Read Tribulation Force: The Continuing Drama Of Those Left Behind for Free Online

Carpathia knew he had not been brain-washed. What would the man do, or try to do, if he knew Buck’s memory had not been altered? If he realized Buck knew he was a murderer, a liar, a beast?

    Rayford sat watching the television news, hearing commentators pontificate on the meaning of the announcements coming out of the United Nations. Most considered the scheduled move of the U.N. to the ruins of Babylon, south of Baghdad, a good thing. One said, “If Carpathia is sincere about disarming the world and stockpiling the remaining 10 percent of the hardware, I’d rather he store it in the Middle East, in the shadow of Tehran, than on an island off New York City. Besides, we can use the soon-to-be-abandoned U.N. building as a museum, honoring the most atrocious architecture this country has ever produced.”
    Pundits predicted frustration and failure in the proposed outcomes of the meetings between both the religious leaders and the financial experts. One said, “No single religion, as attractive as that sounds, and no one-world currency, as streamlined as that would be. These will be Carpathia’s first major setbacks, and perhaps then the masses will become more realistic about him. The honeymoon will soon be over.”
    “Want some tea, Dad?” Chloe called from the kitchen. He declined, and she came out a minute later with her own. She sat on the other end of the couch from him, her slippered feet tucked up under her robe. Her freshly washed hair was wrapped in a towel.
    “Got a date this weekend?” Rayford asked when the news broke for a commercial.
    “Not funny,” she said.
    “It wasn’t meant to be. Would that be so strange, someone asking you out?”
    “The only person I want to ask me out has apparently changed his mind about me.”
    “Nonsense,” Rayford said. “I can’t imagine all that must be on Buck’s mind.”
    “I thought I was on his mind, Dad. Now I sit here like a schoolgirl, wondering and hoping. It’s all so stupid. Why should I care? I just met him. I hardly know him. I just admire him, that’s all.”
    “You admire him?”
    “Sure! Who wouldn’t? He’s smart, articulate, accomplished.”
    “Famous.”
    “Yeah, a little. But I’m not going to throw myself at him. I just thought he was interested, that’s all. His note said he was attracted to me.”
    “How did you respond to that?”
    “To him, you mean?”
    Rayford nodded.
    “I didn’t. What was I supposed to do? I was attracted to him, too, but I didn’t want to scare him off.”
    “Maybe he thinks he’s scared you off. Maybe he thinks he came on too strong too soon. But you didn’t feel that way?”
    “In a way I did, but down deep it was right. I thought just being open to him and staying friendly would make the point.”
    Dad shrugged. “Maybe he needs more encouragement.”
    “He’s not going to get it from me. Not my style. You know that.”
    “I know, hon,” Rayford said, “but a lot has changed about you recently.”
    “Yeah, but my style hasn’t.” That made even her laugh. “Daddy, what am I going to do? I’m not ready to give up on him, but couldn’t you see it wasn’t the same? He should have asked me out for something to eat, but he didn’t even accept our invitation.”
    “
Our
invitation? I was in on that?”
    “Well, it wouldn’t have been appropriate for me to ask him out by myself.”
    “I know. But maybe he didn’t want to go out with me around.”
    “If he felt about me the way I thought he did, he would have. In fact, he would have asked me first and left you out of it. I mean … I didn’t mean it that way, Dad.”
    “I know what you meant. I think you’re being a little too gloomy too soon about this. Give him a day. See what a difference a night’s sleep makes.”
    The news came back on, and Chloe sipped her tea. Rayford felt privileged that she would talk to him about things like this. He didn’t remember that she had even talked to Irene much about guys. He knew he was her