Ashes - Fire In The Ashes Part 19

The miner looked at the judge. "Can I talk now, Your Honor?"

The judge rubbed his aching temples with his fingertips. He sighed. "Well, I suppose so, Mr. Raymond. I must say, though, in all my years on the bench, I have never seen such a sight in any courtroom. Did you and ... your friends come here to fight, or to see justice served?"

"Justice has been served, Your Honor," Mr. Raymond replied. "My friends just come along to see that it stays served."

"Incredible," the judge said. "By all means, Mr. Raymond, do speak."

"Well ... like I tole the sheriff yesterday, me and my friends was gettin' d.a.m.n tired of these federal cops a-struttin' around, actin' bigger than G.o.d; actin' like they was better than the rest of us. But we figured we'd just look the other way when they come around-long as they left us alone.

"Now, judge, youknow how it is in the hill country. You was raised up not twenty miles from where you're sittin.' Youknow there are unwritten laws as well as them you have in all them books I seen in your office. You don't steal from a man; you don't put hands on a man; you don't cheat a man; you don't insult a man; you don't badmouth a good woman; and youd.a.m.n sure don't take a man's guns. And there ain'tno son of a b.i.t.c.h takin' my guns.

"Now there was four of them young smart-mouthed cops come to my house.My house , your honor.My house . And that there is the key words.My house . Me and that woman sittin' right there." He pointed.

"That house belongs tous . Accordin' to the const.i.tution of the United States, and I reread it 'fore I come here this morning, a person has the right to be safe and secure in his person, papers, houses, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Ain't that right, judge?"

"You're talking about the Bill of Rights, Mr. Raymond. But yes, you are correct in that."

"Well, those federal cops come up to my house, just struttin' like they was the Lord G.o.d Almighty. I was out back in the field, tendin' to the garden-G.o.d knows there ain't no work in the mines no more.

"I heard my wife screamin.' Chilled me. I had a pistol hid in the shed out back; grabbed that on my run to the house. One of them cops had hit my wife, knocked her down on the floor, dress all hiked up past her hips. Them federal cops standin' around, laughing at my wife's nakedness. Then one of 'em kicked her. I shot him in the stomach and he went down. Just then my brother Rodney-he lives right across the road-come in the house just as the other cop was pointin' a pistol at my head. Rodney shot him and then we whipped the other two in a fair, stand-up fistfight. Did a pretty d.a.m.n good job of it, too, wouldn't you say so?"

The judge looked at the badly mauled ex-federal cops (both of them had resigned prior to this hearing).

"Yes, Mr. Raymond, I would say that is the truth."

"Well, judge, you see, 'bout a year ago, me and about forty-fifty other boys around here joined up with the Rebels come out of Tri-States after the government stuck their G.o.dd.a.m.n nose where it don't belong-as usual. I understand from radio broadcasts the Rebels are comin' out of the Smokies like ants toward honey-so we figured this was as good a time as any to make our move.

"So, judge, you ain't got no more federal police in this county. We got 'em locked up over in the jail.

The boys that was the law before the government federalized the police is back as the law. And me and mine and my friends is gonna bow out of the lawkeepin' business and let them that knows a little something about it tend to it. But we'll keep our guns, just in case.

"Now, your honor, I'm gonna take my wife, my kin, and my friends, and we're gonna leave this courtroom. I don't expect to be back 'cause I don't expect to break any laws. Especially the new law that we're going to put in effect in this county. And you know what that law is, don't you, judge?"

The judge lost his temper for the first time that morning. "Ben Raines's law, Mr. Raymond-the law that was used in the Tri-States? The law of the jungle."

"Well, I could stand here and argue with you, judge; but I ain't gonna. I will say the Rebels' law is not the law of the jungle-it's more ... a common sense law. But I don't expect a lawyer or a judge to understand that. You people are like lice: if a dog don't get the first one, he ain't gonna get another."

"I resent the h.e.l.l out of that a.n.a.logy!" the judge snapped at the miner.

"I don't care," Mr. Raymond said calmly. "It's true. You're not interested in really punishing the guilty; you're not interested in what is right or wrong. Not even before we come under a police state. I'm not gonna argue about it. Your kind of law of fancy words and deals and blamin' crime on society is over.

And I think it's time-past time.

"So, you better retire from the bench, judge. You better do that before the Rebels get here, 'cause I understand they pretty d.a.m.ned tough, and they don't take a whole lot of truck off folks. 'Specially folks that backed the police state and the federal police and Lowry and them kind. So we'll see you around, judge. You take care, now-you hear?"

The Joint Chiefs met in the New Pentagon in Richmond. None of them could conceal their delight at the Rebels moving out of the Smokies.

