At that moment, Enoch pointed his staff at the windows and both Cain and his father backed away. The window exploded and all that was left was a hole where it had been.
Enoch, still in midair, walked to the window not five feet away. “Cain,” he said softly.
“Cain,” like a parent trying to get a child’s attention. Then he shouted, “Cain!” and the glasses on the bar and the mirrors shattered.
Cain and Jordan walked to the window and Enoch said, “I am warning you. It is not your time. You will leave certain things alone. God has his chance to gather the wheat and so do you. In your time you may do as you please.”
He then turned and walked in thin air all the way to the memorial and then stood looking back at the hotel window on solid ground. Cain and Jordan stood watching.
Then Jordan raised his hand and pointed it towards Enoch. He shouted and you could hear it like Enoch’s shouting, “The earth is mine.” At that moment, a huge ball of fire shot from the window at Enoch. At the same time, the staff rose from Enoch’s hands in front of him as the ball of fire exploded around the Prophet.
As the fireball dissipated, David could see Enoch smile before he turned and walked away.
Chapter 83
3:45 PM Saturday Outside Center City, Kansas City, Missouri
The Bear News crew was filming live as events unfolded in the air in Center City. The camera operator said that ‘it was like filming a Spider Man movie’.
They could clearly hear Enoch’s shouts, which seemed quite angry; and then the widows blew out as he was suspended in thin air.
When Enoch returned to the grounds of the Memorial, a hand appeared in the window. Then, what seemed to be a huge ball of fire sped towards Enoch. The fireball exploded around him, blowing out windows in buildings for two blocks. The entire glass front of the Center City was now either on the street or inside the rooms. Enoch seemed unfazed.
The reporters kept commenting on what they had just witnessed. The sound of oncoming sirens could be heard in the background.
Chapter 84
3:45 PM Aafre Waldger’s Suites, Center City Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri.
Cain, Jordan and Aafre retreated from the window.
“Let’s go into another room,” Jordan suggested.
“When the police arrive, tell them we are all OK and that we are leaving soon. They won’t press the issue,” Aafre said to the secret service agent.
“Ok,” the agent replied, and took a seat to wait as they all went into the bedroom.
“What was that all about?” Aafre asked, once they were all inside.
“Enoch was angry about something, I suppose, which became personal,” Jordan replied.
Cain was quiet and seemed numb, Aafre noticed.
“I think the incident with The Network calling him a liar set him off. I am not sure. If we would have been somewhere without cameras I would have battled him right there,” Jordan said. “Instead, I just gave him a taste.”
Cain finally broke his silence, “The sound of his voice was as a long time ago. He also has changed his appearance and he now looks and sounds like the Enoch of old.”
“Yes, it was a long time ago, Cain, and you need to let it go. Soon Enoch will die and neither you nor I will. Let us not do anything rash for a few days. Let these Witnesses do as they please and wait. Cain, do not let this set you off and cause you to do anything stupid. Leave them be for now. When they react, they destroy something. Now after the hurricanes they are not going to be liked. We will then take the opportunity to turn the tables on them. Therefore, we wait. Do you understand, Cain?”
Cain said nothing. He just glared at Jordan.
Chapter 85
4:00 PM Saturday Enoch’s Suite, Center City Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri
When Enoch got back to his suite, the TV was on and Veronica sat watching it.
“I guess the real Enoch is here now,” she said to him.
“Yes I am, but this confrontation was inevitable. It was just a matter of time. Now I am going to change and see if I can disguise myself in any way. We need to leave. I want to go to the refugee camps in Dallas, Texas and see the people there. We can then go to San Antonio, then off to Mexico. I will be ready in an hour or so. Please, make arrangements for ground transportation.”
“I can do that. We have the RV’s still here, ready to go. So Enoch, what was that display all about?”
“I needed to make sure that they knew I was back. I want them to know the one who buried them once before is here. Jack South is gone. Now the battle really begins.”
Wow, Veronica thought, his personality has changed.
Chapter 86
7:00 PM Saturday Bear News, Temporary Offices of John Roddenburg, Kansas City, Missouri
After the call from Enoch’s people, Bear had sent a film crew to Center City and caught the comment from the camera operator about it being like filming Spider Man. After broadcasting the video and comments, they posted it to the web. Early blog returns were stating that Enoch had put Brad Williams to shame with his lies on his show on Friday. Enoch had walked the equivalent of three blocks in thin air.
When they had called John, they had said they wanted Bear News to have a film crew there. It would be worth his time, John had been told. He had also been informed that Sunday would be a day of rest for both Elijah and Enoch. They had assured him that nothing new would happen; but then, watch out for Monday.
Don decided that John needed a break, so Mary Ann and Geraldo would handle the weekend news on Saturday and Sunday.
After the confrontation with Enoch, Aafre and his people left Kansas City on Air Force II. On the newscast, they would be telling the country and the world of this unusual occurrence. People would be upset about their government flying private billionaires around; especially Waldger.
