3

The first thing he registered when he finally came to his senses was the sterile scent in the room. And he immediately wanted to groan. Fuck. The second thing was when he opened his eyes and saw the familiar white walls. Too white for his liking. He has never felt the biggest urge to run away since.

He is not in a hospital, he knows. Well, it is a hospital, but not a typical one. It's more of a clinic. Ang agency mismo ang nagmamay-ari nito. It's for emergency situations like this. Kapag masyadong kahina-hinala ang pinsala na tinao nila na maaaring magdulot ng suspetya sa normal na hospital.

He forced his eyes to open, getting blinded by the too bright light above him. Narinig niya ang tunog ng sapatos ng kung sinumang kasama niya sa kwarto. His eyes slowly gained focus and his eyes met the face of his best friend. He had never groaned so loud in his life.

Napapikit siya nang marinig ang tawa nito.

"Fuck off, Klyden," he croaked. His throat feels so dry at mas lalo lamang lumakas ang tawa ng kaniyang kaibigan.

"Ah this is gold," Klyden said while still laughing.

"We didn't see each other for five years and this is how you come back?"

Pinanatili lamang ni Aiden na nakasarado ang kanyang mata. Kung hindi lamang lumulutang ang kanyang katawan sa pagod at pain reliever, malamang ay kanina pa siya tumayo para lamang mahampas ang kaibigan niya.

Maya-maya lamang ay humupa rin ang tawa nito. Muli niyang binuksan ang kanyang mata. Klyden was looking at him, mirth swimming in his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Klyden asked him.

"They didn't tell you?"

"So, you really almost got kidnapped?" he asked bago muling tumawa nang malakas.

"Klyden," Aiden groaned exasperatedly. Klyden raised his index finger at him, gesturing for a minute as he laughs. Napailing na lamang si aiden sa kanyang kaibigan.

"I can't believe the best spy of our generation almost got kidnapped. You didn't go through that suicide mission five years ago just do die like that, bro" Klyden said habang nagpupunas ng luha. Napaiayak pa nga sa katatawa ang gago.

Aiden rolled his eyes and moved to seat up, agad naman siyang tinulungan ni Klyden.

"Ah this is pick comedy."

The door suddenly opened. A tall man in a black suit entered. He closed the door after walking inside. Ang mga mata niyang walang emosyon ay agad na dumapo sa kanila.

"Good to see you awake, Mr. Williams," the man said, voice awfully deep.

"The agency expects you to report what happened as soon as you can."

Binigyan niya lamang ito ng isang tipid na tango. The man's hand raised. Ngayon lamang nila napansin ang brown envelope na hawak nito.

"I have here the mission especially given to you," naglakad ito palapit upang maiabot ang envelope na agad naman niyang tinanggap. Sa itaas nito ay nakasulat ang buo niyang pangalan maging ang kanyang code name.

Aiden Clifford Williams- AC, it read. He feels strange seeing his name like that. Limang taon n aniyang gamit ang pangalan na ito. Limang taon na siyang nabubuhay bilang si Aiden Clifford ngunit hanggang ngayon ay tila ba hindi pa rin siya komportable dito.

He placed the envelope on his lap and paid attention to the man.

"You are not to disclose any information regarding this mission with anyone," the man stated, reminding him of the most important rule of the agency. He nodded at him.

"That's all I came here for. Good luck on the mission and get well soon, Mr. Williams."

The man was gone soon after. Tinitigan niya lamang ang brown envelope na nasa kanyang kanlungan.

"Aren't you going to open that," Klyden asked reaching for the envelope na agad niya namang inilayo.

"Rule number 1 stupid," he said. He's breathless just by the small action.

"What? You're going to let a rule break us apart? Me? Your best friend?" Klyden said dramatically making him crack up.

"Hindi ako nagpapatawa, buksan mo na 'yan," Klyden said in a joking tone, isang maliit na ngiti ang naglalaro sa kanyang labi.

"You're so stupid."

"I'm just fulfilling my role as your best friend."

Ang kwarto ay natahimik. Aiden is busy looking staring at the envelope while Klyden played on his phone.

"Nga pala," his best friend started, shattering the silence. Hindi talaga siya makakatagal nang hindi nag-iingay eh, no?

"Who even did that to you? They told me what happened pero wala naman silang nabanggit kung sino ang gumawa."

