Brimstone Incorporated Instant

"Your resume is impressive, Elias," Gregory said, tapping a folder that smelled faintly of ozone. "The way you handled the Springfield chemical spill—truly inspired. You convinced an entire town they weren't sick, they were just 'under-hydrated.'"

A man named Elias sat across from him, clutching a briefcase and sweating through his shirt. Elias had been a "fixer" for a Fortune 500 company, a man who made environmental lawsuits and whistleblower complaints disappear with a few well-placed threats and payoffs. Brimstone Incorporated

Gregory leaned forward, his eyes suddenly glowing like banked coals. "We saw what you did to your partner. The way you framed him for the embezzlement you committed. That was the moment we scouted you. That was your 'application.'" "Your resume is impressive, Elias," Gregory said, tapping

"Welcome to the team," Gregory purred as the office walls began to bleed. "Coffee is in the breakroom. It’s always boiling, and we’re fresh out of cream." Elias had been a "fixer" for a Fortune

"I was just doing my job," Elias stammered, his eyes darting to the window. Outside, there was no city skyline—only a swirling, orange-tinted fog that never moved.

Elias felt a cold dread settle in his chest. "I want to go home. Where is this? Is this Chicago?"