The Enforcers

There was a bang at the door.
“Oh no,” someone said, “Oh God, no!”
This was a prayer, and on that could put the supplicator’s life on the line if it was overheard by the wrong people. But that didn’t matter anymore. This wasn’t the knock of a friend.
“Open this door!”
The cabin had been discovered. Their group had been exposed. And the life of every person in the place was in grave danger. They didn’t have to see the men at the door to know that they wore the black uniform of the Enforcers and that their wrists or foreheads were adorned with the Mark. They would have clubs and shackles and guns and before this confrontation was over, there would be blood.
“Answer the door.” Stephan Markham said. “Play it cool. We’re just sitting down to dinner right?”
That was true enough. Stephen, his wife Julie, and his daughter, Meghan, Krissy, and Lorren were just sitting down to dinner. The small group of “fanatics” and “dissidents” in their back room had been preparing to dine as well, after an illegal prayer. At the knock, two of the refugees came out into the front room, Jacob Stein and Maria Chavez, a hundred something year old Messianic Jew, and a middle aged Catholic who had laid aside their differences when the God to whom they both prayed was outlawed. Ten more people were huddled in the back room including Jacobs great grand children (his only remaining relatives) and Maria’s elderly mother Anna.
“Is it?” Jacob asked.
“The Enforcers,” Stephen confirmed. “You know what to do. I’ll try and stall them. But…”
“I understand,” Jacob said, and more than any of them, He did. He’d been through this before. When the Mark was a swastika and the target Jews.
“Let’s go.” He said to Maria. He ushered the frightened woman back to Stephen’s den. There a dresser would be pulled aside, revealing a small dark tunnel to a hidden cellar where Jacob, Maria, and their companions would wait out this storm. Stephen’s eldest daughter, Meghan followed them. She would push the dresser back in place.
Lauren stood at the door, her hand on the lock, looking warily at her father. It would take at least a minute for the Christians to get safely to the cellar. Hopefully, he could buy them enough time.
The knocking again. Louder and more insistent.
“Daddy?” the frightened ten year old asked.
“Go ahead honey.” He said, “It will be ok.”
Lauren unlocked the door and opened it. A cold wind and a flurry of snow invaded the home moments before the massive uniformed men did. Lauren quickly stepped aside. If she hadn’t, she would have been knocked to the floor. Stephen went to the door and she hurried to him and clung to him.
“What’s going on here?” he asked. He put enough force into his voice to let the intruders know he wasn’t going to be intimidated, but not so much to to sound defiant.
“Are you Stephen Markham?” There were four of them. The man who spoke was the largest and he wore a gold charm on his collar. He was a sergeant and the ranking officer on the scene.
“I am” Stephen said.
“Pastor Stephen Markham?”
“It’s been a long time,” Stephen said, “since I’ve gone by that title.”
“We need to search your home.”
Not too many years ago, Stephen could have asked to see a warrant, invoked his rights as an American citizen, actually forced these men to leave. But times had changed. America as he had known it was no more. These men could beat him to death in front of his wife and daughters and the only consequence would be an extra page or two of paper work. He oculd only hope to stall them while the Christian refugees made it to the safety of the hidden cellar.
“What’s this about officer?”
“We have reason to believe you are hiding dissidents on this property.”
“Dissidents?”
“Christians!” another of the Enforcers added with disgust.
“That’s ridiculous sir,” Stephen said. “I am a loyal citizen. I have the Mark!”
Stephen raised his right hand to show the Enforcers the zigzag scar which was the visible evidence of the chip implanted into every loyal citizen. Most Christians had recognized this chip as the Mark of the Beast, and the Chancellor as the Anti Christ. Publicly, Stephen and his family had renounced their faith and Stephen’s ten year career as a pastor had ended. But their scars were all forgeries and Stephen had been working to shelter and transport Christians ever since, even before the Chancellor had proclaimed every Christian to be a terrorist and began rounding them up, imprisoning them and in many cases killing them.
