Deceived by Jerry B. Jenkins Read Free Book Online

forcefully. “We have reason to believe some of your prisoners will choose the blade instead of the mark of loyalty.”
    â€œAll the better,” the man said. “We’ll be done with them.”
    â€œHave you ever heard of Tsion Ben-Judah? Have you not been briefed on the Tribulation Force? One of your prisoners may know the location of the Judah-ites’ main hideout. If my superiors or anyone in New Babylon finds out that you’ve hindered the process—”
    â€œI’m sorry, sir. I understand. Right this way.”
    Colin took Vicki’s arm and rushed her up the stairs, following the deputy commander closely. GC guards stood at the doorway with guns. As she entered, she glanced back at her friends. Shelly gave her a nod as Colin pushed Vicki into the enemy’s lair.

6
    VICKI felt the eyes of the GC guards on her as soon as she walked into the building. There was a sense of evil about the place. These were people who had given their lives to the Global Community, pledged their service to Nicolae Carpathia, and would no doubt kill believers without a second thought.
    â€œIt’s a shame these prisoners get to take the mark of loyalty first,” the deputy commander said. “I’ve got a whole staff here anxious to go.”
    Colin bristled and spoke softly to the man. “Those orders are from New Babylon, and I’ll caution you not to spread dissension among your workers.”
    â€œI only meant that—”
    â€œI know what you meant, and I commend you for wanting to show your devotion. But a subtle complaint like that can infect those around you and cause people to question the ultimate authority of the potentate.”
    The deputy commander stopped. “I would never want that, sir. Please forgive my lapse in judgment.”
    Colin nodded and put out a hand. “Proceed.”
    The deputy commander gleefully reported that they had received information from around the country and the world of many successful mark applications. “We haven’t heard one story of applicators failing.”
    â€œAny news about those who wouldn’t take the mark?”
    â€œThere have been a few pockets of resistance. We raided an underground meeting in Arizona and found Judah-ites. Every one of them chose the blade instead of—”
    â€œPlease refer to it as a loyalty enforcement facilitator,” Colin corrected.
    â€œOf course. Sorry, sir. There have been Judah-ite … uh, deaths in the south and northeast as well. North Carolina. Maryland. Pennsylvania. I suppose you saw the communiqué from New Babylon about this.”
    â€œI haven’t yet. What did it say?”
    They walked through a series of doors, and Vicki felt a whoosh of air as she walked inside one of the long buildings attached to the main one. The farther they went, the more scared Vicki became. What if they find out Colin’s not GC?
    â€œThe report listed the number of uses of the loyalty enforcement facilitators. They seemed to be concentrated in the United Asian States and, believe it or not, in the United Carpathian States.”
    â€œHow could that be?” Colin said. “I had heard the UCS had the lowest concentration of rebels than any other region.”
    â€œYou would think so,” the deputy commander said. “But they rounded up a large contingent in Ptolemaïs, in the country formerly known as Greece.”
    â€œAnd took care of the problem?”
    The deputy commander ran a finger across his neck. “With one chop.”
    The man opened a final door that led into the holding area. “I assumed you wanted to go to the women’s facility first.”
    Colin scratched his chin. “That’s fine.”
    â€œHow did you catch this one?”
    â€œShe was helping a group of Judah-ites store food and medical supplies. She has agreed to identify the rebels in this group in exchange for leniency in her sentence.”
    â€œIs