The Called: Chosen (The Called Series Book 2) (3 page)

As things became worse in the United States and it became evident that they would be joining the new world order, several pockets of rebels arose. Most of them were believers who wanted to live together in community, but had to do so by meeting secretly. They would also conduct spy missions to keep everyone aware of what was happening in the area with the setup of the new government presence. Some were discovered and sent to prison camps indefinitely.

The prisons were run by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It had been founded by Jimmy Carter in 1978 with good intentions. As time went on, the agency began to secretly set up camps in the case of another civil war. The political powers in the United States were preparing to quell any uprising that may result from the introduction of more Communist policies. They seldom had to be used until the year 2086, when the public practice of Christianity became illegal.

Many of the states in the south and Midwest did not adopt the law and still allowed it at the state level. During the thirty years after that, many believers moved to these states. The country was fundamentally split like never before until President Cain dissolved the constitution, which also dissolved state’s rights. Christianity along with all religion was now banned worldwide.

Javier, Noah, Joanna, and Ryan pulled up to his home. It was really just a small apartment designed for one person, but it would have to do for now. He parked on the street and they quickly walked into the apartment to avoid any prying eyes. They were sure that their pictures had been all over the news by now.

The three family members all sat on the couch as Javier walked over to the window to peak out. It looked like a quiet afternoon like any other. He shut the curtains and sat in his chair across from his friends.

“With the new technology that they have rolled out across the world, I am nervous to even be saying anything out loud. I think we are okay though. Right now, they are being tested only in the largest cities. Los Angeles is several miles away, so we should be good.”

Javier was wringing his hands and tapping his foot nervously. “Just in case”, he said. “I want you all to take one of these.”

“What is this?” asked Noah.

“These are scramblers. It scrambles the voice to the point that it is unrecognizable by their surveillance chips. Even if they could hear us, they wouldn’t know what we are saying or where it is coming from.”

“How did you get your hands on this?” asked Noah.

“I really can’t tell you that yet. If the conversation we are about to have goes as I hope it will, then you will know more tomorrow.”

“Fair enough”, said Noah.

“Now, let’s start at the beginning”, said Javier.

John Robertson was in shock over the death of his friend, David O’Reilly. That man had saved his life and also reunited him with his wife, Maggie. John felt a sense of gratitude and overwhelming sadness that he couldn’t learn more from him or do something to help him.

When David had been shot and killed during the mission to rescue Maggie, John had never seen a person handle death in such a peaceful manner. He sat in his chambers underground going over funeral arrangements with many of the people who knew David and had served under him. To many, he was a mentor and leader. A relentless teacher and fighter who was confident in the God he served, even until his last breath.

In fact, it was the last moments that intrigued John. It was as if David knew that his life on earth was over and once he became reserved to that, peacefulness came over him. He knew that he was going to be in the presence of God within seconds and there was nothing that he wanted more in that moment. His last words even conveyed that sentiment. Not only that, but they also conveyed his concern for John’s eternal destination.

Emotionally, John wanted to make a decision to follow Christ just based off of David’s example alone and the feelings from his sudden loss. He knew that he wasn’t quite ready yet though. He couldn’t make a decision like this based purely off of emotion. What if he would live to regret that decision? What if it wasn’t the right way to go?

The plans for David could not be conventional, because the rebel’s lives were anything but conventional. They wouldn’t be able to go out in public in large numbers and have any kind of burial or service. The decision was reached to send a few of them in a van and drive out to the docks in New Jersey to send his body to sea.

Even if John wasn’t completely sure about everything they believed yet, he couldn’t help but respect them. They held on to their beliefs and risked their very lives by going to the surface, even for the smallest things. This funeral at sea would no doubt bring about the same risk, and possibly even more. The trail of blood that lead to John and the small group of rebels had grown. They were now responsible for the deaths of three government agents.

David had struggled with having to kill, but he knew that it was war. There was nothing pretty about war. Nothing glamourous. There was a line…a difference between murder and war, but it made it no less disturbing for David, John, or any of the group. All of it had been in self-defense. They would never go out looking for trouble, but more than once, trouble had gone out looking for them.

