Part 31 (1/2)
Then it came to General Georgi Striganov.
My old friend was right. I am sick. Mentally sick. ”Vasily?”
”Yes, General. I am here.”
”Where will we go?”
”Canada.”
”You've thought much on this.” It was not phrased as a question.
”Yes, General. I have that.”
”Vasily, is Ben Raines a G.o.d?”
”I ... I don't know, Georgi. I rather doubt it. But I can't be sure. Do you believe in G.o.d, Georgi?”
”I ... I think I might, Vasily. Some... form of higher power, at least.”
”Truth time, Georgi?”
”Of course.”
”I always have.”
”I'm sick, Vasily.”
”I know. But you're not very sick. You've been under tremendous pressure. But you're going to get well. We need you, Georgi. And I mean that.
Not as a scientist; you don't know beans concerning that area. But as a leader, we need you.”
Georgi managed a smile. ”I suppose I have been a very large pain in the a.s.s, haven't I, Vasily?”
The doctor returned the smile. ”At times, Georgi. At times.”
The two men enjoyed a rare moment of humor.
Vasily said, ”I'm going to give you a shot, General. You will not remember the flight to Canada.
It's very doubtful you will remember very much for several days. I'm going to keep you sedated. You're going to rest, you're going to eat, and you're not going to worry about anything. Do I have your permission, old friend?”
”Yes.” He stood up and rolled up his sleeve. ”I'm ready anytime you are.”
Ben had been asleep for several hours when James shook his shoulder, waking him.
”Ben. Lots of planes taking off and leaving from the IPF HQ near the coast.”
Ben quickly dressed and stepped outside, walking to the makes.h.i.+ft radio room in a deserted motel.
He picked up the mic. Dan was on the other end.
”Where are they heading, Dan?”
”North-northeast, General. All of them taking and maintaining the same heading. My lads at the border report the course is true.”
”And la.s.sies,” Ben said with a smile.
”Ah, yes, sir. Must'n forget the ladies.
Your orders, sir?”
”Go back to bed and get some sleep. We're not going to do anything this night. Continue mopping up and advancing at first light. I've got a hunch Striganov is bugging out for Canada. Alberta or Saskatchewan. We'll find out soon enough, I'll bet. Thanks, Dan. And good night.”
”Good night, General.”
Ben stopped on his way back to his bed. He looked toward the north. ”I wonder what that G.o.dd.a.m.ned Hartline is up to?”
”h.e.l.lo, baby,” Sam spoke around his grin.
”My, aren't you a little thing. What's your name?”
”Lisa.”
”Pretty name for a pretty girl. We're going to have fun, baby. Just you and me.”
She cut her eyes to Rich. There was a smirk on his face. ”You told.”
He shrugged.
”Oh, don't blame him, pretty baby.
Rich just found something he liked better than p.u.s.s.y.” ”The others got away,” Lisa told Rich.
”Kim figured it was you who tattled. They'll get you, Rich. They'll get you.”
”You wanna watch this, Rich?” Sam asked the boy.
”I wouldn't miss it for the world,” Rich said.
”It isn't Rich's fault,” Ann said to the others. ”He can't stand any type of pain. And he is what he is because of his parents. I grew up with Rich. We were neighbors.”
”I'm not blaming him for what he is,”
Kim said. ”We have boys and girls like that among our group back in the safe territory. They fight right alongside the rest of us. Some of them have gone to their death silently. So could Rich. My hunch is he never had any pain put on him. He's just weak all the way through. And I'll tell you something else he is.”
The others waited.
Kim finished. ”He's dead!”