So even though we’d heard back from them, and I’d been expecting them to show up today at noon, it was still a little bit of a shock to see two forest green pickup trucks making their way down the road toward our gate on Nelson Road.
We brought out our two trucks, as well as a snowmobile. I’d been tempted to suit up all the way, but I knew that showing that level of distrust would destroy whatever positive feelings might be left. So Sara and I walked out to meet them, unarmed, while Lisa and Graham watched from the grain truck, vests on, with their guns and helmets kept out of sight, down on the seats.
The Marchands and the Porters were holding a second line halfway between the gate and the cottages, just in case.
Gerald Archibald came to talk to us by himself. He seems to have become their spokesman when it comes to us; maybe they think he understands me.
“I want to apologize,” he said. “What some of our young people have been doing is not okay.”
“It’s not just your young people,” Sara said, beating me to it. “Just be honest with us.”
“Why didn’t you ask for our help?” I asked. “Maybe we could have worked out a trade.”
“We’re not allowed to trade with you,” Gerald said.
“What?”
“We’re not allowed. It’s not something I can change.”
“Then who can change it? Who made such an idiotic decision?”
“We have commitments in place,” he said. “It allows us keep our people fed. Now those commitments mean we can’t trade with you.”
“So all that time we’d drop by to help out… you were just leading us on? Or when you talked about trading for our crops?”
“The trade embargo is more recent.”
“Embargo? That sounds pretty targeted. So you can trade with anyone who isn’t us?”
Gerald shook his head. “Baptiste… there’s barely anyone else out here now.”
“Except the Walkers,” I said. “But that’s who you’re working with. That’s why we found them last month… driving back from the rail bridge.”
“We did some work for the Walkers. They would bring us supplies in exchange. But that’s changed now. We’re part of the Nation. Walker works for us. He brings us supplies because that’s a condition of keeping his land.”
“But not enough supplies,” Sara said. “Or else you wouldn’t be stealing from us.”
“They give us the basics… but we need more than that.”
“So how long have you been stealing from us?” I asked.
“Not long. We scavenged quite a bit from the places between here and Iroquois Falls… but that couldn’t last forever.”
“None of that matters,” Sara said. “What does matter is that you guys have been stealing from us.”
“We can’t give anything back,” Gerald said.
“We don’t need anything back. We just need a promise from you.”
“I’m not sure I can make that promise.”
“So wait,” I said. “So you’re actually telling us that you’re going to send your kids back to steal some more?”
“We need those supplies,” Gerald said.
“Then get ’em from the Walkers, Gerald. Or from your new best friend Ryan Stems.” I shook my head at him. “We’re going to be adding even more security over the next few days. You should tell your people that it won’t be safe to sneak up on us anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It can only mean one thing,” Sara said. “We are going to protect ourselves. Obviously no one wants things to get out of hand.”
“I don’t do well with threats,” Gerald said. “And neither does Ryan Stems.”
“Let’s make this simple,” I said. “If anyone approaches McCartney Lake from anywhere other than the main road, they are putting themselves in harm’s way.”
“It’s not a threat,” Sara said. “It’s just the way it’s going to have to be from now on.”
“We are stronger than you,” Gerald said. “The Mushkegowuk Nation is sovereign and it is powerful. We want peace, but we won’t let our people starve while you hoard supplies.”
“Hoard?” I said. “Are you kidding me? We need those supplies to live.”
“So do we.”
“No you don’t… I’m sure Ryan Stems and your precious Nation have tons of supplies in some warehouse in Kapuskasing. If they aren’t cutting you in on that… well, then you’re a sucker.”
Gerald sighed. “I guess there isn’t anything more to talk about.”
“I guess not.”
Gerald turned and started to make his way back to his pickup truck.
Sara looked at me and frowned. “That didn’t go well,” she said.
“I don’t see how it could have gone any better. At least we know where we stand.”
“Yeah… around six feet underground.”
I heard footsteps behind us. I swung around to see Justin. He was dressed in a riot suit, vest and helmet and holding his hunting rifle.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked him.
Justin ignored me, pushing right by. “Hey! Asshole!” he yelled out.
Gerald turned to look.
“Yeah… I’m talking to you,” Justin said. He pointed the rifle and fired.
Gerald starting running towards his truck.
“Dammit, Justin!” I yelled. “Put the rifle down!”
He fired again.
Gerald fell into the snow.
I ran towards Justin, hoping to tackle him.
“Back off, Baptiste,” he said. “I’m going to teach these shits a lesson.”
“Then you’d better shoot me,” I said.
He pointed the gun at me.
I didn’t slow down. I went for his knees, bringing him down to the snow and gravel. The rifle flew out in front.
Sara walked over to it but she didn’t touch it.
“What the hell?” I said to him. “Are you a fucking lunatic?”
“Maybe,” he said. “Did I get that fucker?”
I couldn’t help myself. I punched him right in the mouth.
I heard the sound of boots; a number of people rushing towards us. Before I could look, my face was in the dirt.
They wrenched my arms behind me and I could feel the plasticuffs tightening around my wrists.
I watched from the mud as they did the same to Justin.
“Fuck, Baptiste,” Justin said. “Who’s side are you on?”
“Baptiste’s the one who stopped him,” Sara said. “This isn’t right.”
Two of the men from New Post grabbed Sara roughly and bound her wrists as well.
“Start shooting, dammit!” Justin screamed. “Shoot these assholes!”
“No one listens to you,” I said. “Just shut up.”
I looked over at Gerald; two of his men were helping him up. One was applying pressure to his shoulder. The other was scanning the trees as he lifted one of Gerald’s arms.
Lisa didn’t show herself.
I saw Sky walking up to me, his rifle drawn.
“I don’t know what just happened,” Sky said. “But it was a huge mistake.” He reached down and picked up Justin’s rifle.
“So that’s it,” I said. “You’ll take us up the road and put bullets in our heads.”
“We’re not the ones who started shooting.”
“It wasn’t me, either.” I nodded my head at Justin. “That idiot doesn’t speak for the rest of us.”
“He’s wearing your equipment, isn’t he?” Sky said. “We’re taking all three of you back with us. The council will conduct an investigation, and they’ll decide what actions need to be taken. You’ll have due process.”
“You have no right to take us,” Sara said. “This is kidnapping.”
They shoved me into the first truck box, and Justin into the second. He and I both got two men by our side. Sky handed Justin’s rifle to one of the men beside me, and the one on his shoulder to the men watching Justin. He then loaded Sara into the second truck, while Gerald was helped into the passenger seat of the first by one of this other men.