Treason in the Ashes

Book 19: Ashes

by William W. Johnstone

Genres: Action & Adventure; Sci-fi Action & Adventure; Post-Apocalyptic sci-fi; Dystopian; Military Sci-Fi; Military Thrillers; Military Fantasy

Synopsis

A rebel leader faces danger within his ranks during his nation’s hour of need in this post-apocalyptic thriller from a USA Today –bestselling author. Social decay buckled America and the Great War brought her to her knees. Out of the ashes, two would-be nation states rise. One is built on values of hard work and justice, under the leadership of the outlaw general, Ben Raines. The other would return all power to the federal government and to the very politicians who plunged the USA into destruction once before…. Now, the federals have lined up their forces north of the border for a sweep down into the lower forty-eight. Against three powerful divisions, Raines has thrown up nine battalions of outgunned Rebel fighters. But when the shooting begins, a new battle erupts. This time, Raines faces an enemy from behind his own lines as legions of Rebels. Nineteenth in the long-running series!

Release date: July 7, 2009

Publisher: Pinnacle Books

Print pages: 356

Sample

It had long been said that when the United States stumbles, the world staggers. Whoever said that knew what they were talking about. The beginning of the end came not suddenly, but in a quiet, insidious manner. As silently, slowly, and carefully as a leech crawling across the edge of a straight razor to get to a drop of blood. The seeds of collapse, which would eventually lead to the end of what was once the greatest nation on the face of the earth, came with a lessening of morals, a country misplacing its values. A few people did see what was happening but their voices were ignored, and in some cases, stilled permanently by Big Brother Government. Our political leaders had moved us too far to the left, trying to be all things to all people, all the time. Our Great Nannies in Washington bankrupted the citizens trying to do that which they should have known was impossible.

There was no one thing or happening that led to the collapse of America. No historian will ever be able to point the finger of guilt at any single person or government program or world event.

But the signs were there. Evidence was all around that many citizens were worried. Americans were buying guns in record numbers, in the face of liberals frantically launching programs to disarm Americans. Many Americans were stockpiling emergency food and water and ammunition. But instead of our elected and appointed officials trying to determine why these thousands and thousands of people seemed to be preparing for some sort of Armageddon, the government sent armed federal agents in to seize the weapons and prosecute and jail (and sometimes kill) those who felt they had a constitutional right to own weapons. The national press belittled the men and women called “survivalists,” mocking them and downplaying their warnings and actions. Liberals were prancing about, waving their hankies and shrieking that more money must be gouged from already overburdened taxpayers to pay for more social programs.

The warning signs were in place, and there were people who read them with alarming clarity. Writers wrote books about the end of civilization. Those men and women were immediately branded as nuts and kooks (some were), racists (some were), right-wing lunatics (some were), and enemies of America (most were not). Federal agents followed them, bugged their phones, and read their mail.

Most members of the press, liberal to the core and completely out of touch with the true feelings of millions of Americans, could predictably be counted on to lean to the left, weeping and blubbering and sobbing about those terrible guns and how the government should forcibly disarm the law-abiding, tax-paying citizens. Finding a true conservative among the national press, print and broadcast, would have been a real test of sleuthing.

So now, at the beginning of the last decade of the millennium, those men and women who felt the nation was teetering on the edge of collapse went about their business of preparing for the end quietly, staying away from groups who sought the limelight. These people had sensed, accurately, that it was too late. Nothing could be done to save America. The nation had sunk into an undrainable cesspool, and the politicians, both liberal and so-called conservative, and the press (always liberal) were skipping merrily along, hopping from turd to turd, blissfully unaware that beneath their feet lay collapse, chaos, and anarchy.

To many Americans who did not walk around with their heads up their asses, it was inconceivable that those in power could not see the end fast approaching.

In his last published book before the world exploded, Ben Raines wrote, “As a nation, we lost our way. We lost sight of one very important item: America must come first. We must first solve our many problems here at home, then, and only then, turn our attention and resources to other countries. That sounds hard and cruel, but if we are to survive as a nation, we must keep jobs at home and see to the needs of Americans first. We cannot be the world’s problem solver and we must not become the world’s policeman. We can’t afford to be either.”

But of course, the politicians ignored that and critics branded Ben and others like him as racist, right-wing lunatics.

