He wouldn’t open his eyes. In fact, he preferred it if he didn’t have to open them ever again. He didn’t care if the world turned or it didn’t. He didn’t care if the boat sailed onward or sank into the deepest depths. He didn’t care if God wanted to save him or not. All he wanted to do was lay there and let that be the end of it.

But the ship began to be tossed about on the waves. As he lay there with his eyes closed, he could feel the rocky motion of the ship. It seemed to be getting worse. Still, he didn’t care. Let the ship disappear beneath a wave of retribution. It was less than he deserved. Why should he care one way or the other whether this was the end of his life? Perhaps it was as it should be.

Waiting for the end - if the end were near - only seemed to make it worst. He wanted it to happen, yet he found himself taking one more deep breath. Life was supposed to be precious. He didn’t believe it was. Maybe it was supposed to be. Somewhere in his travels, he had missed the mark completely and now he had to live with the guilt and pain of his own makings.

Sometimes it was just too much for one to bear.

Yet he bore it. At times, he even embraced the rage it forced upon him, for without that rage, he would not have been able to function. At a young age, he had to rely on that rage just to be able to make it through the pain. The pain he had caused his family. The pain he had brought upon himself. It had all been his doing and he wanted to drown in it so it would finally take him.

It never did.

And because it didn’t, he was able to draw upon more rage.

So the ship rocked from the angry waves and he didn’t care.

Even when the door to the cabin slammed open to allow two men, soaking wet to the bone, to gain entrance, he continued to lay there. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes.

The ship’s captain stared in astonishment at the man, who appeared to be sleeping. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded as he began to shake the man desperately. “How can it be that you’re asleep? Please, sir…you must awaken and call upon your God to save us or we will perish in the deep!”

He opened his eyes and looked into the captain’s face, but he was without expression. Slowly, he sat up. “I have no God.”

“Did you not hear me?” the captain demanded. “The sea is angry! It will tear us apart and devour us unless we appease the God we have angered.” He glanced nervously at the other men. “We’ve all cast lots. The lot has fallen upon you.” He couldn’t bring himself to look the man in the eye. “Our gods are not angry with us. It’s your God who is angry with you. It is because of you we’re about to die.”

The man let out a weary sigh. “I’ve already told you. I have no God. I serve no God. Let me sleep in peace.”

“There will be no peace unless you turn to Your God.”

He looked at him. The rage was still deep within. He said softly, “Then, there will be no peace.”

“The sea will take us,” the captain replied, pleading. “I don’t know why you run from your God, but because of your transgression, we are doomed. Please…tell us what must be done! We’ve tossed all of our cargo into the sea. We’ve been trying to return to dry land but cannot for it is folly. What can you do to save us?”

He let out a deep sigh. Finally, he rose to his feet, but he didn’t answer the man. Instead, he went past the two men and hurried into the tiny corridor beyond his cabin. He pulled himself up the ladder to the top deck and pushed open the trap door. Immediately, he was drenched in water from the heavy downpour of rain. The waves struck at the ship seemingly without ceasing and he was drenched all the more.

He struggled his way across the deck and came to the rail. He grasped a line from the mast above him and used his other hand to keep his balance against the railing. He glared out at the angry sea.

The captain joined him at his side. “What shall we do?!” he shouted to be heard above the storm.

Michael Lenox didn’t respond. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and silently challenged the storm raging within him. That is when he would awaken from a restless sleep only to discover he had been dreaming again. He knew what it meant. God wanted to save him. God wanted to forgive him.

Yet that was the problem.

He couldn’t forgive himself.

“What are you doing?!” Staci Cohen exclaimed, staring in horror at the man lying on the floor in a spreading pool of his own blood. The bullet hole in his forehead was the only evidence visible from the shot Lenox had fired and that bullet had exited through the back of the man‘s head.

Lenox wasn’t through with what he intended. He had the barrel of his .357 Magnum pressed against Hank Sumter’s forehead. “The clock is ticking, Sumter,” he told him. “I don’t hear you talking.”

“Michael…” Albert Barrington began as he slowly made his approach, “if you have any reason to doubt these men, then--”

“Doubt them?” Lenox interrupted him angrily. “That man I just killed was a North Korean agent! I heard him tell this man ‘Silence’ when he made the pretense of sneezing.”

Staci was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. She decided to combat against her frayed nerves by demanding for answers. “Oh, so somebody sneezes, and that makes him a terrorist?”

Lenox glanced at Barrington. “Look at his back.”

“What?”

Barrington didn’t move.

“Look at his back!”

Barrington nodded to Craig Moore, who joined him and together, they rolled the dead oriental man onto his stomach. Moore blanched at the gory sight of the wound and forced his eyes to look at the man’s back. He noticed what Barrington noticed. Two holes in the back of the jacket. There were dark stains around the holes.

“Bullet holes,” Barrington said. He looked up at his friend.

Lenox nodded. “That’s right. The doctor and I found a body missing his jacket, shirt and tie. He had two bullet holes in his back.” He pressed the gun harder against Sumter’s head, forcing the man to lean back. “My money says it was you who pulled the trigger. Shot one of your own right in the back.”

“I’m not a traitor!” Sumter shouted.

Erin Greye moved around the table to join Staci. She was gripping her gun.

Barrington was concerned by that. He was fully aware that she had never fired a weapon at another human being. He was hoping she wouldn’t have to.

“You told me you didn’t know how to get down inside this bunker,” Lenox said to Sumter, “yet moments later, you punched in the code without a problem. Now, here we are. So the question has to be asked, why did you lie?”

Sumter glanced nervously at Barrington. “Your partner’s crazy. Tell him to put his weapon down and we’ll straighten this out.”

Barrington hesitated. He slowly rose to his full height and looked at Lenox. “We don’t know all that’s happened here, Michael. We can take him back with us and--”

Lenox shook his head. “That’s not happening! The President is unaccounted for, so if you think I’m leaving without finding him, you’re out of your ever loving mind.” He pulled back the hammer. “For the last time, where is the President?”

Sumter swallowed. “I told you, I don’t know!”

Lenox lowered his arm and fired. Staci put her hands to her mouth in shock and Erin tensed, but somehow she didn’t raise her own weapon up. Moore took a few steps back. He wanted to make certain he wasn’t in Lenox’ way at all. Barrington remained still as well.

Sumter, however, went to the floor howling in pain from taking a bullet, which nearly tore his right leg off. The bullet had passed through his knee. He writhed on the floor in agony. When he managed to look up again, his world only got darker. The barrel of Lenox’ weapon stared down at him like a judge ready to pronounce judgment.

Lenox glared at him. “Are you ready to tell me where the President is?”

Sumter was ready.

“Are we seeing this correctly?” Director Darren Fuller asked softly as he couldn’t take his eyes away from the computer monitor. The image displayed was from a satellite called Trumpet One of how the earth would look from space. It was through Google Earth they were able to view it and it was zoomed in for a close-up of the United States.

When William Fronk made no response, Marc Shiva turned his head to look at the computer genius. He was leaning back against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. Fronk’s face was uncharacteristically solemn. Then again, even Bozo the Clown would hardly be able to get a crowd laughing during a world-wide tragedy.

Fuller also turned to face Fronk. “This thing has to be wrong.”

Fronk shook his head. “It’s not.”

“There’s no California, William. That’s what you’re trying to tell us?”

“It’s right there on the screen. I wish I was making it up, but I’m not. California as we once knew it is no longer on the map.”

Shiva shook his head in disbelief. “How can that be possible?”

“One of those nukes we were looking for was either in Las Vegas or San Francisco…” Fronk shrugged helplessly. “It went off seconds before the EMP struck.”

“But that’s one bomb! One nuke isn’t going to annihilate an entire state!”

Fronk glared at him. “Well, maybe two nukes went off! Maybe they set off a series of earthquakes all along the fault lines of California! I don’t know how it happened, Fury. I can’t explain it. This is the End Times, isn’t it? Maybe God destroyed California. Maybe the whole state was destroyed as an act of God’s righteous anger! I don’t know!”

Silence descended upon them.

The three men exchanged looks.

Finally, Fronk let out a sigh. “Things are supposed to get worse, not better. If California is completely gone and it’s an act of God, then we’d better brace ourselves because it’s only just begun. We’re on the roller coaster of a lifetime, buddy, so you’d best strap yourself in until this rides over, ‘cause if you don’t, you’ll fly right off the track!”

Shiva just looked at him.

Fuller sat in Fronk’s chair in front of the computer. He ran his hands through his hair as he continued to stare at the image before him. “You’re right. If anything, this should only emphasize the importance of our new mission. The time is short. Even shorter, now that the rapture has happened. Once the signing of the treaty for peace with Israel happens, then it begins in earnest and we can expect more to happen than just a whole state disappearing from off the map.”

Shiva let out a sigh of frustration. “Our new mission? Director, do you seriously believe we can do anything when we’re facing so many obstacles? Obstacles that God Himself will be throwing at us?”

“Marc, if you’re talking about fire and judgment on this earth as being those obstacles, then we have no choice but to do our best and live as long as we can. There are still people down here who need His message. They can be saved. Someone just has to tell them.”

“Are they going to listen?”

“We did.” Fuller paused. “If God can get our attention, I’m sure He can get the attention of others.” He looked at Fronk. “This L.A.M.B. acronym you mentioned…William, keep trying to reach whoever runs it. Maybe they’re people like us. Maybe we can help each other and find ways to connect with other Christians. We’re going to have to start getting as many allies as we can because when the mark of the beast hits this world, we’ll have to go deep underground.”

Fronk nodded. “I’ll also let you know when Ari makes contact with me again.”

“The man from Musad Intelligence?” He paused. “Yes…We could use all the help we can get. I don‘t like not knowing what‘s going on out there.” He shook his head. “I’m still trying to deal with what happened to California. It…it just blows my mind. What else has been happening in the world? Can you get any news coverage?”

“I can get that, yes.”

“Then, here…” He got up from Fronk’s chair. “Take your seat and let’s see what’s going on.”

Fronk sat down and let his fingers do the walking across his keyboard.

Michael Lenox loved summer. But this summer wasn’t going to be just like any other summer. No, sir! This summer was going to be different. First of all, he was an official teenager now. Not a pre-teen any more. He was the big thirteen and with becoming a teen, there were greater responsibilities and opportunities. His father, Randall Lenox, expected more from him than before because he was the oldest son. It didn’t count that his sister, Hannah, was older than him by two years. Michael was now going to be the man of the house when his father wasn’t home.

Second of all, he was going to be going into the seventh grade. He was finally going into Saratoga Springs Junior High School. The experience would be different, but something he looked forward to. He was, after all, going in with his best friends and together, the four of them would become known as the Four Horsemen. Joe Barber said that his dad said the Four Horsemen were from Revelations and they were supposed to ride over the earth in the last days. Lenox wasn’t sure what that all meant, but he liked the name and that’s what they became.

Michael Lenox, Joe Barber, Eric Doe and Sean Kempner…the Four Horsemen.

Joe found out some more things about the horsemen because Michael had asked him to look into it. If they were going to have a great name, then they needed to know where it came from and everything else they needed to go with it. Joe did his research and came out back behind the house Michael lived in. The others were there waiting at a picnic table in the backyard.

Joe said, “The Four Horsemen are some kind of symbols of judgments that are supposed to happen in the last days. At least, I think they are.” He shrugged. “My folks are the ones who are really into this stuff and I just have to take it until I can get out on my own.”

“This stuff is really from the Bible?” Eric asked. “Man, that book doesn’t make any sense. If we’re gonna call ourselves the Four Horsemen, can’t we just be like cowboys?” He looked from one to the other. “You know…like Jesse James! We can go into school with six shooters at our sides instead of Bibles.”

Michael frowned at him. “You can’t go into school with guns. I wouldn’t carry a Bible either, but besides, we don’t have any guns and we’re not cowboys. Where are you coming from with this stuff? Everybody knows cowboys are fruity. They’ve been out in the sun too long and they get weird…Like you’re getting right now.” He pointed at Joe. “Now it’s not Joe’s fault his parents are a couple of religious kooks. I don’t like church either, but this Four Horsemen stuff is really cool, so shut up and let him tell us what he found out.”

“Yeah,” Sean began as he pointed at Eric threateningly. “If you keep yapping, they’re gonna find you somewhere in the woods. They won’t be able to identify you either so what’s gonna happen is they’re going to change your name from ‘Eric’ to ‘John’. Do you know what that means, Eric?”

Eric scowled at him, not getting where this was going. “What?”

“It means you’ll go from being ‘Eric Doe’ to becoming ‘John Doe’.”

Michael and Joe burst out laughing as Sean slapped each of them a high-five.

“Good one, Sean,” Michael told him.

