Nightfall Maiden Group Mission
"Zora, is everything alright down there?"
Pinunasan ko ang aking itim na gloves ang mga bahid ng dugo sa aking mukha. Pinagmasdan ko ang mga nakahandusay na bangkay sa sahig ng mga gwardiya na aking napatumba.
Umalingasaw ang amoy ng dugo sa buong paligid at ang puting sahig ay nabahiran sa ikalawang palapag. Kahit nakamaskara ako ay naaamoy ko pa rin ang malansang amoy nito pero walang emosyon akong naglakad sa hallway.
"All clear, Phantom Empress," mahinang bulong ko sa aking earpiece. Pinakalma ko ang aking sarili at ibinalik ang aking punyal sa aking maliit na bag na nasa aking likuran.
Binuksan ko ang pintuan na mukhang mga gwardiya lamang ang pwedeng pumasok. Ginamit ko ang mapa na nasa aking phone upang ilocate ang disc na kailangan namin kunin ngayon. Binigyan din kami ng permiso upang patayin ang lahat ng gwardiya na narito sa loob ng tatlong palapag ng warehouse ng Xion Group of Companies.
We were hired for a reason and that is to kill the target but in this mission, we only agreed to get the disc and kill the guards that are guarding this building. Their enemy hired us and paid a large amount of money to eliminate the Xion Group Of Companies.
The Chronic Union will not give us this mission if they know it will risk our lives. Even though we are talented and highly intelligent our boss does not give us any room for mistakes. Just as I expected, the building is heavily guarded.
"The vault is on the last lair near the ballroom," ani ni Cyber mula sa kabilang linya ang computer genius namin.
"Copy that," tahimik akong naglakad patungo sa madilim na bahagi ng kwarto.
Nadatnan ko ang maraming mga libro at mukhang library nila ang lugar na aking pinasokan dahil sa daming kakaibang libro na naraoon. O hindi kaya mga libro ng kanilang mga transaksyon?
Lalapit na sana ako sa isa sa mga bookshelf ng marinig ko bumukas ang pintuan at may mukhang papasok.
I saw the other door at the end of the room so I quickly opened it and there I found the door of their event's place. I glanced from side to side and noticed three surveillance cameras near the entrance.
"Guys, I think you should move fast. I group of agents is coming inside the building. It looks like they are from the CIA," ani naman ni X na nagsilbing lookout namin.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it. Iris, I think you should help Zora on getting the disc. Crimson, stop eating too much food I can hear you munching." narinig ko na sabi ni Whiskey.
"Sorry, the food is 10 out of 10," pabirong sabi ni Crimson. Narinig kong napa buntong hininga si Whiskey.
"Zora, can you make it in 10 minutes before Pyre blows up the building?" tanong sa akin ni Whiskey. Nagtaka ako ng hindi ko na marinig ang leader namin.
"I'm on my way to the last room," madiin na sabi ko.
"Great, will keep you covered. Our leader went on an urgent mission with Cyber. I'll be the one in charge." paliwanag ni Whiskey.
Kumunot ang aking noo sa kanyang sinabi dahil alam kong hindi nagkakaroon ng urgent missions habang nasa isang team mission kami pero mukhang importante ang kanilang.
I wonder what mission Chronus gave them to be that urgent?
I joined the Chronos Union for the reason of avenging my family's tragedy six years ago. I am a former taekwondo gold medalist which is why I mastered the skills of hand-to-hand combat. They trained me to hold guns and swords. But what I like the most is using my katana. Mostly my role in our missions as the Nightfall Maidens is as a field operative.
Kasalukuyan ko pa ring hinahanap ang groupong pumatay sa aking buong pamilya. Kaya naman ay patuloy pa rin ang aking serbisyo sa Chronos upang maging malakas.
I grab my silencer and slowly walk towards the last door. I glanced at the hallway only to find no guards around which made me wonder.
"Uhmm.. I hate to break it to you guys. But I think you only have five minutes to steal the disc. I accidentally hit the timer on," anunsyo ni Pyre. Agad akong napatingin sa sarili kong relo at pinakalma ang sarili. Mabilis akong dumeretso sa huling kwarto at nagulat na bukas na ang pintuan na iyon.
"Pyre, not again. I am in the middle of a fight," rinig kong galit na sabi ni X na parang hindi makapaniwala.
One mistake might end our lives.
