Fiction - Week 10 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

All characters are fictitious and have no bearing on any person, alive or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

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At Gemelli Hospital in Rome, a terrified nurse let out a scream and threw a full cup of coffee onto the floor, shattering the crockery into small fragments amidst a puddle of spilt coffee, creating a star-like mess across the room. The nurse then rushed to a nearby surgeon's office. She entered without knocking, and he frowned at her sudden, unannounced entrance.

Dr Giacomo, you'd better come and take a look at Caligula's corpse and see whether he truly died. I swear that I saw his eyelids move.

The surgeon rose and accompanied the nurse to the mortuary where the body lay on a raised slab. The doctor examined his face and, with a stethoscope, listened to his chest. He then shook his head.

There is no sign of life! The doctor exclaimed as if irritated by the nurse's alarm call. Get a porter to clear up this mess. Then go home and rest. Another nurse will replace you for now. Don't worry, you will still be paid for a full shift. 

After phoning for a porter to attend to the mess in the mortuary, the nurse left the building, climbed into her car, and drove home.

No further news was received from the hospital. Dr Giacomo has instructed all relevant staff members to keep any rumours confined to the mortuary. So, a thousand miles away, in an abandoned church in the English town of Egham, the group remained unaware of anything taking place in Rome. Rather, they were far more concerned about Russia and its Arab allies invading Israel.

Augusto Gemelli Hospital, Rome. 

A new guest, Phil Banks, had arrived at the church and was pleased to see me, George Bolton, among the group. We both put our restaurant dispute well behind us, and each made an effort to get on despite our opposing opinions on Biblical and spiritual matters.

I watched as Phil gazed at the radio perched on a cupboard. 

Is that all you have to remain in touch with the world? 

Emily answered, Yes, sir. We do have TVs and laptops at home, but none of us thought to bring one here when we first settled, which was a day after the Rapture. Now, it's too dangerous to venture outside, except to buy food. Even then, it's a very risky venture.

Stay here, all of you. My college apartment is nearby. George, may I borrow Steve's car?

Can you drive? I asked.

Yes, I can drive. However, I might have got a little rusty, as I haven't owned a car since I passed the test.

Okay, borrow mine. But be careful. Phil then caught the car keys I threw to him, and he disappeared from the fellowship room.

About an hour later, Phil returned carrying a bulging executive briefcase. He looked happy as he handed the car keys back to me. From the briefcase, he pulled out a laptop, its modem, and some wiring. He set up the computer in front of us all, and with its accompanying modem, he had no need to type in any special password or code. The laptop booted in successfully after a few minutes.

With everyone agreeing, Phil logged into the BBC iplayer. Under World News, we all had direct contact, which included the screen picture. Like that, we could now watch as well as listen.

According to the bulletins, Russia and its allies resumed their movement towards Israel. But as they got closer to its northern border, there were signs of discord among the advancing forces. Through proper investigative journalism, we learned the cause of the infighting. The Russians are out for plunder, enough to revive a dying economy. The Arabs want revenge for the destruction of their sacred Dome of the Rock on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, better known to them as the Haram Al Sharif. So which of the two causes takes priority?

The introduction of the laptop into the group was a great advantage. We all crowded around the screen to watch the military forces cross Israel's northern border from Lebanon. As they progressed further south, suddenly, it looked like an earthquake had just struck.

Just then, a reporter came on the screen. 

Good afternoon. There has been a massive earthquake in northern Israel, centred on the Vale of Jezreel. Although still unconfirmed, this is a massive shake. The world's most severe so far was centred on Biobio, Chile, in 1960. It measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale. This one may be 9.6 or higher.

The most shocking thing about this 'quake was that it occurred at the exact moment the Russian forces were heading south towards Jerusalem. Astonishingly, all the towns and buildings around the site have remained intact. Even the ancient ruins of Megiddo, its tel overlooking the valley, remain undisturbed.

However, what I am seeing here is that the Russian and Arab forces have turned in upon themselves. There is infighting across the entire troop. To add to the fighting, many military transport vehicles, tanks, and other weaponry have exploded or caught fire. All progress has halted. However, why the two forces are fighting each other is yet unknown. We may not be certain, as it looks like they are not only fighting each other, but many are slain. 

