"Nakakatawa. Isang secret mission sa tanghaling tapat!" Dinig kong usal ni Kelvin habang minamaneho ang isang Ford Ranger Raptor. Nakablack fitted cap ito at isang lose white longsleeves na pinaresan ng tokong shorts at Chuck Taylor all star low top.
Samantalang kaming dalawa ni Rumina'y naka-tight fitting black garment. Kaya tuloy masama ang timpla ng huli.
"Kailan ka kaya magta-tights? Pansin ko agent Polar, laging kaming dalawa nitong si Lucy ang sumasabak sa madugong misyon." Asik ni Rumina na nasa tabi ng lalaki. Inismiran nito ang lalaki saka napahalukipkip.
Kelvin chuckles. Mabilis nitong sinulyapan si Rumina saka nagsalita. "Are you complaining about the mission o gusto mo lang akong makitang naka-tights?"
Inirapan ito ng babae saka tinutukan ng swiss knife sa may tagiliran. "Eh kung balatan kita ng buhay?"
Napaigtad ang lalaki dahilan para lumiko ng bahagya ang takbo ng sasakyan. Mabuti na lang at mabilis na nakabawi si Kelvin. He laughs hard as he puts back his focus on the rocky road. "Nagbibiro lang naman ako, uy! Not unless m-"
"Not unless what?" Masungit na putol ng babae sa sasabihin ng nagmamanehong si Kelvin.
These two look cute together. Parang sa kabila ng panganib sa mission namin, may mga bagay pa ring nakakatuwa kagaya nila. Everything about this life isn't so dark afterall.
Patuloy sa pagbubuskuhan sina Rumina at Kelvin habang tinatahak namin ang lugar kung nasaan ang ikatlo at huling Zero artifact. Ilang kilometro na ang nalakbay namin. We have come passed three mountains and two rivers.
Until the car finally comes to a full stop. Atop of a hill is a five-sided white house centrally located and open to the sky above with a quadrilateral hole in the roof. It has an unusual and dramatic facade as the trees sway behind it.
"Nice house but, aren't we suppose to be hiding somewhere? Nasa harap tayo ng mismong location." Suhestiyon ni Kelvin na nagsimula nang iatras ang sasakyan.
"Hindi ba gumana ang GPS locator mo? We should be stopping a few freakin' hidden meters away from the exact point!" Mukhang mainit na naman ang ulo ni Rumina. Napahigpit ang hawak nito sa seatbelt nang bumilis ang atras ng sasakyan dahil medyo matarik ang slope ng daan. "Careful!" She sighs with disbelief.
"I did. The GPS was working fine. We're supposed to stop half a mile from the east crossing. Pero the car suddenly stopped and signaled that we're at our destination. I have researched for a week para dito and I cannot be mistaken that the third artifact is here!"
One week is long enough for Kelvin to dig deep into something. Hindi ito nagkakamali pagdating sa treasure hunting and deeper investigation. He's the techiest I know. Patuloy sa pag-urong ang ford hanggang sa makahanap ng perfect spot si Kelvin kung saan pwedeng magtago at magmatiyag.
Pababa na si Rumina para suriin ang buong area nang mapansin nito ang pananahimik ni Kelvin.
"A-anything wrong, Polar?" Nabalisa na rin ang babae. Mukhang kinutuban na rin ito. We are all thinking the same—the GPS glitch.
Bumuntong hininga ang lalaki saka umiling. He let loose of his seatbelt and immediately grabs the car's door handle. "Something is wrong guys. The GPS glitch never happened to me, not until now. Someone, more skilled than me, hacked the system."
Natigilan ako. Nagpabalik-balik ang tingin ko kina Rumina at Kelvin. Nagsimula nang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Just what the three of us thought. Someone's interferring with our mission to get the third artifact.
"L-lucy, Polar," Rumina utters in a warning tone as she glances at us, and holds the door handle, "I smell gun powders, fissile isotopes uranium and plutonium. There are high explosives coming!"
Gulat na napatingin si Kelvin. We may believe Rumina's statement since she has not showed any special ability since we become a team and this might be it. She can smell weapons and all possible threats.
"Jump and run!" Sigaw ng babae na animo'y may paparating na panganib. Kaagad nitong nabuksan ang pintuan kasabay ni Kelvin. "Lucy! Bilisan mo! Papasabugin tayo!"
