The Island of Screams

23 A secret listener

A marble quarry

Philipos, the Admiral's youngest son, had a keen sense for secrets. He crept after Tom, Nikos, and Martin, crouched behind a thick bush and pricked up his ears.

"Yeah, maybe it's good that you're both here." Martin hemmed and hawed. "So, um, my sister, err, your ex, Nikos, she claims you left her because you prefer having sex with this here Tom, with Sophia and also with Sandy, all at the same time. She claims she saw it. I've forbidden her to spread such lies, and I'm guessing she won't either. But I thought you should know that."

Tom and Nikos looked at each other.

"You can say what you want against your sister," laughed Nikos, "but her eyes work. We all slept here. But we didn't all have sex together because I was an idiot because I didn't join them before it was all over."

Tom and Nikos laughed their heads off. Martin asked them, just to make sure:

"Wait, that means the three of them actually did...?" A fit of laughter stopped him. "Don't you have another vacancy in your club?"

Philipos wished he was somewhere else. He hardly dared to breathe. If they caught him now...

It took a while for those overheard to calm down.

"Martin, don't take it the wrong way, but Tom and I have something to talk about," Nikos said.

"No, wait a minute," interjected Tom, "let him stay here."

When the boy from Nuremberg had asked them about a vacancy in their club, Tom had had an idea. Martin was curious, and also a little flattered, that he was allowed to be part of their meeting.

"Well, let's talk about the driver first," said Nikos. "Sandy or Randy? Randy is the better fighter, a good driver, a good buddy, too. Sandy is not a good fighter but has guts, he's also a good driver and he can play the guitar. After all, we'll be on the road for 3 days, so that might be nice."

"They were both perfectly fine in Crete," said Tom. "But there's a problem. I think Sandy has a crush on one of us, that's a downside I'd say."

Martin intervened:

"What is this actually about?"

"We have to do a tour, quite a long one, transport things. Unfortunately there are robbers in the area where we're going. We need a driver and another companion."

"Okay, none of my business, but if I were in your shoes, I would take Sandy. He's not as risk-averse as Randy. I think that would be better. Also, if Sandy really has a crush on one of you, which wouldn't surprise me anymore after all that's going on here, then you should speak clearly to him so he doesn't get false hope. Nobody fits between the two of you anyway."

Tom and Nikos exchanged a quick look and Sandy got the job. They would have to talk to him.

"So, who'll be the fourth man?" Nikos continued. "We need him so that we can scare off possible robbers. We'll put wooden sticks in the car and if they block the road, we'll threaten them and they'll hopefully make way. So we need someone who is brave and has the ability to scowl, and if need be he should be able to fight. And of course he should be easy to get along with. What do you mean?"

"I would take Georgios before anyone else, but he wants to go climbing with Sophia. And Dave will probably want to go to Mount Olympus, too. He once hinted at something like that."

"Take me, please take me," Martin begged. "I think it's right what you're doing, I've wanted to be a member of your group the whole time."

"I can think of a few people right away, Stelios, Alexandros, Rudy for example, but not of you," Nikos replied. "You're too young, I'm sorry. And I don't want to know what your father would say about that."