Chapter 31: The Conviction

Arielle sat in the office that felt as though it was shrinking in size the longer they were there. The guard appeared bored in his plain, crisp uniform. His neat attire announced that he was ready for another day's work, but his plain countenance declared his readiness to depart his job altogether.

Arielle couldn't blame him for his boredom, but she also didn't quite understand a job like his.

How does one apply for such a job? She wondered. Are they tricked into kidnapping unsuspecting people or do they list it boldly on their resume? Her lips pouted as she pondered the random question. The fringe of curls that draped near her eyes constantly proved to be a distraction as one curl, and then two would fall into her line of vision, sometimes hitting her eye in its descent.

Arielle blew another away another curl that fell and entangled itself with her lashes. A steady sigh fell from her mouth as she turned her gaze back over to Lorenzo. She felt rather perplexed by his strange behavior. She studied his hands as they typed endlessly, furiously even, on the keyboard of his laptop, only to pause to chug a large dark soda beside him.

Who would have thought a man like him would order takeout amid a hostage scenario, but he ordered takeout not once, but twice. It was an odd and unique combination of donuts from a small nearby pastry shop and a platter of Chinese food from a Chinese restaurant that she had not heard of until then.

Yet what Arielle found the most bizarre wasn't his desire for takeout nor the combination of takeout- instead it was the matter in which he chugged his soda as if he had never sipped anything before in his life. And he would grab an unhinged amount of mini donuts, shoving them in his face. Not one by one, but group by group. If Arielle didn't know any better, it would seem as if the man behind the mayhem was having a panic attack or something similar.

One would think that he had to be suffering from dehydration, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he was dealing more with anxiety and fear rather than mere thirst.

It was just another reason why Arielle knew to never judge a book by its cover. Lorenzo looked fairly healthy, but his current diet said otherwise.

She turned her attention out the window again. Almost perfectly fitting the sullen demeanor of the building she was in, she was met with the view of a near-empty and filthy street. Litter covered the sidewalk and poured into the edge of the road. Despite being surrounded by various buildings and seeing where Lorenzo had ordered from, Arielle still didn't recognize where Lorenzo's building was located.

She lived in New York all of her life, but she didn't live in the Big Apple all of her life. Commuting for work was something many New Yorkers like herself did and living in a dorm kept her mostly on campus or in the places closest to her campus. Yet the building she sat in now was likely one she had never seen with her own eyes before this.

It didn't help that a lot of the roads appeared similar to one another in New York City. At least in her opinion. The buildings were tall, the roads were full, and the people were busy. She didn't have a reason to know it all, but now she wished that she did. She sighed quietly, leaning her head back against her seat. There wasn't much she could think to do.

Julia would have known. She thought to herself.

Julia loved everything about NYC. She loved the skyscrapers, the artists and their pieces, the pizzerias, and especially the street food. Julia's enjoyment of a variety of people and food led her to love New York even more than the average visitor that Arielle knew. She would travel through different blocks in wonder of what she would find there.

Arielle's eyes glanced back over to Lorenzo who had begun typing rapidly on his laptop. She was becoming increasingly concerned for the man. There was a vein popping out of his forehead and his face was taking on a strange hue of red.

Arielle shook her head, not knowing what to do. He was angered whenever she said a word and there was always a guard blocking the door. They were constantly rotating shifts, each one looking more perturbed than the last one.

Taking a deep breath and wiggling her fingers in hopes of reminding the blood to flow to them even in her precarious position, she decided to look back out the large office windows.

It would be best to continue praying, a thought came.

Leaning her head down, Arielle began to pray quietly to herself. She felt the presence of the Lord near her. Comfort and peace washed over her once more as she petitioned God for her safety and Lorenzo's salvation. Her heart was not panicked, even in the circumstances before her. She praised God for keeping her and for the next few hours, Arielle kept her mind on God. She occasionally switched from prayers, to worship, to meditating on scriptures that came back to her remembrance.

Time flowed as water traversed downhill, moving at a rapid pace. Arielle's eyes scanned the sky. The orange hue of the sun seemed to strengthen, having one last burst of color before it disappeared beyond the horizon. The light soon became replaced with the soft and gentle light of the moon. Arielle softly smiled at the sight of it. It wasn't common to see the stars in NYC with all the street lights, but the moon's light felt like an added comfort given by God for humanity and proved its God-given strength by outshining the fluorescent street lights.

Arielle hummed quietly to herself, feeling sleepiness grow within her.

I can't sleep now, she thought quietly to herself. It would be the worst time to sleep.

