CHAPTER 17

When Jana entered the room; the woman got up to shake her hand.  As they sat across from each other, in the large overstuffed chairs before the enormous stone fireplace, Jana felt as if she had seen this graceful lady somewhere before.  Then suddenly it came to her; this was the woman she had seen on the balcony during the ball.  Naturally, the woman had been dressed much more formally at the ball; but this was the same woman all right; and Jana could only wonder why she wanted a job as her maid.  The only conclusion that she could come up with was that either this woman had borrowed a dress and crashed the ball, or maybe, she was an escort of one of the invited guests.  Of course, Jana hoped that it was the latter, she was really tired of running into phonies.

"Thank you for seeing me, Mrs. Davenport."  She said, with a soft sure voice.  Even now in her simple suit, she still looked stunning. Her long golden hair lay graciously over the dark fabric of her jacket. She wore no jewelry but her fair unblemished skin and legs screaming for visual attention, provided much more decoration than could ever be accomplished by the most expensive baubles. With eyes like large blue star sapphires floating in a vanilla milkshake sea, her look was hypnotic but Jana somehow managed to speak.    

"I'm glad you came."  Jana said, becoming nervous.  She had never done an employment interview before, and had just realized that she didn't know what to ask.

Rescuing her the woman said, "Here are my references. As you can see, I have worked for some important households."

Jana looked at the papers she had handed to her and then, not being able to hold her tongue, she said to the woman.  "You're the woman I saw on the balcony at the ball. Aren't you?"

The woman looked Jana straight in the face and said, "My name is Xenous."

As the name left the strange beauty's lips and entered Jana's unsuspecting ears, it made its way to the core of her nervous system; she froze like the victim of Medusa.  She hadn't imagined that the funny word was a name, or even more surprising, that it would be the name of this beautiful woman.  So, this was one of Their contacts, Jana thought.  A thousand possible actions rushed through Jana's mind, but she finally decided the best thing to do would be to just play it cool, so she said, "Xenous, that sure is an interesting name."

"I'm sure you know who I am,"  The woman responded, not letting Jana off the hook.

"Yes,"  Jana finally agreed.  "I guess you're here to find out what's wrong with me."

"I'm here to help."  She responded.

"Do They really think I need help that much help?"

"Victoria....or should I call you Jana."  She said, shocking Jana to the core.  "We know you have reverted back to your old personality and that you have had a hard time adjusting.  That is why I'm here."

Jana wondered how They could have known that she was Jana now.  The only person who knew was Ralph.  Did Ralph tell Them she wondered? Maybe Ralph had been working for Them all along.  She decided she needed to be careful for now.  "I kind of wish you had showed up a few days ago, when Charles was trying to have me kidnapped."

"I'm sorry, we couldn't intervene.  Any problems of that nature needed to be solved by your police here, but please understand, we wouldn't have let any harm come to you.  Actually, we felt that you handled the situation beautifully."

"Thank you."  Jana said not really knowing how to respond to her.

"We wanted to apologize to you about Charles.  We try to make sure that everything works smoothly, but we made a mistake in misjudging the effects of this environment on him.  We thought that because he really wasn't your husband that he wouldn't try anything since all your money and property would go to the JD Foundation.  He was aware of that.  Our mistake was not realizing that he would try and find out where you got your money, so he could take over that fountain of plenty."

So, that was why Charles had hired Ralph and Duke, Jana thought.  It was kind of ironic; here was Charles trying to get information out of her that she didn't even know.  Feeling that since Xenous knew that Jana didn't know anything about Them, she finally asked the big question. "Who are you?  I mean....really....Who are the people I'm working for?" Jana felt a thousand pounds lighter, now that she had finally brought herself to ask.  She felt more in charge of the situation, now that the ball was back in Xenous’ court. She braced herself for the answer, knowing that it would be a real bomb shell.

A smile came to Xenous' lips as she said. "All in good time.  I think it would be best for Them to tell you."

"I thought you were one of them!  So why won't you tell me now?"  Jana asked, impertinently.

