Hunted

by Jerry B. Jenkins

28

  SAM climbed with Lev up to the high place and looked out over the desert. The concert stage had been set up quickly, and people moved in a long line toward it. As an airplane landed on the runway nearby, a helicopter flew out to meet it.

  “One of the reasons it makes no sense to go out there is the protection we have here,” Sam said, handing the binoculars to Lev. “The helicopter pilot is my friend Abdullah Smith. He says the GC tries to shoot our planes and helicopters down, but it is no use. God is protecting us.”

  Several hundred people walked through the hot sand toward the venue. Lev clicked the binoculars to increase the power and punched Sam in the shoulder. “Looks like your friends in the chopper are going to the show as well.”

  Sam grabbed the glasses and looked closely. Sure enough, Abdullah’s chopper flew toward the stage. Sam watched the reaction of armed Peacekeepers as the chopper set down a hundred feet from the stage, whipping up a sandy cloud. There was a brief standoff, with the chopper starting up again, and then the GC left the craft alone.

  While the crowd made its way to the stage, Sam continued explaining the Scriptures about Jesus. It was the same message Lev had heard from Chaim and Tsion for many weeks, but Sam thought that perhaps this time the words would sink in and the boy’s heart would soften.

  When the people were in place, someone onstage captured their attention. Sam and Lev couldn’t see the stage, but they could tell from the crowd reaction that the people were impressed.

  Suddenly the crowd looked up, shading their eyes from the sun. A white cloud appeared over the gathering and blocked the hot rays.

  “What do you make of that?” Lev said.

  Sam kept his eyes on the people. The cloud disappeared, and moments later a spring of water gushed from the middle of the group, and people drank from it.

  Lev took the binoculars. “They’re passing around a basket of food.”

  Sam shook his head. “I see what’s happening. Whoever is up there is trying to prove he can do God’s miracles. Lev, you need to pray—”

  “A hundred people just fell to the ground! It looks like they’re dead!”

  Sam took the binoculars and viewed the chaos. People shrieked, some turned and ran, and then everyone froze.

  “Look there,” Lev said, pointing to a small cloud of dust rolling like a tumbleweed toward the gathering. “What could that be?”

  Sam glanced at the cloud and shook his head, focusing on the group again. “I don’t know, but the people look deathly afraid of it.”

  Suddenly the spring turned to blood. People backed away, then fled toward Petra. Many screamed and staggered in the sand, trying desperately to retreat.

  “The dust cloud just changed direction,” Lev said. “It’s headed for all those people. Could that be some kind of animal?”

  The chopper started, and a cloud of dust kicked up and covered the area. Sam strained to see through the binoculars. When the sand cleared, Lev let out a shriek. Bodies dotted the path back to Petra. The stage was gone. There were no Peacekeepers or vehicles or anything that had been there only moments ago.

  Sam, his hands shaking, gave the binoculars to Lev, but the boy was on his knees, tears streaming from his face. “That could have been me out there. If I had gone, I would be dead right now.”

  Sam knelt beside him. “Take this last chance to turn to God and away from the enemy of your soul. Nicolae and his followers would like you to curse the true God and take Nicolae’s mark, but God—”

  “I’m ready,” Lev interrupted. “And not just because I’m afraid. I do believe what you’ve said about Jesus. I opened the Scriptures and read the passages Tsion has given. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it before, but I’m ready to pray.”

  Sam put a hand on the boy’s shoulder and prayed. Lev repeated Sam’s words softly. “Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for my sin. I believe that he died in my place, and right now I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I’m sorry I’ve rejected you and the gift you’ve offered, but now I reach out and take it by faith. And because Jesus rose from the dead, I know you have prepared the way for me to spend eternity with you. Thank you for saving me from death today, for saving my soul, and I ask you to come into my life and lead me and show me your path for the rest of my days. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

  When Lev looked up, Sam saw the mark of the believer on his forehead. Lev wiped tears from his eyes and stood. “Let’s go talk with my mother.”

  Vicki couldn’t wait until midnight each night. That was the time she and Judd agreed to communicate with each other. They limited themselves to three times a week talking by phone, and the other nights they used the computer.

  In one e-mail, Judd described his thoughts about Lionel. I feel awful that I resent him. I know there’s no part of him that wanted that to happen, and he’s been through so much pain during the healing process. Yesterday I awoke out of a dead sleep and heard him gasping for breath. I thought he was dying, Vick, but when I got to him, he was crying. He said his arm really hurt, and he was just sad about the things he’d never be able to do again.

  All that must make it even harder for you, Vicki wrote.

  Yeah. Deep down I know that what happened is not anybody’s fault. But when I think of not being able to be there with you, all those ugly feelings come back.

  Vicki had slept on it and had brought up the subject the next night on the phone. “I’ve been thinking more about you and Lionel.” She paused. Over time she and Judd had been able to share some deep things without holding back.

