Page 68 of Wild Idol

“Boone, stop being an asshole,” Star demanded.

“You know as well as I do, no one is allowed near these fields. Especially not outsiders.”

“They’re not going to tell anybody.” Star looked at me for confirmation.

I smiled and shrugged innocently. “There’s nobody to tell.”

“Not here. But when you get off this island…”

“When we get off this island, we’re going back to our lives. You’re well out of our jurisdiction.”

Red Bandanna kept his rifle aimed at JD. His comrade, Kellen, pulled a walkie-talkie that was affixed to his belt loop and keyed up. “Big Bad Wolf to Sun King, do you copy?”

He released the button and waited for a response.

Nothing but static crackled through the line.

He tried again.

“This is Sun King, go ahead,” Solomon replied.

“We’ve got a problem here?”

“What kind of problem?”

39

“Bring them back to the retreat,” Solomon said. “I’ll have a word with them when they get here.”

“You heard the man,” Boone said. “Get moving!”

Boone kept his rifle aimed at us as he marched us back through the jungle. Kellen stayed behind to watch the field. I had no doubt it was a 24-hour job. Somebody was on field patrol all the time.

We took the trail that led up to the top of the volcano.

“You don’t need to keep that gun pointed at them,” Star said.

“You shouldn’t have brought them to the field.”

“I didn’t bring them to the field. I tried to stop them.”

I kept my mouth shut while the two bickered.

We climbed the jagged obsidian rock, making it all the way up to the top of Tzocoyotl. Steam rose from the mouth of the volcano like ghostly apparitions. The sun had crossed the horizon. The stars and moon presided above.

The volcano was just as powerful as ever, and we were in a hell of a predicament.

It was well after dark by the time we got back to the retreat. Boone marched us to Solomon‘s accommodations. His bungalow was bigger and nicer than anything else on the island.

Star led the way, climbing the steps. She pulled open the door with irritation. Star was pissed off by this point and didn’t hold back when she confronted Solomon. “Will you tell Boone to back off!?”

Boone brought up the rear and showed no signs of backing down.

Solomon smiled and invited us in.

Unlike the others, Solomon had a 65-inch flatscreen display, a laptop on a desk, electricity from a solar panel, and backup storage batteries, along with Internet connectivity via satellite. Solomon lived like a king, with all the creature comforts of civilization. He even had a small portable air-conditioning unit.

What a hypocrite.