"You'll just have to be patient.  But I will say, the work you are doing is for the benefit of all mankind and a worthy cause.  Do not be afraid, you will be pleased when you find out the whole truth.  But for now, we have work to do. Shall we get to work on those financial forms your trying to figure out?"

Shocked, Jana questioned, "How did you know I was working on the financial forms?"

"Simple, you printed them out.  Now, I'm here to retrain you.  So, shall we get to work?"  They got up and headed for the library.  Jana had mixed feelings of relief and worry.  She was relieved that finally she would be able to continue the work that Victoria was doing, but worried because she still didn't know who she was doing this work for.  All she had was the word of this woman that it was for good and not sinister.  The woman seemed kind and sincere but Jana knew how easily she had been fooled by Charles and Suzanne; she wasn't a very good judge of character.

After having guarded the secret about herself for so long it seemed strange to Jana that she was so easily confiding in this woman.  Somehow, Jana knew that it was all right.  After all, she had used the name in the book and it was the same name that was used to obtain Headqarters access on the computer.

After they entered the library and Jana was opening the safe, she said to Xenous,  “You disappeared so quickly when we were standing on the balcony.”

“Yes, I saw Paul Sweeney coming and was not able to talk to you then.  I was going to reassure you and let you know that you were not alone.  I also was going to make a suggestion that you take me in as a secretary, but when I lost that opportunity another one didn't arise until now."

"It probably wouldn't have done any good at that time anyway.  I was pretty much of a mess."

"It would have been worth the try; to help you out."

The two of them huddled over the desk.  Xenous' knowledge was complete and she very patiently showed Jana how the financial aspect of the operation worked.

Xenous moved in.  For the next few weeks she diligently trained Jana in all aspects of Victoria.  She even brought in video's of  Victoria, so Jana could see how she walked, talked and dealt with people.

Not only did Xenous work with Jana but she also took care of the duties of the maid.  She completely charmed Jake so he was putty in her hands.  Jana was absolutely amazed by Xenous’ knowledge.  She often wondered why Xenous wasn't doing the work for Them instead of having Jana do it.

Jana often asked about meeting Them but Xenous kept saying, "It wasn't time yet".  Being around Xenous, Jana's fears about who They were subsided some because she couldn't imagine how this kind, gentle and helpful person could be involved in anything sinister.

Meeting with Jason in the evenings, he would pick her up in his car and they would go out to dinner or sometimes the theater.  The first night, Jana told Jason about Xenous.  He got a serious look on his face and said, They only send out Xenous when there is a grave problem.  That bump on your head must have been more serious than you told me."

"It was also the problem with Charles."  She replied.  "With Charles gone there's a lot of information only he knew that I've had to learn.  She has been a tremendous help."

"Xenous is a she."  He seemed surprised.

"Yes, and quite beautiful.  Why do you think I'm keeping you away from her."  Jana said teasingly.

"Has she said anything about our contacting Them?" He asked hopefully.

"All she says is 'in good time'.  I know how you feel.  I can't wait for this to be resolved either."  Jana said as she gave him a deep lingering kiss.

Jana was amazed at the amount of information she absorbed.  She seemed to pick it up quite easily and soon she was talking about business as efficiently as she imagined Victoria had.  Everyday she became more poised, sophisticated and self-assured until one evening Xenous said to Jana, "It's time to meet Them.  Do you have the amulet?"

"Yes.  I put it in a safe place."

"I have given instructions to Jake as to where to take you and for him not to worry when you disappear for awhile.  Go and get the amulet, it's time for you to leave."

"Aren't you coming with me?", Jana asked worriedly.

"No."  Was all she said and then she left the room.

*      *      *

Shaking with anticipation, and fear, Jana placed the amulet against the wall.  It slid open and she stepped inside.  She was in a room about the size of two hospital rooms together.  It surprised her to see that the room was empty except for some computers that sat at one end of the room.  Stepping over to them it appeared to her that they didn't work.  It was almost as if they had been put there to fool anyone who might be watching from the door leading into the hallway.

