Part 25 (1/2)

”I have reports that large numbers of troops are ma.s.sing just south of Highway 299. From the coast to Weaverville.” He looked at Ben. ”I told you about that, Ben.”

Ben nodded his head. ”Yes. So Striganov doesn't want us to flank him. Either from the north or south. What options does that leave us?”

”Straight ahead,” John Dunning said.

”That's right,” Ben said. ”Right into the wilderness areas. Take a look, people. From north to south between Highways 20 and” 299. Trinity National Forest, Six Rivers National Forest, Yolla Bolly Wilderness area, Mendocino National Forest. That's where the Russian wants us. He's trying to play our game.” ”General,” Dan spoke. ”There is no way he could effectively cover that much ground.

He's got us outgunned, but he doesn't have that many troops. That's about five hundred miles deep, and at its widest point, about two hundred miles west to east. He can't have that many men.”

”No, he doesn't,” Ben agreed. ”But he knows we couldn't possibly hack our way through the wilderness; that would take us forever. We'd have to use existing roads. That's where he's set up ambush sites.”

”You have a plan?” Pete Ho asked.

”Oh, yes,” Ben said with a smile. ”We hold what we have taken thus far. We rest, we eat, we sleep, and we do nothing-nothing except stay very alert. Either Hartline or Striganov will become impatient.

One or the other will bust loose and do something.”

A Rebel walked into the meeting room.

”General, our listening post at Iron Gate Dam just received a message from the kids up in Oregon. The warlords have broken loose from Hartline and are heading out. Five, six hundred of them. Looks like, from the direction they've taken, they're going to head east, then cut south, come up behind us.”

Ben glanced at Cecil. ”It's your baby, Cec. Take off and good luck. If you need help, get on the horn.”

Cec nodded, gathered up his aides, and quickly left the meeting room.

”How are the girls?” Ben asked.

”Seem to be fine. They report picking up a half-dozen more kids. I told Iron Gate to tell them to hold their position and wait for further orders.”

Ben nodded. ”Tell them to get back across the line into safe territory. No point in them staying up there.”

”Yes, sir.” The man hesitated.

”Something else?” Ben asked.

”Yes, sir. Iron Gate reported that the girls have mixed it up with two patrols. One patrol of outlaw bikers loyal to Hartline, and the other a regular IPF patrol. The girls left one biker alive-after they cut off his privates and cauterized the wound with a heated knife blade. They killed all the IPF bunch.”

”Jesus!” Ben muttered.

Ike's smile was tight. ”You remember the first rule of guerrilla warfare, Ben.

Don't get taken prisoner by the women.”

”Only too well,” Ben said. He thanked the messenger and waited until the man had left, closing the door behind him. He turned to face the group of field commanders. ”Any questions?”

”Do you suppose Cecil will need some help with those outlaw bikers?” John Dunning asked. ”They can be terribly vicious.” The Rebels in the room smiled.

”Yes,” Pete Ho said. ”That bunch, the ones aligned with Sam Hartline, came through Ukiah above five months ago. Their leader, of that bunch, was some cretin named Popeye. At the time, my group of resistance fighters was up in the hills, knocking heads with the IPF. When we returned, victorious, I might add, the town had been looted, men and women killed, and several young girls taken prisoner. We never saw the kids again.

I'll offer my people to a.s.sist General Jefferys.”

Dan turned his head so the civilian freedom fighter could not see his grin.

Harris, out of Redding, said, ”It was Grizzly's bunch of bikers who rolled through our town. They're much worse than any IPF people I ever saw. They kill and torture for no apparent reason. From what I am able to understand, General Jefferys only has a battalion of Rebels. I don't mean to second-guess you, General Raines, but I think he's going to need some help in dealing with these outlaw bikers.”

Ike could not contain his laughter.

The civilians looked at the ex-Navy SEAL, not understanding the laughter; not knowing the why of it.

Ben waited until Ike's laughter faded.

He faced the group. ”People, listen to me. You are all now a part of the Rebel organization. So let me be terribly blunt. I want you all to understand the Rebel philosophy; let there be no misunderstandings concerning what we do and how we do it. We don't take prisoners, people. We do not take prisoners. Ever.”

Ben let that sink in, his eyes flicking from one civilian to another.

”Never?” Pete Ho asked softly.

”Not any more,” Ben told him.

”What do you do with those who offer to surrender, General?” George asked.

”Once the fighting starts, George, it's too late. The enemy can surrender en ma.s.se, or not at all. Those are the rules I've laid down.

Striganov and Hartline know it. And the same rules apply to any Rebel. You'd all better know that going in.”

”I don't know whether I could shoot any unarmed man,” Harris said. ”I mean, I've never done it.”

Harris was suddenly very much aware of Dan Gray's extremely cold eyes on him. The unblinking gaze made the man very uncomfortable.

”Unless the people are standing stark naked in front of you,” Ike said, ”how do you know they're unarmed? Then there is this to consider: these people are your enemies. They have, to a person, committed acts so hideous as to be unspeakable. They have taken oaths to destroy the Rebel movement. Striganov wants a pure Aryan nation. Where does that leave you, Pete?” The Chinese-American lifted his shoulders and spread his hands silently.

”Hartline wants war,” Ben picked it back up. ”And he'll switch sides faster than a snake can strike. Sam is pure mercenary. He is not a soldier of fortune. The side that can offer him the most is the side he'll choose. These warlords and outlaw bikers are sc.u.m. They don't care if the country ever rises out of the ashes of destruction. I have more feelings for a roach then I do for them.

”You all wondered why Ike was laughing a moment ago. He was laughing because Cecil will deal with this filth and trash and sc.u.m in the same manner that we've dealt with them over the years-with extreme prejudice. No negotiating with them. No deals.

No pity. No mercy. We just shoot them out of the saddle. On sight.

”The Rebel dream is to rebuild this nation. To have schools and hospitals and churches and libraries.

To once more be able to produce. To build something for future generations. Outlaws and warlords and roaming gangs of thugs and punks and d.i.c.kheads have no place in that society we dream of. None at all. We didn't tolerate them in the old Tri-States, and I will not tolerate them now.”

Ben looked at the group of civilians; looked at them all. Gave each man a full ten seconds of unblinking stare.

”You are either one hundred percent for the Rebel movement, or you are one hundred percent against it. That's the way it has to be, for now, at least, and that's the way it's going to be. Give that some thought, people. For I will not tolerate traitors.”