THE WARNING A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series Book 2) (17 page)

White
House Press Room - West Wing

        
Gathered White House media were buzzing amongst themselves,
even more than normal. They all knew that today’s news conference would not
only make headlines, it would make history. The bombings the prior week in six
cities across the country had shaken the nation like no event since 9/11. The
death toll was still not finalized. Victims who were in critical condition as a
result of the bombings were still dying. The FBI had that morning issued its
most current count of those killed. Over one thousand one hundred people were
listed as dead in the blasts. The nation demanded action. The President was
just the man to take that action.

        
As the President entered the Press Room it was obvious from
his demeanor and the set of his jaw that he was furious, “Thanks. Have a seat.
Let’s get started. The FBI has this morning confirmed over 1,200 Americans
killed in the bombings last week caused by so-called religious protestors and
gun supporters. The perpetrators whom we have identified are
all
under arrest, have been charged with
committing these horrific crimes and I trust will be convicted, and hopefully
executed
for their crimes. Just as a
prior American terrorist, Timothy McVey, was put to death for his heinous crime
of bombing the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, I have
instructed the Department of Justice to seek the
same
punishment for all of those involved in these bombings
committed a week ago. For those who haven’t yet heard, another incident occurred
just yesterday. Several gun fanatics were killed in Texas in an abortive attack
on an historic landmark. For security reasons, I’ll not take any questions on
the Texas assault. Armed insurrection is
not
acceptable in any country, especially in America.

        
“When I was elected President I knew that I would have
opposition from certain Americans, that’s the way our society functions.
Abraham Lincoln was opposed, often strongly, by those who disagreed with his
policies. I expected no different. What I did
not
expect, nor will I countenance, is
violent
opposition to my policies. What is just now becoming clear
as the investigations into these bombings continue is that there are many, many
people involved in these tragic bombings. These were no
single terrorist
events. Federal agencies investigating the
bombings, including particularly the Department of Homeland Security, have thus
far learned that there are
numerous
co-conspirators in each bombing. These appear to be the Americans who provided
money, advice and resources to create and ignite these deplorable bombs. I am
saddened
particularly
to learn, as I
did just yesterday, that dozens, even scores of church leaders were involved.
These are supposedly religious men and women who participated in planning and implementing
these violent acts.

        
“Many will ask why so many religious leaders would be
involved in violent acts against the federal government? At this stage, the
answer appears to be that these so-called Christians have decided to
overthrow
the government of these United
States, and particularly to remove
me
,
as your President, from office, by force and violence. These Americans have not
obeyed the law, nor do they apparently intend to do so in the future.
Unfortunately, our investigating agencies have concluded that many of these
religiously motivated perpetrators preach the end of the world, and through
these bombings they have tried to accelerate that final days scenario. They can
believe whatever they want, but they have no right to cause mayhem and death,
just because of their belief that the last days will come sooner if they commit
violent acts.

        
“Millions of Americans have contacted this White House,
their members of Congress and the media, all demanding
immediate action
against these violent lawbreakers who want to
impose their religious views on the nation with explosive devices. I have heard
their cries for action. Accordingly, I am today announcing a sweeping Executive
Order to address the biggest
crisis
facing the nation today. There are about 80,000 churches in America that would
fall in the category of ‘evangelical or fundamentalist’. Most of the bombs
exploded last week were at the hands of a member of such a misguided church. As
I said, besides the perpetrators already arrested, the DHS has identified many
others who conspired with them, such as veterans, anti-choice protestors,
Constitutionalists and Tea Party activists. Indictments have been prepared by
the various District Attorneys in the affected cities and will be served and
made public later this week. Judges will be asked to deny bail for these
conspirators so that they do not flee the country, which is being pushed these
people, urging so-called Christians, and even Jews, to get out of the US, a
nation that they call a modern day Babylon.

