23

PAUL KNEW THAT IF HE didn’t get to bed before midnight, he would be good for nothing, having to rise the next morning by four-thirty to get Bia Balaam to the airport. But he had a chore that wouldn’t wait.

He sat on a couch overlooking the city, his laptop on his knees, crafting a response to the government’s announcement. This he would send to Straight, who would run it past the underground leadership in Detroit, Washington, L.A., Bern, Rome, Paris, and all the other contacts around the world. Each faction would be free to copy, forward, and disseminate the document as far and wide as they dared, including to all the major news organizations in their respective countries.

It read:

To: The Honorable Baldwin Dengler, Chancellor of the International Government of Peace, Bern, Switzerland

From: The worldwide church of believers in the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and God’s Son, Jesus the Christ

Re: Your decree, announced this Monday, January 21, 38 P.3., which we call the year of our Lord, A.D. 2047

Chancellor Dengler:

We aver that the current world system, which has banned for nearly four decades the practice of religion by people of faith, is an abomination in the sight of almighty God.

We believe that you and your government, as well as most of your loyal citizens, are unaware of the size and potential influence of a people that has, by your actions, been pushed underground and forced to practice their faith illegally.

We ask that you rescind immediately the decree announced today and put a moratorium on laws prohibiting the practice of religion until you can determine how people of faith can peaceably live in this society without fear of reprisal.

We are beseeching our God to act in judgment, should this request not be carried out within forty hours of when the decree is announced, or midnight, Bern Time, Tuesday, January 22. We believe that He will act to deliver us from you, our oppressor, as He did in Los Angeles, California, last year.

We respectfully warn that you will regret ignoring this request, as we are calling upon God to specifically act as He did thousands of years ago against Pharaoh in Egypt, when Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel flee his domain.

We refer you to the Old Testament account of the ten plagues God unleashed against Egypt. There are those among us who are asking God to eschew the first nine plagues and to refrain from hardening your heart, and it is our heartfelt wish that you avoid the dire consequences of the tenth plague at the forty-hour mark. Short of this, we fear that God may not limit this plague to the seat of the government but rather that it will affect the entire world.

To our brothers and sisters around the globe, we remind you that you need not feel bound by the Old Testament caveat of protecting your own households by sprinkling blood on your doorposts to identify yourself. We believe the blood of Christ has already been shed on your behalf and that God knows His own.

In conclusion: Rescind the loyalty decree, lift the laws against the practice of religion, or proceed at your own peril.

For your reference, following is the text of the carrying out of the tenth plague on Egypt, which we fear God may administer upon those who turn a deaf ear to our plea:

So Moses announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will pass through Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest slave. Even the firstborn of the animals will die. Then a loud wail will be heard throughout the land of Egypt; there has never been such wailing before, and there never will be again.”

. . . And at midnight the Lord killed all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn son of the captive in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. Pharaoh and his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.

When Paul had polished the manifesto, he checked his watch and realized it was late afternoon in Chicago. He called Straight but got his machine. “I want to read you this thing, Straight. Call me as soon as you can.”

Paul sat hanging his head. Was it possible God would do this? Would He finally lose patience, run out of mercy, act as He had in the days of old? Paul didn’t know how to pray—that God would do it or not do it. Such a catastrophe would eliminate any hope of these millions of slain firstborns ever entering the kingdom.

Seconds later Jae called, speaking quickly. “Paul, don’t say my name. Say as little as possible. You have been compromised. Listen, I couldn’t call until I was able to break away from my parents’ house under the guise of a last outing with the kids before I leave for Europe.”

“Eur—?”

“Just listen. I’ve been enlisted to help bring you down, and I’ll be there late tomorrow afternoon.”

“Is—?”

“Paul! Listen! Balaam planted a bug on you. Probably on whatever jacket you were wearing when you greeted her. It has a short range, but she picked up your whole conversation with the young woman. You were set up.”

