The Recruit

By Johnny Miniard

In the early morning hours a young man frustrated by his overly religious family leaves his family farm to start his own life. He quickly has to confront a modern day prophet who is heading to a large weekend service in Las Vegas. On the way he sees the profit save a girl from a human trafficker. They quickly end up in a show down with a biker gang. The young man has to immediately redefine his opinion of religion. As the weekend unfolds the young man gets a first hand look at a modern prophet as he confronts religious leaders, Casino owners, mercenaries, gang bangers, and even cartel leaders. All of whom are confronted with the fact that Jesus still works very passionately through his people. He finally gets to see why the good news is too good to be true.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Johnny Miniard
• Release date: Sep 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301020683

Johnny Miniard

Father of 4, Married, Kansas a beautiful Midwestern state where the love of god can be felt.Carpenter, Contractor, Founder of Carpenter Cares Corp, Founder of Faithville and Faithville Studios, Hobbies include sharing the Good news and looking for the next heavenly exploit. I believe there is a great opportunity coming to all those who believe in Jesus the son of God.

Book preview

The Recruit

The official screenplay novelization

By

Johnny Miniard and Linda Garriguss

Published by Johnny Miniard at Smashwords

Copyright 2012, Johnny Miniard

Based on the Soldier Prophet screenplay series

By Johnny Miniard

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author..

This is a work of fiction. All the characters, organization, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN #9781301020683

CHAPTER ONE

In the predawn hour, a figure comes down from above. A mystical ancient spirit comes sweeping down from the atmosphere then thru the clouds that have formed over the center of the United States of America. For some reason time, space and even gravity has failed to slow down or have any effect on this spirit moving gracefully from above. It seems now to have a specific destination targeted as it mysteriously comes floating up a long gravel driveway passing by the exterior lights that seem to illuminate the whole farm. The figure does not seem to be hindered by the walls of the house either as it comes thru them settling down into the presence of a young man who is sitting up fully dressed on his bed putting on the last boot.

The young man reaches to grab his hat and starts to stand up. When he comes to his feet, he shakes his legs to get his pants and boots adjusted correctly. He reaches out to grab a small backpack and carefully loads it on his shoulder still uncertain about where he is going he knows that any place away from here is going to be better than what he has had to put up with over the last few years around this farm. The young man starts thru the house moving slowly. Exiting the kitchen in a careful manner making sure he does not wake anybody. He exits the mud room with the swinging door carefully held in his hand to make sure it does not come back crashing, alarming and waking everyone as it always does when people are coming and going. Across the porch, down to the yard he heads toward the gravel driveway. The family dogs follow him in their normal protective manner just like they have done ever since he was a child. He continues across the lawn that he must have cut a thousand times over the last ten years. He remembers as he feels the gravel under his feet how long a walk it is down this driveway that stretches almost a mile on his family’s farm.

A fully dressed man stands at a window watching as his oldest son walks out of the yard down the driveway. He continues talking on the telephone I know, I know! This is his journey to take. Seeing him leave his home, walking down that road maybe for the last time leaves an empty feeling through his whole body. I realize he is a young man and I love him tremendously much. All I can see is him playing with his brother, carrying his sister in his arms and the scruffy old dog he loves so much trying to keep up with all their youthfulness. He didn’t even throw the toy Jack was holding in the mouth, just kept on walking. Did I honestly come across as my way or the highway? Did I teach him enough to be on his way? All he has learned is how to farm, how to grow crops and maintain equipment. Catching his thoughts for a moment and listening to the person on the other end of the phone conversation. He replies I should have had a better answer than just find out on your own. He is in your hands now, but you have to remember it’s his choice to make. Joe Ogle hangs up the phone still watching as Nick his oldest walks out of the light and into the shadows heading down the long driveway. Please, don’t leave us all as easily as you did your old dog Jack," Joe muttered as he kept watching until Nick was entirely out of sight disappearing into the darkness.

Still looking from the upper window hoping that he would see his son returning Joe hangs up the telephone and repeats remember he has to choose. Joe kneels down and starts to pray, "How were you able to send your son to the cross. I have a hard time watching mine walk out of sight.

Please, I pray just take care of him." In an amazing way, the man feels the spirit slowly go from the house over the yard back into the sky.

For some reason, he then has comfort to strengthen himself, to get up knowing things were going to work out.

Young Nick thinking to himself as he trips over one of the large gravels in the driveway and stumbles slightly I certainly can be a sarcastic idiot sometimes. Just me the open road and about hundred bucks, boy Nick you’re off in grand style now. Hitching’ and going where? How long will it be before I start talking to myself because that’s what you do when you are on your own. What a way to start a day. Wednesday, won’t be much traffic until school starts. Good timing, dude."