“I’ve got all the good ones.”

Eric scowled. “Ha ha,” he said sarcastically. “Yeah. Good one. That’s just so funny.” He let out a sigh. “So tell us then about this Four Horsemen stuff, Joe.” He wanted to hear about it now so the focus would turn away from him. He didn’t enjoy being the brunt of a joke.

“Yeah, Joe,” Michael said. “Give us the scoop.”

Joe put one foot up on the end of the picnic table and leaned forward. “This stuff is actually pretty cool. You see, there are four horsemen and they each have a horse. Each horse is a different color. And each rider also carries something with them, too. This can kind of fit us real well. Since I got this info for us, I already call myself…the Red Rider.”

Eric stared at him. “The Red Rider? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Listen up, dummy.”

Michael held up a hand. “Wait up. Joe, since you got the information, you can assign each of us a name.”

“Oh, come on!” Eric protested. “He’ll give me the stupid one!”

Sean looked at Joe. “Tell us, Red Rider. Are any of these Four Horsemen stupid?”

Joe shook his head. “Nope. But Eric will be the Black Rider.”

Eric shook his head. “No I won’t.”

“Yeah. You will. Know why? ‘Cause your horse is black and its power is scarcity of food. Know what that means? People will starve to death. I figure that’s because you eat all of the food you see, whether you’re hungry or not. So you are Black Rider.”

“Oh, yeah! Well…what’s the Red Horsemen’s power?”

Joe smiled. “War. Plus, I get to carry a sword.”

“What do I carry?”

“Scales.”

“Scales? What are those.”

Sean held up a finger. “Wait. Wait. I have this one. Eric…think of scales as two large plates on a balance. One is filled with food and the other one isn’t ‘cause you ate it all.”

Joe, Michael and Sean burst into more laughter as Eric shook his head at them, helpless before their ruthless humor. “Could you knock it off with the jokes already?” Eric pleaded.

Michael grinned at his discomfort. “Lighten up.” He turned to Joe and pointed at Sean. “What’s he called?”

Joe nodded. “Sean, you’ve got a great one. You’re the Pale Rider and your power is death. You know what you carry?”

“What?” Sean asked.

“A scythe.”

“Oooh! That is soo cool. I love things that are sharp.”

Joe turned to Michael. “That leaves you. You’re the White Rider. You carry a bow and wear a crown.”

Sean clapped Michael on the shoulder. “Makes you the leader, don’t it?”

Michael nodded. “That’s only because I am the leader and don’t you forget it. I’ll shoot you with my bow before you get close enough to use your scythe.”

Sean snickered. “Yeah…and you’ll shoot the Black Rider while he’s eating, ‘cause that’s all he ever does!” He laughed.

Joe and Michael joined in the laughter.

Eric glared at them. “You guys are making me mad!”

“Oh no! He’s going to rain down mashed potatoes on us!”

The laughter grew and Eric rose to his feet, still glaring. He was about to say something when the back door of Michael’s house opened. His younger brother came out and joined them.

“Michael,” Samuel Scott began as he regarded the others hesitantly, “Mom wants you to go to Stewarts and get some milk.” He glanced at Sean. He always wondered why Sean got to be able to hang out with the older kids when his own brother wouldn’t let him do it.

Sean was only eleven, but his parents called him a prodigy. He was smarter than the average kid and excelled in his studies. He was bypassing kids his own age and going into High School earlier. However, he wasn’t only smart, he fit in with the others as well.

Scott was only nine and his older brother didn’t want him tagging along with him.

Michael nodded as he got up. “Yeah. Okay. We’ll go to Stewarts.” He looked at the others. “Want shakes or something, guys?”

Joe and Sean nodded.

Eric’s mood brightened immediately, especially now that there was a shake and other possible goodies on the way.

“I’ll be right back.” Michael headed into the house, aware of his little brother following him. “What do you want?”

“Can’t I go with you?” Scott asked.

Michael stopped in the dining room and turned to look at him. “The key word right there, bro, is can’t. No. You can’t go with me. Got it?”

“But why not?”

“Michael, take your brother with you,” said a voice from behind him.

He turned to see Hannah regarding him with a stern look. “Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna happen.”

“Mom will make you.”

He nodded as if he believed it, which he didn’t. “Uh huh. Yeah. You’re so right, she will.”

Hannah sighed, because she knew as well as he did that he was their mother’s favorite son. She glared at him. “If dad were home, he’d make you take Sam.”

Michael made the pretense of looking around. “Gee…I don’t see dear old Dad anywhere. Do you?”

“You’re such a jerk. You know that?” She leaned toward him. “One of these days, you’re going to regret pushing people around. Is that what this is all about? You think you can bully people because you’re a teenager now? You’ve got some learning to do if that’s what you think.”

“Excuse me. I’ve got to go somewhere for Mom.” Michael walked around her and went into the living room where his mother was, vacuuming the carpet.

When Naomi Lenox saw her son, she smiled and turned off the vacuum. “There you are. How would you like to get some sodas for you and your friends?”

Michael smiled inwardly, knowing his mother well. “Sure, Mom. That would be great.”

She went to the coffee table where her purse was and began to get out some money. “Could you bring home some milk on your way back?”

“Yeah, I can. I’d be glad to.” He turned his head to see if they were being watched. Just as he expected, Hannah and Scott were in the doorway watching. He smiled at them.

Naomi handed him some money. “Michael…?”

Michael turned to her. “Yeah, Mom?”

“Would you take your brother with you? You know he looks up to you. I think it would mean a lot to him if he went with you and your friends.”

Michael kept the smile in place, glancing back at Hannah and Scott. The smile, however, was real because this always happened. And he replied as he always did. “Mom, I’d really like to. But there’s only a couple of weeks left before school and the guys and I are going to talk about some serious stuff. Stuff that wouldn’t be of any interest to Sam at all. I know he wants to go, but he and I can go later…when the guys go home. That way, we won’t bore him.”

She smiled at him and touched his face. “Alright, Michael, but I’m going to hold you to the promise you just made. Okay?”

He nodded. “Okay. And thanks, Mom.”

He walked past Hannah and Scott smiling that smile, which said, “I told you so.”

Hannah could only glare at him as Scott’s sad eyes watched his brother walk out the back door to join his friends.

The Four Horsemen proudly made their way to Stewart’s, a convenience store on the corner of Jones Road and Route 50. They were proud because they were children who had become teenagers, even though one of them was an eleven-year-old prodigy. They were proud because they were going into Junior High in just a couple of weeks. They were proud because they were the Four Horsemen and they were going to celebrate with a couple of shakes.

They rode their bikes to the back of the store and left their bikes by the huge, blue garbage dumpster. They walked around the corner, heading for the front door as they held their heads high.

The White Rider led them. The Red Rider was on Michael’s right, because Joe had always been his right-hand. The Pale Rider, Sean, was on his left. The Black Rider brought up the rear. As the Four Horsemen continued on their way, they suddenly stopped when they saw someone coming out of the store.

“Hey,” Joe said, pointing toward Stewart’s entrance, “isn’t that the new kid who just moved in? What’s his name…Burpentine?”

Michael snorted. “That’s Barrington. Albert Barrington.”

“Yeah? How do you know his name?”

“’Cause he’s the dork who moved in just down the road from where I live.”

“Dude!” Eric exclaimed. “He’s gonna be at the same bus stop as you. He’s gonna be on your bus.”

Sean held up his hand. “Hey, shut up, man. He’s coming this way.”

They stayed where they were as Albert Barrington headed their way. When he noticed them, he hesitated. He nodded a greeting as he began to move around them. In his hands was a brown paper bag full of groceries.

The truth of the matter was, Michael wasn’t going to say a word. He wasn’t even going to do anything but let the new kid go on his way and he would continue going into Stewarts with his friends. That was the plan. Yet that isn’t what happened.

Eric waited until Barrington was past them and had his back to them when he made his move. He jumped at him and shoved him in the back. Barrington lost his balance and fell onto the ground on top of the groceries. Something cracked loudly.

Eric laughed…but he was the only one. The heavy set kid stopped laughing when he realized no one else was and looked nervously at his friends. Michael shook his head in disgust. Joe grinned at him and waved a finger at him as if to say he had just been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing.

“Remember the woods, dude,” Sean told Eric.

Eric sighed. “What?”

Barrington slowly got up, picking up his bag with him.

Michael regarded him as Barrington checked inside the bag. “Anything broken?” he asked.

Barrington glanced at him. “I think the eggs are.”

“Eric…apologize for breaking the new kids’ eggs.”

Eric looked at him. “Do I have to?”

Michael just looked at him.

Hesitantly, Eric turned to Barrington. He paused. “I’m sorry I broke your eggs.”

Barrington shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I won’t.”

“Anything else broken?” Michael asked.

Barrington paused. “Don’t worry about it. It’s cool. I’ll just head on --”

Michael suddenly reached in and grabbed something from the bag. He pulled it out and held up a half gallon carton of milk. He showed it to the others. “Hey, guys! The milk’s okay.”

“Come on, man,” Barrington pleaded, hating that he had to resort to that. He was, after all, out numbered.

“Relax. I’m just helping you out. You don’t want any help?”

“Hey, White Rider,” Joe said, waving at him for his attention. Then, he made a noise like a screeching bird from a Johnny Quest episode. When he saw Michael looking his way, he said, “Didn’t your mom say to bring home milk?”

Michael looked at the milk he held in his hands as if he just had a revelation. “Wow, Red Rider. Are you telling me that the new guy here is offering to give me his milk as a gift?”

Barrington let out a sigh. “Fine. Take it. If that’s what you want, take it.”

Michael glared at him. “What? Do you think I’m a charity case or something? You saying I can’t buy my own milk? Is that why you’re giving me this, ‘cause you feel sorry for me?”

“You’re putting words into my mouth. I didn’t come here for any trouble. You want the milk, take it. You don’t want it, give it back. Just do whatever it is you need to so we can be done with this.”

Michael glared at him. This new kid wasn’t backing down. He had to give him that. “Fine.” He tossed the milk. “Take it.”

Barrington caught it.

Michael nodded to Sean. “Oh, new kid…”

Barrington turned to face him. “What?”

“You’ve got a hole in your carton of milk.”

He frowned as he held the milk up to take a closer look.

Sean moved up without being noticed until it was too late. He had a love for sharp things and he always had a knife on him at all times. He had it open and ready when he received the nod. Now he was there and as Barrington held up the milk, he stabbed it with his knife directly into the bottom. As he backed away, the milk began to pour out onto the ground.

“Dude,” Eric said to Barrington, laughing, “you’ve just been struck by the Four Horsemen!”

Michael nodded to Barrington. “We’ll see you around.”

With that, the Four Horsemen turned and went inside Stewarts, leaving Barrington standing there with a puddle of milk at his feet.

At first, Staci had been shocked by Lenox‘ violent behavior, then appalled and disgusted. But as she did her best to wrap the wound into a splint, she became angry. She glared up a few times as she helped Sumter with Erin assisting her. Moore watched over them with his shotgun at the ready just in case Sumter tried anything. He didn’t think the man was up to an escape. Sumter was badly wounded and his hands were handcuffed behind him in spite of protests made by Staci.

Lenox and Barrington were standing at the conference table where they had set down their weapons. Two 9mm MP-5 submachine guns were there ready for them to use. Lenox knew he was more than ready to open fire, but he wasn’t so certain about his partner.

“New game plan,” he said.

“Oh, really?” Barrington asked him. “Hunting someone else to shoot?”

Lenox glared at him. “That man just informed us there are five North Korean assassins following the President and if we don’t get to him first, they will. He told us which way they went and how long ago they left. If we leave now, we’ve got a chance of catching up to them.”

“And then what?”

“We kill them.”

Barrington looked at him.

Lenox regarded him. “You did want me to be blunt, didn’t you, or were you being rhetorical?”

“Michael…what are you doing?”

“My job. What are you doing? Al, if you’re not going to use a weapon to protect yourself and the others, then don’t pick up one. In fact, you take the doctor, Miss Greye and the prisoner back to Albany and see if he has any other details he’d like to tell us. When you get back, send for reinforcements. But I’d prefer that they’re people who won’t hesitate to use a weapon and they’re not weighed down by some righteous guilt trip.”

Barrington shook his head and took a deep breath. “What are you going to do?”

“Moore and I are going after the Koreans.”

From where he was, Moore heard every word that was said. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, son. Your old Pa isn’t as young as he used to be, you know.” He kept his eye on Sumter. “I’m a hundred and eighty-seven, after all.”

Lenox glanced over at him. “I’m not your son, Moore. And you’re coming with me because I need someone who hasn’t lost the ability to perform because of some soul-searching experience.”

Barrington, Erin and Staci exchanged looks.

