The Illuminati (12 page)
Elder's attention remained riveted to the television. A reporter was asking the deputy attorney general from the Department of Justice what the government's response would be.
John Elder saw his own face appear in one corner of the screen as the young deputy answered, “We will watch this Constitutional Rights Committee very closely. At this point I cannot comment on our plans, but we certainly do take their threats seriously. Plots to assassinate members of the government have been authenticated. This group has demonstrated that they will resort to violence if necessary to achieve their goals. We have evidence that they are teaching their members guerrilla tactics.”
The scene shifted to a heavily wooded area where armed men and women were engaging in what was obviously combat training.
“Lies, lies! Those are not our people,” Julia protested.
“We knew this wouldn't be easy, Julia. Just remember what I keep telling the members of our group. The politicians are not our enemies, even if they are against us. Our enemy is the master deceiver.”
As tears welled up in Julia's eyes, her voice broke and she struggled to maintain her composure.“Maybe so, John, but you're going to be the one who will bear the brunt.”
“A lot of God's people will bear the brunt, Julia. I just happen to be the spokesman right now. Remember that Peter and John rejoiced at being found worthy to suffer for the Lord.”
“Yes, but I also remember that Peter was crucified and John was banished,” Julia retorted.
“I wish that we could be found as worthy,” John said to no one in particular as he sank into his favorite chair and turned his attention back to the news program. “Sometimes I think it would be easier to be martyred than to fight the politicians.” He stared at the television as the newscast moved on to a new piece.
“This is Nathan Mather in Detroit; I'm outside the Government Service Center,” the onsite reporter said. “With only three hundred new service jobs available for this city of one hundred thousand unemployed workers, nearly ten thousand people applied for the positions. The Service Center director tells me that according to the new job preference bill, only workers over sixty-five will be considered for these positions.”
Stepping up to one of the younger men in line, Mather asked,“Sir, are you aware that the available jobs will be filled only with over-sixty-five workers?”
“Yeah, I heard that, but I'm goin' to stay in line anyway. I have a wife and four kids to feed.”
“What do you think about the jobs bill since the Japanese car companies left Detroit?”
“I think it stinks. Hunt promised he would do somethin' to help us. I listened to his promises and voted for him; now I expect him to keep his word.”
“Well, as you know, the older generation holds the majority vote in our country now. Don't you think it will be difficult to get support for any new jobs legislation favoring younger workers?”
After a moment's hesitation from the young man, he stood straight and spoke with conviction, “Maybe so, but I'll tell you this: these so-called older workers caused this mess we're in, an' now they want us to pay the price. There's nothin' right about that! They may have the vote, but we have the power. We need Hunt to act.” Looking away from the reporter and into the camera, he continued, “You hear me, President Hunt? Do somethin' now!”
A troubled John Elder looked away from the television. “It seems that every group is being pitted against the other. The young against the old, blacks against Hispanics, Christians against non-Christians. If anything else happens, this country could be in real trouble. Everything I see around us now reminds me of what I've read about pre-World War II Germany. Inflation was running 1,000 percent per month, and unemployment was nearly 40 percent. The people were ripe for a political savior.”
“But our economy isn't as bad as that, is it?” Julia asked, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself than her husband. She knew John had a better grasp of history than most men of his generation.
“I'm afraid this depression is just going to get worse, Julia. We're in for a battle ahead.” He stood up and walked to the kitchen, staring out the window. Americans had always believed that the government could call forth some magic genie to save them from any economic trials. Now they knew better. When President Kilborne announced that the FDIC could no longer insure bank accounts, depositors rushed to get their money, only to discover that there wasn't any money. So a lot of older people saw their life's savings evaporate, and they had to look for work. All this jobs bill had done was to alienate the younger people who were already strapped with tax upon tax.
It's just a matter of time until our government totally runs out of money. Then they'll either print it or scrap it altogether
.
“But the Balanced Budget Amendment is supposed to keep the worst from happening, isn't it?” Julia called from the living room.
“Theoretically yes, but most Americans don't understand what it actually means to run out of money. It would cost millions more jobs and ignite riots in the cities. I don't know just what can be done, but I'll guarantee you the government is looking for a ârabbit in the hat' right now.”
“I don't understand,” Julia said. “The government can't just ignore the Constitution. The Supreme Court won't allow it, will they?”
“Julia, we don't know how far politicians like Hunt will go to make themselves look good. Even the Supreme Court may not be able to stop him now. It's possible he is part of an effort to take over the government.”
“What do you mean? You've hinted at that before.”
“The attacks on Christians are accelerating since Hunt's landslide election. Our people in Washington believe there is a secret society within the government that is behind both the attacks and Hunt's election.”
“What kind of society? Does it have anything to do with you being accused of heading a subversive group?”
“I don't know, but their strategy seems to be to stir up hatred of Christianity.”
Raw emotion caused Julia's voice to waver as she said, “I can't believe we're in the middle of all this. This is America, not China.”
Before her husband could reply, tires screeched to a stop in front of the house. Julia looked out between the blinds and saw several men in dark suits emerging from two plain black cars. A mobile van from Channel Six TV pulled into the driveway behind them; several people jumped out and began to set up remote camera equipment. One of the dark-suited men yelled at the TV crew and the camera was quickly relocated to the edge of the Elder's driveway.
