Judgment Day (58 page)

CHAPTER 108 OF BEGINNING THE END

He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

— REVELATION 2 i : 6 -8

T
obias disappeared the day they were to shuttle up to
Prophet
. Meaghan had his recordings and instructions of whom to give them to. "He's going to stay and defend the planet," was the only explanation she shared. They delayed leaving for three days while they searched for Tobias, but on an undeveloped world it was impossible to find someone who didn't want to be found. Mark and the other leaders met to consider what to do, but had little choice but to leave him. Then for the first time on planet America, guards were posted at key facilities.

The voyage to Earth was pleasant but odd. To Christy's surprise not only did Mark accompany them, but so did Floyd and Evelyn, Micah and Shelly and their children. Mark explained that Micah was needed back at Earth and he and Shelly refused to be separated anymore, choosing instead to take the family on the voyage. Then once in orbit they docked with the space station orbiting planet America spending a day while members of the Fellowship worked at unexplained tasks. Then when they departed, Christy discovered that Ira had boarded for the voyage to Earth. After what had happened to Ruth, she thought he would never return to his home planet. Something unusual was going on. Roland sensed it too, asking her if she knew. To satisfy her own curiosity, not Roland's, she asked Mark, who said, "After we're married there won't be any secrets." The answer irritated her, but she was the one who had insisted they wait to marry, so she didn't press for answers.

On the voyage to Earth she found the members of the Fellowship better company than the fact-finders, and spent most of her time with them, helping to clean the vast ship. Daniel hid from his mother and father the entire voyage, spending his time with Meaghan Slater and the other fact-finders, sharing every scandal, bit of gossip, and secret he was privy to. Using Daniel's information, they fleshed out their reports, ready for the congressional hearings.

The ark-class ship
Prophet
, another converted Soviet-era submarine, made the voyage to Earth in less than four months. Christy was so excited by seeing New Hope station again that she didn't think it odd that
Covenant
was docked at the station. Anxious to get to Earth, the fact-finders were pleased to learn there would be no quarantine period, and that they were free to return immediately. All did, only Roland and Senator Peng taking time to find Christy and Mark and say good-bye.

Sally Roper and Stephen O'Malley had arranged meetings with Mark and Floyd since there were always a myriad of problems to deal with, and for once they had all of the leaders together. Christy was actually glad to be separated from Mark, needing to see friends, settle her business affairs, and sell her home. Her time on Earth was going to be a time of personal goodbyes.

Despite his protests, Christy kept Daniel on New Hope station an extra day, making sure Meaghan and the others had shuttled down before her and Daniel. She worried about how close Daniel and Meaghan had become on the voyage. She planned on taking Daniel home with her, then contacting friends about finding a home for him—Daniel had other plans.

The day they shuttled down, Daniel refused to say good-bye to his parents. Floyd and Evelyn were deeply hurt, tears in their eyes, watching their son turn his back on them and walk out of their lives forever. Then when Christy walked Daniel out the gate of the Mexican compound, she saw Meaghan in the crowd of vendors. Standing next to her was Josh, Daniel's former foster parent. He ran to them as soon as he saw them, hugging both long and hard. Daniel had a place to stay, and people to love him, but they would take Daniel down a different road than Floyd and Evelyn.

"They've been training marines to assault this compound," Stephen said when the Fellowship Council met. "Proctor has a contact inside one of the squads that is training, but he isn't sure he can give us a warning. They're stationed in San Diego and when they decide to come after us they'll be here within an hour."

Stephen and Sally were full of bad news. All of their U.S. facilities had been seized, property confiscated, and many members arrested. President Crow had supported suspension of the National Restitution Act as promised, but no Fellowship properties had been released. As Crow had promised, some social security accounts and pensions had been transferred to escrow, but not all, and Stephen doubted even the digital video of those Crow claimed were dead would satisfy him. Worse, two of those receiving social security benefits had died two months before Mark could record their statements, and now there was no way to prove they had been alive and eligible for the social security checks Stephen had collected in their name.

Stephen and Sally could be arrested once the deaths were reported, and if neither of them could return to the United States to conduct business, they would be severely hamstrung.

Mark sympathized with their problems. They had carried the burden while he had been building a new world; now it was time for him to pick up the burden again.

"Sally, are all our assets liquid?"

"Mostly, and all can be within a month," Sally said.

"Good, liquidate everything. Floyd has a long list of purchases."

"Of course he does," Sally said.

Everyone snickered. Sally was perpetually perturbed by what she saw as Floyd's profligate spending.

"We've got gems to help with the purchases," Mark said and Sally looked relieved. "We won't get a positive report from our fact-finders. It's time to move all our operations."

"New Hope too?" Stephen asked.

