Sallas 2: The Gilded Cage

Chapter Description: The offer has been made and it is one that Anna and Ryan can't refuse.

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“I understand that much.” Ryan replied, “But what is it for and why are you giving it to me?”

“They told me you were bright.” Mr. Sawyer pursed his lips, “It is a contract to come and work for the government.”

“The government!?” Anna and Ryan exclaimed at the same time.

Ryan walked across the living room to show Anna the paper. Even this small amount of respect towards Anna seemed to make the people from the government very uncomfortable. It was definitely a contract, but the question in her mind was less what she was holding and more why it was being offered. They were persona non grata, there had to be a catch.

“I don’t want to work for you.” Ryan said after a minute. He put his arm around Anna, “I don’t care what the job is.”

“You haven’t given me a chance to explain to you what is on offer.” Mr. Sawyer said. He smiled but his eyes remained cold. Anna was reminded of a snake.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ryan shook his head, “Whatever your offer is, I refuse. Now if you don’t mind, I have to get to work.”

“Sit down, Mr. Manning.” Mr. Sawyer said. He turned to Anna, “Here you go, darling.”

Mr. Sawyer had reached into his bag and produced a small soft toy, a brown furred bear with a big friendly smile. It was a child’s toy, and it was held out for Anna who took it. She felt the red mist descending as she took the bear that was clearly meant to distract her as if she were some child who would be uninterested in what the adults said. She threw it to the floor whilst her eyes were locked on the government worker. He smiled.

Anna balled her fists. She had never been the most patient woman in the world, and it had gotten both her and Ryan into trouble plenty of times in the past. Ryan said he liked her fiery temper, but as his arm around her tightened slightly it seemed clear he was warning her to keep her head. She reluctantly sat on the edge of the armchair whilst Ryan sat in the seat.

“Mr. Manning… Do you mind if I call you Ryan?” Jimmy asked casually.

Ryan simply shrugged.

“Very well, Ryan. My name is Jimmy Sawyer.” The government official said, “Let me tell you what we’re offering.”

Anna could feel Ryan shifting in his seat. He was clearly as uncomfortable as she was. There were two employees of the government in their living room and that couldn’t be a good thing no matter what they professed.

“Ryan, we are authorised today to offer you a job in middle-management within the government with plenty of chances for career progression.” Mr. Sawyer said, “You will receive an honorary degree to make up for the one you gave up. You’ll be moved into a wonderful house within a very safe gated community with a monthly stipend on top of your wage as well as a live-in maid.”

There was silence as Jimmy Sawyer finished his pitch. He leaned back in his chair and smiled again. Anna looked down at her husband who seemed to have been struck dumb by what was not only a generous offer of employment but a way back into civilised society. Mr. Sawyer was offering a way out of the dangerous neighbourhood they found themselves in and a very comfortable existence. It was too good to be true.

“What’s the catch?” Ryan asked after a minute where he seemed to have lost his ability to talk.

“The catch?” Mr. Sawyer replied airily, as if he couldn’t imagine why the couple sitting in front of him might be suspicious of his motives.

“You don’t expect me to believe you would walk in here and offer me all that for nothing?” Ryan snorted, “I’m not a fool, Mr. Sawyer. To go from the bottom of the barrel to being offered all this… You want something from us.”

“Ah, so suspicious…” Mr. Sawyer’s smile became cold again, “But as a matter of fact you’re right. The government of Sallas has need of you… your wife, to be exact.”

“What could they possibly want from me?” Anna asked. She didn’t know if speaking up was a good thing. Mr. Sawyer and his assistant reacted as if someone had just scratched their nails down a chalkboard, the very idea of a woman speaking to them freely seemed to appal them, “I’m just a woman, remember?”

“Then maybe you should do something useful like make us some coffee.” Mr. Sawyer’s low voice sounded threatening.

“And maybe you can fu-…” Anna started before Ryan stopped her. She continued to quietly seethe.

“What do you want from us?” Ryan asked.

“Simply put, the pair of you have a value.” Mr. Sawyer said, “Especially Anna.”

