Kingdom Come - The Final Victory (18 page)

“How many of you have seen a rainbow?”

All the children raised their hands.

“Then you have seen the hand of God, still keeping His promise thousands of years since He pledged it to me and my sons and our wives and all the animals.

“Would you believe that after the flood I lived three hundred and fifty more years? I am the oldest man you have ever seen, but if you trust in God and become the Lord’s child, you will never die. At the end of this Millennium, these thousand years, we shall enter heaven with God and with His Son, the Messiah. I want you all to be there with me. Will you come? Will you promise me, as God did?

“Who will be there with me? Who?”

And from here and there all over the acreage, children shouted, “I will! I will! Me too! I will!”

They stood and waved and jumped and yelled, and in the midst of it, Noah made his leave. As he walked through the masses back the way he came, the immense crowd seemed to part as the waters of the sea. No one touched him or even approached him. They just smiled and waved and cheered and applauded.

And as Noah left the place, Rayford heard him whisper, “All praise to the God of our fathers, who shares His glory with none other.”

KENNY
WILLIAMS
was not surprised that the rest of the day at
COT
was a write-off. Half the kids left with their parents, and the other half could do little else than jabber about getting to see the real Noah in the flesh and hear him tell his own story.

Kenny tried to get them to fashion model arks and line up toy animals, but these activities deteriorated into more fun and games. He was as excited as they were and had to wonder when things would get back to normal. And to think that other heroes of the faith were scheduled! Fortunately, no one knew when.

Ekaterina was no less wired as they walked home, unabashedly holding hands now, even in front of others. Kenny knew the news of their being an item would soon get around. When they reached her house, her parents clearly noticed but did not raise a brow or say a word. He would have to ask Kat the next day if anything was said after he left.

As they parted, Kenny asked Ekaterina whether she was still determined to ask for a transfer within
COT
.

“Yes,” she said, “but I won’t even try to get assigned with you. Not now.”

Kenny was conflicted all the way home. He had Noah and, of course, Kat on his mind, but he also had an urgent need to talk with Raymie. He called him and set a meeting for later that evening at Raymie’s place.

It was time for Abdullah to seriously seek the Lord. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t done that every day of his life since acknowledging his need of a Savior. But this whole Jordan assignment had him puzzled. He prayed with Yasmine. He prayed without her. He called his children and asked them to pray. No surprise to him, Bahira sympathized and promised to pray; Zaki wanted to counsel him. The boy had all the answers.

“Maybe God will work a miracle and blind them so they don’t see you as an old man . . . or, I mean, your age. Or maybe He’ll turn you into a shape-shifter so you can look like someone their age. What do you think?”

“I think I am still confused and would ask you again to fervently pray for me. I have to think that those of you who have been with God and Jesus in heaven have at least some sort of an advantage in communicating with Him. Please, for me.”

“But, Dad, I am in a little group that calls ourselves the Millennium Force, like you and your friends had in the olden days. We have an infiltrator into the
TOL
in Paris. Maybe he can be of help to you.”

“Maybe.”

Kids.

“He told her everything?” Raymie said, clearly piqued.

Kenny nodded solemnly. “I mean, she can be trusted. We’re going together now, and I trust her.”

“Going together? Since when?”

“Last night.”

“You know there are things you won’t be able to tell her, just because Qasim seems to have a big mouth.”

“I will keep all confidences, but of course the day may come when I would want to nominate her for inclusion into the Force.”

“Kenny, please. I’ve got half a mind to disband the whole thing. It’s getting out of control. Qasim is not even part of us, and I couldn’t have made that any clearer, yet here he is telling the Jospins that you’re some double agent, then telling a virtual stranger—at least to him—all about us and not even getting it right.”

“Ekaterina is not really a stranger to him. They have worked together at
COT
and were out last night when she told him.”

“Out where?”

“To dinner. At the bistro.”

“Hold on. I thought you said
you
and she were going together.”

“Right, well, their date sort of brought things to a head.”

“So last night she was out with him, and since last night she’s going with you.”

