"Perhaps especially those," Illyanov admitted, smiling. "But I fear I
am monopolizing your time; perhaps we should rejoin the others." He
helped her finish rinsing him, then got out of the tub and gave her a
hand up.
Clean and dressed--someone had thoughtfully laid Illyanov's uniform out
on Cortin's bed--the two returned to the common-room. The rest were
already back, and Brady was serving herb tea and small cakes. Cortin
took one, though she wasn't really hungry, and nibbled at it until
Brady left. Then she got the group's attention and said, "Ivan came up
with an idea a few minutes ago. I don't particularly like it, but I
can definitely see where it could be useful: let a reporter spend some
time with us, enough to get to know us as people instead of symbols."
That got a mixed reaction, from Degas' wince to Odeon's thoughtful nod.
"Personally," her Team-second said after a moment's thought, "I don't
like it any better than you do . . . but otherwise, it sounds good.
And we can handle anything, for a short enough time."
"A week should be about right," Bradford said. "And I think I know the
ideal reporter to invite."
Cortin cocked her head. "That expression says you're up to something,
Brad. Just who is this ideal reporter?"
"Sara Blackfeather, of the New Roman Times."
Cortin stared at him in shocked disbelief. "Are you feeling all right?
She not only despises Enforcement, rumor has it she's Pope Lucius'
mistress!"
"Not just rumor," Bradford said. "You have to remember, though, that
in that part of this world, an unmarried man is almost required to have
a mistress. If he's faithful to her--and everything I've heard says he
is, from the time he acknowledged her when he was Cardinal
McHenry--it's only a venial sin. As for her being hostile, what would
it prove if, say, Patrick James did a series? He's always been an
Enforcement supporter. But if you can turn Blackfeather into a
friend--even a neutral--she'd sway a lot of her followers. Even her
worst enemies can't argue her honesty; if she does change her opinion,
she'll say so."
"True," Cortin agreed. "She's done it before, two or three times that
I know of. All right, as soon as I decide on a good time, I'll send
her an invitation. And while we're on that subject--Dave, have you
asked Betty yet if she and the children want to move here?"
"No--until this morning, I didn't understand how you really felt."
Bain smiled. "I'll call her after Mass."
"Why wait?" Cortin returned the smile. "Call now, so we'll all know.
It's a good time to move--nice weather, and the children'll have time
to make friends before school starts. And if they do come, I'd like to
have them here when Blackfeather arrives--I have a feeling I'm going to
need the kind of atmosphere only children can create."
"Besides which," Bain said, "your secret's out, to us--you just plain
like children." He went to the phone, dialed, and moments later was
speaking to his sister-in-law. He explained the new family structure
and his part in the first one being formed, then went into the
advantages for the children even if she chose not to marry into the
group--then he grinned, giving the group around him the thumbs-up, and
began discussing logistic details.
"Good!" Cortin exclaimed. "Sis, Mike--we'll need a playground, and the
third floor set up for children, and--a nanny, do you think, or--"
"Next weekend be okay?" Bain interrupted to ask.
"The sooner the better," Cortin said. If they could move in that
quickly, it might not be a bad idea to invite that reporter for the
week around the Brothers' attack on the convent. If she'd never been
to a fresh raid scene, she could only have a rough, second-hand idea of
the suffering a raid caused. Seeing that might jar her enough to let
her really look at what Enforcement did, and why--including the
necessity for Inquisitors and the methods it took to stop the
terrorists. Cortin wasn't sure it would, but with Blackfeather's
reputation for honesty, it seemed to be worth the gamble. "If they'll
need help, fly out with whoever you need."
Bain spoke into the phone again, then hung up and turned to the rest.
"Two of us will be more than enough, she says. Who wants to be the
other?"