Nick continues walking and thinking about turning around going home. No one will be awake yet. I could act like nothing happened. Then remembering the events of the night before, standing in the barn where they keep all the large farming equipment parked, arguing with this father he knew there was no going back. Why did I say all those hateful things and finally if he is real then he needs to show me? You know the old man is so passionate about his relationship with God. What I said terribly hurt. He remembers how agitated his father was and looking at him with a look, Nick had never seen on his father’s face. Nick knew he crossed a line, and their relationship could never be the same. Keep walking too late to go back.

Coming to the end of the long driveway, which is exactly 1.2 miles long he turns to realize that everything on both sides of him is his family’s farm, and he was no longer going to be a part of. He turns to continue, but the next step he takes looking down in the dimness of the predawn light that seems to show all the surroundings, he sees where the gravel ends and the asphalt begins. Thinking to himself is this a sign of how hard things are going to be in the future, could it be showing me what kind of changes are ahead of me trying to warn me not to leave. He looks up still straddling the two decidedly different roads no time to be caught wasting time over such silly thoughts. He knew that this was his time to make the change he had wanted to do for the last two years. Continuing with his thoughts, No more traditions, no more farming, no more preaching from my father should have been a preacher, by the way, he always talks about God, the young man turns to head out on the new adventure that waits ahead of him.

After taking a few steps he glances at the name on the mailbox and notices the name is dusty and hard to read. He walks over to the mailbox taking off his hat and cleans the name OGLE the one thing he knew him and his father would always share. The young man knew that the old hat he was holding in his hands would be something that he would not need in the future, taking one last look at it like it was a close friend he would be missing he places it on the post sticking up behind the mailbox. He knew how it would hurt his mom when she found it but at least she would know that I was gone instead of worrying about me.

Turning to take one last look back to the house his thoughts go to a late summer evening right before harvest with the leaves starting to change colors, toy farm equipment in the yard, his little brother running with his t-shirt off laughing while being chased. Little sister trying to scream let me down while being overcome to the laughter of being tossed around like a toy being played with. He knows how he will miss them all but it is time for something different. What is this that keeps pushing me forward? He thinks to himself, If I had any brains at all I would go back home. He does not know why but he must continue on.

Nick getting angry while thinking about how his Dad is so out of date with all this God stuff no one even believes like that anymore. He must still think he is going to church with grandpa and all the other old timers around here. Why would someone try to see God in everything they do, wakeup old man before life goes by and you miss out on all the important things going on around you!

Flashing back to that summers evening when I thought I found a person who could help him. Why didn’t he want to listen to the new pastor who I brought by last year? I thought he had some very valid points that anyone should be willing to explore. How he tried to explain to us that there are all kinds of new and exciting things evolving around everyone’s relationship with God, these new things are changing religion just like Facebook has changed the way people communicate in relationships. I don’t think my old man even has a Facebook page.

The pastor continued telling him how important it is for all religions to come together so the world can finally be at peace. Hell, I even liked his church, well at least I liked the girls who went there but never mind that you can keep your old time religion and all the ignorance that comes with that kind of backward thinking.

I have to admit Dad had a very simple way to frustrate the young pastor, he just kept asking him this one question, a question I have heard him ask everyone who ever tried to preach to him. What is Jesus doing in your life? I have to admit it was funny after the pastor heard the question about twenty times in his frustration he made the mistake of asking my Father what Jesus was doing with him? I know Dad could have gone on for hours but the pastor stopped him after the first ten minutes and told my Dad that God doesn't work that way anymore. Dad asked him why he believed that way and he replied that he has never experienced anything like it and that is why he doesn’t believe in a relationship with God that way.

Dad started laughing at the poor man and said what I thought was going to make him furious it was kind of funny now thinking about it, How arrogant must a preacher be to promote this new religion, you really believe that just because you have not experienced something with God that he does not work that way anymore. The way he laughed at the poor man was sort of sad but the pastor has not dared to come back up that driveway to talk to him again.

All I have ever known is here, a life time of memories, all of that destroyed by my father who’s ideas of religion are very out of date. Looking up holding back the faint tears he mutters, If you are real then take care of my little brother and sister.

CHAPTER TWO

Walking down the rural road that seems to go on forever he notices that he is finally getting to the Johnson Farm it boarders his families place. He is thinking how long will I have to walk before I can get a ride.

Mean while about three miles behind him is a car that seems very strange and even more out of place in rural Kansas is moving rapidly, very fast almost recklessly accelerating on the same road the young man is walking