It was a quiet afternoon for Nathan. After everything that had happened earlier, he rewarded himself with his home-made honey dew tea. He sat back, relaxed and thought about the things he had done in the past. He reflected on the thing he regretted the most, leaving someone he loved. He regretted that day, but he didn’t have any choice but to leave her. It was the only way to free her from the pain he thought might not go away if he had stayed. It was the only way to save her.
Nathan Savilla, a system hacker for an American organization, had lived nearly ten years in an island of Southeast Asia. He was happy with his new life. Free from threats, free from fights, free from expectations, and free from the pain of losing her. But deep inside, he’s dying.
He went back inside his simple yet cozy home. There are no pictures hanging in his wall, no decorations, and no figurines, just the necessary and basic furniture. He turned on the television to catch the early evening news. He may be an alien resident in this country, but he got used to and had learned the language of the natives.
“Magandang gabi po sa inyong lahat, ako po si Raymun Santos para sa Balita Ngayon. …”
A knock on the door had disturbed his evening habit. But it was a relief at that hour. He was expecting a visitor that he thought might change his life.
2001, in a warehouse at the Port in Europe, an infiltration was in operation. The mission, retrieve Data 194, code name Heramadon.
Black suited and armed guards were patrolling the port. Agent 93 had just come out from diving in the river. Silent as falling feathers, Agent 93 crept unnoticed inside the warehouse. As expected, the warehouse was heavenly guarded with security. A group of black suited guards had welcomed her in the entrance. One of them was carrying a flamethrower over his shoulder. Agent 93 rose her hand surrendering. Just as the guards get near her, all lights went out. Agent 93 went into action.
Seconds later, the lights went back and all guards were knocked down unconscious. Agent 93 was proud of her doing. A new record, she thought. She looked at her army wrist watch, ten minutes before the time. She has to hurry. Still on stealth, she climbed up the stairs near the entrance and crept over the catwalk. She stayed low for a while behind three crates. “Agent 93, what the hell are you doing?! We’re running out of time!”
Agent 93 presses her communicator in her ear and replied, “I know, Hunch, could you detect if there are more security surrounding Heramadon?”
“Hold on.” Several clicks from the other side was heard and then, “There. All security system has been shut down. You should be able to get Heramadon inside a door next to the control room at the third floor. You have to hurry. You have at least less than six minutes to retrieve the data.”
“I know Hunch, don’t give me that much pressure. You still owe me for locking me inside the control room last mission. I was almost caught back there!”
“Alright, chill! Just get the data.”
“You know I will.”
Always getting into her nerves, Hunch, the system hacker and their Intel, had worked in the agency later than she is. He was a bit of an ass but had been helpful for the past years except for the incident last mission where she was locked up in the control room while trying to download a file. Hunch was supposed to shut down all security system but he accidentally forgot to shut down the control room. And as Agent 93 was downloading, the security alarm broke up and she was locked inside. She had cursed Hunch since then. The mission almost failed but she got out.
As Agent 93 climbed to the third floor, she was again welcomed by three massive security guards. “Damn it Hunch!” she cursed the wind and went into action. She gripped the hand of the first guy to her left as he was about to grab her. She slid under and threw the man down the stairs. The second man came with his fist above his head. Agent 93 blocked it with her hand, grabbed it, pivoted and tripped the security guard with his hand twisted behind him. The last man came running towards her but she gave her a nice strong kick in his face. It got to hurt for Agent 93 is wearing three inches tall heels that will surely bore a hole on the face. She went back to the man he pinned down and aimed the gun at his neck.
“You big guy, you’re going to get me the data in that room if you still want to have your head resting on your neck. You understand me?” she said with all the force in her voice. She’s angry with Hunch and putting all anger to the guards. The man nodded. With his hand still twisted behind him and a gun on his neck, the man had no other choice but to follow her demands.
The room was empty and the only thing inside was a metallic, cylinder table afloat on top was a hard disk enveloped with a bubble kind of warp. Agent 93 knocked down the guard and carefully approached the warp. She studied the device for a moment, looking for soft spots. She then clicked her communicator in her ears and out came a holographic visor. The visor allowed her to x-ray the device.
“93, I’d received your scan. The warp is made from diluted mercury. It should hold poisonous sting when exposed to skin.”
“How can I get the disk?”
Clicking of keyboards responded her question from the other side and then, “Found a soft spot. It should dissolve the mercury warp but only for a moment. Once triggered, you have at least two-three seconds to snatch the disk.”
“No problem. Where’s the spot?”
“Four o’clock from where you are standing. There’s a tiny button very hard to see. Use the visor to locate it. I have rearranged the system so you could see the button.”
93 did what she was told. She clicked the tiny red button and the warp dissolves. She grabbed the disk immediately as soon as the warp was starting to form again.
“Got it!” she said. “Hunch, escape route please.”
There was clicking of keyboards from the other end of the communicator. Moments later, a holographic map was formed in her visor. She made her way out of the building and back to her black Lamborghini.
Nathan answered the door. A man in black suit greeted him. His facial expression was as blank as the expression of poker players. Of course, it’s their job. What else could Nathan expect from men like him.
“Mr. Robertson?” the man greeted.
Nathan looked the man in the eye. Stunned to know his real name, he nodded and asked, “Are you the man I’m expecting from them?”
The man handed Nathan a brown envelope. Inside the envelope is something Nathan had waited for his entire life. Something he knew it might give him the chance to see her again. Something he knew it will change his life forever. But he also realized it might be something that might end his life.
Nathan shakily took the envelope from the man and carefully opened it. Inside was a document, a fountain pen, a memory card and a picture of a woman. Nathan gingerly took the picture. He stared at it for a second and asked, “Where is she?”
“That document is your activation letter. You should find every detail in that memory card.”
“I asked you, where is she?” Nathan said with a tone of irritation.
“Lost.” he said and immediately turned his back on Nathan. He walked down to his black car and drove the dusty road of Nasugbu, Batangas. Nathan, still staring at the picture held tightly in his right hand and the envelope in the other, felt grieved and yet he do not want to believe that she’s lost to somewhere. Where is she?
