Cabal

by Mark Goodwin

  Josh continued his negotiation. “I don’t have any problem giving you cash, but it might take me a couple of days to put it together. I doubt many people have that much paper available, and the banks won’t give it to you. I’ll warn you, the dollar is just funny money, too. It’s essentially the reason we’re in this mess.”

  “I don’t know what else anybody would use for money.”

  “People have used gold and silver since the beginning of time.”

  Hoot chuckled. “You’ll find a lot more folks with thousands of dollar bills stuffed under their mattress than you will with gold and silver.”

  Josh took the cloth pouch out of his pocket and handed it to Hoot. “Yeah, but some of us have the real thing.”

  Hoot opened it up. “How much is this?”

  “I paid 9,000 marks for all of it. That’s figuring in a 25% premium. I could take it and turn it into about $160,000 if you want paper dollars. I could have it to you by Monday.”

  Hoot seemed to be thinking. “Do you mind if I look these up on the internet real quick to see what they’re goin’ for?”

  “Please. I’d expect no less.”

  Hoot typed on his phone. “Service is slow out here. Plus I ain’t the quickest with these cell phones.”

  “Take your time.”

  Hoot eventually found the information he was looking for. “So this is what you’re offerin’ to buy the place?”

  “Yes, sir. I know it’s a little less than what you were hoping to get, but it will likely be a long time before someone else comes along with the ability to give you anything for it. As you mentioned before, loans are hard to come by.”

  “I think you’re right about that. Better a bird in the hand.” Hoot felt the weight of the white cotton pouch.

  “So do we have a deal?”

  “I reckon so. I’m just not sure how to go about this, seein’ that this is somethin’ of an unconventional transaction. A lawyer will have a fit if we go in there tellin’ him you’re payin’ me in gold.”

  Josh smiled. “I have a quitclaim deed. We’ll just need to go to the courthouse and have it notarized and recorded.”

  “Is that a standard deed?”

  “It’s as safe as anything else for the seller. Most buyers wouldn’t accept it from a seller unless they knew the person, like a parent or a sibling, but you seem like an honest man. I’m sure you’d have told me if there were any issues with the title. You can ask the clerk about that at the courthouse. I’m sure they’ll confirm that it’s true.”

  “I believe you.” Hoot nodded.

  “If you don’t mind, can we put down that you’re selling it for 1,000 marks? Otherwise, I need to hold back some of that money to pay the transfer tax.”

  Hoot looked at the pouch in his hand. He seemed unwilling to hand over any to the government. “I suspect they’ve had plenty enough already. We’ll put down 1,000 marks.”

  Josh noticed the man staring longingly at the old house. “You can take a few minutes to say goodbye if you need to. I’ll be in the truck. Take your time.”

  “I ‘preciate that.” Hoot’s voice cracked. “Lots of memories in this ol’ place.”

  CHAPTER 19

  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

  1 Thessalonians 5:3

  Josh texted Stephanie to let her know he’d be home late Friday evening. It was nearly 5:00 when he finished the paperwork for the new property, so he wouldn’t be home until after 7:00 PM. Far from population centers and in the name of a corporation owned by a dead man, he felt good about his new little pied-a-terre. His only concern was how to break the news to Stephanie. Josh turned on the radio to distract him from the looming conflict which would erupt from making yet another decision without her consent or counsel.

  The reporter said, “China, Russia, and the nations of OPEC inked a multilateral deal today, which includes trade agreements as well as provisions for mutual defense. The agreement is seen by world leaders as a referendum against the GU.

  “During the press conference following the signing, the Chinese president announced that his country would be positioning warships at ports in Ecuador to protect their economic interests around the Panama Canal and in the region.

  “Likewise, Russia’s president indicated that Venezuela would be hosting a new Russian air and naval base, stating that construction on the installations would begin next week.

  “Venezuela and Ecuador are the only two nations in the western hemisphere not to accept the invitation to the new Global Union, so their alliance with China, Russia, and the other OPEC nations is seen as vital to their survival.

  “President Winter voiced his reaction to the agreement saying that the addition of military assets in South America by China and Russia would further strain relations between those countries and the Global Union.

  “In other world news, Israeli Prime Minister Ari Goren has announced that his administration intends to cancel the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, which placed Jordan as custodian of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Goren says that Israel will assume control of the Temple Mount and that the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf will have to cooperate with Israeli authorities concerning Islamic religious sites on the mount. Goren, who is a signatory of the Global Union charter, did not consult with the other members before making this announcement.

  “Pundits familiar with Israeli politics believe this move is a precursor to building a new Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. Islamic clerical leaders and heads of state have expressed outrage over the move with many calling for violence against IDF troops and Jews in general.”

  “World War III. As if we didn’t have enough on our plate already.” Josh continued driving back to Frankfort.

  ***

  Two hours later, he walked in the door. “I’m home.”

  He found Stephanie organizing some things in the bedroom.

  “So, did the house close?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did we get the money? Is it in the bank?”

