THE 13: STAND BOOK TWO

by ROBBIE CHEUVRONT

  “Here goes,” she said. “You sure about this?”

  Farid nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Let’s do it.”

  They walked to the side door by the steps at the rear of the building, where all the senators, congressmen, and congresswomen entered the building. Just as she figured, an older, overweight man holding a greasy sandwich sat behind the guard desk.

  “Can I help you?” the man said, completely uninterested.

  She pulled her badge and flashed it to him. “Micah Stanton.” She pointed to Farid. “This is Ahmad Freeland. We’re here on orders from Director Jennings to secure the House chamber and sweep it for explosive residue.”

  The guard looked suspiciously at Farid. “Ahmad Freeland?”

  Farid looked at the man with disdain. “My mother’s Arabic.”

  “And your father?”

  “Isn’t.”

  Alex was impressed with how Farid had reacted to the guard. But this was taking too long. “Hey!” she said forcefully, getting the man’s attention. “You want to talk about my partner’s family heritage all night? Or do you want to let us through so we can do our job? Or”—she pulled out her sat-phone and faked like she was pushing numbers—“I can just call Jennings now and you can tell him why I’m out here talking with you instead of getting the chamber ready for tomorrow.”

  The guard looked at her with a contemptuous stare. “Go on. But next time, tell someone I need to get a heads-up call beforehand.”

  “You can call someone right now, if you’d like,” she said. “I’m sure Jennings would love to hear from your boss at this hour.”

  The guard reached beneath the desk and pushed a buzzer. The red light on the steel turnstile door turned green and they went through. They headed straight for the House chamber and never turned back around.

  CHAPTER 65

  Bethesda, Maryland

  Keene and Boz were both back at Bethesda. Keene parked the SUV and they headed for the front entrance. They were supposed to meet Jennings here that morning to see if he had gathered any more information as to the whereabouts of Pemberton and Irving. But Jennings had called before they could meet and sent them chasing after several dead-end leads.

  After the flight back to Washington last night, they had piled together again in Eli’s room with Jennings. Jennings had been discharged earlier in the day but had come back to hear the debriefing on what Keene and Boz had found. Megan was also allowed to be up and moving around, so she joined them as well.

  They had spent a couple of hours talking about the bunker and everything they had found. Jennings had a DVD player brought in, and they all had watched the disc together.

  “Now all we have to do is find Pemberton and Irving and bring them in,” Keene said. “We’ll start looking first thing in the morning.”

  They stayed around for a few more minutes before a nurse had come in to let them know that Eli needed rest; they were all to leave. Eli had protested, saying he felt fine, but the nurse was having none of it. She shooed them out like a mother hen. Keene had offered to stay with Megan again, but she insisted he go home and get a good night’s sleep in his own bed.

  “Listen, you’re going to be busy tomorrow tracking down Pemberton and Irving. And Quinn is coming in, too. You need to sleep. And not in an uncomfortable chair. Go home.”

  He reluctantly listened to her. But before he had left, he found those marines that he had stationed outside her door again, plus two more. He ordered them to take posts outside Megan’s and Eli’s doors.

  Now Keene and Boz were back. And Keene was frustrated. They had spent all day looking for Pemberton and Irving. They had sent Ramirez and his team to Irving’s house in Richmond. Ramirez reported back that Irving was nowhere to be found. And there wasn’t any information left behind to suggest that he had gone anywhere in particular. Keene figured that Irving was on his way here to make a play for his old job. But where he was or when he’d show himself was still up in the air.

  Governor Nolan, however, was an easier target. He had been on the campaign trail again all day. Jennings found out that Nolan had been up in Rhode Island and the surrounding areas since yesterday but was headed back to DC on a train. Jennings said Nolan was expected to be back by evening, which it now was.

