Ambush in the Ashes by Johnstone William W

Author:Johnstone, William W. [Johnstone, William W.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2014-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

“If they do attack us,” Nick said to Ben later on that afternoon. “They have got to be just about the dumbest bunch in Africa.”

“Dumb and desperate, Nick. Little men with big ideas.”

Tanks now encircled the town. Two battalions of Rebels were dug in, waiting to throw their considerable firepower at the enemy.

“What’s the latest from the other battalions?” Nick asked, after unwrapping a stick of gum and chewing for a moment to soften it up.

“Just like us. They’re all reporting more and more hostile encounters with guerrilla groups the further south we go. I’m betting the going will get slower and slower from this point on.”

“You think Bruno Bottger is behind this bunch making noises at us?”

Ben shook his head. “No. I think this bunch is a holdover from the early days of the civil war in this country. They’ve been having at each other since before the Great War.”

Nick looked at him. “You think they even know there has been a worldwide war and collapse?”

Ben chuckled at the thought. “Hell, Nick. The possibility is remote, but they might not know. I hadn’t thought about that.”

Lamar Chase strolled up and stepped out of the rain to stand under the awning with the two men. “Our people are going to make it. Only one of the prisoners is still alive and I don’t hold out much hope for him.”

Ben glanced at the chief of medicine, surprise in his eyes. “One of the medics told me his wounds were not that severe.”

“The medic was right. It isn’t his wounds alone that are killing. His entire system is shot—to use a non-medical explanation. He doesn’t have the strength to fight off this latest attack on his body. But don’t waste your time feeling a bit sorry for him; I sure as hell don’t. All the man does is lie there and cuss us all.”

Nick stopped chewing his gum. “Why, Dr. Chase?”

“We’re capitalists, he’s an avowed Marxist—this entire bunch attacking us, or threatening to attack us is. One of those goddamn People’s Liberation Army groups, or some such shit as that.”

Ben grunted his disgust. He knew from long experience that anytime some group used the “Peoples”-whatever in their name, they were more than likely communist.

Chase looked out at the pouring rain. “They’ll hit us tonight, won’t they, Ben?”

“In all likelihood, yes. I don’t believe they have the strength or the firepower to launch another daylight attack. Today was a desperation move on their part; hoping to take us by surprise.”

“The prisoner told me we can expect a lot more of this as we move across this nation.”

“He’s probably right, Lamar. But we’ll be two battalions strong as we roll—or slip and slide, as the case may be—across what’s left of this country and into Côte d’Ivoire. According to intel there isn’t a guerrilla group in the country strong enough now to do us much damage. But they’ll sure try.”

Cooper came running through the rain, sliding to a halt under the awning. “We found another mass grave, boss, about a thousand meters behind the town.

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