The Countdown Begins

by Patrick Higgins

  “Many heads shook all throughout the sanctuary. I asked if they found it as interesting as I that there was no mention in the text of a single Pope being exalted or worshiped alongside Jesus?

  “This caused the three men to grow even more fidgety. I said if they were true vicars of Christ, wouldn’t they be exalted in Heaven as well? Wouldn’t the Disciple John have seen them in his vision and included them in the text? I believe he would have. But he didn’t. And for good reason.

  “In fact, there’s no mention of any Popes in the Book of Revelation. At least not in a good way. If, by chance, some are in Heaven, it’s only because they trusted in Jesus like all other redeemed souls had. Nothing more. Being Pope had nothing to do with their being part of the Body of Christ. If anything, it put distance between themselves and God.

  “I then brought to their attention that even Mary wasn’t being exalted in the text. I told them she was in Heaven not for bringing Jesus into the world, but for trusting in Him as Lord and Savior.

  “I referenced Luke chapter one for this. Seeing so many confused looks in the sanctuary stabbed at my insides, because it further confirmed the so-called gospel I preached all my life was a false one.

  “With a heavy heart I confessed the reason so many Catholics have become children of destruction was because of people like me. Instead of preaching Christ alone at mass, I taught Christ plus works plus many other things equated to one’s salvation. That’s when I broke down and couldn’t stop weeping for the longest time.”

  Mulrooney covered his mouth with his hands, “What a powerful testimony!”

  “I must say I was just as bold with them as you were with me last time.” Tom Dunleavey chuckled nervously. Beads of sweat were visible on his nearly bald forehead. “And that’s when the three men glared at me angrily and left the church without speaking to anyone.

  “The next day they came back revealing their true identities. After a lengthy reprimand, I was placed on administrative leave. It wasn’t so much the words they spoke that frightened me, but what I saw in their eyes. I thought they were going to arrest me or even worse...”

  Tom Dunleavey had this faraway look on his face. “Scared me so much I stayed in my personal quarters day and night reading the Word of God, until I got the email today. And here I am...”

  “Were you able to pack your personal belongings?”

  The former Catholic priest yawned and nodded yes. “Wasn’t much to pack, actually.”

  “Give me your car keys. I’ll get your things.”

  Tom Dunleavey didn’t protest. He was too drained to. Clearly, he was feeling the effects of the day. He handed Brian his keys, “You’ll find everything in the trunk.”

  “Be back in a jiffy. You’ve had a rough week. Take it easy. You’re safe here.”

  When Mulrooney returned he led his guest into the spare bedroom. “Sorry in advance for the full closets. My girlfriend, Renate, took this room hostage the day I moved in.” Brian sighed, “Soon-to-be former girlfriend, that is...”

  Tom Dunleavey looked at Brian strangely. “Renate?”

  Mulrooney laughed. “She’s the reason I stayed in Michigan all this time. Then came the Rapture. God changed my heart and everything in my former life came crumbling down. Then God led me to Jacquelyn. Guess you can say it was the beginning of my Luke twelve experience.”

  Tom Dunleavey suppressed another yawn, “Luke twelve experience?”

  “You know where Jesus said we’ll be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, et cetera, et cetera.”

  Tom Dunleavey pretended not to hear it. Not now, anyway. “The room’s just perfect. Thanks for taking me in. You’re a real godsend...”

  Brian sighed. “Sorry to say, brother, but I’m afraid all I can offer you is temporary shelter. I’ll be leaving Michigan soon.”

  Tom Dunleavey raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”

  “Pennsylvania. But that’s all I can tell you. Sorry.”

  “Interesting...”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I had another dream last night...”

  Mulrooney’s ears perked up. “What kind of dream?”

  “That you moved to a remote location far from Ann Arbor. Not sure where it was, but I’m certain it wasn’t in Michigan. I think you and Jacquelyn were married, because I vividly remember seeing you both wearing wedding rings. The two of you were placed in charge of a communal living place, or something like that. I remember seeing many cottages.”

  Brian’s eyes grew wide. “Really?” Is he ETSM worthy?

  “Yes. Coincidentally, much like the first dream I had, which led to our so-called spiritual showdown, this dream went on for three straight nights. The last one came last night. Then I woke today to the frightening email...”

  “Fascinating.” Brian wanted to press on, but his guest couldn’t stop yawning. It had been a long and stressful day. Time to call Charles! “Why don’t you rest, brother. We can continue this in the morning.”

  “Can we pray together first?” The desperation in Tom’s voice was overpowering.

  “I was just about to suggest the same thing.”

  At that, the two men dropped to their knees on the carpeted floor of the spare bedroom. They held hands and prayed to the God they both thought they knew as Catholics but never really did.

  Tom Dunleavey prayed for each member of his now-former church, by name, hoping they, too, had found safe passage. Even if they would never again worship under the same roof, he still felt responsible for them.

  When he was finished, Brian prayed that God would provide the necessary grace and strength for the members of Charles Calloway’s father’s church in Atlanta, especially Elder Stone.

