The Paramount Code (The Odd Ones, Book 1)

039. Pawns in the Game

Sonya is quietly enjoying a bottle of beer while looking outside the massive glass window on the topmost floor of the abandoned building where she and Viktor went for refuge, when all of a sudden, the latter arrived with wounds all over his body. His face and arms are all bruised, and his lower lip is bleeding.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng babae nang lapitan ang iika-ikang si Viktor, "Anong nangyari sa'yo?"

"Nalaman niyang pumalapak ako, kaya pinabugbog niya ako sa mga tao niya," saad ni Viktor bago naupo sa pwesto ni Sonya at kinuha ang isang bote ng beer na hindi pa nito nabubuksan. Gamit ang ngipin ay tinanggal niya ang takip nito at ininom ang likido mula sa loob.

"Eh 'di sana lumaban ka..."

"Hindi pwede," tugon ni Viktor na magkasalubong ang mga kilay at tila may pag-aalinlangan sa mga mata, "Tsaka hindi naman nila ako pwedeng patayin eh. Kailangan pa niya ang serbisyo ko..."

"If they want to kill her that badly, then he should do it by himself..." Sonya responded as she sat beside Viktor, "Hindi ba may mga tauhan naman siya? Bakit hindi na lang sila ang utusan niya?"

"Baliw ka ba? Tayong mga metahumans na, hindi natin siya mapatay," sarkastikong tugon ni Viktor, "Isa pa, wala naman ideya ang mga nasa higher ups sa ginagawa niya, kaya hindi naman siya pwedeng humingi ng tulong sa kanila. He can't even seek assistance from the other metahumans who are part of the Paramount Labs. He has to do it discreetly, using some random metahuman like me."

Napangisi na lamang si Sonya habang umiiling-iling. "Well, that's too bad... Because that metahuman failed again. Pero teka nga... Bakit mo ba siya kailangang patayin? It's been years since you let her go after the first time you attempted to kill her, at pagkatapos nun, tumigil ka na. Bakit kailangan mong bumalik para tapusin ang trabaho mo?"

Napabuntong-hininga si Viktor. "Hindi ko naman talaga tatapusin ang trabaho... Nung sinunog namin 'yung ampunan, nagsinungaling kami na napatay namin 'yung bata. Sabi ko, kabilang siya sa mga batang nasunog sa loob ng ampunan. But for some reason, after a couple of years, he suddenly phones me and tells me that I failed to kill the child... He managed to find out the truth, so I had no choice but to try again."

"Well, the truth always finds it way, you know... Pero, bakit? Ano ba ang atraso sa kanila nung bata?"

"Wala siyang atraso. She isn't supposed to be born, 'yun ang sinabi nila sa akin. Hindi na sila nagbigay ng ibang mga detalye dahil ang trabaho ko lang naman ay ang patayin siya..." Uminom muli si Viktor mula sa boteng hawak, "Kailangan ko siyang patayin para makuha ko ang kailangan ko..."

"And what is it that you want, then?"

"Isang normal na buhay... Ibibigay daw nila sa 'kin 'yun kapag napatay ko 'yung bata. Pero dahil pumalpak ako noong unang beses, kailangan ko na siyang patayin para sa ibang dahilan... Kapag hindi ko 'to nagawa, tatapusin nila ang buhay ko."

Sonya's brows furrowed when she heard what he said. "What the fuck... Are you saying they are planning to kill you if you don't succeed in killing the girl?"

A sad smile crept on his face as he stared at the sun setting right before them. "Parang ganun... There are so many ways to end one's life, you know."

Napahinga na lamang nang malalim si Sonya matapos tapusin ang laman ng bote ng beer na hawak niya, " "Oh, God... You are on a different class of stupid, aren't you? Hindi mo siya mapapatay, Viktor. You saw it... We both saw it. Two times, and you still did not manage to end her life. Nag-iisip ka ba?"

"Hindi naman siya imortal, Sonya... Pwede siyang mapatay," pagpipilit ni Viktor.

"I know she's not immortal, but with the power she has... Mamamatay muna tayo bago natin siya malapitan. Her own abilities seem to have its own mind. It is protecting her from all the harm that comes her way. And obviously, we're included in that... We're like a part of her blacklist. At siguradong kasali ako run. Nakita niya ako eh... Mga malalakas na telepath lang ang nakakakita sa 'kin." She then rolled her eyes in frustration, "Now I'm doomed... Dahil sa'yo nagiging alanganin ang buhay ko eh."