Yet her bedtime was usually only an hour after sunset as of late. She had begun waking up a bit earlier each morning and her internal clock was trying to make her aware of how soon her self-made curfew was rearing its head.

Arielle shook her head, deciding to keep her mind on God instead of her sleepiness when she heard the sound of something being knocked onto the ground. Her head hastily turned to the source of the sound only to see Lorenzo moving frantically. His arms kept grasping for his throat and his other hand had successfully knocked over his laptop soon followed by his lamp.

His face had developed into a strange shade of deep red and little to no sound was coming from his mouth. The donut box he had been eating out of was lying half-opened with a half-eaten donut still resting in it-

Then it clicked.

He's choking!

Arielle jumped up or rather tried to, but the looped restraints around her hands and the armrest of the chair kept her fairly close to her seat.

"Help me! Get this off of me!" She yelled to the guard as she tugged at it helplessly. She watched as Lorenzo's face continued to change in hue and stress. Her eyes darted between him and the guard who stared with panic between Lorenzo and Arielle. Distrust was in his eyes.

"Look, we don't have time. Either you help me out of this and he may live or you leave me in this and he dies! Please help!" She yelled quickly, nearly stumbling over her words as she turned the chair slightly to make it easier for the guard to reach it.

With one more nervous glance at Lorenzo, the guard rushed over to her. He quickly toggled with the restraints until they loosened and were fully removed from her hands. Soon she jumped past him to Lorenzo's sinking body.

"No no no. You need to stand. Here." She instructed the guard as she adjusted Lorenzo's body. "Come over here please!" She yelled to him once more.

He scurried over, stumbling partially over the discarded laptop on the floor.

"Hold him up with this arm. He's too heavy for me to fully hold up on my own."

"Okay," the guard replied. "I've got him."

"Thanks." Arielle took a deep breath and leaned him over slightly, giving a few hard hits to his back with the heel of her hand. The guard was noticeably bewildered, but he didn't argue with her. Adjusting him slightly forward, she wrapped her hands around his waist, resting her right hand just above his navel with her thumb facing his stomach in the form of a fist.

She quickly placed her left hand over her right hand, grasping it well before pushing it inward and upward. She did this a few times before the sound of something wet dislodging, shot out of his mouth and onto the wooden floor.

Lorenzo's face began returning to its natural hue and Arielle's racing heartbeat began to slow down. She didn't realize it, but her breathing had become quick-paced. Lorenzo and the guard were quiet for a moment, well mostly the guard. Lorenzo was gasping for air. Relishing in the feeling of it.

A heavy silence fell on the three and Arielle slowly backed away, not knowing what to do now. She could run out of there, but she was unsure of how many guards were still at their posts in the narrow hall. She glanced to the door once, twice, then thrice- but still her legs didn't move.

"You saved my life," Lorenzo gasped. His hand rested on his chest as it rose and fell.

"I-" She began not knowing what to say. She didn't want to witness anyone die and Lorenzo was no different, but now they all stood in a near awkward silence. She searched for the words, but he continued before she could find them.

"Why?" He asked. His cool blue eyes pierced her as he leaned on his desk, still catching his breath. "You could have left. Who would have stopped you with this happening?"

"And you leave you there to die?" She asked. Lorenzo was struck by the genuine tone in her words. The gravity of what nearly happened didn't escape him. He could have been dead if she had left. His guards were not required to have any training for what she had done.

"Do I not intimidate you?" He felt confused, yet curious. His eyes studied her as a predator scanning their prey.

Arielle was taken aback. She didn't know how to answer a question like that. Lorenzo was a man driven by envy, fear, and anger, but he didn't intimidate her. He confused her and his antics disturbed her, but she did not feel intimidated by him.

Before she could reply, he did. "Well that is intriguing isn't it?" He asked, gesturing to her while speaking to his guard. "I don't intimidate her."

The guard simply nodded, keeping it short and to the point. Arielle observed the guard. He was slightly shorter than Lorenzo, but not by much. He had bright green eyes, with tousled light brown hair, but his expression was careful. He appeared to be walking on eggshells around him. He was intimidated by Lorenzo.

"Can you answer a question of mine?" Arielle spoke up.

Lorenzo turned his attention back to her. His smug expression fell. Arielle took note of his quick mood changes, but she continued regardless.

"What?" He asked. His tone was monotonous. He was already uninterested, but that was neither here nor there. Arielle wanted an answer.

"Do you believe in God?" She asked calmly.

