Author's note: The Lakota words in this chapter are from an online Lakota dictionary. I have no idea if they are right or not.

Chapter 1

No one was late or even pushing it that morning. All six men of A-shift had changed into their uniforms and were sipping coffee when Captain Stanley stood to begin roll call, deciding to do it right there in the kitchen since the men were already gathered. He didn't get to finish, but it wasn't the klaxons that interrupted him. It was the four people who rang the call bell and walked into the station just as Hank was opening his mouth to assign chores.

The first three who walked in did not command nearly the attention of the fourth, and all six stared at him. Johnny's reaction was strongest. He leapt to his feet, gasping, and knocking over his chair, startling the others all the more. The visitor was an old man, obviously Native American, with long gray hair in two braids, decorated with a beaded headband. He wore jeans, a flannel shirt, and a western tie with turquoise and white beading, as opposed to the other three people, who were dressed in business suits. Two were women and they, too, were dressed in no-nonsense business attire.

The first man who walked in, at whom no one was looking, spoke. "Captain, we are looking for—" but he got no further, and sighed with some irritation as he realized that no one was paying attention to him yet.

"Ahiyu Igmuthanka! Chases Cougar!" The Indian said, awestruck, though no one had any idea why he should be awestruck at the sight of Johnny, at whom he was staring with as much astonishment as was in the eyes of the fireman who stared back at him. "It really is you!"

"M-Mr. White Owl," Johnny replied, transfixed, and extended his right hand to shake with the old man.

"I take it you two know each other," Cap said, looking at Johnny and the elderly Indian man, who still stared at each other, seemingly to the exclusion of everyone else in the room.

"Chases Cougar?" Chet exclaimed. "Johnny, did he just call you—"

"Wait a minute," Cap said suddenly. "What's going on?" His eyes left the Indian in even more surprise as he realized that the first man and the woman next to him were showing him FBI badges. It had taken a second for that to sink in since the entire group was so fascinated by the elderly Indian and Johnny and their reaction to each other.

Now the leader had at least the captain's attention, but he was no longer interested in the captain. One of his temporary companions had already identified the person he wanted. He turned to Johnny. "I take it you are John Gage?" he asked, turning his badge so Johnny could see it. His partner did the same.

Marco also saw the badges. "Has Gage done something?" he asked incredulously.

The man ignored the question and spoke only to Johnny. "Mr. Gage, we have some questions for you."

"Why?" Johnny looked at the badge, but his eyes went immediately back to the old man. It was obvious to everyone in the room that the man who had called him "Chases Cougar" was more an astonishment to him even than the FBI wanting to ask him questions. "I haven't done anything."

"No, you haven't, but we believe you have knowledge that will help us to find someone who did," his partner answered, pocketing her badge.

"Sure," Johnny said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll help however I can. But—but Mr. White Owl? Why are you here? And—" he turned to the second woman, a fortyish, overweight woman with short dark hair who had so far stood silently, "who are you?"

"I'm here to see for myself, and to bring word back," Mr. White Owl replied enigmatically.

The woman answered as well, "My name is Delores Fenway. I'm a social worker.

"Social worker?" Johnny was confused.

"Mr. Gage." the FBI man was getting impatient. "Is there someplace we can all go and talk?"

"You could use my office," Cap answered.

"How about outside?" Johnny suggested. "There's a picnic table out back where we can sit." This would make it impossible for any of the others to eavesdrop, as Johnny knew that at least Chet, Mike, and Marco would want to do. The presence of Wilbur White Owl made him believe that whatever the FBI wanted with him, it was not going to be something he'd want the others to hear. The last time he'd seen the man, things were happening that afterward he had kept securely locked inside himself. In the ten years that had passed, he had only brought up the subject once, and not even his aunt knew anything about it.

Chet jumped right in before they could go outside, as Johnny knew that he would. "Where do you know Johnny from, Mr. White Owl? Are you from the same reservation?"

"Yes," the old man replied, "But I haven't seen him since he left ten years ago." He turned to Johnny. "Your mother is well, but has not smiled since the day you left. Why did Ellis say what he did about you?"

"I don't know what Ellis said, Mr. White Owl."

The old man nodded. "Then it was his idea, not yours. I suspected as much. And I don't think you want me to tell you right now in front of your co-workers what it was."

"No, I don't. Mr. White Owl, after I left I was able to find my father's family and I stayed with an aunt and uncle until I was finished high school. But they don't know anything about what happened on the rez." Johnny indicated Roy. "And he's my best friend and I've never told him about it, either."

Roy was confused. "Are you guys here to talk to him about something that happened ten years ago? He would have been a minor then!"

Both FBI agents shook their heads. "Not at all." The woman said. "Our case is a new one."

"Then why are you being so closed-mouthed, Johnny?" Chet asked.

Mr. White Owl answered before Johnny could. "Because he saw me."

Johnny led the group of visitors outside. Mike spoke his question to the rest of the guys watching them go. "What I'd like to know is this: why, if they were all four looking for Johnny, was that last guy as shocked to see him as Johnny was to see him?"