Willie said nothing at first, but Noble could tell from the expression on the man’s face that he was growing more and more interested. “And where do I fit in?”

“You’ll basically be playing yourself, but instead of being an actor, you’ll be playing someone who is at one with the forest. You’ll get in front of the cameras and tell millions of people all over the world how this part of the forest is sacred to your people and cannot be disturbed. There are spirits who live in the forest and their home must be preserved.”

Willie was silent, looking pensively at a far corner of the library’s ceiling. A wider, fuller smile slowly broke over his face. “I like it, kid, except there’s just one problem. I’m Haida. My tribe lives on the coast.”

Noble shrugged. “That’s just a small detail. If they ask you about your heritage, you can tell them whatever you like, but I’m betting most of the journalists that come up here won’t know or even think about it once they hear your story.”

Willie seemed to consider that. “You really think they’ll be coming here from all over the world?”

“I can’t say for sure, but I can tell you that Donna Hughson is organizing the protesters.”

“That old bag!” Willie exclaimed in a fond, almost admiring tone.

Noble nodded. “She’s already got a bunch of tree-huggers coming up from the city.”

“Yeah, I bet she does…”

It looked as if Willie might do it. All that was needed was one last little nudge to push him over the top. “They’ll fight the fight, and you’ll be the symbol of their protest.” Willie was almost there, but not quite. Noble decided it was now or never. “An icon, respected and revered the world over.”

Silence, as Noble’s words hung in the air like smoke.

“Good roles have been hard to come by lately.” A pause. “Hard to come by, period.”

“Then you’ll do it?”

“Ah, why the hell not.”

Chapter 7