Stung (7 page)

“Protect me?”

“We saved you from the poisoned water,” Vicki said. “I just wish we could have gotten to Felicia before she drank it.”

“I'm out of place,” Melinda said. “I feel guilty for staying with you and not turning you in. At the same time …” Melinda's voice trailed off.

“What?” Vicki said.

“There's something I haven't told you.”

Judd tried to talk more with Hasina, but her hatred for the Global Community kept her from listening. Lionel rushed in. “You should see this.”

Mr. Stein watched a report about Nicolae Carpathia. The news conference was held at the main airport in Tel Aviv. Leon Fortunato, Carpathia's right-hand man, stood dutifully in the background as Enigma Babylon's Peter Mathews introduced the potentate.

“I cannot tell you what a pleasure it is to be back in Israel,” Carpathia said with a broad smile. “I am eager to welcome the devotees of Dr. Ben-Judah and to display the openness of the Global Community to diverse opinion and belief.”

“Right,” Judd said sarcastically.

“I am pleased to reaffirm my guarantee of safety to the rabbi and the thousands of visitors from all over the world,” Carpathia continued. “I will withhold further comment, assuming I will be welcome to address the honored assembly within the next few days.”

“Surely Tsion won't let him,” Judd said.

Mr. Stein stroked the stubbly beard he had grown. “I'm wondering how the witnesses will respond.”

“The people in the stadium?” Lionel said.

“Eli and Moishe,” Mr. Stein said.

Taylor Graham walked into the room and flipped off the television. “You guys want a little company at that meeting of yours? I hear the big guy is making an appearance.”

Judd knew from reading Tsion's views of the book of Revelation that Nicolae Carpathia would be killed. But Judd thought it was too soon. They had just passed the two-year mark of the beginning of the Tribulation, and from what Judd could remember, Nicolae wasn't supposed to die for another year and a half.

While Lionel and Mr. Stein talked with Taylor, Judd slipped into Hasina's empty office and pulled up Tsion's Web site. Judd gasped when he saw Tsion's travel schedule. Everyone, including the Global Community, could see it!

Between Tsion's directions to the witnesses and what Buck Williams wrote in his Web magazine,
The Truth
, Judd couldn't wait for the meeting to begin. One thing was sure. Buck's days as the editor of Nicolae Carpathia's global magazine were over. Judd wondered whether Buck would attend the conference with Tsion or play it safe.

Later, a car pulled up outside. Judd and the others thanked Hasina for her kindness. “Perhaps I'll see you before you leave?” she said.

The drive to Jerusalem went quickly. Judd pointed out some of the historical sites as they drew closer. It was as if they had gone through a time warp. Tel Aviv was modern and fast paced. But as they neared the old city of Jerusalem, it looked thousands of years old. Mr. Stein watched in amazement. “I feel God has me here for a reason.”

Tens of thousands crowded the streets. Many were no doubt converted Jewish witnesses from around the world.

“Can you drive us by the Temple Mount?” Mr. Stein said.

The driver wound his way through the jammed streets. “You should see it at night,” the driver said. “It is spectacular.”

The new temple gleamed in the morning sun. The Global Community had spent millions creating this structure to honor Nicolae Carpathia. Judd figured when the Dome of the Rock was moved to New Babylon, animal sacrifices wouldn't be far behind. He was right. Peter the Second had welcomed the Orthodox Jews into the Enigma Babylon faith. Tsion Ben-Judah wrote in disgust about the structure. He said the new building and the sacrifices were an affront to the true God of Israel.

The driver of the car turned and, in a heavy Israeli accent, said, “I will not be able to get you close to Teddy Kollek Stadium. Too many people.”

“We can walk,” Mr. Stein said. “We are looking for a room for the week. Can you help?”

The driver shook his head. “If you do not have a place to stay, may God help you.”

Mr. Stein smiled. “He will.”

Mr. Stein paid the driver, and the three began their walk.

“Who is Teddy Kollek, anyway?” Lionel said.

“I believe he was the mayor of Jerusalem for many years,” Mr. Stein said. “He helped develop the city.”

“How many people will the stadium hold?” Lionel said.

Mr. Stein looked around. “Not this many. Tsion's Web site said they would transmit the signal to other areas, but I must be where Dr. Ben-Judah is.”

Global Community guards patrolled the area around the stadium. “The meeting starts tomorrow night,” a guard said. “Come back then.”

Judd pointed out several hotels as they continued, but all were booked. Mr. Stein pleaded with manager after manager, offering several times the amount of a single room. Each time, they were turned away.

“Does it strike you funny that there's no room at any of these inns?” Lionel said with a smile.

Melinda sat like a statue next to Felicia's grave.

“You want to go inside?” Vicki said. “It's late, and really cold.”

“You asked about my mother,” Melinda said.

“I figured you didn't want to talk about her,” Vicki said.

“I didn't. But now …”

“What is it?”

Melinda took a deep breath. “My mom believed what you do.”

Vicki couldn't speak.

