Arrived

by Jerry B. Jenkins

  “… ’course, he calls ’em regional potentates, but we know what’s going down, don’t we?” Mac said.

  “I do,” Zeke said.

  Mac stretched his arms. “If Otto succeeds in New Babylon, we find out where the big shindig is gonna be before it happens, and we get in there and bug the place. We’re not going to try to stop prophesied events, of course, but it’ll be good to know exactly what’s happening.”

  “What happens to Carpathia’s secretary?”

  Lionel had wondered about this as well. That Rayford had befriended a secretary working for Carpathia was one thing. But trusting her? Lionel thought it was risky but didn’t say anything.

  “Krystall?” Mac said. “If I had a vote, I’d say we convince her we know what’s going to happen to New Babylon and get her out of there.”

  “To Petra?”

  Mac shook his head. “Much as we might like to do that, God has set that city aside as a city of refuge for his people only. Sad as it is, she made her decision, took her stand, and accepted the mark. Getting her out of New Babylon just keeps her from dying in that mess when God finally judges the city. She’s going to die anyway, sometime between then and the Glorious Appearing, and when she does, she’s not going to like what eternal life looks like.”

  Lionel thought of all the people he had come into contact with during the last six years who fit into that category—people who had heard the truth but decided not to believe it. Some had chosen to take Carpathia’s mark. Others were still out there who hadn’t chosen, but that number was dwindling every day.

  He closed his eyes and prayed for the San Diego group to get out safely. He asked God to help Buck and little Kenny and prayed that the Tribulation Force would be able to rescue Chloe. “And if they aren’t able to rescue her, I pray you would give her the strength to go through whatever she’s going to face.

  “And, God, whatever you have for me in Petra— whether it’s reaching out to people over the Internet, encouraging others, or something else—I want to do it with everything in me.”

  Judd awoke early and, using Otto’s computer, accessed the many Global Community news feeds. He came upon one from the United North American States that disturbed him.

  A female reporter stood near a large prison. “This courtyard here in Louisiana is used for two purposes. Three times each day prisoners are taken past the bronze statue of Lord Carpathia so they can worship. And to my right—” the camera panned—“are the loyalty enforcement facilitators. Everyone knows what those are used for.”

  Judd counted seven guillotines standing like evil guards. The GC had televised executions for a long time, so he didn’t understand why the reporter was giving this background. A black SUV pulled into the courtyard and a handcuffed Chloe Williams was dragged out of the vehicle, her head banging the door.

  The reporter continued talking and moved toward a group of media members. When the camera panned back to Chloe, one of the Global Community officials whirled and hit her in the forehead with the back of his hand. Then the man clamped his hand over her mouth, kneed her in the back, and tried to tape her mouth.

  Chloe broke free for a moment and screamed, “Tell the truth for once! I was drugged! They—”

  The man slapped the tape on her face so tightly that Judd wondered if Chloe could even breathe, let alone speak. Seeing someone he knew treated this way made Judd sick.

  The reporter yelled at the GC officials, “Has she spilled any more?”

  “Oh yes,” the man said as Chloe shook her head. “More all the time. Of course we had to tell her there would be no trading leniency for, ah, physical favors as it were. She can only help herself by telling the truth. I’m confident we’ll get there. We’ve already gained more knowledge about the Judah-ite underground and the illegal black-market co-op from her than from any other source we’ve ever had.”

  The man concluded by saying the daily executions would be held at 10 a.m. the next day with more than thirty executions lined up.

  The camera panned back to the reporter. “Here in Louisiana prisons are notoriously hard, and none harder than Angola. International terrorist Chloe Williams will rue the day she pushed the Global Community to the point where she was sent here. The guillotine will be sweet relief compared to hard labor for the rest of her life.” With a look of glee the reporter ended with, “When the life of this dissident comes to an end, we will show it to you here live.”

  Judd switched off the feed and buried his head in his hands. Someone touched him on the shoulder and Judd looked up.

