"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 07 - Smoke from the Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

what was left of America, roaming gangs of thugs
and punks and killers ruled. Men and women and children
lived in daily fear for their lives.
Again, Ben had to hide a smile. Hell, he
thought, maybe that much hasn't changed in this, the
second decade after the Great War, and the government
smashing of the Tri-States.
"It was a confusing time," Ben said. And the gathering of
Rebels, young, middle-aged, and old, fell
silent in order to better hear the words from General
Raines. "It was also a time of great greed. The
philosophy of many was: Give me more money for
less work. I want everything my neighbor has.
Many companies literally priced themselves out of existence
while the quality of their merchandise went to hell in a
bucket. Not all people felt that way, but enough
did to tip the balance.
"It was a time when the criminal had more rights than the
law-abiding citizen." Don't they ever get tired
of hearing this? Ben thought. How many times over the years
have I made this same speech? A hundred? More?
Probably.
"The United States was surrounded by nations who
called themselves our friends, but not so secretly hated
us. Britain, and in some respects, Canada,
stayed with us to the end. If the germ-carrying bombs had
not come, we would have probably had to fight a war with
Mexico. Communism had already crept up to that
nation's southern borders. Our United Nations was
nothing more than a cancerous wart sitting in New
York City. All anyone would have had to do was count
the votes against us every time a vote was taken, and they
could have seen what was happening. Many of the so-called
Third World nations wanted our money, our aid, and
then turned around and farted in our faces every chance they
got."
Ben took that time to roll one of the few
cigarettes he allowed himself daily. Piss-poor
cigarettes they were, too. Good tobacco, if there
ever was such a thing, was no more. Like coffee, a free
ride, welfare, Legal Aid, the
ACLU, unions, the stock market, General
Motors, apple pie, and the girl next
door-all gone. When the government crumbled, it was
the end.
"What would I have done?" Ben asked the question. "It
was so complex, and yet so simple. I -- his
"General?" an aide interrupted. "Sorry,
sir. But we've got company."
Ben ground out his hand-rolled smoke and stood up.