You feel the handcuffs on your wrists before your knees hit the floor. \n\nBefore you have any time to process what is happening, you are being shoved into the hallway. You struggle to keep your feet underneath your body.\n\nMcDaniels and Andrews are yelling at one another approximately fifteen feet ahead of you. You try to decipher what they are saying.\n\nSuddenly you see a bright flash of white and your head begins spinning. You are barely aware that someone is standing above you.\n\nA sharp pain crosses your cheek and you feel blood erupt from your nose.\n\nYou blick rapidly to get your eyes to focus.\n\nThe President consumes your field of vision. "What do you mean Charlie is alive?"\n\nYou glance down at Andrews who is still down the hallway.\n\nYou don't have much time.\n\n"Four years ago Andrews hired me to kill your child. I couldn't do it. My loyalty is to you. You know that. I have been hiding Charlie in a safe house sixteen miles from here. Charlie is alive Mr. President."\n\nYou can see the President struggling to keep up.\n\nAndrews hired you to kill Charlie.\n\nYou faked Charlie's death.\n\nCharlie has been hiding in a safe house. Alive and well.\n\nThe President raises to his feet. He closes the distance between himself and Andrews within a matter of seconds. He quickly reaches into McDaniels' holster and empties four rounds into Andrews at point blank range.\n\nThe hallway falls into silence.\n\nMcDaniels reaches for his radio.\n\n[[Five seconds before McDaniels sends a distress signal]]

The President steps inside and closes the door behind you. "So how are you going to kill me?"\n\nYou smile. "I was thinking a bullet between the eyes."\n\nHe shakes his head, "Too cliche. I want it to be exciting, something that gets people talking."\n\nYou do not smile. Instead you ask, "Mr. President how did you know that I am supposed to kill you?"\n\nHe puffed out his chest, "I am the Pres-"\n\nYou cut him off, "Charlie told you?"\n\nHe nodded, "Charlie told me." He beamed. "Can't muzzle my kid."\n\nNo, no you can't. You pause a moment. "Have you thought about how you want to proceed?"\n\nHe paced around the small room. "Andrews hired you to kill Charlie and now he has hired you to kill me."\n\nIt wasn't a question but rather a statement devoid of any emotions.\n\n"Do you want me to help you [[fake]] your own death or do you want me to [[kill Andrews]]?"

You pull the razor blade across McDaniels neck and drop his body to the ground quietly.\n\nThe President drops the gun onto the floor and looks at you.\n\n"Well Mr. President, it looks like you just survived an assassination attempt by your own staff."\n\nHe clears his throat as he reaches for McDaniels' radio, "This is the President of the United States. I am trapped in the northwest corridor by room 4216." He locks eyes with you. "I just survived an asssassination attempt by the Joint Chief of Staff and McDaniels."\n\nHe squelches the radio off and throws it on McDaniels' lifeless body.\n\nHe says at length, "Please take care of Charlie."\n\nYou sit in silence for a moment before nodding, "I have to go now Mr. President."\n\nYou don't wait for a response as you disappear down the hallway.\n\n[[The End]]

\tThe room was dark and empty save for a chair placed in the center underneath the only light. Somethings never change. The memories of your first interrogation come flooding back. Of course, they would not water board you. There are “rules” now.\n\n\tThe heavy metal door opened and the Chief of Staff, Ronald Andrews Jr., stepped inside. He is wearing a fitted tux that he nervously unbuttons when he spots you. You always made him uncomfortable. You learned to use your looks as a means to establish power. For some, it was easy, for others, not so much. But for Ronald Andrews Jr., it was much much easier than it ever should have been.\n\n\t“You’re late,” you told him.\n\t\n\tHe clears his throat and nods at the guard at the door, dismissing him. The guard slips away quietly, leaving you two alone. “You made contact?”\n\n\tAndrews inhales sharply as he usually does when he's frustrated, “Did you establish contact?”\n\n\t“The guy in the white?” You nod. “Ya I established contact. Weird guy too.”\n\n\t“Did he give you a plan?”\n\n\t“Just a picture and directions to kill him. Left it in my court to decide how.”\n\n\t“You want to [[shoot]] him or [[talk]] to him first?”\n

There is a knock at the door.\n\n"Mr. President, its me. Andrews."\n\nYou and the President exchange glances.\n\n[[let Andrews in]]

