Alone in the Ashes

by William W. Johnstone

  “And ... then?” Canby asked.

  “We go wipe out what is left of West’s operation.”

  The smoke from the controlled burn poured black and greasy into the morning sky. The unmistakable odor of burning human flesh filled the still air.

  The scene was nothing new to the small contingent of Rebels that stood impassively by and watched. Many of them had been with Ben for years; they had seen much worse than this during the years of traveling.

  But to the civilians of Dyersburg, the scene was awful.

  “Got a long way to go to make these folks fighters, General,” Captain Chad said quietly. “If it’s possible at all.”

  “I’ll opt for the latter, Captain,” Ben said. “And I’m not downgrading them for it. I think we can train them to become a pretty good militia force, as long as some of us are around to lead.”

  “And that’s up to me and my troops, right, General?” Captain Chad asked.

  “That’s it, Captain. This outpost idea was just a thought. We’ll review what’s happened next spring. Take it from there.”

  The captain thought about the small city. “First thing we do is clean up the town. Got to give the people some purpose; keep them busy. Elect a leader and set up work teams. But the people will have to think they’re the ones who thought of it and implemented the plan.”

  “The chief of security will be Charles Leighton. Let him pick his own security people; he’ll do a good job. Watch Doctor Barnes, Captain. The man is living in a dream world.” Ben was thoughtful for a moment. “I believe Barnes is a good man. But he’s no Rebel and never will be. He’s going to question every decision you make, Captain.”

  “What you’re saying, sir, is that the man is going to be a pain in the ass.”

  “Very aptly put, Captain.”

  Ben sent out scout teams of his own people, with Charles Leighton guiding them, to reconnoiter the largest of the forced work camps. While that was being done, he sent a jeep back to get West.

  “Doctor Barnes isn’t going to like that, General,” Canby told Ben.

  “He probably won’t,” Ben agreed.

  Ralph Barnes returned with West. The man was clearly upset and made no effort to conceal his ire.

  “I demand to know why you ordered this man taken from his bed and brought here, General?” he said. “Can’t you see he is clearly in pain?” The doctor sniffed several times. “What is that smell?”

  “Burning bodies,” Ben told him. “Several hundred of them.” He told Barnes what they had discovered at the camp.

  Sitting in the Jeep, under guard, West laughed. Barnes flushed at the taunting laughter.

  “Real nice fellow, isn’t he?” Ben asked. “Has the milk of human kindness flowing strongly through his veins.” Ben looked at West. “You’d better hope your men think enough of you to swap you for the prisoners, West. ’Cause if they don’t, you won’t be laughing when I put a noose around your dirty neck.”

  West’s laughter ceased as quickly as it came. He sat in the jeep and glared at Ben.

  The woman Rebel manning the radio called to Ben. “All the prisoners have been grouped together at one camp, General. They’re still alive. Our scouts have made contact and are keeping the camp under visual.”

  “Tell them we’re on the way,” Ben told her. He turned to Doctor Barnes. “Coming with us, Doctor?”

  “You couldn’t keep me away, Raines.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on that, Ralph,” Ben told him.

  The doctor met the Rebel’s eyes. “Just a figure of speech, General.”

  “Uh-huh,” Ben muttered.

  “What’s the procedure, West?” Ben asked.

  Ben stood by the jeep where West sat. The outlaw was clearly in pain, his face slick with sweat and pale. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked at Ben.

  “I don’t know,” West finally said. “Nothing like this ever happened before.”

  “Then I’ll tell you,” Ben said. “We’ll make an even swap. You for the prisoners.”

  A sly look came into the outlaw’s eyes. “You know damn well you ain’t got the people to overrun my boys, don’t you, Raines?”

  “Maybe. But we could sure put one hell of a dent in your number.”

  “Yeah,” West admitted.

  “Think about it, West. You’ll have to shut down your labor camps, but you’d be alive.”

  “And you’d keep your word?” the outlaw asked, suspicion in his eyes and voice.

  “Yes.”

  “You got a bullhorn?”

