The Countering

by Patrick Higgins

  “Back home?”

  “Yes. You and Jacquelyn need to travel to Chicago today and check into a hotel somewhere in the vicinity of O’Hare Airport. You’ll receive further instructions tomorrow morning on where to go and so forth.”

  “You can’t be serious!” The old Brian Mulrooney wasn’t the spontaneous type. He would never leave town on merely a moment’s notice. Something like this had to be planned weeks in advance.

  “As a heart attack. Come on, Brian, where’s your sense of adventure? I promise you it’s a can’t-miss moment. Not only does it line up with your dream, if you don’t go, it’ll end up costing me ten grand.”

  “Ten-grand? What do you mean?”

  “The cost to attend is five thousand dollars per person. I’m sure you and Jacquelyn don’t have that kind of money laying around. Am I right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fear not, brother, I already paid your admission fee. Jacquelyn’s too. Money’s already been wired. So, no excuses. But you’re responsible for all other expenses.”

  “I’m speechless, Charles. Ten G’s is a lot of money. You don’t even know Jacquelyn.”

  “Yeah, well, can’t take it with you, right?”

  “I suppose so.”

  “So, are you coming?”

  “How could I refuse now?” Funny thing was, Brian was enjoying this newly discovered spontaneity. Attacking each day with reckless abandon was exhilarating, even in these crazy times.

  “Great. Just don’t be late.”

  “Jacquelyn’s eager to meet you. Will we see you at the hotel?”

  “I won’t be in Chicago. Remember your dream?”

  “Oh, right. Where will you be then?”

  “That’s all I can say for now. Tomorrow you’ll know more.”

  “Got it.”

  “Want me to call Jacquelyn, or do you want to do it?”

  “Would it be okay if I called her, Charles?”

  “By all means. Just be careful what you say. Never know who’s listening.”

  “Check.”

  “How long will it take to get to Chicago from there?”

  “Roughly five hours.”

  “Well then, you’d better get a move on, Safe travels, Brian. Keep fighting the Good fight. Pray for me as I pray for you. God is with us.”

  “That’s the second time you said that to me!”

  “Get used to it. You’ll be hearing it a lot. The next few years are gonna be rough. But at least we have each other. And we know who wins in the end, right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Call me once you and Jacquelyn are on the road.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Just as Calloway was about to end the call, Brian said, “Charles?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it. Talk to you later...”

  The call ended.

  Jacquelyn Swindell was at home reading the Word of God when the phone rang. Seeing it was Brian, her face lit up. “Hi Brian!”

  “What are you doing this weekend?”

  “Nothing. Why?”

  “You are now. Pack a suitcase. We’re going to Chicago.”

  “What?” Jacquelyn felt her heart rate accelerate.

  “Don’t ask any questions on the phone. Just know it’s about the dream we both had...”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “I kid you not. The bad news is that it costs five-thousand dollars each to attend...”

  “What?!”

  “The good news is my friend Charles paid for both of us.”

  Jacquelyn’s head started spinning. “What can I say? My mind’s blown!”

  “Mine too. I know it’s crazy! But it’s also exciting! After the investment Charles just made in our futures, how could I say no? I’m scheduled to work this weekend, but I’m calling out sick.”

  Jacquelyn sighed. “What will I tell my parents?”

  “Don’t tell them anything. It’s not like you’re neighbors. You can still call or text them from the Windy City without them knowing you’re there.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  “I, on the other hand, must think of something to tell Renate. Otherwise she’ll call my cell phone all weekend and camp out at my apartment until I come home. I’ll think of something. In the meantime, how much time do you need to be ready?”

  “At least an hour.”

  “It’s eight-fifteen now. Will ten work for you?”

  “That’ll give me plenty of time.”

  “Okay, see you then. Oh, and Jacquelyn?”

  “Yes?”

  “Keep fighting the Good fight. Pray for me as I pray for you. God is with us. See you soon.”

  The call ended.

  Jacquelyn stared at her phone and smiled. How did he know I needed to hear that? She blinked it away. Time to get packing!

  “I CAN’T TELL YOU where I’m going. Sorry.”

  Renate scrunched her nose, “Why not?”

  “I just can’t,” Brian said firmly.

  “May I at least know what it’s in reference to?”

  “Sorry, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

  Silence hung thick in the air until Renate finally said, “Why can’t you tell me, Brian Mulrooney? What’s gotten into you?”

  “I pray someday I can share it with you, Renate. Please try to understand.”

  “How can I possibly understand when it makes no sense? This is insane! Are you going on a religious retreat or something?”

  Brian remained silent.

  Renate went on, “Who’s going with you on this religious retreat?” The room grew icy cold. “That’s what I thought,” Renate said, anger rising in her voice. “I need to go now. Hope you and Jacquelyn have a safe trip together.”

  “It’s not like that, Renate.” Brian winced. His intention wasn’t to hurt her. “So, I’ll call you when I get back.”

