CHAPTER 7
The door swung open; Gloria entered. “Hello, general.” The door clicked shut behind her; she approached General Agnon with an expression of trepidation. “I’m afraid I have some more bad news to report.”
“Yes?” The general stood ramrod-straight.
Gloria glanced down at the clipboard nestled at her chest. “The spy I told you of has just called me on my cell phone. He informed me that the Arab army that captured your son intends to turn him over to the Russians for interrogation.” She paused. “They mean to force him to tell them where your forces are holed up and where your weak spots are, so they can exploit that.”
The general swallowed hard, as he exchanged a troubled glance with Tess. “Then—then what?”
Gloria bit her lower lip. “Then they intend to kill him.”
“No, they will not!” Amos exploded. “They are not going to torture and murder my son! I am going after him, and I am going to bring him and Rafael home.” He squared his shoulders as he spoke.
Tess nodded. “And we will help you,” she promised. She put a hand on his arm. “Don’t give up, General Agnon—God is with you. Your son has his own spiritual armor that will protect him. You need that armor, too.”
“And how is that armor going to protect my son from torture?” the general roared. “He needs an angel to do that!”
Tess chuckled. “Don’t worry, general—he’s got one! An angel is with your son even as I speak.”
“An angel? Who?” Amos’s eyes widened, as a realization slammed into his brain. “Rafael!” he gasped. “Rafael is an angel?!”
Clasping her hands together, Tess chuckled. “You’re a perceptive man, General Agnon. Yes, Rafael is an angel, and God sent him to be with your son and to encourage him. Angels cannot die, so you need have no fears for his safety. He will stay with Theodor for as long as your son needs him. We will tell you more later, but first, we must get ready.”
Gloria nodded agreement. “Turn it over to Jehovah,” she said softly. “He will handle it for you.” She fingered her glasses as she spoke.
The general bit his lower lip and gazed at the ceiling’s cracked plaster for a long moment. At last, he acquiesced. “I will try.” He folded his arms across his chest.
The door swung open; Monica came in, clasping her own clipboard. “I came as soon as I heard,” she told Amos. “I’m so sorry about your son.” The door clicked shut behind her.
“Thank you.” A grim smile spread across his face. “I’m glad you’re here, Monica, because I am going to need your help.” He dropped his hands to his sides and stood ramrod-straight.
“I know.” Monica smiled. “I will go on ahead of you to the prison camp, to make preparations on your behalf. Andrew is going to cover for you here until you return.”
“Thank you.” General Agnon looked at his wall clock. “Well, come on, everyone—let’s get started!”
The angels left his office. “Aren’t you going to tell him the rest?” Gloria asked Tess in a low voice. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her shoes clicked on the stone floor.
Tess shook her head. “He’s not ready to hear it yet,” she said. “When the Father gives the word, we will do so. His heart is still closed to the idea of Jesus being the Messiah. It will have to be softened by what is coming up, first.” Gloria nodded.
Monica smiled. “Adam has been doing a wonderful job of spying for us.” Adam was an angel of death, a colleague of Andrew’s.
Tess chuckled. “Yes, he has, Angel Girl, and the intelligence he’s gotten us is going to help us rescue Theodor.”
In his office, General Agnon made a couple of phone calls, then grabbed his jacket from the coat rack. He knew he had no choice. If he was ever to see his son alive again, he had to take some possibly great risks to rescue the young man. All he could do, now, was turn it over to Jehovah and trust in His protection and provision for them both.
“If I hadn’t forced him to be drafted, he wouldn’t be in this danger now,” he muttered, rushing out the door. “It’s my fault he’s in this trouble, and with God’s help, I’m going to get him out of it!”
END OF CHAPTER 7