The Mark

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

At that point, he chose not to argue. This was the first real theo logical discussion they'd had in a long time and he didn't want to turn her away. Charlie had told him to simply plant seeds. The fellow ship knew their message would not be understood until it was too late, but for now all they could do was let those around them know what they believe. nearly

The conversation turned from beliefs to politics and eventually rested on favorite movies. As Henry walked to the car, reality began to settle in on him. He really liked Anna but they fundamentally viewed their Christian walk differently. He was grateful the relationship had simply stayed a friendship, but felt it was necessary to keep it there. It wasn't fair for him to lead her on and lately he sensed a growing attraction between the two of them. They were just ending a nice evening together and now was as good a time as any to address the situation.

"Thanks for the bad movie," Anna joked as she stood by the pas senger side of Henry's car.

Henry reached for the car door to let her in and she touched his hand.

"I really had a nice time."

She smiled and Henry suddenly started debating with himself why he wanted to stay just friends. Anna leaned in and gently kissed him, an action which ended the debate in his head and erased all logic and reason.

"Uh, well... I wasn't expecting that."

"We've only been going out on and off for nine months. I hope that wasn't being too forward."

"Yeah, but you barely tolerated me for the first four-remem ber? We can hardly count those months." Her eyes sparkled and Henry knew she got the joke. "It's just that, well, we see things a lot differently."

"Like what? We both love the Lord and we both need Christian companionship. Who cares that we don't see eye to eye on every thing. I'm willing to listen to you and all you need to do is occasion ally put up with my view on things!"

"Anna, you're forgetting how intolerant I can be!"

"Oh, Henry, why can't you just lighten up? You do like me, don't you?"

"Of course, but..."

"Then no 'buts.' I've been waiting for months for you to hold my hand and I'm done waiting!"

"So this is how it's going to be? You want something and you just go for it?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear you complain, did I?"

"It's just that..."

Another kiss. This one lasted a bit longer. Henry pulled away and gave her that crooked smile that admitted defeat, then added one fi nal condition.

"If we're going to actually start dating, then we're also going to study together."

"Study?"

"Yeah, end times. Because the sermon series you described didn't quite hit the mark, and this is really important to me."

"Deal. Now, take me home."

"Now she gets bossy."

Henry opened the door and Anna got in the car. As he headed around to the driver's side, an uncomfortable thought hit him. He didn't do that great a job explaining himself to Anna. And now he's moving the relationship to a new level with a girl who is not very like-minded with him. Explaining all of this to Dave was going to be difficult, but not quite as difficult as explaining it to Charlie. He shook his head. Accountability is really a bummer, he thought as he climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door.

Henry put the key in the ignition, started the car, checked the rearview mirror then backed out of his parking space. He heard the screech of tires and saw the look on Anna's face an instant before he felt the impact.

A silver Suburban, making its way to the exit, hit the car full force on his door. Anna's head must have hit the passenger window because Henry heard it shatter. He was thrown toward Anna on his right, then back to his left, his own head hitting the window, too. The driver's door ended up right where Henry had been sitting. His seat belt tore at the shoulder, allowing his body to be thrown across the front seat again, where he landed just short of Anna's lap.

An eerie silence settled over them. Henry tried to figure out what had just happened. His head was pounding and his vision blurred for

a moment.. Where are my air bags? With an impact like that they should have gone off

He tried to look outside the car to see if there was movement in the Suburban, but couldn't turn his head enough to see the vehicle. He searched for his rearview mirror, but it was twisted and pointing downward. Henry looked over at Anna, and his heart dropped. Her head was bleeding. He tried to reach her, to at least touch her arm to comfort her, but his arm was paralyzed.

Within minutes, the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles filled the dark parking lot. A fireman knocked on the windshield and yelled through the window, "You two all right in there?"

"Yeah, I think so." Henry watched Anna reach up and touched her

forehead. There was blood on her fingertips.

"Stay put and we'll get this door open in a minute."

Henry fought a wave of nausea. "Are you okay?" he finally man aged to say. His voice was hoarse.

"I think so, but once you get off my leg, I'll know more."

Henry realized he was still practically on her lap, but the collapsed door restricted both from moving. It felt like an eternity, but it prob ably had only been a few minutes when the firemen pried the door open. The first EMT quickly moved to Anna's side and held her in place so she wouldn't fall out of the car. Henry watched him cut off her seat belt and then pull her from the car. They told Henry to sit still and he saw them put her on a stretcher. Then it was his turn.

