“He’s the kind of guy you want to believe in,” Jenny agreed. “And his background. All those things he’s done to improve his own country and now his plans to help out here and across the globe. If Nicolae Carpathia could get enough backing, maybe the Antichrist part would never happen.”
Megan shook her head. “I think you’ve got to believe everything the writer says in that end-times book. You can’t just pick the good from the bad.” She paused. “I told you I was going to talk to Major Augustus Trimble this morning, but I didn’t tell you why.” She took a deep breath. “These kids I’m responsible for are scared, Jenny. Just as scared as we are. And just as confused. They’ve got just as many questions. The problem is, nobody’s answering those questions. I told Trimble that I believed we were post-Rapture and into the Tribulation.”
“And he already knew that?”
“He basically told me I was crazy.”
“You’re kidding. And he’s the top chaplain at the post? How can that guy not see what’s going on?”
“He’s convinced that there’s a military reason for all the disappearances. I went there to ask him to get some of the chaplains to start teaching classes about the Tribulation to the kids. They need to know what’s going on. They need to know what to expect and what they’re going to have to do.”
“But the chaplains aren’t going to do that?”
“Trimble’s not going to ask them to.”
“You could ask them.”
Megan shook her head. “Without Trimble supporting it, I don’t think I’d get far. This is the military we’re talking about. Nobody wants to break rank and file, or buck the chain of command. Trimble’s negative answer pretty much covered anyone else.”
“So what do you want from me?”
“In addition to counseling,” Megan said, “I’m going to start teaching about the Tribulation. What I understand of it, anyway. I’m going to get copies of as many of those books as I can get my hands on, and I’m going to put them in the hands of the kids I know are natural leaders. Kids who will talk to the other kids and help them work through this. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to start doing the same thing with some of the kids here at the house. When you have time. If you think you can. I know it’s asking a lot.”
Jenny thought about it. “I’d be happy to do it, but I don’t know how good I’ll be.”
“If you’re good enough to start those kids asking questions and searching through those books, you’ll have done everything I could have hoped.”
“Not everyone we talk to is going to understand or even believe—”
“But if we can get a few kids talking, we can make this information spread,” Megan finished. “They’re looking for answers, Jenny. Maybe we can’t give them all of the answers, but we can at least point them in the right direction. They can help each other. And us.”
“Maybe, but you’ve got another problem.”
Megan raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Trimble’s not going to like you stepping onto his turf.”
Nodding, Megan said, “I thought about that, and I have to admit that made me hesitate. For all of two seconds. Jenny, that man is a jerk. He’s pompous and he’s arrogant, and he’s afraid of making a mistake. Maybe doing this will light a fire under him. He can decide if he wants to be part of the fire or stand there and get burned.”
United States 75th Army Rangers Temporary Post
Sanliurfa, Turkey
Local Time 0717 Hours
The two privates standing in front of the temporary command post in the basement of a government office building near the center of the city stepped forward and confronted Goose. They held their assault rifles at the ready.
“Privates,” Goose said, looking from one man to the other. They stood under an overhang and were protected from the continuing deluge that slapped into the street behind the first sergeant. He stood soaked to the skin from his brief trip across the street.
“I’m sorry, First Sergeant,” Private Malone said. “Captain Remington’s orders. No one in or out unless they’re cleared by security.”
“Including me?” Goose asked. He’d never been stopped at the door before.
“Yes, First Sergeant.”
Goose knew Remington was still ticked off about the whole Icarus snafu, because the captain hadn’t been in direct contact with him for hours. Remington had only checked in then to let Goose know he wasn’t pleased with the base-recovery speed or the fact that Corporal Baker’s church attendance was growing. Both were issues that Goose had little control over.
Shutting Goose out of ops was behavior Remington had exhibited before. This increased distance between them served as a silent reminder that they were officer and first sergeant now instead of equals and an official notice that Remington didn’t like having his authority questioned or negated in any fashion. If Remington discovered that Goose actually talked with Icarus, the first sergeant knew the captain would have him up on charges immediately. Goose refused to worry now because he knew that when Remington needed him, all would be forgiven. The only option at the moment was waiting it out.
Besides that, there wasn’t much Remington could plan or strategize that would surprise Goose. Most of Remington’s actions were dictated by the amount of damage the Syrians had caused during their latest attack. During the recovery briefing, Goose had organized most of the mission and tasking lists himself, only passing them through Remington’s office for the rubber-stamp treatment.
The few changes the captain had wanted had been cosmetic things, timing issues, or inconsequential items that served only to remind Goose who was in charge. Remington hadn’t wanted to deal with the day-to-day nuts and bolts of command. Goose knew the captain was striving to find some way to come out a winner. That was Remington’s nature, and that was what made him an excellent officer.
“Check the clearance,” Goose ordered. He turned from the
