“Hey.” Kate greeted Sarah with a cup of tea before sitting on an old poufy chair across from her.
“Hi, Kate. Thank you.” Sarah took a sip and closed her eyes for the warmth and comfort it brought.
“I just passed the Lair and saw Tolu sitting with Faaiza at her computer. It looked like they were having fun. How is she doing?”
“I know she’s being brave for me. I can see in her eyes that she’s just as shaken up and confused as I am; but it’s easier for her to find distractions. Faaiza has been a big help, although I can’t say watching my daughter learn how to be a hacker was ever at the top of my list of parenthood goals. It’s funny though…her dad started the basis of his computer knowledge the same way.” As she mentioned James, she checked her phone and stared into her cup with concern on her face.
“Still no word from him, then?” Kate asked gently.
“No. I just keep praying that he’s alright.”
Kate nodded, then, handed Sarah a folded piece of paper she had been carrying. “I thought you’d like to read this. I snatched it off the dining room table as we were making our escape from your house.”
Sarah unfolded the paper and felt her eyes sting as she recognized it. It was the document she had found on Pierre’s desk on that horrible night. She noticed the date, and felt a tear run down her face. Pierre had written this the day he died. Struggling against the shock of picturing him in his final moments of life, Sarah began to read his last written words out loud:
“The final battle for the souls of men began after Cyrus' decree in Babylon. God declared 490 prophetic years: Israel is God's clock hand for this countdown. The coming cataclysmic events will span the final seven years. The last three and a half will be the worst. After 483 years, the clock hand paused. 32 A.D., after Christ was crucified, the Church of Jesus Christ was born. God stopped dealing with Israel as a nation and turned to individuals who accepted Christ. The world was allowed, for a time, to oppress the people of Israel. God extended His love to the world, allowing enough time for as many souls as possible, Jewish or non-Jewish, to accept Christ as the only escape from hell. We're in this gap; and the gap's closing fast. The signs are the chaos in the Middle East and around the world. No man or nation will have a solution until this king arises—the Beast with ten horns who will bring a false peace to this chaos. The Bible calls him the Anti-Christ, for he will be seen and accepted as the savior—taking the place of Christ. He will release unprecedented evil on this planet. Christ will take His church away in the rapture before evil is fully released. Persecution will move Israel to call on God once more. God will turn again to defend Israel, and the countdown clock will resume ticking once more. The world’s oppression of Israel will finally come to an end. This reign of evil will be so ravaging that God will have no choice but to take over the affairs of this planet and bring an end to all human concepts of government, ending the rebellion which began in Babel: when men rejected God and decided to run their own affairs. God, in His love, gave the signs and the timing of these events so we might know how to prepare ourselves and escape the coming wrath. God has been warning us in His love for 2,500 years after Daniel. He gave the world Christ. The devil will give the world the Anti-Christ. Reject Christ and by default we accept the Anti-Christ.
“The choice is ours.”
“It all seems insane and impossible…” said Kate softly.
“But?”
“But I’ve been feeling something; I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like something about his words or something about his whole situation has clicked…it kind of feels like when you put together the first two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Even though there are hundreds of pieces left to figure out, you still know that, at least, the two you have are…right. Does that make sense?”
“Absolutely,” Sarah replied. “You know, there are pieces of the puzzle—of God, Life, and the Bible— that I even haven’t been able to figure out, but I do know that God gives us wisdom to understand things when we ask Him; and the beginning of that wisdom is centered in believing in Christ. Here.”
Sarah reached to the side of the sofa and picked up her small Bible. Kate moved from the chair to sit next to her on the sofa and listened. As Sarah paged from verse to verse throughout the book—reading and explaining what they meant—Kate could feel a drawing, a growing excitement, and for the first time, a secure hope for the future, despite the bleak darkness of the present. Then, she and Sarah prayed, and Kate knew from that moment on, that her life would never be the same.
Chapter 98
“From this moment on, your lives will never be the same.” Silas Maximos surveyed the room of state government and United Nations officials. Palestine, Israel, Iran, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and the Arab States, Prime Ministers, Presidents, Princes and Delegates - all were seated at the long table in his private conference room. All had had a crisp document placed before them. The pages had been turned. The contents had been read and re-read.
