by G. R. Cody
Eve felt uncomfortable in her new clothes. It had been two weeks since she had worn a suit and she had become accustomed to her running outfit by now. Billy climbed into the truck and began to drive.
“Thank you for coming,” Billy said, smiling. “John has been a friend for a long time.”
“No problem,” Eve said. “Tell me, have there been any more water trucks?”
“Yes,” Billy answered, “there was a convoy just yesterday. It must have been twenty trucks, maybe more. Goose Lake has been closed to our people by Marines for about a year now. It’s a small lake just North of Duck Lake, which is much bigger. On Duck Lake, we have some tribespeople who run rental properties on the lake, me being one. The rentals are the most lucrative source of income for our tribe. The Marines have blocked off all routes north from Duck Lake to Goose Lake. Goose Lake was never developed, and has been a source of fish for our people for centuries.”
“Any idea what is going on?” Eve asked.
“A few folks snuck up there in the beginning,” Billy answered. “They say the lake water looked as if it was turning red. After the first couple of months, the Marines found out where they were sneaking in, and no one from the reservation has tried to get back in with the exception of some teenagers. So, I decided to have a friend of mine who has a plane fly us over Goose Lake about a month ago. And they weren’t lying; the water in the lake is red. And they have several trailers set up on a plot on the lake too.”
“Do you have any idea why?” Eve said.
“No,” Billy said. “but we are concerned about the lake and the land around it. All reservation land is owned by the Department of the Interior, but the government is trustee on behalf of the Blackfeet people. Any income that is derived from the land is supposed to be paid to us. Plus the rumors about the red color of the water has our people concerned about ground water contamination.”
They had driven out of the city within about five minutes, and they were headed up US15 north. The morning sun was low on the horizon, and there was nothing but dirt and scraggly weeds on either side. To their left, a large snowcapped mountain towered above the plains.
“We have had decades of fraud perpetrated on us by the DOI,” Billy continued. “Our people are very distrustful of the U.S. government, especially since the case settlement.”
Eve evidently was supposed to know what case he was talking about, so she stayed silent, figuring he would continue, which he did.
“My mother fought for the rights of our Nation for as long as I can remember,” Billy said soberly. “She filed suits against the Department of the Interior and the Secretary of the Treasury in 1996, but it took thirteen years to be settled. For decades, the DOI was supposed to be keeping account of all income generated and paid to each Native American. But the accounts were neglected. Everyone knew, but our people felt powerless to fight them. And we were powerless, until my mother fought back. She was a very smart woman. She went to business college at Montana State back in the late ‘60s, but dropped out to help my grandparents with their farm. When they died shortly after she returned, she became treasurer for the Blackfeet Nation, and ended up founding the first Native American owned bank. Twenty tribes have joined the Blackfeet in the bank since then. My brother took over as President of the bank after she died almost two years ago.
“That’s where she discovered the atrocious accounting by the DOI, and convinced a couple of her lawyer friends she worked with through the bank to take on the case. Ended up that the DOI has known all along that they were being negligent, but were never fearful of reprisal because they never thought we were smart enough to figure out how to fight them. My mother was smart enough though. After the case was finally settled, each qualifying Native American is due about $1,800.”
“That sounds like a pittance,” Eve said.
“It is, and it’s nowhere near what we are owed, not to mention interest,” Billy answered, “but after thirteen years of the U.S. government stalling, appealing, and the like, and given she was in ill health and most of the qualifying plaintiffs were dying off, the Tribes decided to finally settle for something rather than nothing. And even though the amount is small per person, it still amounts to a total of $3.4 billion.”
Eve’s heart seemed to skip a beat at the amount, and couldn’t help herself repeat, “Billion?”
“Yeah,” Billy said, unfazed. “But it’s only about ten percent of what we figure they actually never paid us. But after thirteen years, we needed to cut our losses.”
At that moment, Eve felt ashamed of her badge, her job and her country and felt an overwhelming need to apologize, but simply stared ahead. And she also wondered how the federal government would have come up with $34 billion in the budget for one class action claim.
“So, ever been to Montana?” Billy asked, evidently trying to lighten the mood.
“No, I haven’t,” Eve said. “But it’s beautiful country.”
“Well, it’s one of those places that is nice to visit…” Billy said, leaving the rest of the sentence to Eve’s imagination. “My mother always trusted John, so I knew he was the one to call. Too bad he is in London now. So, what would you like to do first?”
Eve pulled out the brief that the Tampa section chief had delivered to her hotel to refer to.
“Well, John wants me to see if you know of any way to get to the lake itself to get a water sample,” Eve said. “Seems like the whole mystery revolves around what’s in the water.”
“Well, if that’s what you’re after, I’m sure I can find someone who can sneak you up there,” Billy said. “The Marines don’t let anyone in other than those trucks. We’ll need to do it at night, and I know a few people who can get there without lights.”
“Thanks,” Eve said. “Also, John said you already said there isn’t, but is there anything special about that lake?”
