I clicked the button on my watch. Four minutes to midnight. I pulled my bulky, dark jacket tighter around my shoulders. Very few nights did I get the opportunity to be free from a mission and have some time to myself. It would such a shame if someone recognized me and ruined it. It was a cool, early fall night, and the sights and sounds of the city were far away from me. I had chosen a secluded place on purpose, a little diner called Charlotte’s Coffee on the lower east side, known for its unpopularity with the locals because of its stuffy, scarcely-decorated interior. Exactly what I needed tonight. I pulled open the door, its bells jingling as I did so, and took a deep breath. When when the last time I let myself breathe? “Any seats in the back?” I pleasantly asked the woman at the counter, who was dressed in cheap mock-’50’s attire, and scrubbing at the counter with a dirty rag. “All yours, hon,” she said in a scratchy voice, pointing to a door that led into a back room. “Alone tonight?” “Yes,” I said, and disappeared into the room before she could ask any more questions. The woman (who I assumed was Charlotte) came in and brought me a black coffee, not even bothering to charge me for it. I was thoroughly enjoying this, sipping my coffee and being at peace for the very first time in months. Soon my head began to relax against the booth, and I felt my eyelids start to get heavy. The bells on the door jingled. I jolted awake and clicked my watch; it was now 2:30am. Had I really fallen asleep for that long? “You’re looking for someone?” I heard the woman at the counter—Charlotte— say in her scratchy tone to whoever had just entered the diner. “Who?” “A young woman who came in just over two hours ago. I’m sure you know who I mean.” My heart jumped into my throat. No no no… “I didn’t let anyone else tonight,” Charlotte replied. I heard the squeak of the rag rubbing on the marble counter. “Just you, sir.” Bless this woman’s terrible memory. Or her stunning ability to judge when it’s necessary to lie. “Are you sure about that?” I listened hard, and when I did I heard him take a few steps forward. “Yes sir. I only—“ I heard a hissing sound, a sound I recognized all too well, and then a thump that told me the woman had collapsed on the floor. The man had stunned her. I let out a breath. At least that meant the man was with the Agency, as only we had mastered the formula for stun serums. I was safe. The door to the back swung open, and the stranger entered. He didn’t look all that frightening; scrawny frame, tall, with dark sunglasses and a thin mat of black hair on his head. Maybe a few years older than me. He was wearing a lot of badges, though, so I assumed he must be important somehow. He slid into the booth across from me and extended a hand. “Dr. David Elwhite. Pleasure to meet you.” “Pleasure.” I shook his hand. “Let’s get right to the point,” the doctor said. He opened up his jacked to reveal a small black booklet. As he opened it, I saw the familiar gold seal of the Agency stamped on each page. He flipped to the one he was looking for and scanning it. “How long have you been with us, Agent Ivanous?” “‘Us?’ I’m sorry, doctor, but you’ll need to elaborate on who you are before I can say,” I said firmly. Even though he already knew my name, I’d learned this much in training; never trust anyone before they trust you first. A small smile played on the doctor’s lips. “Very well. I am the Head of the Sorcerer Hunting Agency, Sector Seven, Division Nine.” He flashed one of the badges on his jacket at me, the 7 and 9 glittering in silver on black onyx. I felt my throat go dry. The head of our division was speaking to me? I didn’t even know the heads ever left their office, let alone talk to the agents. I suddenly felt appalled at my earlier questioning of him. “Oh, oh I—“ He shook his head. “No need for formalities. This is very important, Agent. Now answer me. How long have you been with us?” “One year and fifteen days,” I replied immediately. “And in that year and fifteen days, have you ever noticed anyone following you?” “What?” The question took me aback. I’d never heard of any of the Agents being followed before. “As… as in a stalker?” “Yes.” I was shocked, but I thought back to all of my recent missions. “I-I suppose no, doctor. I’ve been on missions almost every day for the past twelve months. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed someone following me before.” “Really?” He removed his sunglasses, showing me a pair of hollow, deep-set black eyes as he leaned over the table towards me. “So you have no recollection of anyone whatsoever following your every move for the past four weeks?” “N-no,” I managed under the intensity of his gaze. “Then we have a problem. Because if you didn’t notice them, others may have stalkers they haven’t noticed either.” He leaned back and gave me a look. “And not only have I discovered you’re being followed, I’ve also determined it’s not the same face every time”. “So there’s multiple of them?” “No, Agent,” he said as if he was tired of how clueless I was being. “Screw your head on tighter.” I pondered what he was saying. We were part of the most elite anti-magic group in the world; we hunted sorcerers, in an attempt to exterminate them and their ungodly powers away from this earth once and for all; we met only in underground bunkers