Buds
Copyright© 2024 by OmegaPet-58
Chapter 9: Strategy
A dusty pickup truck parked and honked in front of Camp Job’s gate. Decals on both side doors of the truck showed “Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior.”
Armond and his confederate stepped out of the truck, kitted out in complete BLM uniforms (but unarmed). They folded their arms and waited.
After a few minutes, Elijah appeared with two lieutenants, all three holding assault rifles, and he gruffly addressed the visitors.
“State your business.”
“You are operating a mine on federal land without a claim, a permit, or an environmental impact report. We’ve been sent to inspect your premises, including the mine, and make a report. If I complete a thorough review of this site, I have the authority to grant you a retroactive permit.”
“And if I don’t cooperate?”
“Then we return to the Bureau and initiate the criminal process. Unpermitted resource extraction on public land is a felony, and you will be prosecuted in federal, not state court. You are already in violation of Title 30 of the US Code, Section 21. I recommend you work with us to come into compliance.”
“This desert is a harsh place. Suppose you two don’t make it back to town?”
“You don’t want to play it that way. You think I’m stupid? There’s a satellite phone in the truck. They know where I’m going, that I’ve arrived here, and are expecting another call when we leave. Intact. So, what’s it going to be?”
Elijah considered his options, and decided he would comply, for now. Fortunately, it was afternoon, and the girls were out laboring in the mine. Armond confirmed that Molly (and a few other girls he was tracking) were in fact part of the crew.
As he passed her on the way in to “inspect the rock face,” he whispered urgently in Molly’s ear.
“Patrick says hi!”
When he returned from the desert, Armond put the finishing touches on what he called “Operation Desert Storm.” He had contacted some of the other families and could now show them the videos he had surreptitiously taped while on the premises.
With their support, he pulled together a well-armed and ill-humored group of retired military men and women. Two days later, all twelve of them joined Armond at the front gate. When they received no response from inside, Armond noticed the camera.
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