"Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins - Left Behind Series 9 - Desecration" - читать интересную книгу автора (LaHaye Tim)

"Rayf-"

"Oh, I know who you are, sir," George said. "Pretty sure everybody here does."

"Let's hope nobody outside here does," Rayford said. "So you're Albie's choice for chopper lead."
"Well, he, uh, asked that I refer to him as Commander Elbaz, but yes, sir."

"What do we like about him?" Rayford asked Albie.

"Experienced. Smart. Knows how to handle a bird."

"Fine by me. Wish I had time to socialize, George,but-"

"If you have just another minute, Captain Steele .. ." Rayford glanced at his watch. "Walk with
us, George." They headed to the south end of the new airstrip,
Rayford's eyes and ears alert for unfriendly skies.

"I'll make it quick, sir. It's just that I like to tell people how it happened with me."

"It?"

"You know, sir."

Rayford loved these stories, but there was a time and place for everything, and this was neither.

"Nothing dramatic, Captain. Had a chopper instructor, Jeremy Murphy, who always told me Jesus was
coming to take Christians to heaven. 'Course, I thought he was a nutcase, and I even got him in
trouble for proselytizing on the job. But he wouldn't quit. He was a good instructor, but I didn't
want a thing to do with the other stuff. I was loving life-newly married, you know."

"Sure."

"He invited me to church and everything. I never went. Then the big day happens. Millions missing
everywhere. Smart as I'm supposed to be, I actually tried calling him to see if my session was
called off that day 'cause of all the chaos and everything. Later that night somebody found his
clothes on a chair in front of his TV."

Rayford stopped and studied George. He would have enjoyed hearing more, but the clock was ticking.
"Didn't take you long after that, did it?"

George shook his head. "I went cold. I felt so lucky I hadn't been killed. I prayed, I mean right
then, that I would remember the name of his church. And I did, but hardly anybody was there.
Anyway, I found somebody who knew what was going on, they reminded me what Murphy had been telling
me, and they prayed with me. I've been a believer ever since. My wife too."

"My story's almost the same," Rayford said, "and maybe one of these days I'll have time to tell
you. But-"

"Sir," the young man said, "I need another second."