“No,” Billy answered, “Just been a fishing lake for centuries. Got a few black bear families that show up in the winter. Nothing special about it.”
“And the water trucks,” Eve inquired further, “how many times have you seen them come and go from the lake?”
“At least half a dozen times,” Billy answered. “Maybe as many as ten or twelve times over the past few months.”
They had been driving for about thirty minutes or more, passing nothing but the occasional house or trailer. There didn’t seem to be any wind, but as they crested a hill, Eve saw ahead of them on the left what looked to be a large dust storm in a valley, and to the right a large, post-modern home with an angled roof. There was a barbed wire fence running up the road on their left, and on the horizon to the right Eve could faintly make out dozens of towering, white wind turbines and about half a dozen large barn type structures. As they grew closer, Eve thought she saw the ground becoming a darker brown than the dirt that was clouding above.
“Eh, they’re gonna be close,” Billy muttered. “I better pull over til they clear us.”
As Billy slowed and stopped on the right shoulder of US15, Eve continued to watch the dirt cloud motor ahead toward them, and she began to feel the ground under the truck begin to shudder. Eve’s heart jumped a bit, not knowing what was headed their way, but Billy simply watched calmly, as if he were waiting for a train to pass at a railroad crossing. Then, when it reached about a hundred yards away, Eve began to make out dark brown, furred hooves trampling under the cloud, then she could see horns and the rippling muscles of massive hind quarters.
Eve instantly now realized what this was, and her artistic instincts kicked in. She quickly dug through her camera bag and grasped her camera. She set it for the sports aperture and motion stabilization, and she began clicking out the windshield.
Everything in the truck that wasn’t screwed down was now shaking violently, and adrenalin was rushing through her body. They passed just on the opposite side of the fence; hundreds of bison were now clearly visible in the stampede, hurtling at what had to be at least forty miles an hour, their brown fur
whipping in the wind they were creating. Eve must have clicked a hundred images in the twenty seconds or so it took them to pass.
“Pretty amazing, huh?” Billy said, smiling at her. “To think, they almost were gone. They were down to about 250 in the ‘70s.”
“And powerful,” Eve said, catching her breath from the experience. “I’d hate to be in the way of that coming toward me.”
“Yeah, and my ancestors used to ride on horses in the midst of all that hunting them,” Billy chuckled. “That’s what you call thrill seeking.”
Billy waited about another minute to let the dirt cloud clear a bit, turned on his headlights and pulled back onto US15.
“This is the largest Bison breeding farm in the country,” Billy said, pointing to the right. “They raise the bulls for their meat, and the sows for their milk now. Buffalo milk cheese is all the rage, I hear. But I think it’s too tough. Give me a good cow milk cheddar any day.”
“Looks like the place is green powered,” Eve commented as they passed the house on the right, and she could see that the angles on the roof were solar panels.
“Yeah,” Billy said, pointing to the right. “From what I hear, the house is part solar powered and grid powered, and the barns over there are almost fully powered by those wind turbines. That Shurner really has turned conservation into a viable business model. And he’s created a lot of jobs around here. Does a lot of business with the bank. My brother’s met him a few times.”
Eve knew that Fred Shurner had a ranch in Montana, but she never imagined that it was such an enterprise.
About ten minutes later, Billy turned off US15 onto a dirt road that led to a small motel. It was now about six o’clock, and the sun was lowering behind Glacier Mountain to the West. Billy pulled up to the office and returned a minute later with a key.
“Figured you would like to get a little rest and maybe wash up,” he said, handing over the key, and then driving a short distance to one of the three rows of rooms. “I’ll head back to town and see if I can’t find someone who is up to getting your water sample. Should take a couple of hours, but I can come back and take you for some dinner around eight.”
“That would be great,” Eve said, and they both exited the pickup. Billy grabbed Eve’s suitcase from the back of the truck and carried it into the room.
“John said you were keeping a low profile,” Billy said before leaving, “so I’ll just give you a ring on your land line when I’m about 30 minutes away. And then tomorrow, I thought I could take you to meet my brother. He has been beside himself lately with the troops around the lake, but I’m surprised he didn’t make a stink to Washington about it. But I think he’s close. He may know more than me.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Eve said, shaking Billy’s hand. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
Billy left, and Eve closed the door. She immediately plugged in her cheap cell phone, and lay on the bed. She absentmindedly flipped through the contacts, and came across Robert’s name and number. She had a desire to call him, or text him. But she knew she couldn’t. Robert had been occupying the corners of her mind for two days now, and in moments of respite he inevitably crawled to the fore. It was concerning her a bit that thoughts of Robert were occupying that space that just days ago Arthur had lived in.
Eve felt sleep coming on her, and she decided to take a brief nap before showering and getting ready for dinner. She set the alarm on her phone for seven, set it on the bedside table, and dozed off within seconds.
