Free The Indwelling: The Beast Takes Possession by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins

off the makeshift road that led north out of the airport.
    Upstairs in Rosenzweig’s massive house, Buck used the flashlight sparingly as he searched for any sign of Chaim.
    From outside he heard noises in the underbrush that paralyzed him. He held his breath and crept to the window, peering down while desperate to stay out of sight.
    Someone signaled a few others, and their shapes moved about in the darkness. He couldn’t imagine a scenario that would allow him to escape until it played out before his eyes.
    Suddenly all GC Peacekeeping Forces were rallied for one purpose-to find a fugitive. And when the multilanguage announcement came over rolling bullhorns, it was clear whom they were looking for.
    “Attention, citizens and all Global Community personnel!” came the announcements. “Be on the lookout for American Rayford Steele, former GC
    employee wanted in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate Potentate Nicolae Carpathia. May be in disguise. May be armed. Considered dangerous.
    Qualified pilot. Any information about his whereabouts …”
    Rayford? Conspiracy? Now the GC was grasping at straws.
    From below, the GC Peacekeepers appeared to be arguing whether one or more should stay. Finally their leader barked at them and waved that they should follow. Buck waited a few minutes, then checked every window, staring into the night and listening for any enemy.
    He saw and heard nothing, but he knew time was his greatest adversary now.
    He saved Chaim’s workshop till last. It had no windows, so when he threw open the door, he didn’t hesitate to shine the flashlight all about. It was empty, but it also looked different from when last he’d seen it. Chaim had shown him his handiwork, but now there was no evidence of that. The place was spotless.
    Even the vises had been unfastened from the workbenches and stored. The floor was clean, tools hung, counters spotless. It almost looked the way it would if someone were moving or had another function in mind for the room.
    Buck backed out and closed the door. Something niggled at his mind, despite the taste of fear and revulsion in his throat. He tucked the flashlight into his pocket and carefully made his way to the front door. The casing had been shattered. Though he was sure the GC had done this and abandoned the place, Buck felt safer leaving the way he had come. As he moved toward the back door, he wondered who had cleaned Chaim’s workshop for him. Had he done it himself before the stroke, or had the staff done it after it became clear he would be unable to engage in his hobby? Buck felt his way through the sparse landscaping in the back and stopped frequently to listen for footsteps or breathing over the sirens and announcements from blocks away. He stayed out of the light and in the middle of earthquake rubble as much as he could until he found an area where the streetlamps were out.
    He had to know for sure about Chaim before he could even think about trying to rendezvous with Rayford or Leah. But where should he start? Not that long ago, Buck would have tried to find him through Jacov, Hannelore, her mother, or Stefan. As he broke into a jog, heading for who knew where, tears dripped from his face.
    Late Friday afternoon in Illinois, Chloe had been feeding Kenny in the other room when Rayford’s photo-the one from his former GC ID-came on television.
    Tsion blanched and bolted for the set to turn it down and listen from up close.
    Tsion had been praying for Rayford, worried about him. When Rayford and Leah and Buck had left, Tsion thought he knew their various assignments and missions, and he feared playing mere shuttle pilot would not be enough for Rayford. He had been in the middle of so much action but was now, even more than the rest, merely a fugitive, having to stay out of sight.
    Now what would he do? The news implied he had fired the weapon that may have killed Carpathia. How could one do that in such a crowd and escape? Never had Tsion so wanted to