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How Far Will You Go?
The Receptionist

The Receptionist

Mr.Smith, a cliche alias but needed for this particular job. It was a name Smith had gotten used to over the many years since he began working for the Organization. His Coal colored suit and black shades that hid dark-colored eyes were all just for appearance.

Mr.Smith preferring the casual attire to the formal. But the appearance was just one part of today for him. The two, thick vanilla folders laid before him were, the top one having a picture clipped to the front.

The very clear image of a male in his thirties with brown hair cut short with gray appearing near the ends already, dark green eyes, and angular features. Moderately handsome on the human appearance scale.

The table inside the Gray-colored, boxed shape room, was just one of the four pieces of furniture. One of which Mr.Smith was sitting in. Laying unconscious in another was Gideon Price. The white sheets of the bed matching his White jumpsuit.

He was a Veteran that came home on his first day of retirement to find his family slaughtered by a Class One Entity. The lowest on the totem pole for the Organization threat chart but something this soldier still managed to kill.

What made this case oh so special to the point that a contract was drawn up by Admin to hire Gideon was what seemed to be his 'Luck'.

The Organization was not the biggest but they did keep eyes on Entities that tended to spread. This one classified as a B since it had already eaten its way through the whole neighborhood in a matter of half an hour.

Terrifying to say the least.

Mr.Smith sighed heavily as he looked around the room, the table his folders were on had a chair opposite of him for when Gideon woke up.

"Doctor. Has the Class 1 Sedatives taken effect?" He said out loud.

The air behind Mr.Smith merely seemed to shudder before a response came, a paper-thin voice at best.

"They have. He should wake in five minutes."

Nodding, Smith reached out to grasp the first folder on the two vanilla high stack of paperwork. Even though he had read it before it never hurt to have a refresher.

Opening to the first page Mr.Smith silently read.

Gideon Price

Age 35

Height of five foot eleven

Weight is 197 (Last Physical)

Start the service at 17 with a school friend named Jonathan Henderson. Same boot camp and passed with close to top PT and Marksmanship scores before being deployed to the same unit. Gideon was given the option of going to Airborn followed by Rangers but declined after passing the first school.

Went on to be deployed in Iran, Afghanistan, and South America. Declined the rank of NCO twice to stay in the field before being forcefully promoted.

Mr.Smith decided not to reread the interesting list of things Gideon did in those places and instead continued farther down the page.

A list of Friends, Family members both dead as well as alive, bank accounts, and juvenile records pulled.

"Hmm.." Mr.Smith flipped to the next couple of pages that merely showed previous medical history from the start of his life as a newborn to current date ones.

Stirring caught Mr.Smith's attention as the man named Gideon groaned and shifted in his prone position, his awakening a minute or two away no doubt.

Setting down the thick, vanilla folder he grabbed the other. This on containing only three sheets of paper.

These contained the exact sequence of events that happened in not only the household but actions took by Gideon himself during the killing of the Class One Entity.

The last page showed charts and statistics on the possibility of how likely the Entity would have spread if it had not been slain. The outcome showing an unsightly picture of at least a city-wide disaster.

It was as if on cue when Mr.Smith set down the thin Vanilla folder that Gideon rose from his slumber. Eyes blinking wide away as he looked around, the new environment unnerving.

"How did..I get here?" Gideon spoke for the first time in what only Mr.Smith knew was a week.

"Quite an interesting question, most ask where or who." Mr.Smith responded. His voice and face void of all emotion.

"Well...I remember someone picking me up.." Gideon's gaze was locked on to Smith.

Gideon's feet hitting the firm, gray tailed floor lightly as he stood up from the bed. Walking over to the table before pulling out the chair and sitting down across from the unknown man.

"Good Morning Mr.Price. You may call me Smith or Mr.Smith depending on how polite you wish to be."

"Now that you are awake I have a couple questions for you and I am sure you have questions for me. First, I must ask you to sign some paperwork for me before you can ask me anything."

Smith's words kept flowing as reached into his suits inner pocket and withdrew a literal scroll, wax seal and ribbons to boot.

Gideon looked between the man and the piece of rolled parchment. "Are you..fucking with me?" A tick already began to form in Gideon's jaw Smith noticed.

"Please Mr.Price, calm. This is needed for you to ask your questions and even leave this place." The monotone voice seemed to turn soothing at the last word.

"To even leave? Am I a prisoner now? Trapped not only just in this hell hole but with...with..." Gideon's voice trembled as he tried to remember. Remember something important.

"What did you do. Did you fuck with my mind now too?!" Gideon's voice growled out the sentence, anger infused.

