Rival of Atlantis

XVIII

 A BARN OWL HOVERED IN the air over what seem to be a blinding light from below. It swooped to a nearby tree, gripped its claws on a branch and threw its eyes around to survey the landscape below. The terrain is made of farmlands with occasional trees here and there. Groves of wild sugar cane grasses can be seen dotting the fields.

The animal that is blind during daytime focused its vision on a grove off grasses. It is looking for something to feed its appetite; perhaps a rat or a quail will do. As it focused its vision, it panned its head right and left to pick up faint sounds that will give away the location of any prey around. It was surprised when it heard something odd that almost made its soul detach itself from its body. The sound is like continuous rattling of explosions that came like rumbles of thunder in its ears. The owl which never heard anything like that before flew away in the night sky and did not bother to hover around to find out what is causing the sound.

If it so much spared a little time in the air to observe, it must have seen a human diving in cover behind a grove of wild cane grasses. The human is a female and it is Summer who is hitting the dirt to save her dear life. As she dove down, her hands covered her nape while kissing the ground as soil and rocks rained down and around her.

Seeing the barrel of guns aimed at pointblank range at her, she slowly raised her hands, her g*n aimed harmlessly in the sky. Left without a choice, she spoke softly to bargain for her life. The men inside the van broke in laughter.

"Can I bargain for my life?" Summer spoke to them in Philippine common tongue. She remembered her soft words which are almost bordering whispers that seem dubbed with spells of enchantment.

After the crunchy laughs, the men inside the van poured out, guns still threateningly aimed at her. Summer noticed their ragged looks. They wore high-cut leather shoes and jeans. Shirts were topped with jacket, some are denim while two are made of leather.

Summer studied the faces with the help of the light from her bike. All of them seem to wear military airs around their personalities. Their hairs were cropped in military crew cuts and even though wrapped in garments, she can see evidences of muscular bodies. She guessed that these men were dismissed military men and all of them are now for hire in contracts of hit lists.

Her guess was not even close. These men are still on active duty status and are members of the Philippine National Police Counter-Intelligence Division. They have been monitoring three rouge policemen who are allegedly involved in the underground network of contract killers. They are also on a special task that was asked by the FBI-Counter Terrorism Division through the International Police.

Summer is about to speak when she heard reverberating gunfire. She dove to the nearest grove of grasses to preserve her dear life. Her hands are covering her nape as if they can shield her from the raging bullets, her g*n still in her dominant hand.

She was about to lie on her back and exchange shots with the men with all the intention of taking more than two lives on her demise when she felt a tap on one of her shoulders. The tap felt like electricity on her body and she wanted to turn around and fire the g*n, but kissing the dirt, she is in no position to fight. She felt a hand holding one of hers, the one with the g*n.

"That was quick," a man spoke in their national language. Summer noted that the voice was calm and assuring.

Summer lifted her head from the ground and panned it around. She was sure she heard gunfire but to her surprise, it suddenly stopped. She was never caught in confusion before but she guess there is always a first time for everything.

"I took a hit at my leg," one of the voices said in protest.

"Are you ready to file a disability for that gunshot wound?" The man crouching on her side responded to the voice.

The man helped Summer to get up on her feet as laughs erupted amongst the group again. She was squinting in the dark the very next moment to find clues that will help her picture what just happened. Then suddenly, it dawned on her.

"Pardon my men," the man came again but it did not register in her mind as she saw the dead body of the last gunman. "They are a lot silly men who laugh even at things not so funny."

"Oh my," Summer whispered in English as she saw the almost mutilated body on the ground.

The last gunman was almost lost in Summer's mind. The man who was crawling a while ago and is at the mercy of her g*n was still cradling his rifle earlier. Knowing the men from the van are some intelligence unit or something related, even though he do not know them personally, he decided to give a fight and take as much lives as possible down the grave. The rattling of the g*n was never directed at Summer, she now knew. If it was, she won't have time diving down the grove of grasses. She must have been killed in an instant.

