The Valley of Dry Bones (34 page)

“Right,” Zeke said. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

“But in this case,” Bob said, “that has a huge downside. It makes the government, particularly the sitting president, look like a buffoon.”

“Truth hurts,” Doc said.

“It could hurt us,” Bob said. “You can see why the administration might stop at nothing to keep the truth from being revealed. If the press and the public were to find out how much time and effort went into such a meaningless operation—even if Scott could convince them he had been led to believe we were a real threat—he'd never survive the outcry. It would be considered just another politically manufactured military offensive for the sake of a president's image.”

“So he needs us to be the evil menace he claims we are,” Zeke said.

“We've got no one to blame but ourselves,” Doc said. “I've got to take my share for those reckless prescriptions.”

“I smarted off to a federal agent,” Zeke said, “then showed him my ID,
then spouted prophecies and raced off in the night. I sure fit the profile.”

“I know I wasn't part o' yer team, but I tol' you I had a guy on the take. I was playin' the big shot and tol' him you had a terrorist in the camp.”

“Well, there you go,” Doc said. “And with the Nuwuwu tribal leader's daughter-in-law conspiring against us, you just know the feds will be lying in wait for us tonight.”

“You can't go,” Alexis said.

Everyone nodded. Except Zeke. “I'm not so sure.”

“Under what possible circumstance would it make sense?” Katashi said.

Zeke chuckled.

“I find nothing funny about this,” Alexis said.

“Well, I don't either, really,” Zeke said. “But what
has
made sense this week? I'm certainly not going to decide based on whether it makes sense. It's solely about what I believe God wants. Anyone who does not share that peace will not be required to go.”

“How are you going to decide?” Bob said.

“I'm going to pray. And within two hours of sundown, I'll decide. If we go, I'd like it to be you, Bob, along with Katashi and Doc and me. Willard, you don't report to me, but I would expect to meet you there.”

“I'm goin' whether y'all go or not.”

“Why's that?”

“Well, b'fore it was 'cause I knew they didn't want me and I was bein' cantankerous. But now it's 'cause o' what you said was gonna happen at that service. And I wanna tell 'em 'bout what happened to me. Maybe they'll be nicer to me now if at least some of 'em and me b'lieve the same. Plus, I gotta find out if all them tanks and choppers got Special Forces in 'em and what they're up to.”

“You'd better get going. Raoul, give him his weapons at the door. What're you going to do for wheels, Willard, assuming you're giving up the truck?”

“I got a little money. Maybe buy me a bike or somethin'. I'll walk if I hafta. But I'll git there. And somehow I still got to get word to Aunt Myrt. Ain't that gonna be a time!”

The Gutierrezes and Willard rose and Bob said, “Zeke, we ought to pray for our new brother before he leaves. Zeke?”

“Z,” Alexis said, “Bob's talking to you.”

“Sorry. Give me a minute. Willard, sit down a minute, will you? Raoul and Benita, you can go. Thanks, by the way. Good work.”

Raoul said, “I still got his guns—”

“Yeah, hang on to those for now. Check on Elaine, see how things are going outside.”

When they were gone, Zeke sat staring as the others waited. Willard's mention of a bike and of his aunt had triggered something he was sure was of God, and Zeke was determined to let it come together in his mind.

“Sorry, everybody,” he said.

“We trust you, Zeke,” Bob said. “Take your time.”

“Lexi, get me pen and paper. Please.”

When she brought it she asked if he was okay. He nodded.

“Willard, what's your aunt's last name?”

“Geer.”

“Remember her address?”

He recited her box number and county road in Pigeon Forge, but he couldn't remember the zip.

“Phone number?”

“I'd only be guessin', but it's listed.”

“The name of the BIA agent on the take.”

“Clarence Cianci, but I don't know how to spell it.”

“Probably just like it sounds.”

“Where you going with this?” Doc said.

Zeke sat back. “Tell you in a second. Willard, you disconnected the battery on Agents Fritz and Cianci's car the other night and then led them the wrong direction when they tried to find me. How'd you talk your way out of that?”

