The Deadman

The City of Saint Lucius was full of criminal syndicates. As for the reason why it was simple. Saint Lucius back in the day, was a place where the smuggled contraband and illegal goods were being stored and transported during the time when the National Socialists of Germany were trying to take on the world.

Saint Lucius back then was naturally covered by forests and mountains.

The port was hidden by the mangroves and tupelo forests that had sunken to the bottom of the ocean after they decided to remove them to expand the port.

Because of expanding the port, the city was well-hidden, and criminal elements got the idea to migrate to the city. In 1950, criminal syndicates made their mark on the city of Saint Lucius. Made it prosperous and corrupt.

For years the criminal syndicates thrived in the city, ruling like kings. Then in 1968, they were threatened by an unknown organization and were almost wiped out. There wasn’t much activity from the criminal syndicates until 1991 when the cold war ended.

The old players came back and uncovered their foundation from the ruins.

Robert tapped his fingers on his desk.

He had forgotten something about being part of an organization. And that he still needed to do the paperwork. It's not all action and mysteries.

He was called to the headquarters by Miss Juliana to take care of the paperwork and at that moment Lt. Richardson was introducing a new Enforcer that will be seated next to him in his office space.

“Oswald, this is Lauren Scaletta. She is the new Enforcer that have been reassigned here.”

Robert extended his hand out. She shook it.

“Ms. Scaletta here was a detective. She had transferred here to Saint Lucius after getting to know our side of the world. She’s a talented woman who had the qualifications to become an officer of the law in many countries. And she will be working in this City as of today.”

The way Lt. Richardson speaks of her clearly showed his favorable opinion of her. She looked at the office space and the desk sitting not far from her new one. Her eyes were on the stacks of paperwork that had piled up.

“And Oswald, I’d like to remind you that because of our affiliation with various organizations. You can flash your badge and be part of a local force. It seems that you have forgotten that according to some of our Officers.”

The badge that he had been issued was one of the tools of their trade. A tool that Robert had been forgetting to use after having another pair of memories inside his head. It’s a tricky badge that transforms to match the appropriate credentials that the one looking at it wants to see.

One looked at the badge and it would turn into whatever credential they wanted to see.

Ghost Badges gives the equivalent rank to the one holding it.

The Lieutenant left. Leaving only two of them in the office space. Miss Scaletta looks at her desk before mustering her courage. She studied Robert’s face and spoke in a controlled voice.

“Do you have any problems with my assignment here?”

“Hmm?”

“I would like to know so I know how to stand.”

“I don’t get what you’re trying to say.”

“You seem like you are not fond of my assignment here.”

Robert blinked. He loosened his facial expression.

“Did I look like that?”

“Yes. And if you have any problems with my assignment here. Then let’s settle it.”

“I have none. What made you think that, Miss?”

“You don’t look so please.”

“Well, I did miss my paperwork for days. Got scolded by Miss Juliana about it. Other than the work that piled up. I have no problems with you. Must be quite bad in your previous workplace. To have you think that.”

Robert sorted through the documents. She leaned one hand on her desk.

“It was bad. I just hope that you have no grievances with me. I’d like to settle it already if you do.”

Robert’s hand was on one document, and the other was on the keyboard.

“Nope. I don’t mind at all.”

Robert found it hard to start a partnership like this.

“Scaletta, how long have you been aware of this side of the world?”

“One and a half now.”

“Not that long either. Any masteries?”

“Elemental spells. Four elements.”

“Nice. I can only use three.”

“When did you become aware of this?

“Two years ago. Not that long.”

She sat on her office chair.

“Saw many things already?”

“I did. Have you read my file?”

“It was interesting. Were you a criminal?

“Mercenary.”

“I see.”

Robert placed one of the files on the side.

“So you were a detective?”

“I was.”

“How did you get involved in this? Must be a promising career only to end up in this organization.”

“I was after a criminal. The criminal had connections to this side of the world and when I was able to capture him. He killed my partner and was about to turn me into a puppet. Voodoo Witchcraft that would have made me one of his drones.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Miss Dupont rescued me. She gave me the honor of shooting that man in the head. And I believe that like all Officers here. I was given the choice to join or perish.”

And after that, it took only a few months for her to reach her rank.

“Must have done a lot of work, Miss.”

“I couldn’t let them go. Not when Miss Dupont gave me the ability to fight these monsters.”

Her expression went solid. Robert could somewhat guess that she’s here because of that.

“After something here in Saint Lucius?”

“You can say that.”

Robert knew when not to ask questions.

“I hope that you find a trail.”

She nodded quietly. Miss Scaletta looked at the desk. She was looking at something that Robert didn't know what.

“Are you still working on the case against the OTS and their connection to the local syndicate?”

“I am. But Agent Wilson hasn’t contacted me after we took Dayton down and captured him.”

