Chapter 2

August's POV

"We just received the report. The mafia triad......is finally annihilated." Panimula ni Chief sa amin. His expression seems still in shock.

Napaayos naman kaming lahat ng upo. Everyone has a confused gaze to the chief. Sino ba naman kasi ang hindi? Sa ibinalita lang naman ni Chief eh parang sinabi nitong, katapusan na ng mundo mamaya.

"Chief, baka fake news yan." Saad naman ng isang kasamahan ko na si Drake. He is in investigation department.

Sumang-ayon naman ang halos lahat sa amin pero ako ay hindi na nagsalita. Kilala ko si Chief. Hindi ito yung tipong nantitrip o naniniwala sa fake news. He doesn't entertain news if it doesn't have any sense.

"It's unbelievable, but this report is from Interpol." Sagot nito sa amin at may ipinakita itong mga pictures sa screen ng mga mafia lords na ngayon ay nakakulong na ay may sentensya ng panghabang buhay na pagkakakulong. Even their subordinates were annihilated and the black market was obliterated.

"Daebak!" Komento naman ng katabi kong si Reed. Yeah, he is half korean and spanish. Korean ang itsura, pero ang pangalan ay pangkastila. It is so weird. Isang tingin mo lang akala mo yung pangalan eh Park Jimin, o kaya naman Kim Yoongi pero yun pala hindi.

"Papaanong nahuli ang mga yan? The government was chasing them for years... then mahuhuli lang sila ng sabay sabay?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Misha na ngayon ay talagang nagtataka na nakatingin sa mga pictures sa screen. She looks like contemplating on what are the possibilities.

"As I expected, this will create a chaos with the government. But there is a group from US who are capable of doing this. They captured these with evidence of illegal transactions, drug syndicate, prostitution, mass killing, fire arms smuggling, human trafficking and money laundering. They captured these people, just within a week." Paliwanag ni Chief sa amin kaya napalunok naman ako.

What the fuck? Who the hell are these people who did capture the top three mafia lords in the world in just one week? Tao pa ba ang mga ito? Gaano ito kagaling? Mas magaling pa ba ang mga ito sa mga kathang isip na mga kuwento na nababasa ni Misha noon? Grabe lang, parang ayokong maniwala pero nandyan ang ibedensya eh. And just imagine, all those three mafia lords has private army. Pero napabagsak nila!

"Phantom Troupe?" Tanong ng isang kasamahan ko. "Di ba sila yung Alpha Team ng Undercover Agents ng CIA?" At napatingin naman ito sa amin. "Kayo ang Delta Team, di ba? Kilala niyo ba sila?"

Umiling ako. Bukod sa amin ay wala na akong kilala pang mga undercover agents. Every countries has a team from CIA for undercover jobs. We are the people who has lies with our public information. I am registered as clerk in a big company, and my school records was changed as well. No one knows that we are undercover agents aside from our workmates and associates.

"We haven't met them before. But I heard, Phantom troupe was born, three years ago." Sagot naman ni Reed. "They were escalated to Alpha Team right away with their lethal abilities and the former Alphas were down to Betas."

Napanganga akong nakatingin kay Reed. He is so knowledgeable, ni wala akong ideya sa Phantom Troupe na ito! Well, after all he is the leader with Delta Team. He got great skills after all. Well, I got great skills as well that can rival him but a girl can never be a leader with the undercover team in CIA. Ayoko rin naman maging leader dahil maraming reports ang kailangan gagawin at hindi ko trip yun.

"A-Alphas?" Paniniguro ni Misha. Kabisadong kabisado ko na itong si Misha. Alam kong napapamura na ito sa isipan nito dahil hindi rin ito nakapaniwala.

"You don't know?" Tanong ng isang kasama namin na hindi ko na babanggitin ang pangalan dahil hindi naman ito importante.

"Well, all we care is just delta. We really don't give a fuck with other teams. They are not within our jurisdiction anyway." Malamig na sagot ko rito. Hindi ko kasi gusto yung tono ng pagkakatanong niya. Seems like he is belittling Misha, eh sa hindi ko nga rin alam eh.

"But you should know them." Giit pa nito.

"Is it in the book of Law that requires we should know them?" Tanong ko pa rito.

