THE WARNING A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

time, as his
assistant buzzed his phone with the message he didn’t want to hear.
             “Pastor, I have three federal agents here to see you. Two
from the FBI and one from the Department of Homeland Security. Is this a good
time for you to see them?”
             A good time for me
to see them? Was there ever a good time? Jack had been expecting this, ever since the thirty or so green-shirted
Civilian Conservation Corps Conservators visited his Sunday morning worship
services about a month before. In his sermon he strongly defended the
traditional Biblical view of marriage, as an institution created by God. The
local Dallas newspaper printed an article the prior week claiming that an
inside source at the Department of Justice confirmed that Pastor Jack Madison
was about to be indicted for hate speech. Not a good sign. Now that the feds
were at his door early on a Monday morning, he knew there was no doubt what was
about to happen. He was about to feel cold metal or plastic flexi-cuffs on his
wrists.
             As Jack stood to greet his three somber-faced, dark-suited
visitors, he couldn’t help but recall the last time his office was graced by
FBI agents. While his dad was still in prison two agents had called on Jack and
tried to get him to pressure his father to take a plea agreement, admit his
guilt for his words aimed at the President in the campaign and hopefully get a
reduced sentence. Neither Jack nor his father succumbed to the pressure, which
Jack was now thinking was probably ‘a God thing’. If his father had ‘copped a
plea’ he would still be in prison, instead of his current status as a free man
in Tyler, Texas. He had to chuckle to himself as he sat back down at his desk
after greeting his official visitors. He was recalling when the Department of
Justice dropped charges against his dad after a jury panel ridiculed the
government’s case during preliminary jury questioning. Sometimes the good guys win, he thought.
             “Gentlemen, what can I do for you,” Jack asked, still
smiling slightly from his memory of how his dad’s case was dismissed.
             The lead agent, Andy Feltman, flipping his ID credentials
back in his pocket, was not amused. “Well, it may seem humorous to you, Pastor Madison, but I can assure you that we are not here on a laughing matter.”
             “Oh, I’m sure that’s true, officer. My obvious enjoyment of the moment has nothing to do with
your visit, as I’m sure I’m about to learn. I was just remembering the last
visit to this office by federal agents. They tried to push me to pressure my dad into a plea bargain. To
get him to admit something he didn’t do, so that, in the words of one of your
agents, he would someday get to spend time with my children, his grandchildren.
I think you all know how that worked out. Remembering that federal fiasco was
what brought a smile to my lips. Sorry….Please get on with your….your duties .”
             “To use your word, Pastor, it’s our duty today to inform you that you are to appear at the federal
court house, on Commerce Street in Dallas, three days from now, on Thursday
morning at 9 AM. At that time you will be charged with various federal crimes.
You will be arrested and booked at that time as a federal criminal defendant.
We’re here today to give you your Miranda rights and to make arrangements for
you to surrender peacefully on Thursday morning. Do you have any questions?”
             “Well….yes, in fact….I do .
My attorney guessed that you would come to this office, the media in tow,
arrest me, handcuff me and ‘ perp walk’ me out of my church, taking me to jail. Why are you giving me the option to
just show up at the federal
building?”
             “Your attorney’s guess very nearly happened, as I understand
it, Pastor. But, sir, just to be frank, somebody in the government, at some
level, I don’t have any details