Luna

DIECINUEVE

LUNA | DIECINUEVE

SEVEN years later…

A twenty five year old woman was wearing a black long backless dress, pairing it with two inches black high heels. Her red shoulder length hair bounces as well as being lighted by the chandelier lights hanging in the ceiling of the hotel’s lobby. Walking on the marbled floor towards the elevator confidently, her high heels created a click and clack sound. She looks so elegant yet she only wears a black choker with a small pendant, earrings, ring and a wrist watch yet she earned some glances from others inside the lobby. She maintained her intimidating aura as she headed toward the lift.

As she reached and entered the elevator, she tapped the fifth floor button and stood in the middle of the lift. When the elevator closed its door automatically, that is when she paid attention to the guy who had been nagging her through the earpiece she was wearing.

Hindi na niya kailangan pang takpan ang kaliwa niyang tenga para marinig ito ng mabuti dahil parang nagpa-panic na ang partner niya sa kabilang linya. “You need to get that briefcase, Luna! Hindi tayo pwedeng pumalya!” angil nito sa kanya.

“I know!” She hissed back against the earpiece. “So, will you please trash that trash mouth of yours for a moment, Sebastian?!”

“Hey! You are supposed to call me by my codename! Not in my real name!” he complained. “Mabibisto tayo niyan, L, eh!”

Inirapan na lang niya ang binata na animo ay nakikita at kaharap lang siya nito. Nang hindi na siya nagsalita pa, hindi na rin niya narinig ang boses ni Sebastian o ang code name nito na ‘S’.

When the elevator created a ‘ding’ sound, its door opened. She heaved a breath before she stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the grand hall located on the fifth floor. May isang party kasi ang magaganap doon na pinangungunahan ng kanyang target na si Mr. Aragon. And Mr. Aragon has these documents Sebastian failed to steal two days ago.

Her target was only a thirty year old under the boss of a small yet illegal organization owned by Jakob Castillo, the head mafia boss of the said organization. And then, the client who hired them for this mission was the opponent of Castillo’s, Connor Grimaldi.

Ang kailangan lang niyang gawin ngayon, kunin ang briefcase na laging bitbit ni Aragon. Kung manlaban man ito, ililigpit niya ang lalaki. Iyon naman ang utos ni Mr. Grimaldi sa kanya — sa kanila. Kaya lang pumalya si Sebastian noong nakaraang dalawang araw, nasa isang safe place ang briefcase na kailangan nila at secured ang kwarto na iyon ng mga infared lights. Unfortunately, some part of his body touched on it. Ayon, na-interrogate si Sebastian at bugbog ang inabot nito sa mga sundalo ni Castillo. Mabuti na lang at may maliit na locating device silang tinatago sa buhok nila kaya madali niyang nalaman kung saan nila dinala ang kaibigan. Kung hindi pa niya ito nailigtas at naitakas sa hideout ni Castillo baka hindi na sinisikatan ng araw ngayon si Sebastian. Mabuti na lang at binigyan sila ng dalawa pang araw bilang palugit nang matapos itong misyon nila.

Siya tuloy ang naatasan ng kanyang ama-amahan na si Hector Arienza na siya na lamang ang tumapos sa nakakontratang misyon nila. Naiwan naman si Sebastian sa bahay at iyon ang gumagawa sa mga technical advancement and issues, and advices na kailangan niya. Eh, parang kinukulit lang siya ng kaibigan niya mula nang bumaba siya ng sasakyan kanina.

“Pero ang ganda mo sa suot mo ngayon, Luna, ha?” rinig niya mula sa binata. “Pero kahit na simpleng T-shirt at pajama lang ang suot mo, maganda ka pa rin.”

Ilang segundo siyang natigilan sa paglalakad dahil sa sinabi nito. Pero kaagad din niyang ipinokus ang isip sa misyon nila. “Until when I am going to tell you I am not?”

Sebastian has been telling her compliments for years now. Araw-araw nitong sinasabi at pinaaalala sa kanya na maganda siya which was she always telling him she is not. Kahit pitong taon na ang nakalipas, she can’t see herself as beautiful just like what Sebastian’s always reminding her. Parang hirap na hirap niyang tingnan ang sarili sa salamin ngayon dahil sa mga nangyari — mula noong unang mabahiran ng dugo ang mga palad niya.

“And when will you believe me that you are beautiful in my eyes?”

“Tangina, Baste, ha? Tumigil ka. Kapag itong misyon na ‘to pumalya, ipapabaril kita kay Castillo.” pananakot niya na ikinatikom naman ng bibig ng binata.

Luna sighed in relief. Finally! She got some peace tonight—

“Hoy, babae. Pinaalala ko lang sa’yo na huwag na huwag kang magpapahawak kay Aragon, ha? I know your tactics. You will seduce him to get that briefcase but please, Luna, akin ka lang!” He sobbed the last three words like a whining child.

Napangiwi siya sa narinig pero hindi na niya magawang sermunan pa ang lalaki nang makapasok na siya ng tuluyan sa grand hall ng fifth floor kung saan idinaraos ang party ni Aragon.

Medyo mahigpit ang mga security na nakatayo sa entrance door ng grand hall. Kakailanganin pa ng invitation card bago makapasok. Mabuti na lang binigyan si Grimaldi ng invitation card at iyon ang ibinigay ng kliyente sa kanya para magamit at makapasok sa kasiyahan ni Aragon.

