The Unveiling, page 21
part #3 of Chaos Series
Was Brian falling out of love with her? Was he falling in love with…? Renate blinked the thought away. It was too gut-retching to think about.
Ever since her first encounter with Jacquelyn Swindell, when her jealousy had mushroomed to heights never before visited, it seemed her boyfriend—not fiancé—started distancing himself from her.
When Brian didn’t propose last night, her worst fears were confirmed. Renate burst out in tears in front of her family.
“Brian’s still not right,” Megan said, stroking her younger sister’s hair, knowing precisely what, who, rather, had brought her to tears again. “It will take time.”
Renate appreciated Megan’s concern for her well-being and all, but it didn’t help.
It still hurt. Bad.
42
IF THERE WAS ONE thing President Jefferson Danforth was grateful for this Christmas, it’s that his wife, Melissa, had made a complete recovery from her prescription pill overdose last Thanksgiving.
Other than that, everything else in his life was gloomy at best. With the First Lady out of danger for the time being, President Danforth had ample time to reflect on his sagging presidency.
Not that he wanted to think about it; with the election just eleven months away, he was all but forced to. He couldn’t help but wonder if he would win reelection next November. He seriously doubted it.
What a difference a month had made in his Presidency. Just last month, his approval ratings were impressively high, hovering in the mid-sixties. A second term seemed all but certain for him.
Then came the disappearances. Now it seemed he could do nothing right. Even after he restored air travel last month—which ultimately reunited millions of families—his approval numbers still dropped ten points the following day.
Most Americans believed, at least according to the media, that President Danforth was deceitful and untrustworthy, and that he should have included all other world leaders into his decision to restore air travel.
His approval numbers kept plummeting since that time, with no end in sight. Under normal circumstances, the President never thought he’d see the day when less than one-third of Americans would approve of the job he was doing for them. But these weren’t normal times.
Not surprisingly, his international approval numbers were even worse; in the low teens. He didn’t expect to see them rising anytime soon, if ever.
Jefferson Danforth had worked so hard and fought even harder to see his childhood dream of becoming President of the United States of America come to fruition. Save for his family, winning the White House was, by far, the single greatest accomplishment of his life.
In the three years he was President, he’d experienced so many highs and lows—too many to count! Much like his predecessors, he knew up front that the Presidency was one big roller coaster for all who held that prestigious office. But this was a whole new ballgame.
In this strange, new world that no one could have ever predicted, if he miraculously won reelection, would he even want four more years as President of the United States? If forced to answer that question now, his answer would be a resounding no.
Being America’s highest civil servant no longer seemed as intriguing, as powerful, to Jefferson Danforth, as it once had. And no one had to remind him just how difficult it was to maintain control of a society that neither trusted nor liked you.
Would there even be another Presidential election in the future? Or would Salvador Romanero and his one-world government ultimately appoint someone to oversee operations in America and report back to him?
Far-fetched as it sounded just last month, it couldn’t be ruled out now. Though only in his infancy stage, the young phenom seemingly had the entire world in the palm of his hands, including the full support of most world leaders. Thanks to him, democracy was all but dead in most circles.
Try as he might, the President still couldn’t comprehend how someone half his age could come out of nowhere, the way he did, and turn the entire political structure of each country completely upside down.
Romanero claimed to do everything in the name of diplomacy, but President Danforth knew he was preaching a false narrative at best.
Nevertheless, the young Spaniard possessed certain powers no one else on Earth had. Now he was predicting that children would inhabit the planet again? Perhaps he really could predict future events?
Was he really a savior of sorts? President Danforth did not know.
All he knew was if democratic freedom was lost in America, it would be lost everywhere else as well, and there would be no other place on Earth for freedom fighters to escape to.
In short: if the world became one global village, America would no longer be considered a sovereign nation by any standard.
President Danforth was all for working together to rebuild the many destroyed cities and villages of the world. That had always been the American Way. But a One World Government?
The very thought of it chilled him to the bone. Despite that the walls were pressing in all around him, the President remained firm in his commitment to never consider joining a global village of any kind.
As America’s highest civil servant, he would oppose it every step of the way. It was the least he could do to honor the memory of the many slain American soldiers who’d died for the very freedom Americans everywhere had enjoyed over the centuries. This was far more important to him than falling in line with the rest of the world and becoming one.
Jefferson Danforth sighed. He had this sinking feeling that the power he still had for now would keep eroding and that the American Way would soon become a thing of the past.
Unless, of course, Salvador Romanero could somehow be stopped.
But could he be stopped? President Danforth’s gut told him the answer was no.
President Danforth sighed. His gut told him the answer was no.
How could anyone project a spirit of optimism under such conditions?
