Secrets, Spies and Everything Lies

2: A Mission In The Hometown

"A year isn't enough?" I asked my phone which I was currently in a call with Father Adam, not my biological father.

"Yes. They are still trying to hunt you- us down and you know, I can't. You can't risk it, daughter." He says. Nanahimik ako. For the past few years, I've been grateful to him for adopting me and giving me this job. I will be forever grateful to him for doing that. He saved my life, literally. And I won't bring this organization down with me.

But quitting as a spy? Hell. I don't even know what to do without this job.

I felt guilt. Dahil sa nangyari last year, hindi na ako muna pwedeng tumanggap ng major missions ni Father Adam. He's being generous to give me minor missions together with Bexley Perrin, who's also suspended because of a different reason.

"Daughter-"

"I know. I'm sorry, Father." I said and ended the call.

I turned to my laptop screen and Bexley's face is in it, gossiping with me and my father's call.

"Do you think he's mad?" He asks with a worried look on his face.

"I've never seen him mad." I answered. 

Sa isang buong taon, wala akong ginawa kung hindi magmakaawa at mag-assist sa office ni Father Adam sa mga basic admin tasks niya. Mostly, pag-aayos ng mga files about sa past missions. Hindi ko kailanman nakitaan na nagalit siya sa akin. The least I could do is to just support his decision– this decision. And one of it is having me quit as his one call away secret agents.

Damn it, Leon. Nevermind. Damn it, self. 

"You've got any plans today, Sab?" He suddenly asks.

"Yup. I am going to his office and talk to him myself. Face to face."

-

The office is located inside this Publishing House which Father owns. The Letter Garden Publishing House (LGPH) is a normal publishing house with a corporate office inside. What makes it special are the secret doors and elevators in its architecture designed for us, Father's secret agents who had its own corporate office and gym, library, and even a clinic.

There is a hidden camera inside the elevators that scans the face of the person inside the elevator and if you are registered, it will take you to the secret dungeon. Or that's how I call it. Meron rin biometrics option and a keycode but I found them too much of a hassle.

The elevator stopped and its door opened leading a way to the longest most emptiest hallways. It was designed like this to intimidate someone na hindi naman dapat dito pumunta. Everything has its purpose in here. Luckily, wala pa naman kaming ganoong encounters.

Naglakad ako ng naglakad hanggang sa makarating sa opisina ni Father Adam. Ipinihit ko ang door knob at pumasok sa loob.

Nakatalikod ang kaniyang swivel chair sa kaniyang lamesa at nakaharap sa malaking glass windows. Umayos ako ng tayo bago ako magsalita.

"Father–"

"I've always known how stubborn you are but I always seemed to forget. This is not a joke, Sabrina. I said what I said." He says as he turn his swivel chair to face me and instead, all I can see was his usual mask. A shiver went into my spine as I hear him spoke.

When I first met him, half of his face are bandaged with a white cloth– his face is ruined. Something about a fire that happened in his childhood he says. Now, he has this obsession with customized masks to cover his entire face.

"I am grateful to you, Father. Really. I am so thankful that I've had everything I have right now. But this has become a part of my life. I need to know who killed my family." I said.