Deceived

by Jerry B. Jenkins

  “Here comes another one!” someone yelled behind Sam.

  A GC car raced up to the edge and braked. Before the car slid into the crevasse, two Peacekeepers leaped out and rolled on the ground, their guns clattering. Everyone in the vehicle waited breathlessly as the two rose, found their rifles, and took aim at the truck.

  “Duck!” Mac shouted.

  Sam and the others dove for the floor of the truck, bumping heads and landing on one another. The guns cracked and Sam put his hands over his ears, not knowing what else to do. But the firing quickly stopped.

  Sam peeked out the window as Mac opened his door. The Peacekeepers lay lifeless on the ground, their guns at their sides. Everyone got out and inspected the truck. Miraculously, there wasn’t a scratch.

  Mac’s phone rang and Sam walked a few yards away to look into the chasm. He stood at the edge of what looked like the Grand Canyon.

  “Better not get too close,” Leah said. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  Before they got back in the car, Mac told them he had just talked with the leader of Operation Eagle, Rayford Steele. “Dr. Ben-Judah is on the air right now, no doubt telling people the truth.” He pointed into the air over Jerusalem. “And back there a war’s going on.”

  Something in the distance burst into flames and fell to the earth in a fiery heap.

  “War?” Sam said. “They’re shooting down Operation Eagle helicopters?”

  Mac smiled. “They’re trying, but Rayford says they’re only hitting each other.”

  Judd yelled as GC helicopters pursued a dozen Operation Eagle choppers above them. “They must not know they’re protected! They’re heading to Israel.”

  A GC chopper was hit and fell from the sky. Westin swerved and nearly hit a boulder as the ball of fire crashed twenty yards away. Debris from the impact scattered over the area and bounced off the roof of the Hummer.

  The sky lit up with gunfire from GC attack choppers. It was an all-out war, but God was protecting his people.

  Judd was excited when the radio feed had switched to Chaim Rosenzweig’s message recorded at the Temple Mount. He hoped some of the Israelis in the car would reconsider their position about Jesus, but all he heard from them were groans and complaints to turn the radio down. Westin, of course, left it blaring.

  Judd didn’t want to bother Chang again, but he was so curious about Carpathia and Operation Eagle that he dialed him.

  “We’ve got a problem here,” Chang said. “Someone told Carpathia that Dr. Ben-Judah is coming to Petra. They’re going to destroy Petra when he arrives.”

  “But Petra is safe, right?”

  “I hope. And the blood problem is international. Be listening for reports. It’s affecting the seas this time.” Chang grew quiet. “I need you to pray.”

  “What for?” Judd said.

  “They know someone’s been listening to them from inside the Global Community. They’re going to give lie detector tests here. And they say they’ll kill the person who’s guilty.”

  36

  JUDD wanted to talk with the Israelis in the Hummer one more time, but as Westin pulled into Jerusalem, the men jumped out and ran for their homes. They had listened to Dr. Rosenzweig’s entire presentation and prayer over GCNN radio and still didn’t respond.

  Judd was terrified as hunks of molten steel, burning out of control, fell on roadways, buildings, and open fields. It looked like half the GC forces had been lost.

  Chang called back and explained that he was safe from the GC for a while. “I hacked into the personnel files and created a record of my hospital stay for the last two days. They won’t suspect a mole who’s been recovering from boils.”

  “What about your computer?” Judd said. “If they search that—”

  “It’s fried. I saved everything, then crashed my hard drive. The laptop is stashed in my closet, so even if the GC find it, they won’t be able to trace the broadcast or any of my activity. I’ll be at my desk in the morning, ready for work.”

  Vicki and the others watched the Israel coverage from the safety of Colin’s home in Wisconsin. Live shots showed the falling GC aircraft. The GC was mistakenly killing its own by shooting at Operation Eagle.

  GC forces on the ground fared no better, with reports that many vehicles had simply vanished. When it was learned that great holes had opened in the earth, rescue efforts were abandoned.