  “Don’t bother! Just leave me alone, Brian Mulrooney!” Renate ended the call and burst out in tears.

  Now more than ever, Renate McCallister was convinced that she’d never be able to pull her boyfriend away from Jacquelyn Swindell.

  After a good cry, she was consumed with a thought. Hmm, get pregnant with Rachel?

  It suddenly sounded like the perfect thing to do...

  24

  THE NEXT DAY

  IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MORE than 300 people gathered for the formation of the End Times Salvation Movement. The fact that Clayton Holmes and Travis Hartings were in Atlanta made the southern city The Location, so to speak.

  Everything would be choreographed from there. Each of the 250 locations had identical itineraries even down to the music. Respect for time zones was ignored in favor of total synchronization.

  The meeting began in earnest with much song and prayer. At present, they were singing, “It Is Well With My Soul…”

  To have 25,000 voices all praising God at the same time, from every corner of the globe, was amazing to behold.

  Though the songs were sung in many different languages, since God’s wisdom transcended all borders and barriers, each word was understood by the Most High with perfect clarity

  Because of their vast knowledge of the Scriptures, hundreds of pastors, elders, deacons, and frequent churchgoers were invited to attend. Like all other false converts prior to the Rapture, it took something so cataclysmic and traumatic to finally open their eyes to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  Dozens of scientists, mathematicians, physicists, medical doctors, nurses and dentists, were also invited and expected to assume top positions within the organization. But like everyone else, they first had
to pass various personality and aptitude tests, plus be tested on their overall managerial skills to see who was best qualified to do what.

  Charles Calloway was happy, though not overly surprised, to see the waiter who’d served him orange juice at Denny’s Restaurant, not to mention Purnima Rushi from the hotel among the gathering in Atlanta. It only made sense; they were members before he was...

  Meanwhile, Brian Mulrooney and Jacquelyn Swindell were in Chicago, Illinois, with 450 other believers. Both marveled that it was the exact place they saw in their dreams.

  As instructed, they checked into separate rooms at a hotel not too far from O’Hare International Airport. After a quick meal at a local Mexican restaurant, they read the Bible together in Brian’s room until around midnight.

  Like all other invitees, they were awakened at 5 a.m. CST, via encrypted text message, and given the address of the meeting location. They were instructed to be there no later than 8 a.m. If they were even one minute late, they’d be turned away.

  They were also instructed to be extremely vigilant while en route, and on the constant lookout for any possible spies. Though precautionary, it would be good practice for the future.

  Upon arriving at the church, like everyone else, they were patted down by security guards to ensure they weren’t in possession of handguns, knives, cell phones, netbooks, laptops, or any other hidden recording devices.

  All attendees were instructed to leave those things at home or in their hotel rooms. If found, which sometimes was the case, they were confiscated and would be returned to each rightful owner once the meeting came to a close.

  Anyone caught smuggling those things would be red-flagged and written up for it. Only those chosen as hosts were permitted to bring laptops and cell phones, for interaction with other locations, or in case a problem arose and they needed to contact Atlanta immediately.

  Many of the songs sung were new to Brian and Jacquelyn. Nevertheless, they sang with voices emanating unwavering belief. Arms lifted high above their heads, they shouted the life-affirming lyrics as they were projected on two separate screens.

  That is, when they weren’t forced to their knees or on their faces completely prostrate before their Maker.

  The praise and worship session lasted nearly two hours. In all, 20 songs were offered up to Yahweh God.

  They ended with Glory In The Highest. The Holy Spirit flooded each heart and soul.

  It was time to get down to business. So much needed to be accomplished over the next two days. Like any large group, in order to be successful, they needed strong leadership and top-notch organization. Without the two, failure was imminent.

  With Atlanta, Georgia being The Location, all satellite transmissions would be generated from the Deep South. The only exception would be during church service the following day. Three speakers were scheduled to preach from three different continents.

  Other than that, the spotlight would remain on Atlanta, albeit an invisible spotlight.

  At least they hoped so...

  As it turned out, Charles was asked by Clayton Holmes to open the session in prayer before introducing Clayton as the first speaker. It was just as Brian and Jacquelyn had both seen in their dreams.

  How awesome that God’s using our dreams to bring us all together? Calloway thought. Simply remarkable!

  Dressed in one of his best suits, Calloway approached the lectern feeling a little nervous, which was very uncharacteristic of him. “Greetings fellow believers!”

  In unison, and in real time, 25,000 people from all over the world greeted him back in their native tongues. Some were still drying their eyes from the praise and worship segment.

  Though Calloway could only hear the voices in Atlanta, knowing it was happening simultaneously, on a global scale, filled him with great joy.

  “My name’s Charles Calloway. Prior to the Rapture, success was my god. I placed my business above all other things, including God. Like many of you here who were raised in the Church, I lost my entire family, including my wife and five children. My daddy was even a preacher.”

