DAYS OF THE MESSIAH: PHARAOH

And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord.

Isaiah

Meir became aware that they were being followed as they drove farther away from Houston and the traffic on the highway became sporadic. The car following them kept its distance, but he recognized the car. Meir was not sure what to do about the situation, but since he did not see any immediate threat he kept driving.

Kerry was settling down psychologically from what had happened at her apartment but was feeling overwhelmed as she thought about the things that the rabbi had said. If what he had said was really true, then she was becoming involved in very serious matters of international politics that she did not really understand. If the minister was into activities designed to change the government in Egypt and cause war in the Middle East, then it seemed that the sensible thing to do would be to make these allegations public and let the government investigate them.

She thought that it was odd that identifying the name of the leader of the secret movement in Egypt was the rabbi’s main concern. Now that she was able to take the time and think about these things, she was not sure how sound the rabbi’s explanations were. His words of spiritual warfare just did not make much sense. She wanted to discuss these things with Meir and David, but she felt apprehensive at expressing her doubts about what they were doing.

“What about you guys? How did you get involved in this?” she asked, breaking the silence.

David glanced at Meir, who seemed to be concentrating on driving, so he answered, “We are both from Israel, originally.”

“I guessed that from the accent.”

“I don’t have much of an accent,” Meir protested with humor. “My parents were Americans. They moved to Israel after their marriage. But you are right; I might have a little accent,” he conceded.

“And you?” Kerry asked David.

“You mean my parents? They were from Morocco; I was two years old when they moved to Israel in 1950. I did not learn English until I was about fifteen years old.”

“So how did you end up in Houston?”

“I grew up in a town called Ashdood. We first were put up in camps by Tel Aviv, because of the large numbers of immigrants who came to Israel at that time. Jews from all the Arab countries were trying to make it to Israel. Later we were sent to Ashdood, a small town on the Mediterranean Sea. After high school, I entered the army. It was there that I met Meir. After basic training, we volunteered for paratroopers. When the Six Days’ War broke, we fought together in the battle for the liberation of Jerusalem. We enrolled in an officers’ course and planned on making the army a career. I did but Meir did not. At the end of the three-year service, he decided not to continue. He came back with an answer,” David said with a chuckle.

“He did what?”

“I became religious,” Meir said, shaking his head at David. “hazarti betshova, it is a special Hebrew term for a secular Jew who becomes religious. He’s called a returnee. It happened after the war. When the fighting ended, there was a big celebration at the Western Wall; thousands and thousands of people came to pray. The Arabs had controlled that area since 1948, and the majority of the people had never been there. It was a tremendous experience, and something happened inside me. After my discharge, I had the time to reflect on my feelings. From there it was a short step to conversion.”

“Was that a big change?” Kerry said, and both men smiled.

“Sure it was,” Meir said.

“At the beginning it was even very hard for me,” David interjected. “We became very close friends in the service, and then all of a sudden he began turning into an Orthodox Jew, not just religious. Honestly, secular Jews in Israel do not think much of Orthodox Jews. At that time, the Orthodox Jews were very aloof from the Israeli establishment; they still don’t serve in the army, and some of them are even anti-Zionists. That’s what the rabbi was trying to explain to you. So when I first saw Meir in his black clothes, it was so funny that I just laughed. Needless to say he was really insulted and upset. I thought he was playing a joke or that it was a costume for Purim, which is the holiday when we dress up, something like Halloween in the US. When he explained it to me I remember feeling very sad; I almost cried. I felt that I was losing him.”

“I stayed with the army until 1994 and then went into business. I needed a change. I went through a divorce a year before that, and my three children weren’t babies any more. Last year I decided to come to America for a long visit. I came to New York first, and for the first three months I thought I was going to die from the cold. Me and Meir had kept in touch for all these years, so when spring came I moved to Boston, and we got to spend some time together.”

Kerry leaned forward, and resting her arms on David’s seat, she asked him, “You never did become religious?”

“In a way I did,” David shifted his body so he could look at her. “As I mentioned, my family came from Morocco; we had different traditions than the Jews who came from European countries. We were what you would call conservatives. We kept the Sabbath and ate kosher, things like that. I didn’t do much of that after joining the army, but when I moved to Boston I felt a need to turn back to those traditions. I don’t keep it a hundred percent, but it is something that I respect and try to do.”

“Well, here comes the end of the long story,” Meir said with a smile. “It was last October when the rebbe called me into his office. He gave me the information that he’d received about the Organization. The rebbe is a very wise and spiritual man. I am sure you will see that when you meet him. The whole thing seemed unreal and foreign, even crazy. But the rebbe was very serious, as if he had expected it or somehow knew that it would happen. I don’t mean the whole story of the return of the Christians’ Messiah. No, he wasn’t concerned with that. It was something about Egypt that… Meir paused, looking for the right word. “Frightened, no, it excited him,” Meir nodded his head. “He knew of my service in the army. The rebbe told me that it was very important to find a way to identify the name of the leader of the Egyptian movement.”

“When Meir came to me and asked for my help, I had to promise to do only what the rebbe wished,” David said. “They expected that I would feel obliged to share this information with Israel. When he told me what it was all about, I could not believe it. I met with the rebbe, and we discussed the different options together. My life experiences have taught me to respect leaders like the rebbe—individuals who are responsible for the well-being of a community.

“We talked for a while, but I was the one who did most of the talking. I opened my heart to the rebbe and told him everything he wanted, but I didn’t learn much about him. I think this is a sign of a true leader. I found him a very honest man, spiritual and inspiring. I felt that I could trust him. After some thinking and planning, we decided to focus our attention on the minister. We borrowed the van and converted it into a modern surveillance facility. I had my share of knowledge from the army, and it was not hard to find the equipment we needed. I tell you this is a crazy country; the things that you can get easily here, it’s amazing.”

