Chapter 14

Ayashi's POV

"They are the ones who is digging near the garden," Shannah said, "I don't know what they want but I do know that their intentions isn't good."

I bit my lower lip before I put my phone back to my pocket.

"Fiona and Phoebe, I need to stay here until three in the morning. I'll be needing the both of you by then." Humiga ako sa malambot na kama, "But for now, you can go back to your classes and please inform Tita Ysabel that I won't be home."

"Are you insane? You'll stay there until tomorrow?"

"No one will know, trust me and besides, this is the only way to catch the culprit."

"Fine, I understand. We'll see you tonight."

Third Person's POV

Dumaan ang ilang mga oras ay panay cellphone lang si Ayashi, minsan naman ay nakikipag-usap siya kina Shannah at Linette. 

Hindi pa rin siya sa makapaniwala sa nadiskubre tungkol kay Shannah, her story is mind blowing. Lahat ng mga ilaw sa loob ng dormitoryo ay pinatay na, the clock strikes at 12.

Ayashi reminded Shannah not to make any sudden movement without her consent, hindi dapat malaman ng mga armadong tao na yun na may gising pa sa loob ng dormitoryo.

Napabangon si Ayashi nang marinig niya ang pamilyar na boses ng dalawa niyang mga kasamahan.

"Tigress in position, Vixen." She heard a yawn after, "I really hope that staying up this late at night has a sole purpose."

"Starfire in position, boss Vixen." Starfire's enthusiastic voice lingered through the earpiece, "Nakapwesto na si Tigress sa isang puno na hindi kalayuan sa dormitoryo. I just checked the CCTV footages right now and it seems like someone hacked it before me, I can still see the codes the hacker used."

Kinuha ni Ayashi ang baril mula sa ankle boots niya bago siya naglakad patungo sa pintuan na malapit sa veranda, isang clear na sliding door yun.

"Do you think you can track down where the codes came from?" Ayashi whispered.

Tigress chuckled. "That will be very impossible—"

"I'm currently working on it," Starfire groaned in frustration, "but the internet is so slow so it will take some time." Napahinto saglit sa pagsasalita si Starfire.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes there is, there is an unusual movement near the garden. Tigress, can you look at it?"

"Sure thing."

Dumungaw si Ayashi sa labas sa pamamagitan ng sliding door at tama nga ang sinabi ni Starfire na may unusual movement ang nangyayari sa labas, it's too dark that's why she can't clearly see but she knows that there is something that's moving in the darkness.

Bumalik naman ang boses ni Tigress sa linya. "Affirmative, there are three armed men in the garden."

Ayashi quietly opened the sliding door before she put a cover in her face, her eyes are the only ones that can be seen. Tumalon siya mula sa veranda at wala man lang nakapansin sa kanya, she used her night vision shades to see in the dark. 

Si Tigress naman ay nakapwesto sa isang puno hindi malayo sa kinaroroonan ng dorm, pinapanood niya ang bawat galaw ni Ayashi upang mapaghandaan kung baka sakaling may biglang umatake sa kanya while Starfire is on the SSI headquarters. She's the one who will give a signal in case someone will make an impulsive move.

Si Tigress ang attacker habang si Starfire naman ang mga mata nila sa tuwing may misyon silang tinatapos.

"There are three armed men 10 steps away from Ayashi," the line quickly connected to Tigress's earpiece, "you need to eliminate them right away so that Ayashi can roam freely without problem."

"If I do that, won't their boss suspect? Pwedeng malaman nila na pinatumba natin yung mga kasamahan nila."

Starfire smirked before she started typing on the computer keyboard.

"Don't worry, we have a back up for that." Natapos ito sa pagtipa sa keyboard bago niya binaling ang tingin sa screen na nasa harap niya, "Just shoot whoever you see, siguraduhin mong kalaban ang papatayin mo. I'll take care of everything from there."

"As you wish, Starfire."

Tigress pulled the trigger of her sniper as the bullet started hitting the heads of the enemies that she can see through her sniper. May mga nakaitim na lalaki ang humatak papalayo sa mga patay na katawan ng mga lalaking pinatumba ni Tigress, may panibago namang mga lalaki ang pumalit sa pwesto ng mga pinatay ni Tigress kani-kanina lang. Tigress carefully shoot the enemies, trying her best not to miss a shot.

