Read Online Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins - Free Book Online

explode.
    “I can sympathize with your grief,” Nicolae said. “Perhaps you can understand my own feeling of loss over the many lives this calamity has cost. It was worldwide, every continent suffering severe damage. The only region spared was Israel.”
    Rayford wrenched away from Carpathia’s touch and regained his voice. “And you don’t believe this was the wrath of the Lamb?”
    “Rayford, Rayford,” Carpathia said. “Surely you do not lay at the feet of some Supreme Being an act so spiteful and capricious and deadly as this.”
    Rayford shook his head. What had he been thinking? Was he actually trying to persuade the Antichrist he was wrong?
    Carpathia moved behind his desk to a high-backed leather chair. “Let me tell you what I am going to tell the rest of the staff, so you can skip the meeting and find your quarters and get some rest.”
    “I don’t mind hearing it along with the rest.”
    “Magnanimous, Captain Steele. However, there are as well things I need to say only to you. I hesitate to raise this while your loss is so fresh, but you do understand that I could have you imprisoned.”
    “I’m sure you could,” Rayford said.
    “But I choose not to do that.”
    Should he feel grateful or disappointed? A stretch in prison didn’t sound bad.
    If he knew his daughter and son-in-law and Tsion were all right, he could endure that.
    Carpathia continued, “I understand you better than you know. We will put behind us our encounter, and you will continue to serve me in the manner you have up to now.”
    “And if I resign?”
    “That is not an option. You will come through this nobly, as you have other crises. Otherwise, I will charge you with insubordination and have you imprisoned.”
    “That’s putting the encounter behind us? You want someone working for you who would rather not?”
    “In time I will win you over,” Carpathia said. “You are aware that your living quarters were destroyed?”
    “I can’t say I’m surprised.”
    “Teams will try to salvage anything of use. Meanwhile, we have uniforms and necessities for you. You will find your quarters adequate, though not luxurious.
    Top priority for my administration is to rebuild New Babylon. It will become the new capital of the world. All banking, commerce, religion, and government will start and end right here. The greatest rebuilding challenge in the rest of the world is in communications. We have already begun rebuilding an international network that—”
    “Communications is more important than people? More than cleaning up areas that might otherwise become diseased? Clearing away bodies? Reuniting families?”
    “In due time, Captain Steele. Such efforts depend on communications too.
    Fortunately, the timing of my most ambitious project could not have been more propitious. The Global Community recently secured sole ownership of all international satellite and cellular communications companies. We will have in place in a few months the first truly global communications network. It is cellular, and it is solar powered. I call it Cellular-Solar. Once the cellular towers have been reerected and satellites are maneuvered to geosynchronous orbit, anyone will be able to communicate with anyone else anywhere at any time.”
    Carpathia appeared to have lost the ability to hide his glee. If this technology worked, it solidified Carpathia’s grip on the earth. His takeover was complete.
    He owned and controlled everything and everybody.
    “As soon as you are up to it, you and Officer McCullum are to fly my ambassadors here. A handful of major airports around the world are operational, but with the use of smaller aircraft, we should be able to get my key men to where you can collect them in the Condor 216 and deliver them to me.”
    Rayford could not concentrate. “I have a couple of requests,” he said.
    “I love when you ask,” Carpathia said. “I would like information about my family.” “I will put someone on that right away.