Dux Bellorum (Future History of America Book 3) Read Free Page B

him from smiling faces as they continued to stream past. He knew it was a morale booster for the troops to see him standing by the road watching over them as they marched south, but it felt ridiculous.  
    He felt exposed. Any second now one of Stapleton's helicopters could pop up over the horizon and send a missile right down his throat ending everything.
    He raised the binoculars and looked at the leading half of his army as they marched toward Trenton, still some 23 long miles away.
    Malcolm glanced at his watch. By now Samir and Yossef should be setting up the first outpost on the outskirts of Philadelphia. The local chapter had assured him they'd set up plenty of roadblocks and booby traps along the major arteries.   Stapleton and his army would have to slow down when they approached the City of Brotherly Love.  
    Malcolm frowned. He will pursue me to the ends of the earth—the man will never give up.  
    Watching all the smiling faces and waving arms as his people filed past, Malcolm had a sudden unnerving thought. He'd heard the rumors Stapleton had placed a bounty on his head—$17 million for information leading to his capture or arrest. Another $30 million for bringing him in alive.  
    How many of those in front of me would jump at $30 million and end the suffering, end the fighting by handing me over?
    Malcolm turned and looked at the sea of faces. Suddenly he felt very exposed.
    Climbing back inside the car he shut the door on the outside world and tried to slip down behind the front seat.   He very much wished Yossef, his massive bodyguard—loyal to the core—was with him.
    Why did I send him with Samir?
    It was a silly question of course. Samir was loyal, to a point. Samir was a man possessed by fear. If that fear overcame his courage, Malcolm had no doubt Samir would flee to the army and beg for mercy.  
    Yossef, his mountain, was the exact opposite. The man did not and likely had never known fear. He was loyal to Malcolm and no other save Allah—he would die loyal to Malcolm. He was Malcolm's chief enforcer. If anyone could keep Samir on the path of righteousness through this trying time, it was Yossef.  
    Yossef had the strength of a rock and the intelligence of one as well. Samir had to be the brains in Philadelphia while Yossef provided the muscle. There was no other way to do it. Malcolm could not oversee the successful withdraw his troops and the preparations in Philadelphia at the same time.
    So much to do, so little time. A saying of the Man that could not be more apt in his present situation.
    "Where you want me to go?" asked the driver.
    Malcolm opened his mouth to speak when his radio chirped.
    "Malcolm."
    Finally.   He keyed the transmit button on his radio.   "Yes?"
    "The prisoner has arrived."
    Malcolm closed his eyes. At least something was going right. The female pilot captured by the Russians in New York City was now in his possession. The foolish invaders had left her behind, but she was far too valuable a prize for Malcolm to do the same.  
    As long as the Americans knew he held her captive, no harm would come to him. At least, that was his initial plan. As the day wore on and his people grew more and more exhausted and strung out along I-95 as Stapleton gained on him—Malcolm questioned the value of using her as his own personal shield. Why waste her on one man when she could protect an entire army?
    That was why he'd sent her south to Samir and Yossef. He held her out as a tantalizing fruit for President Jones. If he could rally some home guard troops around Washington and give Malcolm's people time to catch their breath on their long trip to Florida, he would receive the colonel as a reward.   What Jones did with her was not Malcolm's problem.
    He looked at the flow of humanity around his vehicle. It was like a river, unending, unstoppable. Like Stapleton.  
    Who knows what that madman might do if he catches e on the march?
    Malcolm did not intend to find out. He wanted to