Stung (14 page)

“It's a good thing we have a generator that works,” Conrad said. “We'd freeze out here.”

“The glorious appearing of Jesus Christ is fewer than five years away,” Tsion said. “I believe the greatest time of harvest is now, before the second half of the Tribulation, which the Bible calls the Great Tribulation.

“One day the evil world system will require the bearing of a mark in order for its citizens to buy or sell. You may rest assured it will not be the mark we see on each other's foreheads!

“You must begin to store food and other provisions for what is to come. Above all, we must trust God. He expects us to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

“Tomorrow night I'm afraid I have a difficult message to bring. You may get a preview of it by reading Revelation 9.”

It was afternoon in Illinois, but the kids were exhausted. Vicki and the others went to their rooms. She couldn't get the e-mail out of her mind. Had the GC found them? Was Mark in some kind of trouble?

Before she went to sleep, Vicki opened her Bible. Her hands trembled as she read.

Judd awoke early Friday and spent the day in a blur of activity. The all-day meetings focused on the importance of the message and gave specific texts of Scripture to memorize. “These are the words of God,” one speaker said, “and God's words are effective. Use them well.”

Late in the afternoon, Judd and Lionel walked to the stadium early to make sure they got seats. At the east entrance they were amazed to see the crowds already standing shoulder to shoulder. Most were Jewish believers, but many were also skeptics and seekers who had seen the coverage and wanted to view Dr. Ben-Judah themselves.

“Can you believe Carpathia's news media has covered this whole thing?” Lionel said.

“Probably Nick's way of keeping track of everything they say,” Judd said.

Again, Judd looked for the GC guard but couldn't find him. He and Lionel made their way into the already packed stadium. As darkness fell, Judd spotted the guard near the stage. “Save my seat. I'll be right back.”

“I can't talk to you,” the guard said as Judd approached, his eyes darting toward the stage.

Judd turned his back and kept talking. “Why not?”

“Get out of here—”

“Just answer this,” Judd said. “You've listened the last two nights. Does Tsion's message make sense?”

“I'm telling you, I can't talk,” the guard said.

“Tell me, is any of it getting through?”

The guard looked down and whispered, “Last night I listened and wondered what would have happened … if those two preachers had zapped me instead of my friend.”

Judd felt a ray of hope for the guard.

“At first, I thought you people were crazy, all the praying and singing. Last night I was ready to kill everyone on the stage. Now, I don't know. I wonder if I've done something wrong.”

“We all have,” Judd said. “That's the point. But God's trying to get our attention. Let me tell you what we believe. I can help.”

The guard stole a glance around the stage. “You have to go. The other guards will see us.”

“If you ask God to forgive you, he will,” Judd said. “You can become one of us.”

“How would you know I wasn't a GC spy?”

Judd smiled. “Trust me, I'll know.” Judd quickly explained what it meant to be a believer. The guard listened. Suddenly the man's radio squawked.

“I have to go,” the guard said, “but I want to talk again afterward. Meet me here by the stage when everyone is gone.”

Judd walked away. He prayed Tsion would say something tonight to get through to the guard.

Judd made it back to his seat as Daniel announced a rally at the Temple Mount the following day. “What's that about?” Judd said.

“A thank-you to the local committee,” Lionel said. “We ought to go.”

A few moments later Daniel said, “And now I invite you to listen to a message from the Word of God.”

As Tsion Ben-Judah walked to the podium, the crowd rose and clapped. There was no shouting, cheering, or whistling. The response overwhelmed Tsion. He put his notes on the lectern and waited for the applause to end.

“God has put something on my heart tonight,” Tsion said. “Even before I open his Word, I feel led to invite seekers to come forward and receive Christ.”

Immediately, from all over the stadium and even outside, lines of people, many weeping, began streaming forward, causing another burst of applause. Judd couldn't believe how many were coming. He wondered if those watching over the Global Community's outlets were praying as well.

Tsion said, “You do not have to be with us physically to receive Christ tonight. All you need to do is tell God you are a sinner and separated from him. Tell him you know that nothing you can do will earn your way to him. Tell him you believe that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for your sins, that Jesus was raised from the dead, and that he is coming again to the earth. Receive him as your Savior right where you are.”

