Papers Please, Next Please
Chapter 2
November 23rd. 1982.
It has been six years since the war had begun, and during those six years, the once proud and mighty countries of Kolechia and Arstotzka have fallen into war and despair.
The two leaders used to be great friends back then.
They would trade with one another and help each other to build their countries to great heights. They shared an extensive history, from the invasion of Obristan to the declaration of the United Federation.
They had been through everything.
They've combined their military and police force to boost their security to protect their homes, have joint businesses in various research and development companies for a much faster economic growth. And maintain a healthy relationship between their citizens.
Their alliance was unique, while everyone else was paranoid and wary of each other.
However, their long-time friendship quickly crumbled when the corrupted political parties from both sides didn't like the alliance and began to fill their respective leaders with lies and deception with the help of a mysterious third party aiding in their plans.
Slowly but surely, their friendship and judgment on each other soon took a much sour turn for the worse.
The political parties cheered on when the two leaders finally cried out for war.
And the Grestin border, the line that separates Kolechia and Arstotzka, was closed down, preventing anyone from entering or leaving Arstotzka. With the country having no other land besides the sea, they cut themselves off from the neighboring countries. And with it, separating families, friends, and lovers alike apart.
The conflict between the two countries was so significant that the others chose not to partake in the war.
Thousands have suffered and perished in the conflict, and many others became prisoners, widows, and orphans. The political parties that started this whole thing are still at large, fanning the flames to keep the war going on until either one of them falls.
Their motives are unknown, and for whatever reason that they had is left to be discovered.
During those six years, the fighting went on, and death was constantly looming over their shoulders, feasting on their corpses.
Many felt hopeless when the war seemed like it would never end, that the pain and horror they felt would never disappear.
But some chose to reject that reality.
That is where the EZIC Order comes in. A secret organization made up of survivors that wanted to stop the war by any means necessary.
Spies, assassination, sabotage, espionage, and they did everything.
They had already sent a few of their spies into the city, but there wasn't enough to carry out their plans. Arstotzka has tightened up its security until it was almost impossible to sneak anyone else in.
They needed something that could help them speed up the process.
Everything was in place, but they needed more agents to enter the city unharmed while avoiding the Arstotzkan Secret Police. And without drawing too much attention to themselves.
Recently, the two countries were at a cease-fire, and the news of the Grestin Border Checkpoint was reopening again.
Call it an unexpected convenience. But this was the perfect opportunity for the Order. Now they needed to find a suitable candidate to fill in the role of Inspector. With him, they could finally bring their plans to fruition.
The EZIC Order must succeed.
/-/
Agent Floyd. Who is he, you may ask.
He's nothing special, just one of the best spies that the Order can offer. Spies must be professional, quick, sharp, and always ready for action when they're needed.
Floyd is one of the many soldiers that were left behind during the early stages of the war. His cowardly officers abandoned him when the Kolechian army advanced, overrunning their sector and forcing them to retreat.
But Floyd stayed behind to help the wounded escape before the enemy could reach them.
After the last of his companions were loaded up on the truck. Floyd refuses to get on despite the others pleading for him to do so. Instead, he chose to stay behind and cover their retreat.
Floyd surrendered himself to the Kolechians, and they took him in as a prisoner of war. His officers declared him deceased shortly after. But he managed to escape the prison camp, along with a member of the EZIC Order.
Impressed by Floyd's bravery and selflessness, the EZIC member takes him in under his wing and trains him to be the best spy of the Order.
And for the next five years, Floyd earned a reputable name from his many successful missions, such as infiltrating key military strongholds, eliminating high-value targets, and disarming bombs from going off in the last second. The last one was not his most ideal mission.
But it was all necessary to maintain the stability and peace of the already rocky relationship of Kolechia and Arstotzka.
During Floyd's career as a spy, his reputation has granted him respect and recognition from the other spies in the Order. Many of the younger ones looked up to him as a role model.
And like his mentor before him, he had taken in another member under his guidance. Floyd trained her to the best of his abilities.
She's already graduated from training and is already out in the fields. But she hasn't come back in a while. He hoped that everything was alright with her.
She is younger than him, so that's understandable. And to be fair, he was young and reckless back then as well.
