The Called: Chosen (The Called Series Book 2) (5 page)

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John and Maggie got in the car and pulled out behind the van that carried the remains of David O’Reilly. Everyone seemed to be on edge that day as they loaded his body into the van. They would be out doing the funeral in broad daylight, but they decided that it may be the best way to escape detection. The authorities wouldn’t expect any rebel activity in the area during the day.

It was the three men who had accompanied them on their rescue of Maggie that drove the van in front of them. Chaim Elowitz, DeShawn Cooper, and Bo Chapman had been three of David’s most trusted agents in the special unit that he commanded. To them, David was not only a superior officer, but a friend and a brother. This had been very difficult on them. Their only assurance coming from knowing that they would see him again very soon when Christ came to set up His Kingdom on earth.

The three men, followed by John and Maggie in a white sedan, headed for the shoreline at Great Kills Park on the southeast end of Staten Island. That part of the island did not see as many people on the shore this time of year due to colder weather. It would be the perfect place to get David’s body to the ocean.

“John, I just want you to be alright”, said Maggie. “I feel like you have been through too much over the past few years. I feel like all of these things have changed you.”

“Well, honey. I can’t lie to you. They have changed me. You can’t see people killed, hold your best friend in your arms while he dies, or be tortured as a prisoner without those things changing who you are. I just have to live with it. The only help that the government is handing out these days is cerebral reconditioning. They will take away every memory I have and replace it with their own programming. I’m not up for that Maggie…and I don’t want to die. Mostly because I don’t want to leave you.”

Maggie looked at him with compassion. “I am just glad that you are willing to talk about it with me. Maybe that will help. It always helps me to talk things out a little.”

“There are just some things I don’t like to talk about. I try not to even think about them, but they have a way of showing up in my dreams, or even daydreams. There are things that I see that remind me of the things I have been through overseas. Now, I can’t just leave those things there. Death and suffering has followed me here too and I am an enemy of my own country. It’s not a good feeling. The only good thing I have right now is you. That’s really the only thing that is keeping me going right now Mag.”

“Well, have you thought about what they have been saying? Like about God and all?”

“Of course I have”, said John. “It’s about all I have had time to think about.”

“Do you think there is any truth to it?” asked Maggie.

“I’m not sure. Part of me thinks that it has to be true based on their resolve and courage alone. I am an enemy of the state for a different reason, but they have chosen to stick to what they believe. If it’s not true, they at least sincerely believe that it is.”

The conversation continued all the way to the shoreline. Each time they passed a police officer, they would both look in the mirrors to make sure they weren’t being pursued. They all did the speed limit and obeyed traffic signals. They didn’t give law enforcement a reason to pull them over.

Eventually, they drove through the park and up to the shore. They would have to carry the casket from the van to the end of the dock, which would be about fifty yards.

“Maggie, you will have to stay here in the car”, said John. “If you notice any type of city, state, or federal officials in the area, then drive away and go back to base. Do you understand?”

“Yea, but what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. We will do what we need to do and I will jump in the van with the guys and catch up to you. We are just going to plan on not seeing anyone what will ruin our day though.”

John kissed his wife and got out of the car, which was parked about fifty feet away from the van. He walked up to the van as the three men got out. All of them had bullet proof vests under their clothes and had at least one concealed side arm with them.

“Are you carrying?” asked Bo.

“I am”, said John.

“Let’s move”, said Chaim.

They opened the back doors and two of them got on each side. They had put in a few rollers to help roll the casket out of the back of the van. Chaim and Bo took the side closest to the van, opposite of each other. DeShawn lined up next to Chaim on the left and John fell in next to Bo on the right.

They pulled the casket and handed it forward and the men all moved as quickly as they could across the parking area and to the dock.

“We don’t have anyone to cover our backs”, said Chaim with his voice shaky. “So we need to get to the end of the dock as quickly as possible and lay this casket down. We will read a scripture and say a prayer and send him off.”

