“Hi, Pinky. I did well, didn’t I?” Dickerson asked.
“You were superb,” Pinkett replied.
Why does she still sound like she’s talking out of a bottle? Dickerson was puzzled.
Pinkett, seeing the anxious look on her friend’s face, quickly reminded her that her hearing would clear up by tonight.
“You were never in danger. Agent Watts, the man on the passenger side of the car, was watching you all the time.”
“What about Millons? What happened to him?”
“He was killed in the exchange, and so was his wife.”
“Mr. Calabar—did you get him?”
“He tried to kill you, but the bullet only grazed your left elbow. He was shot dead by Agent Watts.”
“You guys are just as bad as the old KGB,” Dickerson said.
“We are here to serve and to protect,” Pinkett replied.
“Seriously, thank you for looking after me,” Dickerson whispered.
“You’re more than welcome. After all, what are friends for?”
* * *
At the Federal Court of Appeals in Sacramento, California, at the corner of Folsom Boulevard and Fifth Street, the tense atmosphere of the day seemed to be everywhere. There were reporters, photographers, and onlookers blanketing the entrance to the building.
When Dickerson appeared, she was mobbed by reporters who wanted to know how she was feeling after her recent trauma, which had captivated the nation. She was, however, quickly escorted inside the courthouse by the California State Police and federal agents.
Facing the five court justices, the U.S. government again made its case for federal authority and control of the HLA B66 legislation.
The state of California star witness, Dr. Dickerson, after recounting what had happened to her the other day, announced that an emergency testing of the assailants showed them all to be HLA B66 positive. She then strongly argued in support of mandatory testing, not only in California, but throughout the United States, an argument that the federal lawyers dismissed as post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Next, Pellagrini and Pinkett were cross-examined by the lawyers. They reported that close to 80 percent of the cases they had handled so far had tested positive, and that their correlative exercise strongly supported the assertions of Dr. Dickerson and Dr. Abramhoff. Pellagrini even sought and tested the old celebrated cases involving Joanne Stead in Chicago; Alex Andalusia in Indiana; Martin and Stella Montgomery in Savanna, Georgia; Bill Stockton’s remains in Atlanta; Dr. Lee Kwon Nsi and his gang in Indiana; Mr. Fleming and his Baton Rouge, Louisiana disciples; and now Mr. Calabar and his San Diego disciples.
All tested positive.
Various nationally renowned church leaders took the witness stand, at the request of the state of California, in strong support of mandatory testing. They methodically cited Dr. Dickerson’s analysis with demonstrations of her deductions and subsequent calculations for the conversion of HLA B66 into 666.
“They are surreptitiously living among us today,” argued Archbishop Joseph Meeks of the dioceses of Sacramento.
He sermonized that the second thousand years were upon us, and it was high time we finally seized the initiative and resolved that the hour had come for the beast and their disciples to be cast back to hell.
A week after the testimonies, the Federal Court of Appeals ruled four to one in favor of mandatory testing. The United States government immediately filed an appeal for an urgent hearing at the United States Supreme Court.
2
THE EXOTIC RESTAURANT, LA Valencia, on Prospect Street in La Jolla, was typical of the restaurants in the exurbs of Southern California. Nestled in the middle of trendy Prospect Street, it had its own glass-enclosed, beautifully designed valet parking. It had always attracted movie stars and prominent business leaders. Lunch and dinner were by reservation only, and if a request was made for a seat on the outdoor umbrella-covered deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean, patrons needed to be prepared to pay extra.
Always ready to enjoy the beautiful California sun and the cool breeze from the ocean, Dickerson remained a frequent customer of the restaurant. The owner of the restaurant knew Dickerson personally, and the waiters and waitresses were very familiar with her favorite dishes. The cool breeze from the ocean had a healing and soothing effect each time she visited. Sitting at the farthest corner of the deck, with an unobstructed view of the ocean, Dickerson could experience total body relaxation.
“This is beautiful,” Pinkett marveled, breaking Dickerson’s reverie.
“Yes, this is the place to be,” Dickerson said.
“You must come here often—everybody seems to know who you are.”
“Not as often as I would like to,” Dickerson replied, leaning her head back and closing her eyes to soak in the cool breeze.
“This is too ritzy for me.”
“No, it’s not that bad.”
“Of course not, if I made your income.”
“What would you like to drink?” interrupted the waitress.
“Iced tea for me, with lime, no sugar,” Dickerson said.
“Tonic water,” Pinkett said.
“Are you ready to order, or should I come back?”
“Give us a few minutes.”
“What was that? Tonic water? Yuck … that bitter-tasting thing.” Dickerson made a face like a little girl about to drink unwanted tonic.
“Oh, I love it,” Pinkett said. “It soothes and relaxes cramped muscles and joints, especially after a strenuous body workout. You should know that, Doc.”
“I’ve never heard of that.”
“Well, it’s true. I’m a living example.”
The waitress came back with their drinks, served them, retrieved a small notepad from her pocket, took their orders, and left.
“How is your arm?” the detective asked.
