The world hasn’t been the same since the G-9 summit tragedy in 2029. Eight of the world’s most important leaders died all accept one. President John Feinstin was unable to attend because his doctor was checking up on a cold he had. The industrial nations had nowhere to turn, so President Feinstin proposed to take control until new leaders could be elected, but for some reason they never were. Some nation’s seeing a way to gain power joined the growing super-nation and some countries were just annexed until slowly, country by country, all of the world belonged to the United States or as we call it now “Global Unification.”

That was ten years ago. I was only sixteen when the G-9 tragedy occurred. My name is Jack Ferno and I’m part of an organization called Homeland Security. My superiors told everyone terrorist’s caused the tragedy and that they should be hunted down and killed immediately. Five years ago we found out who the terrorist’s were they were the religions. The leaders were executed and religion was banned with Lord Feinstin saying that it was an act of treason against the super-nation. That’s probably why nobody suspected. Nobody saw it coming.

I woke up in a cold sweat. I had been having that dream again about people dressed in white. They looked familiar but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I was a bit worried until I remembered I shouldn’t be worried, there’s nothing to fear serving Lord Feinstin.

(Ding Dong)

“Who is it?” I yelled.

No answer. Probably those darn kids pulling a prank on me again but when I opened the door I saw two people a man and a women standing there dressed completely in red.

There was something I guess you could call it strange about them not your average everyday passersby’s they kind of looked like weirdoes from an insane asylum.

“You are faithful so you have been chosen.” The man said.

“What?” I asked bemused.

“You will be coming with us.” The women now said with out the faintest sound of emotion in her voice.

“I don’t understand?”

“We will come back for you.” And with that they left as swiftly as they came.

I wasn’t going to think about it too much. I still haven’t had my coffee yet. So I set about making it while I turned on the HG or it’s full name Holographic Generator and there was Lord Feinstin. I love that guy. Everybody loves that guy. He was giving a speech about our worlds security when I started listening. This was my field of work.

“My people there are terrorist’s among us. They dress in red and preach to you about how you are faithful. Don’t listen they’re just trying to take you over to their side. That’s why I’m ordering that they be vaporized on sight.”

I turned off the HG. This was unbelievable. I thought we had destroyed all of the terrorist’s when we had crushed religion. But I’m late for work so I grabbed my jacket and left.

I love the smell of this old musty city, Seattle. The very air makes me thrilled to be alive with all the gray buildings. Even some of the old skyscrapers still stood. The ones that hadn’t been knocked down of course.

I hadn’t been walking very long, however, when I started to notice a lot of people in red walking to different houses. The funny thing was they didn’t seem to be following any specific pattern. They seemed to be picking the houses randomly; in fact I would have guessed they were if there wasn’t certain deliberateness to their step.

They didn’t look like terrorist to me. As I walked along I also noticed people with confused and awed faces. They didn’t seem to realize they were standing outside in their underwear.

I stared in amazement, who were these people who could just throw off our normal everyday routine by walking up to our doorsteps and telling us we were faithful.

I pondered this the rest of the way to the Department of Homeland Security.

“Jack, good you’re here. Could you go to our files and get me a copy of the Bible?” A tall elderly man wearing a suit and a bright red tie was saying.

“Right away general.” I shouted over the busy hustle and bustle of the department.

I went right back and found one of the last copies left in the world of this artifact. Recently I had been taking it home and reading it in my spare time. Perhaps I would take it home tonight.

“I’ve got it.” I shouted to the general as I reemerged into the crowded office.

“Oh good,” The general said. “Here it is my mom always told me know your enemies better than you know me. This is how were going to nail them.”

“Who?” I asked.

“The guys in red of course.” He said with a bit of an edge on his voice. I immediately fell silent.

They must be using something here to strengthen their purpose. He mumbled to himself. "Ah ha. And he will come like a thief in the night. There it is they're trying to steal something." He shouted triumphantly.

"I don't think their trying to steal anything." I said.

"You know if you're not up to the job Jack, I'm sure we can find someone else who is." He snarled. "They're trying to steal something and that's final."

I debated with myself long into the night. These were my superiors; they bettered me in everyway. I was under oath to follow their orders, but to kill innocents? I put the 8mm gun close to my heart, I still remember the day it was innocent until proven guilty, and they hadn't even committed the crime yet. My superiors were still my superiors and if I disobeyed them it's not like the people in red could take me off this world, which is what I would need if I disobeyed the authorities. My decision was made. I would have to kill the people in red.

I couldn't sleep that night, it was as if my conscience was playing some sick joke by reminding me over and over again of what I must do. So I got up to watch the sunrise.

Morning did finally come like a savior. The sunrise was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It glowed orange and red and the black night sky still fought with the growing light for supremacy. I wasn't going to going to work today. I just wasn't.

I went inside to make myself some coffee when the noise started. It was like a thousand trumpets blasting in my ears. I immediately covered them fell to my knees and crawled outside.

When I finally got out the door the noise didn't stop, but I saw the man in the women in red who had come to my door before and with them were some of my friends and neighbors. "We shall take you now." They said. Amazingly, I could hear them over the blasted trumpets.

I groped for my gun aimed and fired.

I saw it hit him but that's all. It didn't leave a mark, there wasn't anything. "Obviously we were mistaken when we decided to take you with us to heaven." The male who I had shot said.

"Heaven? That's in the Bible. You must be angels."

They didn't seem to hear me as they turned around and started to sprout wings. And then they were taking everybody up. That is everybody except me.

The trumpets stopped and the ground started shaking. I rushed inside and grabbed the Bible I had taken home yesterday and turned to the book of Mathew and there it said,

"Watch therefore for you know not what hour your lord shall come but when he does he will send his angels to gather all that are faithful to me and bring them to me. The rest will stay as the war between heaven and hell commences as the world is destroyed in Armageddon."

Just then the world started breaking apart. Armageddon was starting.