Religious fanatics in the Middle East (and other places) declared America the “Great Satan” and openly called for terrorist attacks against the U.S. And what did our great leaders do about these madmen? Why, nothing, of course. Finally terrorism struck the U.S. (as Ben Raines and others predicted it would) and the press was outraged. Never once did the know-it-all network commentators suggest we go over and bomb the shit out of the host country. That might involve some collateral damage (that means civilian dead). Of course between 1939 and ’45, we had civilian dead in Berlin, Dresden, Cologne, in Holland and France and Belgium, England, the Philippines, Japan (to name only a few of the countries involved), but the press seems to have forgotten all about that. We still won the damn war. And it just never dawned on our Great Nannies in Washington, D.C. that to fight terrorism, you must think like a terrorist and act like a terrorist. And we had military units trained to do just that. But the sobbing sisters and hanky-twisters set up such a squall at just the thought of it that it was never really considered seriously.

Race relations in America began to deteriorate, finally reaching their lowest point in several decades. Riots became commonplace. The police, never enough of them, and now unable to enforce the law because of recent court decisions, could not hold back the violent tide. Los Angeles blew up. New York turned into a battleground, as did St. Louis, Detroit, Miami, and Atlanta. Much to the disgrace of this nation, our capital, Washington, D.C., became the most dangerous city in America.

A few people in prominent positions, like Ben Raines, said, “Why don’t you just shoot the goddamn punks and put an end to this crap?”

“You racist, right-wing, NRA, gun-loving, uncompassionate person!” came the collective shout from thousands of liberal throats.

“Naw,” the law-abiding, tax-paying, so-called “silent majority” said wearily. “He’s just voicing aloud the thoughts of millions.”

There were many injustices inflicted upon minorities by whites in positions of power. There were also injustices inflicted upon whites by people of color. Minorities were justifiably angry about the lack of jobs. Whites were angry about quotas and promotions based on race and gender and not seniority and/or ability. Minorities demanded respect—loudly. Whites responded by saying that respect is not handed out on demand—it must be earned. Blacks (by now the name had been changed to African American) appeared on TV talk shows dressed like something out of the Congo and wondered why many whites smiled.

One white author appeared on a national talk show dressed in a Viking helmet and kilt, and carrying bagpipes. He said he was of Scandinavian /Scotch/Irish heritage and was just dressing like his ancestors. The black host was not amused.

But she should have been. She should have known that it has to work both ways. If it won’t work both ways, it won’t ever work.

We all should have had a sense of humor. And we all should have believed that we were Americans first, last, and always. And we should have known if we didn’t pull together, it just wasn’t going to work.

And in the end, it didn’t.

The Rebel assault force that came in by land and air routed Hoffman’s troops and quickly moved Ben out of there and into a secured area. Two hours later Ben was back in Texas. Doctor Lamar Chase, a man who had been with Ben since the formation of the old Tri-States, ordered his doctors to check Ben out, head to toe. He got a clean bill of health.

Ben was not a man who wasted time. By late that afternoon he had flown in all his batt coms ... at least those that had responded to the call.

“We’re all over the country, Ben,” General Georgi Striganov told him. The Russian and Ben had once been mortal enemies—until Ben kicked the Russian’s ass and forced him to lay down his arms. Now the Russian Bear was one of Ben’s closest friends and allies in the drive for freedom and the quest for democracy.

“Anybody heard from Tina?” Ben asked.

“Last word we got was that she and her 9 Battalion were up near the Canadian border,” Buddy told his father.

Tina Raines was Ben’s adopted daughter.

“Colonel West?”

“At last report, West and his 4 Battalion were pushing hard to her last reported site,” his son told him.

Ben had learned, much to his shock, that he had been in the hands of Hoffman’s Nazis much longer than he originally thought. He was completely out of touch with what was going on.

But it wouldn’t take Ben Raines long to get back into the saddle of command.

“The foreign troops?”

“All the European troops were called back home to help put down rebellion in their respective countries,” Ike told him.

Ike McGowan, the stocky ex-Navy SEAL, was another who had been with Ben since the outset.

Ike continued, “The troops from Iceland got chewed up pretty bad. They requested to be assigned to various of our battalions and Cecil granted them permission.”

General Cecil Jefferys, a black man, was second in command of all Rebels, and another of Ben’s closest friends. Since suffering a heart attack during the Alaskan campaign, and undergoing bypass surgery, Cecil was in charge of Base Camp One, a huge section of what had once been known as Louisiana, now spilling over into much of what had been called Mississippi. Base Camp One was the only area in the battered nation that was totally, one hundred percent crime-free. Rebels did not tolerate crime ... of any sort. And since they did not tolerate it, they had none. The Rebel philosophy toward crime was very simple, and very deadly.

Ben sat down on the edge of a battered old desk. Everything in the nation was old and battered and scarred; the only area in the entire country that had been producing anything for years was Base Camp One. “Let me see if I have all this straight,” Ben said. “While we were chasing Hoffman’s goose-steppers all over the damn country, the thugs, punks, outlaws, war lords, and trash in the nation got together?”

