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The Perils of Love

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Contents

What's Gone On Before.........................xi1. Trapped in New Babylon.....................12. Rainer.....................................133. Attack.....................................274. Rainer's Sacrifice.........................375. Captured...................................496. Judd's New Mission.........................617. Zvi........................................738. The Blind See..............................859. The Meeting................................9710. The Island................................10911. Bad News in San Diego.....................12112. The Missing Mark..........................13313. Otto Weser................................14314. The World Watches.........................15515. Last Words................................16716. Holding Kenny.............................181About the Authors

Chapter One

Judd Thompson Jr. fell into a chair andgasped for breath. It felt like the air had beensucked out of his lungs. He couldn't believehe was trapped in New Babylon, the headquartersof the Global Community.

Judd spoke with Chang Wong for a fewmore minutes, and Chang said he would callwith any information that might help Juddand pilot Westin Jakes escape.

Then Judd joined the others gatheredaround several computers. Some monitoredcameras set up near their safe house, whileothers watched the latest from the GlobalCommunity News Network.

Rainer Kurtzmann, the German leader ofthis small group, took Judd aside. "I'm sorryyou're trapped. I feel responsible for notgetting you back to your plane last night."

Judd frowned. "It's not your fault. Westinand I made a bad choice."

"Whatever we can do to help, we will do."

A woman pointed to a tiny laptopcomputer. "Take a look at this."

Judd watched as a temperature gauge on theright side showed things were back to normal.The woman moved a remote camera slightlyto the left, and several people crawled out ofan underground bunker. Their skin was pale,and they looked like they hadn't eaten inweeks.

The woman zoomed in on a smilinggroup. A young man ran to a burned-out areaand lay down, scissor-kicking as if making asnow angel. The others with him laughed.

The mood inside the safe house wasn'tcheerful. They would no longer be able tomove around during the day. Westin grumbledabout his plane, wondering if the GCwould find it.

"We have to prepare for possible inspectionsby Peacekeepers," Rainer said."They'll be going from building to buildingsoon."

A live shot of Carpathia's palace showedopen windows and people streaming out ofthe building. Judd wondered if the GC wouldever estimate how many had died from theheat.

Leon Fortunato appeared at a press conference,and Judd was shocked at the way thereporters looked. The normal crowd of menand women covering international news wasdown to only a few people in ragged clothes.Even makeup couldn't hide their gaunt faces.

Fortunato was dressed in his usual gaudyclothing, but Judd could tell the past fewweeks had taken their toll. There were darkcircles under Leon's eyes, and his clothesseemed to sag.

"I'm pleased to say that your potentate willspeak just before noon today to give anupdate on the world situation," Fortunatosaid. "But I am happy to report that itappears this quirk of nature is over. We havereports from everywhere the sun is up thatthe heat is gone. Let us give thanks to thegiver of all good things, Nicolae Carpathia."

* * *

Vicki awoke with a gasp and sat up in bed.The rhythmic breathing of the others in thecabin calmed her, but something didn't feelright. She listened for any noise outside butheard nothing. The heat wave had done manythings to help believers, even zapping insects.Rivers and lakes had boiled for so long thatfrogs were nonexistent. Crickets, cicadas, andother bugs had either gone into hiding or hadbeen burned to a crisp. Vicki was glad shecould go out during the day because walkingat night was so quiet it was eerie.

Vicki had awakened at other times andsensed a need to pray for friends. Perhapsthis was such a time. Could someone be introuble? Judd?

She closed her eyes and lay back on thepillow, whispering a prayer. Vicki found itbetter to pray aloud because when sheprayed silently, she got distracted and sometimessimply fell asleep.

When Vicki had first become a believer,prayer had seemed like a duty. She tickedoff a list of things she needed God to do,made sure she confessed her sins, got inthe right amount of praise and worship,and went on with her life. But it had beensix years now, and her view of prayer hadchanged. Just like she looked forward totalking with Judd and spending time withhim, she looked forward to her times alonewith God. In fact, speaking with her heavenlyFather didn't feel stiff and formal-itfelt natural.

Vicki discovered what had been missingfrom her prayer life a few years earlier: listening.She had always thought that prayermeant saying things to God. Now sheremained silent for a few minutes, lettingGod bring back passages she had memorizedor bits of verses.

At first, she had been unsure of how toaddress God. Should she talk to Jesus,call out to God, Father, heavenly Father, orsay something else? She finally realizedthat God was more concerned with hersimply coming to him, but she had foundcalling him "Father" a comforting wayto begin.

"Father," Vicki prayed, "I don't know ifsomething is wrong or if I'm up because ofsomething I ate, but I want to listen now. Ipray for Judd and the plans he has for thewedding and where we'll live once I get toPetra. Keep him safe, Father...."

Vicki paused, suddenly thinking of averse Marshall had quoted a few daysbefore. The words she recalled were perfectpeace, but she couldn't think of the rest.She flipped on a flashlight and grabbed herBible from the floor. Shelly said somethingin her sleep and rolled over in the bed nextto Vicki's.

Vicki remembered the passage was fromIsaiah and turned to chapter 26, the oneMarshall had been speaking about. Shefound her answer in the third verse.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Is God telling me something? Vicki thought.Is something about to happen?

She continued reading the passage.

Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

He humbles the proud and brings the arrogant city to the dust.

Its walls come crashing down!

The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot.

But for those who are righteous, the path is not steep and rough. You are a God of justice, and you smooth out the road ahead of them.

Lord, we love to obey your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify your name.