Meir continued where David stopped, “The rebbe arranged for us to work with Rabbi Solomon, which provided us with local support and a kind of a command center for our operation. David broke into the ministry’s building and the minister’s house to plant the bugs. There wasn’t much information at the beginning. Some important stuff came when the minister traveled to Egypt, but the name of the Egyptian leader or even his movement was never mentioned. It seems that either the minister was very cautious in his activities or that he was not really involved in the details. Either way, we became a little discouraged. We had no major leads until Monday, when one of the Egyptian men called the minister. He asked the minister to have someone visit with the professor. It was a very vague request, and I think the minister didn’t exactly know what they wanted him to do. I don’t know why he decided to ask you to do the interview. When you told the minister about your meeting with the professor, he called the Egyptian up and told him what you had said. The man told him that he was coming to Houston the next day to talk to the professor. We didn’t know what to think of all this, but we decided to follow up on it.”

“I am really hopeful that we have something now that might give us the information we need,” David said. “If what you…”

Meir interrupted, “Speaking of the Egyptians, I think that they are in the car right behind us.” He was watching the car behind them as it came closer.

“Are you sure?” David looked back through the rear window.

“I didn’t see their faces, but we are being followed.”

“As long they are just following us, we are fine. It won’t be hard to lose them when we want to. Just let me know if they come any closer.”

“What do you think the rebbe would want from me?” Kerry asked after a short moment of silence.

“I’m not sure the rebbe wanted us to intervene on your behalf, but we made that decision anyway,” David spoke a little hesitantly. “I think he will be interested in what the professor gave you. What is it exactly that these two Egyptians are after?”

Meir interrupted before she could answer, “I don’t want you to get the impression that the rebbe didn’t care about your life. It’s just that he has a strong belief in letting things happen as they are supposed to. Some people have knowledge that others don’t, and they can affect the development of events in the cosmos. It is a knowledge that contains grave responsibilities. For every action there are set consequences, and when you don’t know what these are, you’re hesitant to intervene in the natural process.”

“It does not make much sense to me,” David said, shaking his head. “If you think about it. How would you really know when you are interfering and when you are doing what you are supposed to do?”

“That’s for men like the rebbe to know,” Meir countered somewhat defensively. “We aren’t talking about ordinary events here. There are times when things are appointed to happen in a certain way; that’s what the rebbe is concerned with. You can’t try to understand it logically. I could try to rationalize it for you. But essentially it’s a specific spiritual perspective; either you believe it or you don’t.”

“I don’t think I believe that everything happens according to a predefined plan,” Kerry said, breaking the continuation of their arguments.

“I understand that for you as a Christian, much of Jewish belief is not valid. You believe that the Messiah has come, while we are still waiting for him. We keep the Law of Moses and you don’t. These differences are only partial. Some might say that in the end, we are worshipping the same God, and I say I’m not sure. What you call your God is as important as how you know Him and how you stand in relationship to Him. You are probably not bothered by a concept like the idea of the Trinity, because that’s what you have known all your life and what you grew up with. Now that we present you with a new idea, you are compelled to look at it skeptically, and I don’t mean anything by saying that; it is just natural to be skeptical, as if I had told you that we believe in UFOs.”

“It seems to me that in every religion, you eventually would come to a point where you have to make a decision to embrace or reject faith,” Kerry said. “Even if you respect other religions, you will only believe in your own.”

“I think this is true in many other things as well,” David turned sideways in his seat. “As a secular person, you still build your life outlook on a similar basis. Do I believe that women and men are equal or not? Should I join a conservative or a liberal party? These decisions are taken on faith. They aren’t cut in stone. They aren’t right or wrong. It is what you prefer to believe.”

Meir cried, “What are they up to now?” His eyes were moving from one mirror to another.

“What?” David asked.

“I don’t know; it seems that they might have turned their lights off or something.” He was puzzled. “The car was there, and now suddenly it’s gone. I didn’t see any turns in the road.”

“Maybe they are trying to get closer to us. Drive faster. I doubt they will feel safe enough to go eighty miles an hour without lights on.”

Meir pushed on the gas, and the car accelerated. “Hold on,” he mumbled quietly. The night was dark and cloudy, and visibility was low. At times Meir would drive in the middle of the highway, over the white lane. He drove this way for about ten minutes; then he slowed down. By then he had passed a number of turns in the road and could not see any cars coming behind them. “Let’s see what they’ll do now.”

“That reminds me,” said David. “What was it that these guys were after?”

“I looked through the folder that the professor gave me, and there were a number of things. There were some black-and-white pictures of what looks like an archeological site. They show all kinds of digs and dirt piles. Some of them showed real ancient Egyptian craft. But I think that what the two men were after is a papyrus that has some hieroglyphic writing on it. It’s very colorful.”

“Any idea what it says?”

“No, the Egyptians didn’t say either. And there was a letter as well, but I didn’t read it.”

“From the professor.”

“I don’t know; it is in an envelope, but it was not addressed.”

“I think we should read it, but with those guys behind us, I wouldn’t want to turn the inside light on. Let me see if we have a flashlight in here.” David opened the glove compartment.

“It just makes me mad to think that those guys killed the professor, and we’re not calling the police,” Kerry said bitterly, as her thoughts drifted toward the professor.

David stopped looking for the flashlight, turned sideways so he could see her, and said, “I’m sorry; I really understand how you feel. I was very tempted to kill them myself, but it was not the wise thing to do. There is no way we are going to testify against them.”

“I’m sure they will get their punishment one way or another,” Meir tried to console her.

“It’s just not right.”

The men did not respond. David went back to probing for a flashlight. “I found one. Let’s see what this letter says.” He handed Kerry a pencil-thin flashlight. She took it and turned it on, then opened her suitcase and took the letter out. She read, “Sheik Suliman building, Al Zamalik, Cairo, Egypt.” Kerry stopped and said, “I guess this is an address.” She turned the page over and looked at the end of the other side, “It’s signed Ian Dreeve.”

“Do you know who he is?” Meir asked.

“No,” Kerry shook her head and continued reading.