Looking particularly stork-like in his thin-wire glasses, Dr. Ammon, President of the United Nations, was craning his neck. Also gauging the faces around the table. Searching for any last doubts. For him, this moment was too good to be true. Unprecedented and deemed impossible by generations before. He was holding his breath. Waiting for someone to back out at the last minute; waiting for a party or delegation to suddenly change their mind, tear up the treaty and walk away. He eyed the GED CEO and wondered, somewhat jealously, how he had been able to pull this off. What did Silas Maximos possess that he didn’t? Why could he get this rabble to agree to peace when so many others could not, including himself?
“I believe you have found everything to be in order,” Maximos addressed the dignitaries. “Everything is as we have agreed upon.” He paused as if to allow an objection, though he knew there would be none. Profeta had declared that this moment would run smoothly. Silas worked hard to keep his joy from overpowering him as this piece in the path of his destiny was finally snapped into place.
Heads nodded and a mumble of dignified consent emerged. The atmosphere was not ecstatic with excitement, but rather solemn and waiting like a raft of novices about to run a gauntlet of rapids. Would their guide be able to control the situation as he claimed? Would their neighbor states be able to persevere in honoring this new agreement? When all was said and done, was this new path better than the old one? Is what would be gained worth more than what will be lost in giving up so much of their former aspirations for their countries and countrymen?
These and similar thoughts raced through the minds of the officials as they made ready to poise their pens; and were similarly chased away one by one as each reaffirmed within themselves that, as Maximos had spoken to them in initial meetings, the time for selfishness and war was over. It was time now for forgiveness, unity, and peace. It was a course they must run, gauntlet or not, for the sake of their people and the world.
*
HEREIN IS SET FORTH:
THE TREATY OF PEACE
BETWEEN
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
AND IRAN
AND SYRIA
AND ARAB STATES
AND EGYPT
WITH JORDAN
CONFIRMING AND PUTTING INTO IMMEDIATE ACTION THE RESOLUTION SET FORTH ON THIS DAY, SEPTEMBER -, 20—, AT THE AGREED UPON NEUTRAL SITE OF GLOBAL ECONOMICS DYNAMICS HEADQUARTERS UNDER THE FLAG OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND ATTENDED FREELY BY AUTHORITATIVE MEMBERS OF THE STATES: ISRAEL, PALESTINE, IRAN, SYRIA, THE ARAB STATES, EGYPT AND JORDAN, A FINAL AND JUST PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST INITIATED AND PERPETUATED BY THE LEGAL ENTITIES ABOVE.
THE INITIATIVE FORMED AND PRESENTED BY OFFICIATING ENTITY, GLOBAL ECONOMIC DYNAMICS (GED), ATTENDING PROXY, SILAS MAXIMOS, SETS FORTH IN AGREEMENT WITH THE SIGNATORIES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS, THE FOLLOWING SOLUTIONS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND LASTING PEACE:
I. THE IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF PALESTINE AS A LEGAL AND SOVEREIGN STATE RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS. THE S
OVEREIGNTY OF PALESTINE, AS WITH ALL MIDDLE EAST NATIONS, AND SANCTITY OF THEIR INTERNATIONAL BORDERS, PRE-ESTABLISHED AND AGREED UPON WILL BE RESPECTED AND HONORED.
II. ISRAEL’S IRREVOCABLE ACCEPTANCE AND RESPECT FOR A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE. PALESTINE’S IRREVOCABLE ACCEPTANCE AND RESPECT FOR A SOVEREIGN ISRAELI STATE. BOTH STATES HENCEFORTH DECLARE THEIR INTERNAL DEBATE RESOLVED AND COOPERATIVELY AGREE:
(i.) JERUSALEM WILL NOT BE DIVIDED, BUT SHARED AS AN UNPRECEDENTED COMMON CAPITAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE UNDER JURISDICTION AND AUTHORITY OF THE NEUTRAL ENTITY, GED, IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.
(ii.) ALL BORDERS WITHIN JERUSALEM SEPARATING CITIZENS, BASED ON RACE OR RELIGION, WILL BE DEMOLISHED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY FOR THE PROMOTION OF ONE CITIZENSHIP WITHIN JERUSALEM, ALL HAVING EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE LIVELIHOOD AND LEGAL PLEASURES WITHIN THE CITY - IN SECURITY AND EQUALITY.
