[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

got word mat a dozen or more Arab resistance groups formed up and began
attacking. The Israelis have their hands full. I wished them good luck
and told them we'd handle this. Corrie, radio everyone to stand down and
relax. We'll make this push south slow and careful.'
"The Rebels pushed off two days later and advanced thirty miles. Then
they waited for two more days before pushing off again, and again they
advanced thirty miles. They met no resistance anywhere along the
2500-mile front, running east to west. Bruno Bottger's troops had
definitely bugged out to the south . . . how far south was still up for
grabs.
" 'But we've still got hundreds of gangs roaming around,' Ben cautioned.
'Ranging in size from twenty to a thousand.'
" 'You think a small bunch of punks would attack us?' Ben was asked by a
young sergeant. The sergeant was fresh
153
from the SUSA and his combat experience was sparse. 'It would be suicide
for a small gang to attack a full brigade.'
"Ben's XO, John Michaels, opened his mouth to tell the young sergeant to
get back to his squad and don't bother the CG with stupid questions.
"Ben held up a hand. 'I didn't say they were smart gangs, Sergeant,' Ben
told him. 'Although we don't ever want to underestimate their
intelligence . . . Many of them are very cunning. Just like criminals in
every country in the world. If they would use that intelligence for
something constructive, they would be useful and productive, helping out
their country and the people. But they never do that. They think they're
smarter than everyone else. If they hit us, and I think they probably
will, very soon, they'll come at us with ambushes and sneak attacks, hit
and run. So, heads up, son.'
" 'Yes, sir,' the young sergeant said, and got the hell out of that area.
"The hundreds and hundreds of men and women in the miles-long column
mounted up and moved slowly on to the south.
" 'Boring,' Anna said, looking out the window of the big wagon as they
proceeded on, at about fifteen miles per hour. The roads were in
terrible shape. In many areas of the sprawling continent, roads were no
more than a faint memory.
" 'Scouts report the bridge is out about five miles ahead,' Corrie said.
"Ben lifted a map, studied it for a moment, and then cussed. "There are
no highways at all to the west, and it would put us fifty miles out of
Page 98
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
the way to head east to the next crossing. And on these miserable
excuses for roads, it would take us two or three days to travel that
distance.' He sighed. 'Get the engineers up here, Corrie.'
" 'Right, Boss. They're on their way.'
" 'It'll take some time, General,' the officer in command of this
detachment of combat engineers told Ben. 'The rest
154
of the day and part of tomorrow, at least. That's a hell of a section
blown out.'
"Ben nodded. 'Fix it.'
" 'Yes, sir.' The combat engineer started yelling orders to his people.
"Ben glanced at his watch, thirteen-hundred hours. The column had made
lousy time since pulling out that morning. At this rate it would take
them several months to reach the south part of the continent. And that
would give Bruno more than ample time to throw up a front that would be
tough to punch through.
"Ben sighed and shook his head as he looked around him. The terrain
would be perfect for an ambush. 'Corrie, no one moves more than a few
yards away from this cow path they call a road until the area has been
checked out.'
" 'Right, Boss.'
" 'Scouts out east and west.'
" 'Done, Boss.'
"Ben smiled as he leaned up against the big wagon and began rolling a
cigarette. Corrie always stayed about two steps ahead of him. The team
had been together for so long, each member knew how the other would
react and in most cases, orders were merely routine, given out of long
habit.
" 'Any towns or villages close by?' Cooper asked.
" 'Why?' Jersey asked. 'You planning on going in and checking out the
night life?'
" 'I thought I might buy you a nice present,' Cooper said, coming right
back at her.
" 'The best present you could get me would be to lose your voice for
about a year or so.'
" 'Oh, my little desert flower,' Cooper said, feigning great personal
pain. 'You know you don't mean that. Just the thought hurts my heart.
You'd miss me like the flowers would miss a gentle rain.'
" 'Blahh! Yukk! Barf!' Jersey said. 'That's disgusting, Cooper.' She
made an awful face, and moved around to the
155
Page 99
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
other side of the vehicle, muttering, 'Guy gets worse every month.' But
out of Cooper's sight, the awful face vanished and she smiled. She and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]