Versailles Series Book 4: The Bodyguard [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 47

=== P A T C H ===

My body was tired by my mind isn't. I wasn't able to sleep while on the plane. My eyes were closed but I haven't felt tired like this.

Dumiretso nga kami sa HQ pagkagaling namin sa airport.

He must be awake by now.

Naroon ang ibang agents na pamilyar sa akin. Mukhang may mga bagong recruits din.

"So guys, you have a week to get ready for this mission. This is our biggest one yet. We have planned this for so long. We have worked our asses off for this. Don't screw it up. Lives are at stake here. Now, let me introduce the team. Team lead is Luis Enriquez. Second to him is Patch Co. there are there sub groups with three people each. You'll undergo refresher training before we condition you to the country's climate."

Tumango kami lahat. Winter finally dismissed us. Agad naman akong nilapitan ni Luis. There's a smug look on his face.

"So, you came back from exile?"

I shrugged. "I'm here now so...yeah."

"So I will be your lead again."

"That's what Winter said. I look forward to working with you."

Kumunot ang noo nito. "What, no yelling? No...emasculating? No...insulting?"

"I'm not here to fight you, Luis. We're on the same side. We have the same enemy. This mission is very important to me. I am glad to be working under your command and supervision."

"Wow, that exile must have really worked."

"It might have. I'll see you around."

I waved at him before going off my way. May kanya-kanya kaming kuwarto sa HQ. I am stationed here in the US so I have mine here. Other agents have theirs in their respective countries.

Inilapag ko ang mga gamit ko para ayusin iyon sa locker ko. Napatigil ako nang makita ang wooden box sa bag ko. Hinaplos ko ang takip niyon bago buksan. It was Kylo's dagger. Hindi ko pa siya nagamit sa kahit na anong labanan. It was with me but I didn't have the chance to use it.

Kumusta na kaya siya?

With that though in mind, nilabas ko ang cellphone ko. I don't have any social media accounts. It's common protocol to surrender the sim card used during the mission. Hindi naman burner phone ang gamit niya kaya hindi niya kailangang ibalik iyon.

After plugging it in the charger, the screen lit up. I felt a hand squeeze my heart. I may look tough but I did turn into a softie after my mission. On the wallpaper is a selfie of Kylo. Kiana pushed him to get a photo of him and she made it into my wallpaper.

Tinignan ko ang mukha nito. My love grew now that were thousand of miles apart. I may never see him again after my big mission. Who knows what will happen. I don't know if I'll die during or after that. Or, he might just not want to see me again.

The next days made me busy. I did some refresher training with the team. Luis and I led the training of the sub groups.

"Still in good shape."

Nilingon ko si Luis na umiinom ng tubig sa tabi ko.

"I had my fair share of encounters in the Philippines."

"How was the experience? I haven't been there."

"It's a beautiful country with beautiful people. You should go and visit. There are a lot of good places there. Good food too."

"Was your mission successful?"

Inayos ko ang gloves sa kamay ko. "It was. He...he is safe. I am not needed there anymore so, here I am."

"Your aura is different."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"People are scared of you you know. When you come in the room, you command attention. The way you look is the same as the way you talk. Your words cut like knives."

"People change, I guess. If ever I said something inappropriate and doesn't concern our mission before, I'm sorry. You're right. I should respect you as my lead. Please know that you have my support in this mission."

He extended his hand. "I have so much to learn yet and you kinda woke me. We all need to improve on something right?"

Tinanggap ko iyon. "Highest body count gets free lunch?"

Ngumiti si Luis. "Shoot."

***

We didn't gear up. More like gear down. We are clad in just shirts and pants. Almost tattered. We are going to undercover as migrants. Very similar to what I've been through. 

We need to infiltrate the group and collect enough information about the other syndicates. We don't know how long we'll be in there but Winter will give us a signal when the undercover is all over.

The mission has multiple phases. We are targeting the smaller ones in preparation for the biggest one. The estimated number of people we can save is somewhere around five thousand across seven different countries.

Our gadgets are placed in locations that cannot be easily spotted. We will bug the whole place with mics and cameras. We don't have any guns or phones with us. 

First stop, Russia.

Magkasabay kami ni Luis na naglalakad. 

Kasabay namin ang iba pang migrants na naglalakad papunta sa bago nitong lokasyon. Halo-halo ang mga taong iyon kaya naman hindi mahirap sabihin na banyaga sila. Many of them were illegal migrants without any papers at all. Some were banished from the household they were hired in. May mga nakasama nga kaming dalawang Pinoy.

 "Where do you think we'll be intercepted?" Tanong ni Luis sa akin.

"Based from the recordings we had, around three kilometers from the last shed."

"We are a bit close then."

We didn't know how long we were walking when we saw the first man. Then another, and another. 

Nagkatinginan kami ni Luis.

"I'll see you around."

I smirked at him. It didn't take long when we were taken and placed in a nearby shed. Tama ang surveillance na dito muna nilalagay ang mga nahuhuli nila.

We stayed there for a day or so and the men kept capturing people who came that way. A truck came to get all of us and finally brought us to the place where the arena is.

The building is two-story above ground. Looks like a typical building with nothing wrong going on underneath.

On the two levels below the ground, there was the arena and the sleeping quarters. Six people are fitted in a cell that's good for two. Along the way, we planted the bugs in strategic places.

Kasama ko sa selda and isa sa mga subgroups namin. Si Luis naman ay kasama ang isang sub group.

How did that happen? We have a mole inside. Matagal na nagta-trabaho ang lalaki sa arena na iyon at kapalit ng kalayaan at bagong buhay, magiging espiya namin ito at tutulungan kami sa loob.

From the cell I looked outside. It brought me back when I was ten years old. I was in a similar cell. Masikip, mainit, at hindi mawari ang amoy. It was dimly lit with the lighting only focused on the arena.

May kasama kaming isang matanda sa selda. Buti nga at hindi ito pinatay dahil mukhang hindi na kayang lumaban.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa dalawang taong naglalaban sa harap ko. I never thought I'll come back to a place like this. But I am glad that this time, I can make a difference. I'm not a ten year-old kid who is weak and doesn't know a thing about fighting.

CHAPTER 48 >>