"I know who you really are Kiera, that's why you need protection..." ilang ulit nang naglalaro sa utak ko ang mga sinabi ni Phelan. Alam kung malalim ang kahulugan ng mga binitiwan niyang salita.
But why can't he say directly kung ano ang nalalaman niya? Sino ba talaga si Phelan Vargas? Anong nalalaman niya? Bakit bigla na lang siyang naging agresibo tungkol sa misteryo ng aking pagkatao?
Sigurado akong may kinalaman ang lahat ng pagbabago sa kanyang kinikilos noong gabing nakita ko siya kasama ang mga magulang niya at ang tatlong outcross. Isa bang outcross si Phelan? Pero bakit siya nakatali noong gabing bago mag-lunar eclipse?
Base kasi sa mga nabasa ko, ang total transformation mga human outcross ay nangyayari sa oras na makapatay sila ng isang nilalang tuwing lunar eclipse. Hindi ba't dapat ay walang kadena sa katawan si Phelan upang malaya niyang magampanan ang tungkulin bilang isang outcross? Pero bakit siya itinali ng mga magulang niya? Bakit hindi ko maramdaman ang itim na dugong dumadaloy sa mga ugat niya kung isa siyang outcross?
"Something wrong agent Lucy?" Rumina asked. Nakaupo ito sa tabi ng nagmamanehong si Kelvin. We were headed to the boundary that divides Diamond Hills and Golden Plains, our neighboring town. The second artifact was about to arrive from a ship which came from the West continent. The second zero artifact is due this time.
Kelvin threw me a gander. It was a sincere one. Hindi ito nagsalita. Pero pakiramdam ko'y alam nito ang nangyayari.
No one among us would play as the innocent sheep after seeing Phelan and the outcross during his birthday. Kaya alam kong may iniisip din ang dalawa tungkol doon. I just don't know if they have the intention to push through the knowing part of Phelan's mystery or they'd stick with what's written on their crown. As for me, I will bend or even break the rules if needed. I might get known with the rules I break.
"So the primary plan," usal ko para maputol ang namumuong kyuryosidad sa isip ni Rumina. "Are we going to the cruise itself and take the red cork or are we going to wait for the box to land on soil?"
Umiling-iling si Rumina na parang hindi makapaniwalang ayaw kong sabihin ang bumabagabag sa isip ko. We're a team afterall. Naiintindihan ko kung ano ang nasasaloob niya. I just don't trust that easy. For me, trust is earned, the hardest way in the most complicated circumstances. So, not yet.
"We'll take the 'The Red Cork' before it lands the golden soil." Kelvin uttered as he took the wheels of the Audi S8 at almost 190 miles per hour. Ilang minuto na lang at nasa pampang na kami ng Golden Plains.
"Isn't it better if we take the cork when it hits the soil? Less hassle?" Rumina said convincingly.
"Lesser hassle it is but it would compromise the success of our mission. There will be a lot of uniformed and secret agents around the second artifact. Unlike if we hit the cruise itself, we can take four to ten men guarding the cruise, take the red cork, jump off the boat, swim back to our meeting point and then voila! We're done." Kelvin insisted. His point convinced me more than Rumina's.
Tinignan ako ni Rumina. I knew that she'd asked for my side in order to break the knot. She'd seek for a vote. Rumina can be very persuasive but she respects the majority.
"Agent Gorgos is right. We can take the plan smoothly kapag nasa cruise ship na tayo. " I suggested.
"Thanks Lucy!" dinig ko mula sa harap habang tinitignan siya ng masama ni Rumina. The guy chuckled like a kid who won a deal.
Hindi na ako nakapagpaliwanag pa kay Rumina kung bakit si Kelvin ang sinang-ayunan ko dahil ilang segundo lang ay nasa teritoryo na kami ng Golden Plains, the neighboring city which is as rich as Diamond Hills.
My heart started beating so fast. Again.
