Phoenix

Everyone's screens go black.

A symbol slowly fades into view.

The Phoenix.

Then the music begins.

> See the white light

From within

Be your own disciple

Fan the sparks of will

For all of us waiting

Our kingdom will come

The image fades.

A hooded man appears on screen.

Mouth covered.

Hands tied

Sitting beside him is a dark silhouette dressed in black.

He wears a smooth, matte-black mask.

Across the mask burns a fiery phoenix. Its wings stretch across where the eyes should be, while the bird's body runs down the bridge of the nose.

Black leather gloves cover his hands.

In one hand he holds a small notebook.

He begins to speak.

The mask distorts his voice into something unnatural—deep, eerie, impossible to identify.

"Welcome, my friends."

"I'm your host, René."

"Our first guest needs no introduction."

He removes the hood and mouth cover from the man sitting beside him.

Extending his hand toward him, he announces,

"Mr. Kim."

"While Mr. Kim doesn't speak English..."

"...we have the technology."

"Mr. Kim..."

"...say hello to our audience."

Kim never takes his eyes off the masked man.

Filled with hatred, he snarls,

"Do you know what they'll do to you for this?"

René bursts into laughter.

"What will they do to me?"

"They'll skin you alive."

René falls silent.

A brief pause.

Then he casually waves his hand.

"Oh... that's a bit excessive."

"I don't believe that."

"If you'd said they'd shoot me..."

"...I'd have believed you."

"Now then..."

"Let's begin with our first question."

René opens his notebook.

"You have ruled the Republic of Lesdives for twenty-one years."

"How have you managed to stay in power for so long?"

Kim answers immediately.

"My people worship me."

Silence.

René freezes.

He doesn't move.

He simply stares at the dictator.

Several long seconds pass.

Without warning—

He grabs Kim by the head and slams his face into the table.

Blood sprays across the wood.

Kim immediately erupts into furious insults.

René slams his face into the table again.

Harder.

The insults stop.

Pain replaces rage.

"What do you want?!" Kim screams.

René smashes his face into the table a third time.

The dictator, a man who had likely forgotten the meaning of the words please and mercy, now begs.

"I'll do anything!"

"Tell me what you want!"

René says nothing.

Instead...

He slowly raises the notebook.

Then points toward the camera.

Kim understands.

Answer the question.

"O-okay..."

"I bribed people."

"They intimidated them."

René tilts his head.

"No..."

Kim corrects himself.

"They were afraid."

"They knew..."

"...if they didn't vote for me..."

"...their lives would become difficult."

"Excellent."

"So you are capable of telling the truth after all, Mr. Kim."

"I'm impressed."

At that moment, a third figure enters the frame.

He is dressed entirely in black.

His mask is plain—no phoenix.

One arm, however, is completely uncovered.

Tattooed across his forearm are numbers.

They resemble geographic coordinates.

He carries a clean cloth.

Without saying a word, he gently wipes the blood from Kim's face.

"René."

"Children are going to watch this."

He says sternly.

"He lied."

René complains.

The tattooed man turns toward him.

"You know the rules."

"...Things like this happen after the broadcast