The Order's War Room
The mood inside the war room was tense. The radio had just finished replaying President Hesh's speech, and now the men around the table sat in silence, absorbing the weight of what had just happened.
Gideon Langston's fingers tapped against the wooden surface, his mind racing. The Order had planned for many things, but not for this. Hesh had named them in front of the entire country, exposed their influence, and presented evidence that could cripple them.
Victor Kessler leaned back in his chair, adjusting his glasses. "This is bad."
Jonathan Hawthorne poured himself a drink, his hands steady despite the turmoil around him. "Worse than bad. He just turned the public against us."
Langston exhaled sharply. "Then we need to remove him before he does any more damage."
Cornelius Voss, the shipping magnate, frowned. "An assassination?"
