by Tim LaHaye
Rayford loved the feel of the monster ATV. Any fear that he would be tentative had vanished when he took it for a spin inside Petra, leaning this way and that as he gradually accelerated and made right and left turns, eventually at high speeds. He didn't plan to be careless. He would use the headlights, even with the illumination from the cross above, and keep his eyes on the ground to avoid ruts and rocks.
The loud, staticky humming in the sky both thrilled and unnerved him, because while he knew the portent of it, he also believed Jesus could appear at any time. The only thing better than being here when that happened was to be close enough to Carpathia to see his response. In truth, Rayford assumed he himself might be so overwhelmed that he would no longer give a rip about Carpathia.
Having given Lionel Whalum a thumbs-up, he pointed the vehicle toward the steep grade that led to the western flats. He would accelerate for as long as he felt in control, and at the first sign the bike was getting squirrelly, Rayford would ride the brake.
Mac ascended vertically several hundred feet before leaning the helicopter away from Petra airspace and swooping directly over Unity Army forces. He had to watch for their own aircraft, but it appeared no one on the ground paid him any mind.
He knew Carpathia and his entourage had come from the east, so he flew to the eastern edge of the massive army. There, perhaps a quarter mile from the mounted troops, was an encampment of vehicles and horses and what appeared to be comfortable chairs. Dignitaries sat watching the action on television. He'd have liked to have been there when the cross first appeared, because he imagined it quickly drew their attention away from the TVs.
But they now appeared to have grown used to the ominous sign and were apparently trying to follow the exploits of their leader. Wait till they saw what was coming next in the sky.
Meanwhile, Mac wondered how he was supposed to locate Nicolae Carpathia in the sea of black below.
TEN
LEAH ROSE had thought she was past impressing. She had been with Rayford, after all, when the judgment of 200 million demonic horsemen had invaded the earth and wiped out a third of the remaining population. And she had seen and endured, firsthand, all the judgments that followed.
Leah and Hannah Palemoon, the younger nurse who had become such a close friend, were the first to run from the infirmary when word came that the sign of the Son of Man had appeared. It was not the first time they had ventured out that evening. They had also seen the lightning show.
They had been discussing their collective guilt over leaving Lionel Whalum to handle things at the Co-op. He had help, sure, but they had been his assistants for months and were only recently pressed back into nursing duties because of various ailments, injuries, and illnesses throughout Petra. These maladies were solely among the spiritually undecided, which Leah thought should be a lesson to all.
But if there was one thing she had learned since becoming a fugitive from the Global Community, it was that people learned slowly. She had been taught and had heard over and over that mankind would be blind to the acts of God: they would see His mighty works and yet still reject Him and choose their own path. It was no longer a matter of unbelief. That was clear. No one in his right mind could see all that had gone on over the last seven years, starting with the Rapture, and still claim not to know this was the ultimate battle between good and evil, heaven and hell, God and the devil.
So if it was not unbelief, as had been Leah's own problem in the pre-Rapture world, what was it? Were people insane? No, she decided, they were self-possessed, narcissistic, vain, proud. In a word, evil. They saw the acts of God and turned their backs on Him, choosing the pleasures of sin over eternity with Christ.
God had, in the meantime, hardened many hearts. And when these unbelievers changed their minds—or tried to—they were not even capable of repenting and turning to God. That had seemed unfair to Leah at first, but as the years rolled by and the judgments piled up, she began to see the logic of it. God knew that eventually sinners would grow weary of their own poverty, but His patience had a limit. There came a time when enough was enough. People had had way more than enough information to make a reasonable choice, and the sad fact was they had made the wrong one, time and time again.
Well, today was really the end. No question God's mercy still extended to His chosen people. He, through His servants like Tsion and Chaim and the 144, 000 witnesses, still pleaded with unbelievers in the final remnant to come to Him. And to hear it from Chang's sources, millions were doing just that.
But Leah was intrigued to see that she was not, after all, unable to be further impressed. For when she and Hannah finally returned to the infirmary, she was staggered to find that everyone there had been healed. Everyone. No one was sick, hurt, or lame. All were up and about, congratulating each other, getting dressed, and leaving without even checking themselves out.
Best of all, many of the formerly undecided were on their knees, crying out to God to save them. And all around them were remnant volunteers, counseling them, praying with them.
"We, Hannah, " Leah said, "are out of work. "
She called Rayford, only to find that he was already up, dressed, and looking for action.
When he came within striking distance of the slowly advancing Unity Army, Rayford applied all three brakes to his ATV—the ones on each handlebar and the one under his right foot. He had been merrily cruising down the side of the rocky hill, hearing the advance. But when he swung around some underbrush and realized the army could see him, his eagerness was checked.
Many of the soldiers were on foot, vainly urging their horses upward. Those still mounted struggled to keep their animals pointed in the right direction. The soil was loose, the going rough. They didn't look happy, but they sure looked intrigued to have a target.
"Identify yourself, " one barked, reining his horse and stopping ten feet in front of Rayford.
"Citizen of Petra, " Rayford said, his voice not as confident as he had expected.
