Ashes - Standoff In The Ashes Part 12

"Help me!" a man called from the back of the cabin.

110.

William W. Johnstone Ben waited to see what Lara would do. He did not have to wait long. Her CAR clattered, and there were no more cries for help from the outside."One tough lady," Ben muttered. "I'm glad she isn't my enemy."

"You object to taking no prisoners in this war, Ben?" Lara called.

"He picked his side, Lara. He knew what he was doing."

"That's the way I see it. Is anyone moving out front?"

"No. No one."

"Same back here. I count nine people down."

"Seven here."

"I figure maybe one or two more."

"Yeah. That's the way I see it." Lowering his voice to a stage whisper, Ben said, "I want those two Broncos. They look new to me. If at all possible, keep your fire away from them . . . OK?"

"OK. You know that the big vehicles like the Broncos, Blazers, and Dodge Rams are made only for the government now. No one else is allowed to have them . .. well, some selected civilians, of course."

"Of course. That's the way socialism works. A Russian philosopher summed up a socialistic form of government this way-What's mine is mine, and what's yours is negotiable."

Just then a man made a wild run for the vehicles. Ben stopped his running in mid-stride.

"You get him, Ben?"

"I got him."

Ben and Lara waited for a long five minutes, Lara finally saying, "I think that's it."

"All right. Keep a sharp eye out in the back. I'm going straight out the front."

"OK.".

Ben opened the front and quickly stepped to one side, 111.

staying inside the cabin. No shots split the early morning. He stepped out onto the porch. Bodies lay sprawled in the front and on both sides of the cabin. Ben could not believe they were all dead, but none were moving or showing any other signs of life.

Ben stood for a moment, his eyes s.h.i.+fting from body to body. "Lucked out again," he muttered. Raising his voice, Ben called, "It's clear out here, Lara."

"Same back here."

"I'm going from body to body to make sure. Moving out now.""Same here. Moving now."

Ben found two that were still alive, but they were not long for this world. All those in front of the cabin had taken bursts in the chest and belly.

"One left alive back here," Lara called. "But he's badly wounded. He's not gonna be alive long."

Ben walked around the cabin. "Let's hide the big wagon and the Hummer under carports. We'll put the bodies in a cabin. Somebody will find them ... eventually."

The vehicles were hidden. After anything they might be able to use had been taken, Ben and Lara began picking up weapons and stripping the bodies of ammo and grenades. Lara took the boots off the dead woman and found they were a perfect fit. She changed into a set of BDUs she found in a vehicle and laced up the boots.

They found several cases of field rats and sleeping bags in the big wagon, more ammo and grenades in the Hummer. Field radios and cans of water in one of the Broncos. 40mm grenades for the Bloop Tubes under the standard sized M-16's in the other Bronco.

"Here is a fuel transfer kit," Ben said. "Complete with pump that operates off the cigarette lighter or dashboard power point. We'll top off both tanks in the Broncos and then get the h.e.l.l gone from here."

112.

"We take both vehicles?"

"Yes. We'll get out of here and stop a few miles down the road. You can show me on a map exactly where you have in mind to take us. That's in case we get separated."

"I checked the spares on both Broncos. They're new and aired up."

"Good thinking. What are we missing? Anything?"

"I can't think of a thing."

"OK. I'll top the gas tanks while you walk around ..." He paused.

"What's the matter?"

"Did you take the wallets from the bodies?"

She grimaced. "No. I'll do that while you're topping the tanks."

Fifteen minutes later, everything had been done.

"Let's get out of here, Ben," Lara said. "I didn't see anyone radio in, but we don't know for sure they didn't."

"You're right about that. You ready?"

"Let's roll.""Take the lead. I'll be right behind you."

The Broncos were almost new, and handled well. Ben was feeling much better. The day had dawned bright and sunny, and the temperature was pleasant. They now had enough field rats to last them several weeks.

They had sleeping bags and blankets, and a portable water purification system. Things were definitely looking up.

Of course, all that could change around the next curve in the road.

And it did.

Ben saw Lara's brake lights flash on and he hit the brakes in the middle of the curve.

She stuck her head out the window and yelled, "Roadblock up ahead. I don't think they saw us. It's at an intersection, and there are several cars and trucks ahead of us ... coming from the other direction."

113.

113.

Ben didn't know what direction she was referring to, not that it really mattered. He jerked the Bronco into reverse and began backing up, then turned around and waited for Lara. She pulled ahead of him and they both headed back in the direction they'd just come. A mile later, Lara pulled over and stopped. Ben pulled up alongside her.

