“What is wrong with you?” Barrington demanded as he glared at Lenox. He and his best friend moved away from the others so they could have a brief overdue conversation. Barrington had Lenox at the top of his prayer list. He had been deeply concerned about his friends disappearance and felt it was time for some answers.
Lenox, however, continued to astound him.
“What are you talking about?” he demanded, glancing at Dunham, and McLaughlin, who were talking together.
Lambert was having a discussion with Shiva and Erin, but occasionally he glared in Lenox’ direction.
“What am I talking about?” Barrington shook his head. “You just made a date with the top reporter for the DEN.”
Lenox shrugged. “So. What’s that to you?”
“I thought you weren’t seeing her.”
“Who are you? My father?”
“Michael, I’m your friend and I’m a little ticked off that you were gone for a long time and won’t tell us where you went. The fact that your going out to dinner with Alyson Moore while investigating the assassination of the President only makes this whole thing infuriating. What are you doing?”
“Having dinner with a reporter doesn’t mean I’m going to talk about the investigation. Give me a little more credit than that.”
Barrington took a deep breath. “Alright. I’m sorry. I apologize for that. I do give you credit.”
Lenox paused. “Apology accepted.”
“Can you at least tell me where you were for the past month?”
Lenox regarded him. “No.”
“Why not?”
Lenox gave it some thought. He recalled when the vanishings had occurred that his partner and Director Fuller were keeping information from him. Information he still wasn’t sure about. He smiled wryly as he realized the tables were turned. “Why don’t you ask the Director about it?” Even as he said it, he realized it was a mistake.
Barrington straightened and glared at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Lenox didn’t answer.
“Are you saying he knows where you were?”
He shook his head. “No, Al. Director Fuller has no idea where I was.” That part was true.
Barrington regarded him for a moment. Something had been bothering him since he had arrived with the others and he didn’t like where it was taking his thoughts. He narrowed his eyes. “Do you have any idea what happened here today, Michael? I’m not talking to you as a fellow agent. I want to know as a friend if you have any knowledge of what took place here today.”
Lenox paused. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Because something doesn’t add up here and I want the truth.”
“Well, you’re asking the wrong guy.”
Barrington leaned forward. “Am I?”
“You’re out of your tree.”
“You disappeared going after North Korean assassins who attempted to kill the President. Now right after the President is killed, you just happen to show up.”
“Are you seriously telling me you think I had something to do with this?”
“I’m saying there are a lot of questions you should be answering right now.”
Lenox sighed. “Look…Can’t you just trust me right now?”
“Why should I?”
Lenox looked at him as if he had just been slapped. “We’ve been friends since High School. I’ve given you no reason not to trust me. We’ve had each others backs since day one.”
“Times are changing, or can’t you see that.”
“What’s gotten into you? Are you telling me that now since you’ve become a Christian, you’re not going to trust me?” He shook his head. “You’re taking this a little too far.”
“You don’t get it. This is the end of the line, buddy. I’m telling you as a friend, if you continue on the path you’re following, you’re gonna lose. You’re going to lose your soul. Since you haven't come to salvation, your soul is in jeopardy and you may be lost forever. But if you accept Jesus as your Savior, you will reap the rewards of everlasting love and peace.”
“Love and peace?”
“Yeah, that’s right. I know you need peace. I know what you’ve been through and what you’ve been refusing to let go ever since I’ve known you. If you’ll only give it to Him, you will have that peace. But if you don’t, if you continue on this destructive path you’ve placed yourself on, you’re going to isolate yourself and eventually…You’ll turn against us completely.”
Lenox shook his head. “I can’t believe you’d think I’d ever turn against you.”
“Michael, I’m telling you…If you don’t choose Christ, you will turn against us. It isn’t a matter of whether you will or won’t. It’s only a matter of when. The Antichrist has been unleashed in this world. It’s my prayer that you wake up and see the truth before it’s too late.”
Lenox didn’t say anything.
After a brief pause, Barrington said, “Staci’s been worried sick about you.”
Lenox tried to keep the surprise he felt from showing on his face. “Really? She has?” He let out a sigh. “Well, she didn’t have to be.”
“Yeah, well…she can’t help it because it just so happens that she cares for a bum like you.”
The two men regarded each other. Lenox started to smile.
