Wired (24 page)

“Because of his extreme modesty and propriety,” the president continued, “you have not seen photographs of Mr. Carson, but
that is now coming to an end. I want you to know this man is our friend; he will, in a sense, stand on every street corner
to make sure that the enemies of freedom are not able to destroy our rights.
Watch for him because he is watching for you.
”

Graham recoiled. Just as Adah had predicted, the stage was being set for this man to gain world dominance and power. Borden
Carson, or Hassan Rashid, had his hands on virtually all the control switches of the American government!

“We are going to do everything in our power to protect American citizens from terrorist invasions,” the president insisted.
“You can go to bed tonight knowing that I have made this my number one agenda for today, tomorrow, and the rest of my administration.”

With all that Graham had learned from Bridges and the holographic conversations with Carson, he knew the president was up
to his neck in this ruse while the country didn't have the slightest idea about the real agenda, but the die was cast and
the plan would unfold as the president, Mayor Bridges, Jake Pemrose, and heavens know who else in the “Inner Circle” expected.
The telecast faded with the camera focusing on Carson's picture in the center of the screen.

Several of the student members of the New Seekers group walked to the doors and the windows in the room to make sure no one
was outside listening. The rest of the members squeezed closer together.

“We made an electronic sweep of the room before we began,” the young leader said quietly. “We're convinced there are no hidden
mikes or surveillance equipment in here. We can speak openly and forthrightly. What do your think of this speech?”

“I think we're being duped,” one of the students immediately charged. “I don't like what I heard.”

“I agree.” Another student chimed in. “The president is selling this Carson guy as the answer to all our national problems.
I don't believe it.”

Jennifer Andrews said nothing, but watched the group intently.

Jackie whispered in Graham's ear, “These are bright kids.”

Students spoke heatedly for several minutes with no one supporting the president's position. Graham and Jackie listened attentively
without saying anything. Eventually the leader turned to Adah Honi.

“You are our advisor, Adah. What do you think?”

“The important issue is what says the Bible,” Adah began quietly. “What we think is important, but the Scripture is critical.
We are all still in this world because we failed earlier to take this into account.”

The students murmured their agreement.

“We know that the first step in the final plan began with the Rapture of all of the true believers. Of course, the moon has
also turned red. Then we have heard of nothing but wars and more wars. This problem is right on schedule for what comes next.
The nuclear defeat of Russian is straight out of the book of Ezekiel. Now we come to the next step, the appearance of the
Anti-Christ. Makes sense to you? Does it?”

Graham watched the eyes of the students. Each person watched with intense seriousness registered across their faces. No one
heard Adah's words with anything less that the utmost respect.

“Today I received a very important message.” Adah looked at Graham as if she wanted his approval before she said anything
more. “A name! Avery important name! I think this is the most insight to date I have received. I have been studying this matter
all afternoon.” She looked at Graham again.

“Go ahead,” Graham said. “This matter is too serious not to be completely honest. We have already decided to stand with you.”

Adah smiled broadly. “Thank you, sir. We are deeply indebted to you, Mr. Peck, for giving me this new name.”

The students glanced back and forth between Matt and Graham as if they were putting a piece in puzzle together. Matt stared
at the floor and said nothing.

Adah pulled her Bible out of her purse and opened it to the back of the book. “We must turn to the final verses in the end
of chapter thirteen in Revelation to understand what this night we have heard.” She read slowly and carefully from the Bible.
“‘This calls for wisdom: let his who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number
is six hundred and sixty-six.’” She stopped and looked around the room. “Do you not see the relationship between what we heard
tonight and this number?”

No one spoke. The students looked mystified. Graham glanced at Jackie. Neither had any more insight than the students did.

“Let me put it this way.” Adah reached down and ripped off a big piece of the white paper tablecloth. Taking a ballpoint,
she scribbled furiously across the page. Walking to the front wall, she pulled a couple of thumbtacks off the menu hanging
there and tacked the page to the center of the front wall. One the torn page a big 666 had the name of Borden Camber Carson
written underneath. “What do you see?” she asked the group.

