"On the heels of the skirmish... man foolishly called "the war to end all wars"... the dark one sought to elude his destiny:" "live as a mortal." "So he fled across the ocean to an empire called America... but by his mere presence... a cancer corrupted the spirit of the land." "People were rendered mute... by fools who spoke many words but said nothing... for whom oppression and cowardice were virtues... and freedom... an obscenity." "And into this dark heartland... the prophet stalked his enemy." "Till... diminished by his wounds... he turned to the next in the ancient line of light." "And so it was that the fate of mankind... came to rest on the trembling shoulders... of the most reluctant of saviors." "As God tested Job... so, too, have we been tested, brothers and sisters." "And as a white, hot flame... tempers base metal into a fine blade of steel... so, too, will we be forged." "Wilma?" "So, too... have we been forged by these terrible times." "So, too... shall we rise like a phoenix from the ashes of our degradation." "I know many of you have doubted." "I know many of you have doubted the truth, the truth in my words." "But those who are steadfast and follow me will be rewarded... not just in the next life, but here and now." "I ask only that you join me, brothers and sisters... and together, we will build a temple... not of stone and mortar, but of flesh and blood... and the mighty spirit of the Lord." "Justin." "Brothers and sisters... hear me when I say... that the greatest Commandment... was not etched on a tablet by the finger of God at sinai." "No." "It is written in our blood." "Written in our blood." "Carved into our flesh." "It is uttered with the last breath of a dying warrior." ""And that you know he is true by his words..." ""the Usher will declare..."" "The greatest Commandment, brothers and sisters..." "is, "Thou shalt be strong. " -..."Thou shalt be strong."" "Yes, we have been tested." "Many have failed... swallowed by the ashes and dust... but a chosen few remain." "Water!" "ln the rear!" "Goddamn it, keep it coming!" "Help me, here!" "Help, here!" "Apollonia?" "She´s still in there. I got to...." "Water!" "Help!" "Mama!" "No, let me go!" "Goddamn it!" "She´s gone, Sofie." "No, she´s not." "She´s screaming." "Mama!" "Stop it!" "Just die!" "Die!" "Sofie." "I saw his eyes." "You gave him back his sight." "Why?" "He did what was asked of him." "He was rewarded." "His eyes for Ruthie´s life?" "His eyes to force your hand." "So then you turned around and sold him out." "Just to make me bring him back?" "To compel you to face what you are." "You killed him." "You killed him with my hands." "Lodz was a traitor." "His life meant nothing to me." "Samson was right about you." "All you do is pull strings... and make people dance." "There ain´t but one choice in that." "Don´t be a fool, boy." "I don´t aim to be, not this time." "I´m going to turn myself over to the others." "They´ll make me pay... and give me more of a choice than I got with you." "No." "Ye offspring of serpents." "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" "We got a fire at...." "Hawkins?" "What have you done?" "Get out." "Now you see why I cannot allow you... to throw your life away?" "That thing." "What was it?" "A weapon." "A false sun wrought by the hands of men." "It is the last link in a chain of events unfolding even as we speak." "You must break that chain." "How the hell am I supposed to do that?" "By destroying the preacher you´ve seen in your dreams." "Find Scudder and bring him to me." "What does he have to do with this?" "He was to me what the preacher is to you." "My enemy." "You saw my failure in the war." "You´re the Russian?" "Yes, my name is Lucius Belyakov." "Scudder knows the true name of the preacher... as I knew yours, Ben Hawkins." "You must bring him to me." "I´ve already bloodied my hands once for you... and I ain´t gonna do it again." "You can´t run from this." "I ain´t gonna do it." "Millions will die!" "I can´t stop that!" "I´m just one man!" "Then run, coward." "Run as your father did before