4

The brown envelope made a smacking noise as it collided with the huge mahogany desk of Mr. Suarez, their Top Commander here in the Philippine headquarters. Aiden met the man’s eyes, his gaze burning with anger.

“What’s this?” Aiden quite literally spat out. Ang tingin ni Mr. Suarez ay nanatiling kalmado, ang kaliwang kilay niya ay bahagyang tumaas.

“Hello to you too, Mr. Williams,” the man replied sarcastically. Eyes never straying from Aiden’s.

Huminga nang malalim si Aiden upang maikalma ang sarili, pinapaalalahanan na superior niya pa rin ang kanyang kaharap. He limped his way to the man’s desk.

“Have you recovered yet? Hindi ba’t kahapon ka lamang nasaksak?” tanong nito habang ang mata ay nakatingin sa kanyang kanang hita na may balot na benda sa ilalim ng kanyang suot na jogging pants.

Aiden disregarded his questions and pointed at the brown envelope.

“Answer my question, Sir. What’s this?”

Pumailanlang ang katahimikan sa silid bago bumuka ang bibig ni Mr. Suarez upang sumagot.

“It’s your mission,” he answered plainly.

Nag-igting ang panga ni Aiden sa kanyang sagot.

“I know. But why her?”

Sa pagkakataong ito ay labis na ang pagpipigil ni Aiden para lamang mapanatiling kalmado ang kanyang sarili.

“I want to know why. And who wants her dead?” dagdag na tanong niya.

Mr. Suarez leaned back on his swivel chair, observing him.

“You know that’s not how we work, Mr. Williams,” Mr. Suarez replied, gaze sharpening by a fraction.

“Accept and kill. No further information.”

Nanlumo si Aiden sa kanyang narinig.

“But you know her role in my life. I even agreed to faking my death five years ago. And then this? Sir—”

“You also should know better than anyone that we do not associate our personal thoughts and feelings in our missions,” the man said firmly, full on glaring at him now.

“But—”

“But nothing Mr. Williams. You will do this mission or else.”

“Or else what? I’d die? Kung gano’n din lang naman ay mas maigi nang patayin ninyo ako,” Aiden replied firmly, determination in his voice. His hands are balled into fists on his side.

“Ah. I knew you won’t mind dying,” the man paused.

“But would you also not mind seeing your family die?”

“What?” Aiden asked, bewildered at the sudden turn of events.

“You heard me. It’s either you do this mission or you lose your family.”

Natahimik si Aiden dahil sa kanyang narinig. Hindi siya makapaniwala.

“Though you don’t really have that much to lose now. Didn’t they already cut you off years ago?”

Halos mamuti na ang kanyang kamao sa higpit ng kanyang pagkakakuyom dito. His nails are painfully digging on his palm. The man is looking at him straight in the eyes, lips upturned in an annoying smirk.

Mr. Suarez’s smirk turned into a full grin when Aiden begrudgingly reached to snatch the brown envelope back. Pagkatapos nito ay walang sabi-sabing tinalikuran niya na lamang ito at naglakad palabas ng opisina. Halos malukot na ang envelope sa higpit ng hawak niya. Bawa’t hakbang ay nararamdamn niya ang sakit ng sugat mula saksak sa kanyang kanang hita na hindi pa naghihilom. He clenched his jaw hard to ignore the pain as he limped his way out of the office.

“Rest, Mr. Williams. You have a mission to accomplish,” pahabol nito bago tuluyang sumara ang pinto.

Aiden screamed loud once he was in the comfort of his car. Inihatid ito sa kanya sa ospital kaninang umaga. It’s a special car given to agents doing missions.

He threw the envelope he’s holding to the passenger seat and banged his fist on the steering wheel a few times before sagging on his seat. Alam niya ang rules ng agency. Hindi lamang talaga siya makapaniwala na darating ang araw na ganito. He casted a glance at the envelope. Sa tagal na taong inilagi niya sa ibang bansa, inaamin niyang hindi mabilang na beses niya na ring inisip at hiniling sa iba’t ibang pagkakataon ang muling pagkikita nila ni Artemis. He would often daydream about them meeting in a different scenario, maybe even in a different lifetime, just so they can continue their love again. Labis niya itong minahal, sa tagal ba naman ng kanilang relasyon. But he stopped hoping, he stopped having these daydreams on his third year in Italy, knowing too well that it’s really hopeless. He lost hope. Years later, ni hindi man lang pumasok ni sa kalingkingan ng kanyang balintataw na muli nga silang magkikita. Kahit kailan ay hindi niya naisip na magkikita silang muli, lalo sa ganitong sitwasyon.