Binigyan niya ng isang matamis na ngiti ang guard na umasikaso sa kanya bago pumasok ng grand hall. Hindi na namangha si Luna sa nadatnan niya sa loob. As usual, there are elite people who had a champagne and wine glass on their hands. They wears elegant dresses and suits na para bang nagpapa-bonggahan ang mga ito sa mga kapwa nila mayayaman.

Malawak ang grand hall ng hotel at para bang kasing lawak lang iyon ng isang covered court. Simple lang ang theme ng naturang party since it was only an acquaintance party.

Marami na rin ang mga bisita sa loob at medyo nahihirapan siyang hanapin ang target. She only used her eyes to wandered around in the grand hall. Mata lang ang ginamit niya at iniwasan niyang huwag maglilingon baka may makahalata sa kanya.

“There he is, L. Twelve o’clock.”

Oo nga pala. Naalala niya, ang maliit na pendant na nasa choker, isa iyong maliit na camera na kinonekta ni Sebastian sa computer nila. Basta suot niya ang choker na ‘yon, kahit saan pa siya magpupunta o maglilingon, makikita ni Sebastian kung nasaan siya at kung sino ang mga taong nasa paligid niya.

She controlled herself from telling some mock to him. Kahit papaano naman pala, nakatulong ang binata sa kanya ngayon at hindi lang siya nito minamadali sa misyon.

Luna adjusted her sight and looked straight to the hall. And there is that bastard, enjoying himself as he entertained some ladies. She stared at him intently — so intense that his attention diverted to her.

Sa peripheral vision niya, may napansin siya paparating na waiter sa kanan niya na may hawak ng isang tray na champagne glasses. Without breaking eye contact, she used her right hand and took a glass of champagne and drank the liquid seductively. Ang mga tingin niya sa target nila ay parang nanghahalina na tingnan at sundan ang bawat galaw niya.

Luna twirled the champagne glass by the stem as if she had wanted a plaything and finally it had arrived. She always thought half the enjoyment came from the risk of it stumbling on the floor when she turned her pace to the left. Her hips swayed gracefully as she walked like a cat on the carpeted floor.

She calmly putted the glass on the tray of the waiter who just passed by. Hindi pa man niya naibababa ang bahagyang nakaangat niyang kamay nang maramdaman niyang may braso ang pumulupot sa bewang niya mula sa kanyang kaliwa.

She flinched a bit as she glanced over the masculine hand before she looked up at this bastard who dare to touch her.

“L? What happened?”

“Hi.” Bati niya na sinabayan ang boses ni Sebastian na nasa kabilang linya lang ng earpiece na nakapasak sa kanang tenga niya. She flashed a sweet smile to cover the annoyance she was feeling inside. Hindi talaga nag-iisip si Sebastian!

Pero ang mahalaga ngayon, lumapit na sa kanya ang target.

“Good evening, beautiful.” Aragon greeted back as a smile crept on his thin pinkish lips.

She admit, this bastard is good looking even though he was in his thirties. Napaka-bata ng itsura nito at matangkad. Kung tatantsahin, mas matangkad ito ng tatlong inches kaysa kay Sebastian. Matangos ang ilong nito na bumagay ito sa medyo singkit nitong mata at may kakapalang itim na itim na kilay. Kahit na nakasuot ito ng itim na suit at puti ang nasa loob nito, halata ang pagiging maskulado ng pangangatawan nito — lalo na ang malapad nitong balikat at dibdib. Agaw pansin din ang mahahabang binti nito. And his under cut hairstyle only made him looked stunning yet illegal.

“Pleasant evening to you too, Mister…” She paused for a second as if she was asking for his name.

“Aragon. Justice Aragon,” he answered her casually. “And please, don’t be formal. Do not call me Mister or whatever. Just call me, Justice.”

“If you say so, Justice.” She replied with a bit of mischief on her voice when she said his name.

“And what is yours then, baby?”

Naglakad sila patungo sa isang bakanteng table na medyo malayo sa mga bisita nito. Pinaghila siya nito ng upuan at bago ito umupo sa katabi niyang upuan, inalalayan muna siya nito sa pag-upo.

“He is gentleman, huh?” She commented mentally.

“Baby pa nga.” Narinig niyang komento ni Sebastian mula sa earpiece. Kung hindi pa siya nakapagpigil, nabulyawan na niya ito sa pagko-komento tungkol sa mga bagay na wala namang connect sa misyon nila.

Can’t he see? She was doing the job and yet he do not know how to shut the mouth? Pagkatapos talaga niya rito at sa pag-uwi niya, makakatikim talaga ng batok ang lalaking ‘yon.

“My name is Hilda.” Pakilala niya sa lalaki.

“So, Hilda,” he started, creating some circles on the table cloth with his forefinger. “What were you busy in life?”

Pinaglaruan niya ang singsing na nakasuot sa kanang palasingsingan niya gamit ang kanyang hinlalaki. Mabuti na lang at may naihanda siyang sagot pagdating sa mga ganitong katanungan. Ito ang ikaapat na beses na maka-encounter siya ng ganitong tanong sa loob ng mahigit na limang taon na niya sa ganitong propesyon.

“I am a model in some sort of a company,” she answered casually before drinking the wine that Justice took from one of the waiters. “What about you, Mr. Aragon? What are you busy in life?”

He gave a mischievous stare before he answered. “Busy doing crimes.”