Apocalypse Dawn (42 page)

But something had happened, and Terry had never come home again. How could God want something like that to happen to a boy who had hardly gotten to live any of his life?

“Well?” Donaldson prompted impatiently.

The colonel’s obvious willingness to make an example out of Delroy almost broke his nerve. But he felt his father’s hard-used Bible in his hands. Leviticus 5:1 had been a favorite passage of Josiah Harte’s when he was talking to his congregation about the need and duty to bear witness to the works of the Lord. And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.

“I know how those people disappeared,” Delroy said in a voice that almost broke. He felt ashamed of himself. Here he was, testifying to the works of the Lord God, holding his own father’s Bible, and he acted as tremulous as a child.

“I’d like to hear this,” Colonel Donaldson said. “Especially since military intelligence doesn’t have a clue, even with all the technology they control at their fingertips.”

“The disappearance of those men wasn’t through technology, Colonel.” Delroy struggled, barely keeping his voice under control. “Their removal from this world was divine.”

Donaldson cursed. “They weren’t removed from this world. They were murdered, and-“

Delroy cut the Marine colonel off. “Not murdered. Sir.” He took a breath, barely able to maintain eye contact with the man. “Those people who have gone missing around the world, they were taken from this world by the hand of God.”

A rumble of conversation from the men in the C&C units filled the hallway.

“Chaplain!” Donaldson roared. “You’ll cease and desist announcements like that this instant!”

Mouth dry, heart beating frantically, Delroy said, “I can’t do that, sir. God insists that we bear witness to the miracles that He has wrought in our lives so that we might influence others to look within their own lives for works that He has done. If I don’t talk about this, I’ll be doing a disservice to God and to the men of this ship. I took an oath to serve the people I was responsible for, and from the looks of this ship and the fact that not everyone here was taken, I still have work to do.”

“You’re out of your mind,” Donaldson said hoarsely.

“No, sir,” Delroy disagreed. “I’ve just stopped hiding from the truth. God has shown me something and I am paying attention.”

No one spoke in the hallway. Delroy knew he had the ear of every man in the centers.

“Chaplain, I order you to return to your quarters,” Donaldson said. “You will remain under house arrest until such time as I-“

.No, sir,” Delroy replied.

Donaldson’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “Are you refusing the direct order of a superior officer, Chaplain Harte?”

“I have been,” Delroy admitted, “until today. But I won’t turn away from him anymore. Not when there are so many left behind that can be saved.”

“Chaplain-” Donaldson’s voice raised in obvious warning.

“The proof is right there in front of you, Colonel. You have but to open your eyes to see.” Delroy held his father’s Bible up before him. “I can show you chapter and verse where God made a covenant to return for his blessed chosen and reap them from this world.”

“Chaplain, I don’t know what you think you’re trying to prove, but-“

“I’m not trying to prove anything,” Delroy said. “I am trying to acknowledge the hand of God Almighty in the course of these events that have changed the face of the world in the last hour and a half.”

.Sergeant,” Donaldson said.

“Sir.”

“Arrest that man.’

“Yes, sir.” The sergeant started forward.

Delroy slapped the Bible against the young Marine’s chest, trapping his assault rifle there. “Don’t you dare,” the chaplain advised.

The Marine halted.

“God put me here today,” Delroy said, staring into the young man’s eyes, “to bear witness to what has truly happened because there are none so blind as those who will not see.” He looked over the sergeant’s shoulder at Donaldson. “I want you to listen to me, Colonel. Things are going to get much worse than you see now. The Antichrist will rise up now that the Rapture has taken place. He will rise up and fill the world with lies and treachery for seven years, and the souls of men will be tried as they have never been tried before.”

In an obviously practiced move, Donaldson drew the M9 pistol from the holster at his hip. The safety clicked off as the barrel centered on Delroy’s face. “Chaplain,” the Marine colonel said in a cold voice, “you’ll shut your mouth now or I’ll put a bullet through your face.”

