ARTEMIS LARCENA
"Impatient as ever, Artemis."

She took out a lollipop from her pocket, opened it, and placed it on her mouth.

"You are aware of what happens when a person who got injected with the Immortality Serum never took Clandestine's medicine for some time, right?" she asked.

Of course, I do. They have all gone mad.

"So?"

"What I'm saying is, you never took any of those medicine after you left Clandestine a year ago but you never showed any symptoms of getting crazy."

"And?"

"And...I was secretly experimenting with the serum that got injected into you eleven years ago; at nalaman kong medyo iba ang formula na ginamit nila sayo kumpara sa vaccine na in-inject nila sa ibang myembro ng Assault Department. Hindi ganon kalala ang epekto sa'yo kaya naman naisip ko na baka pwede kong gamitin ang dugo mo para ituloy ang research para sa cure ng serum. You know, to remove the side effects whenever you use your abilities."

Sa pagkakaalam ko, itinigil ang research para sa cure ng side effects ng vaccine dahil may gamot nang inilabas ang Clandestine Organiztaion para doon. Everyone got suspicious at that time but the only reason they gave us is the lack of funds.

Eleven years ago, nagconduct ng experiment ang iba't ibang scientist para madevelop ang isang serum na pwedeng mag-enhance ng senses and physical strength ng mga tao. My parents were part of them and I was one of the test subjects for the original serum; but after a few years, the research was forced to stop due to an unknown reason, and then; they were hunted like a herd of sheep ready for slaughter.

"That's it? You made me go all the way here for that? Pati si Klion dinamay mo para lang kumuha ng dugo ko?"

"Artemis, my dear, all members of Clandestine that are close to you are under surveillance since you left the Organization. The boss secretly installed tracking devices on our bodies just so he can find you. Kung hindi ko pa muntikang patayin ang sarili ko baka hindi ko pa malalaman 'yon hanggang ngayon."

Tumalikod siya sakin pagkatapos ay iniangat ang kanyang buhok para ipakita sakin ang kanyang batok. It was almost non-visible but I still saw the faint red light glinting on her nape.

"How did he insert that there?"

"Through an injection. Nilagay nila sa vaccines ang maliit na tracking device para hindi namin mapansin. They are always monitoring our every move so I can't meet you recklessly. Gusto mo bang pwersahang ibalik sa Clandestine?"

I frowned.

"Isn't that a little too much? I'm not even the strongest member in the organization so I don't get why he needs to go through all that trouble to find me."

"'Yon din ang hindi ko alam, kaya nga kailangan ko ng dugo mo eh. Para malaman kung may kakaiba nga ba sayo."

"And I suppose what Klion said about his endangered promotion isn't true? Of all people, why did you choose him?"

"Oh no, sweetie, totoo 'yon. I did stole those files. Mabuti na lang at ipinaalala mo sa'kin. Bunny, pakikuha nga 'yong chew toy mo," utos niya sa white tiger. Tumayo ito at sumunod sa utos niya na parang isang tao at nang makabalik ay may dala-dala na itong yupi-yuping hard drive.

It then spat it at my feet and returned to its original position.

"Hindi ko hahawakan 'yan," reklamo ko.

"Ang arte, three times a day nagtotooth brush si Bunny ano. Isn't that right, bunny wunny~" she replied while petting the tiger.

I sighed. Pumunit ako ng maliit na bahagi ng tela mula sa suot ko at gamit 'yon ay dinampot ko ang hard drive.

"I'll get going then."

Paalam ko matapos ibulsa ang hard drive.

"Haaah? Aalis ka na lang nang hindi man lang nagbibigay ng dugo o kahit anong parte ng katawan mo?"

Kasabay ng sinabi niyang 'yon ay ang pag-angil ng tigre.

"Sigh. Give me the syringe."

Excited na ibinigay niya sa'kin ang isang medical syringe na galing sa drawer niya. I know how to withdraw blood on my own kaya hinahanap ko agad ang ugat sa braso ko at doon itinurok ang injection.

After a few seconds, I was already done.

"Here," inilapag ko ang syringe sa mesa niya pagkatapos ay tuluyan nang naglakad paalis. Nakakagulat na hindi niya 'ko sinubukang pigilan. Well, I'm not afraid of the tiger. She knows very well about what I can do once I'm driven into a corner so she won't do anything out of the line for sure.

"Thank you~ Balik ka ulit ha?" rinig kong ani niya.

As if. This woman is bat shit crazy and I knew it since the first time I met her.

Hindi ako dumaan sa front gate nang makalabas ako sa bahay niya. Just as she said earlier, they are being monitored by the Organization kaya ginamit niya si Klion para papuntahin ako dito in a form of a mission.

There's an easier way to make me go here but she chose such a bothersome way.

Habang nagdadrive ay napailing na lang ako. I'm surrounded by crazy people. I did not go straight home, instead, I went to Illian's cafe and went inside through the backdoor to change clothes and give Klion's hard drive.

"What is this?" he asked once I handed him the unrecognizable hard drive.

"The thing that you told me to retrieve," sagot ko sa kanya pagkatapos ay mabilis na nagpalit ng damit sa loob ng rest room ng Cafe.

"What the hell, Artemis? You...how...shit! That lunatic is trying to ruin my career!"

"Not my problem. Well, you still need to pay me. Wire the payments to my bank account tomorrow, okay?" I said while leaving through the back door. He was following behind me while spouting about some things that I did not even bother listening to.

Once I got on my motorbike, I immediately put on my helmet and started the engine. Gusto ko nang umuwi agad kaysa sa makinig sa sasabihin niya. I'm still irked about how he sold me off to that maniac.

"But..."

"Bye!"

Mabilis na pinatakbo ko paalis ang motor ko. At this time, it was already dusk. The road was illuminated by the street lights and filled with vehicles probably rushing to get home.

I can't believe I just got involved in a stupid ruse that Clea made.

Nang makarating ako sa bahay ay agad kong pinark ang motorbike sa garahe. Sa labas pa lang ako pero rinig na rinig ko na ang tv at ang mahina pero monotonic na tawa ng isang lalaki sa sala.

I took off my helmet, went inside, and saw Von who just went out from the kitchen, wearing a pink apron. Nang makita niya 'ko ay hinubad niya ang apron at pinuntahan ang mga gamit niya.

"Aalis ka na agad?" tanong ko sa kanya na sinagot niya ng tango.

"You should at least eat first before leaving."

"Hindi na," he answered then took his things and left.

Haa. Wala na talagang akong matinong kilala.

Dumako ang paningin ko kay Shiriyo na hanggang ngayon ay nanonood pa rin sa tv. Hindi naman siya feel at home ano?

Is this guy really an assassin?

"Haha...haha."

A sound of what seems to be laughter came out from his slightly curled-up mouth while wearing a blank expression on his face.

Okay, that's creepy. But he's still gorgeous.

"Do you find that funny?"

Napalingon siya sa'kin dahil sa tanong kong 'yon.

"A little."

"Nagugutom na 'ko," Addie said as she went down the stairs in her pajamas. It looks like she has recovered.

"Von cooked dinner before he left, mauna na kayong kumain."

"Ikaw?"

"Nah, I'll eat later. If something happens just call me."

Dumiretso ako sa loob ng kwarto ko. After going inside, I locked the door and opened the secret compartment on the wall. I took one of the vials and carefully inspected it.

Strange. This is exactly like the medicines that the Organization gives us whenever we have seizures kaya papaanong humihina pa rin ang five senses ko? It works pretty well on Addie so why doesn't it do the same for me?