ARTEMIS LARCENA
Isang oras matapos naming kumain ay dumating na rin si Von, ang private doctor ko na pumunta rito kahapon. He's here for two reasons: to look after Addieline and to examine Shiriyo's condition. Nakasuot siya ng casual clothes ngayon, katulad ng suot niya kahapon.

Isa siya sa mga pinagkakatiwalaan kong tao kaya komportable akong iwan sila Addie sa kanya. He even left Clandestine Organization just to be my doctor so that's one more reason why I trust him.

"Sorry for letting you babysit Addie and Shiriyo. Alam ko namang wala kang ibang trabaho kaya ikaw lang ang pwede kong asahan dito," I said but he acted uninterested while sitting on the couch with his arms spread carefreely.

"And you," bumaling ako kay Shiriyo. "Tandaan mo ang mga sinabi ko kanina. And don't even think about leaving the house while I'm gone if you don't want your dead body to be found in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle," I warned.

Tumingin lang siya sa'kin pagkatapos ay bahagyang tumango. Binalik ko naman ulit ang atensyon ko kay Von.

"Alam kong wala ka nang sasabihin kaya aalis na ako," sabi ko sa kanya. Tumango lang siya sa'kin bilang sagot.

Sigh. Parang wala lang akong kausap kapag kaharap ko ang dalawang 'to.

Hindi na ako nagtagal pa. Matapos kunin ang helmet sa kwarto ko ay lumabas na ako at dumiretso sa motorbike na nasa garahe. Naka-puting sando lang ako na pinatungan ng isang brown na duffle coat. Para sa pambaba, nakasuot ako ng isang maong na shorts na natatabunan ng duffle coat at isang pares ng combat boots. May dala rin akong baril at dagger na itinago ko sa loob ng duffle coat.

Never go out unarmed. 'Yan ang isa sa mga rules of survival kapag nagtatrabaho sa Clandestine.

Earlier, after talking to Shiriyo about the few simple rules here in the house, Klion sent me a message just in time. Pinapapunta niya ako sa Cafe ni Illian dahil masarap daw ang mga kape doon.

---

At exactly ten in the morning, I was already at the cafe where Klion asked me to meet up. I'm currently sipping on a cup of caramel macchiato while waiting for him.

As always, late nanaman siya. Ang usapan namin 10 am pero 10:01 na at wala pa rin siya.

"Hey there, beautiful. This is for you. It's on the house."

Someone placed a slice of cake on my table. Kahit hindi ko tignan ang mukha ng taong yon ay kilala ko na siya agad.

"Mag-isa ka lang?" Illian asked. Siya ang may-ari ng cafe na 'to. He's an average-looking man who's five years older than me. His overall looks are 5/10. I was generous to give him a five-over ten because he's a close acquaintance.

Kasama ko siya dati magtrabaho sa Clandestine; pati na rin sila Axl at Klion na myembro ng Hacker at Artillery Department.

Clandestine Organization has four main departments and those are: the Hacker Department; the Artillery Department which is responsible for developing the Organization's weapons; the Assault Department where I was once a part of, they are responsible for carrying out missions along with the Hacker Department who supports them; lastly, the Support Department who takes care of the remaining works in the Organization.

"I see that your eyes are not working properly. Want me to gouge them out for you?" sagot ko sa kanya.

"Hahahaha. Ang sweet mo naman pero no thanks. Hindi ko na makikita ang kagandahan mo kapag nawalan ako ng mata," aniya.

He sat on the chair in front of me and took a bite on the cake that he placed on the table.

I looked at him coldly, "Akala ko ba akin 'yan?"

"Share tayo."

"You can just get another one since this is your cafe, bakit kailangan mo pang makihati?"

"Syempre para matikman mo kung gaano katamis ang laway ko."

Oo nga. Isa lang ang tinidor. Mukhang wala talaga siyang balak na ibigay sa'kin ang cake.

"No thanks, sayo na 'yan."

I arched my brows when he didn't even refute.

"Paano ka nga pala naka-survive hanggang ngayon?" tanong niya matapos ubusin ang cake.

I guess the word chew is not in his vocabulary. Puro lunok lang ata ang ginawa ng taong ito eh.

"What do you mean?" I played dumb. Inilapag ko ang iniinom ko na nakakalahati ko pa lang.

Alam ko kung ano ang tinutukoy niya pero ayaw ko lang siyang sagutin.

"Hahaha, alam mo ang tinutukoy ko," he said then took my macchiato and drank it without hesitation.

Ngayon wala na akong gagawin.

"Ganyan ka ba sa ibang costumers mo?"

"Sayo lang, special ka kasi eh. Ayiieee!" he said then jokingly nudged at my flank.

Parang tanga lang. No wonder he's Axl's older brother. Pero lumamang lang sa kagwapuhan ang isa. Totoo nga siguro ang sinasabi nila na sa magkakapatid, mas maganda o gwapo ang bunso.

"Aha...ha...ha...kinikilig ako," I sarcastically replied while imitating Shiriyo's expressionless face.

"Halata nga eh," tumatawang komento niya. "Sabi ni Axl nag-aaral ka na daw kaya ka tumakas sa Clandestine?"

Napakunot-noo ako sa sinabi niya. That boy's mouth will be the death of me someday. Ang hilig makipagdaldalan sa mga chismoso.

"Correction. I quit."

"Hahahaha, may ganon pala? Akala ko ba bawal ang salitang 'yon sa Clandestine?"

"You're quite brave to mention that name twice in a public place, you know?"

