Chapter Four
Rocky turned off the ignition to his truck. This time, thankfully, he didn't have to shout at Tum-Tum for careening out of the car. Even Colt, who enjoyed nothing more than to hang around with the horses on the reservation, was calm as he exited Rocky's truck.
Whether it was because they were on the sacred land of the Cree tribe or because Jo Lightning was waiting quietly for them, Rocky wasn't sure. As it was, he couldn't help but look curiously at Colt whenever they were around their friend. Not that he thought Colt was immature by any means—on a good day, anyway—Rocky was pleasantly surprised to see how maturely Colt had handled his and Jo's relationship and consequent breakup. Not that it was a big thing, Jo and Colt hadn't dated for too long. It Colt forever to even admit he liked her despite how obvious it was to anyone who saw them interact.
Rocky still remembered the mortification that flashed over Colt's face the first time he mumbled across the dinner table that he wanted to hang out with Jo and go to the movies on the weekend…to which their mother stated he needed a chaperone and that she and their father would go with them. They were twelve years old, younger than Rocky was when he was first allowed to start dating. But he could only ask for small favors, he never had his parents follow him on a date.
And being able to ask Colt about it and rub it in his face later was something Rocky wouldn't get over anytime soon.
This time, however, Colt seemed uneasy as he looked towards Jo, watching her approach. She, as always, had a cheerful smile on her face, waving to the three friends as she met them. Being honorary members of their tribe, they were always welcome on the reserve, but preferred Jo as their escort when they did. Not wanting to be offensive in any way.
"Hi guys," Jo greeted them, finally coming in ear shot.
"Hey, Jo," Colt replied. He smiled as Jo leaned over and gave each brother a hug in greeting. Then he flicked his hair from his face, growing serious. "How's everything going?"
Jo's smile waned only slightly. "As well as you could expect," she replied. Motioning with her hand, she turned and led the way into the center of the reservation. And they kept going, heading toward the main building on the reserve. As they walked by members of the Cree tribe, multiple people would stop and nod to them, smiling as they passed.
Rocky's eyes swept over the reserve, watching as, in the distance, the older woman worked in the fields of flowers. Plucking the flowers from the ground and plucking off the petals. Of which the petals would be put into one basket and the stems placed in another. Grandmother Ingen, the same woman Rocky had spoken to about the flowers and what they were used for in their medicines, knelt on the ground at the head of the group, eyes closed, and face turned towards the sun.
As if she had known Rocky was watching her, she lowered her chin and locked eyes with him. He smiled back and nodded, making her nod and lift her hand in greeting, as if patting him on the head once more. He felt a twinge of sadness, seeing how much older she'd gotten as well. How he knew there wasn't much time for her, just like his grandpa.
"'What do everyone here have to say about Jack Harding being back around?" Colt asked as they continued to follow Jo.
Jo sucked in a deep breath, her eyebrows rising. "Well, there are many who are already starting to protest," She explained. She nodded to a caravan of trucks that sped out of the reservation. "That's where they're going now. They're going to the prisons to appeal for an overturn of his conviction."
"That's not going to make any difference," Tum-Tum commented. He seemed so sure for a moment, then turned to Rocky with a worried glance. "Is it, Rocky?"
"No," Rocky admitted. "Once he's fulfilled his sentence, he's not going to go back." Jo turned her gaze to him. "Not unless they find a new way to convict him. He's already fulfilled his sentencing for the illegal dumping he's done. But…" he trailed off.
That was the part they didn't talk about. That Jack Harding was never convicted of the murders the dumping of illegal chemicals caused. "Insufficient evidence," it was found. "Coincidence's," Jack's lawyer team had said. And they were very persuasive about the whole thing. They fought and argued hard, pointing out that the infants and the older adults that had passed were the ones who were more likely to pass soon anyway. Even when tests confirmed there were those that had been affected by the chemicals, Jack's team had then pointed out that their want to protest near their facilities was what caused their bodies to meet those harmful chemicals.
There was nothing else that could be said about it. Families of victims and witnesses, may from the tribe spoke during the trial to showcase how it had affected them. And yet, Jack's tea, that he had spent the last of his assets on, got him off the charges of murder.
"Double jeopardy is a thing and unless they have absolute proof that they can say Harding was the reason for all those deaths—" Rocky immediately cut off when Jo whipped a harsh glare his way.
Colt reached out and grasped Jo's shoulder. "Jo, we're on your side," he reminded her. "But we can't worry about that right now. Not something that we might not be able to change. We need to worry about you guys and what's going to happen now that Harding has been released from prison."
