Part 30 (1/2)

Jerre sat down and watched as Chase stormed around his office, cussing and b.i.t.c.hing and in general low-rating Ben Raines. The chief medical officer stopped and listened to Ben's laughter in the hallway, a frown on his face.

”What the h.e.l.l does he find so G.o.dd.a.m.n funny about all this?”

Jerre shrugged. ”You know Ben, Doctor. He has a strange sense of humor.”

”d.a.m.n sure does.” Lamar sat down behind his desk and fiddled with a pencil. He suddenly broke the pencil in half and glared at Jerre. She could not contain her laughter, laughing at the expression on the man's face.

”That son of a b.i.t.c.h!” Lamar said.

”What's the matter, Doctor?” she managed to ask.

”He conned me again! The b.a.s.t.a.r.d did it to me again! He s.h.i.+fted the idea from my shoulders to his and I didn't even realize he was doing it.”

They could hear Ben' s laughter fading as he walked up the hall.

The Rebels stood on the outskirts of the city and watched it burn. When the fires had died down and there was no danger of them spreading, Ben ordered the columns out. Five and Six were to head north, checking for survivors in the northeast corner of the state. Ike was to take his battalion and clean out Pullman. Cecil was to take Walla Walla while West took care of the tri-cities along the Columbia River. Ben was going to travel the Interstate over to Ellensburg, then cut down to Yakima. Five and Six would eventually wind their way west and south to Wenatchee and all would link up outside Yakima to plan out the western campaign.

The Rebels began fanning out all over the eastern half of the state, searching for survivors who might like to join them in setting up outposts -- small pockets of civilization in the midst of a world gone mad comand seeking out and destroying those who wished to continue their anti-social and outlaw ways.

As the Rebels fanned out, they began finding small groups of survivors who had banded together for strength in combatting not only the many outlaw gangs who roamed the state, killing and robbing and raping and enslaving, but also the hideous Night People, or Believers.

Ben found one group of survivors concentrated around the Moses Lake area, led by Tom Loomis.

”Two hundred and fifty adults and seventy children,” Tom told him, after introducing himself.

Ben was taking a walking tour of the town with Tom and a few of the survivors. His practiced and experienced eyes had picked up on the well-bunkered machine gun emplacements that dotted the town, and also how the survivors had strung together the buildings on the outskirts of the town, creating a walled fortress.

Tom smiled as he noticed the direction Ben's eyes were taking. ”Kind of sad, isn't it, General? Here we are in the twenty-first century and we've reverted back to a fortress existence.”

Ben shook his head. ”We do what we have to do in order to maintain some degree of civilization, Tom. In a way it is sad, but you and your people have done a fine job here. You've carved a pocket of order and reason while being surrounded by human crud.”

”I was born in the sixties, General,” Tom said. ”I remember the pampering and coddling of criminals and the stripping away of the rights of the law-abiding.” His eyes were hard as they met the eyes of Ben Raines. ”And the taking away of the citizens' right to own and bear firearms. I'll not see that happen again.”

”It won't as long as we're alive, Tom,”

Ben a.s.sured him. ”But we've got to make sure those who come after us always remember what led up to the downfall of civilization -- and never forget it.”

Tom nodded. ”It's being taught in our schools, General. We've based our philosophy on what we've been able to intercept comby radio comf your Base Camp One and outposts.”

Ben nodded. ”I'll leave two squads of Rebels here. See that your clinic is completely restocked and brought up to date. We'll clean up the old airport and outfit you with radio equipment.

We've got to set up other outposts; we can't leave you stuck out here alone. Any suggestions on that?”

Tom paused and pulled a map from his pocket, spreading it out on the hood of a truck. ”Seventy miles north of here,” he pointed it out, ”is Grand Coulee. There is another group of survivors there. We stay in radio contact. Man by the name of Mike Mitch.e.l.l is in charge. He's a good man.”

Ben nodded. ”Corrie, b.u.mp Five Battalion and tell Steinberg to check that out and set them up. What about this area here?” Ben outlined it with a finger.

”A gang of thugs took over Ephrata years ago. Probably four hundred strong. They pretty much leave us alone now; but that came only after we showed them that we'll fight to protect our way of life.”

”That's usually all it takes. We'll clean out Ephrata and that'll take some of the strain off you people.

How about south of here?”

Tom shook his head. ”There's a few pockets of survivors along the Snake. But other than that, it's mostly the Believers and outlaws. It's been grim in this state, General. Really grim.”

”Conditions will improve, Tom. I promise you that. It's going to take us some time, but we'll clean up this country. Town by town and city by city.”

Tom grinned. ”You people sure played h.e.l.l over in Idaho, General.”

”That we did. But you can bet that as soon as we pulled out, the outlaws who ran into the wilderness areas resurfaced. But the main thing is that we got rid of the creepies.”

Tom could not hold back a shudder. ”If you're wondering what happened to many of the people in this area, General, you just spoke the word.”

”I know. We'll deal with thugs and outlaws as we come to them. Getting rid of the creepies is our first order of business.”

”Did you really destroy New York City, General?” *

”Yes. And with it perhaps the largest concentration of Believers in America. We'll win the fight, Tom. But it's going to take a long, long time.”

* Valor in the Ashes and Trapped in the Ashes -Zebra Books ”Voleta and her Ninth Order?” ”I think she's dead. My son says she is still alive. I hope I'm right and he's wrong.”

”That bunch is almost as bad as the Believers.”

”Almost.”

Voleta had been moved to a secure zone in Michigan, andwiththe pa.s.sing of each day, her chances for a complete recovery improved. If love cures all things, for Voleta it was her burning hatred of Ben Raines that aided her recovery.

Villar, Khamsim, Parr, Ashley, and the bikers made their way furtively across the country, being very careful to avoid Rebel outposts and raping and killing in only the most out-of-the-way locales.

They maintained radio silence and when communication was necessary, they used low-range CB'S. None of them liked this tippy-toeing around, but they knew their survival depended upon stealth.

They all silently cursed Ben Raines as they made their way across country, with Alaska to be their final destination.

Ephrata was a piece of cake for the Rebels.

Ben told the outlaws to lay down their arms and surrender, or die. Those were the only two choices he gave them. The thugs and punks and crud elected to fight. They died.

Ben stood over a wounded man while the town smoked and burned around them. The outlaw glared hate at him.

”I'll never live under your rules, Raines!” the thug gasped.

”Your choice,” Ben told him, then turned away to leave the man to die in the littered street.

”Ain't you gonna patch me up?” the wounded thug hollered at Ben's back.

”No,” Ben told him. ”I won't waste medicine on the likes of you.”

”I got rights!” the outlaw squalled, his hands b.l.o.o.d.y as they gripped his bullet-punctured belly. ”Not with me, you don't,” was Ben's reply. The man was still screaming and thras.h.i.+ng on the street as Ben found Buddy.

”See that all the outlaws' guns and ammo are collected,” Ben said. ”Arrange for the weapons to be transported to the new outposts. When you've seen to that, get your Rat Team and take off for Ellensburg. Give me a report on conditions there just as soon as you can.”