Deceived (18 page)

Vicki showed the note to Conrad and Shelly to get their input and the phone rang.

It was Darrion. “Melinda and I have tried all the leads you gave, but we haven't been able to find anything about Josey Fogarty. We did come up with some pretty bad news about her husband though.”

“Tom?” Vicki said. “Did he die?”

“No,” Darrion said. “He's working for the Global Community.”

Lionel walked to the front of General Zimmerman's home. Judd had wanted to keep moving, but Lionel felt a deep sadness at seeing the beautiful house destroyed.

Judd shook his head. “The GC sure seems to like starting fires to get rid of people.”

Sabir joined them. “I would hate to think someone found out about the band of believers you have described.”

“How can we find out if they survived?” Judd said.

“What about Yitzhak?” Lionel said.

“Great idea,” Judd said.

As they wove their way through the narrow streets to Yitzhak's home, Lionel explained how they had met the man and what he had done for them. He held his breath as they turned onto Yitzhak's street, afraid his home might have been torched as well. Lionel sighed when he saw it was still there.

Sabir followed Lionel and Judd up the front steps and Judd knocked on the door. Nothing. Judd knocked again and said, “Hello? Anybody home?”

“Just a moment,” someone said. “Who is there?”

“Friends,” Judd said.

A curtain opened and a man studied the three.

“We're looking for Yitzhak,” Judd said. “Does he still live here?”

“What do you want with him?”

“We're friends.”

The man opened the door and looked up and down the street. “Come in quickly.”

Lionel followed Judd and Sabir into the home and the door closed behind them. “I see you have the mark of the believer. We have to be very careful. Global Community Morale Monitors have been active in this area.”

Lionel couldn't believe the number of people in the room when they reached the bottom of the stairs. They crowded so tightly that when Sam and Mr. Stein saw Judd and Lionel, it took them nearly a minute to move past the others to greet them.

“We have been praying for you since you left,” Mr. Stein said as he hugged Judd. “I have just been going over our action plan for the next few days. Share what has happened to you since we last met.”

“In front of everyone?” Judd said.

Mr. Stein smiled. “We are all anxious to hear.”

Lionel held up both hands and smiled when Judd looked at him. “He asked you, not me.”

Judd told the group what had happened with Z-Van in New Babylon. When he described Nicolae's funeral, everyone groaned. Judd asked Lionel to tell about Z-Van's pilot, Westin Jakes, and how he had prayed after Nicolae's resurrection. Several people said, “Praise God” and “Hallelujah,” when Lionel finished.

Judd asked people to pray for their friend who was still working inside the Global Community and who had both the mark of the believer and Carpathia's mark.

The room fell silent. Then several people spoke up, not understanding how a person could have both marks. Judd tried to explain that his friend had been forced to take the mark of Carpathia against his will, but still the room grew louder.

Finally, Mr. Stein held up a hand and said it was time to end. After he led in prayer, people left in small groups through different doors so no one in the neighborhood would become suspicious.

Lionel moved to the back of the room as several people questioned Judd about the Global Community's plans in Israel. Sabir excused himself, hugged Lionel and Judd, and slipped into the night.

When the room was nearly empty, Mr. Stein took Judd and Lionel aside. “We have so much to tell you, so much to prepare you for, and so little time.”

“What do you think will happen tomorrow?” Judd said.

“The evil one wants to defile the temple of God, but we are praying that it will actually bring people to the truth.”

17

VICKI
reeled from the news that Tom Fogarty was now working for the Global Community. If Josey was a believer, how could the two live in the same house? Was Tom a secret believer behind enemy lines? Could Josey have died or moved away?

“What do you want me to do?” Darrion said.

“I need time to think. First, let me dictate a message to you that I've written to Natalie's roommate, Claudia.” Vicki read the message and asked Darrion to send the response quickly.

“If it's a trap, she's probably going to ask for information about the group or to meet you,” Darrion said.

“Exactly,” Vicki said. “Let me call you back about the Fogartys.”

Vicki spotted a sign welcoming travelers to Wisconsin. They only had a few hours of driving ahead, and she wanted to talk with Mark about the plan she was form- ing. She knelt on the floor by Mark's side and explained her idea about Cheryl and the baby going to live with Josey.

“Sounds complicated,” Mark said. “If the husband is GC, you won't really know until you've talked with Josey.”

“And we can't get in touch with her without going through her husband.”

Colin held up a hand. “I have an idea. Pull over.”

Mark found a rest area for travelers and pulled into the parking lot. The kids got out and stretched their legs as Vicki followed Colin inside.

Colin dialed information and got the number to the Global Community personnel department outside of Chicago. There he was told that Thomas Fogarty had been assigned to a new GC facility in Rockford, Illinois.