Jo nodded. "Chief Roundcreek wanted to see you," she finally said. "That's why I asked you to come today."
Colt flashed a charming smile. "Well, we're happy to come see you when we can if you're just dying to know," he teased. A call back to the statement filled with jealousy he couldn't help but utter when he came to terms with how he felt about her. Even now Rocky couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Beside him, Tum-Tum snickered and covered it with a cough before ripping open the wrapper of a Snicker's candy bar. A failure to use noise to mask his laughter towards his older brother. Nevertheless, Colt's comment made the stress release from Jo's shoulders as she chuckled.
"How are you?" She asked him. Then looked at Rocky and Tum-Tum as well. That was something Rocky could always give her credit for, she cared about nature and the lives of others around her so much. She was one of the truly selfless people he'd ever met. "And you guys, too? How are you handling all of this?"
"The same way we handle everything else," Colt said, putting on a sense of false bravado. Rocky made a face and looked at Colt. Colt turned his head and looked at Rocky out of the corner of his eye, gently shaking his head. Rock got the message loud and clear. Don't worry her any more than she has to. Not until they got the rest of the facts.
Wow, they could really be like their father when they didn't want to.
"By running in without thinking of the danger you're putting yourselves in?" Jo teased. "That sounds a lot like you."
"What can we say?" Tum-Tum shrugged, taking in Colt's sense of false bravado. "We like to do what we can when we can do it. And we do it well."
Rocky couldn't help but laugh at Tum-Tum's statement. The chocolate smeared around his mouth from his melting Snicker's bar didn't so much to back up his words. And while Rocky was able to see the humor in the situation, he was also realistic about everything. Needed to get the full facts, had to have all the information before he could react to something.
Was always calm, cool, and collected. The one who needed to take some time before making decisions and was usually hailed for it. When it came to Harding, he was as worried as his brothers and Jo but at the same time…he hadn't done anything. He was released and immediately disappeared. Parole was never something he'd been saddled with, he didn't have anyone that needed to report to certain days of the week. He could live his life the way he wanted to.
If the city didn't care about what was going on with Harding and the Indian Reserve before, they didn't care much now. One article in the newspaper for a day and then it was old news, as was everything else. Rocky pushed the thought away as the four headed into the air-conditioned building with the low sloped ceiling. Very similar to one of the cabins they used to get 'ready for war' when they first were going after Jack's henchmen to free her father.
Rocky was pleasantly surprised when they boys went inside and saw not only Chief Roundcreek but Jo's mother and father, Selina and Charlie Lightning with him as well. The three smiled warmly at the boys, with Charlie shaking each of their hands and Selina hugging them firmly once seeing them. Then Chief Roundcreek walked to the boys, feather in hand, and shook it over each of their heads, just as he had done when they became honorary members of the reservation.
"It is good to see you again," Chief Roundcreek said. He sucked in a deep breath, folding his arms. "I just wish it wasn't under such harsh circumstances."
Rocky nodded. "You heard then?"
The side of his lips turned up. "Just because we prefer to stay to ourselves doesn't mean we're entirely cut off from the world," Chief Roundcreek gently admonished.
Rocky blushed. "No, uh, I didn't mean…"
"It's alright, Rocky, he knows what you meant," Selina broke in. She smoothed her palms down the sides of her long skirt. "We knew one day Jack was going to be released from prison and we've come to terms with it as the years have passed."
"And yet, there is still the pain that runs deep through our blood, through our veins, and through the very Earth we stand on," Charlie explained. His upper lip curled in disgust. "We had to sit back and watch the oldest and the youngest of our tribes be taken down by illness that Harding had inflicted upon our land." He shook his head. "I can only say I wasn't too upset when the industrialism through Los Angeles went on a decline with Harding's company folding."
"We can only hope that he doesn't continue with his practices now that he's out," Selina said. She sighed, reaching out to place her hands on Jo's shoulders. "The biggest fear I had during that time was losing my family because of what he was dumping on our land and how he was taking advantage of us and our presence here. It's why I hated having Jo out there protesting with us when I knew the sort of danger it was putting her in."
"You wouldn't have been able to stop me, mom," Jo reminded her.
"We know," Charlie agreed. He patted his daughter on the head, making her smile. "And it's what we love about you. And why we know you've made a good choice in friends," he motioned to Rocky, Colt, and Tum-Tum, who all smiled bashfully. Another reminder of the life they tried not to brag about.