After nearly an hour, the people who had come forward headed back to their seats. Tsion looked tired. His shoulders sagged. When he spoke, his voice was weak.

“My text tonight is Revelation 8:13.” Tens of thousands of Bibles opened around the stadium. “This passage warns that once the earth has been darkened by one-third, three terrible woes will follow. These are so horrible that they will be announced from heaven in advance.”

Lionel grabbed Judd's arm. “Look!”

Emerging from the shadows of the stage behind Tsion were Eli and Moishe. They walked to the front as the crowd pointed and leaned forward to hear them.

Moishe said, “My beloved brethren, the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.”

Then Moishe loudly quoted Tsion's passage for everyone to hear. “‘And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!”'”

GC guards engaged their rifles, but no one fired. Judd wanted to run to the guard he knew and hold him back. Judd closed his eyes, ready for the gunfire, but when he opened them he saw Eli and Moishe were gone. Guards scrambled everywhere.

Tsion shook. Whether from fear or excitement, Judd couldn't say. To Judd's surprise, Tsion said, “If we never meet again this side of heaven or in the millennial kingdom our Savior sets up on earth, I shall greet you on the Internet and teach from Revelation 9! Godspeed as you share the gospel of Christ with the whole world!”

The Meeting of the Witnesses was over. Tsion disappeared into the shadows. Judd leaped to his feet, while the aisle was clear, and ran toward the front.

“They're ending early,” Vicki said as the kids watched the wrap-up of the final session.

Conrad was deep in thought. “If Tsion's right, we're going to spend the rest of our lives as criminals. We won't be able to trust anyone.”

“With the GC in control of everything,” Shelly said, “we'll have to scramble just to stay alive.”

Vicki heard a noise. Scratching. She opened the front door but didn't see anything. The noise was coming from the back of the house. She rushed into the kitchen. The noise got louder. She checked the back door.

Nothing.

Then Vicki realized the noise was coming from Melinda's room.

Before Judd could get past, the crowd filed into the aisles. He pushed his way around the last person and rushed toward the front.

“Let's figure out a place to meet,” Judd said as he made it to the guard. The man turned. It was a different guard. “Sorry,” Judd said.

Judd moved along the front of the stage. People craned their necks to get a glimpse of Tsion. Others knelt and wept.

Judd finally located the guard, but he could tell something was different. The guard held his gun high, his helmet pulled low. When he saw Judd he put a finger to his lips. He touched his ear piece and said something into the microphone on his shoulder.

“You have to leave,” the guard said.

“I'm not going until I talk with you,” Judd said.

“You don't understand,” the guard said. “People are going to be killed here tonight. Leave!”

“What people?” Judd said. “Who?”

The guard lowered his voice. “My job is to keep everyone away from the backstage area. You're not safe here. Meet me at the east entrance in an hour.”

“Tell me—”

The guard pushed his helmet up so Judd could see his forehead. Judd gasped as he saw the mark of the true believer.

“Go now,” the guard said.

Judd rushed back to Lionel and told him about the guard. “I have to hear his story!” Lionel said. They looked for Mr. Stein but couldn't find him. Slowly they filed out behind the thousands who would take the message of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Judd looked down on the infield. The guard was talking to someone. Suddenly, the man bolted onto the stage. The guard yelled, “Wait! Stop! Assistance!”

“That's Buck Williams!” Lionel shouted.

The guard aimed his rifle and fired.

“He's going to kill him!” Lionel shouted.

At the sound of the gunfire, frightened people pushed toward the exit. Some fell in the panic. Others tried to help them but were pushed along with the crowd.

“I've got to get down there,” Judd yelled.

Vicki opened Melinda's door. Phoenix whimpered on the floor, his legs taped together. Around his snout was another wide band of tape.

“How long have you been here, boy?” Vicki said as she struggled to free the dog.

Vicki looked out the window. She had been so engrossed in the teaching of Dr. Ben-Judah that she had forgotten about Melinda.

Vicki shook her head. “Where's she going?”