"William W Johnstone - Ashes 22 - Chaos in the Ashes (txt)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

overwhelmed by the solid crush of humanity. We were spread thin as it
was and the rioters broke through in dozens of places and began
circling, trying to trap our people. But now they had weapons-"

"Carefully planned out, wasn't it?"

"It damn sure was. Communications became impossi-

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ble. Our people had to keep falling back, fighting a rear-guard action
over hundreds of miles of border. All this happened in a day, Ben-one
day. Blanton's military was trying to contain the rioters in their
territory, but they were spread much thinner than we and were quickly
overwhelmed. Once the rioters became armed, we started using deadly
force. Our field reports show that we killed probably twenty-five
thousand rioters and wounded that many more before we were finally able
to stand and hold."

Ben sighed and nodded his understanding. "I'm leaving a token force in
Europe. Bringing the rest of them home. But it's going to be weeks
before we have all of our equipment back Stateside. We're just going to
have to do the best we can until then." Ben smiled. "Hell, Cec, we've
fought worse odds."
Cecil leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face. "Jesus, ol' buddy,
I'm tired." Then he smiled and it was the old Cecil once more. "I've
been out of the field for a long time. I don't see how you do it."

Ben returned the smile. "For the most part, I've never left the field.
That's how I do it."

Cecil cut his eyes to Jersey, Ben's bodyguard, standing silently by the
door. The diminutive Jersey, all five feet of her, was as lethal as a
spitting cobra. Trained in martial arts, she could kill with her hands,
as well as being expert with gun, knife, or garrote. Everyone knew she
was in love with Ben, but it was a love that was not to be, and Jersey
knew and accepted that.

"I hate to hit you with this, Ben ... I know it's early. But what's the
agenda?"

Ben looked down at the map before him; the territory the Rebels had lost
was highlighted, and it was huge.

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William W. Johnstone