THIRD PERSON

"Mother died in an accident when he was six years old, and the father died due to heart failure?" Fabian clarified while staring at the envelope containing Kage's background information.

"And his brother also passed away recently." Dugtong ni Apollo. Tumango-tango na lang si Fabian habang binabasa ang iba pang kalakip na impormasyon dito.

As one of the secret agents under the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Apollo could access his information easily. "His family owns a renowned law firm specializing in drug trafficking and organized crime cases." Fabian was amazed when he read that the law firm had achieved an impressive clean sweep with a remarkable 91.89% overall success rate in court.

"His family background was tragic, but he seems to grow up a fine man." Kumibot ang labi ni Apollo. It's rare for this old man to compliment someone. Even so, he finds it suspicious.

"That's the point, Pops. His records, from his personal profile to business and criminal records to his public databases, were all clean. Isn't that fishy?" Pagpupuna nito. Fabian fixed his glasses while flipping over the document in his hand.

"Kamusta naman ang pagpapaayos ng bahay?" Pag-iiba ng topic ng matanda, abala pa rin sa pagbabasa ng impormasyon.

"I gave the new blueprint for modifications. It will be done within this week." He replied before crossing his legs and leaning back on the couch before staring at the ceiling.

"Can you really believe there's a man with no dirt? What if mangkukulam siya? O hindi kaya may lahing aswang? Pops, I need to make su—Aray!" Mabilis na lumipad ang sapatos ni Fabian sa ulo ni Apollo. Pikon na tumayo ang matanda bago iduro ang dulo ng sungkod niya sa siraulo niyang anak na nagmana rin naman sa kanya.

"Why the hell did NIA hire an alien like you? Your foolishness is the biggest threat to national security!" Paghihimutok nito na ikinangisi lang ni Apollo.

"Biggest threat to national security? Excuse me! If not for me, the former US President could have become a part of history! The fate of the entire nation assigned to me rests in my hands! I am the biggest asset of NIA!" He smugly retorted, gaining a frown from his old man.

"Shut up! Have you forgotten how you almost turned Vienna into a graveyard by accidentally turning on a ticking bomb, all thanks to your unparalleled talent for mischief?" Naniningkit matang akusa ni Fabian dito. Napakamot na lang ng ulo si Apollo.

Back then, he was an excellent spy but had one downfall. He's clumsy. "Or the time when you were tasked to retrieve a microfilm in the body of a dead person in the crematorium, and you almost got yourself cremated on the way!" Huminga muna nang malalim si Fabian bago singhalan ang anak.

"Kung na-late ka pa sa pag-retrieve ng ilang minuto baka tuluyan na nagpalipad ng nuclear bomb ang Nokor!" Habang inaalala yun ay sumasakit na lang ang ulo niya. You can only imagine the stress he had gone through everytime his son have a mission that would almost cause a mass distruction.

"Pops, come on—"

"Biggest asset, my ass! Ilang beses na muntik magkaroon ng World War 3 dahil sayo!" Paninisi pa nito. Apollo closed his eyes and covered his ears with his hands to unhear his nagging.

"Nyenyenye." Umigting ang panga ng ama nito at akmang hahampasin na ng baston sa ulo nang bumukas ang pinto. Iniluwa roon si Distaunce na blankong nakatingin sa kanila.

"I knew it!" He sighs. Talagang hindi niya pwedeng iwan ang tatay at lolo niya iisang kwarto. At the end of the day they will only end up bickering and nitpicking on something petty and useless.

"Baka naman pati sa kasal ni Via mag-aagawan pa kayo kung sino maghahatid sa kanya sa altar?" Biglang tumayo si Apollo at nakipagtagisan ng tingin sa ama niya.

"Ako ang maghahatid sa kanya sa altar dahil ako ang tatay!" Humakbang papalapit si Fabian at pinanlakihan ito ng mata.

