Nicolae: The Rise Of The Antichrist (16 page)

Believers in the crowd mumbled their amens and their agreement. Buck was riveted.

Moishe stepped forward and seemed to speak directly to him. “Do not be afraid, for I know whom you seek. He is not here.”

Eli again: “Go quickly and tell His disciples that Christ is risen from the dead!”

Moishe, still staring at Buck: “Indeed He is going before you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

The witnesses stood and stared silently for so long, unmoving, it was as if they had turned to stone. The crowd grew nervous and began to dissipate. Some waited to see if the witnesses would speak again, but they did not. Soon only Buck stood where he had stood for the last several minutes. He couldn’t take his eyes off the eyes of Moishe. The two merely stood at the fence and stared at him. Buck began to advance on them, coming to within about twenty feet. The witnesses didn’t move. They seemed not even to be breathing. Buck noticed no blink, no twitch. In the fading twilight, he carefully watched their faces. .Neither opened his mouth, and yet Buck heard, plain as day in his own language, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

THE
intercom summoned Rayford to the front door of his condominium, where Hattie’s driver waited. He led Rayford to the white stretch Mercedes and opened the back door. There was room on the seat next to Hattie, But Rayford chose to sit across from her.

She had honored his request not to dress up, but even casually attired, she looked lovely.

He decided not to say so.

Trouble was etched on her face. “I really appreciate your agreeing to see me.”

“Sure. What’s up?”

Hattie glanced toward the driver. “Let’s talk at dinner,” she said. “The Bistro OK?”

Buck stood riveted before the witnesses as the sun went down. He looked around to be sure it was still just him and them. “That’s all I get? He’s in Galilee?”

Again, without moving their lips, the witnesses spoke: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Galilee? Did it even exist anymore? Where would Buck start, and when would he start? Surely he didn’t want to be poking around there in the night. He had to know where he was going, have some sort of bearing. He spun on his heel to see if any taxis were in the area. He saw a few. He turned back to the witnesses. “If I came back here later tonight, might I learn more?”

Moishe backed away from the fence and sat on the pavement, leaning against a wall.

Eli gestured and spoke aloud, “Birds of the air have nests,” he said, “but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

“I don’t understand,” Buck said. “Tell,me more.”

“He who has ears-”

Buck was frustrated. “I’ll come back at midnight. I’m pleading for your help.”

Eli was now backing away too. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Buck left, still planning to come back, but also strangely warmed by that last mysterious promise. Those were the words of Christ. Was Jesus speaking directly to him through the mouths of these witnesses? What an unspeakable privilege! He took a cab back to the King David, confident that he would, before long, be reunited with Tsion Ben-Judah.

Rayford and Hattie were welcomed expansively by the maitre d’ of the Global Bistro.

The man recognized her, of course, but not Rayford. “Your usual table, ma’am?” “No, thank you, Jeoffrey, but neither would we like to be hidden.”

They were led to a table set for four. But even though two busboys hurried out to clear away two sets of dinnerware, and the waiter pulled out a chair for Hattie while pointing Rayford to one next to her, Rayford was still thinking of appearances. He sat directly across from Hattie, knowing they would nearly have to shout to hear each other in the noisy place. The waiter hesitated, looking irritated, and finally moved Rayford’s tableware back to in front of him. That was something Hattie and Rayford might have chuckled over in their past, which included a half-dozen clandestine dinners where each seemed to be wondering what the other was thinking about their future. Hattie had been more flirtatious than Rayford, though he had never discouraged her.

Televisions throughout the Bistro carried the continuing news of war around the world. Hattie signaled for the maitre d’, who came running. “I doubt the potentate would appreciate this news depressing patrons who came in here for a little relaxation.”

“I’m afraid it’s on every station, ma’am.”

“There’s not even a music station of some kind?”

“I’ll check.”

Within moments, all the television sets in the Global Bistro showed music videos.

Several applauded this, but Rayford sensed Hattie barely noticed.

