Sublimely

Chapter 37. Sublimely

BAGO pa makatayo si Dice ay nagsidatingan na ang ibang mga agents. Pumasok ang isang babaeng anak ng gobernador. Bahagya pa siyang nagulat dahil ang akala niya'y hindi na ito a-aktibahin. If he remembered correctly, she's a sleeper agent like him. But their cases differed. If he was aware about all of his missions, the woman who just went in wasn't. She was being drugged, hypnotised, and there were more things Phoenix did to her so when she's done with the job, she'd never remember anything about the agency, or her previous missions. She'd just continue living normally.

Kasunod ng sleeper ang isa sa mga bagong recruit sa department na kinabibilangan niya. Bumati ito sa kanya matapos batiin si Stone. At ang huling pumasok ay ang sikat na abogadong wala pang natalong kaso mula nang magsimula ito sa karera.

Kung nagkataong wala siyang kinahaharap na sitwasyon ay mananatili siya roon at ipipilit na isali siya sa misyon ng mga ito. Isang tingin lang ni Stone ay alam na niyang kailangan na niyang lumabas. He nodded once as he got out and closed the door. Dumiresto siya sa opisina ng co-founder at nagtaka nang hindi naka-lock ang pinto. Ibig sabihin ay hindi ito abala.

He went straight inside just to be stunned on what she was seeing—Kanon was sitting on the sofa while the neurosurgeon was tending her wounds on her left arm. Even though he's a nurse by profession and knew that it was just normal for her to be touched by a medical personnel, he still got madly jealous.

"Don't touch her!" bulalas niya nang makahuma.

Halos matuod siya nang nag-angat ng tingin si Kanon at nanatiling nakatitig sa kanya habang nanunubig ang mga magagandang pares ng mata nito dahil sa luha. He's taken aback. Masakit ba ang pagkakadiin ng bulak ng surgeon na iyon sa fiancé niya?

"Ako na lang—"

"Please, get out, Dice. I don't want to see you..."

Nanlalaki ang mga matang tumitig siya kay Kanon. She didn't sound mad the way he remembered how she was the last time they communicated over the phone, or sad because she's missing him. Instead, she was emotionless. At natatakot siya sa posibleng dahilan na bumalik na ito sa dating boyfriend. At hindi maaari iyon!

"She was supposed to not know who you are, but I guess we need to do more before we could activate her."

Napalingon siya sa nagsalita, si Rexton iyon na kunwaring nagbabasa ng magazine habang nakaupo sa single chair na nandoon sa may tabi ng dalawa.

"Ano?"

"She's a sleeper now. Bagong recruit."

Mas nangunot ang noo niya at naalala ang sinabi ni Stone. Iyon na ba ang ibig sabihing kailangan ng tulong ni Kanon? Shit! He wouldn't allow that to happen. He only wanted her to live normally. Oo nga't mamumuhay pa rin ito ng normal dahil hindi naman maaalala ang naging trabaho para sa Phoenix, pero hindi pa rin siya makapapayag na maging parte ito ng mundong kinabibilangan niya. He didn't want her to do on-the-ground activities! His sweet Kanon shouldn't involve in that kind of job.

He was already planning to quit the agency and live with her after this...

"Let me tend her wounds," matigas na bulalas niya.

Vince just shrugged and passed him the forceps that had disinfecting cotton.

"Lalabas muna ako. Yosi," sabad ni Rexton. Ilang saglit pa ay sumunod na sa paglabas si Vince at naiwan sila ni Kanon sa opisina.

He squatted so he could see Kanon's arms clearly. Ilang dampi pa lang ay nadiinan niya nang husto ang sugat na tinamo nito mula sa paso ng sigarilyo.

"Why don't you sit beside me? Mas madali kung dito ka nakaupo." Tinapik ni Kanon ang espasyo ng upuan sa bandang kaliwa nito. Dahil kinakabahan ay hindi niya mawari kung ano ba ang nasa boses nito.

