Trigger

Prologue. Trigger

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.

He was her best friend, her comrade she could relay with. But now, he turned out to be the worst enemy who betrayed her, especially their agency.

"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. She carried a 9mm calibre General Service Pistol, which could be used in confined spaces, such as "roof or loft clearance drills". The pistol had a shorter range, making it perfect for close-distance combat. And they both knew that in just a snap, he would be gone in this world.

Nasa isang tila abandonadong gusali sila pero pagkapasok ay hindi aakalaing iyon ang lugar na makikita sa labas. It had modern interior design and it's full of modern technologies such as computers and projector screens, even the glass walls could be turned into screens with every details about some of the missions they were handling for how many years now.

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 were already there. But he was all alone.

"W-what are you doing?" pilit niyang binawi ang kamay

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

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.

"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. 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 ng buo ang sumira sa kanilang misyon dahil sa pagligtas nito sa kaniya sa bingit ng kamatayan. "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."

"Brianna Lei!" Bahagya siya napapitlag sa sigaw nitong nagpatigil sa kaniya. Animo'y pilit na isinasaksak sa utak niyang dalian 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."

Umiling ito. "You, of all the 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.

Because right now, with her being alive, everything was in chaos.

He shook his head and stared at her sadly. "Please kill me with your own hands..."

"M-must I really do this?"

The way he looked at her was saying her one thing—she must carry out her duty to erase 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.