Video

Chapter 38. Video

SOME of the female agents from before were called out to do the mission again: to bring down de L'Orage, which they knew it wouldn't be an easy job. And just as expected, Bree was trained by Devon to silence those who'd be on their way.

Kaagad naman nilang tinapos ni Rexton ang kanilang honeymoon para magkaroon siya ng maraming oras para sa paghahanda at pagsasanay. She promised him it'd be the last she would be in missions. At babawi siya para sa naudlot nilang honeymoon sa mga susunod na pagkakataon.

She was sent back to de L'Orage and she's with her husband during the flight, but they pretended to not know each other. Dahil iba ang pagkatao niya ngayon, at single ang civil status niya. That she's bound to marry another man, too. Si Devon nga.

Annually, Sunshine had a month-long vacation, and the mission started just before that break. Gaya noon ay huli nang dumating si Bree sa El Salvador, at si Devon ang sumalubong sa kaniya.

"So, you're using a different code?" he asked about her codename. She was informed that the other agents decided to use their code names, instead of their fake names before.

"Not literally a codename. It's just my name's initials—BL."

Napatango ito at umakbay sa kaniya at pinuntahan nila ang ibang mga kasamahan. Pinakilala siya bilang fiancée nito at kitang-kita niya ang disappointment sa mukha ng isang lalaking kasama nila. Sa durasyon ng biyahe ay nalaman niyang mag-asawa pala ang dalawa at parehong drug dealer ng de L'Orage. At iyon ang magiging trabaho niya kung sakaling kailanganin daw siya ng mag-asawa. Sa ngayon ay iba ang ibinigay na trabaho sa kaniya, na pinagtakhan niya.

Nang makarating na sa pupuntahan ay naiwan sila ni Devon sa garahe.

"Dito tayo ngayon?" she asked right away. The place was just like a normal house with a mixture of classic and modern design. Far from what she expected where she would stay.

He nodded. "May ibang agents ang naka-assign sa office."

"Pero bakit dito tayo?" She wasn't briefed about that. Ang alam niya'y kung saan siya dinala noon ay roon din dapat ngayon.

"Hugh is here, too." 

Nangunot ang noo niya dahil kulang ang eksplanasyong iyon. She wasn't informed about that, too. She honestly thought that one of their best hackers got married and quitted the agency already. That only the girls were called in the mission.

"We'll accompany him here. He's been trying to hack into their main server for weeks now." He's pertaining to the organization's. "Huwag mo siyang i-istorbohin sa basement. Hindi alam ng dalawang iyon na may iba tayong kasama rito." He glanced at the couple who just went inside the house.

"I see. But I really thought I'd be with the girls." Somehow, she missed those crazy bunch of bitches. They weren't invited on the wedding because Rexton made sure it'd be private. However, he promised another wedding on their next anniversary. It would be a beach wedding just as what he wanted. Kung siya ang tatanungin ay kontento na siyang naikasal na sila, pero naisip niyang ikasasaya nito ang pagpayag niya kaya um-oo siya nang hindi na nagdalawang-isip pa.

"Siya nga pala, bakit wala ka noong kasal? Rexton told me he invited you."

Sumama ang timpla ng mukha nito, almost rolled his eyeballs. "He invited me on the same day of your wedding. And I was still in France."

She frowned. What did he do in France?

"Let's not talk about your wedding, Mrs. dela Costa."

Though he sounded a bit sarcastic, she couldn't help but smile because of that. Totoo na talagang dala-dala na niya ang apelyido ng lalaking kaytagal niyang pinangarap. Na ilang beses niyang sinukuan noon at pinilit kalimutan. Pero ngayon, ito mismo ang nagpatali sa buhay niya. Hindi rin niya mapigilang kiligin sa tuwing naaalala niya ang kasal nila.

"Tss..."

"Pumasok na nga tayo. Baka magduda na ang iba," pag-iiba niya sa usapan.

It had been two days since her arrival, and yet, she's still not doing anything. Nasa loob lang siya sa may kalakihang bahay na pinuntahan nila, nagpapanggap na naglilinis. She went to the basement where Hugh was hiding, and asked him what was happening.

"Why are you here?"

"Wala naman sila," panimula niya dahil baka inaalala nitong mahuli sila ng mag-asawa. "Just want to ask why are we here? Why aren't we doing anything? Wala sa usapang magpapanggap akong katulong!"

Though she's a spoiled brat in her younger years, her mom still taught her some household chores when they lived in the province for a few years. Kaya hindi na bago sa kaniya ang mga gawaing bahay.

