Lake Okeechobee had looked like a jewel glistening in the morning sun when MT and Perry arrived for their air boat tour. After pestering his mother for a week, Perry had convinced her to allow them to go look for alligators.

The boat they had hired came with a guide, but as MT studied the ungainly looking craft it was hard to decide which was older, the man or his machine. But the raised bench where they were to sit had seatbelts and the man made sure they were securely fastened before he started the boat.

This wasn't a hunt, although the tour company did hold expeditions that would allow a hunter to bag one of the ancient looking creatures. Perry couldn't stand the thought of killing such a magnificent example of a modern day dinosaur, so they went just to look.

MT's Aunt Barbara had sent them in a hired car all the way out Highway 710 to the Hampton Inn located in the city of Okeechobee where they would spend the night and take a morning airboat tour. She wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of sending them off alone, but she knew the boys wanted their adventure.

Giving her son some well-deserved independence was a lot easier with MT there to guide him. Perry had his own cell phone, but Barbara had immediately given one to MT the moment they arrived in town. Of the two, she judged MT to be the one who would call 9-1-1 if there was any trouble.

It wasn't like their guide had to work hard to find any alligators to look at; there were a dozen of the beasts lying on the river bank across from the boat docks. MT had brought his little camera and Perry had this huge pair of binoculars his father had left behind.

They combed the river banks, surged up small channels accessible only by air boat, and damn near rode over several of the creatures on the way. Their guide was only too happy to stop in several places and shut down the huge fan powering the boat which had cut off any chance of conversation, as did the ear protection they were required to wear.

Although from what they could see the alligators didn't seem concerned by their presence, but their guide kept the boat a little ways off so as not to disturb the creatures basking in the sun. But they both nearly fell out of their seats when one of the beasts surfaced right next to the boat and snapped its giant jaws in warning. Their guide just laughed at the reaction.

After three hours of cooking in the morning sun they were both ready to return to the dock and go back to West Palm Beach. Now they could cross alligators off the list of things to see, and MT had the photos to prove they had been there and done that.

From MT's point of view, those six weeks on the beach had been a pure delight. Granted, Florida was hot as hell in August, but the constant breeze off the ocean made that manageable. MT wondered how his family and friends were managing in the humid Georgia climate while he basked in the sun.

It was Perry who had suggested they sneak out of the condo several evenings a week and go up to the rooftop sun deck. From there they could see way out on the ocean, especially on those clear cloudless nights. But this was also a very private space that allowed them a chance to explore their bodies in an undisturbed fashion.

They shared a bedroom in the condo, but with Barbara and Perry's little sister, Darlene, just across the hall it made them both a little anxious about getting caught in the act. The roof deck held several enclosed cabanas used by the residents to change clothes, and each door had a lock. It was like an invitation.

July fourteenth, two o'clock in the morning. MT would always remember that date and time as the moment when he proved his love to Perry. With great surprise at the ease with which their joining occurred, MT gave in to the passions that had been delayed so long by the events that had begun their summer of love.

It was a revealing moment for them both. Perry discovered the power he had to give, and MT finally understood how wonderful it was to receive. Of course they had to do this sparingly otherwise they would be knocked out during the day. But they managed to make up for that lack of sleep in the shade under a beach umbrella.

The beach was nothing like the mountains of northwestern Georgia. The sounds of surf and sea birds, and the smells, yes, MT adored the salty air down here. For a boy who had grown up in a small rural town this was all so different ... and welcome.

The condo was only a few blocks off Royal Palm Way and directly across Ocean Boulevard from the beach. There was some high class shopping within walking distance, but of more importance, there were restaurants and a Starbucks just around the corner.

This was Barbara's world, a world of the moneyed elite to which she belonged. MT felt like an outside observer, while Perry took it all in stride as his due. Perry had money in the bank and a card which allowed him to spend it wherever he wished. MT had no such advantage, and wouldn't until the reward money for Bates was awarded.

Perry was acutely aware that MT didn't feel financially secure and so he paid for everything. That aggravated MT who finally handed Perry the two hundred dollars his father had given him and said he couldn't spend any more. Money would always be an issue between them so Perry embarked on a less is more campaign.

But the best things about love were free, except of course condoms cost money. Florida was over much too soon, and for the second time in his life MT boarded a plane for the flight back to Atlanta. Franklin was awaiting their arrival and they were whisked back to Trogdon. It felt as if they had never been away, but the memories lingered.