Lorenzo's eyes widened and soon laughter erupted in his office. His hardy laugh would make it seem as if he hadn't been choking just minutes prior. Arielle stood there, waiting. The laughter would eventually have to come to an end, but it took a while. Lorenzo continued to laugh and laugh as the seconds became minutes. After two or so minutes of laughing, he swiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head.

"My apologies," he spoke through a giggle that he fought to suppress.

Arielle simply sighed. "I mean it, Lorenzo. Do you believe in God?"

"What? Are you going to invite me to your church or something little lady?" He mocked while wagging his finger in her face.

"I could, but my question is serious." She was unphased by his laughter. This wasn't the first time someone laughed at her beliefs or her, but she needed him to understand deeply. She desired to see the scales fall from his eyes and for the light of truth to pour into his soul.

"Why do you care? What do you get out of this?" He crossed his arms, now leaning against the bookshelf behind him.

"I get to see a soul saved," Arielle replied with a smile. "I get to be used by the Lord to bring another lost soul to Him. Angels rejoice in Heaven when one soul is saved. It's magnificent. More beautiful than I can describe." A bright genuine smile reached her eyes. Lorenzo raised a brow, he was noticeably taken aback at her confidence. Very few spoke up to him with such confidence.

"Aren't we sure of ourselves?" He answered sarcastically. With a glance at his guard, he shooed him. "You can go." He commanded.

"Can he stay actually?" Arielle asked quietly. She glanced over toward the guard who was visibly uncomfortable and already walking toward the exit.

"What?" Lorenzo pursed his lips with his hand rubbing his forehead.

"Can he stay? I'd want him to hear too." She replied. Lorenzo watched her for a few seconds before silently beckoning his guard to return and close the door behind him.

"Go on," Lorenzo said giving the floor to Arielle to speak once more.

"Well my question is the same," she clarified. "Do you believe in God?"

"Not since I was a child." Although they stood across the room from one another, his eyes bored into hers. His gaze was heavy, as if there was pain weighing it down further. Nonetheless, Arielle felt a great sympathy for Lorenzo, but she kept her cool under his scrutinizing gaze.

"And why is that?" She asked softly. There was no condemnation in her voice, but a sincere curiosity which Lorenzo wasn't quite used to. It shook him briefly.

"Is this a serious question?" He asked incredulously. He didn't tell her that he didn't find her question absurd, but more that he found her demeanor absurd and his caring tone to be insane. He wasn't a good man, not by anyone's standard and surely not by hers. Yet there she stood, acting as if their current predicament was one of randomness and not his doing.

"They all are," she confirmed, walking over to where they tied her originally. She turned back around to face him.

"My family has suffered many egregious trials." Lorenzo began. "So much so that my faith in whoever sits above us, has departed along with my happiness."

Arielle nodded. "And so you've delved into that pain and you've used that pain and fear to control those around you."

"Wha-"

"I'm not saying this to look down on you. I don't look down on you, Lorenzo." Arielle assured him.

"I asked you to call me by my last name," He corrected her, seeing nothing else he could find annoyance in.

"My apologies, Mr. Denaliz." She corrected herself.

"Look, you have one purpose for being here and it's not to preach to me," Lorenzo spoke sharply. His hand slammed on the desk beside him as he pointed his other hand in Arielle's direction.

"One would say that my purpose for being here wasn't to save you either, but I'd say both are wrong." She said very softly and slowly. Watching his response carefully.

"You based your belief in God on your circumstances and on your emotional state. Because you were happy, you believed in Him." Arielle began, her eyes were sad as her heart tugged at the realization of what led him to that point.

"Mr. Denaliz, God didn't stop loving you. The purpose He has for you is not yet removed. You went through trials, you and your family. And there are many things that I'm sure you went through that God didn't want you to go through either. This world is more spiritual than natural. There are angels, there are demons. There's God and there's the enemy, Satan. There's human free will. Free will that people have used to rebel against God and hurt others with..."

"But despite all of the evil you have done to retaliate the childhood you've experienced and all of those you may blame simply because they remind you of someone you once knew- God still desires you. Jesus, the One who saved me and comforted my mother and me when my dad died, that same Jesus that has done a work in Alexander's heart- That same Jesus loves you and is calling you to repent."

Lorenzo shook his head. "You're trying to tell me that Alexander of all people has fallen for this too?" He asked, pertaining to her steady and firm faith. He tried to scoff, but his heart wouldn't allow him to. He felt off, uncomfortable by her words. A feeling of guilt was growing within him.

"God is not a respecter of persons. He desires all to be saved, including those who are rivals against each other." Lorenzo walked behind his desk, pulling the seat out because gravity felt as if it was going to grab a hold of him soon if he didn't sit down.

