Mula kay Jellyann sa Infirmaria ay nilipat ni Makki ang connection ng tawag patungo kay Vladimir na naghihintay sa kabilang linya. He opened the desk lamp and adjusted the monitor of the laptop to have a clearer view of his brother.
"Sorry for the delay, Vlad." He dropped on the swivel chair behind the desk.
"No problem, but we have to put you back in a mission. Debrief will be at twenty hundred hours PH time. Your vacation leave is canceled effective today. Report to mission control at the time reflected in your screen."
"Copy that," he replied. Sinipat niya ang oras na nakatatak sa ibaba.
"Makki, good job out there. We're proud of how you handle the case of Amayya Narinrak. Airey and Jrex will provide you reinforcement for the 14K confrontation soon."
"This group does really make a tasty target to bring down."
"Do not engage the battle unless it is necessary, do you get me?"
"Loud and clear, Commander. Thank you for taking my request into consideration," he sighed leaning his back against the chair backrest. He knew, his big brothers will keep spoiling him. This is not the first time that he took a big shot syndicate and he was able to succeed because he had his brother on his back.
"Hm, you know we will. Get back home as soon as you can, we missed you."
"Yes, Paps. Will be home soon..." me, Yvienne and my quadruplet...he added silently with a smile playing in the corner of his lips. "And Paps, no more vasectomy for me?" biro niya.
"That is a different issue to discuss," seryosong sagot ni Vladimir. "Don't worry, I'll do what I can to cover for you. Mag-iingat ka, Makki. Ayaw kong mapahamak ka," paalala nito bago nagtapos ang usapan nila.
Yeah, he wouldn't dare put himself in serious danger. He is still the Andromidas little boy, he is Yvienne's husband, and he'll be a father soon. Tiniklop niya ang laptop at tumayo. Lumapit sa maliit at pabilog na bintanang sapat lang para matanaw niya ang malayong bahagi ng karagatan.
He checked his watch and pressed a went back to his desk. Pressed a button underneath. Sumabog ang dilim sa buong silid at nagbagsakan ang bullet proof walls sa isang bahagi ng kuwarto. Pumasok siya roon, hinawakan ang mahigpit na hinawakan ang baril na nakasuksok sa kanyang likod.
"Battle simulation 3 activated," he announced. Pagtawid pa lang niya sa pintuan ay inulan na siya ng rubber bullets mula sa censored machine guns sa apat na sulok ng kuwarto.
He dived into the floor, used his right hand to sustain his balance while he is thumbling up, dodging the bullets. His body flew up in between the raging bullets. Whirling his weight to control the gravity pulling him. Those maybe made of rubbers but enough to knock him out.
Tila matatalas na patak ng ulan ang mga balang goma na tumatama sa iba't ibang parte ng dingding. Bullets missed his head, his face, his shoulders, his limbs, his arms, one after another. While rolling onto the floor, he aimed his gun to an empty target. It is a thirty seconds simulation and all he did was to dodge the bullets.
Sapat na iyon para pagpawisan siya. Nang humupa na ang pag-atake ay tumihaya siya sa sahig kung saan nagkalat ang mga bala.
"Makki?"
He turned to his wife peeking on the door of the control room and immediately noticed the anxiety registering in her blushing face. Napabilis ang paglapit niya at marahang pinisil ang baba nito. She is feverish for almost a week now.
"What's wrong?" he asked, tracing the bow-shaped of her pink lips to divert her attention from what might the cause of her worries right now.
"Makki, I heard the news about the dispute in Ragenei and the refugees taking shelters in their borders. Hindi ba naroon si Yvonne?" Nasa tono na rin nito ang panic.