The four men moved smoothly in unison to the edge of the dock where they slowly lowered the casket to the old boards. They each said a few words about the great leader and person that David was and how he had effected them in their lives as believers.

John ended it with, “he was a brave man and I will never forget what he did for me. He made a sacrifice, as I know any one of you would have, to bring my wife back to me. I can never repay the debt that I owe to him.”

DeShawn read, “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and the mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable put on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Bo ended with a prayer, “Father in heaven, we thank you for the life of our commander David O’Reilly. We celebrate his life today and look forward to seeing him again in your Kingdom. God, we pray that you will give us the strength and resolve that you gave David from the time that He became one of yours until the moment he took his last breath on this earth. Help our grieving souls in the coming days and give us peace until you come. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.”

The four of them got behind the casket and pushed it off of the edge of the dock and it fell into the water with a splash. Chaim pulled a small remote from his coat pocket and turned it on. Propellers on the back of the casket began turning and the casket took off like a miniature speed boat across the water.

As the casket vanished from their sight, they could hear the sound of helicopters approaching. “I think we may have company guys”, said DeShawn.

“Let’s get out of here, now!” said Chaim.

The men ran across the dock just as two military style helicopters came over the tree line about two-hundred yards in front of them.

Maggie looked behind her as she sat in the car panicking. She had a moment to decide if John could make it all the way to the car. She knew it wasn’t going to happen, so she did exactly what she was told.

As she pulled away, she could hear the rain of fifty-caliber bullets as they opened fire.

Israeli Prime Minister Levi Rosenbaum stood on the tarmac watching as the private jet of Samyaza al Assad touched down on the runway and quickly came to a stop within a couple hundred yards. The weathered man of sixty-five stood there with his security detail and several members of the media waiting to get a glimpse of Assad as the two of them formally met for the first time since becoming heads of state.

His gray wisps of hair blew in the wind as the sun had begun to set in Jerusalem. His stony gaze was held straight at the plane as the stairs descended to perfectly meet with a red carpet that had been rolled out for Assad minutes before. Several Jews dressed in ceremonial garb lined each side of the carpet, each of them holding a ram’s horn in their hand.

Two secret servicemen stepped out first, followed by Adnan Bahar who awkwardly had both hands waving to the crowd. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around and dropped to one knee on the red carpet just as Assad was emerging from the plane.

The sound of horns blasted across the still evening as those dressed in traditional Jewish clothing sounded their shofars. Prime Minister Rosenbaum could feel every hair stand to attention at the sound that was traditionally reserved for the coming of the Messiah. He still held to some skepticism, but felt that Assad’s agreement to rebuild the Jewish temple and allow them to sacrifice to God as their ancestors did, could mean that Assad himself actually is the Messiah.

Assad was also the only one in centuries to bridge the gap between Israel and her neighbors by creating a peace treaty that would be officially signed and go in to effect for seven years beginning with this visitation during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets. The press conference was to be held on the temple mount at nine o’clock, which was quickly approaching.

After the shofars were finished sounding, the crowd erupted in applause and a shout that put most sporting events to shame. The two leaders approached each other and shook hands as photos were taken all around them. Levi shouted over the noise, “Welcome to Jerusalem your majesty.”

Assad nodded humbly. “Thank you Prime Minister. I am glad to be here. This place holds a great deal of importance to me.”

The two men walked together to the armored escort waiting on them. Within seconds, they were moving through the city of Jerusalem with the famous temple mount in sight. They talked along the way; chatting about the treaty that would be officially signed in the morning by the Arab and Israeli leaders.

“I wish I knew your secret”, Levi said jokingly. “You are a Syrian who has not only befriended Israel, but brought peace to the region without taking away our right to exist as a state.”

Assad smiled sheepishly. “It may seem complicated, but it is really simple. All that needed to be done was to convince the Muslims and Jews that they are really brothers who share common interests and beliefs.”

