Anada

The Old Lumber Mill

          Neil researched where Rhododendron was when we got back to the hotel. It's east of Portland, and is about an hour and five minutes away.

      Since it wasn't far away, the team decided to drive out there. Klark Gremeling said that he was getting products from Rhododendron. We might be able to find out more about the illegal transporter there.

     Reina and I rode together in the Mustang. We got to Rhododendron at 11:30am. It had only been a few hours ago when Reina was interviewing Klark Gremeling.

     Rhododendron was a small place. There weren't many buildings. It was more like a rest stop for trucks than a town.

     "This place is so small. How would the chemical company get any products here?" I asked Reina.

     Reina answered, "I don't know. That's why it's so suspicious."

     I looked out the window and past the buildings. Dense green forest surrounded Rhododendron.

     These forests could be covering secrets.

     We were in a valley, and I was reminded about the time we were in the Smokey Mountains. Similiar surroundings, but a different situation.

     The others hadn't arrived in Rhododendron yet. Reina parked at a gas station, and we got out of the Mustang.

     Reina came to me and whispered, "Remember to only call me by my alibi. When we go inside the store I'm going to ask if anything strange has been happing around here. We need to make it look like we're just passing through though."

     I nodded as we went inside the store. We had to be inconspicuous. I knew how to do that, because I once had to live that way.

     The store was small. Drinks, snacks, and candy filled the room. The tile on the floor was cracked. There was only one man at the cash register.

     Reina and I walked around, and grabbed a few snacks. Then we went to the check-out desk. I pulled out my phone, and made myself look bored.

     "How are you today?" The man asked as he scanned the items.

      Reina answered by starting a conversation, "I'm good. My cousins and I are passing through, and I wanted to know if there were any hiking trails nearby?"

     "There certainly are a few around here. The most commonly used one is a mile up the road." The man said with a smile.

     "Thank you. I also heard there was some strange things going on around here." Reina mentioned.

     The man said, "Oh, yes. There has been a few things happening lately. We have many large tractor trailers coming through here, but we've been having some new kinds coming through about everyday. I also heard some rumors of strange activity too. Other than that we're pretty much a simple place."

     Reina and I looked at each other. This strange activity might be the illegal transporter.

     Reina thanked the man and paid him. Then we walked back out to the Mustang. The new information swirled around in my mind.

     "I think we're closer to finding the illegal transporter." Reina stated.

     We leaned against the car and ate our snacks as we waited for the guys. Once they arrived we told them about the strange activity going on.

     Reina said, "The man said that the trucks come through about everyday."

     "That means we can follow one to see where it's going." Alex said.

     He continued, "We'll start watching for one right now. If we see one I'll follow it in the Mustang, and I'll bring Anada with me."

     I was slightly surprised. I didn't expect Alex to take me with him.

     Everyone then went over to the small hotel. It was the only hotel so it was our only option.

     For the rest of the day we watched the traffic. Nothing much happened. Only one of us would watch for an hour then someone else would take his place.

     Finally, at five o'clock Westen walked in the room and said, "There's a strange truck outside. Come take a look."

     We all crouded around the window. Westen was right. A black tractor trailer was parked down the road. It was hauling a black shipment container which matched the truck.

     "That's it. Come on, Anada. The rest of you should wait here while we're gone." Alex said then walked outside with the Mustang keys.

     I followed him to the car, and we waited inside until the truck started leaving. The truck went up the road. It drove in the opposite direction of Portland.

     Alex followed slowly behind the truck. When the trees dimmed the sunlight he didn't even turn on the headlights. He kept a good distance from the truck. We could barely see it up the road. The driver would never know we were following them.

     The truck suddenly turned on a hidden dirt road. Alex pulled the Mustang over on the shoulder of the road. He turned off the car, and stepped out. I followed him.

     The truck had already disappeared on the road, but we knew where it had went. Alex walked toward the road, and I was right beside him.

     "Why did you bring me?" I asked.

     He didn't have to bring me, but he did.

     He simplly answered, "I thought that you might need the experience."

     We walked to the road where the truck had turned. Plants grew up in the road. The only sign of human life was the muddy tire tracks on the overgrown road.

     Alex and I silently followed the tracks into the woods.

      I was happy to be back in the woods. The scents aren't bothersome like the city. The scent of moist soil, bark, leaves, and animals surrounded me. Birds chirped up above our heads.

     Alex and I must have walked for ten minutes. Then the trees started to thin. We walked off the road, but still followed it. We stayed conceiled behind trees and bushes.

     The road led into a large treeless clearing. In the middle of the clearing was an old half rotten building. The building didn't look like a house. Old useless logs were piled next to the building. Weeds grew anywhere they could. There was even a rusty car with no wheels on it.

     "What is this place?" I asked Alex.

     "It looks like an abandoned lumber mill." Alex said while scanning the scene.

     The black tractor trailer was parked next to the building. No one was to be seen or heard.

     Suddenly, I heard talking from inside the mill. Then three men walked out of a door and towards the truck. One man opened the doors to the trailer and pointed inside. The men went back inside the mill. They came back out carrying boxes. Then the men loaded the trailer

     Alex says to me, "I think we've found them."