you." "I´m not him, you son of a bitch." "If you try to escape your destiny... the world will not escape its terrible fate." "He is the Usher." "He wasn´t in there." "Are you sure?" "There was but three of us... and two come out." "What´s left of the third is under that tarp." "It ain´t him, Lila." "He´ll be back." "Safe and sound, you´ll see." "The policeman will return." "When he does, you will tell him the boy perished in the fire." "Well, he´ll want proof." "You will give them the bones of the fortuneteller." "I can´t do that." "You will do that, and whatever else is necessary." "The boy is strong, but far from ready, and time runs short." "You must see that he comes to no harm." "I´ll do what I can." "You will be my voice when I wish to speak to him... my ears when he chooses to speak to me." "We tried that before." "Listen to me, Samson." "The boy must not set foot in this trailer again." "Do you understand?" "He tempts me." "Someone picks a number for this, it´s gonna be me." "That ain´t right." "No, it ain´t. lt just is." "And in Management´s book, that´s the only thing that counts." "Things like right and wrong... it ain´t even decent show bets." "How is he?" "We almost lost him." "Dear Lord." "A stroke." "I was right there." "Thank God for that." "What if he had been alone?" "Norman?" "Can he hear us?" "lt´s hard to tell." "He can´t speak." "Iris, would you mind stepping out for a few moments?" "I need to speak to your brother." "I received this from Norman yesterday." "It seems he was convinced that... you were possessed by some sort of demon." "My God, Norman." "I should´ve seen this coming." "After all those years of him taking care of us..." "now I failed him." "No." "If anyone is to blame, it is me." "This letter, I should´ve seen him immediately." "I could´ve ordered an evaluation." "Call me if his condition changes." "Norman, can you hear me?" "Yes." "Yes, you can." "I can see it in your eyes." "I am so sorry, Norman." "It never should´ve come to this." "Never." "That´s Hawkins." "What´s left of him." "What happened?" "Son of a bitch turned up last night." "Had my boys run him down." "Hid out in the bus." "Must´ve kicked over a lamp or something." "Hell of a blaze." "is that the way it went?" "Yeah." "That was pretty goddamn low." "l´ve done worse." "She´s one of us, damn it." "She deserves more than some unmarked hole in a potter´s field." "What are you going to tell Sofie?" "What am I gonna tell Sofie?" "Well, probably a big goddamn lie with bells on it." "Right, Jonesy?" "I´ve been looking for you." "Ruthie." "How you feeling?" "Not quite myself... but better." "That´s good." "Gabe told me what you done." "l didn´t do nothing." "You saved my life." "That´s something." "What did he tell you?" "That you helped him." "Looked after me till the poison broke." "I just...." "l couldn´t stand seeing you like that." "I heard you calling me from real far away." "It was you." "Your voice brought me back." "Ben?" "I just don´t want you thinking you owe me nothing." "That´s all." "She still sleeping?" "Poor thing." "God knows what she´s going through." "Ain´t decent, really." "Samson putting the show on tonight like nothing happened." "Well, what else you gonna do?" "It ought to be dark, that´s what." "Respect for the dead and all." "Of course, she was half dead to start with." "That ain´t funny." "Samson´s right, it´s a tough call." "We sure could use the scratch." "And besides, these beaners here are ripe for another squeeze or two." "If I didn´t know any better, Felix Dreifuss... I´d think maybe you´re taking a renewed interest in our little enterprise." "There´s nothing wrong with making a little money." "Jonesy?" "I´m sorry about your ma." "Clayton." "I didn´t...." "Didn´t what?" "You didn´t what?" "I´m sorry." "Well, then I guess that makes it all better, don´t it?" "Please believe me." "l do." "God knows I do." "That´s what makes it so awful." "I´m sorry, you´re sorry." "The whole world´s sorry as shit... but you know what?" "It don´t mean a goddamn thing." "You see me around... you just walk the other