Lenox was extremely perturbed when he and Bollinger didn't find Barrington in his apartment. Shaking his head in frustration, there was only one place to look for him and that was down on the first floor where the two police officers were holding the fort. Without saying a word, he stormed out of the apartment and headed for the stairwell. Bollinger followed behind, wearing a sinister smile aimed at Lenox’ back.
They carefully made their way down the stairs and finally burst out from the stairwell and into the lobby. Groh and Yorke were still there, but a third man had at one time or another joined them. Lenox immediately recognized the man and was pleased to see him.
“Fury!” he exclaimed, approaching the man.
Shiva broke into a wide grin. “Praise God! You’re okay!”
Lenox came to a sudden halt and looked at Shiva questioningly. He couldn’t believe it. Had everyone gone mad and begun to catch religion or something? Shaking his head in silent resignation, he decided not to even bother with pressing the issue. After all, now was not a time to get into a religious debate. There were far more important matters at hand at the moment and to get into anything trivial now would only waste precious time.
He strode up to Shiva, Bollinger at his side. “Fury, what’s going on out there? Tell me you brought the calvary.”
Shiva regarded Lenox, his grin slowly fading. He had noticed the look in his mentor’s eyes when he had praised God out loud and saw that it had bothered him. “Yeah…yes, I brought the calvary and we’re mopping up the streets even as we speak. Ricochet dropped off a team in the park and I dropped a second team right in the street. It was Clinton, I believe. Most of the terrorists we’ve encountered are down, Knox. Their attacks have stopped. Right now, it’s just a matter of searching out the rest of them.”
Lenox sighed with relief. “That’s good to hear.”
“The Director has informed us to stay in the city until reinforcements arrive. Once they’re here, we’ll work on maintaining order and see what we can do about restoring power. We‘ll be setting up the Federal Building as the HQ and with the local police and every law enforcement agency we have, we‘ll be concentrating on rescuing the people.” He paused. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of volunteers and every local fire department helping out, too.”
Lenox nodded. “That sounds like a plan, Fury. I’m sure we’ll need all the help we can get. Especially since Albany isn’t going to be the only area without power.“ Glancing at Bollinger, he said, “Did any of you guys see Bear come back through here? He‘s not in his apartment.”
Yorke shook his head.
“You’re the only two we’ve seen come back since you went up,” Groh replied.
Shiva paused, regarding Lenox and Bollinger. “Is something wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Lenox commented as he turned and headed back for the stairwell, “but I intend to find out.”
Shiva and Bollinger followed him into the stairwell where the three agents made their way up to the roof. Once in the darkened stairwell, Shiva turned on a flashlight and began to lead the way up. No one noticed when Bollinger stopped and watched them continue on without him. Wearing that never-ending grin, he went onto the fifth floor landing, leaving the stairwell.
*******
Before Lenox and Shiva made their way up the stairwell, Barrington had made the same trek but for a different purpose. He wasn’t going to the rooftop to look for anyone. He was going up there because he felt compelled to. He had Canaan’s Bible in one hand, and in the other hand held his gun.
Using one of them, he knew, could bring him closer to God.
Using the other meant having to end the life of someone, even if that someone were the enemy.
It didn’t matter to him who it was. What did matter was that by ending a life also meant dooming someone to a torment of eternal damnation. He could no longer bring himself to raise his weapon and fire it upon another human being. However, his thoughts were troubling.
A man he had never seen before had handed him his weapon at the crash site on Interstate 90. When Barrington had turned to thank him and ask who he was, the man was simply gone. Hours later, that same man had been standing in the doorway of his apartment, then a moment later he was standing in the doorway, which led into the stairwell. When Barrington had entered the stairwell searching for the mysterious stranger, the man was once again gone.
There was no sign of him anywhere.
So who was this man? And where was he now?
There was even a question going through his mind he didn’t want to consider. Was the man even a man, or something more? Something different?
Barrington shook his head.
No. That cannot be possible.
Still, he headed for the rooftop, following the vision of a man he could no longer see. Whatever was compelling him forward would soon be revealed, that much was certain. Perhaps there was something he needed to do there. He couldn’t imagine what it could be, but certainly was beginning to discover God did work in mysterious ways.