But her cell phone was not what woke her. After what seemed like only minutes, Eve bolted up in the bed to the sound of a muffled explosion. Her eyes shot to the door. The lock had been blown off, and two men burst in pointing guns at her, demanding her to put her hands behind her head. Eve did as she was told, and from behind the two men, Arthur strolled into the room. He cut between the men with a wry smile on his face, and held an iPhone, Eve’s iPhone, up in front of him in his fingers and shook it at her.
Within seconds, Eve was handcuffed and a bag was put over her head, and she was being carried into the cold night and thrown into the back of a waiting van.
CHAPTER 18
Eve’s wrists were pinned beneath her, and they stung each time the van hit a bump, which was often. They were obviously off the main road. Eve cursed Arthur in her mind as she gritted her teeth against the pain and cold. She couldn’t tell if there was anyone with her in the back of the van, but she didn’t dare move or try to shake the bag off of her head.
At this moment, at the fore of her mind was how Arthur had come by her iPhone, and more importantly, how it had led him to her. She retraced her steps, and quickly remembered that she had decided to discard her iPhone before leaving Puerto Rico. But it took a bit longer for her to remember exactly when she had parted with it. And to whom she had unfortunately bequeathed it. In all their rush to get out of Puerto Rico, she had failed to properly dispose of the very thing that she knew could be traced. And she had unwittingly left it with the person whom she least wished to be in harm’s way.
“Robert!” Eve whispered unintentionally under her breath.
“Yes! Robert, indeed!” The menacing and measured tones of Arthur’s thick Scottish accent filled her ears. “We traced your iPhone to Robert and picked him up in Atlanta when he landed. And, lo and behold, you called him from your new phone, and we traced you here.
“Oh, Eve,” Arthur continued. “Such treachery! Not only have I recently learned that you work for the FBI, but to also learn that you have been seeing another man behind my back!”
Eve held back what otherwise would have been a torrential tirade back at him. But she had to keep her emotions in check; she was in no position to counter him.
“Well,” Arthur continued derisively, “I suppose our relationship was built on lies on both sides. Did you really think that all those trips to the U.S. Embassy would go unnoticed? We suspected you were working for someone in the embassy about a year ago. Around the same time you and I started dating, coincidentally.”
Eve cursed herself for her foolishness in her mind. She had been warned during her training to be highly suspicious of quickly developing romantic relationships. Arthur had certainly played his role well. But she fought to believe that she would somehow find a way out of her present situation, and she forced herself to speak.
“So, who is ‘We’?” Eve managed to croak out as calmly as possible.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Arthur retorted, and said no more until a few moments later, Eve felt the van begin to slow, then stop.
Eve heard the back doors of the van open, and she was grappled to her feet. A hand grasped the handcuffs between her hands and shoved her silently, but forcefully, forward.
Although she could not see, Eve could hear an unnatural constant humming, or was it a buzzing, far overhead. It was as if a huge swarm of locusts was hovering far above them.
She heard doors slam open, and she was led down some thirty steps. It was still cold and she determined that they were moving underground. Then, she heard a door being opened. Inside this door it was still cold, but not as cold as the outside air they had just come from. As she was forced forward again and the door closed behind them, the sound of the locusts above suddenly ceased, and the only sound were her footsteps and those of her companions, of whom she guessed numbered three of four.
After a minute or so of walking, Eve was shoved down into a chair. Her legs were bound tightly to the front legs of the chair. Next, they bound her left wrist to the back of the chair, released the handcuffs, then also bound her right wrist like they had done the left. No one said a word, and Eve thought she heard them all leave her. Eve thought she heard the faint sound of someone breathing heavily very near to her. But then, a sharp prick in her neck told her she was not alone. She flinched, but she could not move enough to keep the needle out of her carotid artery. Within seconds, she felt faint, then mildly nauseous, and within thirty seconds, the blackness of her mind matched that of h
er eyes.
CHAPTER 19
Felix kept his distance from the van, which was difficult for the some fifteen minute drive. It turned off the main highway into a long drive that led to a modern looking ranch house. In the distance, Felix saw several large wind turbines, and it appeared as if the van was headed toward them.
Felix parked about a hundred yards past the ranch entrance on the opposite side of the road, and got out with a camera. He tried to make it look as if he were admiring the bison herd that was grazing just feet from him on the other side of barbed wire fencing, taking pictures, but he kept his eye on the van. As he suspected, the van stopped just shy of the turbines. Two men opened the back doors, and a third man leapt down from inside. The three of them gathered Eve out of the back, her head still hidden under the bag. Felix pointed the camera toward them briefly and zoomed in. The man who had leapt from the back of the van was Arthur.
After two days of following the water semis across the country, Felix was exhausted. But at least now he knew where the gold aqueous solution was destined. He knew he had reached the destination when the semis slowed and passed one by one by armed men at the back of what looked to be a resort of some sort called Duck Lake. While watching the semis file in, he parked at the entrance of the resort at the office. Pretending to be waiting for the office manager, Felix Googled his location on his phone. It looked as if the trucks were headed a short distance to a smaller lake called Goose Lake. Satisfied that his voyage was at an end, he needed rest.