Misquamacus and Singing Rock spoke to each other for a while. Harry tried to catch what they were saying, but they were talking quietly and with little emotion, and when he did catch an occasional word, it sounded as if it was in some Indian language. It could have been a challenge from one medicine man to another. It could have been a demand from Misquamacus that Singing Rock should leave the side of the white men and fight instead for his blood brothers. Whatever it was, Singing Rock shook his head at the end of it, and walked back through the lines of police cars without another word.

“What’s happening?” demanded Captain Myers. “What’s going on out there?”

Singing Rock knelt down by his case and put away his powders and his amulets. Then he stood up and looked from Harry to Neil to Captain Myers.

“What you saw just now was just a skirmish,” he said. “I caught Misquamacus off-balance, and I managed to prevent him from unleashing those demons on the countryside. But, as you can see, he is scarcely tired, and I am exhausted. He has twenty other wonder-workers to back him up, and twenty other wonder-workers to call up the most terrible of gods from elder times. He says that even without Ossadagowah, he will raise Ka-tua-la-hu from the waters, and that will mean the end of us all.”

Captain Myers bristled with anger. “What is this?” he snapped. “This is a whole bunch of clouds and optical illusions and stuff like that, and you’re trying to tell me it’s dangerous? The only thing that’s dangerous around here, fellow, is that gang of terrorists out on the bridge there.”

“Terrorists?” queried Singing Rock. “You really think they’re terrorists?”

“They stole the school bus, kidnapped the kids, blew the bus up. Then they shot down thirty people. What else would you call them?”

“Captain,” said Singing Rock, “if all that is true, then where are the children’s bodies?”

“Blown up, I guess,” said the captain grumpily.

“And where are their weapons, those terrorists? Can you see any of them carrying a gun?”

“They’re concealed. Russian-made concealed weapons.”

“Concealed where?” asked Harry dryly. “In their hats?”

Captain Myers didn’t answer.

Singing Rock said, “I tried to tell you before, captain, and you just wouldn’t listen. Those men out there are reincarnated medicine men from many centuries past. In a while, they will raise from Lake Berryessa a god known as Ka-tua-la-hu, and Ka-tua-la-hu will kill all of us.”

Captain Myers pulled at his ear. “Ka-tua-la-hu, huh?”

“That’s right. A beast in no human shape. The most terrible and feared of all the elder gods. The spawn of the Great Old One himself.”

Captain Myers looked perplexed. He walked a little way away, and then he came back and said, “Ka-tua-la-hu?”