#BHOCAMP9TMM #TonYo #BHOCAMP
CHAPTER 33: TARGET
ENYO'S POV
"You're ignoring me now?"
Muntik kong mabitawan ang hawak ko na microscope slides nang bigla na lang may magsalita malapit sa akin. Maingat na ibinaba ko iyon at naniningkit ang mga mata na lumingon ako sa kaliwa ko. Napalitan nga lang ng sorpresa iyon nang makita ko si Blaze na nakatayo sa tabi ko.
"I'm not ignoring you." Tinignan ko ang dala niya na paper bag. "Pagkain ba 'yan?"
"You were and yes pagkain 'to."
"Hindi nga kita iniiwasan. I've been here for hours. Akala mo lang may ginagawa ako pero tulog na ang kaluluwa ko." Sinilip ko ang laman no'n pero inilayo niya lang iyon sa akin. "Mamimigay ka ba o hindi?"
"Bakit kita bibigyan? Close ba tayo?"
Kung iba siguro masaasaktan sa sinabi niya lalo pa sa history na meron kami. But since I know him better, I just grabbed the bag he's holding and took it. Binuksan ko iyon at napangisi ako nang makita ko ang dalawang kraft clamshell box na may tatak ng Craige's.
"Sisingilin ko ang kapatid ko riyan," sabi niya at umupo sa tabi ko.
"Bakit hindi ako ang singilin mo?"
"Siya ang nagpabili niyan eh."
Umangat ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. Hinubad ko ang gwantes ko at nag sanitizer ako bago ko binuksan ang lalagyan at kinuha ro'n ang malaking burger na panigurado akong pinagkakaguluhan na ngayon sa Craige's. Ocean's seafood burger is one of the best burger that I ever tasted. Not that I will tell him that. Baka maging hot air baloon pa ang ulo no'n sa dami ng hangin.
"He asked you to buy me a burger?"
I mean there's nothing weird about that. Except for the fact that Blaze, Stone, and I are a tangle of webs. Kahit hindi sabihin sa akin ni Stone ay alam ko na ingat pa rin siya tungkol sa nakaraan namin. He loves me but he also love his brother so I understand why he's walking on eggshells when his brother is around.
"He asked Ocean to deliver food to you but it was chaos in there. Alam mo naman kapag Seafood Friday ni Ocean. I heard him talking to my brother on the phone and since I also have a duty here, I told him that I can bring you food myself."
"So technically ikaw ang bumili ng pagkain?"
"Hindi rin. Siya ang magbabayad niyan." Nilabas niya sa paper bag ang isa pang container bago ako nginisihan. "Nalibre pa ko."
I rolled my eyes at him and I started eating. Literal na gusto kong umiyak nang matikman ko ang burger. Kapag Seafood Friday ni Ocean talagang ubusan kung ubusan. Kulang na nga lang mag vigil kami sa harapan ng Craige's para maabutan iyon dahil madalas talaga na hindi na kami nakakabili sa dami ng nag o-order niyon. Dalawang beses lang sa isang buwan niya gawin iyon kaya talagang lahat nag-aabang.
"Huhulaan ko. Nasa unahang pila si Nyx?" tanong ko.
"Yep. I don't think natulog ang isang 'yon mauna lang siya sa pila. She bought four burgers."
"Baka tig-dalawa sila ni Erebus."
"Malabo. Dumating si E kanina at nasa huli siya ng pila. Akala niya nga binilan siya ni Nyx pero turns out para iyon sa dinedate niya."
I blinked at what he said. "May boyfriend na si Nyx?"
"Wala pa ata. She's just dating I guess."
Huh. Nyx is a beautiful woman. Kung gugustuhin niya kahit na sino siguro ay gugustuhin na i-date siya. But some of us are secretly hoping that she and E will stop twiddling their thumbs and just date each other.
