Wired (29 page)

During the next hour, the extra touches of color added an even more festive air to the house. Graham seemed to enjoy putting
out the decorations more than anything he had done in years. Mary stayed in her room, avoiding even a hint of interest in
the decorations. Periodically, she would peek out from a crack in her bedroom door to check on what was happening. Jackie
chuckled when she spotted Mary's eye and the door immediately slammed shut.

Jackie had prepared a casserole earlier in the day to makes supper fast and easy. After dinner, Mary got the job of putting
the plates in the dishwasher. Once again she put on an insolent silence like heavy lipstick, and slammed the plates onto the
trays without saying a word.

“Careful there,” Jackie said, walking past with a watchful eye. “we don't want to break anything.”

Mary scowled, but didn't speak.

“Seven o'clock!” Graham announced. “People should show up any second now.”

“They come in staggered order,” Jackie reminded him. “The kids feel it camouflages them better.”

“Whatever makes them happy,” Graham said. “I'm truly looking forward to the meeting.” The doorbell rang. “I'll get it.” He
walked into the living room.

Opening the door, Graham found Adah Honi and Eldad Rafaeli standing in front of him. “Shalom!” Graham boomed.

“
Shalom aleichem
,” Adah answered.

“Come in.” Graham ushered the Jewish couple into his living room. “You are first to arrive.”

Adah and Eldad walked into the living room, and they seemed unusually sober. “The others are behind us.”

“Good. I trust everything is okay,” Graham said. “Jackie is in the kitchen. She'll be here in a minute.”

“We are concerned,” Eldad said. “I have the distinct feeling that tonight we were followed.”

The Smile faded from Graham's face. “What did you see?” he asked Adah.

“I feel uncomfortable,” Adah said. “I can't put my finger on it as certainly as Eldad has, but something isn't right.”

Graham pulled on his chin. “Electronic surveillance has increased everywhere, but I haven't seen anything additional around
this neighborhood. Of course, we're had many large groups meet here. No one would consider a gathering to be unusual.”

“Still, coming to your house may not have been a wise decision,” Eldad said. “I think we must be highly aware.”

“Yes,” Graham said slowly. “I know Matthew will bring some of his friends through the back way. That will help appearances.”
He glanced at his watch. “They ought to be coming soon.”

Jackie came into the room. “I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Don't worry. I know everything will work out all
right.”

“In Israel many times we have thought that,” Eldad said, “and then, as we thought, it didn't happen. We have learned to pay
to every detail careful attention.”

“Sure,” Jackie said. “I understand.”

The sound of students coming in the back door interrupted them.

“Hey! Mom and Dad! We're here!”

“That's Matt,” Graham said. “I'm sure Jennifer came with him.”

Matt walked in with three other young men. “Adah! Good to see you,” he said, extending his hand. “Eldad, glad you're here.”

“Where's Jennifer?” Graham asked.

“I don't know,” Matt answered. “It's the strangest thing. She was supposed to meet me at the dorm, but she never came. We
called her dorm room and her cell phone. I guess something unexpected turned up.”

Adah looked into Graham's eyes. “I don't like it. Something has happened.”

Graham rubbed his chin. “Are you concerned?” he asked Matt.

“Not really. Jennifer may have run into a lab assignment and simply couldn't get it done.”

“Let's hope so,” Adah said. “We must pray she is not in danger.”

“I really don't think so,” Matt assured her. “Hey, where are those potato chips?”

“In the morning room,” Jackie said. “Go ahead and help yourselves.”

“Let's go, guys.” Matt motioned for the young men to follow him. “We can fill up before the others get here.”

The doorbell rang and more students came in. Conversation immediately started and the tension eased. Graham tried to shake
off his concern. Abruptly the telephone rang. He hurried into the office to answer it.

“Graham Peck here.”

“Graham, this is Sarah Cates.” The woman sounded breathless and as if she was whispering. “Thank God I got you. I can't talk
long.”

“Sarah, what's wrong?”

“They followed me from the office,” Sarah panted. “I'm hiding out here in a telephone booth in the Metro train station near
our building. I'm terrified!”

“Who followed you?”

