'You're rejecting?'
'Yes, sir!'
'You understand the consequences?'
'Yes. I reject the authority of the ruler of this world and wish to-'
'I didn't ask for your philosophy, sir. Just get in the line to my right as-'
'I wish to pledge my allegiance to the true and living God and his Son, Jesus Christ!'
'I said be quiet!'
'He is the one who offers the free gift of salvation to anyone who believes!'
'Silence that man!'
'What are you going to do, kill me twice? Oh, that I could die twice for my God!'
'Anyone else?'
'Me!'
'Me too!'
'Count me in!'
'Sign me up!'
And one after the other, as the men chose their own deaths, they began to holler their reasons.
'I just became a believer tonight, right here! Do it, men! It's true! God loves you!'
'Silence!'
'I was arrested because I was worshiping God with fellow believers! God will never leave you or forsake you!'
'Guards!'
The guards followed Alex's men into the cage, throwing men to the ground, stomping their heads and faces.
'Do not resist!' Pastor D shouted. 'We'll be out of our misery soon! May the very men who beat us listen to our report before it's too late!'
He was smacked atop the head with a baton and crumbled to the floor. A criminal who Buck noticed did not have the seal of God on his forehead grabbed the guard around the neck from behind and threw him down as others climbed atop.
'Don't resist, brothers!' a believer yelled. 'Just speak the truth!'
But the unbelievers were rioting. 'I'm taking Carpathia's mark!' one screamed. 'But stop hurting these men! I'm a coward, but they are brave! Agree with them or not, they have more courage than any of us!'
A guard jumped him and wrapped his arms around the man's head, a hand on his chin. He yanked until the neck snapped and the man fell dead.
Alex, who remained outside the cage guarding his men's weapons, grabbed one and fired into the air, squelching the bravado of most unbelievers. 'I will authorize my people to shoot to kill!' he said. 'Now get to my left if you are accepting the mark of loyalty to the Global Community and our risen potentate. And get to the right if-'
'There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus!'
'Silence that man!'
The believers helped Pastor D up, but he could not stand alone. They carried him to the front of the line to Alex's right, and dozens of others fell in behind. Suddenly they began singing, 'What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!'
'Herd them out! Shut them up! Guillotine line first! Move! Move!'
'O precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow! No other fount I know! Nothing but the blood of Jesus!'
As the line passed Buck, he grabbed Pastor D by the shirt and pulled him up, as if forcing him to walk. He whispered desperately in his ear, 'Jesus is risen!'
Demetrius Demeter, he of the gift of evangelism, eyes rolling back, tongue thick, legs failing, mumbled, 'Christ is risen indeed!'
Buck watched the staggering band, each with the seal of God on his forehead, march to the death room, singing of the blood of Jesus and accepting the blows. He could not follow them in, knew he could not endure witnessing the deaths of these saints, old and new. Eyes filling, he found Albie in the crowd and motioned with a nod that he should follow. They strode quickly to the jeep, but not soon enough to avoid hearing the first slide and thud and the cheering of the bloodthirsty crowd.
Buck fired up the engine to drown out the sounds and squealed off into the night. He and Albie shared not a word as they raced south twenty-five miles to the airport at Kozani. Buck skidded to a stop by the motor pool and they leapt out, hurrying through the gate.
'Key in it?' someone called, and Buck nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
As he and Albie marched across the tarmac toward the runway and the hangar where their refueled jet awaited, Buck saw a tiny Asian woman sitting next to a huge suitcase and a smaller bag on a bench under a light pole. Something about the way the light illuminated her red, GC prison-system uniform made her look angelic.
She appeared tentative when she saw them and stood, pulling her orders from her pocket. She was a sliver of reality, a link to life, to safety, a cup of cold water in a desert of despair.
'Tell me you're Ming Toy,' Buck said brusquely, barely trusting his voice.
'I am. Mr. Williams?'
Buck nodded.
'And Mr. Albie?'
'Jensen and Elbaz until we board, ma'am, please,' Albie said, and Buck could tell he was just as ragged emotionally.
'Let me see your papers,' Buck said, picking up her suitcase while Albie grabbed the other bag.
'Let me carry something, gentlemen. You have no idea how I appreciate this.'
'Until we get on that plane, Ms. Toy,' Albie said, 'we're just following orders and ferrying an employee from one assignment to another.'
'I understand.'
'Once we're on board, we can make nice.'
Buck tossed her suitcase behind the backseat, then helped her aboard and pointed to a seat. As she buckled in, Albie slipped behind the controls. Buck sat next to him but did not strap himself in. He turned so his knees were between his chair and Albie's and grabbed a clipboard.
He faced the silent woman behind him. 'Ms. Toy,' he said, and he began to sob. 'We have to do a preflight checklist and get clearance for takeoff.' She squinted at him in much the same way he assumed she must deal with the prisoners at Buffer. She had to be wondering what in the world was wrong with this man. 'But once we are airborne,' he said between great gasps, 'we are going to tell you what a miracle you are and why we so badly needed you to be on this plane tonight.' He caught his breath and added, 'And we're going to tell you a story you won't believe.'
NINETEEN
David awoke every few hours, peeking at his clock. Finally, at 0600, he rolled out of bed, ran a hard five miles, ate, showered, and dressed. He was in his office by 0730.
'You change this appointment?' his assistant asked.
'Yeah, sorry, Tiff. A conflict?'
'No, just curious.'
David called 4054, just to make sure Chang was still there and planning to come at 0900. When David identified himself, Mrs. Wong said, 'Missah Wong not here right now. I have him call you back, OK?'
'Is Chang there?'
'No. Chang with father.'
