The Veritas Conflict (36 page)

Mansfield finished wiping his hands and joined Sharon at the open window. “Hey buddy.” He clapped Taylor on the shoulder. “You still up for squash tomorrow?”

“Eight
A.M.
as usual, unless you oversleep again.”

“Hey, that only happened once!”

“I don’t know.” Taylor shook his head in mock concern. “I think you’re losing it, Mansfield. One of these days I
am
going to have a shut-out.” He looked at Sharon and Leslie, who had also drifted over to his car. “My goal in life is to have one game—just one—where I keep Mansfield from scoring a single point. But so far he just refuses to act his age!”

“Yeah, for an old geezer I don’t do so bad.” Mansfield paused, then cocked his head. “Wait a minute … aren’t you supposed to be going on that international aid trip tomorrow? The one to Russia with the other faculty volunteers?”

Taylor shook his head, the jesting manner dying away. “The economic crisis has gotten so serious that Harvard put off the trip until the holidays so we can stay longer. That way we’ll be able to get out into the really bad areas where we’re most needed. In some ways I’m not looking forward to it. What some of their people go through is heart-wrenching.” He looked up and grinned. “So no dice. You can’t get out of the game that easily.”

The man in the driver’s seat said something, and Taylor turned his head, listening. He looked back out the window towards them. “Randy says if we don’t hurry up we’re going to be
trés
late.”

Mansfield, Sharon, and Leslie stepped back from the car. “See you.”

It only took a moment for Mansfield to slot the punctured tire and tools into Sharon’s trunk and close the lid. He turned around to find Sharon watching him.

“I don’t get you,” she said.

“What?”

“You play squash with Taylor. Someone you despise.”

Mansfield tried not to laugh. “I don’t despise Taylor. He’s a friend! At least usually. When he trounces me, I avoid him for days.”

“But you—”

“Look, I know this is hard for you to understand, but just because I disagree with someone’s lifestyle or don’t share the same beliefs doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with him.”

“Why not? Most of you guys just like staying in your little cliques. You have your church picnics, and your church softball leagues, and your church bookstores, and your church schools. You all cling together behind your stained-glass windows, and you only come out to snipe at what everyone else is doing wrong.”

Mansfield looked away, then spoke quietly. “It’s a difficult balance we try to walk, Sharon. We try to live with conviction on matters of ultimate truth, but we
should
be doing it in the same loving way that Jesus would. I’m sorry we’ve been judgmental when we could instead get to know people where they are and affirm the selfless efforts of people like Taylor.” He saw the scorn in her eyes change to wariness. “Please forgive us, Sharon. We’re all a work in progress, of God’s grace working through us. We—”

CRASH!

They spun around to see Mansfield’s taillight and bumper go flying, a sport-utility vehicle backing off from the rear of his car with a screech of metal. Mansfield bellowed and started forward, Leslie and Sharon right behind him. The SUV pulled out, squealing away from the wreck at high speed.

Mansfield ran into the street, shouting for the driver to stop, trying to get a look at the license plate. He heard Sharon’s warning shriek, the sound of squealing brakes, and turned to see another SUV bearing down on him, tires locked and skidding on the wet pavement. He dove sideways, feeling the wind of the vehicle’s passing, the tires whizzing by as he somehow rolled out of the way

He rose to one knee, adrenaline pumping through his system. How on earth had he escaped? The vehicle swerved to a stop a few yards down the road. A head jutted out the window and the driver swore at him, then made an obscene gesture and pulled away.

Mansfield stood to his feet and put his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. He looked at Sharon.

“Thank you. I would’ve been toast if you hadn’t yelled.” He straightened and patted her gently on the shoulder. “Thanks.”

Sharon stared at him for a moment, then nodded sharply and turned away.

As Sharon walked back to her car, a dark presence perched on the limb of a nearby tree watched with narrowed eyes. That was close. The wall she had spent years building under his attentive care had almost cracked.

The demon stood and paced along the thick branch. If that first SUV hadn’t been so close, the tired driver so easily diverted into the cursed man’s car, the foul attempt might have worked. He scowled, glaring at Mansfield and the powerful warrior angel standing right behind him. Too bad the second SUV hadn’t been just a fraction closer;
the man would have taken himself out. Etán would have had to make the SUV fly to do anything about it.