The thoughts returned time and again in the following week, just as they did now while MT lay on the daybed in the chill evening air on his parent's back porch. So many things to think about ... so many wonderful memories. His life might appear normal on the outside, but that only meant the deception was holding up.

MT had given his parents the impression that the first day of school was filled with the same old routine. There was little that changed in the daily life of a Trogdon resident and so he was determined to blend in. But he felt like screaming that he was in love and that Perry was the best thing that had ever happened in the past fifteen years ... going on sixteen.

Compared to being in love, turning sixteen wasn't such a big deal anymore. Being able to drive would only make it easier to see Perry, and they could go places together ... faraway places where they could be alone.

By now MT knew his father would give him that Dodge pickup truck which was sitting behind the garage. Whit had worked it over until it purred like a kitten. But it had a large block eight cylinder engine and could tow a trailer full of cows, or at least it had in a past life. Perhaps he could get a camper to tow behind and then he and Perry could take it up into the Tennessee hill country. But that was useless speculation for now.

The second day of school would dawn, and then the third. The weeks would roll on like they always did. Damn, it was getting downright cold, and MT pulled the blanket closer around his body. Perry would be on the porch at the summerhouse wrapped in his own covers. Is he thinking about me, MT wondered? Would they spend the rest of their teenage years thinking about each other? He sure hoped so.

Spending time with the Trogdons certainly opened some new doors in MT's life. Perry was the adventurous sort and so it really came as no surprise when he announced that they should attend one of Leon's club events at the community center. Leon wouldn't mind, he seemed to like Perry.

School could have quickly fallen into a tedious routine, except that Perry didn't allow that to happen. As days evolved into weeks MT could only sit back and wonder at the way the boy seemed to assert himself in every class. In the past Leona Jackson was always the first to raise her hand, answer the questions correctly and make the best grades, but Perry was out to change all that.

Once the novelty of having a Trogdon in their midst wore off, most of the kids in their classes responded to Perry with a favorable attitude. He didn't fit the rich kid stereotype and his apparent friendship with MT and Leon seemed to ease the boy into the social order.

The Lively Boys were a handful of tried and true friends that Leon had known most of his life. There were about a dozen of them now, ranging through the various high school grades. Three of them were tenth graders and shared classes with Perry and MT, but they were all characters, and some of them were strange.

Darius Figg seemed to be the oddest member of the group, but perhaps that was part of his act. Every time Perry saw the boy he had to remember that this was rural Georgia and they were located in the religiously conservative Southland. Darius defied all that with his nineteen sixties Afro haircut and the pimp clothing he chose to wear. But only a fool would take the boy for a clown.

Just like Leon, Darius was a large specimen of manhood. If rumor were to believed then that assessment carried on through to all parts of the boy's body. Perhaps it was a lie, but since Darius was only fifteen he still had time to grow and that sounded frightening. But somehow the girls in school seemed to know of his ... magnificent appendage, although none of them had ever seen it.

So Darius had mystique going for him, and Eli Thomas had skills. At six foot-seven inches tall it wasn't hard to imagine what Eli did best. He was known as the half court king in the gym because his aim was that accurate. He was easy to pick out in a crowd and there was always a group of female followers around him fawning in adoration.

On the other hand, Leon didn't have his own set of groupies, and that seemed curious. Perry mentioned that to MT and received a smile in return.

"He says he doesn't have time for girls right now," MT explained. "Oh don't get me wrong, there is no gay in that boy. But that gunshot changed his life. Now he sees himself as redeemed, even though he still lusts after those Baywatch girls."

"Leon looks like he could be the violent type," Perry said.

"Only in an eye for an eye kind of way. He was headed for a showdown with Jason, we all knew that. Brian is the one who'd better watch out now."

The last weekend in September, on a Friday night, MT took Perry to the Lively Corners Baptist Church to see what Leon and his boys did in their basement social club. Perry was over to spend the night with MT, a first for them both, and so they walked up Parker Street to the church.

Lively Corners was a neighborhood of small houses and friendly people. MT had never felt out of place here even though he might be the only white face on the street. The black working class had little time for the foolishness of racial politics espoused by some other communities across the state. These people were just too damn busy.

The houses might be small but they were well kept. Reverend Jones felt the image was important and so year after year the residents all pitched in and worked on the homes. A new roof here, a coat of paint there made all the difference to the sense of community. But whereas Trogdon's homes had yards filled with flowers, there were far fewer daises growing here.

