Arrived (33 page)

Lionel and the others had grieved the loss of the Young Trib Force Web site to the Global Community, but Chang Wong had worked his magic and was able to automatically direct anyone who logged on to Tsion Ben-Judah's Web site to a section run by the kids.

Kids
, Lionel thought.
We haven't been kids since this whole thing started
. The disappearances had forced them to grow up fast.

Lionel tossed and turned on his cot for more than an hour.

Finally, he got up, dressed, and went to find Zeke.

Conrad Graham watched the sun move toward the horizon from a basement window of an abandoned house in Palos Hills, Illinois. He and the other members of the Wisconsin group had finally settled into several homes near Enoch Dumas, the shepherd of a growing group of Christ followers from many different backgrounds. Enoch spoke with a Spanish accent, which Conrad loved. One night a Latino woman who had lived in an abandoned laser-tag park told her story. The next night it was an African-American man who admitted to everything from grave robbing to murder. Kids from the street and drug addicts all had stories of how God had reached out to them.

Conrad had been able to stay with Enoch himself and considered it as big a privilege as being in Petra. They had the chance to bring people to God every day. Though many had cautioned them to be more careful, Enoch and his followers wouldn't pass up a chance to help people receive Christ.

Conrad's mattress lay in Enoch's musty basement. The past few nights had been cold, so Conrad had given his best blanket to Shelly, who lived about three blocks away. It was shortly after Mark's death that Shelly and Conrad had renewed their friendship. Something Mark had said to Shelly caused her to give Conrad another chance after a bad disagreement in Wisconsin. They weren't going to get married anytime soon, but the fact that they could be friends gave Conrad hope.

“Don't suppose we'll get much shut-eye tonight, eh?” Enoch said, walking into the room.

“I've waited years for this,” Conrad said. “No way I'm going to sleep through it.”

Enoch nodded. “I know what you mean. But I don't think it'll happen until morning.”

“Why is that? Doesn't the Bible say no one knows when Christ will return?”

“True. But eight in the morning our time will be the seven-year anniversary of the signing of the treaty between Carpathia and Israel. To the minute.”

Enoch's love of the Bible was contagious. Since coming to the group, Conrad found himself reading more, taking notes, and seeing the Bible come alive in new ways.

“You think it's going to happen at eight tomorrow morning?” Conrad said.

“Don't know for sure, but it's as good a guess as anyone's.”

Enoch flipped on a small radio and tuned to the latest news. New Babylon, the gleaming jewel of Nicolae Carpathia, had been wiped out in less than an hour. Though the GC had tried to put a positive spin on the worldwide chaos, Conrad knew from reading e-mails from Chang Wong in Petra that there were more suicides now than ever before.

The news reporter quickly turned to the Middle East where Nicolae Carpathia readied his troops. A vast army was nearing Jerusalem and had spread across the nearby desert to Petra. “An almost innumerable legion of tanks, artillery, and soldiers has assembled here to wage what should be a very quick end to a pesky enemy.”

The reporter played a clip of Carpathia giving orders. It was clear that Carpathia wanted to level Petra and overrun Jerusalem.

“The only logical response to such an overwhelming military campaign is surrender,” the reporter said, “but no one who has studied the history of the Judah-ites and Israelis over the last seven years believes that will happen.”

“The one who should be surrendering is Carpathia,” Enoch said. “God's going to make that clear real soon.”

“I can't wait,” Conrad said.

Judd found sleep impossible and stayed up watching the GC troops. He heard Vicki's breathing from the other room and was grateful she was getting some rest.

Judd felt concerned for Jamal and Lina, wondering what had happened to them. The last he had seen them, they were trying to convince several Israelis about Jesus.

At nearly 3 a.m. they crept inside, surprised to see Judd awake. “You won't believe who we saw at Shivte's home,” Lina said, wide-eyed. “Tsion Ben-Judah. He was there with an American—”

“Buck Williams?” Judd said. He had seen the two together earlier at the Temple Mount.

“Yes! To see the teacher in person was such an honor,” Lina said.

“And to see his commitment to the fight is even better,” Jamal said. “He is not just here to give us moral support. He has a gun and is ready to use it.”

Lina smiled and shook her fists like a child. “But we haven't told you the best news. Shivte and his sons were at the Wailing Wall this evening. They heard Dr. Ben-Judah and have believed in Messiah! All that praying we did for them, and now they are true believers.”

