“They’re organizing a search party,” Alani said. “They know we’re here and that we have the Penning trap. I’m sure reinforcements are on the way.”
“Bart Young is desperate,” Emerson said. “He’ll throw anything he can at us now. Soon this entire forest will be crawling with Rough Riders.”
Alani called her dad on her cellphone. “Is there a clearing where you can pick us up?” she asked. She nodded and turned to Emerson. “He’s refueled and is back in the air. He’s flying over Ola’a now. I’m going to give him our GPS coordinates so he can aim the infrared camera at our location, and you can link up to it on your iPad.”
Emerson powered up the iPad and loaded the app for the security camera.
“I hope that’s not us,” Vernon said, pointing at six human figures clustered together at the center of the image.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Emerson said.
All around them other human figures in shades of red and yellow crept around the jungle while several ATVs patrolled the perimeter.
“There must be thirty soldiers,” Riley whispered. “They’re sweeping the area.”
“My dad says there’s a small clearing he can land in two miles east of our location,” Alani said. “If we can make it there, he can pick us up and fly us out of here.”
“How will we get past the patrols?” Wayan Bagus asked.
“It won’t be easy, but with the infrared camera, we have a chance. We just have to be extra sneaky,” Emerson said.
Riley grinned. “I’ll take those odds. You have superior skills when it comes to sneaky.”
TWENTY-NINE
Riley, Emerson, Wayan Bagus, Vernon, and Alani lay facedown in the muddy rain forest, waiting for the patrol to pass. They’d come close to being discovered several times in the past half hour and had spent more time hiding in the dense vegetation than they had making forward progress toward the clearing.
After the soldiers were gone, Emerson stood up and looked at the iPad. “They’re slowly tightening their search grid, basically herding us into a smaller and smaller pen. And that’s the good news. The bad news is that I’m sure they hear our helicopter making passes and have called in one or two of their own.”
Vernon stood. “Part of the problem is we’re lugging around this here Penny trap. I’m plumb worn out,” he said, resting the trap on the ground.
Alani looked at her cellphone. “We have another problem. Dad just texted. He can only fly around for another hour, then he’ll have to go refuel.”
“That’s not good,” Riley said. “If he’s not up in the air taking infrared video for us, we’ll lose any small advantage we might have. Plus, it’s going to be sunrise soon and they’ll find us for certain.”
“Right,” Emerson said. “This isn’t working. Time for plan B. We need to go on the offense.”
“Offense? There are thirty of them, and they have assault rifles,” Riley said.
“We need to get one of the ATVs,” Emerson said. “That means we need a distraction.”
“I know what we need,” Vernon said. “We need Bigfoot. Bigfoot could distract the hell out of them.”
Everyone stared at Vernon.
“What?” Vernon said. “Did I say something stupid again?”
“No,” Emerson said. “You said something helpful.”
“So we’re all thinking the same thing?” Riley said.
Alani nodded. “It’s genius. Total typecasting.”
“He is very big enough,” Wayan Bagus said.
“Take all your clothes off,” Emerson said to Vernon. “We’re going to make you into Bigfoot. Then we’ll hide in the brush and wait for an ATV. You can jump out in front of it, and they’ll be so startled they won’t notice us ambushing them from behind.”
“But why do I have to be naked?” Vernon asked.
“When was the last time you ever saw a Bigfoot wearing a Brooks Brothers suit?” Emerson said. “Your nakedness adds to the illusion. Besides, the idea is to gobsmack them into a state of utter stupefaction.”
Vernon looked doubtful. “And my being naked helps to stupefy them?”
Emerson nodded. “It’s essential.”
“Well, okay. I sort of like the idea that I could stupefy people with my nakedness. Regardless of what some people say, I am impressive in my altogether.”
Five minutes later Vernon emerged from behind some bushes. He was naked and plastered with mud. Ferns and twigs were stuck to him, his hair was spiked up every which way, and he had something that looked like a bird’s nest covering his privates. At least Riley hoped it was a bird’s nest.