"Calm. Please. It only temporary as the state you were in was..unable to function in a civilized manner." Smith merely raised a hand to motion to calm as he went into his pocket once more.

Withdrawing a quill with feather painted black. So black it seemed to be a small tear in the realm as if not meant to be.

The Quill was set next to the scroll as Smith withdrew his hands and intertwined his finger on the table. Leaning forward ever so slightly.

Gideon merely stared at Smith with almost palpable hatred for some unknown reason. It was as if the back of his mind was saying it what he should do.

"What happens if I sign that.." Gideon forced his emotions back under his control as he attempted to dig.

"Why it is an agreement Mr.Price. Simply put you will be able to ask questions and be able to leave the facility under a nondisclosure agreement." Smith gave a reassuring smile that looked very odd with his tone of voice.

"As well you shall be unable to talk about the events that happened precisely one hundred and seventy hours, thirty-two minutes, and fifty-three seconds ago. Should you attempt to the contract shall take effect." Smith ended the statement with another smile.

"Effect..? What the hell do you mean? Are you talking like..supernatural shit you read in books? Geas?" Gideon slowly said the last word.

"Precisely Mr.Price. This contract will put one of those on you. Failure to follow it will allow it to take control and make your death look..accidental at best. Gruesome at worst."

"Fuck me.." Burying his face into his hands as if to scrub away the bizarre things happening in front of his very eyes.

"Anything else..I should be aware of?" Gideon looked up to stare again.

"Why yes Mr.Price. should you accept the agreement and wish to..explore further we may have a job offer for you. I am your interviewer and Receptionist." Smith said.

Silence reigned for almost a minute as Gideon tried to stare down the man, but Smith was practically immune behind his immaculate suit and dark shades covering his eyes. The expressionless face helped a lot though.

"Fine. I shall sign. You leave me little to no choice at all anyway." Reaching out to grab the scroll he quickly broke the wax seal, something uncomfortably easy to Gideon as he unrolled it.

The once small scroll unfurled until the end of it landed on the floor and rolled for another few feet. "What the.."

"Ah, yes. Those are all the clauses and things you can not do. Mostly do not speak about it, write it down, make a video or movie of it. Anything with the idea of..conveying it should activate the Geas." Smith said.

"There are more but those are the basic ones."

Stunned for a mere moment Gideon pulled it together as he began pulling the bottom up to the table.

Gideon had never been truly good st reading contracts but he made it his job to read it. Especially if his life relied on him to not fuck up.

The amount of time passed was unknown as Gideon read, glancing up at Smith who had not moved a mere centimeter the entire time. "Mind if I get some water?"

"Why of course Mr.Price." Smith said.

With just a mere blink a plastic cup that could be found in any office building was placed to the right side of Gideon, three-quarters of the way full with water.

"Thanks.." Gideon said, picking up the cup and sniffing at it. Still untrusting before taking the smallest of sips. No immediate effects displaying themselves as he drank it all in a few swallows.

Parched throat gone he continued to read the last few lines before setting down the scroll and picking up the Quill. "Ink?"

"Ah, just merely prick your finger and the Quill shall withdraw the needed amount for your signature." Smith nodded slightly, his voice still monotone.

"Freaky shit.." Gideon muttered, hesitantly raiding his finger to prick the quill after dropping the parchment. A sudden spike of pain arrived then faded.

The once metal-tipped instrument a faint red as Gideon held it and looked.

"Please sign anywhere at the bottom." Smith said.

Looking from the paper to Smith a few times Gideon slowly signed his signature. Mostly the capital letters of his first and last name with scribbles.

After the quill was pulled away the scroll rolled itself up rapidly before 'popping' from existence as if it was never there.

The tip of the quill fading quickly to its regular hue before Smith held out his hand, gesturing for it to be returned.

"Also, I would advise no hostile actions in this place while holding that a potential weapon. It is pointless Mr.Price." Smith said.

Gideon did not quite freeze but his actions slowed as he put the quill in the outstretched hand. One that made the writing instrument disappear into his coats inner pocket where it retrieved from.

"Good, we may now talk Mr.Price. I will let you ask your questions first since the memories of before should be returning any moment now."

Gideon spaced out during those words. Memories flooding into him slowly, gingerly even as if to make sure he did not have another breakdown.

His wife, two kids, insects much to large to live on the planet according to his old school lessons, and the hissing man. It all came back in pieces that made Gideon groan and wince.

Another unknown amount of time passed as Smith motionlessly watch. Gideon raised his head before he shuddered and asked his first question.

