Shaken (9 page)

Fortunato praised Mac McCullum for “putting his body between the would-be assassins and myself.” Fortunato promised a ceremony honoring the pilots as heroes as soon as they had recuperated from their wounds.

“Why would Mac save Fortunato's life?” Lionel said.

“I can't wait to talk to him and get the inside scoop,” Judd said.

Vicki slept until late the next afternoon. She wanted to tell the others about Melinda. She went to the kitchen to get something to eat but found no one. The front room was empty as well. Finally, Vicki discovered a group of kids in the computer room. Mark was leading them in a review of all of Tsion Ben-Judah's Internet messages. Melinda was in the middle of the group, listening intently.

Mark welcomed Vicki, and Melinda beamed. “I asked to hear some of those messages again,” Melinda said. “I think a lot of it went over my head the first time, but now it's making more sense.”

Janie walked by and spotted Vicki. She yawned and said, “So, you're back. Great.”

Melinda stepped forward. “I did it, Janie. I finally became a believer. You should too.”

Janie shook her head. “Just what I need. Another Holy Roller who wants to sign me up.” Janie looked at Vicki.

“You guys don't quit, do you?”

Vicki bit her lip and kept quiet.

“You know the mark they've talked about?” Melinda said. “It's real. As soon as I finished praying, I saw it on Vicki's forehead.”

“Sure you did,” Janie said. She looked at the others and cursed. “Don't you think it's bad enough that we get stung by the worst-looking creatures ever to fly over the earth? Now you scare this girl into joining your little religious club.”

“I don't believe this,” Vicki muttered.

“It didn't happen that way,” Melinda said. “I asked God to forgive me, and he did. He loves you, and he wants—”

Janie held up a hand. “Give it a rest. Haven't you seen all the people dying around the world? You think a loving God would allow that?”

“He's trying to get your attention,” Melinda said.

“No. He's not there or he'd do something about all this. The only person you can trust right now is Nicolae Carpathia.”

Melinda stood, a frightened look on her face. She went to the window.

“What is it?” Mark said.

“Something outside … I was right. There they are.”

A herd of horses stood on the other side of the river. The riders looked toward the schoolhouse. Suddenly, a few of the horses moved over the water.

“They're coming!” Melinda gasped.

Janie looked out the window. “Who's coming? I don't see anything.”

“We have to get her downstairs!” Melinda said. “It's her only hope.”

Vicki reached for Janie, but the girl jerked away. “You're not taking me down there!”

Melinda grabbed Janie's arms and held them behind her. Janie struggled to get free, but Mark and Conrad grabbed her legs. Together they rushed the screaming girl down the stairs and into the lowest chamber of the schoolhouse.

Vicki watched in horror as the horses and riders moved effortlessly across the surface of the river. It was like seeing a horror movie. The riders didn't speak. They simply stared at the schoolhouse. The horses snorted smoke, but no fire. Vicki heard coughing and screaming below and rushed downstairs.

“She's having a hard time breathing!” Mark yelled. “Bring some wet cloths.”

Vicki ran to the kitchen and found some towels and ran them under the water faucet. She jumped back as a horse stuck its lionlike head in the window. It gnashed its teeth and snarled.

Vicki took the cloths below. Janie grabbed them from her and put them over her mouth. The smoke had penetrated the walls of the house. The kids could see it, but they couldn't smell it.

Janie's tongue stuck out of her mouth as she coughed. It was clear the girl wouldn't last long if the smoke continued.

“We have to do something,” Vicki said. She rushed upstairs and onto the balcony.

Lenore stood holding Tolan close to her chest.

“They're huge,” she whispered, “just like you said.”

A ring of horses had circled the house. The rider in front of Vicki was right at eye level. She stared into the horseman's face. The being seemed angry and determined. He wore a brightly colored breastplate that gleamed in the sun. This small detachment of the demon army was there to destroy another unbeliever.

Vicki mustered her courage and spoke. “Leave this place now! In the name of Jesus Christ, the almighty God, I command you to leave.”

The horseman's face was dark, like a bottomless pit. He turned and looked at Vicki, and she saw the monstrous, evil face with sharp teeth and a look that defied description.

Vicki turned away and closed her eyes.
Father, I ask you to send these things away. If they stay, there's no way Janie will ever become a believer. Please, have mercy on her and make these things leave
.

Suddenly, the horse reared and waved its hooves in the air. Fire shot from its nostrils and soared over the roof of the schoolhouse. The fire fell like molten lava on the ground, burning trees and bushes. The schoolhouse was unharmed.

The horseman controlled the demon animal and glared at Vicki. He didn't say anything, but he seemed to communicate with the others that it was time to leave. They turned from the house and followed the river until they were out of sight.

Janie had inhaled some of the foul-smelling smoke, but she was still alive when Vicki reached her. They brought her upstairs and tried to help her breathe. When she stopped coughing and gagging, she asked, “What happened?”

Melinda began to answer, but Vicki held up a hand. “Just rest and we'll talk about it later.”

Downstairs, Melinda looked confused. “Don't you want her to believe?”