Moore shook his head with conviction. “I’m not going with you. I came here to give the President a message, but since he’s not here, I’ll just call it quits and head on back to the farmhouse where I came from. There’s someone there who needs my help and I promised her I’d get back to her as quick as I can. So once you get this man you shot in the leg on that chopper of yours, I’m gone.”

Lenox picked up both of the MP-5’s and approached Moore. “We’ll find the President and you can still give him your message.”

“Now look, son--”

“You’re a Marine. But if you choose not to do this as a Marine, then do it because you were once with the Secret Service and it’s your sworn oath to protect him at all costs.”

Silence descended upon them and all eyes turned to Moore.

Finally, Moore let out a sigh. “How did you know?”

“I heard you speaking to Sumter and the Korean agent earlier. You only speak like that if you know how the Secret Service agents talk. You said you were the White Knight. That had to have been an old code for people like you who used to be in the service of the President.”

“You’re a little too observant, son, you know that, don’t you?”

Lenox looked at him. “That’s the third time you called me son.”

“Sorry. It’s a habit.”

He handed him one of the MP-5’s. “Take this and give Al your shotgun.”

Hesitantly, Moore took it. “What if I just give you the message? Couldn’t you tell the President?”

Lenox chose to ignore the questions as he activated his head set. “Ace.”

The response from Keith LeBeau was immediate. “What’s the word, Knox?”

“Bring the Storm Breaker over and set down behind the ranch. We’re coming out and you’re to take the doctor, Miss Greye, Bear and a prisoner back to the Federal Building in Albany.”

Staci closed her medical bag and rose to her feet. She glared at Lenox and under her breath said, “If he calls me ‘the doctor’ one more time, he’s going to need one.”

Through all of the tension, Erin actually snickered.

“Prisoner, Knox?” There was a sigh. “What’s been happenin’ there?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. By the time we’re outside, just be there.”

“Rookie and I are on the way.”

Moore tapped Lenox on the shoulder. “Michael…may I call you Mike?”

Lenox just looked at him.

“Well, since you didn’t tell me not to, I’ll take that as a yes. Listen to me. There’s a woman I left at a farmhouse. There’s a trail I took to get here. That trail leads right to her farm and it’s only about an hour or ninety minute journey by horseback to get back to her. I promised to get her some help.”

“Is she hurt?” Barrington asked.

“Well, no, son…May I call you son?”

“Sure…About the woman?”

“Well, she’s at this farmhouse alone and with all that’s been happening, I’d imagine she would like some company because there are bad people out there who might come looking around to loot and steal. She’s in a shelter. She just needs help.”

Barrington remembered something before they left to go on this mission. Director Fuller wanted to find some areas where they could use as hideouts. “We can follow the trail.”

“From above in your chopper?” Moore shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, son. The trail goes into the woods and you won’t see it through the trees from the sky.”

“What about the horse?” Erin suddenly asked. “Is it still out there?”

Moore nodded. “I imagine it is. Why? You want to ride him?”

“I’ve ridden horseback many times. I can take him back through the trail and keep in contact with the chopper.” She pointed at the headset Lenox had on. “Especially if I have one of those.”

Barrington paused. “I don’t know, Erin. What if you run into trouble?”

Moore replied, “I had no trouble on the trail. I didn’t see anyone.”

“I know how to ride a horse,” Erin assured them. “And I can ride fast if I have to.”

Lenox regarded them. Finally, he said, “Sounds good to me, Al.” He strapped his MP-5 to his back and motioned for Moore to do the same. Then, together, they forced the prisoner to his feet.

Sumter cried out in pain.

Staci glared at Lenox. “You need to take the handcuffs off of him. It would make it easier for you to carry him.”

Lenox hesitated. Then, he moved to unlock the man’s handcuffs. “I’d advise you to cuff him once he’s in the chopper.”

“I doubt he’s going to give us a problem. You saw to that.”

He put Sumter’s left arm over his shoulder as Moore took the right. Together, they began to help the prisoner through the bunker and back into the elevator. Erin, Staci and Barrington followed. Barrington now carried Moore’s shotgun. Once they were all outside and behind the ranch house, they saw the Storm Breaker setting down in a field fifty or so feet away.

They headed right for it. As they did, Erin saw the horse near a fence watching them.

“That’s Sir Prize,” Moore told her, having seen the American Saddle Bred horse himself.

“Why are you surprised?” Erin asked. “Because he’s still there?”

“He’s docile. I’ve been told that. But what I meant was that’s his name. Sir…as in ‘Oh, yes, sir.’ And Prize as in, ‘Oh, lookie here! Your ole Pa just won a Prize!’”

Erin smiled.

They got to the helicopter and Lenox and Moore put Sumter in first. Once they got him in, they buckled him in and Lenox put the handcuffs back on. This time, he put them on with Sumter’s hands in front of him.

“I won’t be any trouble,” Sumter told Lenox. There was nothing but defeat and sorrow in his eyes.

Lenox shook his head. “I don’t care. You’re lucky these people are Christians because if it was just me, I’d have already put a bullet in you. Just like I did to your Korean friend.”

“I’m…I’m sorry.”

“If you want to apologize to somebody, apologize to God. I hear He’s in the business of forgiving people.” He leaned forward. “I’m not.”

Moore and Lenox climbed back out of the helicopter. When Lenox climbed out, he had the 50 caliber sniper rifle with him. Staci climbed in, but as she passed Lenox, she remained silent. Barrington gave Erin a headset and tested it with his. When he was satisfied, he gave her a nod and she waved at them as she headed toward the horse. Sir Prize saw her moving toward him and decided to meet her halfway. He pranced happily in her direction.

Moore tapped on Lenox’ shoulder. “That horse sure is friendly. Not like some people I know.” He glanced at the rifle. “Why are you carrying two weapons?”

As they walked toward the west side of the house, Lenox said, “The sniper rifle is to get their attention. The MP-5 is to get up close and personal.”

“You know, Michael…I get the feeling that you are just not a people-person kind of guy.”

Behind them, Barrington stood there watching them. Lenox and Moore were taking the woods to the west of the ranch house. That was where they were told by Sumter the President and two others had run off to. Erin was already on Sir Prize’s back and turning him expertly toward the trail behind the ranch house. She waved and then, had the horse run into the woods, taking her with him.

When she was gone from his sight, Barrington climbed into the chopper and closed the doors. “Take us up,” he said to Jeremy Bandjough and LeBeau through his own headset.

The Storm Breaker rose from the ground and took to the skies.

Fronk, Fuller and Shiva could not take their eyes away from what they were seeing on the monitor of Fronk’s computer. They had watched several news video feeds, which told them clearly what was going on around the world. Particularly in Israel. Israel was in a state of near chaos. President Amichai Maoz and the unicameral Knesset had convened and were discussing immediate action against North Korea, Iraq and Iran. A young, rich Israeli whose father was well-known was preaching for repentance, for the time was at hand.

More talks and preparations were headed to help America in this great time of need. England, France, and South America were doing their part to help in the relief effort. Russia remained silent during this time.

Then, everything changed.

A man came forward so fast Fuller, Fronk and Shiva couldn’t even determine where he came from. This man came to Israel, calling for a universal peace that must be put forth before further devastation could follow.

One of the news feeds caught this man in Israel before crowds of people. He was with President Maoz and the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as several other top officials of the Knesset to which there were 120 members. Beneath the screen where he was the focus was his name.

Tristian Salvadori, Ambassador, EU.

“All hostilities around the world must cease,” Salvadori said as he looked out at the people around them. He even seemed to look right into the cameras capturing this historic moment. “Unity is what we need now, right at this very moment. Our way of life demands it. Our cultures, our knowledge, our families…our future will be completely obliterated if we do not cease to follow the path of destruction we are on right now. Look at what has happened! Not just to the United States of America, but around the whole world. America has been callously attacked, but the perpetrators behind it have foolishly unleashed a monster they did not realize they had. Do you think the millions of people whom have vanished have done so by accident? Can you not see that your sons and daughters disappeared the very same moment these attacks began? All of this…the attack on America, the complete destruction of California and the disappearances are all connected in some way.”

Fronk, Fuller and Shiva exchanged concerned glances.

Salvadori continued speaking to the people. “Do not be deceived. If you will hear with your ears, you will see with your eyes the folly of your actions. This must stop. And it must stop here, in Israel, for this is where the hostility is aimed at. If we agree in unity for a peaceful resolution for the entire world, it must begin here. I am here to merely assist and show the way as a humble servant. We must stop war before more disappearances occur. We must stop war so we can assure ourselves that we can co-exist on this planet as one unified people.”

People were cheering.

According to the news online, there were talks that went on for three days. At the end of those days, Israel had agreed for a universal peace. What impressed them the most was Salvadori’s impeccable diplomatic skills. He had spoken to the Hamas and even managed to have the West Bank restored to Israel. It was also released publicly that new plans to build Solomon’s Temple had already been in the making for years. That had been the key strategic move to get Israel to agree to any type of peace treaty.

Fronk ended the news feed by clicking onto another one.

There was cheering in the streets of Israel. Tristian Salvadori was being applauded and paraded through the streets as if he were a hero to the people. Fuller didn’t like it. Something about it turned his stomach. He realized that by the looks he saw on Fronk and Shiva’s faces, they didn’t like it either. Was it because they were saved by the blood of Christ? Were they able to discern a lie when it was clearly coming from darkness?

If that were not enough, something happened on the screen. There was some kind of a commotion as the cameraman seemed to move quickly, causing the image to blur just briefly. Crowds seemed to part and two figures were clearly standing in the streets of Jerusalem. For a moment, they were just shadowed figures, standing so still they seemed to be simple card-board cut-outs. They just made no movements whatsoever.

The cameraman made some adjustments and focused on the two men. They wore sandals and robes and each of them held a staff. Their beards were long. Their posture was straight and their expressions were stern. The parade had been heading toward them, but it stopped because clearly they had no intention of moving until they had come to do what must be done.

President Amichai Maoz straightened and motioned toward the two men. “Move aside. Today is a great day for Israel. Do not spoil it by ignorance.” He assumed the men meant to cause trouble.

He was right.

The men didn’t respond to him at all. Instead, they kept their eyes on Salvadori.

Fuller nearly held his breath. He pointed at the news feed. “Are those two really who I think they are?”

Fronk and Shiva merely shrugged, watching with intense interest. It was as if the air was suddenly charged because they felt like something was about to happen.

“Move aside or you will be moved by force!” the President promised.

Still, the two men remained where they were, not intimidated in the least.

Salvadori cleared his throat. “Perhaps I may be of assistance.” He moved forward and focused on the two men in their path. He opened his mouth to speak, but never received the opportunity. The second he tried to speak, they spoke before him and their voices carried far over the crowds.

One of them said, “‘Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.’ 1”

He had spoken so suddenly, Salvadori had not expected it for he actually looked startled. A flash of anger appeared on his face, but then it was quickly replaced by tolerable amusement.

The man continued, “‘Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you.’2”

Salvadori cleared his throat and held up his hand. “Pardon me, please, but--”

“‘That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.’3”

Fronk cleared his throat. “Somehow, I get the feeling he isn’t talking to this Salvadori fellow.”

Fuller shook his head. “No. I think he’s addressing Israel.”

Salvadori chuckled. “I’m not certain, but I believe this man is professing himself to be God.”

The cameras seemed to focus upon the two men and Salvadori, but the President was standing behind Salvadori. He was glaring at the two men.

One of the men spoke again. “‘Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.’4”

Salvadori waved at the two men. “If you gentlemen refuse to tell us who you are and what your purpose is here, then you shall be removed! I say this to you because you are disturbing what can only be called a great day of peace.”

“We are servants of the Most High! We are messengers of I AM. We are Moshe and Eli! Thus saith the Lord…” Moshe raised his staff and exclaimed boldly, “‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’5”

Eli spoke next. “‘Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.’6 ‘Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion!’7”

Then, there was a loud explosion of some kind. At least that is what it had sounded like and the screen went blank. Fronk tried to get it back but realized it must have been caused there on the scene.

He shrugged helplessly. “I can’t get it back.”

Fuller nodded. “It doesn’t matter anyway, William. The Peace Treaty with Israel is in effect. The White Horse of Revelation is on the move and we’re really in for a ride now, aren’t we?”

Shiva had his Bible out and was frantically flipping through the pages. When he found what he was looking for, he stopped and moved his fingers over the words of Revelation. He had highlighted the words as David King had read them earlier that day.

He read them now out loud. “‘And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.’8” He turned a few pages. “I, uhm…I think I marked it in here about the two witnesses, too.” He stopped and nodded. “Yeah, here it is.”