  “Remember that gold I bought back when it was like $2,000 an ounce? It’s gone up 500%. More like 600% if you figure in the rise in the premiums. The silver has appreciated even more. If we were to convert that $15,000 worth of gold back into paper currency, it would be worth nearly a hundred grand!”

  She put her hands on her hips. “I’m sure they taught you to deflect questions by redirecting the conversation in secret agent school, but what they neglected to educate you about is that wives aren’t susceptible to Jedi mind tricks. At least this one isn’t.”

  “Wait, I’m getting to the answer. But first, I wanted to take a few moments to remind you of the stellar performance of my past purchases in comparison to the failing dollar.”

  “Josh, what did you buy now?”

  “Technically, I didn’t buy anything.” He rubbed her shoulders as he explained the new ID, S-Corp, and property purchase.

  She pulled away from him and turned to look him in the eyes. “You did all of this without so much as consulting me.”

  He tried in vain to take her hand. “Steph, I need you to trust me right now.”

  “You need me to trust you. But I need you to trust me to trust you. At least give me the respect of telling me. If you want to overrule my opinion, fine, but I at least deserve a chance to speak my mind. I started my own business. I contributed to the house payments. That money was as much mine as it was yours.”

  “If it’s about the money, we still have the 4 ounces of gold and 120 ounces of silver from when we first got here. You can have it,” he said.

  “It’s not about the money. It’s about common courtesy.” She shook her head. “Why do we need a cave?”

  Micah walked into the room. “We bought a cave? Are you serious?”

  “We’re having a private conversation right now. We’ll fill you in on the details in a while, but we need a few minutes, okay sweetie?�
�� Stephanie looked angry.

  “Sure.” Micah left the room and closed the door behind him.

  “Everything the Bible predicted is coming true. It would be crazy not to think all of it will eventually come to pass. We’re talking about meteorites devastating the planet, global earthquakes, blood and fire raining down on the earth, giant hailstones falling from the sky. Revelation specifically mentions survivors hiding in caves. I can’t think of another possible structure which could withstand those types of catastrophes . . .”

  She interrupted, “We talked about that just last night. I thought we decided that we’d be out of here before all of that.”

  “I said that I’m 99% sure. The odds aren’t zero. Besides.” His eyes shifted to the floor. “Even if we’re taken. . .” He shook his head. “Nicole. You know how she is. She always does the right thing, but it’s usually at the eleventh hour.”

  Stephanie’s voice softened. She took his hand. “I love Nicole as much as you do. She’s like the sister I never had. You know I would have understood. Please, you don’t have to get my permission, but at least talk to me about it.”

  He nodded, still gazing at the floor. “You’re right. I should have. I’m sorry.”

  “Well, what’s done is done.” She pulled his hand. “Come on. Cheer up.”

  Josh raised his head, but his eyes were still downcast.

  “What is it? Do you have something else to tell me?”

  He swallowed hard. “And I bought it with Micah in mind, also. If he’s left behind, I want him to have a fighting chance.”

  Her face went pale. “Josh, don’t talk like that!”

  “I’m doing everything I can. I pray for his eyes to be opened each night. I talk to him whenever I can about God. I’ve even resorted to bribing him to read the Bible. But let’s face it, he doesn’t believe in God, and he certainly hasn’t placed his faith in Jesus. It’s my fault. I’d do anything to turn back the clock, do things differently, but like you said, what’s done is done.”

  Stephanie’s lip quivered. She buried her head in his shoulder. Josh pulled her close while she cried quietly against his chest.

  ***

  Early Saturday morning, Josh sat on the edge of Micah’s bed. “Come on, buddy. Wake up. We’ve got a big day ahead.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Six-thirty.”

  Micah pulled the blanket over his head. “Why don’t you just take the supplies we already have down there?”

  “I told you last night. Things are only going to get worse from here. We don’t have nearly enough supplies.”

  “Are you basing this on information you got from work, or is this all about your end-of-days theory?”

  “Both. We can talk about it in the truck.” Josh pulled the cover off the bed.

  Micah grabbed a pillow and held it tight over his head. “Couldn’t we at least wait until the sun comes up?”

  “We can take the guns. This place is very remote. We’ll work in a half-hour of shooting while we’re there.”

  Micah pulled the pillow off his head and sat up. “And coffee. We’ll need lots of coffee.”

  Josh hugged his son. “It’s already brewing.”

  The two of them were out of the house before sunrise. They made a stop at the local Walmart for more beans, rice, canned meats, canned vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, and other shelf-stable foods. Next, they stopped at Home Depot to stock up on the necessary supplies to build a removable walkway so they could get in and out of the cave without wading through the water. Josh also purchased shelves to store food inside the cave. He bought buckets and lids in which to keep the rice, beans, and other foods not packaged in metal cans. The truck was loaded to capacity with supplies and the two of them continued the trip to Park City.

  “So you really believe this stuff, don’t you?” asked Micah.

  “You’re reading all about it in the Bible. I’m having a hard time understanding how you don’t see the correlation.”

