Shaman - the Awakening by Vr McCoy Page A

visitors, locals and people from all walks of life. We mixed and mingled for several hours. We engaged in a little gambling and nursed a small drink each. We were working a case, but needed to blend in as well.
    After hours of enraptured conversation, Dianna and Nina were invited to a party in one of the hotel suites of the casino. It was a private party hosted by Will Hawthorne, one of the casino's owners and a major business investor. It seemed like a good place to start following the money. He wasn't a person of interest, but we were off the grid and putting our fishing poles out for whatever we could snag. I attempted to crash the party, but was met with resistance at the guarded door. Apparently you had to be invited or an attractive woman to gain access, so the other two male agents and I continued working the casino floor. Dianna kept us outsiders in the loop.
    They reported seeing drugs and prostitutes in the suite. There was no immediate reaction to these illegal activities, but we would make a report to the Gaming Commission at an appropriate time. We were there for a different reason and had more important things to investigate.
    Nina cozied up to one of the local thugs at the party; Jay Horse. The Navajo thug who apparently worked for Hawthorne, who wasn't in attendance. Horse was a braggart who was drunk and eager to show he was a person of importance. Nina continued to engage Jay in conversation and entertained him and his narcissistic ego. Jay didn't fit our profile, and it was far-fetched to believe that the killer would be out mingling, as most serial killers displayed anti-social personality disorders, but we were searching for information.
    We followed Jay as he left the party at around 0100 hours. Nina stated that her questions had begun to spook him, so he shunned her and warned her to stay out of Res (Reservation) Business before he departed. He led us to a secluded area about 10 miles from the casino. He was too drunk to be driving, and had no idea he was being followed.
    There weren't any other residences or buildings around. This was a rural section of Farmington, like most of the county. Jay turned down a long dirt road off the main highway. It was pitch black, with no overhead streetlights to illuminate the darkness. We waited several minutes with our lights out before continuing behind him, and arrived at a huge barn near the end of the road. We stopped several yards away, where we couldn't be seen by anyone inside the barn. We didn't know where Jay's vehicle was parked, but there were lights on inside the structure. Getting out of our vehicle, we approached the barn stealthily and cautiously. Then the melee of gun fire ensued. Jay had led us into an ambush.
    There were no lights; just the black of the night when the shooting began. This was one of those times I wished I had carried a gun. I had been to the firearms training because it was mandatory, but refused to arm myself. I didn't have a problem seeing. I had excellent night vision from spending so much time in the dark, isolating myself during dreamscape and on clinical sofas and lounge chairs. I stayed close to Dianna; not out of fear, but more to make sure she would be safe. I acted as her eyes. She was a marksman who had instructor qualifications with a handgun. She had excellent vision also, but ask any sniper about the necessity of a spotter.
    Nina stayed near Dianna and me. She was a good shot also, but nothing compared to Dianna. I believe Nina was attempting to protect me since I was unarmed. She didn't know how good Dianna was, but she soon found out. We called for backup and held it down until the cavalry arrived. This was definitely a message sent by Jay Horse. He had warned us to stay away from the business of the Res.
    By morning we had the situation well in hand, with the other two members of our team shot and hospitalized, one ATF agent inured and two assailants dead. Jay wasn't amongst the remaining assailants who were