20 Side Ops with Joe.

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me, a side ops and blablabla, guess what, there are only 12 days before Christmas and I am hell excited, I really don't know why but Christmas really makes me giddy, it makes me hype, it makes me feel alive like, oh it's very hard to explain, the gifts, the aura, the spirit, the people, the music, the sparkling lights and everything around me, oh Christmas.

It's a Saturday today, just a few days since I whopped Ethan's podex. and finally I've got some time to rest and do some other things than protecting my friends or doing boring school things.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you on what I do mostly on Saturdays and Sundays or the weekends, well, I just read lots and lots of books, practice my martial arts or train, learn new languages or such things to improve and cultivate oneself. You know sometimes, I forgot that I am an agent, or that I was on a mission. I tend to forget that I should not trust anybody because I am a secret agent, and now I've got two friends that I have shown what I can do like the past times, but yeah, all I just need to do is I should be responsible on all things and never to forget who and why I am here. But yeah, once again, let's get started.

I woke up with the sunlight shining on me through the balcony, oh the beautiful sunlight. I stood up, stretched and went to the balcony, and once again, I saw the majestic lake of Taal and the mountain ridges that spanned the horizon. Today is going to be a very good day.

I shouted to the balcony for the wide vast view "Good Morning Philippines!"

And someone in the neighborhood shouted back a reply, "Hey! Someone is sleeping here! Keep it down!" and so I flinched.

"Sorry!" I replied back.

I went to my usual things, I trained and worked out, ate my very awesome breakfast and readied myself for the things I am going to do today.

I put on Eve and sadly, it looks like I won't be cultivating myself today. Exactly as I put on Eve, a coincidence, Macabulos called me through Eve.

"Good Morning agent, it has been awhile but yeah." Macabulos said with royalty.

"Hey Macabulos, what's up? You rarely called on a weekend, are there any problems?" I asked with curiosity.

"Oh, nothing much Datu Puti and there are no problems, but sadly, for you, you've got a side ops for today and this operation, is very heavy mind you. Someone is going to be killed or be alive and that depends in your actions and your partner's actions." He ordered.

"Oh my, but wait, I've got a partner for today? So it means it is really heavy is it? Who is my partner?" I asked with intense excitement.

Macabulos seemed to smile in the other line "You'll see when you get to your rendezvous point, you are very lucky, kid."

Oh my, I am expecting it to be Lakan Dula or Pagbuaya, but I am just keeping my hopes up.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply to contain my excitement "Okay, sure, uhm, mission data?"

"Your mission data, what: The assassination of the Batangas City mayor, when: later approximately at 9 am in a flag ceremony in the Batangas City capitol, which is also where, who are the enemies, hired assassins but these assassins, they seem to be well trained and we assume that it is going to be a sniper for that many people. And on what you should do, make sure that the city Mayor stays alive, that's all, and stay undercover, understood?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, sure."

"Good luck soldier, rendezvous point : in the McDonalds near the capitol." And he disconnected.

I puffed my cheeks out, oh well, I should prepare now.

I readied my things in my school bag, same weapons I have, my umbrella, my pens, and I also brought a pistol sniper incase, and in the case of metal detectors, I put my pistol snipers in a secret gun compartment in my bag.

I rocked on a black shirt with The Beatles logo in front of it, a pair of jeans, a classic black hi cut Chuck Taylors and my watch for protection and of course, also Eve. Now, I simply look like a rocker who still wants to study because there is a test tomorrow kind of look.

I went outside the house and walked in the broad warm day light going towards the road to wait for a jeep to transport me to the rendezvous point. If you are asking where my staff is, it's his day off too today for doing nothing in the whole weekdays. I suddenly wanted to be a staff at that moment, just messing around.

The moment I got into the road to wait for a jeep, I saw John in front of our campus, his back against the wall near the gates and his arms crossed and he wore a plain white tee and chino shorts and flipflops, and the weird funny thing, he is doing some kind of angry observant face to me and the direction I came from.

With him being like that, which is very unusual, I waved at him. And he seemed to get back on his senses and waved back.

I yelled to him "Hey! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he sounded sonorous, "where are you going?"

"Just going to buy some things in the city." I told him.

"I'll go with you." Which is weird and he seems to be forceful today, which usually is not him.

"No need! Thanks!" I shouted back as a jeep passed through and I hailed it. I rode it all the way to the city, thinking how weird John is today, but meh, who cares, maybe he just blanked out from school stress or things like Christmas, whatever.

After a few minutes, I got to the McDonalds near the Capitol building. I sat in on one of the tables outside the McDonalds and waited for my so-called partner that Macabulos called me lucky for him.

I looked around the capitol area using Eve's binocular mode and all I saw are staff that are fixing the venue, soldiers securing the perimeter, police on check points and boy scouts helping out.

After awhile, some guy sat on the chair beside me.