He opened the door and stepped out into the rain on the rooftop. He blinked as he saw two men with their backs turned toward him. They had guns leveled before them, firing at someone several feet away. Barrington saw two people on the edge of the rooftop and for just a second, he recognized one of them as Staci Cohen, his neighbor. At least he was certain that’s who she looked like, for just as he saw them, then, he didn’t.
To his surprise, whoever the two were that were on the edge had slipped off and disappeared from view. They had fallen. Was this what he had come up to the rooftop to see? The deaths of two people at the hands of terrorists? And was one of them really Staci?
He leveled his weapon up, determined to do what he had to. Still, he couldn’t shoot men in the back, not even terrorists.
“Hey!” he shouted.
The two began to turn around, trying to bring their weapons to bear on the intruder.
Barrington fired two shots, bringing both terrorists down before they could even fire at him. They fell and both laid still.
For a brief moment, Barrington stood there listening and looking about. He saw no sign of anyone else on the rooftop, but saw a helicopter in the distance. He peered toward it, wondering if it was from Bunker Island. Then, he realized he didn’t care if it was or wasn’t. Two people had just fallen to their deaths and he had failed to save them.
Slowly, he walked toward the edge where they had fallen from.
Was Staci who I saw on the ledge? He sighed, his heart filled with sorrow. Did she find You, Lord? Oh, God…please…I know Kate is with You, but what about Staci? Did she…?
He stopped.
Did he hear laughter?
He took a few more steps forward. The closer he came to the edge, the more laughter he heard. Finally, he stepped right to the edge and looked down. There was Staci alright, with a man he recognized as a terrorist named Darwyn Musad. They were both sitting together on a fire escape about twelve feet below the edge with their backs against the railing and they were laughing. Staci was clutching a Bible in one hand and a necklace in the other.
Barrington’s first inclination was to aim his weapon at the terrorist, but it was clear to him he was not looking at the same man he remembered from Musad’s profile. Could it be? Was this terrorist a new creature in Christ Jesus?
“Staci…?” Barrington began, “are you alright?”
Staci blinked up at him, shielding her eyes from the rain. “Albert?” She stood up, Darwyn helping her as he, too, got to his feet. “Albert, is that really you?” She seemed very surprised to see him, but also glad.
Slowly, Barrington nodded.
Staci hesitated. “Your…your wife, and daughter…”
“Gone,” he replied hoarsely.
She nodded. “I know. So is David, and…and my sister.”
Barrington paused. “I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be. They’re with Jesus. I…I’ll miss them, but I think they’re in a better place than we are.” Her lower lip quivered. “I-I thought you would have been gone, too.”
“Yeah.” He glanced at Darwyn. “I…heard Kate talk about this happening. I just didn’t pay much attention.”
Darwyn nodded to him. “There are many who didn’t, but perhaps now they will…just as we are paying attention now.”
“You’re Darwyn Musad.”
The man nodded. “I am. And I now submit myself into your hands to be brought to justice for my crimes against America.”
At any other time, Barrington would have agreed, but it was at that moment when something incredible happened. The rain suddenly stopped and the clouds broke apart to allow the sun to shine first upon them. All three were silent, feeling as if something glorious had just happened because it was so sudden. A gentle breeze brushed over them.
Barrington was a new man and he knew Darwyn was also. Staci was also a brand new woman. They had all been changed. It wasn’t the breeze, or the sun peeking through the clouds, nor was it the rain stopping. They still looked the same on the outside, but on the inside they were different because their lives had been changed by their acceptance in Jesus Christ, their Lord.
Things were also going to be different for the entire world. Barrington regarded Staci and Darwyn, knowing they also were aware of it. It was going to get worse. It was going to be unlike anything the world had ever endured, or would again. This time in the history of man would mark the end and they were going to live in it…or die. But they would one day meet the One who saved them. Until then, however, they each seemed to realize it was now time to give their lives to Him and follow His will, whatever that may be.
“No,” Barrington finally said.
Darwyn blinked. “No?”
“I’m not taking you in.” He saw that Darwyn didn’t have a Bible, so he lowered himself to hand him Canaan’s Bible. “Take this.”