I hope I’m wrong about that man…
43
JACQUELYN SWINDELL WAS AT her parents’ house in Irish Hills, Michigan. Per her mother’s constant pleading, she agreed to stay through the New Year.
Always Jacquelyn’s favorite time of the year, like many Americans, she would max-out her credit cards each year purchasing gifts for everyone she loved. It would always take the entire year to pay them off, only to repeat the process again next Christmas.
Her late husband, Tom, constantly chided her to cut back on her spending, but this was the one time of year when she had a good excuse to spoil everyone. To prove it, she had a closet full of gifts at home that were purchased before the disappearances. Half were for her unborn child.
Being a first-time mother, Jacquelyn simply couldn’t resist. Not knowing the child’s gender, she purchased clothing and toys suited for either a boy or a girl. They would never be opened.
But that’s not what tormented her the most right now. Totally convinced that last month’s bewildering event was the Rapture of Christ’s Church—because Tom was killed on that fateful day—Jacquelyn knew her late husband was in a place called Hades, awaiting God’s eternal judgment, just as Brian had explained to her upon returning from his trip to New York.
Jacquelyn didn’t need convincing that Tom wasn’t a believer. If anything, this was something he was quite proud of before he was killed.
Whenever her brother tried sharing the Gospel with him, Tom openly mocked Dennis saying there was no God. The last time it happened, Tom snapped at him, “When humans die, we simply cease to exist! Stop wasting your time trying to convince me otherwise!”
Jacquelyn was 100 percent convinced that Tom no longer thought that way. What really sent shivers up her spine was the realization that had she died that day she, too, would be in Hades with him awaiting her own eternal judgment.
Of course, that thought never crossed her mind when she barely survived the mayhem inside Michigan Stadium last month. She was too blinded to the Truth to give a passing thought as to where Tom’s spirit went, if anywhere. All she knew was that her husband was gone. Nothing more.
Now that she fully understood that Bible prophecy had come to pass, and the eternal consequences for all who perished that day, it wasn’t a cause for celebration.
What Jacquelyn couldn’t understand despite her best efforts was why God had spared her life, yet taken Tom’s? Did the Most High have a specific purpose in mind for her? Had He finally answered her brother and sister-in-law’s constant prayers for her soul all those years?
Jacquelyn didn’t know. But from what she was learning about death and Hades, it pained her deeply to think that the love of her life was presently detained in that frighteningly hideous place.
Worse, because his name wasn’t written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, there were no other options he could exercise. Like everyone else sent there, Tom was condemned, without any hope of a second chance. Soon, like all of hell’s occupants, he’d be forced to confess every sin he ever committed in the flesh, before a just and holy God—every last one of them!
Until that great and terrible Day arrived, his mind would recall the countless opportunities when the Truth was being spoken to him—whether by personal messenger, media or in print—that Jesus was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
Mostly he would recall how he willfully rejected it each time. Had he only trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior before his death, Tom would have eternal assurance now. But he didn’t.
Because of his constant rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only guarantee he, and everyone else in Hades had from this point forward, was eternal separation from the One who had knit them together in their mother’s wombs.
Before receiving their eternal sentences, the knee of each doomed sinner would bow, and every tongue would confess that Jesus was the King of kings and Lord of lords. After that, they would be thrown into the eternal lake of fire without a shred of mercy, or without the possibility of ever being released.
The very One Tom took great pleasure in mocking and bashing all his life really was his only chance at redemption after all. While the world appeared to be on the slight road to recovery, where Tom was, he would never recover.
He was very much alive and mindful of his dreadfully horrific predicament. He didn’t merely cease to function when death came to collect his soul, as Tom had always thought was true. Satan had totally deceived him into believing a tragic lie, and there was nothing he could do about it now.
Now that he’d crossed over to the spirit world, peace and security would elude him forever…
Jacquelyn wondered if Tom was thinking about her now. If what she read in the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke last night was true—the story of Lazarus and the rich man—chances were good Tom was thinking about her. It was a sobering thought to be sure…
Jacquelyn recalled how the rich man had everything he ever desired in life, only to die in his sins and be ushered into eternal torment—the very same place Tom now inhabited.
Lazarus, the poor man and true believer, was forgiven all his sins and comforted for all time. A great chasm separated the two men that no one could cross.
The rich man, fully aware that he was doomed for all eternity, pleaded with Abraham—the father of the Jews—to send an angel or prophet to his five brothers still alive on Earth to teach them the Truth. His request was denied.
In the flesh, the rich man lived a prosperous life, without the slightest regard for God or the needs of the less fortunate. No one would obey his orders ever again. He would be tormented for all eternity.
