Reporters were on standby at those hospitals, just in case.
But right now, the world was zeroed in on five women. Excitement levels were sky high, as everyone anticipated seeing a real, live baby being born again. It seemed like nine years had passed since children last inhabited the Earth, not nine months.
All speculation came to an end when Salvadora Patel was born at 7:32 a.m., India time. The world watched and rejoiced.
To hear a baby crying after a nine-month absence filled most with a great sense of pride. Even some of the world’s most hardened criminals had tears in their eyes.
Miriam Goldberg silently rejoiced knowing she was $50,000 richer. She waited impatiently for Hana Patel to finish nursing baby Salvadora so the camera could be turned on and the long-awaited interview with the suddenly world-famous parents could begin.
Meanwhile, 97 seconds later, in São Paolo, Brazil, the world watched the second child being born.
The father of baby Salvador lit a cigar and, in Portuguese, said, “Boy, oh boy, ninety-seven seconds cost us five-hundred thousand dollars! Still we are thankful to Salvador Romanero for his generosity! The money will greatly help us! We proudly dedicate our son to you, your Highness!”
Up until now, Hana Patel had declined each interview request for fear of bad luck. Though nervous to the point of hyperventilation, having just received one-million dollars from Salvador Romanero, she felt obligated to agree to any and all requests for interviews.
With baby Salvadora now asleep in her mother’s arms, the camera was turned on and Miriam Goldberg began, “Let me begin, Hana, by congratulating you on behalf of the entire Global News Network, on the arrival of your beautiful daughter, Salvadora.”
“Thank you,” came the reply, sheepishly. Her husband, Yogesh, sat on a chair next to her bed, wondering why the reporter didn’t congratulate him too.
“How do you feel?” asked Miriam.
“I feel tired, but also blessed to be a first-time mother.”
“I’m sure you are tired after twelve hours of labor. How did it feel to be the only woman on the planet with a newborn child for ninety-seven seconds?”
Hana Patel managed a weary smile, “Truthfully, I’m too exhausted to think about it. But I wish to congratulate all other mothers who gave birth today. Good luck to each of you.”
“What do you plan to do with all that money?”
“My husband and I don’t know what the future holds. We are simple people living simple lives. All we want is to raise our daughter to the best of our ability.
“The money will allow us to stay home with Salvadora, without always having to rush off to work. We also plan to share some of the proceeds with family and friends.”
Goldberg had hoped for a much better reply. “Do you plan to move into a new neighborhood?”
Hana shot a glance at her husband, then nodded yes. “Before I went into labor, Yogesh and I were handed the keys to a new condominium not too far from here.” Hana managed another smile. “It was given to us as a gift from a local businessman.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised seeing all these gifts in your room. Baby Salvadora sure has lots and lots of global aunts and uncles.”
“Yogesh and I are overwhelmed by the kindness of so many people. Even corporations have given us new vehicles to drive, laptop computers, baby furniture for Salvadora and lots of clothing.”
Miriam Goldberg beamed, “I’m told nearly a million cards have been mailed here to the hospital, not to mention the countless gifts. Anything you’d like to say to your adoring public for their overwhelming generosity?”
“Yes. Yogesh and I are grateful to all of you for your loving kindness. Now that we have new laptops, we plan to email each of you personally after we’ve had a little time to adjust to being first time parents.”
Goldberg said, “Once you’re on social media, expect millions of followers practically overnight.”
The thought alone frightened the new mother. “It will take time for everything to settle in our minds. But for now, please know that Yogesh and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”
Miriam Goldberg smiled brightly again, “If anything, we should be thanking you, Hana, for being the first woman brave enough to bring a child back into the world. On behalf of everyone at GNN, congratulations again to you and your husband on the birth of your child.”
At that, the camera zoomed in on Salvadora Patel, who was still sound asleep in her mother’s arms. A few seconds later, the camera panned back to Miriam: “Well, that’s all for now. From Chennai, India, this is Miriam Goldberg reporting. Back to you, Farouq,” she said to the anchor back in London.
“What an awesome day!” Miriam Goldberg exclaimed to herself. Like the rest of humanity, the veteran reporter rejoiced over the birth of Salvadora Patel. But on top of that, she was fifty-grand richer... Yes!
ETSM MEMBERS AT SAFE house number one watched Salvadora Patel being born on a projector screen inside the pavilion. Like the rest of the world, they rejoiced hearing a baby crying again. They were equally frightened.
Unless these newborns somehow survived the coming mayhem and were still alive when Jesus came back to rule Planet Earth, they would never experience true security on any level.
Each day would be one horrific nightmare after the next...
After the second child was born in Brazil, Brian Mulrooney said, “Let’s pray for these children.”
While praying, Mulrooney felt the Holy Spirit prompting him to contact Yogesh and Hana Patel. I will do as you say, Lord...
43
THE LAST TIME THE world came together like this was for the global vigil. It was a somber gathering meant to honor the billions of citizens who’d died or were among the disappearances, including all small children.