“Dear Karl, I trust that his letter reaches you in good time and you are in good health. I am sending this letter from Cairo with an American acquaintance who is departing shortly. I am resorting to this as a last effort to protect our work. As you can see from the pictures, we have made some progress since you left, but recently it has been hard to accomplish anything around here. Some days the workers just sit around kicking sand because of one reason or another. The man from the ministry even pretends that he does not understand what I am saying. I will not bore you any further with these details. Today we have found a most unique room. It was early in the morning. We all went mad, it was so exhilarating. The man from the ministry tried to stop the work, saying that he had to get someone from the museum. We had a bloody blowup, and he left in anger to fetch who knows what. The assistant and I went into the chamber. Sorry I didn’t have time to send some pictures. It was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. The Egyptian chap at this point began whining that we must wait for the museum’s representative, but I was worried that if I didn’t act immediately, I would never see these findings. I told him to go and call the museum. When he left I looked around, and I found a brilliant wooden box that had a roll of papyri. As I tried to read through it to get some idea of what it was, I could not believe my eyes. I am sending you the first part of it. I am sure you will find it astounding. The other part, which I am keeping, discussed the Temple of the Heart, with directions to its location. I made a decision to take the papyri, because I could not let those ignorants toy around with me any more. I never trusted them before, and I sure won’t trust them with something as important as this. I will leave shortly, and I think I have a good chance of finding it. I will contact you soon, hopefully with good news. Best of luck. Faithfully, Ian Dreeve.”

Kerry was puzzled. There was nothing in the letter that seemed to relate even remotely with their quest.

“Does this make any sense to anyone?” David asked.

“I am not sure what this has to do with the Organization or the movement in Egypt,” Meir answered with some disappointment.

“It seems that the professor and this Dreeve guy have had some problems with the Egyptians, but what connection would that have with what you are after?” she wondered out loud.

“Whatever it is, it is important enough for them to kill the professor and to try to kill you, and who knows what’s happened to Dreeve?” Meir said. “I just hope that this is really important for the Organization and their Egyptian friends; otherwise we are back to square one.” He echoed Kerry’s doubts.

“I don’t want to think of the possibility that those two Egyptians are not members of the movement. It can’t be that they are just some diplomats trying to get this thing back to Egypt,” David said.

The implication of their pessimistic evaluation disturbed Kerry. “Even if the papyrus has nothing to do with the politics of Egypt,” Kerry said, trying to offer a positive spin, “these men and their association with the minister is suspicious. We’ll just need to find someone to read this Egyptian stuff and tell us what it says.”

“Yes, we should do that, but what else can we learn from this letter?”

Before anyone could answer, Meir shouted, “Here they come again!”

Kerry looked back, but she could not see anything in the dark; then as Meir accelerated, she was able to distinguish the figure of a car following them with its lights off. The figure moved closer and became more discernible.

Kerry, remembering her experience with them not too long ago, said with alarm, “They are catching up with us.”

“Yes,” Meir glanced at David. “What you think they’re up to?” The speedometer needle was passing the eighty-mile-per-hour mark. The other car moved into the left lane. “They’re nuts; they’re going to get themselves killed.” By now the other car was moving by their side. Meir was getting nervous. “What are they doing now?” he yelled anxiously, concentrating his eyes on the road.

“Relax, Meir, they are just trying to get to you. Just keep your eyes on the road.”

“Do you think they have guns?” Kerry asked.

“If they are the Egyptians, they might not,” David answered. He sounded concerned but still in control. “We left their guns in the van. We had better tell Rabbi Solomon to get rid of them.” He looked past Meir at the other car and said, “I can’t see if they are holding a gun, but they are matching your speed now.”

“This is making me too nervous. What should I do?”

“I’ve got an idea,” David said with a smile. “Do you see the turn coming up? When we hit the middle of it, turn off your lights and hit the brakes. Let us see how good their night vision is.”

The two cars kept going side by side. The turn was coming on fast at eighty miles per hour. When they were in the middle of the turn, Meir depressed the brakes and turned the car lights off. In front of them, they saw the brake lights of the other car come on as it moved violently from one lane to another. They heard a loud screech, and as they passed the other car, it was halfway into the median, almost horizontal to the road. Then its lights came on. Meir turned on his lights and pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor.

“That must have given them a scare,” David laughed as he looked back at the motionless car, then continued, “I think we should lose them before they try something stupid. Try pulling off at the next exit. If they follow us, I’ll shoot their tires.” David took his gun out and put it on his lap.

Meir drove the car as fast as it could go. At the next exit, Meir slowed the car down, and when they came by the exit ramp, he turned off the lights and pulled off the highway. He drove the car up the ramp until he came to the road and pulled onto the side of it. They turned around and watched the highway. No one followed behind them. A number of cars passed the exit, but they could not tell if their pursuer’s car was one of them.

David broke the silence, “I guess we just wait here for a few more minutes, then continue. They will probably think that we drove fast and will try to catch up with us. We’ll take it easy. We are in no hurry.”

They waited silently in the car. The clock on the dashboard showed five after nine. When it was nine twenty, Meir turned the lights back on and made a U-turn onto the middle of the road and drove back to the highway. He kept his speed down to sixty. They kept on without seeing the other car. Kerry felt relieved. She sat back in the car seat and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, and she was feeling tired. She wondered what would happen next. Would she have to move away from Houston? Surprisingly, the idea did not bother her. Meir’s words came to her mind, about how events are supposed to develop according to some universal scheme. She did not like that idea.

“Meir, what do you do for living?” she asked him.

Meir looked at her in the rearview mirror and said, “I thought you were asleep.”

“I must have fallen asleep for a while; I feel tired.”

“I teach at a Hebrew school in Boston. I teach Jewish Studies and Hebrew language.”

“Do you like your job?”

“Yes, it’s very rewarding. It’s an Orthodox school.”

“What about your family?”

“I have four kids, three daughters and a son.”

“You have a good life.”

“I guess so. Yes. I have a great life.”

“Your coming here away from them and risking your life, that’s very brave of you.”