No one spoke.

“The number 666 is what the book of Revelation says is the name of the beast. This creature is a symbol of the evil power
the will make war on the saints and even conquer some of them.” Adah stopped and slowly looked around the room. The group
sat as if they were in a trance, stupefied by what she was saying. “In the first century, Christians thought that this number
was the name of Nero and it probably was in their time.”

“You're saying Nero is the name of the Anti-Christ?” Matt abruptly broke in.

“No, no.” Adah shook her finger emphatically. “
Not the final Anti-Christ.
No! In his time he was only
an Anti-Christ.
I am saying that some of what the Bible says is true both then and now! In the final times this beast will also have the
name of 666.”

“What is your point?” Graham interjected. “I'm not following you.”

Adah started writing on the torn sheet of paper again. Directly beneath Carson's name she wrote Hassan Jawhar Rashid. “Do
you see it now?” she asked the group.

Once again no one answered.

“Let me tell you. This Carson also goes by the name I have written here. Rashid is Arabic.” Adah started tapping on each of
the letters in the name. “Look! B-o-r-d-e-n,” she said. “How many letters that is?”

“Six?” someone said.

“Good,” Adah answered and started tapping again. “C-a-m-b-e-r. How many here?”

“Six!” Jackie suddenly exclaimed.

“Look.” Adah tapped on the name Hassan in the same way. “How many letters here?”

“Six!” Graham exploded. “Every one of these names has six letters!”

“And when you put them together each name makes six-hundred and sixty-six.” Adah explained. “This Carson has two names, but
they both say the same thing.
This man is Mr. 666!
”

For thirty seconds no one said anything until the silence became ominous.

Students suddenly began talking furiously and the room broke into turmoil. Jackie turned to Graham, her face white and drawn.
Graham could only shake his head.

“I'm horrified!” Jackie said.

“Me, too,” Graham answered.

Eldad Rafaeli held up his pudgy hand. “May I speak?”

“Of course,” Adah said.

“In Israel we have lived with and fighting since the day in 1948 we become a nation,” Eldad began. “In my town of Rosh Ha'Ayin
it is no different. But I came here because I believed that the Holy One, blessed be His name, for some reason I cannot understand,
sent me here. Now I have heard the truth I seek.” Eldad's eyes widened in a alarmed stare. “This man Carson, or Rashid, is
the beast we must fear!”

B
Y THANKSGIVING DAY
, the weather had snapped out of the summer-like high digits and now, ominously, a new blanket of snow covered Chicago. The
Pecks gathered around a sumptuous table laden with the traditional turkey, stuffing, and green beans as well as a couple of
pumpkin pies. However, the Arlington Heights neighborhood remained more subdued than in previous years with the memories of
Maria Peck's violent death. If anything, fear had only increased in the past few weeks.

Graham and Jackie attempted to maintain a festive atmosphere around the loaded table and avoided talking about what they were
learning from the New Seekers group. Matt avoided any confrontations with Mary, but tension still hung in the air. Only once
did George mention that Grammy always fixed marshmallow cranberry salad and Jeff immediately started sniffling. Everyone pushed
on, attempting to avoid their own grief. Somehow, the family got through the Thanksgiving celebration without erupting either
into a war or a litany of grief. At dawn on Friday, Mayor Bridges called another emergency meeting and Graham was forced to
return to his office.

“You hadn't planned to go today, had you?” Jackie had a pensive sound in her voice.

“No,” Graham said emphatically. “I even gave my secretary the day off. I don't expect anybody to be there.”

“What do you think is going on?”

“I don't know, but it makes me extremely apprehensive.”

Jackie nodded. “I agree and it makes me worry bout you.”

Graham hugged her. “I'm more worried about what our entire family's next step is going to be. Because of what we've learned
from Adah Honi, we must make some big decisions.”