They also received a official White House Press Release that the fireball seen coming from the window was a private security guard firing a flare gun. They also said someone had thrown an explosive at the window, which blew it out; nothing but cover-ups. However, according to a Waldger spokesperson, they would cover the damage to the hotel and the windows in the area. A simpleton would know that a flare gun does not blow out windows for two blocks. They knew better but released the information as it was written.
Once it was announced that Waldger had left and that Enoch had also checked out, the people eventually began dispersing from downtown. It was assumed that by tomorrow, most would be gone, on their way home. Kansas City would return to some semblance of normalcy.
Since he had a bit of time and he had been assured that nothing new would happen, he decided to go to his temporary home and read the books he had brought with him. One of course, was a Bible, which had cross-references to other verses. He also had several books on prophecy, written within the past forty to fifty years. He needed to get up to speed.
On Monday, the hurricanes began hitting. The Caribbean was destroyed. Bosner was now hitting them. The death toll was going to be tremendous, not counting the damage to property
A cruise ship did not make it out of the storm’s path. It was destroyed in the Caribbean Sea, near Aruba. There were about fourteen hundred passengers and crew. They were all unaccounted for.
John thought of the fact that just a week ago…just a week ago it had been business as usual. It had not taken long for all hell to break loose.
Chapter 87
8:00 AM Monday Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel
The camera operator shouted, “Here he comes,” as he focused his lenses on Elijah walking toward the Mount. They immediately cut to a live broadcast and the announcers began describing what was occurring as Elijah drew closer to the entrance.
“He has some things in his hand, it appears,” Ben said to John.
“Yes, it looks like a mallet,” John replied. “There is also a young man behind him carrying a bundle of stakes that h
ave orange streamers on them.”
“I think those are surveyor’s flags, John.”
“I think you are right.”
As Elijah crossed the bridge with the young man, Ben said, “Well, I guess we should follow them or we won’t know what he is doing.”
John, Ben and the camera operators all then heard the voice of their producer in their earpieces, “Go at your own risk. You know the rules for Jews.”
They huddled for a few minutes then made a decision. They were Jews and the Temple Mount was off limits. They could be fired. At the same moment, they saw Yona, who ran up to catch up with Elijah. John said to the crew, “If the Chief Rabbinate goes, we go, right?” They all agreed.
As they filmed, they captured Yona talking to Elijah. Elijah pointed to the Mount and Yona shook his head violently. Elijah handed the mallet to the young man carrying the stakes and took Yona’s hand in his. He then pulled him across the bridge as Yona struggled against him.
Ben said into the microphone, “It appears John that Elijah is forcing him to go with him. Once they passed the checkpoint, they were in violation. Elijah just pulled Yona across.”
Yona it appeared had calmed down as Elijah took his hand and led him up the steps to the top of the Mount, with the young man in tow. The members of the news team all looked at each other. The camera operator started walking to the bridge, and they shrugged their shoulders and followed.
Once they got the top, they started filming the carnage all around them. There was nothing but rubble everywhere.
“Looks as if Elijah has stopped and told the young man to drop the stakes on the ground,” Ben said.
“Yes, he did. Let’s see, he still has the mallet in his hand,” John replied. “Oh, he has picked up one of the stakes and is walking to where the Dome used to be.”
“It looks like he is looking for something in particular for he is looking at the sun then the ground,” Ben said. “He has done that several times.”
The camera operator zoomed in on Elijah, trying to get his facial expressions and captured that he kept squinting while looking at the sun then pointing the stick at the ground.
John then said, “Look, he’s moving again. He seems to be walking off to an area.”
Elijah was taking calculated steps, placing his feet down carefully and stretching his legs out. He did this about twelve times then stopped.
“Now what is he doing?” Ben asked.
Elijah stood there, looked at the sun, the turned every direction stopping at each point of the compass, north, then south, then towards the east, then west. Elijah then turned back to the morning sun, took the stake in his hand, and put the point in the ground between his feet. He then backed up, holding the stake in his hand and hammered it into the ground.
“Well, it appears he has found what he was looking for, or at least a starting point. Look, what he is doing on the ground by the stake,” Ben said. “I wonder why?”
“Well he is placing his elbow against the stake. Wait a minute, I know why. A cubit is the distance from the elbow to the fingers, or about 18 inches. He is measuring using his arm as in the old days.”
Elijah then pounded a stake into the ground, and then repeated it, at the end of his fingers from the elbow. He did this twenty times then walked back to the first stake and then repeated it going down the other way.
As he was doing this John said, “I guess in olden times they did not have rulers so the cubit was based on a man’s elbow to his fingers. Also it appears that he is marking out the Holy of Holies because his first run has twenty stakes and the Holy of Holies is a perfect cube of twenty.”
“It appears that you are right, John. He just completed twenty more stakes.”
The camera operator kept the camera on Elijah as he stood. He then walked to the first stake he put in, looked down one line, then the other. Seemingly satisfied, he had the young man follow him as he started down another line repeating the steps of elbow, fingers, and stake.
As he was doing this Ben asked, “I wonder how he can make that perfectly square? I mean, it has to be exact.”