"Bakit palagi akong iniiwan ni Devon? I thought we're partners in this mission?" Si Devon kasi ang nagsilbing driver ng mag-asawa. She didn't expect that because what she knew was he was supposed to be a lawyer, and that she'd be his secretary and fiancée. Nagulat na lang siya na nag-iba na pala ang plano nang mismong dumating siya sa bansang iyon. She couldn't use any of gadgets, too. Devon prohibited it. Sinabing tuwing linggo lang daw pwedeng gumamit ng telepono dahil ayaw ng mag-asawa na naiistorbo siya sa pagta-trabaho. She's really suspicious about it that's why she decided to sneak today and asked Hugh instead. Hindi na siya makapaghihintay hanggang Linggo!

"Why don't you ask him?"

"I did! But he's ignoring me. Always saying that he's dead tired and wants to take a rest."

"Then, ask him again later. Because I, myself, don't know what am I supposed to do. Why am I here, too." Irritation was visible in his voice.

"What?"

"I'm being locked in here. I still didn't even have any decent meal." A short pause before he smirked. "Why, thank you..."

"Huh?"

"You just opened the door for me." Mas ngumisi ito at lumapit sa kaniya. Dahil hindi handa ay mabilis siya nitong nabuhat na parang sako at ibinalibag sa higaan nito. Bahagyang sumakit ang pang-upo niya dahil hindi kalambutan ang gawa sa kahoy na kama. Manipis din ang kutson.

"Are you nuts?!" she shouted angrily.

Mabilis siyang nakahuma pero kaagad ding nakalayo si Hugh.

"I'm sorry, Bree. I have to get out and check what's happening. I don't even have my laptop here."

Mas lalo siyang nagtaka. "What do you mean? Aren't you supposed to be hacking de L'Orage's server?"

He didn't answer her question. Not because he didn't want to, but probably because he didn't know, too. Instead, he said, "If you get caught, just tell them you don't know anything."

"Why would I get caught when I'm still not doing anything?"

"Fucking Cristobal!"

"Devon?"

"Ang sigurado ko lang ay ginulo niya ang plano! We're supposed to capture those lovey-dovey tonight."

Huminahon siya at umupo sa gilid ng maliit na kama. Nakuha niyang tinutukoy nito ang lalaki at babaeng pinagsisilbihan niya bilang katulong sa bahay na iyon.

"Let's have a plan," mahinahon na ring bulalas ni Hugh at hindi na nagtangkang lumabas pa. Mukhang totoo ngang ikinulong ito roon ni Dev.

She bit her lower lip and nodded. She didn't have anyone to trust now, but, she wouldn't sit back and do nothing.

"First of all, did you disable the CCTVs?"

"What CCTVs?" takang-tanong niya. "I was told there aren't any security cameras in here."

Umiling-iling si Hugh at lumabas. Tahimik na sumunod siya at napamaang nang makitang ang dami palang cameras na nadoon sa bahay. Even in her room!

"Don't worry, they won't suspect anything now." Makalipas lang ng halos dalawang oras ay natapos na ito sa pagkalikot sa mga camera. He even sneaked in the master's bedroom to use the computer in there.

"What the heck is happening?" she muttered under her breath. Then, she thought of her husband again. "Can I make a call?"

Mabilis itong umiling. "I think they wiretapped the telephone lines. So, no."

Nakauunawang tumango siya. She's just hoping that Rexton wouldn't lose his focus on the missions because he might realized she's not in her post now. Or... he probably knew about the changes that had been made. Afterall, he was their leader now.

As days passed by, she kept on nagging Devon and asked him about their jobs, but as usual, he's ignoring her questions.

"Ano ba, Bree? You'll go out once everything's settled!"

"You said I should always be on standby! That I'll be your sniper, too." Aside from being his 'secretary' and 'fiancée'.

"Basta. Wala ka bang tiwala sa akin?"

Sumimangot siya at tumungo. Dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi na niya alam kung mapagkakatiwalaan pa ba ang lalaking tinuring niyang matalik na kaibigan.

"Just trust me, okay? After these, we will live peacefully."

Peacefully?

"Kumain ka na ba?"

Umiling siya at sinabing busog pa siya sa kinaing ice cream kanina.

"You should eat," pamimilit nito.

She ate a little and she noticed him breathed heavily. As if he sighed his relief.

"Aalis na kami. You should take a rest now instead of cleaning. Hindi naman makalat."

Tango lang ang isinagot niya at umalis na ang mga ito.

She secretly went to the basement again to talk to Hugh about their plan.

"Here's what we're going to do..."

Tahimik na nakinig siya habang inilalapag nito ang plano.