“I do?” Anna frowned. She couldn’t imagine anything she had that would be valuable to the government.

“Sallas is facing a demographics crisis.” Jimmy Sawyer said as he leaned forwards again, “The population is getting old and there aren’t enough new babies. Then there are the terrorist attacks…”

Anna snorted with laughter before she could stop herself. What Sallas described as “terrorist attacks” was in reality little more than a protest. Anna had indeed seen news about these disturbances, but they were very minor and few in number, it certainly didn’t seem to be something she imagined would upset the all-powerful government. She had heard rumours of a resistance to the extreme patriarchy that existed in Sallas but had never given it much thought, the task of freeing women in Sallas was impossibly big. In any case, if there was a resistance they didn’t seem to be very good as the protests were easily beaten down. Mr. Sawyer was continuing without even looking Anna’s way.

“We want to encourage immigration to remedy our demographic dilemma, and we want to reshape global culture in our image to make us friends abroad. You know, diplomacy and all that jazz.” Mr. Sawyer continued. He leaned back in his seat and crossed one leg over the other.

“You call this culture?” Anna asked spitefully, “This… oppression?”

“Mr. Manning.” Jimmy Sawyer’s façade was cracking and the anger he was feeling was starting to seep through, “Would you get your girl under control so we can talk like men?”

“She’s not wrong.” Ryan said with a shrug.

“We’re wasting our time.” The younger employee said, “You can’t negotiate with these degenerates.”

“How about you just cut to the chase?” Ryan said, “Then we can reject your proposal, and we can all move on with our lives.”

“Very well.” Mr. Sawyer slipped easily back into control, “Let me put it to you like this. Anna, as a foreign-born girl, is almost uniquely positioned to be of use in marketing Sallas to other women. We want to market you as the perfect Sallasian couple.”

The irony was so great that Anna almost laughed in the man’s face. They had been kicked out of college, blacklisted from any reputable employer and made to live in the poorest and most dangerous part of the city precisely because they were the exact opposite of what Sallas wanted. All of a sudden, they were a commodity that the government wanted to use? The ideal for the rest of the country, nay, the world, to strive for?

“Us? The perfect Sallasian couple?” Ryan asked sceptically, mirroring Anna’s thoughts.

“Obviously we’ll be… helping you with what to say and do.” Mr. Sawyer said carefully, “You’ll be expected to keep up appearances. We have a campaign laid out. Believe it or not, Mr. Manning, but you and your wife will be celebrities, millions have already been spent in preparation.”

Anna suddenly felt a chill. There was something in the government man’s words which suddenly made this seem less like a choice and more like an order. It they had already spent so much money on this plan then there was surely no way they would allow it to be scuppered by herself and Ryan.

“What happens if we say no?” Anna asked anxiously.

“Ah, well, that’s where things might get tricky for you.” Mr. Sawyer said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a walkie-talkie which he placed on the table, “We didn’t come alone, you understand.”

“Be straight with us.” Ryan said.

“Very well.” Mr. Sawyer nodded his head, “I have an order for Anna and Ryan Manning to be removed from this apartment and placed into a Finishing School. If I tell the people waiting downstairs to act, they will be up here and handcuffing her within one minute.”

“What for!?” Ryan demanded.

“I believe the order accuses your girl of assisting deviant groups. As for yourself, the order declares you are mentally incompetent and would join your wife in enjoying a stay at one of our finest Finishing Schools.” Mr. Sawyer replied.

“That’s bullshit.” Ryan shook his head.

“Do you really think that matters?” Mr. Sawyer asked. It was an honest question, and the obvious answer was that it didn’t.

“But… I’m a man…” Ryan frowned. He had never heard of men being sent away the same way women were.

“That’s questionable.” The younger government employee smirked.

“It is less common.” Mr. Sawyer conceded, “But the government has started experimenting with forcibly regressing those men it sees no other use for.”

Anna shuddered. To think she was so close to being sent to a place she had always heard was hell made her stomach turn. She stood up and walked across to the window on the other side of the living room. When she looked down at the street below, she could see a government van waiting with several people in body armour.