Just then, a couple of Arab soldiers who fled the scene appeared, gasping for breath, as they were willing to be interviewed by the reporter.

You two look tired out. The reporter stated. You managed to escape from the chaos?

One of them answered, Yes. (gasp, gasp, gasp) Luckily, we were right on the edge of the (gasp) march. When the earthquake struck, (gasp) we slipped away and ran as fast as we could. (Gasp). We were already aware of the growing hostility between us and the Russian forces, (gasp) even before the earthquake.

After this, the reporter paused to allow the two to recover their breath before proceeding further.

Can you highlight this? The reporter then asked.

Yes, we can. The Arab replied. The Arab and Russian forces have joined to invade Israel, but our reasons for doing so are quite different. They wanted just to plunder. We were seeking revenge for our Dome.

You mean the Dome of the Rock at Haram Al Sharif? The reporter asked this for confirmation.

Yes, the one. The Arab answered. At first, we sent an embassy to Moscow to appeal for their help. But that wasn't merely pulling a rabbit out of the hat. We were aware of the prosperity Israel was enjoying, and the poverty the Russians were facing after their past defeat in Ukraine. Although the Russian troops were at first willing to partner with us, the long trek across Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon had already discouraged them, and they, driven by hunger, became touchy and short-tempered. Long before the earthquake, many Russian soldiers were insulting Islam. They wished that our Prophet Mohammad had never been born. That had angered us against them. By the time we entered Israel, tensions were on a knife-edge.

The earthquake was the final trigger. Tempers exploded, as did all the equipment. This was no mere in-fighting. This was wholesale slaughter.

The reporter then turned back to the TV camera. Well, there you have it. Confirmation of the seismic intensity of the earthquake has just come in. It was measured at 9.6 on the Richter Scale. This makes it the most intense 'quake in the history of mankind.

However, it was the timing of the 'quake which has aroused speculation. It occurred at the precise spot where the Russian forces and their allies were heading south towards Jerusalem. Some are already asking, was this 'quake divine intervention? Some believe that the slaughter of these forces is the fulfilment of a prophecy found in Ezekiel of the Biblical Old Testament. Further reports of a mass conversion to Yeshua, their Messiah, of many Jews here in Israel and those scattered abroad. Even many non-Jews saw all this as miraculous and were converted to their Christ.

This is Mike Hants of the BBC reporting from Tel Megiddo.

UTTER NONSENSE! Phil shouted spontaneously at the computer screen. Divine intervention indeed! For heaven's sake, how gullible could some be? A TV reporter coming out with that? Come on! Earthquakes have always been with us since the dawn of history. Those troops were merely unlucky! 

I watched as the rest of the group, especially Peter and Emily, cringed at Phil's outburst. During the three years we lived in this church, Bible study was ongoing. There was only one Bible among us, the one I took from the Padula's house the day after the Rapture. It became worth more than gold. We each took turns studying it, especially the prophetic section, from Isaiah to Malachi, and related these prophecies to both the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the fulfilment of present events.

It was obvious that both Peter and Emily were troubled by Phil's outburst, and Peter also speculated whether the student was a secret spy for Caligula and here to report to his paymasters in London.  Yet, between his outbursts, he was gentle towards everyone in the group, and despite how he felt towards non-whites, he was courteous towards Emily among the rest of us. I wondered whether he too looked up at Emily as a mother rather than a sister. Her maternal feelings towards her missing son Richard were redirected towards us. Would Phil benefit too?

The Tel of Megiddo overlooks the Vale of Jezreel.

Meanwhile, back in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, Dr Giacomo was alone in the mortuary. The nurse on duty had taken a lunch break at the staff restaurant, and the doctor was willing to sit in for her. Dr Giacomo was one of only two who knew that the body must not be buried. His associate was Elijah, whom Peter in the UK referred to as the false prophet. He and Dr Giacomo were the only two in the world who knew.

