Holding Their Own XI: Hearts and Minds by Joe Nobody Read Free Book Online Page A

trust shared between them. She would never forget his support during the last few weeks.
    Glancing over at her driver, Diana wondered why she was so amazed by such a simple thing as his friendship. Hadn’t Bishop always delivered? How many times had he saved the upstart movement? She’d lost count.
    It finally dawned on her. Bishop had always used his rifle, or combat skills, or bravery to save the day. She wondered if he knew how important this latest bout of heroism had been.
    Probably not , she decided. No one was shooting at him. It must have seemed like a vacation.   

    Cameron James Lewis pushed away from his desk and turned to the window.
    As usual, the unremarkable Oklahoma countryside served as a reminder, the image having fueled his efforts and focused his energies on what had become life’s only meaningful objective – returning to Texas.
    They called themselves the Alliance now. He called them murdering, thieving bandits. Barbarians from the West.
    Months had passed since that fateful day when his security forces had been attacked. He’d watched as his men fell by the dozens, hundreds of Philistines storming the gates and destroying everything he’d done to help the people of Midland Station survive the downfall. The jealous traitors of his hometown had turned on him… every man, woman, and child. Revenge is sweet, my friends, Lewis mused. When I return triumphant, I will line the streets with your lifeless, disloyal bodies hanging by the noose.
    A homegrown army of irregulars had encircled his corporate headquarters, and only a mad, scrambling evacuation via rooftop helicopter had saved his life. It was all as fresh in his mind as if it had occurred just a few hours ago.
    As the emergency flight had lifted off, Cameron could still see the hundreds of dead and dying employees lying in a street that was named in honor of his father. Horror filled his soul as the hordes from the west poured into the office building that bore his family’s crest.
    The copter pilot had deposited him here, a remote exploration facility deep in the middle of nowhere. And here he’d stayed, revenge simmering in his core as he began working to rebuild the empire of his father’s dreams.
    It had been difficult, the vast majority of the corporation’s assets falling into the Alliance’s hands. He’d been forced to do little more than watch and stew as the only working refinery in Texas had enabled the thieves’ expansion all across the Lone Star State. His refinery. His engineers. His town. His family’s oil fueling the recovery.
    At first, Cameron had considered a counter-attack using force. He still had dozens of steadfast, armed men at his disposal. That option, however, was quickly ruled out. There were too many of the thugs, and their dominance was spreading like wildfire all across Texas.
    He’d ventured to Oklahoma City, hoping to solicit help from the federal authorities. He’d found the state capital in absolute anarchy. There was no government there, state or national. Only roving gangs fighting each other for territory and what few assets they could scavenge.
    So he, along with the staff at the facility, had waited, plotted, and improved their situation as circumstances allowed.
    Their big opportunity had arrived via Washington. The U.S. desperately needed petroleum, or more specifically gasoline, diesel, and natural gas. An emissary from the president’s office had driven up one day, sent on a fact-finding mission from the nation’s struggling capital. The federal representative had spent the entire morning talking with the former executive. Cameron knew the petrol business, was well aware of certain regional facilities and capabilities, and seemed eager to help kickstart the nation’s recovery.
    Natural gas had been the first priority. With Cameron’s skills and confidence, the Department of Energy had given him more and more authority and responsibility as the months passed. Progress was slow, but over