After conferring briefly with the welcoming committee for the following day, Bosak made his way down to the barracks. Two outsourced security guards stood watch over the door, machine guns at the ready. With a nod of his head, they stepped aside and opened the door.

Inside the barracks was turmoil. Bedding lay strewn about the floor. Magazines, boxes and books intermingled with food wrappers and empty soda cans. Amidst the mess, the brethren were arguing with one another as to the whereabouts of their superior. When they saw Bosak walk in, all fell silent.

“Gentlemen, please have a seat.” He waited for them to get situated, then pulled over a footlocker to sit on. “I don’t know how to put this, but Doctor Klaus and Doctor Klingel aren’t among us any more.” He paused, studying their faces. They did not comprehend. “They’re dead. Do you understand? Someone killed them tonight.”

The brethren exchanged shocked glances. Opening and closing their mouths, the words failed to come. Finally, Three raised his hand.

“What’s your name, son?” asked Bosak.

“Three, Mister President, sir.”

"What’s on your mind, Three?”

“Did they fail to do their jobs?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, when we began training they showed us what happened to Joseph Noone, our…predecessor. Our trainers said he failed to do his duties and was killed for it. Did Doctor Klaus fail to do his job?”

“Oh, heavens no! God, Falcon and Omega really went full-throttle with this work ethic for you boys. No, Doctors Klaus and Klingel did their jobs to the utmost. I am very sad that they’re gone.”

“Then,” Fifteen spoke up, “why did they have to die?”

Bosak sighed heavily into his hands and rubbed his eyes. The fatigue of the hellishly long day was finally setting in. The simple truth was the easiest path. “You all know Mister Falcon, right?” The assembly nodded. “He thought I was going to blow the whistle on this project you’re all a part of. You’re top secret, very special men. No one’s supposed to know or even talk about you. It’s so important to the company for this deal to go through. I told Falcon to plug any leaks that might jeopardize the project. So, I think he had Doctor Klaus killed to prevent him from talking about you. Not to the outside world, but to me.”

One cried, “But Doctor Klaus was our friend! A devoted employee of VirCorp, he would never betray the company!”

“I know that, son. That’s why this is so painful, for you and for me.” Bosak wrestled with the demons of hypocrisy rearing their ugly heads inside. It was becoming clear to him that he would have to shit or get off the moral pot.

“I’m going to tell you something that you probably shouldn’t know, but it’s an important life lesson I’ve had to learn: not every decent employee worth his spit is always truly loyal to the company. Even when he thinks it’s for the greater good, he could be doing just the opposite in following his own ambition—putting too high a value on his ingenuity. Mister Falcon did just that, hiding things from me and the Board.” Bosak sighed again. “That’s why it’s so important that we all talk to one another, from the bottom of the ranks on up. Communication is key in determining if an action is to be taken, most importantly for big decisions like the one that brought you into our family.”

Three jumped to his feet and shook with rage. “That’s it! I want to rip out Falcon’s heart!”

“I understand your anger, Three. But it solves nothing. If it’s any consolation, Falcon is no longer a problem. I know it won’t bring Klaus or Klingel back, but it’s poetic justice—that much I guarantee.”

Three sat back down on his bunk, fists clenched. “I suppose you’ll want us killed then, Mister President, sir.”

“God, no. Don’t you dare even think that!”

“We can’t be any more than we’ve been made, not without Doctor Klaus to guide us.”

“That’s not true.” Bosak mustered the strength to get to his feet and walked over and sat down with Three. Putting a hand on his shoulder, he spoke gently. “I’m going to make a promise to you here and now. And I don’t give my word lightly, OK?”

Three nodded.

“I promise that we will catch the ones who did this. When we do, I will make sure that they get justice. I promise you one more thing, if you promise me something too.”

“What?”

“General Montesque is coming tomorrow morning to look you over. If you promise to stay quiet and speak only when spoken to, I promise that each of you will get the training for whatever job you desire at VirCorp. I’m not promising the job itself—for that you’ll have to prove yourselves. You’ll learn the skills you need, but you supply the elbow grease. Deal?”

The brethren exchanged glances. Three turned his head looked at the CEO. He was mortal after all, but a decent man like his supervisor had been. “Okay.”

The others joined in, nodding their heads, murmuring their assent.

“You truly are amazing, fellas. I’ll bring the General around after ten.” He got to his feet and stepped a few paces closer to the exit. “I suggest you all try to get some sleep. I know how shocking this news has been, and I doubt I’ll get much sleep myself. But please try to rest. We both have a big day tomorrow.”

With that, he ambled exhaustedly to the exit, door hissing shut behind him.