\tYou unlock the door and step inside your home. It is sparse of decorations and leaves you feeling cold and vulnerable. You hear Charlie before you actually spot the engineer. \n\t\n\t“I hear you got a new job,” Charlie says.\n\t\n\tCharlie was supposed to have had a mental break and jumped from a building to an untimely death. At least that was how you were supposed to have made it look. But you did not kill Charlie. You fell in love with Charlie and now Charlie is your live in engineer. The brains to your brawn. \n\t\n\t“I don’t want to do it,” you say. “I want out.”\n\t\n\t“I figured you would say that,” Charlie spreads six different maps on the table. “He will be making six appearances when he is here. Five of which have quick escape routes. Three have a less than ideal vantage point. There’s only one, though, where you can establish contact.”\n\t\n\t“What if I come clean?” I ask.\n\t\n\tCharlie sits down across from me. “The president would lock you up in federal prison as an enemy of the state which allows for use of extreme methods to extract whatever is deemed critical information. That is if Andrews does not kill you first.”\n\t\n\t“Any chance the president would believe me?”\n\t\n\tCharlie does not blink, “No.”\n\t\n\tYou begin planning a way to [[establish contact]] with the president so that you can explain the unique position his Chief of Staff has put you in.\n\n\tYou begin planning a way to [[assassinate]] the President of the United State

Start [[Game]]

He clears his throat, "This is the President of the United States. I am trapped in the northwest corridor by room 4216." He locks eyes with you. "I just survived an asssassination attempt by the Joint Chief of Staff and McDaniels."\n\nHe squelches the radio off and throws it on McDaniels' lifeless body.\n\nHe says at length, "Please take care of Charlie."\n\nYou sit in silence for a moment before nodding, "I have to go now Mr. President."\n\nYou don't wait for a response as you disappear down the hallway.

He paused before adding, "But in a way that hasn't been done. I don't want to be a JFK repeat."\n\nYou walk over to the chair in the corner of the room. You stand on it and retrieve a duffel bag from one of the ceiling tiles. You unzip it and throw a change of clothes at the President. "We don't have much time."\n\nYou wait until the President is changed. You hoist him up through the ceiling tile. "You have five minutes. Don't stop until you hear the blast."\n\nYou watch him disappear and then take a seat in the chair. You look at your watch and [[wait]]

\n\t“There are six secret service with him at all times.”\n\t\n\tYou groan, “Charlie do you think I don’t know that? Do you think this is my first time?”\n\t\n\tCharlie relents but stares at you with a heavy glare. “What are you going to do? Sell yourself?”\n\t\n\tWithout missing a beat you reply, “Its for the greater good. Remember? That’s what they told us in school. Its never for individual gain. Its to protect the Republic.”\n\t\n\tCharlie hits the table. The sound waves reverberate throughout the room. Neither of you say anything. “So what now?”\n\nOptions:\n\nYou tell Charlie that you are out and you wait for the men from [[E-15]] to come and arrest you for terrorist activity.\n\nYou inform Charlie to take you to the [[store]]\n

You blick rapidly to get your eyes to focus through the thick smoke.\n\nThe President, Andrews and McDaniels are all momentarily stunned. Taking advantage of the opportunity, you draw the razor blade across Andrews and McDaniels' throats.\n\nYou consume the President's field of vision. "Charlie is alive."\n\nYou don't have much time before Secret Service finds a way to get to get around the barricade.\n\n"Four years ago Andrews hired me to kill your child. I couldn't do it. My loyalty is to you. You know that. I have been hiding Charlie in a safe house sixteen miles from here. Charlie is alive Mr. President."\n\nYou can see the President struggling to keep up.\n\nAndrews hired you to kill Charlie.\n\nYou faked Charlie's death.\n\nCharlie has been hiding in a safe house. Alive and well.\n\nThe President lowers his head and begins to cry. "Charlie is alive."\n\nThe hallway falls into silence.\n\nThe President reaches for McDaniels' [[radio]]\n

Andrews steps inside and the President slams him into the closed door. "You're done," he tells him.\n\n"But you-"\n\nThe President begins crushing his windpipe. "Charlie is alive. My flesh and blood is alive. My little baby that you tried to have killed." The President puts his face close to Andrews. "The moment you hired someone to kill my child is when you signed your own death warrant." Andrews eyes buldge as the President increases pressure with his elbow.\n\nAndrews passes out and he drops him to the floor. He turns to you as he picks some lint off of his tux jacket. "Please bring me Charlie. It has been far too long since I've been able to hug my little girl."\n\n"What are you going to do about-" you gesture toward Andrews' still body.\n\n"He tried to kill me," the President states matter of fact."He tried to kill my daughter. And you," he locks eyes with you. "You are a witness for the United States government."\n\n"Are you going to wipe my record?" You ask.\n\n"As far as I'm concerned, you're a hero."\n\n[[The End]]

