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MESSIAHTHE TAKING OF JERUSALEM THE RETURN DJ HARDY No portion of this book may be copied without written consent of the author. All rights are reserved. This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places described in this work are purely fictitious and from the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. ISBN: x-xxxxxxxxxxxxWord count = 101,217Page count = 467CHAPTER 1“Ravaging flames of sweet revengeI have no time for any game but deathYou have played god with men’s livesNow commeth an angel’s revengeGoodbye ElijahThe world will trembleI will rejoiceTis the taste of sweet revenge”Pete forced away the poem from his mind. This is no time to be playing. Besides, he couldn’t remember the author’s name. Instead he cleared his mind and concentrated on the task at hand. This is serious business. It is a mission, and thought of his military days.Quietly slithering on hands and knees he snaked his way as quickly and silently through the trees and bushes as possible. The faint outline of the wall rose before him in the dark. Though lay barely visible in the blackness of night. It sat faintly back-dropped by the faintly reflection of light from somewhere far on the other side. Pulling the night-scope monocle from a padded pocket, he scanned the area. First using amplified light then switching to infrared he searched for anything human or animal that might be around him. Satisfied that he was alone, he turned off the unit and slid the device back into its padded pocket. Looking up at the wall and the faintly lit clouds he threw the muffled grappling hook over the top. Tugging at the knotted rope a few times then took a deep breath. Standing to his feet, he climbed. Upon reaching the top, one hand felt the broken glass bottles imbedded into the top. Leaning back on the rope he pulled the padded mat that hung rolled across his back, unfurled it and swung it across the glass. Now he pulled up and walked the final three feet to the top and gently suspended himself across the glass. Pulling the rope up and switching the grappling hook to the other side his left arm that supported him began to tremble. Slowly shifting to his right arm he brought his legs around and slowly lowered himself down the other side. Resting for a minute, he took note of his surroundings with the night scope and the location for his escape. Above, the clouds still were barely visible and felt pleased with the darkness. Only a few battery powered exit lights within the mansion gave any of some movement within the great room. In the distance he barely heard the grumbling of men working on something that Pete presumed was a cranky generator. Too the south the city of Rome was experiencing one of its regular blackouts. Tonight’s rolling brownout had overwhelmed the electrical grid, and the city, along with much of its suburbs had succumbed to the problems. If it wasn’t for the electrical generator feeding the house in front of him there would be nothing but those battery powered lights. They’d be no electricity, no lights - no nothing – only a faint glow from the clouds from a section of the city that apparently had not been affected by the blown fusses and damaged transformers. Of course he helped this condition along with a well placed charge in one substation. He needed the darkness, but without some semblance of light he’d have to abort this mission. Still he had to use extreme caution in what he was doing, and that took time. Looking back he searched out the faint outline of the wall, the rope and the broken bottles lining that wall. It would not be good to get disoriented and lost. Then escape will turn into a mad dash and his will be hands sliced by the glass. Thinking about getting over and his escape route proved not impossible, but he was using up valuable minutes. This was slowly turning into much more time than he planned. Time – that was not something he had a lot to waste.The moonless skies, made darker by a passing weather front made darker by a thin veil of high altitude low level radioactive smoke, made concealment easy but seeing needed a little help from the scope. Now he crouched behind a bush, scanned the area to see what lie before him and planned his next move. So far so good. No bottles broke, except one small crack. The cracking sound would have been a dead give-away for security – if they had been around. He thought that crack over. That one little muffled break could doom this operation. Hopefully, now that’s one word that can get you killed, he felt no one could possibly have heard. He listened. His extraordinary wolf-like senses now tuned to every sound. No alarms had been triggered. No barking dogs or excited voices were heard. He felt fairly sure no one knew of his presence.In the Marines they had nick-named him “Wolf”. This was more because of his uncanny hearing and sight that seemed to magnify during times of stress. And, on this mission he needed all the help he could get.Just then the sky to the south brightened. Looking around to the north, a section of the city lights also blazed to life. He had to hurry. It was now or never. Electricity was being restored within the city. The substation he had sabotaged might take longer but not forever. He hoped the area wide electrical blackout did not get corrected too quickly. A few more days from now even the Italian government was expecting to have repaired the numerous shorted out electrical substations. Rome will soon once again chase away the gloom. As always in its past, following a war, it bathed itself in lights in an effort to chase away t5he gloom.High altitude electromagnetic pulses, from a thousand world-wide nuclear detonations, nearly wiped out the nation's electrical grid. Only two military bases and one city received direct hits from warheads. Across the border, toward the west and north, in Germany and France, a dozen massive fires still raged uncontrolled. High altitude detonation three miles above the surface had ignited anything combustible ten miles out from the center. Fortunately, very little nuclear radiation impregnated the metals, the concrete, the soil. Everything around the targeted areas were still livable though destroyed by the intense heat and blast.In a heartbeat he moved toward Rabbi Elijah's villa. So far - so good. No alarms. No guards. No nothing. "The night is still young," he mouthed with a touch of sarcasm, yet still pleased with himself as he scurried forward.Scanning the black skies, hoping to get a glimpse of the smoke and radiation clouds heading east, he worried about his friends in Brindisi, along the southeast coast. The radiation wouldn't make it down to sea level unless there was rain from a storm. They’d be safe for now. On the other hand, the mountains to the east of Rome might get a dusting. Unfortunately that was his planned escape route.Now focusing only on concealment and the task ahead, he took a couple of deep slow breaths to relax. The plan was to keep things simple. Living is better than dying, and a suicide mission had never been contemplated. He'd soon know if the cards he dealt himself had become a one way trip. Driving through a cloud of weak radiation in the mountains might be the least of his troubles. Besides, he heard, or read somewhere, that a little dose of low level radiation might be good for your skin. Now, if lady luck smiled on him, he'd make Elijah pay for all that had happened. A successful mission would go a long way to healing his soul.His mind remembered the first man he made pay for a crime. It was a British police colonel in his hometown of Derry, Ireland. It amazed him that he still remembered the event. I guess the first killing always hold a special scar in the mind, he thought. It seemed such a long time ago. The man had beaten his mother to death.A slight noise to his left drove away the ancient thoughts. This was not the time to let his mind wander. Now he became one with the shrubs.A lone guard appeared to his left, his presence marked by the flashlight he carried. Did I trip an alarm, Pete thought?The guard passed by without incident. Pete felt the tightness in his shoulder break loose. Now he waited. Now he prepared his attack, and thought through his escape plan. Getting in proved easy. Getting out may be a different story. His survival might come down to being quick on his feet and mind.Safety hidden among the bushes there was nothing to do but wait. His thoughts wandered again and turned to Steve and Lora, back in Brindisi. The southeast coast should be feeling the brunt of a storm moving in from Greece in a few hours. He hoped they arranged for his and their passage out of Italy.He sensed the air in the garden felt a little thick. It held dew and the flavor of life growing at his feet. The unseen plants and bushes dripped with moisture; giving softness to the soil and humus under him. It also soaked into his clothes and made him feel clammy. Still, he enjoyed the smells. Someday he might take up gardening. Instead of killing, he’d make things grow. The growing of life reminded him of his home back in Colorado. Back there the air was mostly dry and the plants in the ground snapped when he walked across them. But once in a while, during the rainy season, everything smelled sweet and like this. Now at sea level, life abounded with softness.He had driven into the city an hour before sunset. The city was bathed in a dusty red glow. He found the villa just at sunset. After parking two streets away he watched the weather change for the worse. A fast moving storm swept in from the sea. Nuclear winter and dust filled clouds appeared off the Italian coast. Mercifully, the radiation was light and not a major concern at the lower elevations, but the smoke and ash from a thousand uncontrollable fires to the north were expected to leave the city hazy and coated by morning.Cautiously he felt for the razor sharp broad-point arrows he carried with the bow. He didn't want to get even a pinprick. These arrows were very special. He had dipped them into his urine and allowed them to dry. So he didn't want to cut himself and get an infection. All the arrows were deadly and yet looked shiny clean, they weren’t. One especially he had dipped into his feces. This one was a special killer. If the blades didn't kill Elijah, the bacteria would.Gripping the side of a shaft, he tested the firmness. All was well. The darkness, the clouds and heaviness in the air made everything about this night feel good and perfect. He was the harbinger of death and the world was going to be a better place when he finished.Suddenly the lights in the house blinked on. The effect caught him by surprise. The electrical blackout in this section of the city had ended sooner than expected.Cautiously he raised his head let his eyes adjust to the light in front of him, and searching the patio, he saw no one. When Elijah arrived, Pete planned to keep it simple. His plans were always simple. Send an arrow through the pig's heart and then escape. What could be simpler?Slithering to the next bush, he knew that only a security guard using a night vision device and looking in his direction might see his movement. So far only one guard had been seen and he only carried a flashlight.Pete started to feel tense and a touch of panic swept through his body. He forced himself to relax. He had performed this feat so many times he had lost count, but the tenseness never went away. Trained as a Marine sniper, he camouflaged himself and crawled close to unsuspecting targets time and time again before making his presence known.When he was a kid, he killed men without any effort and with minimum disguise. The Marines showed him how to become invisible. Smeared with dark make-up and covered by a fishnet cloak of leaves, he felt safe in his cocoon and almost invisible.Moving the crossbow forward, his eyes settled on the thin two-barbed arrowhead. Surgically sharp, the blades were known to slice completely through a small deer, severing arteries, muscles and tendons as they traveled.Gently fingering the safety on the crossbow, he made sure his finger never entered the trigger guard. The safety lever was set to “on” and he wanted no premature release. If Elijah appeared alone, this might be easier than earlier expectations.Positioned in front of the back patio, concealed by his makeshift Ghillie suit and the surrounding bushes, he studied the lit room that lay on the other side of the French doors. Slowly filling with people, the room appeared to be a very large and richly decorated. The mingling people might complicate this kill but not by much. He quietly searched for Elijah. The room beckoned for an attack, but he didn't move, not until he knew he could get his target in one shot.He never believed in suicide missions, but he also lived by the belief that a little danger never hurt anyone, especially if you went slow and kept your concentration. He smiled at the thought of keeping focused on his mission, a mission of revenge. A poem composed within him and he squelched the impulse to recite aloud. "I am the avenger angel," he mouthed without speaking. "I am the avenger.” Safely hidden in a cloak of invisibility, he mouthed. Feeling warm and secure he settled in for what might be, and hopefully, a short wait. With a little luck it may not be much longer.His mind wandered again, he thought about how old he was getting for this stuff. He lately had some dreams. They were all the same. A bright field appeared in the dreams full of life and sunlit. The field sat filled with tall bright green grasses all around. In the distance, two figures stood watching him. They always waved. In the dreams he’d start walking toward them. Then the dream ended. Voices from the patio alerted him to the presence of danger.Blinking his eyes he cleared his thought. Yet the two people he saw, a women and a young lady in the dream, seemed to always appear if only as a faded memory. It intrigued him. For a moment he knew who they were, but were they? Squeezing his eyes hard to clear away the pleasant intrusion, he regained his concentration and totally focused on the task set before him.Moving ever so slightly to reposition himself helped ease the stiffness in his back. His left hand twitched from an unseen nervousness.Ever since the attack by Elijah's assassin's three years ago, after they pinned his hand with a knife to a car fender, the hand occasionally froze up on him. Stress seemed to be the culprit and he fought it constantly. Yet he also felt he could handle pressure better than most. Still, there appeared to be some things within him that were impossible to control. He willed himself to relax and felt the twitching stop.Three men opened the door and entered the patio from the dining room. Pete lowered himself deeper into the grass. Keeping an eye on them, they moved to a large white marble table surrounded by high-back wooden chairs. The short stocky man with the elongated head caught Pete's attention. How did he miss him?Pete watched him sit down, and the others followed. Each sat facing the other in subdued conversation.Pete smiled. The weasel was facing him and his chest made a great target. He crawled a few feet closer so the cross-bow would not be obstructed.One hundred and fifty feet away, he gently tightened the suit of leaves around him. Bringing the crossbow forward, he rose to a kneeling position and sighted through the scope. The two-power scope made out the buttons on Elijah's jacket. Pete settled the cross hairs on a spot just above Elijah's heart. The 300 feet per second velocity of the arrow would make contact in less than a second. He slipped off the safety and placed his trigger finger into the trigger-guard.Everything was going like clockwork when two men rushed to the table.Pete couldn't make out the words, but they appeared frantic. Pete liked the idea of them adding to the confusion. Real panic was about to arrive in less than a minute. This action from them might even make his escape easier. He squeezed the trigger.Elijah shifted in his seat and waved the two men away.Pete guessed they were security, but Elijah was now partially hidden by one of the guest. Releasing the pressure on the trigger, he heard Elijah yell in frustration, "You two handle it. Cardinal Brescoff and I have more important things to do."Elijah rested back in his chair and spoke to the Cardinal as the two security types looked at each other and backed off."Do not be afraid," Elijah said in a voice that Pete finally understood. "As for Pope Peter the Roman, he will not stand in our way anymore. He is so fuzzy minded that he can't make serious decisions. Besides he has lost most of the Cardinals who originally supported him. This is an open door and a great opportunity. If required, Pope Peter can be removed.""That is always a possibility," Cardinal Brescoff replied. "Yet I believe Pope Peter is still usable, at least for a while. He has made it a point to press for ratifying the new E.U. constitution. Once that is accomplished, then we may talk about a new successor. I'm sure you will remember me when that time arrives.""Your loyalty will be greatly appreciated," Elijah answered. "But until the resistance from Pope Peter is vanquished, we must keep up the pressure on him. Pope Peter is doing exactly what is required. As you know the governments of Greece and Norway are still resisting the will of the people. Until their governments are replaced, and I suspect that will take place in a very short while, Peter the Roman’s papacy is proving to be very divisive to the faithful. Your powers behind the scene will bring the world together.""Speaking of divisiveness," Cardinal Brescoff asked, "I understand you and Von Resh have run into stiff resistance within the North American trading zone. As you know I have developed a major base for my cadency to the leadership of the Catholic Church in Chicago. I believe the priesthood within the trading zone will be in line with Mister Von Resh's wishes."Cardinal Brescoff rubbed his forehead in thought. "Yet once Peter the Roman is removed from the scene, what if the newly reorganized College of Cardinals select a pope who does not agree with you and Mister Resh, what then? Our plans will never be realized."With a smile on his lips Elijah answered. "Then I propose that you, Cardinal Brescoff, must not let that happen. As you know, I am not without substantial influence. Mister Von Resh also possesses considerable powers and influence. You, Cardinal Brescoff shall be the new pope. And I think your influence will be sufficient to bring about even greater change within the Vatican. Mister Von Resh and I will work through the UN. Together, the three of us will overcome all opposition. I believe we will finally bring this wayward world under our control."Elijah shifted again in his chair and looked directly in Pete's direction.Pete froze for a moment. Did Elijah sense that he was in front of him? Pete relaxed as Elijah continued speaking, unaware of the danger coming his way."Once you are named Pope," Elijah said, "I ask one thing in return. Mister Von Resh will need your total support and influence in parliament and..." Elijah stopped speaking and looked straight toward Pete.The arrow shot from the bow with mild recoil and Pete saw it strike an inch higher than the spot for the crosshairs. Quickly lowering himself to the ground he pulled the Ghillie suit over his head. Took a deep breath and tried to relax.Elijah's eyes bulged wide as the arrow struck him in the upper chest, inches below the left collarbone. The sound of the impact indicated that the arrow went through Elijah's chest and embedded itself into the wooden chair. Elijah sat pinned. Pete felt good. A fitting justice since Elijah's killers earlier had pinned his hand to a car. He hoped Elijah would bleed to death in a very short time.Victory and revenge felt sweet, and he fought the impulse to shoot a second arrow, or to get away.Fighting the urge to run, he realized how rusty he had become. In days gone by, he'd have the Ghillie suit on and lay concealed until the search for him ended.Two security men rushed onto the patio as the Cardinal stared at Elijah and yelled for help. Pete liked the look of shock. Elijah's face was also frozen in chiseled excruciating pain. Two more security types appeared with pistols drawn, looking for something, anyone, to shoot. Pete knew if he bolted for the wall, they'd be on him before he made it to the rope. They probably thought the shot came from on top or beyond the wall.Slowly he reset the crossbow and buried himself face down into the grass. He knew that the cloak of leaves covering him from head to toe would conceal him, for a while.Cries of help and screams filled the air. Pete couldn't control his curiosity and peeked out to see men and women rushing from inside the house. He smiled as two ladies fainted as their men stood frozen by shock. Most just hurried away. Chaos filled the area. This was his queue to exit. He slipped out of his makeshift concealment, and then saw that the idea was poorly timed. The two men with guns drawn were already hurrying his way. He sent an arrow into the first man and quickly re-cocked the crossbow while running for the wall. Two bullets hit in front of him as he turned to fire a third time. The man went down with the cry of pain. He re-cocked again. A dog came out of nowhere and clamped onto his left arm. The arrow sitting in the crossbow aluminum rail held steady as the bow now fell from his hand.Pete reached quickly with his right hand and grabbed the handle of the ten-inch Chief knife taped to his leg. With a quick stab, the dog yelped and fell away. Pete shoved the blade deeper and left it in the dog. Now he grabbed for the rope and had one hand on it when something snagged his feet. He stumbled over the dog and went headfirst into the bushes.Before he could climb, two men pounced on him and grabbed his arms. He heard the orders from a third man. They had him.Barely able to see the faces towering over him, he did see the miniature sub machine guns touching his face. He stopped struggling.Hands reached under his arms and jerked him to his feet. Another set of hands, from behind, patted him down for hidden weapons. When none was found, the man from behind came forward. He now held the cocked crossbow. With the other hand he reached out and grabbed Pete by the hair and shoved his head back.Pete managed to see the two men holding his arms as they towered above his six foot four frame. The bones in their wrists made his look puny. They were gorillas, naturally strong and very dangerous. The goons could break him in half at Elijah's command. Which at the moment, Pete hoped he had bled to death.The man in front pointed the crossbow at Pete and jabbed the razor sharp tip into Pete's chest and twisted. The pain made him wince, but he held his cry.He saw the smile in the man's face as the arrow sliced open Pete's shirt and ran across his chest. He was being pealed alive.Pete groaned, not so much from pain, but from the fact of being captured. If he hadn't moved so fast he might have escaped detection, but on the other hand the dog. The dog would have smelled him. His instincts to run proved right.Pete saw the man with the arrow back away, but all he could think of was, guess my keep-it-simple plan didn't stay simple very long."Mister Meirs," said a rasping gurgling familiar voice. "Or should I call you Sean O'Bradaish. I remember you very well."Hearing his given name, Pete forced his head forward without the man holding his hair cooperation. The hand holding his head pushed his face down. All he saw were the legs of the man who knew his true name. Elijah, he thought, but that guy was skewered by an arrow and pinned to a chair. Or was he? The voice left him fearful that he had missed."Release him," the rasping voice said. At once the hand holding his hair let go and Pete saw the face of the man he hated."I'd have thought that the last time we met in the cave," said Elijah, "it would have taught you a lesson."Pete looked at Elijah in total amazement. The stocky little trip of a man pressed a blood soaked cloth napkin against the skin and around the shaft of the arrow. The shaft stuck out of his chest with the end of the feathers pointing toward Pete. Elijah turned ever so slightly. Pete saw the razor sharp blades sticking six inches out of the man's back. It hadn’t killed him! Somehow the little worm had managed to free himself and walk under his own power. He hoped Elijah bled to death as he stood before his eyes. Elijah's voice gasped for air. "I see you are more stubborn than your little blonde friend. Is she out there waiting for you?" Elijah looked around and over the wall.Pete never answered. He knew he was asking about Kendra. The slime didn't know she had vanished on the ship.He studied Elijah and wondered what was holding him up. How did he know his given name? Nobody knew. Intelligence knew - maybe. Somehow that information had been passed into Elijah's hands."Never mind," Elijah growled. "You don't have to answer. My men will find her.""Don't bother," Pete replied. "You'll never find her. She's out of your reach.""Dead!" Elijah said with widened eyes and a flicker of a smile. "I'm so delighted. I hope it was painful?""Not dead," Pete growled. "She's with God. I think the word is rapture.""God! Rapture! Foolish talk! There is only one god, and I serve him. She is not on his list."Elijah nodded to the men holding Pete.They released his arms and backed away. Their pistols fixed on his chest. The man with the sub-machine guns stepped back and stood next to Elijah. Three guns pointed his way and the goons were more than willing to use them."What shall we do with him?" asked the man that held the machine gun.Elijah nodded. "Yes, we're not going stand out here all night. I need medical attention. He nodded to the man off to Pete's left. "Take a team and search the streets in case he has an accomplice. You two stay here. I don't want Mister Meirs going anywhere. If he moves shoot him in the knees."Pete watched the man to his left toss the crossbow to the ground and hurry off."Well, what do we do now?" asked Pete. He tried to sound upbeat, but the predicament he found himself in kept getting in the way. Everything was going from bad to worst.Elijah smiled, "You're going to do nothing. You’re going to do nothing but talk. Then you are going to die.” Pete noticed that Elijah's voice was not rasping as before. "This contest is over,” Elijah said, “If Miss Makray is out there my men will find her. Then the two of you will be out of my hair, forever."Pete said in defiance, "Just like you tried with that team of killers you hired. I don't think so. You didn't succeed then. What makes you think you'll do it now?""You test my patience, Mister Meirs. Do not push me. You are in no position to push me. I am more powerful than you can ever imagine."Pete listened to Elijah order one of the guards to carefully hold the arrowhead protruding out his back. When the man said he had hold of the blades, Elijah reached with his right hand and began unscrewing the shaft as the guard unscrewed the head.Pete didn't believe it. The man disconnected the arrow and did it without a grimace. Didn't he feel pain? He wasn’t human.Elijah kept his eyes locked on Pete until the shaft turned freely. The guard holding the bloodied arrowhead stepped around and showed it to Elijah."Keep your guns on him," Elijah ordered. "If he moves, shoot his knees out from under him." He then closed his eyes.Pete steeled himself. He watched Elijah wrap his fingers around the shaft and pull it from his body. Pete's eyes went instantly to Elijah's eyes and hoped to see deeply etched pain. Instead Elijah appeared to be in a trance. Blood flowing from the wound slowed. Pete didn't understand what he saw. His hopes of watching Elijah die in front of him was slowly vanishing. Pete thought of his trump card. If Elijah survived the night the infection should guarantee his death.Abruptly the blood streaming from Elijah's chest stopped and what little of the wound Pete could see slowly started to close up. Pete squinted to see clearer."You fool," Elijah said. "I only wanted the girl but you always interfered. When I got your dossier I saw you have always been interfering. First you killed your own father. Then you joined the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and killed two more times. You've had quite a history of being a troublemaker. No wonder American military Intel took you out of the Marines and wanted you for their own. You're a natural born trouble maker."He must have received this information, Pete thought, from someone who had access to his files. So much for privacy and secrets.He noticed that the two guards were torn between watching Elijah's feat of endurance and meditation as much as they were in keeping an eye on him. This was his chance. The machine-gun, in the guard's hand, lowered just as Elijah snapped open his eyes. Both guards stood amazed and watch the unbelievable happening before their eyes.An invisible push caught Pete in the pit of his stomach and threw him to the ground. Elijah had done this before. Three years ago, just like now, this force throwing trick him emanated from deep within his own body.He smashed against a tree and tumbled to the ground. Scrambling to his feet as another invisible shove caught him and threw him sideways. Elijah was doing his mental tricks on him; Pete needed to reach the crossbow.Rolling to his left to escape the power coming from Elijah, he somersaulted toward the nearest security guard. The power coming from Elijah hit him in midair.Elijah laughed at this one sided contest.Pete smashed against a tree with a thud that knocked the wind from him. Gathering his wits and on pure adrenaline, he leaped toward Elijah, expecting another blast to send him reeling. Elijah sidestepped the move.Elijah laughed. "A few more times, Mister Meirs, and I'll impale you on a branch."Pete felt the force hit him as he landed. He rolled and came up against the guard holding the machine gun. He bounded to his feet, snatched the gun out of the man's hands, and fired. The guard went down. He sent the remainder of the clip punching into the chest of the startled second guard.Not accustomed to the speed of the machinegun, he emptied it in a blink. In panic Elijah scurried back to the safety of the house. Houseguest were screaming and scrambling to safety. Leaping and rolling to one knee, Pete grabbed the crossbow, quickly aimed and fired. He saw the arrow streak toward Elijah and impales itself into the man’s back. Elijah’s body slammed against the door. The weasel slowly fell with arms reaching up and then he slid to the floor. This second arrow might just do the trick, Pete thought as he turned to the wall. Two more guards came from inside. Both hurried to help their boss.Pete didn’t wait. He ran for the rope hanging from the rear wall and scampered to the top. This time he did not worry about breaking any bottles. In seconds he dropped to the cobblestone alleyway and ran.Expecting guards to be coming around the back of the villa, he hurried into the next yard, scampered over a short wall and ran to the next street. Behind, he heard the distant voices of men searching for him.He hit a front gate but it didn't open. Luckily the wall to either side was only a head taller than he was. He yanked himself up, climbed over and ran.In a few minutes the area will be swarming with police. They'd search the perimeter of all the neighboring villas. They’d easily find the path Pete took. His only chance lay to getting to his car. It sat a few blocks away on a busy street. Once there he'd park a few kilometers away and wait it out. Tomorrow he'd drive back to Brindisi and then be out of the country. The only fly in the ointment may be in name recognition. If anyone heard Elijah say his name, the authorities will be searching for that person. Pete racked his brain and tried to remember. To the best of his recollection Elijah called him Sean O’Bradaish. He never called him Pete.His chest hurt as he walked to the car and blood stuck o his shirt. There was some antibiotic cream in the medical kit stashed in the trunk. The plan now was to get the medical kit, drive a little ways; maybe to that night club he had noticed when he did a recon of the area. There he could sleep off the tension. If the police came around, he’d show him his ID and hold up a bottle of wine. Then acting drunkenness he’d tell them he was going to stay here and sleep it off – go home in the morning. The only thing he didn’t like was pouring alcohol on his chest. The open wound is going to sting like heck. Yet if the police did come around, the car would smell the way he wanted it to smell.He slept for what felt like a few moments when he heard someone yell at him. The voice said “Flee.”Startled, Pete looked around and saw no one. An inner voice, he thought. Something he always listened too. He sat up. His chest stung as if it was on fire. Turning on the ignition he eased into traffic and drove away. Chapter 2Lora feared that her husband, Steve, was struggling too much in his efforts to get them safely back to shore. At first the wind and water did not bother her much. Just stay calm and we’d get there. Now the winds were making rowing difficult. She wanted to help but they only had two oars. The gusty winds and turbulent waves seem to be growing stronger. So far the waters weren’t sloshing into their row boat. The storm they were in seemed to blow in all directions – sometimes at the same time... For the most part the winds blew them straight to the shore. It was the white-caps that now worried her.Just then a large wave hit them and spilled into the boat - then another and another. The storm, the waves, all were now getting on her nerves. She now wished they had rented a motor boat. With water now around her ankles, she began bailing. As Steve rowed it was all she could do to keep them afloat.The weather report said “sunny”. While arraigning for transport on the ship, a televised report warned of a dangerous storm quickly coming from the East. How come the wind sometimes blew from land? It was too late now as they rowed to the harbor. Another couple of hundred yards and they’d be safe once past the jetty.The clouds above did not give her comfort. They blew faster and darkened faster than Steve rowed. Even with wind sometimes behind them, this little outing did not look good. Reaching down with the little bucket, she bailed again and prayed they’d get into the harbor. Looking back at the Chios, the ship they had book passage on, it sat almost invisible though it laid anchored maybe a half a mile away. The harbor lights came on because of the increasing darkness and she saw past them to the dock. Her fears softened but Steve was struggled to keep the boat straight. It was getting harder and harder to row, keep the boat pointed to safety, and fight the wind and waves at the same times. The wind changed directions again. This time it helped push them into the mouth of the harbor. A wind driven spray of water stung her back when Steve yelled. “I see the dock.” The sea walls and waves crashing against them gave her more hope as they past them with a gust of wind pushing from behind. Once they entered deeper into the shelter of the harbor all seemed to get better. She hoped and prayed that she was right. It was no time to be delusional.Actually the wind helped in them clearing the jetties and push them farther into the harbor. Soon, maybe another fifteen minutes, they’d be at the marina – the place they rented this row-boat. Right then she made a vow never to get in a row boat again.All went well until they got closer to the floating dock.The winds changed to the north and the dock at the marina bobbing in the increased wind seemed to be getting farther away not closer. Another fifty feet away, they’d be on dry land and safety. The question was when? Suddenly a wave pushed them from behind. The dock now sat ten feet away. Safety looked so close. Yet the floating wharf was dangerously far away. Fear of capsizing flashed through her mind. The winds changed again and started to push them sideways. Steve fought frantically to stay pointed toward the dock but the waves were now swamping the boat. Lora bailed as fast as she could. The muscles in each of her arms felt tired. This little excursion had become work. Waves splashed across the wooden deck in front of them. So close, yet they barely seemed to be moving. For a moment Lora felt the winds slow and the boat sped quickly to the dock. Steve had to be exhausted. When they smashed against one of the floats, Lora screamed from fear and held on for dear-life. One more hit like that and the side of their little craft might crack. She tried to help and took the tie-rope and swung it over the closest piling. It almost hooked then slipped away. For a second she felt the fear of floating away and out into the storm. Determination and fear drove her on. Wind driven white caps and the midst blinded her for a moment. If they survived this trip, she’d never go out in a small boat again.They hit the wooden side of the pier again and she threw the rope. This time the loop circled the piling. Then the wind changed again and blew the stern of the boat away from the dock. They moved farther away, but the rope held. Still, the dock was too far away far for anyone to grab. She prayed that they'd survive. She'd even go to church."Closer," She cried in desperation. "Closer. The rope is holding but we got to get closer. Can you turn the boat?"The pounding of the waves and spray hid the fear written on her face. She knew Steve felt the desperation like she did.*No one expected a storm of this furiousness. Rowing against the wind took all his strength and concentration. Steve squinted to protect his eyes from a gust of the cities dirt pelting his face. So much sand and dirt blew from the southern side of the seaport that the city occasionally vanished behind a cloud of dark gray. And he was only maybe ten feet from the dock. Steve had a sense of doom. “It we start to sink, grab the rope and pull,” he yelled. Rowing harder to help the little boat get alongside, he yelled, “Pull on the rope. Help me get us closer. The water in the row boat was above his ankles. Even in the wind and cold, he knew he was sweating. Muscle fatigue was evident. His arms hurt. His back hurt. His legs felt like he was at the gym – on the verge of trembling. For a moment he actually smiled at the thought. He also sensed that his strength was almost gone. The wind swirled and then shifted. The side of the row boat smashed against the wharf, and he saw Lora shortened the length of the rope. Sensing that this might be their chance, he fought to stay alongside. "Jump," he yelled, hoping Lora heard him. He saw her kneeling at the bow. Reaching out with one hand for the dock and holding onto the rope with the other. Her fingers slipped on the wetness of the wooden deck.“Pull us closer,” he yelled.In a second she had brought the bow of the rowboat against the dock. Steve worked furiously to stay alongside."Jump for it," he yelled. "Don't wait. I’ll be behind you."He reached for the rope as Lora jumped from the boat. The wet wood made her slip and she fell half in the water and half holding onto the deck. If she let loose, he thought.The thought of her drowning sent fear coursing through his body. Hold on tight,” he yelled. Fear and adrenalin dredged up his last ounce of strength to keep the boat as close as possible. Wrapping the rope around his left arm he grabbed for her flailing legs. He felt near exhaustion. His arms trembled. Most of all he feared that she might be swept away in the waters."I got ya,” he yelled as he grabbed hold of a flailing leg. He lifted the best he could and felt her move upwards - lifting herself onto the deck. She was safe.The winds shifted again and the wet rope wrapped around his arm cut into his flesh.The wooden platform came up quickly again and within his reach. He unwrapped the rope from his wrist and jumped.Lora grabbed his arm with one hand and held onto a splintered plank with other. She had him in a death grip. “I can't hold on," she cried.Steve had fallen half in the water and half onto the deck.The boat smashed against his legs. The wind grabbed the boat and literally threw it onto his back. Then the wind lifted it off him. The rope looped over the piling gave way and the boat flew inland. Both of his hands held onto the dock. He pulled harder. A gust of wind nearly broke his fingers loose from his death grip on the wooden planks.He saw Lora jump back as a swirl of wind driven salt spray blinded her eyes. All the while she never let go of his wrist.Somehow that movement pulled him onto the dock. Lora never let go of his wrist even though he was now out of the waters.Together they managed to get themselves off of the dock and onto the steps that led to the shore. Now hurrying up the steps and holding onto the railing they reached a small landing and saw the park."A few more yards," he yelled as one foot slipped over a moss covered step. "A few more."Wet weed covered the lower steps making their footing slip away like oil.Lora screamed and pulled. Her foot had slipped between two slimy wooden planks and she lost her footing."Rest," he yelled into the wind. They had made it onto a more solid area of the dock. He’d get her foot loose. “Don’t move” he yelled. “You might break it.”Gently they turned and lifted the foot out of its hold.“How does it feel,” he asked?She felt down and rubbed the sore spot. “It’s not broken.”“Can you walk,” Steve asked.Lora was now standing and cleaning see-weed from her leg.He gave her a smile. He wanted to kiss her a thousand times, but she just kept staring at him. “You’re bleeding,” she yelled and pointed to his head.Looking around she spied the closes lamp post. Pulling his arm they stopped under the light and she studied the head wound."So much for a pleasant day on the bay," she gasped as she reached for his head. He had gotten his head gashed above the left ear. Salt spray mixed with blood flowed down his neck. He started to feel for the wound but she stopped him.He looked at his wife and at her hand holding his wrist. “You can let go of my wrist,” he half-heartedly laughed. “I can make it now."Lora looked at her hand. She had never let go of his wrist since the dock. She released her fingers then clamped them around his wrist again. "Not until we get onto more land." She pulled him closer to her as they both walked to the parking lot."I can do it," he said. The trembling in his legs was starting to vanish as he walked with short paces on the sidewalk.They both were now safe. His back hurt but he’d heal.They both looked back at the bay. All the ships in the harbor were now invisible as the winds and spray whistled past them – blowing mist high into the sky. "I hope Pete appreciates what we did for him?" he said. "Yeah," she answered as she studied her free hand. “There might be a couple of splinters in these finger,” and held up her hand.An hour earlier, Steve and Lora had rowed the half-mile to the Chios. The Greek passenger-freighter had originally worked as a Soviet missile transporter. It laid anchored about a quarter mile out in the bay. At that time the sun was shining. The day was warm, and the winds calm. With the bay almost as smooth as glass, Lora did her normal thing, as Steve rowed to the ship. She faced the sun, soaking up the warmth, and tried to get a tan. He told her later that that she had dozed off. By the time they left the ship the sun was setting over the western mountains. All still seemed peaceful. Half way to shore the wind started howling and the once still waters became raging whitecaps.He cleared his thoughts as they walked. "I still don't understand why Pete asked us to book passage.""Pete never answers our questions," she answered. "I don't see any reason to return to Tel Aviv. Staying in Brindisi and waiting for the Embassy to call has always been a good plan.""I don't think,” Steve replied, “Pete is telling us everything. I saw him go ballistic when he saw Elijah on television. I think that his driving to Rome isn't going to help anything. Ever since your sister vanished he's been getting angrier and angrier. The guy’s becoming weird."Lora thought about her sister Kendra. She and Pete loved each other, but she refused to marry him after catching him at his home with a neighbor lady. Then Kendra vanished on this same boat, the Chios, as they traveled from Israel to Italy. "One thing for certain," she said, "Going back to Israel can't be a good idea. They kicked us out once. I don't think they'll let us in again.""Maybe you're right," he answered as his strength returned to his legs. Even his arms felt better. Just his back hurt. "The only thing I know for certain is the change in Pete - especially after what he saw about Elijah Ben-Yosaf on Italian news." Pete and Kendra always believed it was Elijah who created much of the misery in their lives. First it was in Denver and the repeated assassination attempts on Kendra. Then in Jerusalem, there was the kidnapping and torture by Elijah's hired thugs. Then there were the bombings in Jerusalem. One detonation had been aimed specifically at their hotel. It must have been Elijah's last attempt to kill Kendra.The military said it was a small nuclear device, "probably a stolen Russian nuclear backpack bomb, about the size of a small suitcase." A day later the Israeli government went after all suspected terror groups with a vengeance.As reprisal and counter reprisals escalated, the world found itself in a small but very deadly nuclear war. Then the Russians got into it and everything spun out of control.They along with Kendra and Esther Yeskel (Kendra's god child) all left Israel together. It was also with the best wishes of the Israeli military. The converted Soviet missile ship, now a Greek freighter called the Chios, carried them to the Italian port city of Brindisi.When they landed, they realized that the big war had started when they were just a few days out to sea. Lora swore she saw Kendra and Esther vanish before her eyes, but no one believed that Christian rapture theory. Whatever really happened, one thing was sure; Kendra and Esther vanished from the ship. Steve expected, or more like hoped, that scientist might come up with a logical explanation. But the flash, the timing, everything was just as Kendra had predicted.AS for Pete, he placed the blame for everything that happened squarely on Elijah. The fragmented comet that had been caught by the earth gravity a few years back meant nothing to him. The fact it was slowly spiraling to earth was just a natural phenomenon in his mind. The world was a big place with a lot of oceans and the chances of it hitting land were very small. Yet that mountain of rock that crashed into China at the same time as the war began had to be purely coincidental. At least that is what Pete always said. But the war didn't have to happen. Pete was convinced, they all were convinced, it all began because Elijah somehow smuggled a nuclear weapon into Israel. No proof, but Pete especially felt sure that Elijah had to be the answer.Italian news later indicated that a tunnel all the way from Syria allowed the weapon to enter Israel. Maybe, Steve thought that might be true. However when they arrived in Italy, they heard that maybe up to two billion people had just perished while they were out to sea. In America, the much maligned missile shield worked well enough to protect most of the country, but serious damage was still done.Pete may want to book passage to Israel on the Chios, but as for he and Lora, they were heading home as–soon-as-possible. They were tired and going back home made a lot more sense. The American embassy in Rome promised they’d get them back to Denver. Once back he and Lora will work to help rebuild the country.Now walking under another light along Ammiraglio Millo, he noticed large red welts forming across Lora's left arm. One appeared on her right cheek. She wasn't saying anything about her injuries. He threw her a kiss with his lips and looked at the blood and water dripping onto his chest. ”We’re the walking wounded,” he said with a slight chuckle, yet at the same time, he was serious."Come on. Keep walking. Once we get back to the hotel, we’ll find something for your head." she said. "Let's get back first and talk later."Crouching low against the wind they hurried to firmer land and farther away from the dock. Searching for the flying rowboat laying somewhere in the bushes, neither saw nothing but wind-wiped tree on one side and frothy whitecaps on the other. The row boat was gone, probably in a flower garden, and he never could see the Chios anchored in the harbor.Then without warning the winds and spray stopped. Steve shivered from the wind and water still dripping from his clothing. He also noticed Lora wrapping her arms around herself. She felt as cold as he was. Hurrying along, a few large raindrops started splashing around them. The gathering dark clouds told him it was about to rain a big one. "We better jog for it," he said.Hurrying along the street they came to the end of the Gardini Del Monumeta Park. They spied the hotel. Then it vanished behind a wall of wind driven rain. "Over to the left,” he yelled. There’s a small church. Let’s make for it."The dilapidated church sat on the corner of Santa Maria del Casale. They were only two blocks from the hotel, but the church offered instant protection from the storm. Grabbing Lora's hand they ran for the church. They made it up the steps leading to the massive front doors when a deluge of rain hit. If they hadn’t made it to shore when they did, in this storm, they’d have been lost at sea.Both enter the vestibule dripping wet.Not wanting to get the place slippery from the water dripping off of them they moved out off the center aisle and hurried to the side. The doors behind them slammed open as three men dashed in. Ignoring Steve and Lora, the men hurried past and went through the inner doors without stopping.Steve looked at his wife. Their eyes made contact and he nodded. Both weren't sure what to do. “Am I still bleeding,” he asked?Lora studied the wound. “No. It seems to have stopped.”“Good,” he said. “The locals don’t mind coming in out of the rain. Let’s join them.”He led her to the inner doors and they both entered.The place wasn’t very big, but it was packed. He noticed the last row on their left was empty. They both took a seat in the pew and saw how uncomfortable Lora looked. Lora carried an aversion to everything that smacked of religion."Relax," he said when she looked like she was about to leave. He untied a shoe and pulled off his sock. Tying his wet shoe back on his foot, he took the sock and let Lora place it over the spot on his head that was bleeding. "We've got nothing else to do,” he said. “We'll go when the rain stops."Looking around he noticed that the church was more than packed. It was very full. This was something he always suspected would be for all those people who survived the dreaded Third World war. Foxhole religion was another title for it. Danger strikes fear in everyone’s hearts.The old run down church wasn't as big as it looked on the outside. Once inside, the place had amble space. At the front of the sanctuary stood a marble altar, and behind the altar stood a huge golden cross. Three stained glass windows on each side of the building depicted scenes that Steve found hard to understand, especially since no light lit them from outside, and the light inside was not very bright.Two priests in long ornate robes stood in front of the altar. One in a most elaborate outfit spoke in Italian and seemed to be the leader. The congregation replied in rehearsed unison to whatever was being said. Steve and Lora looked at each other totally bewildered.He glanced again at Lora and saw a stern look on her face appear. Laughing lightly to himself he turned back to the priest standing at the altar and feigned interest in the ceremony.That didn't last very long, and he began looking around for something to do, like seeing if he recognized anyone from the hotel.The barber from the hotel sat three pews forward and to his right. The doorman, a few of the fisherman he had seen at the harbor sat closer to the front. They all seemed to be with their families. The women wore shawls that covered their heads, and everyone dutifully faced forward.Unable to understand a word, he turned his attention to the building. At the hotel they pointed out that this building was over three hundred years old. His eyes floated around the room and he noticed it needed a paint job. Even the plaster covering the inside of the walls revealed large cracks. Sections had flaked off, leaving numerous mortar stained bricks visible. At the front, three white marble stairs rose to the stage. On the stage he saw a long marble credenza, or whatever it was called, holding gold colored chalices and candles. Maybe they were going to have communion, he thought. Did that mean he and Lora were about to take communion? Can they stay in their seats? Did they have to get up? Should they leave? A very wide flat stone bowl sat on a pedestal just to the right of the priests.To the side of the altar sat what Steve was convinced was a portable barbecue. The unit blazed furiously from whatever it burned. Smoke rose high and filled the top of the church yet it never descended to where they sat. With the cool draft from the main doors flowing past his feet, Steve guessed that a ventilation system was fast at work exhausting the smoke to the outside. Thirty minutes later Steve felt stiffness in his legs. He was ready to leave and so was Lora. But flashes of lightning and peels of rolling thunder seemed closer. The sound of heavy rain pelting the building was heard above the ceremony.Lora tugged at his hand. She wanted to leave."Wait a few more minutes. The storm may be almost over?"He couldn't find the right words to tell Lora that he felt a little interest in what was going on.The two priests chanted their words as four attendants hurried from one position to another doing the manual labor required for a service.An echoing of singing came from everywhere and mingled with what the priest said. Steve felt totally confused. Did anyone understand what was being said?The crowd obviously knew the procedure.Then a rhythm appeared in the words from the congregation. They began a mumbled chant. Soon a soft pounding came from their feet and filled the room. Steve noticed something he didn't expect. Everyone else seemed to have their eyes closed."Ever seen anything like this?" he whispered. "Their pounding their feet," Lora said. "What's that all about? This is so very strange."Never answering, Steve looked at her and saw the smile on her face. Her eyes rolled in a touch of added humor.From somewhere in front, two worshipers left their pew and walked to the altar. One, a lady, carried a baby who wiggled in its yellow and brown-striped blanket. Two little arms reached up to what Steve guessed was its mother, and the lady gently laid the baby wrapped in its covering within the stone bowl that sat on the altar."Must be a baptism," Lora said. Steve knew she was recording every detail in her mind. Both had never been at one, except those they saw in movies. Of course those were never real. Was this one real?Steve looked at her and smiled. "I wonder if I was ever baptized?" he asked."I never was," Lora answered. "I'm sure of it. Maybe I'd have turned out different, maybe."Steve only nodded his head and wondered what his life might have been if his parents took religion serious. One thing for sure, they all might be up there with Kendra and Esther right now, instead of worrying about the future.The rhythm from the parishioners grew louder and the intensity of the chanting brought a sense of alarm to Steve. "I've never heard of a service like this," he said. He noticed that his wife wasn't sure of what to make of the proceedings. He nudged her, saying it was time to go.Lora shook her head, no.Stunned by her answer, he forced himself to watching the priest and anyone he recognized. He had a bad feeling about this. Suddenly Lora grabbed his arm as she whispered his name.He looked at her and noticed she was staring straight ahead. Now he and Lora’s eyes were fixed on every move the priest made.The man held the baby high over his head. That seemed well and good, but the other priest held a golden glove high above his head. The glove grasped a silver knife and reflected light in the dim light. The chanting from the crowd intensified and reverberated from the ancient walls. Small bits of plaster loosened from the ceiling and trickled down among the parishioners.Steve sensed, no Steve knew, she was worried because he sure felt worried. He didn't want some decrepit ceiling crashing down on them. But as he watched a few more seconds the ceiling and the little bits of plaster faded in importance.The head priest gently laid the baby back into the bowl and removed the blanket wrapped around the child. The second priest handed over the golden glove and knife. Steve guessed it was a ritual circumcision. But the chanting from the people filling the church made him very uneasy.He nudged Lora again, but she never moved. Her psychological training and inquisitive mind worked overtime to understand everything.The dim lights in the church dimmed even further until only the altar was lit. Dramatics, he thought.Slowly the head priest slipped the glove on and then held his hand high the knife for all to see.Steve kept a close watch on the priest and on the ceiling as falling plaster dust continued to descend around everyone. He noticed that no one in the congregation cared or paid attention to the ceiling. Either they are out of it, or this has happened before, he thought. Their lack of concern instilled confidence within him that the roof wasn't going to collapse.The golden-gloved priest reached into the bowl where the baby lay and seemed to be digging his gloved hand into something."Not the baby," Lora cried trying to keep her voice down. "What is he doing?"Steve glanced at his wife and whispered, "Hush! I don't know."The baby gave a cry as the head priest slowly withdrew his hand.In an instant the man's hand shot up and the crowd thundered its approval."What's he holding?" Lora asked. "It's moving."Steve didn't know what to say. He sat memorized by what he thought he saw. All he could do was stare in disbelief as red liquid flowed down the golden glove.The second priest held up the baby whose arms had once furiously thrashed the air. A bloody wet stain covered the baby's chest.Steve squeezed his wife's hand. "The kid doesn’t look any worse for wear." He said to relax himself. It didn’t work.Steve watched the gloved priest place whatever he held in his hand over the blazing fire. The baby sent a cry that made chills crawl up his back."What? What's happening," Lora cried as she turned her head and shut her eyes. The crowd of onlookers exploded in a thunderous ovation.Steve watched in horror as the child went limp. Lora tugged at his arm."I want to go," she cried. The sound of her voice gave urgency to her orders. "I want out of here. Now!"They slid along the pew until they came to the isle. He followed Lora out the doors and into the rain.The door closed behind them, and he heard the congregation erupt in excitement over whatever just took place. He and Lora kept walking and never looked back.He wondered to himself. This was not a circumcision.Chapter 3The President of the European Community, Daniel Von Resh, entered room C-422 on the critical care floor of the Ospedale Prince Celio hospital with the chief surgeon and a small entourage of political others, along with security, in tow. He studied his friend lying on a clean bed and blanket that belied the bloody bandages that allowed the massive wounds to weep. Two nurses and a doctor were busy attending Elijah and did not acknowledge Von Resh until the chief surgeon spoke to the attending doctor.Von Resh’s friend, Elijah, laid there unconscious and near death. The medical people were doing their best, and for two days they had worked to stabilize Elijah, but from what he understood it did not look very hopeful. He asked loud enough for all to here. "Will he survive?"The chief surgeon returned to Von Resh’s side and spoke softly and explained the situation. The attending doctor and nurses responded by going back to work. The doctor shot a quick glance in his direction and then went back to attaching gray wires to patches on Elijah's chest. Von Resh watched the doctor and nurses gently lifted Elijah onto one side. They studied the open wounds in the back. For now they were busy changing the bandages on Elijah’s chest as blood covered their gloved fingers. "I think we've got him stabilized from his wounds,” the chief surgeon said. “I just don't know about the infection."Von Resh studied the cardiac monitor that revealed the beating of his friend's heart. A blood pressure monitor inflated around the little man's right arm. A blinking red light came from the pulse oximeter reader that sat attached to his right index finger. Hanging from a IV stand, a 250cc bag of whole blood and a 500cc bag of saline solution slowly dripped through two tubes into each arm. Two pencil-thick blue oxygen tubes hung wrapped around Elijah's ears and lay inserted into his nostrils.Von Resh moved closer. He thought how pitiful the human body is when life goes bad. But he was here now. He'd not let his friend die.The doctor muttered something to a nurse who removed the blood soaked gauze from the bed. The nurse quickly laid a thick wad of fresh gauze under Elijah as the doctor settled Elijah onto his back. The doctor concentrated only on the two wounds in Elijah's left shoulder. He never really acknowledged Von Resh's presence.Slighted by the seeming lack of interest in his presence, Von Resh took console in that Elijah was being well cared for. He stepped out of the room and motioned for his ten counselors to get ready and for his security detail to remain outside. He went back into the room. Today, he thought, they will witness some real power. At the same time he motioned for his video man to ready his camera. No, his friend was not going to die, and he wanted the world to see this event.The sight of Elijah's drought face and paleness made the little man look old and frail. This was not good, but he heard the voice speaking clearly within his mind. "This crisis is not going to end in death, not with the powers I am about to reveal through you. Elijah will fulfill his tasks, his destiny. The world's religious leaders through the Ecclesiastical Council of Rome, will be under his control."Elijah had worked hard and unceasingly to unify the world's religions into one body. He and 400 others that accepted Elijah as thier spiritual leader, these prophets, under Elijah all worked with one purpose. That commission is to secretly obey the commands of the Adelphi foundation.As the final spiritual and financial leader of that foundation, he, Daniel Von Resh, will eventually control the directions that it and many other organizations followed. In turn Elijah and his 400 prophets will get the hearts of man. In time, and he knew that time was not far away, Elijah will dispense with the charade and take his rightful place as the world's principal religious leader. Elijah would be his second in command. The people will obey because they feared not to obey. This world would be his. All the power hungry men and women would soon follow his commands. The god he served will finally be free of Yahweh and His infernal interference.What a glorious day that will be. He will soon have the adoration due someone of his position. He will become the acknowledged God of this world. Von Resh got more excited as he thought. The body he used at this moment is only expedient for the moment. He'd arrange for another to take his place when the time was right. In a short few decades the engineering required to live forever will be unleashed. The personality and spirit of Von Resh will live forever, and he will offer this technology to the world. His followers will be free from the fear of death and disease.The nuclear war, they just went through, slowed down the research, but he'd get everything on track. Right now he needed to save Elijah. Von Resh quietly moved to the opposite side of the doctor and the nurse. The doctor and nurses finally looked up and acknowledged his presence. He sensed that they were trying to have something positive to report. He feared the worse, or was the fear they felt was a fear of him? The doctor said something to a nurse that escaped Resh's hearing."Herr Von Resh, you have arrived early. I'm Doctor Bretinelli. Let me explain what we are doing. We've stabilized the patient for the moment, but his vital signs are unstable. He is extremely weak. I'm afraid he's not improving. We have given him five units of blood to improve his complete blood count. Normally a man of his size and build carried a count of 45. When he arrived at the hospital, the hematocrit test revealed a count of 18."Von Resh knew enough to know that the combined blood count needed to rise to a safe level, or he'd lose Elijah."Rabbi Ben Yosaf," Bretinelli continues, "lost over fifty percent of his blood. A man with a weaker heart would not have survived. It is a miracle he is still alive. I also worry about infection. Anything might tip the balance against his recovery..."Von Resh listened as the doctor explained the damage from the two arrows. He really wanted the doctor to leave. Elijah lay too critically wounded to stand around talking. Mere mortals are such a bore. Yet, for the moment, he needed them. If he ever discovered the name of the man, or group that perpetrated this attack, he'd have them skinned alive and crucified. For a moment he delighted in the sight of a person being crucified. Three nails will do just nicely. For now he patiently concentrated on the doctor's detailed dissertation."The arrow entering the front did the most damage. It pierced and collapsed the right lung, nicked the pulmonary artery, and infected the body with bacteria from what appears to be human feces. Apparently the assailant defecated on the arrowhead before using it. We have given him antibiotics, but are having a difficult time controlling the infection.""Can you increase the dosage?" Von Resh asked softly."We are giving Rabbi Ben-Yosaf the maximum that he can accept. If we increase it anymore, we will surely lose him."Von Resh closed his eyes and listened for any instructions from the spirit that lived within him. The only words he heard were "This injury is not unto death." Resh went back to listening to the windbag in front of him explain more than he wanted to know."