My Beautiful Nightmare (Mafia Series: Book 3)

Chapter 24: Assasination

SCARLETT~

"All set. He's on 5th."

Rinig kong saad ni Archer mula sa kabilang linya. Inayos ko ang pagkakalagay ng earpiece mula sa tenga ko, at naglakad papasok ng hotel.

"Follow me in 2 minutes." Bulong ko sa maliit na microphone sa aking kwintas.

"Copy." He answered.

Alam kong suicidal mission ang ginagawa namin ngayon ni Archer, siya ang nagsisilbing look out ko, habang ako ang gagawa ng misyon. Matagal naming pinagplanuhan ang gagawin naming pagpatay kay Miguel dahil isang maling galaw ay mamamatay kami.

"There are hundreds of CCTV installed and thousands of men in black. We need to get out of here in 10 minutes." Rinig kong saad muli ni Archer. Huminga ako ng malalim at pilit na kinalma ang sarili ko. Isang maling galaw, papalpak lahat.

"How's the hallway?" Bulong kong muli.

"Clear." He answered.

Nagtungo ako sa elevator at pinindot ang pang-limang palapag. Malakas ang tibok ng puso ko pero pilit kong pinakalma ang sarili ko. Maaring eto na ang huling araw ko. Pakiramdam ko ay tumigil ang tibok ng puso ko ng marinig ang pagtunog ng elevator. Senyales na nandito na ako sa palapag na kailangan kong puntahan.

"Already on 5th." Bulong ko sa earpiece.

"There are approximately 50 men on floor. Safest exit will be on the fire exit at your left. Emergency alarms were already disabled for 10 minutes. CCTV cameras and power supply will shutdown for 5 minutes. Prepare." He instructed.

Nagtago ako sa isang pader at tahimik na minanmanan ang kilos ng bawat tauhan ni Miguel, inihanda ko ang aking sarili habang hinihintay na mawala ang kuryente. Senyales na kailangan ko ng kumilos.

Sa isang iglap ay biglang nagdilim ang buong paligid, walang sabi sabi ay tumakbo ako ng mabilis patungo sa direksyon kung nasaan ang kwarto ni Miguel. Malaking tulong ang suot kong contact lense na merong night vision kaya't malaya akong nakakakilos sa dilim.

"Anong nangyari?!" Rinig kong sigaw ng isang tauhan ni Miguel bago ko tuluyang mabuksan ang pinto ng kwarto na tinutuluyan niya.

"What the hell is happening?!" Isang malakas na sigaw ang bumungad sakin pagpasok ko sa kwarto. Kusang kumurba ang ngiti sa labi ko ng makita ko ang pamilyar na pigura ng lalaki. Nakatayo ito habang may kausap sa cellphone.

"Mga wala talaga kayong kwenta!!" Rinig kong sigaw nito sabay bato ng hawak nitong cellphone.

"Nasaan na ba si Nightmare?!" Sigaw nitong muli. Napahinto ako sa paghakbang ng marinig iyon. Ibig sabihin wala pa siya rito?

Ikinasa ko ang aking baril at humakbang ng isang beses ng bigla na lamang sumindi ang ilaw. Natigilan ako, at napatingin sa paligid. Fuck? Akala ko ay limang minuto bago bumalik ang power supply?

Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa aking baril at nagkatitigan kami ni Miguel.

"SHIT! The alarm is ringing. We need to get out of here." Rinig kong sigaw ni Archer.

Fuck.

"W-who are you?" Kinakabahang tanong ni Miguel.

"APHRODITE THEY'RE COMING NARIRINIG MO BA AKO?" Sigaw ni Archer.

I'm stucked between running away to save myself or accomplishing the mission. Nandito na rin naman ako, I wouldn't want to waste the opportunity.

Bumaba ang tingin nito sa kamay ko na may hawak ng baril. Halata ang pamumutla sa mukha nito. Bigla na lamang itong lumuhod at binato ang bag na may limpak limpak na pera sa harapan ko.

