Arrived (37 page)

Lionel was shaking when he made it back to the line. He found a small hole in the front of his shirt and one the same size in the back.

36

CONRAD
Graham awoke a little after 6 a.m. in Palos Hills, Illinois, wiped the sleep from his eyes, and hit the light button on his watch. He had wanted to stay up the whole night, but fatigue had set in a little after 2 a.m. He had been praying for his friends, praying against the Unity Army of Carpathia, and praying for those who still hadn't believed in Jesus.

They'll believe soon, one way or the other
, he thought.

Enoch Dumas slept on the musty mattress in the corner, and his heavy breathing filled the room. Conrad picked up the jacket he had draped over himself and quietly tiptoed upstairs. He had told Shelly he would meet her at six thirty.

As Conrad stepped into the morning chill and darkness, he thought about his brother, Taylor. Taylor had hated everything Carpathia stood for and lost his life trying to work against the GC. However, Taylor had been killed without ever trusting God.

That fact had haunted Conrad the past few years. No matter how many people he helped understand the truth or how many people he prayed with, there was always a shadow of regret. He would never meet Taylor again, never hear his laugh or relive old times.

Shelly met Conrad at the door of the old house where she lived with several others from the Young Tribulation Force. She gave him a hug and said she hadn't slept the whole night. “Darrion and I just kept looking at the sky and asking God to come back before daybreak, but nothing's happened.”

Conrad whispered what Enoch had said the night before, and they went downstairs. Several candles lit the meeting room, and Conrad smiled at the familiar people. Darrion. Ty and his sister, Tanya. Janie. Melinda.

Charlie walked into the room yawning, followed by Phoenix, who padded up to Conrad and licked his hand. “How's Mr. Enoch doing?” Charlie asked Conrad.

“Sleeping right now,” Conrad said. “Before he fell asleep he told me to remind everybody that we're meeting at the mall at eight.”

“I wouldn't miss that,” Charlie said.

“What time is it over there?” Melinda said.

“I think it's early afternoon in Jerusalem,” Shelly said. “Two or three? I wonder how Judd and Vicki are.”

Darrion switched off a handheld television. “GCNN reports total victory in the Old City, if you can believe anything they say.”

“Is that where Judd and Vicki are?” Charlie said.

Shelly put a hand on Charlie's shoulder. “They'll be okay. Judd and Vicki know how to take care of themselves.”

Charlie sighed. “I've been praying for them all night.”

“Maybe we should do that now,” Janie said. “Everybody, grab hands.”

Conrad bowed his head and thanked God that Jesus was coming back. “Please make it today, Lord.”

Vicki cradled Judd's head in her lap as her tears fell on his face. He had struggled to carry her and then fell when they reached the transport truck.

There were few believers on the truck, mostly rebels with chalky white skin. Vicki guessed they had lived underground the past few years since Carpathia's mark had been required.

One believer had helped her scoot near Judd. “Your friend is knocked out. He should be coming around soon.”

But Judd didn't awaken during the ride or when the truck reached the remains of Teddy Kollek Stadium. The GC had set up a command post there and brought many of their prisoners to the infield area. The once beautiful structure now had a gaping hole in one side where the prisoners were led. No one was in handcuffs. There were too many of them, and besides, anyone who tried to run was shot.

The believer who had helped Vicki carried her from the truck as GC soldiers dropped Judd on a grassy area. The believer placed Vicki beside Judd.

People filled the stadium infield, and the scene was like some horror movie. Those bloodied from battle stared through vacant eyes. Unity Army troops watched for any reason to shoot.

Vicki looked around the stadium, remembering the sight from Tsion Ben-Judah's televised meetings a few years earlier. Tsion had spoken to thousands of Jewish evangelists who had traveled the world spreading the message of Jesus. The two witnesses, Moishe and Eli, had walked through this very infield. And Nicolae Carpathia had made an appearance onstage. Now, like the rest of the world, Teddy Kollek Stadium was crumbling.

A uniformed man with several bars on his shoulders approached a group of soldiers who snapped to attention.

“Yes, sir, Commander Fulcire,” one of the soldiers said.

Vicki focused on the commander's face. This was the same man who had chased the kids in Wisconsin and executed Mark and Natalie Bishop.

The commander had been the top dog back in the United North American States. Now, at the moment of the biggest battle in history, Fulcire was on guard duty.

Vicki felt Judd's neck for a pulse. It was there. He was still breathing. “Hang in there,” she whispered, her hair touching Judd's face. “It won't be long until we see our Lord face-to-face.”

