Tyndale House - The Mark - The Beast Rules the World

"Yes, I know that!" Carpathia spat. "I just do not understand what it is going to take to prove to these people who is worthy of their devotion!" He swore again, and the others seemed to feel obligated to grumble loudly about the lunacy of the skeptics. "All right!" Carpathia said finally. "You think they will just snipe at us from the comfort of their hiding places."

"Correct."

"That is unfortunate. I was so hopeful of gloating in their faces. Any confirmation that they are harboring Rosenzweig?"

David held his breath through another pause.

"I admit we're stumped," Walter Moon said. "We traced a few leads from people who thought they saw him running, taking a taxi, that kind of a thing. We know for sure that stroke was phony."

"You can say that again," Nicolae said.

"Dang straight!" Hickman offered. "Sorry."

"He deceived me," Nicolae added. "I have to give him that."

"Urn, sir," Moon continued. "I, ah, am not second-guessing you, but…"

"Please, Walter."

"Well, you did pardon your attacker, maybe before you knew who he was."

Carpathia roared with laughter. "You do not think I knew who murdered me? I lift that limp arm of his to start the applause and a few seconds later I lurch away from the sound of a gun, he chops my feet from under me with that infernal chair, and the next thing I know I am in the lap of a madman. Well, I knew instantly what was happening, though I may never know why. But he was no frail old man. There was no stiff arm and no limp arm, no scrawny senior citizen. He rammed that blade into me, and I could hear him gutting my skull. The man was hard as a rock and strong."

"Ought to put out a worldwide all points bulletin and use all our resources to bring him in," Hickman said. "Got him on tape! Show it to the world!"

"In due time," Carpathia said, calmer now, and it sounded to David as if Nicolae had sat and joined them again. "I pardoned him, knowing that a world of loyal subjects would relish avenging me, should he ever show his face. Needless to say, we shall not prosecute a crime when that event occurs."

"Needless to say," Hickman parroted.

"And," Carpathia said, "where are we with the accomplice?"

"The nut with the gun?" Moon said. "We don't think he was Middle Eastern. Found his getup and the weapon. Matches the bullet. No prints. No leads. You're convinced they were working together?"

Carpathia sounded flabbergasted. "Convinced? I am not the law-enforcement expert here, but the timing of those two attacks was just a little too coincidental, would you not agree?"

"I would," Hickman said. "I worked that case and-"

"Proceed," Nicolae said.

"I figure they were hedgin' their bets. If one of 'em didn't get ya, the other one would. Guy with the gun could have been a diversion, but he's lucky he didn't kill anybody."

Akbar cleared his throat. "You're aware there's a connection between Ben-Judah and Rosenzweig?"

"Tell me," Nicolae said.

"Ben-Judah was once a student of Rosenzweig's."

"You don't say," Nicolae said, and it was the first time David had heard him use a contraction. "Hmm. Find Ben-Judah, and you find Rosenzweig."

"That's what I was thinkin'," Hickman said.

"I'm ready for your report, James."

"Me? Mine? You are? Oh, yes, sir. Um, everything's on track. Injector thingies, beheaders, er, um, jes' a minute. Viv, ah, Ms. Ivins gave me the correct terminology here, bear with me. Loyalty confirmation facilitators. Got those comin' or goin', depending. They're on their way here and there and wherever we need 'em. Not all of 'em, certainly. Some are being made as we speak, but we're on schedule. I found a nurse here that has experience shooting biochips into… into… well… dogs, I guess. But she's going to help train. And I've got a lead on your pig."

"My pig?"

"Oh! Not, I mean, if you don't need a pig, they'll just butcher it and use it here. But if you needed a pig, I'm pretty sure we've got a big one ordered."

"What would I want a pig for, James?"

"It's not that I heard… or knew… I mean… that you actually need a pig for anything, really. But if you ever did, just let me know, all right. You need one? For anything?"

"Who has been talking to you, Commander?"

"Um, what?"

"You heard me."

"Talking to me?"

Carpathia was suddenly shouting, cursing again. "Mr. Hickman, what is said in these meetings in my private office is sacred. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I would never-"

"Sacred! The security of the Global Community depends on the confidentiality and trustworthiness of the communications in here. You've heard the old expression, 'Loose lips sink ships'?"

"Yeah, I have. I know what you mean."

"Someone told you there was a discussion in this room about my need for a pig."

"Well, I'd rather not-"

"Oh, yes, you had rather, Mr. Hickman! Violating the sacred trust of the potentate of the Global Community is a capital offense, is it not, Mr. Moon?"

"Yes, sir, it is."

"So, James, the next thing out of your mouth had better be the guilty party, or you will pay the ultimate price for the transgression. I'm waiting."

David could hear Hickman whimpering.

"The name, Commander. If I hear that he is your friend or that you'd rather not say or anything other than who he is, you are a dead man."

Still Hickman struggled.

"You have ten seconds, sir."

Hickman took a labored breath and coughed.

"And now five."

"He's-he's-a-"

"Mr. Moon, are you prepared to take Mr. Hickman into custody for the purpose of exec-"

"Ramon Santiago!" Hickman blurted. "But I beg of you, sir, don't-"

"Mr. Moon."

"Please! No!"

David heard Moon on his cell phone. "Moon here. Listen, take Santiago into custody… Right, the one from Peacekeeping… right now… yes. Till I get there." '"You'll let me handle it personally, Walter?"

"As you wish."

"No! Please!"

"James, when it is announced tomorrow that a Peacekeeping deputy commander has been put to death, you at least will understand the gravity of the rules, won't you?"

David heard assent through Hickman's sobs. Apparently that wasn't good enough for Carpathia.

"Won't you, Supreme Commander?"

"Yes!"

"I thought so. And yes, I have need of a pig. A big, fat, juicy, huge-nostriled beast so overfed that it will be too lethargic to throw me, should I choose to ride it through the Via Dolorosa in the Holy City. Tell me, Hickman. Tell me about my pig."

"I haven't actually seen it yet," Hickman said miserably, "but-"

"But you understand my order."

"Yes." His voice was shaky.

"Big, fat, and ugly?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't hear you, James. Stinky? May I have him smelly?"

"Yeah."

"Whatever I want?"

"Yes!"

"Are you angry with me, my loyal servant?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, thank you for your honesty. Do you understand that I want an animal that could accommodate my fist in either nostril?"

David jumped at the knock on his door. Mac and Abdullah had arrived.

Buck felt his age and was embarrassed to disembark in Kozani, Greece, with a severe case of jet lag that didn't seem to bother the older Albie. And Albie, of course, had done all the flying.

"Use it to your advantage," Albie said.

"How so?"

"It should make you cranky."

"I'm pretty even."

"Well, quit that. You're just being polite. Your natural instinct, when you'd rather be in bed, is to be testy, short, irritable. Go with it. GC Peacekeepers are macho, in charge. They have an attitude."

"So I've noticed."

"Don't ask-don't apologize. You're a busy man, on assignment, with things to do."

"Got it."

"Do you?"

"I think so."

"That didn't sound so macho."