The Mayan Apocalypse (28 page)

“But he's been buying property all over the world.”

Morgan nodded slowly. “I know that too.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because many of those are safe areas. He has created several places to wait out the destruction.”

“What kind of place can keep you safe from a falling mountain?”

“Come with me and find out.”

Lisa cut her gaze away.

“Lisa, I've been to one of the sites. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen and studied his plan. It will work. I can take you to a place where we can live for years if necessary.” He took her hand. “Come with me.”

“I…I don't know. If this is what God wants, then maybe I should just wait for it to happen and pray the asteroid lands directly on my head.”

“Don't be silly.”

“I'm not. Christians have known for two millennia that God will destroy this world and replace it with new heavens and a new earth.”

“If God wants to destroy every living thing on the earth, then it doesn't matter where we hide. I don't share your views, but if I did, I wouldn't want to stand before Him and explain why I didn't take an avenue of safety when He presented it. I can hear it now. You say, ‘God, why didn't You save me?' And God replies, ‘I tried, but you were too hardheaded to listen.' ”

“Hardheaded. You think God would use the word
hardheaded
?”

“If the description fits.”

She slapped him on the arm.

He laughed and then leaned close. “I know the confusion you're experiencing. I've been through it. No, I don't have all the answers. Is Quetzal getting rich off me and the others? I'm sure he is. We got rich off others. That's what business is: offering a product or service others are willing to pay for.”

“I don't think that's the same thing.” Lisa expected a very different reaction.

He took her hand. “Look, Lisa, let's say you're right about many
of the things you've said. Let's say the volcano in Mexico and all the other natural disasters over the last couple of years are normal. There's still the Hammer of God to deal with. It's real. You've seen it with your own eyes.”

“But if it were a real threat, our government would have told us…” She knew the comment was ridiculous.

“We've been through this. They wouldn't tell us. Why would they? It can't help, but it sure can hurt. Their hands are tied just like yours. I suppose on December 21 the world's governments could tell their people to stay indoors but that's it. Come with me.”

“No. I don't…”

“Promise me you'll think about it. Better yet, promise me you'll pray about it.”

“You don't believe in prayer.”

Morgan agreed. “But you do.”

“I don't know what to think.”

“We have a few days. Go home. Think. Then decide to come with me.”

“That's a little slanted.”

“I know what keeps us apart. My wife and son's deaths still haunt me, and I will love them and mourn them forever, but I've come to care for you. I want you to be safe. If we had more time, then maybe we could find a way to get past what keeps us apart, but we're down to a few days.”

He stood and then pulled her to her feet. His arms pulled her close and then released her. “Don't make me go on without you.”

Andrew Morgan walked away, and Lisa felt her heart go with him.

T
he pilot of Morgan's jet announced the moment they crossed over the California border. They began their descent a few minutes before.

Donny sat across from him, leafing through an issue of
Popular Science
. He inhaled deeply and set the magazine to the side. “I guess it's time.”

Morgan turned his eyes from the window. “Time for what?”

“This.” Donny reached into the inside front pocket of his light Morgan Natural Energy coat, a gift from Morgan last Christmas, and removed a white envelope. “Here.”

Morgan took it and noticed his name on the outside. “What's this?”

“It's my resignation.”

“What?”

“The letter explains it.”

Morgan studied his longtime chauffeur and bodyguard. “This is a joke, right?”

“Do you see any tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks?”

“The attitude is new.”

“Sorry, but I've been dreading this.”

Morgan ripped open the envelope and removed the letter. “You technically work for the security firm, not directly for me.”

“I understand the technicalities, but we've been together for a long time. I owe you this.”

Unfolding the letter, Morgan read aloud. “December 20, 2012. I hereby resign effective immediately. I do so for the following reason…” He raised his head. “Are you pulling my leg?”

Donny shook his head.

“I do so for the following reason: My client is an idiot.” He lowered the letter. “An idiot? Really? An idiot? That's it? No reasons given? No explanation? Just that I'm an idiot?”

“I'm not great with words.”

Morgan folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. “I hope you're better with explanations. Why am I an idiot?”

“Because of this trip. It's ridiculous.”

Morgan narrowed his eyes. “You don't know where I'm going. How can you say the trip is ridiculous?”

