The deputy stood upright and called, “Move the barricade, boys.”
“Like hell we will!” one of them shouted.
“Move the barricade or I’ll haul you in.”
There was grumbling, but two of the men lifted the barricade and moved it to the side of the road.
“And leave it there,” the deputy said. “Anybody else comes along here, you don’t give them a hard time, understand?”
“They’re the ones causing trouble!” the man who’d stood at Rainy’s window hollered. “We just want to get back to work.”
“And you will, when the judge says you can. Until then, you do what I say.” He glanced down at Rainy. “Go on, ma’am.”
Rainy inched ahead and the men parted to let the car pass.
“Lucky that deputy came along,” Annie said.
“And lucky it wasn’t one of the other deputies,” Rainy said. “A lot of them are less understanding.”
Rainy drove slowly now as the road curved to follow a bend in the river.
“Tell me about Spirit Crossing,” Maria said.
“To the south is ground that has been considered sacred since The People first arrived here generations ago,” Rainy replied. “Ceremonies have been held there for hundreds of years. The crossing is a gentle, shallow place where our ancestors north of the river crossed to reach that sacred ground.”
“Why is it sacred?” Maria asked.
“Everything is sacred,” Rainy said. “But there are places where the spirit of the Creator is powerful. You can feel it. A healing spirit.”
“Bizaan,” Maria said.
Rainy glanced in the rearview mirror. “Yes. At peace. Where did you learn that word?”
“Annie taught it to me. There is an island in Iron Lake with the name.”
They began to pass people scattered on either side of the road, some still carrying placards. To Annie, they looked weary, like soldiers who’d been in combat a long time.
When they reached Spirit Crossing, Annie saw the desecration of that beautiful river. A broad line of bulldozed ground led up to the riverbank, where the birch trees and wildflowers and grasses and every other living thing had been cut and cleared away for the passage of the pipeline. The torn earth was red, a great raw wound where the soil bled into the clear river, turning the water murky. Amid the devastation sat huge earthmoving machines powerful as sleeping dinosaurs. There were still protesters, a loose line that stood between the machines and the river, but there was no evidence of conflict. As Rainy approached, a uniformed officer stepped in front of her Bronco. He held up a hand, then came to her window.
“Lady, this is a restricted area. Go on back the way you came.”
“I’m a nurse. I was told there are injured people.”
“A few of these nutcases chained themselves to bulldozers. They’ve been taken to the courthouse for processing. Nobody here now that needs tending to. So you just turn around and go on back to where it is you came from.”
“Rainy!” Stephen came hurrying toward the car. He avoided the officer and approached Annie’s side. “Belle’s in town, working with the legal team. Anton’s up at the medical tent. We’ve got a few injured people who could use some looking at. Nothing serious, thank God.”
“Step away from the vehicle,” the officer ordered Stephen. “We don’t need any more arrests.”
“I’m not causing any trouble,” Stephen said. “These people are nurses. They’re just here to help.”
“And I’ve already told them to clear out.”
Stephen took a pad of paper from this shirt pocket and a pen. “What’s your name, Officer?”
The cop came around the car, walking fast toward Stephen. “My name is I’m just about to kick your ass.”
Annie stepped from the car and stood between the cop and her brother. “His badge says Lewis.”
“All right, that’s it,” the officer said. “Everyone out of the car.”
“What’s your badge number?” Stephen asked.
“I said out of the car. Now!”
“No badge number,” Annie said. “It just says Private Security.”
Officer Lewis glared at her. “One more word from you…” But he didn’t finish because a number of people who’d been in the protest line had started drifting toward the scene. The officer turned and watched them approach. “Stay there,” he warned. “This doesn’t involve any of you.”
“Document this!” Stephen called to them.
Several lifted cell phones as if beginning to record the exchange.
“Tread carefully, Officer Lewis,” Stephen said.
“God damn, you people,” Lewis said. “I’ve had it with you. You!” He pointed at Stephen. “And you.” He pointed to Annie. “You’re both under arrest!”
“On what charge?” Stephen replied.