Shiva cleared his throat. Then, he read, “‘And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.’9”

Shiva closed the book with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Man, guys.” He shook his head. “It’s too much to imagine. Those guys…Eli and Moshe? They’re going to have power to shake this planet up if I’m reading this right.”

“And if you’re reading it right, then the first sealed judgment has been unleashed upon the earth.” Fuller regarded both Fronk and Shiva. “For what it’s worth, Marc, I know you didn’t read it wrong.”

“I wish that was comforting,” Shiva told him, “but somehow, it just isn’t.”

Fronk turned and looked up at him. “Would you like a hug?”

Shiva just looked at him.

Erin didn’t know whether to be scared or just plain thrilled because never had she expected her life to take such a sudden course than it had been taking. She and Jeremy Bandjough were both probably the youngest additions to the ATD staff in Albany and already she was one of the most prominent members of the new Gatherers. She was a part of something huge and as she rode Sir Prize through the trails of Maine, her mind was trying to grasp the great significance of it all.

It could only be by the Lord’s leading, she finally decided. She could never get to where she was now without Him. How could she? When the attacks happened and the vanishings with it, she didn’t know which way to turn. She was on the very brink of suicide and if it hadn’t of been for Director Fuller pulling her aside and giving her tasks to perform, she couldn‘t say if she would still be alive or not. Yet she was alive. And even more abundantly alive than ever before. Her life had an entirely new meaning.

She was a Gatherer.

Erin Greye. A Gatherer!

Thank you, Jesus! she thought, lifting a praise of thanksgiving to him. Lead me on, Lord. If someone can be brought to You today, lead me on. If someone needs help that I can give, lead me, I pray. If Hank Sumter can be saved…break his heart and let him receive You. And if President Ballou is still alive, dear God, please lead him to where he can be saved.

She was on the trail heading for what she hoped was the farmhouse Moore had described. With her headset, she was always in contact with the Storm Breaker, which was flying somewhere above the tree-line. If she stopped, he knew she might be able to hear the helicopter above. She just didn’t want to risk stopping even for a second for fear that something could happen.

She rode on along the trail, the sun breaking its way through the treetops to light her way. Suddenly, she saw something ahead of her and pulled back on the reins sharply. As Sir Prize came to a quick stop, she somehow managed to withdraw her weapon from its shoulder holster and leveled it toward the man on the trail directly in her path.

She kept her weapon leveled at him and he had a rifle aimed at her.

“Drop your weapon!” she ordered authoritatively. “I’m a Federal agent!”

The man regarded her for a moment. Then, he slowly lowered his rifle. “I don’t believe it. You’re a little too young and too pretty to be in that line of work, aren‘t you?”

She stared at him, recognizing him. “Mr. President…?”

“That’s me.” President Walter J. Ballou held the rifle loosely so that it was leveled at the ground. “I know. I don’t seem like much in person. I look bigger on television. Right? Isn’t that what you’re thinking?”

She hesitated. “No. No, sir. I-I…Mr. President, I…you actually look taller in real life than…” She lowered her weapon as her eyes scanned the wooded area around them. “Is there anyone else with you, sir?”

He shook his head. “No. The two agents that were with me are keeping the assassins busy by leaving them a trail to follow…in the opposite direction of where we are now. They wanted to buy me time to get away.” He sighed. “To do what, I can’t imagine.”

“Mr. President, I’m not alone. There is a helicopter above us…We’ve been sent by Director Fuller to--”

Ballou stared up at her. “Darren sent help? That old rascal! Well, if anyone could pull it off, he can.”

She re-holstered her weapon and reached her hand down as she maneuvered the horse closer. “Come with me, Mr. President. We’re going to a safe place.”

He dropped the rifle onto the ground, grabbed her hand and was surprised at her ability to help him up and stay on the horse at the same time. When he was behind her, he said, “Then, let’s go. War is coming and I want to be ready.”

“Mr. President, we might need that rifle,” she said as she straightened out the horse on the trail.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s useless. It’s empty anyway.”

She nodded.

Erin expertly brought Sir Prize back into a run, letting Barrington know via headset that someone unexpected had joined her.

They were being followed. Just as assuredly as they followed the trail of the President of the United States and two of his Secret Service agents, he knew someone was following them. Roh Yun, the captain of the Yang Tai Military Force, stood with his back to his men and scanned the woods behind them from where they had come. Although he spotted no movement, he was determined in his mind that they were not only being followed but the one who followed was a man full of rage.

He didn’t understand why he knew this. Only that he did. And there was a small part of him, which deeply desired for this man to catch up to them and do what was necessary. Why should he care if they failed now or not? The Great Eagle had fallen because of a joint effort on the part of North Korea and the Hamas. It would continue to fall because there were more military forces and terrorists cells within the country to continue the war against the infidels.

Did it matter? All was lost, Yun decided. His own son was lost to him. His wife. That was what should have mattered. But, no. He had to do one more thing. He had one more duty to perform. Then, the vanishings had happened. He wasn’t at home when the vanishings took place, but in his heart, he knew his wife and son had been taken.

And it was in his every thought.

“We are not far behind them,” Yang Si said softly as he made his approach. He pointed to a group of hills a mile or so from their position. “We think they are going to take the high ground.”

Yun looked toward the hills. He could not speak English so the men conversed in their own tongue. “We’ll spread out and see if we can flank them before they get to the hills.”

“There is trouble.”

Yun regarded Si. “Speak it.”

Si hesitated. “We have seen only movement from two men. Not three.”

“What does this mean?”

“One of the three is missing. We do not know who.”

Yun paused. “One of the agents may be doubling back to try an attack. He will fail.”

“What if it isn’t an agent? What if it is the President?”

Yun sighed. “It doesn’t matter. They have already lost.”

Si glared. “It is our duty to kill him. We’ll not leave until it is done!”

Yun turned his head and looked into the younger man’s eyes. “I am in command here. Speak out of turn again and I will be forced to carry out my duty upon you. Understood?”

Si glared at him, but finally, he nodded. “Yes.”

“Carry out your orders.”

Si turned away from him and hurried to the three other members of the Yang Tai. As he relayed their captain’s orders, Yun continued to scan the forest behind them, expecting at any moment to see the angry beast hunting them to emerge.

Jim Barnes was sixteen years old, but unlike Sean Kempner, he was not a prodigy who made his parents proud. Jim’s parents were not rich. His father never kept a steady job and when he did, he drank most of his earnings away in a sorry attempt to forget about his miserable life. His mother was scared of shadows and therefore unable to help him whenever his father berated him for even being born.

Jim wasn’t smart. He wasn’t likely to ever get a scholarship. He would be lucky to make the twelfth grade, let alone graduate. He was sixteen years old and, unlike Sean Kempner, he was becoming a seventh grader four years late. All he wanted to do was fit in. When he walked into Stewart’s one day, he came across four other kids who were also going into the seventh grade.

They called themselves The Four Horsemen.

He called them cool.

Just listening to them as they ordered shakes, Jim wanted desperately to be their friend. He wanted to be liked. He wanted to belong.

“We are the Four Horsemen!” Eric exclaimed proudly, smiling at his friends. “The seventh grade ain’t ever gonna be able to take us down.”

Sean shook his head. “Nah, you’re wrong, Black Rider. Just like the Coyote puts down bird seed for the Road Runner, someone will put down a plate of muffins, or donuts and you’ll go down.” He snapped his fingers. “Just like that!”

“Yeah? Well, the Road Runner eats the bird seed and then he takes off before the Coyote can catch him!”

Joe and Michael looked at Sean to see how he would reply. Michael noticed that Jim was watching, too.

Sean paused for affect. He grinned. “I never said nothing about not how fast you can eat. That’s no argument, Eric, ‘cause you devour your food in seconds! You’re a living vacuum cleaner!”

The others laughed. Jim did, too.

Eric leaned back and glared at Jim.

“You can eat fast,” Sean continued, “but you move like a turtle.” He put his hands to his sides and waved them helplessly. “‘Look at me! I’m a turtle!’”

The laughing continued.

“If we rolled you on your back during the winter time, we could all sit on top of you and go down the big hills. We’d slide a lot faster, too!”

Michael slapped Sean on his back. “Oh, man, you’re killing me!” He was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down his face.

“You should write a book of jokes!” Joe exclaimed, in between breaths.

Sean shrugged. “Why write books when I can burn them. ‘Fire, good!’” He imitated a cave-man.

Eric would have laughed at that, but he didn’t appreciate the fact of someone who wasn’t a part of the gang joining in the laughter at his expense. He glared at Jim. “What are you laughing at, moron?”

The others turned around and focused on Jim.

Jim didn’t know what to do so he didn’t say anything. At least he did stop laughing.

“Were you laughing at me, punk?” Eric demanded, stepping forward in a threatening manner.

Michael noticed the store clerk who was making their shakes watching them so he held up a hand. “Forget it, Eric.”

Eric shook his head. “No, man. You guys laugh at me…I can take that. But when anybody else does, I don’t like it and I mean to make it stop.”

“Jim wasn’t laughing at you, Eric. He was laughing with you.” Michael turned to look at Jim. “Weren’t you?”

Nervously, Jim nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s what I was doing. I was laughing with you.” He chuckled and shrugged. “‘Cause you guys are cool and, really, I…I’d never laugh at you or anything like that.” Then, he cleared his throat. “Uhm, I’m sorry, you know…if you thought I was laughing at you. I’m sorry.” As if he had an idea, he suddenly said, “I’ll pay for your shake.”

Eric paused. “Really? Well, thanks, but the White Rider is paying for my shake.”

Michael suddenly had a brainstorm and he smiled. “No, that’s okay. Jim, if you really want to pay for Eric’s shake, go ahead.”

Jim hesitated. “Oh. Okay. Sure.” He regarded Michael. “Why did he call you the White Rider?”

“’Cause I’m the leader.”

He nodded.

“Jim, you want to join us at the booths? You can sit with us.”

Sean and Joe looked at Michael suspiciously, wondering what it was he was up to. Eric didn’t think like that. Since he was still getting a free shake and it was from Jim, he didn’t think anything out of the ordinary by the invitation. Sean and Joe knew Michael well enough to know he never did things unless he had a plan.

Jim grinned. “Really? Sure. Wow, yeah, can I?”

Michael nodded. “Yes, you can.”

“Wow. I can sit with the Four Horsemen. Cool.” He regarded each one of them.

The shakes came and the clerk rang them up. All four of them. Michael had his money ready and slowly began to hand it to the clerk. Just as he expected, Eric let out a sigh.

“Hey, I thought you was buying my shake, Jim,” he said.

Jim looked embarrassed. “Uhm, I was. I am.” He moved toward the counter. “I’ll…I’ll get that.”

Michael paused. “You getting ours, too? That’s awful good of you, Jim. Thank you.” He put his money away and stepped aside.

Jim paid for the shakes and bought himself one, too. When they all had their shakes, they headed for the booths. Jim followed behind, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

“Sit with us, Jim,” Michael told him, making room.

Hesitantly, Jim sat down.

Eric sighed. He had to sit in the next booth by himself. Still, he had his shake so he wasn’t really complaining.

Michael paused as he regarded Jim. “You want to be one of us, don’t you, Jim?”

Jim stared at his shake. “I…don’t know what you mean,” he said softly.

“Yes, you do. You want to join us. You want to fit in with us. What you don’t know is you already do fit in.”

He looked up, surprised. “I do?”

Michael nodded. “We’re all new, Jim. All of us sitting here are gonna be facing the same thing you are. The seventh grade. So we have to stick together, don’t we?”

Jim paused. “Yeah. But…you’re the Four Horsemen…not the Five.”

Sean and Joe watched Michael for his response. Eric concentrated on his shake.

Michael leaned over the table. “There’s always room for a fifth horsemen, Jim.”

Joe looked at him. “There isn’t five horsemen in the Bible, Mike.”

Michael shrugged. “We’re not in the Bible either, Joe.” He looked at Jim. “You could become a horsemen, like us. You see, we’ve got plans for a party and we need help.”

Sean and Joe exchanged looks. They didn’t remember talking about any party. In the next booth, Eric was finishing up the last of his shake.

“What party?” Jim asked.

Michael looked at him. “The guys and I are gonna have a party at the construction site. The one on Miller Road.”

“At the construction site? But…you can’t have a party there. That’s private property and…and we’d get in trouble if we went there without permission.”

“Nobody would know. There’s no one there on the weekends.” Michael didn’t mention the simple fact that a police car did patrol the site on weekends. He and his friends knew the times the police drove through the area. “Besides, we’ve been up there before. The thing is, we really want to have one great last party. You know…To say good-bye to the summer and hello to the seventh grade.” He paused. “We’re going there this Friday night at ten o’ clock. Everybody’s bringing something. If you want to join us, all you have to do is bring something.”