“So what do you think?” Vernon asked.
“I have no words,” Alani said.
Vernon turned around so everyone could get the full impact. “I’m scary, right?”
Everyone nodded. Truth is when you caught sight of him in a headlamp beam he was downright frightening in a ridiculous, lunatic kind of way.
“I’m sexy too,” Vernon said. “I’m a sexy Bigfoot.”
“That might be stretching it,” Alani said.
“Here’s the plan,” Emerson said. “We wait in the shadows by this ATV path. When I spot them on the iPad, Bigfoot will jump out in front of the ATV and distract them while the rest of us rush the ATV from the sides and overpower them.”
“I hope they come along soon,” Vernon said. “I’m starting to get cold with nothing but mud on me, and it’s giving me shrinkage. It’s hard to look ferocious when you got shrinkage.”
“We have an ATV approaching,” Emerson said. “Everyone take cover.”
Moments later, an ATV carrying two Rough Riders slowly rumbled down the path. The one in the passenger seat had a spotlight he was shining from side to side into the brush.
“I hope they aren’t in a mind to shoot a Bigfoot,” Vernon said.
“Showtime,” Emerson said, shoving Vernon out of the thick vegetation.
Vernon jumped into the middle of the road and ran awkwardly toward the ATV, stopping abruptly in front of it and waving his arms.
“Abugga, bugga, bugga!” Vernon said.
The ATV stopped, and the passenger shone his light directly at Vernon. “What the heck is that?”
Vernon performed some impromptu ungainly capoeira somersaults and kicks for his audience.
The driver grimaced. “It looks like it’s doing some sort of bizarre mating dance. I can see its twig and berries,” he said, pulling out his cellphone and taking a video. “I always thought Bigfoot would have bigger, you know.”
Vernon stopped dancing and raised his arms, shaking his fists and growling.
“You angered it,” the passenger said. “Say something nice about its junk.”
Alani rushed out of the shadows and whacked the driver in the head with a chunk of lava rock while Emerson, Riley, and Wayan Bagus pulled the passenger from the ATV and disarmed him.
“Nobody insults Bigfoot’s junk but me,” Alani said, demonstrating her calf-roping prowess and tying the driver up.
Riley jumped into the driver’s seat of the ATV, and Emerson grabbed the Penning trap and climbed into the seat next to her, holding the trap in his lap. Alani collected the Rough Riders’ rifles.
“Phase two of the plan,” Emerson said. “We haul ass and make a run for the clearing.”
Wayan Bagus and Alani hopped into the back with a still naked, still muddy Vernon sandwiched in between them. Riley gunned the engine and took off in the direction of the clearing.
“I texted Dad,” Alani said. “He’s hovering over the landing spot.”
A patrol of four Rough Riders was dead ahead. They raised their guns, and Riley pressed her foot to the accelerator. They managed to fire off a couple shots before Riley plowed through them, knocking them over like bowling pins.
“Is everyone okay?” Riley asked.
Wayan Bagus held his hand over his shoulder. “I am bleeding, but I am unhurt.”
Vernon examined Wayan’s shoulder. “It just nicked
him. He’ll need some stitches, but it’s not too bad.”
Riley exploded out of the woods and into the meadow and looked up at the helicopter. Its lights were off but she could hear the wup, wup, wup of the blades.
Alani was on the phone with her father. “It’s us! You can land now.”
The Eco-Star touched down just as a second ATV drove out of the woods behind Riley.
“We’ve got company,” Vernon said.
Riley reached the Eco-Star a minute later. Its blades were noisily chopping through the air, and Mr. Yakomura had his hand on the control stick, ready to lift off as soon as everyone was on board.
Emerson climbed into the back, settled the Penning trap next to him, and Alani, Riley, Vernon, and Wayan Bagus jumped in and buckled up. Headlights from Rough Rider ATVs flashed into the clearing from four directions. Shots were fired at the Eco-Star, and Alani and Riley leaned out the open helicopter door and returned fire.
“Here we go,” Mr. Yakomura said. “Hang on.”