“I tol' 'em some kids in the tribe had done that to my truck battery once too, an' I was surprised they even know how since none of 'em had cars. Then I tol' 'em you musta got a ride er somethin' 'cause you were right around there somewhere, only I couldn't find where I'd let ya off.”

“They bought it?”

“They weren't happy, but they had no choice.”

“You think they still trust you?”

“Cianci does. I never miss a payment, and he looks the other way.”

“This all hinges on how sure you are you weren't followed here.”

“I wasn't. Yer people'd know by now, wouldn't they?”

“Let us all in on this, Zeke,” Bob said.

“That's what I was going to say,” Doc said. “Enough mystery.”

“It's still coming together,” Zeke said, “and I'm going to need a lot of help this afternoon. But President Scott needs me to be the crazy leader of a huge armed cult that's a threat to the US and indigenous California tribes, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“And we believe God has called me to speak for Him to a huge audience.”

No one nodded, but it was plain they were listening.

“Through Willard, I have access to a federal agent who sounds like the type who'd love to be a hero. I'm guessing Clarence Cianci would enjoy being the guy who could relay messages between me and whoever has been assigned to apprehend me tonight.

“It appears the president wants a very public success. But imagine how many emotional points he can score with the masses if in the process he honors the sacred grounds of the tribe, the burial service of a 101-year-old Native American, the wishes of her son, the tribal leader, and the public even gets to hear the rants of the crazy cult leader before he and his adherents are forced to surrender without a shot.”

“And this all came to you in the last few moments?” Bob said.

“I can't claim it as my own.”

“How do you intend to pull this off?” Katashi said.

“By working up through the chain of command. Willard will connect me with Clarence. Clarence will connect me with the commander in charge of Operation Dry Bones. The commander will connect me with the White House. And before the five of us show up at the burial service tonight, the loony leader of the California terrorist cult threatening the
safety of North America will negotiate with the president of the United States.”

“You
are
a crazy man,” Alexis said.

“Aren't I?”

“You don't actually expect to speak with the president, do you?” Doc said.

“No. But with someone with the authority to speak for him.”

“And what about the US policy that forbids negotiating with terrorists?”

“He can save face on that too. All he need do is insist on honoring the revered tribal leader, octogenarian Kaga. In recognition of his willingness to allow troops on his sacred land, the president will ask that a brief portion of the ceremony for his mother be broadcast live. What an altruistic thing for a president to do. I will be required to do nothing to stand in the way of that caveat. The president will get the credit for showing the ultimate respect and in some small way healing relations between the government and Native Americans.

“And with the pool network feed under presidential order not to be delayed or interrupted, I will, at Kaga's request, share the verse that was found clutched in his mother's hand at her death, as well as whatever else God gives me to say.”

“To the nation,” Bob said.

“And probably the world,” Doc said.

Z
EKE REALIZED HOW INEPT
the planning had been on the part of the government when it became obvious that no traffic, military or otherwise, had been within sight of the compound since Willard had arrived. Still, in the interest of caution, he planned an elaborate scheme to put into effect the negotiations he hoped to complete well in advance of the burial service that night. A lot would have to happen in a very short time.

Zeke released Doc to check on Cristelle, and Bob to be with Jennie. Alexis went to spell Benita so she could teach the kids.

“Katashi, Willard and I need your mind on this.”

“I'm not sure you wanna know what I think, Zeke. Truthfully, it's sounding nuttier by the minute.”

“But doing nothing is a choice too,” Zeke said. “I'd rather be proactive. We sit here and wait for them to come to us, they'll find us. We've got to act while they think we're dangerous. If they had any idea what they were really dealing with, do you think they'd have a tenth of the personnel or equipment they've sent?”

“I suppose not, but—”

“Of course they wouldn't. Now I need to communicate with Kaga. By now, just with my name and address, they have enough on me to know who I am, what I look like, everything. I don't dare leave here without guaranteed protection. And I need a means of communication beyond
these toy walkie-talkies. You know the military has something I can use. Let's find a way to get our hands on it.”