His batt coms nodded their heads in agreement.

“Everything we accomplished over the years is right down the toilet?”

“That’s it, Ben,” Ike said. “We’re back to square one. And we’ve taken a hell of a beating in running off Hoffman. Some battalions are down to quarter-strength. We’re tired, Ben. Just flat worn out.”

“I know,” Ben said. “Believe me, I do. Equipment?”

“More than we can use in a lifetime,” Colonel Rebet told him. “We’ve captured hundreds of thousands of tons of supplies and equipment from Hoffman and his allies. Everything from boots to tanks.”

Ben nodded his understanding and turned to Corrie, his long-time radio operator and member of Ben’s personal team. “Get this out to all batt corns: Hold your positions and get some rest. Find out if they need air drops and what they need in the way of supplies.”

“They need everything from SAMs to sanitary napkins,” Corrie quickly informed the General.

Ike rolled his eyes and looked toward the ceiling. Georgi looked embarrassed. Buddy quickly began studying his big hands. Pat O’Shea, the carrot-topped, freckle-faced, wild Irishman who commanded 10 Battalion ducked his head and took a sip of whiskey from a small flask.

“See that they’re supplied,” Ben ordered. “Promptly.”

Ben had blown the theory right out the window that women could not perform well in combat. Two of his batt coms were women, and many of his most feared Scouts, Night-fighters, Pathfinders, and Rat Pack members were women. The female motorcycle Rebels, called the Sisters, were under the command of Wanda. And they were savage fighters.

“Yes, sir,” Corrie said with a smile.

“You find something amusing about all this?” Ben demanded.

She laughed at his expression. “Good to have you back with us, General.”

Ben smiled. “It’s good to be black.” To the room of batt corns: “Are we going to have to regroup and redefine battalions, people?”

Ike shook his graying head. “I don’t think so, Ben. Beth has prepared a list of all battalions and their strength. But General Payon has taken his Mexican troops back across the border to deal with what is left of Hoffman’s people. So you can see that we’re really cut down in size.”

“Casualties?” Ben asked softly.

“Thirty to thirty-five percent of Rebels dead or unaccounted for,” Ike said without hesitation.

“Damn!” Ben let the word explode from his mouth.

For a man pushing middle age hard, Ben was in excellent physical shape, still possessing enormous upper body strength and maintaining a trim waistline. His thick hair was cut short, and now salt-and-pepper. He was not handsome in the pretty-boy way, but more a man’s man with rugged good looks. He was also very much a woman’s man. He had known for a long time that his personal bodyguard, the beautiful, dark-eyed, part-Apache, Little Jersey, was in love with him. But Ben had let that remain strictly platonic, and always would. Jersey knew that too, and contented herself with just being close to the man.

Ben had suffered through several May/September romances, and knew they seldom worked. He had buried the only woman he had ever truly loved, Jerre, on a lonely windswept hill in the Northwest, after a particularly brutal campaign. The entire Rebel camp knew of their years-long stormy and rocky relationship. They also knew it was a closed book.

“Get some rest,” Ben abruptly ended the meeting. “In the morning, all you batt coms list your needed supplies and start them moving toward your location. I don’t want anybody to do anything except rest and relax for a week. It’s going to take me that long to assess the situation and make plans.” He paused and grinned. “And for me to get myself squared away. I’ll see you all at breakfast. Dismissed.”

As was his custom, Ben was up long before dawn, walking the silent camp. Jersey had alerted the sentries that Ben would be taking his walk shortly—so easy with the trigger fingers. He had slept soundly for seven hours—about two hours more than what he usually got—and awakened refreshed. He showered and shaved and dressed in clean BDUs. Ben wandered to the mess area and got a mug of coffee. He knew Jersey, Beth, Corrie, and Cooper were all around him, but leaving him alone until he signaled he wanted company.

Ben sat down on the tailgate of a pickup truck, rolled a cigarette, and smoked, drank his coffee, and let his thoughts wander.

After his meeting with the batt coms, he had gone over field reports. The Rebels were in bad shape. The worst they’d been in a long time. They were not demoralized, not since his return, anyway. They were just tired. Battle weary.

Ben wandered back to the mess and got a coffee refill and returned to the truck tailgate. He was lost in memory, thinking back over the years. Remembering the final year before the collapse.

The end came during the last few years of the millennium. History clearly points out that the last decade of any millennium is always the most violent, the most volatile, the most unpredictable, the most subject to tumultuous change.

History sure was right.

