Match Made in Hell

MMIH [7]

I started fidgeting with my hands while looking around the building. The vibes are starting to affect me and I was sweating like crazy! I don’t know what’s wrong, everything looks normal naman. It was just an ordinary building. Normal and nothing dangerous.

“Stay close,” Andriel ordered. Napatingin ako sa kanya and walked closer to him. Though it looks normal, my guts say otherwise. Every cell in my body screamed ‘Run!’

“Nasa’n ang mga tao?” I asked but got no answers. I nudged him, pero hindi naman niya ako pinansin. Ang sungit! “Huy! I’m talking to you—“

“Shut up,” he hissed.

“Why? May noise detector ba dito?” I asked, sarcastic.

“If I were you, I’d shut up,” he said in a low, menacing voice. I almost froze because of the goosebumps I felt when he was glaring at me. Oh geez, I forgot that he was the devil. He started walking again, while I followed.

I only stopped when I felt a presence was nearing me. Hindi siya normal. Kasi, if it is, I wouldn’t have noticed it. Pero siya, obvious ‘yung presence niya. I was gripped with fear. I grabbed the hem of Andriel’s shirt to stop him from walking.

Akala ko hindi niya napansin, but he also noticed it. Pero iba ‘yung reaction niya na nasa isip ko. He looks at ease, na para bang hindi nabo-bother sa presence na ‘yon.

“Uziah, Naia,” Andriel greeted and bowed.

“Oh, Kaz! Nandito ka pala!” A girl smirked. Nagtago ako sa likuran ni Andriel kasi nagulat ako sa hawak nilang weapons. The girl was holding handguns. Not one, but two in each hand. I stared in awe, but was still stricken by fear.

Bakit siya nandito? Why is she carrying guns? Does my sister approve of this? Hindi lang ‘yon, pati ‘yung lalaking kasama ng babae, he was holding a weapon. It was a rifle. Another g*n! Ate, why? Bakit sila may dalang weapons?

“Why are you here? Didn’t Big Boss announce an assembly at 13?” tanong ni Andriel.

The girl shrugged and pocketed the handguns. “The new Director is a softie, surely, mas takot pa siya sa atin kaysa tayo sa kanya. I kinda missed that old b***h,” she said. I felt her eyes on me while I was eyeing her handguns.

“Desert Eagle .50 Caliber Handgun,” I muttered. I bit my lower lip nang nalaman kong nasabi ko ‘yun ng malakas.

“Nice,” the girl commented. She was in awe and I can tell. Siguro, namana ko ‘yun kay Papa.

“Who’s she? She does not belong here,” biglang sabi ng lalaki. Nawala ang ngiti ko at muntik ko pa siyang irapan pero takot ko na lang sa kan’ya. He looks like the type to kill without even flinching.

“I’m visiting my sister,” I told them truthfully.

Parehas silang napatingin sa akin and looked at me like I had grown three heads. “Ilabas mo na ‘yan, Kaz. For sure, kukunin ‘yan ni Big Boss if he finds out she’s here. At paparusahan ka niya if he discovers na ikaw ang nagdala sa kanya rito.”

“I’m here to see my sister and I’m not leaving without seeing her. Ang layo-layo ng pinunta ko rito tapos mapupunta lang sa wala?” I began blabbering.

“Shut the f**k up, Heaven,” Andriel angrily whispered. I only stopped kasi humihigpit ‘yung hawak niya sa pulso ko and it hurts!

“You don’t want to die, do you, little lady? You have to go. Sayang ‘yung ganda mo.”

“I’m just here to see my Ate! Bakit ba ayaw niyo akong dalhin sa kan’ya?!” Hindi ko na nakayanan at napasigaw na ako. Andriel suddenly puts a hand over my mouth and dragged me into a room. I was about to thrashed about when I felt a sharp thing poke my neck.

“Move and you die, Fajardo,” he threatened. I paled when I learned that he was really holding a blade and pointing it at me. How dare him!