"No." Umiling naman ito sa akin.

"Oh ano ang pinagpuputak mo diyan?" Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay kaya natahimik naman ito. Pakialam ba nito kung di namin kilala ang grupong yan? Sa wala akong nababalitaan tungkol sa kanila eh. Ni hindi nga siya myembro ng Delta Team!

"Quit it. This is not the reason why we have this emergency meeting." Singit naman ni Chief dahil alam nito na kung hindi siya sisingit eh magkakasagutan na kami ng mga kasamahan ko. "Next week, Phantom Troupe will arrive here in the Philippines. They will be conducting a training for the Delta Team."

"What?!" Lahat kami napatayo. Nope, kaming Delta Team lang. Ako, si Misha, Reed, Jasper at Ryujin. All undercover teams composed of five members the best agents in the country. Best in their fields. Me, Reed, Jasper and Ryujin are best in fields, detonating bombs, spying, undercover mission, combats, guns and we are like a ghost when we do our jobs. We don't leave marks. While Misha, she is our navigator. She handle tracking, computers, satellite location, GPS, bugging, hacking, and creating fake documents for our fake identity when we have mission.

"But Sir, why us?" Naitanong ni Reed. He seems like against with the idea of this Phantom Troupe, training us.

"We can't do anything about it......." sagot ni Chief at bumuntong hininga naman ito bago ulit sumagot. "They are the one who selected you."

Napalunok naman ako. Hala, bakit kami? Bakit hindi yung Beta o kaya ang Charlie Team? Bakit kami na Delta at dito pa sa Pilipinas? Is this for real? Hindi naman sa ayoko, it is actually an honor to be trained by these people dahil halatang magagaling talaga ang grupo na ito. Pero nakakagulat lang, dahil sa dami ng pwedeng pagpipilian, sa Pilipinas pa talaga. They can select, Brazil or Spain or Russia or Japan or Canada, or Finland or Australia or Brussels or Germany. Ang dami daming pagpipilian pero Pilipinas yung pinili nila.

"Then, that would be great... maybe if they will train us, we can be great as them." Saad naman ni Jasper na ngayon ay mukhang excited na sa mga mangyayari.

Hindi nagbigay ng reaksyon si Reed. He looks likes he is displeased or something. Pero biglang lumapit naman sa akin ito at bumulong.

"I have a bad feeling about this. It sounds suspicious." Bulong nito sa akin. He looks serious and there is no hint of making fun. He is totally concerned.

Napatango naman ako. He got a point dahil talagang suspicious ang nangyayari. Pero kahit papaano ay nakarmadam din ako ng excitement dahil sa training na magaganap. I missed it already. Those days. And a flash of memory was rushing through my mind. My trainings in Pandora. It's been a few years at sumuko na ako sa kakaasa na makakabalik pa ako doon. And see him.

"Suspicious or not, this is a good thing. We will learn from them." Mahinang saad ko na lang rito. I'll take this as a positive side. It will be good for all of us.

"Well, that's a point." Ngumiti naman sa akin si Reed at biglang tumikhim naman si Misha and she is giving us a dirty look. Abnormal talaga kahit kailan.

Inirapan ko na lang ito at hindi na nagsalita. Nakinig na lang kami sa ibang reports ni Chief and folders were distributed again for another mission.

•••

"I will take the lead. Tail him without being noticed." Saad ni Reed mula sa maliit na earpiece na nakakabit sa tenga ko. It looks like an earring para hindi masyadong halata.

I am wearing a sophisticated black gown wearing a silver mask. May hair is in messy bun. I was eyeing the target. Senator Velasquez who is allegedly said as a drug lord and smuggler. Matagal na itong minamanmanan ng FBI pero wala silang nakukuhang mga ibedensya kaya idinulog na ito sa amin. This is the mission we received from the meeting.

"The show will begin." Saad ako at alam ko na rinig ng lahat ng kasamahan ko ang sinabi ko.

Naglakad ako with swaying moves kaya marami ang napapalingon sa akin. I must do all the guts that I have to catch the attention of Senator Velasquez para mapalapit dito. I was smiling to everyone and waving and even sending flying kisses to those flirty men who are whistling while eyeing me.