You close your right eye so you can get a better look through the sights of your small weapon.\n\nFifteen seconds.\n\nAgent Burrell is blocking a clear shot. \n\nTen seconds.\n\n"CHARLIE IS ALIVE!" You scream loudly.\n\nThe President stops.\n\nYou get him in your sights.\n\nClear shot.\n\nYou make eye contact.\n\n[[pull the trigger]]\n\n[[don't pull the trigger]]

\tIt’s a beautiful, sunny day and you are sitting on a bench at the park. You are watching two dogs play on the grassy hillside. There is a slight breeze and you smile as the larger puppy pins the smaller one. \n\t\n\tSuddenly you feel a presence over your left shoulder. You turn and see a man dressed in all white. Without invitation, he sits down next to you. You watch the puppies in silence.\n\t\n\tFacing straight ahead he says, “It’s time.”\n\t\n\tYou don’t have to ask what its time for. You already know. He is asking for your assistance because, through a series of unfortunate circumstances, you have made yourself available for hire. You wish that you could stop. You wish it were that easy. In order to survive though, you have to do as he pleases. If he is not satisfied, you are no longer among the living. Its ironic that, you’re living means someone else’s demise. Most days you accept this without question. However today, with the sun shining and the dogs playing, you hesitate. \n\t\n\tThe man does not acknowledge your hesitation. Instead he stands and walks away. \n\t\n\tThere is an envelop in his place. \n\t\n\tDo you…\n\n[[Ignore]] the envelop and continue watching the dogs?\n\n[[Pick up]] the envelop and look inside?\n\n\n

\t“There are six secret service with him at all times.”\n\t\n\tYou groan, “Charlie do you think I don’t know that? Do you think this is my first time?”\n\t\n\tCharlie relents but stares at you with a heavy glare. “What are you going to do? Sell yourself?”\n\t\n\tWithout missing a beat you reply, “Its for the greater good. Remember? That’s what they told us in school. Its never for individual gain. Its to protect the Republic.”\n\t\n\tCharlie hits the table. The sound waves reverberate throughout the room. Neither of you say anything. “So what now?”\n\nOptions:\n\nYou tell Charlie that you are out and you wait for the men from [[E-15]] to come and arrest you for terrorist activity.\n\nYou inform Charlie to take you to the [[store]]

\tYou study your reflection in the mirror. You are older. Maybe its not obvious to others, but you can see it. There are slight lines around your eyes. All traces of happiness have been lost. With that, almost all distinguishing features that show any indication of age. Besides those fucking lines.\n\t\n\tYou decide you don’t like them. They betray your innocent look. In the shallow crevices your secrets hide. The people you have executed. The bodies you have helped the government hide. Secrets hide in those lines.\n\t\n\t“Can I help you?” A pretty young sales associate asked.\n\t\n\tYou point to the mannequin, “I’ll take it all.”\n\t\n\tThe associate’s eyes lit up. \n\t\n\tCommission.\n\t\n\tYou miss that kind of joy.\n\n\tYou see his reflection behind you in the mirror.\n\n\t"You need to come with me," McDaniels informs you.\n\n\t"Can I change first?" You ask as the sales associate hands you a shopping bag. McDaniels studies you and you don't move. He knows that, if you wanted to, you could stab him in the throat with the associate's pen and be out of the city within fifteen minutes.\n\n\tBut you don't want to. McDaniels must sense that because he nods and you disappear into the dressing room.\n\n\tOnce inside you begin moving quickly and methodically. You tear out the sole of your new shoes and press a small electronic device into the cushion. You slide a thin razor blade underneath the face of your watch. Finally you tuck your subcompact weapon into your waistband before shrugging on your evening jacket.\n\n\tYou step outside. "Shall we? We wouldn't want to keep Andrews waiting."\n\n\tMcDaneils nods and you slide into the backseat of the black SUV.\n\n[[go for a ride]]\n