Magsasalita sana ako when I heard footsteps running towards us.

“Uziah! Naia!” I heard some people talking hanggang sa nawala na sila sa panrinig namin.

“That was troop 1. You were almost found out. Sila pa naman ang loyal kay Big Boss,” nakangising sabi ni Andriel. I was confused. Really, ano bang nangyayari?

“Crystal!” A familiar voice shouted. Wait, I think siya ‘yung girl kanina.

“It’s clear.” Andriel dragged me back outside at nakita kong nakatayo roon ‘yung babae pero wala na ‘yung kasama niya.

“No one should be using the elevator. Hurry up, the entrance is not safe anymore. And the meeting is about to finish any minute now,” she directed.

“Thanks, Naia,” Andriel saluted while that Naia girl just shoved him away.

“Bilisan natin! Kinakabahan ako! Ano ba yan! Ate needs to explain herself,” sabi ko while I entered the elevator. Top floor ang pinindot ni Andriel.

“Her office is on the top floor?” nagtatakang tanong ko. He was about to open his mouth but hesitated and kept quiet. Ang daya talaga nitong lalaking ‘to! I just need some answers.

Nagulat ako when the elevator stopped on the 8th floor. “s**t,” Andriel muttered.

Bago pa siya makapagbigay ng orders sa akin, the elevator opened and a familiar guy appeared.

“Dude!” nakangising bati ng lalaki, “sino ‘yang kasama mo?” I glared at him. Bakit pati siya, nandito? “Oh s**t! Bakit nandito si Heaven? Oh s**t, anong pinaplano mo Kaz?”

“Shut up, Nixon,” sabi ni Andriel. Pumasok si Matthew sa loob ng elevator and it immediately closed.

“Holy f**k! Seriously, magagalit sa’yo si Big Boss when he finds out!”

“Hindi niya malalaman,” I interjected.

Matthew stared sarcastically at me. “Right, he has many connections, missy. You only have a 10% chance of escaping this building alive.”

“At least may 10% chance. Teka, teka! I don’t know what’s going on! Bakit ba, ano bang meron sa kompanyang ito?”

“This is a very dangerous organization, Heaven. And you waltzed in like it doesn’t matter.”

What? What organization? If this is unsafe, bakit dito nagtatrabaho si Ate?

“Shut your mouth, Nixon,” Andriel threatened. Sumimangot si Matthew but he really did shut his mouth. Napaka-masunurin naman niya.

The elevator stopped on the top floor.

“Holy moth—“ Matthew clamped my mouth shut.

“Ano ba! Pinapahamak mo ba tayo? Hindi mo ba alam ang ginagawa natin? If we get caught, we die, Heaven,” bulong niya sa sakin.

Pero paanong hindi ako mapapamura, when I saw what the top floor looked like. Different types of weaponry are laid out on tables. Handguns, pistols, rifles, knives, grenades, machine guns, shotguns, and even missiles! Anong klaseng kwarto ‘to?!

Matthew pushed me to keep me walking. Hindi kasi ako makagalaw sa mangha. I stopped by a shelf of sniper rifles. Memories suddenly flooded my mind and I smiled bitterly.

I don’t know what got into me but I grabbed a Barrett M98. Its texture was familiar to my touch and my hands were itching to try it out.

“Bilisan mo, Heaven! For crying out loud!” Matthew whispered. Nagulat ako nang may kumuha ng kamay ko and dragged me forward, pababa ng stairs, and into an empty office.

“That was close! The guards that the Director chose were very sharp,” Matthew commented. He glanced at me at nagulat nang makitang hawak-hawak ko ang isang rifle. “Oh god, Heaven! Bakit mo ‘yan kinuha? What would they think pag nakita nilang kulang ang weapons sa itaas? Ah, s**t!”

“Sorry, hindi ko na naibalik because this guy pulled me,” I said as I looked at Andriel.

“Don’t blame me, you brat,” he replied. “Anyway, malapit ng mtapos ang meeting. If everything goes well, your sister will appear in 3 minutes na walang kasama.”