"You're now a prisoner of war. "
"You're taking prisoners? There are more than a million of us. "
"Only you. You can be of help to us. We need to know where everyone is, the best way in, all that. "
"And then I can go?"
"Don't be smart. "
"Well, as for where almost everyone else is, they're inside. But you knew that. The best way in is all the way around the other side from where you are, but of course you're not allowed. I'm curious, though. Why didn't you take one of the perimeter guards hostage and ask these questions?"
"Massacred them all. "
"That so?" Rayford pulled a walkie-talkie from his belt and mashed the button. "Big Dog One, this is your captain. Over. "
"One, here. Hey, Rayford. "
"How're we doing? Any casualties?"
"Not a one. "
"Then if I wanted to thumb my nose at the Unity Army, I should be confident that—"
"Where are you, man?"
"About a mile south of the western border. "
"I'm about a half mile down from you and on my way up. "
"In the middle of the enemy, Big Dog?"
"Exactly. Their bullets are no good here. Their blades either. "
"Kill him, " the soldier said, and half a dozen weapons opened fire.
Except for a ringing in his ears, Rayford did not suffer. "Maybe you all can tell me something, " he said. "I'm looking for your leader, the big man, the top guy. Where's Carpathia?"
But the soldiers had paled. It was as if they were wondering what was the use. If they could not kill the rebels, what was the sense of storming their fortress? And what did the rebels need a fortress for, anyway?
"That's all right, " Rayford said. "I have my sources. 'Scuse me, " he said as he let the ATV roll on down the way. "'Scuse me. " A few more soldiers shot at him and a couple of others thrust swords at him, but soon commanders were instructing personnel to save their ammunition for the siege of the stone citadel.
Finding Ca
rpathia was not as difficult as Mac had feared. In the middle of the churning mass of humanity that pushed its way across the flatland toward the gridlock on the hill was a circle of lights pointed at a man on a bigger-than-average black stallion. Only Carpathia needed lights shined his way, so the worldwide television audience could see him in action.
As Mac watched from his chopper, Nicolae spent a lot of time holding his sword aloft and appearing to shout commands. Then he would sheath the weapon and engage in angry conversation with those around him, presumably his generals. He was clearly not happy with the slow pace, but when the sword was unsheathed again, he worked up a determined expression.
Mac called Rayford and gave him the coordinates where he might find the potentate.
"Thanks, Mac. I expect to run into Sebastian and some of his people first. "
As Rayford picked his way through the Unity Army, he found more and more soldiers who must have learned the futility of trying to attack their enemy outside Petra. They looked at him, raised weapons, then wearily moved on.
But soon there was a new development. Word came through the commanders that all personnel on the hill were to execute an immediate right-face and clear the area. Some grumbled, but most looked relieved. "About time, " Rayford heard one say.
As the thousands of horses and riders cleared the area, the rest of the Unity Army stopped at the foot of the hill. An area fifty feet wide was cleared in the middle of them, and Mac told Rayford that was the avenue Carpathia and his people would use.
"Looks like they're planning to take over this operation themselves, " Mac said, "and it's gonna happen as soon as he's in place at the head of the line. "
"Their horses won't have any more luck on this incline than the others did, " Rayford said.
"They're gonna get rid of the horses, I think, " Mac said. "Nick himself is in the big Humvee, but they've also got the smaller Hummers, SUVs, and armored personnel carriers. Uh-oh, somethin' else too. Grenade and missile launchers are comin'. "
"What do you mean, 'uh-oh'? Why should those work any better here than bombs?"
"Good point. I'm just sayin'—"
Rayford came upon a Hummer carrying Sebastian, Weser, and Razor. It had little trouble managing the ascent, especially now that the Unity Army had abandoned the area. Rayford pulled up to the driver's side and shut down his engine.
Sebastian lowered the window. "How exciting is this?" he said.
"You know you're showing the enemy how to handle the terrain. "
"So it'll be my fault if they crash through on top and kill everybody, and all the prophecies are proved wrong?"
"I'll hold you responsible, " Rayford said. "Wanna have some fun? Follow me down and around. I'm going to settle in behind Carpathia's mobile command center and tag along. "
Sebastian sighed. "I'm tempted, " he said. "Make it an order so I don't have a choice. "
"What's your best assessment of what you should be doing, George?"
Sebastian looked at Weser and Razor, then back at Rayford. "What I'm doing right now. I want to get all of my people back up there and inside so they have the best view of what's next. I can't abandon them now. "
"Then that's what you ought to be doing. " Rayford slapped the hood of the Hummer. "Carry on. "
Abdullah was back on his dirt bike, noisily picking his way through tens of thousands of people. He supervised and advised elders as they directed undershepherds and group leaders in getting more than a million people to their places. The going was slow, but it was getting done.
Abdullah had scouted an area to the northeast and decided that was where Chaim and the elders should stand when everyone else was in place. At least 80 percent of the populace would be able to see Chaim from there. And in case he had any last words for the citizens, he had access to the public-address system. "But I expect all attention will be on the sky anyway, " he said.
Chaim could not hide his apprehension from Eleazar. "What is it?" the younger elder said.
