Destiny

ONE-HUNDRED-FOUR

When Marcus was introduced, there was a noticeable shift of focus among the hundreds of people in the audience. They seemed to collectively sit a little straighter, ready to listen to each word, unsure of what the controversial Nobel laureate was going to say. Television cameras followed him across the stage, taking his place behind the podium.

Marcus looked at the large audience. The president and first lady sat in the front row next to his Majesty, the King of Sweden, the King of Norway and dozens of other dignitaries from more than fifty countries. Alicia stood in the wings, off stage, her heart pounding. She watched as Marcus began to speak.

“It is an enormous honor to stand before you tonight in a hall filled with the many people whose dedication, hard work and discoveries will make the world a better place. I’m, quite frankly, a little embarrassed to be here among such greats — those people far more deserving than I to receive this award. My original intent in mapping the electronic coding of the human heart and trying to find a better and more accurate way to prevent ventricular fibrillation wasn’t as altruistic as it might sound. It was selfish. You see, I spent two years of my life working twelve-hour days to keep my daughter alive. She suffered from heart arrhythmias caused by ventricular fibrillation. It was her illness that propelled me to succeed to save her life. At the time, I wasn’t thinking of, nor was I concerned about the lives of others with the same disease. And that’s unfortunate, because today I realize the global ripple effects of what I discovered. I was so buried in my work I couldn’t see what my work should have been all about — what it may have meant for others. Tiffany didn’t live long enough to receive the treatment for her sick heart. She and my wife were murdered.”

Marcus scanned the rows of people, many in the audience hanging onto his every word. Secretary Hanover shifted in her seat. Marcus looked up toward the balcony and continued. “After that, any faith I had in mankind, in God…in anything, for that matter was gone. Almost two years later, I received an invitation from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to examine some very old notes. They were handwritten papers donated to the university, and the original author was Sir Isaac Newton. You see, Newton had spent most of his life studying the Bible. He was convinced of the Bible’s accuracy and of its prophetic potential…noting that, if we, as humans, could learn to listen — we’d recognize and heed the voice of God found throughout the Bible. Newton began to map out various passages from the books of the Bible, and he did it looking at connective points-in-time, peeling back layers of history and literally tracking down the subtle voices that, when combined, spoke to him collectively, in a harmonic stratum. After more than fifty years of studying the Bible, Newton said he felt like a child standing by the sea, his knowledge of the universe no greater than the pebbles and shells around his feet. He said when he looked up, the vastness of the ocean, with its depth and horizon into infinity, God was everywhere.”

Marcus paused and looked out at the audience. People shifted in their seats. The president nodded and Marcus said, “There is a message I’ve come here to deliver to you. What Isaac Newton did take away from his studies was this: we humans are our brother’s keepers. Adherence to the word of God, which includes the giving of ourselves to others, is our most noble call. I believe that’s what the Nobel Prizes are all about — giving of one’s self to others. Each of us in this room, and the seven billon others walking this planet, can be just as effective as any Nobel laureate in our own circle of influence. We simply must care enough to do it.”

There was a murmur from the crowd. The television director inside the control booth spoke into his headset. “Camera one! Get a close-up of the first lady and cut back to the speaker.”

Marcus said, “After fifty years of studying the prophecies from the Bible, Isaac Newton believed that if mankind doesn’t heed the warning signs, if we continue on a path of gluttony, power, greed and hate for one another, our world will come to an end. Newton calculated it might occur in the year 2060.”

The audience fidgeted, each person visibly reacting to Marcus’s words. “But, remember, in 1725 Newton didn’t have a computer. I’ve crunched the numbers and fed in his findings and data. I don’t believe 2060 is the year. God has made known enough of the puzzle pieces to paint the following picture: as nations, our actions must include the complete dismantling and removal of all nuclear weapons from earth. We must end hostile expansion at the suffering of other nations, because there will be consequences.”

Marcus reached inside his jacket pocket and took out a flash drive. He held it up for a moment.

The TV program director squinted at the monitor inside the satellite broadcast truck. “What’s in his hand? Move, camera two! Now! Get a close-up.”

Marcus smiled. “On this small drive is a big picture. A small group of extremely wealthy people has leveraged their power, affluence and influence to literally rape Earth’s natural resources, nations, and the people who call those countries home. They’ve created strife and deception to cause wars, which they finance and gain tremendous profit. To move their political agendas, to secure oil and gas exportation channels, they’ve assassinated heads of state, and they even took out the son of a former American president.”

“Holy shit!” said the TV director. “Camera four — slow pan of the audience. Now!”

The president shifted in his chair, his face unreadable. A hush fell over the spectators. Alicia’s heart was in her throat. She looked through a crack in the side curtains to watch the audience, fearful that Marcus would be shot dead where he stood.