...The second arrow pierced the back and exited the front of his chest. It also fractured the second rib. We removed razor thin pieces of steel that splintered when it hit the bone. It looks like the steel was also infected. The rib will recover, though it might never be the same."The first arrow struck Elijah in the upper left chest, just below the clavicle. Witnesses have told us that Elijah personally removed the head from the shaft. Then he pulled the shaft out with his own hands. I don't understand it, but that wound has partially healed. Unfortunately it also trapped the bacteria. I've heard about his strange psychic powers. He also stopped his massive flow of blood. Whether this is good is debatable. This man is most unusual." Von Resh agreed with Elijah being unusual. He also possessed a strong spirit. He winced as he thought of Elijah going off and creating waves in Von Resh's plans. "This man is a fighter," he said. "Can I be alone with him?" Von Resh asked. He stood waiting until Bretinelli nodded approval."I'll only be a few minutes," Von Resh announced.Von Resh watched with satisfaction as the doctors and the two nurses finished their duties and left. Little did they know that the doctors will not be needed once he finished.The spirit within Resh spoke clearly to his mind. "Lay your hands on him and I will heal him. Bring in your advisors to provide the required ambiance. Make a video of the proceedings."Von Resh knew the voice. It was the voice of his God, the God of all the forces in this world. It was a voice; the very presence within him that wanted to take control of Von Resh's every action."Lay you hands on him and I will heal him," the voice said.Von Resh hesitated for another moment. What if I fail?"Do it now," the voice commanded more sternly.The voice insisted that Von Resh begin the healing process. Obeying, Von Resh turned and motioned for his advisors to enter the room."I have been commanded to lay my hands on Elijah," Resh said for all to hear. "The great God whom I serve, who in-fills me, says he will heal Elijah. We must obey. We must do it now. Circle the bed and help me channel our forces and energies into our friend."The advisors quickly pulled silk crimson robes from their attaché cases and slipped the robes over their business suits. In a few moments the ten formed a circle and held hands, forming a human chain around Elijah and Von Resh.Soon the room was filled with a unified hum as the advisors concentrated on clearing their minds. The humming relaxed Von Resh. Someday he'd be more powerful and not need his advisors, but until that day, he'd use them to bring about the inner peace he desired and let God flow through him.As the hum increased, the very walls of the room began to vibrate. His mind now penetrated a dimension that carried all the laws of the invisible and visible.He placed both hands on Elijah's chest. The voice said, "Rebuke the fever. Rebuke the infection. Rebuke the wound, and I will fill Elijah with light. Say, 'let Elijah be made whole and well. Let him be healed.' Then let them know that it is I, the Great I Am who lives forever and is now within you who performs this marvelous thing. This act will reveal to the world what real power is like. Everyone will follow you, and soon, they'll give you their hearts. Elijah will be your faithful servant. Through you and Elijah I will rule this world forever."Von Resh faithfully followed his orders. "I rebuke the fever," he said. "I rebuke the wound. By the power of the eternal one, I rebuke the infection."Bending men's minds to accomplish his will was one thing. Even floating in the air to impress and startle those who were mere mortal was only a trick, but to heal a mortally wounded person, now that took faith.Suddenly the doctor and nurse rushed into the room. Resh waved for them to stop. The sound of alarm bells were dinging in the hall. Other nurses and doctors arrived.He went back to concentrating on what needed to be done. Every doctor or nurse who entered the room were suddenly pinned to the wall by an invisible hand."Let Elijah be made whole and well," he commanded. "Let him be healed."He spoke with a conviction that came from beyond.A neon bright green glow filled the air surrounding Elijah. The glow then vanished within the stricken body.Immediately a greenish glow emitted from the entire length of Elijah's body.Resh placed his right hand on Elijah's front left shoulder. The unseen power within him ripped off the compress and the knitted skin parted. The power surging from Von Resh stung greatly but Resh forced his hand to stay in contact with Elijah."Stop!" Yelled Doctor Bretinelli. "What are you doing?""Stay where you are, Doctor. Today you will see amazing things. I assure you this is not some voodoo trick."Slowly and methodically Von Resh's fingers stiffen and enter Elijah's shoulder wound. The skin flowed around his fingers like it was made of water. Yet there was no blood flowing from the now open wound. His fingers sunk deeper until his fingers vanished within the liquid skin."Don't touch that wound," yelled Doctor Bretinelli. "You'll add to his infection."Von Resh gave Doctor Bretinelli a look that froze the Doctor in place. All watched in disgust as blood, water, and greenish-white pus oozed from the wound.The humming from his advisors became disjointed. He felt sure the ten were mesmerized by what was now taking place. Von Resh delicately removed his bloody hand and held it over Elijah.His fingers tingled with electricity and burned with heat. Elijah's body rose from the bed. Gasps of amazement came from the doctors and nurses standing at the door. Their commotion nearly caused him to lose concentration. "Quiet!" he commanded. Elijah's body gently rotated onto his belly. The leads from the cardiac monitor snapped loose and fell away.Von Resh continued holding his hand over Elijah's body as two of his advisors held the bags of blood and saline solution to prevent them from pulling the catheters from Elijah's arms.From the corner of his eye, Resh saw someone at the door holding a video camera. His own videographer was also busy. Security men kept the hospital staff from filling the room. Everyone at the door strained to see what was happening.Elijah now floated face down. Von Resh stripped off the bloody gauze covering the back wound. Again his right hand moved to the wound. Fingers touched four ugly lacerations where the arrow sliced into the body.His fingers stiffened again and penetrated the wound. Blood and more water spurted from the shoulder. His fingers probed deeper. Again the skin flowed around Von Resh's fingers as if water. The fingers continued to probe deeper. For a moment he almost withdrew his fingers. A face, he saw a vision of a man’s face. Elijah had turned and ran. The man with the face shot Elijah with the arrows. Von Resh waited, hoping to hear a name but none came.As his fingers probed deeper he heard a name, Peter Meirs. That name sounded familiar. He'd remember later. First he needed to save Elijah.Blood, water and a sickly looking liquid oozed from the wound. Von Resh wanted to close his eyes. The room began to spin, but fascination with the mystic surgery overwhelmed him.His wrist burrowed deeper into Elijah's back. To Von Resh it reminded him of sticking his hand into ground beef. More blood and pus oozed from Elijah's back. The tips of his fingers tingled as they moved. They penetrated a soft area.Elijah coughed up blood that splattered across Von Resh's suit. He ignored the mess and concentrated on what his fingers were doing. In his mind he saw the fingers skimming away infection and healing a lung.Green light pulsated from Elijah's body and grew brighter. Von Resh's fingers sank deeper into Elijah's body. Von Resh knew the known physical laws of physic had been set aside. The God he served operates in dimensions little understood by man.He felt his fingers stop moving and stiffen. Tingling with energy, the heat in his hands nearly forced him to draw away, but he dared not withdraw them. Perspiration flowed onto his eyes and greatly blurred his vision.The heat from his hand subsided. The vibration in his fingers ended. Von Resh sensed it was over. His wrist, then knuckles, reappeared. His fingers came out clean without blood. Von Resh watched through blurred vision the skin knit together. Only four thin red lines remained.He wiped his hand on the sheet, stepped back, and watched Elijah gently rotate onto his back and lower onto the blood-splattered bed. Resh wiped his face to clear his sight. He then went over to the sink and washed his hand.The glow from Elijah's body ebbed, and he waved for his ten councilors to end their humming. Removing their robes, the ten left the room. The crowd at the door parted to let everyone pass.Elijah opened his eyes and searched the room. Their eyes locked onto each other. Von Resh smiled and grasped Elijah's left hand with a slight squeeze."Welcome back," Von Resh said. "Rest. As for the man who wounded you, we'll find him. But before you do, I have good news for you." He bent close to Elijah's ear and whispered. "The city of Jerusalem has been internationalized under United Nations control, and the European Union is sending twenty thousand troops to insure peace. The Americans, also under U.N. authority have been given the task of protecting the Eastern borders. They will be stationed in Jordan. Everything you have worked for has been accomplished. In time we will control the country. You and I will change times and seasons and their god Yahweh will be relegated to a cult religion. Then He will be squashed like an ant."He watched Elijah smile and close his eyes. Von Resh then turning to the doctor standing behind him, he said. "You need to change his bedding and wash his body with a weak alcohol solution and virgin olive oil. Take good care of him. Remember – weak alcohol and virgin olive oil."Von Resh left the room, delighted that everything was being recorded. Millions will see what went on today. They will believe in me. He smiled with satisfaction. That will work well with the master plan. Now he hurried away. There was much to do. The city in space will soon appear. People will be frightened. He and Elijah will use their powers to unite the world. We must fight this alien invasion.As he walked down the hall to the waiting helicopter, he remembered something Elijah said. A name, someone called, Peter Meirs. Now he knew who to search for, but before he did, he’d study the police reports.If Peter Meirs is the assailant then Elijah will be like a bulldog and will never let go, especially if that thing or person is perceived to be an enemy. Von Resh thought for a minute. He’d leave it up to Elijah to get the search going. As for now, he’d file that name away in his memory. A time might appear when Peter Meirs might prove useful.Chapter 4 Safely aboard the Chios, two hundred miles east of the Italian coast, Pete sat at the ship's bar and tried to concentrate on the television monitor hanging on the wall. The news programs were loaded about the attack on Elijah. There was no indication that the authorities knew of his involvement. Not even a hint that they had any clues. They found the rope and blanket that he had used on the wall. Also on display was the crossbow and arrows, but no finger prints. The only thing of value in the report told of Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf being seriously wounded in an assassination attempt.The weasel now lay unconscious and in critical condition in some hospital. Pete had fully expected that he’d now be dead. Instead, what he heard on the television really disgusted him. How could he have survived?The only other bit of useful news was that the freighter was now passing the Greek Island of Zakhthos. So – unless something really different happens, he’s made good on his escape. Leaving Italy without the authorities stamping his passport and arresting him meant they were not looking for him and did not know his location. If someone was looking for him, they’d think he was still on the continent – unless they had access to government computers.On the other hand, he winced, if the authorities are onto him, they wouldn't let him know about it - not yet. Yet someone had leaked his military files. Elijah knew that he was born Sean Mickey O'Bradaish. They knew he had killed his father. Though they’d never did accept the fact that he was actually defending his mother from his father's never ending drunken rages, Pete felt sure the files never held information that he had hid out on the streets of Derry, Ireland. A member of the Republican Sinn Fein picked him up and sheltered him. To pay that debt he killed a man deemed a turncoat. He was twelve when that happened. Later he killed a major in the Irish Army. Then he killed a Police Colonel who beat his mother to death in an effort to get information about him. By thirteen, the IRA smuggled him out of Ireland to Chicago.Frustrated by the turn of events, he concentrated on the image reflecting back at him in the large mirror behind the bar. He looked like…Lora and Steve pestered him on his return from Rome for hours, wanting to know what happened, and why did he go. He determined not to answer their questions and keep them uninvolved. It was for their protection he reasoned.How can they tell anyone about the attempted murder if they didn’t know of any such involment?His plan to kill Elijah ended in a total screw up. The man somehow survived. How the feces placed on the blades didn’t do its job is really strange. If Elijah survives a week more, he grimaced at the thought, the hunter may soon become the hunted.Of course he had been the hunted before. When Military Intelligence took him out of the Marines, they sent him into the old Soviet Union. He found out later, after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991 that the KGB had been very close to capturing him. Then they assigned him to Turkey. The only killing he ever regretted was the killing of a stupid CIA man who had blown his cover in a Tbilisi bar. But that incident provided Intel with a wealth of information regarding the locations of the nuclear terrorist groups. That stint also burned him out. He had paid his debt to society via Military Intel. When it was over he vowed never to kill again. Well – so much for turning over a new leaf.After he moved to Denver, studying to become an archaeologist, he went to Israel. The only dead thing he ever wanted to be close too was at least a thousand years old. After the discovery of the Ark, there was that three and one-half day war with Israel. Those assassination attempts against Kendra were enough to wonder what was going on with his life. Before it all ended the obnoxious Elijah entered the picture and his life.The pig didn't deserve to live. Elijah had to be behind most of the attempts on Kendra's life. He had to be the man who wouldn't let him live in peace. He looked at the mirror and felt sad. Then he realized he was having a pity-party and started to chuckle. Pete felt convinced that Elijah was even responsible for the nuclear war that ignited in Israel and quickly spread through the world. This man personally caused the extinguishing at least a billion, maybe two billion lives. This was his guess that history will answer.Then Kendra and Esther vanished on this same boat as they traveled to Italy. He lost the two most precious people in his life. How he missed them. Even that renegade fragment of a comet captured by earth's gravity and smashing into southern China added to the misery everyone felt. That may have been a natural event, but the war was not. That war started with Elijah.He glanced at his image in the mirror again and froze. A contorted hatred sat on his face. Hatred, anger, and frustration, and his failure to kill the guy tore him apart.Guess you were right, he thought as the words Kendra spoke came to mind. Hatred is destroying me. Then he repeated, guess you were right.Another glance at the mirror and two bleary eyes stared back at him. "Judgment," he murmured, "God has pronounced judgment, and I screwed up. I really messed it up." Two hours ago, the Russian missile transport now converted to a Greek freighter, turned on its satellite receiver and picked up a CNN televised news report in English about Elijah. The man lay unconscious. If he awakes, Pete didn't give a hill of beans for his own miserable life.Numerous doctors were being interviewed. That runt lay an inch away from death. Then some guy, the president of the European Union comes along, speaks some hooky-poky nonsense, and Elijah's life takes a turn for the better. His stomach felt sick from the news.His eyes drifted over to Lora who sat two stools to his right, wading through a stack of notebooks and papers left behind by her sister, Kendra. On her right sat Steve, her husband. They all sat at the bar, keeping him as distant company."These notebooks are interesting," Lora said. "Pete, you should read them." She tapped the edges together on the bar to align them, and then spread them on the bar.He knew about the journals. At the end of every day, Kendra wrote about things important in her life. He just couldn't get himself to read them."She kept everything in chronological order," Lora said. "I've written an A, B, C, D, and E on the covers so we can find them easier. There is a lot about you."Pete glanced over and saw the 8x5-spiral notebooks lying on the bar. The journals revealed much about her life and thoughts over the last four years. Life never was dull with her around. Golly, how I miss her.Lora continued. "They began with her first vision in Aurora, near the mall.The Aurora Mall, Pete thought. Simpler times. Happier time.The first book probably detailed all she saw in that vision. Someday he'd read it, but not now. He imagined the book detailing her thoughts, the second vision, and her travels from Colorado to Israel, the attempts on her life by a bunch of terrorists, the earthquake, and the discovery of the Ark. He missed her too much to bring up all the memories. The last book, he guessed, probably ended just before she and Esther were taken away from him. He never did understand all that religious end-of-the-world stuff. The facts still remained; Kendra and Esther vanished in front of Lora's eyes. Can I be that wrong, he wondered?Right now, he thought, I'd love to hear her tell me about it one more time. He dropped the thought and tried to concentrate on reality and the drink before him. The two people in his life were gone. He had actually fallen in love with Esther, Kendra’s godchild. That little girl was innocent and full of wonder. That was a fact. He tried to kill Elijah. That's a fact. The man survived. He groaned, that is one fact he hated to bring himself to accept. Now feeling like a ship without a rudder, the weight of his failure rested fully on his shoulders. That too seemed to be his dismal fate for not getting the job done.Vision blurred by tears that came with his thoughts, and he fought to stymie his emotions.For a moment the hurt brought to life dormant feelings of when his step-father abandoned him at the orphanage.He blinked his eyes and quickly squelched the hurt. He downed another drink without stopping. The drink had lost its flavor and sting. His mind cleared or did it dull? He needed another drink.Raising his empty glass, he motioned for a refill.Kendra's face appeared before his eyes and despair swept him away. "How dare you vanish and leave me alone," he whispered. Tears now rolled down his cheek.A sweet smelling sea breeze brushed his face. It felt good. A moment later it vanished, just like her.Studying the reflection in the mirror, he saw perspiration dripping from his skin. He looked okay. His hair was messy, but that was it. Yet he felt like another drunk on the way down.Glancing past Lora he saw the others, so many others. The bar seemed crowded, not because of partying. Just the opposite, it was a time for immense sadness.The Great War ended a two weeks ago, just the way it began, without fanfare, and very little warning. It ended just as quickly. It had to end, because to continue was true insanity.He sneered at the wine in his glass. "Yeah, what has ever stopped people before," he said in a slur.He studied the full glass of wine the bartender just filled. It’s time to stop. Now, he planned to pick up the pieces and get on with living. Getting out of Italy, away from Elijah, was only a beginning.It was a time to survive, and he hated it. He hated being alone. He hated everything, and he hated himself. Mostly he hated not being able to kill Elijah.The books scattered in front of Lora recaptured his attention. Kendra knew he'd take care of himself. He proved that too many times to mention. All anyone needed to do was count the scars on his body. Ex-marine sniper, hand-to-hand martial arts expert, he knew how take care of himself. He could fight and kill with the best of them.Staring at the glass of wine, Chianti he thought, but wasn't sure anymore. The unceasing rumble of the ship's engines gave him a sense of security. A new life lay ahead, even if it might be short.Slowly tightening his fingers around the glass, he picked it up, studying the dark red liquid.What number was this; seven, eight? It dawned on him that he lost count. It didn't matter anymore; besides, it made him feel, nothing. At the same time he felt tired.His nose and cheeks had lost the sensation of touch a long time ago.He looked sadly at the others at the bar; fear and confusion written across their pitiful faces. They were trapped, just like him.Those who lived close to Italy might surely find their way home. Why they choose to head for Israel escaped him. Besides, thinking made his head throb.He needed another drink, but it was time to stop. He gave a salute to the barkeep then nudged Lora.She didn't say a word, but laughed at Pete. “The four percent in you seems to be winning,” she said with laughter.Pete looked at her without saying a word.A clock chimed two, two in the afternoon. He lowered his arm and looked around, searching for the source of the sound. He expected to find a huge grandfather clock nearby. There wasn't a clock in sight. He presumed the sound came from another room.He thought about the sounding of two o'clock. It meant something, but it took too much energy to think.Raising the glass to eye level, he saw an ugly person staring back.Rage inflamed him when he realized that the image he saw was him. He'd become just like his mother, hooked on drugs.Rearing back, he grasped the glass to destroy the image. All the pain from his childhood was unleashed before his eyes.The face vanished. Something thumped his back. The jar didn't hurt. Nothing hurt. He lay there trying to focus at a cobweb of something. On his back, he realized that he now lay on the floor. Someone pushed him off his seat.Lora and Steve stared down at him. Both were laughing their heads off.“That’s good,” he slurred and tried to lift an arm. It was the first time he saw Lora laugh since the war. She always seemed to be crying over something - anything.“Help me up,” he slurred again and fell back and lay on the floor. Determined to rise and give them a piece of his mind, he tried to move, but nothing worked.He stared at Steve, and then watched him fade away. Where did he go? Where was Lora? Even she was gone. His head hurt. He felt sick.He needed help. They'd help.Stunned, he found himself in a meadow of tall grass. The colors seemed bright and alive. The greens were greener. The flowers sprinkled throughout the grass were brilliant and full of life.On the other side of the field lay a sun lit hill. He looked a little higher and noticed the rich blue sky.On top of the hill two people stood waving at him. They were trying to get his attention. He looked around, saw no one else. He waved back.He started walking, but the thickness of the lush grass slowed his movement. They continued waving. He pushed aside more grass. Even being exhausted, a thought occurred that he knew them. Energized he pushed on.It felt good to inhale the fresh air. He felt warm all over. His eyes started to feel heavy - then cursed darkness - then nothing.Chapter 5The dock came up a little too fast for Pete's liking. Concrete has a way of messing up the side of a ship. He gripped the railing, hoping the harbor pilot and Captain of the Chios knew what they were doing. At least they wouldn’t sink far from land.The freighter came alongside pier 12A in Tel Aviv harbor and stopped its sideward slip six feet from the concrete dock. He loosened his grip and relaxed. “Now that’s experience,” he said with admiration for the pilot.”From aft and stern the lead lines were thrown and the ship gently edged closer by the ground crew till the ship gently kissed the rubber bumpers attached to the dock. Pete scanned the area for police or military, anyone who’d appear to be waiting – especially for him. A few were seen, but everyone seemed to be preoccupied with other duties. A few longshoremen handling the ropes and others were working to secure the ship or get things ready for disembarking. Everything seemed to be normal. No one showed an overly interest in the ships arrival other than dock-hands. When they entered the harbor Pete imagined a greeting party holding out a police banner with his name on it. Now that he didn't see one, he didn't know if he should be elated or wary. He chose to be wary, but no more than his normal self.He did spy a small group of TV cameramen and some men being interviewed over on the sea wall. Other than that, it was business as usual. Off to the right sat a large white building with a large sign in front of it reading "CUSTOMS AND IMMAGRATION". The police might be waiting for him at customs. Once he entered the building he’d have to go with the flow.Earlier he entertained the thought of jumping ship out by the seawall, but rejected that idea as a foolish act of a desperate man. Harbor security, always watchful, would easily see his splashes within minutes after entering the water, and those TV cameras would show him on the evening news.The only thing workable was to now walk bravely forward, and act as natural as possible. He'd play it calm, cool, and collected. He’d been through customs enough to know the procedure.Fifteen minutes after he entered customs he'd either be in custody or he’d be walking out a free man.A day out from Tel Aviv, the ship's television reported strange happening in a hospital room attending to a dying Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf. At first Pete felt relief and elation. Someone with a video recorder captured Elijah floating above his bed. Some guy named Von Resh stood next to him, performing voodoo surgery with his fingers. The news report next told of Elijah being in a coma. His fever and infection had vanished. Pete thought about hiding out in the Jordanian desert, if he made it that far. Either way he felt the need to read all about the thing that occurred in Italy. It was depressing.There was no telling how long he had until Elijah came after him. Pete hoped one of his feces carrying arrows would finally kill Elijah, but no, along comes Mister Magic and saves the weasel from certain death. Some days everything goes wrong.He studied the dock area again and saw nothing suspicious. Still the tension within him didn't leave. He hyperventilated until he felt dizzy. That gave him the results he wanted. The stress churning within released its grip but never truly left.Turning back to the interior of the ship he saw Lora and Steve exiting the passageway from the cabins. Both carried an armful of luggage. It was obvious they did not hear the command over the ship's intercom. "All luggages must be left outside their stateroom to be picked up by the purser. Looking like a bunch of tourist they carried everything to the gangplank, sat it all down, and walked onto the dock. They'd retrieve everything at customs and immigration.He smiled and chuckled at their efforts and went to help just as the ship's purser arrived."Please leave you baggage here," said the purser. "We will take them ashore for you." The purser ripped off the bottom half of the claim identification slips and handed them to Steve. Then affixing the main body of the tags to the luggage, he lifted the bags onto a cart and left."We'll pick them up in customs," Pete said with a smile as he approached and nodded for them to follow. "Time to go.""They won't lose anything?" Lora asked with urgency."Everything will be waiting for you," Pete answered coolly. It might be irradiated, but it won’t be glowing. He watched her eyes follow the vanishing bags as they enter an elevator. "Let's get this ordeal over with." He hustled everyone to the gangplank, spied no one watching him, and gallantly led the way to customs like he hadn’t a care in the world."Look!" Lora cried. Her eyes were fixed on a man scratching at his face. "His face, there was something familiar about him."Pete felt the tension jump up within him. He stopped walking and tried to pay attention to her concern. Were the police coming for him? His eyes followed Lora's stare. At the same time he looked around. Seeing nothing unusual, he then saw the man's face. It was covered with huge boils. "He looks awful. What's happening to him? Do you know him?"He looked for the purser and the disappearing luggage. Crewman and some of the dockhands were almost hysterical over something happening to their bodies. Whatever it was, Pete sensed that it was a great time for him to leave. He turned to Lora and Steve. "I'll meet you past customs."Ignoring the commotion from those on the dock, he headed for his unknown fate. Walking through the large sliding doors leading to customs, he entered a large room. Inside he saw members of the crew placing his bags on the floor. Some too were frantic about the growth of boils on their bodies. He showed his claim check to security. His bags had been inspected and carried the yellow sticker to prove it. Then he lifted his bags and hurry away. Someday he’d buy some bags with wheels.He gave a final glance back, partly to see if the police followed. Steve and Lora entered the building. The police he saw were more interested in something else other than him. Once he appeared invisible to a waitress. He hoped he was invisible now.Only one customs agent waited for him and she sat in her booth waiting for the entry declaration form he carried. She sat scratching her skin. Pete thought about waiting for Lora and Steve to catch up, but the customs agent was visibly agitated and motioned him forward.If he is to be arrested, the police will be surrounding him at any moment."Boils," someone yelled. "I’m breaking out in boils."Pete saw the customs agent motion him forward again. He held his breath. Two policemen entered the area from an office and walked toward him.Pete tried not to look as they came near. Fighting will be useless. He gritted his teeth and waited.A thump from the customs official made Pete look down. The blue seal of Israel lay stamped on a blank page in his passport. Pete watched a boil slowly form on her forehead. The two policemen hurried past and exited the sliding doors to the dock.Pete closed his eyes for a moment and tried to be sneaky in taking a deep breath. His left hand was shaking. That is the one Elijah’s men had pinned to the fender of a car with an ice pick. A smile lifted the right corner of his lips and he tried breathing without hiding the movement. “You’ve got a boil growing on your forehead” he pointed out to the customs official. “Are you alright?” he asked as the agent paid more attention to what was happening to her than to Pete.He looked at the customs agent with widening eyes. Another huge red boil appeared. This time it was on her right cheek. The agent reached up and touched her face. Pete stood watching as another boil appeared on her neck."Are you really okay," he asked again with honest concern?He looked at the three boils and hoped that she was more distracted from questioning him than about why he was visiting Israel.He left customs and walked to a bench and waited for his friends. Whatever was affected the custom agent caused her to hurry up the process for the line waiting to be granted entry. He had never entered Israel without a barrage of questions. Did someone pull some strings for him? It appears no one knows of what happened in Italy, and the boils were clearly something unexpected. As for the customs agent, her growing problems were his good fortune.Yet there was something going on that he didn’t understand. Was it infectious? He got off the bench hoping he didn’t catch anything.Chapter 6 Pete marveled as he stared across the sculptured grounds of the Monya Plaza Hotel from his third floor window. It had been five months since he came ashore. The war has been over about six months, and the flower garden looked as if it was untouched. Even with a gardener worked among a large flower-bed doing whatever a gardener does, nothing looked well kept.The hotel Monya Plaza had not yet filled and rooms were available for him and his friends. Everyone who possessed the financial means preferred to stay at one of Tel Aviv's higher luxury hotels that lined the coast. They were the survivors who were surviving with style. He preferred to have a little bigger room with as little expenses so as make their money travel a little farther. Who knows how long they’d be in Israel.They all had enough money for now, sort of, but his was located in a German bank a thousand miles from here. Lora and Steve inherited theirs from Lora’s sister Kendra. She too now had a sizeable account in a German bank. Why He and Kendra picked a German bank came about mainly from their European speaking tours. As for it being a German bank. That turned out to be an act of good fortune. So with their accessible wealth that held its value after the world economies faltered, especially the American economy, they had enough for maybe another seven or eight years before it all ran out. They fully expected to be back home long before that happened. For now, they were here and home was five thousand miles away. They’d leave the future travel plan to the American Embassy.He looked at his nice room and felt pleased. Even Lora and Steve like theirs. With a little persuasion he had talked Lora into seeing it his way and staying here. He felt pretty nice when she admitted she liked the hotel. After all she was the one with the largest bank account. He spent a lot of his speaking income on a small ranch just east of Denver. It was his little piece of heaven on earth.Now Lora and Steve were living off the foresight of her younger sister. Actually the money had been in a Swiss account, but the American government made it so difficult that Kendra as well as he moved theirs to Germany only months before the economic crash. Three hundred thousand in gold-backed German Marks can go a long way today, but even it won’t last forever. Their money, he thought. He, Lora and Steve owed their financial where-with-all to the planning of a girl he never married and no one took his and Kendra’s relationship serious."Thank you, Kendra," he said. “In a way I wish I was with you.”He stared for a moment out the window. Beyond the grounds he could actually make out the Tel Aviv Marina. Luxury yachts of all sizes and a huge number of smaller boats of every size filled all available spaces. To find an empty slip became impossible the day after the war. That was six months ago. The affects of clouds of radiation had already subsided except in a few noted locations. From what he read in the newspapers, even the plagues of boils that strangely appeared were subsiding.The two men who claim they brought on that plague were nowhere to be found, though he heard something about them saying the oceans will become bloody when they return. He studied the marina. It didn’t look blue, but it didn’t look red either "I'd be embarrassed if I made such a ridicules claim, especially on TV." He muttered to himself. "I can't blame them for hiding. They have to be embarrassed to show their faces." He thought for awhile, "What a bunch of kooks."A knock at the door sent chills up his spine. An initial reaction he had developed since Italy. His first thought was that the police were here to arrest him.The local television had carried the healing of Elijah in the hospital too many times. After seeing it a dozen times, he felt sick. This Von Resh guy doing his voodoo operation with his bare hands nauseated him. By rights, Elijah should be in his grave. Instead, the little jerk is still walking around.Fatalistically, he walked to his fate with a slight air of depression hanging over him. The person outside knocked again. He almost yelled for them to quit before he finally opened the door. It took all he had to hold his temper. A quiet sigh of relief came with the sight of Steve and Lora."What's up?" he asked, trying to sound upbeat and letting the tension subside."Breakfast buffet," Steve said with a slight grin."Come-on," scolded Lora. "You look terrible. We've been waiting for you. Let's go before the foods gone."He smiled though his eyes revealed an empty spirit. Enough of this whining, he thought, enjoy life, and your freedom, while I still have it.By evening he felt a little better. Though the hotel warned him not to walk around at night because of the possibility of crime, he didn’t heed the warning. Instead of taking the warning to heart, and maybe a little too sure of himself, that evening, after dinner he decided to walk to the marina and along the beach. He kept hearing that the sea might turn red from a Red-Tide of some sort. The warnings about taking a nighttime stroll came back to haunt him only two blocks away.The sounds of following footsteps made the hair on his neck rise. The next available working street light sat a couple of hundred feet away. If he made it past that he'd be able to turn around a see his maybe pursuers as they came under the glow of the light.Hurrying without running he nearly made it to the light when two men stepped out of the shadows in front of him."Hey Mon, you got a light?"The Jamaican accent sounded out of place for the East Coast of the Mediterranean. Pete guessed the man came from one of the boats in the harbor. The footsteps that followed came closer and stopped. A side glance behind him revealed two men standing maybe six feet away. Both hung their right hand along their sides. Glints of light from a knife blade told him all he wanted to know.Suddenly his night vision and hearing improved. They didn’t call him Wolf for nothing. It was a trait that he liked and had served him well throughout his life. Four to one, he thought. The life he liked might just be coming to end real soon. Now he saw their faces. One was black and three were white. They continued to move closer. The forth man, the one who talked with a Jamaican accent had dark skin and long straight hair. A bull of a white guy with big bones stood beside him. Now there was someone you didn’t want to meet in a dark alley. The Jamaican asked again. "U got a light mon?" He put extra emphasis on the “U”.The last thing Pete was going to do was let any of these clowns get that close to him."I don't want any trouble," Pete said, knowing that his very words would probably excite these jerks. They'd probably think of him as being frightened out of his wits. Well he did feel frightened, a little, but not blinded by fear. He decided to add to their perception of him being an easy prey, maybe egg them on. Besides, he really needed to blow off some steam. The failure in Italy just kept gnawing on him, and this Jamaican guy was beginning to irritate him. "I ain't got any money mon," Pete answered back in his best sarcastic Jamaican imitation."Too bad, mon," came the equally nasty sounding reply. "But we don't believe ya. If we find u lie, I'm going to peal you like a banana.""You got to be Jamaican, mon," Pete chided on purpose. With vision vastly improved, he made out the man’s features. Maybe six foot six, slightly pudgy, but the muscles in his chest looked strong. His arms looked strong, though not very muscular. Maybe his weight ran between two-fifty to less than three hundred pounds. This was not a guy to be gentle with. His dislike of the man grew by the second. Even the guy’s skin stunk. "You just get off a banana boat mon? Me think you need a bath. I heard that the fungus killed off most of the bananas? You must be getting desperate. Maybe you ought to go home and sleep it off."Pete sensed the increased rage building in the Jamaican’s countenance and waited for the first move. The madder this guy got. The madder they all may get. The better it will be for him.The Jamaican rushed forward in a flash. Pete saw the blind hatred in the guy's eyes. A butterfly knife spun open in the Jamaican’s right hand. He also heard the footsteps behind him.Instead of cowering as expected, Pete rushed to meet Jamaica as the other three men closed in on each side. He parried the Jamaican’s right hand and grabbed the man's wrist, twisted, and pulled down.He had the Jamaican off balance from the guy’s own action. The hand holding the knife stretched forward momentarily limp as one of the others thugs came up from the left. The Jamaican, the limp wrist, the outstretched knife, worked with the tightening reaction from the guy’s arm and muscles as he tried to regain his balance. This allowed Pete to slash upward against the man behind Pete. The knife sliced into that guy’s neck and cheek – slicing open the skin – hopefully to the bone. A glimpse from Pete saw a deep gash quickly appear, and blood quickly spilling out. Pete hoped he dug deep. That thug quickly became more interested in his own welfare. One down, three to go. Somehow Pete spied the next guy stopping and step back for a moment.The man he cut let out a yell and disappeared into the darkness. Pete knew the butterfly knife in the Jamaican’s hand had dug deep into the guy's face.Without slowing, he now attacked the White Bull, who was swinging his big fist very fast. A fast round kick to the Bull's face hit hard and then went into the groin. The force stunned the attacker and spun the man to the side. Dazed, the Bull staggered and stood there with that precious amazed look that Pete always loved to see. Pete had used the Jamaican’s strength and weight for balance for this attack. Now he concentrated on the Jamaican and the one who followed. The butterfly knife came loose from the off-balance Jamaican hand and now stuck out of the Bull’s stomach. The thug fell backwards. Two down.A savage blow hit Pete behind his right ear. Dazed, Pete rolled away and ended up standing on his feet. He came up just as the Jamaican threw a second round-house kick toward Pete’s head. Pete caught the foot as it extended. He quickly sidestepped into the Jamaican. Kneed the groin and hooked the right leg. He dumped Jamaica Mon backwards onto the pavement. Pete used all his weight to slam the man’s head into the concrete. Then he grabbed the dazed Jamaican’s wrist and twisted – hoping something might break. Three down was all he thought as he played this game.Without a moment of loss, Pete stepped around the fallen Jamaican and snapped a foot into the man's groin. Still holding the Jamaican’s wrist he had total control and was able to keep the guy in pain. Without thinking, Pete bent the wrist down and heard a faint snap. This had to really hurt, he thought with a grin. Two more times, at full power, he thought as he worked the wrist. A quick kick with other foot as Pete pivoted in mid-air and the Jamaican’s head rocked to the side. The guy was out for the count.Three down. Pete thought.Without waiting, he attacked the forth man as the Bull, with butterfly knife now in his hand had somehow made it to his feet. Pete hit the fourth man in the throat. The guy’s eyes bulged as he grabbed his throat with his hands, trying to breathe. Now it was back to the Bull.The Bull jabbed straight at Pete’s chest. Pete sidestepped, grabbed the man’s wrist, and did a somersault in mid air, kicking the man in the jaw in mid flight. The Bull fell backward onto the ground. Pete saw his chance.Pulling the man’s arm straight out and extending it, Pete slipped down onto the ground. One foot smashed into the Bull’s neck and stretched outward while pushing down. The other slid under the man’s armpit. He pulled the Bull’s arm straight and brought it over Pete’s stomach. Without a moment of thought, Pete shoved up with his stomach. Bull’s elbow snapped as pretty as a dry twig. The Bull let out a scream. Pete then let go, jumped to his feet, and pulled the knife out of the man’s now useless hand. Feeling no mercy, Pete stuck the knife back into the man’s stomach. The Bull lay on the ground in utter misery and shock. With the knife in his stomach, he cried out for help, and holding his now useless arm with the other. None came.A car, without lights, sped up and the driver-side door swung open. Pete saw the front end of a gun pointing at him. It was a large caliber silencer. Someone was about to gun him down. The details of the front end said that this was a professional well made devise. His eyes saw all the details.He rushed to the fourth man standing confused and trying to breathe. He reached the man, and spun the stunned would-be attacker around by the shoulder. Pete positioned the goon between him and the shooter just as the person with the silencer opened up. Most of the bullets went off to the left. Yet a few hit the stunned attacker in the back. He pushed the man backwards into the shooters door and let the man fall from his grasp. The gun must have also fallen from the shooters hand as the guy or girl reached down for something. The driver side door slammed shut and the window then came down. Pete ducked behind the car and spied the Bull, now standing there holding his stomach and arm. He looked so sad. The silencer appeared again. This time it stuck out the window. The Bull limply tried to get to the car, but the silencer spoke again. Listening to the slide recycle with every shot he saw the Bull take two slugs in the face. It was bad day for the Bull. The guy lying in front of him, now maybe dead and useless for cover took another bullet. So much for him being a tough guy. As for the Bull now lying on the ground, off to his side, well Pete didn’t have time to think about it, but in a way he really felt sorry for the guy. The shooter had killer two of his henchmen. A third ran off with blood gushing out of what may have been an artery. The forth, Jamaica mon, was hard to find – maybe he was now in front of the car.Knowing he was next with the bullets, Pete hurried away and dropped to the ground, rolling into the darkness. An order came from the car. The Jamaican came to the passenger side of the car still holding his wrist. Pete now knew that he had broken it for sure. Jamaica made it to the door just as a burst of muffled bullets cut him down.The ruthless guy with the gun had just killed three of his own men. Pete watched the car speed away. The attack seemed to end as quickly as it had begun. Pete stared into the darkness. Maybe he was safe for now. He scurried to the side of a building, far from the light, and waited. He must have crouched there for five minutes before moving. It took that long also for the tension raging inside to subside. His vision and hearing also returned to normal. He was always grateful for the skills and inherent traits he possessed but this was getting crazy. Four guys came after him and three were killed by someone who didn’t want them around. He suspected the police would find the forth man someplace close by with his throat cut. He knew that too had to be in the cards for the man who ran away. He’d be dead in a short time.With cloth torn and splattered with blood, Pete retrieved his strength, stood, and hurried back to the hotel. Ever since he met Kendra life has never been the same. When will normalcy ever return, he asked himself? As he walked he thought out what he’d do. First he'd report the attack when he felt safely in the hotel's lobby. Then after he got to his room, he'd call an old friend, Lieutenant Goombi. Hopefully the man still remembered him.*When he entered the hotel, the sight of his bloody clothing created no small stir in the lobby. After reporting the attack he made his way to his room. He'd tell Steve and Lora the story in the morning. Right now he needed a shower.Using his pass card to unlock the door to his room he pressed down on the handle - then froze. The small piece of scotch tape stuck between the door frame and door had come loose.Instantly he dove to the floor and away from the door. He sat there for a moment, looking back, and then saw the explosion. The walls on both sides of the door blew into the hallway and the door itself splintered. Someone had booby-trapped his room. At first thought Pete guessed it was the same ones who attacked him in the street. Apparently the meeting had been well planned. The image of Elijah flashed across his thoughts. The little weasel was after him. Life was really getting complicated.As other guest opened their door to see what had just happened, Pete took the elevator down to the lobby. He'd clean up in the restroom next to the dining area. The hotel can call the cops.CHAPTER 7 “It has been over five months since we were here last,” Rabbi Goan said.Rabbi Ramsel nodded his head. “Yes it has. We stood on this very jetty and watched that freighter called Chios steam into the harbor. “And we haven’t.” Rabbi Goan replied,” understood what that ship had or carried that the Lord commanded us to be here at that very time it was docking.”Rabbi Goan glanced at Rabbi Ramsel then turned and spoke to the reporters that followed them. “As you remember,” he said with a louder voice and faced the two television cameras that were pointing at him. “We both stood on this very sea jetty that is guarding the south side of the Tel Aviv harbor.” “It was important then,” Rabbi Ramsel said. “It is also important now. It is time to let you all know what the second part of our last curse will be.” A bevy of news reporters and cameramen moved forward in anticipation. They did not want to miss a word, especially if they said something stupid. Rabbi Goan waited for the crowd to settle down then he continued. "I have asked you to meet with us here at the harbor for a very important statement. I am glad that you came. We, Rabbi Ramsel and I are here to proclaim the second plague in the final seven judgments from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As you may or may not remember, I told you earlier that the great nuclear war we all just experienced, I called it the “GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF WRATH FROM THE MESSIAH”, also known as the day of the wrath of Yeshua A’Mashiak. He is the one you who are stiff neck about and have always rejected.” Microphones on their extensions shoved closer toward the rabbi as television cameramen moved around as they and their reporters vied to get unrestricted views of the rabbis. "That old fox Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf is only the latest of the many who have constantly deceived you,” interrupted Rabi Ramsel. “He has joined forces with your EU president, Daniel Von Resh. The healing extravaganza you have all seen of Rabbi Elijah is not from God, but is a manifestation of the power of the Evil One. Mister Von Resh is not God nor does he speak for God. He is a mere man supernaturally endowed with the powers of the evil one."Calvin Riskin of Channel 2 asked. "Are you stating that these men are evil and possessed, that Rabbi Elijah is not a follower of the Torah?"Rabbi Ramsel ignored the question and continued. "They have received their power for a season. All who follow them will find themselves in a catastrophe of no return."Riskin moved closer as he thought about President Von Resh. “The man is the leader of the European Commission, and his ideas on world recovery have been well received. Even the Americans believe his plan is the best way to provide for those who survived the war. The well being of billions of lives hangs in the balance.” Yes, he thought, there has to be more important things to do than listen to some crazy rabbis craving television coverage. He composed himself and asked. "What are these seven judgments,” he asked? “You and Rabbi Goan are always bringing them up."Rabbi Goan answered. "You are a man after my own heart. You come to the point, and you seek truth." He removed the backpack he carried and pulled out a goat hair cloak. After attaching the material over his shoulders, Rabbi Goan raised his hand to stop further questioning. "Today, this very hour, we have been ordered by the Spirit of the living God to execute this next judgment. Once we are through with all of them, this world will come under the rule of El Shadi, the eternal one."Murmuring broke out among those attending with that announcement.Rabbi Goan removed from the backpack a small plastic bag. He lifted out a handful of black soot and threw it in the air."From this moment on, wherever the winds flow, in time this soot will settle on all the waters of the world. There will be no exceptions. Those who have accepted the laser tattoo ordered by the World Trade Union, and the European Union will watch as their rivers, lakes, and reservoirs all turn red as you saw with the seas, as you have felt with the boils. This curse is demanded to be for those who have polluted the world and who have followed after the evil ones.”Riskin interjected, “What about those who have never polluted the world? Must they also suffer? What about all the sea life that has died already?”Rabbi Goan had his answer ready. “All you have felt the wrath of Messiah. Many have turned to the Lord and repented of their evil. The Lord knows how to take care of His own. Now the world that has rejected and not repented will again feel the wrath of the great God YAWAEH. This will not be an easy time for all those who live. Millions will suffer for their foolishness and rejecting of the Messiah before His wrath was first unleashed. Turn back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Reject your evil ways, people of the world, repent and be saved. If you do not, it is proclaimed that you must suffer all these curses without any protection for the rebellion in your hearts."Riskin moved closer and asked. "What will they suffer from? Those in Israel have been reported to have already suffered from some freakish boils. And the fishing industry has practically been destroyed. Are you saying that this latest curse will now spread worldwide? Nations need the foods from the seas. This is not right. What you are about to do will be called by many as insane.”Rabbi Ramsel held up his hand to stop further questioning. "Boils breaking out their skin got their attention five months ago. That is good, but it is now time that the rest of the world feel the next curse from the wrath of God. First with the Jew and then with the rest of the world. Israel will be the first to endure this plague for one week. The Jews first and then the rest of mankind must follow. The world may ignore what is about to happen and harden their hearts as with the last curse. This must stop. These rebels against acknowledging YAWAEH will soon bring the Rod of The Lord down upon them. For the millions who are now seeking God they too must suffer for their delay, but I pray that they will have the strength to hold onto God and His Christ. Today, the curse of the soot will break forth on all the fresh waters of the world. The people’s craving for fish to eat has not been satisfied. Now their craving for fresh water to drink will not be satisfied. There will be great misery in all lands."A microphone shoved closer. "Will there be those areas not affected? How about the lakes and streams?" asked the reporter holding the nearest mike?"You were not listening. Yes! Only the Lord controls what areas will not be affected. A curse is announced that will affect even the drinking water people drink. Blood you have shed, blood you will drink.""Did you get this dust from God?” Riskin's face tightened as he suppressed his grin."This dust is nothing. The soot is from a chimney," someone yelled."Is there any religious significance to the dust," another asked?Rabbi Goan held up his hand. "It is a symbol of the filth you have accepted and no more," Goan answered."When will this water stuff end?" asked Riskin."In four days the winds will travel around the world. Some of you standing before me will be astonished by the speed. Some of you will no doubted rush out and buy all the bottled water that you can store. Within this very hour the curse of this soot will descend. I suggest you, and all who hear, do not delay. Store enough water for two weeks for you and your families."Riskin studied his notes then asked. "Moses, when he led the people out of Egypt, preformed great fêtes. Are you equal to our father Moses?"Rabbi Goan became visibly irritated with the question. "I am one who has come to prepare the way of the Lord,” he replied. “I am a servant of the Most High God. Rabbi Ramsel and I only do the bidding of the Lord. For 1260 days we have been given the authority to plague the world with whatever curse we deem suitable. We first started preaching repentance. That was ignored. Now God’s patience has been exhausted. First the plague of boils that lasted five months. Now is the plague on the seas and the waters. Many will see and turn to the one true God. Those who repent and turn from their wickedness will know the truth, but for those who reject the truth, their rebellion to evil will continue until the righteous one of God, the Messiah, is revealed."Rabbi Goan held up his hand to stop all further questions. "This interview is over. In another month we will be here, on this very jetty. The plague has already begun.” He looked at the sea water. “This is only the beginning. As for the rest of those to come, if they were not shortened no life on this planet would survive. This is a very serious time for all mankind. Do not ignore God and that which takes place."Riskin thought about the laser tattoo he carried on his right hand. The inscribed code identified him from all the others in the world. The unique identifier was better than any credit card. No one could steal it from him. He felt safe, and he didn't worship anyone. Only Rabbi Elijah and E.U. President Von Resh held out and offered the hope of a speedy recovery after the war. He'd rather place his trust in these men. As for the crazy two Rabbis, the news directors sent him to interview, ask questions, and try to incite, well he got the assignment done. To Riskin, these Rabbis were just two more of the delusional hundreds that he’s been reporting on.Rabbi Goan motioned for Rabbi Ramsel to follow as they walked the shoreline. Riskin and his cameraman followed as they scratched at their body. Other reporters and their camera crews walked briskly with the two Rabbis, shoving microphones before their faces and throwing questions without waiting for answers."What did you do?" one reporter asked while walking briskly in front of the Rabbis. “Why have you used soot? Why not a walking stick? Moses used a rod made of wood.”"Is it really going to happen, that dust you threw in the air?" another person asked. "Is it magical?"Calvin Riskin stopped walking and turned to his cameraman. "I have to leave." He scratched his chest and hurried away. The effects of boils, though diminishing, had not totally vanished."Judgments have begun," Rabbi Goan said and looked into the nearest camera. First we’ve had the holocaust of the global nuclear war. Now the final chapters in man’s rebellion are rapidly approaching and being played out."How long will the seas stay bloody? Will the Sea of Galilee be affected? Is anyone safe? When will it all go away?" asked the reporter in front of Rabbi Goan."Soon," Rabbi Goan replied as he continued walking."How soon? One day! One week! One month!""I warned everyone that it will last for a week. If men do not turn their hearts to God, a third judgment will occur when we are told to proclaim the time. It will be done, and I know you will not obey. Your hearts are still hardened and your souls are controlled by rebellion. Man has always been stubborn. I can only warn those who will listen. Do not take the laser tattoo that is being required by the World Trade Organization, the E.U., and the United Nations. Do not follow after these men of perdition.""And who are these Men of Perdition?""Pay attention to what is going on in the world around you. You will know," answered Rabbi Ramsel.Rabbi Goan's eyes followed Calvin Riskin as he and his cameraman hurried to their car. "Very few,” he said to the remaining reporter, “will believe and very few still will change their hearts. Yet millions will be saved. What has been written must be fulfilled. All must take place as predicted. As you know, the prophecies of the bible are legendary for accuracy. This will be no different."Another reporter came up to him. He had been recording the change to the sea water. The man asked a question. "What will be your next trick? What will you do next? Can you repeat anything you do in a laboratory? Aren't you two supposed to be wearing sackcloth?"Rabbi Goan and Rabbi Ramsel looked at each other in disappointment. Neither man answered the question.Rabbi Goan asked the reporter a question. "Will you always have hardness in your heart? I give you only one answer. Read the scriptures. As for us, we go to the mountains. We will return to this spot in a month.""What happens in a month? What are you going to do up in the mountains? Are you going to do something that we should know about?""You must repent,” answered Rabbi Ramsel. “Turn from your evil ways, and pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”“We must all pray to Yahweh, Jehovah Nissi, the great El Shaddai, the one who is the Great I Am," Rabbi Goan added. "We are going away to pray. I suggest you also pray. We are in the time of the wrath of God. The wrath of Messiah lasted for one day. The wrath of the Yahweh will be much longer."Rabbi Goan and Rabbi Ramsel walked onto the harbor dock and headed for the entrance to Customs and immigration. The reporters and cameramen followed. The commotion created a stir among the security guards at the dock. Both Rabbis watched the guards and the people exiting the ship that was currently disembarking.The guards stopped the Rabbis from going any closer as the people from a disembarking ship took precedence over everyone else. ***Elijah Ben-Yosaf opened his eyes without being drained of energy for the first time since collapsing at the villa. His initial thought were, where am I? The room looked like a hospital room. A second later, it all came flooding back to him. The arrow that hit him in the shoulder, and Peter Meirs being captured by his security men. He remembered throwing Peter Meirs around with the forces of his mind. Then the horror he felt as Meirs grabbed a machine gun, and the killing of his security men. He ran for his life, reached the patio steps, then blinding pain.Now as he lay there, he wondered how many bullets had hit him.His left arm didn't move. His eyes drifted down and he saw the back of his hand covered with surgical tape and tied to the side rail of the bed. A bluish-green tube filled with a dark substance was apparently entering his body through the tube. His eyes followed the tube. It ran to a bag hanging high above him. Funny he didn't remember losing a lot of blood.Glancing at his right hand he saw another greenish-blue surgical tube taped above the knuckles. Apparently glucose flowed into him to keep his body fluids from falling too low. A nurse entered the room. Apparently he had triggered a sensor. Right behind her entered the police.He tried to speak but his mouth was so dry. He whispered, "Water." In his mind he thought of killing Peter Meirs. But now, what he really wanted was a drink of water and revenge.Chapter 8 Elijah sat on his patio in front of a marble table. He had convalesced for over five months from his wounds, and he wanted his pound of flesh from Peter Meirs. The doctors said it was a miracle that he had even survived the wounds he had received. It must have been twenty times that he had watched the videos of his healing at the hands of Von Resh, but nothing was going to heal his soul. Von Resh had taken care of his body. Peter Meirs paying the price with his life would clear the debt the man owed. Now he sat surrounded by security sealing off his home in Rome. There were guards in front patrolling the front of the complex – on the outside of the wall, and there are guards patrolling on the inside if the wall. The safety of the villa, and his well being, had been greatly tightened after the attack on his life. More security cameras, more movement sensors, and more human security were in place for any possible future intrusion. A small army sat ready to protect him from harm and it was stifling.He basked in the notoriety, but it had its price. Security had taken control over his life. At least they let him have company so he might get something done. Now he sat and studied the faces of the three men sitting across from him. Each man possessed the air of a successful businessman. It all depended on what business you are in. These men were somewhat unusual. The yellow Interpol rap sheet, and an old KGB reports revealed three interesting stories.He needed their expertise. They needed his money. It was a marriage made in heaven. Sounded pretty simple on paper, but he'd been down that road before. The Jamaicans he hired had failed in their attempt to kill Mister Meirs. The gang had paid for their failure with their lives. Nothing about those four men would ever point back to him.Now he was about hire three reportedly very good killers from Spain to kill Kendra Makray and especially Mister Meirs. Each of the three had been highly recommended by the Sicilian Mob. All the others that he had hired had failed. Either they were incompetent, or that girl was very lucky. As for her boyfriend, Peter Meirs, if he is captured alive he'd deal with him in his own way. He planned to tell Von Resh, or the police, as little as possible. No one knew the assailant’s name, and he wanted it that way. Though, he sensed that Von Resh may sense that Elijah was holding back on that information. No one else is going to meddle in his desire for revenge. Peter Meirs and his girl friend has become a very personal thing. When Meirs almost killed him with those arrows, he survived only by the powers of Von Resh. Killing Mister Meirs’ girlfriend, Kendra Makray, will still get done, but for the moment, she took second stage. He now wanted Mister Meirs more with every day that past. Elijah rubbed the sore spot on his shoulder where the first arrow had penetrated. Everyone expected the scars to remain forever. His back still hurt. That wound had now become a four day warning of any major forthcoming weather change. He wanted Peter Meir’s death to pay for those injuries. Most of all he wanted to slowly skin the man alive before feeding him to the ants on a deserted desert. He wanted to sit and listen to the man scream his head off. He’d also be sure to video record the event so he could enjoy the moment over and over.He inhaled and then let out a slow breath. It was time to stop daydreaming and get back to business.The three men before him came highly recommended. First they will try and capture Mister Meirs alive. If that is not possible, then they have orders to kill him anyway they choose. Either way I will have my revenge. A thought chilled his bones. I've been disappointed before.Elijah stared at the three men. They sat in front of him with an air of confidence. “Do not fail me,” Elijah said with a touch of warning in his voice.The fee agreed upon came to 50,000 modern gold-backed Euro's. The old Euro had died in the financial crises just before the war. The new Euro had the backing of Germany, France, Russia, and Great Britain. Even with the invisible identity “Mark” as it was being called, a little cash never hurt. A handshake will seal this agreement. They’d be nothing in writing.In Elijah’s mind this was as good as a blood covenant. If these men failed, they’d pay with their blood. There will be no forgiveness. “There must never be anything to connect me to these killings,” he said. If these men double-crossed me, he thought, they’d have no place to hide.Forcing himself to relax, his eyes drifted to the leader of the men he was about to hire.Juan Siemens, alias, Spec, the current leader of the three, sat in a dark blue suit, solid red tie, white silk shirt, and an eighteen karat gold Omega watch on his wrist. His graying temples went well with his strong tanned face, and the expensively cut hair and amiable smile went well with his appearance. The man possessed obvious social charm and an outgoing personality. He also killed his first man in 1988, just after turning twelve.The killing took place in France under the direction of the then dreaded Polish and Soviet Military Intelligence. Born to an intolerant German father and a submissive French mother, Juan tried to flee to West Germany two years later – after killing his father and mother, but the KGB captured him first.The Soviet GRU recruited him, trained him, and sent him on his fist assignment on the streets of Lyon. He had changed his name so many times that Juan figured it was time that he selected something he liked. Since becoming a specialist in his field, the alias of Spec was born.After the first anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the never-solved disappearance of a dozen prominent Europeans, Juan Siemens vanished and took on the alias Spec, with an air of supremacy.With his training and contacts, he had organized a small team of like-minded talented assassins and worked his way up to a very profitable and successful career. He and his team became the ever allusive “Murder Incorporated” on the European scene.The talents that two intelligence services saw in him were paying off in gold, two villas, expensive cars, and a pool of lovely ladies. Little did the society pages know that their darling is a notorious killer? Sitting to the right of Spec was a man that Interpol had arrested numerous times on suspicion of murder. Every time he escaped conviction by having influential and well connected friends who would vouch for his integrity and whereabouts. He sat silently as Spec discussed a fine point in the contract. This man was Mike Shanahan, nicknamed Dice. Elijah knew that Dice didn't like working in the kitchen, or shooting craps. The dimple in the center of his chin and the pale blue eyes gave Mister Shanahan the air of a mysterious movie star. Dice's real name was unknown by Interpol, but he was clearly Irish in origin. On a wire tap, Interpol recorded the name Mike Shanahan being repeatedly used. Hence the name was entered in the police records, but Dice became the name he liked when he was working. When Mike spoke, the telltale dialect of Northern Ireland was unmistakable. Dice spoke six languages fluently, French, German, Italian, Greek, Arabic, and English. He traveled extensively and lived in every nation that made up the E.U. association of nations.Wherever Mike Shanahan lived, people were known to vanish.Intelligent looking, the six foot tall man possessed wide eyes, a solid jaw, and swept back auburn hair. He resembled someone Elijah once saw on Euro-Vision, a news anchor or maybe one of the many daytime soap operas. Tall and built like a body builder, Mike was clearly a ladies’ man.Mike was an expert in explosives, small and large arms, and in hand-to-hand fighting. He fought in twelve African wars, killed countless men, and seemed fearless.Elijah felt intense discomfort being in his presence. At first he thought it was Mister Shanahan, but it was more of an itch. It was those old boils bothering him again. They were fading, but had not totally cleared up in his skin. He forced himself to concentrate on the meeting, but it was increasingly difficult. Instead he tried to study the man sitting to Spec's left. Now here was a man that Elijah liked from the start. The rap sheet gave his name as, Zahiah Rayg, but Elijah didn’t place a lot of faith in the report. Of Lebanese decent, the stocky man was maybe a centimeter taller than Elijah.Interestingly, the last six or seven millimeters of Zahiah's thumbs were missing on both hands. Apparently from an accident or torture, Elijah concluded. He'd like to hear the story some day.What interested Elijah most was that in addition to the height similarities, Mister Zahiah and he himself carried the same build. Zahiah seemed a little less thicker in the chest.Zahiah was also a survivor of numerous African campaigns, a weapons expert, an expert in jungle warfare and a true survivalist.Zahiah was a prime suspected in at least a dozen European deaths. Never arrested because of a lack of evidence, yet each death carried Zahiah's trademark, death by strangulation with a garrote.Elijah wondered if they might be related by some earlier descendent. He sighed and squirmed as the itch on his chest grew in intensity and now spread to his shoulders. He forced his thoughts back to Zahiah.Zahiah's nickname was Thumbs, though some called him, Rag. The man hardly spoke three words during their meeting, Elijah wondered if they might be blood cousins. If the man survives, he'd get a DNA sample and do some testing. Even Zahiah's eyes were black and sunken – just like his.To many similarities, Elijah thought. He might be a blood cousin.Spec's thick voice spoke up and captured his attention."Our normal fee for killing an average person is 40,000 new Euros, plus expenses. With the uncertainties in the European economy after the war, we are now forced to raise our fee. For the removal of these two people we must charge 50,000 new EUROs apiece."Elijah had presumed the price meant for both, but 50,000 Euros apiece. That's more than double the original price.The change in price made him sour. The itching of his skin and the aches from his wounds didn't help one bit. Spec waited for Elijah's reply."You have already used three others against Mister Meirs and Ms. Makray in Colorado," Spec said in a soft business voice. "Your hired guns failed. “There are rumors that you have wasted others in this effort.”Did he know of the latest failure, Elijah thought.