Chapter Five: The Search Begins
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found." Luke 15:24
When Jessica awoke the next morning, she immediately set her plan into action. Picking up her cell phone, she quickly dialed Nicolae's number.
"Nicolae Carpathia."
"Hey it's Jessica."
"Is everything alright?"
"Well, I've talked to my secretary. She cannot get a hold of anyone in my family. I need to get home as quickly as possible. I hate to be a bother as I'm sure you are very busy, but is there anything you can do?"
Nicolae was silent for a moment. "I cannot personally escort you, as I would like to, but I can arrange for a private charter to get you home no later then this evening. I will make a few phone calls and send an escort to pick you up at 2:00."
Jessica thanked him and after just a few more words, she hung up and immediately began packing.
Two o'clock came quickly as Jessica found herself in the back of a limo being driven to a private airstrip for United Nation officials. Soon she would be home.
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Mark walked out of the office from where he had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion. Many more people have found their way into the church looking for answers. Picking up the many copies of Pastor Hansen's letter, he passed them among the crowd and sat back to see what would happen.
It didn't take long for the millions of questions to begin. "So you're telling me that Jesus came back and took my wife?" a man lashed out accusingly. Similar questions came pouring out, but as Mark looked out into the faces, he saw many weeping and praying. Perhaps, he could make a difference. Standing in front of the room, he began explaining what he knew.
"Jesus had warned us that he was indeed coming again. We would not know the day or the hour. If we had truly been believers in Him then we would have been called up to the clouds to meet Jesus and been taken to heaven, just as our loved ones were. The Bible says that the dead in Christ would rise first followed by the rest of those would accepted Jesus."
"So that's it? We're done for?"
"Not at all. God is still here, waiting for us to accept Him and his gift of eternal life. It's all up to us now. We know he exists; he got our attention. It's our choice whether or not we want to accept him or reject him." He went further to explain about salvation and the reason why Jesus came to give us eternal life. Many came forward to accept Christ, yet some scoffed and rejected the idea that Jesus had called up their loved ones.
After hours of praying and talking with people, he retreated back to his car. Getting in, he leaned his head against the steering wheel. "Lord, help me. I still do not have all the answers for these people. Provide me with the right words."
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Jessica had made it back to Chicago, with her first stop being her office to pick up Peggy. They then headed towards Southside Christian with hopes of finding her parents. Pulling into the parking lot, Jessica saw that it was unusually crowded for a Tuesday evening. Searching for her dad's car she spotted Mark. Walking over to the blue Ford, she tapped the window.
"Mark?"
Mark looked up. "Jessica!" He cried out in surprise and quickly climbed out of the car and gave her a hug. They had grown to know each other while Jessica was still in college and would occasionally help with Sunday school.
"Mark, where's daddy? Is he inside?"
Mark pulled away and looked into her eyes. Of all the people, he thought that she would know the truth instantly.
"Jessica, why don't you just come inside so we can talk?"
She followed him into her dad's office and turned as he shut the door behind them.
"Okay, what's the deal? Where are my parents?"
"Jessica, they're gone."
"They can't be gone! It's not possible." Jessica scoffed and tears welled up in her eyes. Mark picked up a copy of her dad's letter and handed it to her. The office was silent as she read.
"You mean to tell me you believe this stuff? You actually believe this?!"
"Jessica, can you not tell me that your father has never once warned you of this? I guarantee you that he did cause he sure warned me. I just refused to listen; I was a youth group leader. I was supposed to know all of this and believe, but I didn't. We've had talks of this before, Jessica. I know you reject this faith because you want control, but you have to realize that you don't have any control. If you did then you would have been able to prevent your parents from answering the Lord's call. No one has control over anything."
"I am not going to listen to this." She hissed out through her tears. Jesus stole her parents from her? How could she just accept that?
Storming out of the office, she ran back to her car and peeled out.
"What's wrong?"
Jessica threw the crumbled letter at Peggy. Silence reigned again as Peggy read. "This was written before everything happened?"
"Yes, my father wrote it and he's disappeared."
Silence came over again and Jessica stole a look at Peggy. "What?"
"I mean it makes sense. The man who I saw disappear was from a church. That has to be the connection between everyone right? They were all Christians." Peggy paused for a second. "Is it too late, Jessica? Are we all damned?"
Jessica rolled her eyes. "Damn it all! Not you too! I refuse to believe any of this, and no I don't have any answers for you. If you want them then go back to the church." They had been stuck in traffic and not had gotten any farther then a few blocks from the church so Peggy simply got out and walked back from where they came. She was determined to get some answers, even if Jessica was not.