"I'm fine—"

"Sit down. Or go out..."

He sighed and sat beside her where she immediately pushed him until he leaned on the sofa as she sat on his lap. He gulped out of surprise.

"...with me," Kanon added as she rested her arms on his shoulders and stared at him with her now affectionate eyes.

He blinked twice to make sure that he wasn't just dreaming and when she smiled, his heart already knew that that was reality because it started beating the way it did only for Kanon Grace. May mga sinasabi pa ito pero hindi na siya nakikinig at nakatitig na lamang sa pagkibot-kibot ng mapang-akit nitong labi habang nagsasalita.

"...it's a prank!"

What prank? He didn't care anymore. So he pulled her closer and kissed her longingly as he only stared at her weary but still, beautiful face. His heart felt alive when she sublimely smiled in between his now deepening kisses and responded afterwards. She also closed her eyes that made him realized more, that everything wasn't just really a dream.

He kissed her more passionately with full of longing and as he closed his eyes, a tear of joy fell on his right cheek.

HINDI pa rin nakapaniwala si Kanon sa mga nasaksihan na akala niya'y sa mga pelikula lang niya makikita o sa mga nobela lamang mababasa. She was informed about that fake Lemuel's true identity and her task was to make him believe she's falling for him.

"If it wasn't because of our investigator, we would never have found you. Because the one who's originally tasked to look for you is a mole in the agency so she lied about not finding you. Si Kristen ang kasabwat ng nagpapanggap na Lemuel Castillo."

Naalala niya ang sinabing iyon sa kanya ni Rexton dela Costa kanina habang lulan sila ng sasakyan at nagmamaneho ito papuntang Phoenix. He explained the things she needed to know and she knew there were still lots of things behind that. Ang mga pinaalam lang sa kanya ay ang mga bagay na dapat lang niyang malaman. Parang sasabog ang utak niya sa dami ng impormasyong iyon.

Ni hindi pa nga siya nakahuma sa nangyari roon sa gusali kung saan nalaman niyang ang dating kaibigan niyang si Luna Mae Bustos ang babaeng nagpanggap na Kristen Paras para makapasok sa Phoenix Agency. Napag-alamang matagal nang minamanmanan ang babae dahil matagal nang pinagsususpetyahan.

What happened to her dear old friend, Luna, was a big mistery to her. She still wanted to know more about her, about her child. But that wasn't her priority right now. Dice needed her the most so she left her to go with Rexton.

Nang makarating sa Phoenix Agency ay dumiretso sila sa isang opisina, na mas mukhang private clinic sa nakikita niyang mga pang-medisinang kagamitan.

"Let me tend your wounds first," anang nagpakilalang surgeon na si Vince Ramos.

She shook her head.

"You're still lucky that our investigator found you. If not, you may have lost your sanity now or you might be under Phantom Syndicate's control."

Natatakot pa rin siya sa mga nalaman pero pilit na pinatatag ang loob. The fake Lemuel Castillo was sent to silence her when the right time came—that's when she already became the President and COO of FastEx. Inuunti-unti siya gamit ng mga drogang pinaiinom sa kanya araw-araw, na napalitan ng tauhan ng Phoenix nang mahanap siya halos dalawang linggo na ang nakalipas. Nalaman niya ang lahat ng plano ng mga Castillo, na hindi na pala ang mga Castillo ang nagmamanipula sa plano kundi ang mga Devila at ang sindikato.

"The real Lemuel Castillo refused to be a part of their evil deeds anymore, so we are guessing that he was already silenced by the Devilas after his parents died." Kaya pala ang mga Devila na ang tumuloy sa naudlot na plano ng mga Castillo na makuha ang pamamalakad sa FastEx.

