Ashes - Standoff In The Ashes Part 22

Two dozen 81mm and 60mm mortar rounds had smashed into the building, and more were on the way when the first Federal Police car came screaminginto view. The siren stopped abruptly as a rocket from a shoulder-held launcher turned the patrol car into so much burning, smoking junk. There would be no survivors from the rocket attack.

The Federal Building was now on fire, flames beginning to dance around and smoke pouring out of the shattered windows.

Ben took a final look and said, "Let's get out of here. That building is ruined."

Corrie gave the orders and Rebels and freedom fighters began backing away. Buddy's spec op people would fight a rear guard action until everyone was clear.

"FPPS people coming," Corrie said.

"Black s.h.i.+rts?" Ben asked.

"Yes. A lot of them."

"We stand and fight," Ben replied without hesitation. "Pa.s.s the orders.

Let's give Osterman and her American gestapo a hard lesson."

A few seconds later, local freedom fighters stationed on 191.

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rooftops began dropping grenades down onto the cars and trucks carrying the Black s.h.i.+rts. Others opened up with automatic weapons fire. Still others waited with rocket launchers to finish off any who might break clear of the gauntlet.

It was the beginning of a very b.l.o.o.d.y night in the city.

The hammering of gunfire and the crash of grenades and rockets reverberated throughout the section of the city, and Rebels and freedom fighters fought it out with the Federal Police and the Black s.h.i.+rts.

Until now, Osterman's people had met only slight resistance from small disorganized groups, which for the most part were not well-armed and were sorely lacking in leaders.h.i.+p. But this was very different: this was hard-core guerrilla warfare in America.

Ben and his team rounded a corner in an alley and came face-to-face with a group of Black s.h.i.+rts. The Rebels instantly hit the ground and opened fire. The Black s.h.i.+rts, not nearly so well-trained or experienced in combat, hesitated. That hesitation cost them their lives.

Ben opened up with his CAR, and his first burst knocked several of Osterman's Black s.h.i.+rts spinning and down to the concrete of the littered alley, kicking and groaning and bleeding.

Cooper lobbed a grenade that took out several more of the Federal Black s.h.i.+rts and Lara, Jersey, Corrie, Anna, and Beth finished the very brief firefight in the alley.

"Get their radios," Ben ordered. "Let's listen in."

The Rebels learned very little. There was not much on the Federalfrequency except the excited and frequently frantic yelling of Black s.h.i.+rts as they confronted teams of Rebels and freedom fighters.

"Where the h.e.l.l are the local cops?" a Black s.h.i.+rt yelled.

"I think they're staying out of this," came the reply. "At least many of them are."

"The yellow sons of b.i.t.c.hes!"

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Lara looked at Ben in the darkness and smiled knowingly.

"The police are wising up," Ben said. "I had hoped they would."

"If it will just spread nationwide," Beth said.

"Some will stay out of it," Ben replied. "Others won't. Time and blood will tell the story. Let's go. Our work here is finished for this night."

The night the freedom fighters took the offensive, fifteen new federal buildings were destroyed in the USA. Not one civilian was injured or killed. Millions of records were destroyed, and the night's activities dealt a crus.h.i.+ng blow to the morale of Osterman's people.

Claire Osterman had felt her socialist/ democrat party, her FPPS, and the federalized police had any situation that might develop under control. She could not have been more wrong. She had forgotten that many Americans have a habit of shoving back when pushed. A certain type of American will take only so much pus.h.i.+ng before they start talking violence and forming resistance groups.

Millions of those types of Americans had given up on the USA and moved to the SUSA. There were still hundreds of thousands living in the USA who felt the Osterman administration had strayed too far away from the Const.i.tution, and they wanted a return of many of their lost rights.

About ten percent of those still living in the USA were willing-or rather, had the courage-to shed blood to see the return of those rights.

Those were the men and women who made up the freedom fighters. The other ninety percent were good talkers and complainers, but short on guts. As one Cajun had told Ben, "Those folks have alligator mouths and hummingbird a.s.ses."

Along the thousands of miles of battlefront, the Rebels 193.

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were holding firm. The Federals had advanced in a few places, only to be thrown back within hours. The Rebels did not want any land of die USA.

They only wanted to be left alone and to live tfteir lives in peace.

"But if this c.r.a.p continues for any length of time," Ben told Buddy over coffee, "I will order an offensive launched against the USA. I won't put up with this much longer."

"President Jefferys feels the same way, Father. He told me so personally.""I know that Cec is getting itchy about this matter. But I want to give the USA enough rope to hang uiemselves."

"That isn't very original, Fadier."

Ben smiled at his son. "I'll try to do better next time."

"Thank you. What's next for us?"

"Wait and see what Osterman does. I have a hunch she'll pull some units off the line down south and send them up here to try to stop us."

"They're certainly spinning their wheels down there," Buddy said with a grin. "They gain two miles, we throw them back three miles."

