Ambush in the Ashes by William W. Johnstone

Ben motioned to a Rebel. “Get Mis. Preston and the rest of her group to a secure area, please. Corrie, inform Dr. Chase of their presence.”
    “You have women in combat roles, General,” Paula remarked, after looking for a moment at the Rebels.
    “Yes. The SUSA is virtually discrimination-free.”
    “You have African-Americans in positions of high authority?”
    “The President of the SUSA is a black man, Ms. Preston. Cecil Jefferys. The vote was overwhelmingly in his favor.”
    “I am very confused, General. I thought …”
    “I know what you thought, Ms. Preston. A lot of people jump to conclusions and make that mistake. Look, go with the sergeant here, and get cleaned up, some hot food in you, and then checked out by our doctors. We’ll talk more later, all right?”
    “Certainly, General. I look forward to news from home.”
    “Outside of the SUSA, Ms. Preston, I’m afraid it’s pretty grim.”
    “Why am I not surprised at that news, General?” For the first time since their introduction, the woman smiled … sort of. “We’ll talk at length later, sir.”
    “Certainly.”
    Ben watched Paula lead the small group of Americans away, following the Rebel.
     
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    “Boy, is she in for a shock,” Jersey said.
    “Yes,” Ben replied. “She sure is, Little Bit. A very drastic shock.”
    “She’d be very attractive if she was cleaned up and did something with that mop of hair,” Beth remarked.
    “I hadn’t noticed,” Ben replied, then looked at his team in mock surprise when they all burst out laughing at that statement.

55 Seven
    Beth had been correct: Paula was a very nice-looking woman. Ben guessed her to be in her late forties. She was dressed in clean army camo BDUs (which were too big for her), and she had cut her hair (or somebody had done it for her). She seemed somewhat subdued as she sat down in the chair Ben offered her in his hurriedly cleaned out and very temporary HQ.
    “You feel all right?” Ben asked.
    “What? Oh. Yes, thank you. It’s just that I’m not used to being clean and well-fed, that’s all. I have an appointment with the doctors in an hour. They’ve set up one MASH unit for the Americans alone.”
    “We’re Americans, Ms. Preston,” Ben reminded her gently. “And I am a firm believer in looking out for our own. Anyway, I am told that a great many more Americans than anticipated are coming out of the woodwork, so to speak.”
    “Yes. There are a great many among the newly arrived refugees. And some of them are mercenaries.”
    “Oh? That is interesting. American mercenaries?”
    “A few. I would say, from the reports I just got no more than an hour ago from locals, there are perhaps a dozen or so. The rest are Europeans.”
    “Armed?”
    “Well … yes.”
     
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    “Uh-huh,” Ben said with a smile. “All of them white?”
    “Why … yes, as a matter of fact, they are. Is that something of importance?”
    “Oh, it might be, Ms. Preston. It just might be.”
    “I’m ahead of you,” Jersey said, standing up. “I’ll alert Coop and the others.” She walked swiftly from the room.
    “That is a, well, very attractive young lady,” Paula remarked. “In a … savage sort of way. And I don’t mean anything derogatory by that, General.”
    “I’m sure Jersey wouldn’t have been offended. She’d probably think it was funny. She tends to scowl at times when she’s around people she doesn’t know. And for her size, she can be very intimidating. As for her complexion, she’s part Apache Indian.”
    “Ah … Native American.”
    “Anyone who was born in America is a native American, Ms. Preston.”
    Paula opened her mouth to come back at him for that politically incorrect remark. Cooper stepped into the room. “I think we’ve got trouble, boss.”
    “Yeah, so do I, Coop. Get set up.”
    “What do you mean, General Raines?” Paula asked.
    “Get under that old desk, Ms. Preston,” Ben told her bluntly. “And stay there.”
    “I beg