Conrad and the others in the Young Trib Force gathered with Enoch's group behind the shopping mall just before eight in the morning. People listened to Enoch's teaching, looking at the sky, some frowning.

Conrad wondered whether or not it was safe for this many people to gather in broad daylight. It was true that the GC had scaled back their Peacekeepers in the area. Most had been shipped to the Middle East. But citizens loyal to Nicolae Carpathia received cash for every unmarked citizen they captured or killed, and Conrad felt antsy. When Enoch suggested they move to the inner court of the empty mall, he felt better.

Enoch took a flurry of questions from the group.

Charlie started it all by asking, “When's it gonna happen?”

Enoch said he believed today was the day, then was interrupted by a woman in the back holding a tiny TV. “Look like somebody done took over the GC's airwaves again. That Micah guy runnin' things at Petra is gonna speak about what comes next.”

Darrion and some others pulled out their little TVs.

“Should we listen, Brother Enoch?” the woman said. “Will you be offended?”

“Hardly,” Enoch said, taking out his own TV. “What could be better than this? Dr. Rosenzweig is a scholar's scholar. Let's have church.”

“Why don't we line up the TVs on that bench and turn up the volume so everyone can hear?” Conrad said.

“Wonder what old Nicolae thinks of this broadcast,” Darrion said.

Dr. Rosenzweig was just beginning when they turned up the volume. He sat at a table with a Bible open before him.

“I speak to you tonight probably for the last time before the Glorious Appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ the Messiah,” Chaim said. “He could very well come during this message, and nothing would give me greater pleasure. When he comes there will be no more need for us to fight Antichrist and his False Prophet. The work will have been done for us by the King of kings.

“But as he did not return seven years to the minute from the signing of the covenant between Antichrist and Israel, many are troubled and confused.”

Chaim continued, saying he believed Jesus would return before midnight, Israel Time. Then he spoke to those who had not accepted Jesus as Messiah.

Conrad moved closer to the tiny screens when a Web site address appeared beneath Dr. Rosenzweig. Anyone making a decision for Christ was asked to let Chaim know about it.

Dr. Rosenzweig read from Matthew 24 and explained what he believed would come next. “This
is
the last day of the Tribulation that was prophesied thousands of years ago! Today is the seventh anniversary of the unholy and quickly broken covenant between Antichrist and Israel. What is next? The sun, wherever it is in the sky where you are, will cease to shine. If the moon is out where you are, it will go dark as well because it is merely a reflection of the sun. Do not fear. Do not be afraid. Do not panic. Take comfort in the truth of the Word of God and put your faith in Christ, the Messiah.”

Conrad was thrilled when Chaim turned to Zechariah and read prophecy written hundreds of years before Jesus' birth.

Then the man leaned forward, looked into the camera, and spoke. “One of our first-century Jews, Peter, said, ‘Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' I cannot choose more appropriate words than his when I speak to fellow Jews, saying, ‘People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him. However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip.

“ ‘King David said this about him: “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.”

“ ‘Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah. David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave.

“ ‘This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

“ ‘So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!'

“Beloved,” Chaim raced on, “the Bible tells us that ‘Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” '

“Do you find yourself asking the same today? I say to you as Peter said to them, ‘Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.'

“Oh, children of Israel around the globe, I am being signaled that our enemy is close to wresting back control of this network. Should I be cut off, trust me, you already know enough to put your faith in Christ as the Messiah.”

Chaim closed by reading a prophecy from Isaiah 53 given more than seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.

Conrad wondered how many watching had responded to the man's appeal.

37

LIONEL
watched in awe as the sun dipped toward the horizon. He had never seen such a sight. Throughout the day, the sky had been clear. Now, fluffy marshmallow-like clouds seemed to appear, one after another, moving quickly above him.

After the incident in the desert, Sam and Lionel asked Zeke for a break and Zeke agreed. Sam and Lionel moved back into camp and ate their evening meal. When Mr. Stein joined them, Sam explained all that had happened.

Mr. Stein saw the fear in Sam's eyes. “The Lord has protected us these past few years,” he said, smiling. “Why would you think it would be different now?”

“We've never gone up against that before,” Sam said, pointing to the vast army.

“But look at that,” Mr. Stein said, gesturing to the sky. The clouds had formed a canopy above them, and the reflection of the orange sun took their breath away. “Your outlook needs an up-look. Any God who could create that masterpiece should be trusted with your life, don't you think?”