Two of the men approached the front door while another went around to the backyard. Julia's heart almost stopped as she realized they were probably surrounding the house.
“John, you'd better come look at this,” she whispered.
“What, honey?” he asked as he saw her pale. “What's wrong?”
Before Julia could answer, the front door burst open and two men pointed automatic weapons at them both. “John Elder? John Elder! FBI! You're under arrest!”
The last thing Julia remembered seeing was her husband's shocked expressionâthen darkness. She slumped to the floor. As John attempted to reach for his wife, one of the men blocked his way and shoved him against the wall. In one swift motion he was handcuffed and a choke collar attached to his neck and wrists. John knew not to struggle against the collar. He had experienced the same apparatus when he had been arrested while leading demonstrations against abortion clinics.
Within minutes the news networks were showing footage of “suspected terrorist” John Elder being taken to police headquarters by FBI agents who “had been tracking his whereabouts for several days.”
After the news report, several hundred members of the Atlanta-based CRC gathered in the church sanctuary. The mood was one of shock and disbelief. There was a buzz of conversation until Bill Frost, area director of the CRC, stood to speak. “I know you're all worried about Pastor Elder. These are troubled times. If this can happen to a man of God, it can happen to any of us.”
“Where's the pastor now?” someone asked.
“We don't know. All we know is that he was moved from the city jail to another location after the judge refused to set bail.”
“How can he do that? I thought everyone was entitled to bail.”
“They charged him with heading a terrorist organization, so the judge can deny bail.”
“Terrorist organization!” someone yelled from the back. “You mean those accusations on television?”
“It would appear so,” Frost said. The anger in his voice was evident. “We have attorneys working on it now. We don't know what the next step will be. When the pastor is arraigned, we'll know more.”
“What about Julia?” one of the women asked. “Where is she?”
“They haven't charged her with anything, as far as we know. She fainted during the raid on their home. She's okay, but I understand she's under sedation. It was a traumatic experience for her.”
It would be several days before anyone from the CRC heard anything definitive about their leader. And then the news would change all of their lives forever.
Three days after Elder's arrest, President Hunt announced to the nation that the Japanese were again demanding repayment of the nearly $3 trillion the United States owed them. In a special message from the White House, he agreed to hold a live press conference, but without any question-and-answer session.
As the reporters and photographers filed into the pressroom, the president entered from the Oval Office access door. This time his appearance was without the normal fanfare of “Hail to the Chief.” The president's usual contingent of secret service and the ever-watchful Cal Rutland accompanied him as he took his position behind the plexiglass podium in the pressroom of the White House.
“Ladies and gentlemen, fellow Americans, we face the gravest financial crisis yet in our nation. Even as I was working to resolve the economic chaos facing our country, others have been working to undermine my efforts and make the plight of working Americans more severe.
“As you know, previously the Japanese demanded immediate repayment of all loans, then agreed to negotiate with my administration. Now, once again, the Japanese are demanding that we immediately repay the loans made to us over the last thirty years. To do this would require that we mortgage every asset in our country. It would plunge this nation into economic ruin and prolong the depression by at least ten years. We would become virtual slaves to the very nation we helped to rebuild after World War II.
“As your president, I cannot allow this. I have been elected with a mandate to restore law and order, as well as economic stability to our country. We have taken the first step toward restoring law and order in the state of California, and nationally by way of a crackdown on the organized terrorism. Now the immediate need is to restore economic stability. As many of you are aware, the Japanese have chosen to shut down their largest U.S. industries to preserve jobs for their people. They have consistently demonstrated a lack of concern or empathy for the workers of this nation who sacrificed to help them when they were down. Therefore, I have decided, with the counsel of several leading members of Congress, to invoke the Omnibus Banking Act of 1997 and suspend all repayment of foreign debt.
“Let me emphasize that this is in no way jeopardizes the deposits of Americans. In fact, I have instructed the treasury to stand behind all deposits of American citizens 100 percent. Those who lost their savings in the recent bank collapse will be repaid in full. Withdrawals will be limited until the economy recovers, but no American will lose a dime. You have my word on that. This may result in some temporary inconveniences to large depositors, but remember, it is for the good of the whole nation. Dr. Russell Siever, former secretary of the treasury, has been appointed to head a task force to oversee this effort. I'll let Dr. Siever explain how the Banking Act will be put into operation.”
As the president stepped down from the platform, someone started to clap. Then the entire group, including the secret service, joined in thunderous applause.
In the press secretary's office, the Insta-pol rating showed that 83 percent of the polling group supported the president's decision. “We did it!” Ross Newton, the press secretary, shouted. “The public bought it. Hunt could sell day-old fish for deodorant.”
Russell Siever began the thirty-minute presentation exactly as he had rehearsed it. “Let me say that I totally support the president's decision. It is the responsibility of the government to protect the interest of its own people first. For too long we have allowed private interests to shift money and jobs out of our country. Without the generosity of the American people, these other countries would still be living in the Dark Ages.” Again, spontaneous applause interrupted the speech.