  “God protected you and Lionel from the GC,” Vicki continued. “Even though the others in that group were killed, he spared you two for a reason. I don’t know why we’ve had to be apart so long, and my heart aches just as much as yours about the separation, but one of the good things for me has been that I know we don’t have to be together in order to show love to each other. I’d hate to think of this happening, but if we never saw each other again before the return of Jesus, that would be okay. If God wants us together, I know we will be. If he just wants us to be friends and help each other along the next few years, then that’s okay too.”

  “Totally surrendered,” Judd muttered.

  “What?”

  “I was just thinking about being surrendered to God. Letting him control things and resting in his love for us takes a lot of the pressure off. I can’t imagine not seeing you, but you’re right. If God wants us to stay apart, I can handle it. But I don’t think he wants that, do you?”

  “I hope not,” Vicki said quickly, then laughed.

  “When you look at things that way, with God in control, there’s no way I can blame Lionel for us not being together.”

  “Tell Lionel Zeke is working on a gadget he thinks Lionel will be able to use. I hope we’ll be able to see him soon too.”

  Vicki and Judd always ended their conversations and e-mails with prayer. Sometimes one would pray, sometimes both. Most of their talks lasted hours, and several times the sun had come up before they finished.

  The Wisconsin group had a routine of eating the morning meal together, then having a time of teaching and prayer. It was Vicki’s turn to give a brief devotional one morning, and she happened to see the latest Petra Diary from Sam. She brought a printed copy to the meeting and gave everyone the good news that the boy they had prayed for, Lev Taubman, and his mother had become believers.

  “Let me read the latest entry that proves we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against a spiritual enemy. Sam writes, ‘Lev and I saw something incredible happen in the desert, but it wasn’t until I spoke with my friend Abdullah that I found out what really happened. Abdullah was in the desert when people from Petra ventured out to see the miracle worker.

  “ ‘Abdullah said the man looked like a younger version of Leon Fortunato, and the man said he was not from this world and that he had been given power by the risen lord, Nicolae Carpathia.

  “ ‘The first
miracle the guy did was bring in a cloud that blocked the sun. Then the guy made the cloud disappear, not move or fall apart, but vanish. Next he turned the microphone and stand into a giant snake. Everybody recoiled, but just as fast as he turned it into a snake, it was a microphone and stand again.

  “ ‘Then from the middle of the crowd came a spring of water gushing straight into the air. People drank from it. The man asked if people were hungry and produced a basket of real bread, warm and chewy. Everyone in the crowd took some, but the basket never emptied.

  “ ‘Do you see the mockery of this? Miracles God performed in the Bible were produced by this faker to gain people’s trust. And they fell for it big-time. The man, or being, whatever he was, said he was a disciple of Carpathia. And while his behavior had been nice up to that point, he then said that Carpathia’s patience had run out and that he would administer Carpathia’s mark. He simply pointed at people, and they had the mark of Nicolae.

  “ ‘This is where the story really gets ugly. The man killed more than a hundred at one time. People went crazy. Then the man raised the dead people back to life. It went on like that, the man convincing people their friends were really dead. Then a little cloud of dust appeared on the horizon.

  “ ‘I have to tell you, Lev and I saw this cloud moving straight for the stage and audience, but we didn’t know what it was. Abdullah said the man onstage told the people the cloud contained snakes, vipers with a deadly venom. That’s when the spring of water turned to blood and the man called the people fools and said Nicolae wanted them dead. He told them to run but warned that the vipers would kill them before they reached Petra.

  “ ‘And that is what happened. The cloud caught up to the people, and there was a line of bodies in the sand. Abdullah was sitting in the helicopter with two of his friends when the evil man appeared before them. The wonder-worker didn’t open his mouth, but they heard him say, “I know who you are. I know you by name. Your god is weak and your faith a sham, and your time is limited. You shall surely die.” ’ ”

  Vicki glanced at the group and saw looks of disbelief. Shelly and Janie shook from the horrific story.

  Charlie looked up with glassy eyes. “Didn’t any of them survive?”

  “All of the people on foot died. Abdullah and the others in the chopper were okay because they were believers. Sam wrote that when the dust settled, everything on the desert—the stage, the vehicles, the Peacekeepers—was gone.”

  “It was all an illusion?” Tanya said.

  Vicki folded the paper. “I don’t know what it was. Tsion told Abdullah and some others that the man was probably a demonic apparition.”

  “A what?” Charlie said.

  “A demon in human form. Tsion referred to Revelation 12 that says that when Satan was cast out of heaven the other bad angels were cast out with him. John 10:10 says Satan wants only to steal and to kill and to destroy. So it all fits.

  Hunted “Take heart in this,” Vicki concluded. “I’ll read you the last part of Sam’s letter.

