Codename: Wonder

3: Intentions

WISH

It is hard to live when everything about you is fake. From arrogance to humility. Interest, courage and even concern. Ang mga tao ay may habit ng pamemeke ng mga bagay para lang lumitaw na katanggap-tanggap sa lipunan.

Sa lahat, ako ang pinakanakaka-alam noon. Well, I feign innocence. Parte iyon ng trabaho ko.

"Huwag na kayong mag-alala, Sir. Maayos po ang kalagayan ng kapatid nyo." The nurse was all smiles as she talked to my brother Marcus Alvarez. The latter sighed and turned to me. "Okay na po ang discharge papers niya. Pwede nyo na siyang iuwi."

"Thank you, nurse."

Ngumiti sa akin ang nurse saka lumabas. Marcus offered his hand to me but I slapped it and went out of bed all by myself.

Nauna siyang lumabas ng pinto at sumunod ako, his bodyguards are following us. The guard opened the door of the hospital lobby for us, saying something like, "don't come again."

One of the bodyguards opened the car door for me and I hopped in. Tumingin lang ako sa labas habang nagse-celebrate dahil sa husay ng ginawa ko.

"How the hell did you do that?"

Natawa na nga ako. "What?"

I turned to him. There's disbelief in his eyes. His brows met and his forehead formed creases. Oh, what a sight. I don't always get to see Alvarez like this. But what can I say? My acting skills are indeed superb!

"I said, how the hell did you manage to fool the doctors?"

Well...

The scene earlier was, of course, staged. Kailangan ko kasing makakuha ng intel mula sa doktor na iyon. And as a disciple of medicine, I know he'd react to a sick young girl on the roadside. Before I closed my eyes, I saw worry on his face. There was nostalgia. I triggered something from his memory. Counts as extra point for me.

"Alvarez, you're talking to Agent Wonder. Were you expecting anything less?" I showed him my palms. "What you see is not a complete picture of what you'd get. Malas, hindi nila alam 'yon. For them I was just a young lady who needs medical attention. No hidden agendas."

His mouth slightly parted in awe. Tumingin naman akong muli sa labas.

"That was epic. The codename 'wonder' really suits you. You work literal wonders."

No. That was not a miracle or whatever. Lying is a skill. It can be learned and trained day by day.

Ganoon naman ang takbo ng mundo. People are fake yet gullible. They lie and believe lies. The cycle repeats everyday for everyone. Humans can formulate two hundred lies and even more about everything and anything.

Sabihin ko man na isa akong diwata, basta mayroon akong tamang emosyon, maniniwala sila.

"That doctor," I said. "He's religious."

"Oh?" A little interest could be heard from Alvarez's voice.

I smirked. What did he say? Thank the Lord? A pitiful creature indeed. Kung totoo mang may Diyos, malamang masyado Siyang busy para pigilan ang cancer at kamatayan. Wala siguro Siyang panahon para bigyan ng bahay ang mga palaboy sa daan.

I can't help but laugh at the thought. How delusional is that doctor to think that his God would ever think of how people's lives are turning out? Ilang libong tao ang nagdarasal araw-araw, lumuluhod at umiiyak sa hirap habang nanghihingi ng awa. Only few got what they wanted.

What a partial God you got there.

"Iyong pass na ipinapaayos ko?" tanong ko na lang. My thoughts are irritating me.

"Hmm, ipinapahanap ko pa sa mga tao ko kung saan ang cruise na iyan. But don't worry, it won't take long. Ako na ring bahala sa mga kakailanganin mo," he said. "May plano ka na ba? You need weapons or anything?"

I chukled. "I'll call you when I need something."

He's dead mad. He's even willing to spend hundreds of thousands just to make sure that James Llantada won't live a long life. Ang mga tao, kahit kailan, mga baliw talaga. They are drowning in vengeance. And greed, if I may add.

Rotten inside out and foolish enough to try covering their nakedness with the glory of fake smiles.

Sorry, but no rainbows for me.

"I have always liked that smirk. Mas bagay sayo kaysa sa nakakadiring ngiti mo kanina sa loob ng hospital. Nakakakilabot. Huwag mo na ngang uulitin 'yon." He made a face. Well, yeah, sure for him I looked scary. Mas bagay sa akin ang patay na ekspresyon at matalas na dila.

I wouldn't like to see myself being as fake as they are. Not even a little.

"Tss. Kilabutan ka hanggang gusto mo," sagot ko. Malapit na ako sa bahay. Finally.

"Wish, can you answer a question?"

"That is already a question."

To my surprise, he grabbed both of my shoulders and gently made me turn to him. He looked at me straight in the eyes, mentally saying that he won't let me lie.

"Tell me, with every shred of honesty you have in you," he started. I looked at him calmly. "Is there any part of you that wants to kill him because he didn't save your mother?"

I didn't expect the question. But I wasn't surprised. When he offered me the mission, I was looking for a compelling reason and the mom-card turned my no to a bitter yes.

"No," I answered. "This is purely business."

Alvarez was not surprised. Disbelief can be seen in his eyes. He knows me. And he wouldn't easily believe everything that I will say. Kahit pa hindi tungkol sa loyalty ito.

Naramdaman kong tumigil na ang kotse pero parang wala pa siyang intensyong bitawan ako. What on earth does he want to hear? My mother is dead. Nothing could change that. Kahit patayin ko pa siya at lahat ng tao sa mundo, ang patay ay patay na. Sa impyerno na kami magkikita.

"Kung gano'n bakit ka pumayag? You wanted a compelling reason to take the mission. It was the mention of your mom that changed your mind," he recalled. "No need to lie to me, Wish."

"Magkaiba tayo, Alvarez. Walang halaga sa akin kung ano mang nangyari noon," I answered, starting to push his hands away from me. "What do you want to hear? And why does it even bother you?"

He stared at me with his piercing eyes. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto mong malaman. Pero kung ano man ang intensyon ko sa pagpayag, wala ka dapat pakialam," I said. I removed his hands from my shoulders. I stared at him directly. "Gusto mong mamatay si James Llantada? Sure. Akong bahala. I'm your tool. And tools don't talk."

I unbuckled my seatbelt and went out of the car. Hindi ko na siya nilingon. Everything I should be thinking about now is the plan. He may doubt my intentions all he wants but my eyes would remain on my mission.

The goal is clear. James Llantada should die during that party. Free of traces.

~cnwndr~