266 Act

Chapter 40. Act

"YOU are a what?!"

Halos mabasag ang pandinig ni Bree sa sigaw na iyon ng kuya niya nang nasa tutuluyang condo na sila. Mukhang hindi na natiis kaya nagtanong-tanong na ito. Diniretso naman niyang parehas sila ng trabaho ni Rexton.

"Hon, bukas na iyan. She's still tired from the long flight."

She thankfully glanced at Chelin. Nalaman niyang iniwan ng mag-asawa ang dalawang anak sa kanilang mga magulang dahil magse-selebra ang mga ito ng wedding anniversary kahit matagal-tagal pa naman iyon. At kahit nakaistorbo si Rexton ay pinakiusapan pa rin nito si Chelin na samahan siya pagkauwi niya ng Pinas, mukhang iniisip nitong hindi siya titigil sa pag-i-imbestiga kahit pa nga ba wala na siya roon. That explained why her flight was bounded to Cebu, not in Manila.

Pero totoo nang nakinig siya kay Rexton ngayon at hindi na ipipilit pa ang gusto. Ayaw na niyang mapahamak muli, at mas lalong ayaw nang maramdaman ulit ang takot na muntik na niyang iwang mag-isa ang kaniyang asawa.

"Brianna!" Bumalik ang atensyon niya sa sigaw na iyon ng kaniyang kuya.

"Tama ang narinig mo, Kuya. I'm a secret agent just like Rexton, too."

Nagmura ito. "Did dela Costa drag you in this job?!"

"Ano? Hindi! I've been an agent long before he became one."

"What about that video?" nanggagalaiting tanong nito.

"What video?"

"'Tangina!"

"Brian Lee!" pigil ni Chelin; pilit na hinila si Brian palabas ng silid na tutuluyan niya, at nagpagiya naman ang kaniyang kuya. Mukhang naisip na hindi sila makakapag-usap ng maayos dala ng init ng ulo nito.

"Thanks, Ate Chel," she mouthed silently.

Nagtagal pa ng ilang araw bago tuluyang nakauwi si Rexton, at sinigurado nito na updated siya sa misyon kada araw. Though she promised to just stay still, her part wasn't done yet. This would be the last job she'd handle before finally quitting.

Now, she would 'erase' those who betrayed them. Just as what Devon expected her to do.

NAGTAGIS ang bagang ni Rexton nang malamang si Devon nga ang sumisira sa mga plano nila. Ilang beses na kasing nabuliyaso ang iilan sa mga iyon, at nang mga huli lang nakakuha ng solidong pruweba na ito ang may pakana sa pagsabotahe sa kanilang mga plano.

At hindi na niya kailangang manghula kung bakit nagawa nito ang bagay na iyon.

Kausap niya ngayon si Bree sa cellphone para balitaan ito sa progreso ng misyon. She then opened up about that old video, since her brother was fuming about that.

"What video was he talking about anyway? Galit na galit noong nakaraan. Until now, I can still feel his anger."

Bumuntong-hininga siya at sinabing mayroon pa palang kopya iyong noon. "But, don't think about it anymore, baby. This time, we made sure we destroyed the copies." He didn't say that her best friend was the one who's behind that spy camera.

"Okay. Nakakahiya kapag kumalat iyon. Masisira ka, baka madamay pa ang kumpanya't mag-pull out ang mga investors. Alam mo naman ang sex scandal, malaki ang impact..."

Napamaang siya. Why was she only thinking about him? "What about you? You're a public profile, Bree."

Saglit itong natigilan. "Oo nga, 'no?" Mukhang noon lang napagtantong sa kanilang dalawa ay ito ang mas masisira.

Damn. He wanted to see her already.

"Anyway, have you eaten?"

"Wait, I'm trying to search my name on porn sites."

"What?" kunot-noong tanong niya.

"Just to make sure our video wasn't leaked!"

"Baby, you won't see anyt—"

"Fuck! What is this?!"

Napatayo siya't kinabahan. "What?"

"It says 'Sunshine's vocalist's sexy voice will make you fap anywhere'." Hindi makapaniwalang suminghap ito. "My voice isn't porn-worthy! Ang OA naman nitong caption."

He chuckled. Kung alam lang nitong binabaliw siya nito sa tuwing humahalinghing ito; umuungol... Pero siyempre, ekslusibo lang para sa kaniya iyon.

