The announcement had been made several days prior. Everyone knew what was going on. We were all standing at the convention hall, about one hundred agents, waiting.
"Do you think he's going to be as good as Mr. Whitlock?" One of the agents standing next to me asked his friend.
"I think so. I heard he's the one who started Gaslight, the biggest energy company in the country right now. With that kind of leadership, he's definitely going to bring greatness to E.A."
"What does energy have to do with crime fighting? I doubt his abilities to be honest. I'll really miss Mr. Whitlock."
"Me too. But it's time to move forward."
An announcement was made.
"Let us now welcome the outgoing president, Mr. Whitlock to give us his departing speech."
All applauded.
"Agents of the Elite Association(E.A), a long journey we have made together, from a small new organization to the greatest among the great. But it now seems that my destination lies elsewhere, and the time has come for me to step aside, entrusting this legacy to hands that will carry it even further. As president, I can confidently declare E.A a success in all its endeavors. I have witnessed first hand the potential that lies in its agents, and I know that it shall not go to waste. Mark my words, tough times lay on the horizon, but I know we shall endure and fight on. Always remember our core value, excellence unites us, power defines us. Thank you all."
A mighty applause followed, escorted by shouts and jubilations as he walked off the podium.
After the crowd calmed down,
"Let us all welcome the new president, Mr Kokuren to address us."
The crowd clapped. He walked slowly, his footsteps echoing throughout the hall. A great hush had suddenly taken over. Once he reached the podium, he tapped the mic to test it first, before he proceeded.
"As Mandy Hale once stated, change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong. I believe E.A is destined for greatness far beyond what we could ever imagine. But this greatness cannot be achieved by sitting around and watching. It requires an unbreakable will, which is exactly what I bring to the table. All I need of you all is your cooperation. Expect change, embrace change. Thank you."
Every single agent in the hall could feel it.
"Who the hell does he think he is demanding things like that on his first day?" I heard one of the agents say.
"Maybe he's just bad with speeches. Let's give him a chance. Mr. Whitlock knew what he was doing when he gave this guy the seat."
"What? Are you even sure it was Mr. Whitlock who appointed this guy?"
I'm pretty sure the message of the speech wasn't what bothered the agents. It was the hint of tyranny that could be felt in his voice. One that if left unchecked, only God knows what would happen.
Here at E.A, all agents are allowed free reign over their missions. We are allowed to choose what missions we participate in. If missions require multiple agents, small groups are created to handle them. Some agents may be friends and prefer working together, thus they form groups and take missions together, though the rewards are split equally between them.
This was the case, until that day. The day everything completely changed.
[All agents are required to pick smart cards from the reception desk by the end of the week. These cards are extremely crucial as they will be used to receive access to anything and everything the Elite Association has to offer. If by any chance you are unable to pick your card before the end of the week, you are to reply to this message as soon as possible.]
I received the email along with many other agents the day after Mr. Kokuren became president.
'He sure executes his plans quickly'
"Name."
The receptionist inquired looking at me.
"Caspian Flynn."
She typed on her computer and a while later, the sleek new device on the table produced a card. She handed it to me.
"You will receive an email giving you details on what to do later."
The green digital card was basically an I.D, with my details engraved into its shiny premium look. It kinda felt good holding the sleek card in my hand.
'Now I understand why such a prestigious organization would give these to agents by hand. They look really expensive to manufacture. Must have spent a fortune on them. Mr. Kokuren seems like the strict type of leader. I wonder what happens to agents who won't have picked their cards by the end of the week.
'This goes without saying, but where there is change, there will undoubtedly exist a resistance. Mr. Kokuren probably already knows this. There will probably be a penalty. Thus, he has set several countermeasures. But still, why implement his plans in such a manner? Is he really that confident that he'll be able to tame every agent in E.A? But then, the sharpness in his eyes as he spoke yesterday, the way his words were measured—he wasn't just confident, he was certain. Certain that his plans would unfold as he envisioned them. Who exactly is he?'