“You took down the Captain of one of the smuggling heads. It riled up a lot of the local syndicates here. Honestly, it was quite a reckless thing to do. But it allowed some of the Enforcers to focus on other tasks. I should thank you for that, Oswald.”

Robert leaned back. He looked at his desk. Most of the documents on his desk are related to criminal organizations lurking in the city.

There are two divisions in the Commission.

The Division focused on supernatural elements.

And the Division focused on criminal elements that were related to syndicates and organizations that were linked to the occult and supernatural.

It was judged that he was more suitable for this side of the organization after dealing with the sewer accident and his actions against the Smuggling operation formerly run by Dayton.

“Miss Scaletta, are we in the same division?”

“Yes. But I’m not working on the same case. Lt. Richardson made it clear to me that we are spread thin and wants me to take care of a problem in other places. The host country, there seems to be a lot of problems happening around.”

“And you choose to be assigned here?”

Miss Scaletta nodded her head.

“I heard that the situation here was better when it comes to learning magical abilities and we have more resources here than other places of learning. Not that it will matter.”

“Oh yeah, that’s getting a lot of attention these days.”

“The Millennium Bug was it?”

It was a prophecy that had been spreading among those who know. It was said that it was coming to them. And many believed it to be true that it would put magic on the lesser side of the scale.

“A shift was coming. I heard that this one was even worse than the last shift in scale. It’s kind of a bummer in a way. Learning that magic exists only for others to say that it might go away in a few years.”

It really was. Robert had been hearing that magic was severely limited. They would need to have ammunition and fuel for their magic.

Medium exists for them to use. And through that medium, they could use their magic.

“It really does, doesn’t it? Still, you want to learn despite knowing that?”

“I do.”

Miss Scaletta was determined. Robert wanted to focus on his paperwork, but with how she started their talk. He wants to clear the air. Make it comfortable. He spent two hours trying to get to know her enough that she’d allow him to call her Scaletta.

After that she left to do her job which left Robert alone in his cubicle, typed on his office computer, sorted out reports, and filing it.

Finishing his report, he brought it to Juliana who accepted it without a word. Robert’s about to take a leave. He stopped, looked down and approached Juliana without the usual lazy expression he usually have. Juliana raises her head to meet his gaze.

“What was it?”

“This Millennium Bug that everyone was talking about. Is it real?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Because you know a lot, Miss.”

Juliana stared at him before sighing.

“Yes. It was coming. Our Seers say that it will happen at the end of the century. What? It’s nothing more than a shift. It will… limit our ability to use spells as we pleased. But this was the reality of our side of the world the moment we go to the side of industrialization and science rather than tradition and myth. Are you the kind that mourns because his magic was dwindling as well? I do understand the frustration of limitations. But this was the path better for this world. It will be harder for people to use such powers and also hard to summon creatures from hell.”

Juliana stared him down.

“You don’t seem to care about losing it. If anything you don’t seem fond of using your abilities.”

“I mean guns are useful, Miss.”

“They are. I do understand that you are limited by your own limitations, but other than using it as a lighter. You have no interest in it.”

Robert looked away.

The world wasn’t the same.

It’s still fresh. Untainted to the point that for someone who had witnessed a hostile sky. Magic that he had seen and can do isn’t so different from that technology could do in the future he knew.

Witnessing Lesnik’s true magic in that forest had changed that perspective and he knew that no amount of technology could replicate that overwhelming sense of dread.

“I have an interest. Unfortunately, my talents are limited. Even more than now.”

“I saw your report. Lesnik… had shifted your affinity to sealing and binding. More of our people will go that way in the end. We will have to find ways to contain monsters and deal with problems that will come to us if the shift happens.”

“How long?”

“I said it already. When this century ends. You might think that magic will cease to exist, but no, it will remain. Most of those who don’t know it really does exist will think that it's nothing more than nonsense. Superstitions that should be abandoned. Anomalies will not cease to exist. The supernatural will remain and maybe in a thousand years. Magic will return back to a time when we wield them without counting how many times we can use them in a day. It will remain as long as one thinks of wanting to shoot a fireball from their hands. Think of superstitions. Pray to God and believe in the old ways.”

There was certainty in her voice. A certainty that made Robert wonder where she was getting it.

“Your stare was disturbing.”

She looked at Robert funny. Robert shrugged his shoulders and said with a tiny smile on his mug.

“Miss, you sure talk a lot for someone who looks annoyed.”

“I like speaking. God gave me my mouth. Are we done with this?”

“We are.”

Miss Juliana looked at her computer and then raised her hand to stop Oswald from leaving.

“One last thing, Oswald.”

Robert lifted a brow.

“Your outfit is now available. Please get it from the Enchanter and try not to have it torn apart by cultists again. After that, please meet up with Agent Wilson in the same café where you met him last time. He will tell you about his latest findings.”

Robert’s face hardened.

It had been days since he had heard from Wilson and now that he was contacting him.

It means that the Agent might now have an idea of who Dayton was answering to.