At my first look, I never knew who he was like maybe he is just a stranger or something. He has a very regal face in early 20s that is used to smiling like a lot by his smile lines by his eyes. A gymnast skater body lifter hybrid kind of body, a windblown hair like those modern artist's hair, like 'my hair is messy but it still looks awesome' kind of hair. He is wearing a blue pocket tee shirt and some camouflage colored cargo shorts and sneakers, he's got the same pack that I am using right now. And also he wears glasses just like mine.

A laid back attitude, regal features, that hair, no way.

I offered my hand immediately, trying to contain my excitement "Lapu-lapu, it's an honor." as I bowed my head with reverence.

He laughed and gave me a high five instead, "You really are too respectful Datu Puti." Then he looked at me "Wow, you have grown up too fast, I saw your mission log too, you are so awesome, and also skilled. And bro, let's not call ourselves our Anakdatu codenames, it just kills of the vibe," He seemed to think "I'll be Joe and you will be Bob, is that cool?" He asked me.

"Joe Bob? Really?" I asked in confusion.

He laughed once again "Yep, you heard it right, hey there," He offered his hand, "I'm Joe."

I shook his hand "And I'm Bob, and together, we are the-"

He laughed again, he is a very easy going guy "You are awesome to be with, I like your attitude but yeah, that's good."

I saw the time through Eve and it is already quarter to 9.

"Oh, thanks, you too, I never thought you will be this laid back, like of course, everyone looks up to you as the greatest soldier there is, but you are fun, which is unexpected." I told him as we stared through the Capitol.

"Well, you don't need to be serious always in fighting, I fight for justice and you know," He smiled "For fun, I'm hero just for fun, I'm like Saitama."

I laughed, "And you are bonkers. Since when did you became part of the organization?" I asked.

He sighed and looked up as if trying to remember, "I become the youngest agent Anakdatu ever had, I started at 12 and now I'm 21, 9 years in the organization and I never got bored. Practiced all kinds of weapons, learned all the martial arts that can be very useful and made all of it black belt, did thousands of missions and still being happy."

This man, in summary is very awesome.

He pointed to the city capitol "Hey, I think we should go there now, it seems it's going to start now."

"Okay Joe."

He laughed so heartily "Let's go Bob."

***

We reached the Capitol and it's awesome. Lots of people scrambled around the square where the flagpole stood, of course, without its flag yet. Staffs running back and forth hoisting heavy speakers in their backs, and other people who seemed busy.

Joe the Lapu Lapu, or Lapu lapu as Joe, whatever, said that he will go around and do some recon around the area and he will be far from the Mayor for a bird's eye view and he told me to stay close and to be alert too.

After minutes, Lapu lapu, through my glasses said that he found the sniper and it is on my 5 o'clock, near the tall grass on the mound and I should open my umbrella as soon as I heard the shot to shield the mayor. This is easy.

People started to gather in the main square, standing reverently for the flag raising. And the ceremony started, the city Mayor got into the place too and he is now at the stage and several other government officials, and a conductor for the national anthem.

Drum rolls… another round of drum rolls… almost there. And the conductor raised his hand for the first beat and he brought it down. I readied my umbrella.

With my very fast reflexes, as soon as I heard the shot, I ran as quickly as I could to the stage and opened my umbrella, and thank God, I deflected the bullet. I shouted at Lapu-lapu who is approaching towards me and the officials "Attend the officials! Evacuate the area, I'll chase the assassin."

He nodded and opened his own umbrella to protect the Mayor and several other important persons. And I closed my umbrella and grabbed my pistol sniper in my pack and went after the sniper.

I ran fast enough but he runs fast as I do, this ain't some kind of ordinary assassin. All I saw as I ran is a man who wears a black like sneaking suit and a helmet like Black Panther's, no, he looked like a Black Panther cosplayer who attempted to kill the Mayor. But his mere difference to Black Panther is he wears a fur cloak, a white fur cloak.

I tried to make the shot and aimed for his shoulder. But when the bullet hit his shoulder, it just ricocheted. Omnimetal? He didn't even staggered by the impact of the bullet in his shoulder which is weird. He turned back at me and his mask portrays a dog, no, a wolf. That is weird. I stopped my pursuit and watched him escape.

I ran back to the Capitol and saw all has been cleared and I saw Joe back on the same spot in the McDonalds. I went there and sat back to him.

"Hey there Bob! We saved the Mayor and his friends, yay!" He smiled, "By the way, what happened to the assassin?"

I told him everything that happened and passed the log on Eve to his glasses.

He looked estranged "Well, that's new, I expect Macabulos to assign to kill that assassin sometime," He stood up "Oh well, the good thing is we saved the Mayor and we did our mission not to make the flag a half-mast, so yay! Anyways, nice working with you and I got to go back to The Hut because my Side Ops is done too."

"Wait, you're going back to The Hut?"

He smiled, "Oh yeah, no worries, I'll tell your parents you're okay. And as far as I know, they are so proud of you."

We parted ways after that. I went home to The Hut jr, and then I did my planned things to cultivate and improve myself, this day, I practiced and learned how to play the guitar(Yay!). I can't forget the assassin whom I pursued awhile ago. Why do I feel everything is connected? The assassin, my presence in that place, I don't know. Oh well, so much for a week end. Christmas is coming!