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laughter among the crowd.
    Without losing his smile, which, to Ben’s way of thinking, was a cross between a smirk and being downright smart-assed, the young man said, “Perhaps, sir, with all due respect, you did not speak to them on the right topic?”
    â€œThat might well be true, young man,” Ben said sagely. “But then, perhaps it was because I didn’t tell them everything they wanted to hear.”
    Some of the young people looked at one another, shaking their heads in agreement with Ben. Their accord did not go unnoticed by Mikael. I will lose some of them, he thought. Perhaps ten or fifteen percent. But no matter. The majority will still be with me.
    Ben’s mind was one jump ahead of the young Russian. He said, “We’re going to be camped just down the highway. Be there for a time. Perhaps Mikael would agree to debate me sometime? Then we could all have a question and answer session. That might not only be fun, but interesting and informative.”
    The bastard! Mikael silently raged. He would have to contact Base One concerning this unexpected development. “Perhaps,” he said, his voice losing some of its confidence. “I will let you know tomorrow.”
    â€œWhy not now?” Ben challenged. “Or do you have to first speak with your superiors to get their permission? Isn’t that the case – tovarich?”
    Mikael knew his face was suddenly flushed. He fought to control his temper and struggled to keep from balling his hands into fists of anger.
    Before Mikael could retort, a young woman in the crowd stood up and faced him. “What did General Raines mean, Mikael? What does tovarich mean?”
    Mikael’s eyes were decidedly mean as he faced the questioner.
    Ben said, “It means comrade, young lady. Your nice, friendly Mikael is a Russian.”
    The young woman’s face drained of blood. “Is that true, Mikael?”
    The Russian shrugged his shoulders. Silently he was damning Ben Raines to the pits of hell – if that place existed, and right now he hoped it did. “There is no Russia, Denise. Most of it was destroyed by nuclear warheads back in 1988. They were sent by NATO countries, and supplied by – ”
    Denise shook her head impatiently. “I didn’t ask for a political lecture, Mikael.” She stood with hands on hips. “Are you a Russian?”
    His bright, hard blue eyes shifted from young lady to Ben. “Yes,” he said softly, with many straining to hear. “I am.”
    A young man stood up. “Well . . . that don’t make no difference to me. I like what Mikael and his friends are all about and what they’ve told us. I believe what they say is true. I’m sticking with them.”
    About two-thirds of the young people present agreed with that. It did not surprise Ben.
    Ben said, “You young men and women who have not yet made up your minds about Mikael’s ... ideology, come with me when I leave. Just walk with me to where we’re camped and talk with those with me. I promise you no pressure will be exerted upon your minds. Let’s just talk. Isn’t that what a democracy is all about?”
    A mixed group of young people – a few more than Ben expected – rose and walked to where Ben stood. Denise said, “We’ll listen, General. But we’ll make no firm commitments.”
    â€œThat’s all I ask, young lady.”
    Denise looked at the man. She was standing beside a true living legend and it filled her with strange, unexpected emotions. She had thought President-General Raines would be an old man. But he looked to be in his mid-forties. But he had to be older than that. Maybe, more than one person in the group thought, there is something to his being more than a mere human. There just had to be.
    Roy and Judy came out of the building. Both of them appeared to have been roughed up and then hurriedly patched up.
    They stopped beside