day.
CHAPTER
15
A TAP ON the shoulder brought Thibideaux out of a deep sleep, but he didn’t jump. If the chair didn’t react, it had to be someone familiar. He settled into the hardwood and opened his eyes to the light.
He didn’t know who to expect. In the last five years alone, he had been visited by six different councillors. Each, it seemed, was younger than the previous one. The last one probably shaved once a week. Are these the people who are making the mid-level decisions in the Organization? A sad state of affairs, he thought.
Once in command of his senses, he turned his head to meet his visitor. He was surprised to see a man in his late twenties with a dark mask of unrelenting facial hair belying the morning shave. Still young, Thibideaux thought, but not one of the teens they’ve paraded through recently.
“Sorry to wake you,” the councillor said. “My business will be brief.”
Thibideaux leaned forward. “What is it this time? Don’t you people have anything better to do than bother me when I’m working?”
“You know why I’m here.”
“And do you know why I’m here? Do you know how I work? Have you ever even been in the field?”
The councillor shuffled his feet and frowned. “We all know your accomplishments. And your reputation.”
“Then why do you keep bothering me?” Thibideaux slid forward on the seat and brought his face close to the councillor’s. “If my techniques produce results, why are you people constantly butting in?”
The councillor held his ground. “You know why.”
“Oh yeah. The rules.” He leaned back a little. “I knew the rules inside and out before you took your first breath. The Organization hasn’t had a problem with my methods before.”
“Yes. They have. I’ve read your file.”
Thibideaux rolled his eyes. “Okay. Have your say, then, and let me get back to my work.”
The councillor squared himself in front of the chair and moved his feet apart a little. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his inside coat pocket and opened it. “Your case has now gone up to the Provost level. This is their memo.”
Thibideaux rolled his eyes again. “Shall I hold out my wrists so you can slap them?”
“I don’t think you want to be so flippant this time. This is serious.”
Thibideaux leaned forward and tightened his lips against his teeth. His voice was shrill. “Just have your say.”
The councillor cleared his throat and looked down at the paper. “The provosts say you are to be given no more latitude. They acknowledge your long, dedicated service and your contributions, but they are tired of your continual breach of organizational statutes. They fear you’re becoming a liability to the Organization. They send this warning. If you don’t alter your path, you’ll be pulled from the field and terminated.”
“And what has them so upset this time?”
“You know what you’ve done.”
Thibideaux slid off the chair directly in front of the councillor, who took two steps backward. “Acquisitions in rural areas are complex these days. If you’d ever done one, you’d know that. They take preparation. There has to be a set-up. People have to be primed. That’s all I’ve done on this job. This is legitimate set-up work.”
“And the lives of citizens are fair game?”
“I’ll explain my actions to you once, and only once. So don’t ask again. The first one was going to compromise my set-up plan. He had to be neutralized. The second case is the hook for the plan. If you’ll have a little patience, you’ll see how it plays out. Maybe you’ll learn the difference between theory and actual practice. Maybe the provosts will learn the difference. Besides, I do follow the rules. In both cases, the little ones weren’t harmed.”
“You need to follow all of the rules,” the councillor said.
Thibideaux exhaled. “You’re new at this so I’ll do you a favor today. How carefully have you studied the Organization? The
CHAPTER
15
A TAP ON the shoulder brought Thibideaux out of a deep sleep, but he didn’t jump. If the chair didn’t react, it had to be someone familiar. He settled into the hardwood and opened his eyes to the light.
He didn’t know who to expect. In the last five years alone, he had been visited by six different councillors. Each, it seemed, was younger than the previous one. The last one probably shaved once a week. Are these the people who are making the mid-level decisions in the Organization? A sad state of affairs, he thought.
Once in command of his senses, he turned his head to meet his visitor. He was surprised to see a man in his late twenties with a dark mask of unrelenting facial hair belying the morning shave. Still young, Thibideaux thought, but not one of the teens they’ve paraded through recently.
“Sorry to wake you,” the councillor said. “My business will be brief.”
Thibideaux leaned forward. “What is it this time? Don’t you people have anything better to do than bother me when I’m working?”
“You know why I’m here.”
“And do you know why I’m here? Do you know how I work? Have you ever even been in the field?”
The councillor shuffled his feet and frowned. “We all know your accomplishments. And your reputation.”
“Then why do you keep bothering me?” Thibideaux slid forward on the seat and brought his face close to the councillor’s. “If my techniques produce results, why are you people constantly butting in?”
The councillor held his ground. “You know why.”
“Oh yeah. The rules.” He leaned back a little. “I knew the rules inside and out before you took your first breath. The Organization hasn’t had a problem with my methods before.”
“Yes. They have. I’ve read your file.”
Thibideaux rolled his eyes. “Okay. Have your say, then, and let me get back to my work.”
The councillor squared himself in front of the chair and moved his feet apart a little. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his inside coat pocket and opened it. “Your case has now gone up to the Provost level. This is their memo.”
Thibideaux rolled his eyes again. “Shall I hold out my wrists so you can slap them?”
“I don’t think you want to be so flippant this time. This is serious.”
Thibideaux leaned forward and tightened his lips against his teeth. His voice was shrill. “Just have your say.”
The councillor cleared his throat and looked down at the paper. “The provosts say you are to be given no more latitude. They acknowledge your long, dedicated service and your contributions, but they are tired of your continual breach of organizational statutes. They fear you’re becoming a liability to the Organization. They send this warning. If you don’t alter your path, you’ll be pulled from the field and terminated.”
“And what has them so upset this time?”
“You know what you’ve done.”
Thibideaux slid off the chair directly in front of the councillor, who took two steps backward. “Acquisitions in rural areas are complex these days. If you’d ever done one, you’d know that. They take preparation. There has to be a set-up. People have to be primed. That’s all I’ve done on this job. This is legitimate set-up work.”
“And the lives of citizens are fair game?”
“I’ll explain my actions to you once, and only once. So don’t ask again. The first one was going to compromise my set-up plan. He had to be neutralized. The second case is the hook for the plan. If you’ll have a little patience, you’ll see how it plays out. Maybe you’ll learn the difference between theory and actual practice. Maybe the provosts will learn the difference. Besides, I do follow the rules. In both cases, the little ones weren’t harmed.”
“You need to follow all of the rules,” the councillor said.
Thibideaux exhaled. “You’re new at this so I’ll do you a favor today. How carefully have you studied the Organization? The
Similar Books
