The stack of case files slapped against Jacob’s desk, making a light sound as they hit the wooden table. There were four plain folders in the pile, each with only one or two loose leaf pieces of paper inside. These cases had almost no evidence, no witnesses, and were of little to no importance. They were a fool’s errand, the assignment you gave to an officer with no prospects or that needed to be hazed. Jacob groaned. He already had six such cases he was investigating, all of which led to nowhere.
“Tell me there’s something interesting about these ones?” Jacob said plaintively to the woman who had put them there. This week the office lackey was Cassandra, a recent hire who had joined the station even later than Jacob. She was a short woman with a soft personality; long brunette hair, pretty eyes, and a kind smile. She was incredibly shy, a demure woman with little to no social life outside of the station. Almost no one in the Agency had one. No one save the most senior officers, whose longevity pay and government decks gave them the funds and prestige to visit some of the few remaining nightlife locations in the city.
“Afraid not.” Cassandra replied apologetically. “Same as all the rest of them. Killed by card, nothing special about them.”
“Thanks Cas, I’ll add them to the stack.” Jacob tossed the folders onto an ever-growing pile of cases and sighed. Cassandra smiled weakly at him, then moved to the next desk. Soon enough she would be getting her own stack of cases, once her finality review occurred next week. The reviews were a formality; the Agency was stretched so thin no one ever got rejected.
Jacob reached over to the equip deck box attached to his belt and pulled a patience card out of it. He placed it into the card equipper on his left forearm, leaned back, and closed his eyes. He felt the cards magic kick in, easing his frustrations and increasing his level of acceptance. He knew somewhere buried in him a stat had changed, his patience bar refilling slightly as the card did its work. At least that’s what the agency egg heads thought. The scientists hypothesized limits and even levels for all people who used cards; these limits and levels seemed to vary based on the individual. There was no current way of seeing or displaying these stats, though Jacob wondered if that was due to the low strength of the government cards that affected them. Either way, that was above his pay grade. Would be for quite some time. He had more murders to solve before then.
Cases like these were far and away from the reason Jacob joined up. The Card Enforcement Agency. The government group standing between the citizens and the criminals. Since the cards had appeared both organized and petty crime had skyrocketed. The ability to manipulate reality was a powerful thing, and even in the 50 years they had been around the governments of the world still barely understood the cards. The thing they keenly understood however was the impact of everything falling apart. The world was already fragile. The cards had broken it.
A few more years working unsolvable murders and impossible crimes, and Jacob would be in line for a government deck. Coveted amongst Officers, these cards were in limited supply. They were much more powerful than the base packs they issued the citizenry, and even more powerful than most of the corporate cards being released. They were designed to take on the most hardened criminal elements, facing them not in the courtroom but in the field. Jacob had done incredibly well in his Agency Academy Card training both in the simulator and in practice matches; he was hoping that would make him a prime candidate. With a government deck he might stand a chance on the streets. He could actually make a difference. And get out of the slums he lived in.
Jacob was also aware however of how early he was in his career, and how much further he had to go before then. He was 25; slightly older than the recruits that he joined with, but still young for the profession. He had been a full officer with the Agency for just over a year, with the anniversary of his successful finality review having passed last week. Even then he knew that his career was limited due to his appearance. Jacob Charles Olivier III was tall, at least 6 feet, with distinctive blond hair and striking magenta eyes. His hair was long and curled around his face, going to his shoulders. He was otherwise fairly average in appearance - not muscular but not overweight. It would be impossible to get overweight on the food he could afford. Still, his hair and eyes made him stand out in a crowd, as did his height. He could cut his hair, wear contacts, and do everything he could to change his appearance; he would never get to do the undercover work the Agency had become so famous for. He was a frontline officer, destined to be the backup another called in once enough evidence had been uncovered.
On the plus side, this made him far more likely to receive a battle deck; that was a compromise he was more than happy to make. Deception decks were impressive, with their variety of spells and equips that gave them an edge. Battle decks were much more his style. With creatures and snares aplenty, designed to dominate and protect through the longest card battles. He had typically done better in head to head matches than his classmates, and he had enjoyed them much more than his infiltration training. He wouldn’t gain notoriety within the Agency with a battle deck, nor the prestige that would put him in line for leadership. He would have a long and enjoyable career with such a deck. In the end, that’s all he wanted from his job.
Either way he had to get these murders logged, and their investigations started. He opened up the first case file and turned on his sensor screen, surrounding his desk in darkness. The screens were critical to protect sensitive information about victims and suspects during an investigation, and had been installed after the massive infiltration scandal 15 years ago. They also let Jacob take his lunch without being bothered. He booted the battered terminal up in front of him, waiting a brief moment as its screen loaded the operating system. Once it had turned on he logged into the criminal investigations system, and began logging the files.
*****
Jacob used two more patience and a concentration equip card by the end of his shift. He packed up his files quickly, locking them in his designated classification chest before stepping away from the desk. He nodded at his replacement for night duty, a thin man named Anderson who was already shaking from using too many awakening cards. He held an iced coffee in his right hand, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Neither of them was supposed to be using as many equips as they did. - it wasn’t healthy - but it was the only way to get through the job. It would take a few years off their life, but it got them through the mountainous caseload.
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The streets were quiet as he walked home, as they always were this time of day. Trash and rubble littered the cracked sidewalks, the pieces of buildings which had fallen into decay. Empty warehouses and office buildings lined the street, most of which were occupied by squatters or illegal battle arenas. Too many arenas for the agency to crack down on. In an alley a few blocks from the agency station he saw two kids locked in a street match. Their forms simmered with armor and equips, while two monsters duked it out in front of them. Both were fairly low level, a Dragolynais and a Petty Fire Lord Usurper, and the match appeared to be fairly even from a distance. They scorched the battered brick walls of the buildings beside them as they fought, directed by their two casters. One of the children clicked a snare card into their arm holder, and a whirlpool appeared under the fire lord. Water tentacles lashed onto the lords arms, and he was dragged below. Fairly standard corporate cards, nothing to alert the agency over. Likely lifted from the back of a company truck, reported lost or sold outside tracking to avoid prying eyes.
