Ashes - Battle In The Ashes Part 11

Hoffman shook his head. "No. It does not. Raines is the driving force.

But the Rebel movement-no, their philosophy-is ingrained. The death of Ben Raines will not cause the Rebel movement to dissolve. They would falter for a step or two, and then, I believe, grow even stronger. For then, Ben Raines would not be a leader, he would be a martyr. I sure as h.e.l.l don't want that. Many of the people of the United States who presently dislike the man would pick up a gun to fight us."

The more Hoffman spoke, the more frustrated he became. He felt like going away where no one could see him and jumping up and down and screaming in a temper tantrum. He could not remember ever feeling so helpless.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Ben Raines has approximately fourteen battalions. About eight hundred to a battalion. Eleven thousand men and women, and those badly outnumbered forces are kicking the s.h.i.+t out ofus!" he screamed the last. "They are doing what tacticians would claim is impossible."

"We could kidnap his son and daughter," General Schmidt suggested.

"Raines does not negotiate with criminals," General Maihofer said. "And he would call that a criminal act. Besides, we don't even know their location."

"h.e.l.l," General Kroesen said. "We don't know the location of any of Raines' people. We send out patrols, they never return. We send up planes and helicopters, they're shot down. Hunting the Rebels is like searching for a single s.h.i.+p on the ocean. You know it's there, you just can't find it."

138.

"We had dozens of collaborators in this state," General Schleyer said.

"Feeding us very good information. Raines hanged some of them, shot a few more, and the others got the message. They now claim to have no knowledge of anything. The three monkeys personified."

"Take some of them to Colonel Barlach," General Mohnhaupt suggested.

"He'll get whatever is in their heads."

"It would be of no use by the time they were transported to him and he did his work," Hoffman nixed that. "Raines and his Rebels do not stay long in any one spot. What we have to worry about is whether our former spies are now spying on us!"

General Jahn had remained silent thus far. Hoffman met his eyes and said, "Something on your mind, General Jahn?"

"Break my paratroops up into small, highly mobile guerrilla teams and drop them far behind enemy lines."

"The planes will be shot down!" General von Hanstein flared.

"Shut up," the tough paratrooper told him, steel in his voice. "I have that problem all worked out."

General Jose Schmidt then uttered what every person who had ever fought Ben Raines and the Rebels had said at one time or the other. "I hate that G.o.dd.a.m.n Ben Raines."

139.

Chapter Twelve."Our Scouts on the western and eastern fringes of Hoffman's position report hearing planes go over last night," Corrie told Ben. "They did not return."

"What do our people at the thirty-sixth parallel report?"

"Nothing. Their radar picked up no air traffic at all."

Ben thought about that for a moment. "How many planes, Corrie?"

"A large number.""Well, Hoffman is either dropping supplies to the few of his people we know still remain north of us, but I think that's unlikely. I think he probably dropped paratroopers north of us, then the planes took a wide half circle back home and none of our people heard them."

"Somebody down there finally got some brains working," Jersey remarked.

"I was beginning to think this was going to be a piece of cake."

"I knew it was too good to last," Ben said. "All right, Corrie, have communications alert all our people for impending guerrilla action.

These boys and girls are going to be tough. From what our intell people have managed 140.

to find out, General Jahn is smart, tough, mean, and a d.a.m.n good soldier. And you can bet this, too: Jahn jumped in with them. The German authorities arrested him and kicked him out of the German army just before the Great War because of his n.a.z.i views. He was an up and coming career man, too. Only the Great War prevented the Germans from putting him in prison. But he's a top-notch soldier."

After Corrie had done her work, she turned in her chair and said, "Speaking of Germany, Thermopolis up at communications is getting some strange signals in German. He just b.u.mped me about an hour ago. He says that Germany is now stabilized-kind of like we thought we were in the States-and the messages are saying something about you to hang on, two units of GSG 9 are on the way to help us. Therm says he has no idea what GSG 9 means."

Ben's boots. .h.i.t the floor and he jumped to his feet. "GSG 9? h.e.l.l, that's Colonel Wegener's old outfit. I think Uwe Dee was commanding officer when the Great War came. GSG 9 is, or was, a top ant.i.terrorist unit. You get Therm on the horn and have him find out who's commanding these units and then have our people in England verify it. Man, oh, man.

I hope these boys are on our side."

"Are they that good, General?" Beth asked.

"They're tops, Beth. Or were. I imagine they still are. Come on, boys,"

Ben urged. "We need all the help we can get."

It did not take Corrie long to determine that the GSG 9 people were for real and they were on their way to a.s.sist Ben and the Rebels. They were still a few hundred 141.

miles off the South Carolina coast, and Ben ordered trucks from Base Camp One to be there to meet them.

"Who's in command?" he asked.

"A Colonel Lenz is in overall command," Corrie told him. "The battalion commanders are Major Streicher and Major Dietl."

"So this gives us about two thousand more people, right, General?"

Cooper asked.Ben smiled. "Well, not ... quite, Coop. I figure about four hundred."

"Four hundred!" Jersey blurted. "But you said two battalions."

"No, I didn't. I said two units. Their combat units consist of two hundred men per unit ... or at least they used to. But don't worry, gang. Those four hundred will more than carry their weight."

Ben was silent for a time, standing by a boarded up window, staring out through the cracks in the warped old boards hastily nailed up years ago.

The old home showed signs of having been involved in several battles Over the long, b.l.o.o.d.y years. He turned from the window.