"That's because I haven't told them," he replied.

"So sino nga?"

Aiden sighed.

"It was the guy from my mission five years ago."

Silence fell in the room, then...

"What the fuck?"

Muntik na siyang matawa sa reaksyon ng kanyang kaibigan. Pareho kasi ang kanyang reaksyon at naramdaman.

"Saw the tattoo on his nape, man."

"The bow?", he nodded.

Well, damn. They knew you were coming back?"

'Yan din ang tanong na pumasok sa kanyang isipan. Paano nila nalaman na babalik siya? Maaring hindi ito nakapagtataka dahil spy sila, maraming mata ang nagmamatayg sa kanila. Ngunit, bakit? Bakit kinailngan pa nilang balikan siyang muli? Limang taon na ang lumipas.

"I don't know, man" he replied, shaking his head.

"Damn. Kababalik mo lang, may kaaway ka na agad."

Klyden's phone suddenly rang and he cursed when he saw the caller ID. Aiden raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's my partner," he said, answering the silent question.

"Oh, why aren't you answering it?"

"She's annoying," Klyden all but groaned.

"She? Bago?"

"Yup."

The phone stopped ringing and Klyden sighed in relief. Ngunit maya-maya lamang ay tumunog ulit ito.

Klyden let out a litany of curses bago tumayo.

"I'll go ahead, bro. hindi namna titigil ito," Aiden just nodded at him.

"I'll see you later."

Binalot ng katahimikan ang maliit na kwarto pagkaalis ni Klyden. He welcomed the silence, the humming of the air conditioner doing wonders so the silence wasn't too loud in his ears.

He stared at the envelope, contemplating whether he should open it now or what. Matapos maisip na wala namna siyang ibang gagawin kundi ang magpahinga, napagdesisyunan niya nang buksan ito.

The regret was immediate. His body stiffened; eyes widened a fraction. His breath even got caught in his throat. He has never felt like this in so long. He doesn't feel like this even in missions. Tila siya binuhusan ng isang baldeng tubig.

He exhaled slowly, an attempt to calm himself down. Ang kamay niya ay nanginginig habnag dahan-dahang ibinababa ang mga papel na hawk niya. Hindi siya makapniwala sa nakikita. Ilang ulit niyang sinubukang pumikit, each time hoping that the name and picture he is seeing in front of him s just a mistake. He inhaled a shaky breath. This can't be.

Ilang beses pa muli siyang huminga nang malalim upang maikalma ang sarili ngunit nagmamadali niya pa ring binusisi ang iba pang papel. He's desperately looking for more information. Why? Bakit? Ano ang ibig sabihin nito?

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he screamed in confusion.

Hindi niya maintindihan. Walang dahilan upang mapunta ang larawan na ito dito. At mas lalong walang dahilan para mapasama ito sa susunod niyang target.

He grabbed his hair, pulling hard. His scalp hurts from the action but the pain feels so grounding at the moment. Sumasakit na rin ang ulo niya sa kaiisip. Bakit?

His eyes stopped on the picture in front of him. Hindi maaari ito. The person in the picture is smiling so wide. It's a pretty smile. One he once loved looking at. He can honestly say the same even now. God. He badly wants to know why.

His eyes trailed on the only information printed below her picture. Her age, 27. Aiden wants to cry. He was never a believer of God, but right at this moment, he wants to beg and pray to him.

Please tell me this isn't real.

He rummaged on the paper some more but he knows it's futile. The agency never told them why a target needs to be eliminated. They do not work like that. The only thing they need to know is the target's age and face. Nothing more. He hates that rule more than ever right at this moment. Because why? Fucking why?!

He stared at her innocent face. What did she do? She's such a sweet girl. The ever too kind and selfless being he has ever met? Why did her picture ended up being here? Aside from that, nais niya ring malaman kung sino. Sino ang nagpapapatay sa kaniya? At ano ang ginawa niya para umabot dito?

He can feel his eyes well up with tears. Many years-worth of memories he had long since buried for the last five years came crushing down on him.

Her name is written in bold letters, the words "shoot to kill" written beside it. His heart cracked at every letter; he wants to scream in anger. His voice sounded so vulnerable as he read her name aloud, it came out in a broken whisper.

"Henzel Artemis Flores."