"I never see you practicing any techniques, though," inserted Phillips.
"I don't have to. It's all totally ingrained in me. I've been doing this for over thirty years; you don't forget. You just have to be physically able to do what your mind doesn't forget."
"Well, I've never seen — hell, even heard of — anyone who works out like you."
"Doubtful if many do. It's just who I am, what I am."
"Do you have any regrets?"
"I'm not sure I fully understand what regret really means. Everything happens for a purpose. It's all part of a bigger picture. For whatever reason, I was, hell, I don't know, chosen for this life. I accept that."
Phillips looked at him intensely. "You've never spoken of this before, have you?"
"No."
"Why now?"
"You shared with us; only fair to return the trust. I've also come to terms that what has been my life for the last twenty years is over. I'm turning the page and moving on. I also realize that I'm not alone in this quest of ours. I have to learn to be more open, to accept the fact that I'm part of a team. This is uncharted territory for me. It hasn't been easy. From what I've seen and have begun to understand, make no mistake, I wouldn't have it any other way."
Phillips allowed herself a small smile. "That almost sounds like a compliment."
"It's fact. It is what it is."
"Still…"
Styles pretended to glare at her. "Don't push it." Changing the subject, he asked, "What do you really think of this CIA intrusion?"
"I think it's Backersley's ego. He doesn't like the idea that possibly someone else has a hit team. He wants to be the quarterback of that."
"Yeah, I've noticed a few of the CIA boys from time to time."
"How's that?" Phillips asked.
"I've run across them on and off. I can spot them blindfolded."
"Did they spot you?"
Styles laughed. "Not a chance in hell. A couple of them are actually quite good, but I can spot them just from the way they walk, the way they move. If we were observing one right now, watching him follow a target, I could tell you exactly what he was going to do before he ever did it. I gained that instinct from those years in the woods observing animals and their behavior. We're not that much different. I've learned you can't really teach instinct. It's something you either have or, with enough time, are lucky enough to partially acquire. You're not going to learn it from some instructor or in a classroom. Patience is the ultimate key."
"I found out that there's some top-secret location that the CIA utilizes to teach their best candidates. I know the CIA performs assassinations all over the world — inside our own borders, as well — even though that's completely against their mandate," Phillips offered.
"Yeah, I had to stop one once. The target had innocent company, and the agent was going to take them both. I couldn't allow that."
Phillips looked at him with slight admiration. "No, you couldn't."
Christman announced that they would be landing in Portland, Oregon. in half an hour. Starr, Styles, and Phillips gathered around the conference table. She announced she'd already made room reservations at a Holiday Inn located next to the airport.
Starr asked, "So how should we approach this, what'd you call it? Something Hunting Adventures?"
Phillips, with a look of disdain, corrected him. "Northern Hunting Expeditions. How many years did it take for you to get through high school?"
"No need for sarcasm. I'm just throwing out the obvious for ideas."
"Here's a novel approach," retorted Phillips. "Why don't we go in to inquire about a hunting trip? I mean, that is what they do."
Styles burst out laughing with Phillips joining him, leaving Starr looking exasperated. "I'm so happy to provide you both with humor," Starr deadpanned.
"Sorry, Starr, but that was funny," cracked Styles. "So who goes in?"
Phillips interjected, "How about Christman and me? He can do the talking and let me look around the place to see what they might have for electronic gear."
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Starr. "Marv?"
"Okay by me. J. C. knows what to say. Somehow see if you can work it around where the lake kill was without being too obvious."
"No shit," Phillips shot back dryly.
"This is about the easiest plan we've come up with yet," Starr said.
"What are you two going to do?" asked Phillips.
Starr and Styles looked at each other with Styles answering, "I think we'll nose around and see if we can figure out where the chopper came from. Figures that they probably work together since the floatplane damned sure couldn't land on a lake full of dead fish. Plus that keeps the copter out of your recon. Don't need to tip anybody off about anything."
"That makes sense," Phillips stated, nodding.
"Okay, that's it, then," Starr declared.
10
Christman and Phillips walked through the entry door of Northern Hunting Expeditions. The front showroom was impressive. Photos of celebrities shown on hunting trips were hung on the walls for display. Several large animals that had spent considerable time at a taxidermist were featured, including a large brown bear, a grizzly bear, an elk, and a moose that just barely fit under the ten-foot-high ceiling. A middle-aged man dressed in casual business attire walked up to greet them.
"Welcome to Northern Hunting. My name is Tracy Howard. How might I help you?"
Phillips spoke first. "I'm giving my brother a hunting trip for his birthday. He has always wanted to hunt in Alaska, so that's where we are interested in going."
"Well, why don't we go back to my office and let's see what I might be able to come up with?" suggested Howard. "We offer customized expeditions to try to match as closely as possible what our client expects. We have an excellent reputation, particularly with many celebrity clients."
"That is good to hear," admitted Christman. "I'm anxious to see what you have to offer."
"Well, let's get started."
With Phillips and Christman busy with Northern Hunting Expeditions, Starr and Styles had made their way close to a dock where three floatplanes were tied, not far from Northern Hunting Expeditions. They had discussed a basic approach. They saw a small office building with a sign above it proclaiming they had arrived at Seaport Flights. They walked inside and found a young man sitting at a desk.
"Be right with you gentlemen."
"Take your time," answered Starr.
Thirty seconds later, the man got up and walked up to them. "What's up?"
Starr replied, "Got a couple of questions. If we wanted to take a trip up to Alaska to do some fishing, you the guys we see?"
"Pretty much, although there are some spots we can't land in. We work close with a chopper company who can get you where we can't."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, some spots in Alaska are environmentally protected, and we can't land a plane on the lakes. In a case like that, some fishermen who are really particular where they go will charter a copter to take them close, and they hike in. We would take you as far as Bethel and chopper you in from there."
"No offense meant," continued Starr, "but say we wanted to drive. We've both always wanted to see Alaska or maybe just drive one way. Is there any chance you could set us up with that helicopter company?"