“Good evening Mr. Lawson,â€? the bust of a man spoke to me through the television. “I will assume that you know who I am, or rather, who I work for.â€? The man’s face was torn and ravaged, as if it were hastily assembled from scraps of burlap and clay. Eyes black as coffee somehow looked directly into me from the screen.

“We know that you have taken the position at GlobTrak, and are very disappointed.â€? A chill ran down my spine, a million tiny bumps exploding beneath my skin. My very soul trying to escape. “I’m here to offer you an opportunity that I… we, don’t think you’ll want to pass up.â€?

He took a long, meaningful drag off of a cigarette. Cavernous lines formed around his lips as they wrapped the butt. “We can’t offer the same compensation package that GlobTrak has, but we are willing to offer you something you may enjoy even more.â€?

The man’s face disappeared, replaced by an image of Nick asleep in his crib. “A chance to save your son’s life.â€?

“Phil?” Angela called from downstairs, “dinner’s ready.”