  Calloway grimaced. Pointing to the scar on his forehead, he said, “This is the first post-Rapture battle scar I received. It happened in the backseat of a taxicab in New York City, when life was forever changed for all of us. It’s a scar my family never got to see…”

  A teardrop formed in his eyes. “Compared to the many inner scars I’ve gotten since, the worst is knowing I missed being part of the Church Age with my family. Don’t get me wrong, I’m eternally grateful to God for the second chance I’ve been given. To be rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Light is the greatest of all blessings.”

  Charles sighed. “But just knowing I’ll never be part of the Bride of Christ, with my precious wife and kids, fills me with great sorrow. I can’t tell you how much I struggle with this thorn in my side. I keep clinging to what our Lord told the Apostle Paul about His grace being sufficient. While nothing can replace my family in Heaven, God has blessed me with a new family. Being here with each of you strengthens me greatly.”

  A chorus of “Amens” was shouted at each location.

  Calloway took a deep breath and exhaled. “Let us pray.”

  After a rather lengthy prayer, he said, “Now, it is my distinct honor and great privilege to introduce our first speaker. While most of you don’t know me, there isn’t a person in attendance who doesn’t know this man. At least his voice! Had it not been for him and his partner, we wouldn’t be here now.” Charles smiled warmly. “Would you please help me welcome Mister Clayton Holmes!”

  Everyone at each location rose as one to give him a rousing ovation. Dressed in a dark suit and red power tie, the 49-year-old 6'5" dark-skinned giant of a man smiled from ear to ear. But there was this razor-sharp focus about him.

  “Greetings, fellow believers! What an honor it is to be here! Though I can only see the group standing before me, I know my words are reaching the far corners of the Earth. Some of you had to hurdle many financial obstacles to be here. And many of you are forced to participate underground. In fact, roughly fifteen percent of the two-hundred and fifty locations are underground.

  “This is the first and perhaps last time we’ll ever gather like this. The freedom we have now, limited as it is, won’t remain available much longer. Even now we’re taking a big risk. Once we appear on Salvador Romanero’s radar, which will happen at some point, it’ll be impossible to meet like this,” Holmes said, in the deep, booming voice everyone knew quite well from the website.

  “By no means is this a two-man show. I need to thank the many men and women who’ve worked tirelessly the past couple of months to make this day possible. Although I can’t call each of you by name, Travis and I want y’all to know we’re grateful for the valiant effort you’ve put forth. Without it, we wouldn’t be here now. Thanks, so much.”

  “To the many security guards protecting each location, good job, fellas,” Holmes declared, giving a thumbs-up gesture. “And speaking of security: brothers and sisters, though I apologize for the inconvenience, airtight security measures will remain in effect throughout the weekend. So you can expect to be patted down by security guards whenever you come and go. Until we get to know each other better, it has to be this way.”

  “With the peace treaty signing just weeks away, we haven’t a moment to waste! As each of you know, we’re about to enter into the worst time our planet will ever encounter. Not only will we suffer God’s twenty-one trumpet judgments, we’ll also suffer great persecution because we belong to Jesus. In short, many, perhaps even most of us, will be killed in the next seven years.”

  Holmes grimaced, “Which is why we must put solid plans in motion now that will allow some of us to survive after our faith becomes i
llegal.”

  Each location grew eerily silent.

  “But let not your hearts be troubled. While our enemies in the flesh will be sentenced to eternal damnation, we’ll spend eternity comforted by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Despite the persecution we will surely face, never forget we win in the end!

  “When our Redeemer returns in seven years, to be hailed ‘King of kings and Lord of lords,’ He’ll wipe every tear from our eyes, declaring us fit to spend eternity with Him in glory! Let us give praise to Him who is seated at the Right Hand of God.”

  Everyone cheered wildly.

  Clayton Holmes looked out at the gathering of 300 in Atlanta and continued, “As I’m sure you can imagine, we have a full docket for this weekend. Today will be spent studying everything written in the Word of God pertaining to these perilous times we’re living in. Understanding these verses inside and out will give us perhaps the only advantage we’ll ever have over the enemy.

  “Needless to say, it’ll be a long day. Tomorrow won’t be any easier. After church service, aside from recapping everything we’ll learn today, everyone will be subjected to personality and aptitude testing. Bottom line: we need to get to know each other extremely well.

  “Before the Rapture, separation among God’s people was so fierce at times that it severely damaged the Church. In many circles, brothers and sisters persecuted one another simply because they came from different denominations. If we are to be effective in winning multitudes to Christ, this nonsense must cease at once!

  “No longer are we Baptists, Pentecostals, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists. We’re Christ followers, period! By becoming one, though our time is short, we’ll be more effective than our predecessors in reaching the world for Christ. Amen?”

  “Amen!”

  “Now, before the satellite transmission’s turned off, I want us all to read Revelation chapter seven, verses nine and ten together. I know you’re familiar with these two verses by now. Travis and I believe they represent the John three-sixteen of this era.