Curiously, Nikolai looked at the piece of paper; he noticed that there was a key attached to the paper. Based on the size, Nikolai noticed that the key was small, and it had three numbers written on it: 314. As for the paper, it was written as follows:
Dear Stranger,
If you are reading this piece of paper and noticed this small key, then you know what needs to be done. My employers want someone like you to take care of Donald Trotsky, and to do that, you must use this key to get to the nearby motel in Chicago and open the mailbox marked by this number. Once you do this, you will find a pen, but this is no ordinary pen. When you click the pen, it will deliver a poisonous agent that will cause reputable harm to the one getting administered. Once you have this in your possession, go to room 314 at the Holiday Inn and wait for Donald Trotsky to arrive. As he arrives, hit him with this agent and abruptly leave his room without drawing too much attention. Once done, my associates will compensate for your efforts in calling you at a nearby telephone. Rest assured, tell no one of this and burn this message as soon as you’re done with it.
Good luck on your search.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jay
After reading this note, Nikolai followed as instructed. He burned the note, took the key to the Holiday Inn to open the mailbox to receive the pen, went to room 314 and waited for Donald Trotsky’s arrival. When Donald went to enter his room, Nikolai held out the pen to Donald’s neck and administered the agent. In response, Donald instantly fell on the ground in a delirious state, and as he looked up, Nikolai disappeared from his sight, prompting Donald to gaze up in the sky and then die.
By the time Nikolai was out of earshot of Donald Trotsky, he took his jacket and wiped the pen to avoid detection of his known crime and deposited the pen back in the mailbox. Once done, he went to the nearby telephone. As he waited for five minutes, the same shaded man he bumped into near the police station arrived.
“Are you Mr. Jay?” asked Nikolai as the shaded man came within eye shot.
“Yes, I am,” replied Mr. Jay. “Thank you for your patriotic efforts in ridding this man.”
“What happens now?”
“What happens is you are now The Cold Time Watcher, and your solemn duty is to protect and serve our interests from foreign invasions. The man you killed was a radical that failed to serve our agency’s interests.”
“Whose interests do you mean?”
Mr. Jay took out a cigarette and smoked it.
“We are the Secret Agency of America or SAA for short. By the way, your compensation.”
Mr. Jay took out a coin purse and gave it to Nikolai.
“Now begins our new partnership.”
The End
Nicholas Bartelmo is a fourth-year History major. NB790429@wcupa.edu