Mark climbed out of the passenger side as Ryan climbed out from behind the wheel. He was a shorter man than Mark, somewhat weasel looking but still physically dangerous. Both men wore black with dark ray ban sunglasses, a carefully orchestrated look designed to intimidate; not that they needed to now, to everybody on the reserve these men represented only one thing.

Death.

Indian agents worked for the Department of Indian Control, and were assigned to govern over one of the nineteen remaining reserves across the country. Every Indian knew the names of the Agents in charge of them. There were thirty field agents for every reserve and given almost god like powers to control their wards, although their powers depended on the aspect of the job they were assigned. The office back in the city had more, but desk jockeys never visited and that was okay with the Indians; the ones they did see were bad enough.

These two, coming to see Jacob, were given the power over who lived and died.

Jacob tensed up and considered running, but didn't know where he could go; he was also wiry thin with very little in the way of cardio.

"Jacob," Ryan said as they came closer, "Don't run. Save your strength for later when you're going to need it; make this easier for all of us."

Jacob nodded and visually relaxed his body. He took a deep breath to keep his nerves in check.

"Please give me Jacob’s tag." Ryan continued as he pulled out a palm sized scanner.

Mark stepped forward causing Jacob to take a step back, Mark paused and waited for the other to collect himself again; sort of like dealing with a stray dog. Jacob reached behind himself for his wallet but the movement had Mark put his own hand on the Beretta at his hip, but Jacob brought around his tag from his youth.

Mark took it and looked it over. It was deemed too expensive years ago to keep carding Indians over the years so they were required to keep these tags. The years aren't kind to them though, this one was turning yellow and cracked; but it was easy enough to make it the Indian's responsibility to properly care for them.

"Mr. Conner, can you please confirm that Jacob Cardinal has self identified and is of status?" Ryan said as he held out the scanner.

Mark took the device and scanned the old bar code, it pinged and he read the display on the back. "He's Jacob Cardinal."

"Mr. Cardinal, would you please come with us?" Ryan asked.

"No!" The group looked around as Nancy came from the front door of the house, Jacobs' mother was a thin native woman of fifty years in a flowery dress but could summon up a lot of anger. "No!"

Ryan turned back to Jacob as the other stared at him, while Nancy continued coming toward them. Ryan could see as Jacob's feet shifted minutely.

"You're just going to waste..." Ryan stopped when Jacob bolted for the back of the house.

Mark darted after him but Nancy moved in the way, he used his larger frame to shove her out of the way. Nancy hit the ground in instant pain.

Ryan shook his head as he casually reached into his pocket for some plastic straps.

Jacob arched around the back of the house and halfway across the yard when he remembered the wooden fence line. He had to change his direction to head for the open gate, he almost made it too but Mark came up on him quickly. Mark used both hands to shove the other man on the back. Jacob hit the ground hard and rolled as Mark slowed to a stop and turned back.

Jacob scrabbled for his feet but Mark kneeled down on his back.

"No! No! Stop!" Jacob screamed as he clawed at the ground trying to get out from under Mark.

"Alright, alright, calm down...Calm Down!" Mark put Jacob’s arms behind the others back and strapped the wrists together with plastic zip-ties.

"Please...please." Jacob shook uncontrollably, "Mom...Mom!"

With Jacob secured, Mark sat back and wiped the sweat off his lip. He watched the other for a moment before lifting Jacob to his feet.

Ryan looked up as Mark directed Jacob around the side of the house. He had Nancy on the front porch with her hands locked together. Nancy saw Jacob and started to stand but Ryan shoved her back into the sitting position.

"Jacob! Jacob!" Nancy pleaded to Ryan, "Please, let him go! Let him go! He's all we have, please."

Ryan glanced at her and started for the car where Mark was pushing Jacob into the backseat.

"Jacob!" Nancy moved to her feet, "You run! Run! Please, come back to us."