"We'll have to break it up, take it in pieces," Floyd said. "What we can't take we'll move to lunar orbit and pick up later."

"We're leaving Earth for good, aren't we?" Stephen asked.

"Yes," Mark said.

"They'll try to stop us," Stephen said.

"That's why we've got to go before they know we're going," Mark said.

CHAPTER 109 IN MOTION

Quantum mechanics is very worthy of regard. But an inner voice tells me that this is not the true Jacob. The theory yields much, but it hardly brings us close to the secrets of the Ancient One. In any case, I am convinced that He does not play dice.

—ALBERT EINSTEIN

F
ry was as insufferable as ever, but Crow tolerated his arrogance since Crow knew that soon his usefulness would decline significantly. Once Fellowship spacecraft were under military control, the rogue CIA agent and his colleagues would be eliminated.

They were in the Oval Office, Rachel leaning against Fry while he described plans for the assault on New Hope station. Kent Thorpe was there, awed by being part of the inner circle.

"The timing is perfect," Fry said. "The Ark-size ships
Prophet and Covenant art
both docked at the station.
Covenant
is about half loaded, ready for another run. Best of all, both their deep-space cruisers are there:
Genesis and Exodus."

"What about the smaller ships?" Thorpe asked.

"There's a shuttle attached to each cruiser and two more making runs between Earth and the station. We count six lifting spheres bringing cargo up."

"There should be more," Thorpe said. "I know," Fry said testily. "They've shifted some of their fleet to planet America. It doesn't matter. There are more than enough targets at the station."

"Is Ira Breitling on the station?" Thorpe asked.

"He is," Fry said. "They're all there. All the leaders. They've made a major mistake by gathering in one place."

"Is the shuttle ready?" Crow asked.

"The sphere is installed in the bay and it's operational," Thorpe said.

"The weapon I designed is also ready."

Crow looked at Rachel, who smiled appreciatively. Everything was in place. Soon the cult would be destroyed and the technology their god had given them would serve Crow's Master.

"The next step is yours," Fry said.

Smiling, Crow said, "I'll call Goldwyn and put it in motion."

By the time he turned into the industrial park housing his lab, the car following him was a red Focus. The Focus continued, but the car behind, a green Honda, turned, following Thorpe past the modern facilities to a ramshackle warehouse in the oldest portion of the industrial park. As Thorpe typed in his access code to enter his lab, the Honda passed again, in the other direction.

CHAPTER 110 FROCTOR S NEUJS

God led the people of Israel to the Promised Land, which was already occupied. What God had promised them wasn't just land, it was cultivated land, vineyards, farms, and villages. It was up to Joshua and his army to evict the occupants of the land. I'm so thankful that planet America was unoccupied.

—MARK SHEPHERD

NEW HOPE STATION

I
came to say good-bye," Proctor said.

Mark shook his hand and motioned him toward a chair. Proctor had come to New Hope station to see Mark, and he never called unless it was important.

"That sounds so final."

"The signs are all around us, Mark. You and I know we've nearly reached the goal God gave us."

Mark had come to respect George Proctor over the years and he had been invaluable to the Fellowship.

"George, I haven't always understood the mission God gave you, but I know your heart is for the Lord. Come with us to the new world. You could live with us, or if you'd rather, we'll give you your own continent."

Proctor smiled at that thought.

"A whole continent of our own? Tempting, but we're soldiers for Jesus, and there's no war to be fought where you're going."

"Not yet. Your people aren't the only Christians here," he said. "Others will need our help, especially in the dark days coming."

Mark didn't ask what the "dark days" were. All Proctor's thoughts were apocalyptic.

"I came to tell you something else. Crow has one of your spheres."

"Impossible," Mark exclaimed.

"They salvaged the one that crashed into the ocean. We believe they've got it working again."

Mark was stunned.

"It can't be true! How do you know this?"

"We've been watching Crow's inner circle. There's one man that comes and goes regularly. We picked up one of his associates. After a little persuasion, he told us they had a sphere."

Shocked by what Proctor told him, Mark worried out loud.

"If they have our technology, we'll never be safe from them."

"They have the sphere flying but they don't know how it works. At least not yet. We know where they have it, but the security is good. We can make only one entry. We won't know if the sphere is inside before we hit the lab."

"If they have a working sphere, why haven't they flown it?" Mark asked.

"Good question," Proctor said. "The National Technologies Act gives them the right to it but they've kept it secret. It's strange."

Mark thought of the pending move, wondering if that would be sufficient now that Crow had access to the technology.

"George, this technology wasn't meant for the secular world—it's too soon. It's not in God's plan for them to follow us to the stars so soon."

"I know. They need to be stopped," Proctor said.

"When?"

"The sooner we do, the better."