“Like the coming of a Messiah?”

“Yes”, said Assad. “That is exactly right.”

“Forgive me for being so forthcoming, but many believe that you are the one spoken of by the prophets. Could that be true?”

“With each passing day, that becomes more of a reality. I think that people will be able to make that decision for themselves when they see what I will do for this world.”

Levi gave a half grin and said, “If the shoe fits…”

The motorcade quickly approached the dome of the rock, where a large crowd was gathered to hear Assad speak. There was expectation in the air as everyone turned their attention to the black vehicles pulling in to the area.

The two men along with Adnan Bahar stepped out of the vehicle and quickly headed toward the lectern waiting on them directly in front of the Dome of the Rock. Built around 691 A.D., the dome was said to enshrine the rock where Mohammed ascended to heaven. It was also the site where Abraham offered Isaac to God as a sacrifice. All three of the men approaching the site knew that despite personal beliefs, this site was perhaps the most important place on earth.

Assad walked up to the site, flanked by his security detail, Director Bahar, and Prime Minister Rosenbaum. They stopped at the podium and took in the energy of the crowd that had been patiently waiting for hours to see Assad.

After a few moments, Levi stepped forward to address the crowd gathered as well as the worldwide audience watching the press conference. He straightened his jacket and composed himself as he began.

“For centuries, this site that we stand on today has been a place of worship and adoration of the descendants of Abraham. Wars have been waged over this very small parcel of land at the center of Jerusalem. The historical importance of this place cannot be understated. Today, we make another mark on history. This time, not to divide it by Muslim, Jew, or Christian but to use this site to unite all people from every walk of life. I am pleased to introduce my friend…a friend to Israel…Samyaza al Assad.”

Assad shook hands with Rosenbaum as he approached the microphone. He raised his hands to quiet the crowd before he could speak.

“Thank you. Thank you all so much for the very kind welcome that I have received here in Jerusalem. I am humbled by the outpouring of support from all of you. As Prime Minister Rosenbaum was saying, this site carries so much history. Much of it has been a history of bloodshed. Today, we change that narrative of history however. For many years, the Jewish people have been pushing for the Temple of Solomon to be rebuilt on this site. Now, the laws in the global community attempting to squelch division and discord by preventing the propagation of religion have been quite successful. In spite of this, I do not want to simply throw tradition aside. We should be able to honor the past while reaching forward to the future. For this reason, I have approved the request by the Jewish people to rebuild the temple right next to the Dome of the Rock. Since it is no longer mankind’s primary goal to hate other cultures, I feel it is the right time to have two important pieces of human history standing next to each other. I have even approved sacrifices to be offered in the temple once again. The process of building the temple will take only three days with our current technology and resources. As many around the world have converted their old churches, temples, synagogues and mosques to interact with my image and pray to me; this temple will also feature that capability. Tomorrow morning, we will be signing the treaty between Israel and the Arab nations to officially begin the seven years of peace. It will be a monumental occasion that I hope the world will join me in celebrating. The hatred that once separated the nations in the Middle East will be put to rest once and for all. In its place, will be peace, prosperity, and mutual respect for one another as people of the book. We are all connected. Tomorrow, after the signing of the treaty, will be an announcement, the revealing of important matters that you will not want to miss. Blessing and peace on every citizen of the global community.”

The crowd erupted in applause as every major news station in the world cut back to their anchors to discuss the shocking news that Solomon’s Temple was to be rebuilt right next to one of the most holy sites in Islam. The overall narrative was that it had historical relevance and that Assad was doing this as a sign of goodwill toward Israel. A big centerpiece of the discussion was that it would double as a temple to Assad himself. There weren’t many devoted Jews who actually worshipped Yahweh anymore, but many felt that the worship of Assad as the god of this age would cause issues with the traditionalists who still didn’t accept Assad as the Messiah.

