Chapter 6: 1164

"Are you really that bothered?" narinig kong tanong sa akin ni Poseidon.

I shook my head at pilit na ngumiti. Nakakabother naman talaga na tila hindi na akma ang lahat ng nangyayari sa mga plano ko. Where did I go wrong? Sa ngayon, mahalagang nakuha ko pa rin ang tiwala niya. I'll address whatever it is that impedes my plan later.

"Napaisip lang ako sa mga nangyayari," I heaved a sigh.

"It's okay," wika niya. "Like I said, I will protect you."

Tiningnan ko siya nang mariin. He sounded sincere enough to make me wonder if he is also this sincere when addressing his bosses. I know the Vander Reaper's loyalty is truly commendable.

I forced a smile. "Ang daming nangyari, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang kahihinatnan ko."

I need to contact the Capo right now; if not, I'll go for the men and ask if there's any change of plan. "I just want to go home," pagkukunwari ko.

Poseidon nodded and reached for his cap and jacket. "I'll take you home."

*****

Hindi na ako natutuwa sa mga nangyayari. When we reached my apartment, it was utter chaos. Napakuyom ang kamao ko at agad na pumasok sa loob. Poseidon silently followed. Tila walang area na pinalampas. All my things were strewn about, and fragments of glass and other breakable items littered the floor.

"What the hell?!" bulalas ko. Pinigilan niya ako at saglit na nagmasid sa paligid. When he was sure no one was around, saka lamang niya ako pinapasok nang tuluyan.

I silently ignored his disapproval of my cussing. Now this is truly angering! What the heck is happening?!

Muli kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang paligid. They did trash all my things! At wala ito sa plano! Kailangan kong makausap ang Capo as soon as possible. If things are not how I planned them a few years back, I cannot guarantee him success.

To make the Vander mafia fall, kailangang masunod ang plano ko na ilang taon kong pinaghandaan! I basically grew up with that motivation-to perfectly execute my plan.

Nagpumilit ako kay Poseidon na manatili roon. He was hesitant at first ngunit kahit paano ay pumayag na rin siya, on the condition that I call him if I notice anything suspicious. Nang makaalis siya, sinigurado kong wala na nga siya sa paligid. I also checked the place, in case he left some bugs.

Naghanap ako ng pinakamalapit na payphone. It was surprising that there were still things like these here. I dialed the number I've memorized so well but the number was unreachable. I tried again thinking I just made a mistake ngunit ganoon pa rin.

Maybe the Capo was in transit.

That could be the only reason.

Inayos ko ang suot na cap at muling bumalik sa apartment. I sighed as I watched the place. Whoever did this is gonna pay. Hindi ako ang tipong nadadala sa mabuting usapan. If there is one thing that I hate, it's deviating from my plan.

And since this mission has commenced, it seemed like everything was getting out of hand. It started out so perfect, with the Vander's strongest reaper falling into my trap like a moth to a flame. Ngunit matapos iyon, hindi na umaayon ang lahat.

And now there's Zolotov? And a fake Zolotov? Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang totoo. Since I cannot reach the Capo, I have to at least hear from his men.

Binuksan ko ang drawer sa may kusina. All the utensils were scattered on the floor, but underneath that board is actually a secret compartment. I slid the false bottom and revealed an empty space underneath. Sa unang tingin, mukhang walang laman iyon, but then I stripped the wood-like material na nagkukubli sa aking laptop na nakatago. It's my work computer, and the thing I use when I have important business with any member.

Muli kong inilibot ang tingin sa paligid bago pumasok sa kwarto, clearing the scattered things off the bed.

Nang mabuksan ko ang laptop, tinipa ko ang code na noon pa rin ay alam na alam ko. I memorized it like a lullaby sung to me on a daily basis. Bigla akong natigilan nang dalawang salita ang lumabas.

Access denied.

What the hell? Sinubukan ko ulit ngunit ganoon pa rin ang lumabas. I uttered a few curses before slamming the laptop closed. Saang parte ng plano ako nagkamali? No matter how much I recall, I was on the right track-until everything went the wrong way.

Nasaan na nga ba ako sa plano? I don't even have a good thing to report. Mukhang hindi pa ako umuusad. Napasabunot ako sa buhok at muling napamura.

Right, I have to do things right this time. I am a planner, but I know very well how to handle situations like this. Matalino akong tao, and I do not succumb to failure. Sa halip, mas lalo lamang akong natsa-challenge.

Yup, I have a perfect Plan A, but in rare cases that the perfect plan will not be followed, I have Plan B to Z.

Kinalma ko ang sarili at gumawa ng mga bagay na madalas gawin ni Star. I cleaned the place at nagplay ng palabas sa Netflix. That way, I have an excuse if Poseidon asks me what I did. Sa ilang araw na nakasama ko siya, I noticed a lot of things other than what I already knew about him.

One of them is his trust issues. He was rather cautious about basically everything kaya dapat lahat ng sasabihin ko ay may pruweba. I noticed it when there was a time he asked me if I ate breakfast and I said yes, I ate cereals. Napansin kong tiningnan niya ang box ng mga cereals and with that, he knew I was lying. It was always the tiny details that give us away kaya kailangan kong maging maingat.

