Toby and Illya didn't encounter "very dangerous" alligators the next day nor were the gators they caught mutilated in any way, but again at dinner that night, Johnny insisted that the beasts in his hunting area were acting abnormally aggressive toward each other.
"I'm tellin' y'all, the fifth line Jody and me went to, we could see the line was down and the gator had come up on land. Now, Nigel, when a gator's on land and hooked, he ain't too happy and you gotta be real careful. They'll be layin' there like they're dead and then BOOM! They're movin' fast to the water and if you're between it and the water, you gotta problem for sho'."
"Well, Jody gets the gun and goes to step off the boat and that gator turns and heads straight for us! Jody had to fall back into the pirogue and it's a good thing he done that 'cause it caused us to push back into the water. Otherwise, that sumbitch would have been in the boat with us!" He looked around at Joey and Angelique. "I apologize for my language, ladies."
The room had quieted to listen to the man's story. Though Illya sat at the long table with the other houseguests and Joey and Angelique, the restaurant was open to all the residents of Houma who were mostly gone by the time the hunters returned, but a few stragglers, usually couples lingering over dessert and coffee, would be there. The official closing time was ten, but of course the hunters ate late and were the last customers.
Joey spoke first. "Is Jody okay?"
"Yeah, a bit shook up, but okay. It was close, though. Damn close."
"How was the rest of your day?" Toby asked.
"Weird. We got a good number of gators to take to Hebert. A lot of 'em had bite marks like the other day. One thing that did have me and Jody spooked good was the quiet. No birds, nothin' makin' noise. Jody said he noticed whenever I gunned the engine, any gator he saw was lookin' our way and some started to follow."
"Well, that should of made treble hookin' easier," a man sitting with a woman Illya assumed was his wife piped up.
"I can't describe it," Johnny said, "Jody and I both felt like hookin' one of those suckers following us would have been a real bad idea. I kept my distance."
That put an end to conversation and everyone went back to their supper. For once, the Russian's huge appetite and fast eating fit in with everyone else. Gator hunting is very physically demanding work and everyone ate as much as they could as fast as they could so that they could get to bed to get at least four hours' sleep before heading back out to do it.
Toby and Illya had quickly fallen into a routine. They ate at four – thirty, drove to Toby's hunting grounds and were on the water usually around six. By the time the sun was up, they would be at the first line. They were catching lots of gators and would go to Hebert's at least three, sometimes four times a day to unload. While Toby conducted business, Illya was able to walk around freely and inspect Hebert's operation. He was asking questions of every worker, he watched gators being skinned and the meat being processed. Everything seemed to be normal, except…
Something is not right, he thought as he walked around the exterior of the building. Section IV overheard phonecalls between Hebert and THRUSH! He must be doing something for them, I am certain of it, but I cannot find any evidence of a plot. I am missing something. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't realize Toby was calling him until a stone flew past him and hit a tree.
"Nigel! Allons!"
Illya allowed himself to look a little embarrassed as he ran to Toby's truck and jumped inside. "Sorry, I was woolgathering."
"Boy, you ain't never lied. I called you twice! Let's go check these lines and bait 'em so we can finish up and go home!"
Neither man wore a watch because it would be ruined during the course of the day, so time was judged by the position of the sun and the amount of gators in the boat. This was their third time leaving Hebert's and they figured they had enough time to do one more round and be back on land by full dark.
Illya took a drink of water from the large thermos he had refilled at Hebert's and went to place it on the truck's floor behind his seat. A white five gallon bucket caught his eye. "What is this, Toby? I did not see it before."
"I bought some of Hebert's chum off him," Toby explained, "Mine was about to give out so I bought some to make sure we can bait all our lines."
Illya had seen stacks of containers just like this one set off in a far corner of the building early on, but hadn't had a chance to get too close. "What kind of chum does he have?"
"Same stuff I use: rotten chicken marinating in beef and hog blood. Best stuff there is for gator huntin'."
The Russian crinkled his nose in disgust. The first time he had smelled what Toby was using to bait his hooks, his stomach had lurched and it was all he could do to hold on to his breakfast, much to the Cajun's amusement. He considered it an accomplishment that he only found the odor disgusting now. "Alligators may have big teeth and claws, but they must have a terrible sense of smell. I cannot imagine smelling that and thinking it is something good to eat."
Toby took his right hand and clapped Illya's left shoulder. "That's why they're animals, Nigel, and we rule over 'em."
