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"You don't even know the whole plan yet, sis," Chris said more gently now. "So let me tell you everything first, and then you're welcome to judge."
I had already lost a few debates in college because of my hot-tempered nature. That's why I wanted to switch from law to medicine the next semester, but it didn't come to that. Sighing, I nodded and saw out of the corner of my eye how my brother couldn't suppress a grin.
"The plan is this: we will announce you want to prepare for your wedding and enter marriage as spiritually pure as possible. To achieve this, you have asked me to hear your confession three times a week. So you can confess all your sins with Alex," he teased me, lightly punching me in the side. Even I had to smile at that. Alex and I had been sleeping together for years, which was a well-kept secret within my family.
“And then?” I wanted to know.
“Dad has his chauffeur take you to my church at the appointed times. There’s a confessional in one of the chapels that hides a secret inside.” Furtively, Chris looked around, but no one was anywhere to be seen.
"You probably know I was a member of one of those fraternities during my time at Columbia University, right?" he suddenly asked. Of course, I still remembered. He had just been out and about, day and night. Dad had been very worried about him back then.
"Well, it wasn't one of those regular fraternities," he explained awkwardly. "It was more like one of those fraternities you join for life."
I looked up, startled. I had often heard rumors about such secret societies, and the stories about them had always sounded dangerous. I looked worriedly at my brother.
“Don’t be afraid! With the takeover of the Knights of the Seals, the Brotherhood fell apart. But it left behind something valuable.”
A smile stole onto my lips. “Hidden premises no one knows about?” I asked, already guessing the answer.
My brother nodded.“Yes, and underground passageways and halls that can be accessed from Columbia University as well as the Cathedral of John the Divine,” Chris trumpeted.
“At said confessional!” I put the information together and saw the priest’s eyes light up. “That is, instead of learning my purity in the confessional, I should learn to defend myself in the secret premises?”
“That’s the plan! Of course, there are still a few details we need to work out, but tomorrow morning is supposed to be your firstconfession. Dad doesn’t want to waste any time. Jordy’s already got some of your old workout pants and shirts stored there, and Rick’s going to the black market tonight to get the weapon gear you need.”
"That means my other two brothers are also part of the plan?" I asked, amazed and, at the same time, touched by their care. Again, just a nod.
"And which of you will teach me how to use these weapons? We never used any in my earlier self-defense course," I explained, wondering why my family went straight to such sharp guns.
"I'm supposed to take over," Chris said, slightly embarrassed.
“You? Why you, of all people? You don't know anything about martial arts! Why not Rick? At least he used to box for a while!" I scolded indignantly.
“Rick and Jordy can’t show their faces near the cathedral, or someone will get suspicious. So you’ll have to make do with me,” my brother explained, somewhat miffed. I didn’t want to offend him, but Chris and martial arts didn’t go together like heaven and hell. They were just too different.
"Don't worry, Myrina," my big brother reassured me, apparently sensing my rising panic. "We'll get through this. You have to trust in us and God. Are you okay with this plan? Do you trust yourself to take the risk? You know what it would mean toyou if we were exposed. That's why we also want you to decide whether we do it or not."
He looked at me expectantly. His brown eyes reflected such determination and hope it was downright contagious.
“Good,” I agreed. “We’ll be fine. It’s worth the risk. But please don’t be angry with me if I put my trust only in us and not in God.”
Chris gave me a soft smile. “Sure thing. You trust in us. My trust in God is big enough for both of us.”
CHAPTER 6
Not wanting to give rise to suspicion, we walked around Central Park for an hour after the conversation before returning to East 69th Street and our home.
The skirt of my dress was sticking to my legs so much that I had to be careful not to get tangled in the fabric and fall lengthwise. Chris joined us for lunch but then had to hurry to his church for the preparations for the evening mass.
My father retired to his study, and there was nothing left for me to do but devote myself to embroidery in the small drawing room, which I hated almost as much as this goddamned loneliness. All leisure activities were not permitted to me as a woman of a higher rank. Reading was forbidden, as was listening to music, writing letters, or even meeting others.
I used to have a very active social life, being an outgoing person. Every evening had been planned. My free time was filled with cinema and theater visits, dinners with friends, parties, shopping trips, or weekend excursions to the sea to Coney Island.
Now, however, I was tied to my parents' house and had to trade in my dorm room for my former children's room. My girlfriends didn't fare any better, and the male fellow studentshad gradually turned their backs on me. All except Alex, who had sworn allegiance to me as an eight-year-old using a so-called Indian ritual and had never broken it since.
What had become of my friends in the dormitory, I did not know. I had seen only Charly from time to time. Primarily thanks to our fathers because her parents were no longer loyal to the fraternity than we were, although they also kept up appearances. Nevertheless, they had been able to arrange it several times that we ran into each other at galas or other festivities, as in a few days at the famous Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum. A festivity that used to resemble a real fashion show of the most pompous dresses. High society, as well as stars and starlets, had been guests there and had helped the fundraising gala to its fame.
Nowadays, it wasthecelebration of the highest-ranking and richest New Yorkers, including my father and Charly's.
