The directive from General Fortner had been clear: eliminate Vice President Charles Bullock. However, Black wasn’t inclined to turn on the very people he was supposed to be serving, even if they didn’t know of his existence. To coerce him to do something so heinous required proper motivation—and Fortner had managed to collect droves of it. Wading into the weeds with a master spy was always ill-advised, something akin to playing checkers with a chess champion. As a result, Black’s options seemed to be reduced to a single one.
Going along with Fortner would mean casting aside every ounce of integrity Black had left. His word would be rendered meaningless. His trust would be irrevocably broken. His future would be dictated by Obsidian’s ability to take over the world—and he’d have to hope that someone there remembered what he did for them. But there were so many moving parts that Black even considered it a long shot. Fortner essentially had his hands around Black’s throat, a quick squeeze away from eliminating him and searching for a new and more compliant assassin.
I always have a choice.
Black ascribed to that belief, but he wasn’t sure if it was true. His reality was that his sister’s life hung in the balance. Was he willing to lose his last living relative? The answer was a resounding no. He and Laura had been through so much together as kids, and letting her die wasn’t truly an option. He had to do whatever was necessary to keep her alive. Once he did that, he could deal with Fortner.
Black pulled out his binoculars and zeroed in on the target. With no other variables to take into account, Black figured he could make a clean shot the first time. There would be no gory images to shake, no epic gunfight. One shot was all he needed.
Using his phone, Black watched the live stream of President Young’s State of the Union address. Fortner warned that there would be a specific phrase to listen for late in the speech and once those words were uttered, that would be the signal for Black to take aim.
Listening with just the left earbud, Black heard Young’s grandiose claims about what he’d been able to achieve in office over the past year. The list he rattled off was impressive, certainly one that wouldn’t have warranted the approval rating of less than fifty percent. Young wasn’t the most charismatic leader, but he had managed to convince Congress to compromise on several issues to get important legislation approved and turned into much-needed laws. While hearing Young deliver his impassioned speech, Black wondered how the president had strayed so far from his political roots of working for the benefit of the people. From all the inside information Black had, he could tell Young was now only working to maintain the fleeting power he still possessed.
Fortner called Black, interrupting the live stream feed.
“Are you ready?” Fortner asked.
“I’m in position,” Black said. “Just waiting for the signal.”
“Excellent. However, there’s been a slight change of plans.”
“What do you want now?”
“The same thing, except I will tell you when to take action.”
“How’s Laura?” Black asked.
“She’s fine and anxiously awaiting for you to fulfill your side of the bargain. Once you complete the assignment, I’ll text the address where you can pick her up.”
Black hung up in disgust and resumed listening to Young’s speech. While the president blathered on about how much progress the country was making under his leadership, Black couldn’t help but let his mind drift. He felt helpless, stuck like a hamster in a wheel. Despite working hard to defeat power-hungry despots and wild-eyed terrorists all intent on dominating people to fatten their bank accounts or further their agendas, Black wondered if it would ever end. Was he simply weeding the world’s garden, plucking one sadistic leader at a time only to watch another spring up in its place? He knew the world would fall into chaos if people like him didn’t fight. But it was exhausting, especially when collateral damage became personal.
Laura just wanted to live a normal life as a librarian for the Library of Congress. She wanted to hang out with friends, encourage the next generation through education, and one day have a family of her own. But that dream was in serious danger. And for that, Black wanted to make sure Fortner paid a dear price, preferably with his life. In the meantime, Black was willing to play along.
Black peered through his scope and studied the target. Anger welled up in him, even in a moment when he knew he needed to be calm. This was never something he imagined happening. It’s why he had passed on getting married, fearing that he would someday be forced into a similar situation. He never imagined Laura would get trapped in this twisted game.
Glancing at his phone, Black waited for Fortner’s signal.
In one ear, Black listened to Young continue his speech, touting how the American dream had returned thanks to his robust economic policies. He talked about how the booming marketplace was better for everyone, not only in the United States but also abroad. Each one liner was mostly met with partisan praise or disdain as the cameras rotated between wildly cheering fans or petulant politicians, unwilling to admit that someone on the other side of the aisle actually had a good idea. In a few rare moments, his words elicited bipartisan applause. However, those were few and far between.
Black eased his finger onto the trigger. He was ready to pull it.
CHAPTER 16
PRESIDENT YOUNG ADJUSTED his
