The Curtain. David T Maddox

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       MEETINGS THAT MATTER

       Thursday, January 31 – MD minus 115 days

      AS PAUL PHILLIPS sought to find Chaplain Forrest’s office, meetings were being held as groups of leaders and planners gathered at various places around the world to advance the two very different agendas that were at work. One sought to act while the other sought to prevent, but neither could predict or control the future, for they had little actual knowledge of the other. Simultaneously unseen gatherings of rulers, powers and authorities of both the forces of light and darkness gathered to forge the different futures desired by their very different rulers.²⁷ One to force his will, the other to act as necessary to make possible the future He desired to provide, but would not force on an unwilling people.

      In human thought, the two meetings that appeared to matter most were one occurring in that room far beneath the earth on the Pakistani/ Afghan border and another in the Washington office of the director of Homeland Security. The events of 9/11 and the military action which followed had changed everything. The underground room had become the unofficial headquarters of the man they called the Sheik, because the one was now dead who had originally declared jihad against America. Before 9/11, there had not even been a Department of Homeland Security. Homeland America had not seen the threat coming and was unprepared when it arrived. They hoped not to repeat that mistake and thus far had been successful – actually lucky – or maybe even blessed and protected.

      “What report, El-Ahab,” asked the Sheik, “are we nearing readiness?”

      “Yes,” he responded, “but patience is still required. Remember please, mighty one, we worked on a comprehensive plan for over four years and have been seeking since then to put in place all that is required to make it operational. We are close, but not yet ready. We will get only one chance to use the weapons of choice to bring the infidel nation to its knees. The strike must be coordinated and fatal. We can’t forget that 9/11, as successful as it was, only made the infidels mad and they launched another crusade. We did not really hurt them. We just embarrassed them. This time, it must be a fatal blow.”

      “Most of our brother Arabs have shown themselves to be cowards and traitors,” the Sheik answered angrily. “They have not risen in mass to expel the occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must do it ourselves while preparing the attack on the American homeland. Later we will deal with all the Arab cowards. They too must die so the land will be purified. There is no place for any but those faithful to Jihad.”

      The Sheik paused, wondering how there could be any who claimed adherence to the faith but were without the passion for fighting. They were becoming soft, like the Americans who do not understand that if there is nothing worth dying for, there is nothing worth living for. “The Americans have no stomach for a real fight against a dedicated foe willing to battle for decades and committed to spilling their blood at any cost,” the Sheik continued. “Vietnam and Beirut showed that, and there is every reason to believe that Iraq and Afghanistan will be a repeat performance. Look at what ISIS has accomplished. This so called Christian faith of the infidels is powerless to stand against the Jihad. I despise the weakness of these cowards, with their technological weapons to kill at a distance without dirtying their hands. They will taste their own blood soon enough,” and then he was silent, looking down in obvious thought.

      Ahem El-Ahab never spoke in these moments, waiting respectfully, almost worshipfully until the Sheik looked at him, signaling that his moment of meditation had ended and he was ready to proceed. It was in those moments of silence that he knew the Sheik sought inspiration, which he was unaware, was received from his Keeper and also from Legion, the ruler of the spiritual forces of darkness in the Middle East.

      Legion was a direct report to the Dark Master, a member of the inner circle known as the Counsel of Darkness. He was one who actually encountered the Son in the flesh; a story included in the Enemy’s Book. He was cast out of a man and sent into a large herd of several thousand pigs, which immediately rushed down a steep bank into a lake and were drowned.²⁸ The Dark Master took note of his inspired ability to promote suicide, which was what he knew would be needed to advance his agenda from the Middle East. Because of that, Legion had been promoted over many others and had served the Dark Master well. He would continue to be needed to raise an army of those desiring death so they might indiscriminately kill many others considered enemies of the faith. It is a unique talent to be able to deceive a healthy young man into killing himself so that others might die, simply for the hope that he would be rewarded for his service in the afterlife by having all his sexual fantasies met eternally.

      Obviously, they had to keep the Enemy’s Book away from that crowd. The truth was that Legion had barely escaped being sent to the pit by the Son. Fortunately, few read the Enemy’s Book and most of those who did could easily be convinced it contained nothing more than myths and fables.

      When El-Ahab’s eyes again met the Sheik’s, he continued, “Let me go through the basics of the plan and update you on where we are and what’s next. We have established research centers at Universities in Tehran, Mexico City, and Madrid to independently conduct an investigation using the internet. The centers have been useful in determining what firms to acquire to obtain control over the weapons of choice. They have also been helpful in identifying and targeting vulnerable installations so we will know where to strike. With internet access to satellite photographs, we do not have to send people to physically investigate a target and thus avoid attracting suspicion.”

      “Yes,” said the Sheik, “but what have we done with what we have learned?”