Summary

In Chapter 20, “The Miracle of Minerva,” French and the others learn that the Native Americans who live in the cave have contact with a man who works in the government facility where Minerva was taken. This man is later identified as Father Carole. He describes recent events, including that the officials are not extracting marrow from the Native Americans. The records indicate that officials were in the room with Minerva, who was not coherent and spoke no English. There were several Recruiters who did not even need to be there when Minerva was hooked up to the probes and wires. Minerva began to hum, then to sing. She “called on her blood memory, her teachings, her ancestors” and “brought the whole thing down” (Location 2136). Her songs rattled the bones of her ancestors and neither the government officials nor their equipment could interpret. The...