Desert Blue Page #4

- How's that?

He was a very unhappy man.

That's weird. He looks so happy

in these pictures.

Anybody can look happy

in a photograph.

- What is that?

- It's the plant.

That's where they make Empire Cola.

We get shitloads of it for free.

That's where that truck

was going today.

Strange looking.

Yeah.

They built it there because

they gotta feed from the aqueduct.

It's a pretty evil company.

I've heard they exploit thousands

of workers in Mexico and Taiwan.

When they set up shop here,

they didn't hire anybody from our town.

They imported cheaper labor,

and set them up in Peaksville.

It's awful.

The water was supposed

to be my dad's.

What for?

An ocean park.

Baxter Beach.

My dad always said,

"We have all of this sand...

but no beach.

And there's that damn aqueduct

passing on by...

with more water than an ocean."

He wanted to build

that thing so bad.

The cone put the town on the map.

The ocean park would

keep it there for good.

The state originally had a deal

with my dad for the feed.

But when the

soda proposal came in...

they immediately authorized it

and rejected my father's.

A**holes.

How did your dad die?

It happened at the motel.

He'd been sleeping there

most of the time anyway.

He was consumed with the beach.

And he wasn't able to function

in his own house anymore.

Why not?

I don't know.

He thought I was losing my mind.

And I thought

he was losing his mind.

Because all he did

was work on the water park.

Then it just happened.

All of a sudden, just like that.

The motel burst into flames,

and he died in his sleep.

They told me

he didn't feel a thing.

Geez, I'm sorry.

- Any idea how the fire got started?

- They think it's the old wiring.

That building's been around

since the gold rush.

Brittle as hell.

It just went up like that.

It has been hardest on Blue.

He spent the whole last year

with his dad on that beach.

Every afternoon after school,

and then on the weekends.

Now he's taken the whole thing

on his own shoulders.

He has even filed

his own appeal for water.

I hope it doesn't

consume him, too.

You can put all that in your book

if you wanted to.

Take your time.

When you finish eating...

what do you say we take a walk

and check out the ocean park?

No milk.

No milk?

We ran out of milk last night, and your

guys wouldn't let the milkman through.

No milk.

- There's no milk.

- Thanks.

Frank, how you doing?

You look edgy.

You sleeping?

Fine.

Hey, guys, any news?

Nothing yet. It's been, what, 15 hours?

These things take time.

I know that. I'd like to know something.

We don't know anything.

What are you people

really doing here?

Wait here.

Maybe that's some news.

So what?

Environmental Protection Agency...

Rules and Guidelines

to Hazardous Material Cleanup.

Maybe that'll help you out.

Is that the hotel?

God!

There really was a fire, huh?

This is where it happened.

It's sad.

- You got a second?

- Sure. What's up?

I got a call from

the insurance company today.

They ran some tests

on the new samples.

And...

- And?

- Sheriff.

- They're saying some strange things.

- Like what?

Like maybe somebody

set fire to the motel.

- Arson? They can't be serious.

- I know.

I mean, who'd want

to burn down the motel?

I don't know.

But we're dealing

with more than arson.

That would make it

a case of manslaughter.

Sure is pretty out here.

Except for that. What's that?

Empire Cola plant. They stole the water

to feed off the aqueduct...

from Blue's dad.

That's why the ocean park

never opened.

And they exploit workers in Mexico.

Here it is.

- Where are you going?

- Get a closer look.

- Let him work.

- Huh?

You can come back later.

What happened last night?

Did you close or what?

Give me the details.

- Don't smell my fingers!

- Give me the details!

No details.

- Did you get her frombi?

- Frombi?

From behind?

Nothing happened.

Nothing?

Nothing, man. All we did was talk.

I don't even know where her head is.

Where her head is?

First prize is the p*ssy.

Second prize is a set of steak knives.

You want the steak knives?

Why the f*** do you care

where her head's at?

Hello, Skye.

Frombi!

Shut up, dude!

I'm outta here.

702...

555-4388.

Yeah. Okay, talk to you later.

Bye.

- Sterling Brock is gonna call me.

- Here?

Yeah!

That must've been because he heard

you were hanging out with me.

I always forget to drink water

before I go to bed wasted.

If you drink enough water,

you can pee out your hangover.

You don't pee out your hangover.

You replenish fluids.

Replenish fluids!

I called my friend in Barstow.

She said...

she saw you on some TV show,

Maggie's World.

- She said you were pretty funny.

- Thanks.

Is your dad going

to miss these much?

He's not gonna care.

Come on.

You guys!

Let's go, baby,

right down the middle.

Right down the middle.

Let's go, baby, right in here.

It's like cracking

somebody's head open.

- You're sick.

- Yep.

What was that?

Who's up now?

It's Pete.

He's got the potato cannon.

This is war!

Let's retaliate.

F***ing loser!

Loser!

Stop it! You stay still.

There.

What is it?

Pulp.

All right, that's it

for orange baseball.

I want you to go read

a good book or something.

What are you saying? I have a race

to go to tomorrow and practice today.

Son, forget about that race.

The best thing for you

is to go home and park that buggy.

Buggy?

This is an all-terrain vehicle.

Fifty-five horsepower.

- And 8,000 VT. Turbo.

- I'm very impressed.

High performance.

Now you and your

all-terrain vehicle...

you're staying in town.

Hazardous materials could be in

that truck. We can't take any chances.

This is f***ing bullshit!

Let me through!

Son, it's for your own good.

I was trained as a navy SEAL.

Those guys are pissing me off.

What's going on?

They told me I can't go

to this race tomorrow.

What the f***?

What are you gonna do about it?

I don't know.

I'm gonna go bust some sh*t up.

I'll be back.

Wow, must have good people

working for you.

No, they aren't here for me.

I was joking.

I bet you it is the TV people.

News broadcasters

love this kind of sh*t.

Think we're on TV?

Hey, over here!

I guess it'd be

nothing new to you.

My dad hated the news!

He said the news is the only business

where people are happy when people die.

- Happy?

- Yeah.

A big story means some reporter gets

their name on the front of a newspaper.

They might even

throw an office party.

We gotta talk to you.

It's been nearly 48 hours,

and we need some information.

People around here

are getting scared.

- I do not have to tell you anything.

- You do!

Look. It says here,

"In 1986 the EPA passed...

the Emergency Right To Know Act

under which any community at risk..."

"Has a right to know the extent

of the danger."

You have to tell us what you know.

I already did.

You've told us nothing.

Which is exactly what we know.

Nothing.

What do you mean?

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