Oh no! “Yes,” Paul said. “Thank you, sir. I’ll pick that up at the desk then?”

“And she played for Dad and me your side of the conversation with Straight.”

Paul shuddered. They had talked about prayer and the underground, and he had even mentioned Raison. “Yes, I’m leaving the hotel early tomorrow morning, so I’ll stop by.”

“You didn’t mention his name, but you said something about what time it would be where he was, and Dad assumed the Midwest. Paul, hear me. I’m on your side. I believe you’re playing up to the underground to infiltrate them. If I’m wrong, well, then you’re going to take me down with you. I’ve got to go, but I wanted to warn you about the bug. I love you, I miss you, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Same to you, sir, and thank you very much. Good night.”

As soon as Jae hung up, Straight called. “Hey, it’s me. What’ve you got?”

“Yes, I already got that message. I’m picking it up in the morning.”

“What?”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“What’s going on, Paul?”

“I appreciate it, and can you call me when you know anything about my laundry?”

“You want me to call you back?”

“When you have it figured out, yes.”

“I’ll call you back.”

“Thanks.”

Paul paced for five minutes, hoping Straight would put two and two together. The tone sounded in his mouth. “Stepola.”

“You’re being bugged; is that it?”

“Yes, thank you. That’ll be fine.”

“You finished the document, but now you can’t read it to me.”

“Right. No, late morning will be fine.”

“Can you transmit it to me?”

“Sure.”

“And when you’re somewhere secure, you’ll get back to me?”

“That works for me. Thanks again.”

Paul knew he would never sleep. This was as close as he had ever come to being found out, and he racked his brain to recall if he had totally given himself away.

His overcoat had to have the bug. Would he be able to find the bug without making so much noise that it was obvious he was looking for it? Better than destroying it, he decided, was to use it to his advantage. He opened the closet door where his coat hung so the transmission would be even clearer. And he would be wearing the same coat in the morning on the ride to the airport. Bia would be asleep by now, but she would check the recording when she rose.

Paul added a line to the cover page of the manifesto, reminding underground factions to hold it until after the decree had been announced in their time zones, and then to get it to everyone they knew.

Then he phoned his boss, Bob Koontz, in Chicago. “Sorry to bother you at home, Bob. Just wanted to check in and thank you again for releasing me for this assignment.”

“Yeah, how’s it going, buddy?”

“Frankly, it couldn’t be better, Bob. I’m good, you know that?”

Koontz laughed. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for years. So, what’s happening?”

“I’ve got the patter down, Bob, the lingo. I’ve infiltrated the underground here and in Rome, and I’ve got enough on these people that I think they’re going to lead me to Magnor himself.”

Bob swore appreciatively. “You serious?”

“I’ll keep you posted. The Rome people meet in an abandoned cathedral about an hour south of the city. They’re small and ineffective, but there is some tie to Magnor. They say he’s headquartered in Germany. In France the biggest zealot underground faction is based in Marseille. I’m in good with them. Guy named Raison Arnaud is their top guy. He was mentored by Magnor.”

“Man, you’ve really made progress. How soon before you can get to Magnor himself?”

“I’m hoping within two weeks.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

“This will be a major, major deal for you, Paul.”

“I hope so.”

“Oh, it will,” Koontz said. “Guess you know what’s coming down tomorrow.”

“The decree? Yeah. Can’t wait. It’s about time we started turning the screws on these people.”

“I hear Balaam’s over there.”

“Yeah, she’s here. I know Decenti sent her to keep an eye on me, but the more I think about it, the less it bothers me. She’s good people, and if I were in the old man’s shoes, I’d probably do the same. Did you know she’s got kids?”

“I didn’t, Paul.”

“Yeah. A grown daughter and a son at Georgetown. Pretty proud of ’em, and rightfully so. Well, hey, just wanted to keep you in the loop, Bob.”

“You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did. Proud of you, Paul.”

“Well, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”