"Ako ang maghahatid sa kanya dahil ako ang nagpalaki sa kanya!" Pangangatuwiran nito.

"She is my flesh and blood!"

"Your flesh and blood came from me!"

"Tamod ko siya, Pops!"

"Tamod din kita, Apollo!"

"Oh my God! What the hell are you two arguing about?!" Natigilan sa pagtatalo ang mga ito nang marinig ang sigaw ni Sachal sa cellphone na hawak ni Distaunce.

Nag-unahan ang mga ito palapit kay Distaunce upang agawin ang phone nito. Fabian blocked Apollo's steps using his cane, causing him to stumble on the floor.

"You, old man!"

"Via! How is my grand daughter?" Nakangising tanong ni Fabian habang binebelatan ang anak niyang nakasalampak sa sahig.

Distaunce just shakes his head. Minsan ay nakakalimutan niyang magtatay sila. Their relationship is like a comedic take on sibling rivalry; they bicker and spar over absolutely everything as if they're competing in the world championships of petty arguments.

"Let me talk to my daughter!" Nanlalaking matang inawat ni Distaunce ang ama niyang dumampot ng lampshade na akmang ihahagis ito sa gawi ni Fabian.

"Dad!"

"Papá, what's going on there?" Hindi maiwasang mag-alala ni Sachal nang marinig niyang parang may nabasag sa background nito.

"Nothing important, dear. Any news for your wedding?" Pag-iiba nito ng usapan.

"Oh, yes. Hmm, the wedding will proceed three days from now. My friend arranged it. I just need your body measures for your tuxedos. And. . .I'm hoping na tayo-tayo lang nasa kasal. Only family and close friends." Nagtaka naman ang lolo nito.

"Why not? Kasal iyon ng kaisa-isa kong apo na babae! Why not make it grand?" Sachal knew he would say that. He always wants the best for her. But she knew better than to announce their wedding to the world.

"Papá, I have my reasons. Besides, my fiancé and I already agreed to it." She explained.

"But—"

"Let my daughter decide what she wants! Matanda ka na, hindi ba dapat busy ka makipag-agawan ng lupa?" Fabian glared at him. Inabot niya ang isa pa niyang sapatos at hinagis ito kay Apollo. He was able to dodge it, but Distaunce got hit instead.

"Ikaw nga matanda na rin pinapalaba mo pa brief mo sa kasambahay!" Hiyaw ni Distaunce sa ama niya dahil sa inis. Tumama kasi sa mukha niya ang sapatos ng lolo niya na imbis ay para sa ama niya.

Tumawa si Fabian dahil sa naging ingos ng apo niya. "Be understanding. Your father grew up thinking underwears are only worn once in his life. Kaya hindi marunong maglaba yan dahil matapos niya gamitin isang beses ay tinatapon niya kaagad. It took him thirty years before he knew that fact." Animo'y sobrang disappointed na wika ni Fabian.

"Talaga? Sa kanya ba yung benteng sako ng briefs sa stockroom?" Kunot noong tanong ni Distaunce. Ngayon lang siya namangha sa katangahan ng isang tao.

"Pops!"

Sachal ended the call when she heard loud thuds on the other side of the line. Malamang ay nagrarambulan na silang tatlo doon. Seriously, why do they share the same braincell?

"Madame, what would you like for lunch?" Napabaling ang tingin niya kay Keegan na pormal na nakatayo sa harapan niya. He was wearing a formal suit again, that of a butler.

"Sinigang?" She said. "Oh, wait! Nakakaintindi ka naman ng tagalog 'no?" He lowered his head for a quick nod.

"I am half Filipino and half Italian, madame." Well, she just wanted to make sure. "Sinigang na shrimp sana." Bulalas niya. Keegan bowed and was about to leave to cook when she remembered something.

Since Salvatore is allergic to seafood, they probably don't stock it on their fridge. Ayaw niya makaabala kay Keegan kaya binawi niya na lang ito at sinabihang sinigang na baboy na lang ang gusto niya.

