Nerves erupted in my stomach. Here goes.
This is already boring. Booker yawned.
I smiled. “It’s a pleasure to formally meet the council. I understand this team has worked together for a long time, and I look forward to becoming part of that. First and foremost, I’m interested in the prosperity of this valley. Having moved to these parts from the big wide, I feel with absolute certainty that the beauty and resources of this land must be cared for and that we must provide for this wonderful community to the best of our ability. Today, I bring a proposal to the council for an airport in Deception Valley.”
I handed a bound folder to each member.
“An airport.” Wilson shot a look at Terrie, who beamed back.
The room filled with the scent of their eagerness and approval. I could feel some slight determination.
“An airport,” I echoed. “Firstly, I’d like to thank the council members who helped me put this detailed proposal together on short notice. It was a great learning experience for me. Please turn to page one. I’d like to discuss the feasibility of this project.”
Tracking their scents, I laid out the benefits of the airport for the valley’s economy as I’d done for Chantel.
Don’t forget the part about small businesses, Booker leaped in despite her earlier yawn.
I added that in. Did I miss anything else?
I’d stayed up most of the night, trying my best to memorise the information.
Not that I recall.
Two minds were better than one—if that’s what we were.
Rose raised her hand. “What timeframe do you suggest, Andie?”
“Please turn to page six. A regional airport like ours needs surprisingly little to be operational.” I inhaled their uncertainty when I announced the two-month window. “This may seem fast, but with myriad advantages for the valley and funding from the Ni Tiaki and Deception Valley Exports, the value for money for our council and the community is huge for little risk. I believe the sooner this airport is up and running, the better.”
That helped Wilson warm to the speedy construction.
I moved through the communication, confidentiality, and probity rules—none of which I’d known anything about prior to three days ago.
Hell, I’d grown pretty good at swimming instead of sinking when thrown in the deep end.
I don’t like swimming!
We’re not going swimming, Booker.
That’s what you always say.
“If you could turn to the final page, please. Here are three lists covering the legal, financial, and technical teams we would hire to form a binding offer between the tribe and this council. Adrian Gert, the site manager we heavily consulted when putting this proposal together, would be our choice for overseeing the building process.” I rattled through some of the other names and took a deep breath. “Any questions?”
Rose raised her hand. “Who will fly the planes?”
“To begin, we may need to hire from the big wide. In the long term, the airport will provide a career opportunity for the young people in this valley. I’d love to hire locally as time goes on. Once a binding contract is established with the council, interested tribe members will be put through pilot training.”
Wilson and Margaret smiled.
Gabriel flicked to the start of the bound folder. “This is a great proposal. The clear conflict of interest is that Deception Valley Exports would have a monopoly on cargo space. How will access to the public be assured? The reaction of Valley Trade Services needs to be considered.”
Despite his congratulations, Gabriel was more on the fence than anyone. The timeframe really threw him. “Passenger access is absolutely guaranteed to everyone—local or not. The only restriction will be on seat numbers and flight frequency—like a normal airport. As you heard, during the next month, visitors to the valley and our local population will be polled to gauge demand so we’re able to provide an adequate service out the gate. As for Valley Trade Services, they’ll have the option to access air exports through our company. This deal will be exclusively negotiated and managed by Deception Valley Exports. However, I don’t agree with the term monopoly. There will always be a market for land transportation. I envision that both companies will thrive through occupying different niches.”
Gabriel considered that. “The land you propose for the airport will cost more to develop than the top site recommended by your experts. Is there a reason land from the timber mill can’t be diverted for the airport? It will save the valley millions.”
Yes, there was a huge reason.
One particular flat section in Timber ticked all the boxes but constructing the airport there would require the pack and tribe to renegotiate the parameters of the grid. Anything to do with the game businesses and battle grounds had to be negotiated with the pack. Sascha could simply say no.
Though it certainly wasn’t in his interest to put up road barriers in this case.
“We’d prefer not to disrupt the running of the mill.”
“I see. Whatever the agreed-upon site, will this land be granted by the tribe, or will there be a lease cost?”
I nodded. “The land can be placed in trust or leased depending on the council’s preference. If placed in trust, then invested parties will be responsible for maintenance costs. If leased, the tribe will cover these costs. As long as the airport site takes aeronautical and air-transport requirements into account—as well as the environmental impact to the valley—our experts have agreed any of the suggested site options will suffice.”
Dammit, the council seemed torn on that point.
“The timeframe,” he remarked next. “Is there any reason to hurry through this?”
I met his gaze. “Is there any reason not to? Road repairs have almost concluded for the summer. To my knowledge, there’s one other minor proposal on the agenda tonight. In all honesty, I wouldn’t push so hard if not for seeing how much the valley will benefit from this. I feel an airport is long overdue.”