  “ ‘Dr. Ben-Judah told his friends that God is doing his “winnowing work.” This means he is cleaning the earth of his enemies, wiping them out, and allowing those who still haven’t chosen for God to face the consequences. Dr. Ben-Judah concluded with a verse from Romans. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? … For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things—to whom be glory for ever.” ’

  “Sam finishes with this. ‘We need to be careful about the deception of the evil one, but the good news is that there are still more people to reach. May God give each of us new opportunities, even today, to come in contact with the undecided and convince them that God loves them.’ ”

  Sam met with Lev and his mother early the next morning in Petra. The two admitted they had never read much of the Bible. As they munched their morning manna, Sam helped them understand an overview of the Scriptures.

  A buzz spread through the million-member camp that everyone should gather after breakfast. Sam took a break from teaching, and the three went to the meeting place. Mrs. Taubman’s heart was heavy about losing her daughter and husband, and Sam could tell Lev was struggling too. He tried to comfort them as much as he could before Chaim Rosenzweig, known as Micah, spoke.

  “Tsion believes the Lord has told him that no more indecision reigns in the camp. You may confirm that by looking about you. Is there anyone in this place without the mark of the believer? Anyone anywhere? We will not pressure or condemn you. This is just for our information.”

  Sam looked around at the people near him. Everyone he saw had the mark of the believer.

  After a few minutes, Tsion Ben-Judah stepped forward. “The prophet Isaiah predicted that ‘it shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

  “ ‘The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return… .’ And of the evil ruler of this world who has tormented you, Isaiah says further, ‘It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed.’ Praise the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

  “The prophet Zechariah quoted our Lord God himself, speaking of the land of Israel, that ‘two-thirds of it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it. I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name and I will answer them. I will say, “This is My people.” And each one will say, “The Lord is my God.” ’

  “My dear friends, you remnant of Israel, this is in accord with the clear teaching of Ezekiel, chapter 37, where our barren nation is seen in the last days to be a valley of dry bones, referred to by the Lord himself as ‘the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!” ’

  “But then, dear ones, God said to Ezekiel, ‘Therefore prophesy and say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel… . I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it.’ ”’ ”

  Sam looked at Lev and his mother. Sam was grateful he had been part of God’s rescue plan for them both.

  29

  JUDD sat in the early morning darkness, staring at an old map of the United States of America. It had been months since he and Lionel had arrived at the Ohio safe house, and things had changed drastically. An all-out blitz on believers from the Global Community had left few safe places between this location and Wisconsin. Commander Kruno Fulcire appeared daily, rewarding loyal citizens for finding hidden believers.

  Judd had even recognized two who were beheaded shortly after they appeared on live broadcasts. Fulcire seethed at those who avoided taking Carpathia’s mark. Citizens hunted down the unmarked for cash to help keep themselves alive. Many were hungry, and it became more and more difficult to move supplies.

  The food situation for the Ohio safe house had become bleak. They didn’t have manna from heaven or quail that flew in for dinner every day like Petra. With an influx of new people, the once huge hiding place got smaller. Judd no longer ruled the computer, and it became difficult to keep his appointments with Vicki.

  The doctor who had helped Lionel at the safe house moved with a few others to another location Judd had helped build. The work had been done only at night, and though there were several scares, the GC hadn’t discovered their secret operation.

  Lionel had been depressed that he couldn’t help with the
digging and physical work, but he had kept in contact with other Trib Force locations and with Chloe Steele. She had tried to get supplies from the Co-op to their location, but it was difficult with all the GC activity. Lionel had catalogued their supply list and put everyone on a ration system.

  Despite the negatives, Judd knew God was still working. Another plague had hit the earth, turning rivers into rushing floods of blood. Judd had traveled past a nearby river every night on his way to the construction area, and the gurgling blood and horrible smell was sickening. One night he had stood in the moonlight, looking at a river so dark it seemed like a bottomless pit. He had found it difficult to sleep, having nightmares about blood washing over him, and that was the last time he walked close to the river.

  The bloody water caused people to focus less on hunting down people without Carpathia’s mark and more on staying alive, which had been good for believers. People were still coming to the truth and giving their lives to God through the kids’ Web site, which Judd had all but abandoned with the construction project. Lionel kept Judd up-to-date with new contacts and anything he learned.

  Reports from around the world came in about sightings of angels preaching in remote areas. Lionel nearly attacked Judd early one morning as he came in, muddy and sweating from a night of work.

  “You’ve got to see this,” Lionel said, pulling Judd toward the computer.

  Judd stared at the message from Chang.

  I just heard a story from our Co-op group in Argentina. Rayford Steele is one of the pilots. Rayford and some others found themselves in a group of locals moving through the countryside. They finally found someone who spoke English and asked where everyone was going.

  The people said they had been invited by three men who came to their door and told them to meet together to hear good news. They told them not to be afraid, even though none of these people had the mark of Carpathia. Pretty soon, the GC showed up, about a hundred troops.