The days before the wedding passed quickly. Much that had been puzzling was clarified as the four friends spent long hours talking—sometimes in quiet sorrow for things past or regretted, sometimes in exuberant and joyous laughter as they rehearsed the ways in which God had led them to this hour. The tragic death of Viktor at the hands of an Archon after Carla had half-carried him out of the disintegrating auditorium and pleaded with him to accept Jesus was discussed with great sorrow.

Carla’s account of her surrender to the Lord and how He rescued her from the Nine brought great joy. The diabolically clever metamorphosis of Del Sasso and the probable increasing persecution of the Messiah’s followers in the near future as the New World Order was established was discussed with concern.

“What happens if the police are waiting for us?” asked Miriam. Looking down from clear skies at the menacing smog bank shrouding Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport, she was reminded of the perils facing the two fugitives as soon as they landed. “Tel Aviv could have called by now.”

“Relax,” Ari admonished, putting a protective arm around her. “If we look nervous, they might take us for drug smugglers. Have a dog sniffing our bags and find that kosher sausage,” he added with a laugh.

“I’ll just hang on to your arm and look like I’m in love. How’s that?”

“Great. Just try to make it convincing.”

“Ari! I’m serious. Suppose the Mossad is down there waiting for this flight?”

“Can you be in the lobby of the King David in thirty minutes?” The urgency was apparent as soon as Yakov heard the voice on the other end of the line.

“Ah, David… I was just getting ready to go out to visit Ari. What’s up?” 

“This is related. I’ll see you at the King David!” There was no hiding the suppressed excitement in his friend’s voice.