Deceived (2 page)

Natalie told Vicki about her experience at the old DuPage County Jail. She had heard Zeke protest about the mark of loyalty. She had followed the man and had watched from an observation room when the Global Community ended Zeke's life.

“You actually saw the beheading?”

“I couldn't watch, but I heard the blade come down. One guy in the room raised his fist and said Zeke got what he had coming to him. How can people be that cruel?”

“I don't know. Are you all right now?”

Natalie sighed. “I just feel so alone. The GC are all saying everything went exactly as planned, but I know the truth. All those prisoners who took the mark can
never
become believers now, and they killed the only one who had the sense to not take it.”

“Does Henderson suspect anything about the four who escaped?”

“Not that I can tell. He's been too busy with the mark applications to notice much, but I heard they're still looking for you.”

“We're safe. Any idea how long before employees get the mark?”

“Henderson's sending a report to other facilities throughout the country. Jails and reeducation facilities will apply the mark for the next couple of days. Then employees are eligible. We have two weeks to comply after it's up and running.”

“Then you have to come here.”

“Believe me, I can't stop thinking about it. But I'm so mad. After what I saw Zeke go through, why does God let this happen?”

“I understand how you feel. I felt the same thing when my friend Ryan died.”

“Why couldn't somebody have told us about God before all this happened?”

“They tried, at least they did with me,” Vicki said. “I wouldn't listen.”

“So we just have to sit back and watch all of these good people get their heads chopped off? Is that what God wants?”

Natalie broke down and sobbed. Vicki listened and tried to calm her. Suddenly, Natalie put her hand over the phone and said, “Hi, Claudia. Yeah, you should have been there.” When Natalie uncovered the phone, she whispered, “My roommate's here. I'll call you later and we can talk.”

Vicki gathered the other kids to pray for Natalie. She knew the girl's time was running out.

Judd Thompson Jr. crept through the darkened streets of New Babylon. A few cabs sat parked by the street, drivers slouched and snoring in their seats. A strip of yellow and white shone on the horizon as Judd looked at his watch.
6:30
A.M. I should have relieved Lionel an hour ago!

Judd located the shrubs and found Lionel sleeping. Lionel awoke with a start, and Judd put a hand over his mouth. “How long have you been asleep?”

Lionel rubbed his neck and yawned. “I don't know. It was so cold and I just couldn't keep my eyes open.”

“I can't blame you. I'm late myself.”

“No word from Chang?”

“Nothing,” Judd said. “But Z-Van came in late last night jazzed up.”

“About his recording?”

Judd shook his head. “He was crowing about getting to take the mark today. They're taking pictures for the album cover, and he wants to make sure he has Carpathia's mark. And get this. He's supposed to have a picture taken with Carpathia.”

“If they're letting Z-Van take the mark, that means—”

Judd pointed toward the front door of the apartment building. A man with a briefcase walked inside. The guard checked the man's credentials and waved him through.

“I saw that guy at Carpathia's funeral,” Judd said. “Moon, I think. He's in Carpathia's inner circle.”

“Maybe he lives there.”

Judd shook his head. “I wish we had some binoculars.”

Lionel reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a tiny telescope. “Westin gave it to me before we left last night. Works pretty well.”

Judd set the digital meter for the distance and zoomed in on the scene. The scope was so powerful he could see the badge of the guard at the front door. He focused on the elevators and saw one had stopped on the fourth floor.

“That's Chang's floor,” Judd said.

Vicki had trouble falling asleep, a thousand thoughts swirling through her mind. It had been some time since they had heard from Judd and Lionel, and she was worried they might be in trouble. And she thought of Zeke. She couldn't shake the image of the razor-sharp blade falling.

She had just gotten to sleep when Shelly shook her. “You need to come see something.”

Vicki dressed quickly and walked into the meeting area of the underground hideout. Mark had the kids' Web site up on the large screen at the front of the room.

“You'll want to sit down for this,” Shelly said.

“What's wrong?”

Mark showed Vicki the number of messages from people who had received The Cube. Many of them had prayed to become believers because of the 3-D tool. Mark scrolled to the bottom and pulled up a message whose subject line simply said
Help!

Vicki or anyone else working with the Young Tribulation Force
,

I'm typing this fast, so if I make mistakes forgive me. I'm Kelly Bradshaw from Iowa. You came to our meeting place at an abandoned college. I hope you remember us
.

