C h a p t e r T w o
"No shit, Shanvie." I cussed upon setting my foot on 80 Collyer Quay. Kakababa ko lang sa itim na kotse with agent M82 nang makatanggap ako ng isang masamang balita. We just jeopardized Plan A. "Tell me you're kidding. Tell me you are not leaving Singapore yet." Napipikon kong sabi. Ugh, not now please.
Kung kailan namang inakala kong magiging maayos na ang lahat, dito ko pa madidiskubreng sa akin na lang nakasalalay ang lahat ng commands dahil wala na si Shanvie para sa contingency plan.
"Sadly, I am not. I received a call from the HQ and I have to abort this mission. Kaya mo 'to, ikaw pa." Shit! She's seriously going to leave?!
"What's the call for? Bakit ngayon pa?" I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded.
"I have to go back and help Trixie with the lab analysis. Trixie's working on the phone calls so I have to do the other analysis of the package Rin extracted today. XH32 got Panther." I heard her gulp at the end of the line. I pressed my ear firmly so I could hear better. "Panther's dead."
"Wait what?! Now freaking way! Pati pusa ni boss idadamay pa?" Langya nga naman talaga 'tong taong 'to. Ugh. I can't wait to go back so I could face him on the field. Because I'm pretty sure tutumbahin ko talaga 'tong taong 'to 'pag ako na ang nakaassign sa Team nina Rika. Goodness knows how badly I want to finally have this permission to kill.
"What's the other concern? Di ba sabi mo dalawa?" I added as M82 took the briefcase from my hand and ushered me to the building. I hooked my arm on his. I can feel he's enjoying this mission a little bit way too much considering that annoying smile that's been glinting on his face since our rendezvous. Well sorry dude. Trabaho lang... walang personalan.
"Yep, another big problem." Shanvie trailed off at bigla akong kinabahan. Anong isa pang problema? Grabe pinapasuspense pa niya. "We ran out of Nutella." Wika niya at bigla akong napahinto sa paglakad.
Bumaling naman sa akin ang aking supposed escort dahil sa biglaan kong paghinto. Kung normal na tao lang ang nakakakita sa akin ngayon, malamang isipin nilang kinakausap ko ang kasama ko habang nakatinging diretso sa daan.
No shit, big problem nga ito! Maubos lang lahat ng stocks na meron sa HQ, be it the ammos and guns, 'wag lang kaming mawalan ng kahit isang jar ng Nutella. Holly, guacamole! Wala nga ako 'don pero ramdam ko ang kaba ng lahat sa masamang balitang ito. Aba't paborito yata ng lahat ang nutty, raspy sweetness ng spread na 'yun at nakakaubos ang HQ ng sobra sa dalawampung jar sa isang linggo. Boss is definitely going to kill us if we didn't attend to this.
"Look you have to hurry." Tanging sabi ni Shan sa kabilang linya. "I'm boarding the plane now back to Manila. It's a 30-minute flight, I'll get back to you when I land. Hindi kita pwedeng macontact habang lumilipad ako. I'll trust you'll do your best within those minutes without me."
"What?! Shan, no!" I said, whisper-shouting. Nakita kong nahirapan naman si M82 na saluhin ang salita kong iyon. Well, he has been talking to me just so magmukhang nag-uusap lang kaming dalawa. At ang bigla kong pagsigaw, although medyo may kahinaan, ay tila out of place sa topic na kanyang sinasabi sa akin sa supposed convo naming dalawa. Tss, he's not winning the best actor sa ginagawa niyang ito. I glared at him and he gave me a sheepish smile. Damn, hiyang na hiyang talaga siya sa acting skit na ito!
"Hey listen. You have on at 10 hundred. You'll be meeting him in room 1601. M82 will be leaving you the moment you enter the room, or whenever they request him to leave. I sent you a copy of the CCTV footage of the room and the exits, as well as the surrounding perimeter of Fullerton Bay. His men will disarm you upon your entrance so you have to be ready. They will probably request you to even remove the earrings."
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it. Hindi mawawala sa akin ang hikaw ko."
