My professor loves to simplify things that looks complicated from the outside. Back then we were talking about espionage and how it generally works in the real life. Of course this being a public college, most of our materials is probably fifty years behind the real one, but a civilian will tries their best to use what's available to them.

You could imagine it like a function. A function, is an entity that possesses an input and spout out an output. The input of this function is of course, money. The government will allocate a certain undisclosed amount of money to The Agency and then the function will use this input to produce an output that's expected by the government. What they are expecting is of course depends on the need at hand. Right now we need information to monitor the activity of Milium and stop any shenanigans that might happen right now or in the future. Indeed a steady supply of information is just what I need for this job. The job of being an overseer of the largest off-island facility that's owned by The Republic.

This off-island facility is often nicknamed as "The Black Island" by the media and public, for good reason. The history of this place is black with little to no trace available for the public to go from. What they do know is that we do a lot of weapon and various kinds of research down here. Most of the research need to be kept secret from the prying eyes of Milium. One of the division that we're currently locking down is the Mana Research Division, shortened into MRD. We are gathering the brightest mind that's we know of from universities around The Republic and giving them all of the resources we have to bump the efficiency and effectiveness of magic scripts.

One of the magic script that's being developed here came from The Agency themselves. A script capable of manipulating small objects, which in my opinion is still useless if compared to the accuracy that we've gotten from an industrial grade lathe. But the staff told me that this script could be the key towards mastering the arts of magic. I couldn't really doubt them because I don't have a master degree in mana manipulation. But what I'm really good at as an overseer is to secure and protect the flow of information in this facility. Even when everyone is working in almost everything, I could make sure that they don't really see the whole context to make sure they aren't a liability when they get back to the civilian world.

That's right, most if not all of our researcher here are civilians. It's a handful to guide them to the correct rooms and all, but it's a lot more painful to handle any external interference to our operation. Particularly from Milium, where they are constantly pestering us with espionage attempts and other fun things.

While researching about the secret history of Milium, I learnt a new concept that comes from the Milium Military Handbook. A playbook that they have been using since a hundred years ago, meant to be used as a standardized guide for their officers. The concept was called "Call To Glory".

In Milium, everything is arranged and managed by the government. That also includes the structure of the military, especially the types of jobs one could have at a time. One type of job that you can be assigned to are called "Call To Glory". Officially speaking, this is a greatest and most honored type of assignment an officer could get. Some even train and develop themselves just to reach a level where they could at least get a single "Call To Glory" assignment. But of course, this being Milium, nothing is as simple as described. There's a reason why they mark this as the greatest type compared to all.

A report coming from my contact in The Agency warned me that there's a Call To Glory operation targeting this facility. Of course I reacted to that information by clearing most of the non-essential division out of the building by the end of the day and fortifying all of our entrances with guards. No half measures, even against an opponent that we have deemed incompetent for years now. Corruption and internal politics will do that to a nation.

Right now I'm in a bunker below the surface of the island, an office space dedicated to times where we are closing down on all operation to prepare for an attack, or an attempt to one. In front of me is a door that's guarded by several people, mostly the staff that's on duty right now. A knock outside breaks the silence which envelops us since we started the lock down. I let that person in, a person that we trusts for their word and action.

Messenger

Messenger Zero One, reporting in! Permission to speak about our current situation!

Overseer Cat

Carry on, what is it?

Messenger

The man in question has touched down not far from here. He's around the east entrance right now, his objective remains unknown. We are waiting for our next command, Overseer.

I slump over my chair and think about the possibilities. He is probably just dropped down from a stealth airbowl and right now lands there because he's basing his intel on the fake documents leak The Agency does as a counter-intelligence effort. Milium probably thought that the east entrance is very close towards the control unit for our ballistic projects. That's of course, all pure lies. We are not doing our ballistic projects here.

Overseer Cat

It's been a while since someone is visiting us. My arms are itching for another go with someone from that country. You there, head of security. I want you to locate and track that spy as soon as possible, redirect all of his movement towards a place with good air conditioning and enough space for an interesting fist fight. After we are done, please ready a transport straight to the nearest military hospital with minimum category C security. Be ready for it, if he's good with his fist, we will probably be over with it in 10 minutes.

Head Of Security

So, the usual Overseer?

Overseer Cat

The usual, please.

Twenty minutes have passed since we found the spy's exact location. We have been tracking him for at least the last ten minutes through various sensors and cameras. Right now I'm sitting outside of a room, waiting for a signal from my security division. It's the room I choose, which will be used to confront this spy. Imagine a room with north and south entrance, the spy should come to the room by the south entrance and I will surprise him from the north. Through reports of the security cameraman, currently he's wearing a dark and very tight clothing right now. Naturally, he's going through all of the corridors that we have designed to be easy to penetrate and slip through. I'm not saying that he's incompetent, but most of the Milium agent that I have encountered so far doesn't realize that the corridors of this place are designed solely to deter and redirect people like him to a place of our choosing.

A bleep from my earphone signals me someone is trying to talk on the other end of this frequency. I put my ear near it to activate my own voice, and starts the conversation.

Overseer Cat

Cat here, sitrep me I'm getting tired of waiting.

Security

He's outside, at the south side of the room. The sensors we have said that he's trying to pry the door open, should we just unlock it to prevent any damage?

Overseer Cat

What, to ruin the surprise that I know his position all along? Are you new here son? Just wait for him to enter, let him close the door, and only then you're allowed to lock it. The south door is using the new fake lock, correct?

Security

Copy that, the door is using the new fake lock. We should be able to re-lock it once the spy is able to break through the fake lock.