“It's no secret that you're big into this Mayan end-of-the-world thing. Okay, fine. Until now, I've had no problem with that. It's none of my business. Today's date is not wasted on me. My guess is you're flying off to some place you think of as safe, and you're going alone.”

“Oh, so that's it. You're miffed that I'm not bringing—”

“Don't go there, pal. I think the whole thing is a truckload of manure. Even if I believed it, I wouldn't leave my family behind.” “Pal. Now you're calling me ‘pal'?” Morgan tossed the envelope across the narrow aisle.

“I resigned, remember?”

Morgan leaned forward and rubbed his face. Sleep had evaded him over the last few days. He'd been surviving on catnaps. “I don't need this now.”

“Yes, you do.” Donny's words were sharp. His tone had always been respectful, but he was doing nothing to hide his anger. “In a few days, maybe around Christmas, you're going to come to your senses and realize that you've made a big mistake. I don't know where you're heading, but there's no place far enough away to keep you from yourself.”

“Look, Donny, you want to resign, then fine, but don't tell me what I should be doing.”

“Where's Lisa?”

“Why?”

“Oh, brother.” Donny snapped back in his seat so hard Morgan thought he'd break the backrest.

“What does she have to do with this?”

“She loves you, man. You have to know that. You must have sensed it.”

“We're just close friends.”

Donny swore. “Nonsense. You love her, and she loves you.”

“You can't know that. Besides, how do you know she's not waiting for me?”

“I called her before we left.”

“What? Who do you think you are?”

“You see, this is why I resigned—so that I can talk freely. I'll tell you who I am. I'm the guy who has been willing to take a bullet for you. If I'm willing to do that, then I must be willing to toss some cold truth in the face of a friend—or client.”

Morgan released his safety belt and paced the aisle. “I can't believe you called her.”

“It's a free country.”

“Free or not, there's no way you can know how deep our relationship is.”

This time, Donny popped his lap belt and faced Morgan, eye to eye. “I make my living by being observant. I watch everything. I've seen how that friendly hug she gives you lingers a second longer than it should. I see her eyes. I hear her voice. She loves you, Morgan. Real love. Deep love. Churn-your-innards love.”

“She's never said so.”

“Have you told her that you're in love?”

Morgan turned. “That's none of your business.”

Donny's tone softened. “I know. I know. It's just…”

“Just what?”

“It's just that if it were me, and if I could take the love of my life to safety, I'd do it. I wouldn't leave her behind. That's what you're doing, right? Tell me I've got it all messed up, and I'll believe you. Just look me in the eye when you do.”

He couldn't turn—couldn't face Donny. The man would see right through him. He lowered his head and set a hand on one of the seats.

“I can't love someone else, Donny. I've tried dating. I just can't betray my wife.”

“Oh, for the love of…Turn around. Come on, face me.”

Morgan did. Donny tapped the left side of his chin. “Okay, this is where you get to hit me. Right on the jaw. I won't fight back. Feel free to put your weight into it.”

“Donny, what are you talking about—”

“Your wife is dead. Your son is dead. They are both in the grave. They are not coming back. No matter how much or how often you beat yourself up, they're still going to be dead.”

“Watch it, Donny!”

“I have been watching it. Every day, week after week, month after month, I've kept this bottled up because it's none of my business.”

“You got that straight.” Morgan's heart beat like a piston. He clinched his fist.

“I know you loved them more than life itself. No man was a better husband or father, but they are
dead
.”

With blurring speed, Morgan grabbed the front of Donny's coat. He didn't resist. Morgan pulled back a fist, ready to take Donny up on his offer—until he saw the tears in the man's eyes.

Donny kept eye contact, not blinking. Slowly, he put his hands behind his back, offering no resistance. Morgan released him. “Why are you doing this?”

“Ever since the accident, I've watched you withdraw. Oh sure, you go through the motions. You've traveled; you've run your business—best I can tell—pretty well. But you've lost your way.”

“I don't think so.”

“I do. Look, I don't even blame you. Your wife and son were the best. They were wonderful people and deserved to be mourned forever, but they would want you to move on.” He straightened his coat. “Of course, if you're right about this Mayan calendar thing, then I guess nothing matters, including Lisa.”

