CHAPTER 5
Gloria rose to her feet, sadness in her eyes. Pushing her chair back, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Don’t give up,” she urged David. “God is at work in this, even though you can’t see it yet.”
“Gloria’s right.” Monica appeared on the other side of the desk, a Heavenly glow pouring over her. “God has his hand on Jacob Barak, and He is quite capable of softening your cousin’s heart and changing his mind. You’ve done what God told you to do, David. Now go home and pray for Jacob.”
David sighed. “All right. I will. And Gloria—” He paused. “Uh, Gloria, I’m glad you’re his receptionist. Perhaps, with you here, Jacob will eventually come around.” Gloria touched his arm and smiled.
After he left, Gloria trudged toward the wall and pressed her nose against the paneling. “Please, Father, help him,” she begged. “Please get through to Jacob before it’s too late!”
“Amen,” Monica softly prayed.
“He will, angel babies.”
Gloria and Monica whirled to find Tess and Andrew gathered around the desk. Tess smiled at the newest angel. “As you and Monica told David, God is at work in this,” she reminded Gloria.
“That’s right.” Andrew leaned against the desk. His face looked serious. “God has a Plan B in motion even as we speak, and a Plan C to follow should Plan B fail.” Tess nodded agreement.
“That’s right.” Sam joined them. “And a Plan D, as well. This assignment is so important and so critical that God is pulling out all the stops. It’s vitally important that Jacob Barak see the light, so he will do his part to get the people to safety. The Father is even sending in the Special Forces to help out, including myself.”
“Yes.” Tess nodded. “And even now, on my instructions, a friend is getting ready to pay a visit to David—a visit that will help set Plan B in motion.”
Gloria approached her, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “And if this fails, then God will set up Plan C?”
“Yes.” Tess looked from one to another. “But we’re running out of time now. If Jacob does not listen to the Father very soon, many lives will be needlessly lost. We must listen carefully to the Father and do whatever He assigns us to do—when He tells us to do it.”
Andrew bit his lower lip. “Yes. I don’t want to help take Home the majority of the Jerusalem residents—not now. But if we’re not successful, I will be forced to.”
Sam inclined his head. “Tess and Andrew are right.” He glanced toward the door. “And now, I must go.”
Gloria reached toward him. “Sam, couldn’t you speak with Jacob?”
Sam chuckled and shook his head. “No, Gloria—God hasn’t assigned me to do that. That is your assignment, and that of the other caseworkers. My job will come later." His eyebrows furrowed; a stern expression etched his face. "But whether I will be able to do my job when it comes depends heavily on how successful you are.” He looked from one angel to another, then vanished. Tess, Monica, and Andrew did the same.
Meanwhile, David spent the drive home praying out loud. He begged God to get through to Jacob; he asked Jehovah to help him with his own tumultuous emotions.
“God, please send someone whom Jacob will listen to,” he prayed, as he into his driveway. To his amazement, he found Richard sitting on the porch steps. As soon as he stepped out of the car, the frigid air made him shiver.
“Hello, David.” Richard rose to his feet. He glanced up and down the street. “Uh—could we talk inside?”
"Sure.” As Richard picked up a small crate next to him, David unlocked his door and led the way in. The sun hovered just over the row of houses behind him; its golden glow caused the metal frame of his screen door to gleam.
At his invitation, Richard reclined on the end of the couch, then set the crate on the coffee table with a loud thud. David crossed the room to switch on the heater; its warmth immediately permeated the room. He then took his seat at the other end of the couch; the mattress sagged beneath him as he half-turned his body to face his friend. After Richard rubbed his hair, front to back, he cleared his throat. He looked very serious.
“David, this very day, I have bought some gold from a local Israeli. One Tess told me about when she was here last time. Cash has been nonexistent for the past few years. Even our debit cards will be useless very soon, as you know, so I want to be sure we have a ready supply of gold to trade with under the table.” David nodded. He could only agree.
