All at once Noble understood why Willie sometimes got work as a model. He was only in his mid-to-late thirties, forty at the most, but his face was etched with lines that seemed to be carved by time’s own knife. There was character in his features, suggesting a hard, but proud life. There was also something distinguished, perhaps even handsome, about his features. Noble adjusted himself in his seat and began to explain. “Yesterday a crew from Conservco set up camp near Puntzi Lake.”

“I heard.”

“Well, they’re trying to claim the road leading into the site and that’s not right.”

“It’ll mean jobs for a lot of people around here.”

“The jobs will be there even if they move north. There’ll be more of them in fact, since they’ll have to build new roads to gain access to the forests.” Noble paused a moment, not wanting to waste any more time arguing right and wrong. “They’re setting up too close to town and you know it.”

“Okay, so you want them gone. What do you want me to do, tell them to get lost?”

“Sort of.”

Willie shook his head. “You seem to be confusing me with some Mohawk warrior you read about in Maclean’s. I’m an actor, not a fighter.”

“I know, that’s why you’re perfect for the job.”

“Job? You want me to work for you?” Willie chuckled softly under his breath. “I’m an ACTRA member, you know. I get union scale.”

Noble shook his head. “I don’t have money to pay you.”

“Then why should I do it?”

Noble gave that some thought. “Do you do everything you do for money? What about community service?”

“Sorry kid, but I don’t work for free…It’s the principle of the thing.”

Noble’s shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh.

Willie must have noticed the change in Noble’s attitude because he suddenly began trying to do damage control. “Look, I’d help you if I could, but I’m a busy man. I’ve got all kinds of irons in the fire. I never know which one’s going to get hot, so I’ve got to keep myself available in case some real work comes in.”

Noble nodded, then said, “Aren’t you even interested in what I want you to do?”

Noble must have said the right thing because Willie’s expression suddenly changed. He gave Noble a half-smile, shrugged and said, “Doesn’t cost anything to listen. Go ahead…make your pitch.”

Noble took a deep breath, then began. “It’s a standoff up there, and in another day or two there’ll be protesters and demonstrations. Once that gets going there’ll be plenty of media—newspaper, radio, and television people from all across the country, maybe even around the world.”