She still couldn't imagine that the Lemuel Castillo she'd been with for the past few months was Luna's lover back in high school—Nathaniel Devila. Pinalabas ng pamilya nito na matagal nang nawawala at maaaring nagtanan ang dalawa, iyon pala'y hinasa para maging parte sa mga masasamang gawain ng mga ito—unang-una na ang ilegal na pag-supply ng mga baril sa black market sa loob at labas ng bansa, lalo na ang ilegal na mga droga kung saan sa isang pharmaceutical company na nasa ilalim ng sindikato ginagawa ang iba't ibang klase ng illegal drugs na sinu-supply sa mga kliyente ng sindikato.

Nalaman din niyang kaya gumawa ng paraan para maitago siya ay para hindi niya maipaalam sa pinsan niya ang ilegal na gawain sa branch na pinagtatrabahuan niya. All along, her hunch about those suspicious employees was never wrong.

"Why aren't you still making a move on catching those spies?" She's pertaining to those who were in FastEx.

"The authorities will raid them anytime soon. Huhulihin sa akto," pagbibigay-alam ni Rexton. Nalaman niyang kahit pribadong ahensya ang Phoenix Agency, ay hinihingan pa rin ito ng tulong ng awtoridad, lalo na ng National Security Police na nagtatrabaho sa ilalim ng gobyerno.

"Then, I should tell my cousin right away! Kuya Daniel should be alerted wi—"

"Sorry to interrupt, Miss, but he's already cooperating.

"Gamutin muna natin ang nga sugat mo."

"Hindi ako mamamatay sa mga ito, gusto ko na talagang malaman kung ano'ng kailangan kong gawin nang matulungan si Dice."

Nagkatinginan ang dalawa at nagtanguan. Rexton dela Costa locked the door and they started telling her the plan.

"You will be acting like a sleeper agent..." Hindi niya alam ang ibig sabihin niyon pero pinili niyang makinig ng tahimik.

She stayed quiet while listening to their precise explanations. Nagtatanong siya kung may hindi nakuha, hanggang sa maintindihan na niya. Lagpas isang oras dig silang nag-uusap tungkol doon.

"...so I'll be clear with one thing, Ms. del Rio—you must act like a real sleeper."

Napalunok siya at tumango.

"Are you sure you can do it? Namumutla ka."

She gulped nervously because honestly, she's scared.

"Let me disinfect your wounds first."

Hindi na siya kumontra nang kinuha nito ang first aid kit at umupo malapit sa kaliwang banda niya. While Vince was preparing some cottons and disinfectant, Rexton's phone rang.

He went out to answer it and got back at once without locking or closing the door. Pagkuwa'y umupo ito't preskong nagbasa ng kung ano.

"We'll see if you can do your job well, Ms. del Rio."

Nag-angat siya ng tingin at nagtatakang lumingon dito.

"Sisiguraduhin lang naming kakayanin mo—"

"Kaya ko!" agap niya kahit na ang totoo ay natatakot siya't naiiyak dahil hindi niya alam kung kakayanin niya nga ba ang mga pinagagawa sa kanya. Parang sobra-sobra iyon kaysa sa kakayahan niya. Gagawin siyang pain para mahawakan sa leeg si Lemuel Castillo... And in order to do that, she must allure him... on bed. Meaning, she'd allow him to touch or kiss her anywhere until he'd be drowned with worldly things. While doing so, she'd wait for the right time to inject the sedative that the agency would hand to her when she needed to do that job already.

She's afraid. She even barely managed to escape him the last time. Nagdahilan siyang gusto na niyang matulog at mapag-isa dahil maraming nangyari nang araw na iyon. At para sa kanya'y mas mainam na nadukot siya kinabukasan nang bumalik na sila ng Maynila, kaysa sa manatili sa tabi ng pekeng Lemuel na iyon habang pasimple nang humahawak sa mga may kaselanang bahagi ng kanyang katawan, at kaya niya hinayaan ay para hindi ito mag-suspetsa na may nalalaman na siya tungkol sa mga ginawa sa kanya't sa mga binabalak pang gawin.