Jim paused as he thought about it. “Well…I dunno. I’d have to ask my parents.” He frowned. “I don’t think they’ll let me go.”

“You can sneak out, can’t you?”

Jim sighed. “I can…but if I get caught…” He trailed off.

“Well, don’t get caught. Especially with what you’re bringing.”

Jim looked at him suspiciously. “What…what am I bringing?”

Michael grinned at him. “The beer.”

Lenox and Moore didn’t speak as they followed the trail through the woods toward the enemy. Lenox knew they were getting close. He didn’t know how he knew it, only that he did. It wasn’t anything he saw on the ground as he tracked the North Koreans. It wasn’t anything he saw ahead of them either.

It was simply a gut feeling.

He was driven to push the limits as far as he could. He was concerned at first when they started out on their trek through the woods that it was going to be too much on the older man. However, Moore was in good shape for a man his age. The way he carried his weapon assured Lenox he hadn’t forgotten his training. A Marine never forgot their training.

Lenox and Moore continued on their hunt, knowing their prey was somewhere just ahead.

They were as ready as they were ever going to be. It wasn’t something that would be hard for them to do. They had been in many situations like this before, so there was nothing different about what they intended to do. Randy Groh was more than ready to cross this line. After all, the man in Apartment #55 was a terrorist. The man had a major part in the attacks on the United States of America.

Groh had no problem with busting into the apartment with his guns blazing.

Brian Yorke wanted to feel the same way. Yet for him, something felt wrong. He was an officer of the law. There were procedures to follow and he knew that this wasn’t one of them. Of course, nothing about any of this was proper procedure any more. There was martial law in Albany. Streets were even more dangerous than ever before. And there was a terrorist harboring within the apartment of an ATD agent.

Yorke knew they could simply smash through the door, shoot the terrorist down and come out looking like heroes. That was what the plan was. Yet something kept tugging away at his conscience and he couldn’t shake the feeling that what they were about to do was wrong.

It was too late anyway.

They were both there in the corridor with their weapons drawn. Groh was on the left side of the door and Yorke was on the right. Groh nodded his head, indicating he was ready.

Yorke took a deep breath. Then, wondering why the so-called agent named James Bollinger wasn’t with them he stepped back and kicked at the door with his gun at the ready.

1 - Leviticus 22:31
2 - Leviticus 22:32
3 - Leviticus 22:33
4 - Isaiah 44:6
5 - Isaiah 45:22
6 - Jeremiah 3:12
7 - Jeremiah 3:14
8 - Revelation 6:1 - 3
9 - Revelation 11:3 - 13

Fronk clicked into his favorites folder, scrolled past the Gilligan Island websites he has stored there and scrolled past the technical sites. He skipped over the saved Bible Study and Prophecy sites and finally stopped on a site called The Voice Against Peace. He looked up at Fuller, who was standing on his left, and then he looked up at Shiva, who was on his right.

“This is an interesting site,” he told them. “I found it purely by accident.” He shrugged. “Or maybe it was God who led me there. I don’t know. I just saw it and the name caught my attention, so I clicked onto it.”

“Is it about the Antichrist?” Shiva inquired.

Fronk held up a finger. “You know, that’s what I was thinking when I saw the title, too, but the Antichrist doesn’t come out speaking against peace. At least not in the beginning. He comes out and says a lot of things, which draw men to him. He is very persuasive, as we have already seen in some of the news feeds. This site is something else entirely. Watch.”

He clicked onto the site and immediately opened a new screen, which had links to prophecies in the Bible and where Jews fit into those prophecies. There was a picture of a young man with his dark hair somewhat unkempt. His piercing dark eyes seemed to be looking right at them as Fuller, Fronk and Shiva looked at the site. Under the picture was the caption “The Voice Against Peace.” Beneath that was the mans name.

Daniel Loebel.

Directly beneath that was a link to an introductory video mpg. Fronk clicked it.

A small screen opened and the young man in the picture was now standing in what appeared to be a den. Books lined shelves along the wall. The young man stood in front of a desk with a window behind that. The sun was shining and out the window could be seen a tree-line in the distance, indicating that the yard outside the window was spacious and there was a forest beyond.

The young man looked intently into the camera. “Hello,” he said, “I am Daniel Loebel, the Voice Against Peace. You may not know me, but my father, Elihu Loebel, was a great archeologist who uncovered many historical and biblical artifacts. He has been a believer in Jesus the Christ as the Messiah for forty years and has devoted his life in the pursuit of uncovering historical artifacts to prove that the Bible is indeed the Word of God. I am standing inside his study right now. Follow me…”

He moved to go around the desk and toward the window. The cameraman followed and captured Loebel standing in front of something by the window. He was pointing at something on the floor. When the camera focused on it, it soon showed a pile of clothing and a book.

“Right here,” the young man began, “is where my father was standing when the rapture event took place. His clothing fell and the Hebrew Bible he was reading also fell. But he himself was taken.” The camera refocused on his face. “I have left them there to remind me that what he had been telling me all these years is the truth. Jesus Christ is our Messiah. He has taken those whom have believed on His name and at this very moment, those people are with the Lord at the marriage supper of the Lamb. My father is there. No doubt he is also there with my mother, whom had passed away a few years ago. She, too, had tried to show me the truth so I would repent of my sins and turn to the One True Messiah.”

Loebel shook his head sadly. “But I would not. For most of my adult life, I had wasted my inheritance on a life full of wicked pleasures. I am not proud of this past. I can tell you I am not a great scholar like my father was. I know nothing about teaching or anything. I’ve never done anything for myself or anyone but to live a selfish kind of lifestyle. I didn’t care about anyone but myself. My parents always wanted me to come to them and give my life to Christ. They assured me I wouldn’t have an emptiness inside me, which today is now full. I wish I had heard them while they were here, but now I am confident that I will one day see them again. And I shall see them in the presence of my Lord and Savior, Yehoshua, which literally means ‘Yahweh saves’.”

Loebel moved back around the desk so he was standing in front of it. “I want to tell you that I have sinned in the past. My sin was ignorance because I did not seek Him. My sin was pride because I did not want Him. My sin was hate because I did not love Him. I have turned from my sin because I have seen the sin in my life for what it is. It is simply depravity. I was depraved. I was filthy. But now am I as white as snow because it is the blood of Jesus which has cleansed me and made me whole. You cannot save yourselves. You must come to Him for salvation. ‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’ 1 ‘And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 2 You can be saved. But you must not put it off any longer. If you do, you will doom your eternal soul into a place where God will not be found. I am speaking of the everlasting lake of fire where all those who reject Christ will be sent into eternal damnation.

“Hear me now. There is a man among us who will deceive you if you do not come to Christ. This man has already called me ‘The Voice Against Peace’ because I speak the truth. His name is Tristian Salvadori and the Bible has prophesied of his coming. Before the rapture happened, we did not know of him. But now the rapture has happened and he has revealed himself by bringing about a peace treaty with Israel. How he has done this is not important. That he has done it is. ‘And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.’ 3 This man is here. He is doing what the Bible has prophesied to us that he would. Our time is short. I will continue with my site until I can no longer maintain it. Just hear the message and receive it. I am Daniel Loebel, the Voice Against Peace. A messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” He looked right into the camera. “And one more thing. In closing, this is what it means to be Jewish. Some ‘60 years’ or so ‘ago, they were leading Jews to their death like sheep to the slaughter! No country. No army. 55 years ago! Seven Arab countries declared war on the small Jewish State, only a few hours old. We were then only 650,000 Jews…against the rest of the Arab world! No Israel Defense Force. No mighty air force; just tough people with nowhere to go. Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia…attacked all at once. The country the U.N. ‘gave us’ was 65% desert. The country started from scratch! 35 years ago! We fought the three strongest armies in the Middle East and wiped them out in six days. We fought against different coalitions of Arab countries, with modern armies and masses of Soviet Russian weapons and we still won! And look at us: the nation from the Bible, from slavery in Egypt. We are still here, speaking the same language! Right here, right now. The Arabs don’t know it yet, but they will learn there is one God. As long as we keep our identity, we are eternal. So,’ Mr. Salvadori, ‘sorry for not worrying…Not complaining…Not crying…Not being scared. Things are okay here.’4”

The video ended.

Fuller nodded his head thoughtfully. “Well, amen to that. William, keep an eye on his webpage.”

Fronk nodded. “I will. I’ll link him to mine.”

“Have you started a site yet?” Shiva wanted to know.

“I haven’t had the time. I’ve been busy looking into what the world has been up to. At least we can say that we’re not the only ones who know the truth. There are others and we can share in the task of giving the message to a doomed world. Because let’s face it…this world is going to change into a better one.” He paused for affect. “But not before it goes into the fire.”

Erin and Ballou came riding off from the trail upon Sir Prize’s back and out into the open meadow with the sun shining high above. When Erin saw the farmland, she brought the horse to a stop. The smoke from the farmhouse was rising high in the sky and it was evident the house had been burning for several hours. It was mostly a blackened husk with still visible burning embers.

“This can’t be good,” the President replied, regarding the scene before them.

The barn had been untouched as had the silo with it. Erin prodded the horse in that direction. “Pa said there was a shelter here.”

Above them, the rotating of chopper blades could be heard. They looked up and saw the Storm Breaker hovering above. Then, it began to set down several feet away and in front of the open barn. With the rotors still moving, Barrington climbed out of the helicopter alone and headed for them. Erin stopped the horse and Ballou climbed off first. Then, she climbed down and together they waited for Barrington.

Barrington stopped before them. “Mr. President…I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Thank you, son,” Ballou commented with a brisk nod. “I’m glad your team made it. How is Darren?”

“The Director is fine, sir. He sent us to come and get you. If you’ll go in the chopper, you’ll be taken directly to the Federal Building in Albany. He’ll be glad to see you.”

Ballou regarded him. “You sound like you’re not coming with us.”

“I’m not, sir. I’m going to head back through the trail to meet up with Agent Lenox.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re not.”

“Mr. President, I…” Barrington hesitated, glancing at Erin. He sighed. “There’s no time to waste, sir. There’s a prisoner onboard…He is secured, but we have to get him back. He’s wounded. Staci…Dr. Cohen won’t be much good to him out here.”

“Who is this wounded prisoner?”

“His name is Hank Sumter. He claims to be one of your Secret Service agents.”

Ballou sighed. “He is.”

“Sir, he was in on the attack. He let the North Koreans get through your security.”

“Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know, sir. We need to get him back to the ATD Center and see if we can get him to talk. Staci will be with him until she’s satisfied he’ll be okay. I think time is of the essence. Our main priority is to get you back to safety.” Barrington shrugged. “We don’t know if there are any more of the enemy looking for you.”

“I’ll go, but I want to know why you’re really staying behind?” The President paused. “Does it have something to do with a shelter the young lady here mentioned to me just before you arrived?”

Barrington glanced at Erin, who looked away, embarrassed. “I…I really didn’t mean to let that out,” she told him apologetically.

“Why wouldn’t you want to tell me about this shelter?” Ballou demanded, watching Barrington closely. “This young lady’s father obviously wanted her to know about it.”

Erin looked confused. “Uhm, no, sir. My father didn’t tell me about it.”

“You told me it was your ‘Pa’ who told you about the shelter.”

Erin giggled. Then, she cleared her throat nervously. “No, sir. I mean, yes, sir. That is what I said, but he isn’t my ‘Pa’. I guess he’s just called that.”

“His name is Craig Moore,” Barrington replied. “My partner thinks he was once in the Secret Service.”

Ballou nodded thoughtfully. “The name does ring a bell. Yes, I’ve heard of him. During his tenure, he was considered to be one of the best. This man came out here looking for me?”

Barrington nodded.

“Admirable…but why?”

He shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. He and Michael, my partner, went out in search of the men hunting for you.”

“Michael…Is that Lenox, you mean?”

“Yes, sir.”

“He and Moore are tracking the hit team that came after me…and you’re here about a shelter. Is that correct?”

Barrington hesitated. “Mr. President…”

“I want you to listen to me very carefully. You don’t have to convince me that the days we are living in are the last days.” He looked into Barrington’s eyes. “My wife came from a Christian home. She was raised in a Baptist family by a Baptist preacher who shouted fire and brimstone messages from his pulpit every Sunday. The day the vanishings occurred, do you have any idea what I was doing?”

Barrington could only shake his head.

“I was holding her in my arms, trying to assure her that the end really wasn’t near and that everything was going to be okay. I held her close. I mean so close, I could feel her. I could smell her. I could hear her gentle breathing. I could hear her heartbeat against mine. That’s how close you get to someone you love when you hold them so tight, you don’t want to let go.” He paused. “Within a split second…a blink of an eye, she was gone. I was standing there holding the dress she had put on earlier that morning. The loudest thing in the room at that second was nothing but silence. Have you ever heard silence, Agent Barrington?”