Hesitantly, Darwyn did. “I…don’t understand.”
“I don’t have time to explain. Take it…and when we're gone, go to the fifth floor and hide in my apartment. Room 55.” He paused. “The door is open. Just stay there and wait for me.”
“But…”
“Just do it.”
At that moment, the door behind him slammed open and Lenox and Shiva came out onto the roof. Lenox looked over and saw Barrington helping a woman up from over the edge of the rooftop. He wondered why she was out on the fire escape until he saw the two lifeless terrorists laying still only a few feet away from him.
He pointed at them. “Your work?”
Barrington nodded, helping to lead Staci away from the fire escape. They both exchanged knowing looks, but didn’t speak. She wordlessly handed over Kate’s Bible to him, knowing he would want it.
He smiled his thanks to her.
“The rain has stopped,” Shiva commented, enjoying the sun on his face.
Lenox ignored him as his eyes took in the woman and he recognized her as the girl in the photo with Nichole. The dead terrorists were the ones who must have killed the woman in her apartment and then they had chased the red-haired woman onto the roof to end her life there. However, thanks to Barrington, they had failed.
Lenox still wanted to know who she was. “Do you know Nichole Parkhurst?”
Staci stared at him. “What…?”
He didn’t repeat his question. He knew she heard him correctly, so he waited for her. After all, she had just lived through a terrible ordeal and he didn’t want to frighten her any more than she probably already was. He knew he could be overbearing at times. He had heard it enough times from those who knew him well. Tone it down, he had been told. You can be scary at times, so relax and stop frightening people half to death.
Looking into her eyes, he wanted more than anything not to frighten her at all.
“Nichole is my…” Staci stopped. Then, she tried again. “She was…” Once more, she stopped. She resolved once and for all that she would not use past tense, for she knew her sister had never been more alive than she was now. With the Lord. “Nichole is my sister.”
Barrington looked at her. “Really?”
“Yes. Really.”
“You mean to tell me Nichole Parkhurst is your sister?” He chuckled. “She works at our office and…Well, I mean, she did. She worked at the Federal Building.”
“You guys worked with my sister?”
“No. I mean, not directly. She was the Director’s Assistant. She sometimes related orders to us.”
Staci shook her head. “I didn’t know that. I…” She suddenly turned to Lenox. “Wait. Are you the James Bond Casanova?”
Lenox didn’t respond.
“I mean…you look like what my sister described to me as a…” She stopped, suddenly feeling awkward. “Uhm, never mind.”
Barrington looked at Lenox.
Lenox simply chose to ignore what just happened. “What is your name?”
“I’m…” She cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Uhm, I’m Staci Cohen.”
“And the woman in your apartment?”
Staci brightened. “Oh! Sherri. That’s, uhm, Sherri Turrel. She’s David’s babysitter and I really should get back to her. I-I have to let her know I’m okay. With all that’s been happening and the Rapture and being threatened with our very lives, I’m sure she must be frantic, and…” She noticed the sudden change in Lenox’ demeanor. “…and I’m suddenly getting the impression something’s wrong. Oh, please, don’t tell me she’s been hurt!” She indicated the two dead terrorists at their feet. “These men didn’t hurt her, did they?”
Barrington could tell by the look on Lenox’ face what the answer was.
“I’m sorry, Miss Cohen,” Lenox replied softly.
Staci swallowed. “You’re…sorry?”
He didn’t say anything.
Her eyes began to fill with tears. “What…what are you telling me? That she’s dead?” She gasped. “Oh, God…how? What happened?”
“She was…shot.”
“Wait! Are you sure she’s dead? Maybe I can help her!” She tried to get past him.
Lenox grabbed her, stopping her from charging blindly into the darkened stairwell. “I’m sorry. I really am, but there’s nothing you can do for her.”
“No! Please, let me help her! I can’t lose her. She-she’s my friend.” She tried to hit him out of frustration. “Let me go!”
He held her by her wrists to keep her from hitting him. Shiva could do nothing but stand by, feeling like he was invading into something he shouldn’t be. He glanced at Barrington and then looked about, trying not to interfere. Staci kept trying to hit Lenox, but she eventually broke into sobs and wound up with her head on his shoulders.
