Down in the South

Just a regular day in the life of John.

He’d gotten used to getting random calls from people he didn’t know personally, but he was not expecting this.

Four hours later he shows up in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Counter-snipers ignored him. No guards gazed upon him.

They all knew who he was coming to meet, and they dare not challenge his decisions on his personal appointments. Nobody who actually knew the man challenges him.

Except John.

He knew where to go. He’d been there for many other people before him. But this is different. This isn’t his job, but it’s still business.

He opened the door. Once everyone saw who it was, the room instantly cleared out. Nobody challenged John, not even the most powerful man in the world.

Once the room was empty, John was alone with the president.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here Mark, this better be a good reason.”

“John, to you, its Mr. Mallory.”

“I address you how I like Mark, I address everyone the same. Now what is your reason for calling me here?”

“It’s a matter of national security.”

“It always is.”

“It’s actually more than just national security this time John, it’s the whole world we are talking about. Some new chemical has been synthesized, or so we’ve been told.”

“Do we have any real evidence to back that up that theory yet?”

“We have one piece of physical evidence, a series of murders in New Orleans, Louisiana. However, it’s not exactly evidence because the murder has yet to be solved, but the labs that tested the residue left on the body came back with nothing, nobody can find out the chemical used. It was obviously planned extensively, but none of the deceased had any ties to anything that could’ve wanted them killed. It was obviously an attack orchestrated by a terrorist organization.”

“You know, there are such things as chemists who go insane and go on a killing rampage.”

“I highly doubt this is the case, it was too planned out. There is only one occasion on the corner of Bourbon and Orleans Street where there is no video footage, and it happens once a month because of the offset camera scans.”

“All evidence bagged and tagged sir?”

“I’m impressed, you actually called me ‘sir.’”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“Yes, all evidence is bagged and tagged, even the smallest things that seemed insignificant at the time. We have multiple FBI agents, CIA agents, ATF agents, and some Secret Service, considering I was about to fly there to show my support of the reconstruction from latest hurricane that blew through there.”

“So why do you need me down there? If seems like you already have enough agents, no need to re-deputize me for what seems like a simple case.”

“it’s not simple, the entire downtown of New Orleans has been blocked off due to leftover residue.”

“I thought you said you bagged and tagged everything.”

“Again, it’s not that simple, you can’t even touch it without dying.”

“I’ll be down there once I get my briefing files from each agency already affiliated with the case.”

As he left the room, not a single guard even showed that they saw him.

Just a regular day in the life of John.