Judgment in the ashes, p.27
Judgment in the Ashes,
p.27
“In no uncertain terms.”
“The secretary general?”
“He’s unhappy about us going into Africa, ‘spoiling for a fight,’ to use his words.”
“There won’t be a shot fired unless we are fired upon. Did you tell him that?”
“Several times. His response was that the Rebels operate with a hair trigger.”
“Indeed we do.”
Cecil laughed. “Other than that, things are moving very smoothly here. Applicants for residency are flooding in. We’re Okaying about three out of ten. Those that we reject just don’t seem to fully grasp what it means to live under a common-sense form of government.”
“And they never will. Big Brother Liberalism conditioned them too well to look to the central government to solve all their problems. Call it the de-balling of America.”
“I did. One wild-eyed feminist who is now the governor of some state back East called me a sexist for that remark.”
“Fuck her.”
“Not even with your dick, thank you.”
That set both men off into a binge of laughter and the driver smiled and shook his head at their antics.
“I wish I was going with you, Ben,” Cecil said, wiping his eyes.
“I know, Cec. Believe me, I do. But you’re needed here. You’re ten times the diplomat I am. You know me: I just kick ass and take names.”
“When are you planning on shoving off?”
“I gave the enlisted personnel ten days off. Officers will report back in a week. That will give me time to map out and firm up plans. Then we go.”
“Lamar going on this campaign?”
“Would you like to be the one to tell him he can’t?”
“No, thank you.” Cecil smiled. “And after Africa, Ben? What next?”
“Central and South America.”
“You answered very quickly. You must have been giving it some thought.”
“Some. Might as well get it done while I’m still fit for the field.”
“And then?”
Ben laughed. “I haven’t thought that far ahead, Cec.” Ben gazed out the window for a few miles. “Crops look good.”
“Experts say it’s going to be a great year. We’ll be able to send hundreds of tons up north to help feed the starving.”
“While their elected officials sit on their asses and argue about the finer points of punks, disarming the citizens, and passing more needless laws. The stupid sons of bitches will never learn that in government less is best. You would think that a war would teach them that, but no.”
“You want to go to your house, right, Ben? The turn is right up here.”
“No. Take me to the BOQ on the base. I’ll stay there. And no, I don’t want to see Smoot. Smoot’s got a good home now, and my showing up would just confuse the animal. I need to spend some time alone.”
Cecil looked hard at his long time friend. “She must have been one hell of a woman, Ben.”
“She is. And I’m going back some day. Bet on it.”
As Ben lay in his bed that night at the BOQ, he dreamed of running wild and free, and of Jenny, sitting on the front porch of the cabin.
Waiting.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1997 by William W. Johnstone
Cover design by Open Road Integrated Media
ISBN 978-1-4976-3028-4
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
ASHES EBOOKS
FROM OPEN ROAD MEDIA
Available wherever ebooks are sold
Open Road Integrated Media is a digital publisher and multimedia content company. Open Road creates connections between authors and their audiences by marketing its ebooks through a new proprietary online platform, which uses premium video content and social media.
Videos, Archival Documents, and New Releases
Sign up for the Open Road Media newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign up now at
www.openroadmedia.com/newsletters
FIND OUT MORE AT
WWW.OPENROADMEDIA.COM
FOLLOW US:
@openroadmedia and
Facebook.com/OpenRoadMedia
William W. Johnstone, Judgment In The Ashes
