Part 5 (1/2)
”Meals, Ready-to-Eat. Wouldn't you like a break from Doctor Chase's highly nutritious and nearly totally unpalatable homemade goop?”
”Not to take anything away from the doctor, but yes, I would. What does he put in that stuff?”
”It's his secret. His lab people won't even tell me. Which is fine. I'm not sure I want to know.”
”General, you want to know a truth about Doctor Chase's field rations?”
”Sure?”
”They taste like s.h.i.+t!”
Ben threw back his head and laughed. ”Welcome to the Rebels, Linda.”
Chapter Four.
The Rebels pulled out the next morning.
Vultures were circling high in the sky, sensing there was food far below them, but unable to spot the buried bodies with their sharp eyes.
The convoy traveled as far as Red Bluff, and Ben ordered the Rebels to stand down and start cleaning up the town. ”Nice-sized little place,” he remarked, after inspecting the town. ”And the airfield is in pretty good shape. This would make a dandy outpost.
Corrie, see if you can raise Thermopolis on the radio.”
After a moment, she handed him the mike. ”This is Eagle, Therm. Did you find your lost peace-and-love generation?” He winked at Linda as he said it, envisioning the frown on Therm's face.
”Yes, I did, Eagle.”
”Thank you for reporting in, Therm.”
”Sorry about that. I truly am. I just forgot.”
”Therm, I won't belabor the point. But I was about to send troops in after you. Some of Pasqual's bunch might have gotten hurt.””Pasco!”
”Whatever. Therm, ask your friends if they know where any survivors might be who would like to help us set up an outpost here in Red Bluff. The town is the right size and everything else about it checks out.”
”As a matter of fact, they do. Ben, they know where there are about three hundred people living. They're all in small groups and looking to reestablish what they consider to be normal living.”
Ben laughed at that. Linda had been listening over the speaker and had a confused look on her face. Ben said, ”What Therm means is that these are the types of people who get regular haircuts, in addition to liking life under rules and regulations and saluting the flag and things of that nature.”
”He doesn't like an orderly life?”
”Of course, he does. For a commune to work, they have to have rules and regulations too. He's just needling me.” Ben lifted the mike. ”Send them on their way, Therm. We'll be waiting for them.”
”That's ten-four, Ben. Pasco says they are basically good people for straights.”
Ben laughed. ”I'd like to meet Pasco.”
”He says thanks, but some other time.”
”Okay, Therm. You can all go on back to listening to that horrible music.”
”How in the h.e.l.l did you know? ... Oh, never mind. Old Hippie out.”
Linda looked at him. ”How did you know what they were doing?”
”I guessed. But don't ever tell Thermopolis that.”
The first of the survivors in that area of northern California began arriving late that afternoon. They by no means appeared to be a beaten-down bunch, for they were well-armed and carried their weapons like combat-ready troops. They were just tired and very wary. Chase had set up his MASH and was ready to receive them, taking the children first, then the women, then the men.
While the kids were being examined and receiving the first of many inoculations for childhood diseases, Ben met with the leaders of a few of the small groups.
”Pasco radioed us and told us you were in the area,”
a man said. ”We just couldn't believe it. It's been tough, General. Moving every three or four weeks, always trying to stay one jump ahead of the outlaws.”
”They are that strong?”
”Sir,” another man said, ”I'm not being critical, so please don't take it that way. You had to move in some direction; it's only logical that the outlaws would move in the other, getting away from you. They had us out-manned and out-gunned. In this area alone there were once comn that many months ago coma dozen settlements, all doing well. Then the outlaws from the east joined up with those in L.a. and San Francisco. I'd say a conservative figure would be between five thousand and eight thousand men, women, and kids have either been killed or captured over thepast year.”
”You are aware of what the outlaws are, or were, doing with the prisoners they took?”
The man spat on the ground. ”Oh, h.e.l.l, yes!
Now let me tell you something that you probably don't know. The largest concentration of Believers in the lower forty-eight is in-was ”The Los Angeles area,” Ben said, interrupting with a smile.
The men shared a laugh. ”Well, you did know.”
”We guessed. The few prisoners we took up in Redding confirmed that. Right before we shot them.”
The man studied Ben for a moment. ”That's why Pasco will never be a part of your group, General.
He thinks you and your people go too far.”
”That's his right. There are others who agree with him.
And they do not and never will receive any help from us, in any way, shape, or form.”
”Pasco knows that. Thermopolis is trying to change his mind.”
”What do you think his odds are of doing that?”
The man moved his right hand in a waggling motion. ”Not too good, General.”
”What's Pasco's problem?”
The man stared and studied Ben for a moment, then stuck out his hand. ”I'm Les Word.”