Chapter Eight (copyright 2000, USA. Stephen C. Clark)  

Chapter   8
January 1, 2012
Greenfield, California
 

    Almost everyone in Greenfield who had fled their jobs were now back to work.  The purchasing power of the $100 Daily Bread had diminished considerably in the past week, so if they wanted to continue to live in a style to which they had become accustomed, they needed more money than the machine alone could provide.  But that wasn't the main reason they had returned, the overwhelming majority of people would work whether they had to or not.
    What surprised everyone though, was the new attitude in the work place.  Raises greeted virtually everyone.  No reprisals were taken against anyone for missing work because every employee was needed.  Employers knew that employees were no longer inclined to accept abuse.  The employees were not afraid of being fired because they could walk out one door and enter another and find new employment.  Employers could not keep up with the expansion in business without employees, so they had become considerably nicer and more accommodating to employee attititudes and needs.
    The notable exception to this new era of cooperation was the group of farmers led by Preston Witt who refused to raise wages, and their crops were rotting.  Their former employees were finding new niches or swelling the ranks of the street vendors that flourished around the machines.      There was little complaint about the vendors from the regular merchants. This was because they had all the business they could handle.  The street vendors just warmed people up.  The real money was still being made in the big stores.
 

    Rodolfo rose early and headed to the machine without incident.  Belinda was beginning to achieve a kind of equanimity with the whole process.  She and Mango were there, but barely noticed.  People parted and stared when Rodolfo passed, but nobody bothered him.  "This isn't really that bad," thought Belinda.  And after Rodolfo has the interview with Sofia, people would understand even better.
    They all headed home to rest and prepare for the interview.  It was set to be broadcast live around the world at noon, Greenfield time.  Sofia would join them at the house at ten and they would all go together.
 

    Vic and Etienne surveyed the area.  "If somebody wanted to harm Rodolfo, there's not much we could do.  We got to make that clear to people.  If they want to keep getting there daily issue, they gotta help us keep Rodolfo safe.  Hundreds of people next to him all the time.  There's been no check on any of these ‘Loyal Protectors.'  Any one of them could be packing and we wouldn't know a thing about it," observed Vic.
    "Vic, one thing I've learned in life is to not spend a great deal of time worrying over things we can't do anything about.  We couldn't possibly know who's who here.  There are forces at work that could infiltrate any group.  And if they want harm to come to Rodolfo, it will happen.  Let's just deal with what we can.  We'll stay close, and we could possibly stop local amateurs, but if the big boys want something done, it usually gets done," replied Etienne.
    "Well if we can stop anything, I suggest we keep a hand in the game," said Vic forcefully.
    "Never considered anything else," said Etienne smiling.
 

    Fox Broadcasting had worked out a deal that they would share the feed of the interview with anyone else who was willing to fly Fox's logo in the package.  So Sofia was about to interview the most famous "first child" in the  world.  The irony was not lost on her.  The first "first child" was a little girl in Mexico.  But Rodolfo was more famous because he was the "first child" in the United States.
    Most Americans think their country did everything first, invented everything of value in the world.  Sometimes Sofia hated America for its racism and ignorance of other people, and of themselves for that matter.  But she saw the other side too.  She knew that despite the discrimination that most Mexicans faced, a poor brown campesino had more opportunity, hope and freedom north of that hellish frontier that divided Mexico and the United States than south of it.  Poor Mexicans in the U.S. got more or less the same type of jobs, in terms of working conditions, as those in Mexico, but they got paid a lot better and their kids got to go to school.
    The almost universal dream of the field workers was to provide a better future for their children.  Education was a key to a better life, a ticket out of the fields.  She had puzzled over that one for years.  Should she get "out" at all?  What happens to a people when all their best and brightest leave their families and friends behind?  She had made her decision though.  She had decided to get as far away from Greenfield as she could, as soon as she could.  But now instead of out, she was right back here in Greenfield, back surrounded by Mexican working people, with the biggest opportunity in her life.  And it was her sister's son who made it possible.  Whew.
    Sofia compartmentalized this line of thinking, as she had done with so many other ideas that had interfered with her ability to focus.  Belinda had agreed to the interview, and she would do it.  She hoped it would help Rodolfo and Belinda.  Hope was all she could do.
 

    Sofia finished the interview with Rodolfo and walked around the back of the chairs they had been sitting in.  Belinda ran up and hugged Rodolfo and then Sofia.  Vic and Etienne shuffle footed around until they had both done the same, then Rodolfo broke the celebration.  "I'm thirsty.  Mami, I want something to drink."
    "I'll go with him," volunteered Etienne.  "I'm thirsty too.  Anyone else?"  Everybody raised their hands.
    "Etienne and me can carry it."  Rodolfo grabbed Etienne's hand and they were off.  Two members of the Loyal order for the Protection of Rodolfo fell in behind them.  Rodolfo led them between two trucks towards the vendors.
    It happened fast.  A black-jack came out of the pocket of the man behind Etienne.  Rodolfo heard the dull thud and turned to see Etienne slump to the ground.  He had just enough time to see the other man pull off his jacket and come towards him.  The man draped the coat over Rodolfo's head while the other man rushed to grab him around the waist.  They both picked him up and threw him into the pick-up parked next to them.
 

