Deceived (38 page)

Judd told him what he had seen and Lionel sat forward. “Maybe this is part of the protection God promised.”

“Will we have that same protection?” an Israeli said.

“It's a trick,” the man next to him said. “They're trying to scare us into believing.”

“How could bullets go through metal and have no effect?” Westin said.

“The boy's making it up,” another Israeli said. “I saw the screen and I don't think the bullets went through the first chopper. It was an accident.”

Accident?
Judd couldn't believe it. God had clearly done another miracle in front of their eyes and these people weren't seeing.

Westin continued around slower vehicles, avoiding traffic jams by jumping curbs, shooting around barricades, and spinning through loose rocks by the roadside. When they crested a hill, lights of vehicles headed toward Petra shone in the darkness. Judd wondered if they had made a mistake going back to Jerusalem. Could they remain safe that close to Carpathia?

Sam Goldberg held tight to a railing in the back of the vehicle driven by Mac McCullum. The truck bounced and weaved on and off the road as they tried to outrun GC vehicles. Sam answered questions from the new believers around him. Some seemed angry that they had not listened earlier, while others simply wanted to know more.

“When did you become a believer?” one asked.

“How long until Messiah comes back?” another said.

“Will Carpathia attack Petra?” a woman behind Sam said.

Sam answered the questions as best he could as they rumbled south. “How many of you have read Rabbi Tsion Ben-Judah's Web site?” A few raised hands. “When we get to our destination, we'll see that you have teaching that will answer all your questions.”

Sam glanced out the window as Operation Eagle vehicles evaded more GC Peacekeepers and Morale Monitors. Sam didn't understand why they hadn't been fired upon. How was God protecting them?

Leah Rose climbed into the front seat to talk with Mac, while the other American, Hannah Palemoon, remained quiet. Sam turned and was blinded by flashing lights behind him. GC Peacekeepers called through their PA system to pull over, but Mac kept going.

The car sped forward and Sam looked at Mac. He was still talking, not paying attention to the GC vehicle. Sam glanced over and saw a guard pointing a submachine gun at Mac.

Sam ducked, waiting for the gun's bullets to rip through the vehicle. Mac had picked up a cell phone and was talking with someone, but Sam couldn't make out the conversation.

“Are we going to be killed?” an Israeli next to Sam said.

Sam clenched his teeth. “I don't know.”

Mac stopped in the middle of the road and the GC squad car pulled in front of them. When a Peacekeeper got out, Mac quickly reversed and shot past them and the chase began again. When the squad car pulled alongside, Mac slammed on the brakes and Sam shot forward.

“Sorry, friends!” Mac yelled. “Shoulda told y'all to buckle up!”

Judd phoned Chang in New Babylon again and the boy seemed harried, audio blaring in the background. Judd learned of Tsion's broadcast and had Westin turn on his radio. Sure enough, GCNN radio was airing Tsion, though they were trying to talk over him.

“Are you putting Tsion on the air?” Judd asked Chang.

“Who else?” Chang said.

“Any idea how Carpathia is reacting?”

“He's not happy. He executed Walter Moon for not getting Tsion off the air.”

“He killed the supreme commander? How do you know?”

“We have a bug on his airplane, remember? And he's ranting like mad, ordering troops in Israel to shoot to kill. He wants every civilian plane destroyed.” Chang paused, turning up Tsion's audio. Carpathia's voice rose in the background. “Listen to him,” Chang said.

“… Run them down. Crash their vehicles. Blow their heads off. As for Petra, wait until we know for certain Micah is there, then level it. Do we have what we need to do that?”

“We do, sir,” someone said.

“In the meantime, someone, anyone, get—Ben-Judah— off—the—air!”

“I will pray him off, Your Worship,” Leon Fortunato said.

“I will kill you if you do not shut up,” Carpathia said.

“Quieting now, Highness,” Leon said. Then, a gasp.

“What!?” Carpathia said.

“The water!” Fortunato said. “The ice!”

“What's happening?” Judd said, but Chang had put down the phone. Judd heard a faucet running.

Chang returned, out of breath. “Judd, the water has turned to blood!”

Vicki sent a reply to Manny's e-mail, hoping somehow Manny's sister would see it. As she surfed for any new information about what was going on in Israel, she noticed someone familiar on the television monitor and called the others together.

