Wild Cards: Death Draws Five Read Online Free PDF Page A

the, uh, millennium, surely that passed—”
    Barnett shook his head.
    ”Actually it’s just around the corner, my boy,” Barnett said. “Time-keeping was not an exact science when the Bible was written two thousand years ago. Records were not precise. The calendar as we know it is a relatively modern invention. Anyway, you’d expect an error of a year or two to crop up over a couple of millennia, wouldn’t you?”
    “I suppose,” Ray said, noncommittally. He still had no clue as to what in the Hell this had to do with a kid saving some Vegas magician from his over-grown kitty cat.
    Barnett nodded. “Of course. Hell, nobody took notes on the year when they wrote down the Bible. Nobody even cared. Besides—the signs are the important things, and all signs say that Apocalypse is approaching.”
    “What signs? Tiger attacks in Vegas?”
    Barnett frowned, the twinkle suddenly gone from his baby blue eyes.
    “The prophecies, my boy. The continued existence of Israel, the nation whose existence you helped preserve, and don’t think I’ve forgotten that, is but one of them. But let’s not get bogged down in detail now.” Barnett opened the middle draw in his desk. He took out an impressively thick manuscript. “Here. I wrote a book about it. Not intended for everyone of course. Wouldn’t want a panic among the general populace. But give it a study, my boy. You’ll see. It’s all very convincing.” Barnett handed the volume to Ray. It was heavy. “This is strictly for people within my organization, I guess you’d call it.”
    Ray looked up from the thick manuscript to Leo Barnett. “Organization?” he asked warily.
    “A think-tank I founded after I had the honor of serving as President of this great nation. The Millenarians. We believe that the time of the Apocalypse is at hand.”
    “That’s a bad thing, isn’t it?” Ray asked doubtfully.
    “Not at all, Billy, not at all.” Barnett explained. “Though many people believe that. Apocalypse means simply ‘unveiling’ or ‘revelation.’ It is the time when the truth will be revealed for all to see. When the Lord Jesus will return to this earth to usher in a thousand years of peace and prosperity for those who believe in his name.”
    Ray’s expression was unchanged.
    “Well, read my manuscript,” Barnett said. “It explains everything.”
    “All right,” Ray said as sincerely as he could.
    Barnett frowned.
    Apparently, Ray thought, I don’t sound quite as sincere as I think I do.
    “We need a man of your talents, Billy,” Barnett said earnestly, turning up the wattage of his charm. “To guard me and, um, other figures important to the Parousia—that’s the founding of Jesus’ kingdom on earth, which will usher in the thousand years of peace and prosperity of the millennium.”
    “I thought you said that the End Days were approaching. Doesn’t that mean like, the end of the world?”
    “It does,” Barnett said seriously. “But only after the thousand year peace of the Millennium. And only, of course, if we triumph in the upcoming conflict. We have foes, Billy. Powerful foes. Some might say satanically powerful foes.”
    Here we go, Ray thought. He knew this just wasn’t going to be a simple little story. “I’m already guarding you,” Ray pointed out. “Exactly who are these others who need guarding?”
    “Christ,” Barnett said.
    Ray waited a beat, but Barnett added nothing to what Ray initially thought was an uncharacteristic expletive.
    “Christ,” Ray repeated. “You mean, Jesus Christ?”
    “Jesus Christ,” Barnett confirmed. “The Second Coming of the Son of God is upon us.”
    “Well,” Ray asked, “where is he?”
    Barnett cleared his throat. “Apparently,” he said, “in Las Vegas.”
    “You don’t mean John Fortune?”
    Barnett nodded earnestly. “I do. You have to trust me on this, Billy. Years of study have led me to this conclusion. His act of healing this, uh, animal tamer, is only the final