Ryan leaned into the backseat and addressed Jacob, "See, now you're all tired out; you'll have nothing left." Ryan slammed the door and went to the driver's side.

Mark looked over as Nancy dropped to her knees crying too hard to control. He turned away and climbed into the car.

The hunting grounds were another half an hour north from the Reserve across the bridge, and up into the mountains. The area was picked for its seclusion and less congested forest. The trees were close enough for the hunters to feel like they were out in the wilderness but far enough apart they wouldn't get lost.

Mark had Jacob walk four feet in front of him as they headed to the starting point, Mark with his hands in his jacket while Jacob’s were still strapped behind him. Mark had to grab Jacob twice as the other’s fear laden legs wobbled. Once steady they continued on their way.

"Have a seat." Mark said, helping Jacob sit against a Cedar tree. "Try and put your knees to your chest. It'll help with the stomach."

Mark moved a few feet away as Jacob watched and then took the advice. Jacob pulled his knees to his chest to combat the feeling of nausea. Mark looked around at the forest, it was nice day as the sun came through the thin canopy; not too hot either as there was a cool breeze coming through the trees.

Mark wondered if in the right conditions would Jacob have had a chance of survival. That would've be something to see. He pulled out a package of gum and went about getting out a piece, something he was told to do to fight his urge for nicotine.

"If I start talking to you, are you going to take that as permission to beg?" Mark asked. Jacob stared back at him for a few seconds before looking away. "Good, ‘cause everybody does, and they never ask for anything I could give them anyway. Gum, I can give you gum. Did you want gum?"

Mark put the gum piece in his mouth and waited for an answer, when he didn't get one he put the rest of the package back in his pocket. Mark endured the silence for a few minutes. He checked his watch once in awhile before sliding down a tree to sit as well.

"Don't run, "Mark stated after a minute, causing Jacob to look at him, "It's what everybody does, and there's only two places you can go which is where they'll be waiting for you. One way is the river. Can you swim?"

Jacob shook his head. He lived and worked on the river but never expected to fall in.

"You can't get across, the other way is open fields but you're an easy target that way. If you want to live, you stay in the bush, find a place to hide and just wait out your two hours."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jacob asked as a challenge, trying to toughen up so he wouldn't cry.

"I'm not scouting today, what do I care if you die?" Mark answered.

"What's it to your partner? What's he get?"

"I don't know." Mark lied.

"It better be more than a set of steak knives," Jacob said and looked away. Mark chuckled but controlled it. Jacob looked back. "What does he get? What am I worth to him? What's his fuckin’ take?"

"Ten percent instead of five," Mark said, "Hundred grand instead of fifty."

Jacob made a chuckle sound, letting out his air before he hit the back of his head against the tree. "Fuck...god damn."

It was also a lie. The hunting licenses were two hundred grand to five hundred grand depending on the experience you wanted. Mark and Ryan were paid two hundred grand a year simply for being Indian agents, but on hunts they were given a bonus of Twenty-five grand; another twenty-five above that if they scouted. The agents were paid well, they had to be as you needed good incentive to keep the government’s dirty little secret.

It was a harmless lie though. Mark figured, it was never too late to boost someone's self worth. Unfortunately he was worth more dead than alive. If he got away half the hunting fee is refunded.

Mark’s cell phone went off startling Jacob. Mark brought it up to his ear "Hello."

"They're all set," Ryan said on the other end, "Send him off."

"Alright," Mark put the phone away and climbed to his feet. He helped the other up as well and went about cutting the wrist straps. "Remember, don't be afraid to hide."

The snaps came apart and Jacob took a few steps forward, rubbing sensation back into his hands. He stared off into the forest thinking about what he needed to do and looked back at Mark but there wasn't anything more the other could do.

Jacob bolted into the forest.

Mark took his seat against the tree and waited.

Fifteen minutes later he listened to the sound of a high-powered assault rifle, six shots and then nothing. Mark didn't need to be told Jacob decided to run, and he was now dead for it.