Then, Barrington shook his head. “I imagine her heart will be broken when she finds out you went to dinner with Alyson Moore.”
Lenox hesitated. “Hey…she doesn’t have to know that.”
Barrington rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Hey, look…it’s not like we’re dating or anything.”
“Forget it.”
Lenox suddenly found his thoughts taking him to Staci Cohen. He wouldn’t admit it, but he had been thinking about her more than he thought he would. He didn’t know what it was about her, but he found himself more attracted to her than when they had first met. He thought the feeling would have dissipated when he was absent from her. The feelings he had for her only became stronger. He wanted to deny them because he didn’t want her to get involved with him. He didn’t believe he was good for her.
He was about to make a retort when he noticed two men trying to covertly approach them. He realized the two men had their weapons drawn. Then, there was movement to his left and he turned his head. Several other agencies and policemen were closing in on their position with their weapons drawn.
“Al…?” he began, reaching for his weapon.
Barrington tensed when he recognized Lenox’ warning tone. “What are you doing?”
“We’ve got trouble coming?”
Barrington noticed the men. “Yeah…but they’re not after us. They’re after Chuck and the fireman.”
McLaughlin and Dunham were standing beside a fire-truck. Dunham happened to look over on his right where he had seen motion. He saw a man leveling his gun toward McLaughlin and his finger appeared to be tightening on the trigger. Without thinking, Dunham snatched up the firehose, swung it around, and released a heavy spray of water. The water slammed into the agent, and a second agent, and sent them sprawling onto the pavement.
“What are you doing?!” McLaughlin exclaimed.
Dunham turned off the water and frowned. “Oh oh.”
There were more agents coming their way, and they weren’t just after McLaughlin anymore. They wanted him, too.
McLaughlin grabbed a hold of Dunham’s arm and hauled him behind the fire-truck. “I think it’s time to go.”
They went.
“I want that man alive!” Carr shouted as his own team of agents as well as other law enforcement personnel scrambled to carry out his orders.
Averill waited until it was just himself walking beside him as they headed toward the location McLaughlin was last seen in. “Sir…wasn’t the order to kill him on sight?”
Carr snorted. “Of course, it was! What are you, an imbecile? We can’t actually kill him outright in front of so many witnesses.” He glanced around, making certain no one was listening in. He leaned toward Averill. “First we take him into custody. Then… he has an accident as he is being taken to his cell.”
Averill nodded in understanding. “Ah…I didn’t think of that.”
“Obviously.”
They rounded the corner of the West Wing of the White House and began to sprint across the lawn, several other agents keeping pace with them. They could see plenty of action on the long driveway. A fireman actually sprayed a fire-hose to keep several law enforcement officials back.
“Who is that man?!” Carr shouted.
Then, McLaughlin grabbed the fireman and the two men disappeared from view behind the truck.
Shiva and Erin trotted toward the fire-truck but Carr and Averill intercepted them.
“We need them taken into custody immediately!” Carr exclaimed.
Shiva gripped his weapon, glancing around for an enemy he couldn’t see. “Who? Man, I don’t see anyone acting suspiciously.”
Carr sighed. “You should have stayed a wrestler. I’m talking about Charles McLaughlin and the fireman who’s helping him.”
“They didn’t do anything,” Erin replied. “They just --”
“They’re responsible for the assassination of President Walter J. Ballou.”
Shiva shook his head as he and Erin fell into step with Carr and Averill. “I don’t know where you came by that information, but it’s not true.”
Carr scowled. “Either help us or get out of the way. But remember, if you hinder us, you become accomplices to the biggest murder this world has ever seen since the assassination of JFK!”
Suddenly, the fire-truck’s engine roared to life and began to pull away from the White House. McLaughlin was behind the wheel. As he pulled out onto the long driveway, Dunham was just pulling himself into the ladder
turntable to help keep the ladder stabilized.
Carr glared after them.
Moore and Staci were on their way to Albany, NY in the Lexus that Moore had his eye on for quite a long while. Staci prayed for a safe journey there and shared a devotional with her driver as he pulled out into traffic, leaving the parking lot of Belgrade Hospital. Just as they were leaving, a nurse at the nurses station on the private wing noticed one of her patients monitors began to indicate a change in the patients condition.
She picked up her phone and pressed in an extension number.
Dr. Timothy Shrenko answered on the second ring. “What is it, Nurse Cerone?”