“Look, Pastor Markham,” the Sergeant sneered, “ You can either let us do our job here, or I’ll have you arrested for obstruction of justice. You wouldn’t want you little girls to see you dragged off would you?”
“Daddy?” Lauren whispered, gripping her father’s hand protectively.
Don’t worry honey.” Stephen told her. “I’ll be fine”.
He stood ramrod, looked the lead Enforcer right in his dark angry eyes, and hoping he’d bought the refugees enough time, said, “Go ahead and search. I have nothing to hide.”
“Thank you,” the man replied. “Your cooperation will be noted.”
Stephen and Lauren stepped back and were joined by Julie and Krissy. The four of them huddled in a corner while the Enforcers began their search. Carelessly tossing aside breakables, overturning furniture, checking under every rug and behind every wall hanging, they tore the Markham home apart.
“Oh Steve” Julie whispered. But she knew she would gladly sacrifice everything she owned to save the refugees.
“What do we do, Daddy?” twelve year old Krissy whispered.
“We pray, honey,” he said quietly. “There’s nothing else we can do.
The Enforcers finished with the three adjoining front rooms and split up into tow pairs, checking the bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets. If they continued working at the same rate, it would take them barely five minutes to reach Stephen’s den. Hopefully it would be enough time for the refugees.
Part Two:
Meghan was sitting alone in the den. Any sign of the refugees had gone down the tunnel with them. It took a while for Anna and Jacob, the eldest of the group, to get in and they were barely three feet down the tunnel when Meghan heard the sounds of the Enforcers search. She closed the hidden door, which was a near perfect match to the wall around it. And slid the dresser into place. When the Enforcers finally burst in she was sitting in her dad’s leather recliner with an open novel in her lap, looking as if they were interrupting her in her private reading time.
“What’s going on?” she asked. All four Enforcers were in the room and the fourteen-year-old was terrified though she tried not to show it.
“Who are you?” the sergeant demanded.
“Meghan Markham” she stammered.
“What are you doing here?”
“Just reading,” she answered.
“You’re not eating with you family?” one Enforcer asked.
“I’m on a diet.”
“There were five plates out there, Sarge” the Enforcer told his leader.
The sergeant rushed to the leather chair and roughly grabbed the girl. Practically lifting her off her feet, he glared into her frightened eyes.
“Where are they?” he demanded.
Meghan felt helpless and she almost pointed towards the dresser and the tunnel behind it. She would have done almost anything to get this gigantic brute away from her. Instead, she let out a loud scream, and called out, “Daddy!”
Stephen came charging into the den. All pretense of cooperation was gone in the face of a threat to his daughter.
“Get your dirty hands off of her!”
Without loosing his grip, the sergeant turned to Stephen and grinned.
“I think we found what we’re looking for men. Search the area. Every inch! And Pastor Markham, if you so much as utter another sound, I break your daughters arms.”
Stephen know that this was no idle threat. He had to bite his lip to keep from lashing out, and he stood helplessly by as the other three men began tearing the room apart. They overturned his couch and chairs, tore down his very expensive wall painting, and even smashed his television screen for good measure. Hearing Meghan’s cries, Julie and the other two girls rushed to the den. Stephen help up his hand to keep them from entering the room and interfering.
“Look Sam” one of the Enforcers said to another. He pointed to the floor by the dresser where there were small but noticeable scuff marks in the wood. It was clear that the dresser had been moved recently.
“Check it.” Sam said. The other man turned the dresser over, spilling its contents and then stopped short by the sight of nothing but wall behind it. Stephen prayed that they wouldn’t notice the slight variation in the wooden wall’s color and pattern.
“I don’t get it” the Enforcer said.
Sam was the man who had noticed the five plates on the dinner table. He had an eye for details and he didn’t miss much. While the other Enforcers were looking stupidly at the wall, he took out his bill club and smashed a hole in the hidden door. Stephen’s heart sank.
