Chains of Command

[Boss]

"Good morning, Jim--do you mind if I call you Jim?" I shook my head. Jim was fine. "My name is Mike Jackson with the LSF." Mike was a slightly-built man of greater-than-average height; my first impression was an animated coat rack.

"Good morning to you as well, Mike. This a social visit or do you have some ulterior motive here?" He chuckled and pulled out a small sheet of paper. He glanced at his watch briefly before continuing.

"Unfortunately we don't have much time to just chat, so I'll get to business. You're a unique man, Jim, in more ways than one. You survived an encounter with something we don't fully understand, and if you don't mind..." I cut him off.

"Come on, you know that I've been asked nine ways of Sunday about it. I've told everything I remember, and Eli's been following me everywhere in case I remembered something new." His eyebrows rose slightly. I was right about Eli, at least.

"Yes, I am aware of that, but we've identified a method that might aid recall of the event. Unfortunately I can't say a whole lot about that until you get your security clearance for Division 18, so you'll just have to trust me on this for now." I'd never heard of any Division 18 before and said so.

"Division..eighteen? I've never heard of it before. Some kind of psychoanalysis group?" Again that little chuckle. He leaned forwards and stared into my eyes.

"Let's go, Jim. We're running late."