        
“The Executive Order I am about to sign will require that
every leader of these suspect churches, those who claim to be evangelical or
fundamentalist, sign a ‘Church Leader National Loyalty Oath’. In this document
each leader must pledge to support the nation, its President and other leaders.
They must also deny involvement or support for any plans to overthrow the
government. I am today instructing the IRS to revoke the tax exempt status of
any church which is headed by a pastor who
refuses
to sign the Loyalty Oath. No more tax breaks for religious zealots. Church
leaders who
refuse
to sign the
Loyalty Oath will be detained in FEMA Emergency Camps in their area for the
time required to train them in proper and legal thinking and beliefs, befitting
loyal American citizens. There will never be in America any place for citizens
whose beliefs are completely contrary to our national values. Those who will be
re-educated will become better citizens for it, and the nation will be the
better for it also….Okay….I’ll take one or two questions only. I have work to
do.”

        
Even though the mainstream media reporters present were well
aware of their industry’s adulation of the President, even they were surprised
when most of them jumped to their feet, clapping loudly, some shouting words of
praise to the President after he finished reading his prepared statement from
the teleprompters in the White House Press Room. It took at least 90 seconds
for the room to quiet down. The President was pleased.

        
The first question came from the young female CBS reporter
who generally outdid her peers in parroting the official line issued from this
office. When she asked a question, most of her colleagues knew that she had
been prompted to do so by the President’s Press Secretary.

        
“Mister President, may I just say before I ask my question,
I think I’m speaking on behalf of
all
of us, how much we appreciate your statement, your
forceful
new Executive Order….and….well….just having a man of your
courage
….and….well….we are
so thankful
that you are in charge of
the country in times like
these
….My
question is….if some of these
so-called
Christians….these extremists….these people who want to overthrow the government
with guns and violence and bombs….if they
won’t
change
their hateful views and words after being re-educated in the FEMA
Camps….what do you plan to do with them….then?” How are you going to
protect
the country from them?”

        
“Dianna, you’ve just raised a problem that has been keeping
me awake at night, I have to admit. It’s one thing to re-educate folks in these
nicely appointed facilities that FEMA has prepared and made available. It’s
another thing
entirely
to insure that
the re-education actually works. Look, let’s face it….and I think this is the
point of your very well phrased question….what will the nation do with folks
who
refuse
to be law-abiding
citizens? How can we survive as a free country if thousands of law-breakers are
on the loose
, trying to throw
duly-elected government officials out of office? I don’t have the complete answer
yet, but I can assure you that these people will
not be released
into society, to wreck havoc on the country. I’ve
asked the Vice President to develop plans for this eventuality, if re-education
doesn’t work. Thanks Dianna. Next question.”

        
Charlie VanHaak was one of the few in the room who didn’t
rise to his feet nor applaud the President’s statement, “Mr. President, we’re
hearing that some of those arrested in these horrible bombings are claiming
that their cars were
stolen
before
they were used in the….”

        
“Charlie, let me just
stop
you
before you go any further….This will be the
last
question, by the way….Our agents were told similar stories by
some of these criminals, which just shows
how
far
some conspirators will go to try and
hide
their crimes. The stories are so similar, and so full of
holes, that only people working together to plan crimes could come up with such
laughable excuses. These perpetrators’ vehicles were owned by them, packed with
explosive materials by them and exploded by them. End of story. Hiding their
cars, reporting them stolen and then secretly using their cars as bombs might
have seemed to them like a
clever ruse
,
but no one was fooled. They did the
crime
,
now they will
do the time
, or, I
hope, as I said, that they will pay with their
lives
, just as they took the lives of others. Thanks folks, gotta
get back to work.”

        
With that the President quickly left the Press Room, the
reporters standing and applauding his exit. Charlie VanHaak keyed his cell phone
and starting dictating the lead of his story on the President’s news
conference, “Julie, here you go….
‘The
President today announced in his newest Executive Order that leaders of
evangelical and fundamentalist Christian churches must sign what he called a
Church Leader National Loyalty Oath. This comes within days after last week’s
several bombings which rocked the country. Federal investigators have
attributed the six motor vehicle bombings to religious activists, whom the
President today referred to as ‘so-called Christians’. He said that leaders who
refuse to sign the loyalty oath, which pledges to support him and other
government officials and to refrain from any action to overthrow the
government, will be sent to FEMA Camps for what he called ‘re-education.’ He
was asked what would happen to those not successfully re-educated. The
President said that he had asked the Vice President to come with suggestions
for what to do with citizens who refuse to change their views after
re-education in FEMA Camps’
….Julie, that’s it until I get back to the
office. Unless, of course,
I’m
sent
off to a FEMA Camp before then.
God help
us
.”