"I think I know another way, Ben. But I won't make any promises."

"We've got to do something. We d.a.m.n sure can't stay here. Lead us out of here."

A couple of miles later, Lara turned off on a gravel road, Ben right behind her. They drove for fifteen minutes, making several twists and turns a^id road changes, before she pulled into the driveway of a long-deserted house. They both got out.

"I think I'm lost," she admitted.

Ben smiled at her. "You think?"

"OK. I'll admit it. I don't know where in the h.e.l.l we are."

"Well, this road has to lead somewhere, even if it's to a dead end. Are we in the park yet?"

"Oh, h.e.l.l, we've been in the park for a long time. Ever since we left the hospital. The park is almost six million acres. About half of it wilderness. We're almost in the center of it. If I can lead us out of this maze, we'll be only a few miles from real wilderness, and home free."

"Which way?"

Lara looked at the sun and then pointed. "That way. But the road leading off in that direction sure doesn't look very promising to me."

"Beats getting captured and tortured, or shot to death, doesn't it?""You do have a point. OK, Ben. Let's go. We can't get any more lost than we are right now."

114.

"I wouldn't bet on that. Let's don't get separated. Take it slow."

"Will do."

Luck returned to the pair. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled onto a hard-surfaced road and Lara stopped and walked back to Ben.

"I'm pretty sure I know about where we are, Ben. If I'm right, a few miles down this road and we'll take a blacktop off to our right. That'll be to the northwest. Well, more west than north. If I'm right, we're home free."

"Then get us out of here. I'm right behind you."

Lara was right on target: a few miles later a potholed road led off to the right. She turned off on it, and Ben followed. Almost as soon as they did, Ben felt swallowed up by the silent majesty of the wilderness.

Hills thick with timber lay on both sides of the road. Off to Ben's left, which was south, several very respectable mountains-Ben figured at least twenty-five hundred feet high-jutted up not too far away. There were deep ravines on both sides of the road.

They crossed a lake, over a bridge that Ben figured had only a few more years left before spans of it collapsed. Then, a few miles farther on, they entered what was left of a tiny village. Lara drove on to the road's end and pulled over.

"Another tourist town that died a number of years ago," she explained as Ben leaned against a Bronco and lit a cigarette. "No one has lived here for years. As you can see, punks and looters have just about destroyed the place."

"The government has no plans to rebuild?"

"No."

"That seems odd to me."

"The park is filled with empty villages just like this one. n.o.body can afford a vacation anymore. Well, let me amend 115.

115.

that. The majority can't afford anything resembling a real vacation."

Ben's smile was sad. "The left-wing liberals' dream of Utopia has finally arrived. No one has more than anyone else .. . except for those in power and their friends. But the government takes care of everyone from cradle to grave. Right?"

"That's about the size of it, but in reality no one really has proper health care. Unless they are absolutely life-threatening, major operations have a waiting period of one to three years. There justaren't enough doctors and hospitals for all the people who want care ...

and not enough money, really. Not for adequate care."

"With all the taxes on you people, where the h.e.l.l is the money going?"

Ben paused and grimaced. "As if I didn't know."

"Government programs-"

"Naturally. How silly of me to ask."

"Programs the likes of which you have never seen," Lara continued. "The government is taking care of drug addicts and drunks. They're taking care of the so-called homeless-which in this time of thousands and thousands of homes just sitting empty is ridiculous. They're taking care of the whiners and the crybabies and the thieves and punks, and G.o.d only knows who and what else. The government has made work programs ... sort of."

"You want to explain that?"

"No one is forced to work in this society. If they don't work, the government will take care of them. Ten times worse than before the Great War."

Lara fished in her s.h.i.+rt pocket and came out with a crumpled pack of cigarettes. She lit up.

"Where'd you get those?"

"Off one of the dead Feds. He had a whole carton in his rucksack." She grinned. "Bootleg cigarettes are a 116.

William W. Johnstone booming business in the USA, Ben. As is bootleg booze from Canada, and from moons.h.i.+ners."

"But the government puts smokers in jail!"

"If they catch them, yes. But not the first time. The first time is just a warning. Same with drinkers and people who eat forbidden food."

"Forbidden food? Oh .. . you mean like fried foods, and snacks that aren't considered healthful?"

"That's right."

Ben started laughing. He couldn't help it. He recalled an episode of an old TV program about disc jockeys, one of them fearful of the 'phone cops.'

"What is so funny?" Lara demanded.