Spontaneously, the crowd at Teddy Kollek Stadium stood as Tsion’s voice rose and fell. Buck held Chloe tight and wanted to shout amen as Tsion thundered on. “They will cry with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’
“The angels around the throne will fall on their faces and worship God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’”
The crowd began to roar again, and Tsion did not quiet them. He merely stepped back and gazed at the floor, and Buck had the impression he was overcome and welcomed the pause to collect himself. When he moved back to the microphone, the standing thousands quieted again, as if desperate to catch every word. “John was asked by one of the elders at the throne, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?’ And John said, ‘Sir, you know.’ And the elder said, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”
Tsion waited through another reverberating response, then continued: “‘They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore.’ The Lamb himself shall feed them and lead them to fountains of living water. And, best of all, my dear family, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
This time when the crowd began to respond, Tsion stayed in the lectern and raised a hand, and they listened. “We shall be here in Israel two more full days and nights, preparing for battle. Put aside fear! Put on boldness! Were you surprised that all of us, each and every one, were spared the last few judgments I wrote about? When the rain and hail and fire came from the sky and the meteors scorched a third of the plant life and poisoned a third of the waters of the world, how was it that we escaped? Luck? Chance?”
The crowd shouted, “No!”
“No!” Tsion echoed. “The Scriptures say that an angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea. And what did he tell them? He said, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And John writes, ‘I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.’
“And now let me close by reminding you that the bedrock of our faith remains the verse our Gentile brothers and sisters have so cherished from the beginning. John 3:16 says,” and here Tsion spoke so softly, so tenderly that he had to be right on the microphone, and people edged forward to hear, “‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only—’”
A faint rumble in the sky became a persistent thwock-thwock-thwock that drowned out Tsion as a gleaming white helicopter drew every eye. The crowd stared as the chopper, with GC emblazoned on the side, slowly descended, its massive blades whipping Tsion’s hair and clothes until he was forced to back away from the lectern.
The engine shuddered and stopped, and the crowd murmured when Leon Fortunato bounded from the craft to the lectern. He nodded to Tsion, who did not respond, then adjusted the microphone to his own height. “Dr. Ben-Judah, local and international organizing committee, and assembled guests,” he began with great enthusiasm, but immediately thousands looked puzzled, looked at each other, shrugged, and began jabbering.
“Translators!” someone shouted. “We need interpreters!”
Fortunato looked expectantly at Tsion, who continued staring straight ahead. “Dr. Ben-Judah,” Fortunato implored, “is there someone who can translate? Whom are you using?”
Tsion did not look at him.
“Excuse me,” Fortunato said into the microphone, “but interpreters have been assigned. If you would come forward quickly, His Excellency, your potentate, would be grateful for your service.”
Buck stepped out and peered into an area near the front row in the infield where the interpreters sat. As one they looked to Tsion, but Fortunato didn’t even know whom he was addressing. “Please,” he said. “It isn’t fair that only those who understand English may enjoy the remarks of your next two hosts.”
Hosts? Buck thought. That got even Tsion’s attention, and his head jerked as he glanced at Leon. “Please,” Leon mouthed, as the crowd grew louder. Tsion glanced at the translators, who eyed him, waiting. He raised his head slightly, as if to give the OK. They hurried to their microphones.
“Thank you kindly, Dr. Ben-Judah,” Fortunato said. “You’re most helpful, and His Excellency thanks you as well.” Tsion ignored him.
With the singsong cadence necessary to keep the interpreters on pace, Fortunato addressed the crowd anew. “As supreme commander of the Global Community and as one who has personally benefited from his supernatural ability to perform miracles, it shall be my pleasure in a moment to introduce you to His Excellency, Global Community potentate Nicolae Carpathia!”
Fortunato had ended with a flourish, as if expecting cheering and applause. He stood smiling and—to Buck’s mind—embarrassed and perturbed when no one responded. No one even moved. Every eye was on Fortunato except Tsion’s.
Leon quickly gathered himself. “His Excellency will personally welcome you, but first I would like to introduce the revered head of the new Enigma Babylon One World Faith, the supreme pontiff, Pontifex Maximus, Peter the Second!”
Fortunato swept grandly back, beckoning to the helicopter, from which emerged the comical figure of the man Buck knew as Peter Mathews, former archbishop of Cincinnati. He had become pope briefly after the disappearance of the previous pontiff but was now the amalgamator of nearly every religion on the globe save Judaism and Christianity.
Mathews had somehow emerged from the helicopter with style, despite being decked out in the most elaborate clerical garb Buck had ever seen. “What in the world is that?” Chloe said.
Buck watched agape as Peter the Second lifted his hands to the crowd and turned slowly in a circle as if to include everyone in his pompous and pious greeting. He wore a high, peaked cap with an infinity symbol on the front and a floor-length, iridescent yellow robe with a long train and billowy sleeves. His vestments were bedecked with huge, inlaid, brightly colored stones and appointed with tassels, woven cords, and bright blue, crushed velvet stripes, six on each sleeve, as if he had earned some sort of a double doctorate from Black Light Discotheque University. Buck covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. When Mathews turned around, he revealed astrological signs on the train of his robe.