“I have no idea John, but then, I am not Elijah either.”
It took about another forty minutes for Elijah to complete the task. Once he was through, he walked the entire perimeter then walked over towards the news team.
“I think he is coming over to us,” John said.
“I think you are right,” Ben replied.
Elijah walked up to John and stated, “First off, I would like to thank you for your courage in coming up here even though it is ingrained in you that being here is against the law. I almost had to carry Yona up here.”
“Turning towards the stakes and pointing to them he said, “This is where the Holy of Holies was located; exactly twenty cubits, squared. This also means twenty cubits up. Alternatively, four-hundred square cubits. The rest you can figure out. Follow me with your camera.”
The news crew followed him as he requested, with the camera still filming. Elijah stopped in the northwestern corner of the Mount. Bending down, he took a stake and drove it into the ground. He then turned to the camera and said, “David, where is the equipment and men I need. We start digging right here. You have no more excuses. I have marked off the Holy of Holies everyone was concerned about. Send me workers to dig here, now. In addition, we will seal off the area of the Holy of Holies with men from the tribe of Levi. I need several holy men from the tribe of Levi. I will then anoint one among them as high priest once it is sealed. Until then, Yona and I will guard the Holy of Holies.”
He then motioned for Yona to follow him as he went and sat down in what they assumed to be the entrance to the Holy of Holies.
“I assume when he said David, he meant the Prime Minister?” Ben asked John.
“Yes Ben, I think you are right.”
Chapter 88
9:00 AM Monday Prime Minister David Ben Bernstein’s office, Jerusalem, Israel
David had the TV on in his office when the Breaking News logo came on. He stopped what he was doing, knowing that it was Monday and that the quiet of Sunday was too good to be true.
He watched as Elijah entered the Temple grounds dragging Yona with him. He was hoping that the coverage would continue but then he was not sure the camera and announcers would follow. He silently hoped that they would break the law; and was excited when they did. In spite of his misgivings, he watched as Elijah used his elbow and fingers as a measuring tool. Well, that was the way they measured thousands of years ago.
Once he was finished speaking, he knew which David Elijah meant and so did every other person in Israel, and the world would later.
The Prime Minister opened his door and called Carla in. She had been watching the broadcast in her office. “Do we have a number for whoever oversees our national construction projects?” he asked her.
“I am sure we do,” she replied, “but I will have to look it up.”
“Please do, and also Carla I need the number for the…oh my,” he hesitated. “It’s called the Temple, uh the ones that have a committee committed to building it…it’s called, uh….”
“It’s called the Temple Institute and it’s headed by Rabbi Cohan at the moment,” Carla said.
“Thanks Carla. Would you see if you can reach the construction person and this rabbi and get them to my office immediately?”
“Yes, I can do that, Sir. I will start now.”
“Thanks Carla. Please invite Michael as well, and anyone he wants to bring, once we have a time set. I would prefer sooner than later.”
Chapter 89
9:15 AM Monday Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel, Branlin Patient Room 206 A and B
Meyer had been here since Friday with his wife and oldest son. They were both on respirators and failing before his eyes. Several of his associates had come to see him but his anger had been more than they could handle and they quickly left.
; He thought he had slept some in the chair but was still tired. He was also still angry. It did not help when seeing Elijah on the TV above the bed this morning. The anger was boiling inside him. What was it Elijah had said about stopping this insanity? It was up to him.
Meyer was an Israeli hero. He was not a perfect person but he loved his country. Many did not agree with his tactics but the ones he employed, worked.
The God thing and he never clicked. He found the Muslims he dealt with as well as the spineless Rabbis, weak and overbearing. Now Elijah and Enoch had shown up and stirred up not only his country but also all the others in the world. Who were these men and where did they get their power?
He heard his wife move. He jumped up and went to her bedside. Nothing had changed, she had just stirred. For the first time since Meyer could remember as he looked at his wife and life partner, he felt a tear run down his cheek. Even though there was no one with him, he was embarrassed of the tears. He turned away from her and looked at his son in the next bed. He was not moving either.
He wanted to scream at their God and say, if not for him…there would not be an Israel. It was not you, it was I, and men like me who fought for our existence.
Meyer sat down again and watched the monitors as they beeped in time with his wife’s heart. All he heard was the steady pump of air keeping both his son and wife alive. Oh, how much he loved them.
What was it Elijah had said? All he had to do was ask for God’s help and He would grant it? Could he actually go against his every fiber and acquiesce to the fact that there was a God? Could he agree He was in charge of the world, especially Israel, as he was taught as a child? Could he do that and still be Meyer Branlin, the most feared man in Israel and the Middle East?
He then thought about Samson, his childhood hero and the stories he had learned as a child. At one time, like Samson, he did not want to cut his hair. He had been young then and impressionable. He felt that if he did not cut his hair, like his childhood hero, he would be invincible. However, that was not the case. In a childhood scuffle, another in the schoolyard had beaten him up badly. In defiance, after this occurrence, he had cut his hair that very day. Since then, he kept it short, and the heroes of the Pentateuch no longer meant anything to him.