The Key To the Kingdom (18 page)
Read The Key To the Kingdom Online
Authors: Jeff Dixon
S
TANDING ALL ALONE
on Front Street, trying to look nonchalant, Hawk waited for Kiran. The streets of Celebration were crowded with pedestrians shopping, finding places to eat, and enjoying the sights and sounds of this unique town. On any given evening the blending of both locals and tourists combined to create a magical mixture of humanity fleshing out the community in an environment igniting the nostalgia of yesterday against the hopefulness of the future.
Fifteen minutes passed, then thirty, and Hawk knew she was not coming. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling loudly he bowed his head and resigned himself to having lost the opportunity to get to know her. He rationalized that perhaps it was for the best. Now he could devote his attention to this kingdom key quest. Still, he could not quite so easily shake his disappointment. The preacher understood how fickle feelings could be. Too many people allowed their feelings to dictate their decisions in life. As a God follower he knew decisions were to be based on faith and the guidelines for life that God gives. Life always worked better that way. This was once again a chance for him to put his faith into action and allow it to win out over his feelings. Disappointment unchecked would lead to wallowing in self-pity. For Grayson Hawkes life was too short and too important to wallow.
Walking down Front Street he prayed, trying to sort through the things in his mind and heart. His destination was the coffee shop at the end of the street. One of his standing mottos for life was “Problems dissolve when you mix 99 percent prayer with 1 percent coffee.” The clarity of prayer for Hawk was more than sufficient, of course, but the clarity of caffeine was a nice way to top it off.
Minutes later he emerged with a no-frills lightly creamed and sugared java. Aiming himself back toward his car, he planned on fulfilling the decision
he had made waiting in line. He was going to the Magic Kingdom. His trusted plush comrade now locked snugly in his trunk said that was to be the next stop. During the afternoon something had happened. While the challenge had been laid before him by his friend, he had accepted it, and through the trek in the theme park earlier the quest was now his own. He would figure out what Farren was trying to tell him.
Popping open the trunk he shuffled the stuff he had hidden Pal Mickey under and pulled him out. As he closed the compartment he became aware of a car slowing behind him. Turning, he saw Jonathan rolling down his window and waving at him. He stepped toward the black automobile and leaned in to chat.
“Just coming back from getting groceries,” Jonathan said.
Hawk waited, knowing something else was coming.
“I had an interesting call from Juliette this afternoon.”
“You did?”
“Somehow I think you knew that.” Jonathan smiled assuredly.
The truth was they all worked so well together they could almost anticipate what the other would do and even at times say. This was one of their strengths as a staff and at times a weakness, since they all were more predictable than they wanted to admit.
“Jonathan, everything is all right. I’m just involved in a little personal research project that’s going to keep me busy for a few days.”
“Do you need any help?”
“Not right now, maybe later, I’ll let you know.”
“Talked to the sheriff’s department yet?”
“No, but I hear they’re looking for Farren.”
“Hawk, have you heard from Farren?” Jonathan sounded concerned.
“No. I wish I had.” Hawk wanted to reassure Jonathan, but his concern for Farren was still growing as well. “I’ve tried to call him and even dropped by his house.”
“Your research project have anything to do with him?” Jonathan probed.
“Perhaps.” Hawk smiled. “It’s a mystery more than anything else. It was something Farren was trying to tell me. Then he disappeared. I’m hoping if I can figure out what he was trying to say, then maybe . . .”
“Let me—let us help, Hawk,” he said.
Hawk considered the offer. Over the years the staff had navigated crisis in the church, personal struggles, and managed to maintain their friendship, trust, and belief in one another.
“Tell you what, Jon, you’re right. You guys have been my family since . . .” Hawk stopped himself from traveling down the trail laced with those memories. “I’d like you to know what’s going on. See if you can get everyone together in the office first thing in the morning.”
“Great, eight o’clock at the office!” Jonathan looked genuinely pleased Hawk had agreed.
“See you then.” Hawk straightened up and stepped away from the car. Then as an afterthought he leaned back toward the car, placing his hand on the window.
“Let’s meet at the Floridian.” Hawk was referring to the Grand Floridian, a Magic Kingdom Resort.
“Where?”
“On the beach.”
“The beach?” Jonathan’s forehead creased.
“The beach.” Hawk wanted somewhere they could talk in private, and away from the office just in case the sheriff’s department dropped by. He wanted more information before he talked to them and wanted to keep his and Farren’s late-night meeting at Gamble Place quiet for a day longer if possible.
“In the morning. Be safe!” Jonathan drove away and Hawk stood alone holding the stuffed animal in his hand. He turned the cute little face toward his and spoke aloud to it.