"Crops," The good Reverend urged, "we shall become farmers for the glory of the Lord." And the yards were filed with beans and tomatoes, okra and squash. Low paying jobs might make it difficult to fulfill a family's needs, but they would all eat well thanks to the crops. But it was fall, long past the growing season, and so the only things left in the ground were cabbages.

The Lively Corners church was a fairly new building, standing on the site of the original which was constructed after the Civil War. The Reverend Jones knew his church history and could tell Perry that a Trogdon had provided the bricks and mortar, the lumber and nails for that first church. But the congregation had built their own church back then and now maintained this one because it was the center of their spiritual needs.

No matter that everyone in Lively Corners walked to the Trogdon church these days, they would never abandon their old church. It was the Reverend's foresight that made him commit the basement meeting room for use by the Lively Boys and the other kids who needed a place to go. And as MT and Perry descended the steps to the basement doors they heard the noise ahead and wondered what they were walking into.

The hall was as large as the church upstairs, which wasn't huge by Trogdon standards. There was a small stage at one end while the rest of the floor was occupied by a pool table, chairs and tables and a small kitchen where someone was cooking pizza. There were at least two dozen kids at work and play in the space, and each of them seemed dedicated to the activity before them.

A group of girls were gathered around a table in one corner where Eli Thomas sat before a computer station. Leon and another boy were shooting a game of pool, while on the small stage Darius was playing DJ with a pile of sound equipment. The tables were covered with card games and homework, although with all this noise it was a wonder anyone could concentrate on such things. But when MT and Perry stepped through the door Leon looked up and gave them a huge grin.

"All right ... we have broken the color barrier tonight," Leon laughed, and came over to shake hands.

Darius gave them a wave of the hand as he spun up a new disk and said a few words of introduction. The music was odd, old, and probably from the Reverend's personal collection. Aretha Franklin's voice emerged from the speakers wailing about R-E-S-P-E-C-T, while the bodies around the room kept on with their activities, but they moved to the song.

MT stayed to watch Leon shoot pool while Perry wandered over to see what Eli had going on the computer. In time the Reverend Jones made an appearance, wandered around the room and then left. He never had trouble with these kids, but Leon did.

The Lively Boys were not a particularly rowdy bunch, thanks to Leon who managed to set a good example. He insisted the members of his little club never do drugs or drink alcohol, and they had to respect women. Although many of the girls might flirt, they would not be looking for a dark corner to engage in any sexual activity.

To a group of normal teenagers filled with thoughts and desires this might seem a little harsh, but Leon had a point. Pregnancy among the younger black population in the state was high, too high in Leon's estimation. A young mother often gave up her needs for an education or a career to care for a baby, and he felt that was counterproductive to the image of black America.

MT had heard all about this philosophy as it developed and understood what Leon was trying to accomplish. Lively Corners might not be a source of wealth for the residents, but they had respect because their lives were under control. Considering the number of white teenage pregnancies in Marsh County it seems as if Leon's approach was working for his peers. But not all of them.

Jasper Tilly showed up about an hour after MT and Perry arrived. Here was a boy whose life would be filled with challenges. His father was white and his mother black. Even in this modern age Jasper found it hard to find acceptance from either side. But what made it worse were his illegal activities, and tonight he arrived at the door reeking of marijuana and completely stoned.

Jasper had a history with the sheriff's department, and had been arrested on drug charges several times in his juvenile career. He had been on probation a half dozen times, he was probably still on probation, but he still got stoned. It was obvious to MT when the boy walked in, and as expected Leon lay down his pool cue and gently pulled Jasper back out the door.

The boy was a mess when he was like this and that meant he had even fewer friends because of his addictions. But the ones he did have were the wrong sort, including Jason Wicket. It amused Jason's crew to put up with Jasper because he bought weed from them and then took the abuse they handed out when he was stoned. Now that Jason was off the map it seems Jasper was still obtaining weed, probably from Brian.

MT knew all this, and because of it had a chat with Leon the minute the boy returned.

"I sent Jasper home," Leon said. "He knows better than to come here when he's like that."

"Doesn't solve the problem, does it?" MT asked.

"It isn't him ... he's just got a hard road. I thought with Jason out of the picture things might settle down around here."

"I think it will only get worse," MT said. "We'll probably get the first frost next month and Brian will harvest the whole crop."