“Once you are both fully regressed you will be used to market Sallas anyway.” Mr. Sawyer finished, “You will be separated, of course, and adopted by other couples who would show what a wonderful system we have. You would be the first “little couple”, brought together as regressed citizens and used to espouse the benefits of regressing certain… people. After all, Mr. Manning, the government isn’t heartless, we wouldn’t want to split up such a loving couple.”

Anna jumped when she felt a hand on her back. It was Ryan. He wrapped her in a loose hug as he peered out through the window as well. Mr. Sawyer’s words had shaken both of them. Neither of them had any doubt that the threats were real and if they did the wrong thing now, they would be in the facility within hours. It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff and looking at your doom knowing one misstep is all it would take.

“We have no choice.” Ryan whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Anna nodded. Her eyes were full of tears. For a few more seconds Ryan held her, she turned around and he placed a light kiss on her forehead. Together they went back to their seat.

“Fine. We’ll do it.” Ryan eventually said.

“Marvellous.” Mr. Sawyer said happily, as if it was a genuine free choice they had made, “Let this be the start of a long and fruitful partnership! Ryan, we have some forms for you to sign whilst Anna gets properly dressed.”

“Properly dressed?” Anna asked.

“Yes. You will be expected to maintain a suitable style of dress.” Mr. Sawyer picked up the walkie-talkie and spoke into it, “We are a go. Please bring up the outfit for the girl.”

Anna looked around nervously. This apartment had been their home for only a short time, but it represented what she knew. She had no idea what would be on the other side of this agreement, there was no way she was going to trust what the government was saying and there was a part of her that expected to be taken to a Finishing School regardless.

“We will leave in ten minutes.” Mr. Sawyer said as he pulled out a stack of papers for Ryan to sign.

“We’re going today?” Ryan asked in shock, “W-What about all our stuff?”

“You will have no need for any of it at your new house.” Mr. Sawyer said, “It comes fully furnished.”

Anna rather thought that missed the point. Sure, they didn’t have much but some of this stuff still had a sentimental value. Anna thought about her photo album, there was no way she could leave that behind, it was all she had left of her parents.

“This is all happening rather fast.” Ryan muttered.

“I understand.” Mr. Sawyer nodded sympathetically, “You may gather whatever you need as long as it fits in a suitcase… and you can get it ready in ten minutes.”

“You want us to make all our stuff up now?” Ryan asked.

“Like I said, we leave in ten minutes.” Mr. Sawyer replied.

Ryan immediately started hurrying towards the bedroom and Anna went to follow until she felt Mr. Sawyer roughly grab her wrist. Her temper flashed and she tried to pull away unsuccessfully. Mr. Sawyer shook his head and Anna gritted her teeth.

“Ryan!” Anna called, “My album…”

“I’m on it.” Ryan replied as he hurried away.

A minute later yet more people were walking into the apartment. Just minutes ago, it had been Ryan and Anna’s home but just like that it had been taken away from them. Anna watched nervously as men came in with boxes and trunks. She didn’t know what was going to happen next, but it seemed like they were going to empty the apartment before the couple even got out. Finally, two men came in with suitcases, they walked into the living room and up to Mr. Sawyer.

“Wonderful.” Mr. Sawyer smiled, “Gentlemen, if you could get the girl ready as soon as possible.”

Mr. Sawyer walked away and seemed to head towards the bedroom where Ryan was. Anna watched anxiously as the suitcases were opened. When she saw what was inside, she felt her stomach drop. It shouldn’t have surprised her, and deep down it didn’t, but having reality thrust in her face was still difficult.

“Please don’t…” Anna said quietly.

“Rules are rules.” One of the men said, “Now don’t resist, we wouldn’t want to have to tell Mr. Sawyer you’ve been naughty.”

The threat was implicit, and Anna knew her choices were to do as she was told like a good little Sallasian woman or resist and get both her and Ryan into more trouble than they could handle. She shook as she took a deep breath and looked into the suitcases again. One contained a very frilly pink dress, it was folded up still so she couldn’t see all the details, but it was clearly meant to be very childish indeed. The other suitcase had a small stack of diapers along with wipes and powder.

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