"Who are you?" Gideon spoke.

"A standard question. My name is Mr.Smith or Smith depending on the formalities in place. I work as the Organisations recruiter and a field agent when the need arises. Your case being such." Smith said.

"Organization? Which one? NSA? CIA? I know they have secret counterparts." Gideon crossed his arms before leaning back in the wooden chair.

"A better question. No, we are not part of those even if they do work with us and answer to us depending on the situation. For simplicity's sake, we are referred to as GSCA. Global Supernatural Counter Agency or FFSA for the regulars recruited by us. For Fuck's Sake Agency."

Moving for the first time Smith shifted his hands into his lap, the perfection of etiquette.

"They think we do not hear and yet they are right. Many of the other alphabet soup agencies think they can handle the entities that arrive in this world without our help. Resulting in more lives lost and many more people are being put under contract. Like you are."

Gideon only stared and digested this information as he nodded for Smith to continue.

"It is also why you will figure out very quickly that yes we may be powerful, but always short-staffed. Even with the best gear to face the entities from different realms, we lose people. It is why we took such an interest in Mr.Price. you fought off an Entry-level or Level One entity all by yourself."

Nodding in slight understanding Gideon asked another question.

"What was the thing that killed my..family? You said it was just an Entry-level thing? Level one? Going to assume there are much more dangerous and levels of this?"

Smith nodded. "You would be correct. We in the Organization run off a two chart system to determine the Entities threat level. First is the initial threat. How powerful or how fast for example? Does it have magical powers or such? This scale only goes up to three."

Raising one of his hands with a single finger Smith continued.

"Level ones are usually anywhere from between a house to a neighborhood level threat. Dangerous but nothing a single team or two can't handle."

Smith raised a second finger.

"Level twos are where we begin sending on multiple teams with better tactical support. Armor and weapons either geared towards that particular threat or with heavy ordnance. This is usually a city to multiple state-level threats."

Raising the final finger Smith's view seemed to grow a bit serious.

"The final is considered National to Global level of threats. These...Entities are powerful enough to wipe cities and can extinguish life as we know it. Yes, we know of one and it has never been killed. Yes, we have thought of nuclear and many other strategies."

Gideon's brow raised higher the more Smith talked about it. "I see..and the other chart as you said?"

Smith nodded. "Yes, sometimes the Entity that arrives in this world comes with a harmful disease or way to spread. We run off an A to D chart. A being the highest."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Stopping for a moment to think Smith lowered his hand back into his lap.

"Example. Zombies are an infection level of C to B. The rating has lowered since we found more effective counters over the years. A initial outbreak is quite hard anyway as we watch closely for them. A single bite infects you and the casualty rate is near ninety-nine percent. Few are immune to it."

Gideon looked stumped for a moment. "Zombies are real?"

Smith nodded. "Of course Mr.Price, there are even several types like Rage Zombies and Spore ones. Nasty things those two are."

"Uh-huh.." Gideon shifted in his seat. "Well. You said you are interested in me? How so?"

"This is where we tiptoe the gray line for the second contract Mr.Price. We are interested because of your 'Luck'. Something so..undescrible and yet so powerful. Yes, we believe in it and it makes for the best people most of the time. Fate is fickle yet it has ones she likes. You defeated a Class One. Killed it by yourself with limited resources. Maintained a level head during this except for the end of course. And you are currently rationalizing everything I am telling you."

Smith once again brought up his hands as if counting.

"Something this world tends to very badly react to. To the point most Entities break a person's mind at the mere sight, they should not exist."

Gideon slowly nodded.

"So, in the end, you have made me happy enough to offer you a job Mr.Price. I currently have two options for recruitment that may interest you. One falls more in line with your old job but with more freedom and the other is close but widely different." Smith said.

Reaching into his coal colored suit he pulled out another scroll from the same inner pocket. One that should not have been Gideon noted.

This one appeared newer than the older looking parchment from before.

"This will allow a bit more direct questions about the organziation," Smith said.

"Question, what is the organization's goal with the 'Entities'?" Gideon glanced at the scroll then back to Smith.

"Good to know you are not missing valid information Mr.Price. most do no ask the correct ones." A smile graced the lips of Mr.Smith's facial features.

An eery thing.

"We do more than just deal with Entities Mr.Price, everything from supernatural beings, realm incursion, and even protection services. Yes, werewolf and Vampires exist but they may be a bit more different than the legends or stuff in books people read about."

Gideon was yet again stumped but his mind quickly shifted back to focus. "I see. We talking like Diplomats and security guards kind of thing?"