  “No. But we have walkie-talkie’s.”

  “Gimmie one.”

  A field radio was brought to the jeep. West checked the frequency and called in. He spoke for a moment, listened, then his voice became harsher. He turned to Ben.

  “The guys don’t trust you, Raines. Hell, I don’t trust you. But it’s the only game in town, so I gotta play it.”

  “When the last prisoner walks free of that camp,” Ben said. “You’re free. That’s it.”

  “Hey!” West protested. “That ain’t worth a shit, man.”

  “You said it, West. It’s the only game in town. Take it or leave it.”

  “Awright, awright.” He lifted the walkie-talkie, and spoke for a few seconds. He again turned to Ben. “They’s comin’ out now.” His eyes shot hate at Raines. “This ain’t the end, Raines. You takin’ a hell of a chance tumin’ me loose. You know I’m gonna be comin’ after your ass.”

  “A lot of folks have tried, West. I’m still around,” Ben told him.

  “You ain’t never had me on your ass, Raines. I’ll get you for this. And that’s a flat promise, buddy.”

  Ben smiled, thinking that his newest odyssey would prove quite interesting.

  8

  Ben’s Rebels and the newly armed civilians ringed the big camp, keeping the outlaws penned until the last of the prisoners were being safely trucked away back to Dyersburg.

  Ben lifted his walkie-talkie. “You and your men are free to leave, now, West. Lay down your weapons and start walking.”

  “What?” West screamed, the word bouncing out of the walkie-talkie.

  “You heard me,” Ben radioed. “Start walking.”

  “No goddamn way, Raines. We take our guns and vehicles.”

  “Captain Chad,” Ben called. “Put ten rounds of mortars, H.E., into that camp.”

  “Yes, sir,” the captain grinned.

  A long barracks-type building went first, the high-explosive round sending bits of splintered wood flying. A guard tower was blown all over that part of Tennessee; another building was blown, then a mortar round shattered the big front gates of the labor camp.

  “All right, goddamn it!” West screamed. “All right, you bastard. Cool it!”

  “Cease firing,” Ben ordered.

  “I cain’t walk outta here, Raines,” West’s voice whined out of the speaker. “Gimmie a break, man.”

  Charles Leighton whispered into Ben’s ear. Ben grinned and lifted his walkie-talkie. “All right, West. You can ride out. On a mule.”

  West did not need a walkie-talkie. His cursing could be heard for half a mile.

  “You got anything to say about that, Doctor Barnes?” Ben asked the man.

  “Would my opinion make any difference, General?” the man asked.

  “Not a bit, Doctor. But this being a democratic society, I thought I’d ask.”

  “We need more medical people in here,” Doctor Barnes bitched to Ben. “The prisoners are in extremely bad shape. We need more doctors.”

  Ben was tempted to tell the man that a frog probably wished it were more beautiful; people in Hell wished they had ice water, and that if Barnes’ aunt had been born with balls, she’d have been his uncle.

  Ben was getting awfully weary with Doctor Ralph Barnes.

  Ben held his temper. “In addition to Doctor Walland, there are two fully-trained medics with the Rebel platoon. I can’t pull any more people in here from Base Camp One.”<
br />
  “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.”

  “Guns and butter,” Ben countered. He walked away. He found Judy helping in the makeshift hospital. “I’m pulling out in the morning,” he told her. “If I stay here any longer, I’m going to end up beating the shit out of Doctor Barnes. And that’s not going to do either one of us any good.”

  “Ben ...” She faced him.

  “I know. I know. You’re staying. I think you should, Judy. You’re needed here. I mean that, kid.”

  She kissed him, then smiled up at him. “I’m going to make you proud of me, Ben. I’m going to study and learn how to write books.”

  “I think you will, Judy. We’ll say good-bye, now.”

  “Bye, Ben.”

  He walked away.

  Ben was surprised to see Doctor Barnes leaning against his truck in the just-breaking light of dawn. Ben tossed his kit into the protection of the camper and walked around to face Barnes.

  “I hope you’re not leaving because of me, General,” Barnes said.

