the promotion

by bofa xesjum

perhaps you might oblige us by stating exactly what it is that you want. i want my rights, and nothing more. very amusing. you know perfectly well that the committee has suspended all rights indefinitely. what do you feel inside, when you find yourself making such statements? take a break, tolliver. i will take over interrogating this stubborn citizen. tolliver quickly acceded to the inquisitor’s suggestion, and quitted the room. the inquisitor smiled at zero when they were left alone together. i feel obsolescent, the inquisitor remarked affably. this is not at all the way i was accustomed to doing things in the old days. no doubt it all seems a thousand years ago since we last met, zero replied. be that as it may, i have a proposition for you, the inquisitor continued in his most friendly manner. i have no choice but to listen. i want you to kill poor tolliver when he returns. i of course will not be present when you do the deed. what is the sense of that? and what am i to use as a weapon? what except your bare hands? you were always physically up to any task, though a mental weakling. i see your sense of the ridiculous has not deserted you. do you wish to be free to go or not? simply strangle or otherwise dispose of tolliver when he returns, and walk out of this room and out of the building. no one will stop you. tolliver, of course will raise a hue and cry if you attempt to leave without silencing him. very well. i agree. good. i see you have made strides in understanding how things work. the inquisitor got up and left without further ado. tolliver returned, with a leer on his face and a manila folder in his hand. the inquisitor offered to free me if i killed you, zero greeted him. did he now? he has curious ways of amusing himself. tolliver seated himself at the table and opened the folder. i believe we had got as far as your acceptance into the guards. just so. and my first promotion. something new has come up, which surpasses all understanding.