Small
Group Bible Study, Home of Hannah & Gary

Birmingham,
Alabama

        
Each member of the small group arriving at Hannah and Gary’s
house knew as soon as they walked in the door that something was seriously
wrong. Hannah had obviously been crying. Gary looked like he had been hit by a
small truck. Their two teen-agers were huddled together in a corner of the
family room, their arms around each other. Tom’s first thought when he saw how
obviously distraught the host family was that they must have had relatives who
were killed in the car bombings of federal buildings. Maybe they knew one of
the Christians being blamed by the government for the bombings. Tom later
wished he had been correct in his guess, once he heard the actual reason for
their sorrow.

        
Liz took Hannah aside in the kitchen as soon as she saw
Hannah’s distraught face. All Hannah would say, between sobs, was that there
had been a death in the family. She wasn’t able to say any more. Gary walked
across the kitchen and suggested to Liz that as soon as everyone had arrived
they would share the bad news that had just hit their family.

        
Marty and Tom were the last to arrive, which was their
normal pattern due to Tom’s job at the hospital. They too quickly saw there was
a problem and took their seats in the family room, anxiously waiting for what
they were about to hear. All eyes were on Gary, who was standing with his arm
around his sobbing wife.

        
“Folks, we’ve just heard, about an hour ago, that Hannah’s
favorite uncle, Paul, was
shot and killed
.
Paul and Hannah’s Aunt Phyllis, most of you know, live in North Carolina. Phyllis
called and left a voice message on our ancient answering machine. As some of
you know, because you’ve left messages, it shuts down after about a minute, so
we don’t know any more than what’s recorded on the machine. We’ve been trying
and trying to reach Phyllis, but she doesn’t answer her cell phone, and like
most of us they don’t have a land line anymore.”

        
Scott said, “Gary….Hannah, we’re so sorry….so sorry….Do you
know what happened? I knew that Paul was active in politics in North Carolina.
What was the name of his group….the North Carolina Brigade to Re-claim America,
or something like that? I read where the media credited his group with turning
the election in the state against the President, even though he carried the
state in his first run. Did the shooting have anything to do with any of that?”

        
“All we know is what she recorded….if you want, we can play
it for you. We’ve listened to it several times, and each time it just leads to
more questions.”
      
The group nodded
their assent, some of the women crying along with Hannah. Gary reached over and
punched the play button.

        
“
Hannah
….
Gary
….is
anyone
there?....Paul….
Paul’s
dead
….I can’t believe it….they
shot
Paul….We were home having an early dinner and….and….these CCC guys just
burst in
through both doors….
ripped
them off their frames….must have
been six or eight of them….vests on….all carrying
big guns
….I don’t know why they….one said he had a warrant to
arrest Paul… I never did see it, though.….
whew
….I
need to sit down….they just took away Paul’s body….I’m here by myself. Paul
didn’t do anything
to get shot….he just
stood up and asked
why
are you
arresting me? Then the largest guy….he seemed to be in charge….he screamed out
something like THAT’S RESISTING ARREST….then….he shot Paul right through his
heart…blood spurting everywhere….I can’t….Oh,
my dear Paul
….this can’t be happening….I’m going over to Natalie’s
house….call me.
Call me
when you can.
Oh….Paul….
Paul
….”

        
The small group members were too stunned to speak. By now
all the women, and some of the men, were in tears. What they had just heard
made no sense. At first. Then Beau spoke up, “If this is what I think it is,
it’s part of the government’s ‘kill the Christians’ campaign. You won’t hear
about any of this in the mainstream media, of course, but I’ve been hearing
about rumors across the country, not just on what’s left of the internet, but
phone calls, some letters, they’re saying that conservative bloggers and
several leaders of Christian and conservative groups around the country have died
in the last few months; some under
very
suspicious circumstances and some in supposed accidents. I’ve heard of three or
four high-profile shootings – very similar to what we just heard about your
uncle in North Carolina. Who thinks this
isn’t
part of what we’ve been studying in Jeremiah….that in the end, in the Daughter
of Babylon, there will be blood shed in God’s church.
The blood of the saints
.”

