The War in Heaven (55 page)

“But remember, don’t talk to them like they were scientists,” repeated Booth.

“And don’t talk down to them,” said Sam, anticipating Booth’s next sentence.

“Right,” confirmed Booth. “Now, we’ve got the projector set up for you, and your PowerPoint slides are all ready to go. They’ll be calling for you in just another minute or so. Just relax, OK?”

“Sure, no worries,” said Florence, taking a deep breath. He knew that what he had to discuss tonight was going to be, to say the least, alarming. It wouldn’t hit the Internet and the news networks until tomorrow. Tonight would be like dropping a bomb in the room. He wondered how the general public would take it. He’d find that out tomorrow. There would be no hiding it.

There had been reports about the comet for nearly a month. A large bright comet that preliminary estimates said would pass within 2 million miles of the Earth was big news. It would be the comet of the millennium—filling the sky and blazing as bright as the full moon. Thing was, Sam knew differently.

“You’re on,” said Booth, ushering Sam into the meeting room.

After a brief introduction by the U.S. ambassador, Sam walked to behind the podium with butterflies in his stomach. He would break it to them as gently as he could. Still, it was a daunting task. He spoke about discovering the comet at the edge of the solar system, almost to the orbit of Neptune. He spoke of the Discovery Channel Telescope and the instruments that had been used in producing the initial images of the comet. Never in history had a comet been discovered while it was still so far from the sun. It gave them plenty of time to prepare for the comet’s coming, time they desperately needed. He told them about the orbital calculations and how images from the New Horizons Spacecraft made those calculations all the more precise.

Then came the bombshell.

“This is a large comet, estimated to have a diameter of approximately twenty-five miles. Based upon more than five hundred observations over
three months, we have determined that this comet poses a serious impact hazard to Earth … the most serious to date.” Sam paused, yet no one immediately jumped on his statement.

The French ambassador finally commented. “Sir, with all due respect, define
serious
for me. Are we talking one or two percent?”

Sam prepared for the onslaught. “No, Mr. Ambassador, we are talking between ten and fifteen percent. This is a serious threat.”

“Is this in anyway related to the mysterious radiation we were hearing about just last month?” asked the Nigerian ambassador. “There were auroras seen even in the equatorial regions of Nigeria. Thankfully it ended before it did serious harm.”

“No,” said Sam. “That was a totally different phenomenon. It was just coincidence that these two events have occurred in the same year.”

“How long?” asked the Chinese ambassador. “I mean, how long do we have before this comet gets here?”

“Less than fifty-three months,” was the reply.

“We hear often that it was a comet that wiped from the Earth the dinosaurs,” noted the Argentinean ambassador. “Is this one bigger or smaller?”

“I’m afraid that it is much bigger,” replied Sam. “Add to that its almost certainly higher velocity and you have an impact that could potentially be four to six times as devastating as the one that ended the age of the dinosaurs. It could well wipe out ninety percent of all the species on Earth.”

“Except for the cockroaches,” said the Canadian ambassador, almost under his breath.

“It might end life for them too,” said Sam.

“So where does that leave us?” asked the Canadian ambassador. “Can we blow it up before it reaches us…maybe with nuclear weapons?”

“No,” replied Sam. “It’s just too big. Blowing it up would create a swarm of smaller objects. Some might miss us, but others will hit. It’s like
comparing a shot from a forty-five to that of a twelve-gauge shotgun. Either one has the capacity to kill.”

“OK,” said the Canadian ambassador, “then what do we do?”

“We deflect it,” said Sam. “The comet is going to spin around Jupiter. The Europa Orbiter will be there by then. We make sure to get plenty of images of the comet as it passes. That will give us its exact course.” Sam advanced the PowerPoint presentation to show the U.S. government’s plan to deflect the comet.

“We will need help from all of your governments … from all of the governments of the world. If we start now, we should have enough time. We propose a four stage attack. Within eighteen to twenty months, NASA feels confident that they could have the Ares Five heavy launch vehicle ready for flight. Thirty-one and thirty-four months from now, four of them would be used to deliver a set of high yield nuclear devices to two points in space, one just this side of Jupiter, and the other about half way to Jupiter.

