THE ASSASSIN

NATASHA let out a yawn habang minamasahe ang likuran ng balikat niya. Napatingin siya sa suot na wristwatch at napagtantong alas onse y media na ng gabi. Agad siyang tumayo at inilagay sa locker ang kanyang uniform pati na rin ang iba niyang gamit kapag nagtatrabaho siya. Saglit siyang napatingin sa loob ng kanyang locker kung nasaan ang kaisa isang litratong naiwan sa kanya. Looking at it seem to have made her immuned but the pain is still there. It made her immuned in the sense that it made her bear the pain. Agad naman niya itong nasara nang pumasok ang isa niyang kasamahan. Agad itong nagbihis katabi niya at katulad niya'y ipinasok rin nito ang kagamitan sa loob ng locker. "Maraming customers ngayong gabi, 'di ba?" saad ng babae habang inaayos ang gamit nito sa sariling locker. "Yeah," tipid niyang sagot. In her periphery, she saw the girl put a fragile looking figurine inside her locker. Inayos ni Natasha ang suot niyang backpack at akmang maglalakad na siya nang makita niyang malalaglag na ang figurine ng babae mula sa locker nito. Agad siyang yumuko para saluhin iyon. "Oh my God!" the girl exclaimed habang hawak hawak ang dibdib nito dulot ng kaba. Napatingin si Natasha sa figurine at transparent iyon. It was like a transparent marble na may lamang tubig sa loob. She handed it back to her coworker. "Mag iingat ka sa susunod," she said and tapped her co-worker's shoulder. "Ang bilis ng reflexes mo, Nat. How'd you do that?" Inayos niya ang cap niyang suot. "Just a habit. Una na'ko," she muttered at agad umalis roon. Natasha June Atkinson was an assassin. She was ruthless and kills without mercy. She doesn't like anyone getting in her way. That's what she used to be. Ngunit matagal na niyang kinalimutan ang buhay na iyon. Apat na taon na ang nakalipas matapos niyang magdesisyon na mamuhay ng isang normal na tao. Now she's 19 years old and currently a BS Environmental Science student at a state university nearby at nagtatrabaho bilang part timer sa isang café malapit lang sa kanyang tinitirhan at sa kanyang paaralan. Her course choice is way too out of his past character which was the reason why she chose it in the first place. But there were fragments of her past life that's very hard to get rid off. Her reflex, her senses and her movements are a few. Nakadikit na yata ang mga iyon sa kanya. Her reflex is extraordinary. Well, what do you expect from a former assassin? And her senses are too sharp a suspicious sound could wake her up immediately. And her movements, well, she was trained to be physically fit for a combat kaya naman sisiw lamg sa kanya ang mga gawaing hindi kayang gawin ng isang normal na tao. Or at least she does it better than everyone else. Ngunit ang bagay na mahirap para sa kanya ay ang kalimutan ang dahilan kung bakit siya nagdesisyong mamuhay ng normal. She's still having nightmares about that incident. "Tulong!" Bigla siyang napatigil sa paglalakad at napalingon sa kanyang paligid. It was just a faint sound ngunit rinig na rinig niyang may nanghihingi ng tulong. Blame it to her sharp senses. Mas binilisan niya ang paglalakad, waiting to hear that sound again ngunit hindi na niya ito narinig pa. "Damn it." Pumasok siya sa isang madilim na eskinita. Nagpalinga linga siya sa paligid to check if there's somebody. Nang masiguro niyang wala, mabilis siyang tumuntong sa basurahan. She jumped and got hold of a piece of metal. Using her stronghold, madali niyang naakyat ang tuktok ng gusali na iyon. It just five floors ngunit ito ang pinakamataas na gusali sa lugar. It will be much easier to spot where that sound came from. She scanned the surroundings, tinitingnan ang madidilim na sulok. Napangisi siya nang sa wakas ay nakita niya ito hindi kalayuan sa paaralan na pinapasukan niya. "Gotcha." Agad niyang tinalon ang kabilang gusali and she landed easily. She's jumping from building to building hanggang nakarating siya sa kung saan may nanghihingi ng tulong. At hindi nga siya nagkakamali. Dahil sa nakikita niya'y may dalawang lalake na hawak ang isang babae sa pulsohan nito habang ang isa naman ay kinukuha ang laman ng bag. The heels from her shoes are creating a noise dahilan para mapalingon ang mga lalake sa kanya. Agad napaatras ang mga ito. "Anong kailangan mo?" "That's some cliché question guys, don't you think?" She smirked nang makitang papalapit na sa gawi niya ang dalawang lalake. Agad niyang dinaluhan ng isang suntok sa mukha ang isa at sinipa naman sa sikmura ang isa. The guys staggered backwards dahil sa lakas ng suntok niya. Umayos siya nang tayo at sinenyasan ang babae na tumakbo. Aga namang tumugon ang babae sa nais niyang iparating but it made the two men angrier. "At dahil pinaalis mo siya, ikaw ang