The Prophet

The Program Director

"Oh, good grief." Hazen pinched between his eyes.

Sal took another sip and held up his hands to settle the room. "Okay, I'm sorry. No more jokes at your expense, son. It's not every day you bring a beautiful woman home."

Renny looked surprised by this and lifted an eyebrow at Hazen.

He ignored her and plowed ahead. "Dad, we went to Vegas because Renny wanted me to meet people there. They're called the Kota."

Sal's expression flashed with concern. "That new cult?"

"What? No. Dad they're not-"

"Sir," Renny interjected, "I grew up as Baptist as Baptist can be. There's nothing about the Kota movement that makes me think they're a cult. My parents even approved of my going on a Kota mission trip during college."

"Baptist, huh?" Sal's eyes went to her nose ring. "I doubt your parents approve of that little guy."

"I said I grew up Baptist. Then I realized it wasn't evil to have fun." A smirk pulled at the corner of her mouth. "But my style choices don't bother my parents. They were much more upset about my MFA in Creative Writing. 'Useless' was the exact word they used." She winked at Hazen. "I'll show them."

Hazen made a face. "Anyway, we met with the Kota because... Dad, they know about people like me."

Sal lowered his half-raised glass, and his gaze swung to Renny.

This is our big, weird family secret, thought Hazen. Can't blame him for being surprised I'd talk about it in front of her.

"Dad, Renny's like me too."

Sal looked at her.

All her laughter gone now, Renny nodded back at him.

"So..." Sal tried to piece this together. "The Kota can explain why you have these nightmares? Can they make them stop?"

"No, I don't think so. But they say there's a reason for what I see. If they can help me figure out why I see visions, I want to go with them."

"Where?"

"Tibet."

"Have you lost your mind?" Sal's face paled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay, Dad. I'm not crazy. I know that for sure now." He smiled at Renny, then took a breath. "Dad, I need to do this. And I don't mean this is some selfish quest to find myself or anything – although that's probably what we should tell Mom. Renny and I can use our visions to potentially help a lot of people."

Sal thought a moment. "But you're already helping people. Isn't that enough? I've never understood your nightmares, and I'm sorry I can't. I really wish I could've helped you sort out all this. Especially after losing Charles."

Hazen swallowed. "I know, Dad."

Sal set his drink on a side table. Then he stood from his seat and smoothed out the front of his suit shirt. "Miss Nado, would you mind if we excuse ourselves? I'd like to have a word alone with my son."

Renny held her glass and smiled up at him. "Of course, sir. I'll stay here and look at your books if that's okay?"

"My books would be honored." Sal winked at her. Then he motioned for Hazen to join him as he left the room.

Hazen rose, swallowed the rest of his drink, and looked at Renny.

She made an exaggerated scared face before smiling. "Go. I'm sure you'll be fine."

Hazen took a breath and hurried after his father, who'd exited into the hall. Sal led him onto a moonlit deck off the back of the enormous house. They stood together against the far rail, which overlooked a hilly drop to a rocky beach. Lake Michigan lapped against the rocks, and the moonlight created flashing waves of silver from here to the dark horizon.

"Hazen, did something happen? When you first showed up, you both looked horribly nervous, like you were scared. Are you running from something?"

Damn it, thought Hazen. He's always so perceptive.

He put his hands in his pockets. "Can what happened in Vegas stay there? I don't know how to explain. This is all...surreal."

Sal frowned. "I don't like this. Are you sure you can trust these Kota people? I understand you want answers, but Tibet's a long way from home."

"I know, but I need to do this. I'm not a child, and I can take care of myself. I am going to Tibet. I'll find a way to get us there even if you refuse to let me get the money." He looked across the water, then back at his father. "You trust me to know what I'm doing, don't you? You have so far, and I've told you some pretty weird stuff."

Sal looked over at him, his face shadowed. "Yes, I believe in you, Hazen. But I'm your father, and I want to keep you safe – that was true the day you were born, it's true now that you're thirty, and it'll be true 'til the day I die. And you're a special case, since you have this thing in your life that I don't understand. It frightens me."

"It frightens me too. But I learned years ago not to run from it. And now I have people counting on me."

Sal sighed. "Are you sure you won't consider coming to work for me at the WSP? You're good with people – you'd fit perfectly with our international relations team."

"I can't, Dad. I appreciate everything you've done for me. I really do. Without your success, I wouldn't be able to help people the way I do. But I have to do what I do, not what you do."

"But why go to the other side of the world? Aren't there enough people in our own country who need help? We have poverty, corruption, disease, famine. You've had tons of visions of people here, right? Why can't you stay here, find a fulfilling day job, and play hero on the side?"

Hazen thought on the future he'd seen.

"There's more I'm meant to do, Dad. I can't explain it, but the Kota can help me learn what I'm supposed to do for the future."

Sal held the rail. "Isn't the present enough to fix? The future isn't always your responsibility, son."

But this one might be, thought Hazen. The present world has problems, yes. But the future I see is going to be worse. So. Much. Worse. If I'm meant to somehow make it better, I can't ignore that responsibility. I've tried to heal hundreds of short-term futures, but the distant-future visions have always felt more important. That future is the world I have to care about.

"Dad, I need to go to Tibet. Please, understand." He made a face. "Renny's going too. At least she'll be there to watch after me, right?"

Sal half-grinned at this. He took a second, then finally nodded. "Okay. I'll go with you to the bank in the morning." He put a hand on Hazen's shoulder and smiled. "But I get to drive your car while you're gone. The service brought it back from the airport last night."

Hazen smiled. "Deal."