Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

you've even done that!""Give me more time!" he appealed. "I know the ancestors are there!""The Agenda is underway. The ancestors were needed only for propaganda. Theline is secure without them.""I know that!" the Professor sputtered angrily. "The ancestors are justpropaganda.""Of course," the suited man agreed, his eyes narrowing, " ... but their impact mustbe felt at the time of disclosure, not years down the road. You've convinced us to findsomeone else more capable.""You don't understand! Deciphering runes isn't predictable like your science!These fragments weren't created and deposited by natural forces; they were written byliving, breathing, human beings whose logic and cryptic rationale we can only guess at!""Hmmpf ... an unfortunate oversight on our part. Your work here is done, Dr.Nilsson," the well-dressed man informed him matter-of-factly, placing his hands on theback of one of the chairs and leaning forward."No! I've devoted my whole life to this search!""Then I guess you have no reason for living," he sneered. "Wha—what?" hestuttered. "Are you threa—"Without a word the man pushed himself erect and exited the room, leaving thedumbfounded scholar alone.Dr. Nilsson stewed for a few seconds and then angrily threw the report to thefloor. "You've picked the wrong person to trivialize . . . I'll see to it that you never benefitfrom my work," he growled under his breath. The enraged scholar grabbed the edge ofthe table to push himself away, but to his astonishment his chair refused to move, asthough bolted to the floor."What the he—"His own frightened gasp cut short his expletive. The terror within him built to a silentcrescendo. He wanted to scream, but the sound refused to emerge from his gaping mouth.He gazed in trans-fixed horror at his own reflection in the polished veneer of the tabletop,and that of the hideous figure towering behind him. Completely immobilized, Dr. Nilssonwatched the monstrous reflection glide around the edge of the table until the figure towhich it belonged stood directly in front of him.You have failed us for the last time, the entity's thoughts invaded his mind.Immediately the helpless man's mouth clamped shut and his limbs shot outward,leaving him in a grotesque cruciform position. There was no expression on hisexecutioner's face, but he could feel the laughter emanating from the powerful form.Don't.The faint plea surfaced in the victim's mind only seconds before his face smashedviolently forward into the solid oak with a terrific force. The man's head jerkedbackward, blood streaming from his broken nose. Again and again, arms stilloutstretched, an unseen energy slammed the Professor's face into the unyielding,stationary surface. Blood and mucus spattered against the walls and the room's lonedecoration, a burnished, brazen solar disk, hung directly behind the defenseless victim.Several additional unneeded thrusts preceded the release of the lifeless corpse, his face afeatureless, unrecognizable mass. The assassin turned dispassionately toward the wall athis back and passed through it.37