"Bakit dalawa lang ang binili mo?" nakasimangot na tanong ko nang halos makalahati ko na ang burger. "Bitin."
Akmang kakagat ulit si Blaze sa hawak niya pero dahil sa sinabi ko ay kunot ang noo na nilingon niya ako. "Kulang pa sa'yo 'yan? Ang laki niyan ah?"
"Ano naman kung malaki?"
"Ang liit mo."
Pakiramdam ko umabot hanggang bubong ang pagtaas ng kilay ko sa sinabi niya. "At ano naman kung maliit ako?"
Imbes na sagutin ako ay naiiling na hinati niya ang burger niya at inilagay iyon sa plato ko. Dahil hindi naman ako ganoong kasama ay nakanguso na inusog ko palapit sa kaniya 'yon pabalik.
"Joke lang. Sayo na 'yan. Nakagatan mo na rin eh."
"Malinis 'yan. Nahalikan mo na nga ako tapos tatanggihan mo iyong nakagatan ko lang?"
Napasinghap ako sa sinabi niya at muntik ko pang mabitawan ang hawak ko. Napalingon ako sa kinaroroonan ng dalawang junior agent na sina Charry Lyn at Trisha Pia na kasama ko kanina rito sa experiment department room. Halos sabay pa silang yumuko at inabala ang mga sarili nila sa ginagawa kahit na alam ko naman na nakikinig sila dahil kita ko pa rin kung paano silang magbungisngisan.
Para namang hindi ako sanay sa mga agent. Wala naman kasing ibang interesante na balita sa paligid namin kundi ang mga pighati namin sa buhay pag-ibig namin.
"Psst." Napatingin sa akin ang dalawang babae. Halos sabay nanlaki ang mga mata nila at kinakabahan na nagkatinginan sila. Akala mo naman bigla ko na lang silang babarilin. Hindi naman ako ganoong kasama. "May boyfriend kayo?"
Sabay sila na umiling.
"Pero nagkaroon na kayo ng boyfriend?" Nang tumango sila ay tinaasan ko ng kilay si Blaze bago ko sila muling binalingan. "Have you kissed your boyfriends before?"
Parehas na naging kulay kamatis ang mga pisngi nila nang tumango sila. I've seen them a couple of times here in the experiment department. Minsan nakakausap ko sila pero hindi kasi katulad sa field ay mas tahimik at abala ang mga taong nasa experiment department. Sila kasi talaga ang backbone ng mga misyon namin. They invent and enhance all the things we use for missions and they're also the ones that make sure that we won't die on the field.
"Kung lalawayan nila ang pagkain at ibibigay sa inyo kakainin niyo ba?" tanong ko.
"Yuck," sabi ni Charry Lyn.
Nakangiwing umiling si Trisha Pia. "Ew!"
I turned back to Blaze and I looked at him pointedly. "See? Iba kasi 'yon."
"Isn't kissing more disgusting since you're sharing saliva than just eating food that someone took a bite on?"
"Kapag ba nakipaghalikan ka lasang mayonnaise o seafood iyong kahalikan mo? Do you like the food infused breath or do you torridly make out with garlic on your kitchen during your day off that's why it doesn't matter to you?"
He chuckled under his breath and pushed the half of his burger towards me. "Kainin mo na 'yan. Hindi ko naman nalawayan 'yang parte na iyan."
"Sa'yo na. Hindi naman ako gano'n kasiba para kainin ang pagkain ng iba."
May sasabihin pa sana siya pero natigilan siya nang tumunog ang cellphone niya. Kinuha niya iyon sa bulsa niya at sinagot niya ang tawag.
"Hello?" Nawala ang pagkakakunot nang noo niya ng marinig ang tao sa kabilang linya. "Eto kumakain. Kulang pa nga kaso ayaw tanggapin iyong akin. Subuan ko na ba?"