  “I’m sorry about your friend in America,” Otto said. “We are all praying for her. I have an important mission this morning that may help the Trib Force find her. It’s dangerous though. I have to go to the palace. Do you want to go with me?”

  After seeing the GC coverage of Chloe Williams, Mark sent an urgent message to the Young Tribulation Force around the world, asking everyone to pray for Chloe, her family, and her friends. And keep looking for anyone who may not have taken the mark of Carpathia.

  Everyone gathered in the main cabin in Wisconsin and prayed. Janie asked God to keep Chloe from giving any information that might hurt the Tribulation Force. Conrad prayed that no one would be captured in the rescue attempt, if there was one. Josey pulled her son to her chest and asked God to help little Kenny, who was without his mother.

  Mark bit his lip. “And, God, whatever your will is, give us the courage to accept it.”

  Judd followed Otto closely as they crept into the palace of Nicolae Carpathia. It helped Judd to know that Nicolae and his top people were miles away in Al Hillah, but he still felt creepy walking the same halls and riding the same elevator as Nicolae and his aides.

  There were no people in the halls. Somehow they had adjusted to the darkness and were trying to get back to work.

  Otto pushed the button for the executive offices, and Judd rode the elevator up with him. Otto led him to the main office where Nicolae Carpathia’s secretary, Krystall, sat talking on the phone.

  “No, it’s still painful, Mom,” Krystall said. “I guess we’re adjusting, but I can’t do anything here except answer the phone. … No, they can evidently see fine in Al Hillah and don’t have to follow his glow around anymore.”

  Otto pushed the door open slightly and it creaked.

  Krystall sat up, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry, Mom. I need to go. Someone’s here. Mmm-hmm. Bye.”

  “Krystall, don’t be alarmed,” Otto said. “I’m a friend of Rayford. I have a young man with me.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been asked to speak to you.”

  “Is this about Rayford’s daughter?” Krystall said.

  “Yes, her location.”

  Krystall took a breath. “All I know is Angola Prison in Louisiana.”

  “Okay, I’ll tell them. And the other thing is any information—”

  The phone rang and Krystall jumped. “This might be the security chief, Akbar. He was supposed to call.” She pointed a finger to the corner. “There’s a phone over there if you want to listen.”

  Judd rushed to it and picked up as Krystall grabbed her own receiver. Judd held the receiver so Otto could hear too.

  “This is Krystall.”

  “Krystall, Chief Akbar. Are you still in the dark there?”

  “Yes, sir, as much as ever.”

  “All right. I have an update for you, if you’ll take this down.”

  “Excuse me, sir, but how am I supposed to take it down?”

  “Don’t you have a system worked out yet? You could contact someone outside New Babylon and have them transcribe this message and send it out.”

  “Yes, sir, but—go ahead, I’ll remember it.”

  “Good. Tell the ten heads of state that the government is up and running here in Al Hillah. We will not be deterred by these tricks of the enemy. They must know that we are in control of the situation.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “A
lso, communicate to them that they should prepare for a meeting and celebration in Baghdad six months from now. Everyone is working on the preparations. The potentate wants this to be a great display with flags, banners, light shows. They have invited the singer Z-Van to be part of it, as well as other bands.”

  “This assumes the darkness will be gone—”

  “If we figure out how to counteract this terrorist plot of darkness, we will all return to New Babylon. But no matter what happens, this meeting and celebration will take place in Baghdad.”

  “And where in Baghdad, may I ask?”

  “At the new building—where the Iraq Museum used to be before the war.”

  “Yes, I know it.”

  “Everything will be first-class, state-of-the-art. The meetings at this venue will of course be closed, but the potentate wants some of the festivities open to the public. We’ll have the media covering this as well, so we need to make accommodations for them.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And one more thing, Krystall. Make sure you communicate that at this meeting we will discuss the final solution to the Jewish problem.”

  Otto elbowed Judd and grimaced. When Krystall was finished, Otto thanked her for letting them listen. “Is there anything we can do for you?”

  “Just leave quickly and quietly. I don’t want anyone knowing you were here.”

