Professor Thompson could help. He seems to be someone who would listen and who knows history well enough to give some perspective to this. If it is real, you can’t be the first. If it isn’t, then maybe he can put your mind at rest. Listen, Paul, I need you. You have to get beyond this.”
Argon smiled in agreement. “Professor Thompson has been very helpful over the years, and he has already been well prepared for this conversation. I wonder if Chaplain Forest will be next,” Argon said to the seemingly ever-present Zaccur. “Watch this. The answers Professor Thompson will give won’t be enough to end the search, but they will put doubt in the human’s mind. Forest is nothing. He won’t have answers either, and even if he did, he would be afraid to say. Forest is a people pleaser – no danger to the Dark Master’s agenda. We don’t even need the inspiration of a Keeper. He is of little use to either side,” he said.
Argon was still surprised by the action of the Enemy. Why had this human creature’s spiritual eyes been partially opened in a dream? What possible purpose could the Enemy have for these two? The Dark Master must be advised immediately. They cannot be allowed to obstruct his greater plan. He would suggest that perhaps they should inspire the shooter to remove these two. He quickly wrote another note, which he entrusted to Zaccur, who immediately sped away to carry the message.
Paul hugged Samantha one more time and then left for the campus to find Professor Thompson.
Others at Work
There were meetings all across the city that afternoon and evening with very different agendas and varying participants. At 1632 Washington Avenue, Officer Sally Johnson had completed her work on the marker board summarizing the investigators’ answer to her “WHAT NEXT” question. There were five entries which would guide the five task forces in leading the effort to stop the shooter and restore some level of peace and confidence to the city. They were:
1 Change the public perception of safety
2 Public involvement – real and perceived
3 Expand the investigation – draw on other law enforcement resources
4 Rapid response to future attacks
5 Damage control – contain the problem
It was a good list – a challenging agenda, thought Detective Samson. He liked that it attacked the entire problem, not simply focusing on catching the shooter. This problem had gone well beyond a single criminal spree and must be addressed as such. The order of priority was realistic. The most significant problem was public panic and fear, but they had to keep in mind the potential for expansion as others sought to join in, copy or use the opportunity to advance another even more violent agenda. And they still had to do whatever it takes to catch this killer.
In dividing up the responsibilities, Samson assigned himself number 3, the actual investigation. This was where he belonged by experience and where he wanted to work. He assigned Sally Johnson to number 1, change the public perception because she had a take charge personality that engendered confidence and was good before people. The other responsibilities were divided among Troy Dallas, Greg Petersen and Todd Wilson, the remaining team members.
Dallas was assigned number 2, public involvement, and was directed to organize an effort to use the public to both help with the investigation and prevent future attacks. The goal was to shift the public’s focus from fear of the shooter to working together to catch the shooter. Petersen, a former Army ranger, was assigned number 4, the rapid response team, and was directed to organize swat teams to respond immediately 24/7 with all possible force to any additional attacks. If they could kill the shooter, it would send a message to the public and to those who might be considering a similar reign of terror. Samson had no interest in catching the shooter and having to have to deal for years with lawyers, courts and the press who would victimize and excuse the shooter’s conduct. He had seen enough of that over the years. This time, he wanted a graphic example of immediate justice – an eye for an eye. They needed a body.
Wilson, the old man, was assigned number 5, containment, and was directed to utilize all available sources of intelligence, informants, wiretaps, warrantless searches, profiling, preventive arrests, detention, liberal interrogation techniques, etc. to address potential future threats. The last thing the public would tolerate was more violence. If individual rights had to suffer for a time, that was a small price to pay to prevent future violence and protect the public. They would buy into it. To live with a sense of safety was more important than to be free.
The five agreed to put together their own teams, to flesh out what would be required for each functional area and to gather again tomorrow afternoon to share their plans. They were encouraged. Although they had been working furiously for months now, the political intervention of the mayor and governor provided the backdrop on which to base a total “whatever it takes” effort. The gloves were off. This had to end, and they had just been given the freedom to bring it to an end whatever the cost.
Keeping this investigation under his control was important to the future of the Dark Master’s plans, so Argon took the time to unknowingly join the five. Already present were four Keepers and numerous Tempters on assignment. The Tempters were another of the dark wisps who were able to attach themselves to the human creatures by their invitation. As silly as it seemed, Argon thought, the human creatures’ fleshly desires and wants provided the opportunity to influence them in ways that could ultimately lead to their destruction.7 For those under the influence of a Keeper, there was no limitation on what could be done once temptation was accepted, and Tempters were not limited to those under the influence of a Keeper. When a temptation was accepted by a servant of the Enemy, at a minimum the Tempter would be able to limit their usefulness and cause them to have difficulty hearing the voice inside.8
Tempters went by the names of their temptations, and there were multiple millions of them with the same name, for the Dark Master simultaneously attacked multiple targets in different geographic locations with the same temptations at the same time. Names such as Doubt, Fear, Lust, Impurity, Liar, Hatred, Anger, Discord, Envy, Jealously, Pride, Riches, Pleasures, Worry, Tolerance, Activity, Ease, Excess and Gluttony to name a few.9 They were an interesting, diverse and sometimes inconsistent group, but useful to advance the Dark Master’s agenda of chaos, deception and death.
The Tempters were seemingly a great advantage to the forces of darkness. Even a Guardian was prohibited from obstructing the work of a Tempter once the temptation had been accepted. Unless a target actively opposed the temptation or admitted they had succumbed and cried out for help, the Guardian could only watch and await a changed heart.10 What was really frustrating to the Guardian was the knowledge that the Tempter’s purpose was to attach himself to the target and create an insatiable appetite for the particular fleshly desire. Worse yet, a victory over a Tempter was often short-lived. Tempters were free to return with their temptations at what they viewed to be a more opportune time, and they could, and did, target the most holy and pure of all the Enemy’s servants. No one was immune from attack. The Dark Master had himself tempted Jesus continually.11
“The really wonderful thing about temptation as an offensive weapon,” Argon said to Zaccur, who had just returned, “is that the Enemy really is holy and just and must respond to one who accepts temptation in a way that is consistent with who He is. When the Son, Jesus, became one of the human creatures, He revealed that the Enemy considers even accepting thoughts of committing an action the same as having fully succumbed to the temptation and committed the act. Jesus said lust equals adultery and anger equals murder.12 Can you believe that? He made it almost too easy. Throw in a little “righteous” confusion and these human creatures ignore what Jesus said and convince themselves that the act is all that matters. When that happens, they can be led into almost any thought as long as you stop short of trying to make them do
