sommers. Is that understood? Jim did not respond, so Ari jumped off the boulder and faced her friend as she pursed her lips. Mr. Sommers, don’t make me pull rank on you. You will vacate this cabin by evening, understood?

Jim nodded, "I understand, but then you’re coming with. I’m not leaving you or anyone else behind. And I certainly will not abandon my best friend’s wife. Jesus said, ‘For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am with them.’ If you aren’t going to leave the cabin with the rest of us, then I’m staying with you, and we make a stand here together. Period." Jim grasped Ari’s wrist firmly and held it up between them. He stared at her, his gaze unrelenting in breaking her resolve. Jim felt Ari resist his grasp and attempt to pull her arm away, but he held her arm resolutely. After a few moments, her arm and her eyes finally conceded, and Ari gave a single nod.

CHAPTER TWO

After helping Christina clean up the kitchen, Ari went upstairs to shower. Entering her bedroom, she closed the door and craned her neck, then rubbed her right shoulder. She bent over the bathroom sink and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red and tired, sunken with dark circles; a common sight since the death of her husband. Her dark-brown eyes seemed to have lost something; she felt numb. Still looking in the mirror, Ari saw her clothes and face had smears and spatters of dried blood.

Her mind was suddenly flooded with the recent scene of her dead friends. Ari closed her eyes and tried hard to suppress her thoughts. She stepped into the shower and held her clenched fists against the tile. Crying uncontrollably in the privacy of her shower, she was letting her pent-up emotions out. Ari held herself in her arms. Her flow of tears were indistinguishable to the water that washed them away. Slowly, the terrible memories were forced to the back of her mind as she finally cleaned herself up.

As she dried off, her focus came back to the present as she looked at herself in the mirror. Streaks of silver in her long bangs and on one side of her head contrasted sharply to the rest of her short, dark-brown hair. Her hair looked like she had frosted it, but the silver had come in naturally over the years. Ari dressed herself in faded jeans and a dark-red, fitted, short-sleeved T-shirt. She stepped into a pair of black ankle-high leather boots with three-inch heels, giving her fashion, while allowing her to be agile enough to run and maneuver with ease. Working on the strap of a leg holster, she tightened it just enough so the strap wouldn’t rub with any movement like walking or running. With decades of practice, Ari didn’t even have to look at her hands as she skillfully handled one of two hand blades as it slid into the holster. The second blade was handled as skillfully as the first, as it also slid effortlessly into the holster, and then they were secured into place.

Not too long ago, she didn’t even have to be armed in her own safe house, but things had become too dangerous. Since The Old Guard splintered from their former associates within The Organization who call themselves The Tempest, they have been hunted down. In the past, they had all worked together, and all the Outriders reported to The Organization. They have existed since Old Testament times, formed to help protect God’s people from enemies