Chapter 10

"The plague that brought death to so much of our world has been very difficult to endure," the Wizard paused in mid-sentence for a moment as he surveyed his assembled audience, "not so much because of physical hardships, but instead because of the death of friends and loved ones and the betrayal of others. Those of us outside of China have endured a variety of difficulties while those within China have endured an entirely different set.

"You may be wondering to yourself 'for what purpose have I been brought here to this place?' There are several reasons actually. I have gathered you here to let you see what proof we have that your General Chang is the instigator of this plague which he has used to bring himself to power. I also want you to understand the far reaching effects his cruel and ill planned action has had not only on humanity as a whole, but especially on the Chinese people. Perhaps the most important reason however would be to learn your thoughts regarding human freedom and dignity. Are you happy with the limits imposed on your people for so long? Will you sit idly as the few freedoms so recently gained are stripped away? If you had it within your means to finally deliver the benefits of liberty and freedom to your people, would you do so? If some personal sacrifice was required to set your people free, would you make it?

"I'd like to introduce to you a very good friend of mine named Michael Telford. Michael has a story to tell you that I think can frame things for us a bit. Michael," the Wizard said gesturing to his friend.

Wei Lin saw a powerfully built man rise and move to the center of the room. It was the same man who had greeted them earlier in the evening. He had an intense but not unfriendly manner about him. Somehow, though the chamber was enormous and he didn't appear to have any microphone, when he began to speak his voice seemed to carry to the farthest reaches of the room.

"I've been asked to tell you a bit about myself. The part of my life story that is most relevant is sometimes difficult for me to tell but I will share it with those of you gathered here tonight in the hope that you may better understand us and our point of view.

"I met and married a beautiful woman named Sarah. She was an incredible lady with a sweet personality, a wonderful sense of humor and an incredible zest for life. I found that she completed me somehow. Before her I moved through the motions each day just trying to get by as best I could. After meeting Sarah I awoke ready to face the day, cherishing each moment it might give us together. We were married and had plans to have children soon; sons and daughters who would fill our house with the sounds of childish delight and joy.

"Sarah was there for me, my pillar of strength when I had to bury my parents. I had lost my family, but her family took me in as one of their own. Together they made the sorrow I felt at the loss of my parents something I could bear. We looked to the future and saw nothing but joy and happiness together.

"Then one day, before our dreams of children could come to pass, my beautiful Sarah hunched over in incredible pain. I rushed her to the hospital and waited for what seemed an eternity. When I finally was able to see her again we still had to wait for the results of the many tests the doctors had ordered. I will never forget the look of helplessness on the doctor's face when he told us that my darling Sarah had cancer.

"Part of me died that day in the hospital it seemed. I watched through the chemotherapy and the radiation treatments as my dear sweet wife fought to hold onto life, but it was too much for her and the cancer won the battle and she was gone. I wanted revenge! I wanted to make someone pay for the hurt I was feeling, but who? It was cancer after all. There was no individual who had attacked my lovely Sarah, just a faceless killer totally unaware of its own crimes.

"During the worst of my grief I learned just how much her family cared for me. I had been drinking, trying to drown my sorrows in alcohol, when Sarah's brother came over to visit me. Next to the bottle of booze on the table was a gun I had been preparing to end my life with. Rob saw the gun and did the last thing I would have expected the big man to do. He didn't try to take the gun away from me or tell me how stupid I was; he just burst into tears and told me that it was already so hard to have lost his dear sweet sister and he didn't know how he could live with himself if he had to tell the rest of the family that I'd taken my own life. He asked me to promise him that I'd put a bullet in his brain before I turned the gun on myself so that he wouldn't have to see the looks on his family members' faces when they learned of my death.

"I broke into tears myself as I finally began to grasp just what a precious gift Sarah had given me when she brought me into her family. It was a turning point for me. I finally began to heal deep inside in my heart where I'd been hurting so much! Sarah's family brought me through my time of pain, but most especially Rob had helped me turn away from my doom and despair and find myself again.

"Then one day Rob and his dear wife Sally were in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to catch an assassin on film. When they turned the video over to the authorities they were murdered to cover up what they knew. Somehow Rob hadn't felt he could fully trust those he had to give the video to, so he made a copy of it and sent it to me along with a letter telling why he was unable to trust them.

"When I found out that two of my family members had been murdered in cold blood I was furious with rage! They were innocent just like my Sarah had been innocent, only Rob and Sally's killers knew exactly what they were doing and they had names and faces. I went out looking for justice and in the cases of Rob and Sally's killers justice had one name — death! I gathered information and fought a guerilla style warfare against them until I had wiped them out, killing each and everyone of those in anyway responsible for the deaths of my to beloved family members.

"I can't bear to stand idly by while evil people are preying on the weak and defenseless. I can't turn a blind eye while the corrupt murder the innocent! Would you be able to do that? Can you ignore what has happened to your world, your fellow human beings, your own countrymen?

"As you learn more about what General Ju Chang has down, please keep my questions in mind and try to answer them for yourself as you learn the truth about the evil plague he has released upon all human life."

Wei Lynn looked over to where Mai Phan was seated. Both women had tears pouring down their face from the passionate tale of the man who had just finished speaking.

The Wizard stood up and began to tell them exactly what General Chang had done. The devastation and loss of life was greater than the people of China had been led to believe. The methodical progression with which the General had carried out the murder of literally billions of innocent people was mind numbing.

"There are a lot of empty cribs and high chairs in the world tonight," the Wizard told his audience. "In his folly General Chang sought to rid the world of every people except the Chinese. It may look as if he has been successful, but he has made a terrible mistake that will cost the Chinese people dearly in the years ahead. I mentioned that the General had released an antidote using the public water supply to distribute it to the bulk of China's population. What the General failed to realize about the so called 'anti-dote' was that it makes any male who ingests it sterile.

"Though China is now the most populated area on the planet, as the normal death toll takes place without new births occurring, the Chinese population will dwindle into extinction. This is the second terrible curse he has placed upon your nation!"

Rob Matthews stood up and spoke at some length telling the startled and saddened audience of Chinese people what the Wizard and his servants had done to protect as many as they could from the terrible plague. He presented his information in a compelling fashion.

Wei Lynn and most every other person present began to understand the value the Wizard placed on human life. The Wizard had done everything possible to save and preserve human life on earth while the General as working to destroy it.

"Earlier tonight the Wizard asked some compelling questions. He asked about your thoughts on liberty and freedom. He asked if you were willing to make personal commitments and possible sacrifices to see your people finally free. For those of you who are committed to seeing your people free and prosperous we are willing to help. But without your commitment, your passion, and your energy it is all somewhat meaningless.

"Freedom and liberty never survive unless they are both cherished and sought after. Will you, members of the Chinese race, fight for the freedom of your people? That is our question for you here tonight. The very fate of your nation hangs in the balance waiting your response for we will not force our decisions upon you or your people. We will offer assistance if it is desirable to you, but the battle for freedom must be your own," Rob concluded.