Jacob paused as he passed outside the city’s Wonder Corp. repository. It was a heavily secured, well maintained building in a sea of decay. Cameras and security guards were posted at regular intervals, one of whom nodded as he saw Jacob. The guards were familiar with all the Agency Officers stationed nearby; it was a part of their basic instructions. Many of them had been hired from the agency the moment their first contract ended. Guarding for one of the Corporations was a lucrative career, with benefits and pay to match its prestige. Each guard had a series of battle decks strapped to their hips, and top of the line card receptacles strapped to each of their forearms. Auditing the repository and Wonder Corp. headquarters was one of the agencies top priorities, but thus far they had managed to worm their way out of any oversight. Jacob noted that many of the guards also carried automatic weaponry and sidearms, likely to prevent any conventional forms of entry. For any other industry it would be overkill, but for Wonder Corp. it made sense.
“So many guards, yet no one ever seems to enter the building.” At the sound of the soft voice Jacob spun around, placing a hand on the firearm he carried at his hip. He held it there as he observed a hooded figure behind him, dressed in all black. The figure wore a long robe of the Holy Order of Aman'thea, and was equipped with a mask of concealment. The voice and general build seemed to indicate the figure was male, but the Order was well known for being incredibly adept at deception and disguise. The man - as Jacob chose to identify him - had a card receptacle on both forearms, and Jacob had no doubt he also carried a sacred deck with him. The Holy Order of Aman'thea appeared shortly after the cards did, preaching some form of divine wisdom to be gathered from them. Most folks thought they were a cult of lunatics that made its money the same way psychics and healers did - by telling people what they wanted to hear.
“No need to shoot me.” The man chuckled. “Wouldn't want an incident on your Agency record.”
“How did you know I was agency?” Jacob kept his hand on his firearm, viewing the figure with suspicion. He never trusted the Order. Too much mysticism, not enough practicality. The cards were magic sure, but they were also just cards. The Order was a predator, preying on vulnerable people in a hard time looking for something greater than pieces of cardboard with special powers. He shared the suspicion of most agency officers of them; keeping them at arms length while carefully observing their activities. Amongst younger Officers there were rumors they had special magic of their own, casting spells and snares without the use of cards at all. More seasoned Officers knew this was actually the cloak and dagger tactics of the order. They hid their decks and appearance to build a sense of mysticism, granting them authority in times of uncertainty. This didn’t make them a cause for concern however, as that cloak and dagger came with cards that only the Order carried. No one knew where they got them, and no photos or videos existed to prove their use. Just countless eyewitness accounts of impossible acts, and hushed rumors told throughout the streets. To fight a priest of the Order was to fight against magic itself.
“Standard issue firearm, no battle decks, and a single equipper currently holding a base level concentration card.” The figure sounded almost smug, an unusual sound for an Order known for its piety and humility. “You're likely a new officer in their first two years, with a build and personality that is probably gunning for a frontline battle deck.”
“You talk like someone who’s familiar with the agency.” Jacob added an edge of suspicion into his voice, egging the figure on. “Had a lot of run ins with it?”
“I was in the Agency, before I saw the truth.” The figure's voice became more serene, much more in line with what was expected of him. “Before I saw the light, and placed my faith in the cards.”
“Sure.” Jacob ‘s voice was flat and unwavering, though internally he was surprised. He had heard of Agency defectors, but never met one. “Is there something you want?”
“You aren't like your colleagues.” The figure cocked its head in curiosity. “ You seem more open. More in tune.”
“Uh huh. I think I'll keep going now.” Jacob moved past the figure and started to continue walking, keeping his eyes on the man as he did. His hand never left his firearm, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice.
“Strange how those doors are so heavily guarded, but never open.” The figure called out to Jacob. “The repository doors don’t open. The Headquarters doors don’t open. Almost like they’re hiding something.”
Jacob stopped and sighed, before turning to look back at the figure. “And let me guess, you know something about that as well.”
The figure rushed forward faster than Jacob could see, and grabbed his arm. Jacob’s hand slipped off his firearm, and despite being inches away from him Jacob couldn’t see the figure through the mask of deception. The figure spoke the next words in a low voice, like he was sharing a secret. There was an intensity and urgency in his voice as he did, grabbing Jacob’s full attention.
“The cards have spoken of you. The doors never open; no one goes in, no one comes out. But you will see. You will see with vision unblinded, to see the truth of the cards.”
“Uh huh.” Jacob shook his arm free. “I don't know what's in the holy water they give you, but touch me again and you'll see the inside of an Agency cell. I assume you know what those look like.”
“Trust only in the cards.” The figure pressed something into Jacob's hand, then rapidly moved into the shadows of the building behind him, appearing to melt into them. “They will be your salvation.”
Jacob blinked, and the figure was gone. Likely an illusion equip he had placed while Jacob wasn't looking. Either way he was unsettled. He looked into his hand and froze. In his hand where the figure had pressed it was a pristine, unopened shadow pack.
one draft; expect some of them to run a little long). I hope that helps encourage me to get more chapters out quicker; I will be releasing this book without review swaps, shout outs, or anything similar in the hopes that it frees up my time for the most important thing: writing the story I want to write. If you like the story, please pass it on to every one you know - if you really like it, consider supporting my work. I hope you enjoy it and join me on this journey, I’ve really enjoyed writing this one.
Trust in the cards…
What is Your Favorite Card Game?