“From there, we would launch the devices toward the comet, detonating them about two to four miles out. The tremendous heat would vaporize that side of the comet, acting like a huge rocket engine, pushing it off course. We would have several opportunities to deflect and measure the amount of deflection of the comet at both points. We might succeed the first time, but we would have a second, third, and forth chance if the first one failed.”

“But suppose we discover that the comet is going to miss the Earth?” asked the French ambassador. “We would spend hundreds of billions of Euros for nothing.”

“I won’t deny that,” replied Sam, “but consider the possible consequences of doing nothing.”

“I agree that we need to act,” said the Russian ambassador, “and I assure you that you will have my government’s support. However, have you considered the possibility that the blast might, despite all of your precautions,
fragment the comet, sending not one but hundreds of smaller pieces in our direction?”

“Yes we have,” said Sam. “That is why we will need additional spacecrafts positioned along the comet’s path, closer to Earth. These crafts would deflect or destroy any smaller fragments still on a collision course with Earth. We are confident that we can avoid this tragedy if we all work together. With God’s help, we can beat this thing…we can save our planet.”

That comment brought a few raised eyebrows from the delegates, and even an amen from two. Having God on your side was a good thing. There would be a lot of prayers said before it was all said and done. None debated that.

By the end of the meeting, the delegates were in agreement. They would recommend that their governments participate in this project—they could do little else.

The following day, the news hit the streets. There was deep concern, but something short of outright panic. After all, there was at worst only a 15 percent chance of impact. The United States government spoke with confidence about their plan to deflect the comet. They had the time and the technology. They had the money and the resources. On this thing, the governments of the world were united. They were confident of success. The world would not end in October 2018.

I
t was after 11 o’clock as Serena Davis walked down the half mile long gravel lane, flashlight in hand. It had been the last night of their revival meeting in this eastern Nebraska farming community. She and her husband had been staying with the pastor of the church on his farm these past three days. It had been a wonderful and restful experience, a break from spending another night in their small motor home.

Serena and her husband had traveled more than 100,000 miles during the past six years, spreading the Gospel, telling their story of their adventures in Heaven and Hell. They had even written a book about their exploits.

Over the years, her story in particular had drawn a lot of criticism. After all, who could really escape from Hell? Her story of meeting the devil, and the dark angel Abaddon, of swimming for months in an oily sea of fire, was almost beyond belief. Even many Bible-believing Christians criticized her testimony. They claimed that it was no more than a dream or a wild story fabricated to bring her money and fame. It hurt that brothers and sisters in Christ felt that way about her, but it didn’t stop her mission. She was determined to warn the world about what had happened to her—of what could happen to them. She was determined to tell the world that Hell was real and terrible beyond imagining. If people criticized her for that, then so be it.

They would be moving on to South Dakota tomorrow. They would be leaving early in the morning. She needed to get some sleep. She hadn’t noticed the man standing by the big oak tree along the road.

“Hello, Serena,” said a voice from behind her.

She turned with a start to see the man leaning against the tree. He wore an old straw hat and overalls. He looked like the stereotypical farmer.

“Hello,” she said uncertainly.

“I’m sorry,” said the man. “I hadn’t meant to startle you. I thought that you had seen me.”

“No, I didn’t,” she replied. “I guess I was too deep in thought.”

There was something about that voice. It was so very familiar, yet she was having trouble placing it. He stepped out of the shadow of the tree and into the light of the nearly full moon. His face was smooth, without blemish. His eyes practically sparkled in the moonlight. The face too was familiar, very familiar, yet it seemed out of place on this man. What was missing? Then she knew what was missing—great white feathered wings.

“Oh sweet Lord … it’s you, Aaron!”

“Yes,” confirmed Aaron. “It is wonderful to see you again Serena, back here on Earth where you belong.”

Serena ran and gave him a big hug. “I never saw you take human form,” she said. “It looks good on you.”

