Nathan looked at Kayla to see her beautiful brown eyes fixated on him, to see her hanging on his every word. “Then it got worse.” Nathan took a deep breath. “I had…. visions. For three months I had visions. I saw horrible things…things to come, in the future…. this future.”
Nathan paused trying to determine the best way to explain, he was never comfortable talking about this. “Every time I closed my eyes I saw the same places I had seen with my eyes open, but they were…different. I saw destruction. When I closed my eyes I saw whatever place I was looking at as it would become, destroyed, burnt, bombed, I don’t know how but I saw them…. for three months I saw those things.” Nathan put his head in his hands to cover his face, he didn’t want Kayla to see the expressions those memories incurred.
“I wanted nothing more than to end my life, to end those…visions, then something happened. My family was never religious; we didn’t attend church or even prey. I’d looked at the bible before and like most sixteen-year-olds found it a little difficult to understand. One day I heard someone mention Armageddon and I came to the conclusion that that’s what I was seeing. The only person I told, the only one that I knew wouldn’t laugh at me was Anthony. I had only known him a couple of years but even then he was far more mature than any teenager I knew. Open minded, stoic and cautious I received two unexpected words of advice from my friend; he told me that Armageddon was mentioned in the bible in the book of revelations. He suggested that I start there and he also suggested one other thing…pray.”
Nathan met Kayla’s eyes and grabbed her hands. A sudden change occurred in Nathan as he spoke his next words, he was no longer frighten but spoke with the conviction of someone who knows what he speaks to be true.
Never in my life have I been able to truly comprehend the Bible and after years of research I know now that it is just an edited collection of stories meant to conform the masses. Only the stories the Catholic Church felt served them made it in and even those were corrupted. Almost every religion I researched was that way, the few trying to control the many thru their own ideology. But that night after talking with Anthony I went home and grabbed the closest Bible, went to my room and prayed. I don’t know who or what God is… all I know is I prayed for an answer and as I read Revelations that night I understood every word as if it were a story, as if someone were telling me the story personally. I saw WWI, I saw Hitler and the persecution of the Jews in WWII, the wars in the Middle East, hurricanes, earthquakes and other catastrophic events, I even knew what page and line we were on in 2019. Then came what I saw, in the book were the beasts, the vials, the destruction, God’s wrath but in my mind I saw the people behind it, the bombs, the destruction…Armageddon. What I didn’t see in my visions was the end; all I saw was the horror of the events not the result not the end. As I read pass the final war between good and evil I realized that the end wasn’t the end! I cried as I read about love and peace, about the true end.” Nathan paused for a moment to gather himself. “I don’t know what happened, I can’t remember much anymore but what was left was a feeling, a feeling stronger than any of the visions I had ever had. I can’t explain it but I knew that Gods plan was for me to fight in this war, his war. I’ve known for a long time that this is my purpose and every step of my life I feel he has been guiding me, preparing me, for this.”
Tears rimmed Kayla’s eyes as she listened to Nathan. Nathan stood up and walked to look out the window, what he was really looking for was a way to continue. He dug within himself for the resolve as he turned and spoke. “That time is now. A federal state of emergency is going to be issued in three days, everyone is going to be required to register and then they are going to be sent to military control camps…. We have to leave.”
Kayla was overwhelmed by what Nathan was saying; being told that the world as she knew it was about to end would put strain on anyone. She was trying to process all that Nathan had told her. She naturally voiced her disbelief. “No! How do you know this? Are you sure? What? What about the…”
Nathan moved to calm her but she pulled away. Nathan called to her. “Kayla, baby listen. I have prepared for this, but we need to leave now.”
Nathan moved to Kayla and gently moved her into his arms. He softly spoke to her.
“Baby, this is just a difficult beginning to a perfect ending, the perfect ending but we have to fight for it.” After a moment Kayla calmed some and then a thought crossed her mind. “Nathan, what about my family, mom, dad… my brothers and sister?”