Marcus glanced at the flash drive. “This group is called the Circle of 13. All of their names, corporations they own or control, and many of the unlawful activities they’ve created and continue to participate in and benefit from…are all on here — this flash drive contains proof. This information will soon be found on a website. It’s revelation310.org. You’ll hear the audio from a meeting that the Circle of 13 members held last night at Jonathon Carlson’s ranch sixty miles west of Dallas, Texas. On the audio, you will hear how they are fearful the world will know they are complicit in the death of Prime Minister Meltzer, John Kennedy Junior, and others.”

There was a collective gasp from the audience, the first lady touching her hand to her mouth.

Marcus said, “Jonathon Carlson is a principal with the Kinsley Group and the majority stockholder with Integrated Security Corporation, the multinational corporation that is financing Senator Wyatt Dirkson’s bid for presidency. Some of the members include Alexander Van Airedale, Simon Yarborough, and others. Their goals are simple: to dominate the world and its people for their personal, financial and political ambitions. They’ll try to achieve it by making a desperate and dark world — a world that will rise up in what will be known as Armageddon. One part of their plan is to know everything about you. It’s a new world in which privacy is relinquished at birth. Some of their targets include the passage of the National Surveillance Bill that, if enacted into law, would mandate the sub-dermal implanting of microchips under the skin of American citizens. But remember, the Circle of 13 is global. The law is written with international rider clauses encouraging other nations, those with deep financial and political ties to the U.S., to enact time-lines adopting and adapting the law for their citizens. If the bill passes, there is nowhere on the planet for you to escape them. You lose your freedom, your privacy, and Jonathon Carlson alone stands to receive billions of dollars.”

Jonathon Carlson sat alone in his private study at his ranch. A fire crackled in the river rock fireplace. He leaned back in a deep leather chair, nursed a fifty-year-old scotch from a crystal glass, and stared at the television monitor on the wall. Then he threw the glass against the rock fireplace. He picked up the phone next to his chair and made a satellite call. The former president of Russia answered the call, his voice flat. “How did this man get on the Nobel stage in front of the world?”

“He slipped through our net.”

“Incompetent fools! Carlson, you’re responsible for this. Now look at what we’re facing. The information Paul Marcus has on that flash drive must never make it to the Internet.”

“He won’t leave Stockholm alive.”

“Shut up! You listen to me because I will not repeat this again. Marcus and the woman with him must disappear tonight. No trace of their bodies. And, immediately, you need to create publicity that indicates Marcus is delusional, a man who has long suffered from mental trauma. He was and is a dangerous, paranoid schizophrenic. Create false doctors reports. Buy whoever needs to be bought. NOW!”

“I understand.”

“I am putting a hundred million dollar bounty on his head for the immediate recovery of the drive before Marcus can upload his information. I expect you to match it.”

Carlson said nothing.

The Russian yelled. “Two hundred million to the first person who brings me the head of Paul Marcus with the flash drive in his mouth!”

Marcus concluded his speech by saying, “Our world, its resources, its very heart, lungs, and soul are all part of the essence of a higher power, a loving power that has given us our lease on life and on our planet. Now that lease is coming to term. Not because of an expiration date, but rather because of how we’ve abused or allowed the abuse of privileges we’ve been given; and, unfortunately, we continue to ignore the example given us. Isaac Newton thought the prophecies were pointing to the year 2060 as the day our earth stops its orbit. I will post new information that changes that date. The date I’ve been directed to, and one that appears more accurate than Newton’s, will be on the website. It’ll be there for the world to see, evaluate and hopefully heed. You all know Isaac Newton for his work on gravity. But, I believe, his greater mission was destiny. Now it’s your chance to pick up the torch and make a difference. ”

Marcus scanned the audience. “Thank you.”

The audience sat stunned for ten long seconds. The president began clapping, followed by the First Lady, the King of Sweden, and the rest of the massive auditorium rose to thunderous applause. The King of Sweden stood. The president and first lady stood. Then the entire crowd, a sea of black formal clothing, rose and applauded as if their team had just won the World Cup.

Marcus nodded, turned and walked off the stage into the arms of Alicia. She held him tight. “You said what needed to be said.”

“We have to get out of here quickly.”

A woman stepped from an alcove and said, “Mr. Marcus, Miss Quincy. Secretary Hanover needs to have an urgent word with you. Please come with me.” Jennifer Greene, Secretary of State Hanover’s executive assistant smiled and led Marcus and Alicia through the backstage area. As they followed her, Marcus reached inside his pocket and hit the audio record settings on his cell phone.

One minute later, they entered a private room.