  Otto’s phone rang and he stepped into the hall.

  Judd stayed in the office while Krystall fumbled through a desk drawer. “Can I help you find something?” he said.

  Krystall jumped, then settled. “I’m looking for a voice recorder I had in the top drawer. I thought I’d record what I can remember of Suhail’s message, then phone someone to transcribe it.”

  Judd moved behind the desk and quickly found the recorder.

  Otto came back inside. “Krystall, one more question. Your information about Chloe Williams. Is that from inside knowledge or just from the news?”

  “Both,” Krystall said. “I did see the newscast, but I also heard Security and Intelligence people talking about Chloe being there. The latest information I had was that she was to be executed at 1000 hours Central Time.”

  15

  VICKI awoke a couple of hours before they touched down in Petra, and Lionel caught her up on what he had heard from Mac and Zeke. “From what Mac says, it doesn’t look good for Chloe.”

  “What about Judd?” Vicki said.

  “If he’s with this Otto guy, Mac’s going to pick them up after we land in Petra.”

  Vicki nodded and breathed a silent prayer of thanks.

  “There’s something else,” Lionel said. “I don’t know if you picked this up from reading Scripture, but Mac said Tsion believes New Babylon is going to be destroyed.”

  Vicki thought of the passage in Revelation 18. It ended with the words: “She will be utterly consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”

  At 2 p.m. local time, Sam Goldberg met the plane and helped Zeke unload his things. Another Trib Force pilot, Abdullah Smith, had a bigger plane ready for Mac and came for Zeke.

  Vicki turned to Mac before he left. “Be careful.”

  “You bet,” Mac said. “Like I just told Zeke, I hope to get back here before the GCNN goes on the air with Chloe—assuming everything we’ve heard is true.”

  Sam took Vicki and Lionel into the camp. The sight of Petra took Vicki’s breath away. The red rocks seemed to reach into the sky. And seeing a million people spread out in the camp, knowing they were all believers who had been protected by God, gave Vicki a feeling of safety she’d never felt.

  “Lionel will stay with me,” Sam said. “Vicki, you will have your own place.”

  “I don’t need—”

  “It’s already been settled. I talked with Mr. Stein and he said Tsion and Dr. Rosenzweig want to see you, but after this thing with the American woman is settled.”

  “What have you heard about Chloe?” Vicki said.

  “We think the Global Community is setting a trap for the Trib Force in a place called Louisiana. I overheard Chang and Naomi talking earlier. Chang has the ability now to interfere with GC broadcasts.”

  “Are they going to televise Chloe’s execution?” Vicki shuddered. It was a spectacle Vicki never wanted to see, but if her sister in Christ was going to be killed, Vicki wanted to witness the woman’s last moments on earth.

  As they walked farther, a robed figure walked toward them, the sun at his back. When they got closer, Vicki recognized Mr. Stein and hugged him.

  “We’ve prayed for you for so long,” Mr. Stein said, “and now you’re here.”

  Vicki nodded. “Now we should pray for Judd.”

  Judd stood at a secluded spot near the New Babylon runway with about thirty other believers from Otto’s group. Zvi had become so scared he would be arrested that he, Westin, Gunther, and some others decided to take their chances driving a school bus through the desert. Before they had left, Westin shook hands with Judd and smiled. “Hope I can attend your wedding at Petra, but if not, I’ll be thinking about you.”

  Otto was now back at the palace for one last trip. As the plane circled for a landing, Otto returned, his face white.

  “What’s wrong?” Judd said.

  “I went to thank Krystall for her help and found her body.”

  “She’s dead? What happened?”

  “I don’t know. She was on the floor and the phone was buzzing. Perhaps the GC found out she was giving us information.”

  Judd shook his head. “Sounds like something Carpathia would do.” He looked around at the sidewalks and doorways of the airport. There were dead bodies lying around. Some people were still alive, and Judd wanted to help them. They called out for food or water.