“There it is” Sam said, He reached into the hole he’d created and yanked the door open, revealing the tunnel behind it.
“Would you mind explaining that tunnel, Pastor Markham?” the sergeant said.
“Wine cellar,” Stephen replied, which was technically true.
Meghan let out a cry of pain as the sergeant squeezed her arms in his massive grip. Before Stephen could move to her rescue the sergeant threw the girl at him. He did his best to catch her but ended up merely breaking her fall as he fell to the floor himself.
“Take the Markhams to the van” the Sergeant ordered. “If this tunnel is what I think it is, they’ll soon be joined by a dozen more prisoners. Sam, You’re with me.”
All four Enforcers drew their weapons. Two escorted the Markham family out to a waiting transport shuttle where they were all cuffed and thrown in the back together. The sergant and Sam ventured into the tunnel.
Part Three
The twelve Christians hiding in the old wine cellar were praying intensely. Eleven of them were seated in a circle on the dirt floor with their heads bowed and Jacob stood at the tunnels entrance keeping watch. He heard muffled screams and angry shouts from above and knew that it was only a matter of time before the Enforcers came barging into the musty cellar with guns blazing. Then there would be nothing they could do.
“Lord,” he whispered, “it’s in Your hands now.”
He felt two little hands grab his and he looked down to see eight-year-old Micah and six-year-old Hannah, his great grandchildren. He had expected them to be more frightened than any of them, but they both looked peaceful and calm.
“Are they coming, Grandfather?” Micah asked.”
“I think so,” he said.
“Will we be okay?” asked Hannah.
“God will protect us,” Jacob said, more to himself than to the children.
“And He’ll be with us no matter what happens. Believe in that children.”
“Should we keep praying.?” Micah asked him.
“Yes, my child,” he said.
The children went back to the prayer circle. Jacob, also praying hard, resumed his vigil at the tunnels entrance. Suddenly, he was sure of two things: The Enforcers would find the secret passageway and somehow the people in his group would be unharmed. As soon as this assurance came to him he saw the sight he had been dreading: a light at the end of the tunnel.
“oh no!” Maria cried softly, making the sign of the Cross. “We’re trapped!”
“Have faith, Maria,” her elderly mother chided, “God is in control.”
Just as soon as Anna said this the flashlights of two armed Enforcers penetrated the tunnel. The collected dissidents all stood gasping and backing away from the entrance as the two emerged, flashlights in their left hand and pistols in their right. Only Jacob stayed where he was.
“Nobody move!” the sergeant bellowed. “You’re all under arrest!”
“Grandfather…” Hannah whined from behind them.
“Don’t worry child,” Jacob said. “Just believe.”
“Believe in what you old fool?” sneered the Enforcer. He raise his flashlight, preparing to bring it down on the old man’s head like a club.
The blow never came. The ground below them began to rumble, then shake and soon the Enforcers had been thrown to the ground while the refugees somehow maintained their footing. Jacob felt cold air blowing on his back and the stone and dirt wall behind the Christians crumbled into dust. He turned and stared in awe at the cloudy might sky behind his small flock.
“It’s a miracle!” he exclaimed. “Run children, run!”
“Don’t you go anywhere!” the sergeant yelled, making a futile attempt to stand. The children ran out through the new passageway into the snowy night. Jacob was the last to leave the cellar that had been their home for three months and as soon as he was out, two enormous trees collapsed over the opening blocking it off completely and the earth quake stopped. Thanking God, for their miraculous escape, the Christians went off into the thick forest behind the Markham’s cabin.
“What was that?” one of the Enforcers in the waiting van asked his partner. They had just finished securing the Markham family in the back of the transport shuttle and were ready to call in and report their status when the ground began shaking. The quake only lasted about fifteen seconds but it seemed a lot longer to the frightened men.
“Felt like an earthquake,” the other said. “Anyway, it’s over now.”
