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

was up to full strength.

Ben had left three battalions in Europe for a time, to assist and advise
the growing European forces: Batts 21, 16, and 17. He pulled everyone
else back to the States.

Ships began docking at safe ports, unloading thousands of tons of
equipment, including tanks and Hummers and helicopter gun ships and the
souped-up P-51s that made up much of Ben's air force.

Ben was almost ready to move.

Ike McGowan's 2 Batt was the last one to leave Europe.

23

23

When the ex-SEAL's ship docked, a plane was ready to take him to Ben's
HQ, now located in what used to be known as Alabama.

After shaking hands, the two men poured mugs of coffee and got down to
business. "Is it as bad as the reports I've been getting, Ben?"

"Worse, Ike. We've got a lot of territory to reclaim. And it's going to
be a nasty business. We're up against hundreds of thousands of
malcontents-for want of a better word-and we've got fifteen battalions
to do it with. We've got the Gulf to our south, the Atlantic to the
east, and facing the enemy west and north. I've made contact with some
of their leaders, but they refuse to negotiate any terms. No compromise.
For one of the few times in my life, I'm willing to compromise and bend
some, to prevent blood-shed, and the enemy won't hear of it."

"So we start kicking ass and taking names, right?"

Ben sighed. Ike could see that he was clearly troubled. "It's not that
simple any more. I wish it was. But I can't go in and start killing
kids. The malcontents know that. I wish I could think of a better word
than that, for malcontent just doesn't fit many of these people. I am
firmly convinced that many are really good, decent people . . . solidly
opposed to the Tri-States philosophy."

"But they are also people who won't practice live and let live, Ben,"
Ike said softly.
"You're sure right about that. The same types of people who, a decade
ago, supported gun control, more government interference in private
lives, higher taxes for some totally worthless social programs, etc., etc."

"So what's the plan, Ben?"