In the past, when they were playing around the edges of an affair of the mind, Rayford had to remind Hattie to order and then encourage her to eat. Her attention had been riveted on him, and he had found that flattering and alluring. Now the opposite seemed the case.

Hattie studied her menu as if she faced a final exam on it in the morning. She was as beautiful as ever, now twenty-nine and pregnant for the first time. She was early enough along that no one would know unless she told them. She had told Rayford and Amanda the last time they were together. At that time she seemed thrilled, proud of her new diamond, and eager to talk about her pending marriage. She had told Amanda that Nicolae was “going to make an honest woman of me yet.”

Hattie was wearing her ostentatious engagement ring; however, the diamond was turned in toward her palm so only the band was visible. Hattie was clearly not a happy woman, and Rayford wondered if this all stemmed from her getting the cold shoulder from Nicolae at the airport. He wanted to ask her, but this meeting was her idea. She would say what she wanted to say soon enough.

Though the Global Bistro had a French-sounding name, Hattie herself had helped conceive it, and the menu carried international cuisine, mostly American. She ordered an unusually large meal. Rayford had just a sandwich. Hattie small-talked until she had finished her food, including dessert. Rayford knew all the cliches, such as that she was now eating for two, but he believed she was eating out of nervousness and in an attempt to put off what she really wanted to talk about.

“Can you believe it’s been nearly two years since you last served as my senior flight attendant?” he said, trying to get the ball rolling.

Hattie sat up straight in her chair, folded her hands in her lap, and leaned forward.

“Rayford, this has been the most incredible two years of my life.”

He looked at her expectantly, wondering if she meant that was good or bad. “You’ve expanded your horizons,” he said.

“Think about it, Rayford. All I ever wanted to be was a flight attendant. The entire cheerleading squad at Maine East High School wanted to be flight attendants. We all applied, but I was the only one who made it. I was so proud, but flying quickly lost its appeal. Half the time I had to remind myself where we were going and when we would get there and when we would get back. But I loved the people, I loved the freedom of traveling, and I loved visiting all those places. You know I had a couple of serious boyfriends here and there, but nothing ever worked out. When I finally worked my way up to the planes and routes that only seniority could bring, I had a huge crush on one of my pilots, but that never worked either.”

“Hattie, I wish you wouldn’t dredge that up. You know how I feel about that period.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. Nothing ever came of it, though I could have hoped for more.

I’ve accepted your explanation and your apology, and that’s not what this is about at all.”

“That’s good, because as you know, I am again happily married.”

“I envy you, Rayford.”

“I thought you and Nicolae were going to get married.”

“So did I. Now I’m not so sure. And I’m not so sure I want to either.”

“If you want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen. I’m no expert in matters of the heart, so I probably won’t have any advice, but I’m an ear if that’s what you want.”

Hattie waited until the dishes were cleared, then told the waiter, “We’ll be here awhile.”

“I’ll apply this to your tab,” the waiter said. “I doubt anyone will be giving you the bum’s rush.” He smiled at Rayford, seeming to appreciate his own humor. Rayford forced a smile.

When the waiter was gone, Hattie seemed to feel the freedom to continue. “Rayford, you may not know this, but I actually had a thing for Buck Williams once. You remember he was on your plane that night.”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t look at him romantically then, of course, because I was still enamored with you. But he was sweet. And he was cute. And he had that big, important job. He and I are closer in age, too.”

“And … ?”

“Well, to tell you the truth, when you dumped me-”

“Hattie, I never dumped you. There was nothing to dump. We were not an item.”

“Yet.”

“OK, yet,” he said. “That’s fair. But you have to admit there had been no commitment or even an expression of a commitment.”

“There had been plenty of signals, Rayford.”

“I have to acknowledge that. Still, it’s unfair to say I dumped you.”

“Call it whatever you want so you can deal with it, but I felt dumped, OK? Anyway, all of sudden Buck Williams looked more attractive to me than ever. I’m sure he thought I was using him to meet a celebrity, which also happened. I was so grateful for Buck’s introducing me to Nicolae.”

