Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Only Slightly Different

  Robert takes his time to make his report. He hovers his fingers on the keys of the typewriter and starts typing:

On June 17, 1997, at 0100 hrs. I was dispatched to find the criminals that are suspected of trafficking humans in SAINT LUCIUS. My superior, LT. RICHARDSON CLARKE, ordered me to contact AGENT WILLIAM WILSON to gather information that would allow me to track BO SOTTANTI and DAYTON AMUSO.

Upon arrival at TRADE PLAZA, I met with AGENT WILSON. After gathering information from AGENT WILSON. I was directed to an informant near the subway and met up with an anonymous informer of the AGENT WILSON who refused to name himself. After giving the address, the location where THOMAS GOSS was said to be in.

I waited for an opportune moment to get a disguise and infiltrate their hideout and entered the kitchen. There were multiple assailants in the building. I judged that it would be appropriate to cause a distraction.

After causing a fire in their kitchen, I was able to infiltrate the office of THOMAS GOSS and take possession of evidence in the form of a hard drive, documents, and ledgers.

The information that I got from THOMAS GOSS allowed me to track the target who AGENT WILSON believed would point out the location of BO SOTTANTI, the suspected CAPTAIN of a Crime Syndicate working alongside OTS.

Upon arrival at PERA CLUBHOUSE. I concluded that the best action to take is to distract them with fire. The commotion made it easy for me to enter the clubhouse, procure weapons and equipment from their armory and subdue BO SOTTANTI.

I confirmed that BO SOTTANTI is a HALFBREED. I emptied 60 rounds on BO SOTTANTI. I believe that he has a CHARM AGAINST PROJECTILES in him, but the rest of the bullets he shrugged off. To compensate I had to cut off his tendons and immobile him.

I received a call that BO SOTTANTI is now under the jurisdiction of the COMMISSION. My methods might have been excessive, but the COMMISSION must understand that BO SOTTANTI, a suspected HALFBREED,  poses a threat that requires EXTREME measures.

After neutralizing BO SOTTANTI, I was able to acquire information that would lead me to the location where DAYTON AMUSO is located, HANZEK.

A firefight started before I could approach the compound. Using this, I was able to gain entry from the back of the compound, and enter the compound undetected.

Unfortunately, it seemed that they had summoned a LESSER CREATURE from hell, a GWYLLGI. It took about 90 7.62mm rounds, 21 9mm rounds, multiple stab wounds on the brain and the eye and the chest cavity to kill the GWYLLGI. It was my mistake to enter the suspected hideout without considering that DAYTON AMUSO might be in contact with a practitioner of the summoning arts. The body of the GWYLLGI should have been retrieved by our associates.

As for DAYTON AMUSO, I was able to subdue him alive. With the target incapacitated, I was able to search his office and obtain irrefutable evidence that DAYTON AMUSO has been supplying BATHORY’s WINE and has been subjecting human lives to ritual sacrifice.

As an ENFORCER of the COMMISSION. I have no doubts that the COMMISSION will make the proper judgements.

Reporting Officer, Robert Kastel Oswald.

Robert finishes his report. He takes a look at the reference table he made and bundles it alongside his report. He takes the report to the Assistant of the Lieutenant. She took the report and filed it.

“Good work, sir.”

“Uh, Miss Juliana, can I get some compensation?”

“Hmm?”

She smiles so eerily. Robert recalls that Juliana Sorić is an agent under supervision of the Lieutenant. She’s not fully fledged as a mage yet, but as a practitioner of hexing arts with near-mastery of runic spells makes her one of the dangerous individuals here in the headquarters.

“Oh, not that, uh, I just need some living expenses…”

“Oh my, you are broke?”

“Broke, is, uh, yes, I am.”

“Mr. Oswald.”

Robert stands at attention.

“We are not a charity. I believe that as a Professional, an Enforcer working for an organization such as ours… you would have at least the tact to know how to spend the money that the organization has provided.”

She takes something out of her filing desk. Robert’s heart rate skyrockets at the sight of the paper.

“It says here that you have made a purchase, using your salary and bonus in procuring computer parts that are ridiculously expensive. These are high-end products that have recently come out.”

Robert looks away. Miss Julian’s stare hurt him.

“Seeing that you’ve purchased specific parts. I must assume that you know what you are doing with it. I mean, it’s not like a PROFESSIONAL of our organization simply bought such expensive items for his own leisure?”

“It is for my own pleasure… ma’am.”

“I see. Do I need to speak more, Mr. Oswald?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Mr. Oswald. Although you have shown skill. Affairs such as these are common. What you did in the sewers below this city is an exception and since you have risked your life. You made enough contributions that allowed you to become a high-graded enforcer. You handled this recent task recklessly and caused people to notice. Agent Wilson has made arrangements and successfully made it a mission that shouldn’t be scrutinized.

“I admit that the results are optimal and that there wasn’t time to do this quietly. But it is still reckless. I do not argue with results, but you must also understand why our Organization thrives on secrecy. Our enemies are Monolithic and Ruthless. Some say that our duty has no end. And you are not here because of charity or goodness of your heart. You are here because you have been exposed to the secret world. You have no place to walk to other than this world. You must understand, good sir. Those who see the void, must walk alongside it.”