Nurse Amber Cerone turned her head to look at the monitor. “There’s a change in Dr. Austin’s patient’s condition.”
“And why aren’t you calling Dr. Austin about this?”
She let out a sigh. “Because she just left.”
“Then, page her.”
“Dr. Shrenko, I don’t think she has a pager.” She shrugged helplessly. “I’m not even sure she has a cell phone. Maybe personnel can get a hold of her, but in the meantime, don’t you think you could look in on her patient until then?”
There was no reply.
“Dr. Shrenko…?”
Silence was coming from the other end of the phone.
“Hello…?”
She was about to say something else when Shrenko began to walk past the nurses station, heading toward the private room at the end of the hall. “That had better not be a personal call, Nurse Cerone,” he said as he continued to make his way along the corridor.
Nurse Cerone hung up the phone. “I was talking to you! How personal can that be?” Under her breath, she said, “Because everyone knows you have the personality of a lifeless tree stump.”
Shrenko was at the end of the hall. “I can hear you,” he said.
Cerone winced. “Oops.”
Shrenko entered the private room and discovered what the change was in Hank Sumter’s condition. The patient was no longer comatose. Sumter was trying to get out of the bed but the hand rails were up, and in his groggy state it only added to his confusion. Shrenko called for assistance and then turned to the patient. He put his hands on the mans shoulder and tried to calm him down.
“It’s alright,” Shrenko assured him. “You’re in Belgrade Hospital. We’re trying to help you, Mr. Sumter, but I need you to remain calm.”
Sumter tried to focus on him. “No…I-I can’t be here…die…they’re all gonna die…” He blinked and rubbed at his eyes. “Salta…dead valley…Must stop it…”
Nurse Cerone, a second nurse and an orderly entered the room to assist.
“Andes…” Sumter groaned. “Somebody has to…to stop it…”
“What’s he talking about?” Cerone asked.
Shrenko glared at her. “He’s delirious. He’s not talking about anything! He’s just babbling. We need to sedate him.”
Sumter began to struggle harder and the orderly helped Shrenko hold him down while Cerone injected a sedative into his arm. When the patient ceased his struggles, Cerone frowned. “Isn’t Andes the name of a candy maker?”
Shrenko looked at her. “What?”
“The patient said something about Andes. I think that’s the company that makes those little chocolate mints.” She frowned. “Why does he want them to stop making the mints?”
“Never mind that. Just watch him. If he continues to show aggression when he wakes up, we may have to restrain him.” He regarded the patient. “I just hope it was his only initial response in waking up from a coma.”
Shrenko left the room and hurried back to his office. Once inside his office, he closed the door, went behind his desk and sat down. He placed his elbows onto the surface of his desk and put his hands up to his face. He took a deep breath and tried to block out the nervousness he felt rising within him.
He looked at the photo frame on his desk. It was lying face down, but he already knew the picture very well. Hesitantly, he picked up the frame and stood it back up so he could look at her once more.
“Oh, Diana,” he said under his breath, “I miss you.”
Suddenly, the phone rang.
He jumped. Then, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tried to be calm. The phone rang again and he reached for it. Just as it was about to ring a third time, he picked it up. “Nurse Cerone, this better be good.”
A man’s voice responded. “I was hoping you would tell me.”
Shrenko froze. He recognized the voice. It was the man who had led a team of agents into his hospital with intentions of taking Hank Sumter and Staci Cohen. Shrenko didn’t understand what had happened that made the agents leave without the ones they were after and had begun to think it was over. But with the voice of Commander Thomas Friend coming through to him on the other line, he was now beginning to feel as if their troubles had only just begun.
“Dr. Shrenko…?”
Shrenko swallowed. “I’m here.”
“Is it possible to speak with Dr. Austin?”
Shrenko paused. “No.”
“Is she with her patient?”
He knew Friend was referring to Sumter. “No. No, she isn’t here.”
There was a pause. “Where is she?”
“I’d…I’d rather not say.”
There was another pause. “What about the patient? Is he well?”
Shrenko hesitated, “Yes. Look…what do you want? I got the impression you were after them but instead, you let them go. I don’t know what you’re out to accomplish, but I would appreciate it if you didn’t involve myself or my staff. Our hands are quite full enough as it is.”