  “You’re part of the reason,” Ben said truthfully. “But the real reason is I’m no longer needed here. Captain Chad and his people will handle it. So it’s time for me to be pulling out.” Ben stuck out his hand and the doctor shook it.

  “I was thirty-five years old when the bottom dropped out, General,” the doctor said, speaking softly as dawn broke. “I had a family, a fine practice, and everything that went with that. I looked up the next day, and the entire world had gone mad.”

  “And you bet your whole roll on Hilton Logan,” Ben said.

  “Am I that transparent?” Barnes asked.

  “Let’s see if I can peg you, Ralph,” Ben said, leaning up against the fender and lighting one of his horrible, homegrown, homemade cigarettes. He offered one to the doctor and Ralph took it.

  “It’s bad for your health,” the doctor grinned.

  “I heard that,” Ben replied with a laugh. “You were what was known as a Yuppie. You belonged to the country club locally. You were politically and socially aware and active ...”

  He paused while the doctor inhaled and went into spasms of coughing. “Damn, that’s good!” Ralph said. He took another drag and said, “Reasonably accurate. Continue, please. You’re a very astute man.”

  “You were a democrat, politically. You were opposed to the death penalty and loudly in favor of gun control. You bemoaned the state of the nation’s health care for those who could not afford the skyrocketing medical costs, but you were against any type of socialized medicine. And you lived in a two-hundred-thousand-dollar home and your wife drove a Mercedes or BMW. How close am I, Ralph?”

  The doctor went on the defensive, as Ben had thought he would. “And what did you do about health care for those who could not afford it, General?”

  “Nothing,” Ben said. “I didn’t have lobbyists in Washington, Ralph.”

  “And you weren’t paying fifty thousand dollars a year for malpractice insurance, either, General.”

  “Want to jump on the back of lawyers, now, Ralph?” Ben said with a laugh.

  Barnes joined in the laughter. “No. I don’t believe so. We’ll save that for your return trip.” He stuck out his hand and Ben shook it. “See you, General. Good luck to you.”

  “Luck to you, too, Ralph. See you on the back swing.”

  His scouts had reported that West and his people had last been seen trudging up Highway 51, heading north toward Kentucky. Ben headed west, taking 155 toward the Mississippi River and into Missouri. The bridge over the Big Muddy was clear and the river rolled beneath him, eternal and silent. Ben stopped on the center of the bridge and got out of his truck, gazing down into the muddy waters.

  As he watched the swirling, ever-rushing waters of the Mississippi, a passage from the Bible came to him: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever.

  “But what kind of men and women will the next generation give the earth?” he asked the cool winds of late fall.

  Like the river, the winds swirled and rushed, speaking in a language only they could understand.

  With a sigh, Ben got back into his truck and headed west.

  He stopped at Hayti and looked around. There was no sign of life. But he knew there was life. Almost every town of any size at all held two or ten or twenty survivors. But most, instead of organizing, pulling together, working together in a cooperative effort, for safety and defense and productivity’s sake, were instead lone-wolfing it, and by doing so, were helping to drag down what vestiges of civilization remained.

  “No good,” Ben muttered. “It can’t be allowed to continue. The outpost idea must be implemented—and soon.”

  He smiled as he drove on west. “That’s right, Ben. Set yourself up as a modern-day version of Don Quixote.” Or perhaps you’re playing the role of Sancho Panza, he thought.

  Either way, what right do you have to play God, rearranging peoples’ lives? Who named you the Great Overseer? Nobody came down from the mountain and whispered in your ear, Raines.

  He shook away those thoughts and concentrated on his driving.

  But his mind refused to stay idle; the outpost idea kept jumping to the fore. The outposts would, out of necessity, have to start out small. Because of the recent revolt within his ranks, his Rebel number had been cut by forty percent.2

  They could not, as yet, stretch coast to coast; there weren’t that many Rebels left. Perhaps a thousand miles without strain. From Base Camp One in Georgia to the middle of Colorado. Maybe. Just maybe. But due to the aftereffects of the limited nuclear strikes, the jet stream had shifted, so he needed to get some people down south, to where the growing season was longer.

