William W Johnstone - Ashes 29 - Crisis in the Ashes (txt)

WILLIAM W. JOHNSTONE Crisis in the Ashes (#29)

Crisis in the Ashes (#29)

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Begin Content

NOT JONES NOT SMITH

Someone behind Enger spoke. "You looking for anyone in particular?"

Enger froze, then risked a glance over his shoulder. "Is that you,

Jones?" he asked.

"I've been called Jones. Smith is one of my favorites, too."

A cold chill ran down Enger's spine.

"Nice shirt you're wearing," the voice said, coming from a dark stand of

trees only a few feet behind him. "Not one of my favorite colors, black,

but it's a nice shirt."

Enger tensed, ready to make his move with his AK 47. "Who are you?" he

asked.

"Ben. Ben Raines. I'm sure I'm the one you've been sent here to kill."

How the hell had Raines gotten behind him? "There must be some mistake.

We came here to join up with the Rebels."

"No mistake," the voice said. "Unless you count letting me get behind

you. That was a helluva mistake."

"Would you shoot a man in the back?"

"I'd shoot a sorry son of a bitch like you in the balls if the light was

better. But just for the hell of it, I'm gonna give you a chance to turn

around before I pull the trigger."

Gerald Enger wheeled, sweeping his AK 47 barrel toward the trees as his

finger tightened on the trigger.

He was lifted off his feet by a hail of lead tearing through his body.

Raines squatted and looked at his wounds close up. "You've only got a

few minutes, soldier. Any last words?" he asked.

"Yeah," Enger groaned through bloodstained lips. "I'll see you in hell,

Raines."

"Maybe," Raines answered, not unkindly, "but don't wait up for me. It

may be a while."

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Printed in the United States of America

6 "This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who

inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government,

they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their

revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it."

-Abraham Lincoln

7

If a war had not engulfed the entire world, plunging every nation into

bloody chaos, the government of the United States would probably have

collapsed anyway. Personal income taxes had been going up for years, and

the hardworking, law-abiding citizens were paying well over half their

incomes to the government. The left wing of the Democratic Party had

taken over and passed massive gun-grab legislation, effectively

disarming American citizens-except for the criminals, of course, and

about three-quarters of a million tough-minded Americans who didn't give

a big rat's ass what liberals said, thought, or did. Those Americans

carefully sealed up their guns and buried them, along with cases of

ammunition. When the collapse came, those Americans were able to defend

themselves against the roaming gangs of punks and thugs that popped up

all over what had once been called the United States of America. The

great nation would never again be accurately referred to as the United

States.

Slowly, a growing group of people began calling for a man named Ben

Raines to lead them. But Ben didn't want any part of leadership. He

disregarded the increasing calls from people all over the nation until

finally he could no longer ignore the pleas.

Months later, thousands of people made the journey to the northwest part

of the nation and formed their own

8

nation out of three states. It was called the Tri-States, and those who

chose to live there based many of their laws on the Constitution of the

United States: the original interpretation of that most revered

document. Basically, it was a common sense approach to government,

something that had been sadly lacking for years with liberals in control

of the old United States of America. After only a few months in their

new nation, Ben knew that only about two out of every ten Americans

could-would, more to the point-live under a common sense form of

government. Under this form of government, everyone, to a very large

degree, controlled their own destiny. The Rebels, as the residents of

the Tri-States were named by the press, took care of the very old, the

young, and those unable to care for themselves. But if a person was able

to work, they worked . . . whether they liked it or not. There were no

free handouts for able-bodied people. If they didn't want to work, they

got the hell out of the Tri-States. Very quickly.

The first attempt at building a nation within a nation failed when the

federal government grew powerful enough to launch a major campaign. The

original Tri-States was destroyed, and the Rebel army was decimated and

scattered.

But the federal government made one major mistake: they didn't kill Ben

Raines.

Ben and the few Rebels left alive began rebuilding their army and then

launched a very nasty guerrilla war against the federal government that

lasted for months: hit hard, destroy, and run. It worked.

But before any type of settlement could be reached, a deadly plague

struck the earth: a rat-borne outbreak, the Black Death revisited.

When the deadly disease finally ran its course, anarchy reigned over

what had once been America. Gangs of punks and warlords ruled from

border to border, coast to

9

coast. Ben and his Rebels began the long, slow job of clearing the

nation of human slime and setting up a new Tri-States. This time they

settled in the south, first in Louisiana in an area they called Base

Camp One, then spreading out in all directions as more and more people

wanted to become citizens of the new nation called the Southern United

States of America: SUSA.

Ben and the Rebels fought for several years, clearing the cities of

vicious gangs and growing larger and stronger while the SUSA spread out.

