No Need for Heroes: Chapter 3 – Executors of the Law

Chapter 3 – Executors of the Law

Hundreds of thousands of people line the streets in anticipation of the king and queen arriving in the city. The Sorrows and other Angels of the Shadows squads are at the front, side, and rear of the parade while the Dominion is on the inside and closest to the king, queen, their family, and friends. Novus has only seen the king, queen, and Dominion in videos and pictures. Being here is like something out of a dream or the history books. It makes him feel like he’s part of something important and bigger than himself.

“Take it all in, rookie,” Lt. Sterner says as he notices Novus looking around. “Not many people get this opportunity in their lifetime.”

“Yes, sir. It’s an honor to be here, to say the least,” Novus says.

“That it is.”

The parade goes to the capital building in the city where a conference is held where the king, queen, governor, and mayor of the city all give speeches. After them, the chiefs of the Angels of the Shadows squads also give their speeches along with those who represent the priesthood and families of this city. A large dinner is given afterward to those who are in attendance. Once the dinner is done and people are going home, Novus wants to talk to the Dominion to learn more about them, which Lt. Sterner allows. Sensus tags along with them since he’s just as curious about them, especially their weapons that can be modified to turn into nearly any weapon type and if he can have one. They know a group of them should be with the governor in his office, so they go to the office and are shocked to see one of the Dominion shooting the governor in the back of the head. Instantly drawing their guns, Lt. Sterner is about to question the guard until more Dominion show up from the shadows of the room and point their guns at the Sorrows in turn.

“Stand down, lieutenant,” one of the Dominion officers says.

“Explain what is happening then,” Lt. Sterner says.

“The governor was part of the reason why this city is experiencing such high levels of crime and this officer was just executing his duty.”

“On who’s order?”

“His own. I don’t blame you for not knowing that it’s something the Dominion have the authority to do. It’s kept that way to keep it secret. You don’t hear about the execution of an official because it doesn’t happen often and when it is reported, it is simply told to the public to be the result of an order from higher authorities while leaving out our role in it besides us executing the criminal. Lower your guns now and I’ll tell you more.”

“You’ll just tell us everything?”

“Yes. We are honest men of God after all. Even if you told people and they believed you, no one can take away our rights.”

Lt. Sterner nods to Sensus and Novus and they all lower their guns. The body of the governor is taken away by the Dominion and the three Sorrows sit with the remaining Dominion as their leader explains.

“Any Dominion can shoot any official if they think they’re a criminal?” Lt. Sterner asks.

“They’ll need to present evidence or have their sources in dependable individuals before they can execute a governor, mayor, overseer, or even the king or queen.”

“How did the Dominion obtain this immense privilege and responsibility?”

“Our patron, St. Servus, was framed for crimes she didn’t commit by the corrupt officials she served, but through God’s help and the people who supported her, she was able to prove the crimes of the officials, get them executed, and restore her reputation. Because of this, we were given the right to execute officials at our founding so that the mistakes of the past wouldn’t be repeated.”

“I can see the reason behind it.”

“Who wouldn’t? The world was corrupted because men in power couldn’t be overthrown or replaced until the Saintly Families came together and forcefully did so. Now the world is completely different, but the governor here has been radicalizing people to think that the world was better back then, which is why the crime rate is the way it is. Didn’t you think it was strange that the Angels of the Shadows are being deployed on an almost regular basis?”

“I have. It’s just that I tried not to think about it since I can’t do anything about it and hoped that God would help the investigation squads get to the bottom of it.”

“The investigation squads have been doing well here, but since they don’t have the resources that the Dominion do, they can only do so much.”

“So, is there more to be done then? Surely, the governor’s death can only accomplish so much.”

“You’re right and you can help if you want. I know you’re zealous to uphold the law and protect citizens, Lt. Sterner. As for you, Pvt. Novus, helping us could help you rise through the ranks. It’ll make your family proud. Sgt. Sensus, you’ll be doing more to make this city safer than it was not too long ago through your help.”

All three Sorrows are somewhat shocked to hear the Dominion officer pin down their motivations and wants so simply. They thank the officer for the honor of helping them and agree to do so.

“Thank you for accepting. My name is Lt. General Vigilia by the way,” the Dominion officer says as she takes off her helmet and then extends her hand that the three officers shake.

The three Sorrows stay in the luxurious hotel that the Dominion is staying in. They get some rest before heading out in the middle of the night. Going to a media event where the biggest brands and approved indie developers show off their products in stands, rooms, and stages. Each heads or heads of the organizations present their products also to the king, queen, and other officials to get more possible funding and to be recommended to the public above their peers. With his fellow squadmates and the Dominion, Novus is scanning through the crowds to find their targets.

