Occupational Hazards
In the presidential precinct.
Luis sat in his office, contemplating in complete seriousness. He frowned and looked fiercely into the vacant distance. Without exaggeration, he could have never been so serious before, not even when matters as a president complicated.
As evening came, the city of Proteros seemed lukewarm; somnolent. The world wouldn't stop time for anything, so at last, Luis took his phone and dialed a number.
… Back to Phesx and Egoais Prein, atop the PPO’s rooftop.
“What sort of secret organization are you?” Phesx Caolia asked with his left eyebrow up, still shaking the old man’s hand but starting releasing their gesture. Egoais was about to elaborate when his phone beeped. He took it out, gave it a look, and amicably smiled at Phesx, “Just in time. One moment.”
“…” Phesx waited as the old man had a chat with whomever. It seemed like a subservient relationship, but at the same time, it was not. A bit strange.
“Alright, things have been confirmed.” Egoais kept his phone and faced Phesx. The latter lifted his eyebrow again, but before he could say anything, the old man continued, “Don’t bother asking. It isn’t that someone had to accept you, or some. There are some matters you have to be wary of. You are but a criminal in the world’s eyes for now, not just in Lýmoca.”
“Then tell me,” Phesx exclaimed, calling for some explanation, shrugging his shoulders. The old man smiled, “I’ll do when we’re there. For now, learn this. My name is that which you already know, but your form of address towards me is ‘Butler’. Understood?”
“What if we become close?” Phesx asked, blinking once. Butler blinked twice, “You understood. Very well.”
“Then, are you from the Tri Fortress Shield?” Phesx asked again. Butler didn’t become impatient, replying with ease, “Would you want me to?”
“Of course not, I would be dead if that was the case.” Phesx responded. Butler nodded, saying with a pair of casual eyes, “That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t kill you after you harmed the country this badly if you hadn’t accepted us.”
“Yah. Look. I just wanted to fish out which hoog are you. It’s clear you’re one. I wanted to see if I could annoy you to tell me which one wasn’t it amidst pride and disdain for the other 2. The TFS are at odds with the Scarlet Houndhood, while the PSD is just low profile and disdained by the other 2.” Phesx shrugged and shook his head a little, revealing a few details.
“Yes, indeed. I couldn’t tell. Thank you for being honest,” the old man looked at the young boy and said those words, carrying the innocence of the night. Phesx blinked, jumped his eyebrows, and gave up.
“Come on,” said Butler before gesturing for Phesx to follow. Reluctantly and not at the same time, Phesx followed the old man all the way down the PPO, which remained empty, before entering a large, white car.
… They drove for a few minutes before arriving at a cleaner services. It was evening, but the building was bustling. It wasn’t too tall, about 4 upper floors, only taking half the street as wide. The drove into its parking lot outside the building before walking through its entryway.
“I parked outside, but you will have to enter all the way to its underground parking on your own. Outside is only for clients.” Butler said as they walked to the building entrance. Phesx nodded a bit before entering the building.
It was a normal building. Or rather, an ordinary business. Just as Phesx went in, Butler stopped him and gave him a hat, glasses, and a new jacket. “Take this. Your face is dirty, but not enough to avoid the detection of anyone’s eyes. You’re still hated and infamous, boy.”
“Oh,” Phesx exclaimed, grabbing the things and wearing them, taking his old jacket off. The stolen one.
Walking through the corridors, Butler was greeted every now and then by the employees, even those in costly uniforms that had high-profile expressions. Phesx wondered if they were part of the hoog but ended discovering they were completely ordinary.
There were even kids around here, with every employee treating the clients or visitors with smiles and natural, well dispositions. Everyone was nice, in short. Some pregnant young women even looked at him, interested and throwing a couple of flirty glances.
After walking around for 2 minutes, Butler brought him to a ‘boss only’ area, which also had a sign representing that it was an exit. Phesx met an ordinary indoors parking lot with a descent to the side. They went through the latter, arriving at a wide space with a few vehicles inside.
“Is that…?” Phesx stopped and looked at a vehicle in particular, a Myertha with some damage. Butler went back for him to continue walking together, nodding. “Yes, we retrieved it from a special agent. Mn, that’s how everyone is calling us nowadays.”
“I…” Phesx opened his mouth, but Butler gestured to a small white car. “It doesn’t work. Get in and let’s get to the base. Remember one thing, you can’t take this route unless you become a 1st Grade. You’ll know more when we get there, go on.”
