The sleek, high-rise building stood as a testament to the city's wealth and power. Inside, the conference room was bathed in artificial light. It had been a long time since I had been to Washington D.C. The Senators had ordered me here for a secret meeting and I obliged. I knew it was going to be about the Contractor.

Senators Thomas and Alby waited for me to sit down before they began. The air was tense with the weight of their collective resolve. The Contractor had eluded them after using ...