His hands moved in circles as if to bless everyone, and Buck wondered how he felt about hearing nothing from the audience. Would Carpathia dare face this indifference, this hostility?
Peter pulled the mike up to his mouth and spoke with arms outstretched. “My blessed brothers and sisters in the pursuit of higher consciousness, it warms my heart to see all of you here, studying under the well-intentioned scholarship of my colleague and respected litterateur, Dr. Tsion Ben-Judah!” Mathews clearly expected that announcing their hero as if introducing a heavyweight boxer would elicit a roar, but the crowd remained silent and unmoving.
“I confer upon this gathering the blessings of the universal father and mother and animal deities who lovingly guide us on our path to true spirituality. In the spirit of harmony and ecumenism, I appeal to Dr. Ben-Judah and others in your leadership to add your rich heritage and history and scholarship to our coat of many colors. To the patchwork quilt that so beautifully encompasses and includes and affirms and accepts the major tenets of all the world’s great religions, I urge you to include your own. Until the day comes that you agree to plant your flag under the umbrella of Enigma Babylon One World Faith, rest assured that I will defend your right to disagree and to oppose and to seek our multilayered plural godhead in your own fashion.”
Mathews turned regally and traded places with Fortunato, both clearly pretending to be unfazed by the apathy of the crowd. Fortunato announced, “And now it gives me pleasure to introduce to you t
he man who has united the world into one global community, His Excellency and your potentate, Nicolae Carpathia! Would you rise as he comes with a word of greeting.”
No one stood.
Carpathia, a frozen smile etched on his face, had never—in Buck’s experience—failed to captivate a crowd. He was the most dynamic, engaging, charming speaker Buck had ever heard. Buck himself was, of course, far past being impressed with Nicolae, but he wondered if the seal of God on the foreheads of the witnesses and their converts also protected their minds against his evil manipulation.
“Fellow citizens of the Global Community,” Carpathia began, waiting for the interpreters and appearing to Buck to work hard at connecting with the crowd. “As your potentate, I welcome you to Israel and to this great arena, named after a man of the past, a man of peace and harmony and statesmanship.”
Buck was impressed. Nicolae had immediately tried to align himself with a former mayor of the Holy City, one a huge percentage of this crowd would have heard of. Buck began to worry that Nicolae’s power of persuasion might sway someone like Jacov. He put a hand on Chloe’s shoulder and whispered, “I’ll be right back.”
“How can you walk out on this?” she said. “I wouldn’t miss this show for the world. Don’t you think Peter’s getup would work on me, maybe as an evening kind of a thing?”
“I’ll be with Jacov for a minute.”
“Good idea.”
As Buck stepped away, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. “Buck here,” he said.
“Where you goin’?”
“Who’s this?”
“That was you at stage right with the blonde, right?”
Buck stopped. “I have to know who this is.”
“Mac McCullum. Nice to meet ya.”
“Mac! What’s up? Where are you?”
“On the chopper, man! This is the best theater I’ve seen in ages. All this friendly folderol! You should have heard these guys on board! Swearing, cursing Ben-Judah and the whole crowd. Carpathia spit all over me, railing about the two witnesses.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. Hey, you sure this connection is secure?”
“Only my life depends on it, son.”
“Guess that’s true.” Buck told Mac where he was going and why.
“Nick’s a piece of work, ain’t he?” Mac said.
“Chloe’s particularly fond of Mathews’s sartorial resplendence.”
“Hey, me too! Gotta go. Don’t want to have to tell ’em who I was talkin’ to.”
“Keep in touch, Mac.”
“Don’t worry. But listen, make yourselves scarce too. I wouldn’t put anything past these guys.”
“Wait,” Buck said, a smile in his voice. “You mean we can’t take Carpathia at his word? He’s not a trustworthy guy?”
“All right, just watch yourselves.”
CHAPTER 4
Knowing the GC brass was away from New Babylon, Rayford e-mailed David Hassid at the underground shelter. “Be where you can receive TX at six your time, brother.”
At nine in the morning Chicago time, an hour before the Meeting of the Witnesses was to be broadcast live internationally via the Internet, Rayford reached David by phone. “Where are you?” he said.
“Outside,” David said. “Things are pretty quiet with Abbott and Costello away.”
Rayford chuckled. “I would have guessed you way too young for them.”
“They’re my favorites,” David said. “Especially now that they’re ruling the world. What’s up? I was about to watch the festivities. They’ve got it on the wall-sized screen in the compound.”
Rayford filled him in on the latest. “Sad to say, the next time I see you may be because you need to hide out with us.”
“I can’t imagine escaping here, but Mac’s right that it’s good you slipped away. Your days were numbered.”
“I’m shocked Nicolae didn’t do me in months ago.”
“Your son-in-law better lay low, too. His name pops up all the time. They’ve assigned me to locate where his webzine originates. But you know, Rayford, as hard as I work on that and as much time as I put into it, I just can’t seem to break through the scramble and find it.”
“No kidding.”
“I’m doing my best. Honest I am. Boy it’s frustrating when you can’t deliver information to your boss that would cost the life of a brother. Know what I mean?”