(iii.) THE LEGAL JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA, KNOWN AS THE TEMPLE MOUNT, WILL BE GIVEN TO A NEUTRAL PARTY, NAMELY A SPECIALLY-APPOINTED POLICE FORCE OF INTERNATIONAL, NEUTRAL MEMBERS UNDER THE DIRECT AUTHORITY OF GED IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. THEIR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE BEING TO GUARD THE FREE PASSAGE AND SAFETY OF JERUSALEM’S CITIZENS AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS UPON THE SITE, THE SECURITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE ISLAMIC SHRINES CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED, AND THE SAFETY OF WORKERS AND EQUIPMENT AS THE EDIFICE KNOWN AS THE THIRD TEMPLE IS ERECTED NEXT TO AND WITHOUT DAMAGE OF THE EDIFICE KNOWN AS THE DOME OF THE ROCK.
III. THE PROTECTION OF THE SOVEREIGN BOARDERS OF PALESTINE AND ISRAEL WILL BE PLACED UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF A MIDDLE EAST SECURITY COMMITTEE, WHOSE MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTED, OVERSEEN, AND EMPOWERED BY GED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. AN INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATE OF NEUTRAL ARMED FORCES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
(i.) THE SIGNATORIES AGREE THAT ALL THEIR STATE-APPOINTED ARMED FORCES WILL BE IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAWN FROM ACTION AND SUBJECTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MIDDLE EAST SECURITY COMMITTEE.
(ii.) THE ABOVE STATES AGREE NOT TO RESORT TO THREAT OR USE OF FORCE TO SETTLE DISPUTES, INTERNAL OR INTERNATIONAL. ALL MATTERS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE MIDDLE EAST SECURITY COMMITTEE WHOSE NEUTRALITY AND AUTHORITY WILL ENSURE SWIFT AND JUST SETTLEMENT.
IV. SIGNATORIES WILL EXECUTE AMONG THEMSELVES RELATIONSHIPS NORMAL TO STATES AT PEACE WITH EACH OTHER.
(i.) TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE WILL BE UPHELD BY EVERY STATE ABOVE MENTIONED AS WILL EACH ONE’S RIGHT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND SECURITY WITHIN THEIR LEGAL BORDERS.
(ii.) RECONCILIATION EFFORTS WILL BE ADOPTED IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON COOPERATIVE ECONOMIC, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND COMMERCE DEVELOPMENTS.
(iii.) ALL CITIZENS UNDER INDIVIDUAL STATE JURISDICTION WILL RECEIVE JUST PROTECTION AND DUE PROCESS OF FAIR LAW WHEN ENTERING THE JURISDICTION OF ANOTHER STATE.
V. THE PRIVATE, NEUTRAL ENTITY, GLOBAL ECONOMIC DYNAMICS, WILL INSTIGATE AND PARTICIPATE IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINMENT OF THIS TREATY BY ANY JUST MEANS IT DEEMS NECESSARY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE MIDDLE EAST SECURITY COUNCIL.
HENCEFORTH, THE SIGNATORIES CONSIDER THE ARAB-ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT ENDED AND WILLINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY MOVE INTO PEACE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF GED AND THE UNITED NATIONS.
THE SIGNATORIES AGREE TO IMMEDIATELY ADOPT GOOD NEIGHBORLINESS AND TO ESTABLISH A NEW FOUNDATION FOR BUILDING A SAFE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR THE COMING GENERATIONS.
SIGNED THIS DAY, SEPTEMBER -, 20— UNDER THE LEGAL JURISDICTION AND AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED NATIONS:
X___________________________________
The master copy of the treaty made its way counter-clockwise around the table. Silence like an awning lay upon them. The specially manufactured fountain pens scritched and scratched upon the weighted paper. Finally, the document reached President Ammon. After making his mark with a quick scribble, he passed the treaty to Maximos, who would be the last to sign as the GED proxy. Maximos’ pen had just touched the paper when Dr. Ammon stood to his feet with obvious exuberance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done it!” He reached his hand toward a United Emirates dignitary beside him and they shook in a congratulatory gesture. The movement was contagious. Suddenly, the air of stoicism in the room broke as eyes brightened, smiles appeared, sighs of relief were expressed, and hands were vigorously clasped in hope and friendship.
Maximos, wearing a charming smile and humble eyes, joined in. Shaking hands and trying to wave away the praises of his involvement. “It was nothing. Any man in my position would have done the same.”