“From our sources we heard that the latest four shooters were all very well trained. That last effort with the reported Jamaican team was unprepared for this Mister Meirs.”Elijah sat frozen. They did know, but how? Nothing could have possibly been traced back to him. I had the leader killed by one of my own trusted man.“How do you know it was me?” asked Elijah.“True, it is all circumstantial evidence, but the object of the attack carried your signature.” Spec pulled out an Israeli police report and handed it to Elijah. “We must also add an additional surcharge. We require an extra fifty Canadian Maple Leafs per each individual. With gold current above 3,000 new Euros, I know that is a lot of money to pay, but it is untraceable. You can pay us before we leave your delightful villa."Without waiting for Elijah's response, Spec continued. He knew that Elijah, like all of Europe's wealthy, powerful, and influential figures, possessed thousands of the gold coins in multiple secure locations. "This will compensate us for our travels," he said, "and any others we may kill as we fulfill your request." At today's price for gold, that amounted to 150,000 Euros, or 375,000 of the new American dollars.Elijah couldn’t take it any longer, and the itching made it hard to concentrate anyway. Reaction to the withdrawal of the medicine, that helped him survive, really irritated. Besides, his Syrian blood was hot. He shoved himself away from the table and screamed. "This is not what we agreed on. You take me to be a fool?"Spec sat mesmerized by the small red welts forming on Elijah's face. Thinking that it was a peculiar trait of this strange man, he ignored the outburst. Instead, he sat calmly at the table and explained his position."We did a little research on the two people you want us to remove from your life. It seems that this Peter Meirs is some sort of martial arts expert, and an ex-marine sniper. We have reports that you have repeatedly attempted to kill his girlfriend, Kendra Meirs. All attempts have failed. The reason seems to all point to the interference of this Mister Meirs. Now you want us to kill Peter Meirs along with Miss Kendra the Lucky."Elijah growled under his breath as he remembered the original team from Tampa, Florida. All were now dead and he, now he, Elijah, was under suspicion of being involved in the matter of supplying nuclear weapons to terrorists.It is true he got a little carried away by his zeal to kill Miss Makray, but you have to have passion to get anything done."If we fail," Spec said in that soft voice of his. "You do not have to pay us, but if we succeed, the pleasure you will receive will be well worth this trivial additional expense."Elijah did not smile at Spec's attempt with humor. The changing of the agreed price came as an insult. He didn't like it one bit.Feeling his face flush with heat, and the itching in his skin getting the better of him, he knew a short fuse when he felt it. It was time to end this meeting and he didn't care whether they liked it or not. Elijah grabbed his chair and threw it from the table. He was ready to fight. The three men jumped to their feet, their chairs falling away and bouncing on the stone floor behind them.Spec pulled a gun from inside his suit coat. The meeting was quickly deteriorated. As for a gun, well so much for his security. He’d handle that later. Elijah jumped into action.He thrust out his hands, palms toward Spec. Man and gun flew backwards.Dice jumped onto the table and leaped toward Elijah. Elijah caught him in midair with his unseen powers and sent Dice crashing to the side.With burning fury, he spied the short member of the team standing on the other side of the table. Zahiah waved his hands, saying that he wanted no part in this fight.Spec jumped up and attacked with a knife – another security breach. Only by a lucky sidestep did Elijah save himself from an additional wound in his shoulder.Elijah sneered and shoved his hand toward Spec. The man skidded along the slate floor. Just then two strong arms wrapped Elijah from behind."No more voodoo, Rabbi." Unable to move or focus his energies, Elijah felt himself lifted from the floor. Zahiah clamped him in a very tight bear hug.Dice and Spec both jumped to their feet and attacked."No!" Zahiah commanded.Dice and Spec stopped in their tracks as anger blazed in their eyes."Sit down!" Zahiah ordered his comrades.When his partners obeyed his orders, Zahiah spoke to Elijah. "I'll release you when you are you ready to sit at the table and talk. Can I let you go, or do we leave and you can find someone else?”Elijah felt the anger within him subside a little. Apparently Thumbs sensed the change and released his extremely strong grip.Elijah settled to the floor and scratched his face. His finger flowed across the tiny bumps that had appeared on his skin. He heard the padding of Thumb's feet on the marble floor as the little man shuffled to his fallen chair. Elijah felt a bit of respect for Mister Zahiah. No one had ever pinned his arms against his body. Without the power flowing out of those hands of his, Elijah felt powerless. He watched the man lift his chair and settled himself at the table as if nothing had happened.Elijah's eyes narrowed as he watched Spec and Mike Shanahan take the queue from Thumbs as they too reset their chairs and placed their hands on the table. He wondered who won this one-act play. Apparently security needed to be given a talking. A gun and a knife had been concealed and made it through the detection process. He sat down and stared at Spec. As his anger subsided, he felt the itching became more bearable. He willed it away with his mind, but it still bothered him. He couldn't get rid of it. Looking at his right hand he noticed the tiny little red welts that had grown on his skin."Do we have agreement?" Spec asked as he held out his hand to Elijah. Elijah said nothing for a moment until he relaxed a little more. Instead he sat in silence and stared at the three men.Spec continued, "I will accept that as a yes. I will supply you with a numbered account for transfer of funds. If we die trying to execute our agreement, that will be the fortunes of war in the game we play. Any double-cross by either side will amount to suicide. Rabbi, you are too powerful a man for us to treat with contempt. And we also have our way of extracting satisfaction."Elijah relaxed, figured out the cost of this operation, and nodded his agreement while studying the little welts which slowly subsided. He needed some Benadryl.Spec held out his right hand.Elijah forced himself to shake Specs hand, and wondered why these three men bested him in this negotiation. He rose from the table. "Wait here," Elijah said as he hurried away to look at himself in a mirror and get some allergy medicine. "I'll be back with the gold coins."Chapter 9 Daniel Von Resh relished his recent reelection to the five year presidency of the newly restructured European Commission. His father would be proud of him. Of course his mother always said he was not the son of his father - not someone from this world. She told him he was the product of an Alien Abduction. The DNA testing she paid for proved that whoever that sample came from was not totally human. True or not, he always knew he was different – better than most. Today he sat in the secured main conference room at Camp David, Maryland, in the fractured U.S.A., with a meeting of a nation that he cared nothing about, but if he wanted world control, this nation, even in its pitiful condition, was still essential to his plans. After all America had lived through, he was a little surprised that it still had a working government. The city of Washington D.C. lay partially destroyed and after five months it still had areas smoldering from the four high-altitude and one earth dissolving nuclear explosions. A few sections of the once thriving center of the nation had strangely survived mostly intact, but for the most part, the city was a burned out shadow of the world-war II European cities that suffered from repeated aerial bombardments. Washington had been hit with five 5-megaton warheads of Russian origin. The center of the once mighty American government, the White House, now sat in the center of a one and one-half mile wide, four hundred foot deep lake. Ground zero for that blast dug deep and was final.The seat of American government now rotated between three underground command centers. Today it resided at Camp David, Maryland. Next year or next month it will be located somewhere else.Von Resh glanced over to his two closest aides, the Commanding General of all Euro forces, General Britz, and the European economic minister, Doctor Gargan. The three men sat facing President Anderson of the United States and her staff.Seated with the President were the surviving members of her cabinet: the Chief of Staff, General Pershing, the Director of the Treasury, Mister Blesset, along with the Director of the Budget, Mister Stereman, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Mister Camden, and Mister Robinson, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. All sat across the table facing their European counterparts.President Anderson spoke directly to President Von Resh. "We are in total agreement with your European proposals. After passing through this massive worldwide calamity that we all experienced, we accept the need for drastic steps to ensure everyone’s regional recovery." Von Resh watched the eyes of the American President as she spoke. He picked up the subtle signs of distress in the women. Inwardly Von Resh smiled, believing that the discomfort was from his probing of the lady’s mind.With that bit of inside information, Von Resh felt confident that he'd easily steer the American President to accept all his requests. He was surprised when President Anderson said, "We cannot enforce your plan to reregister every American with the infrared identification. As you are well aware, the United States has had a horrific time with the catastrophe that occurred on the West coast and throughout the Mississippi river valley. Then this war just stopped everything. My central authorities powers are respected by they are practically nil. The government has no incoming receipts as paper money is worthless after the war. Without money to rebuild I have very little influence over the governors of the states – especially those west of the Mississippi river.”Von Resh knew the President was referring to the comet striking off of the West coast, the nuclear war that erupted, and now the rebellion to her authority. The nation was on the verge of a full blown civil war. America was not broke. Their gold reserves, especially at today’s price for an ounce of gold is proving very useful in providing necessities for everyday living. But, he needed more. This President had to comply with his request. He did not want to hear of her nation’s problem. He wanted compliance, not what is happened west of the Mississippi River.“It will take years to have every citizen marked with this new version of the UPC (Universal Product Code). It might even take ten years to comply with your request. "Before the war, we just finished issuing a foolproof national identification card. That came about a year after the comet devastated the West coast. Today, after the war, to redo the procedure is out of the question.Von Resh offered his deepest regrets the said, "The infrared laser tattoo used throughout the EU's (European Union) member nations is an excellent idea. It also must be compulsory to be 100% effective. At the moment we have made this identification procedure voluntary among your citizens - those you currently have influence over.”“Yes I know,” President Anderson answered. “There is much resistance to your proposal throughout the Western States. As you already know there are other nations having the same issues. The Brazilians, who heartily embraced your identification technology, are having troubles complying with the EU and WTO's (World Trade Organization) request. The Mexican Government is in shambles and will take year to re-establish itself."Von Resh began to dislike this lady almost from the start. Now he saw her as impediment to his world-wide rule. "While I was in the position of President of the WTO, I ordered the ten economic regions to accept the skin laser marks. It is the only way to control the usage of the world’s now very critical food supplies. Most of the world's currencies have been disrupted. The use of credit cards is proving to be detrimental to our financial health. There is just too much identity thievery and fraud being identified. Only the tattoo is fool proof. With the disruption in land and sea transportation, control of all the remaining resources is imperative to everyone’s survival. I have already removed three of my regional directors for resisting this plan."Von Resh waited to feel President Anderson's thoughts on the need to accept the tattoos. Resistance seemed to be strong. This American rebellion to central authority has existed far too long. It also seemed to be coming from all the American legislators, even those along the East Coast.Suppressing his anger, Von Resh said. "I must suggest you try harder to embrace the identification plan. If you cannot bring the West under central control, may I suggest you start with those you do control? There are only so many resources available to all our citizens. Marking everyone with the invisible laser technology, along with our respective computer resources, is the only way to prevent hoarding and thievery of available commodities. Without this foolproof tracking technology we cannot control who buys and sells in the international markets. Black-markets will flourish and the people will not accept our directions. The recovery will take decades longer than needed. The way things are going, we may not survive that long.""I agree with your logic," President Anderson said in agreement. “I have even used your laser ID technology to tattoo my right hand as a symbolic acceptance of the procedure, but in the current political climate it does not permit me to move quickly. At this moment one third of the nation has agreed to the identification mark. Polls estimate that to fully comply with this plan will take an additional seven to ten years."Von Resh knew where the real opposition came from. "You'd be able to implement the identification plan much easier if you silenced those in your nation who are running around disturbing the peace.""I understand who you are talking about," said President Anderson. "After the war, we had the mysterious vanishing of maybe an estimated fifty or sixty million of my countrymen. Those who survived, many have now flocked to the Synagogues and Churches. I can't seriously blame them. They are living in fear and have stubbornly armed themselves with every conceivable weapon.”Von Resh winced at the mention of disappearing people. Scientist has already disproven any religious connection to that occurrence. “I do not accept these vanishing as anything more than natural phenomena brought on by intense electromagnetic influences.”President Anderson looked Von Resh in the eye. "There are tens of thousands of verifiable reports of people vanishing moments before any warhead exploded,” President Anderson replied. “After the war, many popular Christian prophecy teachers, millions of fundamental followers, along with one third of the American Jewish population were all gone. Some are explainable as their areas were destroyed in the firestorms. Yet there are reports of people vanishing in cities and towns far from the areas of destruction. We lost military men, political leaders, government workers, farmers, people we desperately needed."Von Resh shook his head as he tired of going nowhere in this debate. "All mysterious vanishing have been explained as natural phenomena," he reiterated. "My people are scared," answered President Anderson. "Many now believe what they never took serious before, that the long forecast rapture of the church has taken place, and they are now the ones who are left to carry on. They also believe we all have less than three years before the return of the Messiah. Personally I can’t blame them. They are scared and frankly so am I."President Von Resh raised his right hand and interrupted the American president. "This discussion is going nowhere. I have received similar reports throughout Europe," he said. "I too possess deluded fools who are running around saying, 'Repent! The judgment of God has begun.' These people must be stopped. They are frightening everyone. I've already started arresting some of the leaders, especially those who point their bony finger at me. You'd think I started this calamity. Before long they will be accusing me, all of us, of causing the comet to hit the earth. And again I must say, my scientists have already explained to them that this phenomenon of the vanishing people is simply the result of massive electromagnetic fields.""That is only a theory," President Anderson said, "And I understand this issue, but what is there to do? Unless I arrest half the nation, my hands are tied.""I can give you a starting place," President Von Resh emphasized. "You can start by outlawing their Holy books. This Bible believing, word-for-word, interpretation is the root cause of the world’s problems."Von Resh paused and looked at those at the table. "I see our positions are not getting any closer. How are your food and energy reserves?" President Anderson knew of the dire straits that the Europeans were facing. Now her intelligence was telling of disturbing phenomena dealing with the Mediterranean Sea. The global ocean circulation system, known as the Ocean Conveyor, has even altered its course. The nuclear winter that Europe still reeled under from the combined effects of comet collision and the war may become permanent for a decade, at least in the depth and severity of its winters.Von Resh said nothing. Inside he only felt contempt for the American. He wanted action and President Anderson stonewalled him. He sensed that President Anderson knew about the change in the Ocean Conveyor. He controlled his anger and said nothing.President Anderson waited for Von Resh to speak. When he didn't, she offered in a conciliatory voice. "We are willing to develop unification in our internal intelligence, economic powers, and military forces."Von Resh said nothing. He instead concentrated on the thoughts he wanted to plant in the American's mind. He left the discussion of the stated issues to General Britz and his staff to answer. The discomfort he felt earlier in President Anderson was becoming more acute. Strangely, he too was feeling an unnatural discomfort. It came from something outside of him but he was having difficulty in identifying its source.President Anderson rubbed the sleeve of her jacket then scratched a red spot just below her left collar-bone. Her senior advisors continued to discuss military and intelligence issues with General Britz's staff.Von Resh focused his mental powers to probe President Anderson's thoughts. He found within the President’s mind that the military cooperation, internal intelligence, and food surplus plans were all well received, but that was as far as it went.General Britz and General Pershing finished their discussion in apparent agreement. Before Von Resh moved on to the next subject for discussion, he gave one last push for his international citizen identification plan."As you know," Von Resh said. "Our two continents are seeing increasing civil unrest. We both know that scarcity in consumer goods is the major factor in this unrest – primarily food. My citizen identification plan is foolproof. The only ones we'd have to worry about are the foxes that watch over the program, and I believe we can control that. It is imperative that we gain control over all who buys and sell in the world markets."Von Resh paused for a moment, changed gears, and said, "With all respect to your position, Ms. President, You still have a massive surplus of wheat. If it will not create a hardship with the American people, I hope you will see the prudence in releasing a substantial shipment to Europe. We could sure use it."Von Resh thought about how desperately he needed America’s grain. In another month the news about prolong cold spells and failed crops will create massive outcries for food.President Anderson scribbled something and passed the note to Mister Robinson, head of the FBI, and then spoke.She then said, "There is a general consensus between both sides of the Atlantic that nothing must stand in the way of our people's economic well being and the preservation of our governments..."Von Resh felt pleased about that statement. Speaking only a few words, he knew he would get ninety percent of what he requested. But there was something in this new President that he didn't like. This woman, this President, has changed from being a President of accommodation to one of independence. He didn’t like that.In the House of Representatives, Anderson was known as self-righteous hunter of government fraud and a loveable scoundrel. She possessed a way with a word, particularly the redefinition of its meaning. All in all, she was enjoyable enough and a world-class first rate liar. But since taking the oath of office as President of the United States, the lady has grown into the office. Now, after the war, she took her position seriously. Now she saw herself as the guardian of the American people, along with protector of all the Americas - North, South, and Central.Oh well! Von Resh thought. She is expendable. An assassin's bullet, an induced heart attack, or a ton of gold will bring in a new head of state.Von Resh smiled in acceptance of the American position as he spoke."...It is accepted that the well being of the American and European people will take priority over third world needs. Effective immediately, preserving internal security will also mean dealing with major disruptions within the EU and hopefully on the American continent in a sterner way. I hope the American government will be sympathetic to our use of force. Nothing must be allowed to stand in the way of our respective economic centers. China will become our concern after we get ourselves in order. The ecological affects in the weather are expected to abate in a few years."A muffled phone rang in a briefcase. A military attaché from General Britz's staff whispered the message in his ear.The General scribbled a note and slid it to President Von Resh."When did this occur?" Von Resh rasped to General Britz. "Excuse me, Mister President," Von Resh said. "I must take this phone call." He noticed another phone being handled to President Anderson.With his own phone next to his ear, President Von Resh asked again. "Repeat your message. Did you say food riots have broken out? There also seems to be a religious revival going on in Europe.”Von Resh listened intently as the message was repeated. "Thank you for the report," he said and turned to the American President and started to explain the interruption until he saw the makeup that covered selected areas of the American's face. But that was nothing when he saw that President Anderson was become alarmed at his sudden change in demeanor.Von Resh spoke slowly. "I have received many reports that food riots have broken out all over the world and the fresh water supplies have been polluted. They are millions of people who are clearly frightened. We have been forced to use military force to control the crowds. Tens of millions of people have subsisted on far less than we can provide. We really need everyone to take this identification mark so that we can feed everyone. There is no explanation for this madness that we went through, referring to the war, than religious fervor, and the possibility of nuclear generated electromagnetic fields. We would never have had to suffer from these cursed boils, which are only now finding medication to control. We need every nation on board with our plan. We must control the ever increasingly need for basic food supplies. If we had good control of the food supplies, we might have never had those cursed boils. Now that the oceans are practically dead, the reservoirs of fresh waters are being affected."The itch on his chest was subsiding, but he still felt where the boils had once been. He looked at General Britz. The General also seemed to be experiencing discomfort and rubbed the seat of his pants. He knew where General Britz had once had his boils. It made him smile. It also showed the tension they all felt.Von Resh studied the back of his hands. The red welts that once had grown to the size of four centimeters were finally fading. A large boil that had appeared in the center, just behind the center knuckle, now existed as an itchy red scar."It seems," he said, "We are being increasingly affected by this short-lived war. I suggest we adjourn and give all I have asked some serious thought."President Anderson rubbed her shoulder as she looked at her staff members. General Pershing never did feel the curse of boils and appeared unaffected. Mister Robinson, Mister Stereman, and Mister Camden on the other hand were still covered by itchy red welts. They had been very much affected. Strangely the boils had no serious affect on their boundless energy, but now it was time to think of other issues. With the demands from President Von Resh shelved and still ringing in her ears, now was one of those times.Chapter 10 Lora sat reading aloud the strange letter she found on the table. It wasn’t there when she went to bed. At first she thought Steve had left it for her, but when she opened it, it definitely wasn’t from Steve. The she started to read."ALIVE, now more than ever! And I am waiting for you to join me. It will be such a joyful reunion and I promise to show you all around."I know you miss me, but I am so happy now. Please accept Jesus and accept HIM so you can know this complete Bliss that I enjoy. He and the Father are one."Love each other. Be kind to everyone. Do what God instructs you to do. Never miss an opportunity to tell others how much you love them. You, Uncle Steve and Uncle Pete told me they loved me every day. And I treasure those words. I love you all very much."Cry when you have to, but remember, I always tried to smile and be happy even after Yaiyai died. I want you to Honor me by truly LIVING and being happy."I love you Aunt Lora. I'll be glad when you come to live with our Father and me, and the family."Love and Joy,Esther and Jesus."She gasped and clutched her breast then started crying. After a good bawl that lasted for who knows how long, she wiped her eyes and used a bathroom tissue to blow her nose. Just as quickly she started getting mad. Who wrote this? She studied the letter a little longer and recognized the handwriting. “It does look like mine,” she sobbed. “But this has got to be a forgery – a cruel hoax. I never wrote this. Someone with a sick mind has done this.” Her first thought was Pete, but how did he get in the room.She scrutinized the handwriting over and over until her mind reeled. Clearly this had to be a hoax. Who might have left it on the table? Taking a pencil and paper she wrote a long sentence on a blank piece of paper and compared the handwriting. The handwriting on both sheets of paper was clearly hers.Totally perplexed she knew a little of the dream that disturbed her last night. If she could only remember any detail. Everything had faded a moment after waking up. Now, not one detail remained. “Remember the darn dream,” she ordered herself. In it she felt certain it had something to do with Kendra and Esther. Was Esther speaking to me? But how? If she could only remember?A noise at the door caused her to look around. Steve entered the room after knocking. He smiled and held up a fat envelope as he approached."I got some money out of your sister's account," he said, as he tossed the envelope onto the bed. "I also saw something on television that might please you to no end."He threw off his coat and let it fall across the bed. February in Israel was the supposed end of the rainy season and winter. This year the temperature hovered just above 17 C. He had no idea what that meant in Fahrenheit, but it felt cold.Lora and he still thought in terms of Fahrenheit and not in Celsius. He tried desperately to relate what 17 meant in American. Chilly and cold he understood and the swirling winds made it feel colder. “What is 17 Celsius?” He asked Lora“Sixty” Lora answered. She settled on that temperature after the formula in her mind blurred.Irritated by her unworkable temperature conversion system she asked, "How much did you get for the gold? How much is left?""Two hundred thousand at today's price,” Steve happily answered. “We still have two hundred ounces left in the account. At $4215.00 American, that leaves us about 800 hundred thousand. Of course that’s today’s price. Maybe it will be more next week? It could be less. There was a one and a half percent fee for the bank to store our money and another one and one-half percent to convert it to Israeli shekels from the German Marks. They gotcha you coming and they gotcha going.""Thank God we have anything," she answered, still wondering what she had dreamt about. Right now having money to pay the bills seemed far more important. "Did you have any trouble transferring the fund from Germany?""No," he answered, “but it had to go through Germany’s export controls first. Waiting for the transfer to take place seemed to take forever. The bank said all the phone lines are jammed, and then there all these new regulation everyone has to follow. I'd kiss your sister if she were here. She stashed away enough money to take care of us for maybe a few more years. Hopefully before that happens we’ll be home.""Kendra was always more forward thinking than me," Lora admitted. "Now I wish she saved more. I wish I had saved something – followed her ideas." She remembered Steve said something about the television. "What did you see on TV?" she asked, but her mind was really nagged by the letter. Without waiting for an answer she asked, "Did I get up last night and do anything peculiar?"Steve sat down at the table across from Lora and started counting the money. “I saw Elijah on some program, he said. “It was on the news. He had all these red blotches on his face. The latest explanation is that they came from some phenomenon produced by the intense electromagnetic pulses from the hundreds of nuclear explosions we had. Most everyone in Europe is affected. They also believe the pulses also caused people to vanish in flashes of light. Guess they figured it out. Thank God the idiots are trying to place a nice spin on everything." He thought about Kendra and Esther vanishing from the ship.Studying the back of his hands for anything looking like a red spot, he said. "Funny, we never showed any effects from those invisible pulses. Is it possible that Kendra and Esther vanished because of the electromagnetic forces? It might be the answer. Though I also think Elijah is a natural born liar."Lora made no comment about Elijah."Is everything else okay?" he asked when he saw the strange look on her face.Lora turned to the window, holding the letter. The sun felt warm as it streamed through the window of the Hadi-Jerusalem hotel. Located on Yahuda Street, the hotel sat within walking distance of hundreds of small shops and the damaged temple on the Temple Mount. Today, wind driven cotton white balls of clouds filled the sky. A few shone gray. Rain might be coming. Television reports on the weather still included the whereabouts and intensity of the radiation-laden clouds, but there were less and less of these reports with each passing week.“What's that in your hand,” Steve asked. Noticing her concerned look he asked again, "Are you sure you're all right?" "Don't worry,” she replied. “I don't have any red spots." She held out the letter. "This is from Esther." She saw the look in Steve's eyes and cleared her throat. "It's written in my handwriting, but it came from Esther."“When did you find this?”He looked at his wife with raised eyebrows. "Okay. You've got my curiosity. Did she give it to you before she vanished?""No. This letter was written last night. I dreamt it. At least I think I dreamt it."He knew Lora didn’t believe in people talking to them from the dead, and he definitely didn’t believe in that stuff."A lot of weird things have happened lately,” he said. “Let me see what you have," he asked.He read the letter in silence. "I don't remember you writing this. You say you got up last night and wrote it? I do remember you getting up but that is about all I remember. I have no idea what time it was – maybe three.""I didn't. Well, maybe I did, but if I did I don’t remember any dream. I apparently dreamt that Kendra and Esther were talking to me. It has bothered me all morning. I must have written down the words as Esther spoke.""In your dream?""Ridicules – huh,” she said with a touch of laughter. “There has to be a better explanation."Steve wrapped his arms around her. His touch opened a floodgate of tears. They both just stood there, in front of the window as she cried.“Everything will be all right," he said as she sobbed, wondering if anything will ever be all right again.***Pete sat in the hotel bar. The last time, on the Chios, he got so soused drinking wine that he fell off the stool. Today he drank iced tea.He sipped the drink and listened to the EU President give a speech. The man didn't interest him, but a few words registered in his mind. He said something about Israel rejecting the demands to come under the obedience of nations. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he didn’t like the sound. "We must all sacrifice for the common good," the President said. Pete looked at the man speaking from behind the podium. Pete remembered him – a little. He saw him at the dedication ceremonies of the temple. Something strange had happened just before that time. Pete wasn’t totally sure, but this may have been the man he shot at during his rescue attempt of Kendra. Now this guy stands as the leader of the strongest block of nations of all times and asking for everyone’s sacrifice. Pete growled in defiance, "You sacrifice first."He looked down at his drink. Israel seemed to be increasingly becoming the common foe and envy of the Europeans. In a way he didn't blame them.Israel may have been one possibly cause for the Great War, as the Third World War was now called, but it was only a bit player in the overall scheme of things. In Pete’s mind it was Elijah who set the fuse. Yet it is also true that Israel sent the first nuke – Preemptive Necessity it was called. Pete laughed to himself as he heard the Secretary-General demand that the European Union wanted Israel to supply a greater allotment of its fruits, vegetables, and oil, and they wanted it cheaper than the world market price. All of which Israel strongly refused to do. Now they are demanding that Jerusalem be internationalized. Soon they'll want to control the nation, he thought with contempt.A blink of the lights in the hotel bar interrupted Pete's thoughts. Everything went dark. He first thought of a nuclear attack and quickly dove to a safe spot away from the windows.Glancing at the glowing dials of his watch, he heard someone in the bar say, "On schedule."Hotel management had warned everyone that this might happen; he later learned but had never heard of the scheduled event.All across Israel, electricity was forever being shifted around the nation's power grid so that no one area would be without electricity for over four hours. This very precious commodity was being diverted to even help the Jordanians.Getting up and sheepishly waking back to the darkened bar, he sipped impatiently on his tea. So everyone is getting angry with Israel. What's new?” he scowled. That’s been going on for decades. He took a deep breath and tried to relax after glancing at the blank television. “At least the nuts on the television are gone.Chapter 11 Lora watched television once the electricity returned, hoping the news had something hopeful to report. Instead what she saw mystified her. The sea had turned a reddish color earlier. Now the Sea of Galilee was red. The reporter was trying to convince everyone that this was brought on by the two men they had interviewed.A scene appeared showing Rabbi Goan and Ramsel just lifting their staffs from these very waters. Just before they touched the water everything looked normal. Now there was a reddish something spreading like wildfire throughout the lake. Yesterday she watched them throw dust in the air.She listened as Rabbi Ramsel turned to the reporters and said; "five days have passed since the beginning of the first plague. Today, this very hour, begins a second phase."Calvin Riskin of Channel 2 news stood before Rabbi Goan. "You remember me, Rabbi? I stood interviewing you on the Tele Vie warf. There you threw soot into the air.""Yes, I remember. I hope the curse did not affect you?""No, it did not, but that is not why I am here. I have heard that you and Rabbi Ramsel are in opposition to E.U. commissioner Von Resh. You are on record telling Israel to reject total membership in the European community. You are also on record calling Mister Von Resh, Satan personified. Do you stand by these statements?""Nothing has changed," answered Rabbi Goan. "I also have called his friend Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf a fraud. Many are being deceived by his tricks. Both of them and their tricks are keeping the blind from seeing and from understanding.""You know our position. Yeshua is the way, the truth and the light. His name is wonderful. Salvation Now is His name. Turn to Him and live. Reject the one who now is the master in your life. Come back to Yahweh with a humble heart.""All Israel waits for the Messiah,” Riskin said quickly. “Israel does not bow to any master."Rabbi Goan moved closer to the microphone held by Riskin. "Your master is Satan. His name is Hell and death follows after him. You call him the devil. Have you not read the word of God? They are clearly described in the scriptures. Everything predicted is coming to pass. Von Resh’s time is short. Your time is short. Von Resh and Elijah are desperate, and they will fail. I pray for you to succeed."Riskin studied the waters in the lake. These Rabbis are preaching sacrilege. The Christian scripture they use are not accepted in Israel. He looked at the reddish water. "What did you do? I saw you earlier throw soot into the air.""God has given the world blood to drink.""Is it poisonous? Is it real? What will happen to the fish and marine life? What about the ecology?""I think you should go home quickly. Bottle as much water as you can so you and your family can survive. This curse will last seven days. All waters, every lake, every river will soon be affected. Each will be covered by a brownish-red layer of blood.""What about those people who will never hear your warning?""They may die?""Is that fair? Is not God a God of love?""He is also a God of Justice. He is Holy. Do you not understand what Holy means? Go home. Those who heed my warning may live.Riskin glanced at his notes. "How can this water spread around the world? Can you do other supernatural signs? Will this blood evaporate and fall as rain upon the rivers?""Read the book of Revelation and believe. In chapter 16 you will know what has occurred and what is to come."When will this stuff leave the lake?""Look at the waters," Rabbi Goan said. "You can see it spreading. Within hours it will be in the Jordan River. From there it will go around the world. In seven days the curse will run its course. If we did not place limits on the plague no life would survive.""Do you mean that no life will survive in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in this lake?""I mean that no life will survive upon the earth. Evil men have shed the blood of those who have stood for truth for centuries. Martyrs for the cause of Jehovah have bled and died by the millions. Innocent blood has been shed for thousands of years. Now blood is pronounced for all those who are alive to drink."Riskin grabbed his cameraman's shoulders and directed the camera to the waters. From the spot where the Rabbis touched the waters, a red mist rose from the lake and spread quickly with the wind."This plague will last for seven days, but the effects will be with you for weeks. It will take two days for it to travel across the world," said Rabbi Goan. "From there it will spread across the continents and every island. All fresh water life will die as the blood clogs their gills or lungs."Rabbi Goan held up his hands and proclaimed. "Let all who have ears hear. Soon you will see the lakes and rivers in the world filled with blood. All who have ears let them hear the words of two who have the right to announce judgment on the inhabitants of this world.""Hurry!" cried Lora as she watch television. "We've got to get to the store and buy gallons of water. Get as much as you can.""What happened?" asked Steve. He hadn’t been paying much attention to the TV report."Those two Rabbis on the pier," she said. "The ones we saw when we landed just did something to the lake. They are warning all that will listen to store two weeks supply of drinking water. We need to call Pete and let him know.""He went out. I think he's depressed. Said he wanted to go to a bookstore. Maybe he'll find something with poetry that will cheer him up."***Pete strolled into the Borders Bookstore and felt amazement by the number of people in the store. The place was crowded. After meandering around a table stacked with bargain cookbooks, he noticed a wide flight of stairs leading to a second floor. Upstairs he found an empty chair next to the railing. He sat down and began watching the people.The chatter of people behind him caught his attention and he turn to see a coffee shop on the other side of the stairwell. It was full of men and women babbling about whatever. The sight of all the activity did something to him and he realized that these people were looking at television. Whatever it was, he hoped it was something good.For over six months he lived a life filled with anger, wanting to kill Rabbi Elijah. Now his anger and loneliness was evaporating as he saw a generation of people, mostly teenagers, preparing for the future. They were studying and reading.Their hope brought a smile to his face, and he thought of, Donne, a contemporary of Shakespeare. A poem surfaced and he savored the words floating before his eyes.He hadn't recited in months. He even feared the loss of his abilities, and feared more that it might never return."We died to the world,” he continued, “that we may live to see this world of wit, in his anatomy."Pete stopped and breathed a deep breath of refreshing air. He had just made an error but didn’t know what it was that he said. He got up from the chair and recited Sir Henry Wotton's Character of a Happy Life."How happy is he born and taughtThat serveth not another's willWhose armor is his honest thoughtAnd simple truth his utmost skill."Again Pete again inhaled deeply. Poetry long forgotten stirred to life. He merrily walked among the aisles, quietly reciting poem after poem. Life felt free. There was hope for tomorrow.The desire to kill Elijah, the possibility that the police might be looking for him, all his fears and anger evaporated. For the first time in months he relaxed.Someone rushed past him saying, “I need to buy water.” As he left the bookstore he noticed two kids panhandling along the street. Their worn clothing hung loosely on bony-thin frames. They were alone and on their own. Street people who probably ran away from home, he thought – maybe lost their family in the war.His childhood wasn't much better. Before it all took a turn for the worse, someone actually gave him a helping hand. The thought produced a pleasant feeling inside him. Maybe he could help them. He remembered with bitterness his adopted father abandoning him at an orphanage. He reached for his wallet and pulled out a 50 shekel Israeli bank note.At first he thought to hand it to the little beggars, but after careful thought, he decided to take them into a nearby café and buy them a real meal. He'd give them the change after they had eaten.Across the street, he noticed two men watching the kids. For a moment he wasn’t sure they were watching the kids, or were they watching him. He’d keep a wary eye on the two across the street."Yeah," he whispered as he looked at the two kids, "a good deed complements of Peter Meirs."An hour later, after paying for the meals, he left the restaurant feeling pleased with himself. The two men were still there. “So much for feeling good about life,” he muttered as he became defensive.The two men crossed the street and they now intentionally walked in front of him. They both blocked his way as if they were doing it on purpose. Pete scrutinized the two standing in his path. He exhaled slowly. It was time to fight. What a way to ruin a good deed."We want to talk to you," Rabbi Goan said."Do not be afraid," said Rabbi Ramsel. "We wish you no harm. You did a nice thing for those two boys and God is pleased. We'd like to talk to you. It won't take long.""If you like," asked Rabbi Goan, "We'll walk with you back to your hotel."Pete gave them both a quizzical look, sized the two guys up as to their physical strength, and felt a little at ease – just a little. He felt sure he could beat them. "Okay, he said before he knew it. What do want to talk about?" He noticed the two kids following.“Are these kids with you,” Pete asked? For a moment he felt like he had been set-up.Rabbi Ramsel looked back. “No - I’ve never seen them in my life.”Rabbi Goan added, “We would like you to help them.”“You what?” growled a startled Pete. “Now hold on. I can barely take care of myself. What are you guys up too? Am I being set up?”Ramsel ignored Pete irritation. “We want you to look after them for a couple of months – maybe a year. It won’t be hard. You might even like it.”Pete thought about little Esther. He really liked that little girl, but these kids. He didn’t even know them. What did they think he was – Santa Clause? Besides, he didn’t like a lot of people around him.”***Von Resh spoke over a secure telephone line with Elijah. "The nations demand that I do something. They expect me to save them from these two madmen. The Mediterranean Sea has been covered with what seems like blood and spreading into the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. These men are now predicting that even the lakes will soon be covered. I can’t allow that. I want them stopped. I've got too many problems to worry about. I've got over twenty million people moving south to warmer climates. I have food and fuel riots in Greece, Italy and Spain. There rioting in France over everything. These problems are being attributed to the mass movement of people, the colder weather, and the problem with supplying food. People are frightened.""They are but flesh. Skin is to skin," sneered Elijah. "As for these two Rabbis, I don't see how they created those pesky welts and boils that have now subsided, and now they are doing this blood thing. One thing I know for sure. They can be killed. Though my people tell me that the Christian scriptures reveal that what these nut cases are sprouting has been written, I see these men to be completely filled with nonsense. They are telling everyone that they cannot be killed until their time is complete – whatever that means. Well just maybe we can speed it up?""Do not tell me your plan," Von Resh said. "That way I can deny I ever knew of them. You take care of it, and do it now.""It shall be done. I have one final question that needs answering. When will you stop toying with these Israelis? You know we must destroy that nation. We must destroy any Jew who holds to their ancient fables. Once that is done, we will prove for all to see that the prophecies can be broken. Too many people are wondering if the old bible on their family bookshelf might be right. I want the God of that bible to admit defeat. His fables will not come to pass. He will lose and the earth will be forever ours."Elijah laughed. "That will be a great day. We will prevail and rule forever. The human body is so easy to repair and to inhabit. You and I will be young and vital forever. Nothing will stand in our way. We will just keep on reincarnating or moving from body to body."Von Resh smiled and enjoyed Elijah's passion. A voice inside of him said, “This planet has belonged to me for thousands of years. It will be mine forever.” The thought, the voice, wasn't coming from him. “I am at the moment of victory,” the thought said. “This planet has been mine from the beginning of time, and it will stay that way.” It continued, “No other god will stand in my way.”Von Resh blinked at the delight welling up inside him. The God who inhabited him was speaking through him and using his voice."Right now," Von Resh said. "I've a speech of hope and reconciliation to give to these stupid people. Advance copies have already been given to the press. They have agreed to release my favorite phrases. I think the speech will be well received.""Remember," Elijah said before hanging up. "Christian scripture tells of 144,000 evangelists during this time that we live.”Von Resh jumped in with, “Keep a count of the number you have arrested or have died.""I will order a review today. Police reports might already be approaching that figure. I don't think we will ever know for sure.""I know of two who must be removed from the public viewing. Those two in Jerusalem, they just keep stirring the pot. I've requested the police bring them in for questioning. Once in our possession, I've arraigned for them to meet with an unfortunate accident. That will be the end of them.""Good. Kill the two men as quickly as you can. My advisors tell me that these two Jews are standing in the way of us taking over Israeli. They are providing the nation with a covering of protection that is hard to penetrate. They must die, the quicker, the better. Remember, I do not want to hear the plan."Chapter 12 Now he and Rabbi Ramsel and Rabbi Goan sat below the statue of the ancient prophet Elijah. This location was specifically chosen for what was about to happen. In the hand of the statue of Elijah was the severed head of one of the prophets of Baal. The spirit of God directed them to Mount Carmel. Each had guessed the intent of the Holy Spirit and the action they would perform, now they waited and wondered what about the timing of when it was to be. The spirit of Anti-Christ was sweeping through the world. Now many Christians, many, especially the new believers in Christ Jesus, had fallen away. The belief that Jesus, as well as all the great men in history, were the product of off-world alien intervention was rapidly gaining ground throughout the world. Ever since that shiny flying craft came up out of the sea just east of Rome International everything he and they’ve had tried to teach had been thrown into question. This little demonstration by the great god Yahweh is sorely needed. Rabbi Goan looked ahead and listened. Yes this demonstration was needed just as much for himself as well as for Goan. They both could use a little encouragement. Besides, he knew that their mission was coming to a close and maybe someone out there was still listening. Three hours later this little episode was about to begin as Rabbi Goan sat on a rock quietly praying and then he heard the rumble coming from trucks and their diesel motors. He stopped his worship. Soon he and Rabbi Ramsel saw two military vehicles drive into the parking lot. This captured his and Rabi Ramsel’s undivided attention. One truck unloaded its cargo of ten soldiers. The other, an Armored Personal Carrier, designed to carry prisoners pulled up alongside the first. Rabbi Goan now understood why the spirit sent them to Mount Carmel. These men were confirmation of all they had guessed. Looking up at the statue of Elijah he now knew what is about to happen. Without being told, he strongly sensed what he was about to do.A man came out of the trees and approached the Officer-in-Charge. He had not been noticed before and appeared by surprise."It seems someone has been watching us," said Rabbi Goan as he nodded toward the man talking with the apparent commander of the military unit in the parking lot.The Officer led his ten soldiers, their rifles pointed up the hill. The secret agent and military men walked closer to both Rabbis’. Both Rabbis quietly sat and waited."Whom do you seek?" asked Rabbi Goan."We seek you two trouble-makers. You are both under arrest. Come down and we will not harm you." The soldiers and the agent pointed their weapons directly toward Rabbi Goan and Ramsel.Rabbi Goan glanced at Ramsel and nodded his head. At the same time he let out a deep breath of resignation.Rabbi Ramsel accepted the unsaid words and stepped forward to speak to the Officer-in-Charge. "We are two who have been sent from the great God Jehovah. If you believe we are troublemakers then let fire come down and consume you and your men. If you leave at once we wish you no harm."Before Rabbi Ramsel finished his words, or they officer had a chance to respond, lightning flashed before the Rabbis’ eyes. Out of a clear blue sky the lightning came from nowhere and struck down twelve men. What remained as the intense supersonic crack vanished from their ears, the military men and agent lay smoldering in the parking-lot. Another sharp crack filled the air from a close lightning strike. In the distance a rolling thunder could be heard before it faded away. Smoke curled lazily skyward from the corpses lying in the parking lot. It ended so quickly that no one spoke. Even Ramsel and Goan were stunned by the event. The two drivers, the only ones to survive, ran to their vehicles and sped away.Rabbi Ramsel covered his nose. The hill he stood upon now reeked of burnt flesh as the breeze brought the smell up the hill."Bring wind, my Lord. Blow this stench away," Ramsel asked."What a shame," Rabbi Goan said. He came alongside Rabbi Ramsel as a wind appeared from behind brought fresh air for them to breathe."Now we wait," said Rabbi Goan as both men sought a comfortable spot to rest themselves. Each had brought an insulated bag with two sandwiches and something to drink. Behind them the commotion from a group of tourist quickly exiting the area caused both rabbis to turn and watch.The thump-thump of an approaching helicopter was soon heard and both rabbis watched what appeared to be a military gunship. It circled, hovered above the parking lot, and then landed.Rabbi Goan frowned as he saw six soldiers disembark and fan out across the parking lot. Then stepping out of the helicopter, they saw the apparent officer that was in charge. He feared that the men had only one intent - shoot first and ask questions later. At the same time he wished that they would put their rifles down, but they didn’t.Standing and facing the helicopter, he called out above the noise to the Officer-in-Charge of the six soldiers. Rabbi Ramsel asked again, praying that he had been heard. "Who is in charge? Who do you seek?"A soldier stepped forward. "We want you two to come down immediately and give yourself up. If not, we will be forced to open fire. You will both die for disobeying my direct order.""I don't think we can do that," answered Rabbi Ramsel."You have less than one minute to come down," called the officer, his voice now very excited. “If not even my gunship will fire on you both.Rabbi Ramsel stood motionless next to Rabbi Goan."You are out of time," called the officer. "Are you coming down?" The gunship’s rotors increased in speed, lifted off a little, rotated and pointed its weapons toward the rabbis.Rabbi Ramsel warned in a loud voice, "Those who try to harm us must be equally harmed. As they would do to us, so must it happen to them. The blood of your men is upon you. Don't be foolish." He stretched his hands toward the soldiers.The officer raised a communicator to his lips.Rifles exploded as one. The gun ship exploded with a burst of machine gun fire. It ended just as quickly. The sound deafened the ears. Rabbi Ramsel still standing beside Rabbi Goan winced. The six soldiers and their officer lay dead beside those still smoldering from the lightening. The helicopter co-pilot remained alive. The pilot dead, his windshield perforated and shattered by scores of bullet holes."I warned them not to do evil,” Rabbi Ramsel yelled, hoping the co-pilot heard his words. “Their own bullets have killed them," cried Rabbi Ramsel as loud as he could. "The blood of these men rest on he who sent them."Rabbi Goan looked into the sky as he listened to another voice. He then said to Rabbi Ramsel, "It is time. We are being ordered to another place."***Rabbi Elijah stood in front of the television cameras and reporters. He was eager to give his side of the story. "I do not think these three resignations will interfere with the verdicts of the court." The three judges he forced to resign from the World Court had become stumbling blocks to his wishes."As I understand it," he continued, "a select list of names has already been submitted to the EU council and the United Nations. All three vacancies will be filled in a few days. Our work of healing the world, directing the distribution of precious commodities, and maintaining world order will not be slowed.” Elijah paused for a moment. “Speaking of order, I understand that the two Israeli rabbis that created this misery are currently under arrest."He knew Von Resh's orders to arrest these men. "Our wonderful leader has much on his plate, and has a lot of serious work to do. So I cannot presume to speak for him, but if you remember his statement about the malignant sores that covered our skin. These same two men also brought the world misery when they turned our drinking water into blood. Well, this is nothing new. It once happened to the ancient Egyptians. I too am able to do such things, but I have never used my powers to harm people. I do not believe in wreaking the environment and the lives of the innocent.""One more question," the reporter begged. "Is there anything you can do to stop these men over in Israel from destroying the world as they have predicted they might do?""Yes I can. I have noticed when the EU President, I mean the newly elected Secretary General of the UN, Daniel Von Resh and I are together; the powers we possess are magnified. It is still a mystery to me how this occurs. God has given us these great powers to help people. I think it is for such a time as this that we have been born. Now those two Israeli buffoons are masquerading as Men of God, but they cannot stand against us. The Secretary General, our President, is a very busy man, but rest assured we will prevail. This planet has suffered enough from the Great War brought on us by the Israelis. First there came that cursed comet that scared everyone and destroyed the West Coast of the United States. Now we must clear away the rubble that we have been saddled with by these two men. Nothing must stand in the way of our recovery. Four billion people frightened souls are depending on us to succeed."Then he thought past the reporter’s question - Peter Meirs. Now there is someone he had to kill. This is personal. He waved his hand as if to say he was finished with this interview. Turning with his security staff he reentered the building.Chapter 13"A couple of guys came to visit me today," said Pete. He walked with Steve and Lora into the hotel's secured back courtyard. With trees protecting the area from a cool breeze, Pete felt himself relax as his shoulders soaked up the warmth. He also felt like talking about his encounter.Everyone turned - thinking that the men had come from the government. They wanted to hear what Pete had to say."I met these two guys outside a restaurant," he said. "They didn't say a whole lot, and I don't know who they are. They told me to take care of the children." He gave Steve and Lora a quizzical look. "Do I have kids running around here that I don't know about?""I never really trusted you," answered Lora with humor. "Do you? What have you been doing in your spare time?"He saw the smile on Steve's face and answered. "No! No I don't, and I haven't been drinking or sleeping around. I bought a meal for two little kids today and that’s all. I did it because I felt sorry for them. Now someone, these two guys, they want me to take care of a bunch of kids – whoever they are.""Wait a minute," Steve said. "Did these guys tell you how you are going to take care of these kids? Where you going to get the money? Whose kids are they talking about? Besides, don’t they know about your psychological profile? You’re a four-percenter." He laughed and waved the statement away - that he was only joking."They didn't tell me anything. Just take care of the kids," Pete replied. "They said I'd know when the time came.""Interesting," laughed Lora. "Mister Pied Piper Peter Meirs. I can't wait to see it happen. Do you know who these men where? Did they say anything else? Were they from the government?""All I know is that I have never met them," answered Pete. "Yet one man did look familiar - like I have seen him somewhere. Other than that I haven't the foggiest idea who they are. They're probably a couple of fruitcakes," he said and dismissed the whole affair.Maybe, later, when everyone needed a good laugh Pete thought that he'd throw out another tidbit of the conversation. For now, just revealing this strange meeting was more than enough. Besides, it seemed good for at least one laugh.Steve offered a few simple words that Pete wanted to hear. "I wouldn't worry about it. Wait until you get more information from these who-ever-they-are guys."Thanks, Pete thought. “That’s what I am going to do,” he said. “Still I’d like to know who they were. Most of all I like to know why they picked on me?”Lora heard the commotion before she saw it. Sitting comfortably under the shade umbrella, she turned and sought out the voices. The excitement came from a group of people gathered around a television set. Others guest in the hotel left their chairs to get closer and listen. She hurried over to the television and beckoned for Steve and Pete to follow."--- Again I report, these two Rabbis from the Galilee region are saying that the sun will heat up seven fold. This is supposed to happen around noon tomorrow."Pete watched in amazement as the pictures of the rabbis appeared. "Those are the two guys," he gasped. "They are dressed differently, but I’m sure they're the ones who talked to me by the restaurant. They were going to walked me back to the hotel but they went someplace. It was almost as if they just vanished into a store. Anyway I felt glad that they left, but that’s them. I’m sure of it."