“I know how that sounds.”

“Apparently you don’t. Well, regardless, I’m pulling the plug on Qasim, no matter what Zaki says. We might as well be advertising on billboards if Qasim is going to be blabbing about us to everybody he knows.”

“And what if I hear from the Jospins?”

“What if you do?”

“If Qasim can be believed, they think I’m with them and working covertly at
COT
. Should I try to string them along?”

Raymie shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t like it. How hard would it be for them to learn how tight you are with your parents, who run the place? And what are you going to say if they ask about Qasim?”

The Ekaterina Kenny walked to work Monday morning was not the same one he walked home at the end of the day. The first was her bubbly, affectionate self who said her parents had noticed their affection for each other and were most excited. The latter Ekaterina was glum.

“I rarely see you this way, Kat,” he said. “Talk to me. Was your transfer request turned down?”

“No, it’s not that. I haven’t heard about that since I left it in your mother’s box.”

“Then what?”

“Oh, it’s just Qasim. I teased him about missing the biggest day
COT
ever had, and all he wanted was to keep bugging me about going out with him again.”

“What did you tell him? Or do I want to know?”

“I told him about us, of course. He couldn’t believe that could have happened so fast. He accused you of moving in on him, undercutting him as soon as you heard about our date. I assured him I had been friends with you before him and that we hadn’t even realized how we felt about each other until later.”

“I can’t blame him for being disappointed, Kat. I was too, when I heard you were going out with him.”

“I’ve never even had a boyfriend, and now I’ve got two fighting over me.”

“I’m not fighting. And I won’t. It seems to me you’ve made your choice.”

“Of course I have, but I didn’t expect it to become an issue with him. I guess I hoped he was a friend and would understand. Apparently not.”

“Well, when my mother talks to you about the transfer, that might be a good thing to mention. You can’t be trying to work with someone who’s upset with you.”

They reached her house and sat out front.

“That’s just it, Kenny. I can’t remember the last time I was out of sorts with a brother in Christ. I mean, really, it’s been around twenty years. I thought we were old enough to be past all that now.”

“Does it make you question his faith?”

“Of course it does, and I don’t want to feel that way. I just wish the transfer thing was over and done with so I wouldn’t have to face him tomorrow.”

“You want me to talk to my mother?”

“No! Kenny! How would that look?”

“Just asking. Offering.”

“I know, and thanks. But please don’t.”

“I wouldn’t without your permission.” He wanted to tell her that perhaps Raymie had already talked to Qasim and laid down the law about separating himself from the Millennium Force, but Kenny didn’t want to be guilty of the same loose tongue that had gotten Qasim in trouble.

He arrived home that evening to a computer message from Ignace Jospin.
Oh, great!

It read: “Glad to hear from our mutual friend of your continuing interest in our cause and your strategic positioning there. Attached is our manifesto, and we would appreciate any reports you can send that would be of value.”

How was Kenny supposed to respond to that?

“Good to hear from you,” he wrote. “Give me a few days.”

“Okay,” came the quick response, “but understand what we’re looking for: information on key individuals.”

He took a call from Bahira.

“Any idea what has Zaki so upset?” she said.

“Yeah, but you should probably talk to Raymie.”

“Just tell me, Kenny. We’ve known each other long enough, and I know Raymie trusts you and would expect you to tell me.”

And so he did.

“Well,” she said, “frankly I think dealing with Qasim is overdue. Not that Raymie didn’t try to stifle Qasim long ago. This is Zaki’s creation, a fiasco he could have fixed early. So do you get the impression that Qasim finally understands he’s not associated with us in any way?”

“I have no idea. I’m just guessing that Raymie has had the talk with him and that he’s complained to Zaki. Your brother’s mad?”

“Something’s got him wound up. I can only assume you’re right. You’re a good friend and brother, Kenny. And I hear good news about you.”

“You do?”

“Are you going to play coy or are you going to introduce me?”

“I’d be proud to, sister.”

