"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 02 - Fire In the Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

тАЬBefore you make such rash statements, sir,тАЭ Hartline said, тАЬperhaps you should speak with your
daughter, Ruth. You see, sir, she is ... ah ... shall we say, busy entertaining some of my men just down the
hall."

тАЬI don't believe you,тАЭ Samuelson said.

Samuelson was jerked to his feet and pulled and dragged down the hall. Hartline stood smiling before a
closed door.

тАЬBelieve, Mr. Samuelson,тАЭ he said. тАЬBelieve.тАЭ He pushed open the door.

Three


Spring drifted slowly and softly into early summer. A strange peace lay over the country; but both sides
knew it was a prelude before violence. A quiet before the nation erupted into civil war.

One eastern-based cell had been destroyed. Samuelson and his daughter Ruth were being held under
tight security at the base Hartline used for training purposes. Samuelson had been wrung dry of all useful
information. The man was only a shadow of his former self. He had been broken both physically and
mentally. His daughter, Ruth, had been sexually abused with such frequency she had broken mentally and
was past any point of saving. She sat in her cell and sang children's songs. She had pulled all the hair from
her head.

On June 1, 1999, a semi-military court, made up of military men and women loyal to Cody and Lowry,
Hartline mercenaries, and two extremely frightened citizens from a local town, sentenced Samuelson and
his daughter to hanging for high treason against the government of the United States.

The trial lasted twenty minutes. Father and daughter were hanged the following morning, at dawn.

In Washington, President Addison sat in his private quarters with Senator Carson. The old senator from
Vermont, usually quite eloquent, was decidedly coarse when he finally spoke.

тАЬThe shit is about to hit the fan, Aston."

тАЬAnd there isn't a goddamned thing any of us can do about it."

тАЬTrue."

тАЬI'm really just a figurehead, aren't I, Bill?"

тАЬThat's about what it comes down to, yes."

тАЬI have given serious thought to resigning."

тАЬDon't. I have this hope that after a few weeks or months, when my colleagues see how bloody and
awful and needless this war is they'll come to their senses and turn against Cody and Lowry.If that
happens, we'll need you in the White House."