Nathan breathed a heavy sigh. Kayla’s parents lived in Philadelphia now while a couple of her siblings remained in Virginia, but there was no time. “Baby, I want everyone we know to be safe but nobody is going to believe that this is happening until it happens… Darion and Anthony already know, but I know even my parent’s won’t listen. We can warn them as best we can and I promise we’ll come back for them but now we have to leave.”
Kayla thought to herself. She loved Nathan immensely, but what if he was wrong…even worse what if he was right and her family was in danger.
Nathan continued. “I have a safe place where we can sort things out but we need to leave soon. Everything is already in motion there will be total lockdown within three days. They sent out a call on all federal agents, if I’m right that means they’re going to start kidnapping everyone they think is a threat. Their probably going to secure the state borders too…I stopped by the guard supply post and they appeared to be on high alert. We could have as little as 24hours and it’s a long drive…Baby we need to go.”
Kayla stuttered as she spoke. “Who’s behind all of this, who is doing this, why? Nathan held her tightly. “I can’t explain now but I will soon.”
Kayla turned from Nathan; she was faced with the hardest decision of her life. Go with Nathan and her family might get captured, go and try to convince them and she might never see Nathan again. She cried. Nathan came up behind her, put his arms over her shoulders and around her chest, then kissed the back of her head as he fought to hold back his own tears.
Kayla spoke through short sobs. “I can’t go…I have to try and help my family... I’m sorry.”
As she cried Nathan turned her around, put her head to his chest and held her close. After a long difficult moment trying to hold back the tears rimming in his blue eyes Nathan spoke. “I’ve never lied to you.” Kayla looked up to him as he continued. “I swear, I promise I will be back for you. Go and warn your family, just know that as soon as I can I’ll be back for you. But I need you to promise me that you won’t register, do not listen to anything the government says anymore we can’t trust them. After we’ve set up, and the truth is known I will be back.”
Nathan gently put his hands to Kayla’s face, moved close till their foreheads touched and whispered. “Do you hear me baby, I will come back for you.”
After a moment Kayla forced as much of a smile as she could through her tears. “I love you Papi.”
Nathan held Kayla close for a long time; he wanted to feel her embrace for as long as he could not knowing when he would feel it again.
“Go; tell your family then run and hide, for as long as you can. No matter where you are I will find you.”
Kayla slowly walked to the door, opened it, walked through and closed it on the life she loved. After Nathan heard her drive off he closed his watering eyes and struggled to hold in the pain. Nathan left out only one thing from his childhood experience, something he had told only his closest friend…he knew that he was going to die in this war.
* * *
Deshad fell into darkness as he looked out the window of a private jet destination Moscow. He thought of his life, of the man who raised him. Deshad was placed as a small child on the doorstep of a very powerful man, Victor Caprari. Caprari was twenty seven and close associates with a man 3 years his senior, a man who was destined to lead the Illuminati into the new world order, that man was and is still known as the Prince. Deshad was raised by Caprari as if he was his birth son. Caprari
gave him the best education and life money could buy. Caprari’s mistake was making his best friend, the Prince, Deshad’s godfather. The Prince was given the position of Grandmaster of the Illuminati after his father was killed in a car accident. At thirty-nine the Prince was the youngest Grandmaster ever in the Illuminati’s over 800 year existence. The Prince took a great liking to the boy and not so subtly convinced Caprari to send him to learn from the masters of the Illuminati. In truth the Prince spent much time personally overseeing Deshad’s development in the arts, mathematics, history de Illuminate and combat training with the mysterious assassins order. Caprari never understood why the Prince took so much interest in Deshad, when he questioned the Prince he was scolded for not being grateful. The Prince ensured Deshad had the best combat training available, various forms of martial arts, melee weapons, firearms, explosives, poisons the Prince had Deshad trained to be his personal assassin.
