Spy on Duty

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(How's your task?) The voice was elegant and authoritative, full of power and confidence.

"I'm working on it."

(You better be.)

I ended the call and breathed deeply. The pressure of that task was squeezing my whole body to the point that I couldn't already breathe.

And that jerk, Damien Ozera, Urgh! Dumagdag sa mga proproblemahin ko.

I wore my white pants and pink sweatshirt. Always the girly one, huh? And of course, I never forgot my scarf. I always made sure that my neck was covered. I also wore my boots. I combed my messy black hair and put a little make up on my pretty face.

Bumaba na ako sa aking apartment para pumunta sa pinagtatrabahuhan kong flower shop.

"Ang ganda mo ngayong gabi, Ineng." Salubong sa akin ni Auntie Lyn pagkapasok ko ng flower shop.

"Ako pa ba, Auntie Lyn?"

She laughed and handed me the flowers I would deliver tonight. She also handed me a paper, a list of the addresses where I would deliver these flowers.

"Auntie, malapit lang pala tong mga to eh. Gagamitin ko na lang po yung bike."

"Sige, iha. Mag-iingat ka hah."

"Opo. Ako pa ba, Auntie? Ako pa ba?"

There were only few people who I treated well. And Auntie Lyn was one of them. I had no reason to show my bad attitude to the people living in this town. And I didn't want to be moody at them too. I loved them. I loved their way of living. Whenever I was with them, they made me feel like I was also a normal person. That I was living an ordinary life.

Nilagay ko na sa basket ng bike yung mga bulaklak. Nagbisikleta na ako papunta sa bahay nina Lolo Carding. Simple lang itong barangay na tinitirahan ko. Walang mga nakatayong mansyon pero maayos naman ang mga bahay. Pang middle class ba. Sa harap ng aking apartment ay may karinderya doon si Aling Nene. Sa gilid naman nun ay may nagtitinda ng barbeque.

Nang makarating ako sa bahay nina Lolo Carding ay nag-aabang na siya sa labas ng gate.

"Hi Lolo!" Bumaba ako sa aking bisikleta at nagmano.

"Oh apo, nasaan na yung bulaklak?" Inabot ko sa kaniya yung bouquet na ako mismo ang nag-ayos.

"Salamat." Tsaka niya ko inabutan ng bayad. Pumasok na siya sa loob at nakita kong binigay nya ang bulaklak kay Lola Rosa. Di ko napigilang kiligin. Dumadamoves pa si Lolo. May asim pa!

Sunod kong hinatid yung mga bulaklak sa iba pang barangay. Ang sarap talaga ng gabi. I didn't know but I really loved the night. I liked watching the stars glow in the darkness. I took pleasure on the way the cold wind danced with my black messy hair. I loved its silence and mystery.

Isang rosas na lang ngayon ang kailangan kong ideliver. Doon pa ito sa dulo ng barangay namin. Nagsimula na ulit akong magbike hanggang sa marating ko yung address. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan. Walang bahay sa address na nakasulat dito. At masama pa niyan ay nasa gitna pa ito ng bukid. Walang mga street lights sa lugar. Ang tanging tunog lang na maririnig mo ay ang pag-ihip ng hangin sa mga palay. Maski ang sarili kong paghinga ay naririnig ko.

Maslalo akong kinabahan. Kahit malamig ang gabi ay pinagpapawisan ako. Bigla kong kinuha yung rosas. Wala akong armas na dala-dala kaya gagamitin ko na lang na panlaban ang tangkay nito na puno ng tinik.

Maybe two drunkards were after me again. Even if I denied it a thousand times, I still felt nervous. Bone-wrenchingly nervous.

If I screamed right now, no one could hear my scream. There were no houses around. And even if there were people out there, I would not scream! Even if I was afraid, I didn't want the bad guys to know that I was afraid. It would just make them more confident and glad.

Bumaba ako sa aking bike at sinipa ang stand nito. Nang biglang may humawak sa aking balikat mula sa likuran ay agad kong hiniwa ang kaniyang braso gamit ang tangkay ng rosas. Nagkaroon siya nang maliit na sugat. Nakitang kong nabitawan niya ang kaniyang mansanas na may kagat at gumulong ito sa kalsada.

Muli ko sana siyang susugatan nang mahuli niya ang aking kamay. Inangat ko ang kamay kong hindi niya hinahawakan at susuntukin ko na sana siya pero nahuli niya ito.

Tutuhurin ko na sana siya sa p*********i niya pero tinulak niya ako dahilan para mapahiga ako sa lupa. Umupo siya sa ibabaw ko kaya hindi ako makagalaw.

"Let go of me you—" My attacker pinned my two hands above my head. I was completely trap. I tried to free myself from his hold but he was too strong. Urgh!

"I heard you're looking for me."

I stopped snuggling when I heard that voice. That voice. How could I forget that manly voice? I concentrated on his face until my pupils adjusted. There on top of me, the man I was looking for. The man who saved me from my immense death.