Smith nodded. "Of course. Not all entities that come to our world are powerful beasts that wish to eat us all. Some are civil and wish to trade. No, I can not say who or what until the second contract is signed and you have the proper clearance."

"In rare occurrences, we bring certain individuals to trade agreements on another homeworld as a symbol of peace and trust. We are in charge of that entire detail."

Letting out a long sigh Gideon's head started aching at the sheer scope of things this 'Organization' did.

"This is..quite a lot. You said before you were short-staffed? How? I am sure you can hire some more fellows like me if your a global organization right?" Gideon asked another question.

"We are not all-knowing and powerful Mr.Price. We have our limits as others do, we can not find every single person of your type or who can handle entities with ease. They are rare and it is another reason why some of our staff in the Organization are not completely human." Smith said.

"Not human?" Gideon arched a brow at that.

"Of course. You can not assume humans are the most powerful things to roam this planet, can you? Werewolves make a good part of the combat side of our Organization along with a vampire or two. They are rare and most do not wish to venture from their groups."

"Alright well...I won't lie. The recruitment interests me since I have..nothing left to go back to really. Did Henderson survive?" Gideon asked hopefully.

"No Mr.Price he did not. Most of that neighborhood had already been eaten the things outside were the Entities way of hiding itself. It was until you began murdering its kin and it acted before our sensors picked up on it. On that action, it sent out a small one of its brood to murder him." Smith shook his head.

"If it is of any importance he went without pain. The brood went through the windshield and decapitated him. My condolences Mr.Price, if you need a moment I understand."

Sitting there Gideon shuddered, another one of his loved ones passed. Murder and killed by these entities that seem to come from another place and on to earth. "So..if I accept the second contract would I be able to kill them often?"

Gideon's voice had a hint of tremble at it. The words that escaped his mouth ones of barely contained grief and vengeance.

Mr.Smith merely smiled and nodded. His once robotic style of mannerisms fading as if to understand.

"Yes, Mr.Price. Most join for this very reason. Lost of loved ones and revenge, just do not let it control you. Focus and harness it for the greater good. Maybe even help a family to keep them away from what happened to yours."

At the end of Smith's statement, he once again brought out the very same quill from before. Gideon taking it and pricking his finger.

Breaking the wax seal the parchment was much smaller and looked its actual size when unrolled, an x and line at the bottom for his signature.

He gave it a quick read over compare to the slow and meticulous from before. His signature on the paper not even two minutes later.

The same sequence of events happening as the scroll 'popped' put and the quill returned.

"Welcome abroad Mr.Price. We of GSCA hope you do us a great service as well as protect the world as a whole. Now on to your job Mr.Price we have two selected." Smiling still Smith looked up to the ceiling.

"We may release the wards, Doctor." Silence reigns before the once gray walls shifted and churned, Gideon, sitting in an office instead of his once window and doorless prison.

Still, in his white jumpsuit, Gideon looked around inside a decent size office, a beautifully carved desk before him that had Mr.Smith sitting behind it. Walls careless besides the few shelves filled to the brim with books.

The desk itself was perfectly clean of any and all dust, paperwork neatly stacked and only a name plank and cup of pens placed there. No family pictures no personal effects, it was strictly for work.

"Better accommodations I say Mr.Price, the two jobs are as followed. We have are standard security force that deals with both Domestic and extraplanar threats. The job of a soldier and something we recommend more so than the other job."

Smith reached into one of the drawers behind the desk and withdrew a vanilla folder, placing it before Gideon.

"Next we have our field agents. People who are like supernatural police or who deal with covert operations." A thicker vanilla folder made itself know besides the one already there.

"We recommend the soldier route as you already have experience but you get better equipment and then moved into a task force. Be it one missing member or a newly formed one. Questions?"

"So Grunt or Detective gone beat cop?" Gideon asked.

"More or less Mr.Price. Though we do so much more." Smith smiled.

"Yeah...I will do what I did before. Comfort zone and all." Gideon picked up the vanilla folder that represented it.

"Rather not go solo against the things you have told me about, no offense." Gideon said.

"Perfectly understandable Mr.Price. With your choice, we shall have you clothed, outfitted with gear, and a place to eat and sleep. Keep a hold of that folder Mr.Price. It talks about your Orders and things you will be required to do and maintain while in service."

Smith then reached up and motioned towards the door. "Good day you Mr.Price. it was a pleasure to meet and speak with you. The exit is there in place should be your guide around the facility."