Butler didn’t bother anymore and entered the car from the passenger seat. Phesx opened the door on the other side before driving out of the parking lot after a few minutes of traveling within a compact but not so small tunnel. It wasn’t like before, with Riverlye’s tunnel. It was simply a route to avoid any traffic and buildings, perhaps. Just a few meters below the surface.
Phesx Caolia didn’t know how this was possible, when a city wasn’t just walls above the ground, but there was nothing stopping or inconveniencing the tunnel, so he didn’t bother.
When they came out from the underground, with a brief ascent, they joined a tunnel where not many vehicles were driving through, and on a curve. There were various screens before the exit that showed the incoming traffic. Once the coast was clear, the driver, who was a simple man wearing only a white outfit with whitish emblems on his uniform, drove into the tunnel.
Exiting the tunnel to meet the evening traffic, Phesx watched the night’s world brimming with lights, beautiful and bustling, but somewhat controlled and watched. His doings last week surely alerted every living breath in Lýmoca. Phesx finally felt it.
It was also the first time he didn’t know how to feel with his actions scaring so many people. It made him smile, but it wasn’t a wonderful sensation. Maybe just an instinctive reaction, or perhaps from it being the first time and understand and seeing human nature develop.
At last, they arrived at a location where an immense building towered slightly tall and took an entire block from a district. It had an obscure blue stone color, and some tower-like buildings here and there, decorating the otherwise dull, ginormous building.
“This is headquarters. Phesx, you will go through some procedures before you start training. Everything will progress based on how cooperative you are. Come on, I’ll only show you the entrance. I am busy and have things to do.” Butler walked into the precinct without saying anything more.
Phesx read a sign above the entrance, spelling ‘Plastics Recycler Factory’. He humorously jumped his eyebrows, following the old man inside. It was a reception lobby with a long corridor, wide, and with a flooring of small white squares contoured by black stone.
“Ah, Mena. Here, take this fella into the medical center. You may follow the procedures to recruit him afterward. He should be in the readied section, no need to waste time.”
“Yes, sir. Should everything be explained to him?” Mena, a young woman with short brown hair, blue eyes, brown sand skin and short, nodded. She gestured to Phesx, only looking at his eyes for a second in a daze before asking Butler.
Butler shook his head, “No need. Prepare those things while I elaborate on these others.”
“Yes, Butler.” The receptionist nodded before picking a few things, ending up with a huge stalk of papers and folders, before adding some devices to the pile on her arms before walking to the back, disappearing through a double door.
“Ask away,” Butler leaned over the counter and said, staring at the entrance they entered from. Phesx placed his palms on the counter and commenced, “Which hoog is this? It can’t be SH. What are the specifics of this hoog, and… do you have… does this hoog have connections with the government?”
“Mn, sharp.” The Butler nodded before standing straight. He looked at Phesx straight to the face before replying each of his doubts, “This is Piya Sanctum District. From now on, you’re part of it. Obey your responsibilities. The main reason you were allowed to come here this fast is due to the art you showed a few hours ago. It became your ticket.”
“Ticket?” Phesx asked, thinking of something as his eyes relaxed. Butler nodded, “This secret organization has few ranks. Every new recruit receives 3rd Grade. You can only improve to 2nd and then to 1st Grade. Captains are above the 1st Grade, but it isn’t as simple as it was in your lagj organization. Yes, we do have them.”
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“As a matter of fact, Phesx, you will become an aid to Lýmoca in the future.” Butler said without much emotion or enthusiasm. Yet, they left Phesx speechless… They work with the government?!
“Why… how was the vice president in danger, and how come I am not- just- what…?” Phesx’s head fried a little. Butler chuckled, having the fun of his life, it seemed, before slapping Phesx’s shoulders. “The president didn’t think of having too much involvement with us, although that changed not too long ago, because of you.”
“Yeah, I can imagine…” Phesx spoke with tired, narrowed eyes. Butler sighed before turning around, leaving Phesx behind, somewhat confused. But he understood after he heard the receptionist return. That was when Butler spoke as he left, walking to the doors further into the factory. “Next year should be alright, peaceful; but don’t take too long. None of our special agents walk Lýmoca without being busy. Welcome to the new life, Fox.”
“…” Phesx intently looked at the old man who now disappeared, casually walking through the double doors. After some moments, he stared at the receptionist, who checked her screens, tapping her fingers on the spotless desktop below the counter.
“Does the… Piya Sanctum District use aliases here, too?” Phesx asked. The receptionist looked up at him with attention, “PSD? Everywhere. Here are your files, fill them up before continuing.”