***Rabbi Goan handed his walking stick to Rabbi Ramsel who held it high above his head for all to see."What are you going to do this time?" asked Calvin Riskin of Channel 2 news. “You know we are still suffering from that water thing.”Rabbi Goan looked at the row of television cameramen and the reporters standing before him. The crowds had grown in size since the last time. "Boils and blood really brings out the crowd," he said to Rabbi Ramsel with a smile. "If only their hearts took us serious."Rabbi Goan studied Riskin for a moment then said. "Men love darkness rather than the light of God. Some will change. Others are so jaded by all they have seen, that nothing will pierce their hearts. Only fear has the power to get their attention.""I don't know about God," said Riskin, "I think the sun above our heads is all the light we need.""You still do not believe or understand," replied Rabbi Goan. "With all that has been written, you mock the Holy One of Israel. Yet I know your heart longs to believe in the truth. You asked earlier for another sign. You want something that only God can do. You wanted something that has never been done before or ever will be again. At the same time you fear what is about to happen. Look around you. You ask for a sign and everywhere there are signs."Rabbi Ramsel saw the discomfort in Riskin and the others. "Two curses have been proclaimed. No one is able to deny they happened. Yet the scientific community is busy creating theories to explain them away. Yet there are people who want to believe, and you stop them by your statements."Rabbi Goan held high a hand and prayed. "Abba, God, creator of the universe, men always seek after a sign when the signs are all around them. Yet, when one is given to them, they do not accept it. The only light they need is that which comes from the sun, they say. Give them so much light that they will know that it is you who control the destiny of the world. That it is you who give life. I do not ask you to save all that live, but to save those who accept you as Lord. All others must reap the judgment they have brought upon themselves."Now God, I ask you to curse the sun. As Isaiah has prophesied, let it shine increase by seven fold."Rabbi Goan looked at the crowd of reporters and spectators. "Around this time tomorrow you will be bombarded with light and heat that has not occurred since man has been on this planet."Rabbi Ramsel pointed the walking stick toward the sun."Tomorrow, this hour in Israeli time, the sun will give off seven times as much light as it now does. The oceans will boil and most of the sea life will perish. Men will know who rules the universe. They will also know that judgment has come into their midst.""And what if this does not occur," asked Riskin?"What if it does?" answered back Rabbi Goan. "Will you then seek after the great I AM? Will you accept what is written in our scriptures?"Riskin interrupted. "I saw a news report that said the current leader of the European commission has sometimes proclaimed himself the Great I AM. Can there be two Great I AMs? Someone is not telling the truth.""Tomorrow," answered Rabbi Ramsel. "Tomorrow you will have to face that question. For your sake, make the right choice."Another reporter threw a question to the Rabbis. "How long will this phenomenon last, the heating of the sun? From the scriptures that I've read, it does not give a time limit. Will it be one day or one week?"Rabbi Ramsel answered. "You will have the light and the heat for ten days. Pay attention to what occurs. Repent of your ways and follow the one true God, the Holy One of Israel.""Ten days and ten nights," chirped Riskin. "Isn't that a little too Biblical?""Tomorrow," replied Rabbi Ramsel."What about the soldiers that came to arrest you?" Riskin asked. "I heard that you kill them with your magic?""We did not kill them," answered Rabbi Ramsel. "They were killed by their own action. Look around, do you see the police? If we were guilty, would they not be here to arrest us?"Riskin threw out an answer before anyone else replied. "I think they're all frightened.Rabbi Ramsel spoke again. “With their own guns their evil intentions killed them all. Soldiers died uselessly. Answer this question. Why did it happen?""It is a tragic waste of life," added Rabbi Ramsel, but we will be out of their hair soon enough.” He turned to Rabbi Goan and whispered something all the reporters wanted to hear.Ramsel turned to Rabbi Goan and said, "It is time to go. We have much to do and very little time."Chapter 14 Pete scanned the news headlines as he walked. There was nothing else to do, and reading the newspaper was not one of his things. Yet even though he dreaded reading the newspaper, as the news was never good. He couldn’t go home, back to Colorado, U.S. of A., that was his first choice, and there never was any good news about America. It was as if the nation had vanished – which of course it hadn’t. As for catching a trip back home, only so much passenger traffic was being allowed except for those with priority. He clearly had no priority. The American consulate kept telling him he is on the waiting list and gave him, as well as Lora and Steve, a polite “maybe tomorrow”. He and all the rest of the stranded Americans in Israel would have to make the best of it as they could. Many, if not most, had run out of money a long time ago. Sleeping on a cot at the Embassy never sat well with any of them. As he scanned the headlines, he came across information in an article about the two rabbis that were holding large so-called “camp meetings” throughout Israel. Well, one of these guys had told him to take care of the kids. As he read the short article, he decided that it might be time to see these guys in action. Depending on the distance, he just might go to one of their rallies."One good thing about the paper," he said as they walked into the hotel's courtyard. "It’s thin, and I may get to know more about the two men who approached me at the restaurant. I still want to know why they picked on me? They repeated more than once that I had been chosen." "It’s your heart," answered Steve with a slight chuckle. "Maybe they know you better than you know yourself." He looked around the courtyard. "Grab a table in the shade for us. We're going to sit this one out and see what happens."Lora found a small round table then said, “Do you think the sun is going to explode today, or something? Has it anything to do with you?” She looked at Pete. “After all you are the chosen one.” She chuckled while sitting down in the shade.”Pete looked at Steve and didn’t like being chosen for anything. “We’ve got enough problems on our own without asking for more.”At the same time he kept an eye on his two friends for their reaction. The day felt a little too cool to him. A little heat wave, he thought, might feel good about now. "So those two guys killed a bunch of soldiers - I hear," Pete said it in his style of a whisper that all close by heard. He shook his head as he sat down, while thinking about these same two guys at the restaurant. They didn't look that tough. He thought about himself. Some people have said he also didn’t look that tough. They found out differently when they pushed too hard. Obviously looks are deceiving. He relished the feeling of these mano-a-mano contests. Others took them deadly serious, but Pete saw them more as an irritation. Sometimes they were fun."Anything happening yet?" he called. "It's noon. If those guys are predicting that the sun will heat up, I'd rather sit here in the cool shade and drink an iced tea. Maybe it's going to be a group hallucination thing. If so, if that is all it will be, I'd rather not participate." He hoped these rabbi guys turned out to be fake. Them telling him to feed the children really irritated. Now they are predicting this thing about the sun. He squirmed in his chair. He didn't want to be taking care of a bunch of kids. He especially didn't want the sun to explode. He basically just wanted to be left alone. He wanted more than anything to get on a plane and go home. For a moment he thought about his failed attempt to kill Elijah. Squirming again, he said softly, "Bad, bad decision. Also too late to take it back," he added. Lora and Steve looked at him as he mumbled aloud. They heard every word. His thumbs nervously tapped the table. Then he saw them looking at him and stopped. “Just thinking about something,” he said and cleared his throat. For just a moment he thought about Kendra and him taking the psychological test together. Boy did his chart tell him a lot. He changed the subject in his mind.“I was thinking about Elijah,” he added. “Elijah has repeatedly shown that he also has unusual mystical powers.”Lora said it first. “That isn’t what you said when you thought no one was listening. What was a bad decision? This has anything to do with Italy and the last hotel?”Pete thought of his failed attack. I should have nailed him a third time, he thought. It is really strange that he survived at all. I did everything right. Without the help of that EU President guy, I'm sure he wouldn't have lived through the week. “This spiritual stuff is really spooky,” he said to Lora and Steve who were waiting for an answer.He huffed and looked at his friends. “With all the strange stuff happening in the world, maybe the sun will really explode and we’ll be done with all this hocus-pocus.” He wondered if the astronomers have already noticed any problem. If it happens, I guess I won't have any children to take care of. Everything, everyone will be toast. “You know, the rabbis also said I should seek them out and learn the way to life and truth. Doesn’t that sound a little spooky? Things are getting weird.”Lora and Steve still waited for the answer to their question.Pete shut down thinking about the mess he found himself in. I wonder if there is going to be another attack on my life. He thought, shuddered and closed his eyes.Lora and Steve gave up waiting for an answer. Pete was doing it to them again. Ask a question he doesn’t want to answer and it is ignored. Kendra came to Pete’s mind. Boy, did he miss her. She'd understand all this stuff. Closing his eyes tighter he imagined her and Esther standing some distance away. He remembered the strange dream where he imagined them waving to him. Boy, did he miss them both, and boy did that dream seem real. He remembers seeing Kendra standing in a field of grass. He guessed it was a field. She had on a long goldish-orange looking dress. Her hair seemed to be billowy – a golden-tanish brown. All she did was just stand there and smile. Then the dream ended."Love you Pete." The voice came from in front of him. He snapped open his eyes expecting to see Kendra standing before him. No one. Disappointed, he realized that the voice was a figment of his imagination. "I need a drink." He said and looked around for a waiter and caught one’s eye. "Coffee! American style. Black!""It's noon," Steve said. "Nothing's happening.""Give it time," Lora answered. "Sis's notes talked about this happening. She's been right so many times. We've both read chapter 16 in the book of Revelation. I fear those guy’s may be right again.” Pausing a moment she added, “Maybe we all should read the book.” In her heart she thought they might all want to go inside.Steve grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed. “Maybe we should all get a case of water for drinking? His wife kept referring to the book of Revelation last night. “If this comes to pass,” he said, “I’ll read the book. If it happens as predicted, I'll read the whole book.”Pete thought about Kendra again. This was a nicer subject. He also, if this thing happens, he’d study the chart she left in the luggage. How many times Kendra pointed out things on the chart and he only stared at her in amusement and politely nodded. Lora had also found the charts from Imerginetics. These were psychological profiles of him and one was of Kendra. He visualized the little red wedge in the colorful circles that revealed his personality. The red wedge represented his sociability. It, in his chart, that red wedge was practically missing. He was a total wallflower in this area of life.Kendra’s on the other hand was normal. The yellow, blue, and green were all fairly equal to the red. Most of the class that attended were closer to normal than he was. Only one other person had anything that even resembled his chart. One out of fifty. That doesn’t seem that bad."Nothing happening," Steve said again waking Pete from his thoughts."Give it time Pete,” Pete said. “It does take a couple of minutes for light to travel from the sun to the earth.""Right," Steve replied. "I should have known that."Pete looked around the courtyard. There were others who heard the prediction from the two Rabbis and you could see that they were also wondering. You could see in their faces. Whatever is about to happen, will happen, it was out of his or anyone else's control. He resigned himself to drink his hot coffee and wait.* * *Bubbling up from the very core of the sun, ten million degrees of plasma and the heat it carried rose and spread across the surface. What once was a surface temperature of 10,000 degree; that cooler plasma now mixed with the ten million-degree plasma and increased the surface temperature 100-fold.The physical size of the sun swelled from 850,000 miles across to 1.3 million miles. Countless wells of super heated plasma exploded to the surface. Massive arcs of glowing plasma shot three hundred thousand miles into space. Incredible waves of electrons, and circuit-killing beams of solar radiation, were flung out and across the solar plane.Along with huge amounts of energy and light, the heat swept toward earth. The electron and plasma traveled at 186,300 miles per second. In two minutes, a massive shower of electrons would rain upon the earth. The heat that came with it was not far behind.* * *Pete gave up waiting for a refill for his coffee and took a swig from his bottled water. Last week Lora joined the crowds making runs on bottled water. They added another case apiece last night. Lora had managed to buy two cases. Pete and Steve carried them back to the hotel for her. He didn't have enough words to apologize and thank them for what they did for him in buying that one extra case. Hopefully he would not need it.His thoughts went back to the café and the kids. His stomach growled. "How about lunch? Anybody hungry? I'm buying.""I am," replied Lora. She stared into the blue sky, glanced at the sun, got up and began to walk back into the hotel. “Let’s go,” she said. Steve dropped the hand shielding his eyes and shrugged. "I guess we might as well all eat. Nothing’s going to happen." "Maybe it isn't supposed to happen today," Pete said with a touch of faked condolence. His voice also revealed a massive release of tension. "Maybe it isn't going to happen until nightfall, when the sun is on the other side of the earth?" They all headed for the bar as it had three empty stools together."Maybe," answered Steve. He added. "I guess I wanted to believe everything Kendra told us. I guess we all make mistakes."Pete pointed to the two stools next to him. "Sit for a few minutes. I withdrew another fifty thousand German Marks today,” he admitted in the making of conversation.“You did,” said Steve as more of a question?“Yeah,” Pete replied. “It should be ready for pickup by now. We'll get it and I'll take you all out to that restaurant where I stopped this morning. With what I withdrew yesterday and today we're set for at least a year."Steve and Lora didn't say a word, but Pete guessed they were more concerned over what went wrong with the sun. He figured they placed too much faith in these Rabbis. He also wondered when did these friends of his get religious?Without warning, everyone in the courtyard vanished in blinding, brilliant white light. The music playing over the speakers stopped. For a moment he thought of an explosion from a nuclear bomb.It happened once before, in the city of Afula. A nuclear warhead detonated high above the city. A few seconds of brilliant white light gave him enough warning to dive for cover. Everything depended on his being alert. He threw himself to the slate flooring and crawled to a shielding stone wall trying to escape the light. From past experience, he had just a few seconds to get behind cover. The building might help as long as it didn’t blow down.As he kneed himself through a small flowerbed he called back to Steve to follow. "Quick, Get behind this wall." If radiation rains down on everyone, this wall will offer some protection.Pete waited for Steve and Lora. Tucking closer to the wall, he heard screams from those in the yard. Did the intense light from a nuclear explosion blind them? He waited.The brilliant light didn't fade away. Something is different this time, he thought. This isn't an explosion. “It’s the sun,” he said. “The sun. It really is happening.”He peered over the wall and out the window, squinting tightly through both eyes. The courtyard was bathed in a white light that obliterated all shadows. He turned back to Steve and Lora. They sat transfixed by the reaction of those in the direct sunlight. They also were shielding their eyes and looking mostly down."It's happening!" shouted Lora. "Sis said it would. Chapter 16 said it would. The Rabbis said it would. Both she and Steve laughed as they continued to shield their eyes.Steve reached out a now very white hand to Pete and laughed. "Come on. Get up. Let's go back to the room and get a hat. Then I think we'd better go get that lunch you talked about. Who knows, this might be our last?"Pete thought about the electricity. "If it's still working," he mumbled. "You're too cavalier about this sun thing. Electricity always goes out when a nuclear weapon explodes. This thing with the sun may have the same effect." Nervously he said, "You better get your sunglasses and a hat. I'll get mine.""Can we eat?" cried Lora as she noticed the lights were out in the lobby of the hotel. "There's no electricity, no lights, no power. I hate candy bars." She headed back to the room with Steve. They’d have to walk the stairs.“Let me suggest something," said Steve, "that we all bike over to the nearest grocery store. It might be wise to have a few days of canned food.""Steve's right," added Pete. "It won't hurt to buy some stuff before panic cleans out the shelves. Get a few more large bottles of water if we can carry them?"***Rabbi Elijah grabbed his cell phone to call Von Resh. The only light in the room now came from the windows. Electricity had failed and the lights in the ceiling were now off. He absentmindedly walked over to the curtains to close them and hit the switch to close them. It did not word. All electricity went out and nothing but battery backed power supplies still functioned. That wouldn’t last much longer. The phones were also dead. He looked at his cell phone. It flashed - NO SERVICE.A man at the table asked, "Did someone detonate a nuclear weapon? This is what happened during the war. I remember it like it was yesterday."Maybe, he thought, but the light outside should have faded by now. Hurrying to the window, he shielded his eyes and looked at the sun. It looked huge, brighter than ever. The Rabbis, he thought. They brought on this curse. “I'm going to kill them,” he shouted. “I'll kill them both.” Then he thought for a moment. He was torn between killing Peter Meirs or killing the Rabbis first. Both were now at the top of his list.***The television studio went dark. EU President Daniel Von Resh was addressing the world in his fireside talk to the nations when all the lights went out. Battery lit security packs gave a little light above the exits.A door opened from the back of the room. He heard his public relations and image counselor say, "Electricity is out throughout the city. Backup generators will be online in a minute." Von Resh’s security men surrounded him just in case.Von Resh heard the voice from within say, "It is out over the entire world. You must do away with the two Rabbis in Israel who brought us this problem. They are in our way. We do not have much time. If we want to survive we must hurry."Von Resh agreed, but Elijah failed with the solders. The men he sent were themselves killed. He knew about the prophecies. These two men will be impossible to kill until their 1260 days of preaching has expired. He'd have an aide calculate when that time will end. He also knew he had to do something with the Israeli nation. If it ceased to exist, then the utterances of God Himself will be brought low. A backup plan called for the world armies to be marshaled. They would then invade Israel. No upstart will return to this world. This delightful piece of celestial real estate belongs to me and me alone. He’d start getting the world ready for this war with Israel as soon as the electricity came on.Von Resh knew what prophecy these two troublemakers would next announce. He shuddered. Scientists were already working on an explanation for every prediction. He needed their expertise to explain away this latest problem. The population of the world will need pacifying. As for the troublemakers, Elijah must keep trying. He trusted that Elijah will soon find a way to kill them sooner than they expected."You'll never have me," he mumbled with a raised fist to an imagined God hovering above him. "You'll never rule. Not while I'm alive."Hurrying to his helicopter he’d fly back to his residence. Once there he’d power up the generators and confer with his military and civilian commanders.Von Resh listened to his Commanding General seated at the darkened conference room. "All our satellites are down,” the general said. “We're blind.""All of them? Is it a computer problem?""Computers are fine. We went to back-up generators as soon as the electricity went down. Right now the only thing we are sure of is that all spy satellites have stopped responding. Europe is also experiencing a massive blackout due to short-circuiting substations. The confederation is experiencing wholesale power loss. It may be all over the world.""How about the American satellites? I'm sure they are still working. Maybe the British have things working? How about the Russians? Can we still keep an eye on them and their allies?""At this moment we are totally blinded. We don't know what communication satellite may have survived. Massive solar flares are disrupting communications. We can't even talk to someone across the street. If an enemy launches a strike at us, we won't know it until the warhead explodes.""How about land-based communications? Something must be useful.""We'll know what’s working within a few more minutes. In the meantime every commander I've talked too is frightened and on full alert.""Keep me informed," Von Resh said. "In the meantime, consider this crisis as condition Red. Place whatever forces you can communicate too on the highest alert status.""I have already ordered it," replied the Commander."Good. Keep me updated with any changes.""Yes sir." The General left the room as frantic aides rushed in.Von Resh didn't listen to their fears, but he knew who to blame. His eyes glanced upward and raised a fist above his head. "I'm going to win. You can't stop me."Chapter 15 "Two days," gasped Pete. “It’s been two days and I feel like I’m dying.” He lay in the morning shade of a tree that clung for life. It was how he felt. Something he never thought about before was the elderly and really young. How were they dealing with this heat, and those who were already on their last leg, he could only imagine what they were going through. "I hear,” he said and paused to get another breath, “that today's temperatures might pop the thermometers." He glanced at Steve and Lora with his sweaty eyes. "It's 125, Fahrenheit and it’s not even nine in the morning. I feel like I am in an oven. Has anyone touched the concrete with their bare hands? All I can say is, don’t. You can fry an egg on it.”In his agony he thought about the comet that crashed into Pacific, and then the magnetic poles doing their flip-flops. A few months later they divided into a dozen poles. When that happened he actually felt sorry for the birds, the fish, and all the animals that might need magnetic orientation to find their way around. Then came that cursed global nuclear war and the vanishing of all he held dear. Finally the currents in the oceans change, and the world seems headed for a mini-ice age. He longed for the good old days when he felt chilly, even a few days ago was preferable to this heat. Before the electricity failed, he longed to go to a shopping mall. He quickly caught himself. Everyone's air conditioners have also failed by now. If the condensers can't cool the compressors, well one failure leads to another. He also shuddered at the thought of the tens of millions of people gasping their last breath, literally dying from the heat. Millions had migrated south to escape the nuclear winter. I’ll bet millions more are now trying to get north. For a moment the thought that the next hour might be his last didn’t sit well with him. "This is not good," he said and then poured some warm water over his head and face. He asked, "How we going to last a couple of more days in this stuff? Those two guys are killing us all."Using will power to relax and quiet his racing heart, he studied the garden. Wilted flowers were everywhere. The garden was a warning of the serious consequences if the heat lasted much longer. "Tomorrow it will be the trees, then us; we'll all be dead by the weekend."The throbbing in his head told him to watch his nerves. He was getting excited. Now he really forced himself to relax. Then chuckled and whispered to no one in particular, "Mister tough guy. I'm a wimp then drank the rest of the bottled water." So far he had used up three liters and it wasn’t even noon. Tough guy or wimp, he didn't like the look of the silvery bottle. The color signaled empty - a lack of water. Peering through the wilted leave of the tree above him, he looked at the clouds. Their thickness shielded everyone from the direct sunlight. That was good. Was it like this all over the world? A happier thought led him to the now ancient thoughts of refrigerated water and the glaciers he once saw in Baffin Bay, Greenland. He had spent a few months up there. Surviving the heat has got to be easier up there. Down here, the ocean waters off the coast are very warm. He suspected that there wasn’t a sun-bather on the beaches, with all that scorching sand. They probably are lying at home, in the basement, dying from heat exhaustion, he laughed. He knew he felt like it. Another week of this stuff and he'd give little hope for all the very young, the very old, or the sickly. With no electricity – he quit thinking. He felt glad that he stayed in shape. At least he felt stronger than most. But he wasn’t about to do any of his regular workout routines.Anger swelled up in him as he growled. "If this is what God is all about? What happened to that God of love I’ve heard so much about? Where is the justice in this?"What is worse, that old Biblical forty-day flood or these ten days of intense heat? He shrugged at the thoughts with no answer. He concluded that the end results will be the same. Closing his eyes he pictured massive storms forming in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. On land, maybe gigantic tornadoes may be already twisting their way across his American Midwest. The biggest ones he ever heard about were one mile across. Who knows what size they are today?Last night the low temperature never dropped below one hundred Fahrenheit. He, Steve and Lora slept outside alongside hundreds of other guests. His second concern was having water to drink. He must be drinking two gallons a day.Static filled the air with its irritating crackle. Steve apparently turned on his radio that lay between him and Lora. Thank God for a solar powered radio. He turned his head and listened."The Jordan River is officially dry," the news commentator said. "Only a trickle remains and it vanishes long before it reaches the Dead Sea.""Pete here's a bit of information for you," said Lora who actually sounded normal. "The two rabbis who talked to you are going to hold a rally tomorrow night.""In this heat?" he answered. "Who'll be alive to listen to them?" "I think we should go," whispered Lora in now panting breaths. "It will be at night and a lot cooler. These men are messengers from God.""Correction. How about messengers from Hell," Pete added.Somehow everyone survived and night came as the sun followed the course it always followed.Eight o'clock at night didn't feel as hot tonight once the sun set. Pete, Steve, and Lora entered University Stadium. The two-kilometer walk from the hotel seemed only a little more demanding. Ninety degrees actually began to feel cool.They found a spot on the playing field away from the crowd and sat down. The two Rabbis were scheduled to begin services in fifteen minutes. The size of the crowd surprised Pete for such a warm night. No electricity, no television, boredom does bring out an audience.Feeling better?" Steve asked everyone.No one answered. Pete looked at Steve. Earphones in his ears, Steve liked passing on information he just heard. He waited, knowing that Steve was about to inform them of what he just heard. That’s the way Steve was. He tried to know what was going on. "The air pressure has increased," Steve said. "Seems that the heat has evaporated a lot more of the oceans than normal. Oxygen content in the air has risen from 15% to 25%. They say we'd all have oxygen poisoning if not for the increase air pressure.""Explain that so I can understand," quipped Pete."Seems that the increased air pressure means it is forcing more oxygen into the lungs, though the skin and into the blood. Increased blood oxygen allows greater endurance."Pete didn't feel that great, but at least this made sense."Unfortunately," continued Steve. "Reports from around the world are scarce, but they believe everyone feels the same.""That's good, but how many have died from the heat?" Pete asked."No report on that," answered Steve."I'll bet it's in the millions, maybe more." He whispered, "More oxygen, more air pressure, more endurance, I can live with that." From the sound system came the words. "Hear oh Israel. The Lord God is one."Pete sat up and studied the stage."Hear oh Israel. The Lord is one," called the voice again.Two men appeared as they climbed the stage. Both walked across the stage and approached the front of the crowd. Pete felt himself mesmerized. These guys were the two who had stopped him outside the café. They are the ones who told him to take care of the kids.A thunder of applause, cheers, and clapping filled the stadium. Pete watched Steve and Lora jump to their feet. He noticed how freely Steve and Lora gave themselves over to the excitement in the crowd. They had changed."Let us worship the Lord," cried out a loud voice. The words echoed around the stadium. Someone close by called out, "Rabbi Ramsel.""So that's Ramsel," Pete said. “Which one?”"The Lord is his name," Rabbi Ramsel said. "He is Jehovah, God, He is who He is. The One Eternal. He is Jehovah Elohim, the Lord God Almighty."Pete watched Ramsel; he assumed the man talking was Ramsel. The Rabbi paced back and forth across the stage."He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my banner and protection."The crowd in front of Pete went hysterical. To his left he saw Steve and Lora jumping up and down like kids. He shook his head in disgust as they clapped their hands. He never saw them act like this before. He vowed not to get involved."He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who healeth thee."Pete smiled. The exuberance of the people around him was infectious, but he decided not to participate. Besides he wanted to know more about these two guys, and a lot more about those kids.Rabbi Ramsel strode to the other side of the stage. His face aimed toward the sky speaking in a language that didn't make sense. Mumble jumble, he thought, or some foreign language.From his vantage point, Pete watched the crowd surge forward. They pushed through security and up against the stage.Rabbi Ramsel lowered his head and spoke softly. "He is Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness."The other Rabbi, the one Lora called Rabbi Goan, stepped forward; speaking something that sounded like singing. The crowd followed along. In English Pete heard, "He is Jehovah. He is Jehovah, He is Jehovah."At least Steve and Lora were not singing. They obviously did not know the song.An hour passed and Pete looked at his watch. "When are they going to predict something?"The one identified as Rabbi Goan yelled, "The fire." And thrust his hand toward the audience.Pete felt something hit his stomach. He fell backwards. No, he didn't fall. He was thrown. It came from his gut. He lay on the grass and saw Steve and Lora stagger to their feet. This strange force had affected all of them. He felt the same thing from Elijah.He finally stood and helped the person behind him stand. When he looked back at the stage, Rabbi Goan thrust his hands in his direction, along with dozens of people around him.Pete, and who knows how many others, flew backwards again. He awoke staring up into the night sky. Or should he say cloudy sky.He blinked and couldn't move."Did you see anything?" Steve asked as he pulled Pete's arm."Fantastic," said Lora. "I've never felt anything like this. Kendra told me about this stuff, but I thought she was crazy."She smiled at Steve while grabbing Pete's other arm. "Did you hear anything?"Pete looked at both of his friends like they were insane. "See what? Hear what?"He stood on wobbly legs and saw the two Rabbis step off the platform. They moved through the crowd touching people with their hands. People screamed or fell down or did both at the same time. Each rabbi were now speaking to each other in different languages, yet both seemed to understand what the other said.Someone yelled, "My leg is healed."Another yelled, "My eye. I can see through it. I’m healed."He heard of healing services. Was this a case of mass hysteria?Rabbi Ramsel came through the crowd walking toward Lora and Steve. He touched them both on the head and turned toward Pete who only stared at the Rabbi. Pete who now watched in quiet apprehension just stood his ground determined to stand.Rabbi Ramsel gestured for Pete to come forward.Pete decided to stand still. Maybe the Rabbi pointed to another person. When he didn't respond, the Rabbi moved toward him.Pete watched the man approach. Ramsel stopped in front. Neither took their eyes off each other."You must forgive," Rabbi Ramsel said in a soft voice.Pete narrowed his eyes."Forgive what?""Your father."Rabbi Ramsel reached out a hand and stopped it a few inches from Pete's chest.Pete's legs felt like rubber. He swayed. Something hit him again in the stomach. This time he didn’t fall. Instead he crumbles to his knees.Images of his childhood flashed before his eye. His stepfather saying that he was the greatest kid in the world and that he'd never leave him. Then he relived the moment when he killed his biological father back in Ireland. The sensations brought a wave of hurt and crying. He couldn’t control himself. He tried – but all he did was remember and cry like a baby. Pete saw himself standing on the bed of the orphanage's rainy window. He was crying then. The red lights of his stepfather's car vanished in the night.The sight and memories tore his heart out. Other images appeared and Pete saw the laughing face of his closest friend. The next image sent shudders coursing through him. His friend's lifeless body lay next to the irrigation canal. Then he saw himself joining the Marines, sniper school, learning self-defense, killing people. The anger inside forced him to lash out. He tried to stop these long ago memories, but they kept getting clearer and more intense. Peace entered only when he saw Kendra. Oh how he missed her. Then appeared Esther. For both of them girls, he only felt love and compassion. They were the best things that ever came into his life.He saw Kendra standing on a short hill on the other side of a narrow valley. She waved to him. His heart leaped when he saw a young girl appear. It was Esther, Kendra's godchild. Both stood side by side, and they waved to him. Unlike the last time, this time he heard their voices. Yet he couldn't make out the words.Running toward them in this vision, he heard them telling him to go back. Someone tugged at his arm and stopped him."Wake up," someone said.Kendra and Esther faded from view. Pete opened his eyes and focused on Steve and Lora."Are you okay?" asked Lora. She knelt beside him. Steve knelt on his other side. “You were crying and saying something. I couldn’t make out any of the words. It almost sounded like something Irish. Do you know Irish?Steve lifted Pete's elbow and helped him to stand."He prophesized over you," Steve said. "Do you remember anything?"Pete looked around. His mind tried to understand but there was too much to think about. He didn’t really know what had happened. Most of the images he remembered did not sit well with him. "What happened? How long did I sit on my knees?""A long time," answered Lora. "He almost touched you. Then you flew backwards, and then sank to your knees."Pete stared at them without saying a word. No one said anything for a long time. "It's time to go," Steve suggested. "You can tell us about it as we walk. One thing I do remember. He kept telling you to let go – to forgive. What did that all mean?"Pete never answered; he was too busy trying to make sense of what happened.***Spec sat on the veranda in his shorts, sipping an iced tea. A misting fan sprayed cool air over his body and those of his two friends. The safe house, in the Benavista section of Marbella, Spain, stood secluded behind soaring walls. This house had been used after a number of assassinations. To insure privacy, they ringed the property with electronic surveillance and hidden video cameras. The local electric company got itself going again only this morning and they now had electricity. After the sun's radiation fried the circuit breakers, electricity only came from batteries. Today the electricity was on for a few hours. Tomorrow the government planned to restrict non-essential usage during the daylight hours. It might be better later. The electrical grid feeding Madrid never really came up. It had been down now about six days.In keeping with past safe houses, they planned to sell the property, but the economic restrictions imposed by the Euro parliament after the war collapsed everyone's investments. Tens of millions they salted away for a rainy day simply vanished in the economic chaos. They were almost broke. When Rabbi Ben Yosaf approached them to kill Peter Meirs, they jumped at the chance. "The Rabbi better not welch on this deal. His paying with gold coins is something to his credit. Long live the empire. Death to Mister Meirs."He read the intelligence report and thought of the next payment that Rabbi Elijah will be depositing into their account. The one thousand ounces of gold buried in the back courtyard was doing well, but wouldn't last forever. They needed more. Their lifestyle was suffering. There has to be people out there who need killing? There also has to be people who desired their services. He opened a letter that came from their unofficial boss."They found him!" Spec said as he sat up and read the paragraph again."Where?" asked Dice. "Hope he's close.""He's in Israel. There's no address, but a contact in customs has supplied the date he entered the country. At this moment he appears to be still there."Thumbs put down the paper he read and went inside. "We better get there before he leaves the country. We'll get in and get out before anyone knows that Peter Meirs is dead."Spec sat down his iced tea. "Dice, check and see if the telephones are working. If they are, arrange airfare to Tel Aviv. If that's not available get us a steamer, get something. We need to get there pronto. We don't want this guy going somewhere else."The three killers entered the house and prepared for their departure."I got passage on a boat," said Dice after talking to various people for an hour.Spec and Thumbs looked up and both asked at the same time, "When?""Three weeks from now," quipped Dice. "They're holding passage for us, but we have to let them know within the hour.""Is that the best we can do?" asked Dice."I can't get anything else. We better take it."How much is this going to cost us?" Thumbs' asked."You don't want to know," answered Dice."Three weeks." Spec shook his head in disgust. He felt miserable from the heat. Then thinking of Rabbi Elijah he said, "We need the money from this job." Gone are the good old days when you could fly away at a moment's notice. "Tell them we'll take it, but I want the passage guaranteed. If they want payment right away, take some of our gold coins. Let's finish this job." He walked to the computer room fully expecting to read the latest news from Euro-land. He entered the room just as the electricity in the house went out. Disgusted by the disruption, he muttered, "Let's kill this guy and get it over."Chapter 16 It took four weeks, once the sun returned to normal, for Spec, Dice and Thumbs to sit in the lobby of the Sheraton Plaza - Jerusalem Hotel, hoping the information sold them was still current. The sun had returned to its normal size and the heat, though still hot and trapped by the worldwide heavy cloud cover, had finally become bearable. Spec looked at his friends and said, “It’s always possible that Peter Meirs may have stayed here and left weeks ago. The information we received is over three months old.” Instead of sitting and hoping, he decided to take that question to the front desk.Spec finished writing a short note addressed to Mister Meirs, room unknown. He sealed the envelope and walked to the clerk at the front desk. "I'd like to leave this note for a Mister Meirs. I don't know what room he's in."The desk clerk took the envelope from Spec's hand and replied, "Our computer is down. We can only run it during the morning hours. I'll check our registry when everything comes up. Are you sure Mister Meirs is registered with us?""I believe so,” Spec replied. “What time do you expect to have electricity again? If he is staying here, please be sure he gets this letter."Spec turned and walked back to his comrades. "They don't know if he's still registered," he said. He noticed that Dice wasn't listening. Instead he just stared past Dice.Following Dice's eyes he spied two men and a lady walking across the lobby toward the front door."Bingo," Dice said with a contorted smile. “I’m glad you saw them Thumbs.” This is going to save us a lot of time and trouble.”Spec smiled as everyone watched Peter Meirs push through the revolving doors and exit the hotel."Shall we follow?" Dice asked with a smile of satisfaction."Yes," Spec replied. "Stay back a distance. Now that we've found him, we don’t want to spook him."Thumbs stood up, cracked his knuckles, and reached into the paint pockets of his cargo walking shorts, searching for the garrote he had made. Unfortunately the weapons he and his team liked to use for this job had to be left in Spain. All efforts to buy anything more powerful than an ice pick proved futile. They thought about jumping a school teacher or a soldier and taking their weapon, but that would have attracted much-to-much attention.His right hand patted the garrote in his pocket. Pressing the Velcro tabs of the pocket together, he said, "Let's go. I'm ready."***"These past weeks have been horrible," Lora said as she approached Pete and Steve in the crowded front courtyard of the hotel. Electricity came on at eight that evening. They slept well enough on the balcony that night. New air-conditioning compressors were on order. No one had any idea when replacement might arrive. The big heat they had experienced fried the compressors, the motors and the electrical circuits. Everything had to be scrapped. That said, the only bright spot began the length of time the hotel had electricity will shut off at five in the next morning. By six in the evening the room will be getting stuffy again. So went the days, one after another. At least they had some television and lights.They along with all the other guests had breakfast by four in the morning. Schedules meals revolved around when electricity existed. Now at seven in the evening, with no lunch, they all wanted to find a place to get a meal.Pete acknowledged her comment with a node. He didn't feel very cheery. All last night dreams made him sweat and toss. They were more like nightmares. He reminded himself that it is always like this when he sleeps and it’s too warm. In addition to the dreams he had the foreboding that something ugly was about to happen. Maybe Elijah had discovered where he was staying. That will be a real kicker, he thought.For the last five weeks, his mind kept coming back to Rabbi Ramsel and this forgiveness stuff. The take care of the kid thing didn’t sit well with him either. The kid stuff never sat well and never would. That was something easier said than done; besides there were bigger problems. The thought about Elijah left him visibly shaken and on edge. He felt uptight and irritable and nothing felt right.The air outside was warm, but nothing like what they had just experienced."What do a couple of more days of heat have to do with anything?" he growled. Then he caught himself when he spoke aloud. "I'm sorry Lora. My mind is somewhere else." "Remember," she said."If there is something to remember,” Pete answered in a lie. “I've been doing too much of it lately. I'm not sure I like it. I’m not sure if those thugs who attacked me had anything to do with Elijah. I’m not sure of anything. I do know that whoever rigged my door to explode was after me.”Steve chuckled. "The Rabbis really got to you,” Trying to ignore the Elijah threat and change the subject. “You haven't been the same since that Ramsel guy laid his hands on you."Pete wiped his face with his hand. "That still doesn't answer the question. What does it all mean? Thank God this heat is almost gone.”Steve started to laugh then said, “The temperature has been steadily dropping since the sun stopped all that extra output. Now the weather people are saying ‘get ready for the rains’.”"They don’t know,” Lora answered. “They are right only if the weather they talk about is tomorrow and even then they miss it a lot of times. Besides don't you remember, during the revival? The Rabbis said that the sun was to expand and heat up for ten days? Well the ten day have long gone. What do you think is going to happen to all the clouds?” She looked at her husband. “Maybe that rain stuff might be the answer to all the clouds. You probably know what the rabbi said."Steve said, "Oh yeah. I guess that part has escaped me. If you remember, you told me, that I was unconscious at the time." Steve chuckled. "I wish them guys would have said something over me that I could use.""I wish I never saw either of them," Pete replied. "As for taking care of kids, you become the hero. As far as I’m concerned they can forget me. I've got enough trouble."Steve ignored Pete's grouchiness. "Just watch out for any little kid who comes your way. You may begin watching out for number two or three. Who knows how many they were talking about?""Funny." Pete smiled and turned away. An image of a group of dirty-faced kids surrounding him brought a grimace of pain. They probably will be standing, crying and holding out their grubby little hands.” He cleared his eyes. “The little beggars.”In a half an hour they found a place that had prepared sandwiches before the electricity was turned off for today. They eat curbside and watched the clouds darken. The sun must have set. An hour after the assumed sun set, the temperature still hovered around 90 F and Pete needed to cool off. He needed a vacation. He needed to go home. "I'm going to go for a walk," he said and grabbed his water bottle without waiting for a reply. The direction was toward the Temple area."Wait up," said Steve. "We'll go with you. Electricity might be on soon. I'll buy us a snack at one of the shops."Pete changed his direction and intent. Instead he led his friends from the restaurant to Gan Ha-Atsma Park, also known as Independence Park. He picked a path through the park that offered a shortcut to Yo'el Salomon Street and to the top of Ben Yahuda. Along the busy street of shops and restaurants, he found his favorite breakfast, bread and pastry shop. Lights were on. Did they have a generator? They were open for business was all that mattered. His mind paused for a moment when he realized, this is where he met the two kids and the rabbis.***Spec strolled into the shop a head of Peter and his friends. He studied the case holding a variety of today's freshly baked breads. They were cooked in a large wood fired oven like in the old days. He paid for the baguette of French bread and three bottles of water. Before exiting, he took a long look at Pete and his two companions who were now in line to buy something."I think we’ll wait for him in the park," Spec announced as he left the store."And how do we get away?" asked Thumbs. "It may be lit. The electricity is on. It’s still quite bright right now. We'll be seen for sure. Let's scout the area and find a way to get out of the area, and we must be discrete. Besides we don’t know when they might return to the hotel.""Thumbs is right," added Dice. "One of our trademarks is no witnesses. If we do it in the park, what do we do with all the witnesses? And second, how do we vanish? We don't have a car.""We'll talk about it as we plan," Spec answered. "We can always improvise as we go. Right now let's get back to the park and wait. It will be darker soon."With three bottles of water in his hand and a long baguette of bread, he walked with his friends back to the park. "All we need is something that will fill this bread. Where can we get meat and cheese at this hour?"Dice took a bottle of water from Spec's hand. "What about Peter Meirs? Think about Mister Meirs. Forget your stomach."Spec and Thumbs glanced back at the shop holding their prey.Spec answered the question with, "He'll keep. Let's plan how we are going to do this without getting caught.""In the meantime," Thumbs replied, "let's sit in the park and wait for him to come back. Who knows, we may get lucky and do it right then-and-there.""Slow down," Spec chided. "We planned to do this the day before we leave. That’s three days from now."Thumbs thought about it for a moment. "Spec's right. Transportation can't be scheduled like before. Without a set of wheels, we can't kill the guy and bury him in the Negev. At this moment, plan A is to throw Mister Peter Meirs out the window and make it look like an accident. Plan B calls for pushing Mister Meirs in front of a city bus, and plan C, well Plan C, is the simplest but most dangerous. We can grab Meirs in the park and beat him to death." His eyes met Dices. "Dice might need to stick him a couple a times just to guarantee a good conclusion." "Okay," Thumbs said after going through the possibilities. "Maybe we can do, plan A, tomorrow night."Spec and Dice both gave Thumbs an agreeable nod. The three killers strolled up Ben Yahuda. Hearing Spec's stomach growl, Thumbs and Dice watched dinners eating at sidewalk cafés. The place had just placed a “closed” sign in the window when the electricity went out again. Even in the heat, people need to eat. “Let’s go sit in the park, eat our bread, and watch. ***The next morning Pete ordered more than he could finish. Two meals a day had to do, and he stuffed himself whenever he could. After pushing his chair away from the table, he involuntarily burped and excused himself. "I can't eat another bite." Of course his plate was nearly empty. His mind wandered for a moment and he saw the images of the two rabbis standing before him. Next to them were the two kids he had fed that fateful day. The images gave him the shudders. Yet he wondered if the kids had eaten since then.Looking at the window, he expected to see those same two kids staring back at him. Blinking his eyes he cleared his mind. Electricity had come on early that morning and they were at the door of the hotel restaurant before the place opened. They were early, but a line had already formed. He counted the people standing before him. If he guessed right they get a table fairly quickly. For a moment he felt sorry for the kids. This time he laughed to himself. He has been seeing visions or having thoughts about his youth for days. He even remembered his mother. She went out one day and never returned for three days. Yet someone was always knocking on the door with food. The only answer he had for the whole affair was that someone knew he was hungry. Unfortunately a month later, during one of her disappearing act, she was found dead from a drug overdose. He shook his head to clear his mind. That’s when he found out that a policeman had beaten her to death. Enough of this remembering stuff. It isn’t helping with anything."I saw that," said Lora. "Something wrong?"Pete looked at the lady and chuckled, "Yes. I'm remembering too much. What did Ramsel do to me? I hate it. Is the psychologist in you working? I may be going crazy? I know I fell the night before but I think something else happened. I wish I could shut it off.""I wish you could shut down my thoughts also," said Steve as he voiced his concerns about his home back home. *Thirty minutes later Steve took a final bite of his breakfast. "I'd like to visit with them.” Steve was changing the subject.“Who,” Pete asked.“Those two guys who touched you so deeply," Steve said as he cleaned his plate with the last piece of bread. "I heard the other day they were being arrested and the men who went to take them in were killed by lightning. Now that’s freaky.""Where did you hear that?" Pete asked."There was a small report of it in the newspaper. It seemed that a squad of Euro troops was sent to arrest the rabbis. A few of the men escaped to tell what happened.""You know, "Lora added.” Kendra said that these two men cannot be hurt until they finished their assigned task. I confirmed it in the Bible this morning. There is something about 1260 days. Then they die. Three and one half days later they're supposed to come back alive. Now that will be something to behold.""Spooky," answered Pete. "If that happen I'll become a believer." He thought about Kendra. "She might be right. She was always right. I sure do miss her. I wasn't good enough then. I guess I’m too stubborn." He thought of a marriage that never took place."Don’t feel alone. I've never been good enough," confided Lora, her voice just audible.Pete felt embarrassed that he had voiced his thoughts.Steve slid his chair closer to his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "None of us are, Hon. None of us are.""We'll make it through all this," offered Pete. "We'll stick together and we will make it through. Just be a survivor and stay alive. When it’s all over the world will be a better place for all of us." He paused a moment and paid for the meal and added a generous tip. "Let's head back to the room.""I don't want to go back just yet," replied Lora. "Let's go sit in the park for while."They all agreed.Walking up Ben Yahuda street, and then down Yo'el Solomon and into the park, the hotel vanished behind the trees. They found an empty park bench. The cool of the morning felt great in their lungs. Pete noticed three men he had seen before. They were there last night. They also were also sometimes looking their way. He thought of Elijah. His defensive side grew stronger. He'd keep an eye on them.***Spec closed his eyes and dozed off. A jostle from Thumbs jarred him awake. He awakened to see Pete leading his friends toward them.Using peripheral vision, he kept an eye on Peter Meirs and his friends. He knew Dice and Thumbs were doing the same.***Pete made small talk with his friends but continued to keep a wary eye on the three strangers. As he approached their position he noticed something in the way they held their heads. “There is a bench nearby,” he said, “Let’s sit for a while.”He glanced back using his peripheral vision and watched from the corner of his eye. They reminded him of what he must have looked like when he kept a wary eye on a person. Amazing how you see these things in others. These three men had to be watching him.At first he thought of Mossad, the Israeli Intelligence service. He never knew them to send three men to watch somebody, unless they were going to make an arrest.Elijah, he thought.Pete stiffened then forced himself to sit naturally.Perspiration broke out on his chest. He didn't know what to do. Running was not an option. All he could do under the circumstance was to act naturally and meekly give up if he was being arrested. What a lousy predicament.An hour went by and he motion for everyone to get up and walk back toward the hotel.As he came abreast of the three unknowns, he expected them to rise from the bench and do something. They'd arrest him any second.He, Steve and Lora walked past the men; like as if they were not aware of anything. He tried to look like he knew nothing and as they walked, nothing happened. Fight or flight, where the only options in Pete’s plans?He kept walking. Nothing happened.A hundred paces later he stopped to retie his shoelace. A glance at the three men confirmed that they had indeed been watching, but they hadn’t moved from the bench.When he arrived at the hotel, he said, “I’m going to the hotels reading room.” The room doubled as a bookstore."Steve and Lora left Pete and went to their room. In the reading room Pete positioned himself in a corner chair. As he read, holding a copy of the Jerusalem Post, his eyes peeked over the top of the newspaper. Now he sat and waited.He didn't have to wait long.The three men entered the hotel lobby and walked to the registration desk.They talked with the clerk and received a letter. They then left and vanished out the door. Pete thought about following them, but decided on a sneakier course of action. It was time to find another hotel.Chapter 17 Spec impatiently glanced at his watch. It read only a few minutes past midnight. Yesterday they located their prey. Now it was the night before they were scheduled to leave, and he wanted to get the job done and go home. They had identified his room - 1232 of the Sheraton Plaza hotel. In a few minutes they'd kill him. Plan A was about to be completed. He pushed through the revolving doors into the lobby of the hotel.Dice followed, carrying a briefcase loaded with a high-tech entry computer and software, and then came Thumbs. Without speaking they all walked to the elevators. This late at night they saw no one at the front desk. Only two people sat in the lobby. They were reading a newspaper. None paid attention to the three as they quietly walked. "Perfect," Dice whispered as he followed into the elevator.Spec pressed 12. The three killers waited in anticipation as the elevator lifted them to Peter Meirs' floor.Once in front of room 1232, Dice opened his briefcase. He pulled out a magnetic entry card that was attached by a ribbon cable. Everything fed into his laptop computer. Typing in a series of instructions, the computer went to work. In five seconds the green light above the door's handle blinked on. He pressed down on the handle and slowly opened. He stopped an inch away from the door jam. After disconnecting the computer from the door he motioned for Spec.Spec pulled out a thin pair of custom made bolt cutters and cut the security chain.Dice then opened the door into the darkened room. At once, he turned on a red lens flashlight. Spec and Thumbs rushed past and headed straight for the bed.Dice closed the door as Spec cutoff the woman’s scream before it sounded. Smiling, they had found Peter Meirs with someone to pass the time with. Thumbs raised his blackjack hitting Pete’s skull, sending Mister Meirs eye rolling backwards. The blow was hard, maybe not hard enough as the man only lay dazed. This was on purpose. This way Pete’s legs would help carry his weight to the open window. He haven’t being hit totally unconscious was always part of the plan. Their Peter Meirs now lay semi-unconscious. Still slightly functioning and not a total bag of dead weight, they through experience new that the man’s legs would help hold his weight. The victim of the attack groaned. They were sure the blow to the head left this Peter Meirs just conscience enough to hear through the fog of his mind.Dice hurried to the window and tried to slide it wide open. It stuck, only opening around thirty centimeter. Wiggling the window loose took almost five precious minutes. Peter Meirs will soon plummet to his death, he thought and looked back to make sure Pete had not regained consciousness. As for his girl friend, he grinned to himself, well she'd quickly follow. The plan was now to make it look like a murder-suicide."We're sorry." The words from Spec stopped him cold. "Thought this was the room of a friend."Shocked, Dice turned to see Spec trying to push an unconscious elderly man back onto the bed. The man collapsed to the floor. He spoke apologetically to a wide-eyed elderly lady with the Duck-Taped mouth.Thumbs looked confused. His hand which had been firmly planted over the ladies mouth pulled back quickly and waved in an apologetic way.Spec spoke softly, “this doesn’t look good.The lady fainted and all went silent. The killers all looked at each other. Spec motioned with his head toward the window.Thumbs complied and left the tape over her mouth.Spec, who had dropped the man onto the floor, now motioned for Thumbs and Dice to help him. They carried the frail man to the window and slid him over the side. Next they took the duck tape off the lady’s mouth, carried her from the bed, and slid her out the window.That took care of their accidental victims. They left the room without speaking. A minute later they entered the elevator. Once in the lobby, they walked to the front door and out into the night.Spec asked the question that everyone wanted answered. "What went wrong?"No one had an answer.In the morning Spec planned to come back to the hotel and maybe get an answer.Police were everywhere when he walked into the hotel. An ambulance drove off just as he walked over and talked to the clerk. “What happened?” he asked trying his best to be stunned by the sight. Then he explained why he was at the desk. “I came to take mister Meirs to lunch,” he lied. “What happened,” he asked again?When he met his team outside he explained everything. "Mister Meirs had been in room 1232, but he’s since moved. He left yesterday evening, a few hours after we saw him go into the hotel. His forwarding address says, Denver, Colorado, USA., but I think that may be a lie.""We know that's a lie,” Thumbs answered. There are no flights to America today. What do we do now?" asked Thumbs. "This is supposed to be a simple job. We’re scheduled to leave this evening."Dice studied the morning newspaper. "It says here, there has been a double suicide at the Sheraton last night. An elderly man and his wife jumped to their death from the twelfth floor around midnight. It appears to have been a possible murder-suicide pact." He passed the paper to Spec. "This has really complicated things. It may take months to find Peter Meirs. Do we have any leads?""Actually," Spec said with hope in his voice. "There are two leads - Mister and Mrs. Talon, his friends. They checked out with Mister Meirs. The Bell Captain loaded their bags in the same cab and watched the three drive off.""Any chance that the Bell Captain will remember the Cab Company, or maybe the name of the cab driver, or where they were heading? We’re running out of time.""We'll get that answer as soon as we can. There is a shift change around eleven. A gold coin should loosen the man's tongue. Until then we might as well get some rest and try to stay cool. I had better call the freight company. Our plan for travel seems to need a little adjusting."***Pete met Steve and Lora in the lobby of the Pilgrim's Palace. They spent yesterday evening packing, then released their rooms at the Sheraton and took a cab to this hotel. None of them left a real forwarding address. The move and secrecy was by his insistence. The newspaper report now confirmed it was a good move.Fortunately the Pilgrim's Palace contained plenty of rooms to rent, and their windows did not open but by few inches. The rooms were hot. After the air conditioning failed during the heat wave, most of the guest moved to anyplace they could find that was cooler.For a moment Pete felt safe, but the haunting words of Elijah Ben Yosaf rung loud and clear in his ears. "You cannot hide from me." The little runt appears to have found him. Though without more information, he was guessing about the men who killed the elderly couple. There is one other possibility, he thought. He, or maybe his friends, were being sized up for a robbery. That was always an outside possibility, considering the amount of money they've taken out of the bank the past few days. Yet, to Pete, the eyes of those guys in the park revealed a different story.He'd seen it before. The two men and the women who tried to kill him and Kendra a year earlier carried that same look. I am sure Elijah hired those killers then, and now he’s hired a new set. Each and every one of them carried the look of a reptile. That coldness revealed their unfeeling heart. They were true psychopaths. Death always reveals itself in the eyes. After enough killing one gets to look unfeeling. You can’t hide it. He once had it, and he felt sure hoped it was gone.He knew the look that he once carried. Maybe he still did – a little. He really hoped he had changed, at least a little.If the people he killed had good intentions or were less dangerous, he felt sure the orders would never have been given. If an error was made, well that's just the way it goes. Now, in this world, especially as things now stood, he felt better being prudent rather than sorry. Besides, even without air conditioning, this hotel might be a better place. He heard the food made up for the lack of in amenities.Steve broke Pete's thoughts. "Do you see them anywhere?"Pete shook his head, no. "Last night I took an extra precaution. I registered as Frank Maspeth even after I gave them my passport.""They believed that story?" asked Lora. She gave a laughing look at Pete. “How much did that cost?”"They did after I paid the rooms a month in advance. Cash still talks."Steve leaned closer to Pete and whispered. "You don't think they'll know where we went?""I don't think so," Pete replied, "but I’ll have to report my new location to Lieutenant Goombi. You remember him."Goombi and I were on the Tel Megiddo when the first war broke out. You know. The one before the big one. You remember. A group of Moslem nations attacked Israel with Russian help. The battle ended with nature, or God as some believed, destroying the invading forces. Sergeant Goombi as he was called then led us all to safety and back to the city of Afula.“We remember,” answered Lora. “You don’t forget things like that.”"That'll be good to talk to him," Steve said in uncertain resignation. "I like him being around. As for the Sheraton, let's get another morning paper and see if anything unusual is making the news. All we read was the headline. There may be more information?""Good idea," Pete answered. "If there is something else, I think we should leave again, go north. Maybe to Afula if Lieutenant Goombi will allow me to go." He thought about the rifle buried in the wall surrounding Esther's home. "The rifle up there may not give us much protection," he mouthed not too loudly, "but it does give me a great pacifier."Lora saw Pete's lips moving and heard her husband's words to Pete. She threw up her hands in disgust. She directed her anger toward Pete. "Okay! Okay, now I want to know what you two are planning. We moved because you suspected someone was after you, and you were right. I bet your now thinking about that rifle. I want to know why? Why should we be involved? We’ve got enough troubles.""I've done nothing," Pete lied, tying to deflect her question. He looked at Steve hoping for help. None came. He tried to smile. "Have I done anything sinister since we arrived?""Not that I know," Steve answered with a chuckle. "If you did, I think Lieutenant Goombi and his friends would have you arrested and we’d never see you again.""That makes sense to me," Pete answered though he didn’t like Steve’s reply."Not you too," scolded Lora. "You two take up for each other. This is serious. I want to know what you did in Italy? You wanted us to leave in a hurry and we did. We didn't asking many questions about that move. Of which, I will remind you, you never answered any of them. Now I want to know why you were afraid of those men in the park? You thought that they appeared to be after you?""I'm not afraid of those men," Pete answered. He puffed his chest a little to make a point. "What makes you think I'm afraid?""You made us run,” she answered with anger. “You made us change hotels. Those old people who jumped to their death - everything. They were in your old room.""That's because I think those men may be trying to rob you guys. I'm only trying to protect you," he said with a little satisfaction over his answer. "Yeah! Right! And why do you think they want to rob us?""You have money,” Pete replied. “They may have been watching Steve at the bank. When Steve transferred money from Germany to the bank in Israel, they may have been waiting for just the right opportunity."Lora quipped back. “And why did they pick your room?”Pete never answered just stared back without speaking.Lora gave Pete a look that said I don't believe this. You are the worst four percenter I’d ever met.Pete bit his upper lip to suppress a feeling to laugh. It wouldn’t do to throw fuel on a fire.She shook her head. "You're still not telling everything. I still think you've gotten us into the middle of something. Don't we have enough trouble without you adding to it?""Honest," Pete said. "I'd never do that. You're the only family I have. I'd never want anything to happen to you.""How about these two Rabbis," asked Steve?Pete gave him an innocent look, happy for the interruption. "What about them?" He looked at Lora. She liked those guys. "What about them?" Lora growled. She still seethed from the questions Pete never answered."The Rabbis," Steve said. "They told Pete to take care of his kids, and those kids must be here in Jerusalem. They may even be close by?”"I don't have any kids,” Pete cried out. “Now where are these two guys when I need them?" Pete looked at Lora, hoping she was cooling down. Besides he needed his own questions answered. "I've got some questions of my own that need to be answered,” he said. “Let’s get a snack and think about this."They entered the dining area. On a stand a small TV carried the local news. All heard again about the elderly man and his wife jumping from the twelfth floor of the Sheraton.Pete turned to Lora and Steve. They all looked back at the door-way to see if they were being watched."What did you do?" Lora asked. "This is serious. Have you talked to your Lieutenant Goombi yet? You have to report it to the police. Someone's trying to kill you. Those three men you saw, they're after you.""I already have," answered Pete. "I talked to Lieutenant Goombi about a half hour ago." He conveniently left out his attempted murder of Elijah and the possibility of a revenge motive.He looked at Lora and hoped to change the subject. He seemed to be doing this a lot lately. "Has anyone noticed the calendar? What comes next?""Pete!" Lora said in disgust. "You do this to us all the time. You never answer the question."Pete watched her take a deep breath. She was getting nowhere. But for her safety, there were things she might like to know, yet she’d really become paranoid if she knew the whole story."I'd like to see them Rabbis again," said Lora. "They may leave the city soon and we may never see them again. If they predict something else, I want to hear it firsthand." Then showing that she didn't forget the people who jumped to their deaths, she asked. "Are we safe? I don't think those guys wanted to rob you."Pete hoped to defuse her fears. "Goombi thinks the jumping is probably a coincident. There are a lot of depressed people out there. I'm not sure what the real answer is, but seeing the Rabbis might be good for all of us. Do you think we can get close to them again?"Steve offered all he knew. “They are here in Jerusalem. I don’t know where, but they probably are speaking to a crowd somewhere. If we find out and we go early," answered Steve, "Though we may already be late. Let's try to get as close as we can. First we have to find out where they are.”Lora had the answer.” They'll be at the Rockefeller Museum. I asked at the front desk, and they said the Museum is just up the road. If we get started right away, we can get there before they start, but we may have to skip dinner."Pete grabbed a water bottle and followed his friends out the door.They arrived at the Rockefeller Museum as Rabbi Ramsel was speaking. Three thousand people prevented them from getting very close.