The Island Of Living Trees: The Reboot Files, #2

By C. L. Ragsdale

Things are looking really bad in Reboot Land just now.
But if host Irene Waters can deal with a few minor issues they just might end up with an exciting episode.
All she has to do is keep her cameraman’s mind on filming and off the pretty environmentalist.
Stop said environmentalist from trying to turn the Reboot Team against each other for reasons unknown.
Getting the would-be politician to keep her opinions to herself (Irene has her doubts on that one).
Then there are those pesky walking trees...
Correction, things are looking really, really bad in Reboot land just now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. L. Ragsdale
• Release date: May 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533760319

Book preview

THE REBOOT FILES

THE ISLAND OF LIVING TREES

BY

C.L. RAGSDALE

Copyright 2010 C. L. Ragsdale

Cover design by Mary Campagna Findley

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, is completely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

About The Author

Chapter 1

Isla de los Arboles Vivos, or Island of Living Trees, is a place that is well named. For although it is a small island, it holds a vast grove of trees. Some say, however, that they are not as harmless as they might first appear.

It is said that the island’s first inhabitant, a banished Indian shaman, whose name and tribe have been lost to history, turned himself into a tree due to his despair and wrath. He also cursed his new home, vowing that all who invaded his sanctum would suffer the same fate as himself.

The first test of his curse came many years later when tales of vast riches brought the conquistadores...

The conquistadores?

Troy Stenson, cameraman and teller of horror (or was it horrible?) tales, gave a deep sigh. The objection had come from his reporter, Irene Waters, who was seated across from him in the booth of a small diner where they were waiting for their contact to arrive.

They were never this far north.

Troy shook his head and explained in a put-upon tone of voice, It’s an island.

Irene reared back in her seat as if she couldn’t figure out the logic of that statement. Which she couldn’t.

So? It’s off the coast of California, north of the Channel Islands, and the conquistadors never got farther north than Baja.

Who’s telling this story?

But they were never...

Her objection was cut off by her cameraman, who held up an admonishing hand.

Irene, don’t let our last assignment go to your head. Remember, what we do, and part of that is never letting facts get in the way of a good story. Now, where was I?

Irene crossed her arms, sighed, and reminded him, The conquistadors came to the island, and...

...they hadn’t planned to stay long, Troy picked up his tale. Why would they? As it turned out, the legend of riches was just that, a legend. The only thing the island had in abundance was trees...

At that point, Troy unexpectedly paused and looked troubled. Irene picked up on it and asked with concern, Troy, what’s wrong?

Nothing, he said by way of an explanation. I’m just not a fan of trees. You wouldn’t understand.

Irene didn’t understand, but only because he hadn’t told her why yet. She waited for more, but Troy didn’t elaborate as he muttered, Oh man, I’ve lost my place again.

Not wanting to force a confidence that he didn’t want to offer, Irene followed his lead.

The conquistadors, who were still never this far north, came to the island for a treasure that didn’t exist, and...

Right. Okay, so after a fruitless search of the island, they decided to stay the night. However, when their general disappeared his loyal troops would leave without him, and the story says that they never did.

Then how does anyone know about it?

Now Troy crossed his arms and looked irritated.

Irene, are you determined to be difficult?

She gave a huff at that accusation and defended herself, If by difficult you mean am I going to continue to ask logical questions? Yes.

Why?

Because I want to know.

Not able to come up with a good comeback for such a reasonable...reason, Troy admitted, It depends on which version you believe.

Irene leaned over and patted his hand.

Now was that so hard? So which do we believe?

We’ll decide on that later.

It figures.

Do you want to hear this or not?

Do I have a choice?

Not if you want to get paid.

I do want that, Irene admitted humorously. Okay, I’m all ears. What happened next?

After the conquistador disaster, next came the American settlers in 1826...

Even though the settlers didn’t arrive in California until the 1830’s?

This time Troy ignored her.

...they also ran into the wrath of the bitter shaman, and the island had many new trees.

Troy gave it his best shot, but Irene didn’t seem appropriately horrified.

Anything else happen after that?

No, but that’s probably because hardly anyone goes there. It’s an obscure legend, and the island itself is pretty uninteresting otherwise.

Except to us.

Except to us, Troy admitted. As usual, Bernie wants this story done quick, like yesterday quick.

Is that unusual?

Why do you ask that?

Because you’ve worked for him longer than I have.

Oh...right. We’re usually pressed for time, but this one is different.

At the serious undertone in his voice Irene responded, Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the hurry?

Irene didn’t understand how this story could be a problem. That is, until Troy brought up one of the most foreboding words in the English language.

Politics.

Bernie says there have been some noises from a would-be assembly woman...

Even worse. Politicians.

...about making the island into a wildlife sanctuary or something...

Wildlife sanctuary? Irene protested as she pulled out her notebook and began to shuffle pages. That doesn’t sound right. According to our research department, which I can only hope has improved since our last assignment, there’s precious little wildlife there to protect. Rats and skunks mostly, nothing even close to being endangered.

No one knows how, but this political wannabe got an environmentalist out there who says there ‘might be’ evidence of some sort of endangered something...

Irene found a name in her notes and clarified, Yvonne Ruben? She’s the political wannabe.

The cameraman groaned.

That’s her, from what I’ve picked up she’s not doing well in her campaign, so she’s looking for an issue, any issue, to give her some traction. The one she’s chosen is this island. Now she’s trying to pull some strings to have access restricted after the environmentalist made her report.

So how’d we get access then?

Troy laughed and explained, She hasn’t been very successful. First off, the island is privately owned, and the environmentalist who’s been going out there has been doing so without the owner’s permission. Ms. Ruben’s taking the ‘ends justify the means’ position. I guess she’s hoping the voters will overlook it. Now Bernie, who does know the island’s owner personally, got our clearance quite a while ago, but when Duncan retired things got delayed.

So we’re still going?

Sure, but everyone is trying to smooth things over.

The illumination of understanding lit Irene’s path.

Is that why she and this environmentalist are coming along? To court public opinion from both sides, and protect the island from the evil tabloid journalists?

Again, Troy groaned.

Yes, it’s a pain. Ms. Ruben’s been making enough noise so that the island’s owner is nervous about a land grab by the government. So he asked Bernie to let her and this environmentalist come with us, and hopefully not prove their case. Our political friend, not, I guess as a gesture of goodwill, made arrangements for a local charter captain to take us out there. But don’t be fooled, she still isn’t one of our biggest fans.

Who is? So tell me, how unpleasant is this going to be?

We’re about to find out, Troy said as he looked towards the door. Because unless I miss my guess, our politician has just made her entrance and is ready to give her speech.

Chapter 2

Good afternoon, a well-dressed woman with neat brown hair and hostile brown eyes greeted them frostily. My name is Yvonne Ruben. I understand you are from Reboot?

Troy and Irene exchanged a look,