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Emerson nodded. “There’s risk in either choice, but I’ve never lived my life making decisions based on risk. Innocent people are being killed. I have to see this through, but everyone else here needs to decide for themselves whether they’re in or out.”
“Mostly, I’m sort of the kind of guy who prefers to be in,” Vernon said from the other side of the police partition.
“It is fortunate that you know so very little,” Wayan Bagus said to Vernon. “A man who does not know fear cannot die, because death has no place to enter.”
Vernon grinned. “Well, I appreciate that, Little Buddy.”
“The universe put me in the middle of this mystery, and I believe it is my Tao to follow it to its conclusion,” Wayan Bagus said. “I’m in.”
Riley didn’t see where there was much of a choice. Even if she went home to Texas and led the life of a recluse, she suspected she would be hunted down and eliminated. These people were serious about guarding their secret, and she was in the uncomfortable position of knowing too much and not knowing enough. And, most important, her daddy wouldn’t be happy with her if she didn’t see this through.
“I’m in,” Riley said.
“Well, this sure is a nice moment,” Vernon said. “In the movies, they’d hug it out.”
Wayan Bagus looked at Vernon. “Like in Frozen when Elsa and Anna hug at the end because of true love?”
“No. Yuck. What the heck are you talking about? That’s girlie hugging stuff,” Vernon said. “There’s only two kinds of movie hugs that aren’t totally lame. The first is a Rocky III hug. You know, when Apollo and Rocky hug because Rocky finally gets his confidence back and they know he’s gonna kick Mr. T’s ass.”
“I know nothing of these people,” Wayan Bagus said, “but I understand the concept.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask about the second kind of hug,” Riley said.
“A Godfather hug,” Vernon said. “You know the kind of hug somebody totally boss, like Al Pacino, gives someone really annoying, like Fredo, just before he kills them.”
“I will reflect seriously on the matter,” Wayan Bagus said.
Riley thought it was unclear which type of hug Wayan Bagus was considering giving Vernon.
While all the hugging talk was going on Emerson had reached over and placed his hand on Riley’s. She thought it might have been just a gesture of camaraderie, but it felt warm and intimate. Whatever it meant, Riley liked it. She left her hand under his for a few seconds, then withdrew it and turned the steering wheel. The Tahoe veered left toward Canyon Village.
“I guess we should find somewhere to hide for the night,” Riley said.
“There’s a campground near Fishing Bridge at the northern part of the lake,” Emerson said. “We’ll hide the SUV there and start off into the backcountry at first light.”
—
It was dawn when Riley got out of the Tahoe and stretched, glad to exchange the stale air and cramped sleeping arrangements for the fresh smell of conifer trees. They were at the bottom of a gulch and about a mile from the campground. Emerson and Vernon were laboring to camouflage the car with branches and leaves.
“Do you think they’ll find the Tahoe?” Riley asked Emerson.
“Undoubtedly. However, I don’t care if they find it. I only care when. We need to find what we’re looking for before Tin Man discovers the Tahoe and knows for certain that we’re still in the park.”
“Okay, then. How long do you think that will take?”
“It’s going to take two days to hike to Sour Creek Dome and two days to hike back out. At any rate, we have enough food to last a week and no more.”
“If there’s something big going on at Sour Creek Dome, wouldn’t there be a road leading to it?”
“Most likely, but it’s not on any map, and we could waste a lot of time trying to find it. With any luck we’ll be able to take it out.”
The three backpacks and Wayan Bagus’s duffel were propped up against a nearby tree. Emerson strapped one on and handed another to Riley. He pointed at an unassuming hill in the distance. “That’s Sour Creek Dome. It’s about ten miles as the crow flies from here.”
“And you think it’s a two-day hike?” Riley asked.
Emerson removed a map of Yellowstone from his pocket. “I don’t really know. There’s no established trail so it’ll be slow going.”
Riley looked at the map. “Why is the entire area delineated in a green bubble?”