The mission was fast-paced. LOU had a jetski prepared for us to get into the cruise's bow. Ilang segundo lang ay nakarating na kami sa mismong port hand ng barko gamit ang high-tech na hiking wire. We had five minutes to reach the ballroom of the ship. Hindi kami nahirapang makapasok sa premises ng cruise dahil sa suot naming unipormeng kinuha namin mula sa mga tauhan na kasalukuyang nakatali at nakabusal sa tagong lugar.
The adrenaline went on.
The rush became intense as we penetrated the VIP cabin where the protected 'red cork' was hidden. May nakaengkwentro pa kaming limang guwardia bago namin narating ang VIP cabin na nakasaad sa instruction ng LOU. I took the first two guys with an uppercut and a smashing side kick. Hindi ko pinalampas ang pagkakataon na balian sila ng mga binti gamit ang aking tuhod. The two lost their might nang hampasin ko sila ng aking kamao sa kanilang batok. Kelvin and Rumina were at par with my fighting skills. Halos sabay-sabay naming napabagsak ang mga guard with our random roundhouse kicks.
Lahat kami ay hiningal sa naganap na engkwentro. I almost lost control of my normal side. The other side of me almost took over. Pakiramdam ko'y mas dumadalas ang pagtatangkang takeover ng nakatagong pwersa sa katawan ko pagkatapos no'ng eclipse. The eclipse fortified my other side. My non-human side. The scary part of me.
"Agent Lucy! To the left!" Kontroladong sigaw ni Kelvin habang tinatahak namin ang hallway papuntang VIP room.
All of us were holding thermal powered daggers as we moved closer to the room that's on the endpoint of the hallway. Rumina stopped on the left door frame, I slid down to the right. Kelvin readied his knuckles covered with specialized form of metal that breaks any surface. I held my daggers closer.
As we exchange gaze infront of the black door, I felt the heat of my inner side come out from my chest. Mukhang nagsisimula na namang magwala ang katauhan sa loob ng katawan ko. Napakapit ako ng mas mahigpit sa punyal na nasa tagiliran ko. Kelvin nodded as a sign that we're about to penetrate the inside. I held my breath as I waited for Kelvin to crush the door.
Isang nakakabinging tunog ng nawasak na pintuan ang sumunod na narinig. Pagkatapos no'n ay mabilis na nagdive si Rumina sa carpeted floor kasunod ni Kelvin. I sprawled on the floor and looked for any danger that's near. Napansin kong nakikipagpalitan ng tadyak si Rumina sa isang sulok habang si Kelvin ay sinasakal ng isang malaking mama. The guy was choking.
Mabilis kong pinaikot ang punyal sa aking palad habang nakatitig sa batok ng mamang sumasakal kay Kelvin. Sa isang mabilis na iglap, itinapon ko ang dagger patungo sa batok ng malaking kalaban. The dagger hit the spine. It was a quick kill. Ilang saglit lang pagkatapos mamatay ng lalaki ay nagawa namang saksakin sa ulo ni Rumina ang kalaban.
The room was filled with blood. Sa sobrang agresibo nina Rumina at Kelvin ay noon ko lang namalayang anim pala ang mga guwardiyang napaslang sa loob ng kwartong iyon. There were seven people left in the room and only one remained alive. Isang matandang Chinese na nakahiga sa kama at nakahawak sa isang pulang bote ng wine kung saan nasa dulo nito ang red cork.
Titig na titig ang matanda saakin na para bang nakakita ito ng isang multo. Animo'y isa akong propesiyang natunghayan niyang nagkatotoo sa harap mismo ng mga mata niya. The old man's jaw dropped and his eyes were unblinking. "You're real! The mystery is real!" sambit nito.
Natigilan ako sa sinabi ng matanda. Nanlamig ako at halos hindi makagalaw. Hindi ko alam kung anong una kong gagawin. "W-what do you mean I'm real?"
"You are Kiera of The Zero Artifact, the woman believed to have existed long time ago... You are the key-"
Hindi natapos ng matanda ang sasabihin nito. A dagger landed on his throat so swiftly.
He's dead.
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