Oladimeji Nwude

”…press release from several sources including unofficial ones within the US government, “out”ing Oladimeji Nwude as either Naki or a Naki sympathiser. Nwude met these accusations with his typical aplomb, and while such fraught publicity might have otherwise undermined an important public figure during a political campaign, Nwude's part in the race for the Nigerian presidency was - on the contrary - primarily focused on issues of medicine, national security, sectarian and inter-tribal relations, and overhauls to anti-corruption legislation.

Nwude's days at the polls were marked by peaceful and democratic collaboration between parties; while occasional rumours that his contacts in the Abjua police force had turned out with more zeal and enthusiasm for “keeping order” than was strictly necessary, even UN observers were force to concede that the process of democracy went ahead with an overwhelming atmosphere of peace and regulation.

The newly inaugurated President Nwude announced several popular reforms, including proposals for greater unity with other West African nations and a series of treaties and alliances which allowed various international partners to ease the burden of famine and lack of water access that had plagued rural areas of Nigeria since the conflicts of the 2010s…”

EYES-ONLY COMMUNICATION

Clearance: All EYES copied on dispatch C-285

RE: TALON I41

Despite early doubts about this operative's continuing potential, senior intelligence representatives have been forced to concede that in all areas including processing operations, mammal liaison and population control, he has proved himself beyond doubt a competent and conscientious operator.

With the “Vatican Incident” as behind us as we can ever hope it will be - though the stench of the Dark Arts still pollutes this our Promised Land, and will continue to do so for ages to come, we fear - we can move on to consider new and fruitful options for our continued surface and subterranean operations.

Local operatives are directed to give all necessary support to this individual and particularly to his plans to form a stable political base in West Africa….

“By the book, the candle and the light I do swear to hold my brothers in trust!”

Maximilian mouthed his way through the words with the same practiced self-assurance he'd recited his Latin verse at Eton. Learning by heart had always come easy to him. He had to quell a flutter of nerves in his stomach as the last candle blew out and the room was left in total darkness.

“What does the supplicant bring into the darkness?” He couldn't tell which of the hooded figures the voice came from.

“An open eye and an open mind!” he replied smoothly, cursing the squeak in his voice.

The New Illuminati had been a dare, at first; when that odd fish Carruthers had approached him at formal hall, he'd thought it would be funny to play along with his silly invitation to this silly little skulls-and-handshakes secret society, then expose him to the ridicule he deserved.

But then, almost despite himself, he'd started reading up on the New Illuminati. The Vandergrimbergen scandal… the Shimori papers… the Niu administration… when President Nwude had visited to be awarded an honourary degree, and he'd ended up sitting three seats away at Hall and seen the cufflinks - well, that had clinched it. Carruthers might be an irritating little tit but this was big money. Much as his father might disapprove, he was looking forward to the cachet that his surname would grant him among his new “lodge brothers”. And who knew, maybe that scraped-2:2 might look a little healthier after late-night brandies in the chapterhouse with a few choice University brethren…?

“Fiat lux!”

The hall was filled with a brilliant, blinding light. He squinted past the stars in his eyes.

“Nosce te ipsum!”

He stared at the - mirror?

His reflection raised its hand and aimed the handgun right between his eyes.

Behind his reflection, a fatherly hand on its shoulder, Grand Lodgemaster Nwude smiled, and blinked lazily. First one set of eyelids, then the other.

“Know yourself, brother.”

eternity