It was all Judd could do not to rush to Shivte's house to see Buck and Tsion, but he didn't want to wake Vicki and there was no way he was going to leave without her.

When Lina left the room, Jamal spoke softly. “Shivte's sons told me they believe the GC will come from the northwest and try to get through the Damascus Gate. We'll leave for there within the hour.”

“Couldn't the GC come through just about any gate?” Judd said.

“Perhaps, but the Damascus Gate is where they need us most. I think you should leave your wife here and come with me.”

Judd shook his head. “No, we've both promised—”

“This is no place for women. There will be much bloodshed. The GC is bent upon the destruction of every rebel living here in the Old City.”

“Vicki and I feel God has brought us here for a reason,” Judd said. “I can't leave her behind.”

Jamal patted Judd's shoulder. “I understand, and I wish you success. When my wife returns, don't tell her where I've gone. Come to the Damascus Gate as soon as possible.” He slipped out the door.

Jamal was gone a few moments when Lina returned with a sackful of supplies. She looked at Judd, then at the door, and burst into tears. “Tell me where he's gone! I've lost a son and a daughter to the GC! I will be with my husband at this critical hour.”

“She's right,” Vicki said, walking into the room.

Judd nodded. “Let's get our things. We're going to the Damascus Gate.”

33

JUDD
ducked the first time he heard gunfire. It took only a few minutes to get used to the automatic weapons and the screams of those who had been hit. He and Vicki, along with their friend Lina, rushed to the end of a tunnel near the Damascus Gate and watched.

Rebels ran everywhere, shouting news of the battle. The Yad Vashem Historical Museum to the Holocaust victims had been destroyed. Hebrew University, the Jewish National Library, and Israel Museum were on fire. Unity Army troops were close, and many rebels were either dead or captured.

Are these rumors or facts?
Judd thought.

Vicki clung to him tightly as they came upon open ammunition boxes. Judd pushed the empty boxes away and handed ammo to Vicki as a runner hurried by. Rebels poured into the underground.

“Have you seen my husband?” Lina said to the runner.

The man ignored her, yelling instructions to other rebels.

Jamal raced inside and saw his wife. He gave Judd an icy stare. Before Judd could explain, Jamal grabbed his arm. “We're holding here. But the Dung Gate is under attack. Go.”

Judd knew the Dung Gate was to the south. What the Unity Army had planned, he couldn't guess. Were they going for the Temple Mount? Would Carpathia try to set up his headquarters in that holy place?

Another report came—the Unity Army was trying to break through the Wailing Wall!

Judd glanced at Vicki, who strained under the weight of the bullets and grenades she carried. “You ready for this?” he said.

Vicki bit her lip and nodded.

Lionel looked out at the desert in the predawn light. The sand had transformed into miles and miles of soldiers, horses, and weaponry. At least 200,000 troops on horseback were in position.

He found Zeke holding a strange-looking weapon and listening for radio contact from their leader.

“What's with the horses?” Lionel said. “All those tanks and advanced weapons and they put cavalry in front?”

“Doesn't make a lick of sense to me, but I'm glad they did it,” Zeke said. “We're gonna try to spook some of the horses and riders with these babies—” he patted his weapon—“and see if we can't stir things up.”

“What is that?”

“It's called a DEW, short for directed energy weapon. Sends out a beam of energy that burns like fire.”

Lionel winced. “I've seen one, but not that big. Can it reach the troops from here?”

“You bet,” Zeke said. “We've also got fifty-calibers along the perimeter. Those will cause more damage, but they're still nothing compared to what the GC has.”

A helicopter rose in the distance, and Zeke said it was Rayford Steele scouting the area. Suddenly a flash of light and a smoky cloud billowed from the Unity Army.

“We've got incoming,” someone said on Zeke's radio.

“That missile's headed straight for Rayford,” Zeke muttered.

As soon as Judd and Vicki arrived at the Dung Gate, another fight broke out, so they followed a group of rebels heading north. Like waves on an angry sea they surged forward, and finally Judd said they should abandon the tunnels. Judd tried to check in with Jamal by phone but couldn't get through.

Several rebels hooted and threw fists into the air as they passed on the street.

“Where are you going?” Judd yelled.

“Herod's Gate!” one said, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Judd, those men don't have the mark of the believer,” Vicki said. “If they're gunned down, that's the end for them.”

“I know,” Judd said, “but there's no way they'll stop to listen now.”