"Hehe, kaya nga nagustuhan mo 'ko 'di ba? Kasi matapang ako? Kaso lang mas pinili mo yung anak ng Chief na pinagpalit ka sa ibang babae kaysa sa'kin eh."

Isang malakas at malutong na tunog ang umalingawngaw sa paligid. Malakas ko siyang sinampal na nakaagaw ng atensyon ng mga tao sa loob ng restaurant.

Haa. That feels good. Kanina ko pa 'to gustong gawin sa kanya kaso ngayon ko lang na-tripan.

I did not do it because of what he said. Sadyang na-miss lang talaga ng palad ko ang mukha niyang sing-kapal ng pader.

"Aray! Bakit mo ginagawa 'yon?!" agad na reklamo niya habang minamasahe ang pisngi.

"Haha. Sorry, akala ko nananaginip ka kaya tinulungan kitang gumising." I replied with a grin plastered on my face. Besides, that slap doesn't hurt that much.

"Grabe ka sa gwapo kong mukha. Feeling ko tuloy bumakat yung palad mo sa pisngi ko eh," angal niya pa.

"What's going on here?" sabat ng kararating lang na si Klion.

Finally, a much more pleasing visual.

He's wearing a plain white T-shirt and black jeans while his black hair is combed neatly. Kahit na simple lang ang suot niya, hindi 'yon nakabawas sa points niya. His looks remain 8/10 and that's the highest score I give to handsome yet average-looking celebrities.

Seriously, halos lahat ng nagtatrabaho sa Clandestine Mafia, puro magaganda ang hitsura.

He placed his bag on top of the table pero hindi pa rin siya umuupo.

"Sinampal ni D05 ang gwapo kong mukha!" pasigaw na angal ni Illian. Agad ko namang tinadyakan ang paa niya sa ilalim ng lamesa samantalang sinamaan siya ni Klion ng tingin.

That is what they often call me because that is my codename. At kung magkikita kami, palagi kong suot ang metallic mask ni D05 para hindi ako makilala tuwing nasa-mission.

That mask was made by Klion, himself. Siya ang nagdesign niyon para sa'kin when I was still in the Organization. He's great at inventing new weapons that's why he was considered as one of the best in the Artillery Department.

"Aray! Bakit nanaman?" may hinanakit na tanong ni Illian sa'kin.

Pansin kong kanina pa kami pinagtitinginan ng mga customer sa cafe.

And it seems like he didn't notice what he said earlier.

"Watch your mouth," ani Klion.

"Ano nanaman ba ang ginawa ko? Lagi na lang akong mali kapag kasama ko kayo ah!" reklamo ni Illian.

"You called me by my codename just now," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Ha?" napatanga siya sa sinabi ko.

Hindi na ako sumagot dahil paniguradong mapipikon nanaman ako kapag bumuka pa ang bunganga niya.

Tumikhim si Klion, "anyways, let's discuss business. And because this is about business, let's talk in Illian's office here in the cafe. Follow me." he said and led the way like he owns the place.

"Oo, Klion, pwede niyong hiramin ang office ko," Illian sarcastically remarked. "Wala ka man lang paalam eh noh?"

Hindi naman ganon kalaki ang cafe ni Illion kaya mabilis kaming nakarating sa office niya. Once we got inside, Klion immediately closed the door in front of Illian's face.

"Hoy! Bakit hindi ako kasama?!" aniya habang kumakatok sa pinto.

Agad din naman itong binuksan ni Klion.

I think he'll lose some customers if he visits this cafe every day. Maraming gusto ng tahimik na lugar pero masisira ang katahimikan na 'yon kapag present ang eskandalosong lalaking ito.

"Bring me a cup of cappuccino and a slice of black forest cake," Klion said then closed the door again.

"Alam niyo? Ambabastos niyo! Office ko 'to ah tapos gagawin niyo akong waiter....Sabi ko nga kukuha na ako!"

Maya-maya ay huminto na din siya at narinig ko ang papalayong yabag niya.

Sakto lang ang laki ng office ni Illian, may isang office table sa dulo at swivel chair sa likod nito. There's also a sofa, chair, and an empty table not far away from the office table.

Sa sofa ako umupo habang kaharap ko naman si Klion na nakaupo sa isang upuan. Ipinatong niya naman ang bag na dala niya sa lamesa.

"Where is it?" I immediately asked once the bag was put down on the table.

"You are so impatient." He replied then took out one of the items inside the bag. He, then, handed it to me which made me frown.

"Ano ito?" kunot-noong tanong ko sa kanya. Binigyan niya kasi ako ng baril na hindi pamilyar sa'kin ang disenyo.

"Your weapon," he replied.

I was expecting to get my D5 Twin Guns na dinesenyo niya para sa'kin dati. Those babies and I worked alongside each other whenever I'm on a mission and never failed me even once. Of course, I'm talking about my twin guns.

Those are made of special materials and can only be used with the drop of my blood.

Hindi normal na bala lang ang ammunition niyon that's why a weapon like that is extremely hard to make, especially its bullets.

"This is not my weapon," I complained.

"Your weapons got confiscated by the Organization. And because this mission is not from the Organization, you will have to work with that."

Pagtapos niyon ay naglabas din siya ng isang kulay kahel na metallic mask, dark-colored clothes at iba pang mga gamit.

"'Wag mong sabihing ako ang gagamit niyan? The design looks ugly," I asked, pertaining to the orange mask and the clothes.

He replied, "I know."

Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin para pigilan ang sarili kong mainis. Alam kong sinadya niya 'yan para inisin ako.

"Now tell me the mission."