Greg M. Sarwa

Shortly after implementation of the "Real ID Act of 2005", the United States National Identification System is created and an intense period of information gathering is begun. Detailed personal data about all U.S. residents is stored in a registered, highly secured database controlled by an enigmatic government agency. The governmental grip tightens with new laws requiring standardized state documents that comply with federal guidelines. And this is only the beginning Following exhaustive and flawless testing of the fledgling National Identification System, the government forces the issue of microprocessor implants for verification purposes. Every person in the United States of America will be implanted with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) microchip to authenticate identity and store personal information. Yet, one question remains unanswered: Is identity verification the only reason for signifying us with the "Mark of the Beast"?

What if you had just learned that your days are about to come to an end? Would you quietly accept your destiny, or would you fight this one final battle? What if the vanished love of your life had crossed your path once more? Would you let that love slip away once again, or would you embrace that elusive joy, even if only for a while? And what if the demons of your past disturb the delicate reconciliation you thought you had found? These are the questions facing John Kadel in If only I could..., a simple story about love. This is not a romance. It is a tale of the true and lasting love everyone dreams about-the undeniable love only some find in a lifetime of searching. John Kadel is a stubborn, single old man with a colorful past and questions for which he has no answers. Not long after his doctor hands him a death sentence, John runs into someone from his past.