I recalled everything I was before this mission started. Iba ako sa mga babae sa organisasyon. I was feared, highly respected, and every man tiptoed around me. I was directly under the Capo, doing things at his command. Lahat ng mahihirap na misyon ay sa akin napupunta, and I always emerged victorious.

But still, some guys in the mob see me as a fucking sex object. Ilang sicario na ba ang pinatumba ko? I lost count.

Everything is not going as I planned. Kailangan kong ayusin kung ano ang puno't dulo nito. Where did I go wrong? Sumandal ako sa kama at ipinikit ang mga mata, trying to recall everything in case I missed something, pero kahit anong pag-iisip na gawin ko ay wala akong nakitang kahit ano-unless someone is deliberately sabotaging me.

Few people came to mind when I think of the word sabotage.

Una, si Zolotov. Scaredy pants guy who's all talk and no walk. Pero hindi ko maikakaila na maayos siyang magplano. He's just too lazy to do actual work at iaasa iyon sa kung sino, taking all the credits for himself.

Then there's Viper. I acknowledge his strength and loyalty to the organization. He's also one of the few capable, but we don't get along. Hindi rin kami magkaaway. Hindi niya lang ako pinapansin, and we never really did a mission together. Kahit hindi niya sabihin, I knew he's also one of the few who thinks I belong to the bedroom instead of taking orders for the Don. Like me, Viper is an orphan who grew up and was groomed to be the best killer the organization can have. He can be one of the few who can impede my perfectly laid out plans. Pero wala akong nakikitang rason para gawin niya iyon. Viper never really intervened with whatever business I have, and we never really crossed paths.

I'm losing my mind. Kailangan kong makausap ang Capo. I worked directly under his supervision, and I have to report everything to him.

Guess I have no other choice but to see him.

***

I will never understand women. These high-heeled shoes were nothing but discomfort! Inangat ko ang laylayan ng suot na damit, checking how many bullets I loaded on the gun safely tucked on my leg. Sa kabila naman ay ang kutsilyong matagal ko ng ginagamit. I took a final check of my appearance in the mirror. My hair was up in a bun, but buried between the strands of my hair were a few poison pills. I have to be ready for anything.

The security was tight in entering the bar, but the tattoo I had on my chest is my pass. Sinalubong ako ng maingay na bulwagan, with people dancing on the dance floor. Iba-iba ang kulay ng ilaw sa paligid, at halos nakakabingi ang malakas na musika. I slipped through the crowd, avoiding anyone along the way. Nang marating ko ang sulok ay lumapit ako sa bartender, demanded a drink before looking around.

I took a gulp of my drink, enjoying the burning sensation it gave my throat. Muli kong inikot ang tingin sa paligid, cautious of any danger that lurks around.

I felt uneasy when I felt a gaze directly at me from somewhere down the room. I ignored it and took another drink.

Nang ibaba ko ang baso ay agad kong nakita kung saan nagmumula ang tingin. I rolled my eyes and walked my way across the hazy air of the bar. Napansin niya ang paglapit ko, ngunit hindi man lamang siya nag-alis ng tingin hanggang sa marating ko ang tapat niya.

"Where's the Capo?" tanong ko ngunit ang tingin ay nasa paligid, to avoid suspicion.

He looked around before slouching on his seat and drinking everything in his glass in one go. "Ako ba ang kausap mo?"

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Come on Viper, sino pa nga ba?"

Viper crossed his arms and shrugged. "Since when are we in talking terms, 1164?"

I hate the sound of those numbers in his lips, ngunit hindi ko na lamang iyon pinansin. I wasted no time leaving. Tama siya, we never really had a formal conversation. Hindi rin kami ang tipong nagkakamustahan, and sure enough, we don't ask questions of each other. Nakailang hakbang na ako nang marinig ko siyang sumagot.

"He's not around."

Napatigil ako at nilingon siya. "Then who the hell did all this?"

Tumingin si Viper sa paligid. "The party? This is nothing new."

Right. It's like the usual thing. A party- but what actually happens are drug deals and human trafficking-all things are possible in this party. Pero kung ganitong wala ang Capo, who will I report to?

"A report this early?" Tila nabasa niya ang iniisip ko.

Hindi ko siya nilingon. "It's none of your business."

"Do you like chess?"

Nilingon ko siya at sinamaan ng tingin. Saka ko lamang napansin ang maliit na chessboard sa kanyang gilid. Sa unang tingin ay mukha iyong ordinaryong chessboard, but if you look closely, you will notice that the chess pieces are actually gold and silver bullets.

"Chess is more complicated than it appears to be. You have to position the pieces accordingly. And sometimes, you have to sacrifice something so your best pieces can move forward." Viper rolled a silver bullet on the side.

One thing about Viper is that he isn't only a skilled killer. He was also a grand puppeteer, with cunning ways of deceit and manipulation. Maamo ang kanyang mukha, one that women would fall head over heels for. No one would suspect him to be someone who kills for a living.