  Vicki thought of Judd and hoped he would go with Lionel to Petra. From there, he might be able to find a flight home with a Tribulation Force volunteer.

  Though the Global Community tried to downplay them, reports from around the world flooded in about the seas turning to blood. Beautiful vacation resorts became death sites as whales, fish, sharks, and every imaginable sea creature perished and rose to the surface. Ships radioed Mayday signals, saying they had run out of drinking water and were unable to get back to land.

  Nicolae Carpathia spoke to the world from a secret studio in Israel, claiming that his Security and Intelligence personnel had identified Micah and his companion. As Carpathia spoke, Leon Fortunato stood in the background in his silly outfit, his lips moving in an unholy prayer.

  “This Micah claimed to represent the rebels, but we now know he is an impostor who has used his trickery to create the great seawater catastrophe,” Carpathia said. “Do not be dismayed. The enemies of the Global Community will be brought to justice, and just as the difficulty we have faced with the sores has passed, so this problem with the earth’s waters will be overcome.”

  Aerial shots of the plague were unbelievable. Thick, gooey blood washed up on shores around the world. Fishing vessels were stuck, as if they were trying to sail through red syrup.

  Vicki went to the computer to search for any word about Claudia Zander. With the help of Jim Dekker, who knew some of the GC passwords, Vicki was able to find a personnel report saying Claudia had been reassigned to another Morale Monitor division outside the Midwest. No further information was available.

  “With the way the GC operates, she’s lucky to be alive,” Dekker said.

  An alarm sounded inside the hideout. Colin had installed a motion sensor with video capabilities around the perimeter of his property. It usually went off around dusk with the movement of deer and other animals searching for food. Colin pulled up a camera shot and hit the reset button. “It’s nothing, I’m sure.”

  Sam was exhausted and running on adrenaline when Mac McCullum finally stopped their vehicle. Sam had talked with the new believers around him until his throat felt sore. The desert dust hadn’t done much to help, but Sam thrilled at the taste of clean, clear water while the rest of the world was getting blood when they turned on a tap.

  Sam had finally dozed after the GC chase ended and Mac had settled into the long drive through the desert. Mac relayed reports from Operation Eagle over his cell phone. Sam was excited to be part of the massive transport of a million Israelis to Petra, and he was eager to talk with Mr. Stein. The man had become like a father to him.

  Hannah Palemoon had been quiet throughout the trip. She turned to Sam while most of the others were sleeping and asked if he was traveling alone.

  Sam briefly told his story and how his father had been killed during the plague of horsemen. Hannah listened and wiped away a tear when Sam talked about his grief.

  “Did you lose someone close to you?” Sam said.

  Hannah nodded. “While I was in New Babylon, I met David Hassid, the one who organized this whole operation. He was killed by GC troops yesterday.”

  Sam put a hand on her shoulder. “Can I pray for you?”

  Hannah nodded, too overcome to speak.

  “Gracious Father, we thank you that we can come to you with our hurts. Thank you for the safety you provided tonight, and I pray for my new friend, that you would comfort her with your peace through this great sorrow over losing her good friend David. Encourage her in the days ahead, for we know it won’t be long before Jesus returns in his majesty, and we will again
see our friends who have died.”

  When Sam finished, Hannah wiped away tears and whispered, “Thank you.”

  Judd and Lionel waited in the lobby of a posh hotel while Westin parked the Humvee in an underground lot. Though it was late, people milled about watching video coverage from the Global Community News Network. Hotel workers scrambled to supply their guests with soft drinks and juice. All of their bottled water was blood-red.

  Westin returned and grabbed a key from the front desk. The three took an elevator to the fifth floor and found an envelope taped to the door. Westin opened it as they walked inside, shook his head, and handed the note to Judd.

  Wes,

  Call me as soon as you get in. We’re performing for His Excellency at the celebration of the lifting of the sickness tomorrow morning. Have the plane ready in case we need it afterward.

  Z.

  “You going to call him?” Lionel said.

