Armageddon: The Cosmic Battle Of The Ages (14 page)

Tsion took Chang behind an outcropping of rock. “What can I do for you?”

Chang took off his cap, exposing the 30 emblazoned on his forehead and the thin, pink line where the Global Community biochip had been inserted. He caught the pity in the older man’s eyes.

“I confess it
is
strange, Mr. Wong, to see that when I also see the mark of the believer on you.”

“I can’t stand to look in the mirror,” Chang said.

“I don’t dare take off my hat here. Yes, it may have kept me alive and yes, I had access where no believer would have dreamed. But it mocks me, curses me. I hate it.”

“It was forced on you, son. It was not your choice or your fau-”

“I know all that, sir, but I want it gone. Is that possible?”

“I do not know.”

“Sir, I study your teachings every day. You say that with God all things are possible. Why would he not remove this now?”

“I do not know, Chang. I just do not want to promise that he will.”

“But what if I believe he will? And if you believe?”

“We can agree in faith on this, Chang, but as much as we believe and trust and study, no one can claim to know the mind of God. If you want me to pray that God will remove it, I will. And I believe he can and will do what he chooses. But I want you to pledge that you will accept his decision either way.”

“Of course.”

“Do not say that glibly. I can see how much you want this, and if God does not grant it, I do not want to see your faith threatened.”

“I will be disappointed and I will wonder why, but I will accept it. Will you pray for me?”

Dr. Ben-Judah seemed to study Chang’s face. He pressed his lips together, then looked away. Finally, he said, “I will. Come, sit over here and wait. Much as you want to do this in private, I prefer having men of God agree together in prayer. Do you mind?”

“Of course not. I just hate to have them see me with this-”

“There is no getting around that. It may be part of the price.”

Chang nodded, and Tsion moved away to call for Eleazar and Chaim. They came, looking somberly at Chang, who sat on a rock and had begun to weep. Tsion briefed them and asked them to join him in the effort of prayer. The three approached, Ben-Judah in the middle, Tiberias on his left, and Rosenzweig on his right.

Tsion placed his left hand behind Chang’s head and the heel of his right hand on Chang’s forehead. The other two each took one of Chang’s hands and put their free hands on his shoulders. Chang shuddered at the gentle touch from these three men of God, and he felt loved by them and by God. His body stiffened and then relaxed.

“Creator God,” Tsion began, so softly Chang could barely hear him, “we acknowledge that you made this young man. You have known him and loved him since before the earth was formed. You, who are rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus….

“Now, Chang Wong, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, believe in God. He raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in God. We now come together in faith, believing. We pray to the God for whom anything is possible, the God who spared us like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of old from the fire of the enemy and made it so that we were people on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of our heads was not singed, nor were our garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on us.

“God, according to your will, we ask that you remove from this boy any sign of the evil one.”

Chang went limp and felt as if his limbs weighed a hundred pounds apiece. He perspired profusely from every pore and felt sweat run down his face and arms and torso. The men’s hands were wet, but they remained still, unmoving in the silence.

Just when Chang felt that if the men let go he would slide off the rock, Tsion said, “Thank you, gentlemen.”

They squeezed Chang’s hands and shoulders and stepped back. Now he was supported only by Tsion, who still cupped the back of his head and had his right hand over Chang’s forehead. He pressed with that hand and let it slide around to the right so that now he had both hands behind Chang’s head.

Chang opened his eyes, blinking against the sun and studying the face of Dr. Ben-Judah as Tsion studied his. Tsion smiled. “Gentlemen,” he said, “what do you see?” Tiberias leaned in from one side and Rosenzweig from the other.

“Praise God!” Chaim said.

Eleazar lifted his head and roared with laughter in his deep bass voice. “I see only the mark of the believer! I have a mirror in my house. Come, see for yourself!”

Rayford had never seen Mac so despondent. Or so resolute.

