Sleeper

Chapter 31. Sleeper

BEING the only woman Sinned believed he was going to spend the rest of his life with, he accepted Candace back in his life with no further explanations.

That day when she showed herself up in the law firm, with her eyes full of regret, he canceled his meetings so he could be to her. Dumiretso sila sa isang hotel para masinsinang makapag-usap. She insisted to speak to him.

There, she explained that she's a member of an Italian-American Mafia, and her job that time was to make the old but filthy rich man fall for her so she could take his fortune and give it to the rightful owners—the old man's cousin.

Candace even married him and devoted herself to him to make that fucking bastard believed she was serious about their relationship; that she was deeply in love with him. In which she further explained she just followed the mafia boss' every commands.

Until that day she went back to the Philippines because she got deported for the reason that she was caught trafficking drugs that was set up by her husband's righthand man who was against her. She also got ousted by the mafia she belonged to since she did not have any worth to them at all.

In short, she failed her mission.

"I'm just glad they didn't kill me," anito matapos magkwento.

"Join Phoenix, Ace," he offered her.

"Why would I be a bodyguard?"

Umiling siya. "You will be a secret agent."

Hindi ito umimik. Nagsindi ito ng sigarilyo at hinayaan niya. Ilang sandali pa ay nagsalita ito. "Are you finally going to tell me about your real job in Phoenix?"

So, she already knew.

She was staring deeper in his eyes as if she could read what's on his mind. Kalahati na ang sigarilyo nang magpatuloy ito. "I also knew what have you been doing for the past twelve months. You became that model's subject... and sex object."

Nagtagis ang bagang niya. "Let's not talk about—"

"No, we must talk about it now. I know that I hurt you and you might have found comfort in her arms. Naiintindihan ko, Sinned. Ako nga, inintindi mo ang sakit ko, hindi ba? Pero magaling na ako. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit itinakwil ako ng pamilyang iyon—" She meant that Mafia. "—hindi na ako pumapayag na galawin nila ako."

"Damn, Ace, what happened to you?"

"Don't look at me as if you're pitying me. I'm through with everything. Magaling na ako, promise."

Hindi siya makakibo at umupo sa gilid ng kama. The reason why she became a sex addict was because as a teenager, her own father sold her to countless men in exchange of businesses. Binugaw ito, at kailan lang niya nalaman.

Napapikit siya nang mariin.

Pinatay naman nito ang sigarilyo sa ashtray na nasa mesita.

"You should forget that woman, Sinned. Nandito na ako... Wala nang bisa ang kasal ko dahil nag-file ng divorce si Christian bago ako pinauwi. We can finally get married."

Nag-angat siya ng tingin nang umupo ito sa kandungan niya.

"I know that's what stopping you from asking me to marry you. Pero pwede na ngayon."

"Ah, really?" labas sa ilong na tanong niya.

"I love you..."

Natigilan siya dahil punong-puno ng sinseridad ang tinig nito.

"I love you, and you are the reason why I was very willing to be cured; so that I can be exclusively yours."

"So, you love me..." too.

"No one will ever love you but me, my Sinned."

Instead of answering, he claimed her lips. She tasted cigarette and candy, and his body recognized her right away.

Until they let their bodies do the talking, and everything felt as if they were back into pieces.

"Did you miss me?" Hingal na hingal ito habang nasa ibabaw niya. Hindi siya sumagot at hinawakan ang magkabilang bahagi ng baywang nito at siya na ang kumontrol sa pagkilos. Nagsalita ulit ito. "You really m-missed me, huh? Bet that bitch's frigid and bad in bed."

Nangunot ang noo niya. No, that bitch she's pertaining to was not lame in bed. Despite of being inexperienced, the latter managed to fulfill his sexual fantasies. At hanggang doon lang iyon.

"If you really love me, you would stop whatever you have with her. Ako lang dapat. Akin ka lang dapat..."

Huminto siya at umupo nang hindi ito pinaalis sa pwesto. "Of course. It should be only you," he replied with no doubt.