“It’s okay, still hurts a little bit when I try to use it.”
“Mr. Calabar had a gun with him, and he took a potshot at your heart,” the detective said.
“I thought you told me that nothing would happen,” Dickerson stated.
“The agent had never met Mr. Calabar before. He infiltrated the San Diego chapter, and luckily for us, he was assigned to the unit that abducted you to meet Mr. Calabar.”
“He had no clue that Mr. Calabar was packed. When the shooting started, his job was to eliminate Mr. Calabar while making sure that neither Dr. Millons nor the other fellow had an angle on you.”
“You guys had it all figured out.”
“Yes, after months of preparation.”
“I could have been shot out there, you know.”
“Yes, you could have,” said the detective, after some hesitation, “that’s why I suggested you pray. Apparently your prayers were answered.”
“Thanks a lot. Tell me, Mr. Calabar … that was your man?” Dickerson asked, shaking her head.
“Yep, that was him.” The detective nodded.
* * *
When Dickerson returned to the office after lunch, Abramhoff called to congratulate her on her successes in California.
“You’re now a celebrity, and guess what? You’re in the right state for that,” Abramhoff joked.
“Well, thank you, David.”
“I heard about your incident near the Mexican border. What was that all about?”
“I guess this guy, Mr. Calabar, a North African-looking fellow, somehow did not like my interpretation of the HLA B66,” answered Dickerson.
“So he kidnapped you, while you were wired?”
“Apparently so, but the police had been following his movements for a while. They suspected that he might come after me. Why, I don’t know. My suspicion is that it’s because of my interpretations. Anyway, the Pellagrini-Pinkett people had that GEES on me. I was hooked up to this thing for over two weeks, then bingo! Mr. Calabar made his move, and the police moved in.”
“You were like bait?” Abramhoff asked, clearing his throat.
“
Yes, I was.”
“Did you know that, or did you find out later?”
“I knew.”
“Pinkett convinced you to do that?”
“Yes, she did.”
“I don’t know how you do it. Me, I’m too much of a chicken for that kind of drama.”
“You know something? Somehow, I wasn’t even afraid.”
“Some angel must have been watching over you.”
“You might say that,” Dickerson replied, thinking about her dream of the face on the car window. “How’s Illinois with the mandatory testing?”
“We are waiting on California. Once it clears the Supreme Court; that will open the floodgates. Have you guys actually started testing in any locations?”
“Not really,” Dickerson said. “We are still under a restraining order from the court until the case is totally resolved.”
“That’s unconscionable, but what if the Supreme Court rules against the mandatory testing?”
“You know, I never even thought about that. We’ve been winning all these court cases, so I’m assuming it will just be a given,” Dickerson reflected. “I actually don’t know what will happen if they say no.”
“Let’s just hope they don’t,” Abramhoff said.
“As soon as the Supreme Court renders their positive opinion, let’s get together, Chicago or San Diego, to celebrate and plan the next move, because there’s still the issue of what to do with thousands, or maybe millions, who might be positive,” Dickerson said.
“Come to think of it, I’ve never been to San Diego before,” answered Abramhoff, excited. “You, on the other hand, have been to Chicago two or three times.”
“Oh, I will take you to this wonderful restaurant. It will take your breath away,” Dickerson replied.
“I am looking forward to it. Can I bring the wife and kids?”
“Please do,” Dickerson said, not giving it a second thought.
Such a family guy. I didn’t even know he was married, thought Dickerson when she hung up.
* * *
The dean of the medical school called next, asking for an audience with Dickerson. Wanting to get out of the office for a little fresh air, she strolled down the hallway, entered the elevator, exited at floor fourteen, then continued on to Dr. Matthew Gus’s office.
“Sit down, please,” Dean Gus said. “The reason I called to see you is that I want to personally thank you for all you have done for the university: your impeccable research and the secondary benefits the university has enjoyed by your esteemed performance.”
“Well, thank you,” Dickerson smiled, while sipping on club soda.
“Two things I need to ask you.” Dean Gus clasped both hands together.
Oh, here we go, thought Dickerson.
“First, you have been working on the HLA B66 for…?” the dean asked.
“Almost five years now,” Dickerson stated.
“During that time, you’ve hardly taken any vacation time,” the dean said. “I am therefore suggesting that you take a paid sabbatical for a year, travel around the world and experience nature.”
“Thank you very much, but we still have a lot of work left to be done.” Dickerson smiled. “We are still waiting for the Supreme Court to clear the way for mandatory testing, and when they do, I would very much like to get that project moving, since the governor’s assigned me to be the medical director on the project. It is going to be a lot of work, you know, but I believe I can handle it, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“Oh no, I know you have a great stamina for the job, but don’t you think sometimes the body needs a rest?”
“I really appreciate your concern, but trust me, as soon as things settle down, I’ll take some time off.”
“Okay.”
“What was the second thing?” Dickerson asked, after the dean hesitated. “You said there were two things you wanted to talk about.”
“Yes,” the dean said. “A few of the faculty members, not many, have expressed concern about … how should I say this…? How you’re allowing your religion to influence your research. They feel that your research may lose its objectivity. What do you think?”
