Content Warning: The source material contains racism, discrimination, and white supremacy. Additionally, the source material contains misogyny, violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Ellice Littlejohn stands at a Greyhound Bus Station with her younger brother Sam, and Vera, their neighbor. Ellice is leaving Chillicothe because she received a full scholarship to a boarding school in Virginia. Vera tells Ellice that she has outgrown Chillicothe and she must take this opportunity to leave it. Ellice gets on the bus and waves goodbye.

Ellice arrives at the Houghton Transportation lobby at 6:45 am to meet her boss, Michael Sayles, the executive vice president and general counsel. Ellice works as Michael’s assistant general counsel and they are having an affair.

Ellice knocks on the door to Michael’s office, then lets herself in when he does not answer. She turns on the light and sees Michael’s lifeless body with a bullet hole in his head and a gun near his body. Ellice knows that no one knows about their meeting, so she closes the door behind her and leaves Michael’s body without calling for help.