REXTON almost lost his focus on the missions because Bree wasn't with the girls when she was supposed to be working with them, living with them in a roof. But Devon told him that he put her in a safer place. Pero hindi siya makampante dahil kahit kailan ay hindi naging magaan ang dugo niya sa lalaking iyon.

Kausap niya ngayon si Dice via video call. Nasa Pilipinas ang huli at pinahanap niya rito ang lokasyon ni Bree. Devon wouldn't just tell him about her whereabouts because he was told that his wife didn't want to let him know. That he should ve taking care of the missions instead.

Which was impossible. She knew Bree more than anyone.

"Hindi na dapat ako pumayag sa gusto niya. I should've just locked her inside our home until she got pregnant. Damn it..." bulong niya sa sarili.

Tumikhim naman si Dice na nagpabalik sa atensiyon niya.

"Go on," aniya.

"Remember that spy camera on your playroom years ago? Who installed that?"

Nagtatakang tumitig siya sa screen ng kaniyang laptop. He's in his office in the liquor company he established in San Salvador solely for the mission, the Trove Liquor Inc., and was about to have a meeting with the investors in an hour or so. Everything was going according to plan, except from Bree and Devon's.

"I've found who installed—"

"Teka lang," agap niya. "Ang sinabi ko, hanapin mo ang asawa ko, hindi ang mag-aksaya ng oras sa kung ano-anong bagay."

"I can't find her. But I found this instead." He browsed something on his phone and played a video.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya nang makilala ang video na iyon. Nagtagis ang bagang niya at pinatigil ang pag-play niyon. He clenched his fists tightly to try to get a hold of himself.

"It wasn't Kristen—or Luna Bustos—who installed that."

All along, they thought it was that woman who spied on him. He even got the hold of the supposed to be only copy of that video. Pero mukhang mali na nagpakampante siya noong makuha ang kopyang iyon. Mali na hindi niya tinutukan ang motibo nito sa pagkabit ng camera sa silid na iyon. At kung paano nito nalaman ang tungkol doon.

"It's Devon Cristobal who did," Dice added.

Now, it all made sense. Someone made her do those things. Someone, whom his wife was fond of. But still, he scowled because he remembered Bree told him that that fucking devil didn't film anything. Bumaling ulit siya sa screen ng laptop at pilit na pinakalma ang sarili kahit pa nga gusto na niyang ipatawag ang lalaki ora mismo at pasakitan.

"Sorry if I watched it though."

That's not what he's thinking of. "Where did you find that?"

"On your brother-in-law's computer."

Napalunok siya at napakurap-kurap. Iyon ba ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya kinibuan ni Brian nang tumawag ito kahapon? Pinatayan kaagad siya nito ng tawag pagkasagot niya.

"I looked into it until I found where was it sent."

"From one of yhat devil's devices... Right?" he concluded.

Tumango si Dice at sinabing sa computer ng lalaki sa tinitirhang bahay galing iyon. Sinabi rin ni Dice na huwag siyang mag-alala sapagkat sisirain na nito ang lahat ng kopya. "O kung hindi ko man masira ang lahat ay maglalagay ako ng bug sa pinaka-pinagmulan ng video—" At sa personal computer iyon ng gagong si Devon. "—para kung sino man ang mag-play ng kopya niyon ay ma-a-activate ang bug at kakalat ang virus sa device kung saan ito p-in-lay."

Tumango siya. He's trusting his genius friend on that matter. Sa ngayon ay kailangan niyang mag-focus sa mga misyon habang hinahanap ang kaniyabg asawa. He also decided to call Brian first.

"Bro..."

Gaya ng inaasahan niya ay pinaulanan siya nito ng mura at tahimik na tinanggap niya ang mga iyon. Hanggang sa sinubukan na niyang magpaliwanag.

"Did you marry her just because you knew she's untouched?!"

Fuck. He's still fuming. And might be thinking that that video was latest.

"Mag-anull na kayo pagkabalik n'yo ritong gago ka!" Ang nasa isip kasi ng mga ito ay nasa honeymoon pa silang mag-asawa. "You acted as if you're crazily in love with my sister when you are not! You're only taking advantage of her because you know she's madly in love with you. And she was a virgin!"

"Fuck you, Mendoza! I am in love with Bree, and even if she's not pure, I'd still marry her!" sigaw niya pabalik at pinatayan ito ng tawag. Saka na niya ito paliliwanagan ulit, kapag humupa na ang init ng ulo nito. At isa pa, tumunog na ang intercom para ipaalam sa kaniya na dumating na ang mga ka-meeting niya.

Those were the clients of the organization who were interested to invest in the liquor company. And no matter what was happening, he must stay focused in order to find his wife as soon as possible.