papalit sa kanya. Hindi naman kami lugi sayo, ang seksi --" hindi na nito natuloy ang nais sabihin nang batuhin niya ito ng lata na napulot niya lang sa gilid. Habang abala pa ito, agad niya itong sinugod at tinuhod sa sikmura. Napatingin siya sa kabilang direksyon nang makita ang isang lalakeng susugurin siya. Itinukod niya ang kamay sa likuran ng isang lalake at nagpawala ng isang malakas na sipa sa mukha ng isa. Inayos niya ang nagusot na jacket at ang kanyang cap. "Didn't expect so much anyway." She shrugged at nag umpisa nang maglakad leaving the two men unconscious. Maya maya pa ay narinig niya ang tunog mula sa sasakyan ng mga pulis. She walked faster. NAPABUNTONG hininga siya nang makalabas sa elevator na sinasakyan. Hindi pa kasi naaayos ang ilaw sa hallway. Her room is on the fourth floor number 201. Kinuha niya ang kanyang susi at pumasok na sa kanyang kwarto. It was just a small room. Mag isa rin naman siyang nakatira sa kwartong iyon. Napahilata siya sa sofa at agad ring tumayo para lumabas. Hinubad niya ang kanyang suot na jacket at cap at lumabas suot ang isang sweater at jogging pants. She was an assassin and she never realized the comfort these clothes can offer. Pumunta na siya sa convenience store na nasa tapat lang at bumili ng ilaw. Inireklamo na niya iyon sa kanyang landlord ngunit hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ito napapalitan. She's about to go out the store when she stopped abruptly. Humigpit ang hawak niya sa cellophane at pinakiramdaman ang paligid. Napatingin siya sa estante ng magazine sa gilid at lumapit doon. She pretended she's looking at them habang nakikiramdamam siya sa kanyang paligid. Akmang kukuhanin niya ang isa mga magazine nang may magtangkang kunin rin iyon. Ang resulta, the man touched her hand. Napatingin siya rito. "N-Naku, pasensya na. Sige, sa'yo nalang. I'll wait next month for another release." Napatingin siya sa magazine na akmang kukunin niya kanina and cussed mentally. It was a sexy magazine. How stupid can you be, Nat? Nginitian niya ang lalake. "Iyo na. I think you need it more than I do." Napatingin siya sa kabuuan ng lalake. He looked like he just escaped from jail. Agad siyang naglakad palayo sa estante. Just earlier, she felt someone looking at her. Her simple glances outside the store did no help. Wala siyang makitang kahina-hinala which only mean one thing: kung sino man ang nagmamasid sa kanya kanina, it was no ordinary man. Or woman. Nang makasiguro siyang ayos na ay agad siyang lumabas. Her senses were still heightened dahil sa naramdaman niya kanina. She maintained it that way hanggang sa makapasok na siya sa kanyang kwarto. Agad niya ring inayos ang ilaw doon sa hallway which gained her thanks from her neighbors. Napahinga siya nang malalim at napatitig sa kisame. And that's the time where she couldn't bit thinknof the past she try so hard to forget. Matagal na niyang sinubukang ibaon sa limot ang nakaraan niya. She was an assassin. She's ordered to kill. At a young age, she mastered the art of it. She stopped that job years ago ngunit may mga bakas pa rin ang natitira. Hindi niya maiwasang gamitin ang mga iyon lalo na sa mga sitwasyong gaya kanina. She could use it to help people instead of killing them. That's what kept her going for those years she nearly went insane. She found herself in her bed, ready to sleep. And yet, hindi siya makatulog. It happens all the time. Nahihirapan siyang makatulog gabi-gabi. She's used to it. Ngunit iba ngayon. It didn't take her long to fall asleep. She fell asleep deeply na hindi na niya namalayan ang pagbukas ng kanyang bintana at ang pagpasok ng isang bulto ng lalake. Usually, in this kind of situation, she would sprang up from her bed even before the intruder could touch her window. THE sound of her alarm woke her up and it was unusual. Nauuna siya palagi sa alarm clock niya. And what's more unusual is the fact that she's sitting on a chair habang ang kamay at paa niya ay nakagapos. It made her alert. Nagpumiglas siya para makawala sa higpit na pagkakatali ngunit useless iyon. "I'll stop doing that, if I we're you." Napatingin siya sa kanyang kusina only to find the man she saw last night at the store. May hawak itong taser at winawagayway niya ito na para bang sinasabing he won't hesitate to tase her. Ito ang lalakeng kukuha sana sa FHM magazine doon. She smiled unbelievably. Hindi siya makapaniwala kung paano siya naisahan nito. "I have a question," she said habang nakatingin dito. "Sure babe, what is it?" "Did you end up getting that magazine?" She smirked. The man walk in front of her at kinuha sa table ang magazine at ipinakita iyon sa kanya. Kumuha ito ng isa pang silya at ipinuwesto sa kanyang harapan. The man sat