way." "You know, frankly, it doesn´t surprise me at all." "He just hasn´t been the same since Clara passed on." "Pull over." "What?" "Pull over now." "Justin?" "Justin?" "Justin, what´s wrong?" ""You burn with lust among the oaks..." ""and under every spreading tree." ""You sacrifice your children in ravines..." ""and under the hanging crags."" "Iris!" "This will be my new Canaan." "Here, I will build a temple." "We will build a temple, Alexi." "We will build it together." "One and all, come see the bearded lady!" "Right this way!" "Right inside there!" "Thank you, ma´am." "Thank you so much." "Thank you, sir." "He in there?" "Who?" "The Professor." "Check the ten-in-one." "Nobody´s seen him since last night." "He´ll turn up." "I think something´s happened." "I got a real bad feeling about this." "Can you ask Management?" "Ask him what?" "About Lodz." "He´s probably sleeping off a belly full of that froggy juice... in some gutter somewhere." "Look, Pa, that lady got whiskers." "Christ, Lila." "Will you put on a veil?" "You´re giving it away free." "Please." "l´ll ask him." "Thanks, sugar." "Lunch with Congressman McGrath, Tuesday." "Benediction at the Elks Lodge." "And you got a radio slot tonight in Los Angeles." "Tonight?" "No, he couldn´t possibly" "Nonsense, we´re just getting started." "What about Hearst?" "Hearst?" "He wants to broadcast your brother on his radio stations." "William Randolph Hearst?" "No, Alvin Leroy Hearst." "Of course, William Randolph Hearst." "Justin." "l know." "We need to speak privately." "That´s right, ladies and gentlemen!" "Ten big acts for the price of one." "See the amazing Rondo, the Regurgitator." "Popcorn!" "The mysterious turtle boy, and other amazing freaks of nature." "Step right up." "Never before have we assembled...." "l don´t know what´s going on between the two of you." "All I know is I ain´t never seen you like this." "Whatever he wants you to do, you´d better do it." "I made up my mind." "I want to talk to him, face to face." "No can do." "Kid, it´s Management´s order." "You gonna have to go through me." "I don´t even know where to start." "Listen to your blood." "Blood?" "What the hell´s that supposed to mean?" "I´m just the messenger, kid." "You´ll forgive me, Tommy, but I don´t see what this has to do with us." "Your car was seen leaving the area 10 minutes before the fire." "A black Model A was seen." "A black Model A sedan." "There must be thousands of them." "You´re right." "But only 29 of them registered in San Benito county and four in Mintern proper." "You´re not suggesting" "No... but someone else is bound to." "You´re a man of God, Justin." "Folks hold their prophets to pretty high standards... even in California." "I want you to conduct a full investigation." "See to it that whoever murdered those children, pays for what they did." "What if it´s someone associated with your ministry?" "Then it is all the more important that we be the ones... to bring them to the police." "There you are." "Tommy and I were just going over my schedule." "I see." "Mr. Dolan." "Will you be staying for dinner?" "No, I´m afraid not." "We got a train to catch." "l´ll be right down." "What was that about?" "Have you seen my warm coat?" "You know exactly where your coat is." "Damn it." "Sofie?" "Sofie, it´s me." "In Round 3, Casper hasn´t even broken a sweat." "Flynn launches a punishing combination." "C´mon, Paddy, put him down!" "And a haymaker left flies wild over Casper´s shoulder!" "Kayo steps inside, comes back with a walloping right... a left, a jab to the mid-section." "You seen Sofie around?" "Not since this morning." "Maybe I better talk to Samson." "Yeah, you best." "You sure you ain´t seen her around?" "No, you better run on over and tell Samson quick." "I hate to get everybody all worked up over nothing." "What, are you crazy?" "Better safe than sorry." "That´s what I always say." "Girl´s liable to throw herself off a bridge or worse." "And it wasn´t a fight, folks, it was a slaughter." "One, two, three rounds, and it´s bye-bye Irish Paddy Flynn... flat on the canvas