"Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins - Left Behind Series 8 - The Mark" - читать интересную книгу автора (LaHaye Tim)

leader again. What are you going to do about this Hattie Durham? Decide. Tell me,
tell the people in the Strong Building, and do it.”
“I don't know, Albie.”
“You'll never know. Just weigh your options, consider the pros and cons, and pull
the trigger. Either way, the old safe house is fewer than ten minutes out of the way.
Start with a small decision.”
“Let's have a look at it.”
“Good for you, Rayford.”
“Don't patronize me, Albie. We're in a GC chopper. We won't look suspicious
anyway.”
“But you've made a decision. Now think aloud about the more important one. Are
we going to Colorado?”
“I was saying, rather than lead the GC to us, she went straight there. Her family is
gone, but maybe she thought she could hook up with friends in Colorado. Who
knows? I couldn't even tell you whether her confounding the GC was a stroke of
genius or dumb luck, but I'd lean toward the latter.”
“So she may be leading you to them rather than the other way round.”
Rayford turned away from Albie and looked out the window, praying silently. It
hadn't been that many years since his lust for Hattie Durham had almost cost him
his marriage. He took the blame for that, but since then she had been nothing but
trouble. He and the others in the Tribulation Force had loved her and counseled her,
provided for her, pled with her to receive Christ. But she would not be persuaded,
and she pulled dangerous stunts that compromised the safety of the Force. For all he
knew, she was the reason the GC had finally discovered the safe house.
Rayford's phone chirped. “Hattie?”
“I heard footsteps. They've got me in a small room in a bunker about an hour south
of Colorado Springs.”
“I'm a long way from there.”
“Oh, thank you, Rayford. I knew I could count—”
“I haven't decided what I'm going to do, Hattie.”
“Of course you have. You won't leave me here to be sent back to prison or worse.
What do I have to do, promise to become a believer?”
“Not unless you mean it.”
“Well, if you don't come for me, you can kiss that idea good-bye.”
Rayford slapped his phone shut and sighed. “What an idiot!”
“Her?” Albie said. “Or you for considering what you're considering?”
“Her! This is such a transparent attempt by the GC to lure one of us out there. Once
they get me, they hold me ransom for information on the rest of the Force. Who
they really want, of course, is Tsion. The rest of us are irritants. He's the enemy.”
“So your choice is between this Miss Durham and Tsion Ben-Judah? You want my
vote?”
“It's not that easy. We want her for the kingdom, Albie. I mean, we all really do.”
“And you think if you abandon her now, she'll never believe.”
“She said as much.”
“This may sound cold, and I admit I'm new to this, but it's her choice, isn't it?
You're not making the decision for her.”
“Going out there would be the dumbest thing I've ever done. They've caught her,
detained her, threatened totake her back to prison, and yet they leave her with her
phone. I mean, come on.”
Albie scanned the horizon. “Then your decision is easy.”