At age sixteen the Prince revealed to Deshad that Caprari was not his father and that his given name, Binito Caprari was not his. The Prince told Deshad that Victor Caprari had killed his real parents and out of pity took Deshad in; furthermore the Prince advised Deshad that Caprari was the orchestrator of a conspiracy to kill him so that he would become the new Grandmaster of the Illuminati. By seventeen Deshad had made his first kill, the man he loved and hated, the man he was told killed his parents and was behind a conspiracy to kill his mentor, Victor Caprari. Deshad remembered walking into the Prince’s bedroom that night; he fell into the Prince’s arms crying. “It is done…. I have no father, no family…no name.”
The Prince consoled Deshad, the closest thing he had ever had to a child. “I am your father now, I shall be your family and a name will come in time.”
Deshad sat up in his seat as he shook off that memory. He was trying to cut off the one that usually came after, the one where he finds out who his real father was.
* * *
Nathan walked upstairs to the bedroom, there was one more thing he needed to do before he could begin his journey. Nathan entered the bedroom and headed to the walk in closet. He moved some boxes, clothes and Kayla’s shoes aside to reveal two rope handles on the closet floor. Nathan pulled the false floor up to reveal a 5 foot long silver chest. Nathan grunted as he pulled the chest from beneath the floor. Nathan set the box on the bed, set the combination to (13 13), opened the lid to check that everything was in order then closed it. As Nathan was about to set the lock he noticed a picture on the nightstand of Kayla wearing the red and black dress. It was taken last valentines, Nathan recalled him making reference to the slit of the dress showing her thigh, and so she hiked it up a bit more and stuck out her leg to tease Nathan. He snapped the picture just as she lost her composure and started laughing. Nathan opened the lid of the chest, secured the picture, and then carried the chest to his truck. Nathan left, he left his home, he left his career and worst of all… he left Kayla.
Nathan was always known as the strong one. Strong for his brother and sister, strong for the little girls whose killer he chased, strong for Kayla. Everyone needs someone to help them, to give them strength; Nathan now called on his source of strength for the last 20 years.
As always Anthony answered the call. “Jackson.”
“Ant, it’s me.” Anthony noticed the somber tone in which his friend was speaking. “Kayla’s not with you.” Nathan confirmed. “No she went to her family.” Nathan wanted to turn around and go to Kayla’s parents, he wanted so badly to just take her run and hide but he knew where he needed to be and what he needed to do. He tried to change the subject before he turned around. “So have you seen the e-mail yet?”
Anthony answered. “Yes…and I’m going to the meeting tonight.”
“I figured as much.” Nathan said with a chuckle knowing his friend all too well.
Anthony tried to explain his reasoning. “Nate, I agree this looks bad but…”
Nathan jumped in. “But you have to be sure. I understand, just promise me you won’t register.”
Anthony calmed his friend. “Give me some credit man. Look I’m just going to see what they have to say. If it sounds bad then I’m right behind you.”
Nathan had researched enough to get a relative idea of what was going to take place.
“They’re not going to tell you much; just that it’s imperative to secure borders, interstates etcetera, probably organize specific assaults on people they think might pose a threat.”
Anthony sighed. “Well if your right, and I really hope you’re not, then I’ll be AWOL and in route.”
Nathan was still thinking of preparing as much as possible. “Ant, when you come bring as much ammo as you can. I don’t know when we’ll get a chance to restock. The weapons and ammunition depots will be their first stop I can guarantee that.” Anthony asked. “When do you expect to get there?” Nathan inadvertently looked at the time on his radio as he answered. “We’ll be there by tomorrow night. Do you still have the land deeds?”
“Yea” Anthony was doing a much better job at not looking paranoid as he passed a fellow Marshal than Nathan was earlier.
“Burn them now; I don’t want any chance of them finding us.”
Anthony agreed. “I’ll do that as soon as I stop by the house. You just drive safe.” Nathan responded. “You just find out what you need to and get your butt down here.”
“Alright brother, if I’m more than a day behind you that means you were wrong and you better come up with a good excuse.” Nathan replied with the finality of death. “I’m not wrong.”
After a moment of pause Anthony closed the conversation. “I’ll see you soon.”