On a serious note though, he would assign his team to take down malicious videos about Bree right after that call. Not only her, he'd do that in all of MI Ent.'s artists. Taon-taon na lang. Kung minsan, higit isang beses sa isang taon kung mag-take down sila ng malicious photos, articles, or videos. How many people did they sue for defamation and cyber-bullying already? He lost the count.

"Ano na nga palang nangyari kay Devon? Did he say why he had done that?"

Sumama ang timpla ng mood niya at hindi sinagot ang huling tanong nito. "He thought he saved you that night. Again." He didn't want to sound bitter, but somehow, he did. "That you were the one who was rushed in the hospital because you g-got..." Goddammit! Kahit hindi nangyari ay kinilabutan siya sa isipang binaboy ito.

"Then?" she added; waiting for more details.

"That right now, with you being alive, everything is in chaos."

"Chaos? Why though?"

"De L'Orage is under the impression that you're going to expose what's in San Salvador. Mukhang iyon ang sinabi ng Primo Lestrange na iyon sa kanila."

"Well, I can. And I will if you'd let me."

"You're out in this mission, Bree," he reminded her. Hindi sa sinasakal niya ang asawa, pino-protektahan niya lamang ito sa kapahamakan.

"Yes," in her low tone. "Of course..."

Hindi ito ang aatasan niyang gumawa sa bagay na iyon. Ibang tao. Kaya lang naman si Bree ang napagkamalan ay dahil ito ang iniisip na nahuli ng mga tauhan ng organisasyon.

"We have to wrap these up quickly. Malapit na rin pala kaming mag-record ng bagong album. Yesterday, we had a meeting with the director..."

"Yes." At nakinig siya sa kwento nito tungkol sa mga napag-usapan. Until they got back with their conversation regarding the missions again. About her last job.

Alam niyang may tsansa na hindi magawa ni Bree ang kasunod at huling plano dahil hanggang ngayon ay malapit at matalik pa ring kaibigan ang turing nito sa lalaki. Yet, he'd still trust his wife's judgment.

"Within this week, I will order some of the agents to be pulled out already." At iyong mga bumaliktad ang ipu-pull out niya, at ilan sa mga hindi kasamahan ng mga ito para hindi magduda.

"I get it." Pero alam niyang may gusto pa itong itanong kaya naghintay siya. Tumikhim pa muna ito bago nagpatuloy. "Uh, by the way, how did you know where I was?"

He knew it. Mula nang mailigtas kasi ito ay hindi pa rin nila napag-usapan ang tungkol doon.

"Hugh communicated with Dice."

"How?"

"When he tried to hack Phoenix' server..." He explained that Hugh purposely did that to get a hold with Phoenix' agents since he's not trusting AIA's because Devon was from there. Fortunately, it was Dice who stopped the hacker, and they communicated through incognito chatting. And they were given a heads up immediately. A day after that, they were already on standby. Muntikan lang silang mahuli ng dating nang araw ng engkwentro dahil ang sinundan nila ay sina Primo at Devon. Kung hindi pa siya nagtaka kung bakit hindi kasama ng mga ito ang tinatawag na 'Madam' ay hindi niya ipag-uutos na bumalik sila sa bahay. And he was more than glad that he followed his instincts because they managed to saved them both. Mababaliw siya kung sakaling hindi niya nailigtas ang asawa.

Sa matinding galit niya noon ay halos kitilin niya si Devon na kung maka-akto ay tila ginagampanan nitong talaga ang trabaho, pero puro kabalbalan pala ang ginagawa.

His wife sighed heavily. "Why do you think he betrayed us? Me? I still can't believe na niloko niya ako. If Hugh wasn't there, I'm still probably inside that house."

"I don't know," labas sa ilong niyang tugon. But he knew better why.

It's because of you, love, He wanted to voice out but he didn't.

"Kumusta na si Hugh—"

"I'm sorry, love, but I have to go. I'll just update you again."

"Sige... Mag-iingat ka." He almost groaned because she sounded as if she didn't want to end the call, but he really had to. They'd have a quick briefing regarding the case.

"I love you," he murmured longingly.

He waited for her to response before ending the call.

JUST as what Bree was told, Rexton ordered some of the agents to be pulled out on that mission. She was also prepared to fulfill her duty.

Kinabukasan nang i-pull out ang mga agents ay umuwi na ang mga ito sa Pilipinas para sa bagong misyon. Subalit hindi totoo ang misyong iyon. That's just an excuse to gather everyone except Devon.