“Pemrose and Meacham. They aren't far behind me.”

“What happened?”

“Listen, Graham. I found out where the Muslim charity money went. I know who is behind the terrorism.” She caught her breath
and stopped for a moment. “I overheard Pemrose talking to Meacham in his office. The money went to Borden Camber Carson. He's
the man behind all of these terrorist attacks on this country.”

“
Carson
?” Graham was almost speechless. “
Borden Camber Carson
? You can't be serious.”

“Yes,” Sarah demanded. “Believe me. I heard Pemrose say that Carson is using fear about the attacks to obtain his objectives.”

Graham couldn't speak. His knees nearly buckled and his mouth went dry. “Lord help us,” he muttered. “Carson has been behind
everything from the San Diego ship attack to the war in my children's school?”

“Exactly,” Sarah said. “Listen, Graham. Pemrose and Meacham saw me running down the hall. Everything has gotten out of control.
I don't know what these men have in mind, but I've got to get out of here before they catch me.”

“Sarah, have you talked with anyone?”

“No, only you and I know what I've been doing in Pemrose's office.”

“Okay,” Graham said slowly, “listen carefully. Let me tell you what I think you can do. As soon as you hang up I'll…”

“They've seen me,” Sarah blurted out. “Pemrose and Meacham are running this way!”

“Don't panic, Sarah. I can send some people to protect you. Just don't let them get you out of the booth.”

“They're here! I can see Meacham's eyes. The man is horrifying.”

“Listen, Sarah. Don't panic.”

“I've got to get out of…” Two sharp popping noises cut her off; the sound of breaking glass filled the receiver. “A-a-a-h!”
Sarah moaned.

“Sarah! Can you hear me?” Graham heard the sound of people scurrying, running. Women shouting. “Sarah, are you there?”

No one answered.

“SARAH!” Graham shouted. Somebody hung up the phone.

Jackie rushed to his side. “Graham! What in the world is going on?”

Speechless, Graham stared at the empty, buzzing sound coming out of his receiver. He slowly hung up the telephone.

“What's happened?” Jackie demanded.

“I—I think they just killed Sarah Cates.”

G
RAHAM AND JACKIE
struggled to walk from the kitchen into the living room. With Jackie clutching his arm, Graham stumbled into a large chair
and bent over.

No one noticed the Pecks staggering in. The group gathering in the Pecks' highly decorated living room had shifted into high
gear. Since no visitors had been invited, the regulars gabbed openly about their school experiences and what was happening
in the news.

Adah Honi turned around and gasped. “Graham! Your face is white! What happened?” Silence settled over the room.

Graham opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Jackie huddled next to him like a frightened puppy.

“Something bad has happened!” Eldad Rafaeli nearly shouted. “What is it?”

Sweat had formed on Graham's forehead and he looked nauseous. He put his hand over his mouth. Sitting with his head hanging
down, he tried to catch his breath, but it didn't come easy.

“Dad!” Matt broke away from his friends. “What in the world happened?”

Graham looked around the room, realizing that no one was speaking. He motioned for everyone to sit down. “We are in significant
trouble,” he said slowly.

“Please.” Adah dropped to her knees in front of Graham and Jackie. “
Tell us what has happened
.”

Graham looked around again. Mary had come out of her bedroom and was standing at the edge of the living room door listening.
He knew she needed to hear everything he had to say. “My secretary has just been killed, assassinated.”

“What!” Mary darted into the living room. “Not Sarah Cates!”

“No!” Matt could barely gasp. “It can't be.”

“Listen to me,” Graham said. “I don't care what you do or do not believe. I am here to tell you the frightening truth. Those
portraits you've seen all over the city reveal more than you would have ever thought possible. Borden Carson is not only the
Anti-Christ; the man is a blatant murderer!”

All smart-alecky smugness left Mary's face and Matt's eyes expanded in consternation. The students looked dismayed and alarmed.

“Just before she was murdered, my secretary told me that she had discovered Carson was behind all of the terrorism breaking
out in this country,” Graham said. “he's using fear to achieve his purposes by terrorizing the people. I'm sure that I am
now compromised in my own office.”