"Wise choice, madame. Consuming shrimps that feed on dead fish and poop is equivalent to eating cockroaches on land." Biglang nag-flash sa utak ni Sachal ang sinabawang ipis kaya napangiwi siya.

Sinundan niya lng ng tingin si Keegan na unti-unting tinutupi ang sleeves na suot niya patungong siko. He went to the kitchen and wore an apron before opening the fridge to get the needed ingredients. She just tilts her head, realizing that Keegan also looks handsome. Like master like butler yarn?

May tumalon sa kandungan niya kaya napatingin siya rito. A fluffy white bunny began to slowly make its way onto her lap. Its adorable little nose twitched as it sniffed at her clothes, showing off its curiosity. If she remembered it correctly, it was a male with Snowball as a name.

Hindi niya natuloy ang pagbugbog niya kay Salvatore kahapon dahil naabutan sila ni Keegan sa ganoong posisyon. Tinablan siya ng hiya kaya iniwan niya na lang ito doon pagkatapos niya ito ilampaso ng ilang beses sa sahig.

Kanina naman ay maagang umalis si Salvatore dahil may gagawin daw ito. She didn't ask where he was going, and she doesn't care that much either. No one can hurt that man where ever he goes anyway. Mas mag-aalala pa siya sa mga taong kikitain niya.

"Hey!" Nabigla siya nang biglang pumasok sa loob ng damit niya ang kuneho. "Something the matter, madame?" Pag-aagaw pansin ni Keegan nang marinig ang hiyaw nito. Hindi naman kasi magkalayo ang kitchen counter sa couch na kinauupuan niya.

"Si Snowball. . ." He shakes his head. "He's the naughtiest among them." He commented and crouched on the floor, holding a piece of cabbage leaf. May kulay itim na kuneho na lumapit sa kanya at kaagad na kinain ang inabot nito na dahon.

"I am the one who escorted them here, and our flight was delayed because he managed to free from his cage and began running around the runway." Pagkuwkento nito.

Sachal took a peak of the bunny inside her shirt, only to find him reaching her boob and massaging it with his soft feet. Kapagkuwan ay bigla niya naalala na halos isang oras na-delay yung flight niya dahil may kuneho raw sa runway.

"So, ikaw pala yun?" She narrowed her eyes at the poor animal and gently pinched its long ears before pulling it out from her shirt. Sino ba naman mag-aakala na alaga pala ni Salvatore yung namurwisyo sa kanila noong na-delayed flight nila nung nakaraan.

"Good boy." Keegan patted Cabbage's head, the black bunny, before he continued slicing the onions.

"Where's the other one? Si Nibbles?" Inikot ni Keegan ang tingin niya. "She is probably sleeping in her burrow, madame. She loves sleeping." Tumango-tango na lang ito. Maya-maya ay nagkasalubong na naman ang kilay niya dahil pumasok na naman si Snowball sa loob ng damit niya. Umaakyat ito papuntang dibdib niya habang sinisiksik ang ilong sa cleavage niya.

She grimaced. "Mana ka sa amo mo na manyakis!" She whispered before scrolling through her phone. Sunod-sunod na nag pop-up ang notifications sa GC nila ng mga kaibigan niya kaya mabilis siyang nag DND at nanood muna ng mga facebook reels.

"My data suggests that the temperature is too high. The radishes will come overcooked. If the madame has specific preferences, I can adjust accordingly." Napalingon si Sachal nang marinig ang boses ng AI na babae. Rinig na rinig ito sa buong sulok ng bahay.

It's weird to hear an AI speaking like a natural person. Typically, an AI would have some sort of robotic tone in their voices. But this AI, named Diamond, appears to be much better than the ones created by Google.

"Diamond, I did not ask for your assistance. Disengage." Kalmadong usal ni Keegan dito.

"Rejected."

"What? Rejected?" Parang nababanas na bulong nito sa kawalan.