Richard glanced at the wooden crate. “I’ve brought some of it in this crate, for you. Ben’s already got a disguise, thankfully, but he’s going to need more than one if he’s to remain free till we leave.”
“Yes.” David bit his lower lip. “If he gets too well known, even in his disguise, it won’t take the authorities long to figure out who he is. That’s why he couldn’t visit Jacob at the Knesset.”
“No, it won’t, and he couldn’t,” Richard agreed. “If we can get him to Petra, he’ll be safe till Jesus comes back, but we’ve got to keep him hidden through the next few days.”
David nodded agreement. Shadows had started to fill the living room, he noticed; he reached sideways to switch on a table lamp. Its soft glow illuminated the area in front of the couch. He fixed his eyes on the crate for a few minutes.
“Leave the gold with me, and I’ll purchase a new disguise for Ben.” Pressing his fingertips under the rim of the cover, he pried the lid open. Gold coins lay in a pile, gleaming in the lamplight. “Thanks, Richard.”
“You’re welcome.” Richard smiled wryly. “Actually, I can’t take the credit for this, not really. Tess paid me a visit just before I left. She suggested that Ben would need a new disguise, and gave me this idea for getting it for him.”
David chuckled. "I trust you had no difficulty finding this man."
Richard shook his head. He exhaled slowly. "Actually, I did, David. I took a wrong turn, trying to avoid the earthquake rubble, and found myself hopelessly lost. I would have wandered forever, trying to get my bearings, if it hadn't been for Private Miki." He paused. "He pulled up next to me in his jeep. Told me he'd lead me to my destination, and he did."
David nodded. "Miki is a good man. I can see it in his eyes."
"Yes." Richard leaned back, folding his hands in his lap. “Monica tells me you went to see the prime minister today. How did it go?”
“Not well. Not well, at all.” David grimaced. “Did she also tell you that he’s my cousin?”
“No!” Richard gaped at him. “You never told me, either!”
David snorted. “Well, he is. He lived with Ben's family after the death of his parents as a toddler, so he came with the rest of us to Israel when we fled Yugoslavia. But we haven’t spoken in years, so we may as well not even be cousins. We had a terrible quarrel a long time ago, Jacob and I.”
David stared at an oil painting on the opposite wall. “I wouldn’t have gone to see him today if Monica hadn’t made it plain that God wanted me to. It seems Jehovah wants him to evacuate all the Jerusalem residents when Puccini commits the abomination of desolation. But Jacob won’t even consider it—furthermore, he threw me out.” He clenched both hands into balls. “He’s convinced that Puccini is no threat.”
Richard shook his head, pursing his lower lip. “That’s terrible, David. I am so sorry.” He paused. “What about Ben?”
David shrugged. “He’s never had a quarrel with Ben, as far as I know.”
Richard leaned forward, the soft, leather-bound mattress sagging beneath his weight. “Why don’t you send Ben to see him, then?” Richard suggested. “Since Ben is his cousin, I’m sure Jacob won’t have him arrested. Maybe he’ll have better success than you had, in persuading Barak. Once you get him that new disguise, it should be safer for him to enter the Knesset than it was before.”
“Hmm.” David put a finger to chin, pondering that idea. At last, he nodded. “I’ll do that. Thanks for the suggestion, Richard.” He smiled. “Did Tess suggest that, Richard?”
Chuckling, Richard nodded. “Yes, she did.”
David laughed. “That Tess thinks of everything!” With a grin, Richard agreed.
The two men rose to their feet. David slapped Richard on the shoulder. “Uh, Richard, I just want you to know that you and your family are welcome to stay with me until it’s time to evacuate. Ryan and his family, too.”
Richard smiled. “Thanks for the offer, David. However, I don’t feel there’s going to be time to take you up on it. I’m going to be away from Jerusalem much of the day tomorrow, and I really don’t want my family leaving the hotel in my absence. I’m pretty sure Ryan feels the same way. And we’ve got to be ready to leave the city at a moment’s notice.” He touched his friend’s arm. “Thanks, anyway, though.”