Doon pa lang napagtanto ng mga pinatawag na agents na nalaman na nila ang pagbaliktad na ginawa ng mga ito. That they joined the organization to betray them, and, of course, monetary gain.

Ang iniisip ng mga ito, kaya tinanggal sa misyon ay kailangan ng mga tao sa panibagong misyong hahawakan, at iyon nga ang ipinaalam sa intel ng mga ito sa de L'Orage, kaya pinayagang makaalis ng El Salvador. And as long as they swore loyalty to the organization, too.

"Why should we listen to you?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong ng isa sa mga bumaliktad na agents.

"Because you need us," nakangising bulalas naman ni Stone.

Sa Phoenix Agency sila nagtipon-tipon.

"Where's your hideout?" Rexton asked right away.

"Are you sure you don't know?" pabalang na ani ng isang lalaki.

Bahagya niyang pinisil ang palad ng kaniyang asawa para kumalma ito. Alam niyang nagpupuyos ito sa galit.

"It's in your favorite hideout, Rexie" bulalas ni Luna. Nakaupo sila, may pahabang mesa sa gitna, at nasa bandang kaliwa niya ito. Napataas siya ng kilay. Ang arte-arte pa sa pagbanggit ng pangalan ni Rexton! Parang ang sarap-sarap manabunot, ah.

Alam na niya kung bakit ganoon na lamang na bumabaliktad ang sikmura niya sa tuwing nakikita ang babaeng ito. Bukod sa pag-abandona nito sa nag-iisang anak ay napag-alaman niyang naging constant partner ito ni Rexton noong baguhan pa lang sa Phoenix. Nagseselos siya kahit alam niyang wala namang dapat pagselosan.

"But I already sold that property," said Stone, but, he didn't really seem surprised. He might have done his research about everything already.

"Siya ang nakabili," Sinned, who was silent awhile ago, told them that.

Umiling-iling ang boss nila, at ipinaalam din nito sa kanilang ito ang papalit sa posisyon ni Rexton sa naiwang misyon sa El Salvador, kaya kailangan din nitong umalis kaagad matapos ng pag-uusap nila. When she asked her husband why did Stone personally want to take over, he answered it was because after what happened, he's not trusting anyone from Altaraza International Agency right now. At ang naiwang nagmamando ngayon doon ay ang boss ng AIA.

Nagpatuloy naman sa paglahad sa plano si Rexton at sumang-ayon si Stone sa lahat.

And two days after, they were all ready.

"Are you sure you can do it?" malat na tanong ni Rexton nang nakabihis na siya. She's only wearing a tight jeans and a cotton hugging shirt. She also chose to wear comfy white sneakers.

Tumayo ito at lumapit sa kaniya. He's still on his boxer shorts and just got out of the bed.

She sighed and honestly told him her feelings.

"I might hesitate..."

Bahagya itong tumango. "Just keep in your mind about our act. Isipin mo na nasira ang misyon nang pigilan niya ang pagpatay sa iyo... Na ikaw ang totoong niligtas niya."

Mahigpit na yumakap siya rito. "Can't we just let go of him instead, too?"

He grunted.

"Whatever his motive was, I don't care anymore—"

"But I do," matigas na putol nito sa kaniya. "Bree, maraming inosenteng buhay ang nawala..." Isiniksik ng asawa niya sa isipan niyang itinuro ni Devon ang mga maling tao na bumaliktad kuno sa organisasyong pinasok nila. Na hinayaan lang nitong mamatay ang iba para mailigtas siya—na hindi nito alam na hindi naman talaga siya iyon—at lalo pang nagturo ng mga inosenteng tao.

She licked her lower lip and hugged Rexton more.

"You can do it, baby. You're a good actress, aren't you?"

She snorted. Bahagyang lumayo rito para matitigan ang mukha ng lalaki. "Is that a compliment or what?"

"Take it as a compliment." Ngumisi ito at yumuko, pinagdikit ang noo nila. "I miss you..." He planted a soft kiss on the side of her lips.

She smiled back and stared lovingly at him. She noticed he rarely shaved cleanly after he knew how she liked his look with his beard, how she loved it whenever he's kissing every parts of her body, and those kisses made her feel more sensitive. She realized that his hair grew a bit longer now. He also became more ripped while she noticed she became heavier.

"What are you thinking?" his voice was husky.