He knows it well. That Robert was dragged to this mess. And those who came to know of this world only have two paths. To thrive on it or die.

That was how things are. There are others who know of this hidden side of the world and some of them are allowed to exist because they serve to confuse what is real and fake.

“I’m sorry for asking that. Can we please forget about it?”

Juliana stares and shrugs quietly.

“No need to apologize. You are not free from desires.”

Robert takes a leave. He stands outside of the headquarters. He looks up at the sky. Same sky. Different colors, but it’s still the same sky.

For a moment he thinks to himself.

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Will the future be like that world?

The moon landing in this world happened five years earlier. July 20, 1965 instead of July 20, 1969. There are other differences. But he wonders if it would be so different after all?

“Will you walk this world one day as well?”

Robert stops at that thought of that.

It hurts to think of that possibility.

The thought alone makes him wonder if he got here too early.

It isn’t something so tragic. He did try to have a normal life back in his life. Met a girl in a bar working as a clerk for a company. She’s small for a woman. Short-haired and baby-faced. She likes uplifting people. He couldn’t believe it at first, that someone could speak so gently and speak so wisely until he met her.

All that darkness in the world couldn’t hold her optimism. Even when the sky burns, when animals melt under a geothermal sky, she remains who she is. A kind person who didn’t let the world bring her down. She’s not naïve either. She knew how hard things are. But despite that she kept her attitude.

Robert pauses at the stop light. He looks at the motorcycle waiting for the lights to go green.

He recalls it well. Once in a while he imagines what it would be like if she’s still alive. If she’s still around. Maybe he wouldn’t be in this world. Maybe he had played the role of an expectant father, hoping to raise a child in a troubled world. Living a normal life with the woman he wanted to grow old with.

Their separation wasn’t anything grand or tragic.

It wasn’t some heinous crime that made him go on a rampage. Where he’d go after some asshole who did it simply because he was an asshole. He would have loved it if the asshole was indeed like that. At least it would give him a reason. A reason to let that ill-tempered passenger inside his head go on an unreasonable rampage.

It was simply an accident. An accident where a drunk driver plowed the back of their motorcycle when they were heading to the market.

The rear of his motorcycle took most of the impact.

She hit her head hard on the pavement and suffered a deadly concussion.

He can remember his panic.

His limp left arm flailing around as he desperately tries to take her to hospital.

Shouting and screaming for help in the emergency room.

She was taken to a hospital after some struggle.

She lived for an hour before passing away. He can still recall holding her hand as she passes. That empty feeling like all that is left in his chest got ripped away.

Her funeral is quite peaceful. She has many friends. Relatives who came to her final moments. He made use of his funds to rent transportation and bury her in one of the nicest graveyard lots that money could buy in her hometown.

It was sunny that day. He can still hear her nephews crying for her. The grief in their hearts as they watch their big sister, their aunt who has always lifted them up pass away.

Robert, no, Kato Lores buried three hearts that day.

He got five hundred thousand dollars out of that accident. The money went into her family, allowing them to live better. The rest of the money went to her nieces who she is supporting.

The rest went into hiring a lawyer. A lawyer that put that old drunk to prison. He's a retired police officer. Surprisingly, he had a good record as a police officer, and only had a fallout with his wife the day he crashed on the back of their motorcycle.

He went to prison. His sons and daughter beg him to just let it go. But Kato couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the heart to just let it go. He thought he’d feel rage. Let that ill-tempered passenger living in his head shoot that man dead. He didn’t. He was tired. He just wanted that old man out of his sight.

After that he spent some time playing old games and staying at their apartment for months.

One day he heard the news.

The old man who ruined their life died.

It was strange that after hearing that the old man in prison got shanked by one of the criminals he arrested. He felt relieved. He went out of his seclusion. He did think that he’d no longer be a mercenary.

But he was a man without much in his life and couldn't do anything else. He went back to being a mercenary. He kept his mind busy. He kept that rage directed to something else. For four years he was like that.

Most of his money went to his wife’s niece and relatives. Supporting them and making sure that those his partner supported would reach their goals.

The rest of it is keeping himself armed.

That was supposed to be his last job as a merc. He thought he’d spend that money on a beach somewhere, celebrate his birthday alone, and maybe try to move on. He doubts he’d stop being a mercenary even if he did live up to thirty. But he wanted to try and use his money to buy farmland. 

Now as Robert Oswald, he did hope that there is something else. Unfortunately, even in this world there’s still men like Dayton Amuso. It was disappointing and yet he knew that he wouldn't be able to get away now that he had stepped into this side of the world. Other than the existence of magic and the hell spawns. There isn’t much difference to what he did as a merc and now as an Enforcer of the Commission Against Supernatural Entities.

The light turns green.

He continues walking shoulder-to-shoulder with faceless men and women.

Their heads bowed. Their legs take them to whatever place they need to be.

The sky remains the same.

The people remain the same.

And he was still here among the living.

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