ONE DAY AFTER TWO WEEKS BEFORE

The lesser-superior paled as he saw the report. The young officer and the relevant one had fled the organization without any warning. They had run, blind to what could happen. He had closed their eyes, and they were opening them again without permission. He closed the report, rubbing his face and excusing the people in the room. They left and he reached for another burner phone, but it rang before he could even pick it up. His eyes widened and his hand hovered over it as it rang three, four, five times. As it reached the sixth ring, he drew his hand back and sat in his chair. The lesser-superior closed his eyes as it rang a seventh time. Two black-clad guards with visors over their faces came in through a panel in the wall in his office, pointing weapons at him. Whether or not they were lethal, he didn’t know. The eighth ring ended and the burner went still and quiet. The guards raised their weapons at the lesser-superior and he smiled softly. The weapons were fired and only one thought lingered in the lesser-superiors mind.

“Open your eyes.”