“I know I sound like a clod kicker,” Willard said, “but I kin git this done. Git me back to my truck, give me a ride er somethin' so I'm not exposed out there too long. Then I'll go straight to the Injuns, 'cause Clarence's got to be there. You know he's the reason the cavalry showed up, 'cause o' somethin' I said about yer terrorist. I kin git him aside and do what you said 'bout makin' him a real hero. I'll make him the main man, the guy who kin deliver you, but what's he got to give you?”

“I need a satellite phone, some way to communicate with whoever's in charge of the military there. But I also need to talk to Kaga and know it's private.”

“I don't see how you're going to be able to do that, Zeke,” Katashi said. “You can't get to him, and Willard can't bring him to you, and you can't meet somewhere neutral without being followed. You can't talk, even if they outfit you both with sat phones, because those are easily monitored. What do you want with Kaga, anyway? You'll see him tonight if you're still determined to go.”

“Oh, I'm going, especially if all this works out. But what I need him to do is to tell the military or even the White House, if I can get that far, his demands.”

“His demands?” Katashi said. “You sure he wants any part of this?”

“He will! All I need is for him to insist that the service not be violated.”

“Hey, Zeke,” Willard said, “jes' tell me what you want him to say, and I'll tell 'im.”

Zeke had to think about that.

“C'mon, man. I done caused ya 'nough grief over the years. Lemme help ya now.”

“You'll remember if I tell you exactly what I need him to say?”

“Can I remember? I kept accounts in my head for a week and never fergot a nickel. Give a bid'nessman some credit.”

“Tell me this,” Katashi said. “If you can talk some military leader into a satellite telephone for Zeke, how're you gonna get it to him and be sure you're not followed?”

“Well, I guess I can't guarantee nothin', but you borrow me a bike and I'll do some kinda ridin' you or nobody ain't never seen b'fore. If they can track and keep up with me, y'all oughta just surrender'n' and tip yer hats to 'em.”

“All right,” Zeke said, “you need me to write out what you need to say to Clarence and to Kaga so you can memorize it?”

Willard laughed. “Do I look like somebody what can read? Jes' tell me and I'll have it. Then gimme my guns and I'm outta here.”

Zeke leaned forward and gestured so both Katashi and Willard pulled in close too. “As a new believer, you need to know how this works. I feel like God is in this and wants me to do it. But Katashi is on the elder board with me, and I need his input to confirm that. If I'm right, God will give him peace about the decision too. If He doesn't, I have to wait. So before I just forge ahead in the heat of the moment because it sounds exciting, I'm going to ask Katashi to prayerfully think about it, and he knows there's no pressure from me. If he doesn't feel peace and freedom about it, I'm not going to push it.”

“How long y'all gon' wait?”

“I'm leaving for the service at dark. If we go without a plan, we all know what will happen. If I'm the only one at peace about going, so be it.”

“Like I said, I'll be there.”

Katashi smiled and shook his head. “You're an idiot, Zeke.”

“You're not the first who's told me that, and you won't be the last.”

“And we're probably going to be arrested.”

“We?”

Katashi nodded. “I've got nothing better to do tonight.”

Willard looked them both full in the face. “Is that his way o' sayin' he's got peace?”

“I guess,” Zeke said. “And he calls
me
an idiot. All right, so here's what I need you to say to Clarence and to Kaga . . .”

Zeke spent forty minutes listening to the TV news audio feeds about himself, Doc, and Pastor Bob, the dangerous cult, the cache of weapons, the terrorist threat, the oppression of indigenous tribes' religions, and the
rumors of Native American genocide. Then he strolled the perimeter of the compound, scanning the horizon and the skies for any hint of foot, vehicular, or air traffic while praying that God would calm him and keep him focused on what He wanted Zeke to say, if indeed this was the audience the Lord had in mind.