Part 4 (2/2)
Thermopolis gave Ben a dirty look, nodded his head, and walked off, muttering under his breath about fascists and dictators and the like.
”Better yet,” Ben called, ”take Emil with you. That would really set you apart.”
Thermopolis turned and gave Ben the finger.
Linda had stood quietly, watching and listening to the exchange. ”You really like him, don't you?”
”Oh, sure. What's not to like? He thinks I'm full of bulls.h.i.+t and I know he is, so we get along. We've had some spirited debates over the months. He certainly doesn't agree with everything I do, but he's realist enough to know that the Rebel movement is the only thing standing between order and anarchy.”
Linda said, ”But the East, for the most part, is safe now. He could take his followers and leave, go back to the commune ways and live in peace.”
Ben smiled. ”Yes, he could. But he won't.
That's why I know he's spouting bulls.h.i.+t. Don't kid yourself, he's in this fight to stay. He'll tell you he's with us to see the country in the only reasonably safe way. Safety in numbers, and all that. But he'll be with us when we hit Northstar, and he'll be with us when we sail for Europe. Part of his motive will be his insatiable curiosity, and another part will be that in his brain, if not in his heart, he knows that what we're doing is right. Brutal and savage, but right.” Ben chuckled. ”Although he'll never admit it and will argue to his dying day that I'm wrong.”
”Just like you would never admit it if you are wrong about him?”
”Of course, I wouldn't. That's why we're friends.”
”Praise be to Ben Raines, the Supreme Commander of all forces that are right and just and good on this granite planet!” Emil Hite shouted, bouncing into the perimeter.
”Oh, G.o.d!” Ben muttered.
”Once more, justice and goodness has prevailed,”
Emil said, walking up to Ben.
”Right, Emil,” Ben said.
”But we shall be benevolent conquerors. We shall heal the sick and offer solace to the bruised minds of those who have been enslaved.”
”Right, Emil.”
”The mighty army of Ben Raines rolls on, bringing liberty and justice to all.” Emil began to sing the ”Star-Spangled Banner.” Smoot began to howl in protest. Emil looked at her looking at him. ”Tin ear!”
”That's very good, Emil. But you're going to herniate yourself if you keep trying to hit the high notes.”
”I've been practicing.”
Ben eyeballed Emil's latest getup. Emil had long ago abandoned his flowing robes for militarybattle dress, but whenever he was outside of a combat area, he also wore a turban and cowboy boots.
He had recently begun carrying two pearl-handled, nickel-plated six-shooters, tied down like an Old West gunfighter. But for all his eccentricities, Emil had proven himself in battle, time after time, and Ben respected the little man for that. But he still considered Emil to be a tad off the wall.
”Where's Therm going, General?”
”To visit some hippie friends of his in a commune south of here.”
”Oh, neat-o! You think he'd mind if I went along?”
”You can go if he asks you, Emil. But don't bug him about it. On second thought, you'd better stay here. I, uh, need you.”
”You need me?”
Emil rose to his full height of about five-five. ”I am at your service, mon general.
Your wish is my command. Ask, and I will obey without hesitation.”
Ben was thinking hard, aware of Linda's amused look. ”Uh, right, Emil. Listen, I want you to, ah ... I want you to make certain that Therm and his bunch check out Hummers from the motor pool and that they have a good radio with them. Also make certain they have enough rations for several days. Will you do that for me, Emil?”
Emil sprang to attention. ”Yes, sir!
I shall see to that at once.”
”Thanks, Emil.”
Emil whirled around, almost tripping over his high-heeled cowboy boots, and went running off to find Thermopolis.
”Your friend Thermopolis is not going to like this,” Linda said.
”He'll get over it.” Ben grinned, softening the hard planes of his face and taking years from him.
”Besides, he's used to me shoving Emil at him.”
Ben looked toward the town of Redding from his position at the airport. The small city was no more. The Rebels had set firebreaks to keep the flames from spreading, then moved back and let it burn.
”It seems like such a waste,” Linda remarked.
”There are only so many commodes, so many bra.s.s fittings, and so many bathtubs and kitchen sinks we can use, Linda. And we have enough stockpiled around the nation to outfit several million more people, and there are still millions more in empty homes and buildings. And we're also eliminating another place for outlaws to stay. Linda, we have warehouses filled to the overflowing with every part and gadget you could name, and some that you couldn't. We probably have half a million or more car and truck engines. We have enough sparkplugs to stretch from here to the moon and back, and enough panty hose to completely wrap the earth.”
She laughed out loud at that.
”You see, after the Great War, we started what was probably the greatest scrounging effort ever undertaken by humankind. Since so many of us were ex-Gi's and ex-intelligence officers, we knew where the underground storage facilities were all over the nation. We filled them up. The Rebels have all the gold, all the silver, all the precious gems, all the great paintings ... you name it, and we have it.”
”And it was your idea?”
He shrugged. ”Part of it, I guess. Excuse me.” He waved for Corrie to come over.
”Corrie, have Lead-foot establish a CP at Beale AFB outside of Marysville and wait for us there. I know where there are some goodies to be had there.
Providing somebody else hasn't got them.”
Linda glanced at him. ”I thought you said your storage facilities were all filled up.”
Ben smiled. ”These are sealed chambers, concrete and steel bunkers, set deep in the earth, that contain weapons, equipment, and MRE'S.”
MR ... what?”
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