"Stop that August. I'll wring their necks if they won't stop." Banta ni Reed. I did not respond pero pinipigilan ko ang tawa ko.

"Ay sus, selos ka naman. Wala kang K! K for karapatan kaya manahimik ka!" Singit naman ni Misha.

I smiled more dahil natatawa ako sa dalawa. Reed is somehow, too possessive for a friend pero hindi naman ako nagrereklamo doon. He's a great friend after all at tsaka ang lakas pa nitong manlibre. May pasalubong sa akin na waiter na may dalang white wine sa tray kaya naman ay kumuha ako ng isa at patuloy na naglakad palapit sa table ng senator na may mga kasamang mga kaedad din nito. He is actually too young for a senator. He's around like in his early thirties.

I was eyeing him and his eyes made a contact with mine. A devilishly smile curved on his lips as our eyes locked. Lumapit ako sa table nila and I made a smile with the rest of the people there. May mga babae doon na napapaismid din ng makita ako. Why do girls always like this? Hindi ba pwedeng hindi umirap? I am trying to be friendly here.

"Hi beautiful! I'm Senator Nathan Velasquez... may I know your name?" Nakangising tanong nito sa akin.

Who would not know him? Kung hindi ko lang alam na isa itong drug lord at smuggler ay baka magkacrush pa ako rito. He is just too handsome for a criminal. Kaya hindi ito mahuli huli dahil malinis din itong magtrabaho and he is using his looks as well to make his figure in public in high commendation. Maraming babaeng nagkakandarapa rito. If they only know what kind of man he is, baka nga wala ng lalapit rito. Sino ba naman kasi ang normal na babae ang magkakagusto sa isang drug lord? Adik lang?

"Raven...." sagot ko. I usually use that name when I am in a mission.

"Raven?" Tanong pa nito. He obviously wanted to know my surname.

"Just Raven." Sagot ko na lang at kumindat pa rito.

Napangisi naman ito and it is giving him a look like every girl will drool over, but of course, it won't effect on me because I know, behind that smile is a criminal.

"Okay Raven, would you mind if I request you to sit with us?" Tanong pa nito and he sounded with courtesy.

Well, he can be a gentleman after all and I will take this opportunity to get close with him. "It will be an honor." Sagot ko naman at agad na itong tumayo at ipinaghila ako ng upuan para makaupo ako. Agad naman akong umupo and I place the silver purse on my lap.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Unang tanong nito sa akin. The conversation is just too normal but I already expect that since he is a public figure after all.

"Yes, my kind of thing." Sagot ko. Just not my kind of thing. I am already dying of boredom here. I wanted to answer that but I don't wanna blew this mission.

"Hahaha. Just the opposite." Natatawang saad naman ni Misha muka sa earpiece.

"Way to go, August. We are just around the corner." Saad naman ni Ryujin.

"Be careful." Saad naman ni Reed.

Hindi ako sumagot dahil una, magmumukha akong baliw. Pangalawa baka mabuko pa ako. Silence means yes. Yun ang code namin.

"That's great. I believe this is my first time seeing you and I am wondering what on earth is hiding behind that mask." Nakangiting saad ni Nathan sa akin.

A smooth talker. No wonder, girls swoon over him. "Hhmm... just a face, a normal one." Sagot ko rito and I sipped a wine dahil medyo kinabahan ako dahil baka magrequest ito na tanggalin ko ang maskara ko. I am already thinking what will be my reason not to.

"Hhmm... why do I have this feeling that behind that mask is a very beautiful face?" He smoothly asked.

"I'll kill that bastard!" Alboroto naman ni Reed mula sa earpiece.

"No!" Agad ko na naisagot but what the fuck?! Did I just blurted out? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He looks confused! "Ahhh, I mean no, you're wrong. It's not very beautiful, just beautiful hahaha." Gusto kong batukan ang sarili ko at gusto ko rin sapakin si Reed. Para itong siraulo eh.

Napangiti naman si Nathan. "I like your humor. Can I have a dance with you?" Yaya pa nito sa akin.

I wanted to say no, but for the sake of the mission, I said. "Yes." And he stood up and offered his hand to have a dance with me and we walked towards the dance floor with a smooth music playing.