Trigger and Bullets

bullet 26 - an epilogue

You want answers,so here are the answers. Salamat nang marami!

-sev 

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Bullet twenty six

Masasabi kong si Luisa na ang pinaka eksakto at kalkuladong nilalang na nakilala ko. Tila lahat ng kanyang kilos ay pinag-isipan nang mabuti bago pa niya isagawa. Napaka-kalmado niyang naglalakad at naka-tingin lang sa unahan. I might just be paranoid enough to notice these as we briskly walked the empty corridors of Brent University. Hindi pa tapos ang klase kaya wala pang mga estudyante. Paglabas namin sa gusali ay bumungad sa akin ang Ferrari ko, bumukas ang mga pinto nito bago pa kami makalapit. See? She’s so exact and she’s got a lot of explaining to do how the hell she can override my bloody car.

Ako ang umupo sa harapan ng manibela kahit na nagpakita siya ng pag-angal. It was just right that I take the wheels because I cannot afford to just sit on the shotgun and jitter. And I was the resident speed demon. I drove our way back to FDI compound with seconds to spare. As I steer the wheels Luisa itemized the steps we had to do the moment we reached the place.

“Ms. Venice Lizabeth Fronda, do you remember which FDI Gate you crashed your tank about a month ago? Take that gate. Its security checker hadn't been installed properly so it’s going to ease the escape route I am planning. Do not worry, gusto ko lang paigtingin ang seguridad ng mga Fronda, walang malalim na dahilan sa mga paraan ko. Also, keep the key in the ignition and do not lock the car’s doors. Someone in my network will help us cover-up, she will take over your car, Ms. Fronda. Take the nearest elevator from the lobby’s entrance, I will take the stairs. Once you get inside start packing the… the things I have told you a while back. Your mom needs those things. I might take some time getting into your room so if anything appears suspicious lock yourself in your bathroom,” she said in unvaried tone. I nodded, muting my agitation and keeping my eyes focused on the road.

“Naninigas ang mga tuhod mo, nanginginig ang mga hinliliit mo, at hindi normal na tahimik ka sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Base sa pagsasalaysay sa iyo ni Dana, maingay ka sa iyong mga kuro-kuro. Mukhang kinakabahan ka base sa iyong postura at kakaibang asta,” aniya sa mabilis at walang kabuhay-buhay na tono pagkalipas ng ilang minutong katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa. I almost hit the brake para mauntog siya.

Sinong hindi kakabahan sa ganitong pangyayari at sa animoy scripted niyang pananalita? And of course I have not forgotten she was L. “Tss. Do you want me to point out the fact that I still haven’t forgiven you for sending me those bloody clues and letters that had endangered my life and sanity?” Clearly, Luisa was more than just a secretary of my Mom, who knows if she was an assassin too, like Dana? Pati si Cole ay naniniwala ring tagapaslang ang kasama ko ngayon. Maybe everyone I knew was somebody else behind my back. Hindi ko na yata ikakagulat kung isang araw ay malaman kong may ibang pagkatao rin si Ella, or whoever…

Naramdaman ko ang kanyang pagtitig habang sa windshield ako nakatuon. “Everything we did was for your FDI, Miss Venice Lizabeth,” maikli niyang paliwanag at napanatili niya ang blankong ekspresyon na hindi na yata maaalis sa kanyang mukha.

“Yeah, yeah! Fine. Everything is for FDI. You and Dana signed me up to be the superhero that will save the medicine compound and maybe the whole world,” I spat.

“Hmmm. Mukhang mali ka ng pagkakaintindi. O nasobrahan ka sa pagintindi. Hindi nakasalalay sa iyo ang lahat. Totoo nga ang mga datos na nakuha ko, totoong sobra ang kumpiyansa mo sa iyong sarili.” Natahimik ako sa kanyang sinabi. Tila isang insulto ang kanyang binitawang mga salita ngunit hindi ako tumutol.