"Every thug and creepie that we've shoved off their turf have gathered here for a last-ditch stand."

"I can believe it" Ben said, after ducking a long burst of automatic weapons' fire from a house across the street. He leveled his Thunder Lizard and made life miserable for those behind the guns in the house. Popping out the empty clip and fitting a full one in place, he turned to Corrie.

"Tell our tank to put a round into that house."

The main battle tank swiveled and lowered its 105. The house went up in a roar as a round of HEP (high explosive plastic) exploded.

Ben led the charge across the street and the taking of another block began as Rebels on all sides of the town started working toward the center of town, block by block, house to house. Ben stepped over the body of an outlaw, sprawled in death on the sidewalk and ran around the corner of a brick home. He came face to face with a trio of creepies; the Rebels could distinguish creepies from others because of their pale faces and horrible body odor.

Ben reacted first and pulled the trigger of his M-14, holding it back. The weapon yammered and bucked in his hands and the lead sent creepies screaming and jerking and hunching obscenely backward as the slugs tore into flesh and shattered bone.

Ben stepped over their bodies and ran for the back yard, his team keeping pace with him. "There!" Ben yelled, pointing toward a well-kept home constructed out of some type of native stone.

Two of Dan's Scouts joined them and took the point, checking out the house and waving Ben forward.

"We're just a few blocks from the downtown area, General," a Scout informed him. "This would make a great CP for you. Tanks have busted through to the survivors and have set up a wall around them. All Rebel teams have worked their way in and are steadily advancing."

Ben smiled. The Senior Scout had told him, very politely, that the battle was going well and would the general please keep his a.s.s out of the fray and let someone else do it?

Ben turned to Corrie. "We'll set up shop here, Corrie. Inform the other units where we are comz soon as I figure out where we are." The Scout told him the street name. "Thank you. You may return to your unit." "Colonel Gray ordered us here, sir. With you." "Very well. See if you can find the coffeepot. I seem to be momentarily out of a job."

Ben met with Tom Martin and the others as the Rebels were disposing of those thugs and creeps who were not killed during the battle for the town. Ben was watching the people for signs of displeasure over the disposition of the captured. He could see none. The townspeople apparently had had a gutful of criminals and creepies and anyway the general wanted to get rid of them was just fine.

Beth was holding Smoot to keep the puppy out of mischief. The way she was growing, now that she was getting a proper diet, the Husky pup would soon be big enough to leash.

"You understand the way we operate, Tom?" Ben asked. "And you and your people are willing to abide by those rules?" "One hundred percent, General," came the very quick response.

"We have us another secure zone," Ben said, smiling as he shook hands with Tom Martin.

The thugs and creeps were buried in a ma.s.s grave outside of town, in a huge hole sc.r.a.ped out by a bulldozer. The citizens of the town were fingerprinted, photographed, numbered, and put on record.

The securing and stabilizing of America was under way.

Ben waited in Roseburg until he received word that Eugene had been neutralized by the forces of Ike and Cecil. Georgi and the mercenary, West, had set up another secure zone in the town of Burns and were now paralleling Five and Six Battalions on the way south to the California line, following Highway 395. Five and Six would enter Nevada and work their way over to the rendezvous point on Interstate 5 at Youreka, a town reportedly held by outlaws.

On a rainy and cool morning, after much deliberating by radio with all his commanders, Ben made his decision on the next campaign.

"Alaska can wait," he said. "Let's secure the lower forty-eight and then move toward Northstar when that's done. Saddle up, people. We're pulling out." From the coast to the border of Idaho, Rebels cranked up and began the pullout toward the rendezvous point in California.

Buddy and his Rat Team was spearheading the drive. Ben knew he would have to secure Medford and Klamath Falls, the last two remaining strongholds for creeps and thugs in the state. The Rebels had worked this out to a fine art, and scouting reports showed no innocents being held in either town.

The two cities would go down in flames.

That morning, as his people began gearing up for the pullout, Ben took a Jeep and drove north out of the town, alone, except for a patrol of Dan's Scouts that stayed well back but always keeping the general in sight.

Ben drove up high ground and parked, getting up and squatting down on the shoulder of the road. He looked to the north. Hundreds of miles away, Jerre rested on a lonely, lovely, windswept hill.

Memories came rushing to him, enveloping him in a mist of emotions. He recalled the first time he'd seen her, and the last time. He recalled the laughter, the quarrels, and the tears. There had been many women in his life, and would be many more, but none would touch the part of him that Jerre had sought and found. None would know the man as she had known him.

The mist turned into a rain, but Ben didn't notice it. The Scouts had fanned out, covering both sides of the road, staying in the timber around Ben, securing him.

Ben knew it was time to let go. To put the memories of Jerre away. To get on with life. To find a woman to share the years with.

He didn't know if he could. He didn't know if he wanted to do that.

But he knew he had to. Too many people depended on him. He could not allow himself to wallow in self-pity, to remain shrouded in memories, to only love a person who was now with the angels.

Ben sighed and stood up. He remembered the note she'd left for him back in Virginia, so many years ago. He had committed it to memory.

still don't know what my feelings are toward you, Ben.

I like you a whole lot and I think I probably love you a little bit. That's a joke-I think I probably love you a whole lot. That's one of the reasons I've got to split. There are other reasons, of course, but my feelings toward you are right up there at the top.

You've got places to go and things to do before you find yourself-your goal, preset, I believe comand start to do great things. And you will, Ben. You will.

I hope I see you again, General.

Ben still had the note, carefully tucked away with other precious memories.

He looked toward the north one more time. One more time before he finally accepted her dying and went on with his living.

"I loved you, Jerre. More than I ever loved anything in my life. Good-bye."

Ben Raines walked back to his Jeep and headed south. He had a war to fight; a country to put- back together. A world to explore.

Smoot jumped into his lap and licked his face.

"OK, Smoot," Ben said. "Let's go see what's left of Los Angeles."