  Pemberton was another case altogether. There was no record of him anywhere. They couldn’t track credit cards, not that many places were even able to take them right now—unless they still had one of those old carbon-copy machines so they could manually send in the receipts to the credit card companies. But Keene knew in his gut that Pemberton was here in DC. Finding him, however, was going to be another story.

  Keene and Boz had just gotten through the security checkpoint at the front entrance and met up with Jennings and Megan when the sat-phone buzzed inside his coat. He pulled it out and answered.

  “Jon, it’s Quinn.”

  Keene snapped his fingers and shushed the others. “Yeah, Quinn. Are you here in DC?”

  “I am. I’m at Union Station.”

  “Okay. Boz and I just got to Bethesda. I’ll send someone for you.”

  “I would rather you and Boz come yourselves.”

  Keene could feel the stress building in his neck. “Listen, Quinn. Boz and I found some stuff at Pemberton’s place in Raleigh yesterday. We have enough concrete evidence to arrest him and the others. We’re trying to find them right now. I want them in custody before you speak at the Capitol tomorrow.”

  “I appreciate that, Jon. However, I don’t think that will be necessary.”

  “Quinn, listen to me. We’re going to have our hands full enough trying to make sure Sokolov isn’t anywhere near that place. We can’t take the chance that Nolan and the rest of them will show up and cause another big scene like he did with the president.”

  “Actually that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

  Keene crinkled his nose and rubbed his temples. “Seriously? And He told you this?”

  “Yes. They will be there.”

  “How can you be sure? Is God going to just zap them there? ’Cause we’ve been looking for them for two days and can’t find a trace of any of them. Except Nolan. We were about to go pick him up.”

  “No, I’m going to invite them.” Then, “Please come and get me and take me to the White House. I need to speak with President Walker.”

  Keene let out a frustrated sigh. “Okay. We’ll be there in a half hour.”

  Keene pulled the SUV through the security station at the West Wing. The guard looked inside the window and saw Boz next to him, and then looked in the back.

  “Who’s this?”

  Keene looked to Boz who shrugged. He looked back to the guard. “He’s with us. He’s—”

  The back window rolled down. “My name is Quinn Harrington. President Walker is expecting me.”

  The guard looked back to Keene. “Is that right?” Then to Quinn. “You’re the Pr–Prophet?” he stammered.

  “You heard the man,” Keene said.

  The guard looked back at Quinn then back to Keene. “I guess if he’s with you, it’s okay.”

  Keene didn’t wait for any more conversation. He stepped on the gas and drove up to the entrance to the West Wing. Chief of Staff Hardy met them at the door. “He’s up in the residence. He’s expecting you.”

  Hardy led them through the hall and to the private elevator that led to the third floor of the White House, the president’s private residency. Keene remembered the last time he was here, President Grant was telling him about the Prophet for the first time. Funny, he thought, how everything had come full circle. Now he was back in the residency with the Prophet. And instead of trying to protect the president from the Prophet, he was bringing the Prophet to the president.

  They stepped off the elevator and through the main doors. Walker greeted them as they entered. He stuck his hand out for Quinn. “Mr. Harrington, it is an honor to meet you.”

  “For me, too, Mr. President. Thank you.”

 
; “I understand you wanted to talk with us tonight…about your speech tomorrow?”

  Quinn nodded. “Yes, thank you. Do you have somewhere we can talk in private?”

  Keene shot Boz another look. This one said, Ah…what’s going on here?

  Again Boz shrugged like he had no idea, just as Quinn turned to them. “I will need to speak with President Walker alone. Please wait here for us.”

  Walker led the Prophet down the hall into his private study.

  “How do you like that?” Keene said. “We drop everything we’re doing to go get him and bring him here, and he doesn’t even include us in what’s going on.”

  “I guess whatever they’re talking about, we don’t need to know.”

  Keene looked at him. “And you’re fine with that?”

  Boz let out a short laugh. “Jon, God literally talks to that man. I’m fine with whatever he wants.”