I had to be prepared for every outcome, and I wanted to win Grids within two months. If the tribe couldn’t be convinced to let the pack stay on, the airport would be their escape. If the airport wasn’t finished in time, arranging safe passage through Bluff City with King Julius would hopefully provide another option. If the tribe agreed to let the pack stay, then the airport would allow Luthers to find their mates and act as a long-term route in and out of the valley.
And if none of that worked… I was fresh out of ideas.
Margaret Frey stood again. “Thank you, Andie. You’ve given us a lot to think about.”
“Thank you for your time.”
Phew. Now I just had to get through the public questioning.
Terrie worked through a sewage treatment proposal that appeared to be an update on a prior contract. No one seemed too shocked or interested.
Chantel leaned closer as Margaret wrapped up the second discussion. “We open to the public now.”
We rearranged our tables into a single row facing the empty chairs. There had to be at least two hundred seats. Thinking of the questions I just copped from the council, I braced myself, checking my hair and outfit in the reflection of the kitchen window.
Rose and Wilson opened the doors and four members of the public entered.
“That’s it?” I whispered to Terrie.
Her lips twitched. “Not many people turn out for sewage proposals.”
Fair enough. My proposal was submitted last minute and there wasn’t time to put it on the council’s website.
The four locals occupied one-fifth of the front row. I briefly outlined the airport proposal again and answered their questions within ten minutes. The locals seemed more shocked than anything. Poor things came here expecting good ol’ normal sewage.
Chantel had coached me in the next part.
I faced the nine people on the stage. “I move for the council to enter negotiations for a final binding contract to develop and build the first Deception
Valley Regional Airport.”
Terrie leaped in. “I second the motion.”
To my surprise, we entered into a second round of debate for the public’s benefit.
This time, the council members only talked through Margaret in the middle of our row, and I mimicked their behaviour when I spoke.
A buzzer went off after thirty minutes, and I peered around until Margaret announced the conclusion of the debate.
What’s going on? Booker asked.
No fucking idea.
There was no hint of frailness in Margaret’s voice as she said, “The Deception Valley Council will now vote on the motion.”
I balled my hands under the table. The timeline would probably put people off. We just needed the majority.
Margaret stated, “Raise your hand if you support the opening of negotiations between the council, Ni Tiaki, and Deception Valley Exports toward a final, binding contract to develop and build the first Deception Valley Regional Airport.”
Heart thumping, I raised my clammy-ass hand in the air.
Gabriel and Rose kept their hands down.
We had the majority.
I nearly sagged into a heap on the floor.
Yes!
You did it, Booker said, a smile in her voice.
We did it.
The meeting concluded.
“No hard feelings.” Rose shook my hand. “I just prefer more information.”
“Of course. We won’t start anything without ticking the boxes we need to. I assure you of that.”
Margaret winked at me. “Well done.”
I took her hand. “Thank you for helping me.”
“You gave my family a truth that has healed our aching hearts. There’s very little this old woman wouldn’t do for you. I did want to say that it’s very unlikely the council can spend more money on your airport than is necessary. If you want my advice, you and the head team should pursue negotiations with the tribe for the site in Timber without delay. If the pack is adverse, then we’ll need to come up with a more solid reason for choosing another site. But it will be a hard sell.”
Right. “That’s good to know,” I said grimly.
“Miss Thana?” one of the locals asked when I left the stage.
“How can I help you?”
The younger man flushed and shook my extended hand. “I work with The Valley Vine. I’d love to run an article on your airport if that’s okay with you?”
We had a paper? “Sure.”
Chantel rested a hand on my shoulder. “The Ni Tiaki and council will need to approve the article prior to printing, Otto.”
He bobbed his head several times. “Of course. If I take a picture then, Miss Thana, and perhaps get a statement after?”
17
“Trixie.” I placed my study notes and antique laptop into my bag. Half of my last assignment was completed to mediocre standard. “You wanted to see me.”
The petite woman had endless energy that always inspired me to keep going. People like Nathan and Stanley were necessary to challenge my choices. Trixie did, too, but she and Roderick offered a positivity that balanced the other members. Valerie aside, Herc formed one solid head team.
She sat opposite me. “We’ve never lost possession of Sandstone. With Timber in pack control, too, I’m concerned that the numbers of unemployed Ni Tiaki relying on tribe funds will drain our reserves.”
Crap. “What do the current numbers look like?”
She opened her folder and passed over a paper. “The figure at the top is the current fund balance. Currently, we’re paying out $355,000 each week to match 100 percent of the stewards’ previous earnings.”
The tribe was rich, but that was a huge ongoing cost. “How long can we keep that up?”
“I spoke with Stanley. He expects that after three months, the depletion of our reserves will affect the strength of our position in Grids.”
Management of finances was a big part of my ability to approve new strategies each week and also how much equipment we could replace.
I studied the second graph on the paper. “This is what happens if we win Timber tomorrow night?”
