Code Name: Camelot (Noah Wolf #1)(29)

He clicked again, and a third knife appeared on the screen. This one was rusty and dull. “This knife is one you would only want to use if it were the only possible option. The two damaged knives we have already looked at would be preferable to this one, and can anyone tell me why?”

Daniel waited for a couple of seconds, but no one raised a hand or spoke up. He looked around the room, and his eyes settled on Noah. “Perhaps, Mr. Noah, you would like to make a guess as to why this knife would be the last resort?”

Noah looked at the picture on the screen, and folded his hands in front of himself. “The edge of that knife is very dull, which means it’s not going to be very effective if I have to fight. Since it’s so rusty, I have to assume that the owner hasn’t bothered with any kind of maintenance, and in fact it’s probable that, if I’ve got that knife at all, it’s because I stumbled across it somewhere. That means I have absolutely no sense of its balance or weight, so the only possible value it could have to me would be if I could use it for stabbing. Also, rust can cover up cracks and breaks in steel, so it’s even possible that the knife has been damaged to the point that I can’t trust it even for that.”

Daniel nodded at Noah, and smiled broadly. “I’ve been hearing good things about you, today,” he said, “and waiting my chance to form my own opinion. I must admit that you have made a very valid assessment, but you missed one thing. Would you care to try again?”

Noah looked again at the picture on the screen, letting his eyes roll over the knife from its tip all the way to the top of the hilt. He saw again that the edge was dull, and that the knife had not been cared for, but if there was something else he should’ve seen, it was escaping him. He was about to say so when a thought struck him.

“Well, the only thing I can see that I haven’t said already is that, if that was my knife, then I probably shouldn’t be trying to use it at all. If a warrior can’t take care of his weapons, he doesn’t deserve them.”

Daniel laughed. “That is another very valid point, but it wasn’t what I was looking for,” he said. “Look very closely at the photo. Can you see the gap between the grip and the finger guard? What that means is that the hilt is not only loose, it is actually detached. It is quite possible that if this knife were used to stab your target or opponent, when you tried to draw it out you would find yourself holding only the grip, while the blade remained where you had put it.”

Noah nodded, seeing the gap Daniel mentioned. He wondered if he should’ve seen it without it being pointed out, but the gap was very small. He had been looking at the blade, which he considered the effective part of a knife, and hadn’t considered the overall condition as well as he should have.

Daniel continued his lecture on knives, and how they should be maintained and cared for. At one point, he opened the box and began distributing Bowie knives to each of the students, along with sharpening stones and oil, and then began teaching them how to put a razor edge onto such a thick piece of steel. Noah, who had loved knives since he was a child, was quite adept at sharpening, and so were several of the others. After a few minutes, those who knew what they were doing were urged by Daniel to help their classmates.

The class continued this way for a couple of hours, and Noah got to know a few of his fellow students. When everything was winding down, and they were putting away the knives and stones, Daniel called Noah aside.

“I told you that I had been hearing good things about you,” he said. “That is true. However, what you should know is that not everyone is convinced that you are all that you’re expected to be. There is something about you, and none of us knows quite what it is, that has convinced our administrator and psychologist that you are going to be something special.” He smiled. “Do not be so surprised; even in a place like this, rumors abound. It is impossible to completely keep a secret when there are so many hundreds of people around, but all of us are committed to this organization, so it’s not a matter of a threat, so much as a matter of trust. Some of us do not trust you, and are reluctant to see so many of our superiors putting such hope in you.”

Noah looked at Daniel for a long moment, and then smiled. The smile had no emotion behind it, but was meant only to disarm any concerns the German instructor might have.

“I don’t know what you mean, about people putting hope into me,” he said. “I’m here because I was offered a chance to become part of this organization, and since the alternative meant having a permanent address in the local cemetery, I was kind of glad the offer came along. Other than that, though, I’m not out to impress anyone, I’m not out to show off—I’m just here to do a job. As long as I can believe it’s a job that needs to be done, I’m in.” He turned and walked toward the exit.

The man who had shared his seat tapped him on the shoulder, and Noah turned to look into his face. “I’m Roger,” the man said. “I know you’re new here. Have you had permanent quarters assigned yet?”

Noah shook his head. “They got me staying in some little motel,” he said, “over in Alley Town.”

Roger nodded, and grinned. “That’s what I figured,” he said. “Need a ride? It takes them a few days to get wheels assigned.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Noah said. “I appreciate it, if it’s not taking you out of your way.”