With her tantalizing eyes, she smiled. "You're supposed to love me unconditionally. I know you know that." And she started moving as she hugged him tight.

"I love you, Ace..." he murmured.

"Yes, you do. That's why forget about that bitch. She's just a fucking slut who fulfilled your fantasies while I was away. Just think that that never happened."

"Enough with the talking." She's not a slut, He wanted to added. Pero itinulak niya ito at napahiga sa kama upang maipagpatuloy ang ginagawa.

Rellie was just a distraction. He enjoyed her company, and from the very start, it was clear that what they shared was purely lust. Sigurado siyang alam naman ng babae na mahal niya si Candace, kaya wala lang dito kung pinunan nila ang kani-kaniyang makamundong pagnanasa.

But he must end everything about her now that his only love was back. Enough playing with fire.

FEW weeks after, just as what Sinned offered, his childhood sweetheart became one of the sleeper agents in Phoenix but she's unaware she became one. Kinailangang i-wipe out ang memorya nito sa misyon dahil konektado iyon sa ama nito. She exposed her dad's fake bank accounts where he hid the money he got from embezzlement. He pocketed a lot of cash frik fundraisers and he was caught fir evading tax.

At sa tulong ni Dice, isa sa mga hacker na nakasama nila sa misyon, ay nakuha nila ang file na pinaka-kailangan nila upang madiin si Congressman Ferrer.

Nakakulong na ngayon at walang kaalam-alam na ang anak nito ang nagsuplong sa mga awtoridad.

Hanggang sa halos dalawang taon na ang lumipas ay patuloy pa rin sila sa pagtatrabaho sa agency.

Now, they were in one of the safe houses—where they're planning to bring the victims and witnesses of the last mission they handled—and they were praising Candace's excellency. Dahil ito ang unang nakatunog na nagkamali sila ng sinundang tao na suspek sa pagmamaltrato sa mga short-hair at maputing kutis na mga babaeng dinukot nito. The suspect pretended to be a nice guy, but Candace thought otherwise. And when they're about to raid the home of the innocent civilian, Candace suggested the team should split and follow that fucking nice guy as well. Hindi nga ito nagkamali ng hinala dahil nahanap ang mga nawawalang babae sa basement ng bahay ng lalaki. His motive for doing that was her mother used to beat the hell out of him back when he's a child. Kaya nagdidilim ang paningin nito sa mga babaeng may pagkakatulad na bulto sa nanay nito.

"Great job, Agent C," it was Dice.

"Candace, let's go home," bulalas niya nang matapos ang meeting nila tungkol sa nangyari sa misyon.

"Not yet, Sinned. Kailangang dalhin siya sa lab," si Vince iyon na tumulong para matingnan ang kalagayan ng mga babae. Sumama na rin ito sa safe house para ma-supervise ang mga kakailanganin gamit pang-medikal para sa emergencies.

"There's no need," Rexton, one of the agents, cut in. "She will be joining the other sleepers on our new mission."

He knew what was that all about. Magmamanman ang mga ito sa The Eve Club pero wala pang opisyal na misyon. They'd be on undercover: some would be waitresses, exotic dancers, ad strippers. Candace was going to be a waitress.

Kieffer Sandoval, along with Arc Prietto and Romano Caballero, were going to be on undercover as regular customers. He's going to occasionally come to the club, too. Hindi kasi siya kasali ngayon dahil siya ang humahawak sa kaso ng sekretarya ni Congressman Ferrer at gusto niyang pagtuunan ng pansin iyon. Kahit magda-dalawang taon na ang lumipas ay nakahanap pa ng palusot ang matandang iyon para makalaya sa kulungan.

The poor young lady was being pointed out to be the mastermind of the embezzlement, even the tax evasion, and drug trufficking. If that would go on, she would take the fall instead of the true culprit.

Sisiguraduhin niyang madali na lang sa kaniya ang kasong iyon, at ipapanalo nang hindi hahayaang magtagal pa ang durasyon ng kaso.