“That's not far from the Wisconsin line,” Colin said, putting more money into the phone. He dialed the number for the Rockford station and asked to speak with Fogarty. “Do you know when he'll be back? … I see. Well, I have a friend who used to know him from his days in Chicago and wants to check in with him. Is there a good time to call back? … Okay. Oh, one more question. This is kind of awkward. Do you know if he and Josey are still together? … Right, I understand. Thanks a lot.”

“What did they say?” Vicki said.

“She said she can't give out personal information.”

Colin dialed another number and asked for a telephone listing for Thomas Fogarty in Rockford. He frowned and hung up. “Unlisted.”

When they were back on the road, Jim Dekker phoned and asked about their progress. Colin told him where they were, and Jim said they shouldn't have any more trouble from the GC.

Vicki asked for the phone. “Jim, I hope you're getting out of there before they make you take the mark.”

“I'm two steps ahead of you,” Jim said. “I've packed everything I'll need for a few days and it's in my car. I'm hoping to see you guys in Wisconsin in a few hours.”

Vicki gave him Tom Fogarty's name and asked if he could get a home number for him before he left.

“I'll do my best,” Jim said.

Judd felt exhausted, and when he heard what was planned for the following day, he wanted to make sure he was rested. But when Sam and Mr. Stein began explaining what had happened since they had last seen them, and what they suspected from reading the Scriptures, Judd felt energized.

“First, we have to remember the truth about our enemy,” Mr. Stein said. “Satan is much more powerful than any human, but he is still a created being. He will deceive many in the coming days and even scare people into following him, but we must remember that our God is still in control. He will only allow this pretender to continue his charade for a limited time.”

“What does Carpathia have in mind this time?”

Sam started to speak, then stopped.

Mr. Stein smiled and waved a hand. “Go ahead.”

“Well, Carpathia's true nature is about to be revealed,” Sam said. “From the beginning of time, Satan has been against those whom God loved. He delighted in deceiving the man and woman in the Garden, and he has always been against God's chosen people, the Jews.”

“But our God always has a plan,” Mr. Stein said, picking up the story. “He has a place of refuge for his people.”

“Petra?”

Mr. Stein scratched his beard. “We do not know the exact place, but that is an interesting possibility.”

Judd told them what he had heard from Chang. Sam became animated. “My father took me there when I was younger. It is one of the most unreachable places on earth.”

“I've never heard of it,” Lionel said.

“Petra is a city known for its red rock walls and its isolation,” Sam said. “The only way to get inside is through the Siq, a mile-long path with cliffs on either side. There is a temple carved out of the rock 150 feet high. Inside the city are tombs and theaters and dwellings carved right out of the rock by ancient people. I think Petra would be a perfect place of refuge.”

“Back up,” Judd said. “As I understand it, Carpathia's going to defile the temple in some way and someone's going to stand up against him.”

Mr. Stein nodded. “God has prepared the right person for the right time, but we have no idea who it will be.”

“What about Tsion?” Judd said.

“Perhaps,” Mr. Stein said. “We simply do not know.”

“Well, it's clear from the reports that people in Jerusalem haven't been exactly anxious to put up a statue of Carpathia,” Judd said.

Mr. Stein smiled. “Of course, believers would never want such a thing, but the Orthodox Jews and others have refused to even begin to build a replica statue. I believe the time is ripe for God to show his people the truth. Carpathia believes he is coming here to stamp out any opposition, but I believe God has something else in mind.”

Sam sat forward. “We have heard some distressing things about Carpathia's schedule, so you must not be alarmed at what might happen. Don't be surprised if Carpathia does some sickening things.”

“Like what?”

“Like mocking Jesus by walking down the Via Dolorosa, the same path of Christ's suffering just before his crucifixion.”

“How are the Orthodox Jews and the Christ followers getting along?” Judd said.

“We are unified in our stand against Carpathia,” Mr. Stein said. “On spiritual matters we are far apart. But I am trusting in the God who is able to open blind eyes. We pray they will see that Jesus is truly their Messiah.”

Vicki couldn't wait to get to Colin's home and sleep. The kids had been on the run for so long that a long night's sleep was a luxury. For the past three and a half years, Vicki had learned to nap scrunched in a car, outside under the stars, or in some dark hideout. She longed to feel safe again, to have a place she could call her own, to simply sit and watch television without fear of being caught by the Global Community.

But the truth was, Vicki wouldn't trade her life now for what she had known before the disappearances. Her fears back then were that her parents would discover her sneaking out at night, or that she'd be grounded for flunking a class in school. A couple of her teachers had given her the line she always hated, “You have so much potential.” Now, Vicki knew what they meant. If she studied and worked hard, God could use her to accomplish great things.