The next day Chloe Williams was perusing her mail when she decided she would have to talk with Ekaterina Risto personally. Conflicting messages made what could have been a rubber-stamp transfer something she would have to examine carefully.

Ekaterina visited the office on her lunch break.

“Did you get a chance to eat?” Chloe said.

“No, but I’m fine.”

“Nonsense. I want you fully energized to keep up with these kids this afternoon. Have some bread and cheese.”

“Thank you.”

They ate together as they spoke. “Ekaterina, tell me in your own words why you want a transfer.”

“I guess I just want to be more on the front lines. I get chances to pray with kids in rec, but I’d rather be teaching them and worshiping with them for the whole day like some of the other departments do.”

“Like the one Kenny is in.”

“Right, but I assume you saw there that I specified I was not asking for or expecting to be working with him.”

“You don’t want to?”

Ekaterina flushed. “Well, frankly, yes, I’d love that. But I wouldn’t permit that if I were you, and I think Kenny and I both are resigned to the fact that that’s not going to happen.”

Chloe smiled. “You’re right. Now, how have things been going in rec, other than that you feel a little stifled on the ministry side?”

“Oh, very well. I did have a little issue with one of the guys who is more interested in me than I am in him. It would be good to be out of that awkward situation, but that’s not the real reason I want to be transferred. I’ve been straightforward with him, so I think he understands.”

“That’s good. But I do need to talk with you about a work report on you from your supervisor.”

“Mattie? She sent a report on me? A good one, I hope. We’ve gotten along great.”

“Actually, it’s a troubling one, Ekaterina.”

“I AM
EMBARRASSED
,” Abdullah Ababneh told Yasmine. “I believed I heard from the Lord—actually, I know I did—but I jumped to a very wrong conclusion.”

“Tell me,” she said as they sat down to lunch in their tiny apartment in Amman.

“He clearly called me to work among the people of the Other Light, and naturally I assumed this meant I was to work against them.”

“Of course. What are you saying?”

“Well, there is no way to counter them—at least this is what I thought—other than to infiltrate them. The Lord was quite specific that I was to talk to them directly.”

“I understand that would be difficult other than under an alias and in disguise.”

“Yet everywhere I turned, all I was told was that it was impossible—even from Zeke. If he couldn’t make it work, only the Lord could. And He has.”

“How long are you going to keep me in suspense, Abdullah? What has changed?”

“I suppose Jesus either got tired of seeing me running around and getting nowhere or was amused by it. Finally He made it plain to me during my morning prayer. Do you know what a chaplain is, Yasmine?”

“Well, certainly, I recall from the old days that some Christian groups or the military had spiritual leaders. We don’t have them now, of course, because we have priests and judges and the Lord Himself. . . .”

“And yet He is calling me to be a chaplain.”

“A chaplain to what? to whom?”

“To the people of the Other Light.”

Yasmine set down her bread and stared at him. “Abdullah, there are two reasons I am stifling my laughter. One, I know you do not like to be laughed at. And two, you say this came from the Lord Himself. How does a non-Christian—even anti-Christian—group have a chaplain? Why would they want one, and what would they do with—or to—him?”

“They will not lay a hand on me; I can assure you of that because the Lord has assured me. He promises to give me everything I need. Wisdom, knowledge, recall, words, and especially courage and confidence.”

“I am not following. What will you do?”

“You recall that during the Great Tribulation I became quite a student of prophecy and the Word of God near the end.”

“You have told me, yes. I have no doubt of your knowledge.”

“I am to use that, much as a pastor would.”

“To do what!?”

“I am to find out where
TOL
meets here in Amman. Frankly, I am not even sure they actually meet here yet. Perhaps the Lord led me here in advance of them simply because He knew they were coming. But once they are here, I am to find them and confront them, but not in a negative way.”

“No?”

“The Lord has assured me that He holds their destiny in His hands. They know whom they are opposing, and any criticism or warning will be no surprise to them; neither will it have any impact on their thinking. His new plan is at once both revolutionary and as old as the New Testament. I am to love them and treat them the way I would want to be treated.”