"Sorry about the noise of the g*n too," the man said before leaving her to walk to one of the men. He crouched near the one sitting at the steps of the van. The man is wrapping his hands tight around one of his thighs. Summer saw liquid that reflected like something silvery with the help of the vehicles' lights around.

"He put up a fight," a voice tried explaining.

"Who are you?" Summer asked as she trailed the wake of the man who helped her get up.

"Senior Police Inspector Daniel De Vera," the man pronounced clearly as he checked on the gunshot wound of his comrade. He gave the other three men a look and made hand gestures that sent them towards the nearby wreck to investigate about the fates of the two other gunmen. "National Capital Region Counter-Intelligence Division."

Summer looked at road. She found that her bike is still in idle. "You're far away from your area of operation."

Summer was right. Units under the National Capital Region Police Office Counter-Intelligence Division can and must only operate in Manila and all cities under the region. They are now in Region 2 which means they are far from home. She was puzzled how did they follow her and the gunmen up to here.

"This is a well-coordinated operation," the man said as he stood up to face her. "Your name miraculously came up with reports from Interpol. It seems FBI has the interest in keeping you alive for information that may help them."

"FBI?"

"Counter-Terrorism Division. They touched down a week before you. Before that, your name was funneled in the International Police network."

Summer knew the bureaucracy of the international police cooperation. Most think it is an outfit that polices the entire world but official claims say they are just a cooperation of all the investigating agencies around the globe. Authorities from the Philippines can request for help from FBI through the international police and the later can do the same in return.

"This Special Agent Miracle wants your help for some information and a certain individual in Costa Rica."

The gears inside Summer’s mind were sent to work. In an instant, she already knew that their feat at Costa Rica may be the same as opening a can of worms. There is more to that feat than just self-defense and attempted m******e.

"Driver's dead," one of the three men who checked the Toyota sports car uttered when they returned. "Sandwiched between the machine and the seat. Passenger had been killed by a broken propeller. They are also heavily armed."

"Contact Scene of the Crime," De Vera ordered.

"Who are they?" Summer looked at the body of the last gunman.

Daniel looked at her with appreciation. Not every female can look at a b****y body of anyone, even her enemy. He knew in instant Summer is different.

"Fellow police officers," there is disdain in Daniel's voice. "They are from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit. Sadly, they are also connected to underground contract killers. They usually operate by taking pay cuts from hit men in exchange for looking the other way. When your name popped on the network of contract killers, they decided to take you down themselves."

"What did I come across to be threatened like this?" She asked looking at the barrel of her g*n as if it can answer her question.

"I am also interested in that part," Daniel said gazing up the moonless and cloudless night sky. "Someone thinks you may know things that may be of value. Someone also wanted you dead. No wonder your name popped up in the Interpol and contract killer networks."

"I guess I'll found out soon?"

"Yes. Sorry to cut your vacation short. It's back to Manila for you."

Back to Manila, Summer is looking at the outlines of the man he only knew by the name of Daniel De Vera. It is not too dark because of the LED lights of the bike and not too bright either to make out a detailed look on his features. She cannot consider that these men also saved her. She knows she caught the last of the gunmen pinned on the ground and she is doing well herself when they came. In fact, they are the distraction that allowed the last of the enemy to fire his weapon. She is also weighing the truth in their story. All of these are almost ridiculous for her.

"I know," Daniel said as if reading her thoughts. "You are handling yourself well when we came. If I am on your shoes, I will also suspect we are with them." He pointed at the b****y body of the man down the ground with his rifle.

Summer stared at him for a long time. She is weighing her chances. If all of what Daniel says is true, there's also big chance that they are not who he say they are. "So how do we do this?"

"Showing my badge won't matter," he said pulling up a series of stainless beads making up a dog tag from under his shirt. He tag ended on a national police badge. "Those three got badges too."

