Inevitable

The council sat around a table, as always. The X+ at the head, the senior most next to them, and a progression down from there. Normally council meetings, although with a serious undertone, were lighthearted. The issue would be discussed, the council members would vote, then they'd eat and chat. Today, however, was different. Tension filled the room, in an almost equilibrium with the silence that had filled the room long before the tension had. Nobody spoke, and nobody moved. Though it hadn't been said, they all knew why they were here.
One of the X+ broke the silence.
“There has… there has to be something we can do. I mean, we're the council, we can't just get kill-..” He stopped. X-1 had just realized that in all his days with the foundation, he had never said 'Killed’. It was always 'Terminated’ or 'Expired’. Killed was such an ugly, negative word. It even sounded harsh.
Another X spoke up
“Yeah, we can just get Alpha-1. They're supposed to protect us till death”
The rest of the council seemed to stay silent, awaiting the final X+ to speak. And so he did.

“Yeah, that's where the problem lies. ‘Till death’, and with the force that's thrown at us, it won't be a long time till they get there”.
A very logical answer. Such was normal for -2, who always had the facts straight

X-1 began to speak again
“Listen, they're the best the Foundation has. Maybe we can run? In the chaos, we escape an-”
A councilman interrupted him
“Shut the fuck up, Mark. Just let it happen, ok?”
Everyone was shocked, nobody ever called the X by their names, and nobody called anyone by their first name. And especially, nobody swore towards the X, even jokingly.

X-1 retorted
“You can't speak to me like that, I'm an X, I ought to have you terminated just fo-”
-2 stopped him
“He's right 1. It's going to happen. We shouldn't have tried it. It was a mistake, and we need to accept the consequences. Gimme time, Warren”

A councilman spoke up
“Four minutes till”

“Right then, I say we get to the candidates”
X-1 spoke “I-uh. turned them in already”
“Good” -2 said.
“It was very nice knowing you all.”
“As to you,-2,” A councilman said
“Please, call me James”
“And you call me Greg”

About two minutes had passed before a councilman began to cry
“I don't wanna die! Please, it's unfair! I have a wife, three kids!”
There was silence as he sobbed, till the sound of a chair being rolled away, and the clacking of dress shoes could be heard. To the surprise of many, there was -1, hugging the lonely councilman. And much like a wave, it started. Councilmen began to embrace each other as tears welled in their eyes, some even crying. Down the hall, the soft noise of tactical sneakers could be heard very faintly.
“Warren, time?”
“Thirty seconds”
“Right, gentlemen, places!” -3 exclaimed, and so the O5 pulled blindfolds out of the drawers that they had been instructed never to open. On the face of the blindfold was the Foundation Seal. The councilmen tied their blindfolds, the face resting on their foreheads. There was the subdued Boop of the door being carded open, and the feeling of tension seemed to be released. It won't be that bad and I wonder what's for dinner? Flooded the minds of the council. Some confronted it, while others acted as if life would go on. Ironic. About 7 men in blue, clean fatigues entered, wearing black body armor and visored helmets. They all wore the same emblem, a mirrored, blue MTF badge, with the words 'ETHICS CODE PIONEER’ under it, Latin for 'Maintain code’. The men didn't shout, they simply said: “Get on the wall”.
And so the council did. As some began to sob gently, their fellow councilman grabbed their hand, pulling their blindfolds down on the command from their Killers.
-3 didn't turn, but simply said “Well gentlemen, I suppose there won't be crab and Pepsi at the end of this meeting”
There were a few chuckles before the POP POP POP of submachine gunfire echoed through the room.

It had been three hours since. New men entered the room, fresh faces to the old man at the head of the room. There was a new X-1,-2, and -3, all having similar personalities to their predecessor.

They sat in the seats, all of the council. One curious member, noticing a drawer, attempted to open it.

The old man at the head of the room spoke
“Don't open that. Not now, at least”

And so he didn't.