Mena brought a few documents atop the counter, each with a massive content to fill in, with so much data that it made Phesx want to feel dizzy. But Victor’s ‘teachings’ have prepared his brains somewhat.
“The District has… well, it is a bit better than the other 2.” Said Mena. Phesx looked at her before asking, “Can they recuperate me my left arm?”
“Oh yes. It won’t be for free, so you’ll be in debt before being recognized as a special agent in the District. It’ll be a huge debt.” Mena explained. Phesx thought so, but he was surprised and glad to know the PSD could heal his arm. But then, he looked at her and asked, “How do you know my left arm was… injured?”
“Oh, ‘amputated’? Info flows in the District, hehe. Fill them up,” Mena gestured to the documents. “If you don’t know something, just write ‘I don’t know’.”
“Mn,” Phesx nodded, not failing to see the young woman’s grin. Phesx read through the documents and filled in the first one. It just asked typical things, even his name, and required a signature. But when he arrived at the others, he felt helpless.
“Alright. Now, come with me…”
Mena spoke after Phesx gave her the documents, but when she read them and opened a little door for Phesx to follow her, she stopped. Phesx politely walked backwards to not touch her. Meanwhile, Mena was… helpless. Revising the documents, she saw nearly all of them had ‘I don’t know’ filled in.
She looked back at him, who looked at the double doors behind the reception. Mena shook her head before guiding Phesx inside, thinking, ‘Who doesn’t take care of themselves like this? Sigh, he is so incredible and ridiculous at the same time.’
Walking into the double doors, Phesx found himself walking through some corridors, wide open spaces, and more corridors. It was completely different to Riverlye, who hid a few hundred meters underground. It seemed alive, somehow, and nothing trapped of the sort.
As Phesx Caolia walked into the corridors or open spaces, which had either beige, whitish silver, or a warm silver colors on the walls, ceiling, and floor, all eyes were on him.
However, when he imagined he would be a source of hatred, disgust, or wanting to take the traitor out, Phesx was instead showered by curious, challenging, and scrutinizing glances. Furthermore, it was very spacious, with many floors. Some open, which could be seen from downstairs or vice versa.
There were numerous decorations, all appearing professional yet lively, as if nature wasn’t taken lightly in this place full of incredibly capable special agents. It gave Phesx a surprise, and gladness. With this, he could ignore people and stare at plants or curious structures all he wanted.
“Okay, so we’re here. You’ll be undergoing tests for a few days. We usually use the automated tech to deal with this, but you are clearly something else. Your body will be investigated, are you fine with that?” Mena stopped after they walked for 15 long minutes.
Phesx nodded, not caring one bit, and received a nod in return. Mena opened the doors and pulled him, pinching his right palm inside. Phesx entered a wide area with multiple medium rooms adjacent to one another.
Mena brought him to the reception and gave the information to the receptionist there. The receptionist pointed at a door, which Mena nodded to, and passed the documents past a screen, copying them into the place’s system and checking the physical documents at once.
Phesx was pulled into the respective room as he kept staring at the high-end tech he only knew about before Preut’s civil war.
“Oh, he’s here.” A voice sounded. Phesx focused on the room he was pulled into, when Mena spoke to a doctor, readied up and beside a big stretcher with endless contraptions around. “Doc, you can investigate him thoroughly. His health is the most important, so make that left arm… stay there?”
“I understand,” the doctor nodded. He seemed to be an old man, maybe around his 80s or 90s. However, he looked at Phesx with some surprise, but nothing else. Phesx felt a bit ‘safer’ upon this reaction.
The doctor looked at Mena before gesturing, “Unless you want to aid in a test in particular with your body so you can’t get married, I invite you to exit, miss.”
Mena stuck her tongue out at him. She nodded at Phesx before speaking to the doctor, “I’m in charge of him, Butler said so.”
The doctor nodded, “Understood.”
With that, Mena left. When the doctor wanted to guide Phesx to the stretcher, bendable and with black cushions everywhere on top, he found the young boy to be missing. But instinctively returning his attention to the stretcher, he saw the young fella there.
“Are you… ready…? I suppose?” The doctor asked. Phesx twisted his neck, snapping it a few times, before nodding. “Go ahead.”
“One thing before that. Have you… seen yourself?” The doctor said, moving Phesx’s forearms to the armrests, but didn’t tie his wrists, or any part of his body. Phesx fell silent. No, he hasn’t. All he’s seen is his image on the TV, internet, and even on the streets, trying to remind everyone how he looked like so he wouldn’t run around them unnoticed.
