Chapter 1: A New Assignment

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." - Arthur Conan Doyle

Quenton swiped his ID card, and promptly opened the door the second the green light lit up. He had work to do this morning. His eyes felt sensitive against the harsh office lighting from another restless night. Having been sober for 6 months, he could no longer blame his sluggish mornings on whiskey. He pressed the "3rd Floor" elevator button and stretched a bit, his large stature expanding for a moment, the tension in his back and shoulders subsiding for a moment. He looked down at his phone - 6 am already. Shit.

He'd been here a week already and had to find a way to tell the mayor he had barely made any progress. All the signs pointed to it being in Chicago, but the idea that this thing could go cold have him a chill in his upper back. The tension returns to his neck. His pressed button down shirt and black jacket began to feel constricting against his chiseled muscles and his rough hand tightened around his briefcase.

"Agent Corbin."

Quenton stopped mid strut as he got off of the elevator. He nervously jerked his head toward the voice, seeing Mayor Sullivan sauntering toward him with a casual but purposeful stride.

"Nice to see you so bright and early." The mayor finished.

"Nice to see you too, sir." Quenton added.

"Hopefully you've got some good news for us today." The mayor leads Quenton into his office, where everyone is already seated and ready to begin.

Quenton looks around the room, seeing a mixture of politicians, law enforcement officials, and his bosses joined on a Zoom call presented on the screen just by the mayor's desk. He began to sweat.

"Thank you for joining us everyone," the mayor started, "We have a lot to discuss this morning regarding the object that landed out in Toluca last Thursday."

The room remained quiet and engaged.

"Now, I know we all want to nip this thing in the bud quickly but one thing that will not happen is any public discussion about this. Keeping quiet is key to the stability of the city." He looked to Quenton.

"Now, CIA Agent Corbin has joined us this morning after gathering intelligence on the case since the evening of the event. Now, Agent Corbin," he pauses, "tell me you've got something for us.