The Systemic Lands
Chapter 651: Day 5,250 – A VIP

Amy

I stumbled and looked around. This wasn’t my house. What was going on?

“Everyone gather up, gather up. If you need something to wear, we will provide. Questions will be answered,” I looked at a man in a red uniform shouting.

I hesitantly made my way over with several other people. It didn’t escape my notice that there were men and women in red uniforms with weapons that were escorting people over. “I demand-“ a man started shouting and was slapped in the face.

“Questions will be answered once you comply. The plaza needs to be cleared for normal business. Everyone right this way into the welcoming building,” I followed along with everyone else as we made our way into the building.

“There is a cloth bag if you don’t have any clothes, proper ones will be provided later. For now take your seats and quiet down,” the man who had been shouting called out. I took a seat one row behind the front. Everyone else began to file in and sit down.

“Now that you have all left the plaza, I am going to start explaining things to you.” The soldier began to explain the Systemic Lands, the Empire of Purgatory, the Almighty System, and so many things it was hard to keep track of it all.

“I know it is confusing, but there will be follow up sessions once every ten days as you are moved in the areas around the city. For now, we are going to get you into clothing, gear, and move you out to the edge of the city where instructors will assist you. Remember, that any trouble making, will result in quickly escalating punishments moving forward, leading to death. This is not America, or any other country you know. This is the Empire of Purgatory and punishments are extremely severe. If you forget everything else, don’t forget that. Now line up and come up one by one, give your name, and then you will be provided with stuff. There is a changing room to the side. You can keep your old clothes, but you are not allowed to wear them until you are done with the training cycle,” the guide said.

I slowly lined up with everyone else and we each went up one by one giving our names. “Amy Decker,” I said when it was my turn.

“Full legal name please, including middle name,” the soldier writing my name down asked.

“Um, sorry. Amanda Victoria Decker,” I gave my full name. They wrote it down and handed me a set of gray clothes and a pack. I went to a side room to change, and was then told that we were going to be taken to the store and allowed to say how much a restoration cost.

I went along with everyone else. Mine only cost a couple hundred points, while some other people’s cost a couple thousand. I felt much better afterwards as we set off for the edge of the city.

Captain Mary

“The list?” I asked and was handed the list of names. There were 250 names listed down. “No troublemakers?”

“Nothing serious. Only a few good slaps, no executions needed,” the soldier handing me the list reported.

“There is always one. Alright, time to let that useless lay about earn their pay,” I muttered. Most of the teams that had contracted with these people were dead, but he still continued to check. His services had been paid for and arranged by the government as a service for high end grinders. It was a cushy job for the most part, just a lot of record keeping.

“Here you go, Ed,” I dropped the papers on his desk. His office was well organized with the various cities keeping their own lists and also sending copies here. I took a seat across from his desk after dropping the list on it.

“You don’t have to stay here,” he said good naturedly.

“Part of the job. You never know when someone incredibly important will show up,” I muttered. I dreaded the day when some politician would show up. I had been strongly advised to disappear any celebrities. The powers that be didn’t want anyone getting ideas and stirring up trouble.

That was a quick way to an accident while out grinding, claiming to be a politician of some kind. All of them ran into a slime that dissolved them. Which was unfortunate for them. One thing I was good at was not asking the wrong questions. I liked my position, being in charge of new arrivals. As one of the cities pulling from the US, we had the highest chance of getting someone who was trouble. The other city was Truth to the North, but that was a much less prestigious posting compared to the capital.

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A shame my counterpart from before was turned into liquid goo. That was why I wasn’t going to mess this job up. There were hordes of people that would kill to have such an easy job in the military. I then noticed that Ed had frozen up and was staring intently at a name.

I hadn’t spotted anyone I remembered from Earth, but that was why Ed was here to check all the names. “Who is it?” I asked.

“A VIP,” he said softly. I frowned at that term and then my eyes went wide. There were three lists of names to check against. There was the public list people could pay to put names on. If that person showed up a bulletin would be put up, and the points reserved for that person would be handed over along with a letter.

Many high level grinders left points for possible family members that might show up in the future. The fees were good for a set period of time and weren’t cheap, since the lists had to be checked. That was what Ed spent most of the week on, since he got a bonus for each name found. The second list was the popular figures list, to encourage them into an accident.