All night long I search for you; earnestly I seek for God. For only when you come to judge the earth will people turn from wickedness and do what is right.

Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good. They keep doing wrong and take no notice of the Lord's majesty.

O Lord, they do not listen when you threaten. They do not see your upraised fist. Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Perhaps then they will be ashamed. Let your fire consume your enemies.

Lord, you will grant us peace, for all we have accomplished is really from you.

Vicki shook her head at the timelesswords. She couldn't wait to meet the writersof the Bible and hear what they had beengoing through when they penned words likethese. She smiled as she read the end of thetwelfth verse again: "... for all we have accomplishedis really from you."

Footsteps sounded on the path outside.Vicki switched off the flashlight and sat up inbed. The door creaked open, and Vicki'sheart pounded as she squinted to see whowas coming.

"Vicki?" Mark whispered. "You awake?"

"Yeah," Vicki said, leaning back on herpillow. She knew Mark had been on dutyin the main cabin keeping watch for thenight.

"Better come with me," Mark said.

Vicki was dressed in seconds and ran upthe path, catching up to Mark just before heentered the main cabin.

"What is it?" Vicki said.

"Phone call. Bad news."

* * *

Judd waited for Vicki to come to the phone,visualizing the cabins she would pass. Hecringed when she answered, sounding outof breath and worried.

"I'm sorry to call so late," Judd said."I wanted you to hear this from me insteadof something over GCNN."

"What's wrong?"

Judd told her the heat wave had lifted inNew Babylon and that it was expected to dothe same throughout the world. Vicki gaspedwhen Judd told her where he was.

"What are you going to do?" Vicki said.

"We're keeping a watch on the place untilsundown. Westin and I are hoping to make itback to the plane and head for Petra."

Vicki paused, and Judd thought she wascrying. Instead, Vicki shared a verse she hadjust looked up and told Judd to read it as well.

"You're not mad at me?" Judd said.

"I'm terrified the GC will find you and I'llsee you on some newscast. But we've beenthrough this before."

"I'll let you know as soon as anythingchanges," Judd said.

The two prayed and this time Vicki did cry.

When he hung up, he went to thecomputer and composed an e-mail, tellingVicki all the things he couldn't say over thephone. He marked the message "private" andsent it.

As promised, Nicolae Carpathia addressedthe world from the rooftop of the palace. Forsome reason God had spared the building.Judd noticed someone had set up fake plantsand trees behind Nicolae to make it look likethings were back to normal. A well-placedgroup of smiling GC workers stood behindhim, as if the deaths of millions around theworld meant nothing.

Nicolae beamed as he strutted toward themicrophone. His hair fluffed in the wind. "Aswe prepare to partake of our noonday mealhere in New Babylon, it is a festive atmosphere.We are all celebrating the end of thecurious heat wave that enveloped the planet,and we look forward to the days ahead wherewe expect peace to rain down on us like awaterfall.

"For those who are in time zones wherethe sun has not yet risen, rest assured that Ihave taken care of this problem, with thehelp of my scientists, who have been workingaround the clock."

"Right," Rainer said. "Nicolae has beenable to stop the heat wave with his injuredlittle mind."

"The heating of the earth has actuallycaused the waterways to heal themselves, butthere is more work to do," Carpathia said."Those who are without homes will see themconstructed in the quickest manner possible.

"In the past when we have faced hardships,we have pulled together as a GlobalCommunity, and that is what will happennow. Let us use this trouble to unite ourhearts and minds for one common goal ofpeace. And let the enemies of peace beware,for we are more committed than ever toreaching our goal."

With his eyes flashing, Nicolae spoke inseveral different languages, telling people ofthe world that he was in control and that hehad plans for the good of every person alive.

Hours later, Chang Wong phoned Juddand played part of a conversation Chang hadrecorded. "This is Nicolae behind closeddoors with all of his top people. They spentmost of the day just trying to settle people intheir offices, but once the directors werethere ... well, listen."

Judd heard Nicolae rub his hands togetheras he said, "For the first time in a long time,we play on an even field. The waterways arehealing themselves, and we have rebuildingto do in the infrastructure. Let us work atgetting all our loyal citizens back onto thesame page with us. Director Akbar and I havesome special surprises in store for dissidentson various levels. We are back in business,people. It is time to recoup our losses andstart delivering a few."

"What does that mean?" Judd said.

"I'm not sure, but I'd bet the GC knowssomething about what we've been doing thelast few weeks, moving supplies and people.They want to hurt us."

"Anything new from the Trib Force?" Juddsaid.

"Everybody's back in hiding. CaptainSteele says we have to pick our spots andstrategize for the new night schedule. Whichbrings me to my other news."

"What's that?"

"Westin's plane."

Judd took a breath. "You think it's safe forus to make a run for it after dark?"

"I wish I had better news. I tapped intoone of the local security channels a littleearlier. The GC spotted the plane and somehowpulled it near one of the burned-outhangars at the airfield."

"So we might have to fight them to get itback?"

"No. All the fighting in the world won'thelp. They planted a bomb on board thinkingit was a Judah-ite aircraft."

Judd clenched his teeth. "So we'll have todisarm-"

"Judd, listen-"

"No, Chang. If Westin and I can get to theplane tonight and get in the air, won't Godprotect us like he has protected all the otherplanes?"

"Judd, something went wrong with thedetonator. The bomb exploded. There is noplane left to fly."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Perils of Loveby Jerry B. Jenkins Tim LaHaye Copyright © 2004 by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Excerpted by permission.
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