The room’s occupants carried on jovially as they were led to another space where a dinner had been laid in honor of the event. Here, a few speeches were made, photographs taken, and, lastly, a reminder was given by President Ammon as the officials’ aides were preparing for inconspicuous departures from the GED tower.
“What has happened here tonight is beyond words. And I trust that, as we agreed upon before, it can stay beyond words for the time being. We will announce this news to the world in just a few days’ time at the International Summit. Where we can all pronounce it in the way we intend to go on from this point—together.”
President Ammon’s words were met with applause and more smiles as the dignitaries began their valedictions. Then, they were escorted out through different doors into different hallways which led to different ways out of the building. Maximos wasn’t taking any chances that his dramatic pronouncement at the Summit would be sabotaged by toady little journalists slinking around the building looking for any hint of a morsel to snap up.
Out of nowhere, a hand came up to slap Maximos on the back. Silas did not flinch outwardly, but inwardly. Ammon was getting on his nerves—his intention of riding on Maximos’ coattails into global and historical prestige and fame were all too obvious.
“I can’t believe it, Silas,” President Ammon blurted out. “We’ve done it. I never thought I would live to see the day when war in the Middle East would be over. You truly are an architect of the future.”
Silas Maximos turned to look at the man, swallowed what he really wanted to say, and simply replied, “Why, my dear Youcef, you flatter me.”
Chapter 99
“‘...and such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt with flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and shall do exploits.' Lord, we give thanks that you have saved us, that we are not alone. In the times ahead, give us courage to hold on to Your Word. Your Word is true. Amen.”
The echoing “amen” was quiet, but strong as John, Kate, Sammy, Tolu and a few of the squatters released their adjoined hands. Sarah looked across the circle of people and noticed Kate give an especially lovely grin to John. His eyes lit up as he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. His face mirrored the hopeful glow on hers. Sarah wondered if Kate had had a similar conversation with her husband that they’d had only a couple of hours before.
“Thanks, Preacher Sarah,” Sammy said, sidling over. “You know, we could use a good chaplain around here. It’s true we all respect each other’s different beliefs here, and will continue to do so; but when you pray…well, there is always something that feels so warm and special about it.”
Sarah smiled kindly. “Thank you, Sammy. But you know, your own prayers can have the same effect because Jesus—Hang on, my phone.” She held up the device to look at the screen. “James! It’s James.” She answered, “Hello!”
“Sarah! Thank God. I am so sorry for everything. You were right all along! I’ve left GED and I’m coming for you and Tolu. I’ll explain it all later but we have to leave, get out of the country for a while. I’ve got a plane standing by and will be at the house to get you shortly. Can you pack a few things for everyone and grab the cash hidden in—”
“James, we’re not at the house. GED sent men after us; we had to run.”
“What?! What happened! Where are you?”
“They broke in; but we managed to escape. We’re hiding out in a
safe place. Stay on, I’ll text you the address.” She lowered the phone and sent the information.
“Did you get it?”
“Yeah. I’ll flag down a cab, stop at the house for the cash, and be there within the hour.”
“Okay, love you, honey. See you soon!”
“I love you, Sarah. Bye.”
Sarah hung up the phone and grabbed Sammy in an excited hug. “He’s all right! He’s gotten out of GED and is coming here to meet us. I am so relieved. Tolu, come here!”
Tolu left the side of some squatters she had been talking to and hurried to her mother. Upon hearing the news of her father’s coming, she jumped up and down and proceeded to share the news with everyone nearby several times before Sarah called her away to the kitchen area for something to eat before he got there.
They were just finishing cleaning up their mess when Sarah saw it—a long shadow slide across the metal-slotted landing above the kitchen. She froze and listened. At first, there was nothing, and she had almost dared to breathe again when the low, muffled clump of a heavy boot sounded from above. Without waiting to hear another, she grasped onto Tolu’s arm and ran toward the common room shouting loudly in warning.
“Sammy! They’ve found us—”
At that same moment, several doors around the warehouse burst open and streams of men in black masks carrying guns flooded in with yelling and gunfire.
“Run!” Sarah could hear Sammy’s voice from the Lair urging everyone to flee. Chaos reigned as the warehouse exploded with fearful shouts and scrambling of the citizens and the movements of their pursuers. Blindly, Sarah chose a direction others were fleeing to and ran after them with Tolu. Suddenly, she felt a yank on her arm and turned; ready to attack whoever had grabbed her.
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