Gideon merely grunted and tucked the folder into his arm, trapping it between arm and peck before he exited.

He was expecting an office style of building and got it. It was one of the more open styles as well, reminding Gideon of a police station in the movies.

Multiple desks with sides office with black name plank hanging from them. Meeting rooms behind the regular glass were situated in the far corners of this place.

Most of the men and women looked up to merely give Gideon a glance before going back to their more important business.

It was a surreal moment for sure as Gideon almost jumped out of his skin as a man stood beside him, sneak up on him without his notice.

"Mr.Price.." A blonde, crew cute male spoke up.

Gideon slowly turned and tried to bury his shocked emotion. Gideon staring at the man who was impeccably dressed in a suit much the same as Smith.

Only his was black, all of it was.

"Mr.Price my name is Daniel. I will be escorting you and showing you around the facility today. Please come with me." The tone gave no room for anything else as Gideon followed behind.

The first thing that got Gideon was the pointed ears, pierced in a way that was appropriate for the workplace along with the slight bump on his left hip.

"You are currently in the workplace, reserved for field agents, those are getting hired, and anything specifically wanted by the agents." With a brisk walk that had even Gideon struggling to keep up from the taller man, they reached the elevator.

"This is the main thing need to know in this facility. An elevator can take you to where ever you need. Find the button with the associated tag like where we will be heading."

Daniel reached out and pushed a button near the middle of a dozen selections. The elevator opening up with a ding before Daniel stepped in, Gideon behind him.

"This tour shall be fast and more common sense than anything else." The elevator shut silently and without even a second of passive they stepped off into what looked like an extremely large military complex. Only indoors.

It looked almost like a small town as men and women patrolled in different uniforms and armor. Some look like just a high tech version of today's modern armor only more coverage, appearing as a multi-layered plate.

Others in what appeared to be slick exoskeletons on top of the previously said armor. Extra slots for pouches, armor, and some heavy ordnance like grenades hung on their sides, backs, and fronts.

It was surreal as Gideon continues to look and almost forgot to catch up Daniel as what looked like a heavily modified APC rolled by. The engine almost silent until it got within a dozen yards.

"Like a Sci-Fi movie.." Gideon said silently to himself.

The walk took them inside the town, bypassing what stood as a security checkpoint manned by a single solider. One decked out in the same exoskeleton looking armor from before.

The AR-10 clutched in gloved hands had a weird and custom muzzle break at the end of. It looked like Gideon's DDM4A1 but chambered for something bigger.

7.62 if Gideon had to guess, the regular magazines used by the military had a slight curve to then while these were rectangle-shaped. Twenty to twenty-five rounds at most.

The man himself was in full battle Rattle as well. Eight rifle magazines hung from the vest in the front. A matte black sidearm in a thigh holster with extra magazine attached to the side of the vest.

The camouflage was a mix between grays and black digital ACUs. What made it even higher-tech was the full and robotic looking helmet attached to the whole uniform by what looked like clamps.

The guard turning his head from the stare Gideon was giving hin and from when he walked by. The two pairs of eyes hidden behind dark blue, glass-like material stared back.

All in all Gideon kind if compared them to ODST's from a Sci-Fi game he played back a few years ago. Only more hopped up and more coverage with the armor.

"Mr.Price, you will be reporting to Platoon Commander Evergreen. She will instruct you from here since it seems I have been called." Daniel turned around with what seemed to be his standard, serious face.

Walking off after pointing to a rather large two-story building, remind Gideon the supply depots you picked up the new or old gear from while in the service.

"Huh..a lot like the military."

Striding forward with a purpose to his step he pulled open the windowless, metal door that brought him into a small waiting room. One with a blonde-haired woman behind the counter looking bored out of her mind.

But bored no longer as her eyes lit up like lights and she sat up straight from the previous leaned position in the chair behind a desk.

"Well hello! My name is Savannah how may I help you today?"

Her cheerful voice sounded out.

"Names Gideon. Here to report to Platoon Commander Evergreen?" Gideon responded with.

"I understand, new recruit I take it? Have the white suit going on along with the folder I see. We haven't had one in about a week or so"

She droned on for a few more minutes as Gideon filtered out the unnecessary stuff.

"But first while you're here we will get all suited up! Please go over to the far door to my left and go through after you hear the latch disengage."

Nodding at that Gideon stepped towards it and through the fore mention latch moving. The new area a very..very large armory that went out a bit to far compared to the outside of the building.

"Space wizards..fucking space wizards.." Gideon muttered as everything he had seen so far seemed to either increase space or make stuff pop out of nowhere.

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