"Yeah, you know about all that," Leon said. "I bet you even know where it is."

MT was celebrating his birthday come Sunday, and as a little present to himself he had considered going down in the woods where Jason's crop was growing and setting fire to the whole thing. But the woods would go up in smoke, and besides, green plants didn't burn very well.

"I do," MT admitted. "I'd love to trash it all, but I can't do it alone."

"You want help? We can help you. What did you have in mind?"

It wouldn't burn, they both agreed to that. There might be a hundred plants, or more, and that was a lot of work to chop down, especially since Brian and his friends would be keeping an eye on their investment now that it was fully grown.

MT had once overheard one of Jason's crew explaining about all the work it took to grow such a large crop. The watering, the fertilizer and the careful pruning to make sure the buds grew large and fat. But Jason always allowed the plants a maximum amount of growing time even though they picked pieces off it here and there to "test" the crop. The whole crop would come down for drying right after the first frost stopped the growing cycle.

MT figured the crew wouldn't have to carry the cut plants further than the grandmother's barn where it could hang in the rafters to dry out just like tobacco. Even with Jason in the burn rehab center his boys would follow the pattern. But if he and Leon cut down the crop they would have to haul it away and destroy it. That would be a lot of work.

"Why don't we just tell the Sheriff where it is?" Leon suggested.

"Because someone will find out we did it," MT said. "That department leaks like a sieve, nothing stays secret there. It didn't take long for Jason to find out we busted his uncle for the moonshine. If we kill his crop there will be hell to pay and I don't want someone shooting at the Trogdons or me ... you know how that works."

Leon nodded. "So how do we keep from getting the blame?"

"I've been thinking about that," MT said. "Give me a few days to come up with an answer. I have to talk to someone."

"You better hurry, there isn't much time."

"Much time for what?" Perry asked. He had arrived in time to hear Leon's reply but nothing else.

"I'll explain later," MT said.

"So what do you think of our little club?" Leon asked.

"It's good ... except I think Darius needs some new music," Perry replied.

"Yeah, next thing you know he'll be playing disco," MT said.

"No way, not in my house," Leon said.

MT and Perry stayed for two hours and then walked home. It was almost dark now, and like most small towns Trogdon seemed to roll up the sidewalks around dusk. Anyone who wanted a robust nightlife might wander over to Fairview where they had a McDonalds open until eleven. But most folks took their late night desires to Chattanooga twenty miles up the road.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Perry asked, looking through the windows of Dubb's Drugs as they passed.

"Nothing special ... haven't you bought me a gift yet?" MT replied.

"I have a couple of things. I haven't spent a lot of money because ... well because I don't want your parents asking questions."

"Good thinking. We don't need them to be any more curious then they already are," MT said.

"But Pops doesn't have to worry ... he bought you something very nice."

"Lord, what a tease."

"So what are you and Leon cooking up?" Perry asked, and so MT had to explain.

The real issue was what to do with all those marijuana plants once they were cut down. There was no way to get a truck anywhere near that little neck of land because it was surrounded with trees and water. The stream wasn't deep enough to bring in a boat, and Perry agreed that burning was not a very good option.

"Are you sure we just can't tell the Sheriff where it is?" Perry asked.

"Not until we know who is passing information along, and we're running out of time," MT said. "I don't want to put either of us at risk, you know that."

"It just seems we don't have the resources," Perry said. "Let me think about it."

"Yeah, that's what I told Leon."

MT's parents both had to work on Saturday and so the house became quiet after ten o'clock in the evening. The night time temperature would drop into the sixties but the boys decided to brave it out on the porch. This would put the most distance between them and the parent's bedroom upstairs. Huddled under a quilt they kissed and drew closer, but not just for warmth. It wasn't long before the excitement of having sex in a new place, and under the risk of being caught, brought them both to a satisfying climax.

MT was in tune with Perry's body by now and aware of the small nuances of touch that would bring the boy to a shattering orgasm. They had learned to be quiet during these sessions, but that did nothing to lessen the pleasure.

"I think you need to talk to Dave," Perry said.

"Dave? Oh, Deputy Dave," MT replied. "I don't know about that. He'll give us hell for trying to do something like this on our own."

"So invite him to join us."

"Perry, he can't do that ... he works for the Sheriff now."

"At least we could ask him for advice," Perry said.

