The Trinity Game

industrial boulevards and residential streets. Samson sat in the back with Daniel and caught him up to speed.
    “Reverend Trinity’s instructions are that you get total access and full protection. So if you need anything at all, just say the word.” He handed Daniel a business card. “My cell phone’s always on.”
    Daniel put the card in his pocket. “What the hell is going on, Samson?”
    Samson whistled through his teeth. “You got me, Father.”
    “Just Daniel, please.”
    “OK, Daniel. From a security perspective, it’s a total nightmare. We had to get Reverend Trinity out of his home and into a controlled environment—the whole neighborhood was swarming with worshipers. And now the Westin is a zoo. Cops have it surrounded and nobody gets in without showing a card key.” He handed one to Daniel. “Your room is just down the hall from your uncle.”
    “I have a room?”
    “Reverend Trinity’s orders. We’ve got the entire top floor, and we control the only elevator set to reach it. There’s a keypad in the elevator, and we change the access code daily. We have men at the stairwells and in the lobby. We can keep him safe inside. But outside… Almost a million people in the last thirty-six hours, and they’re still coming, now they’re pitching tents in Piedmont Park. At first the cops tried to clear them out, but now they’re just trying to keep people safe. The whole city’s on edge, wouldn’t take much to push it over.”
    “Jesus.”
    “They’re setting up port-a-potties at the perimeter of the parks,” Chris added from the front seat, “but it’s not enough. TheRed Cross has first aid tents up, and they’re distributing water, best they can.”
    Samson said, “High today is eighty-two, eighty-eight tomorrow. People gonna be roasting out there, and there’s gonna be a riot before this thing is over. A riot, or worse. Folks don’t realize how fragile the social order is, I’m telling you.”
    Traffic ground to gridlock as they reached downtown. They turned onto Peachtree a few blocks north of Five Points, and inched through the sea of souls.
    Pedestrians packed the wide sidewalks, sometimes spilling out into the curb lanes. Vendors stood elbow to elbow, hawking Tim Trinity T-shirts, Tim Trinity posters, blue bibles, battery-powered fans, and bottled water.
    They rode on in silence as Daniel took in the scene outside the window.
    People playing drums and tambourines, banjos and guitars.
    People dancing and chanting.
    Young people, singing about peace and love and salvation.
    Old men, spewing bile about hellfire and damnation.
    Some marched slowly, amidst the chaos, carrying placards.
    PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
USA IS GOD COUNTRY
REV. TRINITY WILL SAVE US
    Daniel just stared, thinking:
Unbelievable
.
Un-frigging-believable.

T he presidential suite was a hive of activity, people assembling desks, setting up computers, running phone lines. Flat panel televisions were scattered around the room, tuned to CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, BBC, CBCNewsworld, SkyNews, half of them running stories about Tim Trinity.
    “Danny, welcome!” Trinity called, over the sound of televisions and cordless drills and ringing phones. “Thrilled to have you back.” He gestured to the blonde woman who’d appeared on stage with him a few days earlier. “Meet Liz Doherty, our public relations director.” Daniel shook Liz Doherty’s hand. “And over there is Jennifer Bartlett,” pointing across the room where a curvaceous, pretty young woman in a conservative suit smiled and wiggled her fingers at them while talking on the phone, “my secretary.” Then he made a comic face. “I mean, my
executive assistant.
” He flashed his pearly whites. “
My bad
, as the kids say. How was your flight?”
    This can’t be happening…
    “Tim, what the hell is going on around here?”
    Trinity beamed. “We Big Time, son! We on a roll.” He pointed his cigarette at the television on the wet bar. “BBC, baby! Where’s your suitcase?”
    Daniel couldn’t think, couldn’t process the input fast enough. “I…uh, I don’t…I traveled under unusual circumstances. I don’t have it.” He held up his carry-on. “This is all I brought.”
    “Well then, you’re gonna need new clothes, supplies.” He called across the room, “Jennifer, give Danny five thousand from petty cash.”
    “I didn’t ask you for money,” Daniel said.
    Trinity waved it away. “A raindrop in the storm, don’t trouble your mind over