The floor had a large circle on it with a smaller circle inside which was filled in with a bright blue-green color.  The ceiling seemed strange.  It seemed to be in a cone shape, with a peak in the middle, directly over the blue-green circle.  Jana figured it must be an optical illusion since outside the roof was normal.

Wanting to look at the optical illusion better she stepped onto the blue-green circle and looked up.  Suddenly, she felt like she was moving and the room faded away.  It was replaced with a circular room about the size of the one she had just left.  Ahead of her was a small railing with a single chair facing it.  She went over and sat down.  Then she heard a voice.  She wasn't sure where the voice was coming from, it seem to come from everywhere, but yet, seemed to just be in her head.

"We are so pleased you are here!  Now, look beyond the railing."  The voice said.

Jana felt a swell of pride.  Whomever they were, they were obviously pleased with her work.  Looking past the railing she was shocked to her bones when she saw Michael just feet away from her.  She started to speak to gain his attention when she realized it was the old Michael.  Then she saw her old self, the sleeping bag and the lake.  They seemed real.  Jana had seen shows on television about holograms and she figured that in the last five years they must have had a breakthrough and could now project visions that seemed real. Suddenly, the picture faded and Michael and she were in this circular room.  They were both wearing  jump suits.  There was someone with them but Jana couldn't see their face.  He was wearing a jump suit like theirs and he was saying to them: "The planet earth has gone through many changes since its birth."  Before their eyes, a group of planettcimals appeared, randomly colliding  causing one of these small planettecimals to grow in mass and size until the earth was formed and appeared as real to Jana as the figures of Michael and herself.

 “At first there was volcanic activity causing the chemical evaporation that allowed the formation of water.  The water formed the oceans and eventually life was created.” As he was saying this, the planet went through many changes.”  Then from her vantage-point, the display suddenly seemed to dive and skim the surface of the planet. She could see forests filled with great dinosaurs.  At first she saw a few people scurrying into caves to escape their reach. Then before her eyes she saw large compounds with high walls built to keep the people safe from the monstrous carnivorous creatures.  The people inside looked like American Indians but yet they seemed organized, with homes and rows of crops planted near by.  The people were dressed more like Europeans than Indians.  Jana thought this must be just a movie like would be dreamed up in Hollywood but the voice said:  "This is how your planet was many millions of years ago.  Yours is not the first advanced civilization."

Then the picture showed violent earthquakes, tidal waves that seemed to engulf whole land masses. Sometimes the planet would turn on its side.  Jana was horrified as she saw entire populations of people, animals and plants destroyed in front of her eyes. Life was being snuffed out as quickly as a candle flame might be. It gave her an empty feeling, making her want to turn and run.

Realizing her reaction to these scenes of horror, the voice said:  Do not feel bad for them.  Their deaths were quick and there were those on the other side of death who were there to help them.  Their deaths were not the end but the beginning for the planet.  There were too many people on the planet and it needed to go through its natural evolution. “Watch.”

Jana forced herself to continue to watched as the planet settled down and once again came to life.  At first it became the simple life she had read about in her history books at school.  Then as time went on it became the more complex life of today.

Jana could see people going about their daily routines.  Cities with millions of people scurrying around on the sidewalks and around in their cars.  On the farms where they were driving on their tractors and attending the animals.  Long lines of people and overcrowded roads.  Beautiful forests, rivers, lakes and oceans where boats skimmed the waters and people enjoying each other.  Deserts where people were scarce but plant and animals were abundant.  It was a whole world given to her in a glance with all its life of people, animals and plants.  In many ways it was beautiful but in many ways it was ugly because Jana could also see the pollution of the planet. She was amazed by the over population, there was so much life everywhere.