At naiiyak siya dahil natatakot siya na mabigo. Na baka imbes na ito ay siya ang matarakan ng pampatulog at mapagsamantalahan, o patayin.

"And the test starts... now."

Bumalik ang atensyon niya kay Rexton at naguluhan siya sa sinabi nito habang si Vince ay nagsimula nang linisin ang mga sugat niya.

"Don't touch her!"

Nagulat siya nang marinig ang pagalit bulalas na iyon ng bagong dating na si Dice. Napalunok siya't naisip ang sinabi ni Rexton. Was that the test he's just talking about? She tried so hard to suppress her emotions.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin kay Dice at mas lalong namuo ang luha sa kanyang mga mata. Sa pagkataranta ay nagpanggap siyang kunwaring nasasaktan sa pagdiin ng bulak sa balat niya kahit ang totoo'y namamanhid siya dahil nasa harap niya si Dice, ang lalaking pinakamamahal niya.

"Ako na lang—"

"Please, get out, Dice. I don't want to see you..."

She just hoped she successfully sounded emotionless.

"She was supposed to not know who you are, but I guess we need to do more before we could activate her." Rexton idly interrupted.

"Ano?"

"She's a sleeper now. Bagong recruit."

Napayuko siya dahil hindi na niya kayang pagtakpan ang emosyon.

"Let me tend her wounds," bulalas ni Dice.

Vince just shrugged and passed him the forceps that had disinfecting cotton.

No! Natatarantang bulalas niya dahil hindi niya alam kung kaya na ba niyang magpanggap ngayon. They should had at least informed her that he's in the building before making sure if she could pretend to be an agent.

"Lalabas muna ako. Yosi," sabad naman Rexton. Ilang saglit pa ay sumunod na sa paglabas si Vince at naiwan sila ni Dice sa opisina.

He squatted so he could see her arms clearly, lalo na ang kaliwang napuruhan sa pagpaso. Ilang dampi pa lang ay nadiinan na nito nang husto ang sugat na tinamo niya. Gaya niya ay ramdam niya ang panginginig at matinding kaba nito.

Heck! I can't do this...!

"Why don't you sit beside me? Mas madali kung dito ka nakaupo." Tinapik ni niya ang espasyo ng upuan sa bandang kaliwa niya. Right there and then she decided to just stop acting because she couldn't do it. If there's any other way so she could help, she'd gladly do it. Pero ayaw niya ang itago ang totoo rito. Kaya nga siya nagalit kay Dice noon ay dahil sa pagtago nito ng tungkol doon sa kanya, pagkatapos ay gagawin niya? No... She wouldn't allow that to happen. Sasabihin niya rito ang lahat ng nalalaman at hihingi na lang ng dispensa sa dalawang lalaking nakausap niya kanina. Napanguso siya dahil medyo nahihiya siyang nagsayang lang ng laway ang mga ito sa pagpapaliwanag sa kanya ng mga dapat sana'y gagawin niya.

"I'm fine—"

"Sit down. Or go out..."

Dice sighed and sat beside her where she immediately pushed him until he leaned on the sofa as she sat on his lap. He gulped out of surprise.

"...with me," she added as she rested her arms on his shoulders and stared at him with her now affectionate eyes.

He blinked twice so she smiled, hoping that she could touch his heart. She decided to make a joke to make the situation lighter.

"I am not a sleeper agent... it's a prank!" She laughed and then smiled awkwardly when she noticed his reaction. Parang walang pakialam. Napanguso tuloy siya at nagpasya nang sasabihin na ang totoo subalit bago pa makapagsalita ay hinila siya nito at buong-pusong hinalikan.

She felt alive when she wholeheartedly smiled in between his now deepening kisses and responded afterwards. She also closed her eyes to make him feel that she's longing for him the way he longed for her.