The Beautiful Target (Protector Series 3)

Chapter 40: In Between

Tensiyonadong nakaupo sa settee sa opisina ni Matt si Ivan. Hinihintay niya roon sina Virgo, Dax at Eric. Doon nila napagpasyahang mag-usap-usap dahil alam nila, hindi pa rin nahuhuli ang mole sa CIA. What they will discuss today is of great importance and they can't afford their enemies to know about it. Kaya sila lubos na nag-iingat. 

Sa totoo lang, matagal na niyang gustong kausapin ang mga kaibigan. The secrets he's been keeping are getting heavier in his chest every day. Si Ellie lang talaga ang inaaalala niya. Given the stress he had given her when he was injured during the attack, ayaw na niyang bigyan pa ng alalahanin ang asawa. But he knew, this talk with his friends has to happen. 

He needs to do it. 

Maya-maya pa, umingit pabukas ang pinto ng opisina ni Matt. Unang sumungaw doon si Virgo, kasunod nito sina Dax at Eric. 

"Ivan," ani Virgo sa seryosong tinig bago tuluyang pumasok ng silid. 

"V," tipid niyang sagot.

Tinanguan siya ni Eric, tumango rin siya.  Tinapik naman ni Dax ang balikat niya bago naupo sa swivel chair ng kapatid nito. Wala si Matt, naka-duty sa ER. Pero ipinagpaalam nila ang paggamit ng opisina nito ngayon. 

"How's the shoulder?" sabi ni Dax, itinaas pa ang mga paa nito sa mesa. Relax na relax. Lihim siyang napailing. He can almost hear Matt yelling at his younger brother for doing so. 

Bahagya niyang iginalaw ang kanyang balikat. "Getting better," sabi niya bago tumayo sa settee at pinulot ang folders na nasa coffee table bago iyon inisa-isang ibigay sa mga kasama niya. 

Tahimik na binuklat ng mga kasama niya ang folders. Binigyan niya ang mga ito ng oras upang tignan ang mga ebidensiyang ipinagkatiwala sa kanya ng biyenan niya.  Kung ikukumpara iyon sa listahan ng mga kasapi ng Hyogikai na nakuha nila sa kuwintas ni Cassie anim na buwan na ang nakararaan, the files were old. Unupdated yet still essential. 

 Si Virgo ang unang nag-angat ng tingin. 

"Project Kage?" lukot ang mukhang sabi nito. 

Marahan siyang tumango. "Project Shadow. Hayashi Fukugawa, the brother of Hiroshi, the dead Hyogikai leader, proposed it to the Americans during the Cold War in the 80's.The project proposed that in order to prevent another world war, there must be one supreme nation ruling the world—the US. The proposal was junked immediately by General Smith, the Defense Secretary at that time. They double sanctioned  the members of Hyogikai who took part in the inception of Project Shadow. Hayashi was then kicked out of the Hyogikai and lived a rather difficult life away from the Fukugawas."

"So the crazy brother is in for revenge?" si Eric, salubong ang mga kilay. 

"Yes and more. He wanted to push forward with the Project Kage but instead of the US, he wanted to restore the glory days of Japan before the war and use the influence of the Hyogikai to achieve it." Wala sa sariling napamura si Eric, umiling. Nagpatuloy siya. "He corrupted his nephew Toshiro, the first-born of Chancellor Hiroshi, in the thought that Toshiro will take over Hyogikai someday. But when Hiroshi died, the leadership of Hyogikai was transferred to Shinjiro, Chancellor Hiroshi's illegitimate son with a Filipina servant. Hayashi urged Toshiro to lead a rebellion against Shinjiro and took over Hyogikai. Shijiro died in the siege. And since the founding members refused to help Toshiro with his cause, he was forced to deal with people in the underground society to build the New Hyogikai that we know now."

Sandaling dumaan ang katahimikan. 

"And why was The Org involved in this?" si Dax, napatayo na sa upuan nito. 

"Because of the heir of Hyogikai," diretso niyang sabi. 

"What heir?" si Virgo, humalukipkip na.