“John…John…”

The soft voice of his wife slowly brought him out of his thoughts and back into reality. It was a reality that he would have never guessed he would be living now. On the run with his wife; being fugitives and staying with Christian rebels under the streets of New York in the old subway system.

“They are all wanting to know if you are willing to go out and be a part of the sending out service for David”, said Maggie.

John looked up at her, the bags under his eyes telling the story of his lack of sleep the past couple of days. This was not the kind of life that he wanted for his bride. He wondered if it would have just been best for him to have been killed in the war instead of escaping. She would have been a widow, but she wouldn’t have been counted as a criminal…an enemy of the state.

“I hate to go back out this soon after what happened. There are dead federal agents in our home. They will be on high alert all over the area, but I also feel that I owe David a proper send off for a veteran. The best we can under our circumstances at least…”

“I understand John. The elders down here don’t want to pressure you into doing anything that you aren’t comfortable doing. I also have my apprehension. I feel like I had already lost you once. To lose you again would be more than I can bear.”

John stood up and embraced her, kissing her forehead. “It doesn’t really matter what I want to do, or what the people down here want. It doesn’t really even matter what David would have wanted. What really matters to me is what you want. Do you want me to stay behind here with you?”

Maggie looked her husband in the eyes for a moment. “No”, she said. “I want to go up there with you.”

“Absolutely not”, John said without hesitation. “It’s too dangerous for you to go up there. You will be too recognizable. I am sure your face has been all over the place since you are an escaped prisoner. Not only that, you are the wife of one of the most wanted men in the world.”

“If you are going then I am going. We are in this together John. For better or for worse”, said Maggie.

“Then I’m not going.”

“Listen…I didn’t know your friend. But, I do know that if it wasn’t for him that we would probably never see each other again. I feel like I should also be paying my final respects by your side.”

“Maggie, you are so stubborn. Just as much as ever.” He looked at her for a minute with his arms crossed. “Okay, fine. Under one condition. If you go, then I want you to change your appearance and watch from a distance. You can’t allow yourself to be arrested or killed. We need to be very careful.”

“Fair enough Mr. Robertson”, Maggie said playfully.

“I’ll take my decision to the elders so that they know what the plan is. In the meantime, find the stylist down here that can make you look like a different woman. Her name is Janelle.”

“You’ve got it babe. I’m so glad to be home”, said Maggie.

“We aren’t home.”

“I am. Home to me is wherever you are. I never feel safer than when I am with you.”

John only hoped that he could live up to that ideal.

―――――

Noah, Joanna, and Ryan Vasquez all sat on the couch across from Javier Fernandez, waiting with the greatest sense of expectancy that they had ever felt, for what the truth about God was. It was the truth about everything.

Javier began reading the account of creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…” The three of them listened intently to the first words that they had ever heard from the nearly extinct bible. After wrapping up with the fall of man through sin, Javier paused.

“I just want to make sure that I am understanding this correctly so far”, said Noah. “God gave mankind dominion over the earth, and he relinquished it to the devil?”

“That’s right”, said Javier.

“Can’t God just take control over it again? What is His plan?” asked Joanna.

“The plan…” Javier said smiling, “is that God came in the form of a man to regain control and give dominion back to mankind. Not just mankind, but those who have become His children through faith.”

“Faith in what?” asked Noah.

“Good question. Let me go to the rest of the story here and explain in short what God’s plan is. He flipped to John 1:1 and began to expound on the nature of God in the beginning and His ultimate plan and purpose for redemption of the human race.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made…”

As Javier continued to tell the story of Jesus and all that He did, it was evident on the family’s faces that they were getting it. “God had set the rules and He still played by His own rules then? He had to come here as a man because it was only a man who could gain back what Adam had lost?” asked Noah.

“That’s correct. You’ve got it bro”, said Javier.

“What do we do now?” asked Joanna. “I believe this to be the truth.”

Javier grinned and said, “You are half way there already sister. There aren’t any works that you can do to earn your way into God’s good graces. That was already done when Jesus took your sins upon Himself to the cross and rose from the dead, showing that He was God and that death was defeated forever.”

“So, we just have to believe it and it’s a done deal?” asked Noah.

“Believe it in your heart and then confess what you believe with your mouth” said Javier. “Your words are powerful. More powerful than you know right now.”