“Well, you keep working on it, David, and I’m sure you’ll at least find a misdirection that can waste more of their time.”
“Great idea.”
“Listen, can you walk me through hooking my laptop to a TV so we can see this meeting easier?”
David laughed. “Next you’ll tell me your microdisc player is blinking twelve o’clock all day and night.”
“How’d you know?”
“Just a lucky guess.”
“You know we consider you a member of the Tribulation Force,” Rayford said, “though the others have not met you. You and Mac are our guys inside now, and we know well how dangerous that is.”
David grew serious. “Thanks. I’d love to meet everybody and be with you all, but like you say, when that happens, it’ll be because I’m running . . . and from the most technologically advanced regime in history. I may not see you until heaven. Until then, you need a plane or anything?”
“We’re going to have to talk about that here. If all’s fair in love and war, it might make sense for us to appropriate enemy equipment.”
“You could abscond with millions’ worth and not cripple the GC. You wouldn’t even scratch them.”
“How much longer will you be underground?”
“Not long. The new palace—yeah, it’s a palace this time—is almost done. Spectacular. Wish I were proud to work here. It’d be a pretty good deal.”
After David got him set up, Rayford set the TV where he, Dr. Charles, Ken Ritz, and Hattie would be able to see it. Hattie lay rocking and groaning. She refused food or medication, so Rayford merely covered her. A few minutes before ten, he asked Ken to rouse Floyd, who wanted to watch with them.
The doctor expressed alarm when he saw Hattie. “How long has she been this way?”
“About an hour,” Ken said. “Should we have woken you?”
The doctor shrugged. “I’m shooting in the dark, experimenting with antidotes for a poison that hasn’t been identified. She rallies and I get encouraged, and then she reverts to this.” He medicated her and fed her, and she slept quietly.
Rayford was moved to tears by the broadcast from Israel, but the men laughing at Peter Mathews’s apparel awoke Hattie. She slowly and apparently painfully pushed herself up onto her elbows to watch. “Nicolae hates Mathews with a passion,” she said. “You watch, he’ll have him murdered someday.”
Rayford shot her a double take. She was right, of course, but how did she know? Had it been in the plans as early as when Hattie worked for Carpathia? “You watch,” she repeated.
When Nicolae emerged from the helicopter and joined Fortunato and Mathews onstage, Rayford’s phone rang. “First chance I’ve had to call you, Ray,” Mac said. “First off, nobody knows you’re gone yet. Good job. ’Course, I can play dumb only so long. Now listen, your son-in-law and daughter—is he a good-looking kid, early thirties, and she a cute blonde?”
“That’s them. Where are they? I can see the copter, but I don’t see them.”
“They’re off camera, in the wings.”
“Mac, let me tell you what Hattie told me about—”
“I’ve only got a second here, Ray. Let me call Buck. Will he have his phone on him, the one with the number you gave me?”
“He should, but Mac—”
“I’ll check back with you, Ray.”
As Buck emerged from the stadium, Carpathia’s eloquence reverberated. When Buck reached the van, he saw Jacov facing front, hands on the wheel. He seemed to be peering over the crowd at the monitor while listening to the radio. Buck reached for the door handle, but Jacov ha
d locked himself inside and recoiled at the sound, looking terrified.
“Oh, it’s you,” he said, unlocking the door.
“Who were you expecting?” Buck said, climbing in.
“I just didn’t notice you. I apologize.”
“So, what do you make of all this?”
Jacov held his hand out, palm down, to show Buck that he was trembling.
Buck offered Jacov his bottle of water. “What are you afraid of?”
“God,” Jacov said, smiling self-consciously and declining the bottle.
“You don’t need to be. He loves you.”
“Don’t need to be? Rabbi Ben-Judah teaches that all these things we have endured are the judgments of God. It seems I should have feared him long ago. But pardon me, I wish to hear the potentate.”
“You know Dr. Ben-Judah is not a friend of his.”
“That is clear. He has been received most coldly.”
“Appropriately so, Jacov. He is an enemy of God.”
“But I owe it to him to listen.”
Buck was tempted to keep talking anyway, to nullify any deleterious effect Carpathia might have on Jacov. But he didn’t want to be rude, and he wanted to trust God to work in the man’s heart and mind. He fell silent as Carpathia’s liquid tones filled the air.
“And so, my beloved friends, it is not a requirement that your sect align itself with the One World Faith for you to remain citizens of the Global Community. Within reasonable limits, there is room for dissent and alternative approaches. But consider with me for a moment the advantages and privileges and benefits that have resulted from the uniting of every nation into one global village.”
Nicolae recited his litany of achievements. It ranged from the rebuilding of cities and roads and airports to the nearly miraculous reconstruction of New Babylon into the most magnificent city ever built. “It is a masterpiece I hope you will visit as soon as you can.” He mentioned his cellular/solar satellite system (Cell-Sol) that allowed everyone video access to each other by phone and Internet regardless of time or location. Buck shook his head. All this merely ushered in the superstructure necessary for Nicolae to rule the world until the time came to declare himself God.