All the praise…
"We understand you were affected by the events we went through years ago," Chief Roundcreek explained. "As much as you were a part of what made things better for us. But it also came to my attention that you didn't take all the credit for it. It is why I made you honorary members of our tribe and why we put all our faith into you. So, you can understand the concerns we're bringing up to you."
Rocky cleared his throat. "There isn't anything that Jack Harding has done yet," Rocky explained to them. Reminded the room. "And I understand that it doesn't meant nothing won't happen. He truly did get upset when it was found that he couldn't continue with his businesses." It was very unsettling how red the man's face had gotten as his screams filtered out of the courthouse despite him and his brothers having already left.
"Upset?" Tum-Tum snorted. "That guy is a psycho."
"So, you can understand our concerns about his release," Chief Roundcreek stated. Rocky nodded. Chief Roundcreek bowed his head. He took in a deep breath, as if mediating. Rocky smiled a little. It was his favorite part about the reserve if he were being honest, the time he got to spend with Chief Roundtree and the older medicine women of the tribe was very similar to his calm demeanor within the meditation he did for his ninja training.
Colt, apt to his name, found himself drawn more towards the care and training of the horses on the reserve, along with Jo's help. He learned how to ride the horses the fastest of the boys. Something he absolutely enjoyed throwing in their unspoken competition with each other. And Rocky was impressed, an activity where you had to be very gentle towards the animal was something Colt excelled at. (While simultaneously embarrassed with how long it took for him to get used to the horses as well).
Tum-Tum, of course, preferred the food. The different spices and grains that Jo and her family worked together to make their meals every day. Harvesting from what they planted as well as what they got from the grocery stores. Helped him branch out from the food he shoved down his throat that led to his weight problem. So much so that when Tum-Tum took some of Jo's favorite recipes back to the house, begging their mother to try it out and wanting to help himself, it was a turning point for his maturity.
Each of the boys found their place within the reservation, it became a second home to them as much as their grandfather's cabin had been. It hit Rocky then, the understanding of the fear Jo and her family were feeling. If Jack Harding truly were able to come back, then what was to stop him from wiping out the rest of their people? What was going to stop the consistent funerals that were held for those whose lives were cut too short?
He was their boogeyman and as far as they were concerned, they were children facing it against after years of listening to their mother's soothing words that there was 'no such thing'.
"What can we do to help?" Colt asked.
"Yeah, we don't want anything to happen to you guys," Tum-Tum agreed.
Jo smiled warmly at her friends. "There's nothing you can do right now," she pointed out. "Not until he shows his face again. But we wanted you to know that no matter what happens, we're all still here for you. Just as we hope you are with us."
"Of course," Rocky agreed. He and Colt exchanged another glance. This time, one of surprise, and a little bit of suspicion. Was there something else they knew that the boys didn't? "We wouldn't abandon you guys."
"Not at a time like this," Colt added.
"You'd couldn't pay us to leave you alone," Tum-Tum agreed.
Charlie, Selina, and Jo all chuckled while Chief Roundcreek nodded once. He opened his eyes and raised his hands, extending his open palms to the three boys. He said something that Rocky couldn't quite understand, but still knew to hold great meaning for the tribe. When he finished, Chief Roundcreek lowered his hands and backed away from the three boys.
"It's good to see you again," he said to the three boys.
And that was it. They were dismissed. He had other things he needed to do in the meantime. Jo waved to her parents and ushered the boys out of the building once more. They didn't say anything more until far enough away from the building, back into the center of the reserve.
Even Tum-Tum managed to stay quiet. But the second they were able to speak again he blurted out, "What was that? Did he put some sort of a curse on us?"
Jo giggled quietly. "No, Tum," she said patiently. "But you're sort of close." She laughed harder when Colt sucked in a breath so sharp that he started to choke. "He ensured that the spirits were to be there to protect you," She explained. "Just in case."
"In case of what?" Colt folded his arms. "In case of a wildebeest stampede?"
Jo's smile faded. She shook her head. "There's more to life than what we can see. More than we can predict. Jack Harding isn't a nice man and his followers aren't nice either. He's a businessman and businessmen are run by greed. That greed will consume them and poison their blood until there's nothing left. No life. Just an empty shell run by that greed. And when they get to that point, they'll do anything." She glanced over her shoulder, eyes searching the ground of their home. "My parents think when he started dumping, Jack Harding was to that point. I can only imagine what he'll be like if he does show his face again."
"Well, whatever happens, we'll be there to stop him," Colt promised.
