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of the Global Community."
"Are you loyal to the supreme potentate?"
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"Yes."
"Have you ever done anything that could be considered disloyal to the supreme
potentate?"
"No."
"Do you leak confidential information from the supreme potentate to anyone at
GC headquarters?"
"No."
"Is the supreme potentate risen from the dead and the living lord?"
"Yes."
"Can His Excellency Nicolae Carpathia personally count on your continuing
loyalty for as long as you serve as an employee of the Global Community?"
"Yes, and beyond."
"Did you sit on his throne in his temple in Jerusalem today?"
"I-no."
"Thank you, Ms. Ivins."
Chang heard Akbar unbuckle and leave, but it was clear Viv Ivins immediately
followed. "Director
Akbar, wait, please. Before you share the results with His Excellency, let me
have a word with him."
"Certainly."
"My lord," she said quietly.
"Yes, dear one," Carpathia said.
"May I kneel and kiss your hand?"
"That depends. How did you do on the little test?"
"I don't know, but regardless of the results, I answered truthfully until the
very end."
"You were deceitful in your answer to my question?"
"I was, sir, but I immediately regretted it and have come to beg your
forgiveness."
If Carpathia responded, Chang couldn't hear it.
"I told Reverend Fortunato what I intended to do," she said, "and he advised
me against it."
"Did he? Did you, Leon?"
"I did, sir."
"Good for you! But it should not be only the Most High Reverend Father of
Carpathianism who knows what a defilement it would be to presume to sit on the
throne of god!"
"I am so sorry, Nicolae," and Chang got the impression she said his name the
way she had when
Carpathia was a small boy. Nicolae again fell silent.
"I did not do it as an act of insubordination, I swear. I merely envied your
moment and felt a deep need to share it. I would like to think I earned the
right with-"
"Earned the right? To sit on my throne? To take my place?"
"-with my years of service, with my uncompromising devotion, with my love for
you. Oh, don't dismiss me, Your Worship. Forgive me. Please! Nicolae!"
Chang heard her weeping. Then Nicolae: "Suhail, let's administer the test to
each other." Ms.
Ivins's crying faded as she must have moved back to her seat.
Akbar was brief and confident, and when it was Carpathia's turn, of course the
questions were slightly revised. But Carpathia was in a testy mood.
"State your name," Akbar began.
"God."
"Is today Sunday?"
"Yes."
"Is the sky blue?"
"No."
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"Are you a male?"
"No."
"Do you serve the Global Community?"
"No."
"Are you loyal to the citizens under your authority?"
"No."
"Have you ever done anything disloyal to the Global Community?"
"Yes."
"Do you leak confidential information to someone inside GC headquarters that
undermines the effectiveness of your cabinet?"
"No. And I would personally kill anyone who did."
"Did you rise from the dead and are you the living lord?"
"Yes."
"Can the Global Community count on your continuing loyalty for as long as you
serve as supreme potentate?"
"No."
"You astound me, Excellency."
"Well?"
"I don't know how you do that."
"Tell me!" Carpathia said.
"Your answers all proved truthful, even where you were obviously sporting with
me and saying the opposite of the truth."
"The truth is what I say it is, Suhail. I am the father of truth."
EIGHTEEN
ON THE flight home, Buck called Lukas Miklos.
"I imagine you want to talk to the young man whose life you saved, eh,
Cameron?"
"I do, Laslos. And I'm sorry all my other messages to you about what happened
that night had to come electronically and not even by phone. I wish I could
have given you your wife's message in person, but-"
"I understand, my friend," Laslos said, his voice quavery. "I remember every
detail of it. I wish only that I could have gone to heaven with her."
"I can't imagine how hard it is," Buck said. "But the church needs you there,
and-"
"Oh, Cameron, I am useless. I am not free to help in any real ways anymore.
Sometimes I wish they would just find me so I could testify for God before
they kill me."
Buck wanted to counter him, but what could he say?
"We sure appreciate your help in getting those kids out of the country."
"I'll do what I can. I look forward to getting them connected with your pilot,
but it's unlikely I
can risk coming out of the shadows to meet him. I will get them as close to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]