All my senses gather together. It is like a bolt of electricity finally igniting my reflexes. Napaigtad ako at mabilis na binuksan ang pintuan. I can see a flaming ball of fire coming towards the car. Missile! I dive quickly and my arms speedily touch the ground before I roll away from the Ford Ranger. Swiftly, I lower my head and body to avoid an incoming blow.
Nakailang metro ako palayo sa sasakyan nang di alintana ang mga matitinik na halaman at matutulis na sanga ng mga puno. Cuts are all over my body. Napatalon ako para muling makalayo sa sasakyan ni Kelvin. I don't know where the two are. Hindi ko na sila mahagilap!
Bago pa man ako muling makahakbang palayo ay isang malakas na pagsabog ang nangyari. Napakalakas. Nakakabingi. Halos yanigin ang buong kagubatang nakapalibot sa burol na 'yon. Wala akong matanaw na tanawin dahil sa sobrang kapal ng magkahalong usok, alikabok at nagliliparang mga dahon ang sumakop sa buong paligid.
The car is on fire!
The air becomes so thick. Halos maubos ang hangin sa baga ko. I gasp for air. Saka ako sumiksik sa kumpol ng mayayabong na ferns katabi ng isang malaking punongkahoy na binalot ng makakapal na lumot. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang mga sugat ko.
I smell the rusty warm liquid flowing from my right temple. I can feel the deep cut on my left leg just below my groin. I grunt heavily as I move deeper into the canopy created by the lower branches of the fig tree.
Hinintay kong humupa ang makapal na usok. By that time, I can have a clearer vision of what's going around and who's doing it. Unti-unti, nawala ang makapal na alikabok at usok sa hangin. Tanging ang apoy at usok na lang na nagmumula sa nasusunog na kotse ang nakikita. Halos hindi na ako gumalaw sa pinagtataguan. Wala ding Rumina at Kelvin sa paligid.
No movements. No yelling. Nothing.
Ilang saglit lang ang katahimikang iyon. Dahil pagkalipas ng ilang minuto'y sunod-sunod na narinig ko ang pagkusot ng mga patalim mula sa itaas. I hear the blades cutting through leaves and stems as they gear towards my direction.
Mabilis ang mga pangyayari. Hindi ako tinamaan. The several thuds created by the six daggers hitting the tree branches and roots make me take a hard grip. The thrusts are deep. It only means that the enemy is skilled.
Muli, mula sa nahawing sanga ng punongkahoy at ang mabilis na pagsilay ng liwanag ng araw sa kagubatang iyon, naalerto ako sa kinauupuan. A tall mold of a woman coming from the layers of the canopy blocks the shimmer of the sun. She lands graciously like a wild eagle. She is wearing a fitted ninja leather with remarkable combat boots. Her face and head are fully hidden.
Then, surprisingly, her chocolate eyes find me as if it knows I have been hiding there for quite some time. She stands there, a few meters just staring at me like she's about to butcher me with her two kukris.
I only flinch my eyes. I would watch her make her move before I execute mine. I already have eight possible escape and defense plans in mind. Hihintayin kong sumugod ito so that I could confirm if she really wants to harm or even kill me. I don't want to end up killing the wrong person in this game full of lies and secrets.
Nakatayo lang doon ang babae. May kakilala akong kasingtangkad nito. Pero imposibleng narito siya ngayon. What would she even do here? Why would she even intervene with an encrypted mission like this? Sagrado sa LOU ang bawat misyon and The Riot's mission remains a secret to the rest of the urions except the three of us and the first—Sirius.
Pinoproseso ko ang mga posibleng mangyari sa paghaharap namin ng estrangherong babae. Either I ran away from her or face her to death if she insists.
Pero bago pa man ako tuluyang makapagdesisyon ay bigla na lang lumundag mula sa likuran ng misteryosong babae, si Rumina. She is holding both the daggers with one raised to make a stab on the stranger's back.
Unexpectedly, the masked lady is able to fastly tangle his arm against Rumina's. Hindi ito nagsayang ng oras nang malakas niyang ibinalibag ang babae palayo sa kinatatayuan niya. Tumilapon si Rumina sa mga pulumpon ng tropical shrubs.
