The Revelation

Chapter 11

THE DARK ROOM:

Joseph sat across the mysterious gray suit man with a table placed between them. Their location was murky; a room in semi darkness state; sparse yet antiquely furnished. For all someone might know, they might have been somewhere in the deep bowels of their official headquarters in the city or maybe somewhere far away from there. The outlook of the room did not betray its location. The only inference that could be drawn was of the furnishing which was made up of top-class previous century's mahogany.

          At the moment, the mystery man sat on a high chair, which was polished till the point of gleaming as he assessed the man sitting across him. The two men sat in identical stances; tensed back with one of their legs crossed over the other knee. The mystery man was no longer wearing the hat but the thin layer of darkness that hung around the room embraced his form in semi-darkness. The darkness served no purpose here for Joseph knew exactly who he was. Sitting here across him, Joseph was reminded of the rumor that claimed the man sitting across to him to have an affliction to bright light which had led him to embrace the shadows. This actually suited his job well. Joseph however believed this state of room was meant to make it intimidating rather than serving the man's affliction.

            The two men smoked some foreign brand of cigar, letting silence hang between them before they started discussing the matter at hand they had met to discuss.

            "So what's next?" Joseph began, pressing the stub of the cigar in the ashtray lying before him.

             "The orders are clear, Joseph. She has to do it," he said slowly, his commanding voice emphasizing each word.

            "But – but I think I was clear in explaining you the risks," Joseph said, shaking his head in exasperation.

             "And I think she'll stick. It works both ways, Joseph."

             "And if she finds out—"

              "She won't," he said with finality, cutting the conversation short.

             Joseph sat there quietly, fidgeting with the burnt out cigar on the ashtray.

             "Who else knows?" the mystery man began slowly, leaning back and settling comfortably in his chair; as he tried to work out the worst case scenarios.

             "About her?" Joseph confirmed, unconsciously imitating his stance as he too leaned back; watching the man opposite him take the final long draught from his cigar before dropping it on the ashtray.

             The man nodded.

             "Apart from me, Louis and James."

             Suddenly, the man was sitting upright looking angry. "James? I thought you knew what you did around here, Joseph. And he's supposed to be the one to..." His voice tailed off.

             Joseph swallowed back a comment. He didn't appreciate being spoken to like that. They were in a way, equals, both answering to the same person.

              "Having her so close to finding out...it'll be a risk," the man continued, settling back and glaring at Joseph. "Why did you have to tell James?" he questioned angrily.

              "With all due respect, Ryan, I trust James. What do you have against him?" he said delicately, but knew his delivery had made the intended effect he expected to make.