Knowing the secular world would follow them to the stars someday made the quality of the parting important. Mark had intended to make separation from his home world amicable but now wondered if President Crow would let that happen.

CHAPTER 111 THE BAIT

The only way to effect change is to use the power in hand. The power I wield is the power of the press.

—GRAYSON GOLDWYN, EDITOR OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO JOURNAL

L
ike the catacombs in Paris, the offices of the
San Francisc Journal
were a dark maze of rooms. Walls had been added, others taken out, the plumbing replaced, the whole building rewired, first for electric typewriters and then for computers, and painted, repainted, and repainted. The furniture was multigenerational, every space cluttered with desks, chairs, bookcases, printers, computers, and innumerable stacks of paper. If ever there had been a planned decor for the interior, it couldn't be discerned now. There were plans for a new building, if the paper ever became profitable again.

Roland greeted Christy warmly at the reception desk, noting the navy skirt and white blouse—Goldwyn would approve. Because of Christy's visit, Roland had upgraded from jeans to khakis. He led her to the third floor, then through a large open area divided into cubicles to a conference room with a glass wall. Grayson Goldwyn was there, unlit cigar in hand, red

tie, blue suit.

"Nice to meet you, Reverend Maitland," Goldwyn said graciously in his loud voice. "I've long admired your work."

Christy thanked him, complimenting him on his philanthropy. Goldwyn asked an assistant to bring coffee, then they settled at one end of the conference table. Goldwyn took the seat with his back to the outer office and signaled Christy to sit at the end of the table. They made small talk, waiting for the coffee. Goldwyn asked for her impressions of the Fellowship and the society they were building on planet America.

"It's a bold experiment," she said. "Like the Pilgrims who came to our America, they sought out a new world where they can practice their faith without persecution and raise their children to do the same."

"You called it an experiment," Goldwyn said. "Do you think they can succeed?"

"They can," she said, "but you have to define succeed narrowly. In my judgment they have the resources to survive on planet America, but not the resources for a sustained industrial society. Without trade with Earth I don't see how they could sustain the limited industry they have."

"You might be underestimating them," Roland said. "I snooped around some while we were there and they have a lot in storage. They've purchased a lot of older equipment, one or two generations behind. You can buy that equipment at nearly scrap value and it's still functional."

The coffee came and they spent a minute opening packets of sweeteners, adding creamer, and stirring. When everyone was ready Goldwyn continued.

"Getting back to this experiment of theirs, Christy. Do you approve of it?"

"I support their right to worship according to their beliefs."

"Yes, yes," Goldwyn said impatiently. "Everyone supports that right. I'm asking whether you like the fact it's an all-white colony—I know there are some token Asians and African-Americans."

"Grandma Jones and her people are there, too," Christy reminded them.

"But segregated. They're re-creating South Africa, not America."

"I wouldn't populate a new world the way they have," she said honestly.

Putting the unlit cigar in his lips, Goldwyn leaned back looking satisfied.

"I would be more inclusive, wouldn't you?" Goldwyn said.

"Mr. Goldwyn and I are bothered that so many people are excluded from the opportunity planet America represents," Roland said. "Do you have to be a fundamentalist to want a better life for your children? If you think it's possible God used evolution as a tool of creation should you be condemned to live out your life in a ghetto where the role models are drug dealers and pimps? Mothers who have never heard of the God the Fellowship worships weep when their children starve to death."

"Of course that's true, but—"

"Reverend Maitland," Goldwyn cut in. "Don't you agree that children of all colors and creeds deserve a chance for a better life?"

"I do, yes."

"Of course you do. I feel the same, so I'm prepared to set up a foundation to pay the way for diverse peoples to travel to planet America to start new lives."

"That's very generous, sir," Christy said.

Waving away her praise with his hand he took the cigar from his lips.

"I'm not doing this for me, it's for the children. It's about the future of the whole human race, not just a sliver of it. We've got the backing we need to do this, Reverend Maitland, but of course we can't get these people to planet America. Not without the help of the Fellowship."

"You want me to talk to Mark?"

"Would you? Actually I'd like to meet with him myself," Goldwyn said.

"Maybe I should talk with him first," Christy said.

"It's important that he sees how serious we are," Goldwyn said. "Perhaps you could arrange a meeting between Reverend Shepherd and Roland.

Roland speaks my mind on this. He can share what's in my heart."

"I think I can get him to agree. We can shuttle up to New Hope," she said.

Roland held up his hands in protest. "I never want to leave mother Earth ever again. I'll meet him in Mexico."

"I'll see what I can do," she said.

Thinking about the idea as she left the
Journal
building, she warmed to it. If she could mediate one last agreement, this one between Mark and Grayson Goldwyn, she could leave her birth world a lasting legacy and leave for planet America with a feeling of closure.