I mouthed what at him but Blaze just shook his head. Bahagya niyang inilayo ang katawan niya nang tangkain ko na abutin ang cellphone niya. Malakas ang kutob ko na si Stone ang tumawag sa kaniya.
"Bumili din ako ng sa'kin pero siyempre sa'yo nilista ni Ocean." Tumawa si Blaze nang mukhang may sinabi sa kaniya ang taong nasa kabilang linya. "Nakagatan ko na nga. Ibinibigay ko sa kaniya iyong kalahati pero ayaw kunin. I told her we already kissed before so she shouldn't mind about sharing a burger."
"Blaze!" I hissed.
"Whatever. I'm not going back there to buy another one. Ubos na iyon panigurado ngayon."
Sandaling pinakinggan niya lang ang kapatid niya at nang mukhang ang haba na ng litanya sa kaniya ni Stone ay binabaan niya na ang kapatid. Ngingisi-ngising nagpipindot si Blaze sa cellphone bago sa pagtataka ko ay kinuha niya ulit ang burger niya habang nakatapat sa amin ang cellphone niya.
"Smile," he said.
I didn't smile. Instead I looked at the camera with a shocked expression. Tatawa-tawang nagpipindot siya ulit at nang tignan ko ang ginagawa niya ay nakita kong ipinadala niya iyon kay Stone.
"Blaze!" Inabot ko ang cellphone niya pero inangat niya lang iyon. "Sisikmuraan kita kapag hindi mo binura 'yan!"
"Na-send ko na. Wala ng bawian."
Nanggigigil na hinaklit ko ang burger ko at kumagat ako ng malaki ro'n. Nakamamatay na tingin ang binigay ko sa kaniya pero mukhang balewala lang iyon sa lalaki.
"I didn't know you're this annoying," I told him.
" I wouldn't annoy you back then since I was dating you."
I scoffed at that. "Para naman na iyon ang batayan talaga. I'm dating your brother and he's still annoying me all the time."
"It's different."
"Anong pinagkaiba?"
He look at me contemplatively as if he's thinking about whether he'll answer me or not. Nang taasan ko siya ng kilay ay napabuntong-hininga na lang siya.
"When I annoy someone that I'm dating it will probably end with a kiss. I can't speak for my brother but my guess is that it's also the same with him."
Naumid ang dila ko sa sinabi niya. Dahil tama naman siya. That's how it was before with us and that's how it is with me and his brother. Ang pagkakaiba lang ay mas madalas kaming magkaasaran ni Stone. It's kind of our thing. O gusto ko lang talagang magpahalik kasi magaling siyang manuyo.
"Hmm."
"Tama ako di ba?" tanong niya.
"Hindi ko alam. Pero kapag naasar ako ngayon may sisikmuraan talaga ako."
He rubbed his lips as if he's fighting hard not to smile. "I like you better when you're less of a war freak."
"I like you better when you were less annoying."
We turned to our food but I know we're both smiling. Who would have thought right? That it would be possible to be this close to him and to joke around with him as if we didn't break each other's hearts.
Maybe time really can heal wounds. I just hope that it could also do more than that. Like making the heart beat again.
Not for my sake but for his.
KUMUYOM ang mga kamay ko habang pinapanood ko ang mga nagaganap sa loob ng korte. No one would have visualize this outcome. I can hear the outrage from the public gallery. I don't think even the judge himself sounded happy with the verdict.
Leodel Vasquez will be walking free.
I read his files over and over again. Hindi lang double check ang ginawa ko. I even dug information about the man that came forward claiming that he did all the crime that Leodel Vasquez were serving time for.
It all fit. Nagtatrabaho si Larry Alfred sa mga Vasquez. He's one of Vasquez' henchmen. He had an affair with the wife but when she refused to leave Vasquez, Alfred raped and killed her. Ganoon din ang ginawa niya sa dalawang anak na babae ni Vasquez.
