The Great Pretender

Chapter 42: Operation: Catch-That-Treacherous-MoFo

Vaughn Miguel

Ang The Evergreens Cemetery ang ginawang lungga ni Spader. Ayon sa mga litrato at impormasyon na nakalap ni Larkin ay sa isang mauseloum nga siya nago-opisina. According to the satelite images, he 'visits' that particular spot from seven in the morning until ten in the evening. After that, a sedan discreetly picks him up and drops him off to a mansion in Staten Island. Sa mga oras na nasa mauseloum siya ay iba't-ibang tao ang 'bumibisita'. There are qoutation marks because that's just a cover, those people actually do illegal business with Spader...inside the mausoleum.

Untouchable si Spader sa cemetery grounds dahil sakop iyon ng local mob na kasabwat niya sa drug production. We can't follow Spader in his Staten Island mansion because the risk is high. When Larkin pulled up a satellite image of the house, we saw that Spader's mansion is surrounded with houses of people with families. We can't travel that far too, because we're still wanted, so the best place to catch Spader is through the cemetery.

And that doesn't mean that we can just bage in with SUVs, many people, and guns. It is a public space and the last thing that we want is for people to notice us, and for the law enforcement to be in the mix.

We have to plan all the parts of our Operation: Catch-That-Treacherous-MoFo. Or at least that's what Ana called it.

And so, we started with the how.

"Okay, hindi tayo pwedeng pumasok doon, looking like bad bîtches right away," Ana said as she sat next to Larkin here on the dinner table. "You know what I'm thinking, Ate K?"

"A burial ceremony?" Kamila said, she's sitting beside me.

"Yeah. Telepathy is not proven by authentic science, but gosh, yes."

"Perfect cover, but where do we get the hearse, and a fake burial?"

Ngumisi si Kamila.

"Baby, if Spader has connections, so do we."

Well, she wasn't joking about connections. Many phone calls and several hours later, she gathered the people needed for our plan, a fake burial space at The Evergreen Cemetery, (specifically near the mausoleum where Spader is) , a hearse, and a casket.

Kamila's burial is scheduled at five in the afternoon. Yes, it's her burial because we will transport her through the casket, because she can't be seen outside. Base kasi sa latest na satellite image na nahalungkat ni Larkin ay may discreet na mga bantay sa labas ng mausoleum si Spader. Unfortunately, Kamila identified them as the people who used to help them rescue survivors. That meant, they know her, which is why hindi nila pwedeng makita agad-agad si Kamila. They will most likely panic and inform Spader right away. They won't recognize Ana because she was mostly inside her lab or the facilities, so she's an unfamiliar face to them.

Kamila also only hired ten of her people because too many people will attract unwanted attention. Those ten people and Ana will be the 'family', while I will be the driver of the hearse. Habang maiiwan dito sa apartment si Larkin, dahil siya ang tech-person namin.

Now that the planning is done, narito na ako sa living room at kasalukuyan kong inilalagay sa malaking duffle bag ang mga gear at baril na nilinis ko.

"If things go south, you run, Ana, okay? You enable the contingency plan for everyone who is there. You know, the money, and new identities." Dinig kong sabi ni Kamila, matapos kong i-zip ang bag. When I glanced in their direction, they're standing near the dining table. Kamila and Ana are now wearing their field outfit which is just jeans, shirt, and bulletproof vests.

"Larkin can do it from here. I am expensive, you will not afford me, so unfortunately, I am not gonna run, Ate K."

"Hey, Ana. I'm serious."