Lamb walked hurriedly into the office with long strides toward the ebony wood desk at the far end of the room with Green following casually behind. Green was visiting Lamb in Lazarus for the day, where Lamb had lately spent much of his time. As Lamb quickly opened and slammed shut desk drawers, Green dropped into one of the two black leather armchairs positioned in front of the desk and threw his right leg over the arm of the chair, slouching into the seat more deeply and comfortably than the maker of the chair ever intended. "God damn it, where did she keep them?" Lamb's profanity settled to a low mumble as he rapidly opened and slammed shut desk drawers.
Green, watching the ceiling fan turn overhead far too slowly to be effective, seemed to pay little attention as he asked, "What are you looking for?"
"There they are." Lamb pulled a pack of Benson and Hedges cigarettes from the bottom left drawer that had been left behind from Harmoneia, pulled a cigarette out of the pack, and tossed the pack into Green's lap. "The pack is half empty and stale but it's better than nothing." Green didn't acknowledge the pack of cigarettes in his lap and remained absent mindedly watching the slowly turning ceiling fan.
Lamb flopped back in the black leather armless chair with a headrest rimmed in silver studs, broke the filter from one of the cigarettes with his thumb and forefinger, flicked it across the room, and lit the frayed end with a disposable lighter he drew from his shirt pocket.
Lamb took a deep lung full of the smoke and let it warm him, exhaling slowly. "I'm tired of it, Green."
"What are you tired of?" Green was barely engaged in the conversation, now holding his thumb out in front of his face as he gazed upward at the fan or some detail on the ceiling.
"Mostly Scardino but some other shit, too."
Green put both feet on the floor, sat up, and picked up the half full pack of cigarettes. He didn't smoke but he wasn't opposed to trying new things.
"I've gotten a lot done but I don't have much more in the tank." Lamb tossed the lighter to Green who caught it with one hand and used it to light his own cigarette. "Really, I'm tired in general."
Green tried to talk at first through his coughing but took a moment to clear his throat. "So, you need to take a break? A vacation?"
"I don't think that's necessary." Lamb put his bare feet up on the desk and reclined again. "You can take it from here."
"Take what?"
"It. The Khanate. Lone Wolves United. The organization." Lamb spoke as if the continued conversation was forcing him to work in retirement.
"I can do that", Green said, slouched in his chair again, holding the cigarette above his face and watching it closely as it burned. "What's our timeline?"
"Now."
"That's coming up pretty soon. Should we get a press release ready for the public?" Green sat up slowly and crushed out the cigarette on the arm of his chair.
"Nah, fuck 'em."
"Ok." Green threw the lighter back to Lamb. "I'll head back then and let everyone know. Do you need anything else from me?"
"Nah, I'm good", Lamb said, passing the flame of the lighter casually over the surface of the desk as he spoke. Green stood up, cracked his knuckles with a groan, and walked out of the office.