  “I have a better idea,” Westin said. “Let’s get a few hours’ sleep, and then we’ll fly out of here before sunup and get you two back to the States.”

  “Are you serious?” Judd said.

  Westin smiled. “I’ll drop you guys, then bring the plane back here and clear things up. He promised to get you back home, and I’m going to see it happens.”

  Sam was overcome with emotion when he saw the growing multitudes at Petra. It looked like the Israelites fleeing Egypt during the Exodus. Except this time they would not need to part the Red Sea to get to safety—they would enter through a narrow passage called a Siq.

  Sam thanked Mac and the others for risking their lives.

  Mac smiled and patted Sam’s shoulder. “You need a ride anywhere, I’m there.”

  In the darkness came singing and rejoicing. Hundreds of thousands of escapees praised God for their deliverance and celebrated his goodness. Helicopters carried older people and some who were disabled, but most lined up for the walk that would lead them through the narrow passage to safety.

  Sam looked for Mr. Stein, but he knew it would be too difficult to find one person in such a gathering. He guessed that Dr. Rosenzweig was somewhere preparing to speak to the throng. Sam could hardly contain his excitement over the prospect of welcoming Dr. Tsion Ben-Judah.

  Nicolae Carpathia and his followers had tried to stop this gathering from ever happening. The shouts and cries of joy mocked the evil ruler and showed how impotent the world system was against the plans of God.

  As night fell in Wisconsin, Vicki watched her friends head to their bunks or mattresses placed on the floor.

  Colin had spoken briefly with Vicki about moving some of them to a church that had begun on the western side of the state. Vicki said she was open to it and that it was certainly needed, seeing how crowded the house had become. “But how do we choose who goes and who stays?”

  “Let’s talk about it in the morning,” Colin said.

  Shelly and Darrion stayed with Vicki until late, then went to their cots. Vicki watched the continuing coverage with a sense of awe and terror. The love and protection of God overwhelmed her, but she couldn’t believe people still clung to the hope that Nicolae Carpathia was the answer to the world’s problems.

  In the midst of stories about the bloody seas and the GC’s defeat in the air over Israel, Vicki saw an announcement for those who had not taken the mark of Carpathia. New application sites were opening, and Dr. Neal Damosa had scheduled a young people’s rally at different sites around the world where kids could watch the next day’s celebration and receive the mark.

  Vicki shook her head. Only the Global Community could celebrate when there was so much death and destruction.

  The motion alarm rang again and Vicki quickly flipped a switch, turning it off. She pulled up video of different sensors around Colin’s property and noticed something moving in one of the frames. She enlarged the picture and saw an animal with a long tail crawling up a tree near the camera. She focused on the two eyes and long snout and recognized an opossum, with several little ones clinging to its back. The animal moved up and out of the frame and Vicki smiled. They were ugly creatures, but the babies were sort of cute.

  The sensor beeped again so Vicki clicked back to the full list of camera shots. Some showed the dim glow of lights in houses several hundred yards away. The activated sensors were in the wooded area behind the house.

  Vicki was about to turn everything off and go to bed when something caught her eye in a corner of the screen. A tree branch moved. Was it the wind? She enlarged the picture and moved closer. The image was grainy and slightly green.

  A shadow moved in the moonlight. Was it another animal?

  Vicki noticed something strange hanging behind one of the branches. At first it looked like Spanish moss, but the more she studied it, the more convinced she became that it was moving forward. The branch moved again— was that someone’s arm?

  A face!

  It filled the screen, and long, black hair covered the camera. Vicki jumped back and knocked some books off the table behind her. When she turned, the screen was blank.

  Judd awoke early to a flurry of activity in the hotel room. Though it was still dark, Westin had a bag packed and Lionel was eating a bagel and some fruit he had brought from downstairs.

  “Get dressed,” Westin said. “It’s time to go.”

  Westin took them underground to the Humvee and they drove into the smoky streets. Debris from downed choppers littered the roadside. Rescue crews worked on several buildings damaged by falling aircraft.

  “Did you talk with Z-Van?” Lionel said.

