After supper, Voltaire had called for entertainment. They took turns each night, and tonight had been Finch’s turn. He bounded from his seat and onto the campfire stage. With larger-than-life gestures and the occasional dry translation from Pidge, he explained that he would perform a dangerous feat over the fire. He ordered Fly Man to add more logs and cautioned us all to remain silent until the end. His calisthenics amazed me. Cartwheels and twisting backflips, forward hand-springs and aerial somersaults. After, he bowed gallantly at the waist.

“Finch wants to teach me how to tumble,” I said to Hosea. We were rolling our bed mats out side by side in a secluded corner of the clearing.

“Good, do it,” Hosea replied. “It will only enhance your training.”

I paused and looked over my shoulder at him. “My training?”

He was busy with his pack and didn’t look up. “Yes, your training. I’m going to train you along with the others.”

Slowly, I sat back, my mouth agape. I knew I’d heard correctly, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Remaining calm, I tested his intentions. “I suppose you’ll want to keep an eye on me before you turn me over to the Director. That would be impossible unless I’m in the training field with the others. But, I won’t actually have a sword.” My eyes fixed on his back.

Hosea turned. “On the contrary, you will. I spoke to the Director after supper.”

I stood. “Hosea, are you saying you’re going to give me a Double Helix? And you’re going to train me to use it?”

“Yes and yes,” he said, simply.

Biting my lip, I attacked the idea. “You don’t have a communit; Voltaire checked your bag!”

“I assure you, I have a unit, Cobane. And I did speak to my father.”

“But, the Director knows I’ve spied for Jones. Why would he give me a sword?”

“Does it matter?”

Suddenly, my knees felt weak. I sat back down. “No, I suppose not.” Still, I was reluctant to get my hopes up. I smoothed my bedroll as my mind roved over the facts. “It doesn’t make sense,” I said finally. “You said Director Kumar wants the Kongo to be independent of the North.”

Hosea nodded. “I did.”

I tilted my head. “Well then, how does arming me further that aim? It’s as if he thinks I might help him. Why would he think that I—a Record Keeper—would help him break the law?”