America had become embroiled in other countries’ civil wars around the globe. And Americans were very weary of being the world’s policeman. America had troops in Haiti, several countries in Africa, Central America, and we had thousands of troops in Eastern Europe. And, Ben thought, we shouldn’t have been in any of those countries.

Americans were being taxed to the point of open rebellion. Crime had soared to an unprecedented level. Gangs roamed the cities and had spread out into the smaller rural communities. And still the petunia-plucking liberals in congress refused to allow the law-abiding, tax-paying citizens to protect themselves adequately. God forbid a person should take a life just to protect his own, or the lives of his or her family, and under no circumstances should lethal force ever, ever, ever, be used just to protect property. How awful! Dreadful.

Like so many others, Ben had sealed up his guns in weatherproof containers and buried them. He recalled looking toward Washington and the Democratic president who had signed the bill and said, “Fuck you all!”

Jails and prisons were filled beyond capacity. Unemployment was high. Discontent among the hard-working, over-taxed Americans was running at a fever pitch. And there appeared to be no end in sight to how far the liberals would go to disarm law-abiding Americans and kiss the ass of the criminals.

“We must give the oppressed and the poor and those whose propensity it is to break the law more money,” cooed the liberals.

Taxes went up again.

The president grinned and ate another Big Mac. “Sit down,” said his wife, the unelected czarina of the nation. “You look stupid.”

For once she was right.

The American people (those who never did believe in Camelot) soon learned that the President of the United States, nearing the end of his first term, and elected because of his promises to reduce government, lower taxes, provide all things to everybody whenever they wanted it (all without raising taxes) had lied every time he’d opened his mouth on the campaign trail.

So what else is new?

It had long been said that if five million taxpayers stopped paying taxes, the government would soon cease to function. A grass-roots movement was started to do just that. Thousands signed up and thousands soon became about ten million with the majority of them refusing to pay taxes according to the current tax structure, which by now was not just the highest in the nation’s history, it was obscene.

The government threatened to put them all in jail. But that was a hollow threat and those in the tax revolt knew it. There was no place to put hundreds of thousands of men and women.

“We’ll pay fifteen percent of our gross income,” the leaders of the Fair Taxation movement said. “No deductions. But we won’t pay over fifteen percent.”

The Federal government sent in agents to crush the movement. But this time the American people were determined to stand their ground and fight for what they believed was right and just and fair. Several thousand heretofore tax-paying and law-abiding citizens were shot to death and many, many more were wounded during the nationwide raids. Men, women, and children.

The men and women who had joined the fair taxation movement had not done so without expert study of what it would take to run the government and fund what they believed were needed programs. Some programs were going to be cut down in size, only a few would be cut out altogether. Pork barrel programs and general government waste would have been hard hit. Government programs would not be run by government employees, but by retired members of the business community and volunteers. Economists had proven time and time again that more revenue would be collected for the government’s coffers by a flat income tax for everyone, with no exceptions and no deductions. That’s all the members of the Fair Taxation movement wanted: for everyone to pay their fair share.

And they were, by God, not going to pay any more income tax until that happened.

Then the president ordered federal agents to move in and seize the members’ property and possessions for back taxes, and to try to physically arrest the members.

It was by far the worst decision any sitting president had ever made.

The Fair Taxation members chose to defend their property and themselves. And why not? It was their property. They worked for it. The federal government had no right to attempt to take it from them by force.

After hundreds of bloody shoot-outs all across the nation, dozens of them in every state, many of the FBI, ATF, Secret Service, IRS, Justice Department agents, and Federal Marshals threw down their badges and said, “No more.” They were sickened by the sight of dead children, sprawled in pools of blood, lying by their parents’ side. Dead parents, shot to death by federal agents. Dead parents who had broken ... what laws?

The President of the United States then went on TV and said that he was just, “Terribly, terribly sorry about all this violence. But if the men and women who were killed had obeyed the law, none of this would have happened. And,” he added, holding up a finger, “if the American people had turned in their guns as had been ordered by new federal legislation, those poor children would still be alive.”

That is liberal logic at work, folks. Go figure.

Then one of the president’s aides, who was just barely old enough to shave, took his Walkman earplug out of his ear (where he had been listening to a rap song titled “Kill the Pigs and Rape the Bitches”), handed the president a Twinkie and the press conference was over.

But this time it backfired. The nation’s press finally got around to doing some unbiased public opinion polls and found the majority of Americans shocked and sickened by the sight of dead children and the cold, savage callousness of federal agents. The American people were aroused to a point unequalled in American history.

Many Americans began calling for the president to be impeached. Many more began arming themselves, openly defying the new federal anti-gun laws. Others openly signed on with the Fair Taxation movement. Still others called for calm and for a total overhaul of the machinery of government . . .