On light posts, walls, and even large letters here and there. His face was everywhere, but only from when he entered the Ojazul school.
The doctor didn’t offer more words and turned around to a metallic stand, looking for something before finding it. He returned to face Phesx before presenting him a small hand mirror. Phesx looked at the doctor before grabbing the mirror. Phesx closed his eyes and placed it before his visage. When he felt secure enough, he relaxed his shut eyes and let them open on their own.
He almost fell asleep, not realizing how tired and exhausted he was. Or rather, lose consciousness.
“…” Phesx was speechless. This was him now? His eyes were alien, there was no better way to describe it. He looked at the doctor after trying his eyes, shrinking and enlarging them when faking emotions and reactions, all perceptibly in perfection.
“Thanks,” Phesx half-honestly said, giving the mirror back. The doctor nodded before carefully placing it back on the stand. When he returned to face Phesx again, he had a box in his hand and towels in the other.
“Do you mind telling me about your left arm? How can you still move it? And what are the signs of allergy from… any other medicament?” The doctor said, gesturing to Phesx’s left arm. He nodded, allowing the doctor to proceed, cutting his clothes with scissors from the box.
“I just let it close to my body. I tied it with some Courusel quality straps to my shoulder. I have healing properties… but I’m not sure about them. They help me with infections, but don’t make me immortal, or anything. I have it easier growing resistant to poison, but venom still harms me greatly. They’re like infections, at least to my body. The medicines make my… entrails quirky, and my intake slows down.”
“How about your sexual organs?” The doctor asked, starting to reveal what truly connected the arm to the shoulder. His eyes slowly widened in utter shock. Phesx shook his head, “No, I think they’re immortal instead.”
The doctor didn’t even seem to hear the comment. He looked at Phesx’s left arm, where bloody ‘gum’ stuck between the arm and shoulder. They were crimson blood but semi-solid. The doctor poked it gently and slightly, barely letting Phesx feel anything.
When he rubbed it with his thumb, already lubricated and with gloves on, it felt like glue. The doctor tested if it would resist fast approaches and allow slow motions to go through, but it didn’t.
Phesx didn’t show any emotion, which the doctor found strange after many tries. He asked the boy, somewhat incredulous. “Do you not feel pain?”
“I do, just not as much.” Phesx replied. The doctor was speechless for a while, momentarily glancing at Phesx before focusing on the reattaching arm, “On ordinary people’s pain tolerance, from 1 to 10, how bad is it?”
“11 or 12,” Phesx thought before sincerely answering. The doctor looked at Phesx, this time dazed. Shaking his head, the doctor grabbed a cutter, “Do you mind?”
“Cut at the middle, and no more than 2 millimeters. It will grow back in a few hours if you only do that.” Phesx nodded but added. The doctor lifted his eyebrows, preparing to do just that. Cutting in the middle, he saw Phesx’s arm tremble a little, as if about to detach, making him widen his eyes in fear.
He was about to hold it with his hands, when Phesx grabbed his wrist fast like lightning. The doctor watched as the arm only seemed to tremble before nothing else happened. He sighed half his heart out of his mouth and nostrils. “Sigh!”
“I can move my arm, but it hurts more… I guess it is somewhat like pulling on tendons. When it recoils into my body, it’s a lot more of pain everywhere. Don’t do it, unless you’re going to test and analyze me fast, but I will only allow it once.” Phesx said. He sounded casual until he got to his last few words.
The doctor sweated a little, but he understood. Nobody liked crazy scientists.
“For the urinal and semen tests, would you like to get to a room, ask for a willing ‘partner’ of your choosing, or will you be fine with a syringe? Anesthesia will… well, it’s up to you.” The doctor asked, looking at the arm. It wasn’t visibly healing where he cut it, but he did sense movement on the sides of the bloody ‘gum’ he cut.
It was something shocking. Who could ever be like this? No human had this capability, there was no such thing. Furthermore, not just that, all of nature inside this young boy’s body made no sense. This was something no living being should have! It’s flat out impossible!
Phesx thought for a moment with his head low before replying, looking up at the doctor with nonchalant eyes, and his soft, broken voice. “Mm. Just do it directly. If you don’t mind, do it now. I’d rather have that sorted out first.”
“Very well,” the doctor nodded. Returning to a few stands to grab a few syringes.
Anesthesia was useless with Phesx, and using red syringes in there would be painful still, more so when adding medicinal liquid inside with no injury. Furthermore, more than one was necessary.
…