Aiden sighed. Ngayong nangyari na ang matagal niyang hinihiling, kahit na sa sitwasyong hindi niya kailanman matatanggap, ay hindi niya alam ang kaniyang gagawin. Itutuloy niya ba ang misyon? Siguro kung buhay niya lamang ang nakasalalay ay hinding-hindi niya talaga ito itutuloy. Matagal naman nang pinaniniwalaan ni Artemis na patay na siya, walang problema na sa kanya kung magkakatotoo. Ngunit ang pamilya niya ay idinamay sa usapan. Totoo ang sinabi ni Mr. Suarez na matagal nang pinutol ng kanyang pamilya ang kanilang koneksyon sa kaniya, ngunit hindi niya pa rin naman kakayanin at matatanggap kung pati ang mga ito ay madadamay dahil sa buhay na pinili niya.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya sa kanyang kinauupuan, hindi malaman kung ano ang gagawin. He started the engine; he figures he’ll just go to his apartment. The real one assigned to him by the company. They sent him the info along with the car earlier.

His gaze remained on the envelope as he waited for the engine to heat up. He heaved a heavy sigh once again. Ang mga mata niya ay nadapo sa kanyang hita. His pants have a smudge of blood where his wound is. Hindi nakapagtatakang bumuka ang sugat at muling nagdugo dahil sa biglaang paglakad niya kanina. Ngayon niya nararamdaman ang kirot nito. Lalo lamang siyang nainis.

He finally drove away the agency, kailangan niya na ring dumaan muna sa isang pharmacy o kaya naman ay grocery para makabili ng medicine kit. Hindi niya sigurado kung may available ba na first aid kit sa apartment niya at ayaw niya na rin naman bumalik sa clinic.

He focused on his driving, grateful for the lack of traffic and the distraction although his mind is still running restlessly. Kanina pa siya nagmamaneho ngunit wala siyang nakikitang pharmacy man lang, malapit na rin siyang makarating sa kanyang nakatalagang apartment. He spotted a small grocery store. He was quick to pull over and park at the small parking lot beside it. He grabbed his phone and wallet before getting out of the car.

He sighed upon entering the small store, thankful for the air conditioner. Napakainit sa labas, anong oras na rin kasi. He went to grab a shopping cart. Hindi niya rin sigurado kung may grocery supply na ba sa lugar na tutuluyan niya. They don’t work like that in Italy, and it’s been a while since he last did a mission here in the Philippines so he’s not quite sure if they still provide. He pushed the cart towards the first aisle. His phone rang as he was grabbing different biscuits. Kinuha niya ang kanyang cellphone mula sa kanyang bulsa. It’s Klyden.

“Yo,” he greeted as he placed a pack of biscuit in his cart.

“Bro, where the fuck are you? I came to visit you pero wala ka na raw dito? Nasaan ka?” Klyden fired questions after questions from the other line.

“I’m on my way to my apartment. Went to the company earlier,” he pushed his cart towards the next aisle using his left hand. The right busy holding his phone.

“You left already? Gago nasaksak ka lang kahapon!” Klayden exclaimed, a sound of a door closing can be heard in his background.

“I’m fine. I had to discuss something with the agency.”

“Wow, is this how it takes to be the best spy of our generation? No wonder,” Aiden laughed at the sarcasm in his friends voice. Inilibot niya ang kaniyang tingin sa mga pakete ng pagkain.

“What did you discuss with them though? Was it about your mission?”

“Yeah. I—”

Aiden froze on his tracks. He was about to get a bag of chips when he saw her. Standing at the end of the same aisle as him. He inhaled a sharp breath as he watched her grab something and placed it in her cart. Sinundan ng kanyang mga mata ang bawa’t galaw nito. She’s as pretty as ever, looks as delicate too. Memories-tinged sepia with nostalgia flooded his mind, shaking his core. God, he missed her.

“Bro? You still there?” Klyden’s voice broke him out of his reverie. Mabilis siyang napakurap ngunit hindi niya inialis ang tingin dito. Takot na baka bigla na lamang itong mawala sa kanyang paningin.

“I—yeah, I just—”

He stopped speaking mid-sentence again when their eyes met. Time seemed to stop. He can hear Klyden’s voice from the other line but he can’t pay attention to it. Masyadong nakapokus sa mga mata nilang muling nagtagpo matapos ang ilang taon. He doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know what to feel either. All he knows is he wants to approach her, maybe even hug her. Tell her the words that’s been brewing in his tongue for so long. Whisper it in her ear even.

Long time no see, Artemis.