Chapter 9

     After the guru's proclamation to the UN things started to happen rather quickly. The beast regime cops were everywhere. They had people in every business, every place of work and in the schools, hospitals and police departments. The 'guruchip' was about to be made compulsory for all public workers and those in selected employment. It would soon become compulsory for everyone else.

     Many people believed the guru when he claimed to have sent the 'Warning' and they soon forgot their own personal illuminations. The chip building across from the precinct was quickly rebuilt and became operational again. People queued to take the chip and saw it as a new and trendy status symbol and life went on as usual.

     Gene Washington was running late and was in a foul mood. His big flashy car had broken down on the freeway and he had to call for a mechanic. Wasn't it just Gene's luck that Charley Jackson was on emergency 'call out duty' that morning?

     Jackson had checked the car over and then told Gene that he couldn't fix it there and would need to tow it back to his garage. Gene had refused to let him and told Jackson that he didn't want a crook like him touching his car. An argument broke out and Charley and Gene almost came to blows. Charley had driven off and left him on the freeway. Gene had to call Cynthia and ask her to come and get him. She dropped him off in town leaving him to walk through the High Street to get to the precinct. She was going to the monastery with the other kids and mothers for a special picnic she told him and had no more time.

     Gene hated to miss roll call and hadn't even managed to get a newspaper so he stopped at a stall on the main street and bought a newspaper and a cup of coffee. As he made to walk on he heard someone address him.

     "You! Detective."

     Gene turned around to see Ron Jeffries the street evangelist standing.

     "What?" Snarled Gene.

     "Watch out Detective. They plan to have you done to death! They plan to kill you and make it look like an accident."

     Gene impatiently cut Ron off.

     "What are you talking about? I don't have time for this nonsense?"

     "They already have a sniper picked to do the job and he is stalking you now."

     For a minute Gene felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle at this.

     "Go back home now and accept the Lord into your life before it is too late." Ron warned.

     "Oh listen. I am not religious and don't believe any of this stuff."

     "Your mother pleaded with you. She told you not to accept the mark. If you don't listen to me you will die."

     Gene's eyes widened at this information then he got angry.

     "Who told you anything about my mother? How could you have known what my mother said?" Gene asked.

     "You need to go off with your colleagues and seek refuge in the hills. The new regime means to put one of their own people into the post of Chief of Police. Already they have removed the current chief and put him in a detention camp along with many more of the leaders of this community!"

     "Oh please! Have you been drinking? Dave Schniederman is in his office right now probably having an early morning coffee and wondering where the heck I am."

     "I don't drink. If you do not listen to me you will be murdered. Pray for protection and the Lord will send his angels to guard you and lead you to safety." Insisted Ron.

     "If you die right now unsaved and without Jesus you detective have already been shown what awaits you." Ron declared.

     "Look just you leave me alone!"

     With this said Gene stormed to the crossing and went over to the Precinct.

     As soon as he went in the front entrance he knew that something was amiss. All the police officers were sitting waiting for someone to appear. Gene joined his colleagues in the roll call room. As he did this he became aware of the armed presence in the room. Strange security police with guns and riot sticks stood around watching the proceedings. Gene looked to Mike and Bobby his two close friends for an explanation. They both shrugged their shoulders and said nothing. Zack Elliott, Joe McNally and Mark Chan entered the room and sat down beside Mike. They also were silent. Many of their colleagues that had taken the implant had suddenly changed and become cold and even sinister. The chipped guys and women all sat together.

     Just then the chiefs door opened and everyone sat up straight to await his arrival. Instead of the chief a sturdy smaller man with a moustache and dark colouring entered the room flanked by two equally unknown men. He went forward to the chiefs podium and stood looking around confidently at the stunned officers in the room.

     Joe Willard also came in at that moment and smugly took his place at the roll sergeant's desk.

     "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I am Vance Peters the new acting chief. These are my deputies Captain Johnson and Lieutenant Anderson."

     Gene stared in disbelief at this announcement, as this was the first time that he had heard anything about any acting chief.

     Mike Douglas shuffled to his feet.

     "Just who did you say you were? The new what?" Mike asked gruffly.

     Peters quickly glanced at a folder in front of him.

     "You must be Lieutenant Douglas today's watch commander?" He said.

     "Yes I am and what is this all about and where is the chief and the proper role call sergeant?"

     "Oh chief Schniederman decided to retire early and without any fuss and I have been appointed to take his place until Mr. Washington takes over. Sergeant Leyton is on emergency leave as his wife took ill suddenly." He explained.

     "These two men have been appointed as extras to help me at this difficult time."

     "The chief said nothing to us about retiring." Shouted Gene.

     "That's right he didn't." Continued Mike.

     "And we were with him Friday night."

     Zack Elliott shot to his feet.

     "Guys! There is something amiss here."

     "Yes you bet there is." Agreed Mark Chan and Joe McNally.