and out like a light." "God damn you lousy, spud-picking mick bastard." "What a fight!" "I´m thinking your memoirs would make a great serialization." "Brother Justin, could I have a word?" "Sorry, pal." "We got a broadcast." "I´m here for the Usher." "What?" "The Usher." "Wait for me inside." "Justin" "Go." "What do you want?" "It´s such an honor." "I heard you on the radio." "My name´s Wilfred Talbot Smith." "I´m sorry. I must´ve been mistaken." "No." "You´re not." "But you bleed like a man." "What?" "He´s still alive." "Who is still alive?" "Tell me." "By the hand of the Prince, the Prophet dies." "Upon his death, the Prince shall rise." "Stop babbling and tell me who!" "The Gospel of Matthias." "Chapter 3, verses 26 through 28." "You have to kill him." "You have to kill him with your own hands." "Who?" "Scudder." "Henry Scudder." "And then what?" "You´ll be the Prophet." "The Usher." "Henry Scudder." "Kill him, and you will receive the divine blood." "Run." "Damn it." "Where´s Scudder?" "Where?" "I told you, God damn it." "I don´t know anybody named Scudder." "That´s what your mouth said." "Christ almighty, boy." "What the hell is your truck with him, anyway?" "He´s my father." "Operator speaking." "Do you wish to make a call?" "Hello?" "Send the police down to the Templar Hall!" "Hello?" "You son of a bitch!" "Wait!" "He´ll kill me." "If I was you, I wouldn´t be worrying about him right now." "All right!" "They showed up one day, him and another fellow." "When?" "When?" "Ten, twelve years ago." "What happened?" "Scudder, he got real cozy with our chaplain, Kerrigan... and he stole some books out of our library." "What kind of books?" "Holy books, Gospels." "And then they lit out." "I haven´t seen either one of them since." "I swear to God I´m telling you the truth." "Please, kid." "If you find Scudder, for God´s sakes... don´t tell him you talked to me." "Don´t tell him I told you nothing." "He ain´t human." "I ain´t, either." "What happened to Kerrigan?" "He went mad." "He lost his mind." "The archdiocese locked him up in a squirrel pen, up outside Alamogordo." "That´s all I know." "All right, we got six vehicles, eight trucks." "All right, we got six vehicles, eight trucks." "I want all of them rolling." "Slim, Osgood, Burley... see if she´s in town." "The rest of you go check out on the roads." "We ain´t leaving here without her." "That´s the code." "What about Lodz?" "That´s right." "I was just getting to that." "Keep an eye peeled for the Professor." "He´s gone missing, too." "What are you waiting for, a written invitation?" "Get." "All right." "Arnie, come on." "You guys follow me." "Good evening, brothers and sisters, and welcome to the Church of the Air." "I am Brother Justin." "And though I am alone in this studio, I can sense your presence." "You are with me, and I am with you." "Like you... I grew up in an America far different from the one in which we live today." "There are those that would have you believe... that the America that we remember... no longer exists." "Perhaps they are right." "Many of us are cold and hungry...." "That´s odd." "What?" "This transmitter´s rated for only 5,000 watts." "Yeah, so?" "We´re knocking out 10." "How did this shroud of poverty suddenly smother this once great land?" "But the America for which our forefathers fought and died... brothers and sisters, is not lost." "No, it has not been consigned to the dust heap of history." "It is not forgotten." "No, this land..." "Varlyn stroud." "...your land... has been stolen, stolen by the international bankers." "Varlyn stroud." "Stolen by the crooked politicians." "Stolen by cheap immigrant labor." "Step back from the line." "Stolen by Wall street parasites." "You will be my apostle." "Stroud." "Step back behind the line." "Who is there to protect your American dream?" "Who is there to protect your American dream?" "I say unto you, there is only one, and that is yourself." "You must take back what is yours." "We, as a nation, must recover our collective dream." "The dream of our forefathers." "My archangel." "Who are you?"