VI

Captain Kirk was frustrated. Just three days after his blinding visit from the angel Melanchthon, Brock confided in him that he had confronted the two guys who had attacked Amy, Destiny, and Dirk. He confessed his temptation to torture and kill. Captain Kirk was tempted to tell Brock about his angelic encounter. However, the only person Melanchthon mentioned him telling was his wife. But the angel didn’t specifically say don’t tell anyone else. So, with Brock’s victory over his greatest temptation, the Pastor’s mouth opened to tell Brock about Melanchthon and the mission. Then he closed it and quickly ran a hand over his long white beard as the Holy Spirit seemed to tell him not yet.

After visiting with Brock, Captain Kirk went to the spot of his encounter with Melanchthon. He looked around and called out. He prayed. For twenty days in a row, regardless of rain, sleet, or snow, he repeated the ritual. Nothing. On the twenty first day he gave up. First thing in the morning he participated in a ritual he had repeated more than a thousand times. After tea and coffee with friends, he went to his favorite rec center to walk two brisk miles around the track. When he had a tenth of a mile left to complete his quota, a man around Kirk’s age came striding up next to him. The pastor was certain he had never seen the guy before.

“Good morning,” the Regis Philbin look alike greeted.

“Good morning,” Kirk repeated.

“Come here often?” the stranger asked.

“Oh, a few times a week in the winter. It’s a nice place to walk and think. A lot of friendly folks here, too. This your first time here?”

“No, I’ve been here quite a bit.”

“I see. You must usually come at a different than me.”

“No, I’ve seen you here before.”

“Huh, I’ll be,” Kirk replied as he frowned and scratched his head. One of the pastor’s gifts was remembering names and faces. Then he remembered his manners and offered his hand to shake. “Forgive me, but I don’t recall crossing paths with you before. My name is Kirk Samson.”

“That’s alright. I’ve seen you, but I’m certain you’ve never seen me. We have met before, though. You can call me Mel.”

Kirk stopped in his tracks on the track and looked intently at the old man. “Melanchthon!”

“In the flesh rather than the spirit,” he chuckled.

“It’s great to see you again, Mel!” Captain Kirk beamed as he now shook the angel’s hand vigorously with both of his. “It’s been three weeks since Brock’s temptation. Or was I misguided? Brock told me about being tempted to do serious harm to a couple of individuals. Was there something else besides that he was going to be tempted with?”

“No, no, that’s the only one,” Melanchthon replied as he eased his hand out of Kirk’s grip. “For now.”

“Brock will have another temptation to kill in the future?”

“Not necessarily,” the angel answered. “But one never knows, especially with his history of violence coupled with this volatile world. As long as he walks in The Spirit, he will be fine. As always, it will be his choice.”

Kirk looked at his shoes as he contemplated his dear friend Brock. A man so close to his heart that he felt like his son. Yes, Brock appeared a menacing figure with his large, muscular body and scars. And he knew from Brock’s own mouth that he had not only a violent, but murderous history. Yet Kirk knew in his heart that Brock’s conversion was genuine. Why would Melanchthon, a holy angel, request that Brock be put into the way of temptation by coming out of retirement as a bodyguard?

“Protecting Seven is a secondary role for Brock in this mission,” Melanchthon declared as if he had read Kirk’s mind. “His primary role will be to lead Seven to the Savior of the world. Yet as you are well aware, Jesus forces Himself on no one. He stands at the door of the heart and mind and knocks.”

“Revelation 3:20,” Kirk added with childlike enthusiasm.

Melanchthon smiled. “Correct. So although The Prince of Peace doesn’t force Himself on anyone, He doesn’t give up either. At one time Seven almost gave his heart fully to the Lord. But then with the fallout in his marriage and disillusionment with his church, he stepped onto the road to perdition. Yet during his journey, he has looked back with longing. But then the arch enemy placed in his sight the false doctrines and dogmas accepted and taught by most churches, including the two he had been involved with during his lifetime. He then turned back to his nihilistic and agnostic views. Brock’s ministrations will most likely be his last chance to see, experience, and accept the real truth. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir, Mel.”