He shrugged. “Sir, yes…but silence isn’t really a sound.”

“Silence is the loudest sound there is when you’re straining with everything you have to hear the heartbeat of someone you love. My wife is gone now. I know where she is, but she’s gone from this earth. So I know we’re living in times where every Christian will be hunted down and executed for taking a stand against the coming evil.” He let out a sigh. “I know why you’re seeking out shelters. Is that what Darren has asked you to do? Find shelters to hide those who need it when the time comes?”

Barrington nodded.

“Then do as he asks. I’ll support everything you do for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as long as I am President of this country. For all Christians and Jews everywhere, I’ve already decided to make my stand with Christ.” He put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “You know, at times like these, I’d like to say something eloquent or smart like ‘Give me Liberty or give me death,’ 5 or even ‘Ask not what your country can do for you…ask what you can do for your country.’ 6 But I think I speak for us all when I say ‘Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.’ 7 Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. President. I do agree.”

“Then, let us agree on one more thing. When we’re not acting in an official manner, drop the title.”

“But, Mr. President--”

“This is why people get so testy and wars happen, because there’s too much pomp and circumstance and not enough vim and vinegar!” He sighed. “Anyway, stay here and do what you have to do. I’ll go back with your friends and tell Darren what you’re up to. I’ll also give Sumter a piece of my mind.” He looked at Barrington as he headed for the helicopter. “I don’t suppose this Dr. Staci Cohen you mentioned will let me rough up her patient?”

Barrington chuckled as he shook his head. “I doubt it, sir.”

He sighed wearily. “Great. I suppose I’ll have to slap him when she isn’t looking.” He waved to Barrington and Erin. “Godspeed, my brother and sister.”

“And to you…Brother President.”

Ballou gave him a look. “Wise guy.”

When the President was on the helicopter, it began to rise to the skies. Barrington and Erin stood and watched it as it receded in the distance. When it was gone, Barrington turned to the barn.

“Now,” he said with determination, “let’s find this shelter.”

Every weekend before the first week of school was a tradition within the Lenox household. The entire Lenox family - Randall, Naomi, Michael, Hannah, and Samuel Scott Lenox - would pile into the family van and drive across town to spend the weekend with Randall’s parents. There was a family reunion there all weekend long and it was just something the Lenox’ did every year.

Michael always got to sit up in the front seat of the van, too. He always rode shotgun to Dad because his mother favored him. She let him take the seat that should have been hers. Randall, however, was never happy about it. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his son, because he did. It was just that sometimes the boy just wasn’t able to learn the lessons of life the way young boys were supposed to because his mother shielded him from those lessons.

Randall often complained about it. “I don’t know why you spoil him so, Naomi.”

“It’s just a seat, Ran. It has nothing to do with the affairs of this world, so as long as it isn’t hurting anything, don’t fret over it,” was her response.

“That’s just it. It is something to fret over. You’re letting him get it into his head that there isn’t any order in the way things work. He should put you over his own needs, but you keep letting him go on about his way with no consequences. He’s a growing boy and the oldest son. It’s past the time he learn about responsibility and having to face the consequences of his own actions.”

That was the continuing theme to what they argued about most.

Soon those arguments would come to a horrifying end.

Michael had decided to make new plans for that weekend. He made plans with the rest of the Four Horsemen, which included Jim. It would start on Friday night. That particular Friday was the day the Lenox’ were going on their trip across town. In Michael’s anticipation of what he intended for Jim, he had forgotten all about it. When he asked for permission to stay at Joe’s house for the weekend, he was reminded sternly.

“You know where we’re going this weekend, Michael,” Randall said, focusing intently on his son. “We go at the end of every summer and nothing will change that. It’s a family outing, so since we are a family and I am the head of it, you’re going, too.”

Michael frowned, glancing in his mother’s direction. “I’m sorry, Dad. I forgot.” He was telling the truth there. He let out a sigh. “Okay. I guess I’ll call Joe and tell him I can’t do it.” This was partly a lie because he was counting on his mother to intervene like he knew she always did.

And she did. “Wait a minute, Michael,” she said.

Randall let out a sigh. “Naomi…”

“Well, I would at least like to know what he and Joe were planning to do over the weekend.” She looked at her son. “What were you going to do?”

Michael shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Joe says there’s some kind of teen activity at his church all day Saturday. Some big picnic thing with some preaching and teaching of the Bible. But it isn’t a big deal. Like I said, I forgot about going over to Grandpa and Grandma’s house.”

“Oh, but it is a big deal. I think you should go to Joe’s.”

Randall stared at her as if she had lost her mind. “What?”

She turned to him. “Oh, Ran. Come on. We’ve been talking about going to church for a while now ourselves, haven’t we? Let Michael go there over the weekend. He needs to hear about--”

“Hear about what? About Jesus saves and fire and brimstone damnation? Do you really think he’d listen?”

“I did when I visited last month.”

“You’re an adult.”

She straightened and looked into his eyes. “So did Sam.”

Randall looked back, but he could find no other argument. Finally, he shrugged. “Fine. Michael, you heard your mother. You can go to your friends house and join in on this activity at his church.” He turned to regard his son. “But mark my words. Whatever you do this weekend, you’d better be prepared to take responsibility for your actions.”

Michael nodded. “Yes, sir. I will.”

“I know you will.”

Michael turned and headed out of the room, a smile on his face. He knew his father suspected he was up to something, but he wouldn’t call him on it now because the permission had already been given. Still grinning, he went up the stairs to go to his room. As he did, he passed his little brother who followed him.

Michael went into his room, picked up a Spiderman comic from off his dresser and fell back onto his bed. As he was getting comfortable, he noticed Samuel standing in his doorway.

“What do you want, Scott?” Michael asked as he opened the comic up.

Samuel paused for a moment. Finally, he said, “I just want to tell you something.”

“What?”

The nine-year old paused again. “You’re going to Hell.”

Michael lowered the comic and glared at his brother. “Did you just swear at me? Because if you did, you’re in really big trouble.”

“I didn’t tell you to go there. I said you’re going to go there.”

“What’s the difference?”

“I’d never tell you to go there, Michael. You’re my big brother. But…” He sighed. “The Bible says that everyone who lies goes to Hell.”

“Stop saying that.”

“It does. And…well, you lie a lot. I don’t want you to go there.”

Michael sat up. “Well, you lie.”

“I’m a kid. I didn’t know no better!” He paused. “Besides…I asked Jesus to come into my heart and…and He did. Now I’m going to heaven.”

Michael shook his head. “You…what?”

“I asked Jesus to come into my heart and He did. Mom did it, too. We’re…we’re born-again Christians.”

“You dope!” Michael smacked the comic against the top of Samuel’s head with a loud thwack. “You can’t have any person living inside your heart. His feet would be sticking out through your stomach and his head would be out your back.”

“I don’t care what you say. I know where Jesus is. I also know if you don’t ask Him to save you, then, you’re gonna go to that bad place where all the liars go. And Mom…” He stopped.

Michael glared at him. “Mom what?”

Samuel turned to go. “I…I can’t tell you.”

Michael got up, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back into his room. He closed the door and held his brother against it. “You’d better tell me ‘Mom what’ or I’ll give you a beating!”

Samuel looked up at him. “Mom prays for you and Dad to get saved. But…when she prays for you, she…”

“She what?”

“She cries.”

Michael blinked. He backed up. “You’re lying.”

Samuel shook his head.

“Fine. Let Jesus live in your heart…Samson!” It was the only Bible name he remembered to call him by with sarcasm. “I’m outta here.”

He opened his door and stormed out of the room. He wasn’t going to let anyone tell him how to live his life. After all, he was thirteen and already had all the answers.

Michael went outside and decided to go for a walk. As he did, he realized he was walking past the new kid’s house. Albert just happened to be out front of his house when Michael began walking past. For some reason, Michael just stopped and regarded Albert with a look.

Albert returned the look. He wasn’t intimidated. Yet, eventually, it did get on his nerves. “What are you looking at?”

Michael took a step forward. “Oh ho! So you got some backbone after all, don’t you?”

“Did you come over here to pick a fight?”

“Why? Do you want one?”

Albert shook his head. “No.”

“Why not? Are you chicken?”

He sighed. “No,” he said patiently. “I just don’t like fighting, but if you push me, I’ll push back.”

Michael snorted. “Girls push. Boys fight.”

“Whatever.”

Michael waved a hand at him. “Forget you.” He turned and began to walk back toward his house.

“Hey!” Albert yelled.

He stopped, turned around and glared. “What?”

Albert took a few steps toward him and lowered his voice. “Don’t do it.”

Michael scowled at him. “Don’t do what?”

“I went back into Stewarts to get more milk.”

“Oh, well, hey! You know what they say? No use crying over spilled milk.”

“Look, man.” Albert pointed at him, angry now. “I don’t care about the stupid milk. I heard what you said to that Jim Barnes kid. He don’t seem too bright so whatever you conned him into doing, stop it.”

“What do you know?”

Albert shook his head. “You’re really thick. You know that? I’m telling you if you do something to that kid, you’re gonna regret it.”

“I’m not doing nothing.”

“Whatever.”

“Whatever.” Michael turned his back and walked away.

Albert shook his head. He went back into his own house feeling like something bad was about to happen. Something real bad.

And he was right.

From somewhere up ahead of them, a volley of gunfire sounded. Lenox came to an abrupt stop and tilted his head to listen. He held up a hand and Moore also stopped. Together, they listened to the sounds of the woods around them intently. Then, they heard it. A voice in Korean snapped an order. Then, there was silence.

Judging from how that voice carried, Lenox believed they weren’t close enough for a direct confrontation for sound did travel a good distance. However, they were close enough for what he had in mind. He moved ahead, taking care not to announce his presence and behind him, Moore silently followed.

Lenox was relieved when the ground ahead began to move upward, forming a hill. A clearing was up ahead and he stopped at the edge of the forest before venturing out further. He surveyed the land ahead, but the hill continued upward. When he was certain there were no movements, or no sign of the enemy he was pursuing, he squatted low to the ground and moved up the hill. At the top, he laid on the ground and crawled up to the edge to peer over.

Moore soon joined him and together they surveyed the land before them.

Now they had the advantage. The ground was lower on the other side of the hill. Lenox put the MP-5 on the ground beside him and took the sniper rifle from his back. He set it on the ground and put his eye to the scope. Then, he began to search the area before them.

Just over the tree-line, he could see a town beyond the forest. He estimated it to be almost two miles out. A church steeple rose above the trees. He adjusted the scope and searched the grounds between the church and where they were positioned.

“What are you doing, Michael?” Moore asked softly.

Lenox continued to search with the scope. “I’m announcing our presence.”

“Why would you do that?”

“To let them know the President isn’t without protection.” Lenox spotted movement and stopped moving the rifle.

A man was leaning with his back against a tree. He had his hand over his stomach and blood was seeping through his fingers. The man was one of the Secret Service agents, but he appeared to be alone. Moving in his direction were two Korean assassins. The agent either lost the fight or realized there was nothing he could do. He slumped down onto the ground and kept his back to the tree.

He was waiting for the two Korean’s.

Lenox was, too.

The Koreans placed themselves right in front of the agent with their weapons trained on him. One of them demanded to know where the President was. Right after the question was out of his mouth, Lenox pulled the trigger.

Craack-Boom! echoed through the area.

The Korean’s head snapped back and he fell to the ground. The other Korean looked startled as he watched his friend fall. Then, he turned around and looked toward the hill.

Lenox was ready for the second shot and took it.

Craack-Boom!

The assassin fell to the ground dead. It only took less than thirty seconds.

Lenox used the rifle to scan the area, but saw no further movement. “There,” he said, with satisfaction in his voice.

“There, what?” Moore inquired.

“I just got their attention.” He passed the rifle over to Moore. “There’s one of the President’s agents against a tree where I took out two of the North Korean’s. He’s in bad shape. Keep your eyes peeled in his direction. Look out for the other three assassins and take them out if you get a chance.”

“What if they come up here?”

“They won’t. But even if they try to, you’ll see them coming.”

“What are you gonna do?”

Lenox picked up his MP-5 and actually grinned. “I’m gonna let them see me coming.”

Moore blinked. “What?”

Lenox rose to his feet and ran down the hill in plain sight. He moved toward the wounded agent and the assassins he had taken out. He wasn’t concerned about being out in the open. In fact, he was hoping to draw attention to himself rather than the President.

Grief. Deep sorrow. Despair. These were the emotions waging war within Roh Yun’s soul at that very moment. And it was only getting heavier. Yet when Yang Si and the other assassin raised their weapons to fire upon the man running down the hill, something within him said it was enough.