"Corrie, b.u.mp Thermopolis on burst and ask him to start contacting other countries that we know are free of the plague and have stabilized their governments. We know of several."

"Yes, sir. What are we asking those governments for?"

"Help," Ben said simply.

Hoffman's forces began inching forward, sometimes no more than a mile or two a day. Ben's people hara.s.sed them every inch of the way. But hara.s.sment was 142.

not enough to stop them. The Rebels fought hard, but constantly lost ground, as they were now fighting Hoffman's ma.s.sive divisional thrusts, and also guerrilla actions on all sides. General Jahn's tough paratroopers were popping up and striking all over the place.

The GSG 9 people had landed and were on the way. Poland had responded to Ben's plea for help and was sending a battalion. The governments of Denmark, Finland, and Norway were hurriedly putting together a force of men and equipment. Australia had answered the call and they were sending a small force of volunteers. Iceland was sending 250 men. Korea was sending men and equipment. England was sending over a short battalion.

Holland was putting together a small volunteer force of their Royal.

Netherlands Marines Corps.

For the moment, at least, no one else could send anything except prayers. France had been virtually wiped out by the plague, as had Spain and several other European countries. But Ben knew that many other countries around the world were functioning and could send help. For whatever reasons, they remained silent, not responding at all to the pleas for help.

"They better get their act together," Ben said grimly. "For if we don't stop Hoffman here, right here, that n.a.z.i son of a b.i.t.c.h will conquer the world."

"General," Corrie said, turning from her radio. "Israel has come on board. They're up to their eyeb.a.l.l.s fighting the Arabs, but they're going to send a small force of paratroopers."

Ben nodded his head. "G.o.d knows of all countries they can least afford to send help. But I felt they would. Anyone else?"

143"Not yet."

"Tell Thermopolis to keep sending out the call for help."

"Yes, sir."

The next day, Spain came through. They were sending a special force of their GEO, the Spanish ant.i.terrorist unit.

Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela asked if they could not be of more help by combining their forces, to try to block Hoffman's supply line from the south.

"Tell them it would be much appreciated," Ben said.

Beth added it all up. 'Just under five thousand personnel, General."

"There may be more coming," Ben said, rubbing his face. "But don't count on it."

None of the older Rebels said anything, but Ben knew they were, to a person, thinking about all the countries America had helped over the years, countries who now were remaining silent. Some of those countries were, Ben knew, just simply unable to send any help.. But more than a few just chose to ignore America's plight.

"You will be remembered," Ben said, a very ugly note to his voice.

"Tattoo that on your arms, a.s.sholes."

"Ike on the horn, General."

Ben took the mic.

"You'd better split, Eagle," Ike warned him. "Hoffman's first division is exactly twenty miles from your location."

Ben sighed in frustration and anger. The Rebels were not accustomed to retreating. "All right, Shark. We're bugging out now. We'll set up north of I-20."

Ben turned to Corrie, His team could easily read the 144.

anger and despair on his face. "Corrie, order all units to retreat north of I-20 and regroup there. The rest of you, start packing up."

"Yes, sir," she said softly.

Hoffman was euphoric when the news of the Rebel retreat reached him. He actually felt like singing and dancing around his office. He had not conquered all of Texas in a week, as he had boasted he would, but his people now controlled a large chunk of it. His bubble of euphoria burst when he was given the rest of the news.

He was stunned silent for a moment. "German troops are coming over to aid Ben Raines?" Hoffman gulped for air and screamed at the aide.

"German troops will fight against me? I do not believe that. That is impossible. We are fighting for the Fatherland. They must know that.""Yes, sir. I'm sure they do," the aide said diplomatically. "But units of GSG 9 are rapidly approaching what we think is General Raines'

current position."

"There must be some mistake. Surely they are coming to aid us?"

"No, sir. We intercepted messages from the German chancellor. He said we must be stopped at all costs. n.a.z.ism must not be allowed to flourish again."

Hoffman fell back into his chair, his mouth hanging open. He stared at the young aide for a moment. "That cannot be! It's a lie someone made up!"

"No, Field Marshal. It's true."

"How many German troops?"

"Approximately five hundred, sir."

Hoffman started laughing. "Five hundred? That's ridiculous. Five hundred troops. That's funny, my friend.

145.

Five hundred troops. Oh, thank you. I needed a good rousing laugh."

The aide waited until he had stopped his laughing and was wiping his eyes with a clean handkerchief. "Also troops are on the way from Poland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Australia, Iceland, Korea, England, Holland, Israel, and Spain."

Hoffman's b.u.t.t left the chair in a hurry and the aide backed up quickly, thinking the field marshal was going to jump clear over the desk. "What the h.e.l.l did you say?" Hoffman yelled.

"I said troops are on the way from Poland, Den ..."

Hoffman waved him silent. "I heard all that! I'm not deaf. How G.o.dd.a.m.n many troops?"

"Our intelligence says that to send less than five divisions would be useless."

"Five divisions!" Hoffman yelled, his face paling. "Five f.u.c.king divisions?"

, "Yes, sir."

Hoffman cleared his throat, composed himself and sat down, smoothing his hair with his hands. "We are talking of full combat divisions."

"Yes, sir. That is what intelligence thinks."

"That would be approximately one hundred thousand men. Why then, is Germany sending such a token force?"

"Intelligence thinks they are only an advance team, sir."

"Yes. Yes. That makes sense. Now I want you to leave me. I must think."