“If somebody’s killed that old boy, I’m gonna have to do something about it, Ray,” Mac said. “Find me some-thing to do that puts me right in the middle of it, and I’m not kidding.”

“Albie and I go way back too,” Rayford said.

“I know you do. And I feel like I’ve known him for-ever.”

“What’s your gut tell you, Mac? This just part of the GC’s propaganda, or is he gone?”

Mac sighed. “Well, no way he killed himself, but I feel like they got him.”

Rayford used Mac’s phone to call Buck and tell him they would be putting down at about 10 P.M., San Diego time.

“Buck’s phone. Hey, Mac, this is George.”

“Well, this is Mac’s phone, but it’s Rayford. How’s it going there, George?”

“Like you’d imagine. Buck’s in pretty bad shape.

It’s all we can do to keep him from heading to GC head-quarters by himself.”

“Can you guys come get us at ten?”

“Ten? You made good time.”

“Not bad. Only stopped once, then detoured a bit to drown my phone. Make Buck come with you. Maybe we can all help keep him cool.”

“You make him come with me. He’s not listening to me, and he shouldn’t have to.”

“Is he there?”

“He’s down with Kenny. The little guy’s having trouble getting to sleep without his mom.”

“Well, tell Buck I said it’s a directive. The four of us need to talk as soon as we hit the ground. Can somebody watch Kenny?”

“Sure. For right now we’ve got more baby-sitting volunteers than we can use.”

“Hey, you think it’s too late to call Lionel Whalum in Illinois?”

“Nah. He’s a night owl. ‘Sup?”

“I figured out Chloe’s message. She’s convinced we’ve got to get everybody out of San Diego and to Petra.” “I was afraid of that,” Sebastian said.

“Lionel’s the only guy I know with enough planes, enough contacts, and enough experience to pull off something like that-and fast.”

“This place was so perfect.”

“Every safe house we’ve had has been perfect until it all of a sudden wasn’t safe, George.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

“Call Lionel for me, would you? I need to try to get hold of Zeke. See if he’s ready to come out of mothballs and help us in Petra.”

“What’re you thinking, Captain?”

“Something for Buck to do so he doesn’t go crazy, and something for Mac and me to do so we feel like we’re doing something for Albie.”

“Hope I’m part of that.”

“We wouldn’t dream of trying anything without you, George.”

“Tired of that TV?” the night matron asked Chloe.

“Yeah. I hope I don’t miss it though.” Chloe had been watching the congregating of armies from every country in the United Carpathian States, excluding only the city of New Babylon, which was largely ignored on the news. In the flickering light of the TV, Chloe could see the woman was black.

“I’m Florence,” she said, jangling to the TV and turn-ing it off with her nightstick. “I’ll be the one feeding you tonight if you’ve been good. You been good?”

“I’m officially hungry, if that’s what you mean.”

“That’s not what I asked you, but I do have your daily energy bar in my pocket if you want it.”

“I want it.”

“Didn’t take long for your tune to change. I heard you was all uppity and smart-alecky before, like nobody had nothin’ you needed or wanted.”

“I’d like to stay alive.”

“For how long? You better be coming up with some-thing Jock can use or you won’t make your first hosing down.”

“And when is that?”

“Once a week. A week from now.”

“I don’t bathe for a week?”

“Bathe all you want in that sink. How’s that water taste?”

“Not like water.”

Florence cackled. “Ain’t that the truth. You’ll get to like it though. You got to have it. That two hundred fifty calories a day will keep you alive, but you won’t be good for much else.”

“What else is there in here?”

“Oh, you know, a guard or two might take a liking to you, want a date. You know what I mean.”

Chloe laughed. She couldn’t help it.

“You think it’s funny? What you going to do?”

“That would be worth dying for,” Chloe said. “They’d have to kill me first.”

“You say that now. But you ain’t going to kill me. Look at the size I got on you.”

“One of us wouldn’t come out of here alive.”

“Big talk. You’ll be singing a different song when your body weight drops and you be stinking and that jump-suit is falling off you.”