* * *
Deshad had assassinated many, some with firearms, some with blades but with most of his prey Deshad liked to use his hands. Using his hands always brought Deshad the most pleasure. His logic was that it was almost honorable, his skill versus theirs. He ignored the fact that most never knew they were dead until they heard Deshad whisper in their ears as they fell into never ending darkness.
So it was now that Deshad stood in the hallway outside of Volkov's bedroom. Deshad pondered whether to come through the window silently or not, but the thought of his twin daggers slicing through the necks of the fodder set to guard the door was too good a temptation to refuse. It was a dark hallway with high walls. There were two guards, one posted on either side of the bedroom door, which was about 100 feet away. In a split second the assassin’s options flashed through his mind. Pull the silenced pistol from under his left arm aim and fire, or try to close the distance and throw his daggers… Deshad looked up and smiled as a third more personal option appeared. Deshad split his legs and hoisted his 5’09” 175 pound frame up the walls. At the top of the hallway near the ceiling Deshad was completely cloaked in shadow. If someone were there to film the acrobatic feat that happened next few would think it real. Deshad braced his arms and legs on the walls until his back skimmed the ceiling. He then silently crawled forward alternately bracing one limb then another hoping the sweat purfusing from his face would not alert the guards until he had finally moved the length of the hallway to stop directly above his prey. The guards saw a flutter, then the glow of steel daggers that slid into their throats; their screams were muffled by the blood that flowed from their mouth and neck. Deshad smiled as he reversed his hands from a downward stab to a standard grip lowering his opponents to the floor silently while withdrawing his daggers and wiping the blood off on their shirts. Deshad quickly picked the lock on the bedroom door then entered to find Volkov lying on the bed. He was wearing a wrinkled pinstripe suit and lying above the covers with his phone next to him. It was obvious to Deshad that the man had been working to try and fix the decent in his ranks, unfortunately for the Russian Deshad didn’t care. Deshad pulled his pistol and put the silenced tip to Volkov's head. Volkov's eyes opened, he went to scream but saw Deshad’s pistol pointed at him with one hand and with the other Deshad was making a shhh motion. Volkov recognized the assassin and tried to ta
lk his way out of certain death.
“I, vill fix dis, I can pay. I ave lands and…and” Volkov cut his begging short as Deshad pulled the hammer back on the pistol. Deshad motioned for Volkov to move from the bed, with a pistol to his head he didn’t argue. As they stood up Deshad stepped back and placed his pistol in its holster. At first Volkov thought… hoped that this was a warning, then Deshad put his hands wide and softly spoke.
“You are going to die tonight, will it be an honorable death or a cowardly one.”
It took a moment for the offer to register, Volkov had the assassin by five inches and well over a hundred pounds but he knew he had no chance so he dropped to his knees and begged.
“Please, please don’t kill me, I ave money…a family…I vill pay you then I vill run and hide.”
Deshad moved around to stand behind Volkoff he then bent over and whispered in his ear… Volkov's eyes grew wide as he heard the true name of Deshad, he began to turn and look Deshad in the eyes then he realized … he wasn’t turning on his own power. The last thing Nikola Vladimir Volkov ever heard was the sound of his own neck break, the last thing he ever saw was a shadow fly by the window.
* * *
Wednesday November 24th
The trip from D.C. to New Orleans was not as smooth as Nathan had hoped. He was stopped by three checkpoints where the National Guard was turning people in the opposite direction as well as four state troopers through Georgia and Alabama for going 130 in a 95. Thankfully Nathan’s badge got his through without many questions. Nathan crossed Lake Pontchartrain and drove through the 50 ft steel levee built for the barrage of hurricanes the gulf coast sees every year. Nathan took a breath and then spoke to himself. “Home, where it’s still 90 degrees in November, where you can gain 15 pounds in a week and where the Saints haven’t won a super bowl in 17 years.” Nathan wished he was coming home under better circumstances.
Armageddon Rise Of The New World Order Page 6