Stone Junction by Jim Dodge Page B

available – are extremely oblique, hidden in images and the arc of metaphor.
    ‘But whatever the true derivation of its name, AMO is a secret society – though more on the order of an open secret, in fact. Basically, AMO is a historical alliance of the mildly felonious, misfits, anarchists, shamans, earth mystics, gypsies, magicians, mad scientists, dreamers, and other socially marginal souls. I’m told it was originally organized to resist the pernicious influences of monotheism, especially Christianity, which attacked alchemy as pagan and drove it underground. From what I gather (I’m not a scholar on the subject), AMO has survived as an
extremely
loose international alliance of self-described moral outlaws and wild spirits. And though the alliance is so loose it’s nebulous, the center is tight.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ Daniel said.
    ‘In each country or region, there’s a seven-member council called the Star. Council members can serve up to forty years or resign at any point. Star members nominate potential successors, who must be approved by the other council members. I’ve never been sure exactly what the Star’s job is beyond administration and special projects. Each Star member has a small field staff to assist her – and I use
her
because four of the seven Star members, by tradition, must be women.’
    ‘That’s wise,’ Annalee nodded, glancing at Shamus long enough to flash a smile.
    ‘Can
more
than four be women?’ Daniel said.
    ‘Yes – but not any fewer. That make sense?’
    ‘I suppose,’ Daniel said, not so much lacking conviction as withholding judgment.
    Without taking her eyes off the road, Annalee said, ‘I have a feeling that we were keeping house for AMO, right? That’s who we’ve been working for?’
    ‘Smiling Jack is a field assistant for Volta, one of the Star members, so I think that’s a safe assumption. But they dislike the phrase
working
for
. They prefer thinking of it as a natural alignment of mutual interests, and therefore an extension of the alliance.’
    ‘Well shit,’ Annalee said, ‘why not tell us? Or ask us to join?’
    Shamus raised his hands in mock defense. ‘Don’t ask me why they do what they do. The only policy I know about recruitment is that you’re not supposed to approach people till they’re ready, and then to tell them the truth. I would suspect in your case that there’s some legal concern about Daniel, since you might be nailed for conspiracy if membership could be proven, and that’s a harder fall. Also, members are supposed to donate five percent of their net income to the cause, so maybe they didn’t want to lean on a single woman’s purse. Besides, you spent enough time on the street to understand the wisdom of knowing no more than you need to.’
    Before Annalee could reply, Daniel leaned forward intently and said, ‘You keep saying
they
. Aren’t you a member?’
    ‘I was,’ Shamus said. ‘I quit.’
    ‘But they’re still helping you.’
    Shamus sighed. ‘It’s complicated. I started out as a smuggler. Cigarettes and watches at first, then drugs, then gold. Gold was the first thing I’d ever moved that moved
me
. The first bar I ever saw, it was like the sun rose in my blood. I was working out of Florida at the time, very young, ambitious, imaginative, with a talent for safely transporting contraband from point A to point B. I was reliable, I was discreet, and I was making lots of money. And unlike most smugglers, I didn’t fling it away on drugs, racing boats, and high-flying women. I had fun, but at a level less extravagant than my income, because no matter how good you are, you can get unlucky.
    ‘I’d got to the point where I had plenty of money and lots of doubt that my luck could hold, so I was thinking about getting out of the business when Red Lubbuck paid me a visit. Red was the main mover on the Gulf side, so naturally I assumed he wanted to talk business; I was surprised when he told me about AMO instead.