Micky and Peter silently watch as the three men poured small vials of clear liquid into the two wine jars. Henry and Ian had changed from their mud-splattered gear into matching servant's clothes. Just behind them were the unconscious forms of the two servants originally sent to fetch the wine.
Micky looked over at the shelves next to the steps. He saw a few small jars sitting nearby. Slowly, he reached over and picked the jar up and looked inside to see what it contained. He smelled olive oil. Just then, Dr. Chronos spoke to his two henchmen.
"Make sure you serve this to the priests first, then to everybody that you can, even the guards and other servants." Dr. Chronos said. "When everybody is unconscious, we'll sneak Jesus out of the house!"
Henry and Ian nodded and placed the jars on their shoulders. Micky quickly picked up another jar of olive oil and motioned for Peter to follow him back up the stairs.
Henry and Ian, followed by Dr. Chronos, climbed the stairs and started down the hallway towards the main hall. They were about half- way down when suddenly Micky and Peter appeared at the end of the hallway in front of them.
"Hi guys!" Micky said happily while Peter waved. "Remember us?"
"Get them!" Dr. Chronos shouted.
Henry and Ian started to run towards Micky and Peter....then suddenly slipped on the Olive oil the two Monkees had poured on the floor. They went down in a heap, the clay jars of drugged wine shattering on the floor. This of course brought the head steward running. Micky and Peter quickly dodged out of sight.
"What's going on here?" The head steward demanded. "Who are you three?"
"New...new servants." Ian muttered.
"More new servants?" The head steward asked walking towards them, "Well, you three are going to clean up all this...ahhh!" He shouted as he slipped and fell too. Dr. Chronos and his men got up and slowly started to walk away.
"Where do you three think you're going?" The steward demanded as he tried to get up, but Ian kicked the steward back onto the floor.
"Stop! Guards, Guards!" The steward started to yell.
But Dr. Chronos and his men ran away. Micky and Peter decided it was a good idea to make themselves scarce as well and quickly left the area.
++++
While Micky and Peter were busy inside, things began to happen outside too. Mike, Davy and Elizabeth were still by one of the fires opposite where Simon Peter sat. Suddenly, a young servant girl came up to Simon Peter and looked at him intently for a moment. Finally she said "You too were with Jesus of Nazareth."
"Woman, I do not know him." Simon Peter said gruffly.
The servant girl simply shrugged her shoulders and went on her way.
A little while later another person came over and said to Simon Peter, "You too are a disciple of Jesus."
Simon Peter managed a wane smile. "My friend, I am not."
More time passed, and this time several people came over to where Simon Peter sat. One of them said to him, "Most assuredly you are one of Jesus' disciples, for you too are a Galilean. Your accent gives you away!"
At that, Peter got up and began to curse and swear at the crowd. The noise woke Elizabeth up and she sorrowfully watched the scene unfurl.
"I tell you I do not know the man!" Simon Peter shouted.
Just then, a rooster began to crow. Simon Peter suddenly remembered what Jesus had told him at supper just a few hours before. 'Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times.' Also at that time, Jesus was being taken across the courtyard to another part of the house where he would be held until dawn. Jesus looked over at Peter with sad eyes. Simon Peter put his hands to his mouth to stifle a cry, then turned and charged out of the courtyard and into the street. Jesus was taken inside another building and the was door slammed shut.
Elizabeth turned to Mike and Davy. "Follow Simon Peter. Make sure he will be all right. Stay with him."
"But what about you?" Davy asked.
"I'll be fine. Please go!" She begged.
Mike and Davy quickly got up and followed Simon Peter through the winding, narrow streets. Meanwhile, the courtyard was all abuzz with word of the Priests' decision; Jesus was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death! He would be taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, in the morning!
Micky and Peter went over to Elizabeth, who was staring vacantly into the fire.
"Elizabeth, where's Mike and Davy?" Micky demanded, angry that Mike and Davy would leave her alone like this.
"Don't be angry Micky." Elizabeth soothed, "I sent them after Simon Peter. He's very upset over denying our Lord three times in a row. I just want to make sure Dr. Chronos doesn't try anything."
Unnoticed by everyone, a very angry Dr. Chronos and his men went through the gate and out onto the street. They stood a way down the wall to wait for the others to come back.
"What do we do now?" Peter asked Elizabeth.
"Nothing will happen until dawn." She replied, "Jesus is locked in a cell beneath the house and heavily guarded. Dr. Chronos and his men can't get to him. So all we can do now is wait."
"Isn't there someplace we could stay?" Micky asked, "It's kinda cold out here."
"All the inns will be filled with visitors for the festival." Elizabeth replied, "But we can try to find a place."
Micky and Peter helped her stand up and the three of them walked through the wooden gate, where they were confronted by three upset women.
Two of the women were supporting a third who was dressed in black, a sign that she was a widow.
"Please, kind people, tell us." One of the women begged, "What news of Jesus the prophet? Nobody will tell us!"
"I am sorry to say he was condemned by the priests." Elizabeth answered sadly, "They are taking him to Pilate in the morning."
The woman in the middle would've collapsed in grief if the two women on either side of her hadn't supported her arms.
"Thank you young lady." The other lady said, "This woman with us is Mary, the mother of Jesus."
Elizabeth, Micky and Peter bowed to Jesus' mother. "We are honored to meet you, my lady." Elizabeth said softly.
"We're sorry about Jesus." Peter said.
Jesus' mother smiled at the three. "Thank you. You are very kind."
"Are you three here for the festival?" The first lady asked.
"Yes, we're travelers." Micky replied, "My wife and I and my friend have come a long way."
"Do you have a place to stay?' The second lady asked.
"Well..." Peter hedged.
"Then why don't you three stay at my house? At least for the night?" The second lady replied.
"No, we couldn't..." Elizabeth began.
"Nonsense!" The second lady said. "I have a big house! I often take in travelers during the festival times, it would be no problem!"
"Then it would be an honor." Micky said thankfully. "My name is Mick..Michael, and this is my wife Elizabeth and my friend Peter."
"I am Mary of Magdalene, and this other woman is Mary the wife of Cleophas. Come this way, my house isn't too far."
Micky, Elizabeth and Peter followed the other three women back to their house, grateful to be getting out of the cold, but hoping Mike and Davy and Simon Peter were all right.