Chapter No,18. Aftermath.

Robert returned to his wife and son. They assumed that the Armageddon had been thwarted and there was no longer a threat.

Robert wasn't so sure.

"What happened?" Janet asked,

"I went to the Russian equivalent of the War Room and told them what I did. I got brownie points for curing the Russian President's lung cancer."

"Does this mean that your mission is compete?" she asked,

Robert shrugged. "It could be, but there's no way to know for sure. It's possible that President Lawrence had cohorts."

"At least they don't have their fingers on the nuclear trigger," James said.

"I don't think they'll try that again now that they know I can stop a nuclear strike."

Robert decided to cool things for a while. His wife took some needed time off and they went on a vacation to Branson Missouri, a favorite tourist attraction for people who don't want to gamble. There were plenty of entertainment theaters and museums. It had the advantage of being out of the way, so to speak, in the southwest corner of Missouri near the Ozark mountains.

There were good restaurants, shops and entertainment, mostly of the Country music variety, such as the Oak Ridge Boys, and Dolly Parton.

Unfortunately, Robert couldn't escape his rescue tendencies. While waiting in line to get into a theater, an accident on the main boulevard attracted his attention. He ran to the scene and saw that a car had struck a group of people and it was obvious that one of them had been killed outright.

Robert squatted down and placed his hand on the man, who was obviously dead. Spectators gathered around when they saw what he had done. The man he had rescued looked at him with a surprised expression.

Robert smiled and walked away through the crowd of people as if they were not there. He joined his wife and they walked to an Oak Ridge Boys' performance and a late supper at an adjoining restaurant.

"Maybe we should try another overseas visit," Janet said after taking a sip of Pinot Blanc.

Robert stared at her for a moment before replying. "Where do you suggest, madame?"

"How about a country where I understand the language," she said with a coy smirk.

"Well, I believe that calls for a visit to jolly good England."

She giggled.

After supper, Robert and Janet went for a walk.

"I think we should enjoy a walk in London. Well, on the edge of London."

Janet looked at him and accepted his hand. In the blink of an eye, they were standing on a walkway that led to Royal Albert Hall, a historic concert hall. People were gathered to attend a concert.

"It's rather chilly here," Janet commented.

"It's typical for this part of England this time of the year."

Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the ground. People began running and screaming. Robert saw what had happened, a massive explosion that made parts of Albert Hall collapse. Emergency Lorries descended on the scene and began the excruciating process of trying to rescue people trapped in the rubble.

Robert walked up to where officials had gathered to access the situation, passing through the barriers they had erected.

"We can't get into that mess," an officer cried. "It's too unstable."

"How the hell are we going to determine who's trapped in there?" another man asked.

"Princess Ann is in there," another man said.

"I think I can help, gentlemen," Robert said.

They stared at him as if he were crazy."

"Sir! This is dangerous location!"

"Not for me," Robert replied before he began a laborious journey into the massive wreckage.

He had to make jagged stone sections move enough for him to work his way through the debris pile, making sure that no further damage occurred. He soon arrived to where a woman was trapped, her right leg pinned by a large stone fragment. Robert could see that she was in shock. He made the stone pinning her leg move up slightly so he could pull her out.

Her leg was essentially crushed. He placed his hand on it and it began to heal, connecting blood severed blood vessels and nerves and fusing broken bone and smashed muscles.

She achieved consciousness. "What happened?" she cried.

"I believe the building exploded, madame. I will get you out of here."

He slowly and meticulously worked a way out of the rubble with her in tow.

When he appeared with Princess Ann, everyone there was astounded. Of course, the media was ecstatic that they were able to record the miraculous event.

Robert cured people rescued from the debris, Fortunately, not too many people were in the building when it exploded. Princess Ann was there because she was slated to give a speech.

Robert and his wife were escorted to Buckingham palace with Princess Ann. After the queen came out of her private quarters to greet Robert, one of the officials was curious enough to ask the big question.

"Are you that healer that's all over the media?"

"Yes, I am he."

"What are you doing here?"

"My wife and I came here to enjoy London. I didn't expect to be involved in an incident."

"We've been dealing with anarchists here recently. I think this is one of their dastardly deeds."

"It was a potassium perchlorate explosive, probably combined with petrol," Robert said.

"How would you know that?"

"I was a marine combat medic during the Iraq War. I will never forget the smell of that explosive that maimed and killed many of my comrades."

"Yes, I lost my brother to an IED in that cursed war."

The queen had a question. "How is it that you just happened to be present when this bombing occurred?"

"I'm not sure," Robert said. "I believe these incidents are a test of my loyalty to my mission to stop Armageddon. Actually, I suppose I could have reversed time and deactivated the explosive, but I didn't realize that the princess was in there until it had happened. I doubt she would have believed me when I told her the place was going to be blown up."

"What precisely are you?" she asked.

"I'm just someone who was in a coma for ten years and was revived by an agent of God who said that I had unlimited powers but that I was not allowed to harm anyone. Since my resurrection, I have been attempting to determine how I can save mankind from extinction without resorting to violence."

"He was a Marine combat medic in the Iraq War," the official told her. "He's the healer that the media has become infatuated with."

The queen extended her hand. "I have a slight case of dementia. Can you cure that?"

Robert took her hand. "No problem, madam."

When he left go of her hand, she smiled. "Thank you, Sir Robert." She looked over at Janet. "And who is this?"

"That's my wife," Robert said.

"You are a fortunate woman, my dear," the queen said.

Janet wasn't so sure about that.

Later, when they were back home. Robert went out in the yard to check on James, who was out there playing catch with Sparky, their dog.

Suddenly, five females dressed in white gowns appeared. Everything stopped. It was as if time had become suspended, James and Sparky remained still but were aware of what was happening.

Robert looked at the Vestal Virgins. "Good evening, ladies. What brings you here on this quiet evening?"

"We are pleased with what you have accomplished, but the worse is yet to come, Robert. We realize that you are not totally aware of what powers you possess. Your mission is paramount to the salvation of mankind. Keep that in mind and you will succeed."

They vanished.

"Gee, Dad! They sound apocalyptic."

He sighed. "Yeah, but I suppose they have to. Evil takes no vacations."

James just stared at him. Sparky managed a bark.