“Forgive me, Hattie, but this is old news.”

“I know, but I’m getting somewhere. Bear with me. As soon as I met Nicolae, I was stricken. He was only about as much older than Buck as Buck was older than I. But he seemed so much older. He was a world traveler, an international politician, a leader. He was already the most famous man in the world. I knew he was going places. I felt like a giggling schoolgirl and couldn’t imagine I had impressed him in the least. When he began to show interest, I thought it was merely physical. And, I admit, I would have probably slept with him in a minute and not regretted it. We had an affair, and I fell in love, but as God is my witness-oh, Rayford, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t use those kind of references around you-I never expected him to be truly interested in me. I knew the whole thing was temporary, and I was determined to just enjoy it while it lasted.

“It got to the point where I dreaded his being away. I kept telling myself to maintain a level head. The end would have to come soon, and I really believe I was prepared for it.

But then he shocked me. He made me his personal assistant. I had no experience, no skills. I knew it was just a way to keep me available to him after hours. That was all right with me, though I was afraid of what my life might become when he became even busier.

Well, my worst fears were realized. He’s still charming and smooth and dynamic and powerful and the most incredible person I’ve ever met. But I mean exactly to him what I always feared I did. You know the man usually works at least eighteen hours a day and sometimes twenty? I mean nothing to him, and I know it.

“I used to be involved in some discussions. He used to bounce an idea or two off me.

But what do I know about international politics? I would make some silly statement based on my limited knowledge, and he would either laugh at me or ignore me. Then he came to where he never sought my opinions anymore. I was allowed little playthings, like helping develop this restaurant and being available to greet groups touring the new Global Community headquarters. But I’m merely window-dressing now, Rayford. He didn’t give me a ring until after I was pregnant, and he still hasn’t asked me if I would marry him. I guess that’s supposed to be understood.”

“By accepting his ring, did you not imply that you would marry him?”

“Oh, Rayford, it wasn’t nearly that romantic. He merely asked me to close my eyes and stick out my hand. Then he put the ring on my finger. I didn’t know what to say. He just smiled.”

“You’re saying you don’t feel committed?”

“I don’t feel anything anymore. And I don’t think he ever felt anything for me except physical attraction.”

“And all the trappings? The wealth? Your own car and driver? I assume you have an expense account-”

“I have all that, yes.” Hattie seemed tired. She continued. “To tell you the truth, all that stuff is a lot like what flying was to me. You quickly get tired of the routine. I was drunk with the power and the glitter and the glamour of it for a while, sure. But it’s not who I am. I know no one here. People treat me with deference and respect only because of who I live with. But they don’t really know him either. Neither do I. I’d rather he be mad at me than ignore me. I asked him the other day if I could go back to the States for a while and visit my friends and family. He was irritated. He said I didn’t even have to ask.

He said, ‘Just let me know and go ahead and arrange it. I’ve got more to do than worry about your little schedule.’ I’m just a piece of furniture to him, Rayford.”

Rayford was biding his time. There was so much he wanted to tell her. “How much do you talk?”

“What do you mean? We don’t talk. We just coexist now.”

Rayford spoke carefully, “I’m just curious about how much he knows about Chloe and Buck.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. Smart as he is and well connected as he is, and for as many ‘eyes’ as he has out there surveilling everything and everybody, I don’t think he has any idea of a connection between you and Buck. I have never mentioned that Buck married your daughter. And I never would.”

“Why?”

“I don’t think he needs to know, that’s all. For some reason, Rayford, he trusts you implicitly on some things and not at all on others.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“What have you noticed?” she asked.

“Being left out of the plans for the Condor 216, for one,” Rayford said.

“Yeah,” she said, “and wasn’t that creative of him to use his office suite number as part of the name of the plane?”

“It just seemed bizarre to be his pilot and to be surprised by new equipment.”

“If you lived with him, that would not surprise you. I’ve been out of the loop for months. Rayford, do you realize that I was not contacted by anyone when the war broke out?”