That runner from last night was indeed a Kolehcian, thanks to the papers that he had on him. But how he got the files from the Order was a mystery in of itself.
If he already knew about the Order. Then there must be others who have already discovered their existence. Which honestly, would be impossible.
Somebody told about them, no doubt.
But who?
/-/
It was another cold morning in Arstotzka. It's almost constantly freezing in here. Floyd thought as he walked through the streets. It was snowing slightly, but thankfully he had his fedora on today, along with his winter trench coat to help him find warmth from the cold, adjusting the grip on his suitcase now and then.
He sighs.
The vapor from his breath escaped his mouth. This country looked so much better when he was just a child, working on the farm in the countryside with his family.
The smell of the exhaust from the cars on the road irritates his nose.
"Good morning, Mr. Forge," Someone said.
It was his neighbor, running up to him. "I see that you're off to work already, early as always." He said as he took a breather.
Floyd knew who he was, a worker at city hall. He's married to a wife and has a daughter. And he's running late for work, again. He knows because he was fooling around with his wife last night. The loud noises from their room were enough to explain everything.
"I have to be early, Mr. Lupin. My job is very demanding, and the line of work that I do can't afford to have its time wasted. You know how it works. And, Good morning to you too." Floyd replied.
"I know that. It's just that I feel a little worried about you getting up early and returning home late every day. I mean, doesn't that tire you at all?"
"When it comes to the benefit of our country, I will not fret about it one bit."
"Ah, you're always so devoted, aren't you." Lupin laughed.
To keep the balance of peace every day, then yes. Floyd thought. Being a spy isn't easy after all. He always thought that everything he does matters a lot to the whole equation. That whatever he and the other agents do today could and would potentially change tomorrow for the better.
"By the way, aren't you still single? I mean, you don't have a wife or girlfriend yet?" Lupin asked.
"I'm not interested in sharing my relationship status," Floyd sighs.
"Come on, man. Any woman is an idiot if they're not interested in you. And you're what, in your twenties? You're still young for some action, you know." Lupin nudges him.
"And again, I'm not interested in sharing that sort of information."
"Sigh, well, I need to take the bus from here now. I'll see you back on the way home as always?"
"Of course, see you later, Mr. Lupin," Floyd said, tipping his fedora.
"Bye, Anwir." Lupin said as he ways goodbye like usual.
Floyd smiles as he waves back. Poor Lupin, he doesn't have the slightest clue on who Floyd is. Anwir Forge, his alias.
Once he was out of sight, he quickly turned around and dropped his smile, and continued his way down to a phone booth connected to a building. He takes a quick look around before he enters the booth and dials a number. The wall opens up and reveals a staircase leading down to his secret headquarters. The wall behind him closes as he treads down the stairs.
Upon reaching the bottom, Floyd enters the intelligence room. But it was empty, for now. Floyd was one of the few who managed to sneak into the city before the Border officially opened.
They needed to set up the place for the other agents to arrive and carry out their operations as soon as possible. But for now, it's just him, his handler, and two other agents with him.
"Morning, Floyd." Said Frank. He's the informant. He's the guy you go to whenever you need any additional information on a mission.
Frank is from the United Federation. The Order recruited him as the intelligence officer and is Floyd's closes friend.
"Morning, Frank." Floyd returns, removing his coat and fedora.
He places his stuff on his desk and heads straight to the central computer. He sits down and turns on the computer, switching the channel on to a disclosed frequency, and opens a video feed.
On the screen, the Headman appears, "Good morning, Agent Floyd, and how was your rest?"
"Uneventful, Headman. I brushed my teeth and bathed like every good citizen in Arstotzka." Floyd said sarcastically.
The Headman laughs, "I see that your mood has not yet faded from you." He said. "What's my mission for today, Headman?" Floyd asked.
"Your mission today is simple. Gather any information you can on the Ministry of Admission and anything else that holds the key to our operation in the coming days. If things were to go wrong, we would need to have an emergency plan to adapt to our situation. The secret police of the Ministry of Information are no laughing matter. They are dangerous. You and the others are not to raise any suspicion until we can get the rest of our agents over there. Is that clear?"
"Understood, Headman. Anything else?"
