The Langley Case: A Nathan Roeder Mystery
Chapter 12

An Interlude, Wherein Nathan Roeder’s fate is discussed.

It’s never a good idea to name names. We don’t use names when we talk amongst ourselves, mostly for safety’s sake. But lately, two names have come up as being of great importance.

The first of those names is Oliver Langley, the recently deceased, important for obvious reasons and because of the danger his death, and his diary, might pose to us. The second of those names is Nathan Roeder.

Roeder is an interesting case of wasted potential. He was born with all the possible benefits life could offer him. His life expectancy at birth was three hundred years, now considerably cut down due to his choice of lifestyle. He was bred to be a Reader, but did not have the attentive fortitude as a child to pass through any but the most rudimentary training. He is stronger than most people his size, genetically resistant to all forms of cancer and all modern disease, yet he persists in testing this.

What is important about him is not the potential he has wasted. It is how he has wasted it, and how he can still use the potential he has to hurt our goals. Even with the pathetically rudimentary skills as a Reader Nathan possesses, he is able to make a solid living as a detective. It is nearly impossible to lie to him, and, when he focuses, he can read body language relatively well. He is incapable of reading the thoughts expressed in body changes and facial expressions, but he is still a dangerous detective.

His wastes have made him take a career far below his potential. Instead of being a high ranking drone in a corporation, he is instead an excellent detective starving on his own. This would not be a problem, had not Oliver Langley’s diary fallen into his hands.

There is too much in there that can ruin us. And, as much potential as Nathan Roeder has wasted in his life, he is still capable of using that book to expose and destroy our order.

But we cannot kill him ourselves. Thanks to Langley, our hand has already been tipped too far. What we have done already may be too much. If Roeder didn’t already suspect us, he will by now.

Using The Bicycle Man’s existing hatred for Roeder was a clever stroke, but we fear it was not enough. Should Roeder survive that, and survive his dealings with The Albino, we will have to take more drastic measures.

His home, though prepared, has been abandoned since we first caught wind of him. It is my expectation that all of you will prepare alternate plans, ways to silence him, should we need to do so on short notice.

That is all. Return to your lives, your careers, and your families.

We will be in touch.

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