by James Somers
“I know what happened in the attacks, but why in the world should I believe that Babylon or Theed had anything to do with it? And what is this rapture thing you keep referring to?”
“The rapture,” said Solomon, “is a word that means caught, or snatched away. This event was foretold in the Bible, a time when Christ would descend from heaven and meet his believers in the air. The dead in Christ were to rise first then those who were alive upon the earth would almost instantly follow—caught up to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the atmosphere then return to Heaven with him.”
Jason stared skeptically at the preacher, as he explained the mystical event. He wasn’t buying it. “Sounds like fantasy to me.”
“Mysterious, I’ll grant you, Jason, but fantasy? No,” said Solomon. “After all, no one ever explained what happened to all of those Christians…that is, except for the lie which Oliver Theed arranged.”
“And why should I believe you? You still haven’t answered my question?”
“Because, Jason, I was the agent responsible for that operation,” Solomon confessed, his expression full of guilt and remorse.
Jason stood there stunned by the statement. “You?”
“I haven’t always been a believer, Jason. You know that, all too well. Before I became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I was Babylon’s top operative. My codename was Archangel. I was a brutal killer.”
Jason watched Chloe standing in the doorway listening. Obviously, she had never heard her father give these details of his past before.
Solomon continued. “When Oliver Theed came to me and planning for the operation began, I was completely against the Christians. As far as I was concerned, there was no God and Christians had been responsible, or so I thought, for innumerable deaths in the name of religion, for hundreds of years.
“I hated them and was glad to be doing them the disservice, not to mention I was going to become a multi-millionaire for my part in the operation. The loss of life really didn’t bother me since I was already a trained assassin. So we planned the attacks and carried them out. Max was with me as my second in command. He can verify what I’m saying.”
Max nodded his head solemnly. “Needless to say, we didn’t exactly get the payment we were promised either.”
“True,” said Solomon. “In fact, Theed never intended on paying any of us anything. Every agent that participated in that operation was systematically killed very soon afterward. Max and I managed to thwart our assassins and went into hiding. Then something very strange happened. One day a man came to see us.
“Max and I were in disguise, hidden away in the mountains of North Carolina in what’s left of the United States of America. We had told no one of our whereabouts. This Jewish man, a believer calling himself one of the Messiah’s messengers, showed up at the cabin where we were hiding. He claimed to know who we were and what we had done against God’s believers by those attacks.”
“Normally, we would have snapped the man’s neck and asked questions later,” said Max. “But we were terrified for some reason—afraid to lay a finger on him.”
“That’s right.” Solomon smiled. “That man spoke with such authority. We were mesmerized by him. He told us that God had revealed our actions to him. He told us things that no man could know. He told us that God had sent him to tell us the truth about who he is and what the Lord Jesus had done to save us from our sins by dying on the cross and being raised again from the dead. He told us that unless we repented of our sins and received Jesus Christ as our savior we would die in our sins and spend eternity in a lake of fire.
“We prayed for God’s forgiveness that very day, and the man told us that we had to return to New Rome, where God would show us what he would have us to do in order to serve him. We never saw that Jewish man again, but we’ve always known without a doubt that God did send him to us. There was one other thing that this Jewish missionary told us.
“He showed us a passage from the Bible, Revelation, chapter thirteen, and laid out before us the coming of a world leader who would be loved by all and would declare war upon the saints of God then be given the power to overcome them. This same world ruler would establish a seven year peace treaty with Israel then, at the midpoint, he would break the treaty and declare himself to be God in the Jewish Temple. That temple has just recently been completed. There’s a dedication service to be held in a few weeks with Oliver Theed attending.
“You see, Jason, Oliver Theed is that world leader, also known as the Wicked One and Antichrist, by believers. He established a treaty with Israel almost three and a half years ago. The date set for the dedication service is the exact day when the midpoint in that seven year treaty occurs, September 12, 2095. Jesus tells us in Matthew, chapter 24, that when we who are alive, during that time, see this abomination of desolation take place in the rebuilt Jewish Temple, then we are to flee from Judea. That’s the reason we have taken over this place at Petra. It will be our stronghold until the coming of the Lord at the final battle…the Battle of Armageddon.”
Jason remained speechless. What could he say? How could he deny or confirm what they were saying? Then Solomon brought his message home.
“Jason, I was a killer, trained by Babylon to be the best. I even helped in your training. I know that you went on to become an extremely efficient assassin for Theed, yourself. Jason, if it weren’t for the Lord dying for your sins, you would have no hope and would one day face God in judgment for those sins. But he has paid the price. All you have to do is repent and believe on his name. Then you will inherit eternal life and be saved.”
Jason felt a lump in his throat the size of a baseball. He hadn’t expected Solomon’s confession about his past to end at his own doorstep. Chloe and Max stared intently at him. The air felt even more stifling than it had before. Guilt tried to push its way forward in his mind. Jason felt as uncomfortable as he ever had in his life.
Alfred broke the silence between them as he appeared, walking through the mouth of the Siq.
