
      ,,prologue

  ,:at ,has ,g"o ,2f'''
  ,,9 "o cataclysmic 9/ant1 millions ( p all ov} ! _w 4appe>$4 ,!y simply vani%$1 l1v+ 2h "ey?+ mat}ial3 clo!s1 eyeglasses1 3tact l5ses1 hairpieces1 he>+ aids1 fill+s1 jewelry1 %oes1 ev5 pacemak}s & surgical p9s4
  ,millions vani%$4 ,b millions m rema9$--adults1 b no *n1 & only a few "y te5s4 ,all babies1 9clud+ ! unborn1 4appe>$--"s dur+ bir?4
  ,_wwide *aos 5su$4 ,planes1 tra9s1 buses1 & c>s cra%$1 %ips sank1 homes burn$1 griev+ survivors -mitt$ suicide4 ,a transport,n & -munic,ns gridlock1 c|pl$ )! 4appe>.es ( _m s}vice p}sonnel1 left mo/ 6f5d = !mvs1 until "s sembl.e ( ord} return$4
  ,"s sd ! _w _h be5 9vad$ 0ali5s f |t} space4 ,o!rs sd ! 4appe>.es result$ f an 5emy attack4 ,& yet e c.try on ! globe 0 t|*$ 0! 4appe>.es4
  ,airl9e capta9 ,ray=d ,/eele & 8 tw5ty-ye>-old dau<t} ,*loe 7 left 2h4 ,ray=d's wife & _! twelve-ye>-old son vani%$4 ,ray=d1 pilot+ a #gdg ov} ! ,atlantic en r|te 6,london1 told 8 s5ior fli<t att5dant1 ,hattie ,durham1 t he didn't "k :at _h happ5$4 ,! t}rify+ tru? 0 t he knew all too well4 ,8 wife _h w>n$ hm ( ? v ev5t4 ,*ri/ _h -e 6take away 8 {n1 &! re/1 ,ray=d & ,*loe 9clud$1 _h be5 left 2h4
  ,ray=d 2came 3sum$ ) f9d+ ! tru? & mak+ sure t he & ,*loe wd n miss any second *.e4 ,he felt responsi# = h} skepticism1 = h} 2lieve-only-:at-y-c-see-&-feel attitude4
  ,8 se>* took hm 6his wife's *ur*1 ": a h&;l ( p1 9clud+ ev5 "o on ! pa/oral /aff1 _h be5 left 2h4 ,visit,n ,pa/or ,bruce ,b>nes _h lo/ 8 wife & *n1 & he1 abv all o!rs1 knew immly t 8 w1k1 phony fai? _h fail$ hm at ! mo/ critical 9/ant ( 8 life4 ,9 a s+le mo;t1 he 2came ! mo/ 3v9c$ skeptic on e>?--an 5?usia/ic1 unapologetic evangeli/4
  ,"u ,bruce's tutelage &! 9flu;e (a videotape ! s5ior pa/or _h left = j s* a "t1 f/ ,ray=d & !n ,*loe came 6believe 9 ,*ri/4 ,) _! new pa/or !y =m$ :at !y call ! ,tribul,n ,=ce1 a core gr|p det}m9$ 6*all5ge ! =ces ( evil dur+ ! ,tribul,n p}iod predict$ 9 ! ,bi#4
  ,m1n:ile1 ,cam}on--8,buck0--,williams1 a s5ior /aff writ} =! pre/igi|s newsmagaz9e ,global ,weekly1 0 on a que/ ( 8 {n4 ,buck _h be5 abo>d ,ray=d ,/eele's plane :5 ! ,rapture o3urr$1 & he 0 assign$ 6make "s s5se (! _wwide 4appe>.es4 ,8 9t}view+ br"| hm 963tact ) "o (! mo/ p{};l & *>ismatic p}sonalities "e1 ! my/}i|s ,romanian l1d}1 ,nicolae ,c>pa?ia4 ,)9 two weeks (! vani%+s1 ,c>pa?ia 0 swept 69t}n,nal p{} z h1d (! ,unit$ ,n,ns1 promis+ 6unite ! deva/at$ globe z "o p1ce;l village4
  ,buck 9troduc$ fli<t att5dant ,hattie ,durham 6,c>pa?ia1 :o qkly made h} 8 p}sonal assi/ant4
  ,af -+ 6fai? 9 ,*ri/ "u ! 9flu;e ( ,ray=d1 ,*loe1 & ,bruce1 ,buck felt responsi# = ,hattie & 2came desp}ate 6get h} away f ,c>pa?ia4
  ,demot$ = alleg$ly bl{+ a major assign;t1 ,buck relocat$ f ,new ,york 6,*icago1 ": he jo9$ ,ray=d1 ,*loe1 & ,bruce z ! f|r? memb} (! ,tribul,n ,=ce4 ,tgr ~! f|r h det}m9$ 6/& & fi<t ag/ all o4s1 6n"e give in4 ,repres5t+ millions :o miss$ ! opportun;y 6meet ,*ri/ 9 ! air1 !y h resolv$ n 6lose hold ( _! newf.d fai?1 no matt} :at ! future mi<t br+4
  ,buck ,williams has wit;s$ ! murd}|s evil p{} ( ,nicolae ,c>pa?ia1 & ,bruce ,b>nes "ks1 f 8 /udy ( ,scripture1 t d>k "ds lie ah1d4 ,! o4s >e1 only "o (! f|r memb}s (! ,tribul,n ,=ce w survive ! next sev5 ye>s4
  ,b only ,bruce has m ?an a h9t (! t}ror 6-e4 ,if ! o!rs knew1 !y mi<t n v5ture s bravely 96! future4