Overseer Cat

Excellent job. Now clear the comms, I'm trying to get into character here.

The sensor on the south door is beginning to beep on my earphone. It is my time to shine. From outside of the room, I could hear the door creaking open, by design of course. Once the spy is closing the door where he's coming from, I make my entrance without a moment notice and starts to turn on the lights.

The sudden light that fills the room blinds the spy, promptly moving his left hand onto his face. His right hand instinctively reaches for the gun that's holstered in. Because of the I still have the advantage of a surprise attack, with relative ease, I could take out my gun and shoot right on the barrel of his gun, which are drawn out 80% of the way.

The sound of the explosion in my gun and the ringing of his disabled barrel creates this buzzing noise that bounces off between the walls of this room. Because of the force exerted from the bullet, he couldn't do anything but to let go of his gun, without him being able to pull the trigger once. The spy let out a short gasp while staring onto his unusable weapon, sliding across the floor.

After a second or two, both of us stand in silence, letting each one of us a room to think and breathe. From his hunched back position, he stands straight and face slowly towards me. While we're still staring at each other, he moves his hand towards his face and starts to unmask himself by pulling the cloth away from his mouth. It reveals the appearance of a broken man, trying to accomplish a mission that he unknowingly have lost since the moment he stepped into this building.

I can describe him as a roughed up man, with scars all over his face, still fresh-red and pulsating. One of his cheek is caved in as if it was shot by a fast projectile, which might lead to the black eye patch that's hiding and protecting his wound. The eye patch is on the right side of his face, which could impair his ability to shoot with his right hand. I guess the gun duel that I'm waiting for must be postponed. Let's be the first one to speak, in character.

Overseer Cat

You sure look like a lost man. Do you realize where you are right now?

Spy

Screw you and your good aim. I like that gun and now you've ruined it.

Overseer Cat

You wouldn't be able to use it anyway. Not with that big eye patch obstructing your view.

Spy

Don't just assume my abilities, whoever you are.

He tries to back up and turn the door knob behind him. I let him do it because I know that it's locked. The door knob isn't budging, as expected. His face is now full of worry and panic. The micro expression he is giving is not obvious, but I'm trained to see through the facade of most men.

Overseer Cat

Again, have you realized the situation that you're in right now?

Spy

I'm not going to back down easily you know.

Overseer Cat

We will see.

But you do realize that we are all around you right now, correct? I think the fact that I know exactly your position since the moment that you land on the forest near this facility should be enough of a proof.

Spy

That explains the locked door behind me.

Overseer Cat

A spy from Milium, with enough intelligence to infer basic facts? Now you just got my hopes up, I was expecting someone a lot more inferior. I will expect more entertainment value from you.

Spy

Do you really think this is a game? I could kill your right now with my weapons.

Overseer Cat

Spare me the theatrics. I bet you're only issued a gun, knife, some fast acting food poison, and a medical kit. You don't need to pretend to be stoic, I know I'm right.

He pull out a knife out of his pocket, readying himself with a defensive position. I don't think anyone expects their enemy to know the exact loadout that you are carrying. Bet it freaks him out of his boots right now. Of course, my knowledge about his load out is based on past encounters with other Milium's Spies, so this is not my first rodeo.

Spy

How?! Every detail of my job is a secret, the government would never leak it to scums like you!

Overseer Cat

As I said before, spare me the theatrics. I only want to converse with you because I'm bored with this job, and you're basically a walking-living-breathing-entertainment-center to me. So how about we make a deal to ease out your demise?

In the middle of my speech, he starts to run forward with his knife pointing towards me. I holstered the gun that's still on my hand while parrying and his incoming slashes. His posture is terrible, as if he just got out of an accident. Hunched back, limping, and terrible footing. I don't think he's ever fight another person before this, but this guy is definitely trying.

To put him out of a certain misery, I quickly teep his stomach and feet in succession, then punch directly onto his knife hand, forcing him to throw it outwards. The teep from before is now affecting his breathing. It also breaks his footing and turn it into something that's very unbalanced. Knowing I have the obvious upper hand right now, I let him breathe by stepping back two paces. All of this happened and I haven't felt a single hit point of damage from his attacks.

Overseer Cat

As I said before, I think we should make a deal to ease out your demise. How about an information deal, where the winner are able to ask the other anything. Do you agree?

Spy

huff huff

This...

huff coff

This is not a game.

Overseer Cat

Yet here I am laying out the rules. Whether you accept a certain death by my men's bullets, or take the path of possible victory, is up to your judgement.

Spy

I will...

I will choose the path of possible victory.

Overseer Cat

Then you will answer my question every time I win an engagement. One engagement won, means one question must be answered. That, or I'm going to kill you like the dog you're. Don't worry I'm always fair, I will now ask your term.

Spy

My term?

Overseer Cat

What happens if you win an engagement with me?

Spy

I want you to send me back to Milium. Alive and unharmed.

Overseer Cat

Unharmed? Ha, that depends on your performance boy. But I understand what you mean. I agree to your term.

But before we begin, can you please tell me your name? After downing you once there, I'm sure that's enough for one question for you to answer.

Spy

Do I have a choice, not to say anything?

Overseer Cat

My rules, or else.

Spy

My name...

Before they called me Officer Sukkot. But now I just go by the name, without the rank, nor the honor.

Overseer Cat

Ex-Officer Sukkot it is then. Well, my name is Overseer Cat. Madam Cat, if you will.

Nice to meet you, let's have some fun, shall we?

Sukkot

You have a very skewed definition of fun.

Overseer Cat

Damn right.