Orchid Blues

42

Today's lesson was about loyalty, and Ham struggled to look interested. He was astonished that John had the wind to keep at this stuff, and he prayed for it to be over soon. His prayers were not answered until lunchtime.

"That's it, gentlemen," John said. "I think you understand what you're a part of now. Any questions?"

A man raised his hand. "Just one thing I don't understand," he said.

"What's that?"

"Do we have a name?"

Ham could have kissed him.

"Before I can tell you that," John said, "there's an oath to take. Are you ready to take it?"

There was a murmur of assent.

John turned a page of his drawing pad, and in neat block capitals was written: "I pledge that I accept the principles of The Elect wholeheartedly and without mental reservation. I pledge to advance the cause of white Christians with all the energy I possess. I vow to accept the orders of my superiors without question and to carry them out at the cost, if necessary, of my blood or my very life. If I should break these vows I understand that I am subject to swift punishment by death at the hands of my superiors. I swear all this by my sacred honor and by Almighty God."

"Read that and think about what it means for a few minutes," John said. He left the room and closed the door behind him.

There was perfect silence in the room. The group stared at the oath, and when Ham chanced a glance at his companions he saw tears on the cheeks of some of them.

Five minutes passed before John returned to the room. "Are you ready to take the oath?" he asked.

A chorus of affirmation rang out.

"Then repeat after me," he said, then began reading.

The group followed him, speaking every word.

When they had finished, John took his felt marker and underlined "The Elect."

"That is our name," he said. "We never speak it but to a man we know to be one of our number." He ripped the pages from the drawing pad, flicked a lighter and set fire to them, dropping the flaming paper into a metal wastebasket. "I welcome you all," John said, and began shaking their hands.

Suddenly, from over their heads, a loud beeping began. Everyone looked up. The smoke detector on the ceiling had gone off.

John led the laughing. "Ham, you know about these things. Can you turn it off?"

"Sure," Ham replied. He dragged a chair over and tugged at the alarm. It came away in his hand, stuck to the ceiling only by tape. "Give me a minute, and I'll get it reset," he said.

"Come on, men," John said. "I'll buy you all a beer. Ham, join us when you tame that thing."

"Be right with you," Ham said. He took a pen from his pocket and pretended to do something to the alarm. As soon as they left the room, he pressed the reset button and the beeping stopped. He took Eddie's unit from his pocket, ripped off the plastic covering the tape and stuck it to the ceiling. Then he pocketed the old alarm and went to find the others. On the way, he stopped at his truck and tossed the original alarm inside.

"Thank you, Jesus," he said aloud, as he made his way toward the picnic area.

Half an hour later, Harry was on the phone in the den of the beach house when someone turned on the radio in the living room. He covered the receiver and yelled, "Will somebody turn that goddamned thing down?"

Eddie stuck his head in the door. "Are you sure, Harry? Ham's smoke detector just went on the air."

"Holy shit!" He uncovered the phone. "Sorry, sir, I've got to run. Will you overnight that equipment to me?" He hung up without waiting for an answer and ran into the living room.

Doug and Eddie were staring at the speaker as if were a television.

The voices were clear, except when someone mumbled.

"Everybody take the oath?" someone asked.

"Every man jack of them," another replied.

"Ham, too?"

"You bet."

"That man's a real find, isn't he?"

"Peck, you spotted him. You get all the credit for bringing him in."

"That's Rawlings," Doug said.

"Is the other one John?" Harry asked.

Eddie held up a hand for quiet, then he fumbled with a tape recorder and started it.

"I think it's time we got Ham started, don't you?" the other man asked.

"I believe it is," Peck replied.

"Let's get him moved in here, then," the other man said.

"John, I don't know about that. He's got a real sweet place out on the river, and he's not going to want to leave it to move into a bunkhouse."

"All right, feel him out about it. I don't want to piss him off at this stage, so go gently, but he's going to have to be in residence here before the day."

"On the day," Peck said.

"On the day," John echoed.