Henry was pretty sure he could walk but the EMTs weren't going to take any chances. Two of them pulled and for a moment Henry felt some pain in his shoulder. But that soon vanished as they strapped him on his own stretcher and began to roll him to the ambulance. A police of ficer stopped Henry's stretcher and asked for a minute with him.

"Are you the driver of the car?"

"Yes, sir."

"Can you remember what happened?"

"I looked and didn't see anyone coming, started to back out and the next thing I know, I'm on the passenger side of the car. I must have missed it in the shadows."

"How did you cut your seat belt off?"

"How did I what?"

"Your shoulder strap was cut. Did you have a knife?"

"No, I... I don't have a knife." The officer looked at the EMT.

"I'll follow and get a statement at the hospital. He's still a bit confused."

"Sir?" stammered Henry. "Is the other driver all right?"

"Who?"

"The driver of the car that hit me?"

"There's no other car, sir. We were hoping you'd remember some thing about that, because with your damage, there had to have been a lot of damage to their car. It's amazing you're alive, to be honest with you."

"There's got to be skid marks-I heard the tires screech." The officer glanced behind him and then back at Henry. "No skid

marks."

"What about Anna? She was in the car with me." "She's fine. Just a cut on her head. A few stitches will fix her up." They loaded Henry into the ambulance and headed off for the hospital. He must have hit his head harder than he thought because he was starting to drift off to sleep. He breathed a silent prayer and thanked the Lord for protecting them and sparing their lives.

As the ambulance pulled out of the parking lot, Black Cap leaned against a tree. He folded up his version of a Swiss army knife, similar in size but far sharper, and dropped it in his back pocket. There's something about being with that girl that is not healthy for

Henry. It's like he lets his guard down.

Black Cap glanced over his shoulder and noticed the swirling wind above the wrecked automobile. A man with a tow truck was loading it onto a trailer, but he didn't notice anything unusual. Black Cap scowled and headed for the hospital. It was a cold night and no matter how much time he logged in on this assignment, the cold al ways got to him. As he faded into the night, he said a prayer of his own in a language only understandable by the Receiver.

March

Elise

lise was exactly where she should be. At work, on time, prepared for another day of service. In fact, she was exactly where she should be in life, too. Working for an up and coming, dynamic world leader, overseeing his professional schedule as well as his personal schedule, making him dependant on her without him even knowing. One day he would understand how important she was to him.

She reached for her to-do list and checked off the first three items. Glancing at her watch, she knew today was a big day. Magorum had been rather anxious and specific about the details of this day and she had followed each and every one of his wishes to a T.

Elise Orion had her suspicions about Magorum for years. She wasn't exactly sure how he would do it, but she knew one day he would one day rule the world. She recognized this bandwagon and had made a concerted effort to jump on it. She made herself indis pensable to him, thus insuring her ride to the top. And now she stood at the threshold of world domination, behind Alexander, of course, and could taste the power as if it were a...

"Miss Orion?" The buzz of her intercom roused her back to the matter at hand. "Yes, sir?"

"Could you come in for a moment?"

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir!"

Elise grabbed her note pad and a pen and walked to his door. She knocked twice and waited for his response. Through the door she heard the familiar grunt and she entered. Alexander Magorum sat at his desk, curtains open behind him, fresh air pouring through the open windows, with nothing laying on his desk but a single sheet of paper in front of him. The faint smell of cinnamon filled the room and she could tell the candles on the coffee table had been burning recently.

"Is everything in order for tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir. The final approval from the legal department was sent over this morning. I have made copies of the Currency Act so that each member will receive a copy once they sign the original."

"Excellent. The Federation of World Powers cannot be stopped do you realize that, Elise?"

Elise loved it when Magorum used her first name. He rarely did it-usually only when he was excited and wanted her to join in his excitement.

"Yes, sir. It is all very exciting. The leaders from Germany and China arrived last evening and the rest will arrive this morning. We are on schedule for the two o'clock meeting. Most will be in the con ference room by one thirty, as you requested."

Magorum turned in his chair and looked out the window. Elise stood quietly, admiring a genius at work.

"The Currency Act is only the beginning. Other nations will be lining up to join when they realize the benefits of the FWP. Stability. Insurance. Trade. Travel. Employment. I provide it all. But I must not lose sight of the goal. I must never lose sight of the goal. While they thank me and say they love me, they can also turn on me, and I can not allow that to happen. We are close but I cannot hide forever. Yes, I will stick to the plan but I will not conceal my face forever. They will have to learn to trust me again and when I provide stability and pros perity for them, they will forget and I will accomplish my goal."