Much like now, Salvador Romanero was the one responsible for making that vigil happen. It was the first vital step he took to becoming the indisputable leader of the world.
Since that time the young Spaniard had towered high above the landscape of humanity with the greatest of ease. His face was suddenly the most recognized on Planet Earth.
Appearing on live television, this was the first time the Miracle Maker had tears in his eyes. They were tears of joy!
Sitting in a leather chair, he wore a button-down sweater trying to look grandfatherly. But at 30 years of age it was a difficult feat, especially since he looked like he was still in his mid-20's.
Ambiguous smile playing on his lips, Romanero began, “What a glorious day this is for all of humanity! My joy is such that I feel like bursting wide open seeing little ones among us again! At last count, fifty-seven births have been recorded.
“With so many women now having contractions, I’m told that by week’s end, more than three-thousand newborns will be among us. With millions of women now entering their third trimesters, that number will increase exponentially in the coming weeks.”
Romanero glanced back at the beautiful images on the wall behind him of every child born thus far. “I’ve had the privilege of speaking with a dozen or so new mothers on the phone. I’m happy to report all mothers and children are in perfect health and are receiving the very best of care.
“These little ones represent not only a very bright future for us all, but also the first stop-gap to the constantly dwindling global population. It won’t be long before newborns are seen in every city, town and village on the planet. How amazing is that? The very thought fills me with the deepest sense of pride! I’m eager to hold these precious children in my arms someday.
“For those of you who aren’t among the first one-hundred women to give birth, do not lose heart! Much like the little ones already among us, I will rejoice over your child as if he or she was the only one on the planet.
Romanero smiled brightly, showing two rows of perfect white teeth. “I must say the nearly two-million dollars already awarded to new mothers was the best money spent since the disappearances. I’m told a handful of women in mater
nity rooms are expecting twins in the coming days.
“I’m not sure if they will be among the first one-hundred to be born or not, but even if not, I wish to announce the first mother giving birth to twins will receive two hundred and fifty thousand dollars on top of any other cash prizes she may qualify for.
“While I’m not aware of anyone expecting triplets at this time, when that day comes, the first woman giving birth to triplets will receive five hundred thousand dollars.
“The first woman to give birth to quadruplets will receive one million dollars. And so on and so forth. Just hope I don’t run out of money in the process,” Romanero said, with a chuckle.
“In all seriousness, when I promised that children would inhabit the planet again, I meant it! Never again will Mother’s Day be a day of somber reflection like it was this year! In fact, not only will Mother’s Day be celebrated to the fullest next year, I hereby announce this day will be officially recognized as ‘Universal Children’s Day!’
“To commemorate this most precious time, I wish to declare a week-long celebration honoring all new life. Fireworks will light up the skies for the next seven nights, honoring these precious first fruits, so to speak.
“It promises to be a celebration of a lifetime, one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon! For those of you who will be attending, eat, drink and be merry to your heart’s content as you enjoy the fireworks, all compliments of the global community!”
“This will be the first of three new international days of celebration. Once the first one-hundred new mothers have had time to recuperate, we will assemble at a location to be determined later for yet another celebration. What better time than this upcoming November, when we observe one full year since the disappearances?
“This second new international holiday will be called, ‘The Day of New Beginnings.’ Celebrating new life on what for so many will be a day of solemn remembrance, will be like a ray of bright sunshine piercing through the darkness.
“By then, we should have more than a million newborns among us. These precious little ones represent a new beginning for all global citizens! It’s time to stop looking back at the past and focus solely on the future.”
Salvador Romanero gazed into the camera. His eyes were glowing, “The third international day of celebration will be my new birthday! From this point forward, February second will no longer be my calendar birthday. It will now be celebrated on December twenty-fifth! In short: from now on Christmas will be known as ‘Salvador Romanero Day.’ But more on that another time.”
“For now, let’s keep the focus on the many soon-to-be venerated women for making us all aunts and uncles again! Future generations will celebrate you all as heroines for humanity.
“Because of you, fireworks will once again light up the skies beginning in New Zealand, at nine p.m., and slowly work its way around the planet. Wherever you are, enjoy the festivities. May you all be blessed in my name...”
Just like that, New Zealanders filled the streets of their country eager to see fireworks again. But mostly, they were grateful to be the first country to officially celebrate Universal Children’s Day...
Much like when Salvador Romanero took all the credit for protecting Israel on the day of the sneak attack, he was now taking credit for the birth of all children.
But in truth, many women were already pregnant before the Miracle Maker assured humanity that children would once again be among them again. Many, thinking the world was coming to an end on the day of the disappearances, clung to their lovers for dear life. If the end was near, their wish was to leave this world in the most intimate of ways.
By the time Romanero made his big announcement, many like Hana Patel were already pregnant. But most who were still too shell-shocked—not to mention that they were under the young phenom’s strong delusional power—to connect the dots.
The man who wanted everyone to think the universe was under his complete control at all times was mere moments away from experiencing a rage so intense it would make the sneak attack on Israel seem like child’s play...