“Not always. She used to be as wild as my dad. Even wilder. They'd go to cocktail parties and come home blasted. When my dad was on the road, she'd sneak out. She thought I didn't see her. I never told my dad, but I saw.

“I was out late one night. I came home and found her crying in the living room. There was a woman with her. We called her the preacher lady. She said my mother had something to tell me.

“I thought my mom had gotten some kind of disease the way she was crying. But that wasn't it. She said she was sorry for being a bad mother.

“Then the preacher lady said my mom had just asked Jesus to forgive her. I couldn't believe it. I'd heard this Jesus talk from a couple of kids at school. I thought it was trash.”

“What happened?” Vicki said.

“I told her I didn't want to hear it. She said she'd waited up all night to talk with me. My dad had been there and left. I started up the stairs, and my mom followed. When I got to the top, she grabbed me by the arm. She begged me to listen.”

Melinda closed her eyes, as if she were watching the scene again. “I yelled something awful at her and pulled away. When I did, she lost her balance. I turned around. There was nothing I could do. She fell the whole way down those stairs.

“The preacher lady rushed to her and felt her neck. She ran for the phone. I flew down the stairs to see if I could help. Honestly, I didn't mean to hurt her.”

Vicki nodded. “Was she dead when you got there?”

Melinda stared at Felicia's grave. “All that was left at the bottom of the stairs were her dress and shoes. I screamed and ran for the preacher lady. The phone was hanging by the cord. Her clothes were in a pile on the floor.”

“You must have been so scared,” Vicki said.

“I thought I'd killed her,” Melinda said. “Killed them both.”

“Why did you tell me this story?” Vicki said.

“I've tried to get it out of my head for so long. I didn't even tell my dad about it for a long time. When I did, he said I was crazy. Accused me of being drunk.” Melinda sighed. “The way you looked at me tonight when you said you were sorry, it reminded me of my mom.”

Vicki put an arm around Melinda. “If you want, I'll tell you exactly what happened to your mom.”

When evening came and they still hadn't found a place to stay, Judd suggested they go back to the Temple Mount. “A lot of people stay there through the night.”

“We can see the witnesses,” Mr. Stein said, “Eli and Moishe!”

Mr. Stein darted into a store and brought back three heavy blankets. “These will keep us warm.”

Judd hailed a cab. He recalled the terror the two witnesses had created the last time he had seen them.

A crowd gathered to watch Eli and Moishe thirty feet from the wrought-iron fence. Eli sat Indian style, his back to a stone wall. A slight breeze sent a chill through Judd and moved Eli's long hair and beard, but the prophet was unmoving, unblinking. Moishe stood near the fence, staring at the crowd.

“When's the show start?” a young man said, giggling, from the back of the crowd.

“Yeah, say something,” another said.

“Come with me,” Judd said. He led Mr. Stein and Lionel to a ledge overlooking the witnesses. Bushes blocked their view of the crowd.

“This will be a good place to rest,” Mr. Stein said. They spread out their blankets and sat.

“I've seen them talk without moving their mouths,” Judd said. “Everybody understands in his own language.” Judd was exhausted. He put his head down and fell asleep.

Lionel shook him awake some time later. “Something's going on.”

Judd rubbed his eyes and peered through the bushes. A disturbance in the crowd had caused some to back away from the fence.

“Carpathia!” someone shouted. “It's the potentate!”

“I don't believe it,” Lionel said. “Those guys will eat him alive.”

Judd recognized Leon Fortunato, Carpathia's right-hand man. He instructed the guards to keep the crowd away. The potentate boldly moved within ten feet of the fence. Someone shouted a greeting. Carpathia held a finger to his lips, and the crowd grew quiet.

The silence was shattered by the booming voice of Moishe. “Woe unto the enemy of the Most High God!”

Carpathia seemed startled but quickly collected himself. He smiled and spoke softly. “I am hardly the enemy of God. Many say I
am
the Most High God.”

Moishe crossed his arms over his chest and spoke softly to Carpathia.

“What did he say?” Lionel said.

“I couldn't tell,” Mr. Stein said.

Now Carpathia clenched his teeth and said, “Let me tell you and your companion something. You have persecuted Israel long enough with the drought and the water turned to blood. You will lift your hocus-pocus or live to regret it.”

It was Eli's turn. He motioned Nicolae closer and spoke with great volume. Judd recoiled in fear. “Until the due time, you have no authority over the lamp stands of God Almighty!” Eli said.

Carpathia seethed. “We shall see who will win in the end.”

Eli stared at Carpathia. “Who will win in the end was determined before the beginning of time. Lo, the poison you inflict on the earth shall rot you from within for eternity.”

Carpathia stepped back. He smiled. “I warn you to stay away from the charade of the so-called saints. I have guaranteed their safety, not yours.”

Eli and Moishe spoke in unison. “He and she who have ears, let them hear. We are bound neither by time nor space, and those who shall benefit by our presence and testimony stand within the sound of our proclamation.”