He looked back to the prisoner hold. “Our prisoners are still secure. Let’s call in.”
Stephen was leading his family in prayer. At least he was attempting to. Lauren couldn’t stop crying, Meghan was hyperventilating and holding her injured arms close to her. Julie was trying to comfort the girls and Krissy was staring out the window with a distant look on her face. Stephen had never before been so scared. Not so much for himself, but he was terrified of what would happen to his family. While Lauren would be shipped off to a government before school to be “reeducated” which Stephen hoped and prayed she was strong enough to resist. The other girls were passed the legal age of accountability, set at eleven by the Chancellor. Meghan and Krissy had both chosen to rebel against the government and they would be tried and sentenced as adults. The sentences often included torture, imprisonment, and all sorts of mistreatment at the hands of prison gurads who were about as above the law as the Enforcers. He would probably never again see his family this side of heaven.
Stephen was also watching the front door of the cabin. Any minute now the other two Enforcers would emerge, roughly herding the refugees towards the shuttle.
The back door of the shuttle was opened and the two who were guarding them poked their weapons in.
“Which one of you is Krissy Markham?” one asked.
“Leave her alone!” Julie yelled.
“Quiet!” the Enforcer barked. “We only want Krissy!”
“I’m Krissy.” the twelve-year-old said.
“Come on out, Miss Markham,” the Enforcer said.
“Where are you taking her?” Stephen demanded as Krissy moved towards the door.
“That’s not your concern!” the man replied.
Once Krissy was outside, Stephen shouted, “Answer me!”
“Okay, sir.” the Enforcer said, breaking into a grin. “We just received orders from H.Q. We’re releasing her.”
He unlocked Krissy’s handcuffs and then took his jacket off and put it on the girl.
“What?” Stephen asked. “Why?”
“Why don’t you tell him, Krissy?” the Enforcer said.
Krissy looked down in shame and mumbled, “Sorry Daddy.”
The Stephen knew. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Krissy had turned them in. She’d betrayed her family and the twelve refugees. The Enforcers slammed the door shut and Stephen was sure he’d never see his daughter again. He heard the officers tell her to go into the house and grab whatever she wanted to take with her to her new home.
“Where are they taking Krissy?” Lauren asked.
“I don’t know, honey.” Julie said.
“Why did they take her away?” Lauren pressed.
Because she’s a traitor!” Meghan told her. “That’s why. She turned us in!”
“Why would she do that?”
Stephen was about to say something, though he had no idea what, when he was interrupted by the frantic shouts of the Enforcer Sergeant as he and Sam came running towards the transport shuttle from the house.
“They got away!” the sergeant yelled.
“What?” asked the man who’d give Krissy his jacket.
“During the earthquake,” said the sergeant. “The cellar collapsed and they got away. We need to go after them. John, you’re with us. Mike, you stay with the Mrakhams and call for back up. This could take all night. Let’s go!”
Leaving the man without a jacket behind with the shuttle, the sergeant and the other two Enforcers hurried into the woods behind the cabin. The fourth, Mike, instructed Krissy to sit in the front of the shuttle while he got on the radio to call for back up.
“Daddy, what’s going on?” Meghan asked.
“I don’t know, Meg,” Stephen said, “but I think our prayers are being answered.”
The Enforcer was making his call:
“This is Officer Michael Warren. We’re at the Markham cabin and we need backup immediately. Please respond. Over”
There was no reply but static. Warren cursed loudly and tried again.
While he was making his second and third futile attempt, the four prisoners in the back saw something rapidly approaching the shuttle.
Mistaking the bright light for head lights, Stephen though that it was a vehicle, but it was soon evident that this was no car. The light was glowing off of an enormous man in a flaring white robe and a four foot long sword in his right hand. He was nearly eight feet tall and when he got close enough to the van to touch it, Stephen saw that his face reflected both terrifying ferociousness and unbelievable kindness.
“Who is that?” Lauren asked in awe. “He’s beautiful!”
