The Regime: Evil Advances Read Online Free PDF Page A

realize that your major benefactor is huge into armaments.”
    “Do you assume I work for or cater to Mr. Stonagal? What do I have to do to disabuse you of that notion?”
    “I believe you just did,” Planchette said.
    “Jackie has been inviting me to weekly meetings, Bible studies,” Irene said. “Maybe that would give me what I need.”
    “That’s a rather transparent way to get you thinking about switching churches,” Rayford said.
    “Oh, I don’t think Jackie has ulterior motives,” she said.
    Rayford stood and began clearing the table. “Well, I do,” he said. “If going to little meetings like that will keep you from complaining about our church, feel free. But let me go on record right now: I’m not switching. I like where we are, and I said I would keep going, so I will. But nowhere else, and no extra meetings.”

FOUR

    Carpathian International Trading’s purse strings were tended by a swarthy little man who went by merely Ion. On their way to the Intercontinental Bank in Bucharest, it appeared to Nicolae that Ion had never been in a Bentley before.
    With his briefcase in his lap and files that wouldn’t fit inside stacked precariously on top, Ion looked everywhere but at his boss. His ill-fitting suit was buttoned all the way up.
    “You are certain that I need to be along, Ion?”
    “Oh yes, sir,” he said. “It would be easy for them to turn me down. But having to face you in person, well, I believe they will be impressed.”
    “You can prove my business is more than good collateral?”

    “Of course. In fact, you will likely need to put up only a portion of it.”
    “Do you speak English, Ion?”
    “Not so much, no, sir.”
    “You know, in English your name is not pronounced E-on. It is pronounced Eye-on. An atomic term. And when the American wants something watched over, he ‘keeps an eye on’ it, which sounds the same. That is the role you will serve today. Once we secure the financing, of course.”
    It was clear the play on words was lost on Ion. “I was named after the Romanian playwright Ionesco.” He busied himself peeking at file summaries he said he had finalized late the night before.
    When they reached the bank and Ion opened his door, he knocked it into the bodyguard who was trying to open it for him. Then he didn’t seem to know whether to wait for Nicolae or simply to hurry into the bank and ask for the officer with whom he had made the appointment.
    Nicolae caught up to him, and it became clear that their meeting was with several of the brass.
    After pleasantries, the senior lending officer said, “Mr. Carpathia, we have your prospectus, of course, but perhaps you would care to personally walk us through your plans, should we see our way clear to front your company one hundred million.”
    Jackie and Irene sat at the park, watching their kids while chatting. To Irene it seemed Jackie could barely contain herself. “If you’ve received Christ, Irene,” she

    said, “you must get into a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church that will help you grow.”
    “I know. And yours sounds wonderful. But Rayford is dead set against it. I’m tempted to go anyway.”
    “I don’t recommend that,” Jackie said. “No sense alienating him. How about one of our weekly Bible studies?”
    “He says that’s okay if it keeps me from switching churches, but I know it will annoy him.”
    “I’ve got it!” Jackie said. “One day a week you bring Raymie to my house at nap time, and I’ll put Brianna down at the same time. Then I could mentor you through a simple formula our church uses one-on-one and in small groups all the time.”
    Irene smiled. “Would there be homework?”
    “You bet there would.” Jackie outlined a plan that called for Irene to read at least one chapter from the New Testament each day and keep a daily journal of what she learned. She was also to read one of the very short New Testament books each day—like 1 John or Philippians. “You also make a