  “Shit!” he said aloud. “Raines, this is supposed to be a vacation for you. You’re supposed to be doing some writing.”

  But he doubted that would ever happen. Something always came up to keep him from paper and pencil.

  Suddenly, one of those “somethings” reared up from the left side of the road. Ben braked and stopped. He checked both mirrors. It was clear behind him. He was still a good hundred yards from the man with a gun in his hands. Ben got out of the truck, taking his Thompson with him.

  The hood of the truck protected him from the chest down. Ben clicked the Thompson off safety as the man slowly raised his rifle.

  “I want your truck,” the man called. “Gimmie it here and there won’t be no trouble.”

  “Why do you need my particular truck?” Ben called. “There are thousands of vehicles for you to choose from.”

  “’Cause yours is runnin’,” the man said.

  “Sorry, friend. Find your own mode of transportation.”

  “Then I’ll just kill you,” the man said.

  Ben stepped from behind the door. Holding the Thompson waist-high, the muzzle pointed at the man’s legs, Ben pulled the trigger and held it back.

  A hundred yards is straining it for a Thompson, and the first six or eight rounds whined off the road in front of the man. But as the powerful old .45-caliber spitter roared and bucked, the muzzle pulling up and right from the weapon on full auto, a dozen or more rounds struck the man, starting at his ankles and working up, stitching him from ankles to head. Part of the man’s skullbone flew out into the field behind him as the man was knocked backward, dead before he hit the ditch.

  Ben quickly ejected the drum and slapped in a full thirty-round clip. Crouching beside the truck, Ben did a slow sixty count before moving out. He ran to the body and crouched down in the ditch. The back of his neck was tingling with suspicion. Something was all out of whack here. Working quickly, Ben jerked the web belt off the man. The man was loaded down with M-16 clips, all full. Ben grabbed up the M-16 and inspected it for damage. None of his slugs had struck the weapon. He looked at the dead man. The man wore new boots, reasonably fresh trousers, and clean—discounting the fresh blood stains and bullet holes—shirt and jacket.

  “I don’t know what you
r problem was, buddy,” Ben said, walking back to the truck. “But you’ve been relieved of it.”

  He stowed the M-16 and extra ammo in the camper and drove on, thinking it was another mystery that would never be solved.

  Ben drove on into Kennett, Missouri, stopping at the edge of town. He could see smoke from fires pluming into the sky, but as it so often was, the smoke was not centralized, but widely separated, as if the people wanted no part of each other.

  “You’re making a mistake, folks,” he said aloud. “Now is the time to come together, not drift apart. Black, white, red, yellow, tan; we all bleed the same color.”

  At the crossroads, Ben flipped a silver dollar he had carried for years into the air. “Heads, I go right; tails I turn left,” he said.

  The coin came heads up.

  Ben cut the wheel right, heading north.

  He did not see another living soul, nor any sign of human life for the next twenty miles. At Campbell, Missouri, sitting out front of a long-unused service station, Ben spotted a man leaned back in a cane-bottomed chair. The man waved in a friendly gesture and Ben pulled over.”

  “Howdy, neighbor,” the man said.

  “Hello,” Ben returned the greeting.

  “Been waitin’ for you to show up,” the man said. “Folks over to Kennett radioed you was headin’ this way.”

  “I see. Then they are a bit more organized than I thought.”

  “We’re pretty well organized around here. They told me you was travelin’ alone and didn’t appear to be hostile. Damn, you look familiar to me, mister.”

  “Ben Raines.”

  The man turned several shades paler. “The Ben Raines?”

  “I guess so. Is the world ready for two of us?” Ben kidded.

  “Well, I’ll just be damned! Well, come on out and let’s talk some. Let me get on the radio and get the folks together. Not that there’s that many of us, mind you.”

  “How many?”

  “Oh, ’bout two hundred and fifty. And that number is made up of about twenty different bands and knots of folks.”

  Ben decided to keep his mouth shut about the man he’d killed on the road.