Page 139 of Chaos has a Name
Tom shook his head.
“It’sThe Hollow. You should leave it be. He moves through the night, and has the head of a stag, with antlers. All the older members of the reservation know of it. We also know that if you challenge it, bad things can happen to all of us!”
Yeah, well, they really didn’t have a choice. The law of the land said killing was a crime, even if it was for cultural reasons.
Human sacrifice was a big no-no anywhere in the world and with good reason.
The bigger question for Callen was how did they grow up here and not know someone was killing a person every year for shits and giggles over a story handed down by people?
That was bizarre for a few reasons. One, because it was just a story, and two, no one here ever thought that was wrong?
Yowza.
Yeah, this was jacked-up.
“We can’t ignore it, Chief,” Callen said. “Murder is murder, and you know we’re obligated to look into it whenever it pops up.”
The man stood his ground.
And it didn’t look like he was going to just let them have full reign—which was interesting since this was now technically their jurisdiction.
“You are of this land.The Hollowhas benefited all of us. It keeps us safe. Look at your life now because of it.”
What?
The?
Hell?
Their lives were the way they were because they got off the rez, and worked damn hard to make a life for themselves.
No freaking‘Wendigo’sacrifice helped them achieve this life. That was crazy-ass bullshit that couldn’t possibly be believed, could it be?
Fate was fate.
Life wasn’t a lottery.
For both Callen and Ethan, this was the most frustrating thing about the older Natives. They believed lore, not logic, and there was no arguing with them over it either.
They wouldn’t change their mind.
EVER.
For them, now, the delicate dance began. For them, FBI employees, it was best to work around this whole situation the best they could.
For Callen, he was going to try to be respectful while doing his job, and that was no easy task when it came to this insanity.
“Chief, we have to look into it if blood is found, and a person is missing. This isn’t new to any of us. You know that. Homicide is homicide, and that warrants an investigation.”
He sighed, and truthfully, he didn’t look happy about it either. Well, that was the most normal thing today. A Native not happy the FBI was going to go buck wild on their reservation?
Yeah, been there, done that more times than Callen could count on one hand.
“And now the FBI has to investigate it?”
They didn’t really have a choice. Once they were notified, the clock started ticking.
The FBI was on the case.