"You have five minutes guys. I am not joking, don't let the CIA agents enter the building or else we will be doomed," utag naman ni X.
Narinig ko ang mga kakaibang ingay mula sa kabilang linya at mukhang lahat sila ay kumikilos para lumabas ng building ng ligtas.
"Everyone, calm down. Make sure to complete your missions and stay alive. Just tell me if you're already outside of the building," anunsyo ni Whiskey. Pumasok ako ng tahimik sa loob ng kwarto at napansin na walang tao roon.
"I am already inside the office of their mastermind. Send me the code of the safe lock, Cyber," mahinahon na sabi ko sa making earpiece.
I faced death a lot of times and everything was not new to me. I am not scared if I will die but I don't want to die yet because I still have to avenge my family. The whole six years in the Chronos Union I have gone through missions that are deadly and sometimes are mission pressures that force us to only do it in just minutes.
"The code is the date of the event and the last digit is 16," mahinang sabi ni Cyber sa akin. Mabilis ko nilabas ang invitation na papel mula sa aking bulsa at doon nakita ang date ng event na kanilang ginaganap.
12-30-16
"Got it. How many minutes do I have left, Pyre?" tanong ko sa kanya habang nagmamadaling pumunta kung saan naroon ang safelock. Nakatago sa ilalim ng desk ng boss ng organization.
"Three minutes before the building will turn into ashes," mariing sabi niya. Ikinuyom ko ang aking kamao at napatingin sa aking wristwatch.
I'll think about dealing with Pyre after this mission. I have already been stressing out about finding the two collector swords of my katana and now I am pressured to recover the disk within three minutes.
"I'll try to make this fast," mahinahon na sabi ko at inikot ang combination dial ng safe lock. Mabusisi ang pagbubukas ng isang safe lock dahil isang pagkakamali ay baka matagalan pa ang susunod na paghuhula sa passcode. Sinundan ko ang sinabi na code sa akin ni Cyber at inikot ng ilang beses ang safe.
I successfully unlocked the safe lock within thirty seconds and as I opened it there I found the disc that I had been looking for. I pick it up and put it in between my boobies to ensure that it will be safe. I close the safelock and my instincts tell me someone was with me in the room. I glanced at my back and pointed my gun and I was right. A strange man wearing a black tuxedo was pointing a gun at me.
He was staring intently at me with his chestnut-brown almond-shaped eyes. His cheekbones were perfectly sculptured. His hair was tied and his wolf tattoo can be seen on the right part of his neck. Mapapansin din ang maskuladong pangangatawan sa kanyang suot na suite. Mukhang hindi siya ordinaryong tao na aking kaya kong lusotan.
"Hands up in the air, who are you?" malamig na sabi niya. Wala akong oras para makipag argumento sa isang lalaking alam kung mukhang hindi taga rito sa Xion.
His aura screams danger.
"Listen, mister, pointing a gun at me means death wish, but if you want to live. You can jump before the bomb explodes," madiin na sabi ko sa kanya habang hindi pa rin binaba ang aking baril. Kumunot ang kanyang noo na parang hindi naniniwala sa akin.
Of course, who will believe a killer's command?
"I am a CIA agent and my task is to recover a disc, so if you want to live, hand over the disc and no one will get hurt," he demanded in an angry tone.
"Zora, you have only a minute before it explodes, did you get the disc?" rinig kong sabi ni Whiskey. Napapikit ako ng mata bago muling tumitig sa lalaking nasa aking harapan.
My mind began to act fast and glanced behind him. He was close to the glass windows of the office which made me think of another way to escape this building. I calculated the move that might be possible for me to save him as well.
"Too bad, I won't give it to you," the moment I said those lines I pointed my gun in a different direction and targeted the glass window and one bullet was enough to shatter everything. He looked at the glass window with a questionable look on his face.
Mabilis sa alas kwarto akong tumakbo patungo sa kanya at sinipa ang kanyang baril mula sa kanyang kamay dahilan para mabitawan niya iyon. Sinubukan ko siyang suntokin pero nagulat ako ng sinasangga niya iyon gamit ng kanyang mga kamao. Napaatras siya sa bawat suntok at sipa ng aking ginagawa at iyon naman talaga ang aking plano. Nang tuluyan na siyang nasa pinakadulo ng glass window ay yumanig na ang paligid. Napatingin ako sa aking likuran at tama ang aking hinala sumabog na ang bomba na ikinabit ni Pyre.
