old building and fires were set, Gale walked to Benâs side.
He met her eyes. âI tried to question one of them, Gale. I couldnât get any sense out of him. He babbled first about the Bible, then about Satan, then about me being Satanâs child. Only one thing he said made any sense.â
She looked at him.
âHeâd seen a man who called himself The Prophet.â
Gale sighed. The old man sheâd seen personally had come to haunt her. 1 âYou think these people are insane?â
âNo. I think theyâre losers and savages. People who have given up and who are trying to justify what theyâve become by twisting the word of God all out of proportion. Hell with them.â
James walked up. âWe must have wasted one or more of the leaders,â he said. âSome of the wounded screamed out that theyâd be back, in force this time.â
âWe wonât be here,â Ben said. He looked toward the shack. The fire was almost out. The sweet smell of what certain cannibalistic tribes used to refer to as âLong Pigâ filled the air. âMount âem up, James. Letâs roll.â
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The small convoy rolled out on Highway 11. They connected with 129 and rolled south. About ten miles north of Macon, Ben pulled them off the road and they made a cold camp for the night. During the night, two of the wounded Rebels died. They were wrapped in blankets and at dawn were buried in a wooded area off the highway, with Ben speaking a few words over the unmarked graves. He then read from Ecclesiastes and from the Psalms.
Leaving the small gathering, Ben walked to the communications truck and called in to Cecil. He told him of the strange savage people who attacked them, and the loss of four Rebels. He concluded with, âWhatâs the situation up there, Cec?â
âStable, Ben. But weâre unable to do much in the way of setting up shop, so to speak. I canât take the chance of spreading our people out too thin. Willette and his bunch have between five hundred and seven hundred followers ready to move. I donât believe theyâll try anything violent; but I canât be sure of that. And I canât risk moving many of our regulars into the countryside to set up permanent bases. Not yet. Andââ he sighedââIâve got teams out looking for Ike. No luck as yet, Iâm sorry to report.â
âIâm just about ready to come back and start kicking ass, Cec.â
âNot yet, Ben,â Cecil cautioned him. âI didnât realize just how slick Willette and his people were until yesterday. Heâs quick and heâs smart. There is nothing I can pin directly on him. Not one damn thing. And Ben? I am afraid for you to return. I mean, physically afraid. Accidents happen, if you get my drift.â
Ben got the drift. Hot anger filled him, rushing through his veins. âYeah, Cec, I get the drift, all right. It was sure to happen someday. Well, that day is here. OK, olâ buddy. After we take a look at Savannahâif there is anything left of that cityâIâm going to take my contingent and swing around to the east. I want you to quietly, and quietly is the word, assign me another full platoon. Have them link up with us at . . .â He scanned a map. âWell, just west of Clark Hill Lake. When we get close Iâll contact them by radio as to exact location. Full combat contingent, Cec. And keep teams out looking for Ike.â
âLong as you stay out of it, Ben.â
Ben ignored that. âYou have any idea who ambushed Ike and his party, or the reason behind the ambush, Cec?â
âYes. But itâs getting complicated, Ben. Abe Lancerâheâs the unofficial spokesman for the mountain people of this areaâsays he got word it was the Ninth Order who grabbed Ike. He says they were working hand in hand with some of Willetteâs people. Now try to make any
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