  Micah shook his head. “It’s not logical. Throughout history, people have always thought cataclysmic events were caused by some angry God wanting to squash us like ants. Speaking of ants, did you know there’s actually a fungus which infects ants, takes over their bodies and turns them into zombies? It’s called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. The infected ant finds a leaf where the fungus can thrive and then attaches itself to the bottom of the leaf. The ant dies and a growth comes out of the ant’s head filled with spores.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “I’m just saying,” replied Micah. “That fungus could theoretically mutate into a pathogen which infects humans. Now, that’s science. So, the zombie apocalypse is much more probable than the Great Tribulation.”

  “Okay, science guy, the Bible says the anti-Christ will make a treaty with several parties for seven years. In the middle of the seven-year treaty, he’ll break the deal and set up an abominable image in the Jewish Temple. Just watch, Lucius Alexander is going to sign a seven-year treaty with some group of world leaders very soon. And I’m betting Israel will be one of the parties.”

  “That’s impossible. First off, Lucius Alexander is just some computer nerd. Yes, he’s managed to get his foot in the door with the new currency system, but he’s a long way off from being the guy to broker a peace deal. Second, there is no Jewish Temple.”

  “Did you watch the news last night?”

  “What? Do you mean about Israel taking control of the Temple Mount? Yeah, and every radical Muslim in the world will blow themselves up before they watch Israel build a temple up there.”

  “Okay, so we can agree, that despite everything else that’s happened to bring us to this point, just those two prophecies are astronomically unlikely.”

  Micah nodded. “Astronomically. On the order of winning every lottery in the country on the same day.”

  “So if those two things happen, he signs a deal and Israel begins construction on a new temple, you’ll believe?”

  “If both of those things happen, I’ll shave my head, get a robe of sackcloth, and dress like a monk.”

  Josh turned to his son. “But you’ll admit that the Bible is true.”

  “I’ll reconsider my present position, yes.”

  “That’s all I needed to hear.” Josh felt pleased with the way the father-and-son outing was going.

  ***

  On Sunday, Josh was exhausted from the previous day’s activities at the new house. Nevertheless, he took his family to church. Feeling relatively confident that he’d see no one from Patriot Pride at the small church, Josh sat between Stephanie and Micah. After worship was finished, the pastor came to the pulpit. “Good morning, it’s good to be here with you all. Rather than the usual sermon, I’m going to address some of the emails I’ve received lately. On a normal week, I might receive one or two at most. Since the new currency announcement, I’ve received over a hundred emails, and I want to speak to those concerns.

  “The major topic of the emails has been about the new Global Union and shared currency system among the signatories. People want to know if this has anything to do with the mark of the beast and the prophecies in Revelation. Quite simply, no.

  “Those events are for a time after the rapture and if we’re still here, then that’s not what’s happening. So, you can rest assured that Lucius Alexander is not the anti-Christ.”

  Micah smiled and whispered into his father’s ear. “Even the pastor agrees with me.”

  An old woman stood up in the front of the church. “Pastor, how can you be so sure about that?”

  “Well, Pearl, the Bible says we’re not appointed for wrath. One of the reasons I’ve steered clear of teaching about end-times prophecy is because of the confusion it causes. We know that the devil is the author of confusion. All you need to know is that we will be out of here before anything bad happens.”

  An old man, who looked to be about Pearl’s age, stood up near the back. “Pastor, I’m on a fixed incom
e, like Pearl, and many of the others here. We were barely getting by on what the government sends us each month. Now, I’m choosing between gas and groceries. I’ve had to cut out a lot of the things I was buying before and replace them with cheaper items. Steak and baked potatoes have become rice and hot dogs. I reckon I’m still eating, but if things get any worse, I’m going to be losing weight. And from the looks of the size of the congregation, you’ll be skipping a meal or two yourself when tithes and offerings start falling off. Preacher, something bad has already happened, and Jesus ain’t been to get us just yet.”

  The pastor lost his jolly expression. “Warren, I appreciate what you’re saying, but this is a temporary situation and the government will soon have it all resolved. This country survived the great depression, and we’ll get through this.”

  A man in his late sixties stood up. “What do you say about them wanting to confiscate all the guns, Pastor?”

  “In Romans 13, Paul said we must submit to the authorities. I don’t like it any more than the rest of you, but the government has agreed to compensate us for the value of our firearms, and we have to look on the bright side.”

  The man replied, “What are you going to do when they tell you to lock the church doors? That’s always what comes next after they take the guns. Read a history book. Are you going to submit to the authorities then, Pastor?”

  Josh whispered to Stephanie. “Come on, let’s go.”

  “We’re leaving already?” she asked.

  “Yeah, this pastor has no idea what’s going on. I’m not wasting any more time here.” Josh motioned for Micah to exit the pew, then he led his family out of the church. The congregation’s murmurings grew louder as they left. People were yelling at the pastor by the time the Stone family reached the back doors. “The blind leading the blind,” Josh said as they exited the building.