Free Hunted by Jerry B. Jenkins Page A

my little car and a man stood before me, shaking his head. He pointed to this vehicle, and I found the keys in the ignition. If I had brought the small one, we never would have been able to fit all of you in.”
    â€œWhere are we going?” Mr. Stein said.
    â€œTo the airport,” Sabir said. “My instructions were very clear. I should accompany you on the flight.”
    â€œYou’re going to see your wife!” Sam said.
    â€œI suppose many prayers will be answered tonight. I said I would stay until God directed me, and now he has.”
    â€œMac needs to know—”
    â€œThe angel said everything had been arranged,” Sabir said.
    As they drove near where the miracle fair had taken place, Aron touched the window and looked out sadly. “What about Joel? Is there no hope?”
    â€œYour brother made a foolish decision,” Mr. Stein said. “He closed himself to the truth and took the mark of Carp—”
    â€œBut I was just as closed,” Aron said. “He took the mark partly for me so I could have food.”
    Mr. Stein turned. “We spoke with your brother before you came in. He seemed upset we had even come. He countered our message at every point.”
    â€œHe was angry at himself. He knew what you would say about God.”
    â€œHe turned us in to the authorities,” Sam said. “I know you love your brother, and your parents will be saddened by the choice he made, but we can’t go back.”
    Aron nodded. “I understand, and yet my heart breaks for him.”
    The man buried his head in his hands, and Sam put an arm around him. “My father also made a foolish choice and died before I could speak with him again. I’m so sorry.”
    Sabir drove to the airfield and parked in the same spot where Sam and Mr. Stein had been picked up the night before. A plane waited on the runway, and they scurried through the fence and quickly boarded. Mac McCullum gave them the thumbs-up sign and had Mr. Stein secure the door.
    â€œWhen we get in the air, I want to hear all about this,” Mac said.
    The GC radioed Mac just after takeoff, but he ignored their call. He motioned Sam forward, and Sam sat in the copilot’s chair.
    When Sam had told him everything, Mac said, “I’ve seen a lot of strange things in the past few weeks. Bullets going through helicopters, angels blinding the GC, but when I got the call to come get you guys—”
    â€œSomeone called you?” Sam said.
    â€œFigure of speech. I was asleep, waiting to hear about my next flight from Chang Wong or Chloe Williams. All of a sudden I was awake and knew I ought to come here. It was as clear as if you’d sent me a fax or called and given specific directions. I just knew.”
    Sam looked around the cockpit, and Mac asked what he wanted. “Something to take notes with. I need to start a new installment of my Petra Diaries right away.”
    The reunion in Petra was more than Sam could have hoped for. The four new believers were welcomed warmly as Tsion Ben-Judah announced their arrival at the morning meeting. Several counselors had been trained by Dr. Ben-Judah himself to take new believers and help them learn the basics of the faith. They surrounded the men after Tsion had finished introducing them and whisked them away.
    Micah prayed for Jews who were being arrested around the world. “You know, Lord, that these people are being mistreated and killed simply because they have Jewish ancestors. The Global Community considers them traitors, and they are being paraded across international television, humiliated every day. We ask that you would surround these with your love and mercy, and show them the truth that you want them to turn from their sin and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.”
    Micah asked the assembly to gather in small clusters. The wonderful sound of voices uniting in prayer echoed off the red rocks.
    Sam and Mr. Stein