monuments built in his honor. I have heard talk of how he is immortal. I have heard about all the times he has been shot and blown up and stabbed and all sorts of things. Yet, the person called Ben Raines will not die. He has built nations, and mortal men do not do that. I have heard whispered talk of a man called the Prophet, and what that ageless one has said of Ben Raines. Yes, Ike. I am afraid of Ben Raines.”
Ike squeezed her hand. “Don’t be, Nina. Ben doesn’t want that. You’ll see, Nina. You’re wrong about Ben.”
She shook her head. “I am right about Mister Raines.”
Reluctantly, she walked alongside Ike, toward the silent camp.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Ike and Nina walked to within three hundred yards of the camp before a sentry spotted them coming down the center of the road.
“Halt!” he shouted, bringing his M-16 around to cover the pair.
“Hold it!” Ike shouted, stopping Nina with a quickly outflung arm. “Don’t anybody get trigger-happy down there. This is Colonel Ike McGowen and friend. We’re comin” in.”
The camp suddenly poured forth all its occupants, all running toward Ike and Nina. Ben’s harsh voice stopped them, roaring over their heads. “Halt, goddamnit!”
The crowd of men and women stopped still as if controlled by one central mind. No one among them moved.
“You all know better than that!” Ben yelled. “What in the hell is the matter with you people? It could be a trap. Guards, get back to your assigned posts and by God-stay put!”
The sentries raced back to their posts and, once there, did not turn around. The others looked at the sky, the earth, the lake, their boots-anywhere but in the direction of Ben Raines.
Ben walked out of the camp area and up the center of the old highway, striding toward Ike and Nina.
“The black gun!” Nina whispered. “I really see it. The enchanted weapon.”
Ike could detect real fear in her voice, and he could feel her trembling as she pressed against him.
Ben was still several hundred yards away from the pair.
“What are you talking about, Nina?” Ike asked. “What enchanted weapon?”
“From the big waters to the north, to the big waters to the south, and everywhere in between, monuments are built not only to Ben Raines, but to the black gun he carries. I told you, Ike, I am afraid of him.”
“But Ben’s not a god,” Ike protested. “I told you, he’s just a man.”
“You say. But many more say he is a god. I’m sorry, Ike.”
Then Ben stood before them, a smile on his face. “I knew no one could ever force you into setting me up, Ike. But a little reminder of discipline is good for the soul.”
“I heard that, Ben.”
Ben held out his hand and Ike shook it. It was much more than a gesture of deep friendship; it was more an act between two brothers.
Nina could not take her eyes from the old Thompson SMG Ben carried. The weapon was a newer model of the old Chicago Piano of gangster days. A .45-caliber spitter. Ben had taped two thirty-round clips together for faster reloading.
He had carried the weapon, or one like it, since the world blew up in nuclear and germ warfare back
Ben looked at Nina. “And this is?”
“Nina,” Ike said.
Ben extended his hand toward the lovely young lady and she shyly and very hesitantly took it. She seemed surprised the hand did not burn her or strike her dead with some magical powers. Such were the ever-growing myths concerning Ben Raines and his supposed immortality. Ben smiled at Nina and she relaxed just a bit.
Ben released her hand and looked at Ike, his expression hardening. “I just came from the communications truck, Ike. We’ve been in scrambler contact with Base Camp. I’ll … give it to you straight. Sally’s dead.”
Ike flinched as if hit by an invisible blow. He paled and then cleared his throat. “How “bout the kids?”
“They were killed with her. I’m sorry. Ike. Sally was trying to protect them with her own body.”
“I see,” Ike replied. When he again spoke, his voice was harsh. “Who did it, Ben?”
“Captain Willette and his bunch.”
“He’s mine, Ben. All mine. I want your word on that, ol” buddy.”
“Ike…”
“No! Give me your word, Ben.”
“You’ve got it.”
Ike nodded his head. He touched Nina’s shoulder. “She’s had a rough time of it, Ben, and not a whole lot of formal education. I said we’d see to that. But she’s one hundred percent Rebel material. She’ll do to ride the river with.” *Out of the Ashes
And that was the highest compliment Ike could give a person.
“You look like you could use a hot meal and about twelve hours sleep,” Ben said to Nina. “We’ll talk more later.” He smiled at her and this time she responded with a shy smile.
At a nod from Ben, one of the Rebel women stepped from the crowd and walked up to the trio. “Come on,” she said to Nina. “How about a hot bath and hot food and clean clothes?”
“That’d be great,” Nina said. She walked off with the woman.
“Let’s talk some now, Ben,” Ike said, when Nina was out of earshot. “What’re your plans? And why have you stopped here?”
“We’re right in the middle of Ninth Order territory,” Ben said. His eyes found Ike’s walkie-talkie. “But I suspect you already know that.”
“Yeah. The first transmission I heard like to have blown my ear off. So?”
“I’ve sent a coded message to Base Camp. Colonel Gray is sending out teams of his Scouts. I want the positions of all Ninth Order troops pinpointed. While that is being done, this afternoon, we’ll head for the deep timber, up in North Carolina, near Murphy. It’s not that far a jump-about twenty, twenty-five miles, and out of their territory. I’m hoping the Ninth Order will think we’re pulling out and away. When we get there, we’ll pull in deep and lay low, send out Scouts of our own. When we get it mapped out and coordinated, we’ll attack from the north, let the others come in from all other directions.”
He removed a map from his field jacket pocket and spread it out on the hood of a truck. “See this highway here, Highway 11, with Lake Nottely to its west?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve ordered Juan and Mark’s people to seal this road. When that is done, we’ll have the Ninth Order in a box. I think we can then wipe them out and forget them.”
“I want to pick my own teams, Ben,” Ike said. “Experienced guerrilla fighters.”
“All right.” Ben smiled, knowing what was coming. “I suppose you want to spearhead the attack, too?”
“You got that right, Ben.”
“Done.”
Ike relaxed. “We ran out of grub this morning. I’m hungry. Think I’ll wander down to the mess truck and rummage around some.”
Ben grinned.
“What’s so funny?” Ike asked.
“We have a lot of Crations left.”
Ike narrowed his eyes. “What… kind … of… Crations?” he asked slowly, bracing himself for Ben’s reply.
“Canned bacon and eggs.”
Ike shuddered. “Then I reckon I’ll just get me a cane pole and go catch some fish for breakfast. I just can’t eat that crap.”
“Ike? First come along with me. I’ve got something to tend to.”
The men walked to the center of the encampment. There, Ben nodded to James Riverson. “Bring him to me, James.”
James nodded silent understanding.
“Trouble?” Ike asked.