Naririnig ni Ayashi ang boses ng mga lalaking nag-uusap ilang hakbang malapit sa kanya, she cannot be seen in the dark so easily since she's wearing black. 

"Nahukay niyo na ba?" Naningkit ang kanyang mga mata nang marinig niya ang pamilyar na boses na yun.

"Hindi pa boss," sagot ng isa sa kanila, "may nagpaparamdam kasi sa dormitoryo kaya nagigising ang mga residente. Nahihinto ang paghuhukay namin."

"Damn it, mga bobo ba kayo?" Sinindihan ng lalaki ang sigarilyo niya, "Huwag kayong magpadaig sa isang pesteng multo lang. The boss is waiting, baka pag madelay ulit ang trabahong ito ay sabay-sabay tayong madadali."

"Boss Jerome, hindi ko maintindihan bakit nagmamadali si boss na makuha ang bagay na yun." Usal ng lalaking may hawak na pala habang nag-uumpisang maghukay sa lupa.

"There is some pest getting on our way," bumuga siya ng usok, "her name is Ayashi. She is the pest that keeps bugging our mission, kailangan natin siyang maunahan bago niya malaman ang binabalak natin dito."

Kinuha ni Ayashi ang baril niya nasa ankle boots niya, kinasa niya yun bago naghanap ng tamang tiyempo. On the other hand, Tigress left the tree kung saan siya nakapwesto kanina. Tumungo siya sa nakaparada niyang ducati na natatakpan ng dahon ng saging.

Inside the SSI headquarters, Starfire is busy typing some codes—her brows furrowed as she tried decoding the codes that was used to hack the CCTV cameras awhile ago. Napalakas ang pagpindot niya sa bawat letra na nasa keyboard, marahas niyang pinindot ang mouse ng computer nang makakita siya ng virus sa screen ng computer.

"Fuck it!" She cussed harshly, she gritted her teeth. "I was the one who should be tracking that hacker down..." She sighed in frustration, "I'll catch you one day, trust me on that."

Tumayo si Fiona bago kinuha ang baril niya at binaril ang computer na ginamit niya kani-kanina lang.

Kumunot naman ang noo ni Tigress nang makarinig siya ng pagsabog sa kabilang linya.

"Are you okay, Starfire? Is there something wrong?" 

"There is, but I'll handle it." Lumabas siya sa kwarto kung saan niya ginamit ang computer, may hawak-hawak siyang bag na may lamang laptop. "Proceed to the plan, pupunta ako sa headquarters ng S-unit. Doon ko ipagpapatuloy ang ginagawa ko kanina."

"Copy that."

While Fiona is walking towards her sports car outside the SSI headquarters, she can't help but to think about the hacker who hacked her system. Walang hacker na nakakalusot sa kanya and as a professional hacker herself, she feel insulted about what happened.

Nag-angat ng tingin si Ayashi kay Linette na nakatingin na ngayon sa direksyon ng mga kalalakihang tinitignan niya kanina, she transformed herself into a scary ghost.

Napangiwi si Ayashi nang makita ang dugo na nakakalat sa lupa na nagmula sa bibig ni Linette, Linette made herself visible so that the others can see her.

Lumingon ang lalaking may hawak na pala, mas pinaigihan ni Ayashi ang pagtatago niya sa gilid ng bahay, the man holding the shovel quickly ran behind the guy named Jerome when he saw Linette's ghost.

"I didn't know that will work..." Ayashi whispered to herself.

"Boss, may multo! May multo!" Sigaw ng lalaki habang nakaturo kay Linette binatukan naman agad ni Jerome ang lalaki.

"Nakikita ko, huwag kang matatakot dahil multo lang naman yan. Ano nga ba ang nagagawa ng mga multo?" Nakangising usal ni Jerome, "Wala naman diba? They are already dead. They can't do anything."

The guy named Jerome took a few steps forward, he is going to Linette's direction. Ayashi readied herself for what was going to happen, patuloy na naglakad si Jerome at sa huling hakbang nito ay agad na nawala si Linette. He was about to smirk winningly when he suddenly felt a cold thing that was pointed into his forehead.

He froze.

"Well hello, it's good to see you again." Ayashi walked forwardly while still pointing her gun in Jerome's forehead. "I didn't expect to encounter you here, I was expecting for your boss to spank you in the ass for hurting me the last time we saw each other."

Jerome gritted his teeth. Kakasa sana siya ng baril nang makarinig siya nang sunod-sunod na putok ng baril sa gilid niya.