Two bullets pinged against the fuselage. The helicopter quickly rose out of the field. It took one more hit as it sped away.
Vernon was squashed between Mr. Yakomura and Alani, trying to cover himself as best he could. Mr. Yakomura, for his part, was trying hard not to look at Vernon.
“Well, sir, I guess this is a little awkward,” Vernon finally said to Mr. Yakomura. “You’re probably wondering why I’m naked and covered in mud. There’s a perfectly good explanation, which I’ll tell you as soon as I can wrap my head around it. By the way, would this be a good time for me to ask for permission to date your daughter?”
“Yes,” Mr. Yakomura said. “No. You can’t date my daughter, and I’m going to have a restraining order written against you.”
“Again?” Vernon asked.
“It’s okay,” Alani said to her dad. “Vernon was a hero. He risked his life pretending to be Bigfoot so we could all get to the helicopter.”
“Hot damn,” Vernon said. “I always wanted to be a hero.”
“Where are we going?” Mr. Yakomura asked.
“The first stop is the Keck Observatory to collect the Penning trap hidden there. Once we turn it, and the one we have with us, over to the proper authorities, it should be enough evidence to put Bart Young and Tin Man away for the rest of their natural lives…if they’re not already dead.”
It was six-thirty A.M. when the Eco-Star touched down on the small landing pad at the Onizuka Center. The helicopter had been damaged in the firefight. Not so much that it couldn’t fly, but enough that it was decided it couldn’t safely fly any farther.
Riley, Emerson, Alani, and Wayan Bagus were almost as muddy as Vernon. They showered, changed into clean clothes, scarfed down a fast breakfast, and kept moving. Riley was afraid if she stopped and closed her eyes she wouldn’t open them again for days.
THIRTY
Alani commandeered a government car so they could drive Wayan Bagus to the hospital in Waimea.
“The first-aid kit here at Onizuka doesn’t include instructions on how to suture a gunshot wound,” Alani said to Riley.
“What about your dad?” Riley asked. “Is he going with you?”
“He’s elected to stay with his helicopter and wait for the flatbed.”
Riley filled a to-go cup with coffee and watched Alani drive off. Emerson had both Penning traps secured in the back seat of the ranch SUV. It had only been two days since they’d left the car at Onizuka, but it felt like a year.
“Are you ready?” he asked Riley.
Riley gave him a thumbs-up and got behind the wheel. They drove in silence down Saddle Road. It was almost eight A.M., and the sun was shining. They passed through Waimea and started down the Kohala Mountain Road toward Hawi and Mysterioso Ranch.
“This is a nightmare,” Riley said. “I can’t believe we have enough strange matter in this car to destroy the world.”
Emerson nodded. “I called the governor of Hawaii. My family has known him for a long time, and he’s a good man. He’s sending the Hawaii National Guard to Mysterioso Ranch to meet us and take possession of the Penning traps.”
“And after that?”
“The federal government will take over and find a way to neutralize it. Rocket it into space perhaps. I had a short conversation with someone at the highest level. As it turns out, the Department of the Interior is supremely grateful. They were in the dark about Bart Young and his plan for world domination. The direction the labs took, the militarization of the Rough Riders, the collection of the strange matter, and the whole evil plan, including the hiring of nutcases like Tin Man…it was all Bart Young.”
“It’s shocking how one man almost brought about the destruction of the world.”
“It was one man leading,” Emerson said, “but he had complicit followers. And there were others who turned a blind eye.”
Riley drove down the mountain into Hawi and made the turnoff to the ranch. She passed the cows, parked the car in front of the guesthouse, and she and Emerson got out of the car.
“Looks like we beat the National Guard here,” Riley said.
Emerson looked at his watch. “They should be showing up any minute. Let’s get the traps inside the house.”
He carefully slid the first trap off the seat and carried it to the front door. He stopped when he saw Bart Young and Tin Man waiting for him in his living room. Tin Man had a hatchet in each hand. The Park Service version of a ninja warrior.