        
Sally interrupted, “Guys, I heard something that in light of
what happened to Hannah’s uncle we all need to
know about
. My cousin in San Antonio called late last night and
told me that the whole city is full of rumors that some patriots, with guns,
took over the Alamo
, and were
all
killed, shot dead, by federal
agents. That’s all I know. There’s nothing in the news, but I’ll check the
internet after small group tonight.”

        
Max asked, “What
else
needs to happen to convince us that Christians are being
targeted -
that our leaders, like Hannah’s Uncle Paul, are being
selectively eliminated? When I used to bring up the prophecies here in small
group that warned us that there would be blood in the church in the end times,
I could see that there was a lot of
doubt
.
Maybe even some snickering.”

        
Beau responded, “Max, I’ll admit I thought you were
smoking something
, but now I don’t
dispute that you were right. Who would have ever thought this could happen?
This didn’t
have
to happen. There
were plenty of warnings that this President wasn’t what we were told.”

        
“But,
what
were we
told? Not much. No college records. No copies of written documents for the last
several years. No nothing. Just powerful words promising big things.” Max
warmed to his argument, “Y’all know that I’m a big supporter of the Second
Amendment, as most of you are….OK, Scott….maybe not you. But I bring it up
because it’s all making sense to me now. The big push in the McAlister Act to
take away our guns was all about disarming Christians, conservatives, Tea Party
folks, everybody on the right - the people who might
resist
socialism or communism, whatever you want to call it. We
represent the only force in America who will resist Godless Communism and the
destruction of the capitalistic system and the free market economy. Everybody
knows that there are still
hundreds of
thousands
of guns still out there, the ones that didn’t get turned in after
McAlister passed.”

        
Scott couldn’t contain himself any longer, “Max, with all
due respect….You
scare
me….If
Americans, especially Christians, raise their hand against the government, if
they use their guns, we’ll all be
slaughtered
.
This government won’t put up with an armed insurrection. A lot of our folks are
saying that the car bombings were a false flag, staged by the feds, but
who can know
? I just don’t want you,
Max, or any of us, or any Christians for that matter, to succumb to the spirit
of violence and
get killed
because of
it.”

        
Max, now sitting on the front edge of the couch, pointed at
Scott, saying, “Scott, you know I love you like the brother that you are, my
Christian brother, but you’re just
wrong
.
Look at history. If we let the lions eat the Christians, we may get to heaven
sooner, but what about our kids, and future grandkids? What does it say to our
children that we’re willing to put up with a radical Communist takeover of our
country and
we don’t lift a finger
?
I’m not saying that I still have guns. We all know that’s a felony. But, what I
am saying is that there are some gun owners who are not going to put up with
being selectively picked off and
shot
dead
.”

        
Tom, whom most in the small group viewed as a calming
influence, decided it was time to jump in, “Look, guys, this
isn’t
going anywhere. Gary and Hannah
just got hit hard. They’re going to
need
time
to mourn their loss. We can talk about all this next time we meet, but
for tonight, let’s focus on
their
needs. We’re going to pray for you guys here in a minute. If you need a place
to drop off your dogs while you’re in North Carolina, we can do that. If you
need anything else, Gary, Hannah, you know that we’re all here for you.”

        
Gary responded, saying, “I think we need to pray.
Father….Oh, Father….we’ve been dramatically reminded tonight of the
vulnerability of life. We pray for Phyllis and their family, and all those who
are mourning Uncle Paul’s passing. We know that Paul is with you, but it’s going
to be tough for Phyllis, and their kids. We pray for their son, Kevin,
especially, who hasn’t yet received Your Son as his Savior. We pray that you
will be very close to them and shower your grace on them as they face the
reality of this violent, unbelievable loss….And, Father….we pray for wisdom.
You promised to give us wisdom when we ask for it. We don’t know what to do….so
we are asking you to guide us. We’ve seen in your Word that there appears that
there will be violence, even blood in the church, in the last days, the end
times. We want to do what you want us to do, so we pray that you’ll direct us,
through your Word and by the power of your Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray.”