At last—the Humboldt River valley! Potable water in excess. The river seemed to swell out of the ground from a swampy area situated in the middle of...nowhere. Whatever its source, it was a welcome sight to one and all! Again, there was fresh meat from the abundant animal life and there were fish! Many of the emigrants had never eaten fish because they had lived too far away from a major river, but now they feasted on it. It's questionable how many developed a real liking for fish, but everybody. It was several minutes before he expected an answer. He reached over pulling a bottle of a green liquid, turning it up he took a deep swallow. Thomas grimaced as the liquid burned down his throat. The slight light headedness passed quickly as he smiled. Damn, tasted really bad, had hardly no buzz, though it helped to rid most of the pain racking his body.He had drained half the bottle, when his mother answered. "I am busy what in the hell do you want?" Uh, uh, uh, I suggest you change your. It is Tompkins here, at the front office. There are two gentlemen from the FBI here, asking about some lady named Ruth Proctor, who is not listed in our staff data file. They insist on speaking to an officer, though I explained that the chances of any more information was not strong. Will you come and speak with them, sir?"A few minutes later, an immaculately-clad officer clattered down the stairs from another floor, turning a pen in his fingers, over and over; and marched over to the group of. "Gave you an amorous night, did he?" She blushed again, but again she didn't answer. "How do you do it? Is it some kind of hypnosis? I guess it must be. Post-hypnotic suggestion, isn't that what they call it?" When Jason said nothing, she went on. "But she seemed, Lilah, she seemed so...well, reluctant, and they say you can't hypnotize a person into doing something they really don't want to do. Isn't that right? Or is that just a theory?" Jason shrugged, although she wasn't.