"That's crazy!" Mike exploded, then covered his mouth when he realized who he said that to.
Elizabeth looked at Mike and shook her head. "No, Michael, it isn't.
Humanity has always been trying to do what it wants instead of putting their trust in God. That's why things are so bad today."
"But to stop Jesus..." Davy said slowly, then stopped. He couldn't finish the sentence.
"The world would be in even worse shape than it is today." Elizabeth replied. "People would still be worshipping idols, there would be no hope. The gates of Heaven would still be closed. Satan would have a much easier time in taking souls."
"But God wouldn't let anybody stop his son from saving mankind." Peter said.
"Our Lord could've come down off the cross at any time, too."
Elizabeth said, "But he stayed and died for us. He let things take their course. It's probable that our Lord would stop anyone from interfering, but like I said before, even the slightest change from what is supposed to happen can have drastic results for years to come."
A heavy silence followed that statement. The world would be a much different place if the Christian religion was not allowed to be started. True, all the wars and persecutions over one form of Christianity or another wouldn't take place, but history would be changed; the mighty Roman empire wouldn't become Christian.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by Peter's rumbling stomach. He gave an embarrassed smile to the others. Elizabeth smiled and looked at the Monkees.
"Why don't you boys eat some of that food you have now? I'm going to check up on a few things. I'll be back soon." With that, she simply disappeared.
The Monkees jumped in fright then looked at each other. Micky looked at the others.
"Are you sure one of us isn't dreaming?" He asked.
Davy got up and opened the cupboard. It was still stuffed with food. "If it's a dream, let's eat before we wake up!"
The other three joined him and grabbed things to eat. Soon, the
sound of four very hungry men eating was the only sound to be heard.
Elizabeth simply appeared outside Dr. Chronos' lab.
She had considered using her human form, but since the demon attack, she realized things might be coming to fruition. Looking to see if anybody was around, she put her hand on the keypad next to the lab door. An instant later, the door opened for her.
Elizabeth walked in, determined to confront Dr. Chronos and his men.
To her surprise and shock, the lab was almost empty, just a few tables and chairs in the room. A computer stood against the wall with a long thick bundle of wires leading from it.
Elizabeth picked it the bundle of wires and frowned. The last time she saw the lab, there was a metal capsule attached to these wires. She dropped the wires and hung her head. She was too late! Chronos and his men were probably back in time by now! The fight with the demons had delayed her enough to stop Chronos from leaving, and now it was too late!
Unless.....she went back in time herself. But she was going to need help, and she knew who to ask...
In the blink of an eye, Elizabeth left the lab and went back to the
Monkees' pad.
The Monkees had just finished stuffing themselves on soup and sandwiches. They hadn't really had a decent meal in weeks and the food tasted so good! Peter had begun to clean the table when Elizabeth appeared in front of them.
"Yahhh!" The Monkees yelled in fright. Peter nearly dropped a dish.
"I'm sorry, boys." Elizabeth said, "I'll try not to appear right in front of you like that."
"That's ok, Elizabeth." Mike said. "Did you check up on your stuff?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I did, Mike, and I found out that things are worse than I thought."
"What happened?" Micky asked, concerned.
"Dr. Chronos and his time capsule are gone from his lab." Elizabeth said quietly, "He's already gone back in time."
"That's supposed to be bad, right?" Peter asked.
"Its very bad, Peter." Elizabeth replied, "It means that at any time now history might be changed."
"Can't you do something?" Mike asked.
Elizabeth nodded her head again. "Yes, I can go back in time and try to stop him."
"Well, go ahead!" Mike exclaimed, "I don't mean to be rude, but you'd better get going!"
"I can't do this alone." Elizabeth replied, "I'll need help from the four of you."
"US?!" The Monkees exclaimed at once.
"Why us?" Peter said, "We're not special."
"Yeah, we're just four long-haired weirdoes." Micky put in with a smirk on his face.
But Elizabeth just shook her head. "No, boys, the four of you are special. I can read your hearts and you are not like the other men your age. Despite the hardships you've endured, the four of you have forged a deep bond between yourselves. You four don't drink, or take drugs or associate with those that do. You're good, law-abiding citizens who would never hurt another person."
The Monkees just looked at each other, a little embarrassed. The angel continued. "While I laid helpless on the beach, the four of you could've hurt me or taken advantage of me, but you didn't. You brought me back and took care of me, washed me off and gave me something to wear. Then on top of all that, you boys offered me the last of your food. I was injured and you washed my wounds, naked and you clothed me, I was hungry and you gave me to eat."
She finished, quoting scripture.
"But.....but...." Micky tried to say, but couldn't get the words out.
"But we're not what you'd call church going Christians." Mike said, finishing what he figured Micky was trying to say. "We believe in
God, but none of us belong to a church or anything like that."
"I know, Michael." Elizabeth said, putting her hand on his arm, "There is hurt inside all of you. But there also is courage and strength of will as well. Think of all the adventures you four have had. You've fought everything from pirates to vampires...and lived."
Micky got up from the table and went outside to stand on the patio.
Peter went to sit on the couch, while Mike and Davy still sat at the kitchen table.
"I lost me Mum when I was fourteen." Davy said quietly, "I thought the world of her. I was very angry at God for taking her so suddenly."
"My dad abandoned my Mom and I when I was two." Mike put in, "I wondered why God couldn't give me a Mom and Dad like my friends had."
Elizabeth put her hands on Mike and Davy's shoulders. "I can't answer why The Lord let those things happen." She said softly, "Only God knows his own mind. But despite what has happened in your lives you become stronger every day. Will you help me?"
Mike and Davy looked at each other, then up at Elizabeth.
"We'll do our best to help you, Elizabeth." Mike answered, pointing at Davy and himself, "But I don't know what Micky and Peter think."
"I'll help you Elizabeth." Peter said as he walked back over to the kitchen table, "My parents were always fighting and there never seemed to be any peace in my family. Going to Church was never at the top of our list, but I don't want to see things worse than they are now."
"Thank you Peter." Elizabeth smiled. "I'll talk to Micky." She walked out to the patio and stood next to Micky. The moon was just beginning to rise. They stood there for awhile without speaking, then Micky turned to Elizabeth. He gasped at how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. Micky fought the urge to take Elizabeth in his arms and kiss her.
"What do the others say?" He asked.
"They've agreed to help." Elizabeth said, looking in Micky's eyes, "But what do you want to do?" Micky turned back to the railing. "I don't know." He replied, shaking his head. "God took my Dad away from me when I was seventeen, the best Dad in the world, and now I'm being asked to help God out? Where was God when my Dad died of a heart attack?"
Micky bit his lip to stifle a cry.
Elizabeth took Micky's hand. "Remember the story of the footprints in the sand?" She asked. Micky looked at her and shook his head.
"A man looked back on his life and saw two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to him and the other one to the Lord."
Elizabeth said, "But the man noticed that during the sad times in his life there was only one set. The man asked why the Lord had abandoned him during the sad times of his life. The Lord answered 'Where you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.'
Micky smiled slightly when Elizabeth finished, a small tear coming down his cheek. She brushed it away. "Will you help me Micky?"
The drummer nodded his head. "I'll help you Elizabeth." Micky said, "Someone has to watch out for the others." Elizabeth giggled and the two of them went back into the pad where the other three were waiting.
"Well?" Mike asked anxiously.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Micky replied.