***Rabbi Ramsel spoke in a loud voice and focused on the television camera directly in front. The camera sat on a platform surrounded by the people. "Mister Von Resh and Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf are now in Rome. They will soon attend the dedication of the statue to Athena on the Parthenon in Athens. Elijah and his 400 prophets will be there. It is an abomination of what they are about to do.”"We have been given the authority," added Rabbi Goan, "to respond to these servants of Hell. They have portrayed the God of Israel, the great and mighty Yahweh as a supplanter of all that is good. We will not allow that to stand without a response. People who cannot accept the light must live in darkness. Until the light comes upon the world, we and millions of others stand in the way of this darkness.""What does that all mean?" Pete asked Lora.Rabbi Goan reached down and lifted a handful of dust. He threw it into the air. "You have all seen where I have picked up this dirt. There is nothing magical about it, but if they follow through with the dedication, before the month ends, there will be darkness in the kingdom of these men. They are not the saviors of the world. This is serious. Time is short. Do not fall for their trickery.""Before that first morning beginning next month ends," Rabbi Ramsel continued. "Every region of the world that follows the bidding of these men will be plunged into darkness. There will be no light from the stars or the sun. This is not a game that we play. The darkness will be so severe that all who experience it will feel its very presence. It will be suffocating too many. Many will go mad. Until those who survive this plague acknowledges the one true God. We will never let these men know peace.""On that day of dedication, when the hour in Israel strikes twelve," added Rabbi Goan, "at midnight on that day, the darkness will come. It will plague this world until we pray for its removal. Many who reject the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be destroyed. As for the survivors, they will soon see His majesty coming in the clouds of heaven. For those two scoundrels, Rabbi Elijah and Von Resh, they will never know peace - ever. When we are gone, judgment will shake them to their very core. Soon these two enemies of God will honor the one true God, the great God Jehovah. Yet with these two men, their hearts are always filled with hatred and rebellion."Riskin, number one reporter from Channel 2 yelled out, "Is it not true, you two are responsible for the problems of the world?""Any answer we give will be a half truth," Rabbi Ramsel answered. "Mankind has rejected the truth of God and followed the Baals of old. Mankind is receiving their just reward for the blood of all the saints ever spilt.""Are there not holy people living today, in all religions?" Riskin asked. "Does your God condemn the righteous along with the wicked, regardless of their religion?""The true righteous will have their own reward.""Is it also true," Risken pressed. "Both of you are alleged killers? Did you not kill the police and soldiers from the European commission? I understand they were sent to bring you in for questioning. Is that not a fact?""You do not know the facts," Rabbi Ramsel answered. "The men you describe were pawns. They were sent not to question us. They came to kill us.""Are you admitting that you did kill them?""Until our time is completed, no one will be permitted to harm us. God is not threatened, but you rebels, you are against everything good. There is a judgment written two thousand years ago that must be fulfilled.""You are referring to the Christian scriptures. Is it any better than all the rest of the so called Holy Books? Are you both immortals? What other powers do you possess? What else can you do? When will you stop standing in the way of progress?""Too many questions. I will answer only one. The time for our departure will arrive at its appointed time. You will be glad to see us leave, but He who is mightier is coming. When we leave, you will quickly see His presence in the clouds of heaven, and you will tremble to your very core.""Are you threatening the media?" Riskin asked with controlled venom in his voice.Rabbi Ramsel waved his hand. "This interview is over."Lora rushed through the crowd who strangely parted for her. She approached the stage. Two policemen grabbed her arms."Rabbi," she called out in desperation, and looked at Goan with pleading eyes.Rabbi Goan extended his hand toward Lora. The two policemen coward back with a touch of acceptance and fear. "She is a friend," Rabbi Goan said and motioned her to come forward.Lora pushed past everyone and through the reporters standing next to the stage. She hurried up the steps. "I received a letter from someone who disappeared. Can you tell me if it is real?" She handed the letter to the Rabbi.She looked back at her husband and then Pete who stood far back behind the crowd. "One other question. Why did you come to Pete? Whose children is he to take care of?"Rabbi Goan smiled and gave Lora a gentle touch to her cheek. "We will talk later. Right now there is not enough time to answer your questions.""What about my friends," asked Lora? "Can they talk with you also?"Rabbi Goan answered. "Tomorrow. Be patient. Right now we are being called to another place.""You'll talk to me tomorrow. You promise?"Rabbi smiled and nodded.Reporters swarmed up the steps and now surrounded them. In all the commotion, Lora stepped back as they fired questions at the Rabbis. Lora backed down the steps and watched. Rabbi Goan, ignoring their questions, looked at Lora as she now stood at the bottom looking up. Their eyes met and he said, "Tomorrow. I promise."Steve and Pete squeezed through the crowd and came alongside Lora. Pete gave Lora a look and then at the Rabbis. "I have a few questions to ask them myself," he said.A young man pushed past him and grabbed Rabbi Goan's arm. He also pulled a knife from under his shirt before the police could stop him.Rabbi Goan thrust out his free hand.Without warning the man flew backwards and landed against Pete. The knife that was held in his hand had now sunk deep into the young man's chest.Lora screamed in horror.Pandemonium broke out in those nearby as people tried to move away. Camera men shifted their attention to the dying man.Rabbi Goan turned to Rabbi Ramsel and both men walked away. No one stopped them.In moments a squad of soldiers appeared. Two grabbed Pete by the arms. The rest ran after the Rabbis. In a blink, Lora saw the Rabbis vanish before everyone’s eyes.***Noon, the next day, Pete walked out of the police station. The meeting with Lieutenant Goombi did not go well. The hot sun bore down on him as he thought about getting a map of the city. Goombi threatened him that if he stepped one foot outside the city limits he'd be arrested and he’d sit in jail until he rotted. Pete knew that Goombi meant it. He also suspected the Lieutenant was now having him watched.Suddenly two men appeared on the sidewalk. They stood in his path and came out of nowhere. He immediately recognized them both."Do not fail us," Rabbi Goan said as Pete approached. "The time for us to leave is fast approaching. You must stay encouraged and true to your destiny.""Where have you been?" Pete asked. "What destiny? I want to ask you about these kids you keep talking about. You said you'd visit with Lora. When are you going to do that?""Do not fail us, Peter Meirs. In your heart you believe in us. Now believe in the one who sent us.""Who sent you?"Rabbi Goan answered. "You will find Him written in the Holy Scriptures. You know Him better as Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Messiah."Pete shook his head, and almost refused to let his brain accept what he heard. He needed a dozen more questions answered. "Come back to the hotel with me. We can talk over supper." He rubbed his hand over his forehead and eyes while trying to think of something to say. Rabbi Goan and Ramsel vanished before his eyes. Stunned, Pete looked at the place where the two Rabbis had stood. "They keep doing this. What kind of God is this?" He looked up into the sky and yelled. "I want my questions answered."He hurried back to the hotel excited and despondent. The Rabbis weren't telling him enough about these kids. More important he wanted to know about the guys trying to kill him. And what about this darkness stuff?Chapter 18Von Resh and Elijah both disembarked with their staff from the aircraft. They had seen a video of the threats proclaimed by the two men they both disliked and had laughed nervously when the video ended. The alleged threat of darkness was almost laughable except for their previous forecast. Those forecast were completed as stated and were now history. Neither man liked anyone, or anything, that disagreed with their policies, or the two Rabbis who were clearly public enemy number one on their list. Both Von Resh and Elijah also felt a genuine curiously about how this was going to be accomplished. Their so called kingdom has never been clearly defined. The powerhouse of nations that composed the new European Confederacy actually resided with four core nations. Six others were central members, but their economic influence left a lot to be expected. Then there are the twenty-six nations that are associates. Then there are all the rest that are so loosely joined that even calling them a member was stretching the definition of the word. Neither man understood were these ten nations of their mythical empire had to be. For them, the mythical ten nations never existed. Besides, only kings have kingdoms. What they did possess was influence over a bunch of nations banding together so they might survive after the holocaust. If there was such a thing as a kingdom, it resided in someone’s mind and in Hollywood. That is what was dangerous about the two Rabbis. Over two-hundred small regional wars were raging at this very moment, and the biggest civil war resided in the United State of America. Elijah often referred to the American civil war as a hundred large Beirut’s going on at the same time.Even the small contingent of United Nation troops sent to restore central order were having a terrible time at keeping the peace and their own safety.How were these two Israeli buffoons were going to separate this so-called darkness among all the nations was a total mystery. Von Resh and Elijah both cursed these men almost every morning. They were the ones preventing the world from beginning to heal.Standing in front of the aircraft that brought him to the Greek dedication ceremony Von Resh studied the honor guard and the dignitaries there to greet him. The Greek military airfield sat ten kilometers north of Athens. From here they would be flown by military helicopters to the speedily reconstructed Parthenon. The ninety-foot gleaming white marble and gold gilded Greek goddess is destined to become one of the world’s greatest tourist attractions. It stood just inside the East entrance and overwhelmed everyone who entered. The statue was also a symbol of the recovery the world needed during this time of chaos. "I need this," Von Resh said as they walked toward the helicopter that sat ready to ferry them to the Acropolis. The rebuilding of the Parthenon took ten years to complete. Principally built as a national tourist attraction, the work continued even during the worldwide calamities. Von Resh, as leader of the Euro zone’s parliament, gave the Greek government a construction variance and two billion New Euros to accelerate the project."You don't need this," answered Elijah. "You don't need to prove to the world that you can bring a statue to life. People are still watching the occurrence that took place in my hospital room. They see that and many believe. There are millions who truly believe in you – that your way is the right way.""Not all. People have short memories. Across the Atlantic I've got the Americans revolting against my dictates. There are all the other regions around the world resisting our efforts. I need this sign and I need you to make it work. Together we will show our powers. No one will be able to stand against us after this. Besides, it will be good theatrics." He smiled as he walked. It will also be uppermost in the news and greater than that Jewish god.Elijah felt unsure about the results "Still, we're taking an awful chance,” he said “Once we commit ourselves to this task, the cameras will capture every move. Half the world will be watching this ninety-foot statue and us. If we fail?""We will not fail,” Von Resh replied. “Come on Elijah show a little faith. Our God has given us all the power that is required. Why he split it between us is not ours to question. He did it his way and now we need each other. It may be His way of revealing the Trinity. Besides, my spiritual advisors have seen it happen. They have never failed me."Elijah couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment and failure. "Every nation has sent delegates. Nothing like this has happened before.""Think positive. This one single demonstration will prove to the world that we have the power. We will soon control the forces in the universe. No distant Hebrew ruler will control us or this world. The power belongs to us. You and I are the people’s good shepherd. We will lead them into a New Age. This planet belongs to us and to our God. We will get the entire world lined up behind us and then we will be invincible. This piece of real estate belongs to man, and we are the best thing for all mankind, and our God is the one true God."Von Resh felt an electrifying forces rise up within him. His hands tingled and burned. Always when this happened he'd touch someone worthy and the energy would flow to that person. Like water bursting through a dam, with the pressure released, his energy flowed into the other person and rendered them unconscious. Now as he sat in the helicopter the nearest person was Elijah. He dared not touch the pilots or his security guards. Without speaking, he shoved both hands onto Elijah's chest.Electrical sparks leaped into his friend's chest. Elijah's eyes widened, closed, and then his body sprung back into the seat. He slumped unconsciously into blackness. The guards stared speechless at what had just occurred.The sensation in Von Resh's hands subsided. Pleased that the burning sensation ended, he sat in his seat and enjoyed the ride. His security sat staring and trying to speak, but he held a finger up to his lips – indicating for them to be silent. When he finished today, the world will know he has power over life or death. There will be no need to be silent anymore. The god within him will destroy all the superstitious religions - especially those in the Hebrew text - in one mighty act. Von Resh smiled in anticipation.***Spec and Thumbs both saw the news on television at the same time. "Look who we have here," laughed Thumbs with excitement. The killers watched a man fall against Peter Meirs. The handle of a large knife stuck out of the fellow's chest. Two Rabbis walked calmly away as a hoard of policemen rushed in.“Where did those two guys come from – referring to the two rabbi looking guys walking away?“Forget them,” Spec said as he smiled as the police arrested Peter Meirs. "Our job just got easier."Thumbs studied the tourist map of Jerusalem and found Pilgrim's Palace. "So when do we go after him? The police have him now."Spec answered the question. "Soon. Very soon." He went to a small whiteboard and added another detail in the evolving plan of attack. "We want to keep our reputation as clean as possible. The police know Dice. We don't want to aggravate the situation. After a good night's rest we'll look at the plan again. I sense something is missing.""We've done this so many times, what have we missed?""I don't know. Either the timing is wrong, or we've overlooked something. The problem seems to be in the intangibles. By morning we will have identified the problem."Impatiently Dice said, "Let's just do it and get out of here. I've heard that the sun's shrunk back to its original size. Once these clouds go away, I’d like to see the sun again. Once the police release Mister Meirs, we can kill him and collect our last payment. Let’s get back to Spain."Thumbs agreed with Dice. "Me too," he said. "But Spec is also right. There's something we've overlooked. Yet I don't know if it matters. One problem is that Peter Meirs is an accomplished hand-to-hand combat experienced veteran. Someone even nicknamed him, Wolf. He seems to have unusual senses. What I have read about him is that his hearing and eyes are enhanced when he gets excited. Sticking him may not be easy. The best time might be when he's asleep."Dice shook his head and let out a deep breath. "You both are spooking me. Peter Meirs is a nobody. The guy we need to worry about is Elijah."Spec nodded in agreement to that statement. "Dice's right. We all felt that man's powers. Elijah may be the most dangerous person we've ever worked for. I hear that the U.N. Secretary General and the President of the E.U., or are they one and the same, I’m getting confused as to who is in charge, anyway they have all flown to Greece. They are going to be at a dedication on the Acropolis.""Actually,” Dice corrected. “The U.N. Secretary General and the E.U. President are now under one leadership. I also heard this whole event is going to be televised. The word is that they are saying it will be the first international televised event since the sun fried the communication satellites.""I hope it's worth all the trouble," said Spec. Thumbs ordered a drink as he and his friends arrived at the bar. "In five minutes, Jerusalem will be receiving their first International broadcast since all the satellites went down," he said “it might be interesting to see and hear what’s going on in the rest of the world.Spec ordered a drink. "Well, let's hope its good," he said. "Maybe it's a sign of a coming normalcy."Dice stated the obvious when the TV screen came to life and showed the call letters for Channel 1. "Here it comes."The picture on the screen settled on a white statue. It sat on something wooden. "Must be something on a desk," Spec remarked. The camera refocused and pulled back. "So that's it." The camera pulled back again and revealed the rows of dignitaries. "So that's the Parthenon. I’m not impressed by the statue,” referring to the statue on the desk. Maybe we ought to stop off at Athens for a look-see before heading home? It might be nice to see a 20 centimeter statue," then he laughed at the stupid thought.Thumbs and Dice both grabbed Spec's arms. "Look!" they said at the same time."It's our friend, Elijah," Spec said.They all watched with renewed interest as their boss sat quietly in the front row.The commentator's voice explained that the statue to the Ancient Greek Goddess is in the form of a female Spartan warrior.Spec asked the question everyone wanted to hear an answer too. "What's Elijah doing there? They can’t be referring to the little statue we just saw.""Look who he's with," Thumbs said. "Isn't that our President? What's he doing?"***Von Resh listened to the dedication speeches and wondered when they'd end. Time was wasting away. The day’s business demanded his attention. At noon he was scheduled to address the Greek parliament. Then he'd fly to Ankara to ask them to guarantee a minimum flow of water into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. After the intense heat, with no rain for weeks, the twenty dams in Eastern Turkey had captured all available runoff from the mountains. Very little water flowed downstream. The nation of Iraq was near to war over the drought conditions. The Euphrates and the Tigris were both at dangerously low levels. Turkish farming needs were draining the already dry rivers. Reports have reached his desk telling of people fording the Tigris at the city of Tikrit, in Iraq. Syria fared only a little better with the Euphrates, but by the time those waters reached the lower areas of Iraq, the riverbeds were almost dry.Von Resh studied the audience. His spiritual advisors would soon rise and lead the way to the massive bronze doors that led into the building. Elijah sat alongside him. The second row of seats began the list of dignitaries invited to the event. He noted where the television crews were located.Fortunately the E.U. Space commission and the Americans had placed three medium communication satellites into orbit using high-flying bomber aircraft. Worldwide coverage may not be the greatest, but it will have to do. Everything will still be seen around the world.He looked at the smaller three meter high statues that surrounded the top of the building just below the roofline. They were in themselves all works of art, and all had been painted in lifelike colors. Zeus stood above the door in a white tunic and a pure gold belt around his waist. To his left, winged Mercury seemed to leap from the building’s side. On his feet were gold gilded wings. Aphrodite stood to the right holding out a bowl of fruit. Her skin had been painted lifelike. She stood facing out. Her white marble gown had been painted sky blue. Ringing the upper reaches of the building was a myriad of lesser gods and goddess from Greek legend. The sight had to thrill all who saw them. Elijah felt thrilled to be at such a dedication. He also felt the same excitement that emanated from the hundreds of dignitaries seating behind him.The exterior columns were mostly original. All had been refurbished and polished smooth. The newer columns had been meticulously constructed to match the originals. The bronze doors revealed one meter size faces of lions and leopards. Though the doors were currently shut, they were scheduled to open after the Greek Premier finished his speech.Elijah wanted to forgo the speeches but politicians are the same everywhere. Everyone wanted to be seen, especially on worldwide television.He looked at the Prime Minister who totally enjoyed the spotlight. Soon the doors will open and his long speech will end.Elijah, even with the program schedule in his vest pocket, wasn’t totally certain of what to expect. He had his 400 prophets line the way to the great doors. Each of them knelt with arms stretch upwards in continuous prayer.Von Resh said to be ready. Well, he felt ready. His men were in place. Let the speeches end and get the doors open were his inner thoughts. If the inside is anything like the exterior, it's got to be spectacular. He suspected the Greeks worked night and day to outdo themselves. Multiple billion of Euros had been spent. He expected nothing but the spectacular. As for the details of the construction of Athena, he knew very little and cared even less. He thought about the details of what he knew about the statue. The torso of the statue had been cut from seven blocks of white Greek marble. Each leg had been formed from their own solid block of marble. An outstretched arm held a gleaming bronze colored sword. A bronze helmet covered the stone skull. It is expected to be a perfect representation of the mythical goddess, Athena.Elijah leaned forward and whispered as Von Resh was being introduced. "We can do this," he whispered as expectation swelled within him."We will do this," Von Resh answered as he rose to go to the podium. “I have seen it.” He raised his hand to quiet the applause, paying special attention to the cameras. At that time a man hurried over to the President of the restoration project. He saw the President send that man to him. In a moment the man whispered in Von Resh's ear and left.The Prime Minister of Greece said to the audience. "It appears we have a small problem." He stood studying the crowd as he waited for E.U. President Von Resh to arrive at the platform. "These massive bronze doors appear to be stuck." He pointed to the door behind him. "Modern technology is wonderful when it works. These doors weigh over two tons a piece, and right now the motors controlling them are not working."Laughter erupted from the audience as the words carried over the sound system. "The technicians are working on the problem and should have the motors that operate the doors working in moments. It should not be long."A moment went by, then another. After fifteen minutes of aimless speaking Elijah sensed the restlessness in the dignitaries. Even his stationed prophets had to lower their arms. This will not do, he thought. Something has to be done. He looked at Von Resh who stood at the podium next to the Greek Premier. Von Resh began even though the door hadn’t yet begun to open. "Today we have sat through a great number of speeches," Von Resh finally said in opening. "All this is a tribute to the human spirit and to the Greek people. Today, in front of the Parthenon, I speak to the heart of Europe, to all mankind. I thank you for your patience. Now it is time to open these doors. The Greek people are impatient and so are all of us."Von Resh turned to the still closed doors. He knew the engineers were working to get them opened. Now it was time to make things happen.Turning to the crowd he said. "I want all who believe in me to stretch their hands toward the doors. Elijah please come up here with me.” Elijah’s 400 took the queue and raised their arms. “I am about to show the world I have life in me. I can impart it into anyone or anything. To reinforce my powers, I am asking everyone else to stretch their hands toward the statue that is inside. This will magnify what I possess. Athena, the daughter of Zeus will live again. Through this one event, God is revealing himself to the world. Long live the great Gods of the Greeks, Zeus and Athena."Elijah stood next to Von Resh and swept his hands over the dignitaries. Blessing them in the name of the lord, he said. "Today, we shall see the power of the one true god in his chosen vessel," he said and turning to Von Resh, who stood with his eyes closed, they both began a solemn prayer.Von Resh then walked to the great doors and placed his hands on one of them. "Rabbi Elijah, please come here and place your hands on the other door. If there are any technicians directly behind the doors, I advise them to move away for their own safety."Elijah moved quickly to the door.Von Resh's voice called out, "I command you in the name of the God of all forces to open. The God of Noah. The God of the Greeks. The God of the Moslem. The God of all and the God of the universe, send your great power. Reveal your presence." He turned to the dignitaries. "Keep stretching out your hands. Use them to help me focus my energies."From the 400 prophets, rose a great humming with their arms fully outstretch toward the doors."I command you,” Von Resh cried out with all the feelings he could create, “open and show to the world who is the Lord of this world. It will be the God who indwells within me who will make this happen. I am but his humble servant."Elijah pressed his forehead against the door. "I impart into you the power to open," he said. "I command you to open." He felt the energy building within him. His head felt like it was about to burst. In his mind he saw electrical power springing from his body and flowing around his hands. His eyes widened and he saw into the fifth dimension, a dimension that held all the laws of the universe. Mathematical formulas floated before his eyes. They were in small cylinders of knowledge. From Von Resh's knowledge and spiritual insights, Elijah knew that these each one of these cylinders contained all the physical laws of the universes. Some had already been discovered and been opened, but many had not. Hundreds of mathematical formulas floated around him in his mind.The doors made no sound but they slowly started to move and then they swung open. The cameras focused on the massive doors as they moved.Elijah stood speechless as the statue of Athena appeared. Giant spot lights lit up every detail of the Statue as the doors opened. She stood majestic, tall and beautiful. Her skin radiated life. The painters had worked a miracle in making stone look lifelike. The floor length flowing marble gown had been painted a light blue-green. On her head a golden tiara covered blond hair that hung below her shoulders. On her feet golden sandals appeared just below the lifelike gown. Hanging down on her right side a gleaming silver sword hung nearly to the floor. The outstretched left arm held a basket of fruit, grapes, and bread.She stood on a green Italian marble floor that had been polished to perfection. Above her head huge beams of brown wood concealed the steel trusses that held the roof in place. Around the walls were murals of great feats from mythology. Everything revealed the Gods performing great deeds for the Greeks. One in particular caught his eye. It showed what appeared to be spaceships landing and taking off as they took royalty on a ride through the heavens.Elijah had heard about this particular item in Greek lore, but he never suspected that the Greeks believed it to be real."Come alive," Von Resh said. “I speak life to you.” His voice echoed within the mammoth greeting room.Something moved and Elijah's eyes returned to Athena. The rules that govern the structure of stone began changing.Von Resh saw the sparks fly from his hands and vanish into the long gown. He knew that the rules governing marble were changing. Serious consequences would remain in the world from this change, but it was worth every moment. When these new rules came into contact with an opposite rule, it will be akin to matter and anti-matter. Still, it was the price he'd gladly pay. From this point onward all but the most diehard fanatic would not believe in him. They'd all finally accept him as being God on earth and God’s personal representative.The distorted rules will be easily vanquished in time and then absorbed in the world. Only Elijah cared about the consequences. Once this event is over he will control the earth and this small problem will be forgotten.***Spec sat amused by Rabbi Elijah's theatrics. He expected it from him. But to see the President of the E.U. participate in this foolishness that was too much for him. He expected more from a man who was leading the world to recovery. The world needed expert guidance, not theatrics. He prepared to leave."The hand holding the sword!" Thumbs exclaimed. "Look! It's rising."Spec snapped out of his despair and stared at the television set. "This can't be real. We're watching a movie.""No! No. No. It's real," stuttered Thumbs. "Look! The head. It's also moving. It's looking down."The screen filled with the face and tears of Athena. The beautiful stone lady was becoming a giant living warrior. All watched as the head turned. Another camera cut in and revealed rampant fear and confusion in the audience. A number ran away while others sunk to their knees, as if in prayer. Others stood frozen in place with their mouths wide open.The arm holding the sword rose and pointed toward the audience. The lips parted. "Listen to my anointed one," the statue announced in a clearly woman’s voice. "He is the one I have sent to restore all things back to me. I created life on this planet. I have protected mankind from many trials. I will not share my glory with anyone. Listen to him and you will be saved. All who rebel against him must be removed. I want him to purge the evil. There are those within the Christian religion who refuse his rule. They are aliens among us. They even call themselves aliens in this world; that they are citizens of heaven. Millions of them are waiting for this creature from the stars to return. Do not let them succeed. My chosen one will lead you to ferret out these evil ones that walk among you. You must destroy these aliens. Imprison them if you will, but remove them from society. The earth demands it. I demand it."The three killers sat fixated to the television set. The words spoken by the statue did not come out of the television set very clear, but they in amazement as it swung its stony arm, sweeping the sword over the front row of dignitaries. One man ran to the statue. Blood streamed from a cut across his forehead. He fell onto the toes of the leg next to Elijah and rubbed his blood across the marble."That man is offering his blood," said Dice. "I've seen this in India a number of times. Priest there worshipped the monkey god. Some Moslem flog themselves until they are covered with their own blood. The list goes on and on."The statue lifted the bloody foot as the man ran to the other foot. A smile appeared on the face of the statue.The President turned to the cameras. "God has told me that he wants the blood of all who reject him. Their time of rebellion has ended. We must cleanse the earth.""Listen to him, the statue said in a deep reverberating voice. “It is a time of vengeance, a time to cleanse the planet of unbelievers and all aliens. I, the daughter of Zeus, will rule this world with a rod of iron. Those who do not submit must be removed. Listen to my son, Daniel Von Resh."The raised foot slowly lowered and planted itself where it originally stood. The arm holding the sword slowly raised and now pointed upward. The tip penetrated the ceiling and pointed to the sky. The other arm, holding the basket of food, broke free. It raised high and held the basket of food high alongside the sword. Slowly Athena's face turned upward, and the statue once again became rigid.Elijah and Von Resh backed away. A security guard cautiously approached the man who lay across the bloody marble toes. He helped the man stand and hurried him to an abandoned chair. Paramedics appeared and took him away.Spec looked at the statue. I don't believe what I just saw.""It wasn't a movie," Dice said. His eyes stayed glued to the screen. "Those guys brought that statue to life."Thumbs asked a question they all thought. "Is Elijah safe to work with?""Maybe," whispered Spec. "We had better plan another contingency route for our own safety. Something that Elijah does not know about."CHAPTER 19"Since we found this guy, all we’ve done is sat around and do nothing for five days," growled Thumbs in frustration. “Let's get this job done. I'm tired of waiting. We even missed our boat ride out of here."Dice looked at Spec and added, "Thumb's right. We've watched the hotel and this Meirs guy far too long. Now that we've found him, let's get it done. He may move tonight and we will have to start all over again. The guy apparently suspects that someone is after him.”"Hold on,” Spec pleaded. “If Mister Meirs' habits stay the same," he said in defense of their waiting, "he'll take a walk again and we can execute our mission. I've read in the files more than once, that he likes to keep things simple. Well, let's keep our plan simple. We'll follow him and when the opportunity arises, we'll kill him. You two go wait in the park. Now that our cell phones are working again, I'll sit in the lobby and call you when he shows up."An hour later Spec watched Pete exit the elevator, stroll across the lobby, and leave the hotel. He punched in the number to Thumb’s phone. Without any excitement he got up and slowly headed out of the hotel. He’d follow maybe a hundred meters behind.*** Pete gripped the book of poetry a little looser and relaxed his fingers. Once outside, he looked up at the white clouds floating in the now clear blue sky. The heat somewhat still existed, but for now, the blue sky was beginning to reappear, and the sight lifted his countenance. The rain that had been forecast never materialized. As for the here and now, he felt at peace with the world. "Ah," he said as he exhaled and felt pretty good about everything. Breathing felt easier. The breakfast was clearly better than the previous meals. He looked around a little and saw nothing out of the ordinary. No one seemed to be watching his movement. For an instant a young lady walked by who had a striking resemblance to Kendra. Then he thought about how different and yet how similar they were. The test they took together revealed a lot about his makeup. Everyone called him a four percenter. What that really meant was that he wasn’t a very outgoing sociable type that enjoyed fun for funs sake. It also revealed something that the marines never talked about. He found it hard to join in with people and just have fun. Once in a while everything would click and he became one of the guys, but that never became a habit. “Just the way I’m wired,” he said quietly to himself with resignation and found himself in his normal stride. The boy was walking with a real rhythm.Dressed in pressed pants and a freshly ironed shirt, he deeply inhaled again and began his walk toward the Central Bus Station. From there he walked up Saleiman Boulevard to Shkhem. He planned to walk into the Old City area. In the Jewish Quarters he'd buy something Kosher and read the poems of William Shakespeare. He hadn’t read poetry for very long time. This is something he missed and needed. The pressures of life seemed to have evaporated today as he walked and let his mind wander.He approached the café' Romano. The Via Dolorosa lay around the corner. A few years back, before the temple was built, the wall on the western side of the temple mount was the closest place for Jews to worship their God. Earlier the Rabbinical Counsel prevented Jews from walking on the Temple Mount. They were fearful of the Jews stepping on the unknown location of the Holy of Holies. After the three and one half-day war, the mount was partitioned into a Jewish and Moslem section. The nation of Israel and government of Jerusalem quickly condemned a hundred-meter section of the Via Dolorosa that bordered the Temple Mount. They built a huge courtyard on that spot and named it the Court of the Gentiles. This courtyard funneled worshiper past Saint Stephen's Gate and up the steps to the temple's inner court. Two months ago he and his friends bordered the boat to Italy from Tel Aviv. The day before they left, a terrorist rocketed a small nuclear weapon into the recently dedicated temple compound. The Jewish temple compound was severely damaged, but the Ark of the Covenant escaped damaged due to the internal strength of the building. On the other hand the Muslim buildings were nearly reduced to rubble. The Dome of the Rock, a longtime landmark, now contained construction cranes and a foundation to mark its location. Practicing Jews now used both the old Western Wall and the Court of the Gentiles to offer prayers. The Al Agsa Mosque and golden Dome of the Rock were both destroyed; leaving Muslim worshipers the chore of rebuilding their shrine. They still used the chambers below the Al Agsa for their holy days, but the donations from worshiper and Jordon paid for the ongoing construction that currently went on. A large section of the black marble southern wall, they had earlier built, had collapsed after it took the brunt of the detonation. The believed miniature nuclear weapon exploded on the Moslem side of the two walls. It was an error on the terrorist’s part. The missile had fallen just a little short from its planned target. Maybe it was the winds that are reported to have shifted at the last second before launch. Whatever the reason, the missile missed its intended target and hit the top of the Moslem side. Everyone guessed about the error, but no one knew exactly what went wrong.Pete paid for an egg, cheese, tomato and cucumber bagel sandwich at one of the small shops that lined the farthest end of the Court of the Gentiles. Hundreds of people sat in the court enjoying the day and the location. He found an empty table and sat to join them and enjoy his breakfast. Last night he didn't sleep well. Now he fully expected the breakfast and the warm sunlight to put him to sleep.Reading poetry will lift his spirits, and a nap seemed a perfect complement to a delightful morning. Surrounded by a thousand people gave him a sense of security.As he ate, he looked around and saw no one watching him. None of Elijah's hired guns appeared to be near. He felt sure they wouldn't dare attack in such a crowded location. He also felt safe and his shoulders warmed as he ate his sandwich.In a short time Pete closed the book. His eyelids felt heavy. Without knowing when, he dozed off.***Spec sat with Thumbs against the western edge of the courtyard. They both had studied their target and sensed that Pete may have fallen asleep. Dice arrived and sat with them and glanced over to their target. “Here’s the plan,” Spec said in a quiet voice. "Thumbs and I will create a small friendly distraction by the steps. I am sure security will come and tell us to be quiet. Most of the people’s attention will be on us. This will be your queue."Dice looked at Pete and stood up. The plan was acceptable. The newspaper in his left hand concealed the ice pick. Today it was the weapon of choice. "Don't make it so loud that you wake the guy up," he said. “Give me a few moments to get in position, and then start your move. I'll stick him when everyone turns their attention toward you. This won’t take long.""Good," Spec said. "We'll keep an eye on you. When you give us the signal, comb your hair, we'll start a gentle argument. That should attract enough of the crowd to get the job done."Dice nodded in agreement and strolled away. He headed for the targets table. As he approached he saw that Pete had indeed fallen asleep. His plan for the moment was to sit a couple of tables away. Then he’d give a signal by lifting his ball-cap high and comb his hair and faked a stretch. At the same time he’d watch for Spec and Thumbs to make their move.Spec and Thumb’s reached the steps leading up to the Temple. He stretching his arms again, and then signaled by lifting his cap above his head. He noticed that Spec and Thumbs walk a little up the stairs and pretend they were having a gentle but heated discussion. In a minute, security arrived to tell them to be more discreet. Onlookers turned to watch the commotion. From the corner of his eye he watched three soldiers hurry toward the disturbance.Grasping the handle of the ice pick, he studied the head and neck of Peter Meirs. There was no body movement to indicate the target was awake. Now it was time. In a few seconds Peter Meirs will be a dead man. He felt excited to get the job done.***From out of nowhere two kids walked between him and Peter Meirs. Both kids stopped and gave Pete a shake. Pete woke from his nap with a start and noticed the legs of the kids.“Mister, can we borrow some money. We haven’t eaten today.”Pete studied the kids fully expecting them to look familiar. They didn’t. He never saw them before.As he sat their looking at them he smiled and decided to reach down into a pocket and pull out a twenty shekel note. He had a stash of money in the other pocket, but he always kept a few bills in the other for whatever he wanted to buy.Handing the twenty to the kids he watched them run to a food vendor. Instinctively he noticed from the corner of his eye a man coming towards his table. The man was much too close for his liking. The warning from Rabbi Goan flashed through his mind. In a split second he also noticed the two kids turning and looking at him. At the same time he straightened and shifted his legs for balance. Something didn’t look right with the man.***Dice felt he was very close to plunging the pick into the back of Pete’s skull. In the distance, Pete picked up an argument somewhere in the distance and then his senses exploded.Dice tightened the grip on the handle of the pick and shifted his movement toward the target. He was less than a meter away. Keeping the weapon concealed he covered the last few steps in a moment of time. He was less than an arm length away.***Pete saw the man's movement and closeness through narrowed eyes. His senses made out all the details around him. A newspaper covered the guy’s hand. An object, perhaps a nail, protruded from the edge of the newspaper. Pete sensed an attack. No, he knew an attack was eminent. The man was ready. Too close, he was preparing to stab him with a nail. The paper shifted. Pete jumped to his feet just as the man and newspaper pushed forward. The newspaper and nail pushed past him as the man, now off balance, shifted and thrust the nail toward his chest. It was done in one easy fluid motion yet the guy had lost his balance.Pete shoved the book resting on his lap between him and the nail.The force of the nail hitting the book shoved him back and he too lost his balance. Pete looked up at the face of the man trying to kill him. The guy was looking the other way, doing all his motion by practice.Pete and chair fell backwards and the noise attracted its own amount of attention. His left hand grabbed the man's wrist that held the weapon as the guy pushed the weapon toward Pete’s heart a second time. They both fell to the pavement and started to struggle."Okay, dirt-bag," Pete growled and started to wrestle with the assailant.***Dice didn't know what happened until he saw the tip of the ice pick spear into the book. He had lost his balance at the very last moment when his target made a sudden move. Peter Meirs' movement had caught him totally by surprise. Now falling over his target, he found his wrist tightly held by Pete. The book stabbed by the ice-pick fell from his clenched fist. He shook loose the ice pick and caught sight of Meirs' rage filled eyes. "Oh! sh..."***Pete grabbed the man's armpit with his free hand and pulled the guy towards him. He slammed his right shin in the man's crouch and lifted. The man went flying over him. The guy landed three feet away and literally sprang to his feet. The guy was well trained. Pete leaped to his feet also and spun around, still holding the guy's wrist. It was then that he saw the nail sticking into his book was actually an ice-pick."I'm going to bust you for this," Pete yelled.He never let go. In one swift move he pulled the hand he held and once held the ice-pick straight to his waist turned and dropped to a squatting position. He intended to break the man’s elbow.***Spec saw the danger and flipped in the air. He slammed his right foot into Pete’s stomach. Just then someone, two soldiers, grabbed Pete by the arm. Two more and a policeman grabbed the Dice and threw him to the ground.Someone grabbed Pete's other arm from the side. Pete turned and looked into the face of a policeman. It took a second for Pete to relax enough to say, "That man just tried to kill me.” More policemen and soldiers arrived. A soldier grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground.Pete surmised that the policemen and the soldier were for real. He raised his hands to show that he meant no harm and laid stretched out on the ground in total submission. Whatever had started had now ended. "That man attacked me with an ice pick? Who is he? Call Lieutenant Goombi."***"Damn," Spec growled as a crowd gathered around Dice and Mister Meirs. He and Thumbs watched in amazement that things had went so badly.More police and soldiers arrived. He and Thumb’s knew there was nothing they could do. It was time to vanish.*** Dice lay on the ground as two men knelt on his arms, He wasn’t going anywhere. Then he cursed the kids and thought through what he would say in his defense.***"There's nothing we can do," Spec whispered to Thumbs as they both watched Dice, now surrounded by a crowd of police and soldiers, lay on the ground with a dozen rifles pointed at him. At least that is what he imagined. “Well we blew this job," he said to Thumbs.Spec and Thumbs walked through the crowd of onlookers to the outer gate. “We’ll sort it out later,” Spec said as they gently vanished. Right now he wanted Thumbs and himself to melt into the growing crowd of onlookers. Sooner or later someone will connect their argument and the attack on Mister Meirs. ***Spec made it to the outer gate when two plain-clothed policemen stopped him and told them both to step aside.Spec and Thumbs watched as Dice, his wrist now hooked by plastic ties were hustled past them with enough soldiers and police to make escape impossible.***"Dice will remember," Spec muttered to Thumbs. “Tell the police he works as a bounty hunter and recognized Mister Meirs from a wanted poster in Italy. He tried to apprehend him. Things went sour. He ended up getting hurt in the process. Dice would apologize to the police for not involving them, and then ask about a possible bounty for catching a wanted criminal.”"Look at the bright side," he whispered to Thumbs before they parted. "If they arrest Mister Meirs, or at least take him in for questioning, they'll uncover his Interpol Yellow-Sheet. Mister Meirs will be extradited to Italy. Elijah will still pay us."Spec thought of how much Elijah wanted Mister Meirs. "Once in Elijah's hands," he smiled. "Mister Meirs' is as good as a dead."Chapter 20 "I'm innocent," pleaded Pete. He didn’t like the look in his friend’s eye. He hoped Lt. Goombi was doing his best police tough guy act - if this was an act? Pete sure hoped so. Lieutenant Goombi stared at him with completely unfeeling eyes. Pete saw only contempt coming from this man he once knew.*** Lieutenant Goombi watched Mister Meirs sit in front of him with an air of elitism, and he didn’t like it one bit."That will be the day," Goombi replied. "You are rarely innocent. Trouble follows you wherever you go. You’re as guilty as sin. What did you do to bring this to our doorstep? The witnesses said you jumped to your feet and started fighting with him.""Nothing can be farther than that,” Pete pleaded. “I was sitting in the courtyard having breakfast. It was a beautiful day. Even the heat felt good. I must have fallen asleep. Lucky someone bumped my arm and woke me up. I think a couple of kids may have shaken me awake. They were pan-handling. Either way they woke me just in time. This guy moves toward me. I saw a nail. What came out was an ice-pick, you probably found it. He tried to stab me with it. I was only defending myself. I don't know who he is. Never saw him before. But I owe my life to those kids. Did you talk to them? They can verify all that I am telling you."Pete dare not mention the attempted killing of Elijah in Rome. That would really set Lt. Goombi off."I heard you outside the room say you have three witnesses?” Pete asked. What have they to say? They probably told you more than I know.""Who said there were witnesses?” Lt. Goombi studied his notes. “Sit there and don't move," Goombi growled in disgust as he rose. “Watch him,” he said to the policeman standing by the door. Shoot to kill if he moves. He’s dangerous.” He left the office and slammed the door behind him. “I need a better office,” he grumbled. “I need soundproofing.”A corporal holding an Uzi sub machine gun stood by the door watching Pete.Goombi returned with papers in his hand. "You're not good for my country," he said. "Every time you set foot here, you bring trouble. I have a good notion to deport you.""Perfect," Pete countered. "I'd love to go home. Get me on the first boat or plane heading back to the States. I'll have my bags pack within the hour.""You'd love to have Israel pay for your little trip. Well it's not going to happen. You're free to go.”Pete didn’t believe his ears.Goombi continued and said, “We’ll be watching you. Make one wrong move and I'll throw you so deep in prison that your friends will never find you." Goombi gave Pete a cold stare. "Now get out of my sight."Pete stood and looked at his old friend. The big Kiowa Indian didn't move a muscle and stood expressionless. With a slight shaking of his head Pete said, "I never can tell when you're serious or acting. I'm glad you're not mad.”“Get out,” yelled Goombi. “Or so help me.”Pete guessed right. He also knew when to back off. He did not want to push things too far. Pete added before he left the office, “I hope we can have dinner soon. I’d like that.”“Get out,” Lieutenant Goombi yelled. "Go! Don't say another word. Get out of here or I'll personally throw you out. Corporal, escort Mist Meirs to the front door, and make sure he leaves."Pete walked up to Goombi and looked him in the eye. “Dinner, remember, I’m inviting you. Are you married yet? If so bring the family along." Without thinking he patted Goombi on the shoulder, felt the big guy stiffen, then he walked toward the door hoping Goombi didn’t throw something at him.As he walked, escorted by a policeman, he wondered what Goombi was up too. Apparently Goombi had witness reports that revealed he was only defending himself. Why else was he being released?Pete looked back at the office of the big Indian who became an Israeli citizen and rose in the ranks of Israeli Intelligence. "I still owe him my life." Pete said as he walked with the corporal."You know Lieutenant Goombi?" the corporal asked as he walked Pete to the front door.Pete glanced over to the Corporal. "Yeah, we go back a long way. We met on the Tel Megiddo during the last war, the 3 ? day one. We had to fight our way back to Afula. My girlfriend and I discovered the Ark of the Covenant just a few days earlier.“You discovered the Ark of the Covenant?”Pete said yes by nodding his head. “We came back to Israel a few years ago for the dedication in the Temple. Someone tried to kill her then. Now they seem to be after me. The Lieutenant put us on a ship heading to Italy. Then the nuclear war began. My two friends and I are still trying to get back to America. We thought returning to Israel might improve our chances, but I guess it wasn't a good move."The Corporal didn't say a word as he led Pete to the front door.Pete continued. "I think the guy who tried to kill me with the ice pick was a hired gun. You may have heard about the Profit Elijah? We had a number of run-ins. I don’t like him and he don’t like me I think he's trying to even the score."Pete looked over at the corporal as they walked."Even the score?" the Corporal asked."Yeah. We stepped on the weasels toes during the war. Thank goodness Rabbi Goan warned me that Elijah found out where I was staying. I wonder how they knew.""Rabbi Goan?"Pete nodded. "Yeah! The Rabbi, he appeared to me, along with his friend Rabbi Ramsel. They both ordered me to take care of the children. Whatever that means? At the same time Goan warned me about Elijah.""They ordered you to take care of children?""Yeah, can you believe it? I don't have any kids. My best guess is that after feeding two little munchkins at a restaurant I touched something inside their heart.""So what happened?""When I came out with the two kids, these two guys stood in my way. Turns out they are the two Rabbis who are getting a lot of attention in the news. They’re the ones who created the heat wave, you know.""What have you to do with them?""I don't know. That's the big question. Tell you one thing I'm becoming a believer in them. So far everything they’ve said has come true. They told me the other day that it's now going to rain." Pete looked up at the ceiling. “Don’t look like rain to me.”The Corporal pointed to the door without saying anything."Thanks," Pete said and left the Police Station. He felt happy to be a free man, and vastly relieved he wasn’t behind bars.***Goombi read the report from Interpol. He thought of Pete as he read. "Are you the man who attacked Rabbi Elijah in his Rome villa?” He asked himself. “If so, the guy we have in custody that attacked you may have been hired by the rabbi to even the score. Peter Meirs, you may not be as innocent as you claim. The guy who attacked you may be as he says. He’s may be an international bounty hunter. True or not, Peter Meirs, you seem to be in big trouble." Goombi read the report again. Rabbi Elijah's assailant was listed as unknown. “I wonder if Mister Meirs was in Rome that day.”Lieutenant Goombi typed in a number on his phone and quietly talked to his superior. * * * *Pete entered the glass doors to the hotel just as a bolt of lightning announced its presence with a supersonic crack. The skies had darkened, and they darkened very fast. Never really expected rain, he thought, even though Rabbi Goan had announced that there would be rain. As he entered the elevator and pushed 12 to go to Steve and Lora's floor a volley of rumbling thunder sounded even in the elevator."Rain," he said. "Now comes the rain. Just like they said."In a moment he arrived at his friend's room and knocked. As strong thunder sounded, with no answer at their door, he remembered the window in his room. He had left it open for fresh air. Running back to the elevators he pressed down. By the time he entered his room, the table in front of the window dripped from the wind driven rain. Everything close to the window was getting wet. Then his mind thought about the two people who had rented his room at the Sheraton. They purposely jumped to their death or were thrown. He bet that they were thrown. The killer who did that may have been the person who also tried to kill him in the courtyard. The killer or killers have found him. Oh to be a little bird and fly away.Closing the window he cleaned up the water and noticed the note that had appeared under his door. When he entered he had walked over it without noticing. For a moment he stopped thinking, and then said, “I must be getting old.”Whatever happened to his awareness? He guessed that the meeting with Lieutenant Goombi must have unnerved him more than he wanted to admit. He picked up the note, opened the door. Seeing no one in the hall, he paused for a second and read.MEET US AT THE EAST END OF THE MUSSOLIEMS IN THE CEMETARY 8 PMTHIS IS IMPORTANTHis watch indicated five fifteen. Looking out the window he tried to see through the downpour. Before it rained he could see across the cemetery. A gate leading into the west-end of the cemetery lay on the other side of the hotel's courtyard."I don't think so," he mumbled and said. "I’ll wait for you all in the lobby."A thought occurred that the man who tried to stick him with the ice pick probably had accomplices. The disturbance that he heard about happened at the temple's outer courtyard steps may have been timed for the attack. That means there are three of them – maybe more. He also remembered the three men watching him in the park. There are three of them He also realized that his friends would not leave him a note. Kidnapped, hostages, the thought stopped him in his tracks. "Goombi," he said. "Where's that number."He hung up the phone noticeably irritated after talking to someone who took his message. The man who attacked him posted bond and disappeared. The two witnesses, as the two Rabbis were now being called, had warned him about danger. If the three men, or more, are out there and on to his trail, might the Rabbis also be in danger? Now he felt compelled to go, rain or no rain.He formulated a quick plan. First he'd wait in the lobby until 7:45. If Steve and Lora did not show up by then, he'd assume they've been kidnapped. Lt. Goombi can wait until tomorrow. If this turned out to be as serious as he believed it may be, he needed to get armed.Five minutes to eight, Pete stepped out the back door of the hotel. Senses alert, the rain soaked him immediately to the core. He calmly walked into the cemetery drenched as the heavy downpour pounded him. Fortunately he had his ball cap on and he could see without water in his eyes.Sloshing through an inch of water and wet grass he made his way off the road and aimed due east. With the rain and darkness, the direction he traveled was only a guess, but he always was a good guesser.Only able to see when lightning lit the sky he made his ways around limestone mausoleums. A row of faint lights appeared in the distance as Pete cautiously made his way past a tree. Homes, he was almost at the eastern wall of the cemetery. Then he stopped walking and stood close to a mausoleum as the rain pelted him. The lightning flashed again. He thought he saw movement. Some other fool was out there, or his eyes were playing tricks. His ears picked up the sound of someone grunting. Through the rain and thunder it was hard to tell. Smiling, he turned to the sound as thunder obliterated any possible voice.His eyes hurt each time lightning flashed and he went down on all fours. The image of a wolf sneaking up on its prey gave him pause to smile. His natural talents within him came to life. His eyes peered through the rain laden cemetery with above average vision. The Marine doctor who tested him said something about him having more cones, or was that rods, than is normal in a human. His hearing also increased in the ability to hear. No one gave an answer for that trait, but they were all real. Interestingly the abilities, the Docs said, only surfaced under intense stress.He smiled. I guess I’m under stress. It was a cool thing he possessed. That may account for why he made such a good sniper. He'd give anything for a good rifle right now with an electronic red-dot sighting system.Another flash of lightning showed him the way. The shadow he had seen had not been seen for awhile and he felt a little more relaxed, but very very cautions.Darting to another above ground coffin, he crawled between two and froze all movement. Standing to his left, not two feet away, a man knelt and shifted in the rain. Pete’s unnatural traits rush back as he peered through the rain.Pete slowly slid his hand along his leg and pulled out the steak knife he borrowed from the hotel's kitchen. Is this man one of the killers? He didn't know the answer, but he decided to err on the side of caution. He stored away the man’s location, and crawling on his stomach he found Steve and Lora, but did not do anything. They were propped against a tree with their hands, legs, and mouth bound with what looked like duck tap. As for the man behind him, he’d let the guy just stand there. On the other hand a quick slice of the guy's throat might be the right thing to do.Shaking his head he backed off. Deciding that stealth was a better way to react to the question, he crawled away without do anything.As he backed away and crawled behind another stone burial site, he spied more movement off to his right. A second person crouched next to a brilliant white mausoleum. Another flash of lightning revealed a heavyset man. Pete had unwittingly crawled into a trap. Now he knew he should have cut the first man’s throat.Three men, there has to be three men. He found two. The third man is out there, somewhere. That meant that Steve and Lora, if they are alive, are very close to that guy – very close.Crawling to the other side of the mausoleum, he lay still in the water filled grass. The crouching man was just on the other side. A flash of lightning lit the sky in pale white. The two figures of Steve and Lora lay maybe five feet away.They lay alongside a mausoleum obviously bound and gagged. Working his way back to the side where the first crouching man waited. Pete replaced the steak knife back into its duck-taped holder. Now he removed the leather coin pouch filled with coins he carried. He hugged the ground and crawled with within ten feet of the first man and waited.The flash of lightning lit up the sky, but did not affect his vision. A moment later he rushed forward and swung the leather pouch against the man's skull. An instant later the guy dropped to the ground. No problems so far. He held the coin pouch at the ready and crawled toward the second man.Crawling around a crypt toward the second guy, a flash of lightning forced him to duck into the watery grass. The man was moving toward his direction.Pete barely saw the man stop two feet away."Thumb's that you," the man whispered.A hand touched Pete's right shoulder. Pete grunted, in hopes of disarming whoever stood above him.Rolling over, he swung the coin pouch into the man's face. The sound of bone being hit greeted Pete's ears.The smashing of the pouch against the side of the guy’s face sent the man crashing back against the limestone. Pete hit him again. The guy was out for the count.A flash of lightning followed by a supersonic crack split the air. That spark was very close.Pete crawled to the left. He had to work fast before these two goons awoke from their induced sleep.Moving fast he felt safe to crawl around the parameter of where his two friends lay. He encountered no one. On the other hand he may have moved too fast.Soaked with rain, bits of dry grass covered his clothing and face; he crawled next to Steve and Lora.Lying along side of Lora, she flinched from his contact. To Pete that was a good sign. She was alive. During a flash of light, he saw her face and eyes. Duck-taped sealed her mouth, but her eye, even in the rain, revealed fear. She also recognized him.Rolling her slowly away from him he cut the tape holding her arms. He clamped his hand across her mouth. She kicked him with her bound legs. Quickly he cut her legs free, and thought about yanking the tape from her lips. For the moment he wanted her to be quiet.Rolling over her he landed onto Steve. As he turned, a flash of pale light revealed that it was the other man. Vision blurred by rain, Pete knew it was the same man who attacked him in the temple.The man's right arm lay in a sling, trapped by Pete's weight. Pete felt the knife wiggle below his belly.A yell by the man for his unconscious buddies went unheeded. Another flash of light revealed that the man, bad elbow and all, held a long knife in his right hand.The man pushed Pete off of him, sprung to his feet like a cat and charged.Pete parried the knife and hit him in the face with his coin pouch. The coins spilled out of the bag. Grabbing the guy's right wrist and pulling, Pete twisted and added more damage to the bad elbow. The man let out a yell that pleased Pete to no end. The knife fell to the ground as the man grabbed his arm. The man's left hand, the one that also carried the bad elbow held another knife, but the guy was too busy nursing his double whammed elbow. The man vanished into the rain and darkness.A sting across Pete's stomach told him that he had been cut. He hoped the slice was not deep. Shallow he could handle.He stumbled over something and saw that Steve lay bound at his feet. Lora found them and was now trying to free her husband. Some kid who apparently had been watching appeared and cut Steve's hands free. In another quick move, Pete saw one of them cut Steve’s feet away from the duck tape.Out of the darkness a knife flashed in the lightening. The last man, the one with the bad elbow, swung the knife across Pete's chest again in rapid succession.Pete moved in and deflected the man's left wrist, but the wetness made it difficult to hold. The man was too strong and too agile. Being hard to control, Pete rolled away. The man did the same. They both looked at each other through the rain.Steve, now free, stood to the man's left, ready to fight. The next flash of lightning showed the man turning and running.Pete now turned to his friends and said, "Get to the hotel quick. Hurry!"He followed as they made their way to the street. Once past a string of three story condo's they headed straight for the hotel.Pete felt strangely weak as he walked through the downpour. Stopping under a street light he looked. Opening up his shirt he saw the two long cuts in his stomach. "Steve, take a look at this. I've got all the signs of losing too much blood."Steve wiped his eyes and knelt in front of Pete. "You're bleeding pretty good. Two cuts."Lora knelt also and looked at the wounds. She touched each side of the long cuts and separated the skin. "You're going to need stitches."Pete looked in the direction they were walking. "The hotel is only a couple of hundred yards up the road. I think I can make it." His eyes bored through the rain, but it was impossible to see very far. "Let's go."