Morgan felt his organs melting. “I asked her to come along with me, Donny. I tried and tried to convince her, but she is so muleheaded.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.”

“Cute.”

Donny lowered himself into his seat and rubbed his temples. For a moment, Morgan felt sorry for him. It took him a lot of courage to say what he had.

“I don't know what else I could do to get her to come along.”

“Do you love her?”

Morgan sat. “I don't know how to answer that.”

Donny stared at him for a few moments. “Yes, you do.”

“Okay, smart guy. If you believed the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do?”

“I don't believe the world is ending tomorrow, but just in case, I've made plans.”

“Such as?”

“I'm having my family and close friends over, throwing some meat on the grill, and playing Ping-Pong.”

“The end of humanity, and you want to meet it with Ping-Pong.”

“We're going to watch movies too. Popcorn and movies. It's not going to happen, but if it does, I'll be with the ones I love, doing the things I love.”

Morgan had no words.

Moments later, the pilot's voice came over the intercom. They were on final approach to Mojave Airport.

The landing went smoothly. Through the windows during the craft's circle of the field, Morgan could see the modified 747 gleaming in the late morning sunlight. It bore no markings. To Morgan, it looked like a giant silver bird waiting for a reason to take to the air.

As his plane leveled on approach, he saw another 747 in the distance, already winging its way north over the Tehachapi Mountains. His heart quickened. This would be the adventure of all adventures. The thrill died quickly as he recalled the reason he was here. He was fighting for survival, but that meant leaving everyone else behind. If he could, he would change the circumstances, but no amount of money could change the fate the Mayans had seen centuries before. All the combined wealth in the world couldn't push a speeding asteroid from its course, stop volcanoes from erupting, or keep the ground from shaking until buildings fell. And it wasn't as if he hadn't tried to save Lisa. Staying behind was her choice.

Minutes later, the copilot appeared and opened the door, extending the folding stairs.

“Can't say I've ever flown into this airport, Mr. Morgan. I've got a new place to put on my résumé.”

Morgan slapped him on the shoulder and smiled but could not force words to come. He doubted he'd ever see the man again.

“I'll get your bags, sir.”

The desert air was cool and chilled his face. He descended to the tarmac, took a few steps toward the 747, and then paused and looked back at his business jet. Donny was standing in the door, watching him. Morgan gave a casual salute to the man. Donny did nothing.

The copilot moved down the stairs with a computer bag and two small suitcases.

“I'll take them from here. Fly safe.”

“Yes, sir. We look forward to serving you again soon.”

Morgan looked away. “Thanks.”

“Mr. Morgan.” The voice traveled on the stiff breeze.

Morgan turned and saw Charles Balfour standing by a set of stairs leading to the large aircraft.

Andrew Morgan turned his back on Donny and the small jet and walked to Balfour.

“Right on time, Mr. Morgan.” Balfour shook Morgan's hand. “You're the last passenger for this flight.”

“Will Quetzal be with us?”

“I'm afraid not. He's picking up a few others and will fly directly to the site.”

“So everyone showed up?”

“Yes, and they're all excited to be underway.” Balfour motioned to the stairs. “If you don't mind, sir. Just leave your bags here. I'll make sure they get stowed properly.” Balfour raised a walkie-talkie to his lips.

Shouldering the computer bag, Morgan moved to the foot of the stairs and placed his right foot on the first tread. He paused. This was a monumental step. Everything was about to change.

He put his weight on the step but couldn't raise his left leg. There was no pain, no sense of weakness, just a lack of will to lift his foot and move up the steps. He looked into the open door. A steward smiled down on him.

Again, Morgan tried to start up the ladder, and again he hesitated. Lisa's image flashed on his mind. Then horrific images of her lying dead under debris or choking on dust-filled air played like a movie in his head.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Morgan?” Balfour had stepped to his side. “It's understandable if you're feeling a little nervous.”

“I'm not nervous.” He removed his hand from the rail on the side of the stairs and looked at it. He could feel Lisa's skin on his fingertips from when he held her hand the night they picnicked in his backyard.

“Mr. Morgan. We really should be going.”

Morgan stepped back and looked at Balfour. “I wish you well.”

“I don't understand. Did you forget something?”