In Korean, he snapped, “Lower your weapons! Do not fire!”

The two men turned to him. Si looked angry. “We must kill him!”

“No. It is enough.” He looked toward the man running and watched him until he disappeared among the trees. The American was angry. He could feel it. Angry like a bear. This one would not stop until all of them were dead. “We cannot complete our mission.”

Si glared at him. “We will! I will not stop until it is done. You have disgraced your honor!”

Yun just looked at him. Finally, he shook his head. “No. No…I have disgraced my family.”

Si turned to the other and ordered him to kill the man who was trying to help the wounded agent. He turned to say something else insulting to Yun but was surprised to discover he was gone. Si was glad because he would have killed him if he had stayed. As it was, he had his own mission to carry on with. He had seen movement on top of the hill as the man had run down it.

So whoever the American was, he certainly hadn’t come alone.

Crouching low and staying within cover of the trees, Si moved toward the enemy on the hill in hopes of flanking him.

Roh Yun was tired and alone. He couldn’t get out of his head how he had treated his family. His lovely wife…his son. How they had told him many times about the Christ who would come and take them away. How they witnessed to him about the love of God, not just with words…but by their very actions. They told him about the love of God and showed him their love for him.

And how had he repaid them?

By beating them. By berating them. By sending their son to a training camp he didn’t want to go to. They never argued with him. They always did what he asked of them, even if they knew it was wrong. He was so cruel to them and for that, they simply loved him the more.

He kept walking, feeling nothing but shame as tears rolled down his cheeks. He had no idea where he was going, nor did he care. He just kept walking and as he walked, he dropped all of his weapons until he had none left on him. In his heart and in his speech, he implored that if there was a God, would He please show His undeserving mercy on this poor, wretched soul?

Then, he stepped into a clearing and looked up.

He was standing behind a large, white church with its steeple reaching up toward the sky. From within, came the sounds of singing. He couldn’t understand the words, but somehow he understood the message within them. Allowing the tears to continue, he went up to the church and entered into its sanctuary.

David King was studying the Word of God in the living room of Barrington’s apartment when something strange suddenly occurred. There was no wind blowing in the apartment. The windows were not open to allow even a draft, yet every single candle that had been lit simply went out. The oil lamp on the stand beside the chair he sat in abruptly died and the room darkened.

King sat very still and looked around the room.

“Lord,” he prayed softly. “Are You trying to tell me something?”

An answer was immediate. It was a still small voice and it simply said, “Be still and be silent.”

So King was.

Whatever was happening was of God. So he trusted in Him and waited.

Suddenly, he heard the front door slamming open, crashing against the wall. Someone had kicked it open. Two men burst into the darkened apartment. He could see them clearly in spite of the dark as they came into the living room. Something told him they were policemen, yet they weren’t in uniform. Still, he had been a terrorist for all of his life and recognized law enforcement types when he saw them.

The two officers were Yorke and Groh. He didn’t know that, of course, but that’s who they were. They came into the apartment with their weapons at the ready and checked every single room within. However, it was dark and they saw no one inside. Even when they passed through the living room and looked right at the lounge chair where King was sitting, they saw no one.

When the search was over, Yorke and Groh stood at the door they had kicked open.

“There’s nobody here,” Groh replied, disappointment in his voice. “That Bollinger is either a liar or he had his information wrong.”

Yorke paused. “Yeah. You know, there’s something about that guy I don’t trust. Let’s get out of here.”

Groh agreed and he headed out first.

Yorke, however, stopped in the doorway and looked back into the apartment. For a moment, he just stood there. Finally, he turned and walked away.

A moment passed. Then another.

King continued to sit in the dark and wait. To his amazement, the oil lamp flickered and re-lit. Light once more appeared in the living room.

“Well…” he said softly, “Lord, thank You for what You just did for me. I must confess I feel like shouting like never before, but must sadly refrain from doing so because I may inadvertently undo what You just did by bringing them back. But now, I must leave this place. Where, Lord, should I go?”

An answer formed in his mind.

“Thank You, Jesus.”

With Canaan’s Bible, King left the apartment, trusting in the Lord’s leading.

1 - I Timothy 2:3 - 5
2 - Acts 2:21
3 - Revelation 13:5
4 - What It Means To Be Jewish from Levitt Letter; November 2006 Issue
5 - Quote by Patrick Henry to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1851
6 - Quote by President John F Kennedy at his Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961
7 - Psalm 60:3 & 4

Fuller let out a sigh as he shook his head in wonder. Fronk’s fingers had danced across the keyboard and uncovered more detail about what was happening in the world since after the vanishings. Wars were going on. There had been scattered fighting with heavy artillery almost every where on the face of the planet. The hottest fighting were in Syria, Iraq, Iran, on the Israeli border, in England, France, Germany, Russia and right outside of the United States of America‘s borders. There had been fighting from within and without.

Ships had been crossing the ocean, heading for the American shores but England was helping to keep America safe from the sea as well as any American navy vessel, which had not been affected by the EM pulse. Yet all of that had changed with the peace treaty signing in Israel. Tristian Salvadori had seemingly come from nowhere and was making wonders happen by his eloquent speech and charismatic manner. The only two he could not sway were the men who called themselves Moshe and Eli.

Then, there was more news.

The Pope was missing. He had been reported as being inside the Vatican in Rome, but suddenly, without a trace, he turned up missing. His robe and clothing were later discovered in a garden outside the palace and he was numbered as being among the vanished.

Yet another man had stepped in to take his place. A man who called himself The New Pope for the New Era of Unilateral Peace under the direct leadership of the Man of Peace himself, Tristian Salvadori. The New Pope swore his allegiance to Salvadori and hailed him as a saint of the Almighty. He began to encourage the world to look to this man to lead them all into a new world.

Shiva had the Bible out and he decided to just begin to read out loud. “‘And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 1’”

In spite of the peace treaty, there was talk of all types of food shortages. Many places would be without and thousands were calculated to die due to famine.

The Spirit of God prompted Shiva to continue reading. “‘And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.’ 2”

Finding more evidence as to what the Bible had predicted would happen, the smooth talking Man of Peace claimed that no famine would last. If they could all agree to move forward and strive as one, all of the world’s woes would pass.

“‘And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death and with the beasts of the earth.’ 3”

Silence filled the room.

Finally, Fronk said, “It’s only going to get worse, isn’t it, Skipper?”

Fuller nodded slowly. This time, he didn’t even mind being called Skipper. “I’m afraid so.”

“Okay…so long as you’re not so afraid, then, I’m good.”

Shiva paused. “Hey, guys…?”

“What is it, Marc?” Fuller inquired.

“About this New Pope…Could he be the False Prophet?”

“There’s a new pope?” came a voice from the door.

The three men turned around and to their astonishment, they discovered David King standing in the doorway of Fronk’s office. Fuller went toward him and pulled him inside, closing the door. “David…” he began hesitantly, “what are you doing here?”

“Two men broke into the apartment, so I left.” King looked over toward the computer and moved behind where Fronk sat for a better look. “What is this about a new pope?”

Fuller exchanged glances with the others. “David, I’d love to answer your question, but can you tell me what happened? How did you get in here?”

King shrugged. “Nobody stopped me. I simply walked in.”

“What do you mean you just walked in? We have every entrance guarded. Your face has been remembered by every agency within this building! You simply cannot just walk into a place where you can get yourself captured just like that.” He snapped his fingers.

“God has blinded them to who I am. Please, Darren…I left the apartment because men came there seeking to kill me.” He tapped his finger on the computer screen. “Now…what is this about a new pope?”

Fronk cleared his throat. “The old one is missing. This other one took his place and is calling Tristian Salvadori a saint.”

“Now that is interesting!” He looked at Fuller. “Did you know there is not only a Trinity of God, the Father, God, the Son and God, the Holy Spirit, but there is also another one?”

Shiva looked startled. “Another trinity? Surely there isn’t!”

King quoted, “‘And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.’ 4” He held up three fingers. “The Devil himself is often referred to as a dragon. The beast is, of course, the Antichrist. And that leaves the False Prophet. This is not to say that this trinity is like the God-Trinity, but as you all should know, Satan is not only a deceiver, but he also takes what God has made and tries to pervert it. So the trinity that makes up the Devil, the Antichrist and the False Prophet is purely evil. And I would have to say alive and well on planet Earth.”

Fuller let out a sigh. “David…look, I’m glad you’re here but you can’t stay. We’ve got to get you out of here. We have to hide you.” He turned to Fronk. “Continue with your task, William. Marc, David, let’s go to my office. As soon as the others get back, we’ll have to find you a place to hide.”

King nodded. He turned to Fronk. “Greetings, William, my brother. I apologize for not introducing myself to you earlier.” He held out his hand. “I am David King.”

“Oooh!” Fronk exclaimed, shaking King’s hand rigorously. “King David! How do you do, Sire?”

“Ah, no. No, no. It is just David. Not Sire.”

“Of course, your majesty. Whatever you say, Sire.”

“But, William, my brother, I--”

Fuller put his arm across his shoulders and began to guide him out of Fronk’s office. “Forget about it. You’re not going to win.”

When President Ballou climbed aboard the Storm Breaker, he became fully aware of the young lady doctor’s nervousness around him. Staci evidently tried to cover up her nervousness by concentrating on checking her patient’s bandaging around his knee. Sumter decided for himself that not saying a word was the best thing he could do to avoid trouble. At the moment, he was right. The President wanted to make Staci comfortable.

He discovered an easy way to get Staci to come out of her shell. “Hey, do you mind if I just take this guy’s wounded leg and squeeze the tender area until he passes out? ‘Cause I don’t mind telling you, I’d sure love to see him squirm. Wouldn’t you?” He reached for Sumter’s leg as if he were going to carry on with his threat.

Staci came out of her shell, alright. She slapped his hand, causing him to jerk back unexpectedly. “I don’t care if you are the President! You leave my patient alone.”

Ballou held his hands up as if he surrendered. Then, he laughed.

Staci glared at him until his laughter got to her. A smile appeared on her face. Then, she let out a laugh.

“Dr. Cohen…may I call you Staci?”

She nodded. “Yes, Mr. President.”

“Then, you can call me Walter.”

“Oh, no, sir…I couldn’t. You’re the President.”

“He likes to be on a first name basis,” Sumter tried to tell her, gritting his teeth through the pain he was experiencing. “He’s the only President I know of… who despises formality.”

Ballou glared at him. “Excuse me, you’re the prisoner here and you’d better adhere to the only right you have right now and that right is silence. So shut up before I exercise my right as President to shut you up.”

Sumter not only clamped his mouth shut, but he also looked away.

Ballou shook his head in complete disgust. “I’ll deal with you later.” He turned to Staci and picked up right where they left off before the interruption. “And, yes, you can. It’s real easy. Just say Walter.”

Staci nodded once. “Okay. Walter…Mr. President.”

“I swear to you, the people who work for Darren are as stubborn as mules.” He regarded her. “But you didn’t really work for Director Fuller, did you?”

She shook her head.

“I have an idea. Why don’t we exchange our stories? We’ll even let this poor lost soul listen in on our testimonies and maybe they’ll reach his heart. Maybe he’ll even get saved before I have him put up against a firing squad.”

Staci smiled. “Mr. President…you’re saved?”

“Yes, I am. I was told you were as well.”

She reached over and hugged him, glad to know that the President of the United States was also her brother in Christ. “Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Before they exchanged their testimonies, however, she realized what he had said. “Uhm, Mr. President, you’re not really going to have him executed, are you?”

“Why do you ask? If I told you I was considering it, would you stop treating him?”

“Well, this is the place, isn’t it?“ Barrington began as he walked slowly toward the farm. “This is the place our dear, ole Pa told us about.”

Erin nodded as she walked beside him, leading Sir Prize along by the reigns. “I believe so.” She pointed at the silo. “He said the shelter would be over there.”

“Then, that’s where we’re heading.”

“What do I do about Sir Prize? Should I put him in the barn?”

Barrington looked around. Finally, he shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t do that. Someone could come along and either take him or worse. Here, let’s just take off the saddle and let him run free. I have a feeling he won’t stray too far from home.”

Together, they removed the saddle from the horse and then patted his back. Sir Prize bobbed his head and made a noise. With that he turned away from them and trotted off toward the green meadow. Barrington and Erin watched him go. Then, Barrington took the saddle and hoisted it up upon the fence where he left it.

He and Erin resumed their walk toward the silo.

“How long have you and Michael been friends?” Erin suddenly asked.

Barrington glanced at her. “Since I was thirteen. Why?”

She shrugged. “Because…I guess you would know why he’s always so angry.”

