COBALT

Episode 1 - Jared Paha

Anonymous
WASHINGTON, D.C.

"Tell me something, gentlemen," This man was quite a character, and he seemed to one for theatrics. He had greasy hair, a wrinkled, navy blue suit and a lopsided bow tie. Did he really expect us to take him seriously? Still, he had gotten an audience of government officials, moments after the Rogues had lost hold of our country. We needed a new DDA, and this man said he had all the answers. Did he?

"Tell me... what the DDA could never do."

"They couldn't reveal secrets..." One man on the opposite end of the table said.

The greasy haired man slammed both of his hands down on the table.

"WRONG!" He turned around, whispering in an uneasy manner to the room, which had fell completely silent. "I'll... I'll tell you what the DDA could never do, and it was destroy those dang kids! Those kids caused this mess, but unlucky for them, they've also caused their imminent downfall. What I'm proposing to you all today will take massive amounts of funding - I know this. But I also know that it will work, and that it makes perfect sense for this to happen here, and now. With many of the little brats already dead, due to the little Hunger Games the Rogues concocted, we only have to get rid of the rest of them, and they couldn't be more vulnerable... they think that their troubles are finally over..."

The man leaned in very close.

"But they're just beginning. The only thing that's even nearly over is each one of their worthless little lives, and if you think for a second that a DDA replacement could work with those kids out there, you're lying to yourself."

"So you're saying," I said, not buying his ideas, "That we should instead kill the kids, rather than try to recruit them? Especially in a time where they're revered as heroes to our nation?"

He smiled. "I'm saying that we should kill the kids, at a time when this new DDA has the chance to rise to much, much more greatness than the original ever could - the Rogue Operation attempted it, but it still couldn't get rid of the kids, even after it locked them in an arena. I like to put on shows, but I also like to get the job done. If you all sign off on this, I promise that after necessary preparations are made, those kids will not live to see the end of this year. I promise you that if you help fund the organization of The Cobalt Order, you will find yourself in a position of power larger than you could ever imagine."

The man began passing out grant forms, expecting us to fund his silly little project. When he handed one to me, I simply tore it in half, handing him back the pieces.

"I'm not interested," I said simply. It was here when I saw many of my colleagues hastily filling out their own forms.

The man yanked the ripped form from my hands, and he tore it up into many, many more pieces, before giving me a devilish smile.

"After this succeeds - and it will succeed - I promise you that you will be next on my hit list."

I gave him a tepid grin. "I'll be watching for you."

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Madi
HISTORY CLASS

"I'm Veronica Hales, live here at Antimony Consolidated, where entrepreneur Jared Paha has just announced that he will not only be buying the company for a whopping ten point two billion dollars, but that he will also be stepping in as interim CEO of the company until a more suitable candidate is found. Paha, tell me - what does this mean for you, as well as the company?"

This man was a CEO? He had enough money to buy Antimony's company? He looked disheveled and sloppy, to say the least.

"Well, for starters, Antimony's wrongful death was overshadowed by the death of his former friend and eventual terrorist, Plothow. While Madi Mary's actions were justified when she got rid of that vile man just over a year ago, what was not justified was the choice of her own friend, Abbey Corgatelli, to poison Antimony only months before. Antimony will be remembered as we move forward, though I also wish to mention before I go that I do believe there is a reason Abbey is no longer alive, while Madi is?"