Aaron laughed. “Why thank you, Serena. It seems to me that the years have been kind to you as well.”

“But what brings you back to me after all of these years?” asked Serena.

“I am just doing my job,” replied Aaron. “It is a job that I do with great joy.” Aaron handed Serena a stack of four letters. She quickly accepted them. “Two are addressed to you, and two to your husband.”

Serena first held them up to the moonlight, then directed her flashlight upon them. All were addressed in the usual format, yet the return addresses were, to say the least, unusual. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked at the first one: Abaddon, care of Refuge.

“Refuge?” she asked.

“Yes,” replied Aaron. “It is the great subterranean fortress of the dark angels and free humans on the Dark Continent of Hell.”

The second one was addressed to her husband. It was from his good friend, Professor Kepler.

“Oh, Chris will love getting this one,” said Serena, who moved onto the next envelope also addressed to Chris. Tears came to her eyes when she read this one. “It’s from his mother in Heaven … oh, how he will treasure this.”

Yet the greatest thrill was yet to come. She brought the last letter to the top of the pile. Her eyes opened wide with amazement as she read the return address: Bedillia Farnsworth, Refuge. Tears of joy ran down Serena’s cheeks.

“My mother has been freed from that awful furnace?” said Serena in a trembling voice.

“Yes,” confirmed Aaron. “Abaddon released her nearly six years ago, shortly after you left. She has been at his side, his closest human companion ever since. I do believe that he once promised you that he would do it. I assure you, she is well and quite safe. There is much that I must tell you, and we have little time.”

“Can’t you come back with me to the house?” asked Serena. “I’m sure that Chris would be thrilled to see you again.”

“Perhaps some other time,” said Aaron. “Right now there are things that you must know. I bring you a warning about things that have happened and about things to come.”

“About the comet?” asked Serena.

“In part,” confirmed Aaron, “but there is much more. Even as we speak, Satan is here on Earth in physical form.”

That comment sent a chill up Serena’s spine. “I think you had best tell me the whole story.”

For more than 20 minutes, Aaron related to Serena the events of the past months. It was an incredible story that led Serena to the only conclusion—the last days are nearly upon the world. Time to get the word of salvation out was growing short.

The glare of a second flashlight from the porch of the house told Serena that Chris had grown concerned and had set out to look for her. She flashed her light in his direction. He was heading her way.

“Oh, won’t you stay just a few more minutes?” asked Serena.

“It just isn’t possible,” said Aaron. “Please give your husband my regards and my apologies that I could not tarry. I assure you, I’ll see the two of you again soon.” Aaron gave Serena a kiss on the cheek and stepped back. A few seconds later, he vanished into a cloud of mist and stars.

Serena looked down at the letters in her hand—they were real; she hadn’t imagined them. Less than a minute later, Chris was at her side.

“I was getting worried,” he explained. He looked around. “I thought I saw you talking with someone out here.”

“You did,” confirmed Serena. “It was Aaron.”

“Aaron? You mean the angel?”

Serena smiled broadly. “Yes, dear, the very same. He said I should give these to you.” Serena handed Chris the two letters addressed to him.

“From my mother?” gasped Chris, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Yes,” confirmed Serena. “It would seem that she has had quite an adventure. I’m sure she describes it in her letter.” She showed her husband the letters she received as well. “Let’s go back to the house where we can read them in the light.”

Chris shook his head. “How are we ever going to explain this to Pastor Wilson, to other people? Many of them already think we’re crazy…or worse.”

“Who said that they have to know anything about these letters?” replied Serena, a broad smile on her face. “After all, they’re addressed to us, not to them. They’re very personal and precious letters. Why don’t we keep them our little secret?”

Chris shook his head in wonder. “Our
big
secret is more like it.”

“All the better,” said Serena. “Let’s have this quiet moment with the words of our loved ones. I’ll tell you what Aaron told me afterward. No one else needs to know what happened here tonight. It’s enough that we know. There is a storm coming, Chris, that much I can tell you. It will be a battle of terrible proportions, a battle not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers as well. Let’s have this moment of peace before we step out to face it.”