Deputy Dave Tompkins was now living in a small cottage off Peach Lane, which was in the Orchard neighborhood of Trogdon. Set on shady tree lined streets back behind the Baptist church, these homes were prized for their large yards and the fruit trees which had been left in place. Twenty years ago, Ben Trogdon had turned a four hundred acre orchard into working class housing, and he had arranged for Dave to be given one for his services.

While Perry and MT were off in sunny Florida, Dave had moved down from Chattanooga, bringing his young wife and eighteen month old daughter. Most of the deputies had to undergo months of physical and weapons training to get that badge. Dave started with the badge and was working his way through the books and lessons of a law enforcement officer. This might seem backwards, but he could already shoot better than anyone in the department.

Saturday morning found Dave at work in his back yard trying to figure out the instructions on a swing set he had purchased for his daughter. Never mind that it would be a few years before she was old enough to use it. It was obvious from the moment MT first met Dave's little girl that her daddy could deny her nothing.

"Oh good ... help has arrived," Dave said when MT and Perry came through the gate.

"Goodness, Dave, why did you have to buy such a complicated swing set?" Perry asked, looking at the pictures on the box.

The unit would have two swings, a small tower to climb where a kid could reach the slide, and a maze of jungle gym bars.

"My wife picked it out," Dave admitted.

"Probably because she didn't have to assemble it," MT laughed.

It took them two hours to figure it all out and then Dave's wife, Michelle, invited them in for lunch. The baby was down for her nap and so they sat around the kitchen table to eat their soup and sandwiches.

"So ... what was the real reason you boys dropped by?" Dave finally asked.

"Have you ever smoked pot?" MT asked.

Dave gave him a funny look and then nodded. "In ninth grade, I smoked a joint with my buddy Richie. We got the munchies, cleaned out his refrigerator, and then I fell asleep. That was my big adventure in the world of drugs. Why, are you planning to get stoned?"

Perry laughed. "No, not at all. I like my brain just the way it is. But ... "

"You know Jason was growing pot, and now we think his buddies are going to harvest the crop," MT said. "The Lively Boys want to join us in destroying the weed before it gets sold and passed around at school."

"Why don't you just tell the Sheriff where it is?"

"Because your department has a leak and we don't want anyone finding out that we're involved," Perry said. "Everyone seems to know about what happened with Bates and Jason, so someone is doing a lot of talking."

Dave nodded. "I'm sorry, and I wish I knew who is doing the talking, but I'm the new guy. I don't think anyone wants to put you at risk. Why is this so important?"

"Leon Ball is a friend of mine," MT said. "He doesn't want to see the drugs spread around Lively Corners or at school ... and neither do I. Jason and his friends have been selling it around here for several years and that needs to stop. Brian Finley has taken over from Jason and he'll be the one to distribute the weed once it's dried out. We need to get our hands on the plants before he does that."

"Don't you think Brian will see your hand in all of this?"

"Not if we mislead him," MT said. "Perry and I have a plan ... "

Dave listened to what the boys wanted to do and could only smile. It was clever, and at the same time involved great risk. He probably couldn't talk them out of doing any of this and so the best thing to do was to stay close and offer his assistance. When the time came there might be other ways to keep them safe.

Fortunately school was in session and so any plans would have to wait for a weekend. By then Dave would have the chance to think this through and see if there was a better way.

"MT turns sixteen tomorrow," Perry said.

"Really? Congratulations," Dave said.

"Yeah, I can go get my license ... I'm a good driver," MT said.

"You better be," Dave laughed. "The first thing they do with the new guys is put us out on the highway with a radar gun."

Perry thought that was immensely funny, MT didn't. His father had already read him the riot act about driving carefully. It seems auto insurance for a boy his age was a huge cost. MT figured once he got that reward money he could pay his father back.

With lunch over MT felt it was time to leave. He assured Dave that once they finalized the plan that he would be the first to know. It felt better to have the man supporting their efforts.

"He can get in so much trouble," Perry said as they walked back towards the center of town.

"I guess. Are we doing something illegal?" MT asked.

"Trespassing I suppose, but that's only a misdemeanor. I don't imagine anyone will take that seriously if we get caught."

"It isn't Brian's property; it belongs to Jason's granny."

"I wasn't thinking about her," Perry said.

The birthday party was small, just a family affair. Mr. Trogdon and Perry drove over after church and they all gathered around the dining room table. There were several wrapped presents sitting on the buffet, but those were from MT's parents. There was no sign of what the Trogdons might be giving him.