  Westin shook his head. “I didn’t want him to know I was in town. But I did see his buddy, Lars Rahlmost.”

  “The guy making that movie about Nicolae’s resurrection?” Judd said.

  “Yeah. And he says he got some great footage last night. He’s supposed to be at the celebration this morning, but I have my doubts about them pulling it off, what with half the GC troops injured or unaccounted for.”

  Judd’s heart raced as they neared the airport. When they were back with their friends, they wouldn’t have to worry about Carpathia’s attacks. Judd was sure there would be danger, but nothing like they had seen in Israel and New Babylon. He didn’t know how Chang could stand working in the same building with the most evil man on earth.

  Judd thought of Vicki. He hoped she hadn’t changed her mind about him. She had seemed excited about the possibility of them working on their relationship, and he wanted one more chance to prove himself.

  Westin pointed out more wreckage, and Judd feared there might be debris on the airport runway. He sighed when a plane rose into the air.

  “Won’t be long now,” Westin said.

  They returned the Humvee and took a shuttle to the terminal. Westin showed his pass at the checkpoint and located the hangar where Z-Van’s plane was stored. The three jogged toward it.

  “I’m going to get in touch with Chang as soon as we’re in the air,” Judd said.

  Westin stopped. “Oh no.”

  “What’s wrong?” Judd said.

  Westin gestured to the hangar. From the side it had looked okay, but now, as they neared the front, Judd saw a gaping hole in the roof and emergency crews at work.

  The familiar insignia of The Four Horsemen lay on the ground, burning.

  Z-Van’s plane had been destroyed.

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Jerry B. Jenkins (www.jerryjenkins.com) is the writer of the Left Behind series. He owns the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, (www.ChristianWritersGuild.com), an organization dedicated to mentoring aspiring authors, as well as Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company (www.Jenkins-Entertainment.com). Former vice president of publishing for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, he also served many years as editor of Moody magazine and is now Moody’s writer-at-large.

  His writing has appeared in publications as varied as Time magazine, Reader’s Digest, Parade, Guideposts, in-flight magazines, and dozens of other periodicals. Jen
kins’s biographies include books with Billy Graham, Hank Aaron, Bill Gaither, Luis Palau, Walter Payton, Orel Hershiser, and Nolan Ryan, among many others. His books appear regularly on the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly best-seller lists.

  He holds two honorary doctorates, one from Bethel College (Indiana) and one from Trinity International University. Jerry and his wife, Dianna, live in Colorado and have three grown sons and three grandchildren.

  Dr. Tim LaHaye (www.timlahaye.com), who conceived the idea of fictionalizing an account of the Rapture and the Tribulation, is a noted author, minister, and nationally recognized speaker on Bible prophecy. He is the founder of both Tim LaHaye Ministries and The PreTrib Research Center.

  He also recently cofounded the Tim LaHaye School of Prophecy at Liberty University. Dr. LaHaye speaks at many of the major Bible prophecy conferences in the U.S. and Canada, where his prophecy books are very popular.

  Dr. LaHaye earned a doctor of ministry degree from Western Theological Seminary and an honorary doctor of literature degree from Liberty University. For twenty-five years he pastored one of the nation’s outstanding churches in San Diego, which grew to three locations. During that time he founded two accredited Christian high schools, a Christian school system of ten schools, and Christian Heritage College.

  There are almost 13 million copies of Dr. LaHaye’s fifty nonfiction books that have been published in over thirty-seven foreign languages. He has written books on a wide variety of subjects, such as family life, temperaments, and Bible prophecy. His current fiction works, the Left Behind series, written with Jerry B. Jenkins, continue to appear on the best-seller lists of the Christian Booksellers Association, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the New York Times. LaHaye’s second fiction series of prophetic novels consists of Babylon Rising and The Secret on Ararat, both of which hit the New York Times bestseller list and will soon be followed by Europa Challenge. This series of four action thrillers, unlike Left Behind, does not start with the Rapture but could take place today and goes up to the Rapture.