"Mahal na mahal pala talaga kita, Rexton..."

He smiled and claimed her waiting lips as he responded to her love words.

Bago pa siya mawala sa sarili ay pinutol na nito ang halik. "I should get ready, too..."

Tumango siya. Hindi sila magkasama para hindi magduda si Devon. Rexton went back to MI Ent. to go on with his normal life and work, while she went on with the plan.

First, she went to Luna, and shot her in her chest. Isa-isa niyang pinuntahan ang lahat ng mga p-in-ull out sa misyon na kasamahan ni Devon, pero sinigurado niyang nagtira siya ng iba. Gaya ng plano.

The killings weren't real, but they had to fake those for them to oust in the organization. To have a new life.

Except for one person.

Pumikit siya nang mariin. The next few days, her final target would be Devon, and she had to completely silence him.

BAHAGYANG nanginig ang kaliwang kamay ng sniper kung saan hawak-hawak niya ang dalang pistol nang puntahan niya ang sikretong lugar kung saan nagtitipon-tipon ang mga espiyang bumaliktad sa ahensya at sumapi sa organisasyong tinutugis nila.

"Why did you do that? Why did you betray our leader?" Nangilid ang kaniyang luha nang tanungin ang bagay na iyon sa lalaking pinaka-pinagkatiwalaan niya. Hindi iyon ang gusto niyang itanong. Mas gusto niyang malaman at kung bakit siya nito tinago sa bahay na iyon, kung bakit siya nito nagawang lokohin.

"If you are hesitant in front of your target, then, you will be dead."

"That's not what I asked! Why did you do that?!"

He only held her hand to point the pistol in the middle of his own forehead. They both knew that in just a snap, he would be gone in this world.

Pumikit siya nang mariin at pilit na isinisiksik sa utak niya ang senaryong inaakto niya. Hindi siya maaaring pumalya ngayon dahil hindi na siya magkakaroon pa ng pagkakataon. It was now or never.

Nasa isang tila abandonadong gusali sila pero pagkapasok ay hindi aakalaing iyon ang lugar na makikita sa labas. It had modern interior designs and it's full of modern technologies such as computers and projector screens.

What's odd was he was the only person who's in that place. She expected to 'kill' the other spies first and would save the last for the interrogation when the other agents from AIA were already there. Then, she'd have to finish him already—that she's still hesitant about. But he was all alone.

"W-what are you doing?" pilit niyang binawi ang kamay. Bigla ay gusto niyang umatras, gusto niyang tumakbo para makatakas ito. Hindi siya makapaniwalang naisip pa niyang iligtas ito sa kabila ng lahat.

"You should carry out your duty. There will be no backups from the agency..."

Gumana nga ang plano. She was supposed to have backups from AIA, pero siyempre, kasama sa plano ang pagkasabi kunwari niya ng mga gagawin sa isa sa mga bumaliktad sa kanila, para sabihin nito iyon kay Devon, at pigilan ng lalaki ang pagdating ng mga ito. At mukhang pati ang ibang agents na 'papatayin' din sana niya ay hindi na nito pinapunta sa lokasyon. Kaya pala mag-isa ito roon.

Kahit planado kasi ay inasahan niyang may kasama pa rin ito roon—iyong mga ibang agents nga. Kaya nagulat siyang mag-isa ito. She couldn't buy her time anymore to just hand Devon to the agency. So, she was left no choice but to execute the plan to finish him.

Napalunok siya nang magtama ang mga mata nila at kitang-kita niyang handa na ito sa mangyayari. At parang nilamutak ang kaniyang puso nang makita iyon. Dahil hanggang ngayon ay nagdadalawang-isip siya kung kaya ba niyang gawin iyon sa lalaking ilang beses siyang iniligtas noon.

"If I will die now, I would rather die in your hands." Napapikit siya. "Go on, love. Don't be afraid and don't step back."

Pinilit niyang labanan ang sinasabi nito. She shouldn't do this. She shouldn't kill the man who became a brother to her...

"Look straight into my eyes."

Napakagat-labi siya at bumuntong-hininga, naisip na hindi ito ang Devon na nakilala niya.

Nang magmulat ay bumalik na ang tapang sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Good."

She stared at him coldly, and asked the same thing she'd been asking for a while. "Why did you do that?"

"Let's finish this already." Hindi siya makapaniwalang kalmante pa rin ito sa kabila ng sitwasyon.