“Oh Graham. This is as frightening as your mother's death!”

“Yeah,” Graham said resolutely. “This entire experience changes everything we've believed in.”

“Adah told me we should learn to pray.”

“Well, I don't have the slightest idea how you do it.” He hugged her again. “Keep the doors locked.”

As usual, Graham drove his small hydrogen-powered car to the Metro Express station and boarded the train. A picture of Borden
Carson had been posted over his head on the side of the car. Avoiding the picture and not looking at anyone else, Graham thought
over and again about what he heard Adah say about Carson or Rashid. He was stuck with the man's extraordinary capacities,
which left Graham feeling like Carson could crush him as easily as stepping on an ant.

Jake Pemrose was there when Graham arrived. A quick glance left the impression that the man had been there much longer than
a few minutes.

“Hello, Peck,” Pemrose said coldly.

“Thanks for coming in today, Graham,” Bridges answered. “I want to thank both of you for the excellent job that was done in
getting Mr. Carson's pictures plastered all over downtown Chicago and out over the suburbs. At this point, there isn't anyone
that can say they don't know what this man looks like.”

Graham gave only a slight nod.

“We also have nearly everyone in the city covered with the mark on their foreheads that allows the nanorobots to send security
signals to our computer.”

Neither Graham nor any of the family made the mandatory visit to get the “mark of the beast” on their foreheads, and they
weren't about to do so. It took some maneuvering, but they escaped being tagged.

“The president's speech has been well received,” Bridges continued. “The motto, ‘Watch for him because he is watching for
you,’ seems to have stuck. Our latest poll indicates the public is lining up behind Carson. That's important.”

“Why?” Graham suddenly asked. “What's coming next?”

“Ah, peck! You're always a jump ahead of me.” The mayor smiled broadly and winked. “I could tell the moment you walked in
here that you had something important on your mind.”

Graham stiffened.

“Okay, boys. We need to move on to the next step that Mr. Carson has laid out.” Bridges threw a couple of switches. “I recorded
the important part of my last conversation. with Mr. Carson over the holographic transmitter.” A beam of light immediately
shot up from the base of the machine and began changing colors. “Let's see what our leader said last night.”

The greenish light turned into a form; an immobile Borden Carson appeared to be sitting behind a desk, his hands extended
across the desktop with a large diamond ring sparkling on his pinky finger. Carson's black eyes flashed with intensity. The
mayor hit another button and the motionless figure stated to move and speak.

“The European union has solidified,” Carson said. “We have now created a military alliance with the capacity to control the
world's oil supplies as well as hydrogen production. Members of this union stand unanimously with me. I have also reached
an agreement with the Russians to insure the stability of the price of petroleum and maintain a predictable supply. I am well
pleased.”

As Graham feared, Carson had worked out a deal with the Russians. The man moved at a pace far beyond anything he would have
thought possible.

“I fear your country will be faced with more terrorist attacks,” Carson continued. “You will need to spread this report across
your area, warning people that you intended to patrol the streets at night to protect them from these dangerous elements.
I suggest that we impose a curfew of eleven o'clock with police and military personnel immediately arresting everyone on the
street after that time. We need a significant crackdown in order to make your population feel secure. This should be done
quickly.”

Bridges hit the off button. “There you have it, boys! Our leader wants us to get the city prepared for a curfew.”

“Wait a minute!” Graham objected. “No one wants this kind of intrusion. If we put it into effect, get ready for a reaction.
People will be angry!”

Pemrose raised one eyebrow. “You're going to deny Borden Carson?” he asked with a surly twist to his words. “And don't forget
that you're talking to the mayor who won by a record-breaking margin.”

“I'm telling you that we are talking big trouble with this idea,” Graham pushed back. “Yes. People are afraid, but they've
never had anyone tell them when to go home and stay. Moreover, we've got people working night shifts. What about them?”

“That's up to you and Jake to work out.” the mayor shot back. “I'm sure you'll come up with something that'll work.”