The voice said again:  "And now see what is to be."  The picture zoomed out again so that she couldn't see the people and animals anymore.  When she saw the changes that were occurring, she knew it was so she wouldn't have to see the horrors that were going on at the surface of the planet.  Because once again there were violent earthquakes and tidal waves as the planet sort of slurped on its side.  The polar caps melted almost instantly, as they turned toward the sun. Lush tropical areas appeared and new polar areas were formed.  The whole configuration of the planet changed as some land masses sank and new ones emerged from the oceans.  The land masses that stayed became larger or smaller and seemed to change shapes.  She then watched as the planet calmed down and stabilized.  As the picture dived down and skimmed across the land, as it had done before, she could tell that it was skimming across the United States, or what was left of it, and saw it coming back to life.  Watching as she saw plants, animals and people returning to the earth Jana suddenly knew why Victoria had been doing the work that they had asked her to do.

Jana watched as the man with Michael and her told them that the great catechism that had been predicted for many thousands of years by prophets was coming soon after the turn of the century.  The voice went on to say:  "We have been watching the planet for many years and have observed the changes that occur when it is about to shift on its axis."

It was at that moment that Jana realized that this wasn't the FBI or CIA or even any scientist of this world.  Jana realized that these were aliens and she was on a spacecraft.

Fear gripped her, even though they had helped her and had been so kind to her.  At that moment the picture faded and standing next to her was the man who had been with Michael and her, but now he was facing her and she could see that he was an alien.  He had many of the features of a human but his eyes were different, larger but not too large with black pupils.  The color of his skin was a pale, almost white-blue.  Suddenly, the fear faded from Jana and she felt almost elated.  She figured that somehow he had been able to make this change in her because she felt that she should be terrified.  He motioned back to where the picture had been before and once again the vision of Michael and her appeared but this time she could see the man clearly as he told them:  "We have been coming to your planet for many, many years.  We have known about the changes that are about to occur and we have been taking specimens of plant and animal life because when the changes occur we don't want the many varieties of your plant and animal world to be lost forever.  Some of them we have transported to other worlds that could sustain them.  Some of them we have kept on our ships to be placed back on earth when it once again becomes stable.  We hope to take many people off the planet just before it shifts on its axis, but there will be many people who will remain on the surface.  These are people who will need help in survival and will need to be prepared ahead of time.  That is why you are here.  We need good people of the earth to set up these communities where working together, they can be the birth of a new civilization.  Watch."

As Michael and Jana watched, the picture scanned the earth and they saw a new civilization of beautiful and gentle people growing.  They saw laughter and beauty not known on the earth today and people working together in harmony and peace.  Jana could see the pride swell in Michael and her as they saw that the people of the earth had turned out so well.

Once again the voice said:  "We are asking you to become part of our plan for the survival of the people of the earth.  It will be a hardship for you and for those you love.  It is your choice and we will not force you to do anything.  Before you make that choice, let me tell you what will be required of you:  To make it not quite so painful for you we will erase all memory of your past life.  You will begin a new life and we will supply you with all the information and wealth that is required for you to exist in a new world of high finance.  You Jana will acquire land needed to set up the communities on and will help the kind of businesses that will be able to sustain the communities.  You Michael will be needed to work in the financial world to help keep the economy stable until the shift comes so that the people can work toward preparing themselves for the shift.  Jana and Michael, we realize that there is a great love between you, but this work will have to be done alone.  One person showing up alone with a great deal of money can be hidden easily but two together doing separate work will be especially noticed.  Also, there must be no distractions, as a marriage would make, from your work.  Do not worry, the memory of each other would be erased along with the memory of your past lives.  It is your choice."

As the voice stopped, the Michael and Jana in the picture looked at each other, and Jana could see the pain in their eyes and she knew how they felt.  How awful it would be for them not to have each other but how could they be so selfish as to turn their backs on mankind only for their love.  Without a word between each other, they knew that there was only one course they could take, they kissed and as they turned back toward the man he said:  "So be it."  The picture faded.

Jana turned back toward the man and he said: "The love you felt for Michael was too great and your original personality emerged searching for that love.  On the night of the ball, we brought you here and tried to convert you back to Victoria but the resistance was too strong.  We knew that you had to live for awhile in Victoria's world before we could approach you, because the shock might have been too much for you. You will have to remain as Jana.  But after seeing the good work that Victoria has accomplished and the help she has given others, we know that you will be able to accept the work she is to do.  Once again we ask you now if you are willing to continue with the work that Victoria has started?"