Meir felt a little embarrassed by her compliment. “It was something that needed to be done; I sure miss them a lot. Honestly, I am content that things have turned out this way. I’ll be back with my family soon, and I’ll wait and see what the rebbe would like me to do next.”

“Will your job be there when you go back?”

“Yeah, the school is owned by the same community. It will be there.”

“I’m glad to hear that. How are we doing?”

“It won’t be long until we get to Dallas. I talked with David while you were asleep, and we thought that we should find a hotel near the airport and stay overnight there. Then we’ll leave for Boston tomorrow.”

“That’s fine with me, whatever you feel is appropriate.”

“We appreciate your cooperation. I hope you realize that you don’t really have to do this. You could fly away to some friends or family.”

She did not know if he really meant that or was just trying to make her feel that she had a choice. “No, I feel that I’m involved in this now, and I just can’t turn away. I’ll wait until we talk to the rebbe and hear his suggestions. I’ll help if I can.”

“I am glad you feel that way. I’m not sure if you are aware of this, but we are a kind of closed community. We don’t have much business with other people, and your being a woman, it will be strange for some people.”

“Does that bother you, my being a woman?”

Meir hesitated for a moment. Even if it did, it was not a major concern. “No, no, I didn’t mean that, but I was thinking about when we show up at the yeshiva to meet with the rebbe. It will be interesting.” He chuckled, trying to hide his own discomfort.

David was quiet, and neither one of them could think of more things to say. Soon they both were caught up in their own thoughts, and silence filled the car once again.

They found a Holiday Inn by the airport, checked in, and spent the night there. David called American Airlines and reserved seats on a flight to Boston for eleven o’clock in the morning.

The minister was getting ready to sleep when Sorenson called.

“Minister! Kamal just called.”

“Where is he?”

“At a gas station some one hundred fifty miles north. They followed the woman and the two men, but they lost them.”

“Great!” the minister blurted.

“They’re going back to Washington to consult with Cairo. I told them that we’re going to Boston, and we’ll keep them informed.”

“We have our own problems now.”

“We’re working on the building. I’ll send some men to your house later. Do you need anything?”

“No, see you in the morning,” the minister hung up. He tried to go to sleep, but he did not sleep well. The events of the day kept him awake for most of the night.

At five thirty in the morning, the minister left the hotel for the airport. Sorenson was waiting for him by the airplane. All was ready for the flight to Boston. Sorenson told the minister that he and his men had spent four hours cleaning up the ministry building. They had found seven devices in the phone system, the minister’s office, the reception area, and the conference room. The minister’s private airplane was clean, but the phone line in the house was bugged, too. Consequently, new security arrangements were instituted at the ministry building, and a guard was stationed at the house. Sorenson had been up all night, and the minister noticed that the lack of sleep was showing on him. As soon as the airplane took off, he ordered Sorenson to get some sleep.

Sorenson grew up in a small town in Idaho and joined the army after high school. Later he became a Green Beret officer, serving for over ten years. He toured in Vietnam and received a number of citations and commendations for his services. After the war, he resigned from the army and moved to Washington DC to work as an independent consultant on military and anticommunist policies for conservative think tanks and right-wing organizations. In 1974 he became disillusioned with the politics of Washington and moved to Idaho, where he bought a ranch. Soon he became popular in the area. His war experience and ultraconservative views won him wide popularity with Idaho’s small-town farmers. In the late seventies, an Idaho congressman introduced him to the minister when the minister was thinking of running for governor of Texas.

Minister Jim Rauly was born in rural Oklahoma to a family of farmers during the depression of the 1930s. His father, a Baptist, and his mother, a Lutheran, were a hardworking couple who ingrained in their children a strong work ethic from early childhood. The minister would wake up at four o’clock in the morning, a habit that he kept for years after leaving home, to milk the cows and do odd jobs. He thought of going to college but fell in love and got married the summer he graduated from high school and stayed on the farm. He and his father built a two-room extension onto the house for him and his wife. When his two brothers graduated from high school and started working full time on the farm as well, he decided that it was time to move on. For a while, he served as assistant to the minister at the local Baptist church and decided to become a minister himself. In 1958 he attended the Southern Baptist Seminary. Three years later, he joined a ministry in Dallas. Rauly stayed there for five years, serving as minister for the last two years. He soon became restless with his position, and due to some doctrinal disagreements, he decided to move to Houston and start his own ministry.

By then he was experienced in human psychology and was able to capitalize on the turmoil of the sixties by offering strong leadership to his followers. The minister joined the Republican Party and within a few years became a prominent spokesman for the conservative right. After the Six Days’ War, Minister Rauly became very interested in the Middle East, and after a trip to Israel in 1970 became a strong supporter of Israel, leading the way among Christian Fundamentalists. During the seventies, his ministry experienced tremendous growth, and he expanded his message into TV and radio. Soon his ministry moved into highly visible and politically controversial activities in the US and abroad, generating more popularity and fellowship.

It was in the seventies that he directed his attention toward a political career. For years he had been very active politically, exerting a sizable influence on the Republican political scene in Texas and in neighboring states. Now he was more interested in running for a public office himself. Feeling that his achievements in the ministry had reached a peak, he was looking for new challenges.

It was at that point that he and Sorenson became acquainted. For Sorenson it was like finding the leader that he had been looking for all of his life. The minister was committed, charismatic, and very focused. Sorenson’s single-mindedness and deep ideological beliefs intrigued the minister. He soon was able to make of Sorenson a spiritual convert and to command his total loyalty. Sorenson became his right hand for contacts outside the domain of the ministry, as they initiated a number of activities to test the waters for his bid for the governorship.

Their plans changed dramatically during the second half of 1977, when the minister’s wife was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer and died within four months. This experience shocked the minister severely, both emotionally and spiritually. It was unexpected and, from the minister’s point of view, unjustified. Within weeks he became incapable of normal functions and wavered on the verge of a mental breakdown. This was very uncharacteristic of the minister so it was kept under tight secrecy, orchestrated by Sorenson. While the minister’s aids took care of the daily functions of the ministry, Sorenson moved the minister to his ranch in Idaho. There, secluded and protected from the outside world, Sorenson began rebuilding the minister’s faith and self-confidence.