My feet move to seize the chance of avenging Rumina.
Tumigil sa mabilis na paghakbang ang mga paa ko nang marinig ko ang sunod-sunod na gun shots mula sa kaliwang bahagi ng kagubatan. Nailagan ng kalaban ang mga balang iyon nang walang kahirap-hirap. She's a skilled foe and I am terrified. The diffusing gun smoke then reveals Kelvin holding two longneck rifles.
"Lucy! Gorgos! Run!" Malakas na sigaw ng lalaki saka nito muling pinihit ang mga baril sa magkabilang kamay. He dashes towards the masked lady and begins to fire bullets nonstop. Then he steps back for a section of distance and fires more bullets towards the enemy.
Hindi namin inasahan ang bilis ng kalaban. She ducks numerous times and glides her way to Kelvin. Nang mapansin ko ang paggalaw nito'y awtomatiko kong nabunot ang mga punyal sa magkabila kong baywang. I am like a rocket gushing towards a target as I am triggered seeing Kelvin in danger.
Napansin din marahil ni Kelvin ang pagsugod ng kalaban. He hurtles to his left and aims for the running target. Ilang metro lang ang layo ko mula sa kalaban na papalapit na kay Kelvin. Binilisan ko ang pagtakbo. I need to prevent her from killing the guy.
"Kelvin! Run!" Napasigaw ako. Gaya ng inaasahan, hindi ako pinakinggan ng lalaki at patuloy ito sa pagpapaulan ng bala na naiilagan lang ng kalaban.
Tantiya ko'y tatlong metro lang ang pagitan ko mula kina Kelvin at sa nakalapit nang kalaban nang mabilis na hilain nito ang leeg ng lalaki saka paikot na bumwelo para maihampas saakin. Nasalo ko ang lumilipad na katawan ni Kelvin pero dahil sa tindi ng pwersang ginamit ng babae para maihampas ito'y nahirapan akong pigilan ang pagdausdos namin sa lupa.
We crash to a thick mulch and Kelvin began ailing for his limb. He grunts so painfully as I start to get to the ground and begin the attack.
Base sa mga galaw ng kalaban, hindi ito pangkaraniwang assassin lang. May kutob akong isa itong maestro or legendary outcross o kaya naman ay isang pillar o high ranking urion. Her moves show it all. No matter who she is, I want her alive.
Naglakad ako palapit sa babae. She is as steady as her breath. Nakatitig lang ito saakin. She's been so good at hiding her real color. Ni hindi ko mawari kung anong uri siya.
"I am not here to kill anyone. I'm here for the fire key." She mutters under her mask.
Napalunok ako. What she said makes me wonder who else is in need of the third artifact? "We are here for the fire key, too. What would you do if we have it at hand?"
"I'll have the fire key without having the three of you killed." She concludes with a firm voice. Pagkasabing-pagkasabi niya sa katagang iyon ay lumundag palapit sa kinaroroonan ko. She is holding her kukris with the blades facing back.
Then, as she holds her breath, she leaps so swiftly towards me smashing the back of her weapon across my limbs. Pero mabilis kong naisangga ang magkabilang punyal na hawak ko. Then I launch a strong knee strike to her groin.
She blabs in pain. Mabilis kong sinamantala iyon para bigyan pa siya ng isang full blown knuckle sa sikmura at hilain ang tabing sa mukha nito. Hindi ako nabigo.
Surprisingly, yellow golden strands of hair fall down to her shoulders and the set that comes with her chocolate brown eyes come to picture. Napaatras ako. I know who she is. The kindest pillar of LOU.
"P-Procyon." Nauutal kong sambit habang nakatitig sa mukha nitong tila hindi rin inasahan ang bilis ng mga pangyayari.
"Kiera, I am not the enemy. I am here to j-"
Hindi natapos ni Procyon ang sasabihin nito. Bigla na lang bumulwak sa bibig niya ang masaganang dugo dulot ng isang malutong na saksak mula sa likuran nito. Lumusot ang patalim ng ginamit na espada sa dibdib niya.
Natigagal ako. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakita. Procyon is gone. Someone killed her. I can see a familiar visage behind Procyon. The killer.
Pero bakit?
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