"What about Michael, who is now J.D.?"  She asked.  "I don't think I could continue the work without him.  My mind would be on him all the time instead of on the work."

The man replied with:  "We realize that if  things remain as they currently are, the strength of your combined love will almost assuredly cause Michael to resurface as Jana did.  Victoria and J.D. have done good work.  To the best of our knowledge we feel the shift will occur soon after the end of this century, that gives you only a couple of years to fulfill the "great plan".  We were afraid that a marriage would get in the way of the work you had to do.  The act of making love, as you earthlings call it, is very energy draining.  We felt that the energy you would expend in this process would have been better served expending it doing your work.  We would prefer that you continue to work alone."

"I really don't think it would be best for either of us to work alone.  I know when I was looking for Michael that I had a hard time just keeping my mind on trying to figure out what was going on.  I think that the only reason I was able to work was that I was searching for Michael.  Also, I'm sure that now that J.D. has found me that he won't be able to concentrate on his work, if he was forbidden to see me again."

The man said:  "Perhaps with the amount of time left the two of you will be able complete your work even if you are together.  We have other people around the world doing the same kind of work that you are doing here.  Each of them are working alone.  Maybe if we find that it will work well with the two of you, we may be able to let others reunite to do their work.  We will allow J.D. and you to work together as long as the work doesn't suffer.  Also, J.D. must never be told about your past lives together.  The shock might bring him back to Michael and he would lose the memory of all the work he has done up to this point severely hindering his value.  Jana Hardin, what is your choice, do you wish to continue your work?"

Jana knew as she said, "yes", that all along the man knew that that would be her answer.  Sending Xenous to retrain her before she came here meant that they were certain that if she had said yes before that, once again, she would say yes.  She felt that it was just a formality that they needed to go through for some reason.

The man continued:  "Good.  Xenous will explain the great plan to you in detail.  We will find a good person to work with you, in acquiring the rest of the land and businesses.  And may God's peace be with you."

Jana started to ask another question but before she could get the first word out of her mouth the circular room faded and once again she was standing on the blue-green circle.

She stumbled over to a chair, sitting in front of a computer, and collapsed on it.  Trembling and weak kneed, the impact of what had just occurred slammed into her brain, like a speeding train that had just rammed an obstacle in its path.  She was just a simple person from a small town.  Why would they have chosen her for such an enormous task.  She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and actually part of it was.  But yet, she as Victoria, had for the past five years succeeded in all that they had asked of her.  Was it something special they had given Victoria?  They said that they had only trained her, much in the same way she had just been trained by Xenous.  Jana knew that she could run the empire that Victoria had amassed, maybe it was something special that they had also given her.  As she thought about the fact that out of all the United States they had chosen her for this task, she swelled inside, but yet somehow felt small.  For the truth of it was that she knew that she was really just one cog in the wheel of the enormous task that lay ahead of all who were involved in it.

Then the thought of Jason came to her.  Now she understood his hesitancy in doing anything to jeopardize their work.  Now she understood why their love, even as strong as it is, and their need for each other, was second, next to the saving of mankind.  The saving of mankind.  The concept was just too much for her to grasp.

Her thoughts returned to Jason and joy came to her face in the form of a huge smile.  It was wonderful to think that they would be able to be together, but to also be working together for this gratifying project was beyond words.

The joy gave her strength again and as she was about to head for the wall that opened; one of the printers came on.  After it stopped, Jana tore off the message and saw that they were wasting no time.  The paper held a description of land and businesses for acquisition and the banks that held the money for those acquisitions.  She smiled and thought, this is going to be fun.

She headed for the wall again, anxious to see Jason and tell him what had transpired (anyway tell him what she could tell him).  The wall opened as she neared it and Jana stepped through.  She was full of confidence that their work would be completed together.

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Beginning     Chapter 18

Copyright 1990 by Anita and David Mathews