Delroy stared death squarely in the eye and never blinked. He’d been in contact with it before. Each time he’d felt that always-present fear that he wouldn’t come back home alive, that he would be crippled for life. But now, staring down the muzzle of the M9, he felt calm and relaxed.

“Thirty-one percent of our crew is missing,” Delroy said. “More of them went missing in Turkey, and the survivors are stranded with the very armies they went in to save. Our world is hovering on the brink of a nuclear war between the United States and Russia. And you threaten to kill me?” The chaplain couldn’t help it; he laughed, and the sound rolled through the C&C areas. “Have you ever read Revelation, Colonel? Do you even know what’s in store for the world now that this has happened?”

Donaldson held the pistol rock steady.

“Threatening to kill me doesn’t scare me,” Delroy went on. “I was left behind after the Rapture. The only way to my salvation now is through God’s love and mercy. And if I can’t have those, dying now will be a lot simpler than struggling to live through the dark days that are coming.”

Cursing again, Donaldson shoved the sergeant away with his free hand and stood with the M9 held in a Weaver stance. “Disobeying a direct order from a commanding officer during a time that might be construed as wartime can get you executed on the spot.”

Delroy gazed at the man, understanding more about what drove him. “You’re afraid.”

A nervous tic started in Donaldson’s left eye. “Shut up,” he snarled.

“You’ve been through battles and wars.” Delroy discovered he couldn’t shut up. The truth seemed to course in his veins. “But all of that hasn’t prepared you for something like this.”

“Shut. Up.” A slight tremble shook the M9 in Donaldson’s grip.

“You feel it, don’t you, Colonel?” Delroy asked. “You know that I’m telling you the truth. You know.”

Donaldson’s hand shook more, and his knuckle whitened over the trigger.

“Colonel Donaldson!”The voice whip-cracked through the C&C.

Without turning, Delroy knew Captain Mark Falkirk had stepped out of the Combat Information Center only a short distance away. The CIC held all the computers and information systems the ship’s captain needed to run operations aboard Wasp while she was active on a mission.

“Holster that sidearm, Colonel Donaldson,” Falkirk ordered. “Operations aboard my ship are going to go by my orders.”

With obvious reluctance, Donaldson holstered his weapon. Beads of perspiration covered his pale face. “This man is spouting nonsense, Captain Falkirk. And he’s inciting unrest and demoralizing the crew.”

Delroy glanced at Falkirk.

The captain was in his early thirties, one of the youngest men to have been appointed to that rank, and the youngest to command Wasp. He had a slender build but carried an air of readiness and moved with the fluid grace of a trained athlete. His eyes and hair were dark, complementing the easygoing nature he maintained unless he was irritated or on task.

“Sergeant,” Donaldson went on, “take the chaplain into custody and escort him down to the brig.”

“Belay that order,” Falkirk commanded before the sergeant could get under way. Four Navy security men filed into the hallway, flanking their commander.

“Captain,” Donaldson objected.

“My ship, Colonel,” Falkirk replied, “and she’ll run the way I have her run.” He paused. “Are we clear?”

Donaldson clearly didn’t like the idea, but he said, “Yes.”

Falkirk’s eyes flashed. “My ready room, gentlemen. Now.”

United States of America

Fort Benning, Georgia

Local Time 2:41 A.M.

“Mrs. Gander?”

Megan lifted her head from her arms, startled to find that she had gone to sleep. She’d been sitting uncomfortably at the small conference table in the interview room at MP headquarters and trying very quietly not to go out of her mind with worry. She automatically checked the time, afraid that she had slept past dawn and that Chris would be waking up in the emergency child-care services. When she saw the time, she relaxed a little and prayed that Joey had picked up Chris and they were both now at home.

The MPs had taken her cell phone from her when they’d taken her into custody. She didn’t know if Joey had gotten to his younger brother, and she didn’t know if Joey was aware that she’d been taken by the MPs. The MPs hadn’t called her forced detention an arrest, only that she had been detained for questioning.

