A recent spate of violence across the globe had strained the Banner’s admittedly limited resources. Despite his belief in an imminent Apocalypse, Harry had taken his time in staffing the Banner’s overseas bureaus, stressing – as he said – quality over quantity. He was particularly concerned with the quality of the Middle East bureau, to the degree that it currently consisted of precisely one high quality individual – who was now over a thousand miles away from the scene of the violence in Israel, covering an insurgency in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan correspondent was in Somalia, filling in for another reporter, who had been pulled to South Africa.

“There’s no one else,” said Harry. “And you have to admit, Christine has earned this. She’s been writing about the end of the world for three years now. Maybe it’s time we send her there.”

“Send me where?” demanded Christine. “Dammit, what are you two talking about?”

“Israel, Christine,” Harry answered. “There’s been an incident in the West Bank, and things are starting to get messy over there. Messier than usual. Most likely it will blow over by the time you get there, but there’s also a chance that things could really get out of hand.”

“Messy how?” asked Christine, knowing that there was only one kind of messy that was likely to get Harry’s interest.

“Fighting,” said Troy. “Between the Israelis and the Syrians. Maybe the Iranians too.”

“You mean,” Christine said, “like an actual war?”

“Yeah, Christine,” said Harry. “Like an actual war. Don’t worry, we’ll be pulling Maria out of Afghanistan if the fighting drags on, but I want to get someone on the ground as soon as possible to get a sense of what’s going on over there.”

“I don’t…” started Christine. “That is, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin….”

“Don’t worry,” said Harry. “Thanks to the Banner’s history of support for Israel, we’ve got some pretty good connections over there. General David Isaakson, for one.”

Christine nodded weakly. She was certainly no expert on the Middle East, but she knew that name. Everybody knew that name.

“You… want me to interview…” she began.

“Yes, Christine. I want you to interview the guy they’re calling the Architect of the Apocalypse. I hope you’ll forgive this violation of your new policy.”

She nodded again.

“Troy,” said Harry, “Finish briefing Christine and then get her on the first flight to Tel Aviv.”

SIX

On the Mundane Plane, as you know, every name has an origin. Before Armageddon was an event, it was a place, like Kent State or Altamont. Unlike Kent State or Altamont, Armageddon was an event almost as soon as it was a place, and it continued to be that event over and over, until everybody knew the event and almost nobody remembered the place.