    Noe was cleaning out his truck when the two men pulled up.  He went ballistic when he saw what they  had in the floor of  the pickup.  Rodolfo was sobbing under the jacket.  "What the hell did you guys come here for?  Every cop in the state will be on your ass.  Get the hell out of here."  Screamed Noe.
    "No problem Noe."  The man on the rider's side opened the door and threw Rodolfo out as the driver shoved Noe back with his door and gunned the motor.  Noe was knocked flat on his ass as Rodolfo looked up in terror.
    "Not a damn word kid."  Noe grabbed Rodolfo by the shirt collar and literally dragged him to his pick up, opened the door and pushed him in.  He drove his truck to a shed and shut off the motor.  Noe looked darkly at Rodolfo and warned, "You stay in this truck til I come back or I'll beat the ever lovin daylights out of you."
 

    Sofia had gone back on the air and was broadcasting when she saw Etienne walking her way being supported by Officer Carson.  Blood tricked down his face.  Sofia signed off as professionally as she could and ran to Etienne.  As she helped him to sit down in a chair, he looked at her with tears in his eyes and explained, "They took Rodolfo.  Rodolfo's gone."
    Sofia fought back her own tears but managed to ask, "Who took Rodolfo?"
    "The two guys who were ‘escorting' us to get a drink," replied Etienne who was still woozy from the clubbing.
    "Belinda, where's Belinda."  Sofia ran frantically to where she had left her sister just moments earlier, completely forgetting Etienne.
 

    Just as Sofia left, Etienne felt a tap on his shoulder.  It was the man he had glimpsed outside Belinda's house.  "I figured you guys were here.  What took you so long?  Who the hell are you anyway?" asked Etienne.
    "Well Duvall, we just weren't real sure what your play was in this one.  Took us a day or two to figure out your connection."  The man did not identify himself, just kept talking.  "Then another couple to make sure the president wasn't watching you.  Since then we've considered you an asset in place.  So where's the kid Duvall?  Is this another decoy by your pal Castenada?"
    "No, and we don't know where he is."  Duvall tried to sound neutral.
    "Well then, why don't you find him for us!"  The man tried to be as threatening as possible, but Duvall was having no part of it.
    "So you want him back, huh.  The company's behind this whole thing.  I knew it."  Etienne even managed a smile.
    "No Duvall, the company is not behind this, and we do not want him back.  You're going to make sure he doesn't come back.  This whole episode will come to an end.  Do you understand?"  This time the man managed to sound menacing.
    "You want me to kill Rodolfo?"  Etienne felt a wave of nausea pass through him.
    "Whatever is necessary Duvall.  Or your sweetheart there might have a little accident herself.  Are we clear on this?"  He stared hard at Etienne.
    "Clear.  Now get the hell out of my face."  Etienne didn't have to say it twice.  The nameless face turned and was lost in the crowd in seconds.
 

    Belinda fainted when she heard what had happened to Rodolfo.  Even after Vic had managed to revived her, she kept trying to snap out of the dream she was convinced she was in.  She no longer had any feelings of blame towards.  She was convinced that God was punishing her for the life she had led.  Sofia approached and saw Belinda on the ground being tended by Vic.  She ran to her side.  "Oh sis, we'll get him back.  We'll find him.  I promise.  We'll find him huh Vic.  We'll find him," Sofia rambled.
    "We'll find him Belinda.  I won't rest until we do.  Let's get you home first.   I'll call the doc and have him meet us at Belinda's house," said Vic taking charge.
    As Castenada was getting Belinda to her feet, Carson and Duvall walked up.  Sofia looked at Etienne, bleeding, obviously stunned, and ran to him. She threw her arms around him and began to sob.
    Aaron Witt watched the entire scene anonymously from the crowd.  When he saw Sofia embrace Duvall, he turned and left.  It wasn't jealousy that drove him away, but a deep sadness that it wasn't him that Sofia felt she could rely on in this crisis.  It looked like one more night of oblivion for Aaron Witt.
 

    Castenada immediately began to organize the search.  He sent Carson to the flat just above the Green Bridge.  This guarded both the Soledad and Greenfield approaches to Arroyo Seco and Carmel Valley.  He had officers on Metz Road, and every on-ramp to the freeway.  He was determined  to catch whoever it was that had grabbed Rodolfo.
 

    Preston drove up in the yard, spotted Noe, and pulled up in front of the shed.  "Those assholes brought the damn kid here.  What the hell we gonna do with him?" yelled an obviously panicked Noe.
    "Well where are they?  Let me talk to em Noe.  I'll straighten them out."  Preston tried to calm Noe.
    "There ain't no they, boss.  They dumped the little brat out and left.  So what the hell we supposed to do with him?" pleaded Noe.
    "We'll just have to get him the hell out of here, won't we Noe?  Where is the boy now?" Preston asked.
    "Right there in my damn truck Boss.  I don't want no part of hurtin no little kid.  You got that Boss.  I ain't gonna hurt no little kid for you."  Noe saw the surprise on Preston's face.  Noe had never used this tone with Preston before.
    "So don't hurt him Noe, but get the little bastard out of here."  Preston got back in his pick-up and drove away, leaving Noe to fend for himself.

 
    Noe took Rodolfo and headed straight west.  He crossed Central about a mile south of Elm Avenue.  He kept going west all the way to the dirt road that hugged the foot hills.  He turned north in a cloud of dust and crossed Elm by the old Little place, past the Wente Brothers grape crushing facility and down into the Arroyo Seco basin by Eula May's house.  He  headed down stream, crossed Thorn Road a little east of the river and kept right on going towards Soledad.  He crossed Arroyo Seco Road just east of  the Soledad Bridge and continued on to where the Arroyo Seco and Salinas Rivers meet.  He then hugged the west bank of the Salinas, drove under the 101 twin bridges, climbed the short hill up to the on ramp, got on the highway north and crossed over to Soledad.  He headed east out of Soledad, staying close to the east bank of the Salinas River all the way to where the Pinnacles Road turned off Metz, and took it east.  One way in, and one way out.