Badru knew that his daughter was usually very accurate with her prophecies. So where was this stranger who looked like someone from his past? It was almost time for Dr. Karson to get off and he still hadn’t met anyone remotely like that today.

            God will not allow you to miss this man a second time, Afua had said.

            If that is the case, then I guess I should just leave this meeting up to You, huh, Lord? Badru mused, deciding to stop worrying about it once and for all.

In the meantime, he’d use the last thirty minutes of his shift to concentrate on the newest book collection he obtained for the library. This collection included the rare first editions of every book written by famed inspirational author, Suprina Frazier.

~~~ >< ~~~

Around 2:45 pm, Xander got a nudge on the leg from Nasiir, yet another one of their predetermined codes. The Hekiman had noticed the late hour and deemed it past time for them to leave. Xander looked down at his friend and nodded in understanding.

Even though their new friends were reluctant for them to leave, Xander nevertheless excused Nasiir and himself from the fellowship. They had been at Lakota’s house for far too long already and thus could not stay another minute. However, Xander did make a promise to return one day when they had more time.

Lakota walked them outside of her house and down the front walkway. “When you return, I will be a much different woman than the one you saw earlier today,” she said once they made it to the sidewalk by the fence.

“You are already a different woman than the one I saw earlier,” Xander replied honestly.

Lakota blushed, which was something she hadn’t done in a long time. “Thanks, Xander,” she said, waving goodbye to him and his dog.

There is something very special about that man, Lakota mused as she watched Xander and Nasiir walk down the sidewalk. She was starting to feel something very special for that man.

Before Lakota had only wanted to sleep with Xander for money. Now she wanted the whole package – matrimony. But first she needed to study hard and get herself ready spirit, soul, and body to be a wife, which was a role Lakota had never wanted to assume before today.

Meanwhile, Xander and Nasiir continued to walk towards the busy intersection that led to the center of the city. Halfway there, Nasiir decided to say what was on his mind before they reached the point where the throng of people began.

“Perhaps Lakota is the one for you,” the Hekiman whispered in his native tongue, which sounded more animal-like than all the other languages they knew.

“Perhaps,” Xander replied in English. After all, Lakota was lovely. More importantly, she was now completely free from the stains of sin and disease.

~~~ >< ~~~

Badru decided to take the scenic route home this evening, if one could call driving through box-like, tree-less neighborhoods with brick, box-like houses the scenic route. Dr. Karson refused to live in one of those government designed houses or in a government controlled neighborhood. Fortunately, he still had enough money saved up to afford to live where he wanted to live.

After his wife died, Badru settled with his daughter near the Okefenokee Swamp. Together they enjoyed fishing in the swamp, canoeing along it, and trekking through its nature trails. What they caught in the swamp, they ate. Their modest homestead included a greenhouse, refurbished two-bedroom log cabin, and several acres of grazing land. Afua guided tours through the swamp for a living and was an active participant in their small local church.

To get to their homestead, Badru had to travel outside Eyota City and half a mile down the road until he came to a canal. At that canal, he made a left to go to the prairies. Their homestead was the fourth one on the right. Even though Badru would end up at the same destination no matter which way he went, he chose to prolong his ride home today in hopes that he’d run into this stranger Afua talked about.

Speaking of that stranger, Xander and Nasiir were two streets over at this very moment. They did not make it to the library in time in order to catch Dr. Karson there. However, they did see which way the man’s vehicle went as he exited the high-rise parking garage down the street from the library.

Although Xander and Nasiir’s normal way to get around the city was by foot, they decided to use their transportation devices this time, considering the importance of this meeting. They just needed to get in a solitary place in order to use them.

“Over here, Nasiir,” Xander said, spotting an old service station with a detached restroom. There weren’t many of those still left in a crowded city that usually crammed as much as possible into one building. Therefore, this detached restroom was truly a godsend.

As soon as they got inside of the small building, Xander gave coordinates for an alley near the intersection three streets over. He estimated Dr. Karson would be there in the next five minutes based on distance and flow of traffic this time of the day.

Meanwhile, Nasiir was already thinking ahead to how they would stop the scientist once they got there.

Appearing in the alley seconds later, Xander and Nasiir were grateful that it was abandoned. They’d taken quite a chance using their transportation devices this way, but it was a risk worth taking. Especially since Xander now felt such urgency about this meeting. Urgency that he surprisingly had not felt until after his ministry at Lakota’s house was done.  

Thinking fast and moving just as quickly, Nasiir bounded ahead of Xander. Like a well-built Doberman, he moved freely, balanced and vigorously as his forequarters and hindquarters worked together to reach his destination. His back remained strong and firm. If only Pendo could see him now.

“Wide shield,” Nasiir said, before running his tongue across one of his front teeth where another device that he designed was installed. With the invisible shield now activated and instructed to encompass at least three feet on either side of him, the brave Hekiman bounded in front of Dr. Karson’s vehicle, which was just now coming around the corner. There was no sign of fear in Nasiir’s eyes whatsoever when the white car bore down upon him. Impact was inevitable now.

Thud!

Then the sound of screeching brakes as Badru brought the car to a halt just short of running the large Doberman over with the front tires. Knowing that he’d already hit the poor animal with his front bumper, he slowly got out of his car with his heart nearly in his throat. Dr. Karson could only praise God that he had not made it to the actual intersection yet and that no other car was behind him when he stopped so suddenly. Otherwise this accident could have been a lot worse for everybody.

At the same time Badru made it out of his vehicle, a Greek-looking man with long black hair emerged from the alleyway and rushed to see about the animal, as well. Suddenly, Dr. Karson didn’t know what to do next.

Coming towards him was almost the exact image of his deceased best friend. If the young man had been two shades darker, Badru would have thought he was Elexander.