  Boz had a good point. But that didn’t make it any better for Keene. He was frustrated with everything right now.

  Just then, the doors to the private study opened and Walker stepped out. Quinn followed behind.

  “That was quick,” Keene mumbled to Boz. Then to Quinn and Walker, “Everything okay in there?”

  “Everything’s good, Jon,” Walker answered. “I’ll see all of you tomorrow. At the Capitol.” He turned and walked back down the hall.

  “What was that about?” Keene asked.

  Quinn reached over and pushed the button on the elevator. “I spoke with President Walker about all that was going to happen tomorrow. I needed him to take care of a couple things for me.”

  “What about us? You going to tell us what’s going on?”

  Quinn smiled. “Jon, all you need to know is tomorrow is going to be a day you’ll never forget.”

  CHAPTER 66

  Washington, DC

  Walker left the Prophet and Keene and Boz and went back into his private study. He took a moment to steady himself. His breathing was shallow and his hands were shaking. He couldn’t believe what Quinn had told him. Part of the anxiety he was feeling was excitement. The other was pure fear. What was it going to be like? How was it going to happen? Would it be like it was for Quinn? Or would it be something completely different? Either way, it would be spectacular, he knew. He closed his eyes and said, “Okay. I’m ready.”

  Just then, he felt the urge to get on his knees and bow his head to the floor. Maybe this was it. A second later, he had the urge to start praying. This had to be it. He felt a heavy weight pressing upon him, like a presence pushing him further into the floor. He let it direct him. Before he knew what was happening, he was lying prostrate on the floor.

  And then it happened.

  He spent the next five minutes afterward crying. But not tears of sorrow. They were tears of absolute joy. Never in his life could he imagine what he had just experienced.

  God had spoken to him.

  When he had calmed himself, he picked up the phone and dialed the number Quinn had given him. He was still reeling from what had just happened. But he had work to do. His instructions had been crystal clear. The phone rang twice and then was answered. “Hello?”

  “Governor Nolan. This is President Walker.”

  “Hello, Mr. President. How did you get this number?”

  “You’d be surprised what I have access to. I’m still the president. At least for now, anyway. I’m afraid after tomorrow, though, that will no longer be the case.”

  The line was silent for a few seconds. Finally Nolan said, “I’m not sure I—I honestly don’t know how to respond to that, Gray. May I call you Gray?”

  Walker sighed at Nolan’s disrespect. “Sure, Joe. Whatever you’d like.”

  “So what are you saying, Gray? Are you telling me that you’re stepping down? That you’re going to nominate me for the VP position? What about this Prophet? Isn’t he supposed to make some sort of big speech at the Capitol tomorrow?”

  “Yes, he is. I just finished meeting with him.”

  “Care to give me the inside scoop?”

  Walker smiled. This was going to be like fishing with dynamite. “Actually he asked that I personally invite you. And your father-in-law. And your friend Mr. Pemberton.”

  The line went quiet again. Walker knew that Nolan was racking his brain, trying to piece it all together.

  “I’m not sure who you mean. Mr. Pemberton? Are you talking about the billionaire tobacco farmer?”

  “Yes, Joe. I’m talking about the man who pulls your strings. Gavin Pemberton. And please don’t insult me further by acting like you have no idea what I’m talking about. I know very well your relationship with Pemberton. I know he personally got you elected to the governorship.”

  Nolan let out a snort. “Fine. I know Gavin. But I don’t know where he is, or what he’s up to these days. I haven’t seen him in a while.”

  Walker was tired. He still had another phone call to make. He wasn’t about to sit here and pander to this egomaniac. “I’m going to cut to the chase and save both of us a lot of time. Tomorrow, the Prophet is going to give a decree about what God has decided for this country. Apparently, you and God share an opinion.”

  “Yeah? That would be a first.”