“Look, Mr. Peck,” one of the young men said. “We're prepared to stand with you. What do you need us to do?”

“Thank you,” Graham replied. “At this moment, I'm not sure, but each of you must remember that electronic surveillance may
be used to incriminate you. We are all in danger.”

“This is what I suspected,” Adah said. “One of the next steps in the Anti-Christ's plan is new believers to persecute. There
are other people like us in this world who have now come to see that their hope is Yeshua, the Messiah. While we don't know
where many of them are, groups like ours are springing up. They will be the target of Carson, or better, Hassan Rashid.” She
turned to Graham. “What will now you do?”

“I don't know,” Graham said. “It is clear that Carson's people will not hesitate to kill. We must take them extremely seriously.
Understand me?”

“Ya!” Eldad added. “We know how deadly they can be.”

Graham heard a telephone ringing, but it wasn't the one in the kitchen. “Where is that?”

“Sounds like your cell phone,” Jackie said.

Graham leaped up off the couch and darted into the office. His cell phone was still lying on the desk where he had placed
it earlier. He stared, terrified to pick it up. After the fourth ring, Graham placed it on his ear.

“Hello,” he said.

“Graham, this is Frank Bridges. I'm very disappointed in you. You've failed the test!”

“What test?

“The loyalty test,” the mayor said. “For a number of weeks we've been examining you, expecting great things out of a man with
your abilities, but unfortunately you haven't been up to the exercise.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“I think you do. Our people monitored Sarah Cates's call to you earlier this evening. A few minutes ago Bill Marks played
me a tape recording of what was discussed. I believe she said something like. ‘I'm hiding out in a phone booth in the Metro
station.’ Something of that order. Does that sound familiar?”

Graham froze, unsure of how to answer.

“Mr. Carson told us to check out each of the men in the Inner Circle down to their toenails. I've already done that with the
other men. They passed and you were the last on the list. Actually, we've also had our people watching your son Matt extremely
closely. Our specialists started checking his e-mail exchanges back around the first of November. We thought maybe he was
acting without your knowledge.”

Graham glanced up at Matthew. The entire New Seekers group had crowded into Graham's office and stood with their eyes glued
on him. Graham quickly pulled the small extension wire from the back of the cell phone and pushed it into the side of the
home telephone. He pressed the conference call button so everyone could hear.

“Our close surveillance of Matthew revealed you were aware of his affiliation with this subversive group meeting at your home
tonight,” the mayor continued. “Oh yes, Graham. We also know that everyone in your family has sidestepped the security clearance
marking on your foreheads. Know a lot, don't we?”

Graham looked around the room. Everyone appeared as frightened as he felt. “What do you want?” he blurted out. “What's this
all about?”

“We can't have you running around on the loose, Graham. I'm deeply sorry because I like the work you do, but the future is
breaking in with new possibilities you haven't even yet considered. I regret the fact that you've become a problem for us…
but you have.”

Graham's mouth was dry, but he felt more than able to speak. “How do you know I'm no longer trustworthy?”

“Mr. Carson, or I might say Al-sayyid Rashid, first raised the question. He didn't like the look he saw in your eyes. As time
has gone by, we've increased surveillance and used people like. Al Meacham and Jack Stratton to study your movements. They've
confirmed the suspicions raised by our leader, Al-sayyid Rashid.”

The bottom fell out of Graham's stomach. He felt as if every wall in his house fallen on him. “So what?” he suddenly snapped.
“I'm not afraid of you, Frank. You're a hot air machine.”

“Oh, far from it, Graham. Let me tell you how efficient I am. I don't believe you ever met one of the agents who works for
me. You might even have liked Max, Max Andrews. Nice efficient man. Good with a gun. Know the name?” Bridges chuckled. “No,
of course you don't. But I think you know his daughter. You don't have one of your members there tonight. Jennifer Andrews
hasn't shown up. Right?”

Graham looked at the fear emanating from Matthew's eyes and didn't answer Bridges.

“Jennifer Andrews works for us. Let me tell you where she is, Graham. Jennifer is out in front with our men who have surrounded
your house. She's been our main source of information on your son. Matthew. Jennifer knows your family and the New Seekers
group quite well.”