The experience turned out to be a tremendous spiritual one for the minister, a time of regeneration and rebirth, a period of deep questioning of his beliefs and values, and a search for new assurances and foundations. The experience did not cause a change in the minister’s attitudes toward secular issues, however, thanks to Sorenson’s influence. Through all the bouts of questioning and doubts that the minister went through, Sorenson stood by, offering him an anchor of clear answers and focused thoughts.

The minister’s creative spiritual change came from within. His focus shifted from the concrete to the mystical, from this world to the contemplation of the end of days. The vision of the millennium became the focal point. He put a concentrated effort on searching the Bible, especially Revelations and the Messianic and apocalyptic prophecies in the Old Testament for signs of the Last Days. What emerged from his reading was a new perspective through which he reinterpreted the world.

By the time the minister had recovered his mental sharpness and spiritual leadership, the ministry was almost in total disarray. His aids and assistants had dragged the ministry into internal strife and conflict that threatened to destroy in weeks what the minister had built over the years.

When the minister reemerged, he brought a new spirit with him. It was what the minister called the “millennium spirit”. A new direction and accent on spiritual rebirth focused on the concept of the Second Coming of Christ. This spiritual rebirth demanded a temporal change as well. Control over the ministry’s internal structure that had been weakened by the power struggle among the minister’s aides was turned over to Sorenson, who soon rebuilt it. It was a brutal reorganization. Almost all the minister’s former aides were fired or made to leave. Sorenson had the minister’s total trust to do as he liked.

With the newfound spirit and structure, the ministry experienced its greatest growth. A new building for the ministry was built, furnished with a full studio, and the Millennium Hour program took to the air. It was an instant success. The minister preached the end of the world, and people loved it. Donations and contributions poured in.

It was at this time that the idea for the clandestine Organization was seeded in private discussions between the minister and Sorenson. The minister provided the ideological basis, a vision of bringing about the Second Coming as soon as possible. Sorenson, with his extended experience of political life in Washington, drew the strategic blueprint for establishing the necessary power base. The popularity of the Millennium Hour program brought to the ministry thousands of new members every month. These members’ names, professions, and interests were entered into a sophisticated database. From it, Sorenson began to recruit members for mini-organizations or “clubs” within the ministry. It was his way to identify individuals with strong ideological commitments who held positions of power or influence that he could use. These organizations were very effective during elections. They were involved in campaigning for candidates with close ties to the ministry, thus expanding the minister’s power base.

With the success of these mini-organizations, Sorenson turned to identifying more influential persons who eventually became the board of directors for the Organization itself. These members held powerful positions in a variety of fields: economics, media, government, politics, and academia. Sorenson and his men carefully screened each candidate. The “invitation” to join the Organization was then extended slowly while they were under constant watch and evaluation.

For the first years of the Organization’s existence, a confrontation with the Soviet Union was seen as the main strategic plan. This was advanced on a number of levels, the most important one being the Afghanistan War. The triumph of the Islamic revolution in Iran in the late seventies was an inspiration for the emergence of a number of radical Moslem movements that swept over the Middle East. With the ideological inspiration and the financial assistance from Tehran, there was a renaissance of Islamic spirit in many Middle Eastern countries that for decades had been dominated by Socialist and Communist regimes. From Tunisia and Algeria, through Egypt, the West Bank, and Lebanon, to Syria and Turkey, the fire of Islam was reignited. The Islamic movement was successful in Afghanistan because of its proximity to Iran and Pakistan. Its fragmented social structure and geography helped establish a strong anti-Communist movement.

Fearing that militant Islamic ideologies would spread into their own Islamic republics, the leaders of the Kremlin became actively involved in the civil strife in Afghanistan. The deployment of Red Army troops there was the best thing that happened to the Moslems. The United States became heavily involved in arming and training the different Moslem factions. The once-terrorists from Tehran were transformed into the freedom fighters of Kabul. For the minister and his associates this was a unique opportunity to widen the conflict and speed the confrontation between West and East. They gave all their ideological and political backing to the assistance and support of the Afghan rebels in the hope that they would be able to escalate the situation. They were waiting for something to commence the beginning of the end. As the assassination of the Austrian archduke Francis Ferdinand by a Serbian Nationalist in Sarajevo ignited World War I, they looked for events that would escalate the regional conflicts into Armageddon. In a disappointing turn, the Afghan War remained a contained one, between mountain-dwelling guerrillas and garrison-protected armies. It was an annoying and tiring war for the Red Army but never any real danger to the Soviet Empire

The Afghan War experience opened the Organization’s eyes to the power of Islam and its explosive potential. The relentless ideological hate and denouncement of Israel that came from Iran’s leaders drew the minister’s attention to Iran as a major player on the road to Armageddon. Iran took a prominent role in the Middle East by actively supporting the Moslem Shiites in South Lebanon against the Israeli occupation, which included the kidnapping of Western hostages. The Organization realized that Iran, which had been deeply wounded by a brutal war against Iraq, was in need of Western weapons. The strengthening and the support of Iran’s military became the second arena for the Organization’s activities. The results were another disappointment, and the Irangate scandal terminated any possibility of successful assistance to Iran.

The Afghanistan and Iran undertakings, though limited in their effectiveness, provided the minister with an in-depth experience of international and Middle Eastern politics. The biggest disappointment was yet to come. The 1988 elections, ushering in a new administration, were the catalyst for a reevaluation of the Organization’s strategies. It was an opportunity to define new visions, and to implant them deep into the new administration’s consciousness.

“It’s the time for new wine in new bottles,” the minister explained to Sorenson and a number of the Organization’s directors as they gathered at Sorenson’s ranch for their annual meeting. It was four months before the 1988 election. The writing was already on the wall; the Republican control of the White House was to continue, but a change of the guards was inevitable. It was the time to draw the right plans, sketch focused ideas, and put effective men in the right positions. The minister could taste the millennium. The Soviet Empire was being tossed around like a drifting ship with the ideas of Perestroika and Glasnost. It signaled the beginning of the end.