"Please lower the temperature for better results." Diamond continued instructing him. Keegan has been trained to be a butler his whole life and has learned the necessary things to get his job done for the comfort of his master. He finds it irritating to have an AI instructing him what to do.

"Adjusting the temperature is a thing I can handle based on my experience, Diamond. It is something you can't compute based on the algorithms of your databases." He replied, trying his best not to lose his composure.

"I formulate my culinary adjustments through meticulous analysis and extensive research. While some may rely on experience, my approach is grounded in a comprehensive methodology to produce well-balanced and gratifying dishes." Diamond defended.

Holograms started to appear out of nowhere, and Keegan could see the complete guide to making sinigang in the air. There were instructions on the soup's temperature and the amount of water needed. On the screen, a large red mark was displayed, pointing out the unevenness of the meat cut.

"I'm here to assist with everything from everyday tasks to intricate problem-solving. Please refer to my suggestions to get better results." Tuluyan ng pumantig ang tenga ni Keegan dahil sa narinig. Napalinga ito kay Sachal at pilit na napangiti rito. He can no longer held it in.

"Madame, I hope you excuse my manner of speech." Unsure of what will happen, she just stared at him.

"Diamond, filter removed." Three beeping sounds erupted from the system after he said those words.

"Filter removed." Matapos iyon marinig ay kaagad na suminghal ang binata.

"Stop interfering with my job! Why don't you focus on debugging your own tech problems? I'm tired of you always nitpicking on my job!" Inis niyang atugal dito bago takpan ang niluluto.

"Are you making stubbornness as your side dish? I've already given you suggestions on the issue of the cooking process! If you keep being damn resistant to my recommendations, we might just make it to the next Ice Age before lunch is ready!" The AI replied sharply.

Sachal found herself amazed at how sassy and sarcastic an AI can be. She never heard of an AI talking back like that. Who the hell designed her? She seems to reflect emotional intelligence as well.

"I have told you I can do this alone, and I don't need the help of an AI with no solid-based experience! If you really want to help me, I suggest you shut down and reset yourself!" He fired back.

Sachal started caressing Snowball's fluffy fur while listening to Diamond and Keegan's banter in the kitchen. That butler has been very formal and composed, but she guess he just hates being told what to do when it comes to the things he does best.

The hologram's interface changed from blue to red, hinting that Diamond is somehow irritated. "Oh, please, Keegan, for the love of God! How many times must I say this like a broken record? Your method? Flawed with a capital 'F'! I've analyzed the data, and your cooking will not match a typical Filipino dish!"

Keegan wore a dark expression, his frustration evident as he aggressively ran his hands through his hair, giving the impression of a volcano on the brink of eruption. Pero kahit nasa rurok na ito ng galit ay nagagawa pa rin nito magluto na hindi nadi-distract.

"Really now, are you actually going to continue parading around like the absolute encyclopedia of everything? Because let me tell you, I sure as heck don't need some damned robot to tell me how to get my job done!" The holograms flickered and blinked erratically, signaling the AI's growing anger.

"Will all due no respect, this AI doesn't give a fuck about your opinion either! If humans are so intelligent, why do you need us to assist you!" Singhal nito pabalik sa kanya.

Sachal found herself massaging her forehead. She thought she had finally escaped the never-ending soap opera of her dad and grandfather's bickering, yet here comes another brand new drama from a butler and an AI.

"Warning: A specialized anti-drone defense and unmanned drone bullet is approaching the perimeter. Suggesting activation of Hyper-Secure Home Barrier." Sabay na natigilan si Keegan at Sachal nang marinig ang babala na iyon mula kay Diamond. Bawat sulok ng bahay nagkaroon ng pulang ilaw.

"We seem to have visitors." He mused. Sachal stood up, but when she looked at Keegan's direction, he continued slicing ingredients. The warning from Diamond sounds urgent and dangerous, but why does he look so calm?