Lenox had never been in a situation like this before. He had always applied the charm in situations like this, using the advantage of a woman’s weakness to get what he wanted, but this was the first time in his life where he couldn’t bring himself do it. Not today. Whether it was because Staci was Nichole’s sister, or because he really did feel badly about what she had gone through, he instead gently put his arms around her. Hesitantly at first.
“It’ll be okay,” he told her.
“How can you say that?” she asked into his neck.
He paused. “I don’t know…” He glanced at Barrington. “Ah, Mrs. Cohen…she wanted me to tell you…”
Staci pulled herself away from him so she could look at him. “Sherri was alive when you found her?”
“She was.”
“What…what did she say?”
“She wanted me to tell you she was going to be with David.”
Staci hugged him. “Thank you.”
He was baffled. “For what?”
“You gave me hope that one day I'll see her again.”
Lenox had no idea what she meant. Was she crazy? Was she as insane as Barrington was getting to be? They actually believed they were going to see their loved ones again. He finally decided if it gave them hope, then perhaps it was a good thing. Let them have it.
Shiva cleared his throat. “Guys.”
Lenox reluctantly turned away from Staci. “Yeah.”
“The chopper's on the way to pick us up.”
Barrington sighed with relief. “Great. Staci…you have to come with us.”
“I do?” Staci looked from Lenox to Barrington. “Why?”
“You can’t stay here. Not now anyway. Once our guys take the city back for good, maybe then will be a good time to return, but for now you’ll be a lot safer with us.” He paused. “Do you have any other family?”
She shook her head. “No. But…I’m a doctor. I-I can help here if--”
“You can help us where we’re going, too.” Barrington had another motive for taking her back to Bunker Island, but if he mentioned it out loud, he knew Lenox wouldn’t like it. Staci was Jewish, which meant she was a target for the enemy. Anyone who became a Christian would become a target, but Kate had told him once that the Jews were hated most by Satan because they were God’s Chosen Race, and they would one day all return to Israel. In the end times, the Jewish people would be severely persecuted. “Trust me.”
Staci hesitated. “Okay…Uhm, can I get some things?”
“We’ll have everything you need.”
She nodded. “Okay…”
A Huey came in close and prepared to settle down upon the rooftop. They all grouped together and waited, keeping themselves low as the wind whipped about. As the Huey came down, Lenox finally noticed something.
“Where’s Bollinger?” he asked Shiva.
Shiva frowned. “I don’t know. I thought he came onto the rooftop with us.”
Lenox scowled. “I don’t trust that man.”
Barrington glanced at him as the Huey’s sliding door opened for them. “Why not?”
“How can you trust anyone who calls Chuck Norris a bad actor?” Lenox helped Staci climb into the Huey and followed her. Then, Shiva entered and after him, Barrington was about to.
In the open doorway, Willon stopped him. “Bear,” he said, “when we get a chance, I need to talk to you.”
Barrington frowned. “About what?”
Willon leaned closer to him. “I saw three men on this roof earlier.” He pointed at the bodies. “Now I only see two.” He backed away from the doorway.
Barrington climbed in and Willon closed the door.
A moment later, they were in the air and on their way to Bunker Island.
*******
Darwyn had waited until the Huey had left, but even then, he could not get himself to move. It was as if the entire day and everything he had gone through personally was finally weighing upon him. He stayed still upon the fire escape and looked out for as far as he was able to over the city of Albany. The gunfire had died down quite a bit, but when he did hear it he realized it was easy to listen to without the rain. With the sun shining above, he was able to see smoke rising into the sky from several different locations.
He could also hear screaming. If he listened very carefully, he could hear crying. Or perhaps he was imagining that he could hear it.
Nonetheless, it was almost too much for him. He had played a part in the attacks against America. He had helped in planning the attacks in this city. And even though he had finally come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, he had personally been about to violently take the life of Nichole Parkhurst just before she was raptured. Now he was a child of God, forced to listen to what his own actions had brought upon the lives of many innocent people.
He was ashamed.
He begged God to forgive him as he fell to his knees and wept for America.
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