[ONC '24 SHORTLISTER] When a group of assassins is onto her irritating escort, a happy-go-lucky bodyguard must ensure they survive their trip before his escort's past demons catch up to them.
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No one expected easygoing Aspen Mendoza to be ac...
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Santa Clara Station
Batangas, Metro Manila
1 February, 13:02
I just killed somebody.
Ever since I chose this career, I've always known it wouldn't be an easy path. I'll encounter things that will haunt me in my waking hours. I'll do things that I'll second-guess and regret for the rest of my life. My mentors often reminded me of this—even my brother, who's several years my senior and has more experience in Interpol than I do—and I trained for every kind of horrible situation for years. Including this.
But now it feels like I was the one who got shot.
It didn't feel wrong shooting Daffodil—she was a threat to everyone else's safety. It's just that... something tells me I could've solved the situation without the violence. The death.
Senator Dalisay is stable, but barely. By the time his seizure completely stopped, the train had already reached Batangas. Medics waiting in the terminal immediately rushed to the senator's aid, cutting his trip short as they transported him out of the train and to the nearest hospital to treat the poisoning.
As for Daffodil, her body was already brought away even before the train made its stop, any trace of the killing gone.
The mood on the train has plummeted since then.
Train security has forced everyone to retire to their suites for the next 24 hours. They would question every passenger about the incident while inspecting their luggage for any traces of the poison that almost killed the senator. No one comes in and out until everyone's cleared. All standard procedure.
Of course, Lucas and I got questioned first. The train people separated us when they did. I don't know what kind of questions Lucas got, but it's most likely the same as the ones I got. What do you think happened during the incident? What were you doing before and during the incident? Who are you with today? What's your business in the La Solidaridad? What's your suite number?
I've always thought of interrogations as nerve-wracking work. Granted, my only prior experience was from TV crime shows and a brief intro on interrogation techniques during training, so I didn't know what to expect.
Mind-numbing is more like it.
Speaking of suites, I head back to the passenger carriages for the guest rooms. The suites make up about a third of the train, but unlike the rest of the train, they each have a second 'floor' for the business suites. Passengers who want to travel for cheap can get shared rooms of four.
One of the perks of my job is that I get to crash in those business suites when I normally can't. My suite is complete with the usual amenities, but make it fancy. A queen-sized bed, a large window for good views of the outside, a small fridge, and even a shower. And it's next to Lucas'.