  Finally, he prayed for Tamika Moseley. The way he cried out to God on her behalf—with such raw emotion—brought Tom Dunleavey to tears. He didn’t know this woman Brian was praying for but, whoever she was, she was obviously special to him.

  And Tom Dunleavey was right. Tamika was special to Brian! Not only were they good friends and family in Christ Jesus, she was the one God had used to connect him to Charles Calloway. That alone made her very important to him.

  When Brian was finished, both men wiped tears from their eyes.

  “Don’t know what I’d do without you, Brian.”

  “Likewise, brother.”

  Tom suppressed another yawn. “Now that I know I’m safe for the night, it’s like all the energy left my body.”

  “I’ll leave you alone so you can rest. See you in the morning.” Brian went to his bedroom and called Charles Calloway.

  “Hey, Brian,” Charles said softly.

  “Did I wake you?”

  “No. Still at the hospital with Deacon Stone. Been reading the Scriptures to him all night. He finally dozed off. Think I’ll spend the night here with him.”

  “How is he?”

  “Still in a lot of pain, but the Doc says his lungs are slowly clearing. When I arrived, the room was full of visitors from church. At Deacon Stone’s insistence, they were praying for the four thugs who burned the church to the ground. My heart warmed over hearing them praying like that.”

  “We just prayed for Deacon Stone. Tamika too.”

  “We, as in you and Jacquelyn?”

  “No. Remember my friend, the former Catholic priest?”

  “Tom Dunleavey?”

  “Yes. He’s on the run from the Catholic Church.”

  “What? Seriously?”

  “Yes. He thinks the Church wants him dead. He told me many Catholics have recently vanished, never to be heard from again.”

  “Haven’t heard anything about it in the news, or anything from Clayton or Travis...”

  “According to him, you won’t. Looks like he’ll be staying with me until I move to Pennsylvania. Anyway, he had another dream...”

  “What kind of dream, Brian?”

  “Our kind. He saw me and Jacquelyn far away from
Ann Arbor, Michigan in charge of a ‘commune’, to use his word. I believe God’s leading him to the ETSM.”

  “Your timing’s impeccable. I’m in the process of emailing Braxton Rice with the rest of the names from my father’s church, so they can be vetted. Would you like me to include brother Tom?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “It could take weeks before I hear back from Travis on this matter. But since brother Tom had our kind of dream, it puts him on the fast track. Many of the names I’m sending haven’t had dreams yet. Guess you can say they’ll be preemptively vetted, just in case.”

  “Let’s hope they have the dream soon.”

  “Amen to that.” Charles sighed. “When I think about what those cowards did to an elderly man, I can’t control my anger. Why couldn’t it have been me instead of Deacon Stone?” Calloway sniffled. “The items they destroyed in my father’s safe were the closest links I had to his preaching. They’re irreplaceable.”

  “I can only imagine how you feel, Charles. But never forget they can take your father’s things but they can never remove him from your memory.”

  “I know, Brian, but right now I feel nothing but hatred toward them.”

  “It sounds to me that Deacon Stone was the ultimate victim. Yet, he asked everyone to pray for his tormentors. I suggest you do the same. Never forget, if they don’t repent and trust in Jesus soon, they’ll end up eternally doomed. What can be worse than that?”

  “Thanks, Brian. I needed to hear that.”

  “Why don’t we pray now and ask God to remove the anger from your heart?”

  “Go ahead. I’ll listen. Don’t wanna wake Deacon Stone.”

  Both men closed their eyes and Brian began. This was something they did every night since meeting at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. They never missed a night since.

  Once Brian was finished, Charles Calloway whispered a simple “Amen” and the call ended.

  Mulrooney sat on the edge of his bed and took a few deep breaths, hoping the room would stop spinning soon. It was hard to believe that only a week had passed since the signing of the peace treaty, yet so much had happened in that short span of time.

  First it was the many hangings shown on live television, followed by the beheading of the crown prince of Spain—at a packed coliseum of all places—at the hands of his chief nemesis, Salvador Romanero.

  Then to see millions of American citizens on TV waiting in long lines to take advantage of Romanero’s relocation offer. Most interviewed couldn’t wait to denounce their citizenship as Americans and move to other countries. Millions had already been processed. Millions more were still waiting to be interviewed.

  All this as bombs kept pounding enemy cities. It was too much to absorb.

  Add into the mix the arson of Charles’ father’s church, not to mention Tom Dunleavey’s being on the run from the Catholic church for preaching the Truth, and it was easy to understand why the room was spinning!

  Brian knew this time was coming. He just hoped things would slow down a little, so he could catch his breath.

  How much worse could it get? Mulrooney knew the answer.

  This was only the beginning of what was still to come.

  Brian shivered at the thought...

  7

  TWO WEEKS LATER

  IN THE TWENTY-ONE DAYS since Salvador Romanero declared all borders temporarily open, nearly 600,000,000 citizens willingly denounced citizenship in the countries of their birth in order to relocate, making this, by far, the largest global population shift in the history of the world.

  Due to the overwhelming response, though the deadline was now upon them, millions still waited in long lines to be processed. Those who were smart began the tedious process of filling out forms and answering questions online. They got to wait in lines that moved more briskly before taking the oath of allegiance.

