Phoenix
rating: +8+x

Hello, 911? I - I think I've been kidnapped. I'm in a concrete room. I don't know where I am. Please-

Communication terminated. I'm sorry, old friend, but I need you to be ready for what comes next.

You will find your phone is no longer operational. I have remotely disabled all cell phone signals coming in and out of this building. The only door to the room you are in cannot be opened by hand; only I can open it from the control room. There is nowhere for you to go.

I'd like to begin by saying that my associates and I are most grateful for your assistance in some rather…delicate matters. Given your occupation and moral pretenses, we were unsure if you would pull through for us in the end, but you did. You have advanced our project in a way that not even I thought was possible; in a way, you have been integral to this entire undertaking from its very inception.

Unfortunately, your employment has come to an end.

You were sloppy. Too many eyewitnesses that you let escape because you couldn't bring yourself to do what you knew was necessary. Too many department figureheads scrambling to find out who the corrupt mole is before somebody more powerful than them gets involved. All of this, of course, could be forgiven if it were not for a new development - they know who you are, they know what you have done, and they are coming for you.

I have taken swift and decisive action to ensure you do not fall into the Foundation's custody, but that comes with a price. That price, my friend, is tying up a loose end. You are a liability; you have drawn more attention than we ever wanted, and have jeopardized both my business and the safety of my colleagues. This is something that I cannot and will not tolerate from anyone, no matter what they have done. While I certainly hope this issue could be resolved in a less…unfortunate way, my hands have been tied and I have been left with one remaining option.

I have taken the liberty of informing your wife and children that you were involved in a random gas explosion during an investigation gone wrong. They will grieve for you and, in time, remember you as a loving, caring father. The department has been delivered a similar story, and you have been cleared from their records as of this morning. As of right now, you are entirely off the grid. Not even the highest echelons of the United States government will be able to dig through the lies I have planted. The only people who know about your past are me and you.

This is the last time I will ever speak to you. The door will remotely open in roughly 30 seconds. You are to exit the room, leave the building, and never speak of anything involving me or my associates. Sitting in a black vehicle outside of the front entrance is one of my drivers. He will take you to the airport, where you will board a flight to Moscow. Should you try to ever return to the United States, you will find the consequences to be particularly…unpleasant.

This ends our discussion. I suggest you hurry, as the building will begin burning down in three minutes.

Goodbye, Jason.

ABANDONED FACTORY BURNS TO THE GROUND

A local factory complex, once owned by the KGT Timber Corporation, was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning, threatening to spread to a nearby forest before firefighters were able to contain the blaze. The structure, abandoned since 1982, was a frequent destination for the homeless and urban explorers, often at the peril of local authorities. Police say that an investigation is ongoing, but foul play is not currently suspected.


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