"You're a strange woman," Lorenzo muttered in a weak rebuttal. He rested his head in his hands, removing her from his view.

May I sit nearby to show you something?" Arielle asked.

Lorenzo peered over his hands for a moment. At that point, he looked as bewildered as he felt, but still, he gestured for her to take a seat in one of the two chairs that were angled toward the front of his desk.

Arielle grabbed a seat across from him and shuffled in her pocket. She thanked God for the miracles He worked. In her dress pocket were tiny paper tiles that had been laminated. As Lorenzo had sat down just a moment before, Arielle felt them brush against her frame and realized that not only she could share the gospel, but she could show him to give him a visual.

So out of her pocket, she pulled the tiny folded paper packet that could fit in the palm of her hand. It contained 12 tiles, about an inch long and an inch wide. Each held a small picture, that aided in showing the gospel from Genesis to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Arielle placed the tiles neatly on his desk, only allowing a few in his view at a time as she began to explain how God made the world.

"In the beginning, God made the Heavens and the Earth. He made all the living creatures and He made us in His image," she began, gingerly placing down each tile that held the small images on them. Lorenzo's eyes stayed on her, perplexed, but he didn't say a word. He felt as though his walls were crashing down and he didn't quite understand how.

"In the Garden of Eden, there was the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God gave clear instructions to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and He made it clear that they could eat of any other tree in the Garden of Eden." Arielle explained as she moved about the small tiles.

The first few tiles depicted a door with a bright light around it, while the next two tile images that Arielle placed in front of Lorenzo portrayed a good tree and a bad tree.

"He wanted to have a relationship with Adam and Eve, a loving relationship, but that includes choice. You have to give someone the choice to not love you or else it isn't truly love. So He gave them the option to obey Him and the option to disobey Him."

Lorenzo nodded. "I remember that from Sunday school." He said quietly. Arielle smiled and he rushed to add to his sentence. "As a child."

"I know," she smiled and then continued.

"Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And on that day, death entered the world. God gave three curses, one for the woman, one for the man, and one for the serpent. He cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden. He knew that if they ate of the Tree of Life, they would remain in that state of being permanently separated from Him and they would be unredeemable. But God had a plan to save them." She showed the tiles that depicted man being darkened spiritually.

"When Adam and Eve left the Garden, sin multiplied," Arielle continued. They sat there at his desk for the next twenty minutes as Arielle explained the Gospel to him. Lorenzo understood her words, it was very clear to him. Memories of his sweet hearted mother kept coming to mind. He recalled her long prayers and her gentle demeanor. Guilt grew in him.

"So my question to you is, now that you know why Jesus came to the Earth and now that you understand that He came and died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day so that those who believe in Him will not perish, but have eternal life- what will you do?" Arielle asked as she neatly assorted the small tiles back into the pouch that comfortably sat in her dress pocket.

"I- I don't know. This- all of this, reminds me of my mother. She believed in this stuff," Lorenzo mumbled.

"Because it's real. She sounds like a lovely woman," Arielle said with a gentle smile.

"Was," he replied bitterly.

"If she believed in Jesus and lived for Him til the end, then she still is." Arielle corrected him. "If so, she's alive in Christ and she will remain that way." She quickly dropped her gaze as a pen dropped onto the floor. As she knelt to grab it, Arielle couldn't see the tears clouding his gaze.

Yet any further conversation was cut short as the double doors to Lorenzo's office burst open with an abundance of officers lined up, blocking the exit.

"Put your hands where we can see them!" They yelled. Arielle stumbled at the abrupt noise, landing on the floor, while Lorenzo and the guard promptly placed their hands up.

Arielle glanced up at Lorenzo who was blinking away the tears rapidly as a mix of remorse, regret, and shock played on his countenance. She knew something happened. A seed was planted. A hand grabbed hers, and she was met with the warm brown eyes of an officer who nodded at her reassuringly and led her out of the office.

The office that once felt as if it was shrinking, now felt as if was blooming with hope.

"Your mother is outside." He told her amidst the noise of struggle from the guards who had been tackled on the ground and subdued with handcuffs in the long narrow hall.

Arielle looked around, still feeling shock circuit through her body.

"Thank you, God," she spoke quietly before turning her gaze back to the officer. "Thank you."

"No need," he smiled and they rode down the cramped elevator, and within minutes, Arielle was greeted by her mom and more officers that lined the building from the outside.

Author's Note: The Gospel Tiles mentioned in this chapter are real! I'm a part of a Christian discipleship program that teaches the principles of faith and obedience/holiness in Christianity and various ways and techniques of sharing the Gospel!