Frantic (5 page)

Vicki and Lenore tried to help Melinda and Janie but nothing worked. The girls were just as miserable as when they were first stung.

“We have to make them comfortable and leave it at that,” Lenore whispered as she and Vicki left the bedroom.

The other kids complained about the moaning and crying upstairs. “This is going to get spooky if it keeps up through the night,” Darrion said.

As evening approached, the kids gathered to eat and talk about what had happened. Everyone had questions about the locusts and what was ahead. Charlie drank in every word. Conrad found an Internet news outlet and turned it up so everyone could hear. The news anchor had locked himself inside the studio to keep the locusts out.

“We can't estimate the millions of people who have been stung,” the anchor said, “but reports are flooding in from throughout the world. All modes of transportation have come to a standstill. Hospitals are jammed with patients, but in many there is no one to treat the wounded. Doctors and nurses have been stung as well.”

The anchor spoke by phone with a scientist in Philadelphia who had miraculously escaped the locusts.

“These creatures seem to be a hybrid,” the scientist said, “between a horse, a lion, a human being, and an insect. I've looked at the venom closely, and this isn't like any other I've ever seen. It attacks the central nervous system and causes severe pain. The good news is, the sting is not fatal. The bad news is, there seems to be no letup to the pain.”

The anchor continued. “That diagnosis seems to be true. With all the reports of locust attacks, we still haven't been notified of anyone dying because of an attack.”

“I wonder if Nicolae Carpathia will get stung,” Shelly said.

“The locusts are probably too scared to go near the guy,” Conrad said.

Instead of heading to the schoolhouse, Mark took Carl toward the suburbs of Chicago. They made it to Z's gas station by nightfall, and Z's father led them downstairs.

While Carl grabbed something to eat, Mark explained why he was there. Z listened and scratched his neck.

“If he's got the mark and the locusts haven't stung him, that's proof he's one of us.”

“I'm scared to take him back to the hideout,” Mark said. “He could lead the GC to us.”

Z nodded. “I understand. He could lead them here, too. Did you think of that? But where else is he going to get the kind of teaching you guys can give him?”

Z took Mark to his office and showed him how much money he had made from the coins the kids had found. “I've already sold almost half of them.” Z pointed to a figure on the screen.

“Incredible!”

“With that money, plus what I get for the other half, we should be able to buy lots of food and supplies to send to believers around the country.”

“How are you going to ship the stuff?” Mark said.

“A couple of pilots I know will take care of the flights overseas,” Z said, “and I've already got drivers lined up for the States and Canada. I think you know one of them.”

“Who?”

“Guy named Pete.”

“The biker?” Mark said.

“Yeah. He's supposed to be coming here with a rig from down south. He's got an amazin' story.”

“I can't wait to hear it,” Mark said.

Judd and the others crammed into Jamal's car and drove away. The GC squad cars were still in front of the building, their lights swirling.

Judd told them what had happened at the airport. Jamal wanted to hear about Mr. Stein and their trip to Africa, but Judd said he would tell them later.

“We will not be able to return to our home,” Jamal said. “We are fugitives.”

“What about our things?” Jamal's wife said.

Jamal shook his head.

Lionel told them about the man downstairs who said he contacted the GC.

“We knew it was dangerous trying to help others in the building,” Jamal said. “A few of them have believed our message. For that I am grateful.”

Locusts buzzed the streets. People who had been stung moaned and screamed along the sidewalk. They passed a few cars. Everyone who hadn't been stung was staying inside.

“Look out!” Jamal's wife shouted as they drove through an intersection.

A woman stepped in front of the car. Jamal swerved, but it was too late. They hit the woman at full speed, smashing the right headlight. The woman flew through the air and landed with a sickening thud on the pavement. Judd and Nada ran to help.

Judd felt the woman's neck for a pulse. “She's still alive!”

The woman groaned and rocked her head.

“Why did you do that?” Nada asked.

“I don't want to live!” the woman screamed. “Please, I can't take the pain.”

Jamal phoned an ambulance, but there was no answer.

They helped the woman to a nearby bench. When another car came near, she leaped from her seat and ran into the road again.

Jamal brought Judd and Nada back to the car. “She won't die. But there's nothing we can do for her now.”

They drove to the home of Yitzhak Weizmann, the man who had helped Judd, Lionel, and Mr. Stein find a place to stay when they first arrived in Jerusalem. Yitzhak welcomed them with food and listened to their story. “Don't worry. You will stay here.”

Jamal motioned for Judd to join him in the living room as everyone pulled out blankets and pillows for the night.

“I promise I won't be a problem,” Judd said.

