"Good.Excellent.Battle stations are scrambling as we speak. We got the Word, lest you dash your foot against a stone, we are to hold you up." Ausar paced back and forth in the stream.
Carlos rubbed his palms down his face. "Tell me we didn't bust a seal, man."
"No," Ausar said, "but Heaven is going to war on your behalf."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Damali said, holding out her hands. "We asked for-"
"Protection," Aset said, cutting Damali off.
"After all they've done to you and the prayer you lobbed, child . . ." Eve shook her head. "I'm suiting up in armor, myself."
"But-"
"The Law of Attraction," Ausar said to Carlos, not letting him finish. "You know what you focus on, you get?"
"Okay, okay, school us fast," Carlos said, glancing nervously at Damali. "We don't want any accidents, like setting off a nuke up here."
"If you have poison down in the deep recesses of your mind-toxic thoughts-and you keep thinking of those, focusing on those, thatis what you'll attract to you," Adam said flatly. "This is why one of the first things the darkside tries to do is co-opt your mind and make you turn your focus toward it and away from the Light. But if you think of good things, seeing people healed, seeing yourself in abundance, seeing yourself victorious, seeing your family safe and well-that is what you attract. This is why you have to focus on the Divine." He shrugged. "It is simple."
"It takes practice, man," Carlos countered, raking his wet hair back with his fingers. "If you grew up like me, you had toxic thoughts implanted in your head from the time you were a baby-parents screaming and yelling, nonsense going on in the neighborhood . . . all sorts of sh-stuff." He looked over at Damali. "If it wasn't for my lady, I'd still have some really bad toxin all up in my head. Regardless,I'm not understanding how battle stations got called?"
"You asked for protection at theHighest level." Ausar folded his arms over his chest. "Your wife wanted everyone on your team safe, people healed, the planet uplifted, anyone being attacked by demonic forces helped . . . believeme, that will take millions of angels working day and night. She called in the warrior squadrons. Her focus was justice and defeating the enemy by asking for love and good things to come to all people. She focused on the Light of victory, not on the Darkness. She called for this with all her heart and soul, in agreement with you, while standing in the river of life, under the tree of life, in the meadow which surpasses all understanding . . . need I go on? We got the Word, and the call was clear. Infantries are deploying as we speak. It may not be visible to the average human, but you were heard."
Carlos let out a long whistle. He and Damali shared a glance.
"Permit me to introduce you to my sons," Adam said proudly."Seth and Abel, your personal bodyguards and energy doubles. We will explain before you return."
Damali lifted her locks up off her neck and glanced at Carlos. "Wow . . ."
"One last request while we're up here," Carlos said, needing a moment to take it all in. "On the way home, can D and I just stop in to see Father Pat?"
Ausar walked over to Carlos, landing a firm, broad hand on his shoulder with a wide smile. The two men stared at each other for a moment, and after a few seconds Carlos felt the elder Neteru's request to open a private channel.
So, how's it feel?
Carlos frowned, not sure what Ausar meant.How's whatfeel?
Ausar pulled him into a hard embrace that almost knocked the wind out of Carlos. He held him back as Eve put her arm over Damali's shoulders and walked off a bit with her, talking to Aset. Adam came in closer with his sons, beaming.
Some things they're supposed to find out the old-fashioned way,Adam said, looking at Ausar, then laughed.
Confusion made Carlos's line of vision scan from one face to another.Going to war ain't no joke in a regular human body, man . . . you brothers need to get out more-because this ain't no laughing-
The Pharaoh's chamber, man?King's Ransom?
Carlos stared at Ausar and blinked twice. With everything that had just happened, last night had been shoved to the furthest region of his mind. "Oh . . . yeah," he said, caught so off guard that he answered verbally. Then, slow shock registered. Surely his elder brothers weren't asking about details regarding his wife-that was so out of order and up here?
"We would never, that's not what we were asking," Adam said, clearly taken aback.
Ausar looked five ways, drawing the huddle of men closer. "I was asking how it felt to know you'vesired? " He released a long, pleased breath as Carlos simply stared at him, shell-shocked. "I remember my New Pharaoh's chamber . . . I couldn't go back to my life, as sadly I had lost it on the treachery of the battlefield. But my Aset carried Heru away from that glorious night. There is no other joy quite so profound."
Adam cuffed his sons' shoulders. "Abel, Seth-this is my legacy. Find good, strong names that can resonate through history. Fruit of your loins will have a role, we are certain."
"I'ma, I'ma . . . you know for sure?" Carlos's voice came out in a rasp.
"Ausar, hold that man up before he passes out," Adam said, laughing. "Why do you think we called for war?"
"But, I'ma, I'ma . . . really, I'ma . . ."