Nothing happens.\n\nYou pull again. \n\nNothing.\n\n"Charlie is alive," you repeat.\n\nYou have the President's attention.\n\nYou drop your weapon instaneously and turn slowly and raise your face to the sniper in the rafters. You hold your hands high and wide to show that you have no other weapons. \n\nSlowly you [[drop to your knees]] as Secret service swarm you.\n\n[[Suddenly]] you reach into your coat pocket.\n\n

You push through the exit. \n\nYou close your eyes and try to reimagine the distress route. They would be coming from the rear left, which means they would be emerging from the fourth corridor in approximately forty seconds.\n\nYou veer left and sprint down the hall. \n\nYou fire a shot at the window. Steel gates begin to fall from the ceiling, blocking the exit. \n\nPerfect.\n\nYou sprint back in the direction that you had come. You can hear them approaching. \n\nYou take off your shoe and crouch down low. You obscure yourself from view behind an empty cart that was left abandon in the hallway. \n\nThey were getting closer.\n\nYou take off your shoe and throw it into their path. You close your eyes and countdown form five.\n\nFive.\n\nFour.\n\nThree.\n\nTwo.\n\nOne.\n\nThere is an [[explosion]] that barricades the President, Andrews and McDaniels in the hallway.

You climb to the ceiling tile and look down and take a deep breath.\n\t\nYou drop your shoe with the small electronic device embeeded on the inside. You move away quickly and efficently.\n\nYou jump out of the crawl space and see the President and Charlie waiting in the van. As you climb inside you count fifteen Secret Service agents Charlie has eliminated.\n\nYou are impressed.\n\nCharlie hits the accelerator and you all speed away as the building erupts behind you.\n\n[[The End]]

\tInside is a photo and a name. You gasp audibly. You have done a series of high profile jobs, but none like this. \n\n\tNever like this.\n\t\n\tYou wish that you hadn’t looked. That you didn’t see the name. Or the photo of the smiling President of the United States. You wish you were just an ordinary twenty eight year old watching two dogs play. You wish, beyond belief that you had married your college sweetheart and worked a normal nine to five job. You wished that you were not an anonymous assassin for the private sector of the United States government. \n\n[[Next]]

\tYou stare at the envelop for a brief moment before standing and slowly pulling on your jacket. This is over. You are taking yourself out of the game. You will not be responsible for another death. Another tragedy. \n\t\n\tAs you get in your car, you can feel him watching you. He knows that you did not look inside of the envelop. He knows that you have disobeyed a direct order. He knows that you know the protocol. \n\t\n\tYou start the car and back up quickly. \n\t\n\tHe also knows that you don’t give a shit about protocol.\n\n[[Next]]\n

Andrews steps inside and you slam him into the closed door. "You're done," you tell him.\n\n"But you-"\n\nYou begin crushing his windpipe. "Charlie is alive, and the moment you hired me to kill the President is when you signed your own death warrant." His eyes buldge as you increase pressure with your elbow.\n\nHe passes out and you drop him to the floor. Systematically you begin switching his clothes with those of the President. You climb to the ceiling tile and look down at what you have done.\n\t\nYou drop your shoe with the small electronic device embeeded on the inside. You move away quickly and efficently.\n\nYou jump out of the crawl space and see the President and Charlie waiting in the van. As you climb inside you count fifteen Secret Service agents Charlie has eliminated.\n\nYou are impressed.\n\nCharlie hits the accelerator and you all speed away as the building erupts behind you.\n\n[[The End]]

There is a knock at the door.\n\n"Mr. President, its me. Andrews."\n\nDo you [[let him in]] or [[follow the president]]?

\tYou follow Ronald Andrews Jr. into the ballroom. It is crowded and bustling with activity and clinking glassware. Ah the excitement. Immediately you spot the President of the United States of America. He sees you as well. Everyone always spots you quickly. It’s both a blessing and a curse. Means you can get most things easily, also means you're impossible to forget.\n\n\tYou smile and you can feel Andrews stiffen at your side. You reach into your evening jacket. You can feel the cool metal on your fingertips. \n\n\tYou take a deep breath. This is the moment.\n\n\tYou push down the safety while its still concealed from sight. \n\n\tTwo gunshots are fired into the ceiling and you spin on your heel trying to locate the shooter.\n\n\tHe's at your six. He has the Secretary of State in a headlock with a Glock pointed at her temple. \n\n\tYou have thirty seconds before a sniper takes out the gunman.\n\n\tYou see the Secret Service ushering the President toward the exit. \n\n\tYou have fifteen seconds until he gets to the door.\n\n\tYou have two choices. \n\n\tYou pull out your [[subcompact]] and fire at the President.\n\n\tYou spot a [[door]] immediately to your left.\n\n\t\n

