GabrielThe study was dark save for the single lamp casting it's dull light across the large desk. I preferred the shadows because it felt honest, unlike the false brightness of council meetings where everyone smiled with teeth while hiding sinister motives behind their backs.

My phone buzzed, with Anton's name flashing across the screen. I picked it up on the second ring.

"Tell me something good, Anton," I said, though I already knew from the late hour that whatever news he carried wouldn't be ...