Read Online Anarchy in the Ashes by William W. Johnstone - Free Book Online

deteriorate to the point where fast, violent action is the only way left us, I do not want a bunch of helpless civilians mucking about, getting in the way, hollering and bawling and being what they are: useless in any type of fire-fight. Now, Ms. Roth, is that perfectly clear?”
    â€œIt sure is. We’re going with you.” She turned to leave.
    â€œYour ass, baby,” Ben said.
    Gale spun around, off balance with the child perched on one hip. She almost fell. Ben caught her.
    She jerked away from his hands and said, “Don’t call me baby!”
    â€œOK, honey.”
    She glared at him then walked off, muttering about sexism still prevailing among men who should know better. But, she concluded, just loud enough for Ben to hear, anyone who wrote shtup books for a living couldn’t be anything but a sexist. And a male chauvinist pig, too. And other things that a lady should never even think, much less mention aloud. In public.
    Ben laughed at her. “Are you any relation to Gloria Steinem?”
    â€œI wish,” she called over her shoulder. “Were you any relation to Hilton Logan?”
    â€œBite your tongue!”
    Ben grinned, thinking: Things sure had gotten livelier since she joined the parade.
    Over the loud and sometimes heated protests of his people, Ben went into the campus alone, ordering his Rebels to dismount and prepare for a fire-fight, but hoping it would not come to that. Yet. Colonel Gray had his orders and, with a carefully selected team, quietly set about carrying them out.
    Ben walked slowly up the weed-grown and cracked drive of the long-deserted college, toward a group of young men and women gathered in front of a building. They fell silent at his approach.
    â€œPresident Raines,” someone muttered.
    â€œAw, come on. No way,” another young person said.
    â€œYeah, ain’t no way he’d be here.”
    â€œThat’s General Raines,” a young woman said, her eyes on the tall figure walking toward them. “Believe it.”
    â€œWonder what he wants with us?”
    Some of the young people began backing away, to the left and right. Ben’s reputation of shooting first and asking questions later had preceded him.
    â€œPresident-General Raines,” a voice called from the steps of the building. “What an honor to have you join us. My name is Mike. What can I, or we, do for you?”
    Ben looked at the young man. Tall and blond and well-built and blue-eyed. His eyes picked out many more like Mike. They looked as though they could have been brothers and sisters.
    â€œJust looking for a couple of young friends of mine,” Ben told him, his voice carrying over the now-silent crowd. The butt of the Thompson rested on his right hip. A thirty-round clip was stuck in its belly, another thirty-round clip taped to that, for fast reloading. “Judy Stratmann and Roy Jaydot. Perhaps you’ve seen them?”
    Mikael smiled. He had been well-trained, and was highly intelligent. He felt he could probably convince the general he had not seen either. But what he wasn’t sure of was how many troops the general had backing him up. And any convincing would have to be done privately; to lie now – openly – in front of the American young people would destroy everything he had so carefully constructed over the past two weeks.
    â€œYes, of course, I’ve seen them. They are here now, studying and learning.”
    â€œWell, then,” Ben said with a smile. “You won’t mind if I speak to them, will you?”
    Mikael’s smile had not wavered. “Of course not.” He turned to a young lady and spoke quietly. He swung his gaze back to Ben as the young IPF member walked away. “They will be along presently, General.”
    â€œFine. Don’t let me interrupt your lecture. You must be quite a speaker to hold the attention of so many young people. My speeches used to bore a lot of them.”
    Small