In only a few years, the Rebel army became the largest and most powerful

army on the face of the earth ... with the possible exception of

China's. No one knew what was going on in China, for that nation had

sealed its borders and cut off nearly all communication with the outside

world.

A few more years drifted by while the Rebels roamed the world at the

request of the newly formed United Nations, kicking ass and stabilizing

nations as best they could in the time allotted them.

Back home, the situation was worsening: outside the SUSA, the nation was

turning socialistic with sickening speed. The old FBI was gone. In its

place was the FPPS: Federal Prevention and Protective Service, a fancy

title that fooled no one. The FPPS was the nation's secret police, and

they were everywhere, bully boys and thugs. Day-to-day activities of

those living in the USA were highly restricted. The new Socialist

Democratic government of President-for-life Claire Osterman and her

second in command, Harlan Millard, was now firmly in control.

There were border guards stationed all along major crossings in every

state. Now many of them had been moved south, to patrol along the

several-thousand-mile border of the SUSA.

A bloody civil war was shaping up between the USA and the SUSA. A bounty

had been placed on the head of

10

Ben Raines: a million dollars for his capture, dead or alive. Ben was

accustomed to that: he'd had bounties-of one kind or another, from one

group or another-on his head for years.

Anna, Ben's adopted daughter, had been kidnapped by the FPPS. She was to

be tried as a traitor to the Socialist Democrat government, and

executed. A highly irritated Ben knew the taking of Anna was to draw him

out, for the FPPS was certain Ben would come after her... which he damn

sure did, with blood in his eyes. That abortive move cost the FPPS

several dozen agents, and accomplished nothing else for Osterman and her

henchman. It further heightened the already monumental legend of Ben

Raines . . . and made Claire Osterman and her government look like a

pack of incompetent screwups ... which they certainly were.

After Claire completely lost her temper and what little rational

judgment she had, she started a civil war with SUSA, using hired

mercenaries when half of her own USA troops refused to fight their

neighbors. All along a battle line that stretched for thousands of

miles, from Texas to Georgia in the old south, federal troops faced

Rebel forces across no-man's lands.

Once again SUSA, led by Ben Raines and his team, kicked her federal

troops' butts in battle after battle, driving her into a fury which knew

no bounds.

When Sugar Babe Osterman got word from her field commanders that Raines

had killed Commanding General Walter Berman, head of her army, in

hand-to-hand combat, she almost had a stroke. She notified Cecil

Jeffreys, President of SUSA, that if he and his leaders, especially that

bastard Ben Raines, didn't surrender, she was going to launch an all-out

missile attack against SUSA at 0600 hours. Cecil Jeffreys called his

Commanding General Ben Raines to his office. . . .

11 One

Ben Raines was awakened by the ringing of his telephone. He fumbled for

the receiver and swung his legs out of bed, almost stepping on the

Malamute he'd adopted-rather, who'd adopted him-last week.

"Yeah?" Ben said, glancing at the clock on the night-stand. 0200 hours.

"Ben?" Cecil Jeffreys said, sounding tired. "Get down to the command

center's war room. We've got a building situation."

"On my way." Ben didn't waste time asking what the situation was. That

would be explained when he got to the war room.

Ben took a quick shower and dressed in BDUs. Fifteen minutes after

Cecil's call, he was pulling out of his driveway. Mai sat in the front

seat of the Hummer beside him, looking out at the night.

"Something big is brewing, Mai," Ben said. "Osterman has pulled

something. You can bet on that."

The Malamute woowoowooed her deep-voiced reply.

"I'm still working on a name for you, girl," Ben told the big dog.

"Don't worry. I'll come up with something."

" Woowoowoowoo! "

"Right. I know we're being followed. Better get used to it." There were

several Rebel security vehicles trailing Ben through the quiet early

morning hours.

12

Ben's team met him in the parking lot of the command center. Ben handed

Mai's leash to Anna. "Take care of her, kiddo."

"Will do, Pops. Come on, Jodie."

Ben stopped and turned around. " What'd you call her?"

"Jodie. You like it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I do. OK. Jodie it is."

Ben passed through several checkpoints, then was admitted to the

elevator that would take him down to the war room of the presidential

command center. There he passed through another checkpoint and was

admitted to the war room.

Cecil smiled at him. "I just hung up the phone after speaking with

Madame President Osterman, Ben. She has given us an ultimatum."

Ben poured a mug of coffee. He glanced up at the Defense Posture Board.

The top light was slowly blinking a dull red-the next to highest defense

alert. When it changed to a constant bright red, the SUSA would be on a

full alert and on a war status for possible missiles coming at them.

"What is the ultimatum, Cec?"

"Immediate surrender."

"And if we don't comply, which of course we won't?"

"She will order the launch of missiles against us."