“We’re all involved whether you want to believe that or not. No one sits on the sidelines. When you said he was well, can you be more specific?”
“There is such a thing as patients confidentiality.”
“Tell me if he has come out of his coma.”
Shrenko frowned. “Why do you want to know?”
“So he did.” He paused. “Did he say anything to you?”
Shrenko hesitated. “He was delirious. He wasn’t making any sense and I really doubt it would mean anything but gibberish to you.”
“Try me.”
He sighed. “He mentioned something about a dead valley, Salta, and Andes. He also said that they - whoever they are - are all going to die. Then, he had to be sedated because he was getting a little worked up.”
“That’s all he said?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m absolutely positive.”
There was a pause. “I need to see him.”
“What? When?” Shrenko frowned. “Are you saying you’re coming here?”
“I’ll be there soon.”
“But--”
The dial tone sounded in his ear. His caller had hung up.
Thirty-seven people were gathered at the Willow Creek Baptist Bible Church, having decided that it was the safest place to be for the night in lieu of what had happened with the Dells on the night before. As evening drew on, they gathered in the large room next to the kitchen for dinner. King led them in prayer and blessed those gathered together, asked for God’s protection and guidance, and thanked Him for His provisions.
As they began to eat, Chase arrived, but when he entered, his countenance was not the same as it was when he had first accepted Jesus as his Savior. King was about to get up from the table, but Saint waved him back down. He got up and walked toward Chase, meeting him in the doorway. Then, the two men went outside the church and stood on the steps to talk privately.
After Chase told Saint what had happened between him and his wife, he said, “Now what am I supposed to do with all of this? We’ve been married for four years and she…Now she doesn’t want any part of me. John, is this what being a Christian is all about? I mean…I just get saved, and then, I lose my wife, all in the same day and in less than an hour. I mean…come on! I wasn’t expecting that.”
Saint shook his head. “Of course, you weren’t.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do? Turn my back on Christ and try to win my wife back?”
Saint paused. “Is that what you want to do?”
“No, it isn’t.” He let out a weary sigh. “It’s just that…I wish I could make her see the truth. Why is she so adamant on fighting against it?”
He shrugged. “Some people just don’t want to believe. It goes against everything they hold on to. That’s usually how it goes, Pete. When people are faced with the truth, it is easier to hang onto a lie because it hurts less than the truth. Maybe all you can do for Janice is to let her be and pray for her. If she doesn’t want any part of you, it’s really Christ she doesn’t want any part of.”
“But the alternative, John…” Chase shook his head sadly. “I don’t want Janice to face eternity like that.”
“No one does. Just pray for her.”
“And leave her?”
“Do you think she’ll let you back in?”
Chase shook his head. “No. She’s already changed the locks.” He paused. “Man, she did that sometime before Bob came in and took a shot at David.” He frowned. “Whoa…I can’t believe this. John, she changed the locks even before I got saved! I…” He stopped when he noticed motion somewhere on his right. He turned his head and saw cars pulling into the parking lot.
Saint saw them, too. But he didn’t like what he saw.
The vehicles pulled into the lot and began to circle around the church. Some of them even drove up onto the lawn. When the vehicles stopped, people got out and then they just seemed to wait.
“This isn’t good,” Saint said softly.
One of the men who got out of the first vehicle that had come up to a stop walked toward Saint and Chase. He was a big man, but his presence was further made disturbing by the shotgun he held in his hands. He lowered the barrel toward the ground but when he looked up at Saint and Chase up on the steps, his glare was full of hostility.
“Why haven’t you all left yet?” he demanded.
Saint and Chase exchanged looks.
“The Sheriff told us to be gone by the morning,” Saint told him. “Does it look or feel like morning to you, Kevin?”
Kevin Snyder glared up at him. “Don’t get smart with me, Saint. He said to be gone by the morning. If you had all left, then no one will be here by the time the sun rises…so you all should have left by now.”
“You know, I’d expect that kind of reasoning from a redneck like you.”
“Don’t push me!”
Saint looked down at him. “Why? Did you come here to shoot me and everyone else inside?”
Snyder didn’t answer.
He stood up and raised his arms. “If that’s what you’re here for, why don’t you just do it?”
Chase looked at him. “John, man…don’t antagonize him.” He stepped off the bottom step and approached Snyder. “Why don’t you and the others turn around and go home. By morning, everyone will be gone and there will be no trouble.”