"I know," Jo agreed. "I know you will." She turned in the opposite direction at the sound of a horse whiney. A warm smile came to her face, a real one this time. "Do you guys have time to see how the horses have been growing before you leave?"
"As long as they don't mind if we take a ride," Colt agreed.
"Yeah, as long as we can get a ride," Tum-Tum agreed.
"We have to get home," Rocky reminded his brothers. "Mom wanted us home as soon as we left grandpa's. We're already running a risk stopping off here, first."
"You're just scared that you're going to lose," Colt taunted. He paused for the words to sink in. "Which you will. But that's not the point."
"Come on, Rocky, it's not going to take long," Tum-Tum joined in on the pleading. When Rocky folded his arms, not budging, Tum-Tum decided to stick out his lower lip, making Rocky sigh. The 'pleading look' hadn't' worked in years. (Though their mother was continuously swayed by it). And it wasn't going to work that time had Jo not leaned in over Tum-Tum's shoulder and thrown in the same look, sticking out her lower lip and widening her eyes.
For a moment, Rocky was reminded how, at first, he'd been interested in Jo. It didn't take him long to realize—and partially feel ashamed—that he didn't truly like Jo that way, just that she was new. A breath of fresh air. And she showed a calm energy where he didn't have to worry about whether he was leading her on just by being nice. Where…he didn't have to think so much about Emily and what their status was at the time. He quickly moved out of the way when he figured it out and knew she was into Colt but struggled with the pressure it put on him.
And as he watched Jo continue to stick out her lip, goading him into wanting to take some time away from following the rules and having some fun, Rocky felt admiration for her. She was a calm power that new when to and how to explode. If she managed to figure that out when she was twelve, then there was a bright future ahead of her.
Rocky could only hope he'd learn how to do the same.
His resolve broke and a smile came to his face. "Do you think mom would be upset if we brought some of those flowers back for her?"
Jack didn't wait for the secret knock to finish before he yanked open the door to his apartment and dragged the newcomer inside. He kicked the door shut and locked it behind him, clenching his teeth. The wetted cigar sticking out the corner of his mouth squished between his jaws He parted his teeth slightly, turning his head away to spit on the ground.
The dark brown splatter didn't matter much to him. The apartment was a crap hole, it wouldn't take too long for him to get into a condo or anything bigger. The largest house in the city? That would do. He just had to wait a little bit longer. Watch as the money rolled in and invest it back into even bigger and better areas of development.
A circle of making money.
Just as he did before.
He was a businessman by blood and the time he spent in prison opened his eyes to an opportunity he'd been missing for years. Opened his eyes to what would set up not just himself but Los Angeles for a financial boon. It's not like the city wasn't short on product anyway.
"What happened?" He demanded. "Why didn't you get back to me sooner? It's been days!"
"I'm sorry, boss, but I've had a lot of cops watchin' me," the man, JJ Kilpatrick replied. He ran a hand over his face. "I shave my head and face and these guys are still following me." Jack continued to glare him. "But I've done like you said. I laid low and started plantin' seeds while we waited for you to get out."
"And?" Jack demanded.
JJ's smile widened. "And things are going even better than you thought, boss. We've got everything set up. An the doughs' already coming in." He reached into the bag he carried with him and pulled out a thick envelope.
Jack let go of JJ's collar and grabbed the envelope. Once he pushed it open and saw how many hundred and fifty-dollar bills were shoved inside, he screamed with laughter, punching the air with his fists. "And this is just the beginning. We're going to be rich by the weeks' end."
JJ nodded eagerly. "But, uh, we need to get more product."
"If you did what you were supposed to do you won't need to worry about it. The product will be coming in as quick as the money and spread as far and fast." Jack slapped the envelope against his palm. "Just need to ensure we don't lose our turf."
"Not to worry, boss, these people know your name and what you can do. There's already been a lot of people who said they're on your side."
"Perfect." Jack grabbed JJ again. This time grabbing him by the neck to pull him closer. "Just you wait. A couple of weeks and then this whole thing will boom faster than you can say 'dot com'."
JJ's evil laughter mixed along with Jack's.
A laughter filled with greed that proved they knew what they were about to do and didn't care.
A/N: Took me a bit to get back to this, but that's what happens when it's the busiest time of year for work. I always thought it'd be interesting if the guys were to continuously visit Jo's family since they were named honorary warriors of the tribe as well as figuring out what their favorite bits of that lifestyle would be. Let me know what you think, thank you for all of the reviews so far.
Cheers,
-Riles