Dr Giacomo rose from his seat and went around to check on the other bodies stored away and awaiting burial or cremation. When he completed the tour, he turned to see Gaius Caligula fully awake, his head slightly turned and staring straight at Dr Giacomo.

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To be Continued.

Fiction - Week 9 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

All the characters are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person, living or dead.

A story based on Biblical truth.

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We all sat in the fellowship room of St John the Baptist Church in Egham, a town in Surrey. All we had was a radio perched on a cupboard for our connection with the outside world. The TV standing in the corner was useless except for playing videos. The church never held a TV License. But what we heard on the radio was enough to keep up to date on the latest news bulletins.

So, as I was thinking, two things have occurred simultaneously. One is Russia, with its Muslim allies, racing south through Turkey and Syria to Israel and Jerusalem in particular to rob, plunder and seek revenge for the demolition of the Dome of the Rock. The other was the sudden death of Gaius Caligula. He was shot by a gunman who evaded security.

Russians and Arabs march towards Jerusalem.

The radio then delivered this report:

The gunman who assassinated our leader of world peace, Gaius Caligula, has just been identified. He is Mohammed Abdallah from Syria, whose motive for the killing was his revenge for the demolition of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. He was arrested and detained in Rome. How he evaded the heavy security gates at the entrance to St Peter's Square in Rome has remained a mystery.

Peter Wilkins, who studied Theology at Cambridge before the summer break and the vanishing of millions, didn't believe that security was lax in processing each individual. He had a hunch that all this was part of an elaborate plot. But from whom did the plot, if there was one, originate?

I then asked, Pete, do you think there was someone behind all this?

All eyes were fixed on Peter as he sat in deep thought, recalling a lecture he had attended during his Cambridge days.

Peter then answered, I recall studying Revelation chapter 13. According to the Scriptures, the Antichrist will have a helper. He is known as the false prophet. There is a candidate, not so frequently mentioned, named Elijah. According to my studies, this guy is a Jew from the Tribe of Dan.

Emily exclaimed before asking, Wow! How did you know his ethnicity and even his tribal origins?

To whom Peter answered, Read Revelation chapter seven. In it, all twelve tribes of Israel are listed in the 144,000. But one tribe is missing: the tribe of Dan. But the full twelve are made up by the substitution of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, in Dan's place.

This was substantiated by the set of blessings their father, Jacob, gave to each of his sons shortly before his death. In Genesis 49:17, Jacob calls his son Dan a snake in the grass who will bite the horse's heels, causing both it and the rider to fall backwards.

Finally, Elijah admitted his Jewish origin to a journalist.

Another in the group expressed his surprise. The name Elijah? Wasn't he one of the greatest prophets in the Bible, a man devoted to God and the welfare of the nation of Israel?

Yes, you are right. Peter answered. The true Elijah was not only a great prophet who ministered to Israel, but he, with Moses, appeared to Jesus and three of his disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. But this fellow, the false prophet, I believe he took the name Elijah as a stage name or pen name. You watch any movie, and no actor would use his own name for the character he is playing.

But this present Elijah, you call the false prophet. What is his role in all this? Emily asked.

Peter answered, The false prophet will assist Caligula in establishing him as the world's true Messiah. According to the book of Revelation, to convince the world that he is God, Elijah will perform some outstanding miracles in Caligula's presence. Most important of all, he will copy the original miracle performed by the real Elijah in the Old Testament by calling down fire from heaven. This will be an attempt to convince Israel that Caligula is the long-awaited Messiah despite his non-Jewish origin. 

Suppose Caligula appears alive and well in Jerusalem. Peter added. Then many, especially the Jews, would not believe that he died at all, but passed through a state of being in a coma and has recovered naturally. In addition, the Russian invasion into Israel has shattered his global peace plan. Caligula will be standing on very shaky ground. Hence the important role the false prophet will play. He would literally lead the whole world to worship Caligula. That's when the judgements on our natural environment will begin. 

Meanwhile, while the conversation in the church was taking place, Phil Banks sat in the train on the London Waterloo to Reading line. Not that he would remain on board until the train terminated at Reading; rather, he was to alight at Egham, roughly halfway on the line to Reading.