For the minister, Assyria held the key to the end of the world. All prophecies and visions contained in the Bible were read in the light of a newfound understanding. Assyria, or today’s Iraq, was ready to take on its awesome role. A man who was as ruthless and bloodthirsty as its ancient kings was ruling it. It was massing the largest army in the Middle East, fully equipped with the best arms oil can buy and with tremendous tactical experiences after the years of war with Iran. Iraq became the focus for the Organization. All necessary support and assistance were directed to help develop its army. The Organization put great effort into helping Iraq finance its purchase and development of arms. Then came the downfall. Unexpectedly, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The Organization’s members scrambled to contain the damage. This was not the move they wanted from Iraq. But as weeks passed it became apparent that all they had worked for was coming to an end. It was a devastating failure. For months the Organization kept things low key. Many of its members were under the threat of investigation for their support of Iraq, and much of their influence was now directed toward protecting themselves. To add insult to injury, the US and Russia sponsored a peace process that brought Israel and its enemies to a historical meeting in Madrid, Spain.

When the minister and his associates met for their annual meeting, the serene and isolated hills of Idaho were cold and depressing. Even though the ministry was gaining support and membership continually, the minister felt that his efforts were falling short. The Organization needed a new plan and direction in its effort to bring about the Second Coming. Minister Rauly took the Organization’s setbacks personally and was in desperate need of a renewal.

A member of the Organization suggested that they fly in Joel Frandies to discuss Middle Eastern politics. Joel had recently retired from the State Department after serving for fifteen years in the Middle East. His last position was as consul in the American Embassy in Cairo. He eagerly accepted their invitation. He did not know about the Organization, but he had some idea about what the individuals involved stood for.

From the beginning, it was clear that he was a man fascinated with Egypt. He had seen what Egypt had to offer, and he was of the opinion that the best was yet to come. Joel told the minister and his associates about a very-little-known movement in Egypt called El Fara’nah, a movement that he predicted would take over the government of Egypt. He came to know about the movement through a close Egyptian friend who approached him weeks before he left the service, asking him to act as an advisor for the movement in the US. Joel told the minister and his associates that he had the impression that the movement’s influence was spreading quietly but steadily in the shadows, while the Egyptian government contended with the opposition parties over sterile legalities and battled with Moslem militants over the control of Cairo’s streets.

“The future for Egypt is in its past,” argued Joel. “Only a strict and charismatic leadership, equivalent to ancient Egyptian dictatorship, can guide Egypt out of its decay in the morass of poverty, overpopulation, and social disintegration. I spoke with newly graduated engineers who could only earn their livelihood as busboys in the casinos of Giza, haunted daily by the sight of the ancient edifices of their forefathers, leaving them wondering what they would leave behind for posterity. I visited with farmers whose land is ever shrinking, unable to provide for a population that is ever increasing, who mourn for the loss of the once legendary fertility of the Nile basin. Amidst this despair, the spirit, creativity, and intellect of Egypt are in constant struggle to resurrect a dying body. Egyptians are very proud of their heritage and the glory of their ancestry. One day, I believe, there will be a resurrection; out of the ashes the new Egypt will rise again. Egypt holds the keys to the Middle East, and the key to Egypt holds one man, a man named Fajer.”

Joel had many things to say about Fajer. “His name in Arabic means ‘dawn,’ and it is not a coincidence. He represents the dawn of Egypt that is about to shine. He is a very charismatic leader whose presence demands respect. I’ve never seen an individual so esteemed and revered by his acquaintances. I believe this is the man who will change the history of the Middle East.” The vision that Joel painted for his audience of the Sphinx of Egypt rising into a new golden age inspired a slightly different vision in the minister’s mind.

The next day, holding a Bible in his hands, the minister explained to his associates why Egypt was the key to opening the seals of the Last Days. Egypt in its weakness, as Joel had described, resembled a vassal state more than an empire. If Egypt were to change, then the whole Middle East would change with it. The peace process between the Arabs and Israel would not survive for one day without Egyptian support. If the man whom Joel spoke of was truly the one to lead Egypt out of its obscurity and into its historical enmity to Israel, then it was the Organization’s duty to help him.

From the hills of Idaho a voice was heard. “Prepare ye the paths of the Lord,” cried the minister. He had his vision, and now it was left to Sorenson and the experts to develop the formal strategy. A month later, a plan was prepared and was approved by the directors. The minister left for Egypt. There was a Pharaoh in the making, and the minister wanted to meet him and offer the Organization’s assistance.

The minister was jolted out of his recollections as the plane landed at Logan Airport. The torrential rain slammed at the window as the minister looked out into a dark and bleak morning. It seemed a reflection of the minister’s state of mind. From the airplane they hurried into the black Buick Park Avenue waiting for them. The driver was Renee Dovier, a member of the Boston City Council and a successful businesswoman. She was one of Sorenson’s carefully picked recruits.

Ms. Dovier smiled excitedly as she looked at the minister through the rearview mirror. She was very pleased to be his guide in Boston. During the last elections he had had her as a guest on his Millennium Hour broadcast, endorsing her and asking for donations to her campaign. The results had been overwhelming. From that point on she had no difficulties in running the most expensive campaign in Boston’s history.

“The mayor is up for reelection in two years,” she said as she drove out of the airport.

“Isn’t it time for Boston to boot the old Democrat out?” Sorenson asked rhetorically.

“If the right person runs against him, I’m sure he can be beaten. Right, Minister?” The minister was not paying attention. His mind was focused on more immediate matters. Still, he was able to catch the hint.

“It seems to me that Boston made the right decision when they sent you to city hall. I’m sure they’ll make the right decision again,” he said, trying to sound interested.

“Thank you, Minister,” the councilwoman said with a big smile, trying to look him in the eyes, “but the concern isn’t the people of Boston. I trust they’ll make the right decision. It’s those whom I have to deal with first that might be the problem.”