     "Hey sit down and let the chief talk." Snarled Jack Colvin.

     "Yeah we want to hear what is being said. So wrap it!" Threatened Lou Wilson.

     Joe started to get to his feet to answer Lou but Mike stayed his actions.

     The strange chief continued and told the listening officers that the chip people were now here to chip the officers present that hadn't yet been chipped.

     At this Mike Douglas got again to his feet interrupting the new chief.

     "Let's get this straight chief! There are some of us here that will not be having the chip implanted in our bodies."

     Lou Wilson was sitting in front of Mike and turned directly to him.

     "Then country boy y'all won't be Lieutenant for much longer."

     "Who are you talking to Wilson?" Mike Snarled back.

     Mark Chan spoke up.

     "What if we refuse?"

     "Oh! Oh ladies and gentlemen please don't let us squabble. It will be all fixed out. I would like the officers that do not want to have the chip implanted to meet with me at twelve o'clock and we will fix it all out. It is your choice and we don't want to upset anyone. I just need to know who is not willing to have the chip and record your reasons. You are all being given desk duties this morning so as we can come up with a solution."

     "Fair enough." Mike said.

     Lou Wilson and Jack Colvin glanced around.

     "Y'all going to tell them that you are a good little Christian Douglas and that if you take the chip that there old devil is going to come get you?" Taunted Lou Wilson.

     "I'll give you devil!" Mike yelled shooting to his feet.

     Gene caught hold of Mike preventing him from hitting Wilson.

     "Enough Lou!"

     "You too Wash. If you don't take that chip then you just ain't going to be the chief. Your choice."

     "What do you mean? I have worked hard for this. You and no other will deprive me of my duly appointed position." Snarled Gene.

     "We'll see!" Answered Jack sneering and laughing sardonically.

     At this the new chief rapped his table with a heavy folder.

     "That is enough! Let's get on with these proceedings without anymore trouble from anyone and I will speak to the abstaining officers later at twelve o'clock."

     The roll call proceeded and everyone got his or her assignments of the day from Joe Willard. He had a terrible looking rash up his neck and on his hands and everyone could see that he was in some discomfort.

     After roll call Mike Douglas got a call on his cell phone. He went into the staff room to take it in private.

     "Hello!" Mike said.

     "Who is this?"

     "Mike! This is Vince O'Reilly I want you to listen carefully!"

     "Go ahead."

     "Don't go to that meeting with Peters any of you! They mean you guys harm and are going to have you arrested and taken to a detention camp."

     "Where did you hear this?"

     "It doesn't matter Mike. I am speaking the truth. You know me and you know that I believe in the Lord Jesus with all my heart and I have not taken the mark. Go whenever you get the chance. We are off into hiding. The time has come. Don't all go together but go. Don't wait. Now get busy and may God go with you."

     Vince finished the call and Mike went to find Bobby. He got the others together and told them about the message.

     Joe McNally joined them. He had had a similar message from Father Ben. It was time to go, as the great persecution was about to begin.

     Mike went to find Gene and told him. Gene was in a dilemma.

     "What am I to do? I have a new position waiting on me. I have worked towards this for years. I am not religious but I feel loyalty to you guys. You are my friends and have always watched out for me."

     "Come with us Gene. Don't take the mark."

     At this Gene's cell phone rang. It was his wife Cynthia.

     "Gene! Get yourself out of there and do it carefully. Let them think you are going for some fast food or something. Don't go out the main door whatever you do. I am taking the kids and myself and some other folks are on their way to safety as we speak."

     "But where?" Gene stared to say.

     "Gene I love you. I will be in touch."

     The Christian officers and Gene decided that they would go in batches so as not to draw attention to themselves. Gene Mike and Bobby would go out the side door as if they were going to the fast food place out front, where all the policeman got their fast food. Gene was unsure and was shaken up. He wondered if all of this wasn't just something being overplayed. He wondered if he shouldn't just take the chip and get on with his career and his life.

     At this Joe McNally took him aside and whispered to him.

     "Gene! There's a contract out on you. You have got to get away with Bobby and Mike. I have it on good authority that you are going to get killed this afternoon. Go with them and they will look after you."

     Joe went off down the corridor!

     Joe had not reason to tell Gene this, as they never particularly got on. Gene just didn't know what to do about this nightmare. Mike and Bobby appeared.

     "Time for us to be out of here. We'll go at tea break." Mike Bounced.

     "Where?" Asked Gene.

     "The Lord will soon show us."

     "But I need to go home to get some stuff." Protested Gene.

     "There is no time Gene." Bobby told him.

     "Salvage what you can from here until coffee break and then we go."

     "Go where?"

     "There are refuges set up for us and we will be led to them. Just get ready to go."

