Seek Ye First (book 5 of Genesis 64)

Chapter 12 - Kenny who?

The same day - after chapter 11 - flying over the Pacific Ocean (still year 2010)

Jonah is quiet, but not inactive. He taps his head just above his right ear and begins another conversation in his head, "I need you to find everything you can on the head warden of Qincheng prison in China?"

Female voice: "Yes, sir. Is there any in particular I'm looking for?"

Jonah: "Something we can use to get in there."

Less than a minute later the female voice begins, "I have the information you asked for."

Jonah: "Good, put it up on the screen." At that point, on the virtual screen, orange text starts scrolling up past Jonah's eyes. He reads the text as he drives, then suddenly calls out, "Stop!" then returns to the in-his-brain conversation:

"He's a huge eighties music fan? Excellent! That's exactly what we need. I need you to make a few phone calls for me."

Female voice: "Of course, sir.

Jonah: "The first one will be to Mr. Kenny Loggins in Santa Barbara, California. The second to the main office at Qincheng prison."

Jonah taps his head just above his ear again to end the conversation. Chris says, "Did you just say something?"

"No, I don't think so," replies Jonah.

"Yes, you did. You said 'stop' to someone, then orange text appeared on your screen-thing, and then you touched your head," accuses Chris.

"I did?" Jonah feigns ignorance.

"Yes, you did... it's like you're...um...." Chris thinks for a bit. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Jonah asks.

"You have a computer chip in your head... and you're talking to a supercomputer!" she announces.

Jonah laughs, "That's crazy talk!" and they both laugh together. He then nonchalantly reaches up and touches his head with his left hand and begins another in-his-own-mind conversation:

Jonah: "Eight-one-five to Eye-sea-jay-one-six"

Pilot: "Yes sir?"

Jonah: "Plot a course to Santa Barbara, California. We need to pick up a passenger there."

Pilot: "Okay sir."

Jonah taps his head again to end the conversation and says, "Chips in the head and supercomputers? Really? You watch way too much Science-fiction!" They both laugh together again.

Once the jet is again in the air Chris asks Jonah, "So, where are we going now --- to the prison?"

"No, first we have to get the 'key'," Jonah explains

"Is this key a someone or a something?" she asks.

"A someone, but interestingly, there's a 'key' in their name," Jonah says

"Huh?" a puzzled Chris responds.

Jonah chuckles, "You'll see. Why don't you text your mom again?"

Chris gets out her phone again and texts her mom:

Chris: hi mom

Ginny: Where are you? Are you OK??

Chris: I'm fine. We're over the pacific.

Ginny: The ocean? Why??

Chris: We found clues to where my birth mom is.

Ginny: I don't like this. Please come home!

Chris: bye. ttyl.

Qincheng Prison, Beijing, China - same time

Mr. Wu's personal assistant, Mrs. Flora Deng, is sitting at her desk when the phone rings. "Hello Qincheng prison, Warden Wu's office." *listening* "What? Are you serious?" *listening* "Of course, hang on...."

Mrs. Deng sticks her head in her boss's office, "Sir, there's a representative from Black Knight Oil & Gas on the phone and she wants to know if the American singer Kenny Loggins can give a free concert here tomorrow evening?"

[sitting up and spitting out his tea] "Kenny Rog...Rog...?!" [he stops for a second so his tongue can catch up to his brain] "Loggins?! Tomorrow? Here?! Of course, of course!!" He exclaims in delight.

Mrs. Deng speaks on the phone for a bit then asks him, "Can you get an orchestra here by 5:00?"

"Yes, of course! Anything else?" he asks.

The assistant listens for a little longer then says, "Yes, there's a favor they require from you..."

back over the Pacific

About four hours later the BKO&G jet touches down at the Santa Barbara Airport in sunny southern California. Jonah rents another vehicle and soon he and Chris are headed into the rolling hills of north of Santa Barbara. Jonah pulls the SUV into the driveway of a large house with cedar siding. The two of them walk up the sidewalk under the shade of several oak and maple trees, and ring the door-bell. A man in his sixties with graying, flowing hair and a trimmed, graying mustache and goatee answers the door

"Jonah, good to see you," he says as the two man shake hands. "It's about time I pay you back for that favor."

Jonah turns to look at Chris and gestures toward the man as if indicating royalty, "May I present to you... ...Mr. Kenny Loggins!"

Chris smiles, but looks blankly at the two beaming men, "Umm...Hi?"

"You don't know who Kenny Loggins is?" Jonah asks her.

Kenny's mouth drops open is mock disbelief. Jonah continues, "You know - 70's and 80's singer and songwriter? 'Loggins and Messina'?"

Chris still looks blankly at them gently shaking her head, 'No'.

Jonah tries again, "'I'm Alright'? 'Danger Zone'?" Kenny sings the chorus "Highway to the Danger Zone... Gonna take it right in-to the Danger Zo-ne..."

Chris shakes her head again.

Jonah tries yet again, "'Footloose'!? Everyone knows 'Footloose'!" Kenny sings, "Now I gotta cut loose, footloose... Kick off your Sunday shoes..."

Chris's blank face suddenly brakes into a grin, "Footloose? You wrote that? That's amazing!"

Kenny smiles a bit as he answers, "Well, I sang it too, you know."

"Ohh, I thought someone more famous sang it," Chris replies.

Jonah says, now trying to change the subject, "Well, that's a start." As he picks up Kenny's guitar case and duffel bag, "Let's get this show on the road!"

Within the hour their jet is back in the air and headed back across the Pacific... again! As Chris settles back in her seat trying to relax, across the aisle Jonah, Kenny, and the co-pilot are playing "Name that 80's song" as Kenny plays his guitar. As she drifts of to sleep again she thinks, "Is today the day? Am I really going to meet my mom??"