“Yesterday Six Sallie and Benito Bonnano petitioned Brock’s help with Seven’s death threat situation. Brock agreed to help, but down right refused to be involved firsthand. I need you to change Brock’s mind.”

“I know Benito Bonnano is Bentley’s twin brother,” Kirk said. “Can I assume that Six Sallie is Seven’s brother?”

“Yes, twin brother.”

“I’ll be, twin brothers from the twin cities.”

“Yes, however, Six could be a dangerous setback. He is a skeptic and a poisonous influence on his brother. Seven would be too proud to admit this if he was aware of it. He views himself a superior intellect to his brother. But Six is more worldly wise than Seven and a shrewd businessman. He tends to be quiet like Brock used to be. His influence is injected subtlety, but unknowingly. Yet his own heart is ripe for conversion as well as his brother’s. The change he has seen in Brock’s life has broken down some barriers. If Seven surrenders to God and is converted, it just might tear down the rest of them. Do you follow me?”

“Yes sir,” Captain Kirk replied. “What would you have me do next?”

“When you finish here, go to Brock and tell him it is desired of him to help Seven firsthand.”

“Can I tell him and his wife about my two encounters with you?”

“You may. But have them keep it to themselves. Seven is the subject of this mission, not little ole me. Christ needs to be the ultimate focus, not his messenger.”

“Yes sir, Mel sir.”

Melanchthon grinned. He knew this old soldier would be perfect for this mission. “Would you lead us in a quick prayer, Kirk?”

“Me, shouldn’t you, sir?”

“I am here as your servant, not your superior. That’s why I told you before to just call me Mel rather than sir or even by my full name.”

“Yes sir. I mean Mel sir. Mel.”

Melanchthon laughed, and for the first time Kirk felt completely comfortable in the angel’s presence.

“Sorry, Mel. I’m just in awe being in the presence of an angel. I’m humbled to be found worthy of a heaven sent mission.”

“I’m in awe in your presence,” Melanchthon declared. “You have always been a faithful shepherd of your flock, both here and in Vietnam.”

The smile left Kirk’s face as he recalled his first few years back from the war and his major struggle of faith. Mel surprised him by taking one of his hand in his and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

“I know you went through a valley of darkness in the 1970’s. But just as in that lovely, beautiful poem Footprints: When it felt like there was only one pair in the walk of life. It was then that your Savior Jesus Christ carried you.”

“Amen, and thank you Mel,” Kirk said quietly as tears sprang from his eyes. Mel nodded as he smiled warmly.

“Let’s have a quick prayer before I go then,” Mel said as he slipped his hand out of Kirk’s hand and clasped his hands together in front of him, bowing his head. Kirk mimicked his actions.

“Father in heaven,” Kirk began as he closed his eyes. “Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. That though we walk through the valley of death, we have nothing to fear. Please give me strength and wisdom for the mission ahead and be with those involved. Please help me to live up to the calling, and thank you for Mel’s encouragement. Amen.”

“Amen,” Kirk heard the reply, but it wasn’t Mel!

It sounded like Wally Schwartz. Kirk opened his eyes. It was indeed Wally Schwartz, one of his tea and coffee buddies. Kirk’s head swiveled all around his neck, but Mel was nowhere to be seen.

“Who’s Mel?” Wally asked, as his big, furry eyebrows knitted together in a frown. He scratched his bald head.

“Oh, ha ha. Just a friend of mine,” Kirk told his pal.

“I don’t believe I know any Mel’s,” he continued as he patted at his puffy gray fringe of hair. “He from around here?”

“Yes and no,” Kirk replied as he patted Wally a couple of times on the shoulder. “Listen, old buddy, I’ve gotta run.”

Destiny Knight Storm looked out her kitchen window when she heard the rumble of a truck. She saw Captain Kirk’s old 1956 Dodge Power Wagon. She watched him get out of the light green truck and hurry into Brock’s shop. The bread she had baking had almost five minutes left to bake. After she took it out of the oven, she would go say hello to him. But a minute later, her husband and their pastor came into the kitchen.

“Dee, Cap here has something important he needs to talk to us about,” Brock said.

