Ambush in the Ashes Read Online Free PDF Page A

reason, untouched by the hordes of gangs.”
    “Still operational?”
    “As far as I know. It is not safe to venture outside the city, General. Those who do, never return.”
    Ben talked with the man a few more minutes then told him to go get something to eat and then get in line for a check-up and some shots.
     
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    “I have not seen a doctor in years. Merci, General, for everything.”
    Chase had been listening to the last part of the exchange and as soon as the citizen had left, he stepped up and sat down.
    “Lamar. I thought you’d be happily sticking needles in people.”
    “No joking, Ben. This is serious.”
    “What’s the matter?”
    “What isn’t? This place has more diseases than a research lab. I’ve sent out a memo to all company commanders to warn their people to avoid intercourse with the natives at all costs. I have never seen so damn many venereal diseases in all my years as a physician.”
    “AIDS?”
    “Rampant. There are bugs out there I didn’t even know existed. I’m having a fully stocked mobile research lab flown in as we speak.”
    “Whatever you want, Lamar. You’re the boss when it comes to medicine. You know I’ll back you up a hundred and ten percent.”
    “I want a directive from you warning the troops about the venereal threat on this continent.”
    “You’ve got it. I’ll draft it immediately.”
    “There is no cure for many of these strains, Ben. If they contract one of the bad ones, they’re dead, and toward the end, it’s horrible. There is no hope for them.”
    “I understand.”
    “Ben, I don’t think you do. I want you to come with me and look at something. There are a few doctors left in the city, but they’ve had no medicines for years. But they have isolated the bad cases. Come on.”
    “So you haven’t stayed inside the safe zone?”
    “Of course not. Come on.”
    Ben kept his expression bland during the short tour
     
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    of the clinic, but inwardly he was badly shaken. Standing outside in the warm sunlight, he removed his surgical mask and said, “It would be far better if those people in there could be gently assisted into death.”
    “That’s being arranged as we speak, Ben,” Lamar said.
    “Good. You’re sure this virus is not airborne?”
    “Yes. My people are sure of that.” Lamar sighed. “Ben, we can help these people in the short run, but when we pull out? …” He shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of helplessness.
    “I’m certainly open to suggestions, Lamar.”
    “Ben … I don’t know the answer. Hell, we can’t even adequately feed and take care of the medical needs of the people in America.”
    “And here?”
    “Put a Band-Aid on it and hope for the best, I suppose. There really isn’t much more we can do.”
    Ben nodded his head. “I’ll get the warning out to the troops about sexual encounters with the locals.”
    “Do that, Ben. I can’t stress how important it is.”
    Back inside what was being called the safe zone, Ben was pleased to see how well-behaved the locals were, patiently standing in line to receive food, then medical attention.
    He had Beth take down the warning Chase had asked for. She would radio the ship and they would type it up and make copies for distribution among the troops.
    When that was done, Ben wandered down to the docks, his team with him. Therm and his 19 Batt were ashore, and Rebet and his 6 Batt were about to come in. Equipment was being offloaded: HumVees first, then APC’s and tanks, followed by huge tanker trucks. Several miles from the shoreline, out of sight of land, and perhaps unfriendly eyes, huge tanker ships waited. Several others had left the SUSA days before the main
     
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    convoy. They would travel around the Horn and come up on the other side of the continent and then track south, supplying those Rebels on the east side of Africa with fuel.
    Thousands of Rebels were now ashore. Ike was already swinging his 2 Batt around and getting ready to move