Spy on Duty

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I put the rose in a vase containing water. The water suddenly turned to smoky red. Bigla kong naalala na nasugatan ko pala si Damien kaya nalagyan ng kaniyang dugo ang tangkay ng rosas. At ngayon ang dugo na iyon ay humalo sa tubig.

Nang malapit nang mag 8:00 ay nagpalit na ako ng aking damit. I know I was going to be late, but I didn't care anyway. Nagsuot ako ng isang jacket dress, leggings, boots at scarf. Nagpaalam na ako kay Auntie Lyn na hindi ako makakapagtrabaho sa flower shop ngayon.

Hindi ko pwedeng gamitin ang aking MV Agusta F4 dahil baka maghinala sa akin si Damien. Kaya hiniram ko na lang yung motorsiklo ng kapitbahay ko.

My messy black hair was swaying as I drove. The cold wind was slapping my cheeks. I didn't wear a helmet. I loved being reckless. I loved danger.

Habang nagdradrive ako ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin kung ano ba ang ipapagawa sa'kin ni Damien. What if, he's after my body? What if.. Gosh! I couldn't stop myself from overthinking! I could imagine him pulling me inside a room. We were alone together. His hand was holding a red bitten apple. His eyes were piercing as he suddenly locked the door.

"Now, undress yourself." His voice was commanding and authoritative.

"B-but.. no. I c-can't—"

"You will undress yourself or I will undress you. Choose, Ms. Austria."

I shook my head violently to erase my malicious thoughts. Sinampal ko pa nang malakas ang pisngi ko para magising ako. I was just overthinking! Damien Ozera might be an emotionless jerk, but he's a good man. He saved me that night. He would not protect me if his motives were evil.

Binilisan ko pa ang pagdadrive papunta sa palasyo ng Safronov. This was the danger when I was all alone, I tend to overthink. I tend to imagine things that were impossible to happen. Pero hindi ko talaga maiwasang isipin kung ano ang kapalit na hihingin ng lalaking iyon. What if, this scenario would happen..

"Tama lang ang pagdating mo, Ms. Austria." Salubong sa akin ni Damien at naglakad kami patungo sa isang aktibong bulkan. Bilog at maliwanag ang buwan ngayong gabi.

"What do you want me to do Damien?"

"Higa." Utos niya at pwersahang pinahiga niya ako sa lamesa. Tinali niya ang aking mga kamay at paa. Sumipol siya sa kaniyang mga kasamahan.

"Mga katribo! Nandito na yung pulutan natin, bilis at katayin na natin siya! HAHAHAHAHA!" I was crying to him to free me while he's just laughing like a monster.

Pinikit-pikit ko ang aking mga mata para mawala ang mga iniisip ko. Hindi yun mangyayari. Hindi niya yun gagawin. Napaparanoid lang ako.

Nasa harap na ako ng palasyo ng Safronov, at ngayon ay pinagbuksan na ako ng gate ng mga guards. Mukhang nasabihan sila ni Damien. Pinasok ko na ang hiniram kong motorsiklo at pinark ko ito sa tabi ng isang McLaren F1. Halos lumuwa ang mga mata ko sa sobrang ganda nitong kotse. Sa tabi pa nun ay may isang itim na NCR M16. Grabe ang astig ng motorsiklo na yun. Ang rami pang ibang mamahaling kotse at motorsiklo na nakapark sa harap ng palasyo. Nahiya ang karag-karag na motorsiklong dala ko. Basag pa yung isang salamin niya.

Lumibot ako ng tingin sa buong lugar. Ang linis at napakaorginasado ng mga gamit. Sa harap ko ay isang puting building na sobrang laki. Sa gilid nun, sa bandang likuran ay isang gusali din. Narinig ko yung isang babae kanina na "Citadel" ang tinawag niya doon. Sa pagkakaalam ko ito yung bilangguan dito sa Safronov.

Nilibot ko pa ang aking paningin at nagmasid. Hindi ko napigilang humanga. Maganda ang pagpapatakbo ni Queen Callisha sa agency na to. Maraming space at malawak talaga.

Doon sa di kalayuan ay may nagkukumpulang mga tao. May sinisigaw sila pero di ko maintindihan. Parang nagpupustahan yata sila sa sabong. Imposible. This is Safronov. At ayon sa pagkakarinig ko mga disiplinado ang mga tao dito.

Lumapit ako sa kumpulan ng mga tao. Mukhang hindi angkop ang high heel boots at jacket dress ko sa lugar na to. Hindi ko makita yung nasa gitna kasi ang rami talagang mga tao.

May nakita akong bench sa gilid kaya sumampa ako doon. Malinaw ko nang nakikita kung ano ang pinapalibutan nila. Sa bilog ay nandoon si Damien, may isang masmaliit pa na bilog ng mga lalaki ang pumapalibot sa kaniya. Kinalabit ko yung lalaking nasa harapan ko.

"What's happening? May away ba na nagaganap dito? Bakit hindi niyo sila awatin?"

"Hindi Miss. May training kasi ngayon ang mga agents. Nagtretrain lang sila."

"Eh parang kakalabanin nung trentang lalaki si Damien."