“I remember Kelly,” Vicki said. “She was the first to meet us when we got there.”

We've had incredible growth since you came and taught us. Word spread and people came from all over to meet other believers and read the notes we'd taken. Then, when you sent The Cube, we almost doubled in size. People brought friends who hadn't seen it to the locker room under the gym where we meet
.

Someone must have tipped off the Global Community because several Peacekeepers burst into one of our smaller meetings tonight and arrested everyone. I was on my way back to our farm when I heard them coming, but there was nothing I could do. They raided the house where some of us live, too, and took computers and supplies. We had printed copies of Buck Williams's
The Truth
to hand out to people who were interested
.

We had a computer hidden in a secluded room. That's where I am now, but I'm so afraid for my friends. Can you help? I'm hearing they are forcing prisoners to take the mark, so we don't have much time. Please, if there's anything you can do, let me know quickly
.

“Have you written her back?” Vicki said.

Mark nodded. “I told her we'd be back to her within the hour. What do we want to say?”

Vicki looked around the room. “I say these are our brothers and sisters. We have to try.”

Mark smiled. “That's what I thought you'd say.”

2

JUDD
kept the scope focused on the elevators and tried to remember as much as he could about the man named Moon. Judd hoped that the elevator stopping on Chang's floor was just a coincidence.

“Is Moon head of security?” Lionel said.

Judd racked his brain but couldn't recall anything more than Moon's face on the official GC Web site. A few minutes passed and Judd felt better. “I was probably overreacting.”

Lionel took the scope and looked toward the tinted windows that lined the side of the building. He focused on the lobby and handed the scope back to Judd. “Elevator's coming down.”

Judd quickly focused on the elevator doors and saw Mr. Wong and the GC official helping someone out. They headed toward the front door and Judd strained to see. The third person wore khakis, a light jacket, and had a red baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. The three turned before they reached the front door and headed down a corridor. “That has to be Chang.”

Judd and Lionel darted out of their hiding place and walked to the side of the building to get a better look.

“Westin said there are tunnels that connect these buildings,” Lionel said. “No telling where they're going.”

Judd studied the structures behind the apartment complex. “It could be in any of those, and they're all guarded.”

The two ran back to the hotel and squeezed into a phone booth. Judd dialed the Wongs' apartment, and Mrs. Wong answered on the first ring. She sounded upset.

“Mrs. Wong, where's Chang?”

The woman sniffed. “Who is this?”

“I'm Chang's friend. I know your husband didn't want me to call, but I'm concerned about—”

“They take him away just now. He so scared, they give him something to make him calm.”

“They drugged him? Why?”

“He afraid of needle. They only try to make him calm.”

“What needle? Where did they take him?”

“I'm not sure which building. They have meeting later, after Chang get mark.”

Judd felt the air go out of the phone booth. Lionel asked what was wrong, but Judd couldn't speak. If they tried to give Chang Carpathia's mark, he wouldn't accept it. They would find out he was a believer in Christ and use the guillotine.

“You still there?” Mrs. Wong said.

“Yes,” Judd choked.

“Everything will be all right. I talk with Chang. He take mark and everything be okay.”

Judd placed the phone on the cradle and muttered, “No, it won't be okay.” He told Lionel what Mrs. Wong had said.

Lionel slammed his fist against a wall, and several guests in the hotel glared at him. He slumped over. “I guess we're too late.”

Judd and Lionel went up to Z-Van's penthouse suite and found Westin Jakes, Z-Van's pilot. The man grimaced when he heard about Chang. “We can't give up. Maybe they haven't given him the mark yet.”

“There's nothing we can do,” Lionel said.

“Do you know anyone else inside the GC?”

Judd shook his head. “Wait. I met this Peacekeeper a few days ago and promised to get Z-Van's autograph. Maybe he could help us.”

Judd dug a card out of his pocket and read the name Roy Donaldson. “He told me he was originally from Florida.”

Westin took the name and grabbed a pen and some paper from a nearby desk. “Call him and ask him to meet you in front of the apartments. I'll see if Z-Van's in good enough shape to scribble his name.”

Vicki immediately called Jim Dekker's house in Illinois and explained the Iowa situation to Conrad. After she had talked with Jim, the man agreed to supply uniforms 13 and IDs. Colin Dial would continue to pose as Commander Blakely, and they would travel in the van that already bore the GC insignia.

“How fast can you guys get here?” Conrad said.

“We're on our way,” Vicki said.