Except Vasquez was inside the same home were the crimes took place at that time. Paanong magagawa ni Alfred ng lahat ng sinasabi niya na hindi nalalaman ni Vasquez? How will Alfred successfully do all that when the Vasquez residence were filled with his men?
Ang sabi ni Larry Alfred ay pinagbantaan niya raw si Vasquez na isusunod ito kapag pinigilan siya at isinuplong sa pulis.
It's a bunch of bullshit.
Why would Leodel Vasquez accept the charges against him if it's not his crimes? They fought hard to free him before. At paano naman magagawang makalapit si Larry Alfred sa lalaki para gawin ang mga banta niya kung protektado ang lalaki? Kahit maging sa kulungan ay walang basta nakakalapit kay Vasquez.
But still... Larry Alfred gave out all the right details. He even stated every step of what he did to the poor girl who was missing for a long time. The forensic examined the body and they confirm that the trauma appears to match with Alfred's narrative.
"Bullshit," I whispered.
Everything was rehearsed. I don't think I'm the only one who could see that what with the disapproval from the people in the gallery.
"Approaching subject."
Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa baril na nasa harapan ko nang marinig ko ang boses ni Blaze sa suot ko na listening device. In front of me is a 1350mm sniper rifle. It has a technical accuracy that will beat any rifle existing and the same thing goes with its range.
"They're almost out," I informed him. "Get the subject to safety."
"On it."
Pinanood ko sa tablet na nasa harapan ko kung paanong lumabas sa korte si Leodel Vasquez. Nakapaikot sa kaniya ang mga tauhan niya maging ang mga pulis na naatasan para sa seguridad sa lugar na iyon. Sa tabi ni Vasquez ay naroon si Stone. His face are dark and his jaw is set. Even without talking to him I can understand what's going through his mind.
The law failed.
He worked hard giving his client a fair trial. That's what law is to him. It's not his job to judge who's the innocent or not. Ang trabaho niya lang ay masigurong mailalatag niya sa korte ang lahat para sa paghuhusga ng hukom. May the result be in his clients favor or not. But I also know that he's seeing the same thing I'm seeing.
This is a play.
He was played the same way that the court has been used for Vasquez to gain what he's after.
"Ten seconds to exit," I informed Blaze.
"Five minutes to securing the subject."
I can feel the tension hugging my body but I push through it. Pinanood ko kung paanong sinalubong ng mga galit na tao si Leodel Vasquez na kampanteng naglakad palabas kasama ng mga taong nakapalibot sa kaniya. Everyone can see the smile in his lips as if he didn't just heard how someone supposed to have killed his family.
That tiny smile did it. Ice run through my veins, injecting my blood with it.
BHO CAMP made Ender to close what is needed to be closed. To end what needs to be ended. People like Vasquez that will not repent. People like him that will just repeat the same crimes. Ender is BHO CAMP's darkest secret.
Over the years BHO CAMP have always been in the middle of the two faces of the world. The right and the wrong. The good and evil. Our job is to bring justice and to save the victims. Hindi namin trabaho na patayin ang mga taong pinatunayan ang mga kamalian na kaya nilang gawin. They are transferred to the police and the law will be the one to make them pay. Sometimes it's inevitable to kill in a mission. Minsan nangyayari iyon kapag kailangan namin na isalba ang mga sarili namin maging ang mga pinoprotektahan namin. Our missions are focused on saving... not killing.
But sometimes missions will suddenly disappear. Like they never existed. It wasn't frequent but it happens. Those missions are given to Ender. Missions that are centered into doing one thing.
And that is to end the targets.
"Firing."
Walang pag-aalinalangan na kinalabit ko ang gatilyo ng baril na nasa harapan ko. It didn't made a sound. It was silent... so quiet... and yet the mayhem that it will cause is the opposite of that.
Tinignan ko ang tablet na nasa harapan ko kung saan kanina ay pinapanood ko ang mga kaganapan sa korte. Sa kalahati ng screen ay kita lang ang isang pula na bilog na may timer sa tabi.
