The announcement had been made several days before, so everyone knew what was happening. About one hundred agents were standing in the convention hall, 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 used to be part of The Alliance at some point, but left of his own accord."
"The Alliance? Wow, he's going to do great things for us, then. I'll miss Mr. Whitlock, though."
"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, as a lively man in his fifties with grey hair and beard stepped on the podium.
"Agents of the Elite Association(E.A.), a long journey we have made together. 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. I have witnessed firsthand the potential that lies in its agents, and I know that it shall not go to waste. Mark my words, tough times lie on the horizon, but I know we shall endure and fight on. Always remember our core values: excellence unites us, and 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."
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 before proceeding.
"As Mandy Hale once stated, change is painful, but nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong. 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 from you all is your absolute cooperation and discipline. 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.
"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? Not even the Vice President confirmed it."
"Really?"
I'm pretty sure the message of the speech wasn't what bothered the agents, but the speech itself, the way it was presented. A hint of tyranny that could be felt in his voice. It made the agents uncomfortable. A hint that if left unchecked, only God knows what would happen.
…
Here at E.A., all agents have free rein over their missions. We can choose which missions we participate in. If missions require multiple agents, we can create small groups to handle them. Some agents may be friends and prefer working together, so they form groups and take missions together, though the rewards remain the same and are split equally between them.
This was the case until that day. The day everything completely changed.
Ting!
[All agents are required to pick up 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 up 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 an ID, with my details engraved into its shiny premium look. It kinda felt good holding it.
'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 to be authoritarian. Based on that, I'm pretty sure there'll be a punishment for failing to collect your card on time.'
'It goes without saying that change attracts resistance. If this continues, it's going to be quite the hassle living in E.A.'