He had informed the Government ministers of Caligula of St John the Baptist church in that town, and one of the officials had downloaded the footage onto his laptop. The footage remained encrypted, thus making it unavailable to the public. He smirked as he looked out of the window. He was instructed by the officials not to let anyone know about the mobile phone recording, but to visit the church and reassure the inhabitants that he was their friend and, with Caligula dead, he was now on their side.

Phil alighted at Egham Station and walked the short distance to the church. When he approached it, he saw that the door was shut, but a few cars parked outside, including Steve's Ferrari, indicated that there were people therein. He knocked. 

Everyone in the room looked up, startled. Each held each other's hands tightly, and we bowed in prayer. The knocking continued, but nobody moved. Gradually, I lifted my head and volunteered to peek around the door and see who was knocking.

I approached the door and opened it. Outside stood a recognisable face of my old college friend.

I gasped. Philip Banks! How did you know where to find us?

Please be calm! Phil responded as he raised his left arm to pacify any ensuing panic. Yes, it was true that I respected Gaius Caligula. I really believed that he was solving all the world's problems and ushering in world peace. But he made that vital mistake. He authorised the demolition of the Dome in Jerusalem. It was Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina. I'm not surprised at all that he was taken by an angry Arab.

You all believe in Jesus. I'm aware of that. Don't panic. A few nights ago, I was walking back to my college apartment, and I happened to pass by a grocery store. As one of you talked, you gave this address, and I managed to overhear. 

What is the purpose of this visit? I asked.

Phil answered. Please, I'm your college mate. I was aware of the fiasco we had at that Windsor restaurant. But with Steve gone, you are the only friend left. I'm feeling lonely and in need of some companionship.

Wait there. I told him, but not without a level of nostalgia. I went back inside and informed them of my former college friend. Peter then said, let him in. But we must be cautious of his presence.

I returned to the door and bid Phil in. He walked behind me as I led him into one of the fellowship rooms.

You are all sleeping here? Phil asked as we passed through the makeshift dormitory in the main chapel.

Yes, I replied. All the men sleep here. The women sleep in a separate room. The world outside is now far too dangerous for us to return to our homes, even our college apartments. Caligula has snipers roaming the streets. They are looking out for us, the so-called Haters, for not believing in Caligula's peace plan.

Phil entered the room housing the entire group. I turned to see if there would be any reaction. As Phil saw a black woman in her forties, Emily, as one of the group, I thought I saw him wince ever so slightly, but he made every effort to conceal his real feelings by breaking into a broad smile. Indeed, I knew Phil way better than anyone in the group.

He introduced himself. I'm Philip Banks, Phil for short. I'm a student at the nearby Holloway College of the University of London, and I'm, or rather was, studying Politics. I'm now having doubts about whether the college will ever reopen. It's been shut for over three years. My oh my! Hasn't the world changed beyond recognition? By the looks of it, we are on the brink of war. So much for Gaius' peace plan!

Well, Caligula was assassinated, and the Russians and their allies are heading to Jerusalem as we speak. Peter said.

Haven't you heard? Phil asked. The Russians have paused in their journey to Israel to honour the death of our leader. But by tomorrow, they should be back on the march. Poor Israel! They don't stand a chance!

Don't be too sure about that. Peter replied. If this event is a fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, Israel will be spared by divine intervention. Russia and its allies will suffer a massive loss.

Suddenly, Phil asked, Sorry, but is there a toilet here?

I escorted him to the church bathroom. Here, I watched my college mate retch. I had to be very careful to ensure the safety of our group. Phil was as hostile to any Biblical matters as he was before.

Listen, Phil. I whispered. I know you better than anyone else here. You are still hostile to the Christian faith, aren't you? We are all believers here. Yet you have found us. Be honest. Are you one of Caligula's spies looking for us?

THAT IS AN INSULT! Phil shouted, and was heard by the rest of the group. He lowered his voice. I indeed admired Gaius Caligula. His good looks, his wisdom, his lack of hypocrisy, and his dedication to world peace have won my heart. But now he's dead. DEAD! And I'm shattered. With my parents divorced and moved away, I'm suffering from loneliness and in need of company, especially you, whom I knew from our college years. Some tea and sympathy wouldn't go amiss!