"Yun nga ang training diyan."

I wet my lips, feeling a little nervous that Damien would be fighting thirty agents alone.

"Bago ka dito Miss?" Tanong ulit nung lalaki. Inirapan ko lang siya. "Sungit mo naman. Ako nga pala si Jackson." Nilahad niya yung kamay niya sa'kin pero di ko ito tinanggap.

"Wala kong pake."

Tinuon ko na lang ulit ang aking pansin kay Damien at sa trentang agents na kasama niya sa loob ng bilog na ginawa ng mga nagkukumpulang mga tao. Biglang sabay-sabay na sinugod ng mga agents si Damien. I wondered how many wounds Damien would receive tonight. O baka naman ang pabor na hihilingin niya sa'kin ay dalin siya sa ospital kapag nalampa na siya at napilayan.

Napalunok ako nang makita ko siyang makipaglaban. Pakiramdam ko ay nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko at nanuyo ang lalamunan. Wala pang isang minuto ay napatumba niya na ang limang lalaki. Ang bilis niyang kumilos. Maski ako ay hindi ko masundan kung saan tumatama ang mga suntok niya. Umingay ang sigawan ng mga tao.

Akmang susuntukin na sana siya ng lalaki sa kaniyang harapan ngunit nahuli niya ang kamao nito. Tinulak niya ang lalaki sa tatlo pang lalaking lalapit sana sa kaniya. May lalaki sa kaniyang likuran na titirahin sana siya pero nasangga niya ito agad. Binigyan niya nang napakalakas na suntok yung lalaki dahilan para mapahiga ito sa lupa. Pawis na pawis si Damien pero wala pa siyang natatamong sugat. Sa unang pagkakataon ay narinig ko ang tawa niya. Yung nakakatakot na tawa na kayang magpatayo ng mga balahibo mo.

Kinaskas ko ang aking mga palad sa aking braso sa sobrang takot. So, this was Damien in action? The polite and organized Damien Ozera was transforming into a beast when he fought. My shoulders were shaking badly. I tried to stop them but they became deaf to my silent commands. Look, fights and battles were not new to me. I've already seen many deaths, blood and war. But I have never seen anyone fought like the way Damien Ozera fought. He's a monster. He's a wild animal in a form of a handsome robotic human being.

Natahimik lahat ng tao nang marinig ko ang pagbagsak ng katawan ng huling kalaban ni Damien sa lupa. Everyone was silent for a moment. All the people were looking at Damien like he was an alien summoned to our world. His white shirt was filled with blood—not his blood—his enemies' blood. He was standing in the middle of the crowd while breathing heavily. Around him were the wounded bodies of the agents.

Everyone didn't dare to speak. Didn't dare to even make a move. And then suddenly...

The crowd went wild. Everyone was shouting his name.

"A-gent Dam-ien! A-gent Dam-ien!"

Hindi siya ngumiti. Bagkus ay tumango lang siya sa mga tao. He was back to being a robot.

I didn't join the crown in shouting. I couldn't speak. I was stunned. My shoulders were still shaking even if I tried to stop them! Damien was a dangerous man. Damien was not a human at all!

And.. I told him that he's lame in fighting! I stupidly told him that HE'S LAME IN FIGHTING!

I needed to get out of this place. I needed to save myself from that robot. Gosh. Looking for him was a bad idea! Entering this palace was just mere stupidity. He's a wild animal. He's a monster.

Bumaba na ako sa bench at tinungo ang aking motorsiklo habang nakayuko. Hindi niya ako pwedeng maabutan. Aalis ako dito nang hindi siya kinakausap. I quicken my pace but my high heel boots wouldn't allow me.

Nang nasa tapat na ako ng hiniram kong motorsiklo ay natataranta akong kinuha yung susi sa aking bulsa. He could not see me right now. I would escape this palace, alive. Gosh. I would distant myself from that wild animalistic robot. I didn't care if I owed him my life. I didn't care if I owed him a hundred of debts. I would escape him. I would distant myself from Dam—

"Hiding away from me?"

I was about to climb on the motorcycle when a voice approached from behind. That voice. That rich and smooth manly voice. No. He could not reach me that fast. He was just in the middle of the crowd minutes ago. For sure, I was just imagining. When I turned, I would not see him behind me. When I turned, I would be surprised that I was all alone.

I turned.

And there, looking at me seriously was Damien Ozera in all his glory. His piercing brown eyes were looking straight into my soul.

My heart started to beat rapidly in my chest. I wet my lips like I always did when I was nervous. I looked on the ground, trying to avoid his eyes.

"You really think you can get away from me now?" I swallowed the lump in my throat as I heard his footsteps coming toward me. "There's no turning back, Ms. Austria."

He pressed his fingers on my chin, forcing me to raise my head, forcing me to look him straight in the eyes. His fingers felt warm on my skin. He's not too close but it's already hard to breathe.

"Follow me to the room." He said in his emotionless tone again. The beating of my heart became more rapid. I wet my lips.

"Why?" I meant that to be a demanding question but it came out like a whisper.

"We will discuss about my favor."

He stepped back and that's the only time that I allowed myself to breathe.