They made their rounds, collecting eight more gators and baiting all the hooks. Illya had learned to do it by watching Toby. Immediately after placing the blood – covered piece of chicken on a hook, they would hang it so it dangled about six inches above the water and then dunk their hands to clean them before heading to the next line. By the time they got back to Hebert's it was going on nine PM and it was close to 9:40 when they pulled out of there.
Illya waved to Joey as he followed Toby upstairs to their rooms. He took a quick shower and washed his hair and while the water was still running, he contacted Headquarters. "Open Channel D, please."
"Mr. Kuryakin! You've been there a few days, do you have anything to report yet?" Mr. Waverly asked.
"Sadly, not yet, Sir. Mr. Hebert allows me to go anywhere I wish on his property and I have found no evidence of a THRUSH connection."
"I see. Are you saying that you don't think there is one?"
"No, Sir; only that I have not found it. I believe Section IV's intel. I will find the connection though I admit: Maintaining this cover at the same time is challenging and will become more so as time goes on. The hunters work seven days a week since it is only a thirty day long season, so I must, as well."
"Yes, Mr. Kuryakin, I am well aware of how hard this will be for you. I have the utmost confidence in your abilities, both as a spy and a…gator hunter. Good luck." An audible click indicated Mr. Waverly had ended the transmission.
He cut the water off and changed. One of the things he bought at the Army Navy store was a pair of sweatpants that doubled as his loungewear so that he didn't have to put on a fresh slacks to eat dinner.
Everyone was fairly quiet over dinner. It had been very humid and all the hunters were exhausted. Illya felt the best thing to do was to follow everyone else's lead and just concentrate on eating.
Angelique and Joey got up to clear the table, but when Joey began coughing, Illya insisted she sit while he helped her daughter in the kitchen. Tonight there hadn't been any stragglers, only the hunters remained. Al and Joey had taken care of the other diners' dishes, so there wasn't that much left to do.
"Mama!" Angel called from the kitchen, "Nigel and I will take care of the dishes! You go on up to bed! Johnny!"
"Yeah, Angel?"
"Help my Mama up to bed, please."
"Oh, baby…" Joey started to protest.
"No arguments, Mama!" Angelique broke in, "Nigel offered to help, I'm sending Al home, Johnny's going to help you and you go to bed!"
Joey's laughter drifted in from the dining room. "Oui, Miss Boss Woman! Coo wee, the daughter tellin' the Mama what to do now! C'mon, Johnny, we better git before she come out here wit a switch!"
Illya had to grin at the look of satisfaction on Angelique's face when she realized her mother was obeying her. They both waved "Goodnight" to Al and Angelique washed while he dried.
They went back into the dining room to wipe down the table and chairs and once that was done, Angelique said, "I'm stepping outside to smoke. I'd like to speak to you."
He nodded and they exited the kitchen door and sat on the back porch. She lit her cigarette, inhaled deeply and then slowly blew the smoke out. "I am not asking you for details, I just want to know: Are you making progress?"
He looked at her thoughtfully and shrugged. "No."
"The longer you're here, the greater the chance Napoleon will come. I don't want to see him."
"It will not come to that."
"You don't know that!" she hissed, "If Hebert is THRUSH, I am in danger of being discovered. If that were to happen, whoever is the Chair of the Central Committee would be obligated to put a contract out on me. There would be a little war right here in Houma. People are very close knit here and even though I was gone for years, people would stand up for me because I'm Cajun. I can't have their blood on my hands!"
The Russian stared at her as she spoke and then angrily tamped out her cigarette. "I cannot believe I am about to say this, but I believe you, Angel. I believe you are an Innocent in this situation. As such, I will do my best to keep you and these people out of danger. As for Napoleon, I will say this: If he does come here, it will be because he was sent, not because I asked him."
Angelique smiled. "Thank you. We better get upstairs; four AM gets here way too fast."
He nodded in agreement. "Toby told me that he works seven days during the hunting season."
"Everyone does, Cherie. The first two weeks after the end of the season are basically for recuperation, very little gets done. That should be more incentive for you to accomplish your mission: You will also be working every day. Allons, let's go upstairs."
Illya stood and held the door for her. As they heading to their respective rooms he said, "Your mother is right: You are bossy."
Her head whipped around to glare at him until she realized that he had actually made a joke. She gave him a brief smile and said, "Good night, Nigel." Before going into her room and closing her door.
Illya stripped down and got in bed. Lying on his back, his last thought before drifting off was, It is a very strange time indeed when not only am I civil to and joking with Angelique DeChien, I have promised to protect her!