Spy on Duty

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Carlos, I want you to send all the information about Damien Ozera in my e-mail... Yes... I want it now... I will answer your questions later... Okay... Yes... Bye."

I impatiently watched the screen of my laptop, waiting for Carlos to send me the details. I wet my lips like I always did when I was nervous.

A dartboard with a dart pierced in the middle.

It only meant one thing! If you had that tattoo, it meant that you're an agent of Safronov!

Safronov was a well-known agency of killers and fighters. Magaling silang makipaglaban. Marunong silang makipagbakbakan. Kaya nilang pumatay ng mga tao na hindi kumukurap.

I knew these details because..

An e-mail suddenly popped on the screen of my laptop. I clicked it immediately and read the content. Well maybe I was just overreacting. Maaring nagkataon lang na ganun ang istilo ng kaniyang tattoo. Ngunit nang mabasa ko ang nakasulat sa sinend sa'kin ni Carlos ay biglang gumuho ang pag-asa ko.

Damien Ozera

A pier agent of Safronov

Agents often call him, A man with no fear; A man with no emotions; A robot. He is the pier agent of Safronov for years. He is a man of values and principles. His works are organized and planned. He never makes a mess in his job.

Imposible. Hindi pwede. Paano ako napunta sa ganitong gusot? It was bad enough that he was an agent of Safronov. Worse, he was not just an ordinary agent but a pier agent. Pier agents were the highest ranking agents. They were the greatest among the greatest. The best among the best.

And now how would I go near him if he was this powerful?

Muling tumunog ang aking telepono at sinagot ko ang tawag ni Carlos.

(You received it already?)

"Yeah." Walang gana kong sagot.

(Now will you please answer my question? Totoo bang nabugbog ka?)

"Yeah." I answered again with the same I-am-not-interested-in-this-talk tone.

(At hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin! Sa amin!)

"Watch your tone, Carlos." Maotoridad kong banta.

(I'm sorry. I'm just worried. But—)

"Look, this is not my first time to be attacked. It is just normal. Don't act like it's a big deal."

(You always talk like you're not a big deal.) There's empathy in his voice. Like he wanted to comfort me but I ignored it. I was done thinking about emotions and feelings anymore. They were just trashes.

"Because I am not a big deal."

Silence.

Non ending silence.

When I could't take it anymore, I was the first to speak.

"I need to see him."

(Who?)

"Damien Ozera." I heard him sighed.

(Are you ready? He is a Safronov. Are you willing to visit their palace? And why will you see him anyway?) Frustration and worry were obvious in the way he spoke.

"You don't have the rights to question me, Carlos. Just to remind you. And yes, I am willing to visit their palace. Now. And I want you to bring me there."

I ended the call before he could even form a reply. Let's show him who's the boss. I changed my clothes and put myself in a dress. I wore my high heels. I combed my black messy hair. I also wore my scarf to cover my neck.

I always covered my neck. No one should see it. Cause if someone did, then my secret would be like a bomb that no one see coming.

I went outside and saw Carlos waiting for me. He was riding on his motorcycle wearing his leather jacket. Nang makita niya kong papalapit sa kaniya ay bigla siyang ngumiti. Hindi ko siya nginitian pabalik.

"Suplada." Tsaka niya ginulo ang bangs ko pero inayos ko ito agad.

"You already got the address of Safronov Palace?" I asked with no emotion at all. But deep inside, my heart was beating like a drum. I would see him again, the stranger who saved me from my death. The man who invaded my thoughts every night. I didn't know what to feel. Excitement, anticipation and fear were playing with my emotions.

"Yes. Sigurado ka bang gusto mo talagang pumunta dun? Sino ba kasi yang Damien na yan? Don't tell me siya yung nagpabugbog sa'yo?"

Hindi ko siya sinagot bagkus ay sumakay na ako sa likod ng motorsiklo niya. Hindi maikli ang dress ko kaya hindi ako nasisilipan. Wala na rin siyang nagawa kung hindi paandarin iyon. Sa buong byahe ay ang laman lang ng isip ko ay ang misteryosong lalaking iyon.

Hininto ni Carlos ang kaniyang motorsiklo sa harap ng isang malaking gate. Sa likod ng gate ay isang malaking puting building. My spine shivered like someone has dropped an ice cube at the back of my dress. I could feel the tingling of my fingertips.

"If you want, we can go back to your apartment, Hazy."

"Nandito na tayo."

Of course. We both knew the mysteries that this agency had. We both knew the connection I had with the Safronov. Connection that I didn't know if I was ready to take.