“Well, Mick, you wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. Let’s go!”
N
IGHTTIME IN THE
M
AGIC
K
INGDOM
is truly magical. The lights of Main Street USA, the twinkle lights illuminating the trees, the music, and sounds create an atmosphere that, once a person has been immersed in it, will never be forgotten. The entrance to the Magic Kingdom was carefully constructed and laid out to maximize the experience of each guest. A minimal crowd was entering at this time of the evening. The early morning rush had disappeared long ago and the mid-afternoon arrivers were all inside having fun. Hawk felt the familiar vibration on his hip as Pal Mickey reset himself as they entered the Kingdom. The motion was accompanied by the high-pitched “Ha-ha!”
Traveling through the tunnel that led into Town Square he listened to the mouse deliver the next message.
“Ooookay now, we’re really getting somewhere, pal! We have a mountain to climb. I might be a little scared, but together we can scale any summit.”
Hawk wedged his way between the people stacked side by side along Main Street USA anticipating the coming parade.
Carried along in the masses he tried to focus on the message from the mouse. There was the famous mountain range that formed the Magic Kingdom landscape. Space Mountain in Tomorrowland was the high-speed roller coaster ride through space. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was the mine train that raced through caverns, mines, and an old western outpost town. Next to this mountain was Splash Mountain, a water ride experience that featured an impressive blend of animatronics with a huge plummet at the end of the ride. Hawk was a huge fan of all three rides and had been on them many times.
We have a mountain to climb
. Hawk decided to head toward Space Mountain first since the parade crowd would be strung along the streets through Frontierland. Tomorrowland was free of the parade crowds. It made sense this would be a better place to explore. Crossing the bridge leading into Tomorrowland he saw the spinning Astro Orbiter looming in front of him. This was the visual weenie that Imagineers built into the design of the parks to
entice guests to move deeper into a themed area. The ride was similar to other spinning rides in the Kingdom, but this one was built on a platform three stories in the air. The added height gave the riders an amazing view of the park, especially at night. Drawing closer to it he allowed himself to drift left toward the gleaming metallic mountain. Hawk found himself in a slightly larger crowd of people who were converging to get in line for Space Mountain. The posted wait time for the ride was forty-five minutes, not surprising considering the crowds in the park this evening. Since the ride’s opening it had remained one of the more popular attractions in the park. People loved the sensation of zipping through the blackness of space on the roller coaster adventure.
Suddenly Hawk felt a sensation of his own that caught him off guard. Studying the massive mountain he noticed a tug and pressure on his hip. Knowing the feeling to be different than the now-familiar vibration of Pal Mickey, he looked toward the plush animal. In the same instant he became aware of someone standing incredibly close to him, invading his personal space, and actually turning him around. This stranger had his hands on the stuffed animal and was attempting to tear it off the preacher’s waist. The Velcro reinforcement was making the mouse snatch more difficult, but the stranger tugged so hard that he spun Hawk’s body around. Hawk tried to pry the stranger’s hands off the miniature tour guide. The Velcro gave way with a tearing sound.
The mouse was now in the grasp of the thief.
Hawk raised his eyes to see the larcenist: young, probably in his early twenties. Shaved head and pierced nostril was all the preacher saw as the young man darted away from him.
Without hesitation Hawk gave pursuit.
The smooth-domed, pierced criminal turned his head and saw he was being pursued. Running past the
Tomorrowland Arcade
the thief cut behind it. Hawk recognized the long trail of concrete that allowed guests a walk behind the
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
. This seldom-used pathway lay inside the railroad tracks between the high-tech arcade and Fantasyland, on the far eastern border of the park.
Once again as they raced down the long pathway the shaved head turned and the eyes widened as though stunned to see the owner of the animal following closely. Hawk was gaining ground on the hairless dome bobbing in front of him.
The thief emerged from the path on a full sprint through the expanded Fantasyland experience. Emerging into the Dumbo Circus area and racing through Pixie Hollow, he stumbled as he tried to avoid parents and children moving out of the play area. His erratic trajectory caught the gaze of a Disney security guard. Stepping out in front of the running young man, the guard motioned for him to slow down. The young man sidestepped the guard, never breaking stride, and continued his flight away from his pursuer. The guard snapped a radio off of his belt and raised it to his mouth. Hawk, approaching fast, caught a barked alert. As the final words describing the young man who had nearly run him over cleared the guard’s mouth, Hawk passed him at an
all-out sprint. He heard the guard break into a run behind him as he called again on the security channel for help.