William Johnstone - Fire in the Ashes

“That is true, Senator,” General Preston said. “But that does not answer my question.”

“What? Oh, yes, General. Of course I’ll back Ben Raines. I believe he might be the only man capable of pulling this nation back together. A folk hero and all that. You can count on me, General.”

“What about the others?” General Rimel asked.

“They will, I believe, rally around me at this time,” Carson assured them. “Those who threw their support behind Lowry are a badly shaken bunch.”

“They’ve seen the error of their ways?” General Franklin commented dryly.

Senator Carson wasn’t certain exactly how to take that dryly given remark. But being a member of Congress for more years than he cared to remember had its advantages. He was a master of doubletalk and gobbledygook. Carson had once used four hundred and eighty words to say No.

“I believe, taking all the hideous events of the past few days into consideration, most of my colleagues would be only too happy to follow a leader who would strive to his utmost to bring this nation and its people back into the folds of a democratic rule of government. It is my belief that in Ben Raines—although his writings were a bit too racy for my old literary tastebuds to savor—we have found a man strong-willed enough but yet compassionate enough to placate even the most reluctant members of Congress.”

Admiral Calland resisted, mightily, an urge to tell Carson to go blow it out his tanks.

“Thank you,” the admiral said instead.

“You gentlemen are certainly welcome,” the old man beamed his reply.

Things were working out even better than he had originally planned.

Yes, Raines would do quite nicely.

“No,” Ben spoke more sharply than he intended to the circle of friends. “I most certainly will not assume the presidency.” He was sitting in a chair, despite doctor’s orders to stay in bed. “People, listen to me, for God’s sake. Can you—any of you—even visualize me running this nation; arguing with a bunch of goddamn bleeding-heart do-gooders? No. You can’t. And neither can I. Tell the Joint Chiefs to find someone else.”

“Ben,” Ike said, for once a serious expression on his face. “You have a duty.”

“Duty!” Ben yelled, and his side began aching. “Goddamnit, Ike, don’t you start that duty shit with me. That’s what got me into this mess in the first place; that’s what the old Bull told me back in ‘Nam—about a thousand years ago.” He took a deep breath, calming himself. “Any word on Jerre?”

“Hartline took her,” Cecil said. “We know that much. One of those Secret Service agents at the retreat lived long enough to tell us that.”

“Where did the bastard go?”

“Somewhere in Illinois,” Ike said. “He went over there to link up with Jake Devine’s bunch.”

“Getting back to the offer from the Joint Chiefs,” Cecil said.

“No,” Ben repeated. “I’m tired of having to say that word. Seems after a while you people could get it through your heads I don’t want the job.”

Both Ike and Cecil looked at Dawn. She smiled. Ben caught the look.

“Oh, boy,” he muttered. “Now you’re calling in the special troops, huh?”

“We’ll let him sleep on it,” Dawn said.

“Nightmares would be more like it,” Ben groused.

“Well now,” Captain Gray said to Tina. “Big news back in Richmond.”

She looked at him.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff have temporarily taken over the job of running the country—for a few days, according to the report.”

There was a twinkle in the ex-SAS man’s eyes, and Tina knew she was being led up to something. She refused to bite.

“Not interested, Tina?”

“You didn’t hear me say that, did you, Captain? Come on, give.”

“The Joint Chiefs are going to appoint someone to run the country.”

She waited. “Come on, you Limey misfit!”

He laughed at her. “Your father.”

Tina sat down on the tailgate of the pickup truck. “Ben Raines!”

“Yes. There is a bit of bad news with it, girl, so hang on.”

She waited.

“The general’s been shot…” She jumped to her feet “…but not bad, though. Wound in the side. I think the general needs all the help he can get right now, Tina, so I’ve a plane waiting at the strip to take you to Richmond. No sass, now, girl. Run on with you.” He waggled his fingers in a gesture of extreme impatience and watched her walk to her billet for a few things.

There were other reasons why Captain Dan Gray wanted Tina gone, and when she learned of them she would be furious. But that couldn’t be helped.

She waved good-bye to Gray as she got in the Jeep that would take her to the small strip just out of the Kansas town.

A burly sergeant walked up to Gray. “She’s gonna pitch a screaming fucking hissy when she finds out why you sent her away.”

“I know,” the leader of the Scouts agreed with a grin. “So I hope we will be out of her line of fire until she gets over it.”

“Has the team found Jerre yet?”

“No. But they’re closing. Should hear from them any day.”

The sergeant took a map from his battle jacket. He spread it out on the tailgate. With one blunt finger, he jabbed at a circle. “That’s the last known position of Jake Devine.”

Gray nodded, then a slow smile worked its way across his face. “Hell, Larry—we’re not tied down. Soon as Tina gets airborne, we’ll pull out. Have the lads dress in civilian clothing. Let’s head for Illinois.”

“Doctor Chase!” Tina cried, running the last few steps to the plane.

He held open his arms and the girl rushed into them. “Good to see you, Tina. So good to see you.”

“But…?”

“Let’s get on board, girl, then we’ll talk.”

Airborne, Lamar Chase grinned and said, “You don’t think I’d let Ben suffer at the hands of those Army sawbones, do you? Thought I’d better ease over that way and take charge.”

She laughed at his mock seriousness. “You’ll never change.”

“I hope not, girl. You know the Joint Chiefs want Ben in as president?”

“Captain Gray told me.”

“And…”

“He’ll never take it.”

“Then it’s up to us all to change his mind, Tina.”

“But…”

“He’s got to do it, honey. It’s his duty.”

She looked out the window at the clouds below them. “Sometimes I just hate that word.”

“I know,” the doctor said, taking her hand in his. “I do, too.”

“Well, now,” Jake Devine greeted Hartline and his men. “Are things lookin’ up or are they not?”

His eyes were on Jerre.

“That was a stupid fucking play moving against those bridges, Jake. I cannot believe you gave those orders.”

“I didn’t, Sam. That was young Jefferson. He got ants in his pants and too cocky. We paid hard for it.”

“Give me a report.”

“Illinois and Indiana are ours. Parts of Ohio and Missouri. All of Iowa.”

“Lots of good land,” Hartline said.

“If you’re a farmer,” a mercenary bitched.

“That’s what we’re going to be, boys. Good hardworking honest law-abiding farmers. We are going to do the same thing with this land that Ben Raines did with his Tri-States. Let’s see if he’s so two-faced he’ll condemn us for doing what he did.”

The mercenaries smiled.

“All the while,” Jake grinned, “working for the old man in Richmond.”

“But of course,” Hartline returned the grin. “I spoke with him just before we pulled out. He said to keep our heads down and stay clean. Do some honest work for a change. Like farming.”