     Meanwhile not far from the precinct Brent McLintock was listening to his new editor. His new boss was a man called Alex Andrews and he claimed to have been born in the south. Brent thought that he had the strangest southern accent that he had ever heard this side of the Mason- Dixon line. It was exaggerated and false just like this whole new regime thing.

     Brent and his colleagues had been told that their editor Randy Alvin had tried to murder his wife and then tried to commit suicide and had been committed. Randy and his wife were committed Christians and suicide was never an option in their lives.

     Brent had made an excuse to go to the restroom and phoned Pastor Steve who was a close friend of Randy. Steve was absolutely adamant that this was nonsense. He also told Brent to get himself out of there now as things were happening and that he himself was going into hiding. Before Brent could ask Steve what he meant they had been cut off.

     Andrews told the employees that he was from north of Fort Wayne near Magnetic Ridge.

     Things had started to be difficult at the office some weeks before Randy had disappeared. Randy had told Brent that he thought that they were all being watched and spied upon and needed to be very careful.

     The new regime had put some of their own people in the office to learn as they said the newspaper routine. Other things weren't making sense and Brent kept hearing strange whispered conversations in strange foreign languages.

     The sub editor Marty MacGregor had called Brent and told him that he needed to speak to him urgently before he went to work that morning. They had arranged a time place and date but Marty hadn't appeared nor had he turned up for work. Brent had phoned him and gone to his house but was unable to get him. As he pondered these things a feeling of panic and trepidation started to well up within him.

     Brent noticed that all of their pin-ups and pictures had been removed in the staff room and that there was a huge poster of the guru where the picture of the President usually hung. The room was covered in posters and pictures and guru writings and teachings. The huge poster of the guru hit Brent like a ton of bricks. It made him feel uneasy and strange and being in the same room as this man's picture and his trappings made Brent feel rather uneasy and queasy. There was something compelling about the eyes. In another moment Brent was hit by another weird feeling. Soon he felt urged by some mysterious force to look up at the huge poster again and this time give honor and praise to 'He Who Is,' the 'new messiah'. Brent fought these feelings and forced himself to avert his eyes away from the picture. He wasn't as particularly religious as his parents were but would never give worship to anything or anyone but Jesus. He started to look down at his shoes and tie his laces. Next he doodled on his work folder and fought all urges to look up again at the demonic poster. Suddenly his cell phone alert went telling him that he had a text message. It was from his mother appealing to him not to take the mark of the beast but to go into hiding as soon as possible.

     Andrews meanwhile was telling all employees that they would have the opportunity that morning to get their chip as the chip implanters were going to be in the building within the half hour.

     "Brent raised his hand."

     "Hey I ain't taking any mark."

     "It isn't a mark son." Said Andrews in a pseudo-soothing voice.

     "It is the mark of the beast and I believe in Jesus, and this entity that is on the wall instead of Our President is an imposition!"

     "Since when did you become religious?" Barked Jack Somers a fellow worker of Brent's.

     "That's right Jack I am not as religious as I should be but I have remembered enough of the Bible that tells me that I should never worship anyone but Jesus."

     "Yeah right! Mr. Bible Thumper." Snarled Gary Fields another co-worker.

     "Well it is just like this Mr. McLintock if you refuse the chip then you won't be working here or anywhere else for that matter. This is a governmental directive and is going to be made law within weeks." Andrews informed Brent.

     "You have no choice!" He continued.

     "Oh yes I have. Your chip contravenes the constitution of the United States and this is still America!" Brent shouted as he jumped to his feet.

     "Where do you think you are going?" Demanded Andrews.

     "As far away from here as I can get! And your Mister! You are no more American than a pot of chop -suey and a bottle of vodka!"

     At this Brent stormed out of the room and headed for his the locker room.

     Brent kept saying 'Jesus help me' over and over again. He made the decision. He would make for his shack in the forest as soon as he could leave the building. He went to his locker and put as much stuff as he could into his haversack. He made sure that he had enough of the medication he took for his mild diabetic condition. He grabbed his sweater and other things and stuffed as much as he could into the haversack, opened the fridge and took as much food as he could get. There was some more food on the table set out and ready for the coffee break. Brent grabbed this also and put it all into his haversack.

     He looked around and when the coast was clear he sneaked out of the building. To his horror there was Jack Dixon before him, the obnoxious partner of Joe Willard. He had just arrived along with the chip people as an escort for them, and he dangled a pair of handcuffs in front of Brent's eyes. Brent held up his hands in apparent resignation and went back inside the building. Instead of going into the shift room he jumped into the lift and went to the top of the three- story building. This time he raced to the restrooms at the back and opened the window. It was a long way down and he knew it would be impossible to jump. He prayed a silent prayer calling on the Lord to help him. Just then he saw a hay truck coming. To his joy he recognized it as one of Sam Elliott's trucks and knew it was going up the highway to Sam's ranch. Brent waited until the truck was almost under his nose and he grabbed his stuff and jumped.