To help them in this operation, the three Sorrows have been given an upgrade to the identification device that they typically use to identify criminals. They can now not only identify people in the crowd, but they can also mark them in the crowd so that they stand out in the views of the other officers. The news of the governor’s execution is made known to only the most trusted officials. Still, the deceased governor’s allies may be acting out their plans more carefully since the governor isn’t here and it was told to the public that he wouldn’t be because of an obligation he had to attend to. Lt. Sterner still chuckles to himself when he remembers that he said that the obligation was to answer to God for his crimes.

Eventually, the officers find their targets and mark them. These targets are then approached by the officers and taken aside to a place outside of the public space to be arrested by the police to not cause a scene and ruin the event. They are then interrogated by the investigation squad. With the information they get from both the conspirators and the Dominion and the information they already have, the investigation squad directs them back to the governor whom they don’t know is already dead until they are told. Surprised by this, they take a second before suggesting the mayor’s secretary who is another and the last conspirator.

“The plan is simple. Lt. Sterner, you’ll take your Sorrows into city hall, tell the secretary that you have to bring her to the roof, and we’ll eliminate her from a neighboring building,” Lt. General Vigilia says.

“What about the mayor too? She must be involved in this conspiracy as well,” Lt. Sterner says.

“She isn’t. From what we know, the secretary is the only conspirator while the mayor unknowingly helps her by giving her the information a secretary is usually given. We can spare her.”

“If you say so, ma’am.”

Going to city hall, the Sorrows do as they are told and bring the secretary to the rooftop of the building where she is executed by a Dominion. Her body is then secretly brought out of the building by the investigation squad.

Lt. Sterner tells the mayor, “Your secretary won’t be returning to work today. She has other obligations to attend to by the authority of the Dominion.”

The mayor reluctantly accepts this excuse while being completely unaware of what happened.

“Now what?” Lt. Sterner asks once he, Sensus, and Novus are back at the hotel.

“Now? We wait for more information and do what we can from there,” Lt. General Vigilia says. “This is the most irritating part of our vocation, especially since we can’t take a more active role in erasing the poison the governor and his conspirators have inflicted on the public despite our high authority as Dominion. We’re still guards after all. I’m sure you understand.”

“I do. But what about the governor, the mayor’s secretary, and the people we arrested? Someone is going to recognize sooner or later that they’ve disappeared.”

“My men are writing up an explanation for the news that will tell of these people’s crimes. To be honest, we did more than what we were supposed to. Our sphere of work involves executing officials, not executing their secretaries or arresting conspirators even though we technically have that authority as the highest branch of the Angels of the Shadows, but it’s a stretch.”

“You won’t hear me complaining or reporting it.”

“Maybe you should be. The world fell to ruin and corruption because people were acting on their own initiative and what they thought was right and wrong rather than actually doing what was right. The governor and his conspirators are trying to make people think this way again and it has caused chaos in this city.”

“But they’ll be forgotten about and those who are faithful will win in the end. This sector used to be called the United States of America, a rotten country that forgot its honorable roots. Now, its legacy is forgotten in the history books where no one brings it up or remembers it unless they absolutely must or speak of past failures.”

“Also remember that America was kept alive by the faithful and that there were times that things got worse and worse.”

“Which was when the saintly families rose up and righted the wrongs of the past. I know that many of the saintly families were American and even flew the old flag along with holding up their cross to show their allegiance to God and their want to make the country a better place.”

“Exactly, but the people of today forget the corruption of the past. Some even think of our history as nothing more than a fairy tale or an outright lie. They forget that people were either a rich slave or a poor worker in the society of the past. Political and corporate jobs were earned by knowing someone in the business rather than through hard work in addition to making connections. The richest and most corrupt were untouchable and had the poor stuck in the prison of unpayable debts until the saintly families freed them by executing the corrupt on the spot, which was an American idea and one that the Dominion continued to be inspired by.”

“Then I pray that you continue in your vocation in the way the Lord wills.”

“Thank you and thank you for all your help, Lt. Sterner, Sgt. Sensus, and Pvt. Novus. Be sure to stay vigilant. Just because the heads of the serpent are cut off doesn’t mean that the body is completely dead and won’t lash at us even if they never find out what we’ve done. Your station will receive a raise for your help and all three of your reputations will be increased, which can help if you want to move up in position in the future.”

After they return back to the station, Novus goes to his room to read and think. What he’s taken part in reminds him that he’s only a small part of God’s plan while more powerful people such as the Dominion have a greater role and impact on the world. When he first took the job as an officer, he was content with what he had, but now that he’s seen the larger picture, he now feels insignificant and worthless.

“Someone else could’ve been in my place. I’m sure the lieutenant, sergeant, and Dominion could’ve done what they did without me,” Novus says before saying a silent humbling prayer. “I shouldn’t worry about the role I play in all of this and just be satisfied with what I have. If I deserve more, then what I’ve done could help me move up just like the lieutenant general said.”

Even with the feeling of reassurance from his prayers and what he’s told himself, Novus can’t help but feel a bit unsure of his future and unsatisfied with what he has, so he goes to bed early hoping to sleep away the gnawing feeling.