I liked to call it the quiet list, since it was kept quiet, and those people disappeared quietly. No mess, no fuss. The final list, the third list, was the VIP list. To get on that list, you had to have connections. Like connections at the very top of the government.

There weren’t many names on that list, but each person on it was considered incredibly important. Questions weren’t allowed to be asked either about why they were on the list. Just that if their full name matched up and they could answer the three challenge questions, then they were to be protected at all costs.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Amanda Victoria Decker,” Ed said.

“Well, I will retrieve her. Keep this quiet,” I said, and he nodded.

“Understood, I will dig out the envelope that was prepared for her to open in your presence,” he said. Normally he wouldn’t bother with such a thing, but people on the VIP list had to be confirmed by both of us. A false claim would be trouble. Trouble neither of us wanted to disturb our comfortable positions.

I got up and left Ed’s office. I looked at the soldiers standing outside. “You two secure the office. Ed doesn’t leave for anything. If he needs to shit, bring him a bucket. No one goes inside until I return. No questions either. You two with me,” I ordered.

I then immediately left and set off at a brisk pace towards the edge of the city where the new arrivals would be housed. A shame they had been sent on ahead, but this was the first time a VIP had shown up. There were procedures in place, and I wasn’t going to deviate no matter what.

Part of me was tempted to ask who this woman was, but I ruthlessly quashed that feeling and any curiosity. That kind of thinking was what got people disappeared. As one of the people doing the disappearing, I didn’t want that to happen to me, which is why I knew how to keep my mouth shut along with my soldiers.

The ones that drank and talked too much about important things, got transferred. This unit was about being low key and doing our jobs. Not creating headaches that would get us into trouble. I had talked to each soldier working under me about this and made sure they understood my position. If they wanted something with more action and talking with people, I was more than happy to arrange a transfer.

Plaza duty was quite popular along with wall patrol. Since they were more active positions and not just standing around all day. We soon reached the edge of the city as the new arrivals were being settled in.

“Captain Mary, what can I do for you?” the guide asked.

“A new arrival, female,” I said, and he nodded.

“This way, they are in that building,” he pointed out. I already knew but didn’t object to him showing us into the dormitory. This was the most delicate part. Thankfully all the women were having dinner togeather. It would have been a pain if they were assigned to rooms already.

“Quiet please,” the guide said, and everyone became quiet. He then gestured at me.

“Amanda Victoria Decker. Please come forward. You are not in any trouble. Someone you know has arranged things for you,” I called out. I didn’t dare mistreat a VIP and this was the same procedure used for the public list. Only that it would be later on and I wouldn’t be the one marching out here, my subordinates would be handling things. But I wasn’t about to take any chances with a VIP.

“Um, alright,” a middle-aged woman got up. Her blonde hair was slightly frazzled. I immediately went over to her side.

“Amanda Victoria Decker?” I asked her.

“Yes, that’s me, but I go by Amy normally,” she said.

“Of course, Amy. Do you have any personal belongings?” I asked and she held up her pack.

“Everything is in here,” she replied.

“Please come with me. Like I said you aren’t in any trouble Miss Amy,” I said kindly. I led her out of the eating area and back onto the street. My soldiers fell in behind her.

“Are you okay with walking back to the city center?” I asked.

“It was a long walk, I am a bit tired, sorry,” she said.

“I completely understand. Arrange a cart, use the discretionary budget,” I ordered one of my soldiers who rushed off. I was cursing mentally about not bringing one with me. I could only hope this oversight was overlooked.

“Um, who arranged for this? I have other family here?” she asked.

“I couldn’t say. Right now, we need to confirm your identity. Once that is confirmed, your family will be notified. But until we confirm your identity, any and all relationships will not be disclosed,” I replied.

“Oh. Sorry if I am causing you any trouble. I really don’t want to be a bother,” Amy said.

“Not at all. This is part of my job. If there are any issues, any at all, please mention them to me. If you have any questions, I will do my best as well,” I replied trying to put her at ease.

“What happens if I am not who you think I am?” she asked nervously.

“You will be sent back to your group. There will be no consequences as long as you don’t lie. The most important thing is confirming your identity,” I explained.

“Um, I have my purse in my pack,” she said.

“That will be used later once we are in a secure location. Ah, there is the cart. Get on up,” I told her and we soon set off back for the city center.