Several clapped and patted Judd on the back, but Vicki noticed a few scowls.

"Next time, you check with me before you bring anyone, understand?"

Major Evers said.

The man led each squad through grueling paces as they moved through the woods.

"No wonder you're in such good shape," Vicki said as she tried to keep up. Some behind her were laughing.

"You're doing good," Mark said.

"Watch for branches and holes up ahead. Don't twist that ankle again, Judd."

An hour into the exercise, Vicki heard something strange and recognized the wop-wop-wop of helicopter blades.

"You guys really make this thing realistic," Vicki said.

Mark looked concerned.

"Stay here."

The rest of the squad looked confused. First one helicopter, then another appeared. Bright lights shone down as Judd and Vicki shielded their eyes.

"Impressive," Judd said.

Mark ran back to them.

"This way," he said, and hurtled through the woods.

"Halt! Stay where you are," a voice boomed from the sky. "This is an unlawful a.s.sembly. Lie down with your hands over your heads."

People screamed. A few lay down while others ran.

"This is a joke, right?" Judd yelled, as he and Vicki caught up with Mark.

"No joke," Mark said. A burst of machine gunfire cut small trees in half ahead of them. Mark veered left and shouted, "Keep your heads down and follow me!"

Vicki ran, but her legs felt like lead. Nothing she had ever experienced, not even the disappearance of her family, compared with this terror.

Mark led them to the edge of a cliff. Vicki saw only rocks, then darkness below. A third helicopter now pursued, its lights scanning the trees behind them.

"Come on," Mark yelled as he jumped into the ravine.

"Mark, no!" Vicki screamed, then covered her eyes.

Judd grabbed her arm.

"You're next." In the moonlight Vicki saw Mark below, suspended from a rope. She jumped to a ledge and grabbed the rope. Swinging back and forth, she and Mark made their way down. Halfway to the bottom. Mark disappeared into the face of a rock.

Vicki's heart pounded as first she, then Judd followed Mark into a huge cave just as the helicopter pa.s.sed.

She tried to catch her breath.

"Mark, come to your senses," Vicki said. Mark held up his hand.

Something was moving behind them. A light shone in their faces.

"You made it," Major Evers said.

"Yes, sir," Mark said.

"How about the others?"

"We're checking," Major Evers said. He sat and turned off his light.

Vicki heard water trickling and m.u.f.fled voices deep in the cave.

"The GC means business," Mark said.

"We knew they were onto us," Major Evers said.

"Then why did you take the chance?" Vicki said.

"We let the GC find us. Carpathia will hear there's a couple hundred guys doing push-ups in the woods.He thinks small potatoes. Meanwhile, we plan our a.s.sault."

"When?" Judd said.

"I wouldn't tell you if I knew. When the time is right, we'll strike, and with a vengeance."

"Is it true President Fitzhugh is involved with the militia?" Judd said.

Evers squinted at him.

"You know I can't divulge that. But our objective is to have him back in the Oval Office within a couple of months." He shook his head.

"The way Carpathia has treated that man ..."

"Why is Carpathia doing this?" Vicki said.

"Who do you think he is?"

"I know religious types think he's the Antichrist. Frankly, I don't know, and I don't care. He's taken our country from us. I'd die to get it back."

"If we don't stand up to him," Mark said, "he'll take everything."

A man with a walkie-talkie led Major Evers and the kids to a communications post. Four militia members had been shot. The CC were sending troops on foot and were only a few miles away.

"I'm sorry," Mark said.

"If I'd have known, I wouldn't have brought you."

"Try to make it back to your vehicle and get out of here," Major Evers said.

"If you get caught, we were just roasting hot dogs."

Mark made the climb up look easy. Judd favored his ankle.

Vicki slipped once, but when Judd grabbed her arm, she glared at him and wrenched away.

"I can do it," she said.

As they reached the truck, Mark slid behind the wheel.

"Something isn't right," he said.

"That was too easy."

He slipped out of the truck and with catlike motion climbed an enormous tree. In a few moments he was back.

"It's a trap," he said. "We'll have to find another way out."

"We could hoof it," Vicki said.

"Can't leave the truck," Mark said.

"CC would trace it." He pulled a map from the glove compartment.

"Head east on foot.

After a few miles, you'll come to a stream. Follow that south just across theIllinoisborder. If I make it through, I'll meet you here, at this overpa.s.s. "

"Shouldn't we stick together?" Judd said.

"If they catch you," Mark said, "it's off to the re-education camp. Get going."

"Think about Lionel and Ryan, too," Judd said.

"You're influencing those guys."

Judd slept until afternoon, then headed to the church. He was surprised to find Vicki at the front door.

"Keeping watch?" he said.

"You haven't heard about the wedding?" Vicki said.

Vicki explained the romance Judd hadn't seen. He knew Chloe Steele and Buck Williams were seeing each other and even guessed that they might get married. But he hadn't guessed about Amanda White and Rayford Steele. She was a tall, handsome woman about Mr. Steele's age; she had streaked hair and impeccable taste in clothes.

"And it was the most romantic proposal I've ever heard of.

Buck surprised Chloe at Amanda's office and proposed to her in one room while her dad was proposing to Amanda in the other. The only problem is, now we're losing Chloe. She and Buck will live inNew York. "

Judd and Vicki crept to Bruce's office and listened outside the door. Bruce told the couples where to stand and led them through the double ceremony.

"I'm not going to preach a sermon," Bruce said.

"You've heard enough of those. But I do want to challenge you. With what lies ahead, with the uncertainty all around us, cling to each other. Love each other. Forgive each other. Put each other's needs ahead of your own, as Christ did. And let no one, no one come between what G.o.d has divinely joined."

Judd heard Buck say his vows. Buck's voice was trembling. "Chloe, I promise to love you, and you only. I will honor you above all others, above even my own life...."

Chloe responded with her vows.

Then Rayford pledged himself to Amanda, saying, "I will treasure the gift G.o.d has given me in you."

"And I am yours, Rayford," Amanda said, "whether in sickness or in health, for richer or poorer, until death separates us."

Bruce finished by praying, "For this brief flash of joy in a world on the brink of disaster, we thank you and pray your blessing and protection on us all until we meet back here again. Bind our hearts as brothers and sisters in Christ while we are apart."

Judd and Vicki stepped outside the church.

"Makes you wonder, doesn't it?" Judd said.

"Wonder what?" Vicki said.

"You know," Judd said, pawing the ground with his foot.

"That kind of stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"You know."

"Judd Thompson, this is the first time I've seen you blush."

Vicki let him stammer, then came to his rescue.

"You know Captain Steele and Amanda are moving to New Babylon."

"You're kidding," Judd said.

"Carpathia wants all his staff there."

Judd turned to Vicki.

"I've always wondered whether" But Bruce and the couples came out of the office.

"Hey, kids," Bruce said.

"I'd like you to meet Rayford and Amanda Steele, and Chloe and Buck Williams."