Codename: Mythos

Chapter 4

Hindi pa rin nawawala ang malakas na kabog ng dibdib ni Elise maging nang marating na niya ang palapag kung saan naroroon ang opisina ng EcoForm Technologies. Buong seventh floor ay okupado nila. Kasama ‘yon sa hiningi niyang pabor sa ama nang maupo siya bilang CEO nito. Sa dami ng sangay ng negosyo sa ilalim ng C&A Industries, ang EcoForm ang pinili na pag-applyan ni Elise nang makatapos sa kolehiyo.

Bukod sa ang EcoForm ang pinakabago sa lahat ng business ventures ng C&A Industries, pinakamaliit din ito. Walang nagkakainteres, walang pulitikahan, malayo sa maiinit na mga mata ng mga taong habol lang ay pansariling kapakanan.

Pagpasok ni Elise sa EcoForm HQ, parang walang nagbago. The same polished floors, the same scent of eucalyptus from the lobby diffuser, the same receptionist who barely looked up from her screen.

“Good morning, Ms. Cazares,” bati ng receptionist.

“Morning,” sagot ni Elise, kalmado pero may bigat sa boses.

Sa paningin ng lahat, normal lang ang araw na ‘to. Pero sa loob ni Elise, parang multo ang bawat hakbang. No one knew. No one could know. Sa timeline na ‘to, buhay pa siya. CEO pa rin ng EcoForm. Pero sa puso niya, alam niyang namatay na siya—at bumalik para baguhin ang lahat.

Tahimik na sumulpot si Bianca sa tabi niya, alerto pero hindi nagtataka. Napag-usapan na nila ang mga susunod na gagawin noong huli silang mag-usap. Akala ni Bianca, si Elise ay nagising lang mula sa isang masamang panaginip. Hindi nito alam ang totoo.

Elise stared at her reflection on the glass doors. She looked twenty-three. Pero sa mata niya, may bigat ng isang babaeng nilason ng sariling kadugo, tinulak mula sa rooftop, at iniwan sa dilim.

“Kamusta ang security logs?” tanong ni Elise.

“Clean,” sagot ni Bianca. “No anomalies. Pero nag-deploy na ako ng silent sweep. Just in case.”

“Good,” Elise said. “We can’t afford blind spots.”

Pagdating nila sa loob, dumiretso si Elise sa kanyang opisina. The door opened with a soft click. Everything was in place—her desk, her vertical garden, the minimalist art she once pretended to like. Even the mug with her initials sat untouched.

She sat down, fingers brushing the surface of her desk. Parang panaginip. Pero hindi siya sigurado kung bangungot o second chance.

Bianca closed the door. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Elise said. “Just… focused.”

Binuksan niya ang laptop, nag-type ng encrypted commands. The screen flickered—Vireon Systems came online.

“I want eyes on Paulo’s offshore accounts. Every transaction. Every meeting.”

Bianca blinked. “You’re activating Vireon? Akala ko dormant na ‘yan at hindi mo na itutuloy.”

“Not anymore,” Elise said. “Passive surveillance lang. No alerts.”

Bianca nodded. “Okay. Pero… this is a lot. You sure this isn’t just post-dream paranoia?”

Elise looked up. “You think I’m overreacting?”

“I think you’re reacting to something you haven’t told me,” Bianca said. “But I trust you.”

Elise’s throat tightened. She wanted to tell her. I died. You died. Paulo betrayed me. Pero hindi puwede. Hindi pa.

“Just trust the instinct,” sabi ni Elise. “I need you sharp.”

Bianca nodded. “Always.”

Binuksan ni Elise ang folder na may label na Phase One. Nandoon ang mga pangalan—contractors, dummy vendors, silent partners. Mga taong ginamit ni Paulo para itago ang pera.

“Start with these,” utos niya. “Background checks. Asset maps. Travel logs.”

Bianca tapped her tablet. “On it.”

Elise leaned back. Her fingers tapped against the desk. “Naalala mo ba ang Verdegiente Holdings?”

“Yung shell company ni Paulo?” Bianca frowned. “Akala ko inactive na.”

“Active ulit,” Elise said. “And it’s moving money.”

Bianca’s eyes narrowed. “You think may tinatago siya?”

“I think he never stopped,” Elise said. “We just stopped watching.”

Binuksan niya ang live feed—Paulo’s office. He was laughing with someone. A woman. Young. Polished.

“Zoom in,” utos ni Elise.

Bianca adjusted the angle. “Eliana’s new assistant. Transferred from Singapore.”

Elise stared. Too confident. Too rehearsed. Not an assistant. A handler.

“She’s here to watch,” Elise said. “Not assist.”

“Flagged?” tanong ni Bianca.

“No,” Elise said. “Followed.

Tahimik si Bianca. Then: “You sure Paulo’s still clean?”

Elise didn’t answer. She opened another file—an old photo. Paulo and Elise, blurry, taken in secret. A stolen moment in a private resort. No engagement. No public romance. Just two people pretending the world wouldn’t catch them.

She stared at the photo. Secret girlfriend. Secret betrayal.

She dragged the image into a folder labeled Evidence. Hindi nostalgia. Ammunition.

“Bianca,” sabi niya. “We need to relocate.”

Bianca blinked. “Relocate?”

“This office is too exposed. Too many eyes. Too many memories.”

Bianca nodded slowly. “You want a new base?”

“Something quiet. Untraceable. Hindi corporate. Hindi glass.”

“I have options,” sagot ni Bianca. “San Juan. Pasig. Even Rizal kung gusto mo ng mas rural.”

“Send me a shortlist,” Elise said. “Layered access. Shadows. No open floor plans.”

Bianca smirked. “You’re really leaning into this Mythos vibe.”

“I’m not leaning,” Elise said. “I’m remembering.”

She opened a hidden folder: Mythos Protocol. Plans. Contingencies. Truths too dangerous to speak aloud.

She clicked on one: The First Strike.

Her voice was steady. “Activate it.”

Bianca blinked. “Now?”

Elise’s eyes didn’t waver. “Now.”

Tahimik ang paligid. Sa labas ng bintana, tanaw ang abalang lungsod—mga taong walang kamalay-malay sa digmaang muling binubuo sa ilalim ng EcoForm. Elise closed the folder and leaned back, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Hindi niya alam kung ilang araw, linggo, o buwan ang meron siya bago magsimulang magduda ang mga nasa paligid. Pero isa lang ang sigurado: hindi na siya babalik sa dati.

Hindi na siya ang Elise na tahimik lang na sumusunod. Hindi na siya ang Elise na nagtatago sa likod ng mga protocol at boardroom smiles.

She was Mythos now.

And Mythos never forgets.