Like me, Viper lived quite a sad childhood. Gaya ko ay isa rin siya sa mga batang inaapi noon. He was small and thin, and his different eye colors just made him a subject of insult and bullying. His eyes were dark brown and a lighter shade of hazel. He was called a freak, at lahat ng bata ay iniiwasan siya. He was also a pushover. Siya ang madalas na ginagawang alalay ng mga batang mas malalaki kaya sa amin noon.

One time, the other kids poked his eyes with a barbecue stick-and he gutted the kid barehanded. Gamit ang barbecue stick na tinusok nito sa kanyang mata, he stabbed him with it and poked a larger hole in his stomach, pulling out some of his organs.

It was gory, sad, and bloody, ngunit iyon ang naging hudyat para katakutan siya ng lahat. Mula noon ay wala ng nambubully sa kanya, or else another kid would lose his life.

Viper as a kid was the goriest kid out there. Sa tuwing may pinapatay siya, he had unorthodox ways of parading his kill. Minsan ay sinasabit niya ang ulo nila sa kawayan, putting it somewhere where everyone can see. He would also send random body parts to everyone.

But I don't remember him doing any of that to me. Hindi rin niya ako kinakausap, at sa mga pagkakataong pinagtutulungan ako ng ibang mga bata, he would stand on the side and looked at me without breaking eye contact. Hindi ko maintindihan ang tingin niyang iyon. It could be his way of telling me that I am a pathetic kid who cannot stand for myself.

It could also mean something, ngunit walang kahit anong nagkumpirma kung ano ang ibig sabihin niyon. Until we started the training to be the skilled killers of the organization, Viper was the top of the class, at ako ang sumunod.

No one actually believed my skill at iniisip nilang dahil iyon sa koneksyon ko sa Capo. But Viper treated me like a real competitor at wala akong narinig na kung ano man sa kanya.

"I'm not interested in your demented chess game, Viper," sabi ko. "Salamat sa impormasyon. I'll just find a way to reach the Capo-"

"They cut off your access." He put aside another silver bullet at hindi man lamang ako tinapunan ng tingin.

Muli akong napalingon sa kanya. How did he know?!

"Ikaw...? Are you-"

He took a sip of his whisky. "Pointing fingers, are we?"

Sino nga ba ang may kakayahang sirain ang plano ko? Now that I remember, he was a pain in my neck. He was always a step ahead of me, effortlessly blocking my success. While I was planning and strategizing, he was already executing his plans. What's worse, he never boasted; his superiority was more unsettling than any taunt.

Tumayo siya at bahagyang lumapit sa akin. He towered over me, shoulders slightly brushing against my back. "You know what they say? The best defense is a good offense," he murmured in my ear.

I tilted my head back to look up at him. "And a good defense can be a well-planned offense."

His lips tilted into a smile, ngunit hindi ko alam kung ano ibig sabihin ng ngiting iyon. "Do you know why the Capo hasn't given you a name despite your contributions?"

Nakuyom ko ang kamao. He didn't need to remind me of it. Sa tuwing may mga malalaking misyon, I felt so uncelebrated. Viper just reminded me of the fact that in our world, having a name is a luxury. But for me, that luxury is so out of reach. Hanggang ngayon, I was still called 1164- my bed number at the organization's prison cell. Children and women were kept their to be enslaved, trained to be killers or used as drug carrier. Marami pa silang maaring gawin sa mha nakakulong doon.

Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya na nakikita ng Capo ang lahat ng paghihirap ko. That little nod whenever I successfully cleared a mission? That spoke volumes!

Pero hanggang kailan ko papaniwalain ang sarili ko doon?

While everyone got a name, I am still nameless. In the numerous missions I've been on, I lived with various names.

Natalie, the hooker.

Grace, the efficient secretary.

Katherine, the diplomat's mistress.

And now, I am Star, the social climber.

But none of those names were given by the Capo himself, like how he named Viper, because of his cold-blooded nature and deadly ways.

Sinalubong ko ang kanyang tingin. His mismatched eyes showed a flicker of amusement. "I see right through your games, Viper. You can manipulate everyone but me."

Viper chuckled softly. "You give me too much credit."

"The Capo's not around, at gaya ng sabi ko kanina, I have no business with you. See you around, Viper."

Hindi pa man ako nakakahakbang nang muli siyang nagsalita. "Piece of advice, be careful with the Vander reaper."

Sa pagkakataong ito ay nilingon ko siya at tiningnan nang masama. "Alam mong ayaw kong may nakikialam sa trabaho ko, Viper."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said, it's an advice."

"I don't need it, especially if it's coming from you," sagot ko sa kanya bago siya tuluyang iniwan doon.

This is the longest conversation we had. Hindi ko alam bakit ngayon ay nangingialam siya. Does he want this job? Does he want me to fail? Pero anong makukuha niya roon?

The only reason I could think of is that Viper is trying to make me a pawn in his demented chess game.

#

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