Held Captive

Chapter 1-The Task

Anata wa subete o rikai shite ireba, anata wa gokai sa renakerba narimasen.

If you understand everything, you must be misinformed.

-Japanese Proverb

Chapter 1

"Eve, pinapatawag ka ni Queen Callisha sa Atrium. Urgent."

"Salamat Yvonne."

Agad-agad akong naglakad papunta sa Atrium, the office of the queen. My heart starts to pound with excitement. My nerves are shouting for battle cries.

Kung urgent ang pagpapatawag sa'kin ng reyna, ibig sabihin ay may problema. And if there's a problem, it means there's a fight.

And that's the reason why I was born: To fight.

I'm not an agent for nothing. I'm not a warrior to just sit back and relax.

Habang naglalakad ako papunta sa Atrium, nakayuko ako para maiwasan ang eye contact sa mga tao. I hate to socialize.

Nang nasa harap na ako ng Atrium, kumatok muna ako bago pumasok. Halatang balisa si Queen Callisha habang nakaupo siya sa kaniyang upuan.

You may think that the queen is wearing a long garment with jewelries and is seated on her throne.

But no.

Right now she's wearing a black leggings and a white sando top and she's sitting on an office chair.

Pumunta ako sa harapan niya at yumuko as a sign of respect.

"Thank you for coming Eve. I really need you to do something for me."

I tried my best not to ask directly, Who will I punch and kick this time?

So I just said, "Anything and anytime, Queen Callisha."

"This might be an exhausting task for you." Oohh.. There is no such thing as exhausting task for Eve Williams.

"Just tell it to me, Queen Callisha and I'll do it for you." Tell me to kick butts and asses then I will be happy to obliged.

"Pakibigay nga itong papel doon sa messenger na nasa coffee shop."

"Come again, Queen?"

"Pakibigay nga itong papel doon sa messenger na nasa coffee shop."

Tila ba nabingi ako sa sinabi ni Queen Callisha. So this urgent task is just to.. deliver a piece of paper?

"I told you this is an exhausting task for you." Pagbibiro niya. She really knew that I hate boring assignments. At masgugustuhin ko pang isabak niya ko sa gera kaysa sa magdeliver ng isang piraso ng papel sa kung sino man.

"Queen Callisha, not that I'm complaining but don't you have more difficult task to assign me to?"

"I'm sorry Eve. Believe me or not, this is a very serious mission. Nalaman na natin ang lokasyon ng kwintas na matagal nang pagmamay-ari ng mga Safronov. That necklace is a precious thing in my family. At kumikilos na rin ang mga Tenebrous para agawin sa atin ang kwintas na iyon."

Tenebrous. They are one of the rival agencies of the Safronov.

Dahil sa mundong ginagalawan ko ay may limang magkakalabang agencies.

The Safronov, Tenebrous, Lurid, Vermilion and Morgan.

The Safronov, which is us is one of the leading agencies.

Ang matindi naming karibal ay ang mga Tenebrous. They are the most dangerous one. The most bad-ass among the five.

"Sorry for my stubbornness, Queen Callisha. Pero ako po ba talaga dapat ang magdeliver ng note na ito?" I hate talking to people longer than necessary. Pero hindi ko lang mapigilang mainsulto. I'm one of the greatest agents in Safronov! Tapos uutusan akong magdeliver ng note sa isang messenger? That is an insult to my abilities.

"I'm sorry Eve pero believe me or not, this task is  very important and very risky. Kumikilos na ang mga Tenebrous. Kung isasali natin ang mga ordinaryo at hindi bihasang tao sa misyong ito, baka maagaw nila ang kwintas."

"I understand, Queen. What do you want me to do?" May magagawa pa ba ako kapag reyna na ang nagdesisyon? At ayokong maging matigas ang ulo sa harapan niya.

"A man in a black long sleeves and black jeans will be waiting in the coffee shop. Sa kaniya mo ibibigay ang note. But before you gave him the note, please make sure that he has a Safronov tattoo on his right upper arm. Maganda na yung sigurado. Is that clear, Eve?"

"Yes, Queen."

But it's never clear to me. Eve Williams, inutusang magbigay ng isang pirasong papel sa isang messenger? Hindi ko kayang tanggapin yun na buo ang loob ko.

"Here's the note Eve." Inabot sa'kin ni Queen Callisha ang isang pirasong papel na kasing laki lang ng isang ¼ sheet of paper. Nakatupi ito.

"3:00 in the afternoon ay pupunta na ang messenger na iyon sa coffee shop. Please Eve, I trust you in this one."

"You can count on me your majesty."

Muli akong yumuko sa harap ni Queen Callisha at lumabas na ng pinto. Napasandal ako sa nakasarang pinto at napabuga sa hangin.

So much for I was born to fight.

This is an insult! A very insulting insult!

Nagsimula na akong maglakad palabas ng Safronov Palace. You may also think that the palace is a kingdom with gold, chandelier, jewelries and other royal things.

But no.

Isa itong malaking building at ang tanging royal lang sa lugar na ito ay ang kwarto ng reyna.

Habang naglalakad ako pauwi ay napahawak ako sa aking tattoo.

It's a dartboard with a dart pierced on the bull's eye.

Lahat ng agents ng Safronov ay meron nito.

We are agents. Warriors. Fighters.

Not delivery girls!

Fine. If delivering a note is boring, then I'll make it an adventurous one.