"Yes, Floyd. There is one more thing just for you. Now that you are back in your home country," Headman pauses for a moment before he continues. Floyd takes a sip of his coffee given by his colleague.
"I want you to spend some time with your father."
He finishes, with Floyd immediately spitting out his coffee, choking in the process. He sets the cup down on the table, "Uh, you want me to what?" He said.
"I want you to go see your father again and spend some time with him."
"That's easier said than done, Headman. I can't just walk up to him like that."
"I'm not talking about interacting with him directly. Just keep watch of him whenever you're free and report back on your findings. Wouldn't he be in potential danger giving the place he's working in? He needs a bodyguard, and I couldn't think of a more distinct person to take on the job other than you." Headman explains.
"Uh, well, it's just that-,"
"There are others who disagree with the marriage. And they will do everything they can to stop it, even if it means attacking that Border. And, if he is dead. Sorry to say, then it would completely jeopardize our entire plan on achieving peace."
"Yes, sir."
"Floyd, you knew the risk when you signed that oath. You and all of your fellow agents have done so much to help humanity. The people have suffered long enough, and it is time to bring Arstotzka and Kolechia back to their former glory, perhaps even better."
Floyd nods, "I understand, sir."
"Remember your status, Floyd. You are no longer that soldier I met all those years ago. You are a spy now. And a spy doesn't receive medals, no commendation, or recognition from the public. You are heroes with no shadow. And the secret police of the Ministry of Admission will be on the hunt for us once we make our move when the Grestin Border opens, so be on your guard."
"Yes, sir. I will."
"Goodman, now get to work. Headman out." The screen switches off, leaving Floyd to lean back in his seat alone with his thoughts.
Coming back here was difficult, not physically, but more like mentally. To see what was once home now turned into a nightmare after staying away for six years, could Floyd even call it his home now?
"Hey, Floyd. Are you coming or what? We need to start gathering more intel on the Ministry of Admission."
"I'm coming, Frank."
/-/
The alarm clock went off on the nightstand. The Inspector's arm slowly reaches over to it and shuts it off. He slowly opens his eyes and reads the time.
5:00 AM.
It's time to get up now. The Inspector slowly sits up on the bed, staying there for a few minutes before finally getting up and walking over to the bathroom.
The apartment was mostly quiet, aside from a few honks from the cars outside. And people going on about their lives.
He switched on the lights and looked at himself in the mirror. Just a sad and old fellow was what he saw. Why are you still here?
He turns on the sink and washes his face. The cold water made his whole body shiver.
But he felt more awake after that. He grabbed his toothbrush and paste and started brushing his teeth.
Rinsing his mouth and drying himself up, he exits the bathroom to change into his new work clothes given by the Ministry.
It was a formal military uniform with an overcoat, complete with an officer's cap. It wasn't much, but it looked the part. It could have been worse, he thought. His old uniform was not very durable and didn't offer much protection from the cold.
The officers never did like hearing complaints about the cold from their soldiers.
He heads to the kitchen to prepare a simple breakfast, nothing too fancy, just eggs and toast to start the day right. Coffee would make it better. Sadly, he didn't have any coffee beans today. He'll have to buy some later after work.
He finishes his breakfast and checks the time, 5:25 AM. There's still some time for him to get to work.
Putting on his overcoat and cap, he looks at himself one more time in the mirror. Yup, just an old fool, working again for whatever reason he has left. He takes a deep breath and exits his apartment, locking the door behind him, not forgetting to take the envelope from last night as well.
He looked around the corridor to find that it was somewhat empty.
The Inspector sees a few people here and there. But there are only the rich or the well off here. Level 8 may be the lowest, but it's still quite costly to live in, but he didn't care.
He only got the place because of the job he's working. Workers must live near their workplaces to maximize their work efficiency. This apartment was given to him for free, except for his living expenses that we will be paying later on.
Exiting the building, the Inspector has forgotten how cold it was outside. He notes to himself to wear a scarf starting tomorrow as well. He walks down the street, passing through the people and occasionally receiving looks from them.
His uniform did come from the Ministry. He ignores their stares and continues on his way. The rest of the walk was quiet. He approaches the checkpoint as he could already see it when he turns around the next corner.