You never told me that your parents were divorced and moved away. I said.

Phil replied, Not long after my father threw Mum's brother out of the house after his insult over Elaine's death, the marriage failed. As far as I'm aware, Mum has gone to live with her religious brother.

Meanwhile, in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, a nurse was keeping watch over Caligula's dead body. She rose up and left the room to make herself some coffee. After she returned with the beverage, she sat down. Suddenly, she screamed and threw the cup to the floor, creating a mess.

She would swear that he saw Caligula's closed eyelids flutter a little.

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To be Continued.

Fiction - Week 8 - A Fiasco in a Restaurant.

All the characters in this story are fictitious and have no bearing on any person, living or dead. 

A story based on Biblical truth.

A note before I go any further: The prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament foretold an invasion of Israel by Gog, the land of Magog, the prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel 38 and 39).

Many scholars have identified Magog as Russia, with Gog, sometimes known as Rosh, as the prince of Meshech and Tubal. Many scholars have identified Meshech and Tubal as the cities of Moscow and Tobolsk, respectively.

Some scholars place the invasion either immediately before or after the Rapture; others around three years later; others still identify this invasion as the final Battle of Armageddon, seven years after the Rapture and immediately before the Second Advent of Christ.

This blog is a fictional story, but plausible enough to fulfil real history; therefore, I have placed this invasion roughly three years after the Rapture. However, I'm asking the reader to keep this in the realm of fiction and not to take this story as dogmatic Biblical prophecy, as the timing of this event remains uncertain.

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Among the original dozen occupying the Church of St John the Baptist in the Surrey town of Egham, three newcomers have joined the group after Peter invited them following a meeting at the grocery store.

They were Zadok, Joseph, and Zechariah. These were from the 144,000 Messianic Jews sent from Israel under divine guidance. Under Peter's invitation, they spent only nights in the church dormitory. During the day, they were out evangelising the town's population, pleading with them that it was Jesus Christ who atoned for all sins, and not to follow Gaius Caligula, who had sold them a lie. 

As the rest of the group remained huddled in the church, the radio continued to broadcast world events. Just then, the radio delivered a shocking report.

The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is well on its way to completion after the demolition of the Dome of the Rock, which stood at the same site since AD 692. However, angry Muslims from Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, and Egypt have arrived at the Russian Kremlin to negotiate with the Premier to invade Israel, especially Jerusalem, in revenge for their destruction of one of Islam's sacred sites.

A deal has been struck between the Russian Premier and the Arabs. The latter will get their revenge while the Russian forces are promised plunder, enough to enrich its economy after a few last years of crop failure. The Premier had doubts whether he could muster a sufficient army after its defeat in Ukraine, but he was pleasantly surprised at the response. The promise of rich plunder will fill empty stomachs.

Caligula had the 3rd Temple built.

I then remarked, I recall a conversation we had while we were driving to Windsor. One of our friends who was taken up mentioned this Russian invasion. I have looked at those two chapters in Ezekiel. It looks as if this prophecy will be fulfilled to the letter - right before our eyes!

Emily then asked, But isn't the world supposed to have obeyed Caligula? To him, there shouldn't be any more wars.

Caligula is only human. I replied. If a world leader, or other world leaders, decide to prepare for war, there is not much he can do about it. Since he ordered the Dome to be razed, the whole of the Muslim community has turned against him. At the same time, Russia is hungry. This makes an ideal alliance for war.  

                                                                      7

As more weeks passed, reports of the completed Temple in Jerusalem were broadcast. It didn't take long for animal sacrifices to resume, after a long break since AD 70, when the Second Temple was razed to the ground by the army of the Roman General Titus.

One morning, I rose and turned on the radio while the others were still sleeping. We were by ourselves again. The three Jews who stayed with us had moved on to preach to the people elsewhere. They were remarkably successful. Many renounced their allegiance to Caligula and turned to Jesus. However, only those who weren't fully convinced of the world leader's truthfulness found faith in God. Those who were convinced of Caligula's faithfulness resisted and turned against the testimony of these Jews and embraced the world leader even further. Tragically, those who decided to stay with Gaius Caligula were the majority of the population.