They ate barbecue and greens from the Piggly Wiggly, one of MT's favorite meals. MT's mother had brought home a cake from the in-store bakery and said that Mrs. Cutler had made it especially for him. And after the cake and ice cream were consumed MT was allowed to open his presents.

He received clothing from his mother and a wallet from his father with a hundred dollars inside. There was just one tiny box left and MT tore off the wrapping to reveal a set of keys to the Dodge truck he already knew was his. He grinned at those around the table and Perry laughed.

"So ... you think we brought you anything?" Perry asked.

"Don't tease, Perry," Mr. Trogdon said. "Go out and get it."

Perry grinned and ran out of the house. He returned a few minutes later with a long, black case and MT immediately knew what it was. His father smiled while his mother looked on with concern, and MT opened the case to reveal the rifle.

"It's a Ruger," Trogdon said. "Made in America ... that's the only kind of product I buy."

The rifle was a .22 with a dark wood stock and a black barrel. It didn't look anything like Alvin's rifle which was the only one MT had ever fired. This one was brand new, and it looked expensive.

"You'll have to learn how to shoot it," MT's father said.

"Dave can teach me," MT said, and Mr. Trogdon nodded.

"He probably can, in fact he might be the best teacher around. Perry has already had the basics of gun safety, but I want you both to take lessons."

"Thank you," MT said. "Thank you both."

"Perry told me you have a little experience," Trogdon said. "He suggested the .22 would be a better choice for you instead of a shotgun. I have a whole gun safe full of rifles which you are welcome to use once you learn the rules."

"Yes, sir, that would be very nice," MT said, and then he looked at his mother. "I promise not to take this out of the house unless there's a responsible adult present. Do you feel better now?"

His mother smiled. "Forgive me, I just never liked guns."

"Once MT has some practice I suppose we could go hunting," Trogdon said.

"Can we go to Alaska and hunt bear?" Perry asked.

Trogdon laughed. "Sure, once you get a little older. Right now you'd make a quick lunch for a big old grizzly."

Perry grinned and reached over to pat his grandfather's stomach. "And you'd make a good dinner."

October arrived that week and the signs for the Halloween dance went up around the school. The last day of the month fell on a Monday and so the dance was scheduled for Saturday the twenty-ninth. Social life amongst students at the school was pretty important and so events like this were the cause of great excitement. Everyone wanted to be there and MT was counting on it.

In order to facilitate the attack on Jason's crop, Perry had suggested they needed to scout the approaches and gain a rough count of the plants. By now MT knew that cutting down a marijuana plant wouldn't be that easy. There were several helpful videos Perry found on the internet, and one of them showed the actual harvest.

"It won't be like cutting flowers, that's for sure," Perry said.

"The stems look pretty damn thick. I need to get a machete," MT said. "In fact, we'll need lots of machetes. I don't suppose your grandfather has a shed full of them. What do the gardeners use?"

"Probably some kind of saw, but they aren't in a hurry to cut things down. We could order a few from an online garden supply."

"We don't have much time, Perry."

"I'll take care of it."

Lunch in the cafeteria with Leon and the boys had now become a planning session. It was decided that Leon and MT would take a walk along the perimeter fence of the county prison farm. Approaching the area of pot cultivation from this angle seemed the safest since it wasn't on the Wicket property.

It seemed logical that Brian would be frequently checking on the crop considering how much money it was worth. MT didn't think they would have any trouble sneaking through the woods and looking across the stream. He borrowed Perry's binoculars and slid them in his backpack beside the camera.

MT and Leon rode their bikes up Route 193 to the Rossville Highway and turned east. Prison Farm Road was three miles down across the Chickamauga Creek. With Lookout Mountain behind them and Missionary Ridge ahead, MT and Leon rode through an area that some considered sacred ground.

The Battle of Chickamauga between the Union and Confederate troops had occurred right here on this land one hundred and fifty years ago, everyone in town knew that. The main battle had occurred some eight miles away and that was considered Trogdon's good fortune since the Union army had passed them by.

"There's the fence," Leon called out.

MT saw the glint of metal fencing through the trees and swerved his bike off the road. The guard station wasn't that far away and they didn't want to be seen. They stashed their bikes under the trees and approached the fence with caution.