"Raines's Rebels are kicking a.s.s up in the Kentucky, I hear," General Rimel said. "Hartline lost over a thousand men the first day."

"Yes, the fool tried an a.s.sault on three bridges, a simultaneous attack. All Raines's people did was pull back and suck the troops across the river, then they closed the flanks around them." General Franklin shook his head in disgust at the stupidity of that move; but he could not hide his smile.

"Let me correct that, General," General Preston said. "Hartline wasn't there. I don't believe he would have made such a move."

"You're right," the Marine agreed. "Hartline was in Richmond, I forgot. Well, anyway, that's a thousand mercs we won't have to deal with."

"Affirmative to that," Admiral Calland said. "I'm just praying nothing happens that will pull us into this fight."

"What the h.e.l.l could happen that would do that?" General Rimel asked. "Raines has given his word that he isn't interested in toppling the government, per se. All he wants is to return to Tri-States and be left alone. He isn't going to attack any of our bases."

"I just have a bad feeling about it all," Calland replied. "You know-all of you-that I've felt for some time Lowry was not really behind it all. That someone is giving him orders. I can't shake that feeling."

"Who?"

"I don't know. I just don't think Lowry has enough sense to mastermind this. My G.o.d, you've all talked with the man. He's just as big a fool as Logan was-maybe more so. All that talk about him being the brains behind Logan. I never did believe it. Somebody else is behind all this. Iknow it."

"Again," General Franklin leaned forward, "I ask who?"

"I don't know. I got a bad feeling about it, boys. A bad feeling."

"You dirty, low-life b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Sabra hissed at Hartline. "It isn't enough you've ruined my marriage. Now you have to rape my daughter. You son of a b.i.t.c.h!"

"Relax, Sabra-baby," Hartline grinned at her. "I just wanted to have a little taste, that's all. It was tight, I have to admit."

"G.o.dd.a.m.n you!"

When she again looked up, she was indeed looking up, the side of her face aching where Hartline had slapped her.

"Sabra-baby, how would you like me to take little Nancy down to the local barracks and give her to some of my men?"

"You wouldn't!"

"Oh?"

"You can't be that vile."

"Would you like to watch her take two at once?"

Sabra put her face against the carpet and wept from fury and frustration and helplessness.

Hartline kicked her in the b.u.t.t. "Get up and go take a bath. You're meeting the vice president tonight.

And when you get cleaned up, call Jane Moore, have her meet you here at seven. She's giving Al Cody some p.u.s.s.y tonight."

The woman slowly rose from the floor. She faced Hartline, no fear for herself in her. "I despise you, Hartline-you must know that."

"I know lots of things, baby. But you just go on playing your little games. You're not going to hurt me."

He cupped a breast and gently squeezed it. "I'll screw little Nancy anytime I want a nice tight c.u.n.t. And there ain't a d.a.m.n thing you or anybody else can do about it. h.e.l.l, I might even let you watch the next time. Oh, and Sabra-baby? I went over to the studio this afternoon; got me a little peek at your Friday night news script-the little story on me? I made copies of it and took them over to the Bureau. It didn't take them long to break the code. You've been a very naughty girl, Sabra-baby. I'm going to have to think of some way to punish you for that. I'll give it some thought. I'm sure I'll manage to come up with something suitable." He pushed her toward the bathroom. "Now go wash your c.u.n.t like a good little girl."

He was laughing as she stumbled toward the bathroom, the room blurring from the sudden tears of rage in her eyes.

"I have a plan," the familiar voice said. "Oh, my, yes. A very good plan. I think I know a way to rid ourselves of the president and Ben Raines at the same time. And," he held up a finger, "get the military back on our side-all at the same time. It's so simple I'm ashamed I didn't think of it before."

Lowry leaned forward, interested. He glanced at the wall clock. Plenty of time before he was to meet Sabra at the retreat. "Tell me," he said, his eyes bright.

The man leaned back in his chair. He began to speak. By the time he was finished, both he and Lowry were laughing and slapping each other on the knee.

Two.

It began raining on the afternoon of the fourth day out of the Smokies, the weather turning cool. As Ben's column moved through Kentucky and into Virginia, the skies cleared and the stars seemed close enough to touch. The column moved through the night, meeting no resistance, for the news of their coming had preceded them, and the federal police wanted nothing to do with the Rebels, for those of their kind who had fought the Rebels had died hard and quickly ... and the Rebels were taking no prisoners.

After a few hours sleep, the column again headed east, meeting their first roadblock just inside the Virginia line. The scouts radioed back and Ben drove his Jeep to within a few hundred meters of the roadblock. He picked up a portable bullhorn. His message was brief.

