"The Man in the Shadows" - a short story by /u/jramification

Wrote this on a whim in a comment on r/hockey, figured some might enjoy it here.

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"The Man in the Shadows"

Following the first period of game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, a disgruntled Gary Bettman steams in his luxury box at Bridgestone Arena. Unhappy with the direction of the period of hockey he has just witnessed, he decides to take a walk. Disguised in a trench coat and large cowboy hat, he casually but briskly walks down to the referees' room. Hearing a stern knock on the door, NHL referee Kevin Pollock gets up and after a brief moment of hesitation, nervously lets the mysterious man in the room.

"Things are not always as they seem," says the dark figure in the doorway as he slowly enters. "You men have been chosen and trusted to do what is necessary to protect the interests of the brotherhood. The small market fiends are making this more difficult than we planned, and even our finest work to limit their power has proven insufficient. The time has come, you now what must be done. Godspeed gentlemen."

As the man leaves, all is silent as the four referees digest the tacit orders they have just been given. From the very beginning, they knew the risk they were taking getting involved with such a nefarious plot. And now, as they all feared, Order X87 was now in place. Afraid to make eye contact and with arms shaking, the four men lace up their skates and head to the door. With tears in his eyes, Pollock looks up to the sky...

"I'm sorry Smashville."