"He's fine, though by now he's beginning to grow hungry." Milner removed his hand from Decker's shoulder and instantly the vision vanished.
"If you know where he is, take me to him."
"That's not possible," Milner answered. "He must be left alone. This is his time of preparation."
"Preparation for whatT Decker demanded.
"Mr. Hawthorne, the world is about to undergo a time such as it has never known before. A time so dark and bleak that the destruction of the Russian Federation and what we call the 'Disaster' will seem mild by comparison. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to prevent its occurrence. But if we as a species are to emerge from it, and to go on to our ultimate destiny, it will happen only under Christopher's leadership. Without that leadership, the world as we know it will utterly perish. I have known this since years before I first saw him, and now you know it as well. What Christopher goes through now will prepare him for that hour."
Decker was too stunned to respond right away. In the back of his mind he had always wondered if there wasn't some greater purpose to Christopher's birth than simply being the product of Harry Goodman's experiment. After a moment he managed to ask, "What about the KDP?"
"They shall not harm him, though they would relish an opportunity to do so."
"Who are they?" Decker asked. "Are they a part of this?"
"They are. As you know, when Alice Bernley was alive she headed the Lucius Trust near the U.N. That location was not an accident. For years the Trust has been a sort of clearinghouse for thousands of what we call 'New Age' groups from all around the world." Decker started to speak but Milner anticipated his response and continued. "The New Age is not just some fad, some passing fancy. It is the result of a maturing, a ripening of the human species in preparation for the final and most glorious step in its evolution. Humanity is on the very threshold of an evolutionary stride which shall place us as far above what we are now, as we are now above the ants on the forest floor.
"The KDP were to have been the spearhead of that," Milner continued. "Unfortunately, at the very moment of their inception their course was subverted by the two men who are now their leaders."
"One of whom is the Apostle John?" Decker asked.
"Yes." Milner did not appear at all surprised that Decker should know this. "You have heard of the strange ability of the KDP to look into a person's past?"
"Yes."
"Such an ability is only a faint precursor of what is to come. Soon that ability shall seem as no more than a firefly in the blazing sun. Such powers should be used to look into the hearts of others, to find those places where compassion is so desperately needed, and to offer comfort. Instead, under the leadership of John and another man named Saul Cohen, they use their gift to dredge up what would be better left forgotten, and to savagely claw open old wounds and call attention to human frailties. And yet, that is the least of their monstrous inhumanity. Their powers for evil are far greater than anything any sane mind could imagine. This drought that Israel has suffered these sixteen months is their work. And they shall do far worse before it is over."
"What can be done to stop them?"
"By ourselves we can do nothing. The fate of the world and of humankind rests squarely on the shoulders of the one you have raised as your own son. The conclusion is by no means foreordained. Let us hope that he is equal to the task."
For a moment both men were silent. It took Decker a moment to even begin to comprehend the magnitude of what Milner had just told him.
"How long will Christopher have to stay out there?" Decker asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Forty days."
"Forty days!!" Decker blurted out, loud enough for anyone in the lobby to hear him.
"There is no other way," Milner answered, exaggerating his whisper to quiet Decker.
"But if he doesn't freeze or die of thirst first, he'll starve!"
"He will do neither, though the preparation will certainly be brutal and unmerciful. Still, he is there by his own choice. No one could force this upon him. He has chosen it for himself. If he wishes, he may withdraw from the preparation at any time."
"Then I'll stay here and wait for him," Decker said.
"You too must choose of your own will," Milner said. "But you can do nothing here. If you return to New York you may be able to provide essential information to Christopher upon his return which will help him in the decisions he must make."
Obviously there was no real choice; Decker had to return to New York. But just as obvious was Decker's concern about leaving Christopher. He was sure that Milner would never let any harm come to him; next to Decker no one was closer to Christopher, and in some respects Milner was probably closer. Still, this could be a matter of life and death. Milner could see the worry in Decker's eyes and so once more placed his hand on Decker's shoulder. Suddenly, a peace such as he had never known swept over Decker and his anxiety just seemed to vanish.
"Will you stay here?" Decker asked.
"Yes. I cannot go to him but I will stay as close to him as I can." Decker nodded his approval.
"I'll leave on the next available flight, but I'll be back in thirty-eight days, before Christopher returns."
"Good," Milner said. "And now I must leave." Decker shook Milner's hand firmly and Milner turned to leave, but stopped before he had gone two steps. "Oh, Decker," he said as he turned halfway back around, "be particularly careful of Ambassador Moore."
"Is he a part of this somehow?"
"Not exactly," said Milner. He's just a very ambitious man who will stop at nothing to become Secretary-General. The forces who oppose us seek out such men as surrogates to accomplish their goals for them."
Chapter 27
Stopping at Nothing
December 14,2020 – New York
"Back so soon?" Jackie Hansen asked as Decker arrived at the Italian Mission in New York. "I expected you two to be gone for at least a week." Decker showed himself into Christopher's office and signaled without speaking for Jackie to follow. "What's up?" she asked after she closed the door. "Where's Christopher?"
"He's still in Israel," Decker answered. "He's going to be there for about a month and a half." Decker was hoping to make this explanation as simple as possible, but it wasn't going to be easy.
"A month and a half! "Jackie exploded. "He can't do that! He's got things to do, meetings to attend, speaking engagements." Decker held up his hands to stop Jackie so he could continue his explanation, but she had never yielded to that ploy in the past, and she wouldn't now. "I'll just give him a call and point out a few things to him! "What's the number at his hotel?"
"He's not at a hotel… "
"Fine. What's the number where he's staying?"
"Jackie, it's just not possible to reach him."
"Well, I'll just call him on his pocket phone."
"Jackie, stop! He doesn't have it with him. Please, just wait a minute." Jackie crossed her arms and stopped talking. For a moment at least, she was listening. Decker quickly seized the opportunity. "We found Robert Milner."
Jackie dropped back against the edge of Christopher's desk. "Is he all right? Is he alive?" she asked. After being missing for sixteen months, nothing could be taken for granted.
"He's fine. He looks just fine." The news of Milner had the disarming effect on Jackie that Decker was hoping for. Now perhaps he could try to explain without Jackie interrupting. "Christopher is with him," he said. It was a little less than the truth, but a lot easier to explain.
"Well, they must be staying somewhere," Jackie said, getting back to her previous track.