The story continues a few months after THE CHOCOLATE WAR ends. As the school year draws to an end, many students look forward to leaving but Carter and Obie, leading members of the ruthless secret society, The Vigils, can't contemplate the future until they have destroyed the leader, Archie Costello. Obie has seen his friendship with the beautiful Laurie ruined by one of Archie's Vigil exploits and is out for revenge. But his plan involving a trick guillotine backfires and Archie hands over the leadership of the Vigils with his ruthlessly cool reputation still in tact.