The next thing I knew my body was falling along with debris from the building. I tried to fix my earpiece but the gravity was so strong and I felt the impact. My body ached as I landed on the ground. I coughed blood as I felt my body felt weak. I slowly got up bearing the pain in my stomach. To my surprise, the strange man was badly injured next to me. But he landed on a couch pillow and lost consciousness. He has cuts all over his body and blood drips from his forehead.
Bumaling ako sa itim na van na ilang metro ang layo mula sa akin. Doon ko nakita ang lumabas ang aking mga kasama sa Chronus at nagmamadaling tumakbo papalapit sa akin. Naunang tumakbo patungo sa akin si Iris na hindi lang trainer namin kundi ang doctor din sa amin.
"Ayos ka lang ba, Zora?" tanong niya sa aking at tinulungan na tumayo. Napapikit ako habang dahan-dahan na tumayo. Lumapit naman sa aking tabi si X upang tulungan din ako.
"Still alive and kicking, I just encountered a secret agent while getting the disc," nahihirapan na sabi ko sa kanya. Ngumiti sa akin si Whiskey at lumingon sa sugatang lalaki.
"Is he dead?" tanong ni X kay Iris ng tinignan ni Iris ang lalaki. Umiling ito at nakangising tumitingin sa akin.
"For the first time in history, you didn't kill someone who already saw you," sabi naman ni Whiskey. Umismid ako at tumingin sa building na ngayon ay wasak na wasak. Napangisi sa akin si Whiskey at umiling.
She knows I kill people who already saw me without asking their identity and this was the first time I didn't do it. It's because I don't have time because of that freaking bomb that Pyre planted. I did not choose to save his life.
"Mission is now accomplished, let's head back, Chronos wants a meeting with all of us. Iris, make sure to tend Zora's wound, her role in our mission is really important," kumento ni Whiskey bago bumaling sa akin.
"Antares got your katanas, we just figured it out recently and she was compelled to confess. I'd appreciate it though if you could give her a pass. We'll buy you another sword." nagdilim ang aking buong mukha ng marinig iyon mula kay Whiskey.
Looks like I have to deal with two people at once.
"Phantom Empress will no longer be the leader of the elite team. Whiskey will now be the one leading," lahat kami ay natahimik sa sinabi ni Kagan Alastor Vonstein aka Chronos the father of our organization.
Napasulyap ako kay Cyber na bakas pa rin ang mga sugat sa kanyang katawan at ang benda sa kanyang kanang kamay dahil sa natamo niyang sugat. Hindi ko pa rin lubos maisip bakit siya ang nanatiling ligtas habang hindi na makita ang katawan ni Phantom Empress?
All of us were shocked to hear the news that our leader was already dead and the body was nowhere to be found. After their mission, Cyber was severely injured. The only items that were brought home were her gun and a little notebook she used as her diary during her missions. We were all present in the meeting including Antares, Phinex, and Javs.
"Your mission on Monday will resume next week as a team. For now, focus on your missions with your squads in respect for Adelaide." tumayo si Chronos at naunang lumabas sa solid na iyon.
Tahimik kaming lahat at walang umimik. Ikinuyom ko ang aking kamao at namuo ang galit sa aking puso.
Another who was close to me died and I was not able to save them.
Hindi ko na napigilan ang aking sarili at tumayo. Kusa akong dinala ng aking mga paa sa pwesto ni Cyber at sinipa ang kanyang upuan dahilan para siya ay matumba sa sahig.
My mind went blank and without hesitation, I pointed my gun at her head. Everyone in the room gasped and Antares stood up and quickly ran towards me to stop me even Whiskey was shocked at my movement.
"I won't hesitate on blowing off your head if I heard you lying to us. Tell me, Cyber, do you fight alongside Adelaide? Or you abandoned her?" kita sa expression niya ang pagkagulat dahil sa aking sunod-sunod na tanong.
"Zora calmed down," rinig ko sabi ni Whiskey sa akin. Bahagya akong ngumisi at binaba ang aking baril.
"Don't worry, I won't do it. Unless I found out she is a traitor. I won't hesitate to waste three bullets on her forehead." I stormed out of the room without even looking back.
I won't waste my tears but instead, I will investigate Adelaide's death. But I also can't stop thinking about the strange agent that we left alone that is badly injured.