The man who stood on the other side of the table was dressed in a fresh Army uniform and wore a lieutenant’s bars. He was blond and pale, much too serious for his age, which Megan didn’t put much over his mid-twenties. He carried an imitation leather briefcase.

“I’m Megan Gander,” Megan said. “Who are you?”

“Lieutenant Doug Benbow, ma’am.” He offered his hand.

Megan took his hand and shook briefly. “Are you an MP, Lieutenant Benbow?”

.No, ma’am. I’m with the military justice system. I’ve been assigned to be your legal representative.”

“My attorney?” Megan struggled against the fatigue that filled her mind. “Why would I need an attorney?”

“We can talk about that.” Benbow touched the back of the chair across the table from her. “May I sit?”

“Of course.” Megan leaned back in her chair and tried to gather her errant thoughts. She was fatigued. Her thoughts swam like fat koi in a deep pond, not quite reaching the surface.

Benbow sat, placing his briefcase on the table, then flipping it open. He took out a tape recorder. “Would you mind if I record our conversation?”

“Why are you recording our conversation?”

The question caused the young lieutenant to hesitate. “I’ll be taking notes, of course, but I much prefer to work from a recording. That way I get every word, and I don’t miss the nuances a person may use as he or she explains himself or herself.” He took out a lined yellow legal pad.

Fear crept in on Megan and the chill in the room seemed like it deepened by the second. “I don’t understand.”

Benbow clicked the tape recorder on. “I just need to go over tonight’s events, Mrs. Gander.”

“I’ve already told the MPs what happened. This doesn’t make any sense. “

Reaching into an inside jacket pocket, Benbow took out a mechanical pencil and clicked the plunger to expose the lead. “I need to know about the boy, Mrs. Gander.”

“Gerry?

Benbow flipped through pages of notes. His eyes scanned the material rapidly. “Gerry Fletcher. Yes, that’s right, Mrs. Gander. You were his counselor?”

Were? Icy jaws seemed to clamp on to Megan’s thoughts. “I am Gerry’s counselor.” Those were clothes I saw at the bottom of that building. Empty clothes. Gerry fell, but he didn’t hit. Thank You, God, he didn’t hit.

“How long were you-have you been-Gerry Fletcher’s counselor?”

“About a year.” Megan thought furiously, trying to catch up with whatever the young lieutenant was doing.

“Fourteen months?” Benbow’s pencil hung expectantly over a clean sheet in the legal pad.

“I’d have to check my notes if you want a definite answer.” Megan didn’t know why she couldn’t remember.

“I have checked your records regarding Gerry,” Benbow said. “You’ve been seeing him for fourteen months.”

“You’ve seen my records regarding Gerry’s case?”

Benbow sat up straighter, if that was possible, and regarded her. “I haven’t looked through the boy’s file, Mrs. Gander. Only your appointments. I found that you first saw Gerry on December 27 two years ago.”

The first meeting had been after Christmas. Megan remembered that clearly now. “That sounds right.”

“And Gerry has been in your care since that time?”

“Yes.”

Benbow scribbled notes and nodded in satisfaction. “During your visits with Gerry, you also came into contact with Private Boyd Fletcher.”

Megan nodded.

“Please respond verbally, Mrs. Gander. I may ask that the tapes be admitted in court as evidence.”

“Court?” Megan couldn’t believe what the lieutenant was saying. “Who’s talking about court?”

“The provost marshal’s office,” Benbow answered.

“Frank Marion is talking about taking me to court?” Unable to sit any longer, Megan stood. Her chair screeched as it shot back. As soon as she stood, she felt light-headed. The scratches along her arm that Gerry had left during his panic before he had slipped from her hand stung.

“I’ve not spoken with Provost Marshal Marion yet,” Benbow replied. “1 hope to speak with him in the morning regarding the other extenuating circumstances that have occurred here on base tonight. I don’t know how you can be held accountable for Gerry Fletcher ‘s disappearance.