“That’s a native, actually,” said Heather. “A landrace. Sierra Mixe corn, from southern Mexico. Most of it was razed in the wars, but we found some seeds.”

She sat in a simple wooden chair opposite him, wearing work pants, a plain black T-shirt, and ropers. Her hair was damped with sweat and matted from the ball cap that she now held in her hands, which were worn and dirty, with thick black under the nails. She seemed happy to discuss the work, even as she looked annoyed that he was the one she had to talk to.

“But what are those things sticking out of the side?” said Donny, looking back at the specimen like he was afraid it might leap from the table and attach to his face.

“Roots. This is a maize that extracts its nitrogen from the air. An adaptation to crummy soils. Of which we have plenty. We’ve already had some luck developing hybrids. It’s what we’re planting today.”

She pointed at the window. A crew was working a fresh-plowed field with hand tools.

“Supposed to rain tonight,” she said. “Hopefully it will give them a nice kick-start.”

“What are those kids doing?” asked Donny, pointing farther in the distance, in the direction of the river.

“Testing water and counting birds,” said Heather.

“How’s the water?”

“The water in the channel is nasty. The water in the springs is better. Mostly they use rainwater here, though. Want some?”

She poured them each a glass from a nearby pitcher. The pitcher was made from clay, the glasses from the bottom halves of old soda bottles.

“Thanks,” said Donny, savoring the drink. “I thought maybe you were training them to pollinate the New Corn.”

“We don’t need to do that.”

“Is it true they’re designing tiny drones to replace the bees?”

“I don’t know. Probably, but that’s not the solution. The solution is to help nature fix itself. So we improved on Mom’s design. Crossed it with some of these wild grains, and came up with a self-pollinating varietal.”

Donny processed that. “So you won’t need an army of people to get it to grow?”

“Yes, and it’s hardier all the way around.”

“And you’re just giving it away?”

“We will once we know it’s ready to share. That’s the real reason you’re here. Even if you didn’t know it.”

“I’m here because your dad wants you home and he knew I could help make that happen.” It was basically true, but he was beginning to understand more clearly what Lecker’s real agenda was.

“I don’t want to talk about him,” said Heather.

“I guess you’d rather talk about her,” said Donny, nodding at the picture of Maxine Price on the wall.

“She’s the reason I dropped out of Rice,” said Heather. “I wanted to help.”

“I saw her in person once.”