  That part needed to be done in person. No exceptions!

  Pregnant women didn’t have to wait in line at all. While their paperwork was being processed, they reclined indoors in total comfort until it was time to take the oath.

  The countless benefits to being pregnant inspired teenagers everywhere to want to experience what Romanero called, “the boundless joys of motherhood”.

  Suddenly getting pregnant was more-chic than going to college or climbing the extremely shaky corporate ladders of the world. And the benefits were infinitely better. Add to the fact that, like everyone else, they would receive free housing and food vouchers for up to one year—as part of Romanero’s relocation benefits package—and the decision to get pregnant was a no-brainer.

  Without giving it a second thought, scores of young women quit jobs and dropped out of high school and college, leaving many concerned parents in their wake, especially those who’d recently come to faith in Christ.

  These parents were fearful for their daughters and prayed that God would rescue them before it was too late. In many cases, they begged their offspring not to leave the countries of their birth.

  Most were unsuccessful.

  These parents loathed Salvador Romanero for separating what was left of their families but dared not badmouth the Miracle Maker publicly for fear that if their daughters—who were still kids themselves—confessed their parents’ hatred of Salvador Romanero during the interview process, it could mean death for them.

  In the United States of America alone, a staggering 70,000,000 citizens were among those seeking relocation to Canada, Mexico or halfway around the world.

  Not surprisingly, the largest demographic seeking relocation were Muslims, equating to 200,000,000. What was alarming to some was that many hardcore Middle Eastern Muslims—those vowing revenge on Salvador Romanero for the recent mishaps in Israel—chose to relocate to countries in the Western Hemisphere.

  But with everything moving so briskly, and with the deadline now upon them, there was no time to protest or challenge it.

  All in all, regardless of country, those relocating came from all walks of life and from most religious groups. Some did it to be with someone they’d met online halfway around the world. Others were living in countries illegally and wanted to move elsewhere without fear of incarceration.

  Some had lengthy criminal records. Some were drug addicts. Even low-level criminals were being released from prison for the sole purpose of relocating to other countries to begin life anew.

  In the end, one’s past mattered not. Morals and character weren’t nearly as important as accepting the terms set forth by the global community, namely Salvador Romanero.

  For those who were cash-strapped—the vast majority—having free food and housing for one year made this their big chance to finally experience life in other countries.

  What went unspoken but had actually made Romanero’s relocation benefits package feasible was that, because of the disappearances, many homes on the planet no longer had people living in them.

  As for the food, most would come from the various food banks around the world. But providing so much food to hundreds of millions of people, all at once, would prove foolish in the months to come...

  Most Americans who relocated said they did it because of President Danforth’s defiant opposition to Salvador Romanero.

  They detested him for it.

  Fearing bad things would soon happen to the United States, they didn’t want to still be around when it happened.

  When it came time to take the oath, instead of placing hands on the Holy Bible or the Quran, oath-takers raised one hand and placed the other on the documents they would sign after pledging their complete loyalty and total submission to Salvador Romanero and his one world government and religion.

  Once allegiance was sworn, the person taking the oath was asked, “Do you understand the terms set forth in the document upon which your left hand rests?”

  “I do,” was the standard reply.

  “Do you agree to all terms?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you understand that once relocatio
n has been granted, the penalty for disloyalty after agreeing to the terms will mean death for you? No exceptions!”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Congratulations! You are free to relocate. Once you arrive there, someone will be waiting to take you to your temporary housing. Enjoy your new life!”

  The entire oath-taking process was recorded and stored onto the computer system in Brussels, Belgium known as the Beast. So advanced was this system it had the capability of storing every detail on every person on the planet—including their complete DNA make up and the numbers of hairs on their heads—with the slightest of ease.

  Of the 200,000,000 Muslims taking the oath, half were nominal in their faith and were labeled as “secular” by hardcore Muslims. All they wanted was a better life for their families far away from the chaos invading their countries. If it meant forgoing what the Quran taught to achieve this goal, so be it.

  The other half were staunch jihadists in every sense of the word. With their nations under siege, if they had any hope of obtaining global domination, relocation was deemed necessary for now. It was vital, in fact.

  The required oath they’d made to Romanero’s one-world religion was as worthless as the paper on which their signatures were recorded. Islam was the only true religion. Everything else was pagan at best, advanced by enemy infidels.

  The fact that they’d lied in order to gain passage elsewhere meant nothing to them. They were taught it was okay to lie to the infidels if it served a greater purpose for the cause.

  With three of their venerated holy sites in Israel destroyed, and with Romanero vowing they would never be rebuilt, all that mattered to them now was revenge!

  Another major setback they faced was that some of their underground arsenals, stockpiled with massive amounts of chemical, biological and nuclear weaponry, were confiscated by Romanero’s forces or destroyed during the fierce bombing campaign.

  But as divine providence would have it, most of it went undetected and was still hidden deep beneath the Earth’s surface in remote areas far from their larger cities. They would remain buried until these Islamic jihadists were resettled and had ample time to reorganize.