The Organization
Chapter 1 - Monday
Jack tried to turn the key, but the lock stuck. He tried again, fidgeting with it...CLICK. He
turned the knob, pushed open the door and entered the house for the first time.
All around him were faces of people he had never seen before, faces who’s names
meant nothing to him. He was home.
He crossed the front room past the stares of a small group huddled around a long oak
table. There was not hospitality in their glances, but rather suspicion and indifference.
As he walked into the kitchen four more frozen eyes greeted his and followed his
footsteps toward the living room. There seated in a big red armchair was the man he
had to see first. The man with the information on why he was there.
I handed him his envelope, showed him to his room, and went back to my work.
Chapter 2 - Tuesday
“Breakfast is served”, Ralph shouted. Just like Mary had been doing for the past two
weeks. I hoped his cooking would live up to the high standard that she had set.
Bedroom doors came alive as the roommates shuffled restlessly toward the start of a
long few days ahead. Once everyone had a spot and a meal, I played my part. I gave
them an overview of the days to come with the precision of a military sergeant, and with
as little crowd disapproval. This was not a Q&A. The plan was set, and they were to
follow it. These were the last things I would say about the mission. They were in charge
from that point forward. Once my speech was finished, I returned to my seat, and the
rest of the meal was finished in silence.
After clearing the table, the team broke apart into the subgroups outlined in their folders,
and swapped and shuffled until everyone knew their role and the role of the team
member who’s position most closely matched theirs. They system was built on
redundancy to overcome unforeseen circumstances. "Two is one, and one is none.”
was printed at the top of every assignment form.
At lunch training stopped for Cubano sandwiches, Lay’s Potato Chips, and a crisp red
apple. Not everyone enjoyed the pickles and left them behind as evidence.
More practice followed until dinner. After which came free time. For most, sleep was
taken early.
Chapter 3 - Wednesday
By noon the plan was dialed in. Everyone knew their job and the way out of every
foreseeable issue.
Still, the rest of the day was spent rehearsing every detail, checking each box twice.
Like I said, redundancy. Chance was avoided at all costs. Every plan was a precise
calculation, avoiding human inconsistencies when possible.
Jack was starting to get nervous. This was his first mission as part of the primary action
unit. After 9 months of rotations, cook duties, lookouts, and driving roles, he was finally
going to be on the front line.
Chapter 4 - Thursday
The van started, Jack sat in the passenger seat, Tim was driving. They were in control
now.
Jack ducked beneath the windows as he circled the large white house, making his way
to the back door. His black hood was hot, his peripheral vision was limited. He was
scared.
He saw his watch hit 2:30, heard the front door open, and he began to count. 30
seconds later he was inside, two people were dead, and his help had not been needed,
but it would be now. He grabbed the stubby legs of the woman while Roger grasped
underneath her armpits, and they carried her to the van. They repeated this ritual once
more for the tall man in the gray business suit and drove away.
Ropes were tied to cinderblocks, and two loud splashes were heard before silence,
footsteps, a cars ignition, and a silence slowly returning.
The van was left in an abandoned factory parking lot.
Chapter 5 - Friday
News reports flooded the TV as the twelve roomates stood and watched. Jack in the
center, was listening intently to every “fact, known so far”. When the report ended, he
was satisfied. Blood but no bodies, and no witnesses had come forward.
Their new addresses and ETAs showed up that afternoon in small white envelopes.
Within 24 hours the house would be empty.
That night they talked quietly amongst themselves, about everything but what they had
just done. They didn’t need to justify it, they understood why they were there. Each
awaiting the challenges that would face them next. I watched in envy, knowing they
would be moving on.
Chapter 6 - Saturday
Some left early, others took their time, but I was the only one that stayed behind. I
opened the dossier that had been delivered by the United States Postal Service two
days earlier, and studied the new group about to take up residency under my watch.
The first new roommate arrived at 5 in the same car Ralph had left in 4 hours earlier.
Everyone else was there by 10. The driveway looked the same as it had two days ago,
two weeks go, and two months ago. Each roommate in turn came through the house to
see me, and was shown to their room. They then went through the pleasantries of
introducing themselves to the others, practicing their new identities as they did so.
However, their hobbies and passions were always their own.
This rotation, our house, Roanoke 248, had no action directive. They were happening
elsewhere. Some with those who had just worked, others fresh back from a study or
leisure house. We had been assigned as a study house. That meant that lessons were
to be taught by residents to each other at the end of each day. These lessons were
outlined in the residents folders, specifically suited to their strenghts. Information is
power, and we were amassing stores of it to aid us in this war, and the larger one to
come.
Chapter 7 - Sunday
Jack was two states away, and he was now George. The murder would never be
solved, he had never been there. He had never existed, as I too wouldn’t, soon enough.