Suddenly, the radio sent out an urgent message:

The Russian forces, along with their air force and drones, together with forces from Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Iran, are making headway south towards the Middle East. They had already passed through Turkey, and the Turkish forces had joined them. They will be approaching Syria and Lebanon within hours.

The Premier himself remains at the Kremlin. The force, a huge one, is actually racing south as far as their vehicles allow. The rage among the Arabs for the loss of the Dome of the Rock, combined with the poverty-given greed of the Russians, has made this a formidable force moving at speed towards Israel. All the Jewish inhabitants are gathering at the Western Wall, praying in terror, as their defence cannot stand a chance against these hostile Russian and Muslim forces.

All of us had nothing to say or do as we sat in a tight group in one of the fellowship rooms. Instead, we all bowed our heads in prayer. Both Peter and I knew the fate of these troops as they headed towards Israel's northern border. Nothing will go well for them.

Eventually, someone in the group expressed his regret. If only we had believed in Jesus when we had the time! Now we have to face Caligula, and this on top! Yet, he seems powerless to stop the war. His ambition for world peace seems to have been shattered.

You know what that means? I said. 

What? Emily asked.

Peter replied, It means that if the Antichrist's confidence in world peace is shaken, many will turn to Jesus for salvation. Indeed, the 144,000 are making converts in numbers around the world. We need to keep an eye on Caligula. I think it's the time when he will stand at the Jewish Temple and demand to be recognised as the Messiah.

Suddenly, in Rome, a gunman approached Gaius Caligula as he was shaking hands with the crowd during his meeting with the Pope. The gunman aimed his weapon discreetly at Caligula's head and fired. Caligula immediately fell, with blood pouring from his temple.

A medical team rushed to where the world leader lay and examined him. Then the head doctor stood up and announced to the Pope,

Your Holiness, Gaius Caligula is dead.

The body was quickly taken to Gemelli Hospital in Rome. In the theatre, surgeons got to work removing the bullet and patching up the wound before burial. Then he was left lying on the slab in the mortuary. Somehow, the surgeon had a hunch not to bury him, at least not yet. As his body was lying there, the world received the news.

GAIUS CALIGULA IS DEAD! A shotgun wound in his head proved fatal for the leader and advocate for world peace. His body now lies at the mortuary at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The radio kept on about Caligula's death. Who was the gunman? How did he get past security with a weapon? Questions were asked continuously, and no one seemed to come up with any answers.

Peter called for the attention of all in our group. 

Listen to me! He called out. Yes, Caligula is dead. However, this is a clever plot to let the world know of his passing. Indeed, he may be dead. But according to Revelation 13, he will live again after three days. It will be a counterfeit of Christ's death and Resurrection. Whether he really died or not, that's not for us to say. But, according to my studies, I think that this was a very clever plot. Russia and its allies are rushing to invade Israel. By some divine intervention, no one in that hostile force will make it to Jerusalem, but instead will all die en route.

After that, Caligula will "rise" from the dead and head for Jerusalem. In front of an astonished world, he will stand at the Temple and proclaim himself to be God after annihilating the Russians. That's when every citizen must receive his mark of loyalty to survive. Furthermore, the judgment of our natural environment will begin. The whole planet will be turned to Hell!

Meanwhile, Phil Banks was standing before Caligula's Government department for the UK in London. Standing in front of six men seated at a large desk, and dressed in their business suits, he announced,

I have some information that may interest you. It's about a church in Egham in Surrey. St John the Baptist. There is a group of haters living there. They refuse to bow down to Caligula.

Do you have any proof? One at the desk asked.

Yes, Phil replied. Take a look at my mobile footage.

Phil handed his phone, displaying footage of the conversation between Peter Wilkins and the three Jews. After the footage ended, one of the officers downloaded it to his laptop.

The officer then praised Phil. Well done! That's a good piece of work there. If you give us your address, we will make sure you receive a constant supply of free food and drink.

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To be Continued.