The Swarm

And Alicia Delaware had had the nerve to use his own arguments against him.

Anawak patted the surface of the water. After a while the beluga with the dot on its chin swam over, poked up her head and allowed herself to be stroked. She gave a series of low whistles. Anawak wondered if she felt or could understand any of the emotions that humans experienced. There was no evidence to prove it – in that respect Alicia Delaware had been right! But no one had proven that they didn't have feelings.

The beluga warbled and disappeared underwater. A shadow fell over Anawak. He turned, and found himself looking at a pair of hand-stitched cowboy boots. Oh, great, he thought. That's all I need.

'Good morning, Leon,' said the man standing beside him. 'Who've you guys been mistreating today?'

Anawak stood up to greet the intruder. Jack Greywolf looked like something out of a modern-day Western. His colossal muscular frame was clad entirely in grease-speckled suede. Chains of traditional Indian jewellery dangled over his barrel-like chest. Long silky black hair streamed down his back from beneath his feathered cap. It was well groomed, but in all other respects he looked as though he'd spent weeks living wild on the prairie, deprived of soap and water. Anawak responded to the mocking grin with a thin smile. 'Who let you in, Jack? No, don't tell me. The Great Spirit Manitou, I bet.'

The grin widened. 'I got special permission.'

'Oh, yeah?'

'From the Pope in person. For Christ's sake, Leon, I came through the gate with the rest of them. The aquarium's open.'

Anawak realised he had lost track of the time. 'This better be a coincidence.'

Greywolf pursed his lips. 'Not exactly.'

'Uh-huh. So you were looking for me.' Anawak started to walk away, forcing Greywolf to follow. The first visitors were already strolling past. 'What can I do for you?'

'You know exactly what you can do.'

'Oh, don't start that again.'

'Join us.'

'Forget it.'

'Come on, Leon, you're one of us. Those hordes of rich assholes are filming the whales to death. That's not what you want, is it?'

'Nope.'

'People listen to you, Leon. If only you'd speak out against whale-watching, they'd take it seriously. We could use a guy like you.'

Anawak stopped in his tracks. 'That's just it. You think I could be useful. But I don't want to be useful to anyone except those who really need me.'

'Look!' Greywolf pointed in the direction of the beluga pool. 'They need you. It makes me sick to see you here, getting cosy with a pair of captives. If you're not keeping them locked up, you're hounding them down. Every time you people take the tourists out in your boats you're hastening their death.'

'Tell me, Jack, are you a vegetarian?'

'What?' Greywolf squinted at him.

'I was wondering whom they'd skinned to make your jacket.' He walked on.

Greywolf hurried after him. 'That's different. Indians have always lived in harmony with nature. They used the skins of the animals to-'

'Spare me the details.'

'But that's how it is.'

'Do you know your problem, Jack? Actually, you've got two. In the first place you pretend to be a devoted environmentalist, when all you're doing is fighting a war on behalf of the Indians who sorted out their problems years ago. And, second, you're not an Indian.'

Greywolf bristled. Anawak knew that Greywolf had been charged several times with assault, and wondered how far he could push him. One blow from the giant would finish the argument for once and for all.

'Why do you talk such shit, Leon?'

'You're only half Indian,' said Anawak. He paused by the sea otters' pool to watch them dart through the water like torpedoes. Their fur glistened in the morning sun. 'In fact, you're not even that. You're about as Indian as a Siberian polar bear. You don't know where you belong, you never make a go of anything, and you use your environmental crap to piss all over other people. Now, let me out of here.'

Greywolf squinted up at the sun. 'I can't hear you, Leon,' he said. 'It looks like you're talking but I can't hear the words. All I hear is a meaningless din, like gravel pouring on a roof.'

'Ouch!'

'Come on, it's not like I want much from you, just a little support.'

'I can't support you.'

'I've even gone to the trouble of coming here to tell you what we're planning next. I didn't have to.'

Anawak stiffened. 'What is it?'

'Tourist-watching.' Greywolf burst out laughing. His white teeth glinted like ivory. 'We'll be joining you in our boats to photograph the tourists. We'll stare at them, pull up alongside them, try to grab hold of them. Then they'll know what it feels like to be gawped at and pawed.'

'I'll have you stopped.'

'You can't. This is a free country, and no one can tell us when and where to sail. We've laid our plans and we're ready for action – although maybe if you were a bit more accommodating I'd think about calling it off.'

Anawak stared at him. 'There aren't any whales around anyway,' he said.

'Because you've driven them away.'

It's nothing to do with us.'

'Yeah, right. We're never the ones at fault. It's always the animals. They're forever swimming into harpoons or posing for photos. In any case, I heard humpbacks had been sighted.'

'A few.'

'I guess your business must be suffering. You don't want us to dent your profits even more.'

'Get lost, Jack.'

'That was my final offer.'

'Thank God.'

'Leon, you could at least put in a good word for us. We need money. We rely on donations. It's for a good cause. Can't you see that? We're both working for the same thing.'

'I don't think so. Take care, Jack.'

Anawak quickened his pace. The eco-warrior didn't follow. Instead he shouted, 'Stubborn bastard!'

Anawak walked determinedly past the dolphinarium and headed for the exit.

'Leon, you know what your problem is? Maybe I'm not a proper Indian, but you are!

'I'm not an Indian,' murmured Anawak.

'Oh, sorry!' veiled Greywolf, as if he'd heard him. 'You think you're special, don't you? Well, how come you've abandoned your people? Why aren't you there for them, where you're needed?'

'Asshole,' hissed Anawak. The beluga test had gone so well – it night have been a really good day. Now he felt worn down and miserable.

His people…

Who did Greywolf think he was?

Where he was needed!

'I'm needed here.' He snorted.

A woman walked past, looking at him strangely. Anawak glanced round. He was on the street outside the aquarium. Shaking with fury, he got into his car, drove to the terminal at Tsawwassen, and took the ferry back to Vancouver Island.

THE NEXT DAY HE rose early and decided to walk to the whaling station. Wisps of pink cloud trailed on the horizon, but the mountains, houses and boats still cast dark shadows on the perfectly still water. Within a few hours the tourists would arrive. Anawak walked the length of the jetty to where the Zodiacs were moored and leaned over the wooden railings.

Two small cutters sailed past. Anawak wondered whether to call Susan Stringer and talk her into going out with him to look for whales. As Greywolf had said, the first humpbacks had been sighted, which was reassuring, but it didn't explain where they'd been hiding. Maybe together he and Stringer could identify a few. She had sharp eyes, and he enjoyed her company. She was one of the few people who never pestered him with questions about his background.

Even Samantha Crowe had asked about it. Oddly, he might have told her a bit about himself, but by now she would be on her way home.