Bumaba ako ng motorsiklo niya at tuloy tuloy na naglakad patungo sa gate bago pa ako maduwag. Mula sa labas ay simple at organisado na agad ang mga disenyo na makikita mo sa palasyo. Halatang hindi sila maluho sa mga mamahaling bagay. Gusto ng mga paa ko na umalis, at the same time gusto rin nilang pumasok sa palasyo.

If you only knew what I had with the Safronov. If you only knew how this agency mattered to me. If you only knew.

Nang nasa tapat na ako ng malahiganteng gate ay hinarangan ako ng dalawang security guards.

"I need to see someone."

Walang emosyon kong sabi at lalampasan na sana sila pero muli nila akong hinarangan.

"Sorry Ma'am pero bawal pong pumasok dito."

Kung alam lang nila kung sino ako, ganito pa rin kaya ang gagawin nila?

"Look, I just want to see Damien Ozera. After that, I will leave peacefully."

"Sorry Ma'am pero wala pong sinabi si Agent Damien sa amin na may dadalaw sa kaniya ngayon. Hindi pa rin po kayo pwedeng pumasok."

Inuubos ng mga guards na to ang pasensya ko. Unfortunately for them, I only had short patience and a very little temper.

"DAMIEN OZERA LUMABAS KA DIYAN!" Sigaw ko pero nag-echo lang ang sarili kong boses sa lugar. Walang sumagot. Hinubad ko ang aking heels at tinapon ko ito sa palasyo. Nakalagpas siya sa gate. "HARAPIN MO KO, DAMIEN!"

"Ma'am, huwag na po kayong mag-eskandalo. Kundi mapipilitan po kaming kaladkarin kayo palayo—"

"HOY DAMIEN, SABING HARAPIN MO KO! LUMABAS KA DIYAN!"

Hinawakan na ng dalawang guards ang magkabilaang braso ko. Lalabanan ko na sana sila nang sumulpot si Carlos sa aming tabi.

"Sorry Sir. I apologize for the inconvenience. Ako na po ang bahala sa kaibigan ko."

Binitiwan ako ng dalawang security guards at si Carlos naman ang humablot sa braso ko.

"No Carlos! I need to talk to that man right now! As in right now!"

"Will you please stop being so stubborn? I thought your patience is as thin as a thread. But I'm wrong. It is as thin as a hair strand!"

"What do you expect? Ilang oras na kong nagpupumilit na pumasok sa palasyong yan!"

"Hazy, isang minuto palang tayong nandito!"

Mabilis ang hininga kong nakatingin nang masama kay Carlos. Alam niyang hindi ko lulubayan ang mga guards hangga't hindi ko nakukuha ang gusto ko. I had a bad attitude, he knew it. And he knew why.

"Fine. Let's just leave that Damien Ozera a note. What do you think?"

Binawi ko nang marahas ang aking braso. "Fine."

Lumapit ulit si Carlos sa mga security guards at humingi ng ballpen at papel. Pumunta ulit siya sa akin at inabot ang mga iyon.

"Write the thing you want to say to that guy. Ipapaabot na lang natin sa mga security guards at nang matahimik ka na."

Padabog kong kinuha ang ballpen at ang papel tsaka ako nagsulat.

Good day, Mr. Ozera!

Greetings for a gentleman! It is such an honor to meet you. Remember the girl you saved in the farm? Hazy Austria is the name. I will be very glad if you are free and available beyond your hectic schedule. It will be generous of you if you will lend me some—

I stopped writing, remembering that this man just left without saying a word. I crumpled the paper and wrote another one.

Hey you jerk! Don't you dare hide your ass to me! I wanna see your ugly crinkled face! You understand? Show your fat ass to me!

From the most respectful and most polite woman in history,

Hazy Austria

P.S

You're lame in fighting.

I folded the paper and gave it to the guards.

"Give that to Damien Ozera. Can you do that?" Taas kilay kong tanong. Narinig ko nang inistart ni Carlos ang makina ng kaniyang motorsiklo.

"Opo Ma'am."

"Good."

Tinalikuran ko na sila at papunta na sana sa motorsiklo ni Carlos nang naalala kong may nakalimutan pa pala akong gawin. Bumalik ulit ako doon sa posisyon ng mga security guards.

"Pakibigay din pala ito sa kaniya."

Then I lifted my knee to his crotch. He screamed in pain and I immediately ran away and threw myself at the motorcycle.

Balak pa sana akong habulin ng isang guard pero pinaandar na agad ni Carlos ang motorsiklo. Nakaharap ako doon sa guard habang ang likuran ko ang nakaharap sa likuran ni Carlos. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagtawa. Huh, that's what you get when you mess with me.