It was a cold night, unusual for the Afturlife. Nicholas was sitting in his office, reading through different messages sent to him from throughout the realms. He checked for the time, only then realizing that his watch was never on his wrist. Pausing through his busy work, he remembered the glowing recording on the corner of desk, just waiting to be listened by him. It was labeled on the side of it. The label was stretching around the lit capsule, as if it just wanted a hug. He smiled, it was from Jefferson, an old friend in the Benevolence office.
To The Desk Of President Talbot; Message IMPORTANT
~Jefferson
He then frowned upon consideration, usually his recordings would be listened by his secretary. ‘Probably because it was important’ he thought. So, without further examination, he reached over and popped it open. Maybe Jefferson wanted to hang out, have some sprites and just have a jolly time. Or maybe not. The recording made a ‘Screech!’ and Talbot covered his ears. Why couldn’t people use good-old-fashioned feather paper?
“I…” it was a strained voice, hardly sounding like Jefferson’s usual deep tone.
“Nicholas, there is no time to waste, no… we must take action. There is a weapon that someone has made that… deconstructs the soul. An attack… on the office in the Good Realm… my soul… take. Nicholas… tell my wife I love her… you must… do…”
Nicholas suddenly froze, he could’ve sworn he just saw a shadow of a person, eavesdropping outside. President Talbot dropped the recording as it turned red hot and disintegrated into the air. Stunned, Talbot looked out the window, his personal guards were nowhere to be seen. Cautiously, he looked at the security feed, it was blank. He grabbed a communicator and scrambled from his seat running to the door. He quickly jogged down the stairs to inform his secretary.
He pounded on the door and yelled, “Darlene?!”
No response. Talbot pounded on it again. Something was wrong. Fearing the worst Nicholas ran down the main level to the North wing. He shakily entered his passcode into the monitor next to the silver door. He slipped inside his large private chamber and locked the door. He pressed the red button on the communicator, red for emergency and immediate lockdown and security response. The five council members should also be informed, the President needed to hold a secure emergency meeting about Jefferson’s alarming demise and the security breach. Suddenly, someone started banging on the steel door.
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A concerned voice yelled, “Mister President?! Mister President?! Are you okay? This is Marcus, code name: Alpha 214, the password is ‘Chumbawamba’.”
“Wait, who was the man in the first row, sitting in the second seat on my Inauguration day? I want a full name please.” President Talbot spoke suspiciously.
Silence, and then the man responded, “Uhh… I believe it was Dan Harrison.”
“Middle name?”
“Is it Waldemar?”
“Correct! Good job! Can you call the council members? I want to have an emergency meeting.”
Listen, sir, there’s no security breach, your personal guards were in front of the building and Darlene is just getting coffee at Starbucks. I’m here to help, do you need a massage or somethin’?”
“Oh. Umm… well than! I guess back to normal than. Sorry for the fuss, I really thought there was a level-ten security breach. I guess paranoia comes with age.”
President Talbot reentered his 10-digit password and had his fingerprint scanned. The steel door opened. He briskly stepped out. Suddenly, he froze as a chill passed down his spine, the hallway was dark and filled with shadows. He saw the guard who he talked to, standing with his back turned away from him. The guard was dressed in a dark cloak, concealing his identity, but Nicholas instantly recognized him. Talbot quietly pressed the communicator on, making sure someone would hear this conversation.
“You,” he regarded the man with a steely edge to his voice.
“Yes, it’s me. I guess I’m early to the party. Sorry Talbot, but I always knew that you’re reign would never last,” the man responded in a disturbing calmness.
Nicholas Talbot just stared at him with a look of loathing rage. “I should’ve known. I-”
Suddenly the man turned drawing an object from his black cloak, Nicholas gasped for where the man's eyes should have been lay only bottomless dark pits. The former guard’s arm was a blur, a knife thrown with deadly accuracy, and the world seemed to hold its breath as Nicholas fell, the President of the Afturlife was no more. The grim faced man chuckled and bent down to pick the knife up the knife, the knife was black and clothed in shadows. The knife almost seemed to suck the light out of the room. The man turned and with a shattering of glass, he jumped out the window, out of the Leader’s office. The sun was rising, signaling a new era to come. And indeed it came to the Afturlife it came like crows come to a fresh kill.