"…Dismissed." The mass crowd rose and began to surge outside from the meeting, but one figure remained seated. This was a general assembly which all of the members attended. There were certainly more present than the mere dozen that had attended the high order meetings, meetings from which 646 had been shamelessly removed from. He tried not to let that thought plague him too much. It would only be a matter of time until he was back on top again. Besides, the senior members didn't approve of failure, including their own in choosing 646 in the first place. They'd kept his little demotion quiet. And quiet it would stay.
When the majority of the assembled crowd had departed, 646 rose and advanced upon a group of men in one corner, talking quietly and looking as if they didn't want to be disturbed. These were his men.
The red bands that lined their black masks signaled them as junior members, and their young physiques gave further testimony to their newness. They were still very green, eager to advance through the ranks and become full members. They were easily swayed by the prospects of glory that were associated with full membership, and they would do anything to attain such glory. And 'anything' was exactly what 646 had in mind.
"Gentlemen." A gruff voice drew their attention, and they all turned in unison. Each junior member was as confused as confused as the next. They had received messages, each one of them, asking that they remain after the meeting. The notes gave no further details, just those simple instructions. Intrigued, each young man had stayed. They wanted answers, they wanted details, and now they were about to get them. "My rank is 646, and I have a proposition for each one of you," said the stranger wearing purple bands, signaling advanced ranking. 646 had refused to remove them, demotion or not.
646 looked as if he was going to say more, but he was interrupted as a loud 'BANG' erupted inside the deserted meeting area. Across the room, at the back entrance, a door flew open, slamming against the wall as someone entered. Breathless, another advanced member approached the group. 646 appeared to have been expecting him.
"I've got it, everything you asked for," the newcomer panted to 646, handing him a manila envelope full to bursting. 646 peered inside quickly, and seemed satisfied with the results.
"Good work, 482. Thank you," he murmured. But 482 was still jumpy, and wasn't quite ready to leave yet.
"Remember out agreement, 646. If something goes wrong, none of this gets-," but he was cut short as 646 waved him off impatiently.
"-None of this gets traced back to you! Now get out, our transaction is finished!" 482 looked like he really didn't want to leave, but he didn't want to be on the opposite end of 646's fist either. He decided the safest option was to make himself scarce and he quickly slipped through the door and back outside.
When he was gone, 646 beckoned the men to a table, where he spread out the contents of the envelope. There were pictures, bank statements, official documents, and a collection of random notes. Riffling through the heap, he pulled a newspaper clipping from the pile and displayed it for the men to see.
"This is our objective. You men all came here tonight hoping to make it big, right? Well find her, and make it big you will!" The clip fell from his hands and drifted to the floor and 646 began to explain his plan. It landed upright, revealing the by-line beneath the picture:
Paramount High School pitcher hurls team to regional championship.