“Is that Dr. Ben-Judah?” Shelly said.

“Turn it up!” Conrad said.

Tsion sat in front of a mostly empty wall. “Greetings. It is a privilege for me to address the world through the miracle of technology. But as I am an unwelcome guest here, forgive me for being brief, and please lend me your attention.”

Conrad switched channels, but Tsion was on every one of them. “I don't know how the Trib Force did this, but I'll bet Carpathia will go nuts when he sees it.”

“I want to give my encouragement to all believers in Messiah,” Tsion continued. “What we have witnessed at the temple should leave no doubt as to the identity of the man who calls himself potentate. His actions prove what we have been saying all along is true. Jesus Christ is the Messiah the Jews have long awaited, and he is coming back in power and majesty to rule and reign. Nicolae Carpathia is the Antichrist.

“As new believers gather in a place of safety, I would remind you that time is running out. If you have not yet taken the mark of Nicolae Carpathia, avoid it at all cost. God has seen fit to warn us and get our attention by sending plagues among us. They are his divine way of getting our attention. More are coming as God judges the evil one and his followers.”

Dr. Ben-Judah spoke of the events of the past few days and commented on Carpathia's unbridled evil. In the past, Tsion had spoken much longer, and Vicki was surprised when he wrapped up his broadcast after only a few minutes.

“I close with a word to those who are right now traveling to Petra. I wish you Godspeed in your journey, and I promise to travel to meet you there personally and address the one million brothers and sisters in the Messiah.”

“I wonder if they'll show
that
on television,” Shelly said.

Sam had never felt so energized and terrified at the same time. He was busy helping believers understand their newfound faith, while their vehicle was pursued by GC Peacekeepers.

A GC squad car flew past them again and stopped within inches of Mac's bumper. Two men bounded from the car, yelling and waving their weapons. Mac drove past them again, and Sam watched the two level their weapons, then jump back into their vehicle. As they accelerated, Mac swerved left and braked, the rear of their vehicle sliding on the sand. Before the Peacekeepers knew what was happening, Mac had pulled in behind them.

“All right, we're going to try and …” Mac's voice trailed off as the taillights ahead flashed bright red. He slammed on his brakes and the truck slid a few feet.

Sam peered through the dust, wondering when the shooting would begin, but the squad car was nowhere in sight. It had somehow disappeared.

Operation Eagle cars and trucks roared in the distance, and behind them another line of GC cars approached. Suddenly, one of the new believers screamed, “The earth has opened up!”

Sam gasped at the chasm that had formed behind them and to the right, and before the pursuing GC officers could stop, they plunged in. The screech of its siren grew faint as the car dropped out of sight.

Mac had jumped out and was now back in the vehicle, his voice quavery. “Our front tires are right on the edge. The thing must be hundreds of feet deep.” Mac carefully backed up, using the four-wheel drive, and slowly tried to find a way around the opening.

“Here comes another one!” someone yelled behind Sam.

A GC car raced up to the edge and braked. Before the car slid into the crevasse, two Peacekeepers leaped out and rolled on the ground, their guns clattering. Everyone in the vehicle waited breathlessly as the two rose, found their rifles, and took aim at the truck.

“Duck!” Mac shouted.

Sam and the others dove for the floor of the truck, bumping heads and landing on one another. The guns cracked and Sam put his hands over his ears, not knowing what else to do. But the firing quickly stopped.

Sam peeked out the window as Mac opened his door. The Peacekeepers lay lifeless on the ground, their guns at their sides. Everyone got out and inspected the truck. Miraculously, there wasn't a scratch.

Mac's phone rang and Sam walked a few yards away to look into the chasm. He stood at the edge of what looked like the Grand Canyon.

“Better not get too close,” Leah said. “Come on, let's get out of here.”

Before they got back in the car, Mac told them he had just talked with the leader of Operation Eagle, Rayford Steele. “Dr. Ben-Judah is on the air right now, no doubt telling people the truth.” He pointed into the air over Jerusalem. “And back there a war's going on.”

Something in the distance burst into flames and fell to the earth in a fiery heap.

“War?” Sam said. “They're shooting down Operation Eagle helicopters?”

Mac smiled. “They're trying, but Rayford says they're only hitting each other.”