“Yes.” She passed over a second paper. “Timber will help, but it doesn’t bring in as much income as either Sandstone or Iron. Even if we win tomorrow, Stanley believes we should cut the wages of unemployed Sandstone stewards to 80 percent to give us the ability to continue as is in the game for a year.”
Yikes. “If we don’t win?”
“He recommends a 60 percent reduction in wages for workers in Timber and Sandstone.”
Our community was more about contributing to the whole, so the tribe worked for low hourly rates as it was. Labourers earned around five hundred dollars a week. 60 percent took that figure down to three hundred. “Would their rent rate be reduced too?”
Each cabin came with a fifty dollar a week maintenance cost. That would take some stewards down to two hundred and fifty a week. Fine for a household with multiple workers and no children. Not so fine for everyone else.
“We could figure something out, I’m sure.”
I nodded. “How soon after Timber will we need to move on this?”
“Sooner the better.”
“Let’s meet on Thursday morning at 11:00 a.m. to discuss our options. Ask Stanley to attend, too, please.”
Trixie nodded and left.
I rubbed my temples
We could not afford to gamble with tribe money. With my childhood experiences alone, that path was a resounding no, but losing financial security would affect my plans for Clay and Water big time. I wanted to win quickly, but there was no guarantee of that.
My phone rang.
“Hey. Andie here.”
“Mate.”
His smooth voice trickled over me like heated water, and a shiver worked up my spine. “Sorry. Who’s this?”
He growled.
My mouth spread in a grin. “Just a joke. Don’t get your fur in a tangle. I meant to call you last night, but my brain was fried. There’s something in the works—”
“Would that have anything to do with the picture of you in the paper with a proposal for a Deception Valley Airport?”
The Valley Vine didn’t fuck around. “I wanted to talk to you before that released.”
The silence mounted.
“Sascha?”
He took a breath. “Why did you do this?”
Really? The airport had clear benefits. “You know why I did this. The pack is trapped. With an airport, they can find their mates.”
“So that’s the only reason?” he asked carefully.
“What do you mean?”
“My pack are desperate for their mates, Andie. What do you think happens when the airport opens?”
My cheeks flushed. “I didn’t do this to deplete the pack’s numbers if that’s what you’re insinuating. I did it for the opposite reason.”
Sascha sighed. “I needed to check.”
“Did you now?”
“For myself, no.”
“Are there others listening to this conversation?”
“Correct.”
Closing my eyes, I mentally smashed the desk and furniture before answering, “Then you can tell them that I did it to save our wolves.”
I straightened.
Booker sniffed in disdain. Your wolves. Not mine.
I just straight-up claimed the pack.
Squeaking, I hung up.
Sascha called a second time, but I screened him.
I’ve never said that before. I’d felt protective about the Luther women and children and wanted the tribe to be happy as a whole, but what I’d just said felt really, really significant.
I shook away the thought.
The more pertinent issue was how to not bankrupt the tribe.
You only have one grid and too many unemployed workers, Booker said.
Clever cookie.
Cookies can’t be clever.
Wolves apparently don’t speak En
glish either, I countered.
She ignored me. The pack have four grids though.
Are you going somewhere with this…?
My wolf growled. They usually only have three. More often, they only manage Clay and Water. A human that was less stupid than the others once told you the pack don’t hire outsiders. So how are they coping with so much extra work?
My mouth dried.
Using our mouth, she smirked. Have a rare steak later, would you?
Six hundred and fifty stewards were twiddling their thumbs, but the pack had to be working around the clock to ensure the smooth operation of four grids using the same number of staff they’d used in two.
They could probably use six hundred and fifty workers who knew werewolves existed and wouldn’t cramp their Luther style.
I scrambled to grab my phone, then stopped.
Mothershitter. Stewards would take this idea about as well as discovering I had fangs.
But it was the perfect solution.
I groaned and pulled at my hair. “People shit me.”
I hear you, sister.
Another Wade-ism? Lifting the handset, I dialled seven.
“Head Steward,” Pascal answered.
“I’m calling an urgent head team meeting. There are a few things we need to discuss.”
We hadn’t held a video conference with the pack for a while, but Tuesday afternoons weren’t the best time to meet face to face when strategies were being finalised, manoeuvres practiced, and equipment checked.
“Thank you for meeting at short notice,” I said to the wolves on the screen.
Sascha stood in the middle of his lead wolves. Why did they always stand? On a side note, if Sascha ever decided to strip on camera for a day job, I’d subscribe.
He consulted the document before him. “We were very interested to receive your requests.”
“That’s an interesting way to paraphrase a contractual obligation to hear the other team if they wish to open negotiations.”
Sascha lips curved. “We’ll start with point one.”
I gestured for him to proceed.
Total pissing contest.
This is like foreplay, I thought at him.
He didn’t show any reaction on the screen.
Wolf Roulette: Supernatural Battle Page 16