“Okay,” she replied as she smiled at Captain Kirk. She didn’t like how Brock had begun to call him Cap or Cappy lately. She felt like it didn’t show him due respect, even though the Captain didn’t seem to mind. “How are you, Pastor?”

“Fine, Dee, thank you.”

Destiny frowned. Was he fine? He seemed troubled about something. His eyes looked frantic and he seemed to be short of breath.

“Let’s have a seat at the table,” Brock suggested.

“Can I get you anything, Pastor?” Destiny asked. “Tea, juice, a blueberry muffin?”

“No thank you, Dee. I’d rather we just get to the business at hand.”

“Okay,” Destiny replied as her pulse quickened. What had Captain Kirk so worked up? She sat with the two men and listened eagerly to what the Pastor had to tell them as she nervously stroked her long honey blonde braid.

“Well,” Kirk said and then hesitated as he looked back and forth between Destiny and Brock. “I… Oh boy.”

The pastor put his face in his hands. Destiny and Brock looked at each other with concern.

“Cap, what is it?” Brock asked as he put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Captain Kirk’s head popped up quick, like a jack in the box. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s just…”

Brock and Destiny leaned in as he paused, anticipating what had their pastor so discombobulated. Suddenly he bellowed laughter and the couple sat back in surprise.

“Sir, are you sure you’re okay?” Destiny asked.

“Yes, dear one, it’s just,” he laughed and shook his head. “You might think I’m crazy.”

“We’re kind of already there, Captain,” Brock said lightheartedly as he patted the top of his hand.

Captain Kirk chuckled sheepishly. “I guess I better just cut to the chase then. I’ve been instructed from on high that you need to personally bodyguard your cousin, one Seven Sallie.”

“Honey, did you tell the pastor about our visitors yesterday?” Brock asked his wife with a puzzled frown.

“No, Sweetie, I wouldn’t do something like that without letting you know.”

“Did Amy or Dirk tell you, Cappy?”

“No, no, this is where you need to trust me,” Captain Kirk said with a nervous chuckle. Then he spread his hands wide, looked at the table for a few seconds as he pursed his lips and frowned. Then he just blurted it. “I had an encounter with an angel.”

Destiny and Brock looked at each other with stunned expressions. Then they looked back at their pastor and asked in unison. “Really?”

Captain Kirk proceeded to tell them about his two encounters with Melanchthon. Beginning with what he thought was a flash of lightning on a clear day, and ended with his encounter praying with the old man at the rec center.

“I wondered why you haven’t been wearing your glasses,” Brock said.

“I’ve gotta call Amy and Dirk!” Destiny said excitedly. “I’ve gotta call Aunt Belle and Mary Gold Weston!”

“Hold on, Dee,” Captain Kirk said, grabbing her hand as she rose from her chair. “Mel told me we should keep it to ourselves.”

“Oh, okay,” she replied solemnly as she sat back down.

“Mel?” Brock asked with a frown.

“The angel Melanchthon told me I could call him Mel.”

“Oh,” Brock replied with a puzzled look on his face. “I see.”

“You believe me don’t you?” Captain Kirk asked with a concerned expression.

“Of course I do, sir,” Brock replied emphatically. “It’s just not every day someone tells you about an angelic encounter they’ve had.  Let me rephrase that. I’ve never heard of anyone in present time having an angelic encounter. Let alone someone I know and trust. It’s a little hard to wrap the mind around.”

The trio sat silent for a minute, slowly looking at one another. Then Captain Kirk slowly got to his feet. “Well, I’ve done my duty so far in letting you know about the mission. I’ll go and let you have time to think about how you want to respond to this.”

“Sir!” Brock barked as he shot to his feet. “I’m in. I’ll do whatever you tell me.”

“Son, take your time. This isn’t a small thing.”

“No sir, it’s not,” Brock said as a tear rolled from an eye and down his cheek. “I’ve been a vile sinner, sir. It is a great honor to not only be forgiven and accepted, but requested to be a part of a God sent mission.”

“Okay, son.”

“Dee, I have to do this,” Brock said as he turned to his wife. “I need to go to Minnesota.”

Destiny smiled and nodded as tears streamed down both of her checks as well. “I’m going with you.”