“I’ll warn you right now, while I’m lucid, you and anybody else around here would regret trying anything with me.”

“That so?”

“That’s so, and that includes Jock.”

“Jock don’t do that kind of thing, but he knows when to look the other way.”

“Well, he’ll look back to find somebody dead. One of his people or his star prisoner.”

“Why don’t you just give a little, girl? Tell Jock some-thing. He’s not asking for much. And you’d be getting breaks nobody else has got for months. Come in here with no mark and still be alive? That should tell you something. You’re in a bargaining position.”

“They might as well kill me now.”

“Don’t think I wouldn’t like to.”

“You? You don’t even know me. I wouldn’t want to kill you.”

“You just said you would, missus. If I came in that cage.”

“Well, yes, if you intended me any harm, I’d defend myself.”

“I mean you all kinds of harm. You’re either with us or against us now, honey.”

“Well, I’m against you,” Chloe said.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Tell me what form these two hundred fifty calories come in.”

“You know. The energy bar.”

“And that’s all I get?”

“That’s it. Once a day.”

“A person can’t live on that.”

“You said it, not me. ‘Course, the more you tell, maybe the more you get.”

“Maybe?”

“But not likely. Like since you didn’t earn it today, I’m in charge of it tonight. And you only get one every twenty-four hours. Way you been sassing me, I might just pass it on to Nigel for tomorrow.”

Chloe wanted to beg for it, but she would not. She would just fall silent and hope Florence would get some fun out of being the one in charge of the food each day.

“If you’re still awake and don’t tick me off anymore, I’ll bring it by about midnight. Now, in case you want to read or do your makeup, paint your toes, whatever, I’ll turn the lights on. And since the TV’s off, I’ll pipe in a little music to help you sleep.”

Oh, please, leave the lights and music off.

Florence waddled to the door, elbows resting on her leather equipment belt, which had everything but a gun-nightstick, can of Mace, ring of keys, empty hol-ster, and for whatever reason, a supply of bullets. She flipped the lights on, all of them, and it seemed to Chloe it was brighter than when the sun had shone through the windows.

She could deal with that. She would turn her face to the wall. And despite her deep, private regret that she had cost herself a bit of food for a few more hours, Chloe would handle that as well. She would pray, think of her loved ones, rehearse her Bible memory verses, and hope to drift off to sleep.

But then came the music, louder than it needed to be. Much too loud. And of course it was “Hail Car-pathia” on a loop that would no doubt play all night.

Buck had taught her his alternate words. That might amuse her for a few minutes. What were they again? She walked them through her mind, then began to hum along, then softly sing:

Fail Carpathia, you fake and stupid thing;

Fail Carpathia, fool of everything.

I’ll hassle you until you die;

You’re headed for a lake o f fire.

Fail Carpathia, you fake and stupid thing.

Chang had raced from Eleazar Tiberias’s mirror to the tech center, where he leaped and shouted, exulting with Abdullah and Naomi.

Eventually, however, they showed him the tape of Albie, which sobered him. And despite being fresh from the palace, even Chang was stunned at the gall of the GC to air a so-called news story about Chloe that was so patently invented. He wondered how even GC sym-pathizers could buy such poppycock. But Naomi showed him samples of e-mails coming in from Judah-ites around the world that showed many were going to need reassurance and to be reminded that the devil is the father of lies.

“Our writers,” Naomi told Chang, “here in this sec-tion, are composing boilerplate responses, answers to the most common questions. These will be transmitted to the keypunch people, who can pick and choose and shoot them out immediately.”

She asked a writer to print out his current list of responses, then pulled it from the printer to show Chang.

The only thing the news seemed to get right was Chloe’s name and age and the fact that she is the daughter of Rayford and the wife of Cameron “Buck” Williams. While it’s true she attended Stan-ford University, neither was she a campus radical nor was she expelled. She dropped out after the Rapture but had a grade point average of 3.4 and had been active in student affairs.