“Who are these faculty members?” Dickerson asked, in an angry tone.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” the dean said with a conciliatory smile. “I really believe they don’t mean any harm. They are just scientists like you,” the dean added, “and they want religion to be kept out of science, as decreed by the Pope.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Dickerson said. “What I discovered was based on science, but it has a deeper meaning, in my understanding. Religion is sometimes difficult for people to understand, and in the Bible, we were asked to use wisdom in our calculations. Dean, that’s exactly what I did. There are things happening right now, as verified by the Pellagrini-Pinkett Project, and more are about to happen. I can’t stop now. Maybe this is destiny at work, I don’t know. Ask Dr. Abramhoff; he will tell you.”
With a huge smile on his face, the dean said, “That’s exactly what I thought you were going say. Keep up the good work.”
3
TUESDAY MORNING—6:30 A.M. IN San Diego, as most Californians were barely waking up—in Washington, D.C., the Supreme Court reconvened. Several days of arguments between the United States government lawyers on one side and the state of California on the other, rested on nine Justices who would render their opinion on the mandatory testing issue.
“So what do you think is gonna happen?” Pinkett asked Pellagrini, as they sat in the U.S. Supreme Court building waiting for the justices to return.
“I am not a betting man, but if my hunches are correct, they are probably going to reject California’s argument,” Pellagrini replied, as he sat cross-legged, tapping his well polished shoe against the edge of the empty chair in front of him.
“What! What makes you think that?” Pinkett was surprised.
“Didn’t you watch Chief Justice Harris’s body language as he listened to the arguments? He clearly was exhibiting signs of indignation as California presented its oral argument.”
“I didn’t perceive that at all. As a matter of fact, he smiled several times at the counselor from California,” Pinkett replied.
“That exactly is the point,” Pellagrini explained. “The smile was made as he sat back and listened, thumb resting on his jaw, his index finger near his temple, and the rest of his fingers covering his mouth. That’s a bad sign in court. If he was leaning forward, hands clasped together while he smiled, I would give California the edge.”
“Let me guess, this is one of your occult analyses?” Pinkett mocked.
“Keep watching,” Pellagrini said.
“In case you have forgotten, several states have legislation in place ready to institute mandatory testing once the Supreme Court renders their opinion.”
Just as Pinkett was finishing her statement, the nine justices strolled out and sat at the bench. Chief Justice James Harris read the majority opinion.
“After thoroughly reviewing the Constitution of the United States, the various previous religious persecutions, and the wonderful criminal justice system in the United States that has worked for over two hundred years, the Supreme Court, in a five-to-four decision, has rejected the state of California’s argument. We therefore urge the United States government and the state of California in particular to put in place a plan for total cessation of all mandatory testing.”
As they were exiting the Supreme Court building, Pellagrini said, “Human behaviors are most often easily predictable.” He then looked at a stunned Pinkett and smiled.
For the next several hours, all television stations in the country preempted their daily programming for an in-depth analysis of the Supreme Court decision. There were calls from various quarters for impeachment of the five justices that voted against mandatory testing. Sensing a huge national unrest, the president immediately took to the airwaves and urged all Americans to remain calm. He reminded
all that the United States of America is still a country where the rule of law, not anarchy, governed. He urged restraint from those who might use the Supreme Court decision to incite violence.
After the president’s remarks, Dr. Dickerson appeared in front of a huge television crew, which had camped outside the university administration building, to read a statement.
“We were truly disappointed at the Supreme Court’s decision against mandatory testing,” Dickerson read. “We have shown beyond all reasonable doubt the associations between certain criminal elements and HLA B66. I have also postulated the association between HLA B66 and the number that stands for the beast. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the governor for his tireless efforts. I would also like to thank Dr. Abramhoff in Chicago for his dedication. He is such a brilliant man. I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to the Pellagrini-Pinkett Project. They have truly opened our eyes. The HLA B66 issue is not dead, far from it. This is the beginning of our campaign, and I urge all good citizens to join our campaign. We all have been called, and it is up to us to answer that call. Thank you.”
A statement from Dr. Abramhoff was also read on the networks, expressing disappointment and dismay at the Supreme Court. His statement added that it made the work of determining predestination all the more difficult, but nonetheless science would go forward and someday prevail.
4
THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE next president of the United States was gathering steam in several key states. The two candidates, tied up in several recent polls, were tirelessly searching for support from all fifty states. The battleground states were Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Michigan, and surprisingly, New York.
President Steve McClellan, the Republican running for reelection, had labeled the challenger, Governor Betty Clayton, the Democrat from Ohio, a waffling liberal Democrat, soft on crime, weak on defense, and poised to raise taxes.
Governor Clayton, for her part, promised to restore discipline in government by reestablishing accountability, controlling runaway fiscal spending, and reestablishing American’s pride overseas. Most importantly, Governor Clayton promised to dedicate her win, and her first official duty as president, in an all-out effort to reverse the federal government’s ban on mandatory testing for HLA B66.
Mark of the Beast Page 24