The Grestin Border Checkpoint.
A lone guard stood at attention and saluted him, "Good Morning, Inspector."
The Inspector salutes back, "Good Morning, officer."
"Are you the new guy they pulled from the Labour Lottery?" He asked.
"Yes, I am assigned here by the Ministry of Admission. And you?"
"I've just recently been assigned here as well. I've just enlisted into the academy, and they sort of just decided to shift me here right after completing my training."
Oh. "I see." Said the Inspector.
Hearing that just gave a sour taste in his mouth. But why would they send an inexperienced officer to the checkpoint, and why only one, now that he noticed it.
"What is it that you do here?" The Inspector asked him.
"I have been told to guard this line right here, make sure that no civilians step over and only allow authorized personnel to pass through, like you. I'm Pavel, by the way." He smiled as he extended his hand out towards him.
Well, at least this kid still holds some innocence in him. The Inspector smiles and shakes his hand, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Pavel. I won't distract you any further. Carry on, officer." He said.
"Yes, Inspector. Work hard for the benefit of our country."
The Inspector leaves him be and proceed to his inspection booth. The kid is young and very optimistic. Something that many of the older ones seem to have lost. And even fewer hold such thoughts anymore, and now they just wanted to survive at this point, even him.
He reaches the door to his booth and opens it. Inside was dark, as there were no windows except for the inspection window for the Inspector to see the entrants.
He switches on the lights and finds that the place to be incredibly dusty.
They didn't at least bother to clean the place for him. But they did leave a letter on the dusty table, with a free newspaper next to it.
It was only a few seconds, and the Inspector felt unwelcomed in this place. Well, he couldn't quit his job now, so, might as well get it done himself.
He removes his coat and hangs it on the coat rack. He checks the time on the clock, 5:45 AM. Okay, there's still a bit of time left to clean up his desk first and check the letter on it.
A quick clean, and the table is free from dust. The Inspector finally sits down and reads the letter on the table.
It's from the Admission.
It's pretty simple to understand.
Stamp entrant's passports with the designated stamps marked green for entry and red for denial. There is a rule book located in the drawer under your desk. Approve for Arstotzkans citizens only and deny all foreigners.
Alright, looks easy enough.
He puts the letter aside and opens the drawer, and inside he finds the rule book and stamps. He pulls them out and places them on the desk.
I guess that should be everything, ready for work. The Inspector thought as he raised the shutters.
Right on time at 6 o'clock, he presses the button to the public address speaker and speaks, "First in line may enter the booth, please."
He waited, feeling a little nervous about it. The first entrant enters the booth and stands in front of the Inspector.
"Papers, please." He said.
The entrant passes his passport to him, "Finally, I can return home." He said. The Inspector checks his papers. It states that he's an Arstotzkan, so he's automatically valid for entry.
But he needed to check his expiration date, photos, and which part of the country he's staying in, and even if he's a citizen, an expired passport is not valid for entry.
"Everything seems in order." Said the Inspector.
He stamps the passport with the green stamp and hands it back to the entrant, "Welcome home. Glory to Arstotzka."
"Thank you."
"Next, please." He said into the mic.
Another entrant entered the booth, "Papers, please."
The entrant provides her passport to him, "This checkpoint seems smaller than I had expected, and there's only one station here." She said.
Oh.
She's a Kolechian. She's not local, so that means it's a straight denial. The rest of her information is valid. However, she's not an Arstotzkan. It's best to address her politely and hope she doesn't throw a fit at him for it.
He stamps her passport with the red stamp and hands it back to her, "Sorry, Ma'am. But only Arstotzkan citizens are allowed for entry today. I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Hmph, a shame. Well, thank you anyway." She said as she left the booth. It could have been worse, but luckily she didn't seem too annoyed about it.
"Next, please."
The next entrant was another woman. She entered the booth with a posh manner with her head held high, "It's about time. I've been waiting in this damn line for hours. I hope this absurd hassle was worth it." She said.
Oh great, it's another one of those people, "Papers, please." Said the Inspector.
"Here, and be quick about it, I have a fine evening with a gentleman here." She tosses her passport on the counter.