Snyder glared at him. “I expect that means you’ll be gone, too, since you’ve become one of them. At least you’d better be gone. You’re not welcome around here any more, especially if you’ve taken up with them.”
Behind Snyder, a crowd was gathering, and they were hostile. Some carried baseball bats, or some type of club. Others had guns. Behind the crowd, the Sheriff’s vehicle pulled up and came to a stop on the side of the road. Hoag and Janice climbed out.
Chase almost held his breath.
“What’s going on here?” Hoag demanded.
Snyder scowled. “We just wanted to make sure they were leaving, Sheriff.”
“They are. They have until morning. All of you get back into your cars and leave. The members of this church will be gone after tomorrow morning and you won’t have to deal with them any more.”
“They know where our children are!” someone exclaimed from the crowd. “Make them tell us!”
Hoag sighed. “Look. This town has experienced enough tragedy. Just go home.”
“They have a terrorist in there!” exclaimed another. “You told us that yourself!”
“I took care of him. Now go home! Now. I’m not kidding around here, people. If you think I won’t start dragging you all in, one by one, don’t be fooled. Now I…” He stopped when he saw the man who had just stepped out from the doors of the church. His mouth fell open in surprise.
David King stood up on the top of the stairs and looked down at the crowd.
“Is that him?” someone asked. “Is that the terrorist?”
But no one moved. Whether it was because of the presence of King and the bold authority he displayed or because of something else, no one made any move. Hoag stared up at King in astonishment. In his mind, he knew there was no way that man could be up there, standing before the crowd. This man should have been dead.
King stood there, looking out at the crowd. He seemed to make eye contact with everyone. And then he spoke. “‘And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 1’”
No one moved. They just all stood there, looking up at King.
Janice moved forward to stand beside Hoag, concerned about why the Sheriff suddenly looked so pale.
King knew he had the crowds attention. “Several years ago, a Historian named Studs Terkel published a book about World War II called The Good War. This title was perplexing to many because, after all…what is good about war? And especially what can possibly be good about a war in which over fifty million people had perished? But Terkel had interviewed hundreds of G.I.s and their families. His interviews took place many years after the war was over, so those interviewed had the perspective of time and history on their side. These soldiers, looking back, recalled that World War II was good for them because it lifted them above the limitations of their personal lives and let them be a part of a global cause that was far greater than themselves. It was good because the united sacrifice was for something they deeply believed in, and it was for the preservation of goodness on this earth.” He paused as he regarded the faces looking up at him. Then, he looked at Chase and Saint for what he said next was aimed at them and not at the crowd. “There’s nothing more worthwhile than knowing that we are God’s soldiers, serving Him, participating in a global cause of eternal significance. We need a purpose greater than ourselves. Live in such a way so that you, like the apostle Paul, may proclaim, ‘I have fought the good fight. 2’”
Saint nodded his head.
Chase stood a little taller.
Hoag finally found his voice. “I put a bullet into you.”
King paused. “Actually, the bullet was passed through me…but that is beside the point. The point is that we are in a Good War and I am here to tell you, Sheriff, that you are on the wrong side.”
Snyder raised his shotgun. “Well, if the Sheriff missed you, I’ll take a shot at you!”
King shook his head. “No, you won’t. This day is not going to end in violence. You are all going to leave us in peace, and in the morning, we will be gone. Just remember this day on how the Devil has divided your town and deceived you from the truth. Perhaps one day, your eyes will be opened for that will be my prayer for you. Until then, go on your way and think on these things.”
To the surprise of Snyder, some of the people were turning back and getting into their cars. The crowd was moving away.
Chase turned to look at his wife. “Janice…?”
Janice ignored him as she took the stunned Sheriff by the arm and led him back to his car.
Finally, only Snyder remained with his shotgun. He looked up at King, Saint, and Chase. Then, he puffed out his chest and said, “Fine! But when I come back here in the morning…you’d all best be gone!” With that, he spun around and headed for his own car.
When they were all gone, King placed one hand on Saint’s shoulder and the other hand on Chase’s shoulder. “Gentlemen, let us go back inside and break bread together. There is much to do in the next few days and we will need our strength.”
They went back inside the Willow Creek Baptist Church.
1 - Hebrews 11:32 - 34
2 - II Timothy 4:7
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