Part 33 (1/2)

The rain lessened in intensity and steadied down to a constant soft fall.

”Order half the people to stand down and get some rest,”

Ben told Corrie. ”Sleep for a couple of hours and then switch with the others. It won't be enough rest, but it will help.”

Ben looked around at his team. ”And that order applies here, as well. Every other person lay down and get some rest.”

”Fine,” Dan said. ”I will take over here while you get some rest, General.”Ben didn't argue. To refuse would have been pointless; the Englishman would argue with a stump for hours.

Ben stretched out on the floor with the others, a bedroll for a pillow, and went to sleep, seemingly oblivious of the sniper fire going on around him.

Ben opened his eyes, checked his watch, and found he had been asleep for two and a half hours. He felt refreshed. He got to his boots and walked over to Dan.

”Now, you hit the floor and get some rest, Dan.

Right now.”

It was a quarter till three in the morning.

Linda came to him and lay down behind the sandbagged window. ”Corrie got through to the other battalions.

Ike is on the Oregon border. Seven and Eight are inspecting the state of Nevada, and Georgi is over in Utah. You don't appear to be ter ribly worried about this situation, Ben.”

”I'm not. It's a d.a.m.n nuisance, that's all.

They missed any chance they might have had to overrun us. Now it's too late. We're too well dug in and have far superior firepower and armor. They could keep us pinned down here for several days, and probably will, but eventually we'll drive them back. If worse comes to worst, we'll use smoke to bust out. But I don't think it will come to that.”

She looked at him. ”What are you smiling about?”

”You noticed that Buddy is gone?”

”Yes. Where is he?”

”He and his Rat Team are out on the edges of our perimeters, laying out Claymores and other nasty little surprises for the creepies. The next time they hit us, they're going to be terribly upset by what they find waiting for them.”

An hour slipped away. Linda dozed for a time, then awakened, and she and Ben quietly talked.

”I see now why the Rebels travel with so much ammunition. I couldn't understand it at first. It just seemed like so much to carry around.”

”Here they come, General,” Corrie said. ”They're belly-crawling to us this time. Forward people say it looks like the entire ground, all the way around us, is covered with huge worms.”

”That's a pretty good way of putting it. Ready flares.”

”Flares ready.”

”As soon as they hit the b.o.o.by traps, light up the night.”

”Yes, sir.”

”Wake everybody up.”

Buddy and a few of his Rat Team slipped into the building. Buddy came to his father's side.

”The creepies are going to be very unhappy with us in a couple of minutes, Father.”

”I hate that,” Ben said with a straight face. ”We try so hard be loved.”Buddy choked back a laugh and slipped to his position.

Thunderous roars slammed the rainy night as creepies touched off Claymores and pressure mines. Mangled bodies were flung in all directions and wild screaming echoed through the rain.

Creepies leaped to their feet, jumped over the b.l.o.o.d.y chunks of body parts, and charged the Rebels, cursing the name of Ben Raines.

Hundreds of weapons, all set on full auto, turned the night into a muzzle-blasting and sparking shooting gallery. Flares cast their artificial brilliance on the land, turning the raindrops a metallic silver that was tinged with red from the splattering blood.

The Rebels stopped the advance cold. This time not one creepie made it into any building. The Rebels suffered one wounded, and no dead. The area around the perimeter was littered with dead and dying creepies.

The creepies fell back and began their hara.s.sing tactics against the Rebels. Their sniper fire inflicted no casualties.

”You reckon they'll try again?” Cooper asked.

”Oh, yes,” Ben said. ”The Judges will spend all day whipping the troops up into a murderous frenzy, and tonight they'll throw everything they've got at us. Stand down and get something to eat and some sleep.

Tonight is going to be the big one.”

The day crawled by slowly, the Rebels eating and resting as the hours pa.s.sed. They cleaned weapons and filled clips and got ready. Tank crews swabbed out their cannon and mortar crews made ready their tubes. The Rebels behind the heavy machine guns checked their guns and belts.

The rain did not let up. It was not a heavy downpour, more a gentle, consistent falling.

Everyone waited for the night.

”General,” Corrie called softly. ”I need to see you.”

Ben walked over to her. ”What is it, Corrie?”

”The communications van took a hit last night.

It's out until we can get in there and really take the radios down and see what the matter is. Now this one is down.” She patted the small tabletop model. ”Panel is out and I don't have a spare.

I think I can reach Cecil with my backpack, but I'm going to have to stretch an antenna. And even then, it's going to be chancy.”

Ben motioned his son over to him and quickly explained the situation.

”How high an antenna, Corrie?” Buddy asked.

”I don't know. It's going to have to be really high, and even then I don't even know if it will work.

We'll be able to receive from greater distances, but transmitting?” She shrugged her shoulders. ”I don't know.”