"Lack of faith, " Chaim said.
"Surely not. Not you. The Lord has brought us too far, showed us too much. Can there be any doubt that He will appear and rescue us at the appointed time?"
"But what is that time, brother? Chang's people tell me the Unity Army has cleared the western slope for a rolling armada with Carpathia himself in charge. "
"All the more reason to believe Messiah is coming soon. He will not fail us, will not break His promises. Antichrist cannot prevail, and the closer he comes, the sooner we shall be delivered. "
"I believe that, Eleazar. "
"Of course you do. So what troubles you?"
"Things have been left unsaid. "
"By you?" Elder Tiberius said with a twinkle. "I cannot imagine it. "
"I wanted to explain the imagery of the Glorious Appearing. Tsion and I both have spent so much time insisting on a literal approach to the Scriptures that I fear I have neglected some of the clearly symbolic references in the Glorious Appearing passages. "
"Perhaps there will still be time, " Eleazar said, "but why don't we discuss it outside? The Lord may get here before you do!"
"But I must make notes. "
"Do you want to be in here scribbling when it happens? Bring pen and paper with you, Chaim, but come, please!"
For months Enoch had hidden his car a few blocks from the home where he lived in the cellar. He never turned on lights upstairs, and the basement windows were boarded over. The neighbors in Palos Hills never saw him out in the light of day because he would have been unable to hide the fact that he did not bear the mark of loyalty to the potentate. He sneaked in and out of the seemingly abandoned house in the wee hours of the morning.
But now here he sat in the high-fenced backyard, hearing neighbors quizzing each other, discussing the astronomical phenomena in panicky tones. What would they think of strangers invading, gathering in his yard? Would they take the time and trouble to check and see if he and his friends were renegades, fugitives, outlaws? Would there be time for the neighbors to put them to death?
Since the neighbors had to assume his place was uninhabited, nothing else would arouse suspicion in the dark. Why would they have to assume anything about him or his people? Ah, he thought, that's naive. What would we all be doing here?
Mac had a clear view of the latest Unity Army maneuver, and he had to hand it to the leadership. Someone knew how to fix a problem. Whether it was Carpathia or one of his henchmen, the plan was working. The thousands from the front lines who had begun storming up the western slope found the going impossible and had already moved south, then west, then back northeast again, and had begun reinserting themselves into the ranks.
Meanwhile, the quarter-mile-long and fifty-foot-wide corridor had opened before Carpathia's private unit—and also about fifty yards behind it. He and his people were transferring to rolling stock. A convoy of ten vehicles was maneuvered into position, trailed by two carriers of heavy armaments. If Mac had to guess, he would say Carpathia would lead the charge, the munitions right behind, and that the rest of the army—other than those on horseback—would bring up the rear.
From where Mac sat, it was obvious that under other circumstances Petra wouldn't have had a chance. They were unarmed and outnumbered three or four to one by only a third of Carpathia's total fighting force. Unity Army vehicles could easily traverse the terrain, and the front line of this new unit could be on the other side of the walls of Petra in less than half an hour.
Mac called Chang. "You able to crack into Carpathia's communications yet?"
"Almost. I can pick up everybody but him, but I've got a rapid decoder screaming through it, so it shouldn't be long. "
"Patch it through to me as soon as you get it, hear?"
"You got it. Rayford wants the same. "
"Roger. "
Rayford waited at the base of the hill, facing the Unity Army about ten degrees south of the opening that had been left for Carpathia's unit. Rayford was virtually ignored as the re
st of the troops had quickly become aware of the VIP in their midst. All eyes were on Nicolae.
Rayford's plan was to fall in with Carpathia as he swept past, hoping not to attract attention. That would have been sheer folly aside from what had already occurred. The Unity Army had finally seemed to concede that they had no power on the perimeter against the meager defense. Why they thought they had a prayer inside Petra itself, given their futile history against God's people, was a mystery. Carpathia's ego knew no bounds.
Enoch's fears proved unfounded. His people were sly enough to appear silently in twos and threes, and they found their way to the backyard without drawing notice. The neighbors drifted to their own homes eventually anyway, and Enoch was left in the yard with more than forty of the hundred or so that had joined him at the mall that morning.
They gathered around his chair and sat in the grass, no one seeming to grow tired of gazing at the cross adorning the horizon. "Come, Lord Jesus, " several whispered, and others joined in. "Come, Lord. Come soon. "
"Everything that's gonna happen is going to be over there, right, Pastor?" a young man said.
"Over there?"
"In the Holy Land. You said Jesus was going to fight for the Jews in Petra first, then save Jerusalem. How we gonna know when He's come?"
"Well, " Enoch whispered, "the Bible says the whole world will know when He comes. Revelation 1: 7 says, 'Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. '"
"How's He gonna 'complish that? Holy Land's on the other side of the world. "
"Don't you think they're seeing what we're seeing now?"
"I guess, but like when the moon is out, people over there see the other side of it, right?"
"They could be seeing the other side of this cross too. We have no idea how massive it is. "
"Or if there's more than one, " someone said.
"How's that?" Enoch said.