44
IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—one of the Middle Eastern countries not leveled by earthquakes—Mohammed Al-Mahmoud received confirmation that the last of the 1,000,000 toxic packages had been successfully distributed all throughout the Western Hemisphere, from Canada all the way down to the southern tip of Chile.
It was 2 a.m. in Saudi Arabia and 5 p.m. on the east coast of the United States of America. Like everyone else in the world, these Islamic jihadists had long-awaited this day to finally arrive, but for entirely different reasons than everyone else.
“Praise be to Allah,” the Muslim cleric said, sipping his tea very slowly, looking around the room. “Now we wait.”
The other men in the room nodded agreement. These were the men responsible for secretly connecting nearly a hundred thousand jihadists who’d recently relocated to countries in North, Central and South America, to various sleeper cells on that side of the world. Dormant for the longest time, now that the call was made for this all-important mission, they were ready to go.
With Israel protected from above, and with many of their cities now in ruins, it was time for the nation of Islam to retaliate by waging war on the infidels in the Western Hemisphere.
Yes, it was time to drag them into the fray and make them pay for their many crimes against Allah. Justice needed to be served for the many centuries of gross mistreatment of Muslims everywhere.
The more infidels they killed in the coming days the better...
The United States of America was clearly the bull’s eye. Actually, there were two bull’s eyes. The second one in their cross-hairs was none other than Salvador Romanero. He was the reason this day was chosen in the first place.
What better way to strike back at him for siding with Israel—which ultimately led to the destruction of their three holy sites in Jerusalem—than by killing many of his precious children?
With hospital maternity wards being protected better than Fort Knox, newborn children were untouchable. But they were okay with that. Their eyes were fixed on a much larger target, namely the millions of pregnant infidel women who would be out and about this night for the fireworks festivities.
If everything went as planned, the casualties would be numerous.
If they needed further confirmation from Allah that this was the appointed day to carry out the attacks, they didn’t have to look too far. Of the twenty or so new mothers Salvador Romanero contacted earlier in the day, to offer his personal blessing, the Muslim woman in Africa wasn’t among them.
Was Romanero trying to send a message that Muslim children weren’t welcome in the new world he was creating? It sure seemed that way. It’s not like the woman from Nigeria was the thirtieth to give birth, she was the fourth! Yet Salvador the Great never even bothered to call and congratulate her.
This was unacceptable, unforgiveable! Since it appeared that only infidel children were welcome, they, too, needed to be wiped off the face of the Earth with the rest of the infidels.
So determined were these jihadists to bring the Great Satan to its knees that one-fourth of the 1,000,000 toxic packages designated for the West, were distributed throughout the 50 American states—250,000 to be precise.
The 750,000 packages distributed in all other infidel cities in the West, would conclude the attacks on those countries for now.
But in the United States, this was Phase One of a four-pronged approach meant to honor the 19 exalted heroes who so willingly and selflessly gave their lives back on September 11, 2001, when they hijacked four commercial airplanes in the name of Allah and invaded a nation at peace.
Thousands of Americans were killed that day.
That mission, satisfying as it was for so many Muslims around the world, fell way short of the intended mark. Instead of killing hundreds of thousands of American infidels—their intended target—less than 4,000 perished that day. This came as a bitter disappointment to the arch
itects of the 9/11 attacks.
This group of Islamic jihadists were fully determined not to fail this time. With their home cities in ruins and their religion under constant attack, they wouldn’t fail. They couldn’t! This was their last shot at world domination and they knew it.
Even with a drastically shrinking population and depleted military, with no way of excavating the weapons of mass destruction they had buried deep beneath the Earth’s surface in secret places—at least not for now—they had no chance of attacking America militarily.
But all hope wasn’t lost. After many years of research and development dating back long before the disappearances, Muslim scientists, chemists and inventors had perfected their skills to the extent that they now believed they had the perfect plan to potentially kill millions of infidels in a single day.
When Salvador Romanero announced his intent to sign a peace treaty with their most hated enemy—Israel—a few months back, they worked double-time making sure their contraptions would become fully airborne when the time came. The nerve gas they chose to be placed inside those contraptions was sarin.
The reason sarin was chosen over the 50 other weapons of mass destruction Muslim scientists and chemists had stockpiled over the years was that, in its purest form, it was 25 times deadlier than cyanide. Not only that, it could evaporate into a gas vapor, making it easier to spread into the environment than most other man-made nerve agents.
Even at low concentrations sarin was highly toxic, whether inhaled or through penetration of the skin. At this lethal concentration, the vast majority exposed to it would surely die.
After a series of successful tests, using non-toxic aerosols, wealthy Middle Eastern oil sheikhs were so convinced they finally got it right, they enthusiastically forked over the three billion dollars needed to fund the project.
Nearly a hundred-million-dollars was used as bribery money. Once all the right hands were greased, the process of smuggling the deadly agents to the West began in earnest. They were transported by Chinese cargo ships, by way of the Middle East.
The Countdown Begins Page 30