That very same chasm that separated Lazarus from the rich man would someday separate Jacquelyn from her late husband. She wondered if Tom was pleading with the Lord this very minute to send someone to straighten her out, so she wouldn’t end up there as well?
Whether he was or not, one thing was certain: What he always thought foolish and for the weak of mind was no longer a laughing matter.
Tom would never laugh again. He would do anything to come back to Planet Earth, even if only for five minutes, so he could receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but this was an impossibility.
What he always thought humorous, shallow, and for the weak-minded only, he now wanted more than anything else.
But it was too late for him. The only thing in Tom’s future was suffering the fullness of God’s wrath for all eternity, without mercy.
Jacquelyn burst into tears. The joy she felt at church last night was gone, cruelly replaced with unshakable grief. She couldn’t plea bargain with God to give Tom another chance. He was doomed.
It sounded mean, she knew, but by having her name written into the Lamb’s Book of Life, it meant Jacquelyn would never see her late husband again. Which meant she needed to do her best to forget about him and his tragic fate.
Yes, she needed to find a way to accept things for what they were and do her best to move on. What she really needed was for someone to console her. But her parents weren’t believers and, therefore, couldn’t fully comprehend what she felt inside. Why can’t Brian be here to comfort me...
Just then the phone rang. Jacquelyn was never more relieved to see it was Brian. Always there for me when I need him the most!
“Thank You, Lord,” she uttered skyward, answering the phone.
44
BEGINNING OF JANUARY
“FOR YEARS, THE BATTLE cry of civilization was that we needed a group, an organization of committed individuals who would stop at nothing until true, everlasting peace was ultimately realized in our vastly changing world. Regrettably, the United Nations and NATO have been unsuccessful in accomplishing this monumental task time and again.”
UN Secretary-General, Li Ping was in the middle of addressing the general assembly of the United Nations. He spoke in broken English, backed with a heavy Mandarin Chinese accent.
Behind him and off to the right were NATO Secretary-General Jurgen Staat and Salvador Romanero. Much like last year’s meeting in Brussels, Belgium, levies and embargoes were lifted so leaders from each country could be in New York City for this history-making day.
A handful of world leaders had already spoken, including NATO Secretary-General, Jurgen Staat. The one thing in which they were all agreed was that they were desperate for solutions!
Ping continued: “Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting wasn’t called to lament the UN’s or NATO’s,” he paused a moment to search his memory for the right words, “how should I say it, our past track records. All of us are aware of our collective successes and failures over the years. There’s no need to dwell upon them any further.
“We are here today because the general consensus among us is that the UN, NATO, or any other peace keeping organization, for that matter, can no longer be called upon to fix the many problems we face in this new world we’ve recently inherited.
“While it’s true we’ve had the proper technology in place for many years, I’m embarrassed to admit that what we’ve always lacked was the proper leadership...” Ping’s voice trailed off.
“Instead of wasting trillions of dollars more trying to turn our respective organizations around, I feel it’s time to pool our resources and form a new global alliance, one that will unite all peoples into one thriving global village.
“The time to see our long-denied dreams of worldwide peace come true, without the constant threat of war endangering our lives, is now!” he shouted. “If we are to rebuild, we will need a strong leader who is capable of uniting us all into an enlightened, peaceful, body of citizens.”
Li Ping took a deep breath, obviously anticipating what he would say next. “As the current leader of the United Nations, I humbly admit that I am not that man. You have already heard NATO Secretary-General Staat make the same confession. However, all hope is not lost…”
Ping looked over his right shoulder and nodded at Salvador Romanero, “I am grateful to say that there is someone in our presence who can and will lead us into a bright and prosperous future…”
Normally UN members waited patiently and politely until a speaker finished addressing them before applauding, but not now. The general assembly was filled with thunderous applause.
After they settled down, Ping continued: “I do not need to remind anyone here of Salvador Romanero’s many great accomplishments to date. They have all been well documented.”
Heads nodded thoughtfully throughout the room.
President Jefferson Danforth and First Lady Melissa Danforth were seated in the front row. Among those asked to speak, the President respectfully declined. He was visibly uncomfortable and for good reason.
Ping continued, “A man of Salvador Romanero’s caliber comes once in a lifetime. He has certain superhuman powers no one else has. We mustn’t ignore this obvious truth,” he said, gripping the lectern. “Instead, let’s embrace that we are the generation chosen to finally witness true greatness at work in our lives.
“Regardless of what name is affixed to the building housing this new global conglomerate, or where it is ultimately constructed, it will be my great honor and duty as a citizen of Planet Earth to fully submit to Salvador’s authority in all ways!
“Only he can pull us out of the morass into which we’ve recently sunk and keep us from slipping into another dark hole! It is with great pleasure that I present to you the future leader of the world, Mister Salvador Romanero!”