“You think he’s angry?”

“And you don’t?”

“He’s just doing his job, Erin.”

“He’s kind of brutal about it, don’t you think?”

Barrington shrugged. “Yeah, I suppose he is. But he didn’t come to Christ like we did. We have to keep him in our prayers.”

Erin nodded. “I’ve been praying for him. I’m just afraid his heart will harden and it’ll be too late for him, you know? He is really angry, Al. It comes off from him in waves and if he continues to hang onto it, it will curse him.”

“I know.”

“So why is he angry?”

“That…isn’t my place to say.”

“But you do know why…don’t you?”

Barrington took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, Erin…I do.”

It was party time.

That’s what the Four Horsemen and their new victim thought anyway. Jim was about to become a victim to a “harmless” prank and the party would become nothing but a nightmare without end. Didn’t innocent, harmless pranks always start out as just a little joke? Only when those pranks carried heavy consequences did anyone realize how dangerous they truly were.

But…it was party time.

It was Friday night and five kids rode their bikes onto the private property of the TNT Construction site on Miller Road. It was an appropriate name for a construction company. It was also appropriate for the prank as well for it was about to explode with disastrous results. The kids rode in with their goodies and they hid their bikes out of site. Then, they took their goodies into one of the foundations of the buildings in the process of being constructed.

Joe brought a bottle of Jack Daniels. “My folks may be Christians,” he announced proudly. Then, he grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “…but my Uncle Rory ain’t!”

Sean held up a bag of something, which looked like parsley…but wasn’t. “I brought something special.”

Jim blinked at him, nervously wondering what he had gotten himself into. “Wh-what is that?”

“It’s dope…ya dope!” Sean held up a pipe. “I brought along it’s helper.”

“Where’d you get that?”

Michael shook his head. “Jim…”

Jim looked at the White Rider.

Michael paused as if he were about to lecture someone that was beneath him. “Jim,” he said again, “if you want to be in with us, you never…and I mean never ask where one of us has gotten something we’re not supposed to have. It’s a forbidden subject. You see, when one of us brings something…” He shrugged. “…you just accept it.” He placed a hand on Jim’s shoulder and smiled. “Okay?”

Jim swallowed nervously, but finally, he nodded.

“Good. Now…Joe brought something and Sean brought something…” He looked at Eric. “What did you bring?”

Eric held up a paper bag. “Potato chips.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah. That’s it.”

Sean snickered. “If there was anything in there besides potato chips, he already ate them.”

Michael grinned. “Okay, Jim…what did you bring?”

Jim opened his bag and pulled out a six pack of Heineken beer.

Michael was impressed. “Nice going, Jim. Alright, everybody. Let’s gather around and dig in.”

Jim, not knowing any better, looked at Michael and said, “What did you bring?”

Sean shook his head. “Oh, no, no, no, no.” He made tsking sounds.

Joe and Eric exchanged looks of doom and Michael folded his arms across his chest.

Jim almost turned white at that point. “Wh-what did I do?”

“You erred,” Joe told him. “Now you shall be sentenced by the judge. The White Rider shall pronounce what shall come of ye!” He made a squawking noise and flapped his arms.

“But…but I don’t know what I did!”

Michael sighed. “You’re right, Jim. I should be fair on you because you’re new. Plus, you did bring the beer so I won’t sentence you this time.”

Jim only looked half relieved.

“You’re new and have much to learn. Pale Rider…would you tell Jim what he did wrong?”

Sean straightened. “Of course…Jim, the White Rider is our fearless leader so therefore, he is responsible for bringing nothing to the party or any other party hereafter and thereunto and so forth and so on, yada yada. And so as to Article number 4 of statute number 334 of the Four Horsemen rules of life - which is number 42 - must be adhered to and accepted upon entry of such membership. Do you understand what I have just said…” He pointed both fingers dramatically at Jim. “…to you?”

Jim blinked. “Ahh…I think so.”

“Good. Now, let’s party!”

And so they partied. They each had a beer, smoked some wacky weed and ate potato chips. Actually, Eric ate most of the potato chips but that was to be expected. Jim loosened up a bit and actually felt like part of the gang. He truly was enjoying his new friends.

Michael looked at his watch. He nodded to Joe and Sean.

“Gotta go do something,” Sean said with a snicker and he took off from the foundation.

Joe stood up. “He might get lost. I’ll be right back.” He hurried after Sean.

Michael looked at Eric, who was eating the last of the chips. Michael cleared his throat.

Eric looked at him.

Michael waited.

Eric continued to look at him, but he was puzzled now.

Michael tapped his watch and sighed.

“Oh, right…” Eric rose to his feet. “I gotta do something, too.” He got up and abruptly took off.

“Must be the beer,” Jim said when it was just himself and Michael.

Michael nodded. “Yeah. Listen…we passed the pit when we came in. Do you remember? It’s where they have their cement mixing gear?”

Jim nodded.

“Why don’t you meet us there and we’ll continue with the party?”

Jim hesitated. “Are…are you gonna do something?”

Michael grinned. “Yes. We are.”

“But…I-I thought I was…I was one of you guys.”

“That’s just it. You are.”

Jim paused. “I am? Really?”

Michael nodded. “We have a surprise for you. It’s what we do when we let others into our group. Kind of like…initiation. What it does is make you…a permanent member of the gang. Isn’t that what you want?”

Jim nodded, smiling from ear to ear. “Yes! I want to be a member of the gang! Thank you, Michael…I-I mean White Rider!”

“You can call me Michael. I’m going now. Give us a few minutes. Then…bring the pipe and the beer we have left. Also bring the empties. We don’t like to leave messes here when we do this. Bring it all and we’ll meet you at the pit.”

Jim nodded eagerly. “Okay.”

“We’ll see you in a few minutes.” With that, Michael got up and left.

Jim was filled with anticipation. He was like a kid waiting to wake up on Christmas morning to find a lot of presents under the tree just for him. Only it was doubled because the reality was that his family didn’t celebrate Christmas at all. For the first time in his life, he really did have something to look forward to and now he even had friends.

Friends!

He couldn’t believe it.

He waited as long as he could until finally, his excitement ready to burst, he gathered the empty beer bottles and the last one that hadn’t been opened yet, he picked up the pipe and the rest of the wacky weed and put it all in a bag. Then, he proudly carried it back to where he was told to go.

To the pit. To where the cement mixing equipment was.

As he got close to the area, he saw his bike leaning against the equipment. He got to his bike and looked at it. Then, he looked around. There were no other bikes. In fact, he didn’t see any of the Four Horsemen anywhere. Maybe this was part of the surprise. They were just going to jump out at him and yell surprise. Maybe they even had a cake.

He smiled.

Suddenly, lights came on and shone in his eyes. He raised his hand up to protect his vision as two dark silhouettes began to approach him from the light.

“Alright, son,” one of them said, “the party’s over.”

When the two men stood before him, Jim realized it was the police.

Yes, the party was over. All he could think of was how much trouble he was going to be in when his father found out about this.

In the woods, the Four Horsemen watched as the police put Jim into the car and his bike into their trunk. They snickered and tried not to laugh too hard. Michael had watched everything closely and from where he was, one thing struck him the most. He couldn’t shake it or understand it, but only knew he had to keep it from bothering him. He had seen the look on Jim’s face just before they put him in their car.

It was terror.

Why was Jim Barnes so afraid?

Michael shrugged it off. The party was over and it was time to go home. That was another reason for not going to the family reunion. For the first time in his life, he was going to have the whole house to himself. No sobby sister. No little brother to tell him he was going to go to Hell because he was a liar. No Mom and no Dad. Just himself.

At least, that had been the plan.

It didn’t go that way.

He parted with the Four Horsemen and headed home on his bike. There was a car in the driveway and he thought his parents and brother and sister had come home, but when he got to the driveway he realized it wasn’t his Dad’s car. It was his grandparent’s car.

Puzzled, he left the bike on the yard and looked toward the house. The lights were on. Hesitating, Michael went inside. His Grandmother was sitting at the table in the dining room reading from the Bible and waiting for him.

When Michael saw Grandma Ruth Lenox sitting there, he suddenly felt scared and ashamed. Something was wrong. There was no way this was going to be good.

Ruth looked up and saw him. She smiled. It wasn’t a sarcastic smile. It wasn’t a smirk. It was simply a smile of love and that love was in her eyes as she looked at her grandson. “Oh, Michael,” she said softly. “When I look at you, I see a little of your mother looking back at me.”

Michael had no idea how to respond to that so he just remained silent.

She patted the table. “Please…Come and sit at the table with me. I…I have something to tell you.”

He again hesitated, but somehow he made his feet move toward the table where he finally sat down and waited for the hammer to drop.

“I’m just going to tell you, Michael,” Grandma Ruth said as she leaned toward him. “There was an accident today. A truck seemed to have lost control and it hit your parent’s car. It was on the passenger side.” She paused. “Your father is alright. Sam and Hannah are, too…but…” Her eyes glistened with tears. “I’m afraid to have to tell you this. Your mother is…She’s with Jesus now.”

Michael blinked. “What do you mean she’s with Jesus?”

Very softly, Ruth said, “She died. She…can’t come home to you any more.”

He shook his head. “No…She’ll be home.”

“Michael…”

He stood up so suddenly, the chair fell to the floor behind him. “No!” he shouted angrily. “Mom can’t be dead! She can’t be because I was supposed to sit where she sat!”

Michael ran up to his room and slammed the door. For the first time in a long time, he cried. Tears streamed down his face as he fell onto his bed. Great sobs of anguish shook his body as the words of his father came back to him. “Whatever you do this weekend, you’d better be prepared to take responsibility for your actions.”

He should have gone. He would have sat in the front seat on the passenger side. He would have been the one who would have died…instead of his mother. How could he have been so selfish? His mother was dead because of him. He vowed to always take responsibility for his own actions. He vowed never again to be so weak as to shed tears. He vowed to never again bully anyone.

Vows were good.

Taking responsibility and claiming it was right.

But what he had done was only the beginning. Before long, there would be one more thing he would have to take responsibility for. He blamed himself for his mother’s death. Soon, he would blame himself for another.

Si was almost there. He stayed hidden from view as he made his way up the hill in the hopes of flanking the enemy. The mission may have gone badly, but he intended to do his best to complete it. He would kill the man on the hill with the sniper rifle and then he would kill the President.

But time was running out.

He was up on the hill now and he saw a black man lying on the ground leveling his rifle at someone below. Si looked down and saw his own fellow soldier moving in on the wounded agent’s position. The fool was completely out in the open. Why would he do that?

Si silently cursed fate for assigning him with fools. He should have been the one to lead this mission. Not some old man who was fighting with his conscience. And not some fools who got themselves killed.

He raised his own weapon. He was close enough to kill the black soldier on the hill and he would. He had to do it, however, before the man pulled the trigger and took out his companion below. Si’s finger began to tighten on the trigger.

But it was a split second too slow.

Moore pulled the trigger.

Craack - Boom!

And just at the same time, another gun went off at close range. Si froze. Puzzled, he looked down and saw blood coming from a small hole in his chest. Slowly, he turned his head.

There had been one other secret service agent in hiding. He wasn’t hiding any more. He was standing with his weapon aimed at Si, watching him from a short distance. Si looked at him. Then, he fell down the hill.

The agent lowered his weapon and moved toward Moore. Moore watched him, leveling the rifle toward him. When he realized who it was he relaxed and looked back down the hill.

The agent hunkered down beside Moore. “Pa,” he said as he scanned the area below, “I thought you were in retirement.”

“So did I, son,” Moore commented. “Looks like we were both wrong.” He sighed. “I think there’s only one left. The crazy white fellow that was here with me took out two of them. I got another…and you got the one gunning for me. Thank you for saving my life, by the way. So that leaves one more.”

Charles McLaughlin nodded as he listened to Moore. He had just been joining the service of the Secret Service when Moore was leaving. Moore trained him and several others for over a year and then retired.

“Let’s get down the hill,” McLaughlin replied as he helped the older man up. “I want to see how my partner is doing.”

The two men climbed down the hill without any opposition. By the time they came to McLaughlin’s partner, it was already too late. The wound the man had received had been too severe and it lead him to his death.

Only one question remained.

Where was Michael Lenox?

Lenox had been fighting with guilt since he was thirteen. He fought with it in his sleep. He fought with it in his waking hours. It’s what caused him to hang onto his anger because without it, he couldn’t possibly function. It was the driving force behind him, which caused him to be able to do his job.

His mother had died because of him. He hated himself for it. He could never forgive himself. But her death was not the only death he was responsible for. How could he ever forgive himself for it?

The man he hunted now would soon be another death he would be responsible for. He didn’t know the man. He only knew he was a terrorist sent by the No