Free Out of the Ashes by William W. Johnstone Page A

obvious satisfaction. “Well, boys,” he said, “what about it?”
    â€œI’m leaving for Gitmo in about an hour,” General Dowling said. “I’m going to take my marines and fulfill a twenty-five-year-old dream. I’m going into Cuba proper, find Castro, and kick the balls off him.” He looked at Admiral Divico. “You, Ed?”
    Navy smiled, then sighed. “I’ve said good-by to my wife. She understood why I have to do what I’m doing. She’s military as much as I am. I’m flying out of Edwards in just a few moments. I’ll be on a flagship. You know what, though? God, would I love to have my shoes planted on the deck of the old Missouri when the ball starts rolling.” He looked at Air Force. “You, Paul?”
    General Hyde spat on the ground. “I’m leaving in just a second or two. I’ll be in the left seat of one of our lumbering, antiquated old B-52s, trying to penetrate Russian air space, hoping a goddamned wing doesn’t fall off from old age.” He glanced at Travee. “Well, old warrior, looks like that leaves the country in your hands.”
    â€œThank you all very, very much,” Travee said dryly. “Since the flying White House was sabotaged, I’ll be in Weather Mountain, directing our attack.” He coughed. “Brady will be with me.” He coughed again. “Goddamned cigarettes are gonna kill me!”
    The men laughed, rose to shake hands, then parted, each going his own way to meet the enemy. They did not say another word. There was nothing left to say.
    Â 
    With less than ten hours before launch, the world went into a blind panic. In America, there weren’t enough police and soldiers to control the frightened mobs trying to flee. Wild reports that hundreds of thousands of enemy troops were on the way split the airwaves. Troops were moving, but they were Russian and Chinese troops moving toward each other, not toward the U.S.
    Rioting and looting in American cities began slowly, then picked up in intensity and savagery as night darkened the streets. Subways were jammed with frightened people running blindly, clutching a few possessions.
    Freeways and expressways clogged, slowed, then became hopelessly snarled as cars and trucks broke down and were abandoned. For the most part, efforts to try to clear the interstates failed because civilians refused to obey military orders.
    Civil defense and evacuation plans in America were a joke. Leaderless, the people were left to their own panic-stricken imaginations, and they ran wild.
    The military had declared martial law, but the news of that only served to frighten the people more. The American people reasoned that if the military had declared martial law, then we must be under attack— from somebody.
    Because of jammed highways, the military had had to airlift troops in, and at night, troops in battle dress all look alike. Who could tell?
    Automobiles became useless; death became indiscriminate. The elderly became the first casualties—most had no place to go, and others could not get where they wanted to go. The old could not move swiftly enough, so they were trampled upon and left to be robbed, assaulted, and killed. Children became separated from their parents. They sat on the curbs and howled their fright and were knocked out of the way by panicked adults. Some ran into the streets and were crushed by speeding automobiles. Others were left to wander the streets in total mindless terror and confusion. Older children found rocks and sticks with which they broke windows, then stole candy and food. The girls, those old enough—in most cases—were dragged into alleys and, at the very least, raped.
    It is a fact that in times of great crisis, human animals prowl the streets in far greater numbers than normal. Weaponless, most people had no means with which to defend themselves. But criminals never register guns; and never seem to have