Chapter No. 25. Revelation

The Steris family decided to attend church together. They arrived at St. Peter and Paul's for the ten o'clock mass. No one paid much attention to them, but on the way out after mass they ran into Fathers' Johns and Albert.

"We've had many people requesting another healing evening," Father Johns said, his face twisted with concern.

Robert offered him a subtle smile. "We would be happy to do that, Father, but we're now acting as a team."

Father paused for a moment before reacting. "What do you mean?"

"All three of us have powers. James discovered it and now we realize that we were born with these powers all along."

Father pointed. "You're the family in those photos posted by NASA."

Robert looked around to see if anyone was listening, but most of the congregation had departed. "Yes, but we would rather remain incognito."

"Yes, I understand. I'll schedule a healing session for Wednesday evening around seven."

"We'll be there," Robert replied.

After they left, Father Albert turned to his pastor. "Something is going on here that we don't fully understand. If they are the people in those NASA photos, they're truly powerful."

Father Johns knew he was right but was incapable of reconciling it with his religious beliefs.

On the way home, Janet glanced briefly at her husband. "I'm not sure why people don't realize who we are like Father Johns did."

"Maybe that's what God wanted," Robert said.

"If we were destined to be what we are, why did it take this long for us to realize it?"

Robert shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it had to wait until we had suffered through difficult times before we would understand the significance of this situation."

"It seems to me that this was not about an Armageddon."

"I think you're right. It's all about the experiment."

They didn't say much the rest of the trip home. Nothing happened up to the Wednesday evening healing session. When the Steris family arrived at the church, they were greeted by Father Johns.

Robert looked over the people that Father had assembled before turning to him. "Janes will handle the children, Janet will do the women, and I will handle the men."

Father nodded his approval.

James went to work with the children. His first case was a ten-year-old boy with autism who just sat there staring at nothing in particular. James took the boy's face in his hands and his eyes grew larger. His parents were astounded when the boy began speaking for the first time in their memory.

Janet caressed an elderly woman who was dying from breast cancer. She smiled back at Janet when she was finally free of pain,

Robert held a hand on the forehead of a sixty-year-old male who had stage four prostate cancer. The man smiled when his pain subsided.

The three healers repeated these miraculous cures until there were no more cases.

Father offered a concluding prayer before the people departed, praising God for his mercy.

"There is an idea spreading around the evangelical movements that your presence was prophesized at Fatima," Father said.

Robert shook his head. "What we're doing has nothing to do with a prophesy."

Father tilted his head. "How do you know this?"

"The guy I saw when I was in a coma told me that. We are a God experiment."

"How could that be. God is all knowing."

"Evidently, that's not exactly true, and I think the reason lies with free will. God wants to know if we humans could possess God-like powers and not destroy ourselves. I think He's tried this before and it failed. We want to show Him that it will work, but it's not going to be easy."

"What about Armageddon?"

"Perhaps the nuclear exchange between America and Russia was that, but I stopped it from doing any major harm. The real enemy is greed and avarice. We're not wealthy or in positions of power. That might be the ticket to a better world."

Father digested that for few moments before replying. "You could be right, but I cannot express that to my superiors."

"I understand. Let's just leave it the way it is. Schedule these healing sessions from time to time and we'll cure people."

Father nodded his approval.

On the way home, James had a thought. "If we are an experiment, what will it take to conclude it?"

"That's a good question. Since we don't really understand the mind of God all we can do is play along and see what happens."

James pointed. "Where's that smoke coming from?"

"Something is happening that needs our assistance," Robert said. "Pull the car over and we'll go investigate in our superhero suits."

They flew up high enough to not be easily seen. What they saw on the ground was appalling. A passenger train had derailed near a large propane tank farm. People were trapped in the train's cars while propane was burning and exploding.

"Let's get the propane fires out first," Robert said, pointing.

"How are we going to do that?" Janet asked.

"I know what he's thinking," James said. "We're going to blow it out."

They swooped down near the burning propane tanks and used their powers to blow the flames out. With that under control, they flew to the train cars and began the task of getting people out while resurrecting those who had been killed and healing those that had suffered injuries.

By the time that rescue squads had arrived, the Steris family had many people out of the cars and standing while they continued their rescue efforts.

Of course, people used their phones to capture the superhero trio in action. When things were under control, they flew away leaving the rescue crews to finish up.

On the way home, the Steris family remained quiet until James said something.

"That was fun."

"I suppose you could call it that, but I think it was more like chaos," Janet said.

"Chaos can be fun," Robert said. "Especially since we're getting better at it."

"What? Chaos or fun?" she asked.

"Both," he replied, causing James to laugh.

Once they reached home, they were calmed down and ready to relax, but superheroes don't have time to enjoy peace and quiet.

Sirens filled the evening air with a foreboding wail of danger.

"Now what?" Janet exclaimed.

"Let's follow the sirens," Robert said.

They converted to superhero attire and flew up into the air to follow the line of police cars and emergency vehicles. Down below it was obvious that a group of armed men were trying to take over a State Government building. Police were exchanging fire with the militia group.

The superheroes landed near the police. The police officers stared at them but did nothing to stop them from walking into the gunfire, which did not affect them.

The militia gunmen stopped shooting when they realized that their gunfire was ineffective.

"This is not the way to express political opinion, gentlemen," Robert said. "Perhaps it would be better for you to lay down your weapons and allow the system to handle this situation."

"We want to be free!" one of the men shouted.

"Freedom is an illusion. We are all governed by nature and the need for peace. It is better to discuss differences than to take lives."

The men stared at the superheroes for a few minutes before laying their weapons down. The police moved up with their weapons at ready.

"Be kind, my friends," Robert told them.

They did, and the situation ended without anyone being hurt. The Steris family took their leave by flying off into the sky.

They returned home and were able to enjoy the rest of their evening in peace . . . sort of.

"How were we able to avoid being wounded?" Janet said. "They were shooting directly at us."

Robert rubbed his face. "I think it has something to do with quantum uncertainty. We exist everywhere and nowhere, and evidently our timing is really good as to where we exist at any given moment."

"Cool!" James reacted.

"All of this is giving me a headache," Janet said. "We don't know what's really going on."

The Vestal Virgins appeared.

"We are pleased with you," the head Vestal said. "You will be given more powers to help in your mission."

"What exactly is that mission now?" Robert asked.

"That will be your decision."

Robert didn't know how to reply to that statement. Did it mean that they were on their own? "Does that mean that you won't be with us?"

"We are always with you."

"We appreciate your assistance."

"We understand," she said before they vanished.

"What the hell did she mean by it's our own decision?" Janet said.

Robert sighed. "I think it's part of the experiment. They want to see if we are able to handle difficult situations."

"I wonder what extra powers they're giving us?" James said.

"It might have something to do with the time we're permitted to work in this experimental situation," Robert said.

"Maybe it means we'll be here forever," James said.

That was an ugly thought that neither Robert nor Janet wanted to entertain.