“The minister is on private business today. He won’t be staying long,” Sorenson said, dampening her enthusiasm.

She exhaled with an “oh” sound, obviously disappointed.

“But I am sure that the minister would like to come back in the near future and call on the party leaders,” Sorenson continued as he looked back toward the minister. “If you don’t mind, you could set up some meetings for the minister to discuss the future elections.”

That was exactly what she wanted to hear; the smile returned to her face, and very cheerfully she said, “I would be delighted.”

“I’ll be in touch with you as soon we get back to Houston and have a look at the minister’s schedule for next month.”

The minister was quiet. As usual, Sorenson was taking care of what needed to be done. The minister’s thoughts had wondered to James Appleseed, one of the leading industrialists in the state of Massachusetts. They became acquainted through one of the directors, Congressmen Kearle. Appleseed was important to the Organization on the merits of his business activities in a number of Arab countries, primarily Iraq and Saudi Arabia. His most significant influence came from his control of a worldwide contracting company specializing in the construction of seaport-based oil-loading facilities. In 1987 his company World Oil Contractors had won a bid to rebuild the war-torn port at Basra in southern Iraq. At the same time, it was working on enlarging the largest Saudi port on the Red Sea. Once he was able to gain a foothold in these countries, Appleseed used his connections to promote his other business ventures in urban development, oil production, and the export and import of industrial material. Appleseed’s presence in Iraq was critical for strengthening the American-Iraqi relationship and developing an insider link between the Organization and the Iraqi government.

The problem that the minister had with Appleseed was the latter’s lack of spiritual commitment to the Organization’s goals. He was fully supportive of its goals from a tactical standpoint only. For him Israel was a bane—an obstacle in the development of his business. He felt that Israel’s supporters in the States were very arrogant in their political agenda, and that their activities were detrimental to the economic development of the United States in the long run. In consequence, he was open to any activity that would tame the aggressiveness of the pro-Israeli lobby. The minister’s mistrust of Appleseed’s ideological commitment hindered the development of harmony and close relationship between the two, resulting in limited contacts between them. The liaison between the Organization and Appleseed was left to Congressmen Kearle.

The minister wanted Appleseed to play a major role in the Organization’s effort to support the El Fara’nah movement in Egypt. After the minister’s first visit to Egypt, during which he initiated ties with the El Fara’nah and its leader Fajer Al Shihab, the Organization began to build a base support in the US for the movement and to share sensitive political information on the ties between the two governments. Plans for spreading the influence and growth of the movement were drawn in cooperation. Soon it became apparent that large sums of money were needed by the movement to strengthen its popular support network.

It was then that the Organization turned to Appleseed. They wanted him to establish a headquarters for his Middle East operations in Egypt and to invest significantly in Egyptian projects, where movement sympathizers would be guaranteed employment and easy access to resources. Appleseed refused to give any support. His business had suffered heavily during the Gulf crisis, and he was in no position to make major investments. On a personal level, he became dissatisfied with his relationship with the Organization after the Gulf War and kept only minimal contact with it.

The car pulled up to the entrance of the private hospital, where Appleseed was staying. He had first been hospitalized about six months earlier for a mild heart attack, which he would have recovered from completely if it hadn’t been for a complication from a liver condition that he had had for a number of years. Since then, he had been regularly in and out of the hospital. The chance of recovery was very slim. The doctors were considering a liver transplant, but his heart condition made the chances of survival minimal.

The councilwoman waited in the lobby while the minister and Sorenson took the elevator to Appleseed’s room. Before the men could enter the room, a nurse requested that they limit their visit to no more than ten minutes. The room’s door was open. The minister knocked lightly and entered, followed by Sorenson, who closed the door behind him. It was a large room, with a heart-monitoring device and some other electronic equipment standing unplugged by the bed. He was sitting on a rocking chair by the window, his feet resting on a small coffee table covered with magazines. Across the room a large TV set sat silently on its high metal shelf.

“Good morning, Lou, how are you keeping?” the minister said with his usual smile and cheerful voice.

“Minister Rauly! Come in, what a surprise.”

“Good morning, sir,” Sorenson greeted him softly.

“I am glad to see you up and out of bed and off these machines.” The minister took Appleseed’s hand and shook it warmly. Then, twisting up his face, he continued, “These things sure scare me.”

“I don’t like ’em either, but sometimes I feel so weak that they put me on, afraid I’ll slip away without their watching,” he smiled and laughed a short laugh.

“Oh, I’m sure that you’ll be out in no time. You sure look good.”

“Thank you.” There was a short pause, and then he asked, “What brings you to Boston, Minister?”

The minister pulled a chair next to Appleseed and sat down. He looked at him with concern and said, “Well, we haven’t talked for a while now, and I understand Congressman Kearle has been quite busy in Washington. The last time I talked to him, he was very concerned about your health. I’ll have to call him and let him know how healthy you look.” The minister lifted his head toward the window. The skies were cloudy, and the rain was coming harder. He thought for a moment then continued, “Since the heart attack, I figured that you’d need all the rest you could get, so we didn’t bother you with our business. However, there have been some developments lately that warranted this visit.”

“I’m doing a lot better right now, as you can see, but it’s hard to know from one day to the next. Sometimes it gets really rough, and I feel like dying. To be honest with you, Minister, since the heart attack, I haven’t been giving much thought to many things.”

“I do understand. In times like this, one turns to family and friends and to putting his business in order. These are the important things,” the minister empathized.

“True,” a shadow of sadness passed over Appleseed’s face, and his voice became softer and weaker as he reflected on his state. “I had bad health before, but this is the first time that I felt so close to the end. When you’re young and strong, your body takes setbacks in stride, but it sure had its share of beating.” He looked at the minister, “I don’t know how much longer it can last.”

“You shouldn’t burden yourself with doubt now.”

“I’ve had my moments of self-reflection. But I’m a man at peace, Minister.” His voice sounded stronger and devoid of the depressed tone that it had before. “I was not much of a religious man; not that I did not believe in God. I just never felt the need for the daily routines of a religion. I never had the time for it.”

