Free Ambush in the Ashes by William W. Johnstone Page B

probably true, Raines.”
    “Mine were here first,” Jersey said with a smile. She put one hand on her hip and with great British affectation, said, “I’m quite the lay-dy.”
    Chase could not hide his grin. He shook his head and said, “What a bunch of characters. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Good-bye.”
    Lamar gone to oversee the setting up of his MASH units, Ben said, “Okay. Let’s find me a temporary CP. Down by the port area. We’re going to have ships coming in shortly with supplies and more water trucks. Not long after we leave here, we’re going to have one hell of a long, dry pull ahead of us.”
    Agadir had once boasted a population of over a hundred thousand. Now there were approximately five thousand people left in the city, mostly older women.
    “Any able-bodied man was taken and sold,” Rebel intelligence told Ben.
    “And no idea where?”
    “None, General.”
    “What about the Canary Islands. Anything firm yet?”
    “Not really. We know it was a haven for pirates for a time. Then for some reasonas yet unknown-the pirates left the islands. They didn’t leave much behind them.”
    “No communications at all from the islands?”
    “Nothing. Not a peep. Flyovers show many of the cities and towns on the islands have been destroyed by fires. We don’t know if they were deliberate or accidental.”
    “But the flyovers can detect nothing that would pose a threat to us.”
    “That’s correct, sir.”
     
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    “Very well. Thank you.” The briefing over, Anna asked, “We going to visit those islands, General Ben?”
    “Not this time, Anna. We don’t need them for any base, and if they don’t pose any threat there is no point in going.”
    “No people over there?” she asked.
    “Heatseekers show very few of them.”
    “So where do we head next?”
    There are lots of towns and little villages between here and Laayoune, Anna. And then … we’re in the desert, into Mauritania and crossing the Tropic of Cancer.”
    “Not much along the way, huh?”
    “Not much. Not once we get away from the coast.” Ben looked out the window: black smoke was drifting lazily toward the blue of the sky. The troops were burning the bodies, for the flatbed trucks carrying the earth-moving equipment had not yet reached the main column. They were about a half a day behind, accompanied by tanks and a company of heavily armed Rebels. Many of the bodies were so badly decomposed Dr. Chase took one look and ordered them all burned immediately.
    “I wonder if it’s going to be this way all the way down to Bottger’s territory?” Corrie asked, standing with Ben by the window.
    “Worse, probably. The further south we go the more populated the land. What about the other battalions?”
    “We seem to be catching the worst of it, boss. All the battalions are reporting burying or burning bodies, but not as many as we’ve found. Ike says Egypt was a piece of cake, no trouble at all there. He’s going to hug the coast through the Sudan and Eritrea.”
    “Nothing new after we received that report?”
    “Nothing new.”
    “Supplies?”
     
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    “Ships have docked and offloaded. Shoving off shortly. Planes in and out with no trouble.”
    “Miss Priss is about to make an entrance,” Jersey called from the open door.
    Ben smiled. “Be sure and show her right in, Jersey.”
    Jersey muttered something under her breath and Ben laughed aloud.
    Paula Preston entered the room and marched up to Ben. “General, I need to make a report to my government.”
    “Of course, Ms. Preston. Corrie will be only too happy to get an up-link for you. That is, providing your government has managed to allocate enough money for radios. The last report I got was they were very busy sending federal agents out into the countryside gathering up weapons from private citizens.”
    Paula stared at him for a moment. “Sarcasm is not necessary, General. I am very much aware of your contempt for my