He would have loved to take credit for eliminating the irritating thorn in his master’s territory! His mind wandered a moment and he puffed his chest, thinking about the glorious honors he would have received on the streets of darkness. Leviathan himself might have honored him for such a prize.

He watched Mansfield finish his inspection of his shattered bumper and wave good-bye to the two women. As the man drove away, the demon left the branch and dropped to the ground, still reveling in the honors ceremony playing in his head. The diversion of that SUV had been quite skillful, if he did say so himself. Perhaps he should wait before reporting this almost-success to his superiors. Perhaps next time he could report the real thing.

THIRTY-FOUR

“Y
OU SURE YOU CAN’T PLAY
?” Alison twirled a basketball in her hands, disappointment clear on her face. “It’ll be girls against boys; we could use another girl.”

“I don’t want to leave the ladies in the lurch, but I already made plans.” Claire looked toward the small group of HCF students dressed in sweats and sneakers stretching out and shooting hoops just a few feet away.

Her attention was caught for just a moment as Brad and Teresa went one-on-one under the basket. Teresa was giggling as Brad tried to slap the ball from her hands. Brad was joking around, intent on getting the ball back. Teresa on the other hand …

Claire watched her hallmate’s face, then smiled to herself. She’d have to see what she could do about that.

Claire wrenched her attention back to Alison. “Sherry invited me to go downtown with Stefan and their friends. Frankly, I’d rather hang out with you guys, but I figure it’s important to keep that connection with Sherry, you know?”

“Totally understand. Get out of here, then. I’ll see you Sunday at the crew races.”

Halfway across Harvard Yard, Claire glanced upward and stopped dead in her tracks. The sky was blazing with stars. The Milky Way stretched from horizon to horizon, a bracelet of unfathomable depth adorning their little corner of the universe. The Yard was quiet, deserted. Claire sank to the ground, her gaze fastened on the remarkable display.

“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help.” Her voice was a whisper, and she closed her eyes. “O God of the universe, help me to honor You in all I say and do. Help me not to get so focused on myself that I lose sight of Your glory and power.”

She opened her eyes and stared again at the marvelous expanse. “Lord, You created such vastness that my little brain can’t even comprehend the tiniest piece of it. And you hold these trillions of stars together simply by a word of Your power! O God!” Her voice choked on an immensity of feeling. “I ask for Your protection here in this place. I ask You to steer me through these difficult waters. Give me Your mind, Lord, and Your heart for all these people You’ve put in my path. Forgive me, Lord, for all the ways
I get in the way of Your plan. Help me be more like You.”

The sound of approaching students broke Claire’s reverie. She stood quickly and set off toward her dorm. She brushed by the loud group of ten or twelve going the other direction. One person slammed into her.

“Oh, sorry!” The girl lurched, giggling, and continued on.

Claire watched over her shoulder as the girl laughed and listed heavily toward the young man walking next to her.

Claire sighed and headed home. She took the dorm stairs at a good clip and arrived at her suite just as Sherry was welcoming several of Stefan’s friends.

“And here’s my roommate, Claire!” Sherry reached out and tugged her into the center of the crowded room, hugging her briefly. “Glad you made it back in time. Claire, this is…“ she gestured at the dozen or so people scattered around the room. “Well, this is everybody.”

Claire laughed and waved. “Hi, everybody.”

She heard a few chuckles, but several people just stared and turned back to their original conversations. She turned to Sherry with a raised eyebrow, then headed toward their bedroom. “I’m just going to change.”

“Oh, no need to, really.”

“But under this jacket, all I have on is a casual sweater.”

“Whatever you’re wearing is fine, honestly.”

“Sherry, where are we—”

“I don’t know exactly where we’re going. I think we’re going to wander down Landsdowne Street until we find a place we like.”

“But are we going to dinner or is this—”

Her words were drowned out as someone called out to the crowd. Suddenly, everyone was noisily piling out of the room and heading down the hall.