I speak again as I watched the numbers. "One minute to target."
"One minute to getting the subject to safety."
Pinanood ko kung paanong hinarangan ng mga tao ang dinadaanan nila Vasquez. It doesn't matter. The bullet has one target. Sa kabila ng screen ay gumalaw din ang pula na bilog. It's mirroring Vasquez every movements.
"Thirty seconds," I murmured as the numbers keep falling. "Twenty... ten... five"
The tablet made a final sound when the countdown drop to zero. I didn't look away and I watched how Leodel Vasquez fell to the ground. Around him is a sea of red. His own blood and brain splattered to the floor.
"Subject is secured," Blaze said.
"Mission accomplished, Ender."
I watched how Stone remain standing while looking at his client. Ibang klaseng lamig ang bumalot sa akin nang mag-angat siya ng mukha at direktang tumingin sa akin.
O mas tamang sabihin ay sa camera kung saan nakakonekta ako.
"Mission accomplished.," Blaze murmured back.
Binaba ko ang baril at sinarado ko ang pintuan. Hinarap ko ang taong ramdam ko ang tingin sa akin at tinanguhan ko siya.
"Your husband is safe and your family will be fine."
I watched the tears fall from the woman's eyes. Niyakap niya ng mahigpit ang natutulog na babaeng anak.
"S-Salamat."
I never been thanked for what I do and like with Declan, it washes away the dark tainting my hands as if I dipped them into Vasquez' blood.
Tumayo ako at naglakad ako pabalik sa pilot seat ng helicopter na kinaroroonan namin. I put it on an autopilot while I was taking care of Vasquez. I needed the heights to avoid hitting anyone with the bullet and this is a perfect place.
Target gun is an invention of BHO. It was enhanced over the years by BHO CAMP. There's only one way for the target gun to work. A dot tracker should be attached to the target because this gun's bullet will only hit one person no matter how far the range.
Right now the helicopter is hovering above Quezon province but Vasquez is in manila. Target gun has the ability to have that range, hitting the target with the dot tracker accurately. Kung walang nakakabit na dot tracker sa target ay hindi gagana ang baril.
Blaze placed a dot tracker on Leodel Vasquez weeks ago. That night that we saved Declan Ramos From Stella and Dylan Ramos. We received two Ender targets and that was Dylan and Vasquez but I asked Blaze not to kill Vasquez.
At least not yet.
Vasquez is Stone's client. I wanted to give Stone a chance but Vasquez didn't played fair. If he did he would still be alive right now.
Kinuha ko ang briefcase na nasa tabi ko at pinadulas ko iyon sa sahig ng helicopter para mapunta sa babae. Binuksan niya iyon at muling bumalong ang luha sa mga mata niya nang makita niya na naglalaman iyon ng maraming pera.
"You're going to use that to start again. Kailangan niyong lumayo. Kailangan niyong iwan lahat. You don't have a family anymore except that child and Larry Alfred."
"H-Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakapagpasalamat sa inyo. Si... si Larry marami siyang ginawa na alam kong hindi tama. Pero hindi niya magagawa ang binibintang sa kaniya. Hindi niya magagawang makapatay pero..."
"He may not be clean but he accepted the fate that Vasquez was pinning on him because he wanted to save you and your child. Ginagamit kayo ni Vasquez para takutin ang asawa mo. Your husband deserve the second chance that Leodel Vasquez didn't." Nilingon ko siya at tinignan direkta sa mga mata. I know she can't see me behind the mask that I'm wearing but I know she can see everything in my eyes. "Hindi magiging madali pero ito na ang tiyansa niyo. Tell your husband not to waste it."
Nang lumuluhang tumango siya ay tinutok ko na sa harapan ko ang mga mata ko.
Leodel Vasquez, your sentence has been served.
_____________________________End of Chapter 33.