This was not what the minister was trying to get to, but he could not hold himself and said, “There is always time to come back.”

“I don’t think that would be right, Minister.” Appleseed paused for a moment; he looked at his pale fingers gathered in his lap and then continued, “When my time comes, and I have to defend my life, I do not think I want to base my defense on something that I only did at the end of it, and only because I got scared. I think I lived a good life and did some good. I took what life gave to me. I took my share.”

“No doubt you have done much good in your life, Lou,” the minister said gently. He put his hand on Appleseed’s arm and squeezed it affectionately. “The Organization will be ever grateful for your assistance and cooperation. It’s just we need to know that you are still with us.” He paused for a moment to think of the right words, “That we can trust you.”

“I have given up on the business. I haven’t been able to handle it. My daughters are trying their best to take care of things, but I know that it’s in the hands of the board of directors and company CEOs. I don’t mind really. I enjoyed it while I had it; there’s not much that I can do for you these days, Minister.”

“Business and deals are things that come and go. It’s the individual that we care about. You came in a time when we needed you, and you were very generous with both your time and business. But, and correct me if I am wrong, you didn’t seem to give us yourself. You see, for me, work is not of things and accomplishments, it’s of people who believe and dream.”

“I never was a dreamer, Minister. I gave what I could, the best I could. Today I’m afraid I don’t have anything more to give.”

“We trusted you with very sensitive information. That’s something that stays with you to the end.” The minister felt that it was time to confront him directly. His voice grew stronger, and he looked at Appleseed in the eyes and said, “It is in times like these that one tends to doubt and feel a need to talk with others, to seek assurance. Have we lost your trust?”

Appleseed shifted his body; his head dropped down away from the minister. He felt uncomfortable and weak. “I don’t know what you mean. I am feeling tired. I think you should leave,” he said almost in a whisper.

“You have nothing to fear, sir,” Sorenson said. “We just need to make sure that whoever you have talked to understands that the Organization’s business is very private.”

The minister followed by saying, “Personally, I see it as sacred.”

“Fear! Look at me; what would I be afraid of?” He spoke with strength and defiance, as if their words had given him his second wind. “I never understood your twisted minds,” Appleseed spoke as if talking to himself. “I had a perfectly legitimate reason. I wanted to do my business without any moralizing from venal politicians and religious fanatics.” He looked up at the minister, shook his head, and shouted as loudly as he could, “Now you can show yourself out!” and pointed toward the door.

The minister looked at him for a short moment, surprised by his outburst. They never had a good relationship, and he was doubtful that he could talk him into cooperating. He walked silently out of the room and closed the door, leaving Sorenson with Appleseed.

Sorenson moved closer toward Appleseed, bent over, and looked at him from only inches away. “Shall we test how much strength is left in your heart?” His voice was very cold. Appleseed’s eyes opened wide and a wave of heat rushed all over his body. He tried to reach for the nurse’s button, but Sorenson held his arm, and before Appleseed could think of shouting, Sorenson’s other arm was on his throat.

“I can understand that so close to the end, you wouldn’t care what I do to you. We already know that you have talked, and believe me, we know how to get to your friend. The only problem is that that’ll take some time. By then, things might be out of hand, and your friend would be in real jeopardy. So if you want to save him, give me a name.”

Appleseed was gasping for air, and drops of sweat were forming on his forehead. He felt pain in his chest. He knew that he could not hold on to life much longer. They must have some information that led them to him. “Reverend James Donalson,” he tried to whisper. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Sorenson lightened his grip a little. “Reverend James Donalson,” Appleseed repeated, in a barely audible gasp.

“Thank you,” Sorenson said, and for a brief moment he tightened his grasp, but then he let go. Appleseed slumped in his chair, gasping for air. He began coughing violently and groped for the nurse’s button. Sorenson looked at him in disgust, reached for the button, pushed it a couple of times, then walked out of the room. The minister was waiting outside, and he could hear Appleseed coughing. He gave Sorenson a questioning look, and Sorenson nodded. The minister smiled.

A nurse came running down the hall, and as they passed by her, the minister put his arm around Sorenson’s shoulder. He knew that he could always depend on him. He did not ask any questions; these were details that he never cared to know. Usually he was not in the vicinity when these events took place; it was not important to know and obviously safer to remain distant.

When they came down to the lobby, the minister had a relaxed smile on his face. It was almost ten o’clock, and he decided to go for brunch. The councilwoman was delighted for the additional time to spend with them, especially now that the minister had showed more interest in her political career and reaffirmed Sorenson’s suggestions for arranging a visit to drum up support for her mayoral campaign. When they finished their meal, the councilwoman took them back to the airport, where the jet was serviced and ready to leave.

The minister and Sorenson met together in private aboard the airplane. The minister wanted to give Sorenson his evaluation of the situation and what needed to be done. For the minister it was vital to identify the person who had divulged the Organization’s existence and strategy. He was quite relieved to know that it was Appleseed, an outsider who did not have a close association with the other members of the Organization. The minister was comforted and somewhat puzzled that not much damage had happened as a result of Appleseed’s treason. If the information had reached the political or judicial systems, then the Organization, with its insider connections in Washington, would have known of it. The lack of this knowledge indicated that the spread of the information was very restricted. What the minister needed to know now, was to whom the reverend had spoken and why, and how all that was connected with the rabbi and the other two men. He was not particularly concerned about Kerry and what the professor had given her. Whatever significance the artifact had, it had nothing to do with his organization. All things considered, there was no reason to panic. He needed Sorenson to have a talk with the reverend to find out who was behind the surveillance operation. He had to find a way to protect the Organization’s privacy. If he were able to retrieve what the Egyptians were after in the process, that would be commendable. If not, then let the Egyptians worry about it. The priority was to protect the Organization. Sorenson had a free hand to do whatever was necessary. Following their discussion, the minister flew back to Houston, leaving Sorenson in Boston.

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