"Nuclear?"

"She didn't say."

"I doubt they'll be nukes. Probably germ warheads. Kill all the nasty

ole conservatives and keep the buildings for use by the occupying

troops." Ben laughed. "Socialist carpetbaggers. Now that's funny, Cec."

"I truly wish I could find something amusing about this situation."

"What's her deadline for launch?"

"0600. I have our air defenses on alert."

Ben walked over to a red telephone and picked it up.

13

"This is General Raines. All air defenses are to go on full alert

nationwide . . . immediately. We're going to have missiles to intercept,

and we don't want any to strike SUSA soil. OK. Good shooting."

Ben slowly hung up the phone just as Cec was opening his mouth to

object. He managed a, "Ben-"

Ben shook his head. "My show now, Cec. You know our constitution better

than I."

"You're right, of course. Do we warn our citizens about the possibility

of a strike?"

"Not just yet. An hour's time is all many will need. A few minutes' time

is all most will need."

"I've told Osterman that her demands are ridiculous."

"I would've told her a lot more than that," Ben replied very seriously.

"Oh?" Cec managed a smile.

"Yeah. Like where to shove her demands. Sideways and with great force."

"They would probably fit," Cec replied, equally drily.

"I'm sure."

The men drank coffee and chatted for a half hour until Ben told Cecil to

go take a nap, get some rest. He would man the command center until Cec

woke up.

Ben told the security people to get his team into the war room. While

that was going on, he got Ike on the horn.

"I think you should be here, Ike."

"I'll stay with my troops," the former Navy SEAL said.

"I thought you'd say that, Ike, but I wanted to try. Intel says they're

ninety-nine percent certain the warheads are germ, BW of some sort. But

they aren't sure what type of bugs they contain."

"We have the vaccines for every type of bug we know Osterman has," Ike

replied. "The troops are ready."

"You know that some of the missiles are going to get through."

14

"I know, Ben."

"We're probably going to lose several hundred thousand civilians."

"If only they'd taken the vaccines we offered," Ike said, his voice full

of frustration. He was referring to the fact that only about fifty

percent of the citizens of SUSA had complied with Jeffreys'

recommendation to take the free vaccines their scientists had cooked up

against BW, Biological Warfare.

"That's the problem with having a populace that believes in individual

freedom, Ike, and with having a constitution that prohibits us from

forcing them to do something we think is in their best interests. They

made their choice, after being informed of our best guesses about the

consequences. Now, those who decided not to take the vaccines will have

to live, or die, with their decisions."

"I know, but if that rotten bitch uncorks those missiles, Ben . . ." Ike

let that trail off.

"There will be precious little left of the USA. That is a promise."

"Will you use our missiles, Ben?"

"Will I have a choice?"

Another long moment of silence. "No, I reckon not. God help us all."

"Osterman and her followers don't believe in God, Ike."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. They're too intelligent to believe in God. Then God

help SUSA."

"That's more like it."

"Keep your head down and your ass covered, Ben."

"I will, Ike. Luck to you, ole buddy."

"OK, partner."

Ben spent the next few minutes in a conference hookup, talking with all

his brigade commanders. They were as ready as they could possibly be.

Cecil had ordered addi-

15

tional vaccines flown in to all Rebel locations as soon as Osterman had

issued her threat. But, as General Georgi Striginov pointed out, if the

missiles carried nuclear warheads there was very little the Rebels could

do except ask for heavenly intervention.

Ben sat at a desk in the war room, talking with his team and petting Jodie.

And waiting.

Corrie was handling the communications now. Every so often Ben looked

over at her and she shook her head.

Nothing.

At 0500 hours Corrie stiffened in her chair. Ben heard her say, "Are you

sure?"

Ben smiled knowingly. "Goddamn Socialist Democrats. I knew it. You can't

trust those two-faced bastards."

"Birds are in the air!" Corrie said. "Just launched."

"Cooper, get President Jeffreys, please."

But Cec had awakened a few minutes before, and had been washing his face

in cold water. He walked in the door just as Ben was speaking to Coop.

"It's only 0500," Cecil said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"President Osterman gave us until 0600. What the hell happened?"

"I warned you about trusting that bitch, Cec. She jumped the gun on us."

"Our missiles have intercepted most of the first wave, Corrie said. "Two

got through. First one carried a germ warhead and struck in North Texas."

"Goddamnit!" Cecil flared.

"Right on the border with New Mexico, just north of Interstate Twenty."

"Very lightly populated," Cecil said. "Thank God."

"Second bird struck in Eastern Tennessee. In the mountains."

"Ready all silos and surface-based facilities," Ben said

16

William W Johnstone - Ashes 29 - Crisis in the Ashes (txt)

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