  “I’ve got a question,” Judd said. “Wasn’t there supposed to be an angel or something that warned us to get out of here?”

  “I guess it hasn’t occurred yet,” Otto said.

  “Which means there must be more believers here than us,” Judd said.

  Otto nodded. “Yes, there are some who elected not to go with us, so they will somehow need to get out of here with the help …”

  The plane engines drowned out the rest of Otto’s words. When the plane stopped and Mac let down the stairs, the people with Otto tried to individually thank Mac, but he tried to keep them moving up the stairs.

  When Mac saw Judd, he grinned and slapped Judd’s back. “I dropped off a redhead in Petra. Get on the plane, boy. I’m taking you home.”

  Judd couldn’t help laughing as he got on the plane. As Mac and Otto spoke at the bottom of the stairs, a sense of peace came over him. During his stay in New Babylon, he hadn’t let himself think of the next day. He simply survived minute by minute. Now his thoughts turned to Petra and who was waiting for him.

  Vicki joined Lionel and hundreds of thousands at the huge video display on the side of a mountain. Sam Goldberg explained that they normally didn’t watch executions, but Tsion had asked everyone to be in prayer for Chloe and believed they should show the coverage.

  Vicki thought of Buck, Rayford, and Kenny and wondered if they were watching. Surely they wouldn’t let the little boy see such a horrible sight.

  When Vicki arrived, Chloe was being led through the gauntlet of reporters and the crowd. People cheered and clapped. The camera zoomed in on Chloe, and Vicki caught her breath. Even with the drab prison clothing she looked radiant.

  The camera panned away, and Vicki noticed prisoners with the Star of David stenciled onto their clothes. These were Jews who had been starved, beaten, and tortured. They looked almost relieved to be nearing death.

  The GC man in charge, Jock Ashmore, was introduced to the delight of the crowd. “We have thirty-six executions to carry out for you today,” he said, “twenty-one for murder, ten for refusing to take the mark of loyalty, four for miscellaneous crimes against the state, and one for all those charges and many, many more.”

  The crowd went wild.r />
  “I am happy to say that though Mrs. Chloe Steele Williams did not in the end agree to accept the mark of loyalty to our supreme potentate, she did provide us with enough detailed information on her counterparts throughout the world to help us virtually wipe out the Judah-ites outside of Petra and to put an end to the blackmarket co-op.”

  The crowd clapped and cheered again.

  Vicki couldn’t believe they were actually going to show all thirty-six executions live. All around her, people prayed softly. Some wept.

  Vicki heard the screaming engines of a plane and looked at Lionel. They both jumped up and ran down the hill with Sam.

  Judd was never happier to be back on the ground than when he stepped off the plane in Petra. As he helped the others find their way to the narrow entrance to the ancient city, he saw Sam, Lionel, and Vicki running toward him.

  “What are you waiting for?” Mac said. “Go on!”

  Judd waved as he ran, whooping and hollering. Sam and Lionel slowed, and Vicki reached Judd and threw her arms around him. She put her lips close to Judd’s ear, and Judd could feel her hot tears on his face.

  “You’re back! You’re finally back, and we’re never going to be separated again!”

  “You got that right,” Judd said. “From now on, wherever I go, you go.”

  Judd ran alongside Vicki as Sam and Lionel took the lead. Instead of going to the big screen, Sam led them to the computer center. Chang Wong stared at a computer, and Naomi was behind him, her hands on his shoulders.

  Chang and Naomi welcomed them and had them sit at a screen near the front. “The elders and some others are together in the back,” Chang said. “Did you hear about what just happened?”

  “I just got here,” Judd said.

  “The head of this whatever you call it, Jock something, was about to execute ten people in a row who had refused to take the mark. But before he could …” Chang paused and clicked on a computer. “I’ll show you.”

  While the main feed continued, Judd watched a replay of what had happened. Something bright appeared in the middle of the courtyard, and an angel towered over Jock and the others. Judd guessed the angel had to be at least fifteen feet tall. His clothes were so white the crowd had to shield their eyes.