Black River Falls by Jeff Hirsch(16)

“And just between us,” he said, lowering his voice like it was some big secret, “those guys getting stitched up in the doc’s office? They look to me like the types that maybe could have used a good beating. So how about we just call that one even for now? If you should happen to hear anything more about it, or if you hear about anything else going on in the QZ you think I should know about, you’ll come tell me. How’s that for a deal?”

Raney stuck his blue-gloved hand out. Not seeing what choice I had, I shook it.

“Outstanding,” he said. “And tell you what, to seal the deal—Salvation Army sent us a big shipment just the other day. Lots of kids’ stuff in there. Clothes and whatnot. How about I send some of it up here with my guys?”

Greer jumped in from the sidelines. “That’d be great. Thanks.”

I shot him a look and he mouthed, What?

“Not a problem,” Raney said. “And listen. We’ve got some good stuff planned for Black River. Some fun stuff. You guys could use a bit of fun, right?”

I gave him a tight smile and then he turned to Gonzalez.

“Lieutenant?”

“I need to talk to Cardinal a minute,” Gonzalez said. “Wait for me here?”

“I’m sure I can find my way. You boys have a good night now.”

Raney pulled out a flashlight and strolled away down the mountain. Once he was out of sight, Gonzalez gave Greer a shove.

“Damn it, Larson! Why do you have to be like that? You just met the guy!”

Greer laughed. “I swear, Gonzalez, it’s like you don’t even know the most basic rules of warfare.” Greer tapped at his temples with two fingers. “You gotta get inside the enemy’s head.”

“Raney’s not your enemy.”

“He’s not now,” Greer crowed. “Not after that expert-level intimidation.”

Gonzalez rolled his eyes. “You got a minute, Card?”

I turned my back on him and started up the trail. “Later.”

“Card. Seriously. A minute. Please?”

I stopped. Kicked at a pile of gravel. I was exhausted, pissed off too, but there was no mistaking the tone in his voice. I glanced at Greer. “See you in the morning, okay?”

As I said it, I flicked my eyes down the mountain, hoping he’d get the message: Follow Raney. See what you can find out.

Greer smiled. “Yeah, sure. Tomorrow.” He threw Gonzalez a crisp salute. “Night, Lieutenant.”

Greer bounded up the trail. Gonzalez glanced at me, then called after him.

“Yo! Larson! Going all the way up there just so you can double back and follow Raney as soon as I’m gone? Waste of time. You’re gonna lose your target that way.” Gonzalez jerked his thumb back over his shoulder into the woods. “I’d head that way. Follow the streambed. He’ll never see you.”

Greer reversed course, knocking Gonzalez on the arm as he passed by.

“Good tip, Lieutenant. Thanks!”

“I’m in your head, Larson! Never forget that.”

Greer raised his middle finger over his shoulder as he left the trail. Gonzalez turned to me with a shake of his head, but I didn’t feel like playing our usual game of Wow, that Greer sure is crazy. Whatever he had to say, I wanted to hear it and go. I blew past him, heading for the spot where we usually met.

When we got there, I expected Gonzalez to get right to explaining, but instead he stripped off his mask and knelt by a little stream that cut through the woods. He filled his palms and splashed water on his face.

“How could you not tell us?” I snapped. “You’re bailing on us and this is how we find out?”

“I’m not bailing on you!”

“Oh, really?”

“I go where they send me, Card! And the Guard isn’t set up for stuff like this. We’ve been here almost eight months!”

“And how long were you in Iraq?”

“That’s different,” he said. “This domestic stuff? We’re supposed to be in and out. And I didn’t tell you because the governor of the State of New York doesn’t exactly check in with me when he’s deciding how to deploy the National Guard. I found out like five minutes before you did.”

I kicked at a root sticking up out of the ground. He was right, I knew he was right, but it didn’t stop me from feeling like the blood in my veins had caught fire.

“When?”

“Haven’t set a date yet,” Gonzalez said. “A few weeks probably for the transition.”

“Who the hell are they?”

“One of these megacorporations,” he explained. “Into a little bit of everything. Private security. Pharmaceuticals. Construction. Hell, about half the guys I served with in Iraq were Martinson Vine contractors.”

“And now they want to take over the QZ.”

“Apparently they’ve been offering since the beginning, and the governor finally said yes.”

“So what happens now?” I asked. “We all go live in some shelter? Get stuck with random families?”

“You heard what Raney said.”

“Live and let live? You actually believe that? What’s the real story, Hec?”

“Dude, it’s not like they cc me on their emails.”