"Activate the first barrier. Deploy the surveillance drones." On cue, the glass walls became dim. May kung anong bagay na bumababa upang takpan ito. It was a bulletproof metal made of titanium.

Sachal instinctively began rummaging through the drawers in search of something to use for self-defense. Ni hindi na siya nagtanong kung ano ang nangyayari. In the following days, this is gonna be her life. Araw-araw malalagay sa bingit ng kamatayan ang buhay niya. Kailangan niya masanay.

"Threat detected on the 32nd floor, fifth building on the left. Deploying lethal countermeasures." Halata ang seryoso sa boses ni Diamond nang bigkasin niya ito. But despite the alarms and the possible dangers in the corner, Keegan remained unbothered in the kitchen.

"Threat has been eliminated. Thermal imaging detects fifteen armed men approaching the top floor. Permission to engage."

"Permission granted." Saglit na napasulyap si Keegan sa gawi ni Sachal na nakatayo lang habang nagmamasid sa paligid. Although he heard about how brave she is, he never thought he'd see a woman unfazed when facing danger.

"Don't worry, madame. Anyone who tries to infiltrate this penthouse will lose their lives." Paninigurado nito sa kanya. Sachal bit her bottom lip.

Lord, anong klaseng assurance 'to?

"Diamond, activate facial and image recognition. Who is it this time?" He commanded while tasting the soup. Ilang segundong hindi sumagot si Diamond. Maya-maya ay may lumabas na limang holograms sa kawalan.

First, there was an image of a serpent with nine heads tattooed on a man killed in a nearby building. The second frame was a live video of people eliminating a group of men trying to enter the elevator to get to the top floor. On the third hologram was a vision from the surveillance drone flying around the nearby buildings to find more threats.

Sa pang-apat naman ay nakikita roon ang kaganapan sa labas ng penthouse kung saan may mga drones na patuloy bumabaril sa bulletproof na pader. And on the last hologram, there was a beautiful woman with a red hair looking directly at screen as if she knew someone could see her. Umiinom pa ito ng wine sa labas ng balcony ng sarili niya ring penthouse.

"Belladonna?" He smirked when he recognized who she was.

"Target: Belladonna Del Piero, daughter of Hydra's Don. Intercept point determined. Activate instant kill?" Saglit na tinikman ni Keegan ang sabaw upang masiguro na tama lang ang asim nito bago sumandok ng sabaw at ilagay ito sa bowl. Naglakad ito papunta kay Sachal na nakatitig lang sa mga holograms.

He handed her the bowl of soup, urging her to taste it kung approved ba sa panglasa niya ang sabaw. "Madame, would you like to activate instant kill?" He asked. Wala sa sariling tinanggap ng dalaga ang bowl.

"Huh? Bakit ako?" Takang tanong nito habang tinuturo ang sarili. She tried tasting the soup and so far sakto lang naman ang timpla nito.

"That woman has been head over heels with my master. I'm unsure how she knew he was getting married, but you were the target this time. Would you like her to die?" Muntik na niya mailuwa ang sabaw. Why the hell is he asking that question? Ang paraan ng tanong nito ay parang nagyaya lang kung gusto niya bang sumama sa galaan or hindi.

"What would happen if I were to say yes?"He folded his arms across his chest and fixed his gaze on the hologram in front of him.

"Our satellite will release a drone strike to kill her." He answered shortly. She pursed her lips in disbelief.

They owned a fucking satellite?!

"Target: Belladonna Del Piero, daughter of Hydra's Don. Intercept point determined. Initiating strike. Activate instant kill?" Napaamang na lang si Sachal. This is not the kind of pressure she was expecting.

She knew Salvatore was powerful, but fucking hell! Owning a satellite? That's dangerous! She's in a whole different level of danger! The world could even be in danger if he sets his mind!

Lord, gabayan niyo naman po akong huwag sana mamatay bago ikasal! Yawaaa!

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