Leader of the Tribulation Force and a pilot, Rayford is battling rage as the story opens. He is dealing with the loss of his first wife and their son during the Rapture as well as the death of his second wife, Amanda, during an earthquake. Rayford seems to be having difficulty dealing with these losses and with the demands placed on him in his role as leader of the Tribulation Force. While he sees his weaknesses in his inability to cope, he seems powerless to do anything about them.