***Lora slipped twice as she hurried to the front desk. "We need a doctor, quick," she said. "My friend has been cut by some guy with a knife. We were kidnapped and my friend has just rescued us." She looked at the hotel clerk who just stared back at her. "Hurry!” she yelled, “he's bleeding to death."She turned to see Pete being helped by Steve coming into the hotel's lobby and then to a chair. She turned back to the clerk."Get me a first aid kit - quick. Don't just stand there. Move! I also need a needle and thread."In a few minutes a nurse arrived and cleared the wounds of blood and sprayed the area with some antibiotic liquid. "They don’t seem to be deep," she answered to everyone's unspoken question. "You lost some blood. “Let me have that needle and thread. It didn’t take long but it seemed to go on forever. When she finished stringing the needle she said, “I’ve done just about all I can do, but you will need to see a doctor."Pete looked toward the front doors and the rain outside. "For now I think you're going to have to do. If there is not a doctor in the hotel, your suturing will do."He noticed her looking at the scars running across his chest. "This has happened before?""I'll be right back," she said. "I need some alcohol to sterilize a needle and thread.""Will this do?" A man held up a bottle of something and pointed it toward Pete. "100 proof Scotch."Pete reached out and took the bottle. It will do nicely. A quick twist of the cap and Pete lifted the bottle to his lips. Two swallows latter he handed the bottle to the nurse. "There's enough alcohol in this to kill any infection."The sting of the needle going through his skin made him wince more than once. He looked at Steve. "Any idea who that kid was who cut you free?"CHAPTER 21 Twenty five stitches later, his stomach looked better and Pete felt better. The blood had been washed off the chair and floor. His shirt was now a rag to be tossed away. The two slices in his skin – well, at least he wasn’t bleeding anymore and they weren’t deep. They were only skin deep and did not cut unto and muscle. What he now required was a thick juicy steak. Too bad that wasn’t going to happen. The restaurant was closed.It’s the onlookers that bothered him the most as he groaned to himself about their presence. They just won’t go away. They’d stand around looking at him and talking among themselves. He just as soon that they all go away and leave him to himself. Tiredness swept over him as the emotion and energy of all that had happened gave way to a feeling of exhaustion. He looked at Lora and Steve and beckoned for them all to go to their room and quiet down.He thought of Elijah. The rat obvious has found him, and now he was going after his friends to get to him.For an instant he wondered if he was getting too old for this stuff. When he and Kendra gave lectures on their finding of the Ark he relished the attention, but today, he realized that the enthusiasm he once felt had changed. Beckoning for a double Scotch from the bar seemed to be the right course of action. That was the way it was in the Marines and much of his life, but that thought didn’t sit well with him tonight. He said, “change that. Instead bring me a decaf coffee - black." From the audience that observed him like a hawk a quiet laugh erupted. Lora handed him a phone. “I Got Lieutenant Goombi on the line.” Pete took the phone a said “Hello Lieutenant.” He then proceeded to tell him what had happened. The onlookers gathered closer so as to hear every word. When he finished he asked if he, Goombi, was coming over. "I can't get there," Goombi said. "A number of roofs have collapsed from the weight of the rain. Streets have turned into rivers. Everyone's been called to duty to take care of this disaster. If I need more from you, I will call."Pete added, “When I left there were two men laying in the cemetery.”Goombi sad “I’ll have a squad car and an ambulance on the way as soon as I can. I wouldn’t want anybody stumbling over them. Do you think they are still there?” Two minutes later Pete had told him about this Dice guy that they earlier had in custody. Now it was Lora and Steve's turn to talk. Lieutenant Goombi apparently asked each one the same questions. At the end of each interview, they both replied, "I don't know who the kids were?"Thirty minutes later Pete dragged himself, with the help of Lora and Steve, to his room. The deadbolt and a chair wedged against the inside doorknob provided a fair degree of security. He pulled off his wet cloths, looked at his latest wounds, shook his head, and pulled the quilt off his bed. A sheet is all he needed.***The sound of thunder woke him from a sound sleep. Forcing himself to look at the clock radio, he cleared his eyes and saw the time, 10:00, and noticed a touch of daylight from the window, but it was still raining. His mind cleared. It must have been raining all night. Glancing out the window he noticed the deepness of the gray sky and the patter of rain against the window. "Ten in the morning," A growl from deep inside told him he needed a meal. He felt sure the hotel’s restaurant was still open for breakfast. If he went as quickly as he could maybe that steak and eggs meal would be available.***Dice sat in their room and studied his partners. "If they hadn't let him go, none of this would have happened," he said in disgust.Thumbs held his head with both hands. "Oh shut up." He tenderly held his jaw and massaged it with gentle fingers.Sitting on the bed, a purple goose-egg graced Spec's forehead. He held an ice pack to his head. "We don't know why the police let him go, but they did."Dice spoke quietly so as not to aggravate the pounding in their heads. “My right elbow hurt too much to think straight, but I think the guy tried to break it.” "Well they did,” Spec answered Dice’s first question. Looking at his partners, he said “Now I know why neither of you came to help me. And then a couple of kids show up. The cemetery must be a regular public meeting place, or this Meirs guy is awfully lucky. If I knew you were both laying unconscious I'd have come to help. Instead I was fighting with one arm and expecting help from both of you."Thumb’s raised his hand. "Enough, Spec. We got out foxed." He delicately touched the soreness in his jaw. It hurt to speak. “I guess we shouldn't have expected him to just walk in there."He looked at Spec. "Kid's you say. Who were they?"Spec just shrugged his shoulders. "They freed the hostages. I was quickly being outnumbered. Without help, I figured it was time to get out of there." He paused for a moment and then said, "I know I cut him.""Not deep enough apparently," growled Thumbs. A loud clap of thunder vibrated through the room. He looked toward the window and the rain. The only thing moving had to be boats. "Let's go after him tomorrow. Maybe the rain will have stopped by then.”"No,” Spec countered. "The police will be all over the place. We’ll let things cool down for a few weeks." He pulled out a locked metal box. "Spec look over the passports. Let me have the one you've been using Dice. The cops will have your name and picture plastered everywhere. They probably have your passport number recorded. They'd cuff you the first time it gets scanned."***Trying not to stretch the stitches, Pete opened the door to his room. A policeman greeted him and sat across the hall. On both sides of the door sat Steve and Lora, legs stretched out on the floor. All eyes turned toward him as he looked back at them."Three bodyguards? Do I need that much protection?" Another growl from his stomach made him ask. “Has anyone eaten?" He looked at the policeman. "I'm buying if they’ll cook it."Seated in the restaurant Pete asked, "I'd like a steak and some eggs with potatoes. Throw a ham on it. Then he remembered he was in Israel. Cancel that last bit." His try at some humor fell on deaf ears.The waiter frowned for a second and the said. "I'll see what we can do."Pete gingerly brushed the stitches on his chest with his fingers. They had closed the restaurant only a few minutes earlier. They kindly reopened the place just for him. "Don't mind me,” he winced. “They sting a little bit." He forced himself to stop playing with the wounds.Lora broke the silence. "They know where you are,” she said in a soft solemn voice. “We have to move again."Pete looked at the policeman who didn't say anything, but Pete knew the man was listening."Can we get another hotel?" he directed the question to the policeman."I can ask," the policeman replied. "With this rain, everything might be taken. I'll ask my superiors. Maybe they know someplace safer."Steve made a suggestion that Pete and Lora already thought about. "How about a military base?""I'll ask," the policeman said."By the way," Pete asked, "What's your name?""Aaron Weathers. Corporal Aaron Weathers.""American?""Los Angeles," Aaron answered. "Hope to get back there, someday.""Yeah! I hope to get back to Denver, someday also." He then thought about where to hide. An idea surfaced. "I need to talk to Lieutenant Goombi.""I'll pass on your request."Pete fell into silence, and then asked. "Any idea about who the kids were who cut Steve loose?"“There are a number of kids who live on the street," Aaron answered. It might be any one of them. We're checking it out.""Let me know," Steve said. "I owe him. I owe both of them."Pete wondered if the kids were the one he's supposed to take care of.“Can I get you something warm to drink?" Pete asked as held up a box of teabags. "It's either water or tea. Their coffee is gone.""Water will be just fine," answered a voice from behind. It was Rabbi Ramsel and everyone quickly turned to see the two rabbis entering the restaurant.The policeman stood and ordered the two men to stop.Pete held up his hand to stop Corporal Weathers. “These guys are the best friends that we have.” Pete hoped he was right in his assessment.The two Rabbis were introduced to the police as they sat next to Pete. The waiter came over with two glasses of water. Seeing the rabbis he quickly ran to get a sheet of paper. He came back almost as fast and asked for the signatures of the two holy men.When the waiter left Pete said, "I don't know where to begin.” Pete’s voice carried the tone of serious concern. “Ever since we first met I've thought of what you guys told me almost every day. I don't know what to do."Rabbi Goan took a drink and said, "Let me help you. First you want to know why you were selected. Second you want to know about the children. The first question is easy. You have been selected because the God of Israel selected you. As for the children, well that will be answered in time. You have already met two of them. There are more. They will not survive without your help. There is a warehouse that has a small kitchen inside it. It is also for rent. The place is just north of town. You will be able to rent it very reasonably." He handed a note to Pete. “Here is the address.”"You could have told me all this back at the museum. Why didn’t you come with us to the hotel?"Rabbi Goan laughed. "We do get wet." He glanced out the window as the rain filled sky flashed pale white light as thunder boomed.Lora asked. "Is that the only reason? I think I've read about you guys. My sister even wrote about you two before she left."Rabbi Ramsel sat his empty glass on the table. He peered outside at the wind driven rain beating against the widow. "Oh yes," he said almost as an afterthought. "Kendra Makray and Esther Yehiskel send you their love.”Lora stared at them in astonishment.“They,” Rabbi Ramsel continued. “Both want you to be strong, believe in Jesus, believe the Word; believe in the God of the Bible."Lora stood staring at their guest, not sure she heard correctly. She was speechless and wanted to hear every word. She also wanted to record their words and play it over and over again.Steve broke the silence. "Kendra! Esther! When did you talk to them? How do you know them?""They are both with their God and our savior," Rabbi Ramsel answered. "And I must add that they are extremely excited by what will soon be happening and what they will be doing."This has to be a fairy-tale, she thought."And what are they doing right now?" asked Pete who gave both men a wary eye. Thinking back to a religious huckster he once met and all this off-world alien stuff. He wondered if these men were for real. True they've preformed some remarkable God-like acts, but being able to visit people from the dead. Well that was too phony for him. Even though Steve and Lora may accept these guys’, he’d reserve that for a later time. “He is also my God and the Holy One of Israel.” Pete said before he knew it. The words sounded so strange coming from him with anything he ever said in his whole life. Everyone simply looked at him and stopped speaking for a moment. Pete blinked his eyes and said, “Did I say that?”“As for Kendra and Esther,” Rabbi Ramsel continued ignoring Pete’s question. “I talked with them during noon prayer. The spirit of the Lord brought them to me. I now know that this was all for your benefit.""It sounds like a lot of gobble-Dee-gook,” Pete replied in his best defensive mode. “No one talks to the dead.”“They are not dead,” Rabbi Goan replied. “Actually they are more alive than ever before.”“What is it that you want from us?" Pete almost yelled and suppressed his irritation."We personally want nothing," answered Rabbi Ramsel. "We are here to tell you that you are all needed. Many will owe their lives to each of other. We are simply here to encourage you to take care of the children. I know that Steve is personally trying to arrange passage back to America. Do not do that. Your nation is locked in a viscous struggle to free itself from foreign domination."Steve looked at Rabbi Goan with a questioning look. "I haven't heard anything about that.""You will never hear of it, because the news from your nation is highly censored. Your President Anderson has been assassinated and the government is split. Right now there is terrible guerilla warfare being waged against the political powers that have aligned themselves with the European leadership.""I don't believe it," answered Steve. "No one could keep that type of thing a secret. I'd have heard of it.""Five million of your people have already perished in the struggle, even more have been detained in detention camps. The evil that has control of your nation will not prevail. The evil that rules the world will last only a short while. Even now the man of perdition is struggling to maintain control. All his plans are unraveling. He has even sent ten thousand U.N. troops into you country. Right now you do not want to go."Pete cleared his throat and asked. "And who is this so called boogey man?" He asked though he really felt sure he knew."You already know this religious charlatan. It is Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf.""I knew it," growled Pete. "And I suppose the President of the European Congress and President of the new United Nations are in this with him?""Daniel Von Resh.""I knew it. I just knew it. Kendra tried to tell me about this Resh guy, but all I saw was Elijah. He's been behind every attack on Kendra, and we were both sure Elijah caused the bombing of the temple.”“Elijah,” answered Rabbi Goan, “Is also instrumental in bringing on the third world war.""I knew it." Pete got up from his chair and went to the window. When he turned back to the two rabbis he asked, "What can I do to help?""The Spirit of The Lord says to take care of His children. A time is coming that they will need you and a thousand others like them will need you. Already you have helped two of them. There will many others."Pete saw in his mind the two kids he bought a meal for some days ago. "I'll do my best," he said, “but there is one slight problem. I've got a problem with law. I think the police do not want me to leave the city. The police in Europe may also be after me – maybe.""Not in this country," answered Rabbi Goan. "The attack you foolishly perpetrated on Rabbi Elijah has sent men looking for you. I must warn you. They have found you. Be strong and courageous. The Lord is with you."Lora and Steve listened to the Rabbi say something about Pete attacking Elijah. They looked at each other and now guessed what happen in Italy.Rabbi Goan stood and walked to the door. "We must leave. We are needed elsewhere." "Lora protested,” It's raining and by now the streets are empty. You will never get a taxi.""We do not require a taxi. Still we have been called elsewhere."Rabbi Ramsel opened the restaurant door. "We thank you for accepting our words. We really must leave."Rabbi Goan followed his fellow rabbi out the door and left the restaurant before anyone could protest their leaving.Lora ran to the door and opened it to call the two men back. She looked up and down the hall and into the lobby. The rabbis were gone. "They're gone," she said to those back in the restaurant."What do you mean, their gone?" asked Steve as he hurried to his wife and looked for himself."They're not in the lobby or a hall,” Lora continues. “They're gone. They couldn't have walked that fast."Steve looked for the rabbis. "The elevators." He hurried to the center of the lobby and to the elevators. When he and Lora returned they both said to Pete and the policeman in unison, “They’re gone.”Chapter 22"Awghh!" cried Elijah in the anguish he felt as he entered Von Resh's office. Though every light in the room was on, the darkness soaked up the glow from the lights as if the light had penetrated murky water. The darkness seemed to act like a sponge. You could actually feel its presence. It felt suffocating."Their time is up," answered Von Resh with a smirk as he recognized Elijah’s voice in the darkness. Von Resh sat at a desk with three table lamps lit. The affects of six Florissant ceiling light and the table lamps gave the room a subdued look that might come from a dozen flickering candles that went nowhere. "I know about the prophesies and about these two trouble makers. I know all about the curse of them plaguing us for 1260 days. My counselors tell me that around seven more days their time runs out. Can we kill them then? I want you to prepare the world religious leaders to see their death. The prophesy say that they will die in Jerusalem. I want them dead not a minute after they can be killed. I want every Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Moslem, Hindu, and anyone else who will not side with us to see their fate. Those against us we must be destroyed. It is imperative to get rid of these inferior creatures. My God will sit on his throne and He will be supreme in everyone's lives. Well, are we going to stop them? I want results, and I want them as soon as possible. As for that glowing thing up in space, no one is going to invade this planet and take my people away.""I will succeed," replied Elijah as he listened to Von Resh grow madder with every minute. "Everyone hates this darkness as much as you and I do. Still, we have the areas of the world that are not plagued by this curse? How are we going to explain that away? As for that glowing star coming closer to us, I don’t know if there is anything we can do about that. My suggestion is to get to Jerusalem before that thing does.""We will deal with that later.""But I have read a report that said our forces are being pushed back within the United State and Canada. Our U. N. troops have suffered severe casualties. In Africa we have slaughtered millions yet it doesn't seem to stop the attacks."Von Resh nodded, “This I know. We will deal with these problems later. Right now it is urgent to destroy these men as well as the Israeli nation. We must capture the city of Jerusalem. I don’t care about anybody that is not on our side. It is imperative that we produce a final solution to this Jewish problem once and for all. My seers tell me we have less than two months to get it done. I want an army of millions. I want them marshaled and stationed around that nation. As the Secretary-General of the U.N., and I have control of the Commander of NATO, I have already given the request to the governing committee. If we fail, we are all doomed and I don’t care a bit if the American’s like it or not. They never were truly on our side.""I won't fail you,” Elijah stated with conviction. “I've scheduled a tele-conference this afternoon to deal with the problem. If you can, I'd like you to be present.""I shall try, but everyone is clamoring for my help during this crisis."Elijah nodded his understanding of the severity of all the problems Von Resh dealt with. The insurrections against his rule in America and Africa were particularly disturbing. In South and Central America the problem was less severe, but those areas had explosive potential for damage. Fortunately the military powers of these nations were limited. They’d never amount to a threat to Von Resh’s rule. Now that he thought about it, problems like these were cropping up all over the world, and Von Resh was using increasingly drastic measure to squelch the rebellions. His most powerful weapon was food and fuel. He’d starve them into submission.Getting up from his seat in front of Von Resh, Elijah turned on a high powered flashlight, faded into the darkness, and left the office. Even with an output of half-a-million candlepower it was difficult to see clearly more than ten meters in front of him.He finally made it to the conference room and prepared for the meeting with the religious leaders around the world. The table he would sit at had close to forty million candle power of light for the thirty minute meeting which is to be televised. Anyone more than that amount of electrical power being used might blow circuit breakers faster than they can be replaced. After composing himself he let his make-up artist and hair stylist do their magic. He hoped the cameras liked his image.***Pete sat the phone down and looked at his friends. Goombi said the police had to let Pete’s assailant go. But he’s now on an all-points-lookout since Pete signed the papers at the police station."It’s hopeless?" remarked Steve in resignation. I have a feeling these guys know how to disappear.” Steve changed the subject. "Aren’t there any rooms available that we can move too?""Nothing," Pete answered. "Too many people are arriving in Israel. I wish the one's going to Petra would leave us a house or two that we can use.""You know what fat chance is," grumbled Lora. "But we better move. That killer knows how to find you. Maybe we should pack up and head to Jordan like many are doing. Kendra's notes are warning of an invasion of Israel, and particularly Jerusalem. That horrible event is expected to kill maybe half the people. Rabbi Goan and Ramsel are also warning the people to prepare for the attack. I think we should move on."Pete looked out the window. A somewhat sunny blue sky greeted his view. "Well I can't stay here. They know where I'm at." He held up the note from the Rabbis. “Anyone got a map?”"Afula," remarked Steve. "We could all go to Afula. Or maybe we can go to that old archaeologist camp up on Mount Nebo. This all started up there, when you and Lora's sister discovered that Ark. Maybe we can hide up there in one of the caves?""On first thought a cave sounds like a good idea," answered Pete as he shook his head. "I don't think so. The Jordanian government is in control of that site. There are too many people in the area, but I like the idea of going to Afula. Unfortunately I've given my word to Lieutenant Goombi that I would not leave Jerusalem. Yet the Rabbis gave me this location. I have some money. If the rent is too high, maybe I can borrow a little from one of you?"Lora asked, "How long are you going to stay there?""I don't know," Pete answered. "I guess until Goombi says otherwise, but I'd love to get that rifle we hid in YiaYia's back yard. It may prove handy."Steve remembered the sniper rife that Pete picked up during the last war. It now lay protected and hidden within a stone wall behind where the house once stood. Pete had used the rife to cover their escape from the Tel Megiddo as enemy soldiers tried to follow them. He and that rifle probably saved all their lives that day. Little did they know at that time that the invasion of Israel, the war to annihilate Israel, would only last three and one half days. The city of Afula itself suffered serious damage and now lay mostly destroyed. But a few years ago, their little band of desperate survivors fought off the invading forces as well as two assassins who dogged Kendra's every step."Call Goombi," Steve suggested, seeing no other way for Pete to get out of Jerusalem, and with their kidnapping, it might be good if they all left as well. "Maybe he'll let you go to that warehouse location.” Steve said. “If you let him know why you are going, he might not complain."Pete thought that was a good idea. He pulled out the old cell phone and called. After talking to some detective Pete could only leave a message. It might take a day or two to get an answer.***"So why is a bounty hunter after you," growled Lieutenant Goombi three days later."It must be mistaken identity," answered Pete in an obvious lie. "I know people have confused me with others."Lieutenant Goombi stared at Pete with contempt mixed with humor. "Don't get funny with me. I can throw you in jail until you’re an old man. I want to help you for old times’ sake. We've been through a lot together, but I can't help you if I don't know why the bounty hunters are after you."Pete thought for a long moment about telling him everything, but that didn’t sit well. In his stomach, he felt it was better to say as little as possible. Instead he decided to say a pet theory that he Lora and Steve had concluded. "I think,” Pete said as he started. “That your Rabbi Elijah, you know the one who runs with EU president, brought the nukes into Israel. He obviously gave one to that terror group who tried to destroy the Temple. He is the one who created all the problems Israel now faces. He may also be indirectly responsible for starting WWIII. I think Elijah knows that I know, and he wants me out of the way." Pete conveniently omitted his assassination attempt in Rome. "I think the man is trying to shut me up before anyone listens. Elijah and I had a run in at the end of the three and one-half day war. He’s never liked me since them.""Who else have you told this too? I have never heard such a stupid fabrication. Do you have any evidence?""No I don't. But it all makes sense. Why else would someone try to kill Kendra by blowing up the hotel with one of those bombs? Your own papers said that the three nukes used in those explosions were all created by the same people. That means someone smuggled all of them into Israel and had the authority to waste one on a stupid hotel. The only person who hated Kendra enough to do something like that was Elijah. You remember that she said it was he who kidnapped her. Even she could not produce any proof. This all makes sense. Don’t you see it?""Only to you. Without proof, all you have is a work of fiction."Goombi thought about the Intel he read that told of Rabbi Elijah meeting with the leaders of the Allah El Whid terrorist group. This group had been clearly linked to the bombing at the Temple Mount. The police killed a member of that group just as he sent a nuclear tipped rocket over the Temple Mount. It is possible that this bit of Intel may link Elijah. Just maybe the bombings at the University and the hotel are all linked to Elijah. If he could link Elijah to all three bombings, and maybe if he discovered how the bombs got into the country, he might make the rank of Captain. He slid a look toward the mirror on the wall. The men watching the interrogation going on inside the office might have some ideas as to how to proceed.***Pete walked out of the police station three hours later. He suspected that more than one set of eyes watched his every move.*Von Resh listened as Elijah stated the facts. Both men used a high intensity lamp to see each other."We have calculated the time that these two Rabbis have been prophesying against us. Research now believes that they began just after the war or with the signing of the peace accord. If we count the days after the treaty was signed we have 1255 days. As you know, the Christian Bible tells of these two men will be prophesying and plaguing the world for 1260 days.""And god’s know we have tried to kill them," added Von Resh. "Every attempt has failed.""True. But now we must keep them alive. I have dispatched a team to keep an eye on them. They will become these Rabbis guardian angles. If anyone comes close to harming them, they have been authorized to use deadly force. The will shoot to kill if they have too. I want these two Rabbis to be alive on day 1261."Von Resh shook his head as he listened. "I see what you are getting at. If the prophecies those Christians believe in are true,” he said, “these men will die on day 1260. If that happens then we will have a bigger problem to worry about.""Correct,” Elijah answered. “If this is more than some mythological story, and our calculations are correct, we must be successful and keep these two men alive. If they die on schedule we may be opening Pandora’s Box. Have you contacted everyone to leave them alone?"Von Resh answered, “You know I can’t be involved. The Hebrew scriptures tell of them rising from the dead three and one-half days later. Don’t let that happen.” Elijah continued. “You are right. That crazy event is supposed to take place three and one-half days after they are killed. I may have to double the men assigned to protect them. If that fails, we will have only one option left to us.""To completely destroy the nation of Israel as quick as possible," Von Resh answered. He liked that idea, but not the one of these two men rising from the dead."Yes,” Elijah answered. “And we will have to do it swiftly. I still worry, Daniel. If we fail in protecting these two men, or if someone else kills them, and we can’t keep them dead, what do you believe are our chances of successfully destroying Israel? You know the scriptures as well as they do. We may be running out of time.""What options do we have? We must try. No, I charge that we must succeed. We have to succeed. I have already formed a military alliance with most of the world. They are as anxious to see Israel and the Jews destroyed as we are. Once we attack we expect to finish the operation in two weeks. What can a nation of six million do against the hordes I will throw at them?""You know, Daniel. We can't use nuclear weapons. I don't think the environment can take another blow. Ten nuclear warheads will easily destroy the nation. The job would be so much easier. But we just can't use them. You do see that, don't you?""Of course you are right, Elijah. No, we will do this the old fashion way - conventional forces. We may lose a million men in the attack, but when we are done, that nation will not exist. The city of Jerusalem will be totally ruined. Every Jew we find will be taken captive or killed. I prefer them to be dead in the streets. Nothing can stop us except the disunity of command.""Will these different factions all cooperate under one command.” Asked Elijah?"Everyone already is committed to saving their religion, their way of life, their customs, and traditions. They will not give them away without a fight. They will unify for their own survival."Elijah squirmed a little as he said. "We still have to contend with Christian International shortwave radio programs. I've listened to a few from America. All are warning people of what is to come. It is as if they are one voice against everything we stand for. People are starting to listen and we can’t get them closed down. The surveys are reporting that more than a million a day are turning to Christianity. The Moslem faith alone is losing two hundred thousand a day. And after the three and a half day war, they alone have lost over half their members.""I know,” replied Von Resh. “Our electronic jamming is effective only so much. It isn't foolproof. But I am counting on all the other religions of the world to unite behind us, and they will. They do not want to have this Bible based religion imposed on them any more than we do." "First things first,” added Elijah. “First we have to keep these men alive. If they stay alive all the other prophecies will fail.""Will the Israeli government cooperate with us,” Von Resh asked? “These two rabble rousers don't like either of us. They especially don’t like me. If someone kills them, the government must leave the bodies on display for four or five days. That way, when they are still lying there on the ground after that allotted time people will know there is nothing to fear."Elijah smiled. "I think the government will listen to us on this issue. They have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are, even though we are going to destroy them.” He laughed at the words. “I will suggest to them that we keep television cameras trained on them. If the bodies are still lying there four days later, our job will become much easier. There will be even great doubt among the Christian programmers and preachers. I suspect those who entertain this new doubt will slowly join our cause.""Good,” Von Resh said with pleasure. “Let’s get it done. Make sure you protect those two rabble rousers." Rabbi Elijah thought of the three men. He paid for the job to kill Mister Meirs and then these two Rabbis. They did have the reputation of completing their contracts. He doubted if he'd be able to stop them. It may already be too late. He hoped not.***Two days later four shots rang out and echoed in Liberty Park. Rabbi Goan and Rabbi Ramsel slumped forward in their chairs and were thrown backwards onto the platform. Pete and Lora and Steve watched in horror as the two men they once knew fall wounded or possibly dead. A crowd of twenty-thousand stood in momentary silence. Then pandemonium broke out in a few seconds. Then two large explosions within the people threw bodies in the air. From the top of one building Pete spied two men throwing objects from the roof. Two more explosions erupted within the crowd. More shots echoed from the surrounding buildings. Pete pulled Lora to safety as stampeding people ran for their lives.Steve fought his way against the tidal wave of frightened people seeking safety. He made it to two trees as Steve pulled his wife along. The three lay curled behind the trees for protection. Pete looked up in time to see people one hundred feet from him being thrown into the air. He heard one more rifle shot, then a string of automatic fire. All he now heard was the screams of people. The serious stuff had just gone quiet.***People who had lain on the ground, trying to protect themselves raised cautiously at first once he shooting and explosions stopped. The distant sound of ambulances rushing to the square echoed off the buildings.***Spec slowly closed the window of the Golan Hotel. "Let's go," he said. He, Thumbs, and Dice packed up the rifle they used to kill the two rabbis. The men on the wall throwing satchel charges will take the fall for the killings. There will be confusion as to where the shots came from or how many shot rang out. With the echoing from the surrounding buildings, unless concrete information is gathered, no one will ever be sure of the number of shots fired. Most importantly, no one will ever know that they were even involved. Their paymaster, Rabbi Elijah will be proud of the way they made their second level kill. Chapter 23 An aide rushed into Von Resh's office. "Excuse my interruption sir. This is really important. I just received a report that the two men you asked me to keep an eye on, well, they've just both been killed.""What! Are you sure? Who did this? Are you sure they are dead?" "Israeli security is reporting that two men linked to the Agsa Martyrs Brigade are the ones responsible. As you know, they are one of the terrorist groups devoted to the destruction of the Jewish Temple. They apparently came through the fence from Lebanon. The two prophets that you wanted me to watch were speaking at the entrance to the Temple's outer court. The assassins shot them from a building next to the parking lot. They also threw satchels of explosives into the crowd of listeners."Von Resh rubbed his forehead as he absorbed the information. "I have to think on this. Have the bodies been moved?""No. At this moment they are still lying were they fell.""Get me the Israeli Prime Minister. Quick! I’ve got to do damage control on this. I also need confirmation that they are dead."Von Resh thought of the dates Elijah had derived and the expectations when that critical 1260 days were to end. Could today have been their 1260 days of preaching and protecting Israel? He didn’t have enough answers. Now it was more urgent to know everything than ever before.***Pete, Lora and Steve got out of the square as soon as they could safely get through the crowd. Once they arrived back at their hotel they hurried to the television set in the lobby. Every channel carried the breaking news.The replay showed the two Rabbis standing on the steps speaking to the crowd of listeners."The days for our visitation have come to an end," said Rabbi Goan. "We have protected Israel and brought many to the worship of the one true God.""Hear O Israel," said Rabbi Ramsel. "The Lord God is one. Today is the day of salvation. Do not delay any longer. Repent of your selfishness. Offer your bodies to The Lord as a living sacrifice. Believe him and be declared righteous. The sign of the Messiah is soon to appear.""Choose who you will follow," said Rabbi Goan. "The time for being lukewarm has never been acceptable. Today, this moment, throw off you hard heart and be inflamed with the Holy Spirit of the living God..."Rabbi Goan stopped in mid-sentence and arched forward. Another shot rang out and the impact of the bullet sent him falling backwards. Over the television it sounded like loud popping noises. Rabbi Ramsel spun around as a bullet hit him in the shoulder. A second round hit him in the side of his chest. Rabbi Ramsel fell backwards then rolled lifeless down the steps as more popping sounded. From the sounds, you could only guess as to how many rounds had been fired. The echoing from the surrounding building made it impossible to number the shots. A loud explosion sounded. Many of the startled onlookers dropped to the ground. Another large explosion followed. People next to the wall of the outer court were seen flying through the air. The video showed that the camera was scanning looking for the source of shots and explosions. The video caught the sight of two men standing on top of a building throwing something toward the crowd. Another explosion followed. Those not injured or killed quickly panicked and rushed to get away. Soldiers on the ground opened fire on the two men above them.The reporter described it as best he could what just occurred. One thing came clear. In all the confusion, the fact that two Rabbis had been shot. It was believed that the two explosions may have killed or maimed scores of others.Gunfire continued from within the crowd as police and soldiers opened fire on the men on top of the building.They watched until the news report ended."What do we do now?" asked a frightened Lora."I think we ought to run for it," answered Steve. "If what Kendra and the scriptures have written about we better get away as quick as possible. A major earthquake is going to occur very soon." Pete reached into his pocket and pulled out the note from the Rabbis. “Where is Ya’Ar Ramot?” "Yeah that’s it,” replied Steve. “Let’s go find that place. I’ll go downstairs and rent a car.”Just then a knock at the door stopped the conversation as they all looked. Pete went over to the door, peeped through the viewer and made out two kids standing below. He opened the door and said, “Hello. What’s up?”A young boy handed Pete a note without saying anything.Pete took the paper, unfolded it and read. Then he read it aloud for the benefit of Steve and Lora.“This note will introduce you to this first group of kids that I want you to help and take care of. I’m counting on you not to fail us. Thanks Pete. Love and best wishes in the Lord. Rabbi Ramsel and Rabbi Goan.”Pete looked at the kids and then at Steve. “I can't go," said a resigned Pete as everyone stood staring at him. "I have a bunch of kids who count on me to help them. I can't just run off and abandon them. I'll never do it. I promised the rabbis that I would do this."Steve rested his hand on Pete's shoulder. "You don’t have any kids yet, just these two.” Steve paused and waited for Pete to say something. He didn’t. “Well if you're not leaving neither are we." He looked at Lora and saw the worry and resignation in her eyes. Then he studied the kids. They only stared back at him with no expression."What are we going to do?" she asked. "Scripture tells us that an earthquake is following and then Israel will be invaded, that Jerusalem will be attacked and partially captured. Our only hope to survive will be to get to Jordan and hide out in the area of Petra. We should take these two and go. When you get more we’ll take them also.""I don't think we have the resources to do that," answered Pete. "First we don’t have but these two kids. Second, food and water are big items. We don't know how long we'd have to camp out. No. I think,” he looked down and read the two notes that he now held. “First let’s go find this place. When all heck breaks out, then we'll run for it. The kids can come along.""I hope we don't wait too long," she said. "From what I've read in scriptures and what Kendra’s notes tells us, we haven’t much time. First things first, let’s get out of this building."She grabbed Steve’s hand. Pete followed. One child held onto Pete’s hand as the other one followed.After arraigning for a car to carry the five of them, they made it out of the parking lot just as a growling, grinding sound came from all around them. An instant later the ground violently shook until Steve stopped the car and waited. Hoping the earth would settle down from its movement and the car was safe so they might continue their trip.“It’s the earthquake,” yelled Lora as she and everyone sat rocking in the car. When it ended they all started talking at once. Lora who sat in front quickly turned on the radio. Pete sat in the back quietly telling the kids that it will be okay. That the earthquake had ended.It did not take long for Lora to find a station that was describing the earthquake. “There are reports of major damage in the old section of the city. There may be casualties.”Everyone listened as the report described what little the announcer knew.Steve felt that it was now safe to travel. Winding his way away from the hotel he drove north, using the directions given to him at the rental counter. Now they were all heading to Route One.It took some winding and turning around but Steve finally made it to Route One without too much confusion. Now they drove east a short distance.Lora said for Steve to stay on the right side of the highway that he’d be turning off soon. She pointed at the green highway sign, “Turn off at the Ya’Ar Ramot exit we are going to go north from there.”Steve compiled with the direction given and they all headed north about a half a mile when Lora now said to turn right at the next turn. Once safely on Igrot-Moshe road Steve followed it until it turned into Hazonish. Steve stop as he was now totally confused.“This is the right road,” answered Lora. “Keep going east. It shows here on the map that it will all come to an end in a half a mile, just around the bend.Steve had to offer the reason he stopped. “First it said Mt. Lubavitch, then the name changed, and now it changed again. I have no idea where I am.”“Keep driving,” answered Lora.As they drove a small car lot of used vehicles sat on the left. Steve drove slower and saw the end of the road just ahead.Lora looked at the address on the note. “Stop the car,” she softly said and looked around. There is something behind the trees,” and she looked out the window hoping to see better. The she saw the small turn-off almost hidden within the trees. “There it is,” she pointed. “Go slow.”They crept forward as gravel crunched below the wheels. Steve stopped at the turn-off and everyone saw the dilapidated farm gate standing across the road path between the trees. Everyone got out and walked to the gate. Pete slowly lifted the gate and pushed inward. He saw movement ahead as someone ran. A large warehouse of sorts lay inside the gated area.Everyone went inside the gated area and walked toward the warehouse. Pete led the way with Steve and Lora and the two kids following. A noise came from inside. Something had fallen.“Hello,” Pete called after he pushed open the metal sliding garage door. Three small kids sat staring up at him. They had been playing marbles. It didn’t take long before everyone entered the warehouse and more kids appeared from behind containers that had been opened and had been left in the building. Pete counted. He saw eight more kids. “I’m Pete,” he said and held up a hand to show he meant no harm. If these are the kids, he wondered. I’m going to need a bigger vehicle. He thought of the used car lot they had just past.He studied the kids. They were mostly dirty, unkept, and their clothing somewhat tattered and torn. They had be apparently living here for some time. Boy Rabbis, he thought to himself, what did you get me into? He smiled quietly to himself somewhat amused by all that was happening. “I guess we had better find out how many people we have here?” Chapter 24 Steve drove back to the hotel with Pete, Lora and ten kids packed into their small car. As they drove, Lora pointed out the smoke rising from dozens of locations. Most of the smoke seemed to be centered in the older parts of the city. Listening to the radio as Steve drove, they all heard only about the earthquake, and that thousands may have perished. Steve turned the corner onto the street leading to the hotel, and hoped that it was still standing. When the hotel came into view he visibly gave a sigh of relief. The violence of the earthquake did not appear to damage the hotel, but he saw one building that once stood on the left side of the hotel now in rubble. A fire had erupted from the remains of that building and may have been from a ruptured gas line. A loud explosion far to the right caused everyone to turn. Far behind the trees a large ball of fire rose into the sky. And when they looked back at the old part of the city other fires were apparently raging. All around them they heard the sirens and horns of emergency vehicles. The calamity had everyone’s attention until Pete saw three kids standing at the entrance to the parking lot. “I think we have some people waiting for us,” he said and turned their attention to the kids. They stood huddled together just this side of the shrubs and flowers garden.“Lora remarked, “They can’t be waiting for you. Can they?”Pete forgot about the damage as Steve pulled the car off to the side. He and the ten kids got out of the car. They were all glad to be able to stretch their legs. He walked by himself over to the kids. “Hello,” he said in English. They stood without speaking. Pete knelt down in front of the tallest. “Shalom,” he said in his best Hebrew. It was then that he saw that all three were young girls.Most of their clothing looked dirty and their hair seemed to be matted. Pete guessed that all three needed a shower. He turned back to the ten kids standing by the car. “Do any of you speak Hebrew?”One of the three girls said something that Pete didn’t understand. He shook his head trying to tell her he did not know what she said, until the ten kids, including Steve and Lora came alongside.“These are the kids,” Steve asked?Pete looked up and said. “Maybe. I can only guess.”“None seem to speak English,” Pete said. “Can anyone talk to them?”She doesn’t speak English,” said a taller kid coming out of the bushes.Pete looked up. “Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, now there is fourteen.” Pete twisted his face from confusion, apprehension, and resignation. “So this is how it is going to happen,” he said as he motioned the kid with the bike forward.Pete looked at the boy and asked, “Who are you? Are there more of you?” Pete hoped not.“I’m Matthew. We don’t have a home. Our parents are dead. They died in the war.”Pete guessed the three-and-one-half war was being referred too.“Yes,” he said. “We also fought in it. How long have you been here?” Referring to the park.“Lora knelt beside Pete and talked to the boy. “Have you eaten? When was your last meal?”“We had some bread this morning,” answered Matthew.Steve asked, “Where did you get it?”Pete cut him off before he answered. He didn’t want to know. Remembering how he survived on the streets of his home town, he believed he knew the answer. Then remembering the Rabbis, he said. “I think I am supposed to take care of you for a while.Matthew said something to one girl in Hebrew and the others in Arabic. Then he called out something in Hebrew. Six more kids appeared.Pete felt overwhelmed and speechless. Now there were twenty kids. He quit counting and felt a little overwhelmed. Glancing around, he started counting again, if only for his sanity. Scanning the group of children, he counted twenty kids of all ages. In shock he sat down on the grass, scratched his head and said to Lora and Steve. “We better get that warehouse.“The hotel won’t let them all come in,” Steve said.“I’ll talk with them,” Pete answered. “If they won’t, I can still buy them a meal. They have been sleeping under the stars this long; I guess another night won’t hurt.”“You forgot,” said Lora. “The city has just had an earthquake.”Pete replied, “Yeah your right.” He thought for a second. “None of us may get a meal today. Let’s try first and figure the rest out later.”Matthew gave an answer, “I know where there is some food.”Pete smiled. “I bet you do. Let me check with the hotel first.” He stood up and talked with Steve and Lora. Then he turned to Matthew. “You stay here for a few minutes. I’m going over to the hotel and see what they can do.”All watched him turn and jog over to the hotel. He emerged with a grin ten minutes later.“They say they have lost all electricity. Everything is down. If they can get the generators working they will be able to feed everyone, but we’d have to do it soon – before they are scheduled to open. Right now we can all sit outside of the lobby in the courtyard, but we have to be quiet. They don’t want us disturbing their guests. They have enough confusion to work through.”Twenty minutes later a waiter came out the front doors and waved.“Let’s go,” Pete said. “Let’s eat before the crowds arrive.”Lora raised a question, “What do we do with the bikes?”Pete looked at Matthew for a moment.”Steve saved the day. “I will stay with them,” he said. “Bring me out something later.” ***Von Resh signed into law the draconian measures to slow the earth's spiraling loss of animal life. The war, the curses by the now dead prophets, all had taken a serious toll on the environment. The death of the world’s eco-system was eminent unless something drastic was done – and done immediately. The secret reports he studied indicated that most sea life might cease to exist by the end of the decade. The forests of the world were dying at a rate faster than new trees could be ever be planted to replace those dying. The loss of the earth's magnetic poles may be partially to blame, but his scientists have not produced any concrete answer to solve any of the problems – except man’s interference. Now that was something he had some control over. In a way he relished the idea. He’d control everyone’s life down to the smallest possible detail. That fit in with his ideas from the start. On top of all his problems he had to worry about the ancient prophecies."It's been three day and three nights. Are there any signs of movement," he asked Elijah as he studied the monitor totally devoted to the dead rabbis.Rabbi Elijah answered, "Not yet. They were killed at 3PM Thursday afternoon, Israeli time. Today is Sunday. It doesn't look like it is going to happen, I'm happy to say. There are a lot of nervous people out there. All were hoping these men were delusional and the dead would stay dead.""Then everything we've done may be working. I've got enough problems without them two coming back to life again.""The prophecies we've heard about seems to be in error." Elijah showed a rare smile as he relaxed in the chair. "I had the Israeli government build a light proof tent over their bodies. The infrared cameras show the two men still where we placed them, and their bodies are as cold as the concrete they are laying on. Maybe we should build a permanent structure over them. Either way three days and three nights have past and there have been no signs of life.""Good. Let's keep it that way. Still I'm worried. Might the prophecy mean three full days and three full nights?" Von Resh looked up at the row of clocks set to different time zones. "In six hours we'll know for sure. Request a ring of guards to be stationed around the tent – just in case. The fence that has been erected may not stop a few zealots from driving into the tent and stealing the bodies. Then the deception will worst than before.""I'll request it from the Prime Minister. I know for a fact that a handful of reporters and camera crews are stationed in front of the fence. If someone breaks in, they'd capture the event for the entire world to see.""I'd rather see that nothing happens."“Now about another problem. How is Jerusalem faring after that earthquake?”***"Nothing's happened yet," remarked Steve as he watched the television in his room. After a badly needed shower, they finally could relax for an hour. "Channel One says they'll interrupt the regular programming if anything occurs at the tent.""In two hours they'll have been dead a full 72 hours," said Lora. "Why don't we just go down and see for ourselves if anything happens."That was agreed by all. When they came out of the hotel, they saw Pete sitting with the kids. Everyone sat eating off of plastic plates and with plastic forks and knives. He was surrounded by the group looking all the more like a Sheppard. Some of the kids were licking their plates clean. Pete looked up at Lora and Steve. “We’re just finishing up,” he said. He spoke to Matthew. “Have everyone take their plates over to the trash can.”“We’re going down to the square and watch if the rabbis come back to life,” Steve said. “Want to come?” Pete thought that might be a good idea. "If it doesn't happen then, I guess their prediction will prove false. But I have one little problem. What shall I do with the kids?” Steve had the answer ready. “If they would all like to come, why not bring them along.”Pete talked to Matthew and in five minutes the whole gang headed off as one to the square.As they walked Pete was thinking about the warehouse and about buying a lot of food. He had a lot on his mind, and it was how to take care of everyone.In his mind he was already making plans to buy a thousand pounds of flour, rice, beans, potatoes, and crates of fresh vegetables. The order will be made the moment they get to rent the warehouse. He saw an old black flatbed truck in the used car lot close to the warehouse.“After we get done with seeing if the rabbis come back to life, I think we need to drive up to Ya’Ar Ramot again. I also wrote down the number for renting the place.”Feeling urgency he pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number. As they walked, he spoke to a person about the warehouse. When he finished he turned to Lora and Steve.“The guy says he talked to Rabbi Ramsel. The rabbi already had a price agreed upon. It didn’t sound too bad to me. So I agreed.”“How much,” Steve asked, hoping they could afford the rent. “We’ve haven’t seen if there are any problem with the place. I hope everything still works?”Pete shook his head. “I don’t have all the answers. He perked up and said, “If the rabbis think it is good, then what can I say.”Steve and Lora looked at each other in resignation. “Okay,” Steve said. “When do we sign the papers?”“Tomorrow,” answered Pete, “around noon.”***They all arrived at the cities Central Bus Station. From there they'd take maybe three cabs up to the Temple Compound. They fully expected the area to be jammed with onlookers, news reporters, and the military. They may not get any closer than the Via Dolorosa. From there they'd walk the short distance to the outer courtyard to the Temple.When they did arrive they stood behind a jam-packed crowd of people, all trying to see if or when it happened. "Guess we're late," Steve said. He looked at the crowd trying to get into the outer courtyard. No one was movingPete had an idea. He pointed to a different direction. In a moment they all took a quick turn to the north and kept outside the wall surrounding the courtyard. Now he led them toward the Bethesda Pool. A small hotel recently added and renovated sat besides the landmark. The rubble of old houses and shops were packed with people standing on them hoping to get a view. Around the parameter of the crowd were people holding signs and selling products. Pete, seeing the crowd standing on the rubble, hurried them back to the small hotel. He had an ace in the hole. He knew the owner. If permission was given they’d be able to see over the wall and view the tent holding the bodies of the two rabbis.When they arrived at the hotel they spied a number of people watching from the roof. Though the roof seemed crowded, Pete went in and asked for the owner. In five minutes, they reached the roof of the Hotel North-Court and quietly walked to the edge of the safety wall. Without speaking they joined the dozens of people standing by the wall. They had a great view of the outer courtyard and the tent. Unfortunately they also needed a pair of binoculars.Inside the courtyard ten thousand people stood packed together. All waited as the time approached. A tent ringed by a chain-linked fence with soldiers stationed every five feet stood in front of the steps leading to the inner courtyard. The small covering over the bodies stood in the center, maybe twenty feet from the fence.They didn't have to wait very long."Three o'clock," said Steve. Though a gentle breeze blew across the courtyard, the tent began shaking as if in a gale. The tent ripped away from some of its pegs and flapped in the unfelt wind. Before any of the guards had a chance to hold it down, the tent ripped away and flew toward the step and into the crowd. Those who were standing on the steps quickly pulled it off of them and got it out of their way."My God," Lora grabbed Steve's arm as she looked with astonishment.Twenty kids, Steve, Lora, and Pete fixed their eyes on the distant black body bags that contained the two rabbis.A gasp rose from the crowd as a bright light appeared around the plastic body-bags. In an instant the two men sat up as if the bags were not there. They were outside of the body-bags and were now sitting on them. Three guards rushed to the bodies and tried to grab the rabbis but something knocked the soldiers to the ground.Rabbi Goan and Rabbi Ramsel stood to their feet. Rabbi Ramsel spoke. Everyone could hear them, even from a quarter mile away Pete and the group clearly heard them speak. First it was Rabbi Ramsel’s voice. "The time for the appearing of our great Lord and God is about to be seen by all. Repent! Give your lives and heart to The Lord. Blessed are they who say Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord."Rabbi Goan spoke next. "For those who have ears let them listen. Flee to the place pronounced in the ancient text. Flee and save yourselves. A time of great distress is about to descend on Israel, particularly Jerusalem. The Dragon is coming with great wrath. He has but a very short time. He is desperate. Everything written in the scriptures will be fulfilled. Remember, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel, Yeshua A’Mashiak will soon take his rightful place as King of Kings, Lord of all Lords, and the rightful, lawful ruler of this world. Satan, the Great Dragon has failed. He is doomed and full of fear."Steve heard Lora laughing and then noticed the crowds of onlookers were almost panicking. They would have but there wasn’t much room for panicking. Grabbing hold of Lora's hand he watched in fascination as the distant two rabbis, standing erect, lifted their hands toward heaven. A gasp rose from the courtyard as everyone watched the two men lift from ground and ascended into the clear blue sky. Pete, Steve, and Lora, as well as the kids watched until the two rabbis vanished from view and were seen no more."Earthquake! Lora said. She nervously pulled on Steve's hand. "We got to get out of the city. The prophecy says that a great earthquake will strike the city. Seven thousand men, plus women and children will be killed. The last one is a foreshadow of what is too come."Steve didn't wait. "We better get down and out of here." Pulling on Lora's hand he turned and hurried of the roof. Everyone followed with Pete shepherding his little flock. More than ever, Pete was very much in a hurry to get up north.As they left the building, Pete commented. "Let's hope nothing happens until we get away."Back at the bus station, just as they reached the parking lot the ground shook and Lora screamed. Steve lost his balance from the quick movements under his feet. They all fell to the ground as a great rumbling came from the earth drowned out all but the nearest screams. Lora tried to keep from lying on the asphalt surface of the parking lot, but found it impossible to raise herself off the ground. Then it ended. The roaring below their bodies stopped. For a brief moment there was silence. Then chaos reigned as cries of fear and for help appeared all around them.Steve rose to his feet first. He surveyed the parking lot. Saw a few cars moving. "Let's get out of here before we get run over.” They all ran to a safe location to figure out their next move.***Von Resh dropped his head from frustration, but most of all his body shook with fear. "We did everything. We did everything. We did everything. Nothing worked." He sunk back into his chair totally exhausted, depressed, discouraged, and feeling hopeless and helpless. Life as he knew it had suddenly come to an end."Someone must have let light in," answered Rabbi Elijah as he tried to make sense over what they saw. "The winds that came tore the ropes loose from the ground. It must have happened when the tent flew off. We should have made it more permanent. I will punish those who set up the tent. I told them to make it secure."“Shut up!” cried out a dejected Von Resh."It won't change anything. What about the next prophesy?""I don't know if we will know until nightfall."A knock on the door interrupted their discussion."Sir," an aide said as he entered Von Resh's office. "We have reports of an unidentified object coming close to the earth; it’s about four million kilometers away. Many in Asia and the western Pacific are reporting that this bright object has just appeared in their night skies.""A comet?" asked Elijah."No one has a clear idea of what it might be.""Do we have telescopes trained on it?" Elijah asked."Yes. The first reports came in from Australia. Astronomers are following the object. They think it is huge, but they can’t ascertain its size."Von Resh asked, "Is it moving this way?""It appears so," answered the aide."Make sure the astronomers calculate its trajectory," ordered Von Resh. "I want to know where it is heading."The aide left with his orders and Von Resh stared out the window. "You know what this means?"Elijah nodded though Von Resh faced away from him. "We may still stop the prophecy from occurring. We have to try," he said. "If we destroy Israel, and especially everyone in Jerusalem, we may still change the expectations. I find it hard to believe that words written thousands of years ago know exactly what is going to happen today." "You had no problem,” Elijah replied, “believing that Nostradamus saw the future.""He was different. He didn't make a religion out of it. How about the Mayan calendar?" Elijah answered.Elijah knew that the calendar came to an end in December 2012. That date has past, but it hasn’t been that long ago. He felt intense irritation as he said for a loss for words. "We have to do something.""We will. Request an emergency meeting at the United Nations. I need to talk to all the delegates. We will not stand by and be invaded. It is time for operation Final Solution."***Two days later Von Resh stood facing all the delegates seated before him."We have received detail reports of the object that entered our solar system. Astronomers had once determined that it has a high probability of circling the sun. Then it vanished. There is an ancient Judo-Christian prophesy that tell of an object appearing in the skies. You all know of Rabbi Elijah Ben Yosaf. He has brought to my attention that there are writings that tell of the object appearing after the two rabbis who created so much misery came back to life. These writings, first thought to be fictional, may have actually been a glimpse into the future."Von Resh continued his speech describing all that had recently taken place in the courtyard of the Hebrew Temple. He completed his speech with, "Astronomers have reported that this object has now reappeared. It is now sitting four million kilometers away. There are three known course corrections. The object, or now if I may say space ship, is pulsating with intense amount of thermo-nuclear and electromagnetic energy. If it is heading to the earth, and it seems certain that we are its final destination, we must get ready. Your scientists have already followed the object and you know that I am telling you the truth. We cannot allow some foreign space being to dictate how we will live. Your way of life, your religions, your wealth and all that we have accomplished since the Great War is at stake. Your children will become servant, if they survive, of this gruesome extraterrestrial being. We cannot allow that to happen. Right now the object is glowing with a magnitude of 2. Soon, as it gets closer, everyone in the world will be able to follow its progress. There will be panic in the streets. We must make preparations for it if it arrives. If we can destroy the prophesied landing place we may be able to stop the invasion. I ask all the extinguished delegates to request their government to marshal all the military might they can spare. We must send an army so great against this invader that the invaders will flee from us. If not, our world, our way of life, everything we hold dear, will be destroyed."Chapter 25 Pete and all his kids sat waiting by the gate as Lora and Steve drove up and stopped. “I have ordered the food,” he said. “I gave them our new address and for a small fee they are going to deliver it – hopefully by tomorrow. I also bought a flat-bed truck from the used car dealer down the road.” Pete nodded toward the auto sales lot that sat a little way down the road.After Steve and Lora drove into the warehouse parking lot, Pete nodded to the kids.“Come on,” he said and headed to the warehouse and the truck. Everyone stood staring at the beat-up truck. ”Does it run okay,” asked Steve? “How much did it cost?”Pete explained the cost and then started up the engine.