"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 13 - Fury In The Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

there." It was not put as a question.
"And maybe they do. We won't know until we
get there, will we? Here we are. Louise?" She
grinned at the woman behind a long table filled with
clothing. "This is Linda. Load her up with gear.
She's been assigned to the general's team."
Linda looked at her. "Does that make me
somebody special?"
"Some might say so. It's good duty. You'll get
to see lots of action up close."
"Yeah," Louise said, smiling. "And you get the
absolutely mind-boggling conversation of Cooper
thrown in for free."
"And all about what happened in the olden days from the
general," Beth added.
Linda laughed. "Careful now. I'm
closer to the general's age than to yours."
"That's right," Beth said, a twinkle in her eyes.
"And don't think the general hasn't noticed
too."
Linda noticed that Ben Raines seemed to be
constantly on the prowl, popping up at the most
unexpected times and places. And always with Jersey
and her M-16 right beside or behind him. Usually, the
entire team was with him. And he seemed to know
everybody. There was a free-spirited stream of
chatter-often laced with vulgar jokes and profanity
-- going on between the general and the Rebels.
General Ike McGowan had pulled out the
previous
afternoon, heading for the west side of the state to link up with the
black general, Cecil Jefferys. The entire
Rebel force was to begin their jump-off at dawn the
next day.
"Nervous?" The voice came from her right.
Linda looked up into the face of Ben Raines.
She had not heard him approach her. And how did
he know what she had been thinking? Maybe the
rumors about him were true. A lot of people believed that
Ben Raines was some sort of god; or if not that,
at least possessed with some sort of
supernatural ability. Linda didn't believe
in ghosts and hobgoblins and psychic powers and all
that. But she didn't know how she felt about Ben
Raines. Except that he was very impressive.
Tall, with brown hair peppered with gray. A
rangy sort of man, but possessed of some strength,
she felt. Unreadable eyes.
"A little, I'll admit it," she answered.
He sat down beside her on the ground. "I read your