“Wait, this is the Director’s room,” nagtatakang sabi ni Matthew. “You mean, she’s the? Oh. . .” Natahimik si Matthew at napayuko.

“Astig! Ang ganda ng view!” I said in awe habang napapatingin sa ilabas ng bintana. Almost 600 yards ang nakikita mo from here.

“Someone’s coming,” Andriel muttered. And in a blink of an eye, I was under a table, with the rifle, and with the annoying guy named Matthew.

Dahil masikip, Matthew is like hugging me from behind while I hug the g*n. “Hey, be careful or you might accidentally pull the trigger.”

“I know, hindi ako tang—“ I jumped in surprised when I heard the sounds of glass breaking.

“Anong nangyayari?!” tanong ni Matthew and I can sense panic in his voice. I heard another shot that hit the walls.

“We’re being targeted,” I muttered.

Nagulat na lang ako nang may humatak sa akin and pulled me out from under the table. “Duck, Nixon,” he ordered. He pulled me into wall na katabi lang ng bintana. Doon ko nakita si Ate na nasa pintuan and she was glaring. Not at me but someone from outside.

“Sino ‘yung nagfa-fire?” tanong ko kay Andriel. Pero hindi siya nakasagot because he was interrupted by the vase breaking in front of him.

That was the third shot. And in every shot, was a 16-second pause.

“Heaven, stop moving,” my sister ordered. Pero I ignored her. I quickly got into a firing stance and aimed outside the window. I flinched dahil maraming bubog ang nadaganan ko. But I was determined to silence the person behind this.

I looked through the scope and scanned the area. And there, 400 miles away, on top of the building, was another sniper.

“Ate! Yumuko ka!” sabi ko.

“Heaven, when I tell you to stop—“

I focused on the target and slowly inhaled. Then I applied pressure on the trigger. From the scope, I could only tell that the target dropped the g*n from the rooftop and looks like he won’t be able to get it back. Kahit sa layo niya, I was thrilled to the fact na nakakatakot ‘yung tingin niya sa akin. And then he turned and walked away.

Binitawan ko ‘yung g*n, much to my liking. Then I exhaled. I shot a g*n. Again. After so many years, I promised myself that I will never hold another g*n. Pero eto ako, itching to try to fire another round.

“Heaven!” Napayuko ako while I was being scolded by my sister.“God, Heaven! Ginawa ko ang lahat para hindi ka madamay dito! Pero ikaw pa ‘tong pumasok sa gulong ito!”

“I’m sorry, Ate.”

Pero after her scolding, she hugged me. “Miss na miss na kita, alam mo ba yon? You’re still that girl who is a perfect sniper, even after 7 years. Galit ako sa’yo, pero namamangha pa rin ako every time you fire a g*n. Thanks for saving me, Heaven.”

From the corner of my eyes, lumabas na mula sa ilalim ng table si Matthew.

“You’re a sniper?” gulat na tanong niya. My sister eventually released me and with crossed arms, she faced the two men.

“I told you to guard her, pero bakit hinayaan niyo siyang makapasok dito?” tanong ni Ate.

“Sorry, Ms. D. It was too late when I found out. She really wanted to see you,” monotone na sabi ni Andriel.

“She’s a sniper?” Matthew asked again, still in awe.

“It’s not something to be proud of, Nixon. Erased your smile,” utos ni Ate. Ibig bang sabihin, she’s one of the higher ups?

“Ate, can you please explain what’s happening? Naguguluhan ako,” I interrupted.

She faced me and gave a sad smile. “Sorry, I assure you you’ll be safer this way.” I was confused but a prickling sensation on my arm made me jump to my senses.

“Ate?” I called. Pero unti-unting lumalabo ang paningin ko. I tried to stay awake but my body says otherwise.

“I’ll tell you when the time is right, Heaven. Be safe.” Was the last thing I heard before I completely blacked out.