David nodded. “Well, I’ve got some errands to run, so I’ve got to go now. I’ll keep you informed.”
“All right. We’ll be praying, my wife and Rachel and I.” Richard left, the door clicking shut behind him.
A few minutes later, David sped down the road toward a shop he sometimes patronized, the crate of gold resting on the passenger side of the front seat. He had already learned that its owner would accept gold instead of a debit card with no questions asked, if the price was right. He did not want to use his debit card this time, lest it become part of a trail that would lead to the arrest and conviction of his cousin—and possibly himself. He could be arrested, as well, for aiding and abetting a criminal. He took several detours to avoid the areas that had been hit by the earthquake.
He bought a black tweed suit, a black, broad-brimmed Jewish hat, a gray wig, and a matching beard from the owner, and paid for it with several gold coins. He added a gray overcoat and some matching winter accessories to the pile. He’ll look just like an Orthodox Jew when he puts these on! he thought, amused. Upon leaving the shop, he headed directly to the hotel where Ben was currently staying. On the third floor, Ben let him into his hotel room.
“I can’t stay long, Ben. I’ve gotten a new disguise for you, so you can alternate between them. Some winter outfits, too.” David handed him the plastic bags.
Ben nodded his thanks, then set the two shopping bags on his bed. The sun had set, so the lamps shed their soft glow throughout his room. Through the window, the sky looked velvety-black with a glitter of stars.
David furrowed his eyebrows. “I also have a big favor to ask of you. Tell me, have you been in touch with Jacob since you moved to Rome?”
Ben shook his head. “No more than I was in touch with you. I should have been, but I wasn’t.” He smiled ruefully. “Why do you ask?” He raised his arm above his head and leaned it against the wall.
“Because Jacob needs someone to talk sense to him, and I can’t do it.” David’s voice hardened. “Jacob and I despise each other. Since you’ve had no quarrel with him, maybe he’ll listen to you.” He paused. “Would you go to his office and talk to him, Ben? Wear your new disguise, then no one’ll recognize you.” He smiled. “You’ll look just like an Orthodox Jew when you wear this, you know.”
Ben chuckled. After staring down at the shiny plastic bags for a long moment, he shifted his gaze back to David. “Why do you need me to talk with Jacob?”
“Because he’s going to have to order the evacuation of our people when Puccini desecrates our temple, and coordinate the move to Petra. He’ll have to use the Israeli Defense Forces to do that. I tried to talk to him, but he…” He sighed. “He just wouldn’t listen. Moreover, he threw me out.”
Ben smiled wryly. “Jacob can be quite stubborn when he wants to be, as we both know. I can’t promise I’ll have any better success in persuading him.” He pulled the gray wig out of one of the bags and fingered its hair strands. “However, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks.” David patted his shoulder. “I must go now, so you can get ready. I’ll be praying for you, Ben. When we leave for Petra, I want you to come, too—you’ll be safer there than anywhere else. You won’t need any disguises there.”
“Don’t worry. Unless God tells me to do otherwise, I’ll go. And I'll stay there till it's safe to return.” Ben smiled. “We’d better pray that God will warm the temperatures, too.” David groaned. He could only agree.
After David left, Ben put on the disguise. For a long moment, with his woolen prayer shawl draped around his shoulders, he squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hands against his face, praying that God would disguise him and give him favor with Jacob. He added a quick request that God would send warm weather to Israel.
He looked in the mirror. David’s right. I do look like an Orthodox Jew! After slipping his cell phone into his coat pocket, he slipped out the door and tiptoed down the stairs toward the parking basement.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in front of the Knesset. Light poured out of the windows from the second floor upward, softly illuminating the sidewalk below as well as his car. For a moment, he just sat there, paralyzed by fear. It lay in his gut like a heavy stone. Throughout the drive, he hadn’t been able to stop worrying. What if someone managed to recognize him, despite his disguise? It would mean prison and death for him!
END OF CHAPTER 5