You pose another threat to the President. \n\nSecret Service eliminates you.\n\n[[The End]]

\tThe room was dark and empty save for a chair placed in the center underneath the only light. Somethings never change. The memories of your first interrogation come flooding back. Of course, they would not water board you. There are “rules” now.\n\n\tThe heavy metal door opened and the Chief of Staff, Ronald Andrews Jr., stepped inside. He is wearing a fitted tux that he nervously unbuttons when he spots you. You always made him uncomfortable. You learned to use your looks as a means to establish power. For some, it was easy, for others, not so much. But for Ronald Andrews Jr., it was much much easier than it ever should have been.\n\n\t“You’re late,” you told him.\n\t\n\tHe clears his throat and nods at the guard at the door, dismissing him. The guard slips away quietly, leaving you two alone. “You made contact?”\n\t\n\tYou had picked the locks to my handcuffs during transport. It is now that you let them drop to the floor and rub your wrists. “You need to teach McDaniels how to cuff his superior.”\n\n\tAndrews rolls his eyes, “Did you establish contact?”\n\n\t“The guy in the white?” You nod. “Ya I established contact. Weird guy too.”\n\n\t“Did he give you a plan?”\n\n\t“Just a picture and directions to kill him. Left it in my court to decide how.”\n\n\t“You want to [[shoot]] him or [[talk]] to him first?”\n\n\t\n

\tYou lean back in the chair, “You should leave Charlie.”\n\t\n\tCharlie’s face clouds with fury. “Just like that? You are going to become a prisoner of the United States of America? And for what? Because you can’t pull the fucking trigger?”\n\t\n\tCharlie begins pacing the small space between you. “You think this is just about you. What about me? What do I do? You’re the one that saved me and now I’m just supposed to let you get arrested? Let your life crumble and fall?”\n\t\n\tYou explode, “I never asked you to stay. You stayed on your own! I let you live. I can’t pull the trigger because I see your face! If you are so concerned about my quality of life, than leave me alone! Let me do my job! And stop worrying about what’s going to happen to me! Because if you are still here when they come, you will die. You won’t be a prisoner. You will die. What part of that do you not understand?”\n\t\n\tYou hear the footsteps before Charlie. You lock eyes and you can feel Charlie’s anger coming toward you in waves. Without a word, Charlie ripped open the screen door and darted down the fire escape. You watch with limited emotional attachment. \n\n\t\n\tThe soldiers were inside the room and directly behind you in a moment. \n\t\n\t“Commander… You need to come with us.”\n\t\n\tYou raise slowly. Even as a recluse solider destined to assassinate the president, at least your former soldiers still have the decency to address you by rank.\n\t\n\tHow polite.\n\n[[continue]]

"Charlie is alive," you repeat.\n\nYou have the President's attention.\n\nYou drop your weapon instaneously and turn slowly and raise your face to the sniper in the rafters. You hold your hands high and wide to show that you have no other weapons. \n\nSlowly you [[drop to your knees]] as Secret service swarm you.\n\n[[Suddenly]] you reach into your coat pocket.

\tYou follow Ronald Andrews Jr. into the ballroom. It is crowded and bustling with activity and clinking glassware. Ah the excitement. Immediately you spot the President of the United States of America. He sees you as well. Everyone always spots you quickly. It’s both a blessing and a curse. Means you can get most things easily, also means you're impossible to forget.\n\n\tYou smile and you can feel Andrews stiffen at your side. You reach into your evening jacket. You can feel the cool metal on your fingertips.\n\n\tYou pull out a chapstick and smooth it on your lips. You turn to Andrews, “Let’s go say hi to President Cunningham.”\n\n\tAndrews leads you over and does a quick introduction. You smile and grab the President’s hand. “Nice to meet you Mr. President.”\n\n\t“Nice to meet you,” the President turns to Andrews. “Mr. Andrews will you please give us a moment?”\n\n\tAndrews looks worriedly at you. You nod. You can hold your own. Its okay. Ronald Andrews Jr. scurries off.\n\t\n\tPresident Cunningham turns to you, “Please come with me.”\n\t\n\tYou follow the President through the ballroom. You enter a series of narrow corridors. You can feel panic building inside of you, but you are sure that the worry does not cross your face.\n\n[[enter the room]]\n