"We're coming through-one way or another. I'm not going around you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds." His voice boomed through the early morning mist. "You men can live to tell your grandchildren about this moment, or you can die where you are and be d.a.m.ned with you all. It's up to you. You've got one minute to make up your mind."

To the federal police, the column seemed to stretch for miles. And then they heard the snick of ammo being snapped into chambers; the rattle of belt ammo being fed into machine guns. The federal police heard too, the rustle of leaves and vegetation on the road banks that surrounded them. They knew to fight now would be stupid. They would die. They looked at each other, nodded, and holstered their sidearms and laid aside their rifles and shotguns. One of the men waved the column through. The lead vehicle pa.s.sed and then Ben's Jeep stopped by the side of the road, by the blockade.

"You men showed good sense," Ben told them. "Now go on home until the people tell you to go back to work."

"Who is going to keep the peace?" Ben was asked.

"You've got to be kidding!" Ben said. "You men don't really believe you were keeping the peace, do you?"

They shuffled their feet and looked everywhere except at Ben.

"That's what I thought," Ben told them. "We're arming the people as we go. So my advice to you men is to go home and keep your heads down until the smoke clears. If any of you had a hand in torture or intimidation around here, my suggestion would be to hit the trail and keep your head down. And pray none of the victim's family or friends finds you."

Ben put the Jeep in gear and moved out, leaving a frightened group of ex-federal police standing beside the road.

An hour later a scout radioed back to Ben. "About seventy-five federal cops and the local National Guard have set up roadblocks just up the highway, General. Town of Marion. They're getting ready for a fight of it."

Ben rolled his column to the outskirts of town and then made his way carefully to visual distance of the roadblock. He checked positions and called for mortars.

"I'm not going to lose men fighting those silly b.a.s.t.a.r.ds," he told Cecil. "Have they been informed they may surrender?" he asked a scout.

"Yes, sir, several times."

"Their reply, if any?"

"They told us to come and get them."

Ben looked down the deserted street. "Have you checked the area for civilians?"

"Yes, sir. The local cell took care of that. It's all clear except for the federal cops and guardsmen."

Ben sighted through a range finder. "Call it 700 meters. We'll use that telephone pole just to the right of them for an aiming stake. Give them ten rounds of twelve-pounders, HE. That ought to clear it out."

The order was given and thethonk of mortars drifted to them, then the slight fluttering as the projectiles accelerated through the air. The barricade erupted into a ma.s.s of wood, burning metal, and mangled flesh. On the rooftops, civilians opened fire with weapons they had, until only a few days back, kept hidden.

In a very few moments, those survivors surrendered. "What do we do with them, General Raines?" a civilian asked.

Ben looked at the man. "Turn them loose or shoot them. I don't give a d.a.m.n."

The wire services and the networks reported the Rebel push without asking permission from the government censors. There were no repercussions; every ham operator in the nation and anyone with a CB unit was reporting on the Rebel's progress.

Krigel's Rebels were raising h.e.l.l in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Conger's people had pushed up into West Virginia, securing areas as they drove in. General Hazen's people had already secured more than a third of their designated area of operation, and Hector Ramos was driving hard through North Carolina, picking up support as he went, heading toward South Carolina.

"Welcome to the state of Arkansas," the governor greeted General Krigel from his new state capital of Pine Bluff. "Am I to understand the government's police state is over?"

"It is in this area," the general replied. "You may inform your police they are no longer under the auspices of the federal government."

"You mean they are under my control?" the governor asked with a smile.

"No," Krigel told him. "They are under the control of the people."

"You can't just walk into a town and take over, declaring martial law!" a police chief in Kansas loudly protested.

"We just did," Captain Gray said, his British accent sounding strange in the Kansas flatlands.

"But ... but..." the police chief sputtered. "What about the const.i.tution?"

Both Captain Gray and Tina Raines smiled. Gray said, "Standing behind that badge, wearing that federal flash on your shoulder, and with your jails and prisons full of innocent men and women, do you really wish to discuss the const.i.tution?"

"I guess not," the chief replied. He sighed. "What do you want me and my boys to do?"

"Direct traffic," Tina told him. "Maybe you can do that without f.u.c.king it up."

The column of Rebels moved slowly through Virginia, meeting only scattered and usually light resistance from federal police and some guard units still loyal to VP Lowry. They were given a chance to surrender.

If they refused, the Rebels. .h.i.t them brutally, many times, taking no prisoners. Whenever they came to an armory, the Rebels took everything that wasn't nailed down, sometimes caching it for later use, sometimes giving it to the people, sometimes taking it.