The three men walked back to their vehicles and left as quickly as they had come, leaving many to wonder what else Assad could possibly reveal tomorrow during the signing of the treaty. As the raucous crowd clamored for more, Assad flashed a smile and waved. Many people fell out on the ground in elation as if under some power. The growing mainstream acceptance of this man as the savior of the world had begun to take hold as a new era was about to begin.

―――――

“The government is closing in on your location Commander Ramsey. We were warned by an angel that they plan to ambush the hideout this evening.”

Joshua Ramsey stood solemnly and looked at Javier with questioning eyes. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“I am as sure as I can be”, said Javier.

“How long do we have?”

“I don’t know. We could have hours or even minutes. Night has come and we have got to get everyone out of here that we can and take or destroy any pertinent information that could compromise our operation.”

“We will make the announcement immediately. We certainly can’t chance it.”

Commander Ramsey immediately gathered the other leaders and elders in the control room and updated them on what was happening. After a few minutes of discussion, they passed the information on to a young lady who made the announcement over the speaker system.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that we have been compromised at this location. We will be putting the primary evacuation plan into practice immediately. Everyone please gather your family and the essentials and exit immediately to your assigned passenger van. Drivers, be ready to drive to the designated backup spot where we will go over further plans. This is an urgent evacuation. I repeat…this is an urgent evacuation.”

Within seconds, the place was buzzing with people going here and there; frantically gathering belongings in backpacks, duffle bags, and suitcases. They all filed into a neat line and exited one family at a time. Commander Ramsey deployed a small unit to the roof of the old building to be on the lookout for government agents or police.

As the controlled chaos happened around them, Noah asked Javier, “Where is this backup location that was mentioned?”

“It is east of here. The Northeast corner of Joshua Tree National Park.”

“We aren’t going there right? I mean, my wife and son are in the opposite direction in Bakersfield.”

Javier paused for a moment. “No, we aren’t leaving your family behind. We are going to leave here and go straight to my house to pick them up. We will stay in contact with Commander Ramsey and the rest of the crew to find out where they are going.”

“I just pray that we can have everyone evacuated before the law comes knocking. It won’t be pretty if a SWAT team shows up”, said Noah.

“I believe that messenger from God warned us when he did for a reason. Everyone is going to be alright”, said Javier.

“Well, is there anything else we can do here?” asked Noah.

“No, we’ve done what we can”, said Javier. “Let’s get out of here now so that we can get a head start and pick up Joanna and Ryan.”

Noah agreed completely with that notion and the two quickly headed out as the ones with less to carry began filing out through the manholes one by one. If there were any authorities in the area, the sudden increase in activity would alert them. They were certain of that.

They quickly jogged to Javier’s car and got in to drive away from the abandoned neighborhood. The two of them sped off in time to hear the sound of jets flying low overhead. They made a pass by the old building, which was now about three blocks in their rearview mirror. They flew off into the distance.

“They’re drones”, said Javier. “Reconnaissance drones. Not equipped with any heavy artillery. But, if they see the obvious, the fighter drones won’t be far behind.”

“We need to start praying now then”, said Noah. “There are still hundreds left down there. They are sitting ducks.”

Javier pulled out his phone and made a call. “Commander Ramsey, are you in the control room? Are you aware that there are drones in the vicinity?”

There was a short pause…”No, just recon drones, but there are too many people on the ground right now. The fighters won’t be far behind… Yes… Very well sir. Godspeed.”

Javier put the phone down and looked over at Noah and said, “They are instructing everyone to leave as quickly as possible because they have been compromised and will be under attack any minute. In the meantime, they have techs in the control room trying to scramble the signals of the incoming drones.”

Just as their vehicle made the turn back onto the main highway, a fleet of bomber drones could be seen on the horizon. The inhabitants of the underground church had only seconds to either evacuate or disable the drones.

As several of them passed overhead, one of them broke formation and took a nosedive straight for their car. There wasn’t enough time to react.