Claire followed, closing and locking the door behind her. She caught up to Sherry in a chattering group of people and walked silently beside her roommate as the students headed toward the Harvard Square T station.

As they pushed through the turnstiles, they heard the T approaching. The mass of students hurried down the escalator toward the platform as the train pulled up. It’s doors opened with a hydraulic
whsssh
.

“Hurry it up!”

A good-looking blond student—who looked familiar, Claire thought—ran to the wide doors and held his hand against the doorjamb, beckoning to the others who were racing for the train.

Claire was in the middle of the pack that dashed through the doors, breathless and laughing. All the seats were full, so the students filled in the empty center spaces around
the poles. Sherry and Stefan were last, stepping through just as the doors tried to close on the blond student’s arm. He yanked his arm out of harms way and whacked Stefan on the head.

“What you thinking, man?” The student laughed, but his eyes showed irritation. “You run faster than that!”

“Just wanted to see if you’d risk your life for me, my man, that’s all.”

Sherry caught Claire’s gaze and rolled her eyes. “Niles needs to lighten up. He’s an old buddy of Stefan’s. I don’t know
how
the two of them have stayed friends.” Sherry turned and tapped on the blond students shoulder. “Niles, I want you to meet my roommate, Claire. Claire, this is Niles. He’s a junior.”

Claire let go of the pole she was gripping and reached to shake his hand. “Do I know you? You look really familiar.”

Niles raised an eyebrow. “You’re in my philosophy class.”

“You’re in Kwong’s class?” Claire had no sooner asked the question than the memory of a difficult existentialism debate rose in her mind. She dropped her eyes, embarrassed, masking the movement by clutching a pole for balance.

Niles laughed and slapped Stefan on the back. “Your friend and I had a definite difference of opinion on the right thing to do when watching child abuse in a parking lot.”

“Hey! I didn’t define it that way, you did. You came up with the example!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Niles waved a dismissive hand and turned to Stefan. “You know, that reminds me of this article on ‘community values’ I read the other day when I was writing an editorial for the student newspaper.”

“How’s that coming, by the way?”

“The writing’s okay—as an opinion columnist I get to mouth off on whatever the heck I want to—but the research for this piece just drove me crazy. I don’t get how
anyone
can believe this garbage that the religious right puts out. They actually believe that harassing perfect strangers with propaganda on their outdated beliefs is okay. It’s the most ridiculous—”

Claire flushed and gripped her pole tighter as Niles continued his diatribe. She glanced at Sherry, who was looking away, embarrassed.

Claire let go of her pole and walked down the aisle toward a seat that had been vacated. She sat down, sighing. She didn’t know how to defend herself against such venom, and didn’t want to listen to it.

The students, bundled up against the cold, turned the corner onto Landsdowne Street, and Sherry pulled even with Claire.

“Sorry about that. Niles really has it in for Christians. I should’ve warned you.”

Claire walked a few paces, trying to think of something eloquent to say. “Bummer.”

Stefan ran up and grabbed Sherry from behind, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around and around. She shrieked and giggled until he set her down.

“Well!” Stefan clapped his gloved hands together. “Where should we go?”

A couple behind Claire shouted out a suggestion. The others booed and catcalled.

“Okay, okay.” Stefan held up his hands. “I propose we go to …” He swiveled slowly, his arm and hand extended. “That one!”

Several people immediately set off toward the chosen doorway, which was painted black. The sign beside the door read
La Nuit
. Hours of Operation 7
P.M.
to 3
A.M.
No minors.

Claire sighed.
I’m guessing this isn’t a restaurant
.

Sherry followed her gaze, then tugged on Stefan’s arm and whispered something in his ear.

Stefan straightened and snapped his fingers. “Right, right. Hey Niles! Come back here a sec.”

Niles shuffled back, and Stefan said something in a low voice. Niles nodded and reached for his wallet. He pulled out a small laminated card and flipped it to Stefan. “She was fine with it as long as Sherry’s roomie doesn’t lose it.”

Stefan caught the card and handed it to Claire. “Hear that? Don’t lose it. Niles’s girlfriend is a big German woman who could kick your tail.” He grinned and slapped Niles on the back, and they set off down the street toward the black-painted door.