Ben nodded his head in agreement. "If she does send troops up here after us, they'll be mercenaries. The USA's troops are badly split about fighting us."

"Some units are, yes," the son gently corrected the father. "But many others have had years of brainwas.h.i.+ng, and are totally opposed to our way of life."

"And all that was happening right under our noses," Ben mused softly. "I guessed as much all along-oh, h.e.l.l, what am I saying, I knew it for a fact-but never gave it a whole lot of thought." Ben sighed. "That is, until it all reared up and smacked me in the face."

"And here we are."

"Better here than in Africa," Ben said.

"I heartily concur."

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"Ike on the horn, Boss," Corrie said, sticking her head into the room.

Ben walked into the makes.h.i.+ft communications room and sat down behind the equipment, taking die mic. "Go, Ike."

"Ben, congrats on the operation die odier night"

"Thanks, Ike. Everydiing went off witiiout a hitch, as planned. What's up where you are?"

' 'Tired and pretty well demoralized Federals in several places, Ben.

We've got militia and other resistance groups fighting the Feds in Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, and West Virginia, and they're really giving the Feds fits."

"I heard about that. Groups are rising p all over die USA, Ike. But diat isn't why you b.u.mped me. Come on, ole' buddy, what's on your mind?"

"We've just received pretty good intel that Madam President Osterman has people all over the world busy recruiting mercenaries, Ben. Thousands of diem."

"What does Mike say about it?""It was his people who reported it."

"Then it's firm, Ike." Ben paused for a few heartbeats. "Well, die news doesn't come as any surprise. She really doesn't have any odier choice.

Her options are severely limited. Our problems are going to come if she can get some sort of air force put together.''

"She's not having much luck diere. Eyes in die Sky tells us that China is involved in dieir own civil war, and it's a bad one. There are millions dead, and it's just getting started."

"You're building up to somediing, Ike. Come on, what's really on your mind?"

"I'm thinking it may be time for us to go on die offensive."

"I've been mulling over diat very diing," Ben said. "It's 195.

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almost, but not quite, time for that. It all depends on what Osterman does next."

"And if she does f.u.c.k up?"

"Depends on the severity of her action. If she hires these mercenaries she's after-and I'm sure she will if she can find them-then we'll go on a rampage. We'll head straight up into the heartland of the country.

Search and destroy, scorch and burn."

Ike whistled softly. "You have been giving it some thought, haven't you, Ben?"

"If she gets dirty, we'll get dirtier. She just doesn't know how mean I can be."

Ike laughed. "But I do, ole' buddy. Are you thinking hit teams?"

"That is something I've been giving a great deal of thought. But it isn't time yet for that."

"I agree." Ike paused again.

"I thought as much. Pick at least ten teams and start training them, though. If it comes to a.s.sa.s.sination, we'll go after the movers and shakers in Osterman's administration."

"Will do, Ben."

"Eagle out."

Ben hooked the mic and stood up. Buddy had been listening, a grim expression on his face. "You think it will come to that, Father?"

Ben nodded his head. "Yes, I do. I'd be willing to sit down with Claire Osterman and try to hammer out some form of compromise, but it would be meaningless. She wouldn't keep her word, wouldn't be satisfied. The left-wing liberals never do, and never are. I know. I've been watchingthem operate ever since I was a young man. Years back, the conservatives worked out a compromise concerning gun control, but the liberals wouldn't let it alone. They always wanted more and more and more.

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Everything has to be all their way. They just kept pus.h.i.+ng until . . .

well, you know what happened. You're a student of history.''

"Yes, I know what happened. And because of that knowledge I would be very dubious of any agreement with such a person as Osterman, or with anyone who is a supporter of hers. They are simply not trustworthy."

"The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are power hungry, too," Ben added. "Among other things."

"I think I'll leave before you really get wound up," Buddy told him.

"Good. Go away. I have work to do."

Chuckling, Buddy left the room.

Ben smiled and sat down behind a desk. He opened a map and began studying it. He would like to push further south in New York State, but knew that would be very risky. The population increased dramatically the further south one went. However, he also knew he might not have any choice in the matter. He could not keep his people static.

One of the problems Ben faced with the local groups was that they all had a lot of axes to grind. Retribution against those people in their communities who openly and solidly supported Osterman and her socialistic policies could very easily get out of hand.

Ben couldn't blame the local resistance groups one bit for feeling vindictive toward those men and women who happily and willingly wiped their a.s.ses with the Const.i.tution and then shoved it in the faces of those who dared to disagree with that action.

Ben sighed and leaned back in the chair. He closed his eyes for a moment.

A moment was all he was allowed. Corrie walked into the room. "Boss, the FPPSjust arrested half a dozen members of a local militia group.

Osterman just made the announcement the trial was going to be a short one."

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"And then?"

"The six will be hanged for treason."

"No, they won't," Ben stood up and reached for his CAR. "Get Chuck and Lara. We've got some planning to do."