Under other circumstances Riley might think this was a ridiculous display of machismo. Problem was she’d seen Tin Man’s hatchet work firsthand, and now the sight of the short axes evoked visceral fear.
Riley and Emerson backed off the porch, and Tin Man and Bart Young followed them out of the house.
“The entire ranch is surrounded by my soldiers,” Bart Young said. “There’s really no place to run. Just give me the Penning traps and we’ll be on our way.”
Emerson shook his head. “I’m holding all the cards. I’ve got the strange matter, so I’m thinking I call the shots. I have my own army on its way, and it’s bigger and more powerful than your army. If you leave now you might escape. Run as fast as you can and get out of the country. Maybe open a bakery in Argentina.”
“Here’s the flaw,” Bart Young said. “You’re basically a good person. You don’t especially want to kill us, and you don’t want to turn the earth into a tiny ball of death that will get spit out of the solar system.”
“I’m not that good,” Emerson said. “I have my moments.”
“Yeah, and I have a lot of moments,” Riley said. “I would actually like to kill you.”
Okay, so this had an element of bravado to it, but there was also some truth there. Not that she really wanted to kill anyone, but these men were monsters.
“I understand you’re a businessman,” Bart Young said to Emerson. “Perhaps we can make a deal. I can use someone like you and Ms. Moon in my regime. How does it sound if I give you France?”
“I thought you promised France to Berta,” Riley said.
“She won’t be needing France anymore,” Bart Young said.
Tin Man smiled. “We found her tied to an ohia tree in Ola’a Forest. She resigned her commission.”
“Well?” Bart Young asked Emerson.
“I’m thinking,” Emerson said. “Before I decide, I’d like to know what happened to my friend’s island.”
“Destroyed,” Bart Young said. “I saw it all from the air. It collapsed into a little ball of strange matter and disappeared into the sea.”
“It was inspiring,” Tin Man said.
“But why?” Riley said.
“It wasn’t by design,” Bart Young said, “although it did convince me we needed to conduct some field experiments to test the strange matter’s destructive potential. Samoa, and particularly the deserted island your friend was living on, sit over a mantle plume. We’d had a secret collection facility there for years. We found the little monk on one of our security s
weeps of the island and evicted him. If I’d known then that he’d make so much trouble I would have just had him killed.”
“But how was the island destroyed?” Riley asked.
“There was an earthquake almost immediately after the monk left. We accidentally lost the magnetic field, and some of the strange matter was released. I managed to escape with Tin Man.”
Emerson had raised eyebrows. “And everyone else working there?”
Bart Young shrugged. “Casualties of war. If you want to make an omelette, you have to be prepared to break a few eggs.”
“Enough talking,” Tin Man said. “They’re just stalling until their army arrives…if there even is an army. This is obviously an impasse, so maybe I should just put a hatchet in the Penning trap he’s holding and get on with it.”
“You’re an idiot,” Bart Young said to Tin Man. “You’re a psychopathic imbecile. Let me handle this.”
Tin Man swung his hatchet and in one fluid movement he sliced Bart Young’s head from his neck. The head fell to the ground and lay there with its eyes still open. The rest of the body went over like rigor had already set in. Crash.
“I’m not an imbecile,” Tin Man said. “Nobody calls me names like that and lives.”
“He was a bit of a bully,” Emerson said, holding tight to the Penning trap, “but decapitation seems extreme.”
“He was the imbecile,” Tin Man said. “He had small goals, motivated by greed. I have no interest in anything as profane and temporal as power and wealth.”
“What then?” Emerson asked.
“Armageddon. The end of the world. Rulers and conquerors come and go with the passage of time. Some are remembered. Most are forgotten. There is only one way to truly be eternal and omnipotent. Destroy that which God created, and you become as a god yourself.”
This isn’t good, Riley thought. He wasn’t just evil. He was insane. And evil and insanity was a bad combination.
“I’ll give you a choice,” Tin Man said. “I’ll allow you to die as a gift to the strange matter. Or I can bury my hatchet in you.”