"So?"

"Unless you don’t got a permit to carry firearms outside your residence, I believe I cannot hold you under our custody."

"My place and my time," Summer said as she pulled her wallet and picked his Philippine firearm license and permit to carry firearms outside the residence card.

Daniel picked the card from her hand and studied it for a while using the bike lights. After a while, he gave it back to Summer. "Looks genuine to me. Pick the place and time."

"Proscenium Residence, Makati City," Summer uttered as she slid the firearm license back in her wallet and put it back in her pocket. "2PM..." She picked her mobile phone from another pocket and found that it is already 3AM. "2PM this afternoon. I'll meet you at the amenity deck."

"Sounds good," then he looked around. "Might want to start heading back. You might need a rest."

"What about my testimony?" She gestured a hand on the dead as she tucked the g*n at the back of her waist under the jacket.

"You might also want to do that at our station. Better start heading back. Meet you at 2PM."

Daniel watched the lady rode on her bike, made a U-turn without stepping a foot on the ground and sped away. He was still watching when Summer's tail lights got lost on a far away curve.

What a girl, he thought with a shake of his head.

-ROA-

AFTER TWO HOURS OF THE chase done by the gunmen after Summer, a telephone rang in a room at the residence of the Johnson's private wildlife sanctuary. The delicate hands of Moon Yin wrapped around the telephone as she lifted it from its cradle and pressed it on one of her ears.

"It seems one of your targets are more talented than any contract killers," the male's electronic voice uttered without introducing himself. Moon Yin only knew him by the name of Ghost. He is faceless man that is nothing but entity who is acting as a fixer or middle man in the world of contract killings. His contact details were given to her and Fred by Dad. "Miss Summer alone managed to kill three assailants sent to her."

Moon Yin anticipated the call. But of all the news she expected, none of her expectations took a hit. She might not be surprised if there is a little trouble along the way but still resulted to Summer's death. At this point, she already knew that Summer's head is worth more than the first agreed price. "So what do you suggest?"

"I am willing to contact a known hired g*n that was fame with the name Dante," the voice explained. "Dante is famed in his jobs across Asia."

"You know him personally?"

"If you are asking for a fact, no. I believe Dante is quite a code for a band of assassins. If he is only one man, how can he hit a target in Tokyo and after only a couple of hours kidnap a businessman in Manila?"

"Whatever, I want Summer Santos be done for good."

"Dante will cost you ten times the price plus fifty percent for me to arrange it. I would also like to take note that the previous deal is forfeited. Your target is more cunning than what her profile says."

"Whatever the cost is."

"You know the bank number?"

"I do. But what about Gillian Brown, Ron Madison and Charlie Alistre?"

"Your arrangements with Charlie will be done like-uhm... Just a little bit of time from now. Gillian's fate was also arranged. Ron, I believe is not in a hurry?"

"Right. The last one is insignificant. He might just know things that Charlie imparted to him."

"Let's clean up the three first, shall we?"

"Enough of your talks, Ghost. I want this done!"

"No money, no honey, baby. Bye bye!" And the line clicked and died.

Moon Yin was left there staring at her tea. What kind of people are these two ladies?

She suddenly felt like shivering from a thought that Gillian and Summer may cost the organization to crumble. They were included in the list as a personal vendetta of Dad who was furious for their interference at the almost perfect tunnel accident. Their death is separated from tying loose ends that Charlie might have told them something. But now, it is becoming like these two ladies can cause them more problems than what they already have.

She stared at the ceiling and uttered a silent prayer to whoever is up there. She already learned to love her job which paid for the life of her mother. If these two ladies can cause a c***k in the armor of the organization, she better start looking for another job. What is worse is, she does not know what having other job means. She has already devoted her life to the ideals of Dad, and no one can sway her now.

She sipped on her tea thinking these girls are nothing but soon names on the checklist and will be cleaned up in a short while.