Assembly Command and Control Facility
Unknown Location
Roger Croft stood in the middle of the control center, watching the various news feeds and status reports coming in from agents in the field. Everything was going according to plan, and they were perhaps only minutes away from achieving their goal.
He was nervous.
And excited.
Every muscle in his body kept clenching, and he had to force himself to relax, or he risked forgetting to breathe. They were about to achieve what they had been orchestrating since the end of the Cold War, something that wouldn’t have been possible even five years earlier. With society now so interconnected, with Internet-connected devices with minimal to non-existent security behind them pervading every household and business in the country, pulling off what they had over the past several days was finally possible.
And before the day was out, the world would be a different place, at war with an enemy they would have to exterminate, and a tense détente between traditional enemies reestablished for decades to come.
It will be an incredible future!
His aide entered the room and rushed up to him, whispering in his ear. “There’s a priority communique from Number One.”
His eyes widened slightly, his heart pounding. Priority communications from Number One were never good. “I’ll take it in my office.” He strode quickly toward the exit, his aide following on his heels, both in his outer office moments later. “I’m not to be disturbed.”
“Of course, sir.”
He entered his private office and his aide closed the door behind her. He tapped his keyboard, killing the screen saver, and entered his password. An icon flashed and he clicked on it, the silhouetted image of Number One revealed. He bowed his head slightly. “Number One.”
“Number Four, we have a problem. I’m sending you the details now.”
He noticed a priority message arrive in his secure inbox. He opened it, a video attachment included. “I’ll let you watch that when I’m finished. We have been compromised. It would appear that Nadja Katz has kidnapped and killed Number Seven, and had him confirm the names of Numbers Eight through Twelve.”
Croft fell back in his chair. “How is that even possible? How could she possibly know?”
The silhouette’s head shook. “I don’t know, however this is a serious breach. If she knew the identities of Numbers Seven through Twelve, she could know more.”
Croft’s eyes widened. “Surely she couldn’t know who I am, or you! Surely not you!”
“There is no way to know. Number Four, I have ordered the immediate termination of all members of the Council with the exception of yourself. You are too vital to the current operation.”
A bead of sweat trickled down Croft’s spine as he became lightheaded.
Breathe!
“I-I think that’s wise, Number One.” He was about to ask what would become of himself when he was no longer vital, but bit his tongue. He already knew the answer.
The distorted voice ended the conversation. “The Assembly is eternal.”
The screen went blank and he lost control, his entire body shaking as he realized he would soon be dead. Number One had to be absolutely secure. Nobody knew his identity. Nobody ever knew his identity. But the others, there was a possibility. It all depended on where the breach in security had come from. It was at best from Number Seven himself. Eight through Twelve would have no idea who he was, so they were innocent in all this, yet ironically, that fact assured their deaths were absolutely necessary. It was Two through Six that were the question marks.
And Number One was right.
To truly protect the organization, eliminating everyone was the surest way. And that had to include him, especially considering the fact he was the one who had brought Vance into the organization all those years ago, and had just met with him yesterday.
And with the President.
His heart pounded as he realized the connection between Vance and him would be made quite quickly. He rose and opened the door. His aide looked up. “Yes, sir.”
“Put the facility on lockdown immediately.”