Sworn To Secrecy

Richter: "Sky, you're in charge in case I don't make it. There's a communication pattern in the next room to allow you to contact San Francisco for additional orders. Clear?"

Sky Masterson, who had been leaning back on two legs of his chair, boots crossed on the windowsill, and sharpening one of his two switchblades with a whetstone, while staring out the window, is so startled at this pronouncement that he drops the cigarette butt from his mouth into his lap.

When Richter meets Janet's eyes, she gives him a small nod.

Kaze nods.

Belle is too freaked out by the concept of having one's power switched to nod, but she doesn't object either.

When Richter glances at Sky for confirmation, Sky draws his lucky gold double-eagle dollar out of his pocket, flips it, catches it, slaps it down onto the back wrist of his right hand. It is heads; he nods.

Michael, a bit unsettled by what just happened, says "...I think I will go set up that monitoring system you wanted Richter." and wanders off to see what he can find to work with.

If he can find a radio, or other electronics, in the house he can pretty easily make some contact microphones to put on the windows. Otherwise he can probably rig something from what equipment they have with them, and household items, that will let him know if there's a noise outside a window, but may not be clear enough to understand what's being said/going on.

Sonny-boy says "Ah jist wanna go ta bed. Ah'm tard."

Richter: "Right, of course. You have to be careful, with what you've been through. There's a bed through that door, and a couple of cots in the room on the right. Belle, can you see that Sonny gets to bed all right?"

He turns to Nick Voinovich and Christine Tane.

"We're with the Grimnoir Society," he says to them. "It's an old fraternity of Actives, worldwide. There's more, but you have to swear that none of this leaves this room, except to another Grimnoir knight."

"Anybody could say he's a Grimnoir knight," says Nick.

"But they won't have one of these," says Richter, displaying his black and gold ring.

"Nick, just swear. Why would we want to spill their secrets? They saved us!" says Christine.

"Miss Tane, hush. It has to be his decision," Richter cautions.

Michael returns, having rigged all the windows for sound. He trails a wire leading to an earphone covering one ear, so he can listen to the conversation while still monitoring the outside.

Nick Voinovich rubs the back of his head, stopping when he touches Kaze's firmly pressing fingers.

"Excuse me," he says to Kaze. To the room, he says,

"I didn't look for this fight, but I'm in it now. Can't beat an army with a single soldier, or even," he says, smiling at Christine tightly, "two of 'em. I'm in. I'll keep your secrets. And before you ask, I'll obey your orders. Just tell me the command structure and I'll do my part."

He winces.

"Hm. My magic's still strong. If you need something frozen, I've got it covered. And in the War, I found out I can draw on more magic than I thought. When you feel tapped out, empty, like you can't go on -- turns out you can. You have to MAKE the Power obey you. So I think I will pull my weight in your outfit."

"It's true," Christine puts in. "When Nick's Power is gleaming low, he can just fire it back up again, like throwing gas on a fire! I can see it."

"You ever run out?" Richter wants to know. "Could be another first-time Power."

"I ran out," says Nick. "In the War. Every day of Second Somme. Too many targets and not enough doughboys. But I gave 'em frozen hell before my Power finally quit. You know how thick ice has to be before it stops a Mauser bullet? Well, I do."

Richter waits till Nick is done.

"Raise your left hands, both of you," he says. "The left is closer to the heart, they tell me. Now, it doesn't matter what you did before this moment. Do you swear upon your honor and your life, from this day forward, to use your magic for the good of humanity, and against those who would use it for evil, to your last breath and with all the magic at your command?"

Nick: "I do so swear."

Christine: "Wait, what? Are we joining the army?"

Richter: "Miss Tane, that is exactly what you are doing. We don't share our secrets with those who don't share our goals."

Christine looks helplessly around at Sky, Janet and Michael, the only ones she's really met.