“There’s Alfred.” Jason felt instantly relieved. “We’ve got to get back to Jerusalem.” He rose to his feet and walked over to the motorcycle he had ridden into Al Khazneh previously. Jason cranked the starter on the dirt bike, preparing to leave Solomon Gauge and his group behind. Chloe walked up to him, as he revved the engine. She looked grave as she spoke, trying to be heard over the motorcycle engine. “Jason, don’t you believe what he’s told you?”
Jason considered it before he replied. “Chloe, I’m really not sure what to believe, but when I figure it out I’ll let you know!”
“You know where to find me!”
Jason nodded then gunned the throttle and rode the bike down the massive steps of Al Khazneh toward Alfred. He paused beside the robot, allowing Alfred to climb on the rear of the motorcycle. Jason revved the throttle, pushed it into gear and raced back through the mouth of the Siq into its narrow winding gorge, leaving the Christians behind him.
Jason thought about what Solomon Gauge had told him during the entire ride back to Petra’s old visitor’s center. Alfred had the truck he had commandeered parked there. They had enough water and food to get them back to Jerusalem, along with two capsule guns and plenty of ammunition. Stella was nestled safely in her sheath.
Jason left the motorcycle under the tarp behind the old building and walked back to the truck. Alfred had already settled into the driver’s seat with the engine running. Jason took a last look back in the direction they had come—back where Chloe and her father were hiding out for the time being.
They would finish making their preparations for a mass exodus of people they claimed would be fleeing the city of Jerusalem and the surrounding area in just under four weeks time. But was it true? Part of him felt he should believe Solomon.
No matter what the man had been before, he had changed. Jason had no doubt Solomon was one of the most skilled agents he had ever run across, both during his training and back in Jerusalem, when Jason’s team had been after hi
m. But Solomon hadn’t actually tried to kill them, even though he had more than enough opportunity.
Chloe certainly believed him and Max had the same tale to tell. Perhaps they’ve just been fooled into believing all of this prophecy stuff. “Alfred?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Alfred, if a prophecy from the Bible wasn’t true, how could you prove it to others who really believe in its validity?”
“Actually, sir, a prophecy like the one you refer to has very set circumstances related to it. They have to be fulfilled in such a way that the prophecy isn’t broken. If a prophecy does not occur according to its sacred text then the prophecy must be concluded as false. Any logical person could not escape the facts.”
“Alfred, they told me that Oliver Theed is supposed to be at the dedication of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in four weeks. He has been prophesied to proclaim himself a god then take over the place, driving out the Christians in the process. Suppose that Theed were prevented from attending that dedication. They said that he had to be there because of a certain three and a half year deadline from the time the New Eden-Israeli Treaty was signed…”
Alfred took up his line of reasoning. “If Theed were prevented from attending the dedication service then the timeline would fail and so would the prophecy, sir.”
“Exactly!” Jason felt triumphant. “Alfred, we’ve got one more job to do. We’re going to pay a little visit to our High Representative, Oliver Theed. When I get done with him, the only ceremony he’ll be attending is his own funeral.”
DEADLY WOUND
September 1, 2095
Jacob Stein sat across from Oliver Theed in the High Representative’s office, overlooking New Rome’s brightly lit nighttime skyline. The city sparkled like a precious gem—truly the diamond of the world. No other city had been so lavishly adorned, as the capital mega city of the New Eden Alliance, New Rome.
Oliver stood with his back to Jacob, looking out through a massive pane of bulletproof Plexiglas, at the city beyond. Oliver had taken no chances with his safety. The scriptures clearly foretold of some sort of deadly wound that should be inflicted upon his person, or his empire—no one knew for sure. His empire, he had decided, could defend itself without any foreseeable problems. But a man is, after all, just a man. He had no intention of being assassinated.
The entire building, which housed his office and his penthouse apartment, had been heavily fortified. Oliver’s penthouse sat atop the New Eden Alliance complex forty stories in the air. Anyone trying to come after him would have to get past hundreds of guards, cameras, security robots and attack dogs—not to mention innumerable security pass doors.
Even if someone thought to get at him by helicopter or plane there were several GPS laser guided antimissile-antiaircraft missile turrets located on the roof guarding the four corners of his penthouse and gardens. It would literally take an army to break through all of his defenses.
Jacob broke the silence. “Is he normally late?”
“No. Agent Wraith is generally quite punctual.”
“Perhaps he is the bearer of bad news again, Oliver.”
“Perhaps, but even if he’s not killed Gauge or Night, you’re still insistent I go to Jerusalem?”
“It is your destiny to go to Jerusalem, Oliver.”
“What if this deadly wound is waiting for me, there in Jerusalem?” Oliver stared out over the city, but his thoughts were elsewhere. “My attendance at the Jewish Temple dedication ceremony has been greatly publicized for some time. Assassins could be planted anywhere in that place. How would I know?”
“You have a great deal of security at your disposal, Oliver. Surely you realize that your men are like a small army. You will be perfectly safe.”
“Can a man move faster than a bullet, Jacob?”
