File 1: Preparing to Ring the Bell

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Perchance he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill as that he knows not it tolls for him.

            -Meditation 17 by John Donne

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            A man in a black hat and trench coat sat in a parked car.  He was observing the police in front of a hotel with a cold, trained eye.  But, more so than the police, he was watching a sleeping man with a mustache.  The sleeping man was explaining how the crime was committed.  How this was done confused the man in black slightly but he shrugged his confusion off.  After all, he was watching to make a proper assessment. 

            He watched the young charge of the man helping out by demonstrating how the crime was committed.  As that man had become more famous the cases he began getting were coming closer and closer to coming up against the truth

            He's becoming closer to learning of our involvement, thought the man, that makes him dangerous.

            ring ring

            The man in black answered his cell phone.

            "Chardonnay here," he said, "yes, he is getting closer; it is my recommendation that we send a 'message' to him."

            There was a long pause as the man's superior considered the suggestion.  He gave an answer.

            "You are going to ask someone higher up for approval?"

            He was greeted with an affirmative and with the assurance that the decision should not take too long. 

            When asked a question by his superior he answered, "Yes, sir, I have formulated many possible plans.  The one that appeals to me the most involves using that child currently in holding."

            A deep-throated chuckle issued from the other end of the line.  His superior knew the sorts of plans his subordinate was capable of and, even more importantly, that he had executed all before flawlessly and perfectly.  Those kinds of results were becoming rarer in the organization that was becoming more tolerant of failure that, had in the past, been in intolerant of.

            "You'll inform me once a decision is made?  Excellent," he said, and then he hung up.

            The man lay back against the seat.  Disinterestedly he returned to the observation he had been doing before his phone rang.  He had observed, out of the corner of his eye, the crime scene being broken up while on the phone.  Now all he was doing was watching those insects, the press, swarm around their light bulb, the subject in observation. 

            Like moths fluttering around a light bulb.  They are attracted to the brightness.  Only the light disorients them from the real happenings in the world, he thought nastily.

            ring ring ri--

            "Do I have approval?" he asked knowing that his superior was the only person that would be calling him right now.

            After he received his answer, he hung up the phone, his lips forming a nasty smile.

            He will learn with this lesson or he will learn permanently, he reflected coldly.

            People walking by, who noticed the man sitting in the car, were left feeling cold and afraid after which they would hurry on their way.  All were left trying to forget the chilling, deadly smile formed by his thin lips, a smile that promised to make your worst nightmare come true.

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            Constructive criticism is wanted and appreciated.  (Hint hint: review)