"S-sayo na yan lahat. S-spare me." I almost laughed on his accent. Instik talaga. Naririnig ko na rin ang malakas na tunog ng alarm, hudyat na alerto na ang lahat ng tauhan niya na nakapasok kami.

I pointed the gun at him.

"W-wag! I have children. M-may mga anak ako! Parang awa mo na. What do you need?!" He begged.

I almost lost the grip on the gun. I want to pull the trigger but something was stopping me.

"Archer, go out without me." I told him.

"No fucking way." He said. I heared loud gunshots, it felt like he was exchanging bullets with enemies.

"Let's meet at the exit." I told him when I heard the door behind be started to be banged open.

Mabilis akong tumakbo patungo kay Miguel at hinila ang kwelyo nito patayo. Tinutok ko ang baril sa kanyang sentido at upang gawin siyang hostage.

"W-wag kayo papaputok!" Nanginginig na sigaw nito sa kanyang tauhan. He raised his hand as if surrendering and to stop his man from firing.

I started dragging him towards the door, still pointing the gun on his head. Tahimik ang buong kwarto at tila nagpapakiramdaman lahat. Nararamdaman kong napapalibutan ako ng bawat tauhan niya, isang maling galaw ay magkakagulo ang lahat.

"Don't do stupid things if you want to get out alive." I whispered. Nanginginig naman itong tumango.

Naglakad kami dahan dahan palabas ng kanyang kwarto. Ngunit bago pa man ako makatapak sa labas ng pinto ay narinig ko ang pagtunog ng walkie-talkie ng isa sa kanyang tauhan.

"Just kill them both."

Everyone was frozen from where they were standing. The voice was deep and somewhat familiar. But that's none of my concern right now.

I immediately pushed Miguel away from me before they could even react and shot him right on his chest. Suddenly, everything was on total chaos.

Gunshots were everywhere and all I could do was to run as I was outnumbered. Firing back was a complete stupidity. I hid on the wall, and pressed my earpiece.

"Archer." I called but all I could hear was gunshots and screams.

Naririnig ko ang mga palapit na yapak sa direksyon ko.

"Fuck. " I cursed. Bawat sulok ng hotel ay may tauhan ni Miguel. I fired back while I am trying to run away. Pumasok ako sa isang bakanteng kwarto, agad akong nagtungo sa balcony.

I looked down and uttered unlimited curses. How am I supposed to survive this height?

Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pintuan mula sa aking likod. I gripped my gun tighter. Muli akong tumingin sa baba, I'm sure as hell I wouldn't survive the fall.

"Are you trying to commit suicide?" Suddenly the voice behind me asked. I froze, his voice was cold and emotionless. I slowly turn around, and saw him wearing his all-black suit with hands on his pocket. Napalunok ako ng mapatingin sa mukha nitong mukhang walang pakialam sa mga nangyayari despite the loud gunshots and banging on the door.

"A-anong ginagawa mo rito?" Tanong ko ngunit isang ngisi lamang ang sagot nito. Umupo ito sa lamesa at tumitig.

"I failed a mission for the first time." He answered. Muntik ko ng makalimutan na misyon nga pala niyang protektahan si Miguel.

"..And that's all because of you." He continued. My eyes are going back and forth to him and to the door. Anytime, the door will crack open. I kept myself fully alert in case he attack, or in case the door would open.

He suddenly stood up and walked towards me. I stepped foot backwards, my back touches the cold railings.

My insides are panicking but I kept myself composed infront of him. I immediately pointed the gun towards him and it stopped him from walking closely.

"Don't go any closer." I said almost whispering.

"They'll barge in any moment now." He answered like he would like me to realize how hopeless the situation is.

"You'll jump there, you'll die. If they barge in, you'll die. You'll stay here, I'll kill you. Its only a matter of choice of what way you'd like to die."