"Ok, good. Team 9.1 will meet you at the back. You're riding the Fish in the water vessel. 9.2 on standby."
I glanced at the back and I saw two men riding on a white yacht. "Which one?" I calmly asked.
"See that nod? That guy on the left."
"Copy."
"As soon as I disconnect, you'll be automatically connected to 9.1. They'll be waiting for your orders. You lead now."
"Got it."
"Do you have anything else to say? We have less than 16 sec."
It took me no less that a millisecond to think of another message. I automatically asked as if it was the first thing that instantly came into my mind. "How is she?" I said with a smile. Kung isang delikadong mission and ginagawa ko ngayon, mas lalo na 'nung kapatid kong si Red. She just finished one mission-impossible last week and now she's out again on the field. I can't help but miss her even more. We seriously have to have some we time together after this.
"Oh well, since the mission started. I kind of noticed she's somehow... a little bit... into his subject of surveillance." Shan chuckled. "Mukhang inspired na inspired sa bagong mission."
I rolled my eyes. "Tss, A5?!"
"Uh huh."
I heaved a dramatic sigh before I spoke. "Send my regards to Red, tell her big sis is gonna be home soon. Tell her I love her." I said and then added. "And tell her I do not want her to have a boyfriend yet."
"Ooh, sisterly love!" Shan exclaimed dramatically. "Crush lang naman, ikaw talaga. She may be as deadly as you, but at least she's normal. Damn badass sisters!" She added gleefully.
I rolled my eyes again at the comment. "3.2 meters away from the entrance." I said plainly cutting her off and her fan-girling tendencies over Red and me.
"Ok, fine I got it." Shanvie replied and I could just picture how wide her smile is on the other line. Hay, ikaw talaga! "Shan, disconnecting in three... two... one... Good luck, agent Yellow." Nakarinig ako ang pagputol ng linya kasabay ng isang buffer na nagdivert ng connection sa aking mini-Team. Kasabay ng pagkaputol ng linya ni Shanvie ay ang pagtapak namin ni M82 sa entrance ng The Fullerton Bay Hotel salubong ng isang maputing butler na bumati at ngumiti sa aming pagpasok.
"Greetings, madam... sire." I nodded and smiled as a reply. Lumakad ako patungong front desk ng lobby habang nakahawak pa rin sa braso ng aking partner.
"Room 1601. Visiting," wika ko sa chinitang maputla na may plastic na ngiti sa front desk. Although alam ko naman kung saang floor at kung saang bahagi ito ng hotel, kailangan pa ring umayon sa normal na routine: Mag-inquire sa front desk.
Madali siyang nagtype sa computer sa kanyang harapan, tilting her head to the side to support and hold the telephone between her shoulder and her head. Ilang sandali pa ay bumaling siya sa akin na hindi inaalis ang kanyang nagkakarinding ngiti. "Name please?" she asked with a strong Chinese accent.
"Ysabelle. Ysabelle Deaton."
The woman went back to the call and I heard a few 'yes sir' 'uh huh' and 'right away' between her try-hard broken English. I waited and I can't help to steal a momentary glare at M82 as I felt his arm sliding from the small of my back down to my bum. Immediately, he stopped going further. Alam naming dalawa kung anong mangyayari sa kanya pagkatapos ng missiong ito 'pag pinagpatuloy pa niya ang kalokohan niya.
"Take the elevator on the Southwest wing, floor 16." The woman on the front desk said. I nodded and smiled, and we went to the location.
As soon as we got in and out of the elevator, we headed straight to the hotel room. I spotted four CCTVs while walking on the hallway. Huminto kami sa harap ng isang malapad na puting pinto na may embossed 1601 number na kulay ginto. Inabot sa akin ni M82 ang briefcase kasabay ng pagpindot ko ng doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door opened with two men in black suits welcoming us. I smiled as they saw the recognition while examining me from head to toe. And I can't help but think, do I really looked like Lana? Well, I didn't have time to answer that as the two men ushered M82 and me inside.
Oh yes, I do really look like Lana.