Noah had tears streaming down his face, completely in awe of the amazing love of God for His people. “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for me so that I could be made perfect in the eyes of God. I believe that He was raised from the dead and defeated death to give us eternal life with Him…and I believe that He is going to come again to reign as King forever.”

Joanna and Ryan confessed the same and the four of them embraced in the middle of the room. Tears flowed freely. Tears of joy and peace. They finally knew the truth that had so long eluded them. It was a treasure in a bleak world where nothing else seemed to make sense anymore. As they embraced, the entire apartment seemed to be permeated with a white light. They all pulled away and sat on the couch, shielding their eyes enough to see the figure in the middle of the light.

Noah sunk to his knees and bowed low to the ground. “Are you God?” he asked.

“I am not. Do not worship me or fear me. I am only a faint reflection of our Creator. I come as one of His messengers. There is much celebration in heaven over the salvation of this wonderful family. We welcome you to the family of God”, the angel said smiling.

“Are you Gabriel?” asked Javier with quivering lips.

“I am of his kind”, said the angel. “I am not important in this moment, but the message that I have to give is of the essence for I have battled in the heavens for days to bring this warning to you. The fallen angel who is over the west coast withstood me until a strong angel of war aided me.”

“What warning?” asked Javier.

“The government has nearly located your fellow believer’s position. They plan to ambush and kill all of them in the middle of the night.”

“How long do we have?” asked Javier.

“The hour of their visit will be this very night.”

With those words, the angel disappeared before their eyes. The room became dim again and it took a minute for their eyes to adjust. Javier looked troubled at the news.

“Your fellow believers?” asked Noah. “Who was he talking about?”

“The band of rebels that have set up here on the west coast. There are thousands of us, but the majority just miles away in Los Angeles. We’ve got to get to them and evacuate before the government finds them.”

“We are going with you!” said Joanna.

“No… that’s out of the question. Not happening sister. You’ve narrowly escaped capture twice already. You and the kid stay here and lay low.”

Noah piped up and said, “I am going. You need someone to help cover you. Besides, I want to meet these rebels. I’ve only heard of them in the context of them being terrorists. I want to know what they are really like.”

“Okay…okay. That’s fine. Let’s go. I am afraid to even call them. They could intercept the call and that would be bad…really bad man.”

“I can’t say anymore right now. They could be listening. Let’s get going.”

Noah hugged his wife and son and the two men walked out to the car to head to Los Angeles. The two continued to talk about all that was happening in the world and what it meant for them now as new believers.

About an hour later, the two men pulled into the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles. It had been a rough part of town for several decades until North Korea invaded the coast in 2092. The first war in 230 years to be fought on U.S. soil lasted for three years until North Korea fell to the United States and her allies. Downtown Los Angeles had sustained heavy damage during the war, even being subjected to radioactive fallout. The city was never the same, and this portion of it was nearly deserted. It would become the perfect hideout for the rebel group of Christians on the west coast.

The former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, which had been turned into an entertainment hall was the home of the rebels. It was completely boarded up and looked condemned from the outside, but inside of the building lived over a thousand believers. They had been left alone for a long time until the new surveillance technology ordered by Assad had been installed. They were now in immediate danger.

“We need to stay low and be on the lookout for government vehicles”, said Javier. “Just because we have until later tonight doesn’t mean that they don’t already have reconnaissance watching the place.”

The two men parked about a block away from the building and walked slowly and quietly to the backside of the building. Every entrance appeared to be securely boarded up and locked. Noah couldn’t figure out where they could possible get in.

“Is this it?” he asked.

“Yea. This is it. Come check it out.” The two of them stood on a large manhole on the street outside. Javier knelt down and motioned for Noah to do the same. He placed his finger on the side of the manhole where a red laser flashed back and forth quickly to read his fingerprint. He said his name, “Javier Fernandez” for voice recognition. Within three seconds, the manhole lowered down about fifteen feet until it settled into a corridor.

The two of them stepped off and the platform quickly ascended back to the surface. A large steel door stood in front of them. Javier entered a seven number combination and the door automatically opened to reveal the entry into the underground barracks that led to the basement of the old building. Two armed guards stood on either side and greeted Javier as they walked through. They did a quick search of Noah to make sure that he was not armed and the men continued.