Bumuga siya ng hangin at hindi na napigilan ang sariling emosyon. Hindi niya kayang magtapang-tapangan kung ang lalaking pinagkatiwalaan niya nang buo ang sumira sa kanilang misyon dahil sa pagligtas nito sa kaniya sa bingit ng kamatayan. Kahit hindi naman talaga siya ang iniligtas nito.

Pero kung iisipin—na kung sakaling hindi nangyari iyong pakikipagpalit niya noong gabing iyon—ay siya pa rin ang ililigtas nito. Just as what she and Hugh had expected to happen.

"Bakit...?!"

He stared at her and immediately looked away. "Hindi ko kayang makita kang mamatay sa harap ko."

"Bakit? Sino ba ako? Dapat ay hinayaan mo na lang akong mamatay kahit na ano pa man ang nangyari! Hindi baleng ako na lang ang namatay, huwag lang masira ang trabahong ito." She got so immersed by her acting wherein she was the one that he saved in El Salvador.

Indeed, Rexton was right, she's a good actress. Pero totoong may hinanakit siya na nagawa siya nitong lokohin sa kabila ng pagtitiwala niya nang buo rito.

"Brianna Lei!" Bahagya siyang napapitlag sa sigaw nitong nagpatigil sa kaniya, sa pagtulo ng kaniyang luha. Animo'y pilit na isinasaksak sa utak niyang bilisan na niya ang pagkitil dito dahil kung hindi ay maabutan sila sa ganoong sitwasyon, at may tsansang siya na naman ang mapahamak. Mabilis na binaba niya ang kamay subalit mabilis nitong nahawakan iyon at itinutok muli sa sarili nito.

"Let's just go abroad and start anew. I think he's going to understand—No, I'm sure he will understand us." What's on her mind was to actually free him. She's just saying those things so he'd not realize she knew what he did to the agencies.

Umiling ito. "You, of all people, must know that we can never oust ourselves in the organization."

"Then, let's fake our deaths!" natatarantang bulalas niya, na tila iyon lamang ang huling alas nila para makapamuhay na ng normal. That's easy! They did that once. They could do that twice.

He shook his head and stared at her sadly, like, he already made his choice. "Please kill me with your own hands..."

"M-must I really do this?" Kahit paulit-ulit na lang ang iniisip niya—baka pwedeng patakasin na lang din niya ito ngayon...

The way he looked at her was saying her one thing: she must carry out her duty to kill him. Just as what she 'did' to the people he conspired with.

"Do it," nahahapo nitong utos.

Then, she pulled the trigger that immediately made him stumble, 'til he lied down on the cold floor, as blood continued gushing from where exactly did she point her pistol—on his head.

On bended knees, she cried her heart out because of what she did. Ang mga panaghoy niya ay lumukob sa buong silid.

Mabilis na dinaluhan siya ng kaniyang asawa at niyakap siya nang mahigpit. Ni hindi na naisip kung bakit ito nandoon, kung kanina pa ba ito, o kung sino ang mga kasama nito.

Her heart was clenching because she didn't mean to pull the trigger. She didn't want to. The last minute, she already thought on scaring him, and to let him escape. Nagulat na lang siya na bumulagta na ang lalaki, at ang masakit ay siya ang maygawa niyon.

"Rexton... I killed him... I killed D-Devon..." She was shaking inevitably just as her now fragile voice.

Pilit siya nitong pinatahan dahil tuloy-tuloy na ang paglandas ng kaniyang luha. Naramdaman niya rin ang bahagyang panginginig ng kalamnan nito pero hindi na niya iyon mabigyan ng atensyon.

Halos bumaon ang mga kuko niya sa likuran nito sa higpit nang pagkakakapit niya, saka humahagulgol.

"I'm sorry, Bree... I'm sorry..."

Sa sobrang sakit ay hindi niya napagtuunan ng pansin ang biglaang paghingi nito ng tawad. Hinayaan niyang buhatin siya nito hanggang sa makaalis sila sa lugar na iyon.

Nasa sasakyan na sila at hindi pa rin siya matigil sa pag-iyak habang patuloy sa marahang paghaplos si Rexton sa kaniyang likuran.

"It's over, love. We will get through these, too..." he murmured, and he kissed her eyes, her nose, and he moved an inch away so he could wipe her tears using his warm palms. "I'm so sorry..."

Slowly, she nodded. And with her hurting soul, she closed her eyes; letting herself weep silently.