"Oopsie, sad to say but the S-unit got you surrounded." Isa-isang mga lalaking nakaitim na mask ang nagsisulputan. May mga lalaking nasa itaas ng bubong at meron rin sa gate, may mga lalaki ring nasa likod ni Jerome. Yung iba namang mga tauhan ni Ayashi ay pinatumba ang mga kasamahan ni Jerome.

Jerome felt really annoyed.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Yamamoto?" Sumeryoso ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Ayashi habang mas mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa gantilyo ng baril.

"Why the hell are you here? Hindi pa ba sapat ang ginawa niyong pagpapatumba sa amin noong nakaraang linggo?" Ayashi scoffed, "I must admit, I was surprised that you almost get us killed but I won't let it happen again."

Jerome smirked.

"So what are you going to do? Are you gonna pull the trigger and shoot me in the head?" Hinawakan niya yung baril at mas itinutok niya yun sa noo niya, "Shoot me, natatakot ka ba? Ha?"

Seryoso siyang tinignan ni Ayashi, his heart started racing when he didn't saw any hint of hesitation in Ayashi's eyes. He may admit it or not but he is scared if ever she pull the trigger.

Pumikit ng mariin si Jerome nang akmang gagalawin na sana ni Ayashi ang gantilyo, she smirked smugly.

"Looks who's a scared cat now." Ayashi rolled her eyes bago niya inilayo ang baril mula sa noo ni Jerome. He opened his eyes slowly and he saw Ayashi smirking at him.

Sinenyasan siya nito na umalis na para bang isa siyang asong ulol na napadpad sa hardin niya.

"If I kill you now then where's the fun in that?" Lahat ng mga tauhan ni Ayashi ay hindi na nagtaka sa sinabi ng boss nila, a same thing like this has happened before. "I'm not that cruel, I'll let you and your men go. Please tell your boss that I don't need his pity, if he can kill my father before then killing his child won't be a big deal to him."

Jerome gritted his teeth. "You already know everything."

"Nah, just 20% of the truth and I'm currently working on the 80%." Ayashi turned her back, "You should better go now together with your men before I change my mind."

Walang magawa si Jerome kundi ang umalis sa dormitoryo kasama ang mga tauhan niyang naghuhukay kanina, he is mad. May isa namang babaeng lumabas sa dormitoryo, bale apat silang lahat. Nakasuot sila ng isang gear, mask at meron rin silang dalang isang malaking plastic container na may hose sa gilid, bitbit nila yun sa likod nila.

"Boss Vixen, wala pong nagising na mga residente kahit isa. They will not know about what happened here." One of them said.

"That's good."

Those people who are wearing a gear is spraying a chemical inside the dormitory to make all the residents asleep, that is a safe substance since SSI has been using that substance for a very long time.

May mga tauhan naman si Ayashi na nagsimulang maghukay sa hinukayan kanina ng mga kasama ni Jerome, after a few minutes of digging—may nahukay silang sako. Kinuha nila yun at binuksan, Ayashi analyzed what's inside the sack and she figured out that it's a human skull and bones. 

Tumingin siya sa gawi ni Shannah na bakas ang lungkot sa mukha, it's her dead body. She was buried there when her twin sister, Hannah, killed her.

"Bring those bones to the HQ and let our crew study them," Ayashi started walking away just as Shannah's soul started fading away in the scene.

She was about to go to the direction where her motorcycle is parked when she suddenly received a call, it's Cooper. She quickly answered it.

"This better be good, Cooper."

"To be frankly honest with you Vixen, the substance you wanted me to study is the main reason why the head of the SSI is starting to ask for my presence. I feel that it has something to do with that substance you gave me."

"That's odd. The head of the SSI never questions every orders I give to the S-unit."

Cooper scoffed on the other line.

"Have you forgotten? I'm not part of your unit. So Vixen—fuck, get off me. Okay fine, fine I'm going." After that, the line ended.

Mabilis na umiling si Ayashi bago siya sumakay sa motor niya, she used her keypad nails to contact Starfire.

"Hello this is Starfire, I'm kinda busy doing some coding right now. If you have any message just say it after the beep." She's not answering her phone.

"Starfire, can you make an identification card for Cooper?” She put on her helmet, "And put him as one of the new members of the S-unit. I'll be needing it tonight."

Then, she drove off towards the SSI headquarters.