“Sounds good,” Steve said as Pete revved the motor and looked at Lora.Lora was still amazed by the resurrection of the two rabbis and not really interested in the truck. “I am still stunned that we saw them actually come to life,” she said to anyone who might listen.Pete smiled at her and shut the engine off. “It really did happen.” He gave her a wide grin, pleased with his purchase. She hasn’t stopped talking about the event for two days. “They came to life right before our eyes. Nothing like seeing it for yourself,” he said.Steve came up to Pete and the kids. “It was amazing, but you bought that old truck?”Pete pointed and said, “It don’t look all that bad.”They both turned and studied the black flat-bed truck again before heading to the main door of the warehouse.Pete added, “If I knew that the place I ordered the food could be delivered, maybe I could have waited a few days.” “How much did it cost,” asked Steve, as he walked into the building. “You might still need that truck the next time you get food. By the way, how much did you order?” “Don’t ask,” Pete replied. “Now we have to paint the sign out front so they can find the place. That’s why we were all sitting out front.” He looked at the car Steve had rented. “I don’t expect the truck to break down, but it is nice to have your car around. Since we don’t have a sign to this place ready, maybe we can leave the truck or your car out front. That way the delivery people can find the place.”An hour later a delivery truck pulled into the parking lot. Pete greeted the driver, signed for the delivery even though he hadn’t counted the shipment. In five minutes, one-hundred kilos of all purpose flour, ten cases of baked beans, cases of corn, peas, and a hundred kilos of potatoes were deposited in the kitchen. Once it was all unloaded into the building, Pete and the kids would store the food safely on the metal racks that sat in a room behind the kitchen area.When they finished Pete suggested that they all go into town. Take a ride on his new-used truck.“What town,” asked Lora?Pete pointed up the hill. “Ya’ar Ramot,” he said as if he had been there a thousand times. “I’ve already been there. I found out where the center of the town and the shopping section. That’s where I ordered all the food. I need to get some dried milk. So why don’t we o and I’ll show you around.”Pete gave a loud whistle for the kids. “Everybody on the truck,” he said – still proud of his purchase.Steve and Lora looked at each other and then at the truck. Steve said, “We’ll follow.” ***Von Resh arrived at the military headquarters of the European military in Brussels. He sat with the supreme commander of all European forces. "I want to have two hundred thousand troops and their support in Syria by ten days. Can we do it?" He studied the commander."It will be difficult," answered General Koso, commander of the armies. "But it is doable if we commit all our resources to the task.""Any resources that you require are at your disposal,” replied Von Resh. "Can you have a report on our military status on my desk in two day? This is a war we must win, and it must be completed all within two months. After that none of this maybe needed. We may not even exist after that. All resources must be dedicated to this invasion. Prisoners, Israeli civilians, and reconstruction of the country will not be an issue.***"We've been hanging around here five days," growled Thumbs. "Let's get this done, today."Dice looked at Spec and added, "Thumb's right. We've watched the hotel and this Meirs guy far too long. Now that we've found him, let's do it. He may move again, and we'll lose him.""If Mister Meirs' habits stay the same," Spec said to his friends, "he'll take a walk. I've read in the file, that he likes to keep things simple. Well, let's keep our plan simple. We'll follow him and when the opportunity arises, we'll kill him. You two wait in the park. I'll sit in the lobby and call you when he shows."That idea lasted about two days. Pete never showed himself to the killers.Spec walked into the hotel and asked about Peter Meirs. Was he in? A few minutes later he returned with the bad news.“He left after the earthquake and hasn’t been seen since. He checked out with no forwarding address.”“Oh Great,” replied a frustrated Thumbs. “That’s just great. Now what?”***After finally signing the rental lease and paying the two months’ rent in advance Pete and everyone formally took possession of the warehouse and its grounds. Another call had went out to have the gas turned on at a cost to Pete a thousand shekel; the electricity would not be on until tomorrow. That would cost them another sizeable deposit and a month in advance. Everyone had been sleeping on the floor for the last three days. Whenever they could they all jumped into the truck and eat at a small mom-and-pop restaurant about three kilometers away. Once it had been found, only by asking people on the street for a place to eat, the place became a choice spot for breakfast. They were the best thing for business and it was good for the kid and Pete. Without gas for cooking it was a place to they all liked and not far from the center of town.After eating Pete and his crew walked up the hill and toured the business and shopping center. They left the truck at their eatery and would return in a few hours. Pete was very pleased that the kids were very obedient. He believed in the kids having freedom as long as nobody became destructive. By noon they had left town and returned to the warehouse. More food arrived just after one, just as scheduled, and then everyone remembered that the water was turned on only to the kitchen and toilets. The one shower that was available was hopelessly broken. Pete and Steve rigged up a hose from the kitchen to the outside. By the end of three days they had purchase thirty blankets, twenty garden Hammocks. Each was double size, light green, and made of cotton webbing. In addition they picked up five large cots, a thousand pieces of plastic ware and a thousand paper plates. From this staff they would buy as they needed. The drinking water tasted terrible so he ordered ten eight-liters bottles of drinking water. Showers would be taken outside with the foul tasting water. Since the weather had just turned a little warmer this would only be done around noon, and in order. The girls went first. An hour later it was the boy’s turn. Lora made sure it was all done properly. Lora and the kids loved it. Pete and Steve had their reservations about this camping out but everything went smoothly, and the kids loved it.Pete felt it might be a good idea to go back into the center of Jerusalem and maybe walk around Yahuda Street for a treat, maybe a last visit to the Temple area might be in order. He also thought about going to Afula and getting the rifle. You never know about living in the country. Well – maybe it wasn’t exactly the country, but from where he stood it felt like it. For some reason he actually felt secure here behind the trees and at the warehouse. Elijah and his killers were a different world - far away.***By the fourth day everyone found that Steve was a fair cook. For breakfast he had baked six rounds of unleavened bread. They’d buy a cake of yeast before the days was out. He boiled twenty eggs, sliced five cucumbers, seven fresh tomatoes, some dates, jam and a pot-full of weak coffee. Everyone eat like this was the best meal in town. Steve found it hard not to reveal his satisfaction and pride. At noon, they all jumped into the truck and headed south for that walk around downtown Jerusalem. ***Pete sat in the truck watching everybody and everything. He felt sure there was danger just being here, but he also felt it was important to get the bills settled. Lora, Steve and the kids went into hotel and settled their bills as Pete just watched.Since there was a waiting list, and trouble seemed to follow Peter Meirs, the hotel was glad to see everyone leave. Pete had checked out earlier but hadn’t settled his bill. Now everything would be cleared, and only one man caught his eye. He was talking on a radio and appeared to be one of Goombi’s men.***Spec sat with Dice and Thumbs against the west wall of the courtyard, scouring the area. After days of watching and waiting Dice went to Yahuda Street hoping for anything different, besides no one now expected Peter Meirs to come to the Temple courtyard anymore – not after the last time. If he saw something he’d call Spec and Thumbs and let them know.***When their business was done at the hotel, he drove everyone to the Central Bus Station. From there they walked up Saleiman Boulevard to Shkhem. He planned to walk into the Old City. In the Jewish Quarters he'd buy some kosher food for everyone, read them a poem from William Shakespeare.He approached the café' Romano. The Via Dolorosa lay around the corner. A few years back, before the temple was built, the wall on the western side of the temple mount was the closest place for Jews to worship. The Rabbinical Counsel prevented Jews from walking on the Temple Mount. They were fearful of Jews stepping on the location of the Holy of Holies. After the three and one half-day war, the mount was partitioned into Jewish and Moslem sections. Three years ago, after the three and one-half day war, Israel condemned a hundred-meter section of the Via Dolorosa that touched the Temple Mount. They built a huge courtyard on that spot and named it the Court of the Gentiles. This courtyard funneled worshiper past Saint Stephen's Gate and up the steps to the temple's inner court. Two months ago as he and his friends were being put on the boat to Italy. One day before terrorist had rocketed a small nuclear weapon into the recently dedicated temple compound. The Jewish temple and the shell protecting the Ark of the Covenant were severely damage.Practicing Jews now used both the old Western Wall and the Court of the Gentiles to offer prayers. The Al Agsa Mosque and golden Dome of the Rock were both destroyed. Muslim worshiper still used the chambers below the Al Agsa on their holy days. A large section of the southern wall next to the mosque had also collapsed.Pete paid for twenty egg, cheese, and tomato and cucumber bagel sandwiches at one of the small shops that lined the shopping center. They all found some empty tables and sat down to enjoy their lunch. Last night he didn't sleep well. He expected the warehouse, breakfast, sunlight, and now lunch to relax him, but just coming into this area left him restless. He tried to ignore the feeling but he was now convinced this wasn’t all that good an idea. Now he felt this was a bad idea and he was extra cautious about everything. Reading poetry might lift his spirits, and driving back to the warehouse would turn this trip into a delightful day – if nothing went wrong. But he had to get through this day first. The next time he went anywhere he’d stay closer to home.As he ate, he looked around and saw no one watching him. None of Elijah's hired guns appeared to be near. No one was paying attention to him. Besides, they wouldn't dare attack in such a crowded location. Slowly he began to feel safe – sort of.In fifteen minutes of reciting poetry to his little band of kids he knew he had lost his audience so he closed the book.***Dice saw Mister Meirs sitting outside of the restaurant surrounded by kids and a couple he had seen before. He called Spec and told him his location. It might take fifteen minutes for everyone to arrive. By then Mister Meirs might be gone. The pressure to do something grew with every passing moment.Standing and watching Dice became impatient with waiting. He had given a call to Spec and wondered what was taking them so long. Folding a newspaper over his right arm, he pulled the ice-pick out of his pocket and thought how easy it would be to kill Mister Meirs. He’d be able to get away in the crowd. He and his friends could all go home and live a happy life again. It didn’t take long to make the decision.Chapter 26 Dice stood with his newspaper draped over his left arm and hand. It also concealed his latest store-bought ice pick. Today it was his weapon of choice. It was the only thing available on shot notice and the pick would do nicely. The team had luck with buying on the black-market the rifle used to kill the rabbis, but that had to be left at the scene for the police to find. Now unable to buy a silenced pistol, the ice pick would get a little more personal, but it will be even quieter and he would not even get his hands dirty.He spoke quietly to himself as he planned his move. "Don't make it so sudden that you give yourself away, he said to get himself pumped. I’ll just bump into him when a large crowd is passing and plant the pick between his shoulder-blades. The length of the pick should easily hit the heart. The second choice will be to stick Peter Emirs high on the neck, in the Medulla. He nonchalantly closed the distance to his target with a lazy stroll. After he arrived within about five meters he stopped and waited for a crowd of shoppers to come toward him. It did not take long to wait. A large group moved toward his target, and he slowly moved closer to Pete without attracting any attention. Now within two meters he made his move. Dice didn't know what happened as he was thrown to the ground and saw a rifle pointing down at him. Two men had grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground, while a third, the one with the rifle, stood over him. It happened so fast that the ice-pick he held now lay on the ground as the shoppers quickly hurried away in panic and shock. He was barely able to see Peter Meirs standing off to the side. He stood to far away to have participated in what had just happened. His right wrist now tightly held by a man who rested his knees on his arm, the man held up a badge to everyone then shoved it down in front of Dice’s eyes.For a moment he started to fight back, protest, something, but when two more soldiers arrived, Dice knew his goose was cooked. He wasn’t going anywhere and there was no use in struggling.***Pete had the urge to stomp on the man’s neck when Lieutenant Goombi arrived out of nowhere.“We’ll take it from here,” Goombi said.Pete relaxed and said “Thanks. Who is this guy?”“Go back to your kids,” Goombi said without answering. “We’ve been watching this fellow for days – waiting for him to do something. Goombi looked in the direction of where Spec and Thumbs had once stood, “He had two friends over there.” Goombi nodded with his head. “They’re gone now, but well find them.”“I think this guy looks familiar,” Pete replied.“You’ve met him before,” Goombi said as the man was cuffed and hustled away. Bystanders photographed every detail of the action with their cell phones and cameras.Out of sight, standing far away, Spec and Thumbs had watch the arrest as a score of police and soldiers arrived. They quickly melted away in the crowd and away from the incident. Pete surmised that the policemen, maybe Goombi himself had been watching this ice-picken guy all along. “Who is he", he asked again?” Again he received no answer. Then the kids, Steve and Lora were alongside him with question and wondering what had happened.***Spec growled, "Damn it," as Dice vanished surrounded by soldiers, police, and a lot of rifles pointed at his chest. It happened so fast that he wondered out loud “Did this really happen? These people came out of nowhere. There's nothing we can do here," he whispered to Thumbs, as they made good their escape.As they hurried away Spec’s cell phone wobbled, the sound of an incoming text-message.He pulled the phone out of its leather jacket and read the message. “It’s from Elijah.” As he read and deciphered the message he repeated it to Thumbs. “2/2- 4 kilos east of A 9 AM.”The 2/2 meant February 2. 9 AM and that he understood. It meant 9 in the morning. The “A” would hold until he returned to the hotel. A quick look at the card file holding alpha characters and locations will quickly tell them where they had to be.***As Pete drove back to the warehouse, everyone sat in silence, he now knew he had to get the rifle. Hopefully he’d be able to get away from everyone for a day. It was now imperative to do what he was going to do. First he’d drive to Afula. That might take an hour and a half. Discretely retrieve the rifle – maybe another hour, and drive back to the warehouse. All told he might be gone four hours, maybe five at the tops.Depending on what might be going on at the time, he’d leave just after breakfast. As for the kids, Steve and Lora, they might want to come along for the trip. He’d ask and if they did, then they would all pack a lunch and make it a day trip.***February 2 came with a gentle warm wind blowing into the warehouse. Steve made a tasty pancake breakfast on the large metal grill. Only this time he added some scrambled eggs to the morning feast.Pete had the itch to drive to Afula as he chowed down the food in front of him. “Anyone want to go for a drive?” he asked between bites.“Where we going Uncle Pete,” one of the kids asked.Pete liked the sound of that. He never was an Uncle before. He had no siblings, no family, and no nothing. Yep, he liked the sound of being called Uncle.“I thought we’d all drive up to Afula for the day,” he said as unemotional as he could. “I have something to get.” “No, they aren’t going,” Lora announced with conviction. She and Steve both knew what was in Pete’s mind. That rifle would bring nothing but trouble, and the less people knew about it the better. “If you have to go, I think you should do this alone.”Steve and the kids looked at each other and kept quiet. They saw a possible argument brewing.***Pete drove to Afula in the truck alone and only thought about the rifle. It took an hour after he arrived in the city just to find the right lane. Even then things had changed so much that he wasn’t even sure he was on the right road.As he drove, he spied some trees that seemed familiar, pulled up to where a house used to be and looked around. It was about 9 AM when he heard the sound of helicopters flying east of him. He looked up. There was one United Nations and two military helicopters. They seemed to be landing maybe a mile or two from where he stood. Strange, he thought.He entered YaiYai's back yard and saw the remains of a stone fence. He had found the right place. With the morning light, with shadows a little long, he searched for anything that resembled the area of the stone wall where the rifle lay hidden. Shrubs were everywhere and the lot had been totally overgrown with weeds.It took a minute to find the general location. In a short while he located the stones that hid the rifle.Earlier, when he hid the rifle, he used a tree to indicate the location. Now the tree was gone, but the stump remained. Using the stump as a reference point he found the stones he was searching for. Slowly removing stone upon stone he came upon the blue plastic tarp that protected the rifle from the weather.Quietly moving a few more stones his fingers felt the hidden rifle case. Twenty minutes later he carried the case and its precious cargo out to the truck. Relaxing and feeling good about himself he slowly drove away and down the lane. Driving past a few houses that somehow remained untouched by war; he entered the main street before turning onto the road leading out of town. An hour and a half he’d be back to the warehouse and his kids, especially the one who called him uncle.Another helicopter flew overhead and caught Pete’s attention as it too landed where he had seen the others land.***Elijah stood in the center of a group of men speaking of his plan. Security had fanned out and incircled the group. Beyond that another ring of security sat and watched and waited for anyone to enter the now forbidden zone.***Pete decided to turn at the sign pointing to the Tel Megiddo. A few more minutes will not matter, he thought. He’d see what was going on and then head back to Jerusalem.Just then another helicopter arrived. That made five. It landed just over the hill. Looking for a parking place Pete stopped about two hundred yards from where he felt the copters had landed.Getting out, he walked and climbed over the hill and saw six helicopters in a small valley surrounded by hills. Pulling out his pocket monocular he scanned the group of men. He saw the circle of armed security and then did a double take when he saw Elijah.Rolling over onto his back he laid and stared up at the sky as he thought. His mind raced a mile a minute. Everything he ever felt about the man flooded back.Part of him said get back into the truck and drive away. It was the other part that won. He hurried back to the truck. In a few more minutes he had the rifle out of the case. In the distance two distant shots sounded. No bullets struck around him. They were shooting at something else.Five minutes later he had returned to the spot where he had seen Elijah. Through the monocular he saw two men being uncerimonially dumped into two wooden caskets.Pete crawled forward as Elijah talked to some men as they dug graves.With the rifle in hand he listened for sounds – any sounds. He looked around and searched for any movement around him. None was found and now he felt secure in what his plan called for. Normally he’d be covered in a suit of dried grass when this was his duty in the marines. Then he’d do anything to make himself invisible, but this was an opportunity of a life time. A sound brought chills to him. He turned just in time to see something coming at him very fast.***Pete’s eyes opened as someone was yelling at him. Both eyes hurt from the sun light. His jaw and head hurt. Squinting he saw someone to his right as his eyes began to focus."I'm tired of waiting for him," someone said. "Wake him up."Another stinging blow sent his face to the left."Wake up or so help me I'll kill you here and now."Water splashed over his face and the grogginess in his head began to subside. Slowly he opened his eyes and tried to speak. Something was holding his mouth closed.Lifting his arms he saw his wrists were taped together with duck tape. Moving his jaw told him that he mouth had also been duck taped.Blinking he squinted into the bright sunlight and recognized two men staring down at him.Two other men stood beside them."Well, he still alive," Spec said. "Elijah will be very pleased."The man on Spec's other side said, "You hit him pretty hard with that baseball bat. I'm glad you didn't kill him.""I tried to”, Thumbs answered as he looked at Spec."Well he'll be a dead man soon," laughed Thumbs. Elijah came into view. "Give him the needle."Another man standing outside his vision rolled him over. A sting in the back of his right buttocks indicated the point of entry.They've poisoned me; he thought and tried desperately to fight the drug just injected into his body. He counted and made it to six before passing out.When he awoke he heard Elijah's raspy voice. His eyes hurt worst than before and found it very difficult to open his mouth. Someone or something held his mount shut.Something hit the left side of his face again and almost knocked him out."Wake up. We don't have all day," Thumbs said.In the fog of his mind he heard questions being asked.Pete managed to open one eye but had to turn away from the painful light. His other eye slowly opened. As he focused he saw that he was still outside, lying on the ground. The bright light that hurt his eyes was the sun."He's awake now," someone else said.A face came into view. Elijah said almost sadly, “So Miss Makray vanished. Too bad. I’d of like to have killed her.Pete felt drained of energy. He just stared back without any thoughts.Elijah barked an order. “Put both of the men in one casket. I have another idea for the second one.”The creaking of nails being pried from wood lasted for a while, and then Pete felt himself being picked up by his feet and dragged over to a box.Elijah barked another order. “Put him in the casket. Drop him in the second hole.”***Slowly the affects of the drug began to ware-off and Pete sort-of understood what was happening. They had captured him.Struggling to move, to get up, a foot pushed him back to the ground."Stay put," someone said. "Your struggling is nearly over." Someone placed a long piece of duck tape over his mouth. Apparently they had taken the first piece off so he could answer their questions.Looking down his cheek, he sort of made out the fresh duck tape holding his mouth closed. His mouth felt so dry.Elijah looked at him. “I have to leave you now. I have some really important duties to perform, but I’m so glad you dropped in. This was really unexpected,” he said and then laughed."Don't yell," Spec said as he pulled the tape off of Pete’s mouth, "or I knock you into another world.Pete felt the sting in his skin as the tape was swiftly yanked away. He also saw the coldness in the man's eyes and complied with the order."So what do we do now?" Pete mumbled as his jaw hurt as he tried to talk. He did manage to say, "You didn't keep me alive to chat."Elijah moved in front of him. "What we do know is you are going to die," he said. "They have kept you alive for my pleasure."Pete shot back as best he could, "They should have buried you after I arrowed you," said a defiant Pete through painful jaws. "I've thought of you a lot since then." His jaw crunched as he talked. Something was wrong."Nice of you," answered Elijah. "I too have thought of you a lot. I would like to know one thing. Where is that lovely blond friend of yours? You said she vanished. Where did she vanish too?"He was asking about Kendra. The idiot didn't know she was taking away. The great vanishing had removed her from his greasy grasp."You'll never find her," Pete answered as the pain in his jaw grew in severity."Oh, I think I will. When I see her the next time we'll see who is more powerful.""I don't think she'll be visiting Hell."A voice from his left said, "Security found this with him." The short heavy set man held Pete's rifle. He handed it to Elijah.“We'll bury it with him,” Elijah said."Spec reached down and forced Pete's jaws shut. Thumbs tore off another piece of duck tape. Reaching down he forced it tight against Pete's lips. The pressure made pain scream from the jaw.There was nothing Pete could do except wait until the pain subsided. "Elijah," Spec said. "Shall we nail him in?"Pete turned to look at the man called, Spec."We've dug the holes and have two men in one casket. Everything is ready.""Good. Let's get on with it before the Tel down the road opens for tourist."Pete looked around. Off to his right, just past a line of trees sat the top of the Tel Megiddo. At least he knew where he was. They’d never find his body, but he knew where he was.A heavy set man and Spec grabbed Pete under his arms and dragged him a short way letting his feet drag along the ground.Now Pete saw the hole which was to become his gravesite. They dropped him alongside the opening in the ground."I want you to see where you will soon be buried," said Elijah. "What do you think? Being an archaeologist I thought it fitting that you die just west of a famous Tel and in the dirt. I hope you appreciate all the extra effort and comfort I went through for you."Pete looked at the hole in the ground. It looked long enough for the casket lying in the bottom. The depth appeared to be about four feet deep. He was about to disappear and no one will ever find him. The kids, everyone, will wonder. Maybe someone will cry over his disappearance.They rolled him into the gravesite, and he hit the bottom on his back. His rifle was thrown onto him producing a lot of pain in his chest. The barrel landed on his face as it made second contact with his forehead. A makeshift lid appeared and dropped over him. He now had six inches of space above him and the lid. Light streamed in through the separations in the wooden planks. He hated feeling hopeless, but this felt worstSpec jumped down and nailed a few nails into the lid to keep it from shifting. "You're going nowhere now," he said. He spit on the lid above Pete face. The dribble seeped down the side and fell next to Pete's nose. "Enjoy your new condo. It's a little cramped, but you'll get use to it."The laughter above didn't help him as panic overwhelmed him.The first shovel full of dirt hitting the lid sounded like the roar of a waterfall. It sent shivers up Pete’s spine and blindness to his eyes. It sounded like thunder when the second shovel of dirt landed and added to the fear he felt. His friends didn't call him wolf for nothing. His hearing had magnified. Now he wished it hadn’t.He saw the men above him through a crack in the lid. Another shovel full landed then another. Two men were now shoveling dirt onto him.The first shovel full of dirt that landed above his face ignited even more panic within him. Now the others shovels surrounded him with blinding panic. His senses were already alert. His hearing and sight took in every detail and every fear. He was going to die. He’d suffocate a slow death as he panted and gasp for breath.Dirt sifted down over his face through the cracks. Another shovel full fell above him. The light streaming into the casket vanished. The panic he felt grew stronger and he knew he was loosing it. Soon he'd be in total darkness and with little air. In his mind he tried to think, to still the panic flooding over him. He started to struggle but quit as the effort would use up the air faster. The duck tape was too strong.His hands were taped in front of his body but he couldn't get any power from them. The knife in his belt buckle might help. Maybe? He had to try. He had to keep his wits about him.In ten minutes he'd be deader than the nails in this coffin.The sound of the dirt falling above him softened. Then it could not be heard any more.In total darkness, alone, and buried alive his life was finally coming to an end.“Not yet,” he mouthed.Somehow he managed to turn a wrist and felt his belt buckle. Behind it sat a small but sharp little push dagger.Unbuckling his belt he felt for the knife's handle. Pulling it free of the belt he managed to get his fingers around the handle.Slowly he bent his wrist until they hurt and tried to cut the tape holding his wrists. He knew he cut himself a couple of times by the stings in his left wrist. It was a small price to pay. Still, he had to be more careful or he'd cut an artery and bleed to death.Controlling his breathing he tried to relax. The little finger on his right hand felt for the tape. Finding the spot gave him hope. He slowly began cutting. The muscle in his right forearm and fingers cramped but he dare not quit.The space between his wrists widened. He continued slicing through the tape. The space widened some more. Then his wrists broke free. A few seconds later he freed his mouth from the duck tape that held it shut. His ankles were unreachable and would have to stay wrapped together. There was no way to free them while lying on his back.“Lord,” he cried. “Help me.” Working his arms alongside his face he reached up at the lid. Pushing had no effect. He pushed harder. Nothing moved. He decided to concentrate on one of the boards above his face.Feeling in the dark he placed both hands on the board. If it didn't move? He didn't want to think about the consequences.Pushing with all his strength the board creaked and rose an inch. They hadn’t nailed the lid with more than a few nails. He pushed on the other board. It also moved. He realized that the earth above his head hadn't compacted. The air trapped in the dirt gave him some room to push up into the soil.The sweat on his body made him feel slippery and dripped stinging into his eyes.Working one board at a time Pete found he could move the two boards that were just above his face. It was enough to turn onto his belly. If he could, he'd be able to use his back for added strength. He also had to hurry. This air will not last forever.Then he thought of the rife. Through the ground he heard the copters fly away. He was now alone.A though entered his mind and he slid his hands down to the rifle.He pulled it up toward his face. If they hadn’t emptied it, there might be a round still in the chamber. For a moment he thought of shooting himself. That was not a good thought.Holding the barrel of the rifle up toward the strongest board and were he felt the nail was located. He pulled the trigger as he grimaced and tightly closed his eyes. The blast was deafening and felt like a slap in the face. His skin burned from the blast. Feeling were the second board sat, he found the middle. Hopefully it was where the man called Spec had placed a nail. Then he closed his eyes. Tightening his face again he pulled the trigger. Again the blast being so close to his ears was definitely going to do some damage to his hearing. He pulled the trigger one more time. It took a few seconds to be able to breathe again as he squinted his nose – trying the best he could to keep the lung chocking burning cordite out of his lungs. Dropping the rifle to his side he pushed with both hand against the first board. The cracking sound and the movement upward gave him hope. It rose maybe three inches. He repeated with second board. It cracked and rose even higher.Then he tried to roll over. The idea was to get on his stomach and push up with his arms and legs. Maybe, just maybe it might work.He made it around to his stomach. Stale air and all the sweat poring off of him was getting to him. Gasping, he took the deepest breath he could use the shirt on his chest for a sort-of filter then pushed upward. Everything moved under his effort. Feeling light headed, he finally got his knees under him and was able to push up with his back. Everything moved upward. Stopping to get another breath of stale cordite filled air; he shook his head in an effort to clear his mind. It was now or never.Pushing up, now with his leg muscles, he gave it everything he possessed. Dirt fell past him in the dark. He broke surface with his head and hands above the dirt. Exhausted, he lay there and just gasped and breathed and rested.A minute later he looked around hoping everyone had left. He rested some more before digging himself totally out of his gravesite. Rolling off to the side, he looked back at the hole that had been his burial site. The rifle lay below - maybe buried forever. His heart was not interested in retrieving the weapon Chapter 27 Pete limped and wobbled his way to the truck, glad to be alive, and yet he felt like he was killing himself with every step. His bones hurt, his face hurt, everything hurt, from his feet to his head, even his eyelids hurt, and he felt totally and completely dehydrated. Fortunately for him he had brought a bottle of water along, but it sat a hundred yard away in the truck. Dirt and blood covered much of his body; from head to arms to legs. He imagined that with every step he took, something fell off him or gave a puff of dust into the air. It brought a smile as he imagined what he looked like. That smile cost him a lot as his jaw shot pain through his body. He stopped, bent over and brushed his hair, and almost fell from the dizziness that swept over him. “The dirt will have to drink up the blood and fall off by itself,” he silently mouthed without moving his jaw. The little movement that he did with it really hurt the jaw more than he liked. He thought of washing himself off, but that lonely bottle of water was more needed inside his body. Looking himself over as he walked, he didn’t see any major cuts. His right wrist had been cut, but the bleeding had stopped. His jaw felt like it was broken and he decided to give it a rest by trying not to move it. Hopefully it was only bruised or dislocated he kept thinking and hoping.Once inside the truck, he sipped the whole bottle of water through slightly parted lips. Taking a couple of deep breaths, and finally relaxing, he lowered the windows and fell asleep.***The sun sat low in the sky when Pete awoke. Looking around he saw a few tour busses drive past him. Nobody paid him any attention. Now he looked at his face in the mirror. He didn’t dare brush the skin. The sight made him shake his head in disgust. Dirt caked his head with two goose heads protruding from his forehead. A huge bruise covered his right jaw. Looking at his arms he saw that they had a numerous cuts, some seemed to be still weeping blood, but other than that, not much more than a face covered by dirt and blood along with some serious bruises covered his body. The jaw hurt just to touch. Starting the truck took a lot of effort. Slowly he turned around and headed home.He made it about ten kilometers south of Afula when his eyes began seeing things. Whatever it was, it wasn’t very clear, but he thought he saw someone appearing and disappearing in the road. Sometimes they were standing alongside – on the shoulder. Other times they were right in front of him, and felt he was about to hit them. The blows that he had received to his head must have messed with his mind. He thought of concussions and internal bleeding.Slowing the truck after pulling off onto the first shoulder he came too, he finally stopped and just sat there thinking.Looking around he saw nothing – no one. The vision or whatever he saw had now gone and his mind cleared. Starting up again he drove another 10 or so kilometers. Again a man appeared along the road. He ignored the guy this time and continued on to Jerusalem. Something white appeared in his headlights. He slowed, thinking that an animal was in his way. Yet as he drove, now slower, a man, at least he believed it was a man, came into view – yet he never seemed to be getting any closer.Finding another shoulder area along the road he pulled off and waited for the man to get out of his way, but the guy never moved. The person only stood silently looking at Pete.Pete blinked his eyes to clear his vision when without warning the man that he saw now stood next to the driver side of the car. It happened so fast that Pete nearly jumped out of his skin.“Don’t be afraid,” the guy said. “I mean you no harm.”Pete sat watching the guy with apprehension.“May I talk with you for a moment?”Pete looked the man over. This guy seemed to be strong and yet also seemed unthreatening. He decided to roll down the window and see what the guy wanted.“I am here to give you a message,” the man said.“This has to be good,” Pete wanted to say, but he dared not move his jaw. “What are you doing in the middle of the road? You can get yourself killed.”The man reached toward Pete, “May I touch your jaw? It appears to be broken,” the man said.Pete looked at him in amazement. “You’ll never know what I’ve been through,” He thought, but Pete sat there, unable to say anything and he was too sore to argue.The man reached out with his right hand and lightly touched Pete’s jaw with a finger.Pete’s head snapped back and a grinding sound came from his jaw. Then a snap and some movement were heard and loudly felt. When he regained his senses, the man said “God loves you very much.” Then the man said, “Messiah has chosen you. He is going to touch your heart. In an instant the man reached forward and placed a finger on Pete’s chest. Pete looked down and then back at the man. When he looked up, the man was gone.Pete stepped out of the truck and looked around. “The guy couldn’t have got away that fast,” Pete said without noticing he had spoken. Then he realized what he had done. Feeling his jaw with his fingers he moved it up and down and sideways. It didn’t hurt anymore. Pete started to go around the truck to get in when something threw him back toward the trees. He sat on the ground – dazed. Something had hit him in the stomach. Rather it was more like something hit him from inside his stomach. It felt so strange yet whatever it was nothing ever touched his skin. He looked around, expecting someone to be standing close by. There was no one he could see. He was aloneSuddenly as he sat on the ground, two men appeared out of nowhere. One of them reached out a hand to help Pete stand. He got up with the guy’s help and unexpectantly crumbled to his knees. He found himself speaking something, yet had no idea what he was saying.The other man touched Pete, and Pete flew backwards and landed in the roadside drainage ditch with soda cans all around. He tried to gather his wits, but these strange words kept flowing out of him.He started crying uncontrollably, and then he’d laugh just as uncontrollably. Pete thought of an out-of-body experience, but here he hadn’t gone anywhere. When the words, if they were words, stopped flowing out of him, he tried to stand again only this time without any help from these guys. As he tried to get back to the truck, he kept seeing things. A man standing here, a man standing over there, his mind was playing tricks on him. The two guys who gave him a hand had vanished. They both had disappeared just as quickly as the first man he met. Inwardly Pete felt like he was going crazy. Something was happening to him that he didn’t understand.Holding onto the hood and fender he made it to the door. After getting in he sat and thought about what had just happened. Nothing made sense to him. Yet his jaw didn’t hurt anymore.Before he placed the gear-shift in drive, something came over him. He started speaking in that strange language again, if it was a language. It just flowed out of his stomach and mouth. He felt powerless to stop it. The he started to cry. Tears came down his face like he was a baby. Shutting the engine off, there wasn’t anything he could do but sit and let the words and tears flow.When he stopped talking, babbling his mind said, he looked at his wristwatch. An hour had gone by. “I got to get back,” he said. A feeling of amazement still swept over him as he realized that his jaw really had no pain.Driving south, he headed back to Jerusalem. After driving another twenty kilometers, he found himself speaking that language again. Slowly easing off the road, he shut the engine off and let himself speak - not understanding what he was saying. When it stopped, he studied his watch. Another hour had past. He was getting home, but when would he arrive. This might take forever, he thought.Another twenty or more kilometers down the road he felt it coming on again. Finding a safe spot to stop, he shut the engine off and let the words flow. A voice came and began talking with him. Pete looked around and felt stunned by how clear the words sounded.“I have chosen you to help the children I have sent to you,” the voice said.Pete asked, “Why me” to a voice apparently inside his head? “Who are you?”“I AM, The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I am the great God Jehovah – the great El Shadia. I am He who has been with you all your life. You are in my hands. I am your protector and guide.”“Whoa,” Pete said to slow things down. “This is too much. Who are you really?”“I AM that I AM. Now I am going to tell you what you must do.”Pete felt intense fear and began to tremble. A hand came out of nowhere and touched his chest. “Do not fear. There, I have changed your heart. Now listen.”Pete listened to the voice. Then a person appeared. Stunned and delighted he said to the figure standing before him, “I have so many question – like evolution, life itself, are you the God of the Bible, about Jesus. My list goes on and on.” “The earth has been here a very long time,” the person standing before him said. “Man, all life that now exist or has ever been has not been here that long. Now go. Go and do what I have assigned you to do. Remember, I will be with you.”Pete feebly protested. “May I ask two or three more questions?”For one hour Pete and the person talked face-to-face. When Pete tried to ask one additional question, he received no answer. The person, the angel, the voice it all stopped and the person was gone.Pete sat on the ground and thought about all he had heard. He looked at his watch. An hour had gone by and it was now three in the morning.He got back into the truck and thought about everything that had happened. He felt excited and wanted to tell everyone, but thought different about it the farther he got closer to Jerusalem and the warehouse. His eyes felt heavy as he approached Route one. Pete thought about the kids and if they were okay. He didn’t want any of them worrying about him. Lieutenant Goombi felt they were kids from the West-Bank. The parents may have sent them here to get away from the Moslem killer gangs that staged quick attacks and vanished. Much of the Jewish population had escaped and now lived in internment camps. The Israeli government had set these up to house the thousands that came out of the Judean West Bank area. But not all wanted to leave their homes. As Goombi explained it, maybe one hundred thousand kids and their family had come across the Palestinian border. Now hostility was growing so intense that the Israeli government was supplying small arms to those who stayed behind. When the Israeli military intervened to protect most of the Jewish families, the United Nation, the Palestinian government, half the world let out a roar of protest. The newly recognized Palestinian state had been violated.Pete drove on with no further incident. Now he worried about how he was going to explain all this to everyone. Will they look at him as if he was crazy? The answers mystified him?Entering the warehouse parking lot, he stopped and got out. Just to the East a sliver of blue was showing on the horizon. He snuck inside so not wake anyone, retrieved a fresh set of cloths, then walking quietly outside, he headed for the makeshift shower.Taking off his clothing, he stripped bare. Turned the hose on and stood under a very cold shower. Every cut and bruise sang out to him in pain, but he stood there anyway. Glad to get it over, he gently patted himself dry, put on the fresh clothing, made his way to his hammock and found it was already occupied by two kids. Confused and in the dark, he stumbled back to the truck with a couple of blanket and climbed onto the flat-bed. One blanket went below him and the other covered him from the chilly air. His breathing improved as his eyes closed. ***Lora and Steve awoke first. They’d let the kids sleep until 9:00. Steve was the first to see the truck. He stepped outside and then saw something in the back. As he approached the person he realized that it was Pete – fast asleep. Thinking that he might shake him awake Steve gave it a second thought. Instead he let Pete sleep where he lay and went back to tell Lora. As he walked he spied the clothing on the ground by the outdoors shower.Once inside he explained what he had found and began the morning choir of preparing breakfast.By ten all twenty-two kids were up and fed. Steve explained to them that Pete was sleeping on the flat bed truck. That they should try to be quiet and not play around the truck. “Play on the other side of the warehouse,” he sort of ordered.Every hour after that, he or Lora would check on Pete. Even the kids would giggle as they stood around the truck staring down at him. One young girl, Christina, took it upon herself to build a shelter over Pete so that the sunlight did not disturb him as he slept.By the end of the day, everyone marched out and observed their sleeping benefactor. No one said a word. Pete had slept the whole day without moving.After dinner, Lora turned on their small TV set to channel One."... Approaching the earth," the reporter said. "After passing through the orbit of the asteroid belt, the object has made numerous course correction to bypass the planet Mars. Now, only a few million kilometers away, the object is slowly coming straight for the earth. It is now visible on a clear night. Scientists are reporting that the unknown object is pulsating with tremendous amounts of nuclear and electromagnetic energy. It is feared that if the object gets too close to the earth, the radiation will become dangerous. It will be as if another sun, such as ours that sits 300 million kilometers miles away has moved next to the earth. All life on earth may be destroyed if the object comes any closer."She listened intently and then called to Steve. The news about the mysteries object had pass and the commentator talked about another subject, so Lora related to everyone what she had heard. Then they all stepped outside to see if they might be able to spot the object. No one knew enough about the night skies to tell what they were looking at, but they did see a bright star.Lora asked Steve "Is this what sis wrote about?""That has to be it," answered Steve. "It does look like it’s pulsating. Your sister wrote that the object will appear just after the two men of God are killed. I remember she said that forty-five days later Jesus will actually return to the earth to set up his kingdom."Steve got a calendar from the desk. He circled the day that the two rabbis rose from the dead and vanished before everyone's eyes. "They were killed on a Wednesday afternoon – two weeks ago." He circled the day the men were killed. "They rose on Saturday. Eleven days have passed. He started counting. "The forty-five days ends here or here,” he said, “depending on when we start counting. If it begins on when they were killed, it's here. If it ends when they rose from the dead, it ends here. We've got thirty some days left.""What do we do?" Lora asked. "Israel is about to be invaded and destroyed." She said with a touch of fear in her voice. The constant stress of Pete’s narrow escapes, the West Bank, the United Nations, the war, her sister vanishing, their kidnapping, it was too much for her to handle and it was beginning t take its toll on her. "Jordan," answered Steve. "There is a division of American troops in Jordan. We can all go there."Lora thought about that for a moment. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know anymore.”“Well”, Steve replied, “Scripture does say that people from Jerusalem will flee to Jordan. Now we know why. There is a large American military base in Jordan."Steve raised a question. "Do you think they'll help us? Suppose they join in with the invasion that we keep hearing about?""I don't think they will," answered a dejected Lora. "In the book of Revelations it tells of the Jews fleeing from Jerusalem to Petra. Maybe that is the right place to go. Wake Pete and see what we ought to do. Jordan, the Anti-Christ, Von Resh, I’m tired of hearing about them.” Steve saw the anxiety in his wife and went over and put his arms around her. “It’s going to be alright.” After giving her a hug he said, “Let’s go wake Pete.”***Looking down at Pete they were about to shake him awake, and then decided to let him sleep. They walked silently to the other side of the warehouse."I can move the kids there," Steve said. "But how will I feed them. Everything we have is here. We’ll wait for Pete to wake. He may have an answer. Maybe you two can go, but I can't move all that stuff that fast.***Pete woke with his body aching and stiff all over. Stiff and sore, he was getting too old for all the things happening around him. He looked up. The sky had turned a dark brown. It didn’t make sense. His eyes focused and then he saw that it was a military blanket hanging over him like a tent. Twisting and stretching to loosen up enough to crawl out from under the tent, it took a full minute just sitting on the end of the truck to get his mind working. He felt terrible and his stomach felt even worst. He needed a large drink of water.Chapter 28Elijah spoke to his master, Von Resh, in the sound-proof situation room. General Koso and his entire staff also attended with computers and maps. "We have five divisions of troops moving towards the Euphrates from India,” Elijah said as he started the conference. "General Koso said he has already addressed his General Staff on all the deployments. There are five more divisions moving down toward Syria from the Russian confederation.”General Koso took over from there. “We will also be airlifting two divisions into Egypt. Their heavy equipment will arrive by ship. My division commanders have planned a three prong invasion of Israel. Two divisions will land along the Cesarean coast. There will be two hundred thousand men assigned to that amphibious invasion. One hundred thousand will come from the Northern African nations through Egypt. There will be an additional one hundred thousand for support and thirty thousand combat personal in reserve. I have expressly forbidden the use any major nuclear weapons. I have a fear that their use will completely destroy the world's fragile environment. Just in case we have a doomsday scenario, I do have five small tactical nuclear held in reserves. If that thing from space even tries to land around Jerusalem we will evaporate it in one million degree heat.""Good," answered Von Resh. He still didn't think it might be enough, but the world resources are limited. Out of almost seven billion people alive in the world before the war. Only two billion were now alive; and that was only a guess. It might be even less = much less. The war killed an estimated two billion in the first month. A billion more died from radiation fallout and starvation. Another billion, or more, may have died from all the curses proclaimed by those two rabid rabbis in Israel. The sooner he finally cleared the earth from the Jewish plague and prevents that thing from landing, the better everyone will be. Even now there are reports that the earth has entered into a phase of no ecological return. Couple the possible fact that the estimates are true, factor in the fear of an invasion from space, and the whole episode is chewing on far too many people. I need to keep them focused on my global plans for recovery. He is the rightful ruler of this planet. No one is going to take that away from him; besides I like the power and grandeur."When can we expect the invasion to begin?" Von Resh asked. "We must not delay too long.""We will be ready in twelve days," answered General Koso. "It will commence with a massive aerial bombardment that will guarantee us complete air superiority. Our intelligence tells us that they have less than one thousand anti-aircraft missile in their inventory. The storage bunkers holding their defensive weapons will be our first priority. Unfortunately our buildup will not escape their intelligence services. They will disperse some of their missiles. As for those in storage, commando units will capture and destroy these weapons in their bunkers. Thirty minutes after the air assault, we will launch the ground war. We will use a dozen one-half ton very small nuclear devise to insure our spearheads can accomplish the task of capturing the passes. We think the radiation from the nukes will be very tolerable and have no affect on the world's environment. Other than the burning of oil and other fuels the environment impact will be minimally.""Have your detail plans ready for me to review as soon as they are completed," Von Resh ordered. "We need that nation destroyed without killing all of us at the same time. Too many people have already died from the environmental changes. The scientific community is very split on whether we will even survive the next ten years.""Will the prophet Rabbi Elijah be able to assist us in this invasion?” the General asked. “His great ability to bring lightning down on any encountered trouble spot will be of great assistance."Von Resh nodded in agreement. "He will be there. I will also be there. Together our powers are greatly magnified. No one will be able to defend themselves from our combined powers.""That will be greatly appreciated,” the General said with satisfaction. “It will also give a great morale boost to the troops."***Lora stood in the warehouse and heard the newsbreak on television. They had just finished the evening meal and wanted to hear the latest news. "They fear,” the news report continued, “that we must prepare for an expected invasion." She heard those words and feared for everyone’s safety. “They want everyone to get prepared.”"When?" asked Steve. He knew from scripture that one was forecasted. He also heard yesterday about some Asian army moving toward Iraq. “From the news I listened it is an army composed of one hundred thousand and they are now crossing the now dry Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Everyone can guess their final destination. They'll be in Syria and begin marshalling along Israel's northern borders within a few days if that is the plan. It might take another three days before all the columns arrive. A massive buildup in Egypt has also being detected. War certainly seems to be coming.”"Soon," she said. "I'm worried. Maybe Lt. Goombi will be able to help us. Without some inside help we'll never be able to get across the border and hide behind the American forces."Steve brought up the fact from a little excursion he and Lora had taken to Jordon. "Well our trip to Petra didn't do anything but confirm that they were overcrowded."“Let’s change the subject,” she asked. “I want to go outside and see if can see that object coming close to the earth.”They and the kids hurried outside and sat looking up.***Pete walked into the warehouse office, did not find anyone, and grabbed a bite to eat. After looking in the sleeping quarters and the kitchen area, he followed the faint voices he heard to the back of the building. There he found everyone looking up.“Hi, he said and startled everyone.“Uncle Pete,” Some of the kids said and ran to hug their new found uncle.He cautiously hugged back as Lora came over and stared at him and all the cuts and bruises.“What happened to you?” Steve asked. As he now saw all the bruises and cuts, especially notable were ones on Pete’s face. Pete wasn’t sure he should tell them. Besides his stomach growled loud enough for everyone to hear even as he chewed.“Haven’t you eaten anything?” Lora asked as she looked at the carrots in Pete’s hand. “I think we have some left-overs.” She asked one of the older kids to bring some food for Pete to eat."What happened," asked Steve? "Can I help?" He now noticed all the scratches on Pete’s face, arms and legs."I wish you didn’t go off like that,” Lora said as she slightly scolded Pete for leaving for a day. “The kids were really frightened. They heard about that thing in space. Now they have heard about a war that seems certain to happen. They're scared and I can't blame them. I’m scared. Maybe we need to leave. If we can't get to Petra and hide out," said Lora, "Maybe we should all go somewhere, but I don’t know where we can go. Do you know of anyplace safe? Your friends with Lieutenant Goombi, maybe he has some ideas.""That's crazy," cried Steve. "This place is as safe as any. Yet Lora’s right about one thing. This whole area is where it's all going to go down. We may need to get out of the country for a while.""Well, I don't think the Lord Jesus would like that,” Pete replied.Lora and Steve glanced at each other, not sure of what they had just heard.Pete ignored their stare. "A Masada complex may be required sooner or later, but I don't think we need to participate."Steve looked at his old friend. "Boy,” He shook his head in disbelief. “Have you changed. Major Fadi called you 'El Suga Saree, I think it meant the young warrior. Well, he found out where we are and called yesterday. You remember Fadi? He helped us once get out of Jordan before the last war."Pete smiled. "Oh yes. I was pretty cocky in those days," he answered. "How is the Lieutenant? Did you say Major? He’s a Major now?” He stopped and stared at the children and started counting. “Where did all these others come from?”"Forty-three,” Steve said with a chuckle. “A few more came in while you were sleeping.”"While I was sleeping?" Pete looked over the crowd and saw apprehension on some of their faces. The fear of being rejected showed clearly on their faces.“I only been a sleep maybe an hour.”“Make that all day,” Steve said as he nodded his head to make a point. “What time did you get in last night?”“Daybreak,” replied Pete.A young girl came up to him with a plate of cold food.“This is Christina,” Lora said. “She built a tent over you to shield you from the sun.”Pete looked at the young lady. “Thank you,” he said. “That was really nice of you.” He took the plate and started to eat. “So where did all you guys come from?”Steve answered the question. “They heard about this place. I guess we now have a reputation, and we’ve only been here for a few weeks. Even the police came by. They wanted to talk to you.”Pete felt a moment of fear as he thought about Lieutenant Goombi’s command not to leave Jerusalem.“But how? We haven’t been here that long. Does everyone know about us?” Now he thought about the killer or killers that wanted him dead. This was getting to be too much to handle.“Word gets around,” Steve replied, with a grin.“The Lord,” Pete replied. “He said to take care of his children. I guess this is it.” He looked over the small faces staring at him and felt energy swell up in him. “I want too. You are all welcome. We will make it or all die trying.”Lora and Steve again shot a glance at each other in disbelief. Is this the Peter Meirs that they’ve know all these years?Lora had to ask. “What has happened to you?”Pete wasn’t sure he should tell them. Then he decided, why not. It might be good for them to hear it all. If they think he’s crazy, well that’s the way it goes. As far as going to Afula, leaving Jerusalem, he’d ask them not to repeat that he left the city. Now he was about to reveal everything.“I think everyone needs to sit down,” he said. “I’m going to tell you a story that you may not believe. Before anyone calls me crazy, I hope you will hear me out.”He took a couple of bites of food and began.“First I had an itch to go up to Afula. I wanted to get a rifle we hid in Yaiyai’s old house.” He looked at the faces of the kids and explained who YaiYai was and about a little girl that he sort of became a god-parent too. Then he told of the helicopters that flew by the house and landed not far away.How he in curiosity went to see what was happening. How he saw a person, Elijah Ben Yousaf standing in the middle of a group. Two men were shot and thrown into two coffins.He noticed that that part really got everyone’s attention. He did not explain who Elijah was or why he hated him. So after seeing the man known as his enemy, I ran back to the truck and retrieved the rifle.“Hurrying back to the hill I had been on,” he said as he continued, “I quickly checked the rifle out and was fully prepared to kill Elijah. That’s when everything went sour.”The kids moved closer as he spoke. This was a real story from a real man.“Two men, security, had snuck up on me. I heard a noise behind me and started to look around. One of the guys hit me in the face with a rifle butt or something.” He pointed to the bruises on his face. “The next thing I knew I had been dragged down to where Elijah stood. They gave me a shot of something, maybe a truth serum, and Elijah kept asking me questions about Kendra Makray. She was Lora’s sister,” he said for the benefit of the kids.“Then Elijah and his men took one of the bodies of the men they had just killed out of the casket and dumped it onto the other casket, which now held two bodies. Elijah then had me dropped into the now empty casket.”Pete noticed some of the kids were now sitting at his feet.“My hands,” he continued, “were duck taped together and someone threw the rifle down on me. Then the coffin lid was nailed down on me. I was now in the grave that had been dug for one of the men.”More kids now sat at his feet.“They buried me alive in the grave. I heard every shovel full of dirt hit the top as if it was thunder.”He looked down at those at his feet. Most of the kids sat staring up at him. He continued.“I heard the helicopters take off even under the ground and now I was all alone, buried maybe a meter below the surface.“I had a small knife tucked away in my belt and was able to cut my hands free.” He pulled out the knife and showed it to the kids.He held up his hands so everyone might see the cuts in his skin. Next he put the little knife away. He dared not take a chance of anyone getting cut.“Anyway, I cut my hands loose and tried pushing against the lid of the coffin. It was nailed tight. Then I remembered the rifle. I hoped it was still loaded. I was able to get it up toward my face. Fortunately the barrel was pointed in the right direction.”He felt one of the little girls resting her hand on his shoulder. She was patting him as he spoke.“Well to make a long story short. I shot the rifle three times. The bullets busted the lid and I was able to push it up a little. Then I turned around and get on my stomach. The rest is history. I was able to lift and push up with my legs and arm. I made it to the surface.”He studied the faces staring at him.“I got back to the truck, drank the whole bottle of water I had in the truck and then fell asleep. Oh by the way, my jaw had been broken.”He saw the look on Steve and Lora’s faces. He held up his hand in an effort to say – wait. No one said a word. They just sat there looking at him. Lora broke the silence. “What happened to the rifle?”“It’s still in the grave,” Pete acknowledged. “It can stay there forever.”“What else happened Uncle Pete,” a kid asked?“Well things really got interesting after that.”Steve asked the next question. “There’s more that is more interesting?”“I think so,” replied Pete. “I was driving back to our place when I started seeing things.”“What things,” Uncle Pete,” Christina asked?He looked at her. She was standing next to him with her hand draped over his shoulder. Another little girl stood on the other side of him with her hand on his other shoulder.“There were people that kept appearing and disappearing,” Pete replied. “I started thinking I had a concussion.”“I had to stop the truck. I felt like I was going crazy.”Lora then asked. “Is that why you got home so late?”“A little bit,” Pete replied. “There’s more.”Steve asked in amazement, “There’s more?” Pete paused and let out a deep breath.“A man walked up to me as I sat in the truck and touched my jaw.” Pete felt his jaw with his hand. “Apparently it had been broken. I heard all these sound from inside my jaw and it was healed. I looked back at the man, but he was gone.”“An angel,” replied Lora. “I think so,” answered Pete.Steve asked the next question. “So you drove home after that?”“No, there is more. I got out of the truck, looking for the man and something hit me in the stomach.”A kid asked, “Someone hit you in the stomach Uncle Pete?”“Well not exactly. It was something more like inside my stomach that hit me.”“That don’t make sense,” someone said.Pete held up his hand to stop anymore questions.“Another man appeared – out of nowhere. He talked with me.” He studied the faces before him. “Said to take care of his children.” Pete stretched out his hand over all the kids who now were smiling. “You’re his children,” Pete said. “We talked for a long time and I found myself speaking a weird language.”Pete paused. He felt finished.“And what else,” Steve asked?“That’s it,” Pete replied. “I drove home.”He thought for a moment.“Anything happening around here while I was gone?”A bunch of kids who had gathered around now gave Pete a hug.Chapter 29Elijah smiled to himself with the delightfulness of satisfaction that comes with knowing an enemy has been removed from his sight. So Kendra Makray vanished in the great vanishing, he giggled with uncontrolled pleasure. And now Peter Meirs is dead – dead and buried. He felt his shoulder where the scars from the arrow remain. Two of my most favorite people are out of my hair for good. Now as he looked out the window. The wind blew gently through the trees on a very nice day. The sun looked warm and inviting, the sky shined blue and healthy. What a great feeling. Looking around his office, he said, “Now it’s time to get on with the work of killing the Jewish nation. In a few more days even that trouble spot will be removed forever.”Outside of Afula, he had paid off Spec and his team and killed the two men who were accomplices to the murdered rabbis. He never really clearly understood how Spec had found them. The men were so badly beaten that he never got a clear answer from either of them. Spec said that the men had been beaten to make them tell the truth. Later he heard that the betting may have been perpetrated by the one called Thumbs. Now he had heard that the one named Dice was being incarcerated by the police for his attacks on Peter Meirs. “Well,” he mouthed, “that won’t last too long. No Peter – No case. End of story. Dice will be free in a month. One he is released, they all better be getting out of Israel, and do it quickly before the war begins.” Now he thought about his future. Everything was coming to a climax. There is now more at stake than ever before. It was a matter of life or death. If he and Von Resh can destroy Israel before that cursed object gets to earth, if that is where it is headed, then they will have effectively changed the history written in advance. “No misguided bible story written 2,000 years ago is going to rule over me,” he said. In his hands, he read his sanitized copy of the attack plan on Israel.***Spec and Thumbs checked on their new wealth. All the funds had now been quickly transferred to a bank in Spain. From there they will again be quickly moved in two sequential transfers into pre-arraigned dummy corporations. BY seven days, maybe ten at tops, the money will have effectively vanished without a trace.