The prison farm held only minimum security prisoners, short timers working off their final days of incarceration. Beyond the fence were hundreds of acres of land which lay fallow at this time of the year. The farm buildings were just specks in the distance and this side of the farm looked deserted. MT was counting on that.

Without prison workers in the field, the guard patrols were infrequent. Their sole objective was to check the fence and then go back and drink coffee in the employee cafeteria. From dusk to dawn the guards made only one circuit on the service road around the property, and from that MT had developed his plan.

Leon's aunt worked in the kitchens here and so it wasn't hard for Leon to wheedle the information about the security patrols. The plan was to attack the crop just after supper time and haul it across the stream to the fence. There were no alarms on the fence since it was just a barrier to keep people in or out. The razor wire across the top was an inconvenience so they would have to go through the chain links.

MT figured it would take ten minutes to open a section of the fencing. Then they would drag the pot plants through the hole onto the open ground. With nothing around to catch fire they could douse the plants with gasoline and burn it.

By the time the guards responded to the fire the boys would be long gone, and so would all those pot plants. Brian would be able to follow the footprints across the stream and through the woods, but then all he would see was the pile of ash on county land. MT thought it would remain a puzzle in everyone's mind for a long, long time.

Leon led the way through the woods until they reached the fence. The brush and trees were cut back and a secondary service road followed the outside of the fence. The distant farm had four silos to store feed for the animals. They followed the fence until the silos lined up and MT knew they were in the right spot.

MT led the way into the woods, moving from tree to tree until he could see the glint of water ahead, then they went to ground. Moving forward on hands and knees they stopped at the edge of the wood and remained behind the bushes. Twenty feet away was the stream which was only about ten foot wide at this point and only a few inches deep. MT peered between the leaves and stared across the water.

The pot plants looked to be five or six feet tall and there certainly were a lot of them. There had to be more than a hundred plants, but that was what they were here to find out.

"Damn, boy ... look at all that weed," Leon whispered. "How we gonna count all that?"

"We'll have to guess how many there are. They aren't planted in rows so that's no help. You think anyone is watching?" MT asked.

"I sure ain't gonna stand up and find out," Leon said.

"Perry said to take the pictures first. He seems to think he can make a formula to figure out how many plants there are per square yard."

Leon smiled. "That boy is some kind of clever if he can do that. Oops, look in the trees back there to the right."

MT looked where Leon was pointing and saw the deer stand mounted up in a tree. Elevated platforms like that would be hidden when the leaves were thick and green, but now the trees were shedding and the stand was obvious. MT pulled out the binoculars and stared through them.

The stand was not home-made, that was the first thing he noticed. The padded seat and back were firmly attached to the tree about fifteen feet off the ground and the whole thing was painted with camouflage. The ladder was too, and it was attached to the back side of the tree.

"What do you suppose they need that for?" Leon asked.

"They can see the whole crop from up there, and probably all the way to the prison farm," MT replied. He handed the binoculars to Leon and pulled out his camera.

MT took half a dozen shots of the crop and was about ready to stand up for a good panorama photo when Leon hissed.

"Down ... there's someone over there."

"How can you tell? I don't see anyone."

"He's sitting on the ground below that stand ... and he's smoking something."

"Can you see who it is?" MT asked.

"Nope ... wait a minute. He's standing up. Aw crap ... its Jasper."

MT and Leon stared at one another. "I knew there was a good reason to keep him out of our discussions at lunchtime," Leon said. "I just had a feeling something was wrong with that boy."

"Unfortunately you were right," MT said.

"I think it's time to kick him out of the club. We don't need him around if he's kissing Brian's ass."

"No ... don't do it yet," MT said. "That might only make Jasper suspicious and he'll tell Brian. What I think you should do is keep him around so we can feed him bad information. That way Brian will hear only what we want him to hear."

"You think Jasper will fall for that?" Leon asked.

"I think Jasper is over there on guard duty for Brian and he's getting stoned. The boy's mind is already shot to hell. I don't think you'll have any trouble stringing him along. Jason probably already has him spying on you."

"Jason? You think he's still involved after what happened?" Leon asked.

"Especially now," MT said. "Look at all the buds on that crop. We're looking at thousands of dollars' worth of stuff over there and Jason isn't going to turn his back on something like that. He'll get out of the hospital at some point and he'll be looking for bail money before they put him on trial."

"Where did you learn all this?" Leon asked.

"Perry figured it out. Like you said, he's one clever boy."


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