“I do,” Vicki said, “but her heart is hard. I don't know what else God could do to soften it, but I know if we go in there and try to tell her some cosmic horsemen made her cough, she's going to laugh and say we're making it up.”

“It took me a while to realize the truth,” Melinda said. “Maybe she just needs a little more time.”

“Which is what we don't have,” Mark said. He called everyone together in the computer room. “I just got a message from Carl in Florida. He says the GC is going ahead with their plans for the satellite schools. A special order was sent out yesterday to the directors of the project to have their centers ready for students within the week.”

“All this death and devastation and they're starting a school?” Lenore said.

“Carl said they want to put their own spin on what's going on.”

Shelly shook her head. “A third of their classes are going to be gone before the horsemen get done.”

“We need to figure out a plan about the school nearest us,” Conrad said.

Mark scratched his chin. “Yeah, but there's something else Carl said that worries me.”

Vicki looked over Mark's shoulder as he read the email out loud.
“I told you that part of the reason the GC is starting these schools is to identify possible recruits for their Morale Monitors. Now they have something new brewing. I haven't been able to find out exactly what it is, but I'm positive it won't be good for believers.”

Vicki wondered what new things the GC could dream up to hurt believers. If Tsion Ben-Judah was right, the next few years were going to be anything but easy for those who followed Christ.

Judd slowly came out of his shell over the next few days. He went to Sam and sat with him for a few hours, not saying a word.

Finally, the boy opened up and talked about his father. “It feels like my prayers were wasted,” Sam said. “I prayed so hard for him. What went wrong?”

“God wants people to know him, but he gives us a choice. You and I chose to accept God's gift. Your dad rejected it.”

“I picture my father suffering now. I wish I could take his place.”

Judd knelt by Sam. “This is going to hurt for a long time, but you're not responsible for your dad's choice. The only person God holds you responsible for is you. You can pray and plead with others, but it's their decision.”

Sam nodded and thanked Judd. “You're right about it taking a long time. I can't imagine not feeling this ache in my heart.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Judd watched the news reports about the horsemen. Lionel, Sam, and the others gathered around when the ceremony was held in honor of Captain Montgomery (Mac) McCullum and Mr. Abdullah Smith. Leon Fortunato took the stage in front of thousands and explained that the attempt on his life was actually a planned assassination of Nicolae Carpathia.

“However, while the gunmen succeeded in destroying the plane and killing four staff personnel, heroic measures by both the pilot and first officer saved my life. The assassins died as a result of the immediate response by Global Community Peacekeeping Forces.”

Judd noticed a slight smile on Mac's face as Leon talked.

“Is Abdullah a believer as well?” Mr. Stein asked.

“I think Mac mentioned that he was,” Judd said.

Fortunato introduced Nicolae Carpathia. “We honor these brave men today. In the face of overwhelming odds and much firepower, these two put their lives on the line for the good of the Global Community. On behalf of the loyal citizens of the Global Community, I thank you.”

The crowd went wild as Mac and Abdullah stepped forward and shook hands with the potentate. “I present you now with the Golden Circle, the prize for valor, with thanks.” Carpathia stood back, beaming.

As they watched the coverage, Judd scanned through other news he had missed. He sat up straight when he came upon information about a plane crash. It had been reported some time ago, but it still made him nearly sick to his stomach as he read it aloud.

“ ‘A large private aircraft has crashed off the coast of Portugal. The plane's lone passenger was Hattie Durham, former personal assistant to Global Community Potentate Nicolae Carpathia. The pilot, Samuel Hanson of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of North America, is also presumed dead.'”

“That's the Hattie we know, right?” Lionel said. Judd nodded. “I have to talk to Mac about this.”

9

JUDD
dialed Mac's secure phone later that night.

Mac answered and said, “Is that you, Rayford?”

“It's Judd Thompson, Mr. McCullum.”

“Hey, what a surprise! You guys finally make it to Israel?”

Mac grew silent as Judd explained what had happened to Nada and her family. Judd choked up twice as he recounted the events, but he finally got through it. Telling it to Mac was difficult, but it felt good for someone on the adult Trib Force to know what was going on.

“Well, I'm sure sorry to hear about Nada. She was a good kid. I admired her courage. We need more people like her. I'll ask Rayford and the others to pray for you and her family.”

“I'd appreciate that, sir.”

“It must be doubly tough after what happened to that Rudja guy.”

“Pavel's dad?” Judd said. “What happened?”

“I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Something must have gone haywire at the funeral for his son. The GC kept it quiet, but they were hunting him for a couple of days afterward. They finally got a tip from one of his friends. Seems the guy was trying to tell him the truth about God and his friend ratted him out.”

“Where is Mr. Rudja now?”

“They arrested him and charged him with rebellious acts against the Global Community. He's in prison with a life sentence.”

Judd shook his head. He told Mac about Pavel's funeral. “You can bet he's leading even more people to faith inside that prison.”

“You got that right,” Mac said.

“I called because I have a couple questions. The first is about Hattie Durham. Is it true she died in a plane crash?”

Mac sighed. “That was a big GC ruse. We think she's alive. Rayford said Hattie was ticked when she left the States. She's after Carpathia.”