Part 9 (1/2)
A waitress filled both their oversized brown mugs with coffee. Cameron ordered the Three Peaks Scramble. Jason waved her off, saying coffee was enough.
”There are people here in town and across the country who don't like what we're doing at Future Current.”
An emotion flashed across Jason's face. Sorrow? Self-pity? It was gone instantly, but in that moment Cameron got an impression of what Jason had looked like as a little boy-frightened and longing for the red wagon or train set that never showed up on Christmas morning.
”Maybe they don't like it because of the hospitality of your followers. I tried to talk to your friend Kirk Gillum, and he didn't exactly set up tea and biscuits for me.”
Jason laughed. ”I'm sorry about that. Kirk is a little protective. He's had a number of organizations come in and call us a cult and try to rough him up a little because he's the mayor of the town.”
Cameron raised his eyebrows.
”No, not physically, but they've ha.s.sled him. Little grousing fundamentalist groups around here calling for his resignation, saying he's part of a religious order trying to take over the town and all that. But now that you've checked out, I'm hoping he'll warm up.”
Jason had done a background investigation on him? This guy might be over the top and down the other side. ”Checked out?”
”Of course. I had one of my people do a quick background check on you to make sure you're who you say you are and aren't part of some right-wing religious group trying to denounce us and make our work out to be a blight on Three Peaks. It's why I couldn't meet with you last night.”
”Thanks for delving into my life without my permission.”
”You're welcome.” Jason took a drink of his coffee and smiled. ”Don't you research clients before you start working with them?”
”Sure.”
”Then don't begrudge me for doing the same.”
”I'm not going to become a client.”
”But you might become a follower.”
”I doubt it.”
”You never know, Cameron. This book is not for one man; it's for all of us. You, me, my followers.”
”Why is it for everyone?”
”Because with this book we can change the world.” Jason ripped open five sugar packets simultaneously and dumped them into his black coffee. ”It tells the past, and more important, what is to come.”
”You're saying your Book of Days tells the future?”
Jason leaned back. ”That's exactly what it does. Once we learn to access its secrets more fully, we will change lives all over the planet. Imagine if you knew ahead of time that Hurricane Katrina would hit New Orleans. Or an earthquake was about to level Haiti. Or that a cruise s.h.i.+p would sink with your loved ones on it. With this book, you could shape your own destiny far beyond imagination.”
Cameron poured a splash of creamer into his coffee. It sounded wonderful. Like a fairy tale. But the book didn't keep Jessie's plane from smas.h.i.+ng into the ground and stealing her life, and didn't keep his dad's mind and days from disappearing far too early.
”We're getting better at reading it every day. And we will once again learn to read the book like those who did hundreds of years before us. We will know the past in complete detail. We will know the future with blinding clarity.”
The guy was serious. It sounded ludicrous. But at the moment ludicrous had appeal. Lead me to it. Lead me to it. ”What exactly ”What exactly is is the Book of Days?” the Book of Days?”
”Oh, you've got to be kidding.” Jason laughed and slapped his palms on the table. ”No one has told you yet?” He stared at Cameron, a smile growing on his face.
”What is it?”
Jason shook his finger. ”Not so fast. First, I want to know why you want to find it so badly when you don't even know what it is.”
”I told you already, some friends asked me to locate it.”
”And if you don't mind me asking, when did these friends ask this of you?”
”Eight years ag-” Cameron stopped himself. He saw exactly where this was leading.
”Uh-huh. Thank you for your honesty, even if it was a slip of the tongue.” Jason leaned in and replied in a mock whisper, ”You found out about the Book of Days eight years ago. Yet you've done nothing about it till now.
”Don't you find that fascinating?” Jason addressed the table next to them, but the two teenage girls sitting at it ignored him. He turned back to Cameron. ”I find that fascinating. I wonder what the answer is. Hmm?”
Cameron stared at the man across the table. He was a manipulator, someone who got what he wanted, when he wanted it. Not his kind of person.
”See what I mean, my new friend? About people not liking me because I tell the truth? And now you're wondering about my motives.”
”All I want to know is what the Book of Days is. If you're not going to tell me, fine. I'm outta here.”
”Cameron, please. Do you really want me to call your bluff? You're not 'outta here.' You need to know what the book is, because something stirring inside you is so great it will burst out unless you get your answers. That much is obvious. But I'm not one to pry into another's affairs without an invitation. I apologize. Your forgiveness, please?”
”Sure.” Jason was a certifiable piece of work.
The waitress arrived with Cameron's meal and Jason said, ”Thank you, sweetheart.” She ignored him.
He smiled at Cameron. ”The Book of Days is power. Ultimate power. Ultimate knowledge. A book from G.o.d's own pen.”
”G.o.d? I haven't ever had much use for religion.”
”Neither have I. That doesn't change the fact that a book exists that was written by the hand of G.o.d.”
”I think people call that the Bible.”
”This book is different. That book was written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit-that's what the Christians say. G.o.d penned this this book Himself in which He has recorded the past, present, and future of every life that has ever lived or ever will live. Look it up. It's right there in Psalm 139:16.” book Himself in which He has recorded the past, present, and future of every life that has ever lived or ever will live. Look it up. It's right there in Psalm 139:16.”
”Sounds like an urban legend.”
”No, not this. This book is real. I promise you.”
Real? Cameron hands tingled as if all ten fingers were tiny cell phones on vibrate. ”Can you take me to it? Can I see it?”
Jason raised his eyebrows and laughed. ”I think you've misunderstood me. The Book of Days isn't a physical book, just as love is not physical. Yet love's power is greater than a nuclear bomb. The Book of Days exists on a spiritual plane. If we only believe in the things we can see on a corporeal level, we are indeed blind.”
”What?” Cameron closed his eyes and sighed. The wild goose died. ”The book is all in your head? Are you joking?”
”Not in my mind, just as coincidence and intuition aren't in my mind, but are waiting to be acquired if we have the eyes to see and ears to hear.”
”Fine. Then how do you use it?” Cameron sat back and folded his arms. ”Look at the silverware, plates, gla.s.ses, salt-and-pepper shaker, and the fake rose in front of you.
”Now watch.” Jason placed his ma.s.sive arm on the right side of the table and slid everything he'd just mentioned to the left. ”Now, don't think about what you see, but ask yourself what you feel.