“Ike agrees, Ben.”
Ben looked at the man, not believing what he was hearing.
“Juan and Mark and Dan agree, Ben.”
Ben found his voice. “You want me to walk out of that goddamned door and not come back, Cec?”
“You know I don’t, Ben.”
“Then don’t you ever bring this up again, Cec. By all that’s holy-no pun intended-I’ll take Gale and clear out. I mean it.”
“It just may be too late, Ben. I think you have given that some thought, too. Am I right?”
He had, but he was not going to give up without a fight.
“Sometimes, Ben, an unwilling or reluctant god is preferable to the people.”
“We won’t speak of this again, Cecil. I’ll forget you brought it up.”
Cecil’s eyes were sad. “Yes, we’ll speak of it again, Ben. Whether you like it or not, whether you want to or not. But we will speak of it again.”
Cecil walked from the room.
Ben had made it clear to Gale the subject was closed. She respected his wishes and did not speak of the matter of gods.
As they stood in the predawn darkness, listening to the sounds of engines coughing into life, she looked up at Ben.
“A new land, Ben? A place where we can live in peace and raise our children?”
“I hope so, Gale.”
She knew he was just saying that because it was what she wanted to hear.
“Colonel Gray?” Ben called. “Move the people east.”
“Yes, sir.”
THE REBEL
Ben looked to the west, toward the dream of a master race. “I’ll kill you someday, Striganov,” he muttered, as Gale stirred beside him. “Tattoo that on your arm.”
THE RUSSIAN
Striganov stood with the sun just looming over the horizon. He stood looking toward the dream of a free society.
“I’ll kill you some day, Ben Raines,” he said. “That is a promise.”
“Sir?” Colonel Fechnor said.
Striganov turned. “Yes.”
“The women have begun birthing the half-mutants.”
“Oh? How do they look?”
Fechnor smiled, the sun gleaming off his steel teeth. “Magnificent, sir. They are truly a sight to behold.”
THE PEOPLE
The ragged and dirty little girl stood holding onto the hand of her big brother. She was six. He was nine.
They stood looking toward the east.
“Are we going now?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“To find this man?”
“Yes. It’s a long way, but we’ll make it.”
“And then everything will be all right? We won’t be hungry or cold or afraid anymore?”
“That’s right.”
They started walking down the weed-filled, old two-lane highway.
“This man,” she said, “he must be somebody really special.”
Her brother looked at her. “The people back in the caves said he was.”
“What is he?”
“They said he was God.”
“I’ve heard of that person,” she replied. “I wish we were there now. I’m hungry.”
“Maybe I can kill us a rabbit and we’ll cook it.”
She wrapped her thin coat around her. “Does God have a name?”
“Ben Raines.”
