[Northside, Quezon City]
[12:15 AM – August 6, 2016]
Footsteps echo into the night as the two rush back to the drug-contaminated building. Deathwatch's breath ragged with effort, struggling to keep himself afloat during the rush. Behind him, Wushi follows, clutching her shattered katana with vigilance.
There was no time to engage hostiles. Anyone that gets in their way were dispatched quickly. Gunshots, surgical slashes, brutal bone fracturing. They were already at their limit but their focus was simple: reach the lab and extract the intel. Whatever type doesn't matter.
If they don't move fast, all will be lost.
Returning back through the building's double door, they stop in front of the metal shutter that was once sealed with a small padlock. However, As Deathwatch looks down, the object in question is gone. Only a gape to the other side, leaking gas outside.
"Exercise caution." Wushi advises, holding her katana in a reverse grip.
He takes a deep breath and looks at the shutter with readiness. "I know."
Wasting no time, the hitman grips the bottom of the door and pulls it up, allowing the two in. The lab inside is empty, clean. Containers and vials are spread out among the workbenches, giant cylinders of unknown substances and gases sit in the corners.
"Bantayan ang pinto kung sakaling may makapasok. (Watch the door in case anyone gets in.)" He says as he makes his way to the nearest working computer and gets on the search.
He then rummages through his pouch and pulls out a Codepick to insert on the USB port, speeding up the search; accessing the files on Project Ether. Wushi vaults over the table and looks around. The explosives are nowhere to be seen.
"Where are the charges?" Wushi questions, crouching under to get a better look.
"Walang oras. We need to be quick! Can't let anyone see us." Deathwatch replies. Wushi groans and continues looking for the explosives. He's hyperventilating, shaking. The truth is at the tip of his fingers, ready to be seen.
As he looks through them, however, he keeps finding nothing. Not even the Codepick can detect the hidden ones. Why is that? He thought hard. It can't all be for nothing. The Diliman district and Gorback led them here.
It can't be empty, not like this! Is this a trap? Did they play me? He thinks about Linrov and his contribution to the search, but couldn't make sense at that angle. That Russki wasn't that smart to make this elaborate goose chase, just to lead him to a fake lab. Besides, he never knew the drug lab was here at all, so he's clear.
Was... was Denegrade the one who planted all these clues? To lead me here and have me killed? He ponders. Who would even be behind all the planted evidence? Who does she work wit-
Until...
"Gotcha."
Deathwatch and Wushi immediately turn around to see another metal layer close shut. Mechanisms lock in place as they both rush in and bang against the hard steel. At the other end, Denegrade laughs mockingly, rubbing her index on the door.
"It was nice of you to walk right in." She says with glee, taking out a small device from her suit and pulling a wire before connecting to the optic fiber outlet on the wall.
"Denegrade!" Wushi yells as she wedges her broken katana between the two metal plates, attempting to pry them open. Unfortunately, it snaps her blade once more.
It is now the length of a dagger.
"Geez... so temperamental." Denegrade says as she taps away on her wrist pad. "Don't worry, I'll make sure your last moments together are headline-worthy."
YOU ARE READING
The Katipunan: The Monsters Inside Us
Action"Ravaged by a civil war that plagues our country apart, many wanted this war to end. Many wanted peace to prevail. But when someone powerful prevents it, we are at a stalement of war. We'll try anything to become capable as soldier... or we die tryi...
