Echohawk shifted through the six gears of his BMW S1000RR, Motorrad racing bike smoothly until he was moving at 115 MPH. He had to hurry or else his Auntie Ayasha and the Master Bigfoot would be walking into a trap alone. Inside the Bell ProStar helmet, the flex impact liner kept the roar of engine to a soft cat’s purr. With his tongue, he touched the switch activating the Tristar satellite communication system.
The system’s mechanical administrator voice said, “Welcome to Tristar. How may I direct your call?”
“Island Casino Lodge, extension 301.”
“That is a blocked signal, sir.”
“Override, Alpha, Alpha, priority one.”
The taillights on a slow moving car ahead warned Echohawk to gear down as he approached a steep hill. He waited until he crested the rise, then roared past the startled old couple in the Toyota sedan. The highway ahead was empty and he poured on the speed in the gathering twilight.
His Auntie’s voice came over the helmet’s speakers, soft but intelligible. The chill was audible even at 115 miles per hour. “Larry, please hang up. I’m extremely busy.”
Echohawk should have expected her refusal to speak to him, but he had to try and get her attention. “Auntie Ayasha, please don’t hang up. It’s important. It’s about the Master Bigfoot. She’s in danger … you’re in danger.”
The answering silence frightened him and he poured on more speed, even though the late afternoon sun made driving this fast reckless. Trees whipped by on either side of him and the road narrowed, the twists and turns becoming more pronounced. Finally, his Auntie’s voice came back on. “We’ve always known there was danger as Keeper of the Sacred Fire, Larry.”
“An evil and extremely smart Russian named Dimitryi Mameyev knows about the portal and the transfer. He knows it’s going to happen tonight. His mercenaries can track the Bigfoot when they move with satellites put in orbit by my employers the Ang brothers.”
“So that’s how they’ve been able to hunt them down so easily.”
“Yes”
“What if they are stationary?”
“Then they can’t see them.”
There was a long pause and Echohawk could hear Auntie speaking with someone, though he couldn’t make out the words. “They are trained killers, Auntie. They won’t hesitate to kill you or anyone who gets in their way. The Russian wants the portal. Wait until I get there. I’ll go with the Bigfoot. Not you. I can protect her.”
“And how do you know all this Larry?” His Auntie’s voice hardened.
Echohawk swallowed against the chill. He knew if he told her the truth she might hang up on him, but he had to be honest with her. The Bigfoot encounter had changed his life. “I’ve been helping them.”
“Helping the killers?”
“No. Helping the men who hired the killers.”
Echohawk gritted his teeth. For a moment doubt crossed his mind. Why was he rushing back to the clan and the Bigfoot? He’d given up all that nonsense years ago. But he remembered the avarice on the Russian’s face and he knew he couldn’t let his Auntie or any of the others walk into the trap.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Echohawk told her about his encounter with the Bigfoot. He waited for a response until he could wait no longer. “I’ve changed! Wait for me!” he screamed.
Auntie’s voice came clearly through the helmet’s speakers. “You know I’ve always loved you as my son.”
Relief flooded him, but her next words chilled him. “When you get here, dear, someone will bring you to Mr. Stephen Kesl. Help him. I have to go now.” His Auntie spoke as if going into the Hiawatha National Forest at night with a Bigfoot being hunted by ruthless killers was a walk in the park.
The connection went dead.
Echohawk touched another button on the inside of his helmet. A GPS holographic display appeared giving his speed and the estimated time of arrival at the casino. It wouldn’t be until after dark, when his Auntie and the Bigfoot would already be gone.