His face became more masculine as the moonlight casted shadows on his features. His eyes were piercing my whole being. I couldn't determine what the color of his eyes were, black or brown? He looked like an angel in the darkness of the night. He looked unreal.

"Damien." I whispered, being aware of our position. I was uncomfortable on him, being on top of me; On me, lying on the ground; And on his hand, holding my wrists above my head.

If a farmer walked by, for sure he would misinterpret us doing.. something.

"You know my name. Have we met before?"

I collected all my control and temper to stop myself from opening my mouth and spitting on him. How could he! How dare him not to remember me!

Then it hit me.

That while I spent my whole week, thinking about him and looking for him everyday, he didn't remember a single thing! He didn't feel the same. For him, that encounter was just nothing and not worthy of being remembered.

But it's a big deal to me. It's the first time that someone had acted as a superhero for me. For the first time in a very long time, someone stood up to protect me.

Somehow, the thought made my chest ache. In a reason that I couldn't—didn't want—to explain.

"Yes." I forced myself to answer even if I just wanted to go and lock myself in my apartment. "I'm the one you saved in the farm last week."

He narrowed his eyes as if he was trying to remember what happened. Trying to remember! Meaning he really did forget it. Meaning that while I was doing everything to look for him, he was just relaxing and doing his daily routine. That while I was dying just to find him, he just went on with his life like nothing happened. And now I wanted to punch myself for making this a big deal. And so what if he was not thinking about our encounter? As if it mattered.

"Oh, I see. Is that the reason why you want to see me?"

"Yes."

"What do you want to tell me?"

"Will you please stop sitting on my stomach first? Kanina pa ko nangangawit dito."

"Oh, sorry."

Umalis na siya sa ibabaw ko at tinulungan niya akong tumayo. I was still holding the rose I used to attack him. Seryoso lang siyang nakatingin sa akin habang nagpapagpag ako ng dumi sa aking damit.

Nang matapos ako ay hinarap ko na siya at tinignan ko rin siya nang seryoso. Let's get this business done once and for all. "Since you saved me, I think I owe you a payment."

Nang hindi siya sumagot ay tinuloy ko ang aking pagsasalita. "Let's have a date."

"Come again?"

With a louder voice I say, "Let's have a date."

"Sorry but I do not have time for a social or romantic appointment and engagement."

Ouch. Basted.

His voice and face were still serious while rejecting my offer. I couldn't determine what's going on in his stupid mind. I hated the fact that he's a robotic jerk.

"Ms. Austria, if you have nothing more to say, I should get going—"

"Wait." I panicked. He could not go yet. Not until I already payed my debt. "Look, fine, you're wasting the opportunity to date me. Which is well, your loss."

I shrugged like it was not a big deal for me even if my female pride hurt.

"Then tell me what you want. Anything, just make me pay you something for saving my ass that night."

He cleared his throat and looked at me intensely. If I was an ordinary girl, my knees would tremble at the intensity of those eyes. Well fortunately, I was not. So I just raised my eyebrow at him.

"I save you because that's the right thing to do. And I'm not asking anything in return."

This time, I rolled my eyes. "Hindi pwede. Ayokong magkaroon ng utang na loob sa'yo, Mr. Ozera. Kaya sabihin mo na sa akin kung ano ang gusto mong kapalit at nang mabigay ko na sa'yo."

"As I say I'm not asking any—"

"I don't care if you're not asking anything in return! Ayokong magkaroon ng utang na loob sa kahit na sino."

"Are you sure you really want to pay me?"

"Yes."

"Baka hindi mo magawa ang ipapagawa ko sa'yo." For the first time, I thought I heard teasing in his voice. But I might have imagined it.

Napalunok ako sa tanong niya at biglang kinabahan. Maybe he would not ask for the service of my body, right? He's a good man. He would not save me if his heart was not pure.

"Gagawin ko." Matapang kong sabi.

"Fine then, go to the Palace of Safronov eight o'clock sharp tomorrow evening."

Nagsitayuan ang balahibo ko. Nagsimula na rin akong lamigin. "Anong gagawin ko? Bakit kailangan kitang puntahan ng gabi?"

"Dahil gusto ko."

Tinalikuran niya na ko at nagsimula nang maglakad palayo pero tinawag ko ang pangalan niya. Huminto siya pero hindi lumingon.

"You're the one who ordered this rose?" I asked.

He turned his face to me. "Yes."

"Why?"

"I want to talk to you in somewhere private. Where no one will see us."

"Why?"

"Hundreds of men out there want me dead. If they will see you with me, they will use you to lure me."

Of course. He was the pier agent of Safronov. He killed men, and in return, men wanted to kill him also.

"I see. Then why don't you just get this rose and give it to your special someone?"

He turned his back on me again and started walking away. "Just keep it. It's yours."