“Who are the people on this island? Wally and the others?”
“Are you listening to me?”
“It’s old, it’s crumbling, about to double in size. Yes, I heard you. Who are these people you’re involved with?”
“Average citizens like me, committed to the cause.”
“Who, Leslie?”
“We’re activists, part of something larger.”
“And how did you get involved?”
“Is that important?”
“I’m trying to understand.”
“They came to me. They knew I had access to the plant. They knew I was sympathetic to the cause.”
“Who came to you?”
“You’re interrogating me?”
“If you want my help, I have to know what’s going on.”
“A woman. She wanted me to meet some people. That was a while ago. I met them, listened, and little by little, I saw the importance of what they were doing, and together we developed a plan. Nobody forced me, nobody brainwashed me if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
“The woman in your boat that day. Red hair.”
With a slow blink of her eyes she admitted he was correct.
“And shutting down Turkey Point, one plant out of hundreds. What does that accomplish?”
“You’ve heard of Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima?”
Thorn nodded.
“After the meltdown at Three Mile Island, no nuke plants were built for decades. The other two reminded everyone how vulnerable they are, how dangerous. All it will take is one more disaster. Just one, and that’ll be the end of it. There’ll be no new plants, no more expansion. It’ll wind down. One more is all it’ll take. And the public won’t accept nuclear power ever again.”
“Disaster? You want to blow it up?”
“Shut it down.”
“And how do you accomplish that?”
She gave him a disappointed look, mouth tight, not going there.
“Chernobyl and the others, those were catastrophes, radiation spread for hundreds of miles around. That’s your goal?”
“No violence, no destruction.” She looked at him, then her eyes slid away as if she didn’t believe her own words.
“What’s the group that recruited you? They have a name?”
“It’s not Al Qaeda, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
He asked her again for the name.
With a defiant flash in her eyes, she said, “Earth Liberation Front.”
It was one he’d heard of, though he couldn’t recall where. “They block whaling ships. Save baby seals.”
“That’s Greenpeace,” she said.
“Oh, you’re the guys that burn down Humvee dealers. Firebombers.”
“Crimes against property, yes. But nonviolent.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit.”
“Break into Turkey Point, there’s heavy security, armed men. A pacifist doesn’t stand a chance. That’s a suicide mission.”
“We’ve got that covered. We’re not stupid.”
“And where’s the money?”
“What money?”
“Who gets rich on this crack-brained scheme?”
“It’s not about money.”
“It’s always about money.”
“Not this time. This is about caring. About doing what’s right.”
“Wally works for free? The tents, the solar panel, this whole setup. Who pays for all this?”
“Are you really that cynical, Thorn? Money drives everybody?”
“Why get Flynn involved?”
“He shared our goals.”
“A lot of people do. Why him? It was no coincidence.”
“You mean because he was your son? All right, yes. I read about him in the papers, searched him out. Being your son gave him an edge. I considered asking you as well. I considered it quite often.”
“Because you thought I was some kind of big-time outlaw.”
“I thought you were a man of strong principles. I still do.”
“Then you obviously don’t know who I am.”
She was silent for a moment, then said quietly, “Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t know who you are.”
Thorn turned his back on the water and the distant plant. His ribs ached and he could still feel a lingering pressure around his chest as if the python had crushed his torso into a new shape.
“You’re a man of great skills and resolve. You’ve been involved in some nasty business in the past, but kept your exploits off the record. I admire you, Thorn. I always thought you’d be a perfect fit, but I knew you’d fought a lot of battles lately so I kept my distance out of respect.”
“But you didn’t keep your distance from Flynn.”