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"I'm saying that perhaps in the current environment, new pressures could be
brought to bear to stop the Israelis from completing the Temple."
"Nothing can stop the Israelis," Lucente said bluntly. "I'm told construction
will be done by fall, perhaps by Yom Kippur."
"I hear the same rumors you do," Al-Hassani assured the secretary-general.
"Then you know this isn't a project Prime Minister Doron is about to abandon,"
Lucente said.
Al-Hassani shook his head. "Don't be so sure," he countered. "With America
neutralized and thus with the might of the American military no longer backing
the
Israelis I suspect Mr. Doron could be forced to think twice about defying the
will of the international community."
Lucente set down his teacup and looked Al-Hassani straight in the eye.
"Mustafa, tell me you were not behind these attacks."
Al-Hassani affected a stunned expression.
"What?
How could you even think such a thing?"
"Tell me I'm wrong," Lucente said.
"I won't even dignify that with a response," the Iraqi leader sniffed, not
daring to look at Tariq.
"I will ask you again," Lucente pressed. "Did you or did you not have anything
whatsoever to do with these attacks on the United States?"
"I'm insulted by the very premise," Al-Hassani snapped back. "We don't even
have any nuclear weapons. You should know that better than anyone."
"Maybe yes, maybe no," Lucente said.
"I
have seen intelligence reports that
several Russian tactical nuclear weapons that were known to be in the region,
or on the way, were unaccounted for after the Day of Devastation."
"I have heard such reports myself," Al-Hassani agreed.
"And?"
"And what?"
"And I have heard rumors that those tactical nukes were found by Iraqi forces
and brought back to Babylon for safekeeping," Lucente said.
"Lies,"
Al-Hassani shot back. "Who told you that? the Kurds? the ones who now want to
pressure you and the rest of the world into letting them illegally secede from
the
United States of Eurasia to form their own pathetic little country?
Liars.
They are all liars! We have no nuclear weapons. We've never had nuclear
weapons. We never will have nuclear weapons. And I for one am deeply offended
that you would come here, to my home, and accuse me of seeking to annihilate
the very country that liberated me and my people from the tyranny of Saddam
and his sons."
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"I am not accusing," Lucente repeated calmly. "I am simply asking questions
questions the whole world will soon be asking me. Do you not agree that the
secretary-
general of the United Nations should have answers to such questions?"
But the Iraqi leader made it clear with his expression that the answer was an
adamant no.
7:14 A.M.-A REFUGEE CAMP IN NORTHERN JORDAN
Bennett was stunned.
It wasn't him.
It was Oaks. But why would the new president call him? Why now?
"Jon, is that you?"
"Yes, sir, Mr. President," he replied, swallowing hard.
"I understand you're in the Middle East right now is that right?"
"Yes, sir Jordan, sir."
"In a refugee camp of some kind?"
"That's correct, sir. Erin and I have been here since just after our
honeymoon."
"What's that, about six months now?"
"Closer to seven, sir."
"Well, good for you both of you. It must be rewarding to do something good
while all hell breaks out, no?"
"It was until today," Bennett said, grateful for the kind words but
uncomfortable with the focus on him and Erin under the circumstances.
"Indeed," the president replied so quietly that Bennett could barely hear him.
"That's why I'm calling."
"I don't even know what to say, Mr. President," Bennett said. "I'm so sorry to
hear about President MacPherson and his family, and about everything that's
happened, of course. Words cannot even begin . . ."
Bennett's voiced trailed off. Powerful emotions were again forcing their way
to the surface, and he had to fight to keep them back.
"What's happened today is incomprehensible," Oaks agreed, his own voice
wavering a bit.
"Are Marie and the boys safe?" Bennett asked.
"They are. Thanks for asking. They're not with me, but I just spoke to them by
phone. We were all very lucky."
"I'm afraid I don't believe in luck, Mr. President."
Oaks seemed startled. "What do you mean?"
"Luck is random," Bennett explained. "But God isn't random. He has a plan."
"You think America getting attacked by nuclear bombs is God's plan?"
"No, sir, that's not what I meant."
"Then, forgive me, but what did you mean?"
"Men make evil plans, not God," Bennett replied. "But the Bible says what man
plans for evil, God can turn for good."
"So God knew this was all going to happen?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why didn't He stop it?"
"I don't know, sir."
"He could have."
"Yes, He could have."
"But He didn't."
"I can't explain it all, Mr. President. All I know for certain is that in your
case, He has chosen to keep you safe and to make you the next leader of the
free world. That's not luck, sir. That's not random. That's the grace of God.
That's His supernatural hand on you, guiding you, positioning you just where
He wants you. And to be honest, sir, there are only two relevant questions
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now."
There was no point beating around the bush, Bennett thought. Too much was at
stake.
If he had the president's ear, he might as well speak his mind.
"What are they?" Oaks asked.
"The first is the question every one of us must face before it's too late: if
God forbid, you were to die tonight, do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt
that you'd spend eternity with God in heaven?"
There was a long, uncomfortable silence.
"And the second?" Oaks asked.
"The second is a question only you must face: what are you going to do with
this enormous responsibility God has just handed you?"
There was another long pause. Bennett wondered if he had gone too far. Yet,
again, under the circumstances, he knew he didn't have a choice. This wasn't a
political moment.
Bennett wasn't a political advisor. The president's soul hung in the balance.
The man was an agnostic in the earth's final days, days that would lead
straight to the ultimate Day of
Judgment. Oaks needed to get right with God before it was too late.
"Actually, Jon," the president stammered, uncharacteristically, "this is . .
."
"Yes, sir?"
"This really is why I called."
Bennett wasn't sure what to say next, so he just listened.
"I never thought anything like this was possible, not after the last war,"
Oaks continued. "I thought such horrors were behind us. But in the last few
hours, I keep recalling your old friend Dr. Mordechai saying that the whole
Gog and Magog thing wasn't the end, just the beginning of the end."
"He did, sir; that's true," Bennett acknowledged, surprised that Oaks had paid
attention, much less remembered the line.
"I'm beginning to think that you and he might have been right about a lot of
things,"
the president continued. "I'll admit, I was a skeptic until now a cynic,
perhaps. But after this
. . . I don't know. . . . That's why I'm calling. I'd . . . well, I'd be
grateful for your counsel, Jon."
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