She's from Antegria, the wealthiest country in the region after Kolechia lost that title in the war. Sadly, she is not an Arstotzkan.
Red stamp it is then. The Inspector could care less about being polite about it, "No entry, Arstotzkan citizens only. Have a nice day."
The woman's face was in shock and anger, "This is unbelievable. Go to hell." She grabs her passport and frustratedly leaves the booth. He can hear the woman's heels walking away speedily as she continues to insult him.
He hated the higher class anyway, not like they ever cared about the poor.
"Next, please."
Another man enters the booth, "Papers, please." Said the Inspector.
But the entrant didn't give him his passport. Instead, he gave him a remark, "It was a mistake to open this checkpoint." He then decided to flip him off and left the booth soon after.
That was odd. Did that man wait in line for hours to tell me that? Not that his comment would change anything, there's still a lot of people to go through before the clock reaches 6:00 PM.
And it's not even past the first hour.
Sigh, this is going to be a long day.
Floyd surveys the checkpoint with a pair of binoculars.
There he is, his old man. He's working hard for the 'benefit' of their country. So far, only Arstotzkans were allowed entry. But that was expected.
The checkpoint just reopened, so of course, the Government would be extremely cautious about it.
Still, it's funny to see his dad working from a farmer to a pencil pusher. He looked very uncomfortable in his tiny inspection booth.
"Well, so much for getting our guys in on the first day. Most of them are not even from Arstotzka." Said Frank. "I did gather some information about their security routine around the checkpoint."
"Excellent, that way we can form a plan in getting more agents in here. But right now, we need to forge a couple of badges for us." Floyd said.
"And how do we do that? A guard will get suspicious of us if we get too close to them."
"For us, yes. But not for Alyona." Floyd said, pointing at a woman who was approaching the guards at the entrance of a building.
"Oh."
"That building on the left of the checkpoint is the security guard post. An easy target for us to acquire those id cards. And with Alyona, any man would fall to their knees when she does her magic on them."
The guards at the entrance look big and intimidating. It would be difficult if Floyd or Frank tried to steal them. But, these men will be no match for her. And if Alyona gives the right words and mood. It would be a cakewalk for her.
She had a body that many women would kill to have and a voice that many men find alluring. Agent Alyona is one of the most beautiful spies of the Order. And Floyd's handler.
She was assigned to be Floyd's handler after the Headman had to take on the role as the administrator.
Floyd and Frank obverses the action going on below. They see Alyona being escorted into the building and disappearing shortly after.
"Well, it looks like she's got this, but they're going to be upset to find their things missing tomorrow."
"Sigh. I don't get it. Why couldn't we steal some from City Hall?" Frank asked as he wiped his glasses.
"Because it's easier said than done, Frank. It's impossible to infiltrate that place with just the four of us here. Their security is still on high alert, and going there now is the last thing on our list." Floyd explained. "Plus, Headman doesn't want us to do anything stupid right now."
"Okay, fair point. Oh, by the way, where is that big guy anyway?"
"He's out doing something for the Headman. Let's hope he's not starting another fight again," Floyd smirks.
Frank facepalms, "I swear that northern Obristan idiot better not be doing so. That big brute is too big to handle sometimes. Didn't he used to wrestle bears in the army before he joined the Order?"
"Yup," Floyd said, still looking through his binoculars. He sees Alyona leaving the building with the badges and uniforms. "Come on, let's go meet up with Alyona."
"Waiting up here with the pigeons was annoying anyway. When are we going back to Impor? It's was nice and warm over there."
"When the mission is complete, Franky."
"Don't call me that."
/-/
"Glory to Arstotzka." Said the Inspector as the last entrant of the day leaves the booth.
That was exhausting, he thought. It had been hours of stamping hundreds of passports and no breaks in between. The 12-hour shifts were not his favorite at all. But he had managed to get through the day, so that was worth something.
"Come back at 6 AM tomorrow." He addressed through the PA system as they rest in the line began to disperse, leaving the area.
He placed the stamps and his rule book back into the drawer, grabbed his coat and hat from the rack, and switched off the lights before leaving for the day.
Upon opening the door, he feels the cold air touching his face again. Pavel walked up to him, "Good evening, Inspector. I think our first day went well. Although the others that walked past me were looking at me funny."