Jacob didn’t answer the question. Oliver had grown fearful of the scripture coming true—fearful of death. Jacob, on the other hand, counted on the scripture being fulfilled. Oliver’s anxiety worried him.
The High Representative should have been ready to go boldly to Jerusalem for the dedication service. Instead, the man cowered like a child, afraid to turn out the light for fear of what unseen danger might await him in the darkness.
A chime sounded from the view screen upon the wall. This was the call that Oliver had been waiting for. “Connect.”
The image of Agent Wraith appeared on the screen. Oliver felt reluctant to ask in case the news turned out bad. “Well?”
Wraith didn’t appear pleased with his report. “We investigated the last place we had the signal from the robot—way out in Petra. It looked like a gun battle had taken place. There was a tunnel caved-in, but our scans for life didn’t turn up anything.”
“Of course they didn’t.” Oliver knew he wouldn’t get good news, no matter how much he wanted it.
Wraith continued with his report. “We backtracked on the robot factory where I first encountered Night…nothing. We’ve checked the tunnels they used in that part of town and the mission the Christians were running. Everything turned out to be abandoned. He and Gauge have vanished again.”
Oliver turned toward Jacob. “I suspected as much. Perhaps, I would have had more success if I’d kept Night as my elite team leader and sent him hunting down Agent Wraith.”
Wraith’s onscreen image burned with anger, but he said nothing. He had no defense. Night and Gauge had eluded him again—a fact which infuriated him on a daily basis.
Oliver turned back to the monitor. “Wraith, I want you back in New Rome by morning.” He tapped the monitor interface on his desktop, cutting the image of his son.
Jacob watched the High Representative’s face, attempting to read him. “Perhaps, you would be more at ease having your industrious Agent Wraith accompany you to Jerusalem.”
Oliver looked frustrated by the bad news he’d just received. He gave Jacob a quirky disgusted smile. “Wraith really is a capable agent. He’s just not the same caliber as the men he happens to be hunting. Jason Night was one of my best agents. It’s really too bad that I had to lose him. Solomon Gauge was the best I’ve ever seen.”
“Gauge was an agent of Babylon?” Jacob looked astonished.
“You didn’t know it, Jacob, but Solomon Gauge was the agent I used to bring about the whole Christian terrorist operation…just after the disappearance of all of the believers.”
“I thought the agents had all been eliminated after that operation…to be sure the secret never came out.”
“They were supposed to be, but two of them eluded us. Solomon and his second in command managed to kill the agents who tried to assassinate them. I’ve been trying to find them every since.” Oliver sighed. “As you can see, they’ve been difficult prey.”
“Well, I doubt they should be of any concern to you now. They’re probably far away, fleeing for their lives, happy to still have them.”
Oliver’s look turned grave then. He seemed pressed by some thought that Jacob couldn’t discern. “Jacob, I’ve decided. I’m not going to go to Jerusalem.”
“You’re what?”
Oliver looked at him. “I know you think I must, but it’s not your life that would be in danger.”
Jacob grew angrier by the second, but tried to remain calm. Shouting would only make Oliver guard his position more. “Oliver, you realize that this is a momentous occasion in history. For you to assume your proper position in our master’s plan, you must go to the dedication service. It is your destiny.”
“Destiny, or no, I’ve decided to wait and go to Jerusalem at a later time. I’ll placate the Jews soon enough, but right now it’s too dangerous.”
Jacob began to speak, but Oliver waved a finger to warn him of its futility. “Please, Jacob, let’s not argue about it. You’re not going to convince me to change my mind, so just save the destiny speech.”
Oliver sat in his chair, feeling sure of himself. He wasn’t going to be persuaded and that was that.
“Well, Oliver, since you’ve
made up your mind on the matter, I suppose I will make the necessary arrangements to go to the dedication alone. Perhaps my presence there will be enough to satiate the Jew’s expectations until you’re willing to come yourself.”
“That would be fine, Jacob. I’ll let them know tomorrow of my decision. And don’t worry…I know what I’m doing.”
Jacob did not reply. He stood and walked out of the room, trying to control his anger. What would happen to his master’s plan now?
Alfred stood across the street from the New Eden Ambassador’s Complex in New Rome just outside of Jason’s little coffee shop. Decorative fencing surrounded the heavily fortified headquarters of the New Eden Alliance—a forty story skyscraper. High Representative, Oliver Theed, had his residence at the very top of the building.
By the Almanac, there should have been a visible moon tonight, but the world wide fires and natural disasters had created great masses of pollution that seemed never to dissipate in the atmosphere. Heavy clouds hung suspended over the city this evening, yet no rain—perfect cover for the operation.
Alfred had disguised himself as a Chinese man, with jet black hair pulled into a small ponytail. The Chinese remained one of the few sovereign nations left in the world besides the Russian Empire. Posing as a Chinese operative would help to mislead security.
Alfred waited for a signal from his master that would propel him into a reign of destruction. It had been rumored that only an army could get through the security and fortifications spread throughout the complex. Tonight, Alfred would do his best to become an army of one.
Jason’s voice resounded within the robot’s receiver. “Alfred, are you in position?”