where no one could disturb us; we hid in the shadows, striking only when we could so so unseen. So the only reason someone might be following me… “They’re shapeshifters,” I gasped, suddenly remembering. “Sorcerers. One of them is after me.” “Took you long enough,” the doctor muttered. “How do you know this?” I asked. “Have you been following me too?” “It’s my job to check up on agents, record their progress and such. And I noticed the stalker the last four times I’ve checked up on you.” “But how did I never notice—“ “I used the invisibility serum.” I tried to hide my surprise. The Agency rarely used the invisibly serum, as its effects were extremely painful and could cause long term health damage. “A tolerance can be built up to it, after a while,” the doctor explained. “But regardless, of the eleven other agents in our division, three others also have sorcerers following them— at least, that we know of. And I’m not the only division head who’s been reporting them,” he added, a hint of disgust in his voice. I looked at him. “So what does it mean?” “It means they are aware,” the doctor replied grimly. “Aware of what?” He narrowed his eyes at me, two hollow spheres boring into me. “Aware of the Agency’s existence.” My heart almost stopped. I started spluttering, words spewing from my mouth in disbelief. “But they can’t be… all the serums and tools and missions… how—“ “I don’t know.” He got a far-off look in his eyes, his gaze drifting towards the dark window. “I really don’t know.” I sank back down into the booth, feeling nauseous. So we’d been Exposed; the day had finally come. Was I partly to blame, I wonder? Had I noticed the stalker and come to my assigned mentors, the people who worked right under the heads, sooner that the doctor realized it, could I have stopped this from happening? “No, Agent. It’s not your fault,” he stated, noticing my expression. “You could’ve helped, but not that much. It’s the mentors— all the mentors, from all sections and all divisions— who are really to blame. It’s their job to take care of things like this.” A pause. So this was bigger than I thought. “So what now?” I asked suddenly. “Why are you coming to me now, here, in this diner at—“ I checked my watch again— “three a.m. on a weekday?” “It was the quickest I could get to you.” The doctor leaned in again. “Now that we’ve been Exposed, everything has changed. No more spying. No more hiding. No more lies.” He pulled out an empty syringe from his pocket, in which a few drops of bright yellow liquid remained. I recognized it as stun serum, likely the one which he’d used on Charlotte. “No more secrecy.” He tossed the syringe into a nearby trash can. “And?” I rasped, the only words that I could get out right now. I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest, it was pounding so hard. “It means we’re over.” He exhaled, the monstrosity of his words hitting me hard. “All of it. We’re coming out to the world, Agent, starting with the U.S. government at dawn. The decision was made by the Agency’s High Council in Moscow just an hour ago.” He rapped his fingers on the table. “The Sorcerers grow stronger every day, and it’s time we went public looking for recruits. They’ve gotten better at this fight, and we have to keep up with them. One of us triumphs, and one of us dies.” His expression turned grim. “There will be no in between.” I swirled my finger in my coffee, my thirst for it long gone, and said nothing. I’d heard of the Exposure before, but I didn’t realize it could happen so soon. I don’t think any of us did. We sat still for a while, letting the silence hang there like a dead weight, too afraid to touch it for fear it might crush us both. “There’s a meeting at headquarters tomorrow,” the doctor said finally, rising from the booth. He tucked his black book back inside his jacket and turned to go. “Further instructions will be given to you there. But for now, just remember nothing is going to be the same. Not ever again.” He turned on his heel and disappeared through the door. A few minutes later, I heard Charlotte stirring from the ground in the main room, and I knew I should go before she suspected I had been the one to knock her out. I left the coffee shop at dawn, feeling strange. Everything I had been taught for the last year… all of it was useless now. And I knew I was one of lucky ones. Some agents and mentors had been here for ten, twenty, thirty years, at least, wasting away their energy at keeping themselves hidden as they exterminated the Sorcerers. All to try and prevent the inevitable. Suddenly, I came to a dead stop on the sidewalk. I heard something. Something like footsteps. Growing closer. What did it matter anymore?, I told myself. The Sorcerer hadn’t bothered to mask the sounds of their footsteps like their kind often do, nor had they felt the need to keep themselves away in daylight. If they weren’t going to keep themselves a secret, then I wasn’t going to either. Still facing away from my stalker, I slowly pulled out the gun I kept tucked securely in my jacket. I’d never used it out in public before. But things have changed. I listened for the telltale sign of sparks behind me; and heard it. A wand was being drawn. Something inside me bristled, something that made me realize I wasn’t ready to hide anymore. I was ready to fight. Fast as lighting, I whirled around.