The newcomer raised his sward and struck the back door of the shuttle. In a flash of light as bright as the sun, the door vaporized into nothing.
“Hurry” he said to the family. “The rest are waiting for you.”
The shackles on the Markhams wrists all broke off in an instant and they climbed out of the shuttle.
“Follow me.”
The gigantic man headed off towards the forest and Stephen, Julie, Meghan, and Lauren went after him. At the edge of the woods, just past the cabin, Stephen stopped and looked back at the shuttle. Warren was trying to contact somebody on the radio and Krissy was staring coldly at the now empty cabin. They gave no indication that they could see the Mrakhams and their supernatural rescuer.
“Stephen, you must hurry!” the rescuer urged.
“What about Krissy?” he asked. The others stopped and looked back as well. Their family was incomplete and they didn’t feel right running off into the night without their middle daughter, even if she had betrayed them.
“She made her own choice, Stephen,” the rescuer said. “There’s nothing you can do. We must hurry!”
“He’s right, Stephen,” Julie said, tears welling up in her eyes. “We need to go.”
Reluctantly, he turned away. The rescuer led the four of them through the forest. After a few minutes they heard angry shouts and frightened screams ahead of them. The rescuer stepped up his pace and the Markhams worked to keep up. Stephen was holding Lauren’s hand and he was practically dragging her as he ran. They emerged into a small clearing and a terrifying scene.
The three Enforcers who had gone after the refugees had found them. The sergeant was beating Jacob Stein with the butt of his pistol while the other two kept the rest of the group at bay with their drawn weapons. Lying next to Jacob was the lifeless and bloody body of his great granddaughter Hannah. Apparently, taking the prisoners alive was no long a priority. Anna was cradling a distraught Micah in her arms and the other refugees had looks of hopeless defeat on their faces.
“Oh Jesus, help us!” Maria cried.
In answer to her prayer, the rescuer swooped down into the clearing with his sword drawn and a mighty cry. The two flanking officers turned and fired at him, but their bullets hit nothing but trees and earth. With a swipe of his sword the guns in their hands were cut in two. He then turned towards the sergeant. The Enforcer turned his weapon on the rescuer and fired three shots that passed right through him, causing no damage. In turn, the rescuer impaled the man with his sword. While there was no physical wound (this was no physical weapon) the man fell dead at his feet. The other two Enforcers stood, unmoving, still holding their useless weapons and gazing at the scene.
Stephen ran into the clearing. He looked down at Jacob and Hannah and then at the man he now new to be an angel.
“Can you do something?” he asked.
The angel nodded. He touched the tip of his sword to Jacobs’ head and immediately the old man got up. Showing no sign he’d ever been struck by the sergeant. He looked to the body of his great granddaughter and let out an anguished wail. He knelt down and cradled the girl in his arms.
“Oh, my sweet Hannah!” he cried, “They’ve killed her!”
The angel placed his hand on the old man’s shoulder.
“She is not dead, Jacob. And her work is not done.”
Jacob looked up into the angel’s beautiful eyes. Then the angel touched the little girl with his sword and she was restored in the same way as Jacob.
“Now you must all go on from here.” the angel told them. I will be with you, though you will not see me. The Lord will protect you and guide you to safety.”
And with that, he vanished. After waiting a moment to let the shock of that evening sink in, the sixteen refugees went further into the woods, led by Jacob and Stephen. They went out on faith, knowing that God was in total control.
Enforcers Samuel Armeta and John Decker stood there for a long moment trying to process the strange things they had just seen. They could have easily followed the refugees, had they been able to move their frozen legs. Neither felt like speaking and neither wanted to go back and report what had happened.
Finally, Arneta spoke.
“What happened here John?”
“I don’t know.” Decker replied.
“You don’t think that there’s something to this whole God thing, do you?”
“I hope not.” Decker said, fingering the zigzag scar on his right hand.
“Because if there is, we have no hope.”