Jamal looked hard at Judd. “Nada told me everything. I was . . . stern with you. Too hard. I would be grateful if you would accept my apology and my thanks for saving our lives this evening.”

Judd smiled. “Apology accepted.”

The last time Mark had seen Pete, he was heading south with some of his gang. The rattle of Pete's 18-wheeler shook Z's gas station. Mark reached to shake hands, but Pete grabbed him in a bear hug, and Mark could hardly breathe. Pete was still big, but it looked like he had lost some weight.

Mark and Carl helped Pete unload supplies and stash them deep in Z's hideout. When they finished, Z's father had dinner ready. Mark couldn't remember when he'd had a better meal.

Mark brought them up to date on the kids and introduced Carl. Pete was surprised that Judd and Lionel were in Israel, but he was glad Mr. Stein had been able to attend the Meeting of the Witnesses. Pete asked about Vicki and the schoolhouse. Mark told him about Taylor Graham's death.

Pete hung his head. “I hoped Taylor would become one of us.”

“My cousin John also died,” Mark said.

Carl explained what had happened.

Tears came to Pete's eyes as he listened. “I'm glad you came to the truth, son.”

Z asked about the condition of the roads.

“It's pretty rough in places,” Pete said. “With a cycle it's a breeze, but with the 18-wheeler you have to take it slow.”

“Where you going next?” Mark said.

“I head to Florida tomorrow. We hooked up with a believer who can get us food that won't spoil. I'll take it north and put it in a warehouse, then head back this way.”

“How did you get into trucking?” Mark said.

“I've met a lot of people over the years,” Pete said. “Sometime ago I was through Alabama and Mississippi and hooked up with some good friends. I left to find them and tell them the truth.”

“What happened?”

Pete smiled and took another bite of pie. “I had hoped everybody I talked with would become a believer. Didn't happen. A few believed, though. We even started a church at one of the truck stops.”

“How'd you get the truck?” Mark asked.

“An older guy I know got hurt in the earthquake. Said he wanted me to drive his rig. I told him I wasn't interested, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Said he thought God wanted me to have it.”

“Another driver down south told me about Pete,” Z said. “We talked and he agreed to come on board.”

“This is the perfect time to store provisions,” Pete said. “With all the locusts attacking people, it's like we're the only ones on the road. The GC won't be able to keep track of us.”

Carl told them about the GC plans to find believers throughout the country. “I'm not going back to active duty. I have to warn those people.”

Pete scratched his chin and looked at Carl. “You might want to rethink that. I don't pretend to know everything, but maybe God wants you to stay on the inside. That could be a big help.”

“But dangerous,” Mark said. “If they catch you—”

“I don't care about that,” Carl said. “I wanted to get more teaching and make sure we warn as many as we can.”

“I'll drop you off at the schoolhouse tomorrow,” Pete said. “You'll get a crash course there and then you can decide.”

Carl nodded and stared at his plate. Mark knew whatever Carl decided would be dangerous, but if it meant saving the lives of believers, he was ready.

5

THOUGH
he was exhausted, Lionel couldn't get to sleep. When he closed his eyes, images of frightened people on the plane flashed in his mind. He saw the locusts, teeth bared, attacking the passengers. He thought of the woman inside the airport terminal and wondered if she had found her daughter. So many needed help.

Judd and Sam slept soundly, which increased Lionel's frustration. He tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning, then gave up and went to the kitchen for a drink. He found Yitzhak at the kitchen table pecking away at a laptop computer.

“Every morning I thank God for a new day to live and be part of this adventure,” Yitzhak whispered. He pulled out a chair for Lionel. “I could very easily be in heaven right now. The GC could have killed me while I was locked up there, but they didn't. So God must have something for me to do.”

Yitzhak turned. “Do you realize we have something other believers have never had?”

“What's that?” Lionel said.

“We know when Jesus will return! Believe me, I wish I had recognized the Messiah, but even though we are going through terrible times, each new judgment from God is a sign that he is real and he keeps his promises.”

Yitzhak had logged on to Tsion Ben-Judah's Web site and read it carefully. “Tsion believes, though he admits it's only a guess, that the locusts need bite a person once, and then they move on. I haven't seen one up close yet.”

Lionel shook his head in disgust. “I have and it's not a pretty picture.”

“I'm glad they're working for God and not against believers.”

“What do you mean?” Lionel said.

“If Tsion is right that these are demons, these creatures must be going crazy. They hate believers. They must want to kill us, but they are under instructions from God to torture only unbelievers.”

“What Satan means for evil, God is using for good.”

“Exactly,” Yitzhak said.

Lionel looked out the window. Yellow light signaled another beautiful sunrise. But with the beauty came the racket of the locusts searching for new victims. “I don't know if I can take five months of that noise.”