Chapter 75 The Knox
The Knox
This fire is my first; I suppose there is a first time for everything, as unpleasant as it may be.
I trust that the members shall soon address it; at the moment, most are at the Brains scroll, engrossed with overseeing the new members’ study of the charter.
As for Rose…she is also presently preoccupied, licking her wounds.
It is unfortunate Michael got caught in her crosshairs; Rose should have instead directed that gun at Taylor.
I am beyond perturbed it is she who is the intruder.
The help hardly know their place anymore.
Yes, yes, I, too, heard Oliver falsely promise Rose that she would be tapped for membership, rewarded for her role in Vivian’s abduction and subsequent care.
That if Rose could locate Xavier, the loose end—an endeavor at which she has been unsuccessful to date—she might even be anointed a Knox officer.
But let’s be realistic: She’s a Rose. Not a Peter, nor a Michael, nor any of them.
She’s the help. There exists a pecking order for a reason.
Structure and hierarchy (and dare I add, tradition) are paramount for enduring success.
I will only now admit, I was secretly flummoxed that such an unorthodox idea would even be considered.
The deception, however, appears to lie solely with Oliver. None of the other members had an inkling of what was quietly pledged to Rose.
(Also, forgive me for pondering at what might be an inappropriate time, but I do wonder what Rose was going to offer as the sacrifice—her secret of importance. I simply relish these confessions—and can smell a lie a house away.)
(In fact, I take even more delight when justice is served to those audacious enough to offer up a falsehood. Rest assured, the members do eventually verify every confession—and they do not take deception lightly.)
Oh—oh my! The smoke detectors have just now begun ringing, causing me a degree of unease. The situation in the basement appears to be veering off course. At least the members are now sufficiently on alert. They begin to depart from the Brains scroll, descend the stairs.
It’s only a matter of time now before order is restored.
But, to my utter dismay, they bypass the abundant fire extinguishers and instead head directly toward the exits, spilling out my doors. One member even has the Brains scroll tucked under his arm!
Gentlemen—what is the purpose of having fire extinguishers if no one utilizes them at the very moment they are needed?!