Chapter 9
1042 Words
Tahimik ang gabi sa San Juan warehouse. Sa command vault, Bianca was calibrating Tier 2 disruption nodes habang si William ay nakatutok sa sandbox feed ni Carmela. The room pulsed with quiet tension, like a held breath waiting to break.
“She’s still in the loop,” sabi ni Bianca, eyes flicking across the screen. “She thinks she’s accessing the real archive.”
Tumango si William. “We’ve got her boxed in.”
Bianca glanced at the empty chair across the room. “Elise said she needed a moment. Probably upstairs.”
Hindi iyon kinuwestiyon ni William.
---
Sa isang compound sa Pasig, isang blacksite ang tahimik na gumagana sa ilalim ng radar. Carmela had just arrived, escorted by two men in plain clothes. She was confident. She believed she had escaped. Sa loob ng silid, may tatlong terminal. May isang encrypted vault sa likod. At nag-iisang exit.
Carmela didn’t know Mythos was already inside.
Walang pangalan. Walang mukha. Walang kasarian.
Ang Mythos ay isang anino sa loob ng sistema—isang alamat na binubulong sa mga corridor ng mga sindikato, pero walang makapagpatunay kung totoo nga ba. Ang tanging alam lang ng lahat: kapag dumating si Mythos, may mamamatay.
Sa dilim ng ventilation shaft, gumapang ang anino. Tahimik. Walang ingay. Ang bawat galaw ay kalkulado, parang sayaw ng kamatayan.
Tatlong guwardiya. Isang target. Dalawang exit. Isang bitag.
The first guard lit a cigarette outside the back door. Hindi niya namalayang may malamig na hangin na dumaan sa likod niya.
Isang iglap lang.
A gloved hand covered his mouth. A blade slid cleanly across his throat. Walang sigaw. Walang laban sa bilis at liksi ng kutsilyong hatid ay kamatayan. Walang ingay na bumagsak ang guwardiya, wala nang buhay at dilat pa ang mga mata.
---
Inside, Carmela was speaking into a secure line.
> “I have the files. I’ll send the packet in ten.”
Carmela didn’t notice the flicker in the lights. Or the sudden static in her earpiece. Sa hallway, napalingon ang guwardiya sa narinig na ingay. Pilit nitong sinisipat ang paligid pero wala siyang nakita. Ipinagpalagay na lang niya na baka ligaw na pusa. Hindi naman malayong mangyari dahil madalas may napapadpad na pusa doon sa gabi.
A flash of movement.
A suppressed shot.
Bumagsak ang guwardiya, dilat ang mga mata kagaya ng kasamang nauna nang nakipagkamay kay Kamatayan. The guard never saw the figure that moved past him before he was claimed by death’s cold and cruel blade.
---
The third guard reached for his radio.
Pero huli na.
A throwing knife embedded itself in his shoulder. He screamed, but the sound was cut short by a second blade to the chest. Hinakbangan ni Mythos ang katawang bumagsak sa sahig na walang buhay.
Carmela turned just as the door creaked open.
“Sino—?”
A flash pellet detonated. White light. Disorientation.
Pagdilat ni Carmela ng kanyang mga mata, nasa sahig na siya, nakagapos ang mga kamay at may busal sa bibig.
Standing above her was a figure in black—faceless, voiceless, nameless. Her brain easily caught up with who the figure symbolize, tremors immediately wracking her in fear.
Mythos. The one who reaps lives like wheat in silence.
Carmela’s eyes rolled back before she fainted.
---
Back in San Juan, William was still in the vault. Patuloy pa rin ang pagre-review ng lalaki sa sandbox activity ni Carmela. Bianca leaned against the console, sipping cold coffee.
“She’s trying to reroute again,” sabi ni Bianca. “Still thinks she’s ahead.”
Hindi nag-angat ng tingin si William. “Hayaan mo siya. The longer she plays, the more we learn.”
Tumango si Bianca nodded, kapagkuwa’y tiningnan ang oras. “Nakabalik na dapat si Elise sa mga oras na ‘to.”
Nagkibit-balikat si William. “She’s probably upstairs. She said she needed air.”
Hindi na itinama ni Bianca ang lalaki.
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Sa isang bahagi ng lungsod ng Pasig, pilit na nagpupumiglas si Carmela sa pagkakagapos. Nakatutok ang mga mata niya sa terminal—aktibo pa rin ‘yon. Sinubukan niyang sumigaw.
Mythos crouched beside her. Hindi ito nagsalita. Hindi rin ito nagbigay ng kahit na anong paliwanag.
Just a small device placed on the table. Alam na alam ni Carmela ‘yon. A signal jammer. Then a second device—an injector. Pagkatapos ay may isang vial na naglalaman ng malinaw na likido na hindi kabisado ni Carmela kung ano. But she is positive it is nothing to be ignored. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Carmela.
Gumalaw ang ulo ni Mythos patagilid na para bang nagtatanong: Naiintindihan mo na ba?
Carmela nodded frantically. Kahit hindi magsalita si Mythos ay malinaw niyang nakuha kung ano ang ibig nitong ipahiwatig, walang kailangang salita. Mythos stood, turned, and vanished into the shadows.
---
Thirty minutes later, William was pacing the rooftop of the warehouse. Sa kamay niya ay hawak ang pendant ni Elise—naiwan sa console.
Narinig niya ang mga papalapit na yabag. Elise appeared, calm, composed.
“You left without telling me,” sabi ni William.
“I needed to think,” sagot ni Elise.
William studied her, his eyes taking in every detail. Kapagkuway suminghot ito. “You’re bleeding.”
Napahawak si Elise sa pisngi. “Gasgas lang ‘to.”
Ibinigay ni William ang hawak na pendant sa dalaga. “You forgot this. Mukhang mahalaga sa ‘yo.”
Elise took it. “Thanks.”
They stood in silence.
Si William ang unang bumasag sa katahimikan. “You ever hear of someone called Mythos?”
Napakurap si Elise, hindi inasahan ang tanong. “Why?”
“Carmela’s safehouse was hit tonight. Patay ang tatlong guard. Iniwang buhay si Carmela. Walang bakas ng kung sino man ang umatake. Just one word left on the wall.”
Ipinakita ni William and picture sa cellphone nito kay Elise.
Spray-painted in red: MYTHOS.
Napatitig si Elise doon. “Sounds like a ghost story.”
Tumango si William na para bang sumasang-ayon. “Maybe. But ghosts don’t leave patterns.”
Umiwas ng tingin si Elise. “Neither do storms.”
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Sa loob ng vault, Bianca reviewed the footage from the safehouse. Blurred frames. Static. No clear image. She smiled.
“Welcome back, Mythos.”
- Writer
