“You don’t seem to understand, Mr. President,” Al said. “I saw what you did to James Wong, and I want you to know that I am out. I want nothing more to do with you or your sadistic plans. I intend to resist you and, one way or the other, to see that you fail in your mission.”

Suddenly the voice on the phone was no longer that of President Mark Beaulieu. It was, instead, a roar from hell. “You miserable little traitor! You know no one can resist me! I will crush you like a grape and feed your body to the birds. I will have vengeance!”

The sound was terrifying, but something rose up within Al’s spirit. Something supernatural. “Listen to me, you snake-headed freak,” he shouted in return. “You’ve been a loser from the very beginning. Jesus Christ is the winner, and I’m on His team. And, just for the record, I have eighteen Poseidon missiles aimed at the heart of Babylon at this minute. If you try to come after me, I’ll blow you back to hell where you belong!”

When Al Augustus slammed down the phone and turned around, General Gladstone grabbed him by the arms and shouted, “Yes! Mr. Secretary, that was fantastic! You couldn’t have said it better.”

“Thanks, Archie,” he said, and grinned. “For the first time since this chaos started, I know that God is on our side and the victory is in our hands.”

“You’re right, Mr. Secretary. Even though you and I may know that ultimate victory is assured, I’m sure that in the upcoming months we’ll have our share of heartaches, sacrifices, and loss of life. But, sir, the battle is joined!”

As they turned to go, Al Augustus put his arm around Archie Gladstone’s shoulder. “Archie,” he said, his eyes twinkling, “just one more thing. Please don’t call me ‘Mr. Secretary’ anymore, will you? In case you didn’t notice, I just officially resigned!”

AFTER THEIR FORCES WERE DEPLOYED, Al Augustus wasted no time in arranging a visit to the sanctuary in the mountains he had been hearing so much about. He wanted to see El Refugio for himself and meet the prophet known as Pastor Jack. But even more, he wanted to know the source of the luminous columns of light that stood high above them.

A few years before, Al Augustus had been known as a hard-nosed businessman. He was a shrewd negotiator and a tough competitor. His friends said he was a man who went for what he wanted and took no prisoners. Those same traits had served him well in the Defense Department, but after what he had seen in Babylon, he was a changed man. He would use every conventional weapon available to him, but that did not mean he was unwilling to consider help from unconventional sources as well.