almost every day, warning of the consequences for any
one accepting the mark of the beast and worshiping his
image. Besides these, it was not uncommon for the Tribulation Force to see or feel the presence of angels protecting them wherever they went. Often, even outside of the routes to Petra, GC planes would intercept theirs, warn them, try to force them down, then shoot at them. Never knowing when and where they might be protected outside of the Negev, Tribulation Force pilots took evasive action. But thus far G.o.d had chosen to insulate them, to the frustration and astonishment of the GC.
With less than two years to go before the Glorious Appearing, Rayford met with Buck and Chloe to a.s.sess the current state of the Tribulation Force. "Where are we," he said, "and where do we need to be for maximum benefit to the entire body of believers around the world? "
Chloe reported that Lionel Whalum and his wife had somehow been able to keep their home in Illinois, "though Leah and Hannah have developed serious cases of cabin fever. I mean, I think they"re encouraged by G.o.d"s work in their lives. Lionel was, of course, thrilled by Leah"s story of having been compelled to pray for him before he ran the final check on the cargo out of Argentina. You know, Dad, he"s one of our busiest pilots now, delivering supplies all over the world. "
"How bad is it with Leah and Hannah?" Buck said. "I don"t know either of them that well, but Leah would get on anybody"s nerves.
She still pining for Tsion?" "They keep low profiles," Chloe said, "and say they feel as if they live only at night. They don"t dare venture out during the day. GC activity is spotty in that area of the suburbs, but all it would take is one report of someone without the mark, and one of our major thrusts would be jeopardized."
"I hardly ever hear from Z anymore," Rayford said.
Chloe shook her head. "Of all people, Zeke has probably changed the most. There"s almost zero call for his services there in western Wisconsin. No uniforms to tailor, no disguises to invent, no undercover agents to transform."
"Could we better use him out here?" Rayford said.
"Not when you hear this," Chloe said. "Zeke has sort of settled into a new persona. He"s taken such an interest in studying the Bible that he"s become the de facto a.s.sistant to the spiritual leader of the underground church there."
Zeke an a.s.sistant pastor? Rayford said. "Push me over with a feather."
"Chloe"s been keeping up with Epoch and some of his people," Buck said. "Yeah, I apologized for intruding on their lives
and their community, because I felt responsible for
the split up of much of The Place congregation. But Epoch reminded me that if I hadn"t discovered them, they never would have known of the coming destruction.
"On the other hand, Dad, I know that if I had not been traipsing around Chicago in the middle of the night, there might never have beers that secondary destruction."
One morning in Petra, the a.s.semblage awoke to the news that all the seas of the world had spontaneously turned from blood to salt water again. "G.o.d has given me no special knowledge about this,"
Tsion announced. "But it makes me wonder if something worse isn"t coming. And soon."
Little changed except that Carpathia tried to take the credit for the cleansing of the seas. He announced, "My people created a formula that has healed the waters. The plant and animal life of the oceans will surge back to life before long. And now that the oceans are clear again, all our beautiful lake and river waterways will soon be restored as well."
He was wrong, of course, and the blunder of his bl.u.s.ter cost him even more credibility. G.o.d had chosen, in his own time, to lift the plague from the seas, but the lakes and rivers remained blood.
Just before being executed, a Swedish insurgent announced, "What our so called potentate ignored in exulting over the revived seas is that there is still an international mess. Dead, rotting, smelly fish still blanket the sh.o.r.es around the world and still carry the diseases that have driven most of the coastline populations inland. And where are the refining plants to turn the seas into potable water? We die of thirst while the king h.o.a.rds the resources." Sixty Eight Months into the Tribulation
Chang was intrigued to hear of an unscheduled meeting in Carpathia"s conference room. Leon had actually called the meeting, much to Carpathia"s frustration, but Suhail Akbar, viv Ivins, and Nicolae"s secretary Krystall all quickly came to Leon"s defense. "This is about water, Excellency," Leon began.
"Because you no longer need nourishment, including water, perhaps you don"t underst "
"Listen to me, Leon. There is water in food. Are you people not eating enough food?"
"Potentate, the situation is dire. We try to harvest water from the seas and convert it. But even getting new ships out there is a ch.o.r.e."
"It is true, unfortunately," Akbar said, "and our troops everywhere are suffering."
"I"m suffering," Viv said. "Personally, I mean. There are times I think I should die if I don"t find a swallow of water. "
"Ms. Ivins," Carpathia said, "we shall not allow the administration of the Global Community to grind to a halt because you are thirsty. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Highness. Forgive that selfish expression. I don"t know what I "
"In fact, do you have a whit of expertise in this area?"
"Sirs "
"In the matter before us! D o you bring anything to the table that helps get us to a solution? Are you an expert? a scientist? a hydrologist? There is no need to shake your head. I know the answers. If you do not have pressing business in your office, why do you not just sit and listen and be grateful that you draw a paycheck here?"
"Would you prefer I leave?"
"Of course!"
Chang heard her chair push back from the table.
"A little tie with my family," Nicolae said, "and you ride that horse as if it is your own! Do not turn from me when I address you!"
"I thought you wanted me to leave!" she whimpered.
"I do not cater to subjects, employees, friends, or otherwise who disrespect their sovereign. This same att.i.tude made you think you could sit on MY THRONE in M Y TEMPLE!"
"Your Lordship, I have apologized over and over for that indiscretion! I am humiliated, repentant, and "
"Excellency," Leon said softly, "that was more than two years ago . . . .".
"You!" Carpathia roared. "You call this meeting and now you counter me as well?"
"No, sir. I apologize if it sounds as if I am c "
"What would you call it? Would you like to join Aunt Viv and return to your office to work on what you have been a.s.signed? You are head of the church, man! What happens to Carpathianism while you worry about water? Where are the scientists, the technologists who have something to offer here?"
Leon did not respond. "Ms. Ivins, why are you still here?"
"I but I thought you "
"Go! For the love of all "
"Sir," Suhail began, as if the voice of reason, "I did consult the experts before coming, and "
"Finally! Someone who uses the brain I gave him! What do you have? "
"If you"ll notice here, Your Highness . . ."
Chang heard the rattle of paper, as if Akbar was spreading a doc.u.ment.
"Satellite photography has detected a spring in the middle of Petra that has apparently been producing freshwater since the day of the bombings."
"So we are back to Petra, are we, Director Akbar? The site of so many billions of Nicks poured into the desert sands?"
"It has been a boondoggle, sir, but notice what the aerial photography shows. Apparently the missile struck an aquifer that supplies thousands of gallons of pure water every day. It only stands to reason that the source of this spring extends far outside the city of Petra, and our people see no reason why we could not access it as well. "