[ WP ] An assassin is monitoring a room waiting for someone who never shows up .

My orders were simple. Go The Imperial hotel. Check in under the name Jon Phillips. Request room 605. Create a profile on the lottery winner for each month. One day, a lottery winner will enter room 605, at which point I will assassinate them. 
 
 The lottery system was simple. A name was drawn each month. Winners became members of The Council. The Council ran the country. Democracy was long gone. The lottery system gave the illusion of chance. With luck, you could be selected. You could change things. Make no mistake, lottery winners were figure heads, nothing more. The people behind the scenes, the ones who really called the shots are the people I work for. People assumed The Body existed, but no one has ever proved it. I'm one of the reasons they have n't. 
 
 I've done things I'm not proud of, but when you work for The Body, you either do what you're told or it's your head on the chopping block. My best friend was on his first assignment. A foreign official with a big mouth. He had a elevator rigged to malfunction when his target entered the lift. Everything was set, but two young girls got on the elevator with his mark. He clammed up. He did n't go through with it. I never saw him again. Worse yet his family disappeared too. It was at that moment that I decided I would do as I'm told. I would complete every job. To protect my wife and daughter. To live. 
 
 There had be fifteen lottery winners since I began this job. I have n't left the room. A supply drop was left on the balcony every week with just enough to get by. I had detailed notes on every winner for the past fifteen months. I was ready. The 
 Body said the day would come and to hold tight but that's all I knew. I miss Jen and I miss my little girl. 
 
 I was excited for the draw. I actually enjoyed creating the profiles. Usually kept me busy for a week or so and offered a temporary escape from this room, if only mentally. I turned on channel three as every person the country is required to do at 6pm on the first of each month. The intro music began and the host, who always kept it short and sweet began: 
 
 `` Welcome to the lottery draw for the month of December 2027'' 
 
 Images of hundreds of faces randomized across the screen. After a few moments they began to slow until resting on a picture. My picture. Oh fuck. My heart began to race. My face hot and flush. The lottery winners may not make any difference in government decisions, but winning comes with perks. Wealth, fame and most importantly I could get off these assignments and be with my family. 
 
 I snap out of my daze when I hear a knock at the door. A shot of adrenaline pulses through me. They've come for me. I'm getting out of here. I open the door and a room service cart sits in front of me. On it is a silver serving tray with a fancy silver cover. Confused, I wheel the cart in the room and lift the cover. On the tray sits a picture of my wife and daughter, a single grey pill and note: 
 
 IF YOU LOVE THEM, DO IT NOW 
 
 It hits me like a brick wall. I'm not a winner destined for a better life. I'm the target. 
 
 I take the photo and sit on the edge of the bed. I pop the pill into my mouth. I feel my muscles tense and my vision blurs. I take a last look at my family as everything fades to black. 
 

