Tommy Foxe lay passed out on the couch in the reception area of Vanguard Europe's office. He had pulled his brown leather jacket over his head to keep the light out of his eyes.

"Mr. Foxe."

"Mmnwhhuhgngh."

"Mr. Foxe." The voice came again, a little louder and sterner.

"Huhwhuzzah. . .?" Tommy moved his arms around and pulled his jacket down. His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot and slightly out of focus. He looked up at Penny Goodweather. He couldn't make out her face. He tried to focus his eyes and failed miserably.

"Mr. Foxe, this is not a hotel. If you wish to stay here, you'll have to pass your job interview with Doctor Paragon, which starts about. . ." The secretary, somewhat pale looking and nauseous herself, for more reasons than one looked at her watch. "Twenty minutes ago."

Tommy bolted upright. "Shite!"

After a few moments, Foxe worked up the nerve to walk into Paragon's office. Paragon was sitting behind his desk reading a monitor display. Or rather, several monitor displays. As Tommy entered, he looked up. "Mr. Foxe. Glad you could join us this morning." His stoic expression did not change. "Have a seat."

Tommy sat down and waited for Paragon to speak. Tommy looked at the ground, the walls, the large, bay window and the view of Munich it provided. Everything but Paragon. Paragon said nothing. Finally, Tommy managed to mutter, "So, uh, how did I do?"

"Well," Paragon began, looking rather thoughtful. "You attempted to disrupt a long in the making peace treaty that Edmund was overseeing, you let the field leader of the team know that you had personal information about the group, you were an active participant in indulging Mr. Baxter in his gambling addiction, and you cheered on my secretary in an improvisational, drunken strip tease."

Shite, I've blown it. Tommy thought to himself. Shiteshiteshiteshiteshite.

"On the other hand, you kept Ozzy and Adem out of severe trouble with local criminals, steered Penny home safely, and seem to have made genuine friends with them and Drake. Lykopis and Gaunt didn't kill you, which is always a plus."

Tommy looked up at Paragon for the first time. "And Icarus?" he asked.

Paragon paused for a moment before finally breaking out into that warm smile of his. "Icarus hates your guts. I think I can safely say that you've passed your initiation, Tommy. Welcome to the team."