“Elijah stayed true to his contract,” Spec said after hearing the information over the phone. Spec had used an unregistered cell phone to make the call so that he British or Americans will not be able to identify the sender. Between the American government and the British, every cell call, every fax, everything was being recorded. The phone call to the bank in Switzerland will naturally be recorded, but they will never trace the call to him. As for the account number, and the money, well he and Thumbs will return to Spain as soon as possible, remove all funds and hand carry it to a bank in Brazil, and then to a dummy corporation, and another, and another until they all felt that their resources were safe. In a month or two, Spec fully expected that Dice would arrive and they’d once again live like kings.“Look at this,” Thumbs said and beckoned Spec over to the T.V.They both watched as an object hovered over the coast just off Caesarea.“What is it,” Spec asked?“The reporter is describing it as a UFO,” Thumbs answered. “He says that numerous occurrences are taking place all over the area. There has been a dramatic upswing in sightings throughout the region. I think something bad is about to happen.”Spec had a ready answer. “I bet they are Israeli,” referring to the U.F.O. thing. “I wouldn’t put it past them to have secret weapons.”***Prime Minister Avaraham sat around the table with Israel’s top generals.“Prime Minister,” Director of special Intelligence General Golan began. “We pretty well know the invasion plans. They are not even trying to keep it a secret.” He pointed to the regional map on the wall of Israel and adjourning nations. “The French and British will land here at the Caesarea area. The German and their allies will come into Israel from Lebanon. The Russian and their allies will attempt to take the Golan. The Asian and Indian forces will attack across Northern Jordan. The American forces to the south will prevent us from attacking lower that this line. Between the Jordanian army, the American 82nd and 101 Airborne and the Air force 23rd fighter wing, which are already in place, all our invading forces will steer clear of any possible confrontation with them. Though it is not confirmed, we believe the American’s have nuclear artillery shells in storage and the invaders ore known to not want them being used on their forces. As for the invasion plans, there is one uncertainty. We do not know which area will be attacked first? If they wait until everything is in place, the invasion may very well be simultaneous.”He pointed towards the Egyptian border. “The Egyptian 5th and 10th armies are ready to attack us across the Sinai. The 5th is stationed along the Gaza border while the 10th is still forming. It is believed they will attempt to cross the Sinai at these three points. He pointed at the locations. But intelligence says that their generals are not in complete agreement on their forces pushing across the Israeli border. They fear a repeat of the last two wars.”He gave the pointer to the Israeli Chief of Staff, General Ben-Izen. “We are facing overwhelming odds. But we do have a few aces in the hole. THOR is being reconditioned and will begin operational testing in another week. And we will use it in a last resort, and we still have thirteen nuclear neutron warheads. One is being refurbished and may not be available in time. Scientist tell me that it may take five more weeks to have it active.”The Prime Minister asked a question that no one wanted to hear the answer. “How long can we hold out?”General Ben-Izen said, “We will start national mobilization in a few days.”“Then,” Prime Minister Avraham said, “We must protect our most young before the war begins. Check with the Americans. We need to send the children either under their care, or they can let us set up internment camps for the entire refugee population next to their forces.”General Ben-Izen asked about all the supplies they will require.The Prime Minister stopped him. “I know about the logistics, but I want my question answered. How long we can expect to hold-out?”The Chief of staff replied to the question. “Not forever. I am afraid. Without outside help, I don’t want to contemplate the outcome. It may not be very pretty.”***Pete drove everyone who could safely sit in the flatbed truck to Afula. It had taken two days to fit the flat-bed with sides. The last thing anyone wanted for someone to fall from the truck. Now they drove slowly with their flasher on. Steve, Lora, and twenty kids would catch up and also follow with their flashers also on. At the rate of travel they were going to be doing, a one hour trip slowly stretched into three. Lieutenant Goombi had requested he bring in the rifle and give it to him. After talking about what had to be done, everyone wanted to go on the truck, but standing or seating was limited. So Steve and Lora went to rent vehicles. They’d slowly follow loaded him and bring thirty kids with them.At first it wasn’t expected that everyone would be able to go, but by the time Pete fastened down the time of departure, Steve and Lora saved the day. Now they finally made it to the Tel Megiddo turn-off. Steve followed in a mini-van, and Lora renting a nine passenger van driving up behind and squeezed in between everyone. The lead van driven by Lora honked its horn. It was Lora. Pete pulled over as both vans slowly pulled up behind him. Lora, Steve and thirty kids piled out all talking at the same time.Steve waved his hands to be quiet. Then he said to Pete. “Everyone wanted to see the place. So we rented these for the day.”Everyone started talking again and Pete couldn’t understand a word being said.He held up his hands and shushed the crowd. “It’s only about a mile, and then he caught himself. It’s only a few kilometers up the road. Just follow slowly as I’m not certain of the exact location. I will have to drive slowly.”Everyone piled back into their respective vehicle and Pete drove slowly east followed by his little caravan.Every once in a while he pulled onto the narrow shoulder and waved the traffic pass. When he spied a spot that looked familiar, he’d stop for a minute. After checking out the sight he wave for everyone to follow and drove on. When he stopped again, the two vans pulled up behind him in anticipation. He walked around the truck as everyone watched him searching for something. They waited. When he came back to the truck he held up a dirty rag. It had fallen out of the truck when he had stopped to find the helicopters. And there it was. The wind had blown it to the side of the road. “I think this is the spot,” he said to the kids in the back of the truck. The two vans and their passengers watched.Pete held up the oily rag like a badge of honor. “I think I found the place where I parked,” he yelled. Then he waved for everyone to get out.They all pilled out of the vans and truck and looked around. Pete now along the road waved the other vehicles traveling the road past him.“Over the hill,” Pete pointed up across the road and held a shovel over his shoulder. After letting more traffic pass they all hurried across the road, climbed over a one-wire fence and headed up the hill.After walking about 80 meters with some kids running ahead, he heard a yell from those in the lead. They had found a large rifle case lying where Pete had left it.From that spot Pete and the herd headed down the hill to where the helicopters had landed. It didn’t take long to find the two fresh grave sites. One was caved in.Everyone gathered around as Pete told how he laid in the spot where they had found the gun case and he drew down on Elijah - who stood where they now stood. That is when he was captured. In a minute he started digging in the grave that showed total disruption. Everyone wanted to take a turn using the shovel. What might have taken thirty minutes now took over an hour. Everyone wanted to take a turn using the shovel. One of the kids was the first to hit the casket’s lid. Six others wanted to help clear the casket of dirtWhen they handed the shovel back to Pete, he handed it to Steve. “My arms hurt too much. The bruises,” he said.In ten minutes they completely uncovered the casket with the broken lid. Steve jumped down cleaned away the rest with his hands. Stepping to the side he lifted the lid and found the rifle. The kids would tell this story a hundred times.Steve lifted out the now very dirty rifle and handed it to Pete. Some of the kids wanted to dig up the other grave, but Pete told them to leave that one to the police. Pete checked the rifle and found one more cartridge in the chamber. It was an error on his part, and he was thanking Jesus that Steve had not pulled the trigger.He then asked, “How long do you have the vans for?”“Why,” Lora asked?“I thought we’d all drive down to Lieutenant Goombi’s office and hand him the rifle.”Lora thought for a moment. “We had better call first.”Two hours later they arrived at Goombi’s Police station. The rifle rested inside the case. AS he entered the Police station two officers stopped him when they saw the case. Pete let them check out the rifle as he told them the story.In five minutes Goombi arrived to an office completely full of kids. Pete sat in his chair and Goombi gave him a stare that said, get out of my chair. Knowing what to do, Pete rose and let the Lieutenant sit down.“Tell him Uncle Pete,” said a couple of kids at the same time.Goombi looked up at Pete. “Uncle Pete,” he said without cracking a smile.When Pete finished, he presented the case and the rifle to the Lieutenant.Goombi looked it over and checked to see if it was empty. Slowly he got up while thanking everyone for bringing in the weapon. He beckoned Pete over to him.“I have some news that you’re not going to like,” Goombi said. “It is planned for the day after tomorrow. Police and a school-bus will arrive at your warehouse. They are going to take the kids to a place of safety. Everything around here will probably become a war zone in a week or two. This is for their safety. I thought you should be the first to know. Maybe you can prepare them for this?”Pete stared at the lieutenant in disbelief. “But why?” he asked. ”Are we doing something wrong?”“No. It has nothing to do with what you have done. The nation is presently preparing for a major invasion. All children throughout the nation will be transported to Jordan – south of the American bases. They will all have to go – no exceptions. Can you prepare them for the news?”Pete whispered back. “Is it really that serious?”“It may be more serious than even I can imagine.”“I’ll get them ready,” Pete replied as his stomach churned from the shock, even though his brain understood the wisdom of the action. He felt like he had been hit in the stomach. “Is there anything else I can do?”“We’ll let you know. Just get them ready. You are Americans. You can go to any of the American bases. They will accept you. Just show them your passports. Honestly, I hate to lose you. You have training that is badly needed.”Pete looked at Lora and Steve who stared at him – trying to hear. He walked over to them with a growing look of sadness building over his face. After he explained, he turned to the kids. His voice cracked as he said softly, “It’s time to go kids.”As they walked to the truck and vans Lora and Steve came up to him, both with quizzical looks.“I’ll tell you later,” Pete said as he walked in silence. He didn’t want any of the kids to hear all that he had to say.Once back at the warehouse, Pete got Lora and Steve alone and explained what is about to happen. While he explained what Goombi said, he noticed the kids were all gathered around in a circle as a girl spoke quietly to them. In a moment all the kids were whispering among themselves and drifted out into the yard.Pete felt lousy. After explaining everything to Lora and Steve, he walked alone to an isolated spot. When he knew no one was watching and no one could see him, he sank to his knees. He looked up to heaven and cried “Why. You told me to take care of them. Why are you taking them away from me?” between a couple of deep breaths he said, “I need them. You took away Kendra. You took away Esther, and now you are taking away my kids. Why? They are the love of my life – my purpose. Did I do something wrong?”He rose from the ground, found a wooden bench and sat totally dejected. The life he once experienced and felt now ebbed away only to be replaced by depression.Footsteps on the gravel made him look up. It was a young girl named Rebekah. She stepped alongside and placed a young hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Uncle Pete,” she said. “I’ve told them all ready. They know it’s not your fault.”“How?” Pete asked.“I have very good hearing. I heard every word between you and that policeman.”“I’m so sorry,” he said. “You are all so important to me. There isn’t anything I can do. I know the Lieutenant is right. It is for your safety. I want to go with you but I can’t.”Chapter 30 The first shot began on the morning of March 20. A two-hundred kilometer high nuclear burst sent an Electromagnetic pulse over Tel-Aviv. Much of the Israeli road traffic instantly stopped at that moment. Loss of power-steering and brakes sent hundreds of vehicles crashing into anyone or anything in their path. Only military vehicles, hardened from such an electromagnetic attack continued in service. Two constantly on alert Israeli AWAC aircraft were quickly blown out of the sky using long range (two hundred kilometer) air-to-air missiles. Within minutes the Israeli military defenses were rendered blind to what was on the way. The attack on ground based radar stations followed with multiple hits by cruise missiles. From Iran, Syria, and Turkey, hundreds of short range and far out to sea, missiles and warheads descended on Israeli airbases. Time lapse for this phase of the attack to complete, two minutes. The generals under Von Resh had learned a valuable lesson from the last war. This missile attack was deemed necessary to bottle up the Israeli air force for a short time.Within fifteen minutes waves of supersonic aircrafts flying at Mach 2 over the defending locations swept along the Caesarean coast. Burst eardrums and overturn radar vans became wartime casualties. Every minute, for an hour, British and French aircraft flew supersonically at ground level over the Israeli positions. Buildings were shattered; autos and trucks were tossed around like toys. It was utter chaos and devastation without a shot being fired. This continued for a depth of ten kilometer inland from the coast.Hundreds of cruise missiles attacked every control tower know to Von Resh’s generals. Every command center that was reachable was effectively destroyed within the hour.Out in the Mediterranean a large naval force appeared on the horizon. Other aircraft from Turkey, Iran, Syria, Italy, Spain, and Greece appeared and swept overhead, attacking the damaged Israeli airfields and any aircraft found not to be in flames. In two hours, the invading forces took total air control over Israel air space as the naval forces approached within ten kilometers of the coastline.All defending artillery that fired on the naval force was quickly destroyed by radar-computer controlled return fire. Along the Lebanon-Israeli borders 30,000 German and Italian forces smashed through Israeli defenses into Bar’Am.Farther to the east and flowing south out of Syria and Iraq, the Chinese and Indian forces fought their way to the top of the Golan Heights. Another Chinese army group, supported by a mix of Moslem nations spearheaded the force that captured Kursi. After consolidating their positions, and sending captives north, they swept south on the east side of the Jordan River and descended south almost unimpeded. Those on the western side of the Jordan River had heavy fighting while those on the Jordanian side of the rivers traveled very quickly down to the Palestinian border – formally known as the West Bank.From the west Egyptian forces slowly captured the Sinai. They also stopped short of the Israeli borders out of well founded caution. The generals vividly remembered the wars they had fought with Israeli forces. They also remembered the humiliating defeats they had suffered.The Israeli army was now fighting on five fronts against massive ground and aerial assaults.When the naval invasion began, even after the best planned softening campaign the invaders had a tough time getting more that a kilometer from the beach.Israel’s national mobilization plan had swelled their defending forces to over 560000 men and woman fighting for their survival. They were determined to fight or if need be – die to defend their nation. They also had no other choice. Surrender meant death by invader hands.***Pete, Lora and Steve all heard the distant explosions from the north. Then came explosions from the east and the west at the same time. The aircraft flying over their warehouse were not friendlies. Every now and then one would swoop low and use up its cannon fire on every large building or moving vehicle before returning north. “It’s begun,” Pete yelled. “Grab what you can and let’s get to the truck.” Staying around was not an option.It took an hour before everything was loaded and they were able to travel into the center of the city. They stopped two times when a flight of fighter bombers appeared. Hiding in the shadow of a building, they waited until Pete felt it was safe to move on.***Spec and Thumbs did their best to hide. They had been traveling to Haifa hoping to get on any freighter traveling to anywhere other than another Israeli port. From that location, wherever that was, they’d hoped on something, anything, traveling on to Spain. Spec was smart enough to realize that a lot of fighting was happening up north. Haifa was now a bad choice at this time. Instead he and Thumbs turned around and sped as quickly as they could back to Tel Aviv. Their car had been strafed once by an aircraft. The real difficulty was in slaloming around so many cars that had been stranded by the high altitude nuclear burst. Now travel south was doable but nearly impassable. Fortunately the cars and trucks created a wealth of targets and provided ample cannon fodder for those less fortunate. AS for their car not being affected by the high altitude nuclear blast, just call it the fortunes of war. They had stopped just minutes earlier at a rest stop. Luckily the engine had been turned off. Thumbs felt an ominous feeling as they weaved around a long series of burning obstacles. He felt certain uneasiness when three cars exploded just a hundred meters in front of them. Their heading back home to Spain may have been a case of a day late and a Euro short. If they had left yesterday all this would have been avoided.As for Dice, who languished in a jail cell somewhere, he would now be forced to rely on his safety to others.***Elijah and Von Resh flew to a secret military installation along the Mediterranean coast within Syria – just inland from the coast. As they hurried to an underground bunker, the earth beneath their feet shook for a few second. It happened so quick that everyone quickly fell as they lost balance from a ground that moved under their feet. Fortunately that lasted only a few seconds.Von Resh looked up at the darkening clouds far to the south. He burst out with a series of curses at an unseen God and raised his fist in his act of defiance.Elijah looked at Von Resh. He didn’t understand what was being said, but he knew the anger of Von Resh was unleashing. For a split second he remembered the prophesies in the Hebrew and Christian Bible. “This can’t be,” Elijah yelled as he helped Von Resh to his feet. “This is just a freak of nature. It’s only a coincidence. Nobody believes in the fables from two thousand years ago,” he said to Von Resh. “It won’t last.”Before either men made it to the blast doors, the ground below their feet gave a jolt that sent everyone into the air. Von Resh smashed with a thud and felt as if a leg had been broken.“This whole area is on a fault line,” Elijah yelled above the roar coming from below their feet.Over their heads flights of birds were flying and squawking as they headed farther inland. Elijah saw the flight and knew this was not a good sign. He thought of the sea - at least the base sat two kilometers inland and 500 meters above the waters. But above him, the sky looked terrible as lightening began flashing in every way possible.“Sit down on the ground,” someone yelled – possibly a security guard.The sound below their feet exploded into a deafening roar that resembled a dozen trains passing them at the same time. Everything shook while the earth rolled like a pond struck by a large rock. They both, and all those with them, lay on the ground trying to see and hoping the earth beneath them didn’t open. To their horror the command center and the small mountain it sat below sank from sight, leaving nothing but a large dust cloud and a very large hole.“Quick!” someone yelled, “Back to the helicopters.”*Pete looked at the skies to the north. He remembered the way things ended during the three-an-half-day war. In that war, the skies also had deeply darkened. Then the rains and lightening came with such a vengeance, that the ground turned into deep mud as rivers of water rushed to any place lower. At the same time, the earth violently shook. Volcanoes off to his right and to the north exploded with fire, brimstone and large burning boulders that were being thrown everywhere. When it ended, the invaders, just about all of them, had been defeated. Actually most had been killed. Lora and Steve called it the war of Ezekiel. Either way, it did not bode well for the invading forces. Israel as a nation was heavily damaged, but the nation recovered.As for the Moslem nations that participated, they felt and witnessed the wholesale defection from the Moslem faith by the younger generation. They may have lost over third of their numbers in the defection to Christianity. The others gave up on religion and didn’t want any parts of it.Lora spoke first. “We are running out of time. This may be the big-one that is expected. We’ve got to get out of here.”“Okay,” Pete yelled, “But where?” He wished he had gone with the kids and hoped this sky and earthquake stuff wasn’t going to be as serious wherever the kids went. Either way, he wanted to be there even if it was only for support. Kids seem to bring out the father in him. He chuckled at the thought, and liked the feeling he felt. The Lord personally told him, at the time he drove away from Afula, “To be kind to people.” With the kids, that was easy.***Over the Caesarean costal invasion forces on the beaches the skies had also darken. Plagued by violent winds and stormy skies no air support were able to fly. Those few who dared were quickly smashed into the ground by tremendous wind shears. Then the rains came down in buckets.“Get under anything sturdy,” yelled the lead Rabbi with the Israeli defenders. It did not take long for the order to travel up and down the 20 kilometers of Israeli positions.The ground beneath their feet gave a short warning groan then shook so strongly that even a 60 ton defending tank lifted off its treads. When that happened the warning of the Rabbi took on greater urgency and did not go unheeded. Earthquakes being what they are, the shaking became so violent that men and machines were jostled and flung into the air only to be met by a ground bouncing skyward.A moment later, as enemy soldiers tried to advance on the Israeli positions, the earth began rolling. All who were standing and running quickly lost their footing. Invader and defenders alike held onto anything they found to give them some support. A sharp jolt followed and the sea started receding from the shoreline – stranding or taking landing crafts away from their inward destination. Those crafts already at the beaches sat on rocks as Israeli gunners tried to destroy them from future use, but even that proved futile with everything moving.Before anyone could say anything, the earth split parallel to the beach. First the beach side rose ten meters; taking the enemy troops with it. Then it dropped twenty meters. Israeli defenders watched as most of the men on the beaches vanished from view. Most were now below the level of sight. Inland from that split in the earth, a ten meter high cliff appeared, effectively separating invaders from defenders. The earth shook even more violently as the fault line running north and south through the long Jordan valley split wide open. The east side slipped one hundred meters to the north while the west side slipped and dropped fifty meters lower. Before long, with the rains that fell, the lower side became an instant river of water.Men on both sides of the line, invaders and defenders a like dug their fingers into the soil – holding onto anything for their safety.***Pete made it within sight of their old hotel just as the ground below the truck tilted.“Get out!” he yelled and the three almost leaped from the truck in hope of getting to safety. Pete lay on one side of the truck while Steve and Lora lay on the other. Fortunately the tilted truck did not turn over. Lora and Steve would have surely been seriously hurt.As for Pete, the shaking of the ground continued grew stronger, and now he felt that it might never end. It seriously prevented him from standing and getting away, but he did manage to roll around the truck and find Lora and Steve. Then it stopped and both men stood to their feet just as a very sharp jolt flung them into the air. Now the earth felt like it had gone from very bad to even worse. The end result was both men fell face down as the earth shook unbelievably more violently.In stunned disbelief all were able to look up and watch the Pilgrim Hotel tilt, slit apart, and then crumble. The sounds around them became so unbearably loud that their bodies vibrated and their lungs felt as if they might come apart. Expecting the earthquake to end, Steve tried to get to his knees. The ground jolted upward and sideways again as he tried until everyone deeply feared for their own lives.All laid on the ground and barely saw through the dust as lampposts fell and every building with sight crumble or split in two. The city was quickly being turned into rubble.Pete’s only thought was if he could somehow roll closer to Steve and Lora that by then the quake might be over. He also felt sure that if they had been inside the hotel, they would all have been killed. He feared for those who were still in the hotel. ***Around the world the earthquakes fed off of each other until no nation was exempt. In the United States, the Mississippi River split farther apart. The west side shifted and slid twelve miles farther west. Along the West Coast, the western half of the states bordering the Pacific Ocean ripped away from the continent and slipped north eleven miles and traveled seventeen miles away from the coastal mountain range. The affects on the cities was catastrophic. No building survived unscathed. From the tip of the Baja in Mexico to the Aleutian Islands all the land began a rapid move out into the ocean. Farther east, the central basin from eastern California sunk and split apart. Now below sea level, the Pacific Ocean flowed into western lands with a rush and back into the Grand Canyon. The land split Utah into two sections with a ten mile wide crevasse reaching almost to Idaho. Portions of Arizona and Utah now became beachfront property. The mighty Rocky Mountains split along the I70 corridor. The north section travel north about seven miles. While the Southern section sunk two miles. The Pacific Ocean now flowed east through that corridor and stopped east of Idaho Springs. Denver, what was left of it, had now become a seaport of sorts, and the earth still wasn’t finished.In Europe, the British Isles shifted south and farther out into the Atlantic Ocean. The Nederland’s sunk below sea level to such an extent that all cities along the coast were now flooded and every building crumbled to the ground. Half of Northern Germany and western France were now plunged below the sea as the land around whole cities tilted and slipped just below the waves.In the Western Pacific area, Japan shook violently and slipped south about ten kilometers. Then it moved closer to China which now lost most of its coastal cities and population. Australia and its continental plate slipped rapidly toward the north – smashing into what was left of Indonesia. The Indian Plate crunched even farther north into the Himalaya mountain range while nations to the east just simply vanished. Hundreds of millions died in the forthcoming deluge.The continent of Africa moved to the south and east. While the continent of South America traveled eastward – breaking away from Central America. The entire Mid-Atlantic ridge rose to such a level that hundreds of new Islands appeared all along the ridge. In Central and South America the continent separated and the western nations became a thousand mile long island.All over the world, cities and buildings shook, jumped, and crumbled to such an extent that no man made structure survived.***All over the Northern Israeli battle zones, giant hailstones, measuring 30 centimeters in diameter fell on the exposed men fighting below. Later it was reported that giant hailstone also fell throughout various parts of the world.Then, just as quickly as it began, the earth stopped shaking, the hail stopped, and the skies turned to gray and in spots became clear. The world had experienced major destruction of its cities and infrastructures. It was now effectively thrown back into the stone-age.Chapter 31General Koso glanced toward Von Resh and couldn’t believe how severe the earthquake had been. Cautiously standing to his feet he helped Von Resh. Just then a serious aftershock hit the area, but it only lasted fifteen seconds – not like the multi-minute big one they all had experienced just moments earlier.The aftershocks that followed were many but they were not as sharp and seemed to lessen in strength and duration.Von Resh jumped to his feet and was cursing at something unseen. Then looking at his Army Chief of Staff, they both searched for the small mountain that had vanished from before their eyes. Men ran past them in an effort to rescue those who were trapped below the ground. General Koso barked, “Quickly. Find out what forces we have left?” Off to his left Elijah sat on the ground in his routine lotus position repeating a mantra that only he used. He seemed to be unfazed by all that had just gone on. Von Resh stared at him for a moment and decided that Elijah was for the moment useless. A communications van approached and General Kosos hurried to the vehicle.General Koso waved Von Resh over. “Communications is being reestablished,” he said. Von Resh’s Chief Of Staff of the entire invasion forces relayed the current news to his commander. Von Resh listened.“What we know at the moment is that most of our landing forces on the Caesarean coast have perished. It is estimated that maybe thirty percent may have survived. Israeli forces may have also suffered, but they seem to be in better condition than our men.” He paused for a moment to let Von Resh absorb the report. He continued, “The German and French forces took a serious beating. Their supply columns have been heavily damaged. A massive hail storm took its toll on the trucks and men. The hail that fell was extremely large. On the good side, heavy door to door fighting is continuing in the rubble of the cities of Achziv and Haifa. Bar’Am has fallen into our hands.”General Koso stopped and watched Von Resh. His Glorious leader paced back and forth in deep thought. “Go On,” Von Resh ordered when General Koso paused. “I’m listening.”“On the eastern front,” the General said as he continued, “The Chinese forces suffered fifty percent casualties. Those driving south and east of the Jordan River fared much better. Those forces are now just east of Belvoir – that’s hill 520 on the map. We think it is hill 520. The topography had changed as a result of the earthquake, and we are not that sure it is the hill on the map.”General Koso looked at Von Resh before continuing. “On the southern front, the Egyptian forces have begun digging in.”“They have what?” yelled Von Resh. He was enraged by the report of the Egyptian. “I want them moving. I want them moving now.” The blood in his eyes told General Koso to bring more pressure on the Egyptian commanders. “If they don’t, when this is over, I will personally execute all of them myself.”A bevy of colonels and other general staff personal arrived in a battered, but working, convoy of trucks.Von Resh turned to his commanding general. “Order all forces to withdraw from the cities and stop all this rubble-to-rubble fighting. Bottle up those trouble points, surround the enemy and continued south to our main objective. We will deal with each of these surrounded areas one at a time when we have the nation under our control. But first, concentrate on Jerusalem. I want that city.”General Koso agreed. “I will order all our reserves to take up positions around the surrounded areas so the main body of our forces can concentrate on Jerusalem.”***Pete wound his way around the obstacles in the street. Between watching out for fissures, rubbles from demolished homes, and bodies lying in the roadway, he now wasn’t sure where he was heading. All the familiar landmarks were gone. If it wasn’t for the sun that stood high overhead, but a little to the south, he believed he was heading south.A black line appeared in front of him as he drove. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled back on Pete. He slowed even more if that was possible. A little further they all made out what produced the black line. It was jagged fissure in the ground. Getting out of the truck they all looked in amazement. The hole in the ground appeared to be around fifty yards wide and seemed to get even wider farther south. No one ventured close enough to the edge to see how deep the crevice extended down. Standing on rubble they all tried to see the bottom. Yet the only thing were able to see was the far side of the crevice. It was wide, deep and impassible.“What do we do now,” everyone said at the same time. Another aftershock erupted and they all watched a bordering section of what was the city plunge down the side. Lasting maybe twenty seconds, they now feared for their own safety being as close as they were to the crevice. As a large section of the edge on their side vanished before their eyes they all got back into the truck and backed away. They only could drive north or south, and the way north didn’t look promising. Another aftershock sent them north and away from the crevice.After backtracking with the truck about a quarter of a mile, Lora said something that she wanted everyone to hear.“I think I read about something like what we just saw,” she said. “If I remember correctly, an earthquake was going to split the city into three parts. Do you think we just saw something like that?”Steve agreed with Lora. “I remember that also.” He looked up into the afternoon sky. He had hoped to see the object that also had everyone worried.“I don’t know if it is or not,” answered Pete. “If it is, then I think if we can find the old city wall and the Eastern gate if we travel this way. Pete pointed north and parallel to the fissure. He tried to bring a little humor when he said, “we may have a ringside seat to what is about to happen.”Steve looked around. “I don’t want a ringside seat. All this may be good, but how do we get around these big crack in the ground?”“Let’s go this way,” Pete pointed in a direction he felt was north. “I think this way is the way to the Kidron Valley. We get there maybe we can plan our next move.”Driving slowly in the truck they all went in the direction Pete had pointed. It was also the path of least resistance. The crevice seemed to be getting narrower as they drove. Slowly they came up on a mass of people moving in their direction. In seconds, Pete and his tiny truck was loaded with twenty people standing or holding on as he slowly flowed with the crowd. In the distance he heard an increase in the sound of more trucks, but in the distance he heard the rumble of explosions and distant booming. He knew cannon fire when he heard it, and it all seemed to be getting closer. He suspected that the southern and eastern portions of the city, all behind him, were already under attack.***Thumbs found a small sail boat at the port of Tel Aviv. The city was in shambles and the harbor contained boats that had been tossed around by the earth movement and tsunami that followed. He wasn’t that great a sailor, but after everything they just went through, he was more than eager to give it a try. Looking up at the sky he wondered about the object in space. It gave him a sense of fear that he hadn’t felt for a long time. “Think we can make Cairo in this,” he asked Spec. He also looked to see if there were any oars and lifejackets. He found three lifejackets but only one oar.Spec shook his head. Then he said, “Just don’t go far from land.”They untied the boat, lifted the sail a little, and started off. Both assassins wondered about Dice.Unbeknown to them the remains of Dice laid crushed in a police station that had collapsed during the great earthquake. Dice would not be coming home.***In minutes Pete and the mob on his truck came into a steep valley filled with thousands of people. Edging through the crowd, he, Lora and Steve flowed with the masses down the road as more people tried to climb aboard. Soon they all arrived at a military station being set up under a large tent. Food and water were being dispensed as Pete stopped the truck. In the somewhat disorganized-organized military operation, and amid all the confusion and yelling and crying, Pete told Steve and Lora to watch the truck. What little gear and resources they carried needed to be protected.An artillery shell exploded on a mountain across the valley, and a thousand screams went up.Pete only stared. The enemy was maybe ten or fifteen miles away or that shell was a fluke - a product of poor quality control. As he moved though the crowd he arrived at the tent when he heard his name being called. He looked around and saw no one that looked familiar. He heard his name again. Looking around again he saw a group of military and police standing by crates of rations. “Peter Meirs,” someone called. He looked again. In the midst of the military men he saw and old friend. He waved to Lieutenant Goombi. Another man, in a different uniform stared in Pete’s direction.Making his way to the group, he greeted Goombi with salute and a handshake.Goombi spoke and turned. “I have someone here for you to meet,” he said. “You may not remember him so let me reintroduce him to you.” Goombi turned to the man standing beside him.Pete noticed the man was tall and clearly not Israeli. Yet there was something about him. Then Pete noticed the patch on his shoulder.It was the patch of a black tiger. Pete stood and stared at the man. “Are you Jordanian?” he asked before Goombi spoke. “You look awfully familiar. Have we met before?”Lieutenant Goombi broke the ice with, “I’d like you to meet an old friend of your. This is Major Fadi of the Jordanian Black Tiger battalion.”Goombi noticed Pete’s eyes light up. “Lieutenant Fadi,” he said with delight. Then stopped himself after relooking at the rank. “Major Fadi. This is my pleasure. It has been a long-long time.”Pete thought back to when he and Kendra had discovered the Ark of the Covenant. Actually it was just before the discovery.How is Colonel Ahmed?” Pete asked the now Major Fadi.Lieutenant Fadi’s face pained. “He was killed a few years back,” he replied in near flawless British accent.The smile on Pete’s face vanished. “I’m sorry,” he said. “He was a good man. I was proud to have met him.” Gathering his wits he followed up with, “You’re a Major now. Congratulations to you and for your promotions. We may not have made it out of Jordan if it wasn’t for you. What are you doing here? This is a bad time to visit.”Major Fadi grinned a little. “My platoon has been assign to protect our sacred site.”Pete looked around with a question.Goombi answered the question. “The Temple Mount is just behind us.”Pete looked up but nothing seemed familiar.Goombi answered that question he saw again. “The earthquake split open the old city wall.” Pointing to a spot where the walls once met he added. “That used to be your Eastern Gate. The Temple Mount is just above.”“I knew the earthquake was bad,” Pete replied. “We had to go around a huge fissure in the ground just to get here, but that wall has stood a long time.”“We have seen a photo of that crevice he said,” the Lieutenant replied. We have managed to get a satellite link and have photos at communications. Actually there are two very wide cracks in the city that run out from the Kidron valley about twenty kilometers. The city has been effectively divided into three parts.”Pete thought about what Lora had said. “Is there anything I can do?”Two more explosions on the far hill erupted.Major Fadi looked at the smoke and dust rising in the sky. He turned to Lieutenant Goombi. “They are getting closer. Those shells came from the west. I must excuse myself and see to my men.” He turned to Pete. “Welcome back El Shugaa Saree.” Then he gave a quick salute to Lieutenant Goombi.”Pete quickly added, “I am honored to be here with you.” He wanted the Major to know that before he departed.Major Fadi replied, “May your God protect you. May He protect all of us.” He then turned and vanished in the crowd.Pete turned to Lieutenant Goombi and asked as he saw all the people moving past them. The military was directing them farther down the valley. “Who’s in command? Where are the people going?”“At this moment, I am.” He turned to Pete and said, “I’m glad you’re here. I may need a man with your skills.” He looked towards the Communications tent. “I have to go now. If you want to see the photos, follow me.”“Wait! Where are all these people going?”“Trucks are taking them to the airfields,” Goombi replied.“What airfields,” Pete asked with a confused look?“About six kilometers north-east of us is a small IDF airfield. The Atarot airport is where the Americans are flying in those huge C17’s and taking civilians to safety. There are a couple of more make-shift airfields that your C130’s are flying out people just to our east. That is why the trucks are loading up the people and taking them away. I don’t know how long it will last. Maybe a million people have been already airlifted to safety. The earthquake opened up a valley to Atarot that has really helped.” Goombi held up a hand to stop further questions. “I have to go.” He turned and hurried toward the tent. “Follow me if you want to see the satellite photos.”As Goombi left, Pete followed behind. He owed both of these men his life. Lieutenant Goombi led them back to Afula during the three-and-one-half day war. And he owed Major Fadi for allowing them to escape after the Ark was stolen by the Israelis.***Von Resh and his generals sat under the tent studying the photos and the maps. Three squadrons of attack helicopters were now stationed a kilometer away as more forces arrived for the final assault on Jerusalem. His forces were growing stronger with every hour.Elijah sat in another tent studying the images of the object in space. He felt clearly frightened. The object now sat about two-million kilometers away. Astronomers had not noticed any change in position for nearly a week. It hadn’t moved or done anything, but Elijah knew the prophecies. The object has been in the solar system for about forty days, and he did not like the outcome.For a moment he thought about fleeing. That would not go well with Von Resh. There was too much at stake for him to quit now.***General Koso conferred with his generals then reported quickly to Von Resh to report the good news.“Egyptian forces have entered the outskirts of Jerusalem. They have encountered fierce rubble to rubble fighting. They are being hindered by giant cracks in the soil, but they are advancing.“On the eastern front, our troops have surrounded the Jewish mountain areas to our East and South. This is per your orders. We have them under constant artillery and heavy machine gun fire. We are also being careful not to provoke the Americans stationed farther south in Jordan.“Our forces that came over the Golan have now reached a line running roughly from Tel Aviv to Jericho. They have linked up with the German and French divisions. As for the invasion force along the coast, I have ordered a retreat and will now use them south of Tel Aviv. We are almost in position to use a battery of artillery on the defenders in Jerusalem.“Israeli forces are being forced to constantly fall back. Many of their units have run out of ammunition. Those who have surrendered have been summarily shot or taken away as captives. “What should we do with these captive?”Von Resh didn’t have to think, “Kill the wounded and all military you find. Take no prisoners. As for the civilians, do what you wish with them. Rape, pillage, kill and destroy everything, these are my standing orders. I leave it all up to you how you do it.”Von Resh smiled with his orders. He already knew what was happening; Thousands of civilians were being sent to the rear of his forces’ lines. Every now and then a prisoner was grabbed and raped. Any Israeli civilian that tried to stop it from happening were shot on the spot. All the remaining survivors could hope to do was walk past the rapping and stay alive. He loved it. It was demoralizing and terror on the finest level.Von Resh continued. “How long before we take total control over Jerusalem. I must have that city as soon as possible. Can we move more artillery into position?”“We are moving everything forward, but the traveling is proving difficult. Engineers are clearing the roads as quickly as they can. Field commanders tell me they will be able to send artillery barrages from the south into the center of the city within a very short time. The huge ravines that we are encountering are forcing us to concentrate on both sides of the central corridor. Israeli defense forces are fighting to the last man, but we are slowly moving them back.”Chapter 32Pete watched as the day started just like their last few days – badly. It was now April on the calendar, Sunday he thought, because Lora and Steve were holding hands and praying, but that had become a regular occurrence since the world fell apart. At the same time he didn’t so great about everything either. So he helped out in the tent, and it helped to take his mind off of the problems they were in. The artillery barrages were clearly coming closer as the top of the Mount of Olives sometimes came under fire. He wondered if they were still landing the C5’s at the airfield. From the spy satellites photos he saw it did not look promising for that to continue much longer. A large artillery barrage behind him shook him from his thoughts. Two rounds hit the platform that once was the Temple Area and showered chunks of stone on the masses of people in the valley. The tent took a few hits as the heavy stone chunks smashed through the roof. A voice sounded in his head.“Be strong. It is almost over.”Pete looked around but sort of guessed he’d not find anyone. It was the same voice he heard on the road. For a moment it gave him encouragement – just for a moment.“If you are coming,” Pete said out loud to the voice that came from within, “This is as good a time as ever.”***Elijah watched the glowing object in space grow larger. It was again on the move and coming closer. Von Resh had ordered the command tent to be moved closer to Jerusalem. The new headquarters would be located just out of Israeli artillery range, but much closer to the city. Both wanted to be closer to the city so they could savor the victory of entering the city before that thing up there got any closer. General Koso was convinced that in three or four hours everything might be completed. Now standing at the location set for his new command tent Von Resh and Elijah both glanced up and watched the object through binoculars. A cloud seemed to have formed around it.In space there are no clouds, so he guessed that what Von Resh saw was really dust or smoke. Elijah felt somewhat different about the dust and tried to hide his worst fear.Von Resh turned and watched his engineers unload everything and begin assembling the tents. First to be established was the satellite link. In a short time he expected all would be ready. Von Resh and his general staff had already gathered around a large table situated in the evening setting sun. Maps were now spread and men of war studied the symbols being moved around. An Air Force general was arguing with an Army general over the use of the attack helicopters. It was decided to wait a little longer before committing any air support. The Army artillery had to soften up the target areas some more. Israeli anti aircraft missiles, ever decreasing in numbers, would make any air support a very dangerous mission. In another hour the army howitzers would be reaching the Kidron Valley and the American transport of civilians will be ended. Vo Resh felt a slight feeling of relief. It won’t be long now though the pressure and time of completion was taking its toll on his nerves.Von Resh was visibly sweating as General Koso told him all he needed to know. Everything inside him screamed for victory. He needed victory right now. He kept telling himself to be patient. Maybe in another twenty kilometers, then the Israeli nation would be no more. They were being squeezed on three directions. He clenched a fist in defiance. Today might be the day to end all days. Studying the latest photos, he knew he’d soon walk through that gap in the wall. It was almost a challenge, a race if you will, to see who will be the first through the remains of the Easter Gate. He will be the world’s Messiah. No one else will have that honor. He had to see that satellite photo again. The world was on the verge of a great new order and he’d reign supreme.An aid spoke something to the General.“We are now in range,” General Koso said. “It’s only one battery, but they are now setting up. It won’t be long now.”Those words were music to Von Resh’s ears.***Pete saw the worried look on Lieutenant Goombi. “It’s going to be okay,” he said and hoped he wasn’t speaking presumptuously. He knew how desperate it had become. Once artillery comes raining down on the people, thousands upon thousands would soon die. He, Goombi and the rest would soon follow.***Lora and Steve found Pete handing out blankets at the tent. Lora was so excited that she yelled for Pete to look.Pete wondered what this was all about.“Come out,” she said with excitement.Pete looked at Steve. He too seemed excited. Once outside she pointed up.Pete looked and didn’t see anything. That object was still up there, but so what?Steve answered the question. “Look at the object” He handed his small pair of binoculars to Pete.Pete took them and focused on the object.“What is it,” he asked? “It looks like it has tails.”“I don’t think those are tails,” Lora said. “I don’t know what they are but keep looking like they are growing longer.”Pete studied the object for a while longer then handed the glasses back to Steve. “They definitely seem to be getting longer.” Yet he wasn’t all that sure.***Von Resh studied the object and saw the lines streaming from the object. “What is it?” he asked. “Elijah, come over here and look at this.” Elijah hurried and took the binoculars from Von Resh. Staring at the object, he handed the glasses back. His face carried the look of death. “It is too late,” he said. “We are doomed.” He knew the ancient prophecies. He also knew his fate if they came true. Without saying anything, he walked away and slumped in a chair. For a moment he contemplated killing himself. It might be better than waiting for what he felt might be his fate. Staring at the evening sky, he wished for night but the sky wasn’t getting darker. Then he looked at his watch. The sun had set but it wasn’t getting any darker. He also wished he had fled when he first thought of it. Now everything may be too late.***Lora studied the object and the lights steaming from it. She thought about the prophecies and never in her wildest moments ever thought would she see it happen. For a moment her spirit lifted and she knew they were going to make it.An artillery barrage shook her back to the here and now. Six rounds at a time were exploding on the west side of the Mount of Olives. She saw though the smoke and dust thousands of people trying to hide from the flying derbies. Many, maybe hundreds, were dying right before her eyes. All she could do was stand and look. She was in shock. The truck traffic to the airfield had stopped and only those on foot could be seen escaping through the new valley.Knowing that it was only a short time and their side of the valley would be hit, she prayed – hoping she was good enough. Looking at Steve, she hugged him and started crying. For a moment she had felt hope. Now she wasn’t very sure of their survival.Pete came up to them. “Don’t give up yet,” he said. “We’re not dead yet. He tried to sound encouraging but it fell flat.Lora turned and hit him in the chest. She kept beating her fists against Pete’s chest until Steve pulled her back.Pete only stood there and looked at her with sadness written across his face. His eyes redden and words escaped him. There was nothing he’d say that might help.Looking at Steve, Pete found himself helpless and only nodded as he tried to give a smile. Speechless, he turned and went back inside the tent.***Over by Petra, Jordan a brilliant white object appeared high in the sky. Getting closer the object took on the features of three dots. Above the Bedouin/tourist town a brilliant white glowing man and two others appeared. The dots had been men.“Messiah,” went up the words from a hundred thousand people all seeking safety and hoping in the prophecies. When they saw the figures they were elated. When the man and two others appeared standing on the ground at their level, they looked at the central man’s face. The Messiah held out his hands. “Be not afraid,” he said. The holes in his two wrists and the holes in his feet said it all.Those who were the closest to their Messiah turned and slunk away. Some beat their chest as a great moaning erupted. More and more people came to see, and those who understood, the sadness and moaning grew louder.Without warning the Messiah and two others disappeared from their midst.The Messiah reappeared over the West Bank Palestinian area known as Judah.Invaders and Jewish defenders alike watched as three brilliant lights floated above the besieged Jewish town of Eyn Avdat.The invading troops, who had encircled the town, began dying – disintegrating - right before their eyes. All the attackers died before they could turn and flee. What remained were uniforms, clothing, and dust.Next Messiah floated over the refugee camps being protected by American forces. He appeared in the midst of both camps at the same time and revealed himself as to who He was.In a few moments he vanished and reappeared over the Mount of Olives.*General Koso’s forward observers radioed back the event as it occurred. It didn’t take long before the artillery that was targeting the west side of the mountain zeroed in on the three men floating above the mountain top.After the forward observer repeated what he saw two times, the command to zero in the artillery towards the floating men was given.Before that could be done, the Messiah’s feet touched the top of the Mount of Olives. Immediately the mountain violently shook. Those refugees who were on the Kidron side of the mountain panicked and fled down the side into the valley. Before everyone’s eyes the mountain split in to two parts. One part traveled north while the other part went south. It took over a half an hour before the mountain settled down. What developed was a mountain now separated by a wide rock strewn valley over a kilometer wide. All coordinates for the artillery went out the window and had to be recalculated.At first, a hundred people ventured from the Kidron into the newly formed valley. Many saw this as a fulfillment of prophecy. It took fifteen minutes before the hundred that first entered the valley were followed by thousands. Even Pete saw this as a chance to get out of the valley before the artillery zeroed in on everyone. Some, instead of fleeing, started to climb the mountain that the Lord’s Messiah stood upon. Thousands fled through the new valley as hundreds worked their way up the steep sides of the Mount of Olives.Lora and Steve saw the masses going through the valley and wanted to follow. Pete yelled at them to wait. He wasn’t sure of their safety.Lieutenant Goombi stood on a truck and directed everyone to escape through the valley. Ten thousand more frightened people of all persuasion complied en mass. It didn’t take long before Pete, Steve and Lora were all infected with the need to do likewise.Pete looked around and saw Major Fadi and his command staying close to their assigned positions. They were willing to give their lives in the protection of their god’s holy site. Pete wasn’t so sure if these men were doing it for Allah or YahwehAt the same time, others, clearly in Arab headdress, ran past Pete and were instead climbing up the other side of the valley. Men were weeping and carrying children or helping their wives get closer to a person they knew instinctively to be the world’s long awaited Messiah.Which way to go? One led to a possible escape route. The other was to climb the mountain and pray they survived.Lora and Steve made up his mind for him. They were heading toward the mountain.***Von Resh heard the chaos over the command radio. “This will not be.” He called the Air Force commander over and told him to get those attack helicopters in the air. If the General hesitated he’d shoot him personally. No one was going to jeopardize all he had worked to achieve. He was too close to victory to lose it now. It was now or never.The Air Force commander gave the orders and the roar of a hundred attack helicopters began to grow. First there was a high wining sound, and then the rotors grew in intensity and speed. In minutes helicopter after helicopter ascended and formed up in their prescribed formations.Von Resh watched with satisfaction at the might of these attack craft. “Not much can stand against what these babies’ can do.” He felt pleased and in charge. “Fly my pretties,” and almost broke out in laughter.Glancing at Elijah, he called him over and said. “We must send all our energy and powers with those men. Elijah agreed, yet he also had a very bad feeling that nothing was going to work.***Flight commanders of three squadrons of attack helicopters converged on the Mount of Olives, or what was left of it. The trip from their base to the mountain took only fifteen minutes. The lead Captain ordered the crafts to form a semi-circle. Once in position they would all open up with their chain-guns. Between all the ships over 40,000 7.62 rounds a minute would shred the three men standing on the mountain. After a minute of concentrated fire, they would all let loose with rocket fire. The top of the mountain will quickly vanish as over one hundred rockets exploded. He suspected he’d see a large crater where the men stood. As for all those fools trying to get to the top, they’d simply vanish as collateral damage.Once in position the command to fire was given.***Lora and Steve saw the helicopters but continued on climbing. Pete followed about fifty feet behind. The helicopters then opened up with their guns. Pete hid behind anything larger than himself. Lora and Steve never knew what hit them. Two bullets hit Lora in the chest, while three almost cut her right leg off. She fell face down and in shock. Trying to say something, the words appeared in her mind but never formed on her lips. All she could try to say was, “Never good enough.”Steve took three bullets in the abdominal area. He fell backwards - staring up with no thoughts. The pain in his body flooded his mind the ceased. Turning ever so slightly, he managed to see his wife lying on the ground. Without thinking he tried to move toward her – leaving a trail of blood and entrails as he inched closer. Moving about three feet, his body stopped its crawl and his eyes glassed over.Lora tried to move but all her energy was gone. She had no strength. Yet in her mind she was whispering, “Never good enough.” She thought of her sister while still whispering with lips that never moved. “Never good enough.” In an eternity of time, maybe a second, her eyes were getting tired. Slowly she couldn’t see anymore. The pain had gone.Pete glanced up when the shooting stopped. He saw Steve and Lora lying on the ground. Neither moved. Realizing what happened and sensing what was coming, he ducked and covered his head as he got as close to the boulder as humanly possible.The rocket explosions that followed were deafening and shook the earth in a violent death-throw.***The command captain ordered a halt to the firing and waited to see the results. Waiting as the smoke and dust drifted off, three brilliant white figures appeared – still standing as before. At first he thought he and everyone else had missed, but in his heart he knew better. They hadn’t missed.***Messiah looked at the crafts firing at him and raised his hand.***The Captain of every craft watched in horror as the electrical circuits in their helicopters went out. Not a light was lit. In seconds, every crafts started spiraling out of control and plummeting to the earth. Forty-five helicopters exploded on contact when they smashed into the ground. The rest crashed into each other and plummeted to the ground. Only moments before they had tried to destroy something they did not understand.***Messiah watched in sadness as the helicopters exploded. Turning and looking toward the sky, he motioned for that witch was above to come down.***As helicopters crashed and exploded, Pete hurried over to Steve. He had seen enough death to know that his friends were gone. Scurrying over to Lora he saw she had been hit badly. She was alive, but barely. In the military he’d be yelling for a Medic, but here and now, there were none.Gently rolling her he saw she was barely breathing as he looked over the wounds. Then her breathing stopped.“No,” he yelled and cradled Lora in his arms. He looked at the God on the mountain. Shaking his head, he couldn’t form any words, but sat there rocking what was once a friend – someone who desperately wanted to get to the Lord. Tears streamed down his face as he cried while his body shook from involuntary convulsions.A hand rested on his shoulder. “It’s alright,” a voice said.The tears in his eyes prevented him from seeing anything.“Uncle Pete,” a little girl’s voice said. “It’s alright.”Reaching up with a hand and placing it on the one on his shoulder, he tried to wipe his eyes the crying wouldn’t stop.“Let me help,” someone else said, and began wiping his face with a cloth.Pete closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he only saw the feet of people standing around him. Gently laying Lora’s corpse down he looked at her lifeless body. Hands reached under his arms and helped him to stand.He looked at the smiling faces looking back at him. “Uncle Pete,” a little girl said that looked familiar. He stared at her.“It’s me Esther,” the girl answered.Pete shook his head in confusion.“Hi Pete,” a lady standing to his right said.He turned and squinted through his eyes. “Kendra,” Pete said in disbelief. “You – your, I don’t – How?” He looked at the others.“Lora,” he said and stood not knowing what he saw. Standing next to her was a man. “Steve, is that you?”In a moment, pandemonium broke out as Pete realized who was standing before him. A grand reunion took place on the mountain as he hugged and cried. The weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. Pete felt delirious with joy.***Messiah looked down the mountain at the small group gathered around Pete. He smiled. In less than a second he was gone.***Elijah saw him first. Messiah called him over with the motion of his fingers. Von Resh tried to hide. He coward behind a truck. Meanwhile all his general staff made chaotic dashes for any means of escape. As the general staff ran, their bodies dissolved into dust with every step.Messiah now motioned for Von Resh.Von Resh fought the pull with all he had but it was to no avail.Messiah looked at both men and slowly shook his head. “It is time,” He said. “Judgment has begun.” In the spirit world he watched multiple dark figures flee from the bodies of both men. There was one central figure that especially captured his attention. An angel will attend to him later.Von Resh screamed in defiance, “I’ll never bow to you - never.”Elijah only stood as he sensed the futility of fighting. He hoped the punishment he was about to receive was bearable.Standing before them the life-giver of all that ever existed stood before them.At that moment both men’s hearts knotted from fear as the muscle tightened and stopped beating. The massive heart attacks left them both clinically dead. The massive pain they had felt had subsided and both men felt relief. Yet something felt wrong. Von Resh felt around his throat for a pulse. The he felt his wrist. He found no pulse. Elijah followed and had the same results. Both men looked at each other without saying a word.Elijah was the first to speak. “This is impossible.”Von Resh yelled at the figure standing before them, “Go away,” he said. “I command you to go away.”Messiah looked at both men without saying a word as an intense white light around his body grew larger and even more intense. Laser like fire came from his eyes as He watched both men try to desperately shield their own eyes.As Von Resh and Elijah both hid their eyes from the light, every living cell in their bodies revolted and cried out in a subtle scream of anguish and pain. Both felt their minds revolt in unlimited screaming.The pain from the massive heart attack had ended earlier now they found themselves with massive pain that they had never experienced. Their chest heaved from wildly heavy breathing.Elijah fought the way his body was reacting. Yet he could hardly think and finally realized that his heart had truly stopped. “How can this be,” he screamed over the pain at Von Resh? – fighting to get the words out. At the same time he tried to bring down fire from the sky to destroy the being standing in front of him. Nothing worked. At the same time he heard Von Resh acknowledge that they were both dead and at the same time they were very much alive.Fighting the impulse raging inside him, and flooded by the waves of pain, he struggled against the involuntary need of every cell in his body to bow.Von Resh and Elijah both cried out in anguish at the same time. They each fought back with all their strength the need to acknowledge He who stood before them, but their legs would not obey. Each man landed on the ground and bowed their heads even though it was not their will or intension.“It is time,” Messiah said as he waved a hand and before the eyes of Von Resh and Elijah a fiery expanse of a boiling red and orange sea appeared. In an instant Von Resh and Elijah found themselves in the plasma of boiling intense heat. Both screamed out in unbearable agony as they found themselves immersed in an endless ocean of liquid fire. Each hoped for instant death and an end to this mind shattering ordeal. It never came. Soon they’d have company.EPOLUGEKendra Makray became the desired guide to many expeditions. She was instrumental in working with Peter Meirs in finding many artifacts as they both explained the accuracy of the written words of God. She became a chief Ambassador to the nations from the Throne Room of God.Esther Yehezkel grew and became a leader through the Holy Spirit in horticulture and farming. Under her directions the health and life of all was dramatically improved using naturalistic methods and new found technologies.Lora Talon became a traveling professor guiding the teaching of Psychology to include the spirit and complete soul of man. She corrected many erroneous thoughts in their teaching.Steve Talon became a judge that appeared at many trials. With complete knowledge from the Holy Spirit, no one was able to subvert justice, and his rulings were uncontestable.Peter Meirs took in s many children that he officially opened an orphanage. He personally mentored and help over 3500 kids. At his ordained services, at the age of 453 - the exact date and time known in advance - over 9,000 attended and watched him pass from mortal to immortal. He became known as one of the Rod’s of the Lord. He also became a power, a ruler, over seven major cities on the earth. His personality never changed only his heart and compassion. ................
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