Page 14 - Unlikely Stories 3

The World Trafe Center

“We were going to bust open the place and let all the pigs run out
into Central Pork.”
Ayla Beck spoke in a confidential tone as we passed under the last
security camera in front of the Pigiron Building’s service entrance. It
was three o’clock in the morning and I was in no mood for humor.
At least she was right about the night shift guards: low-wage
contractors moonlighting a second or third job. No way would they
wake up unless we set off an alarm.
“But that might have been counterproductive. We voted two-to-
one to give you a chance first. Can always do that later.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. “I don’t think I’ll have a job tomorrow if
we’re caught.”
“Hey! Don’t sweat it, Jack. I’ve broken into tighter cribs than this,
lots of times.” She produced a plastic card from within the folds of
her night camouflage outfit. One swipe across the door’s reader and
we were in. Trespassers. I could see the headline: “Jacob A. Randa,
CDC Agent, Arrested with Eco-terrorist in Attempted High-rise
Vandalism.” If only I hadn’t responded to a higher calling! I could
have had a nice job juggling test tubes in a big pharma lab; but no.
We passed through a set of double doors and were immediately
assailed by a powerful odor, one from which urbanites are usually
protected. If you’re a transplanted Midwesterner who’s lived
downwind from a hog feedlot, you know exactly what it is. Ayla
pulled her scarf up over her nose and mouth. I could take it, but not
for long. She extracted a sheet of paper from an external pocket and
studied it under the dim fluorescence.
“Should be obvious to you, Jack: intensive pig farming is going on
here. Never mind what it says on the city’s permits. You can bust
them, too, after we get some evidence. This operation is more illegal
than our sneaking in.”
Wordlessly I pointed to the video camera hanging around my
neck. She thought I was a reporter sympathetic to the Green
Guerrillas, looking to write an expose that would shut down the
operation and create trouble for its owners. I had another agenda, but
PigPackers LLC had a staff of lawyers determined to keep their

13