  “As a matter of fact, yes. After the Prophet’s speech, I will be announcing my nomination for vice president. And I will be stepping down as the president. This country cannot operate as it has these last five months. There will be changes to come. I would very much like it if you and your friends were in attendance. Trust me. You don’t want to miss it.” Walker could almost hear Nolan salivating on the other end of the phone. Everything was going just as Quinn said it would.

  “By that,” Nolan said, “I guess I can infer that you will be nominating me for the position?”

  Walker smiled. “Now, Joe. You know that I cannot officially make that declaration on the phone with you here tonight. Just promise me you’ll be in attendance for the Prophet’s speech.”

  “Oh, I’ll be there. You can bet on it. And I’ll make sure that Jake and Gavin are with me. They’re going to want to see this in person.”

  “You do that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Walker pushed the button with his finger and hung up the phone. He let off the button again and waited for a dial tone. When he got one, he started dialing again. A few clicks and buzzes later, the line began ringing. This time it was answered on the first ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Tess. It’s Gray. May I speak with Calvin?”

  “Sure, Gray. Just a second.”

  Walker heard her pull the phone away and call to her husband. Then she came back on. “He’s in the bathroom. He’ll be out in a second.”

  “I’ll hang on for him,” Walker said, laughing.

  After a few seconds, Grant came on the line. “Hey, Gray, what’s going on? Everything all right?”

  “Everything’s good, Calvin. They got you peeing in a cup again?”

  “Funny,” Grant quipped.

  Walker cleared his throat. “Remember last time I was there, you made me a promise? About how you’d never wait again when God asked you to do something?”

  “Yes, I do. What’s going on?”

  “I just got done meeting with the Prophet.”

  “Wow! I bet that was exciting. What was he like? Did he tell you what his speech is going to be about tomorrow?”

  “As a matter of fact he did. That’s what I’m calling about.”

  “Really? How so?”

  Walker smiled to himself. “Don’t make any plans for tomorrow night, Calvin. You have somewhere to be.”

  CHAPTER 67

  Bethesda, Maryland

  Keene and Boz were back at the hospital again. This time with Quinn in tow. Keene had tried to get more information out of Quinn on the ride there, but Quinn was tight lipped. He just kept deflecting Keene’s questions.

  “We can discuss all of this when we get to the hospital, Jon. It’s important that the others hear
what I have to say.”

  Keene finally let it go.

  Now they were in a waiting area that Jennings had turned into a conference room. He’d had a nurse clear out the space. He then had the four marines that Keene had posted at Megan and Eli’s doors stand guard at the end of the hall. Everyone was present, except Eli, who was being pushed down the hall right then in a wheelchair.

  “Good to see you out of that bed, Eli,” Keene said.

  “Had to,” Eli said. “I was about to go nuts just sitting there.”

  “Tell me about it,” Megan said.

  “Hey, at least you can walk,” Eli answered. “I’m going to be bumming around in this jalopy for another six weeks.”

  Finally Keene stood up and introduced Quinn to everyone. They all gave the Prophet their attention.

  “I’m very glad to meet all of you,” Quinn said. “I know it’s been an incredible five months. I want to thank you for not trying to kill me.”

  That got a few laughs.

  “Thank Boz,” Keene said. “I wanted to kill you. He talked me out of it.” He laughed.

  Quinn looked to Boz. “Yes…thank you, Boz.”

  “So what’s going on, Quinn?” Megan asked. “I mean, I have to be honest with you. We’re all kind of scared. I mean, you just call into a news station and tell the world that you’re coming to announce God’s decree. Should we be worried?”

  Quinn had a pained look on his face. “Honestly, Megan, I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean, you don’t know?” Keene asked.

  “Just what I said,” Quinn answered. “I don’t know. He hasn’t told me yet.”

  Jennings sat up in his chair. “You mean, you’re just going to go in there tomorrow and…what? Wait for God to tell you what to say?”

  Quinn held his palms up. “I know that may sound crazy to you all. But yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. That’s exactly what He has told me to do.”