"Don't mind them, Pavel. I got enough from those I've denied today." The Inspector replied.
"Hehe, yeah. I hate to be the receiving end of that." Pavel rubs the back of his head.
"And I have to go back now, and so should you. I'll see you tomorrow, Pavel." The Inspector said as he walked past him.
"Wait, you never did tell me your name, Inspector."
The Inspector stops and turns back around, "Alexander. Goodbye, Pavel." He ways to the officer before disappearing in the next corner.
Right, now onto the bank, and after that, back to the market to get those coffee beans for tomorrow.
The bank was a little further away from the apartment, but luckily it was still opened when he entered through the front door. He walked up to one of the empty counters where a worker was sitting behind.
"Excuse me. I like to transfer this in, please." Asked the Inspector, showing the check.
The worker looks up and notices his badge, "Ah, you must be the new Grestin Border Inspector." She said.
The Inspector remains silent as he holds the check out for her.
The worker takes it from him, "Right, well, I get this sort out for you. Uh, would you like to make a withdrawal will you're here?"
The Inspector nods, "Yes, please."
It took a while, but the Inspector managed to get his coffee beans and some other things on the way back. He checks the time of his watch.
7:25 PM.
Not too bad. There's still time to make some dinner. And maybe some lunch tomorrow. The Inspector didn't get to eat any lunch today, thanks to that.
The walk home was empty, thankfully. Nobody stays out after 6. Most of them are already at home or out in the bars or even at a brothel. He shakes his head at that last one.
Upon reaching his apartment door, he heard the sound of a frustrated woman a few doors next to him. She was trying to open the door with her keys in one hand while balancing her young daughter was trying to stay awake in the other.
She finally manages to open the door and closes it after entering. The Inspector sighs. His son would have been married and had a child by now, and he would be a grandfather. But he's gone, and he's never coming back. This damn war of theirs took him and nearly took his life when they called him.
He brushes that thought aside and enters his apartment.
/-/
"Okay, I think this looks good enough," Franks said as he stood back to admire his work. The tailored uniforms and forged ID badges looked legitimate enough for him and Floyd.
"Yeah, it looks great, Frank." Floyd casually said as he prepared to leave their headquarters.
Frank looked offended at Floyd, "Great, great? It's more than great, Floyd. Its outstanding is what it is," He crosses his arms.
"The uniforms were already complete hours ago, and you were supposed to help me with setting up our HQ." Floyd countered.
"Boy, boy. Enough with the arguing and get married already." Said a brutish figure whose head was barely touching the ceiling. "Oh no, not from you, Boris. You were gone for almost the whole day."
"And you two were playing spies and thieves. Headman wanted me to take out a few targets to avoid any suspicions from us."
"You're already killing people!?" Both of them shouted.
"Quiet you two, and I didn't kill them. More like, disabled from working. Bones are no problem for me." He said as he took a seat. "Also, you kill people too, not you, Frank. You can't kill no one." Boris laughs while Franks glares at him.
"That's true, but not in the same way that you do, Boris. No one can break a person's spine better than you can." Said Floyd.
"Hey, if I can kill them, then I'm not afraid of them."
"I'm glad you're on our side, Boris. You're a true northern man."
"Thank you, friend."
"Well, I will be heading home now. Alyona has already left, and you guys too. Because tomorrow, we'll be with that guard at the checkpoint. It's going to be exciting."
Frank and Boris started to gather their things, "I guess so, Floyd, see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, friends," Boris said.
End of chapter 2
Hello, sorry for the last update. I had trouble trying to work with this story. It didn't want it to be another POV of the same thing that everyone already knows what's going to happen.
So instead, I decided to spice it up a bit and added more of the lore and more characters to the story.
Replies:
To MantisND - Yes, this is an alternate version of the original. But I try not to change it too much as it would get confusing. The main changes are the Inspector's back story and family. The game gave me very little stuff to work with, so I had to get creative. Sorry for the wait.
To Sabdol916 - Thank you for reading. I am sorry for not updating as I have explained. Not much to work with, so these ideas came late. And the writing was not my main hobby.
Thank you for your feedback. - Raven.