on the chair at inilagay ang braso sa sandalan. "So, Natasha June Almeda--" "Yep that's me." "-- or famously known as Agent Atkinson." She went quiet. "What is a woman like you, doing here?" Nanliit ang mata ng lalake habang nakatingin sa kanya. She scoffed. "I should be the one asking that, right? What is an ugly man like you doing here?" The man shrug at inilagay ang baba nito sa braso. "Well... I accept that. The what am I doing in here part. But the part where you said I'm ugly? Nuh-uh. You don't know me, baby." Kumindat pa ito sa kanya na nagpataas ng kanyang kilay. "You don't know me too, mister. You have no idea what I am capable of doing. This room is apparently a perfect setting for a sinister movie, don't you agree?" Nagpakawala ng ngiti ang lalake at kinuha ang isang baso at nilagok iyon. Kumunot ang noo niya. That was her favorite mug. "I'm afraid I don't agree with you, Miss Natasha. I see this place as a perfect setting for a romantic movie, don't you think?" Ngumisi ito sa kanya na ikinainis niya. "Let me go." Mariin niyang banta. "Nope. I need you tied in there. We can't talk seriously if you aren't." Naningkit ang mga mata niya nang hagurin ng lalake ang kanyang katawan. She was just wearing a spaghetti top and a very short shorts! And she wasn't even wearing a bra. She already know this guy has seen what's not supposed to be seen ngunit wala siyang choice. She's tied and she can't move except her fingers. She blinked when she realize something and a plan came into her mind. She smirked. "What do you want?" "I want you." "What?" "I mean I want you! I want your skills." "Skills in what?" "Oh don't deny it, Miss Natasha-- god you're name's so hot -- I saw what you did to that guys last night. And apart from that, I know you very well. I did a background check on you. You were an assassin and I've met you once." "I don't recall meeting your ugly face." "Oh really?" The man smirked. "Was that you last night?" "Yep. I was amazed by your senses. You're vigilant but not enough. I still managed to put some sleeping powder in the back of your hand." "I realized that." Agad niyang napakawalan ang kanyang kamay mula sa pagkakatali at kinuha ang swiss knife na ginamit niya sa pagtanggal nito. She sent the knife flying towards the man's direction ngunit itinaas ng lalake ang silya dahilan para doon tumama ang kutsilyo. Napatingin ang lalake sa kanya. "See? That's why I wanted you tied!" "Who the f**k are you?" She ask as she threw the vase in his direction na naiwasan naman ng lalake. "I'm disappointed you still don't know me. You're hurting my feelings." Saad ng lalake at agad nagtago nang itapon niya sa direksyon nito ang isang picture frame. Natasha ran around the house while throwing everything she could touch hanggang sa tumalon ang lalake papunta sa kanyang direksyon. They went rolling on the floor. She tried pulling him off ngunit mahigpit na nakayakap ito sa kanyang bewang habang nagpagulong gulong sila. Agad siyang umupo sa tiyan ng lalake and started punching him. But the guy was good. Hindi niya inasahan iyon. He blocked all the her punches. The man rolled again and this time, ito na ang nasa ibabaw niya. "You know, your n*****s are very distracting." Saad ng lalake habang nakatingin sa dibdib niya. Binalewala niya ito at ipinulupot ang kanyang binti sa leeg ng lalake. She plan on choking him. Ngunit madali itong nakawala sa kanya. They were both panting as they stood face to face. She's holding a knife, and the guy was holding the taser. "I don't want to use this on you." Saad ng lalake referring to the taser. "Too bad. I badly want to use this on you." Saad niya at itinaas ang kutsilyong hawak. They exchange punches and kicks and they both shielded themselves against it very well. She swing the knife dahilan para tumilapon ang hawak nitong taser. She smirked. The man gulped. "Oh boy." Agad niya itong sinugod gamit ang bitbit na kutsilyo and the man expertly dodged all of her attacked. She saw an open spot at akmang aatakihin niya ito nang masangga na naman ito ng lalake. This time, nakahawak na ito sa kanyang pulso. She knew it's a bad scenario. The guy twisted her hands dahilan para mabitawan niya ang kutsilyo. She groaned when her back hit the wall. The man pinned her there with his very strong arms. He even immobilized her feet para hindi na rin ito makagalaw. Itinaas ng lalake ang kanyang kamay and pinned it on top her head. And he's disturbingly too close to her. "Still don't recognize me, huh?" Ngisi ng lalake. With only one hand, he removed his wig and all of his prosthetics. Nahigit niya ang hininga nang makilala kung sino iyon. "Am I still on your blacklist?" Ngisi nito. "Pierce Magnussen." Ngumisi ang lalake at inilapit ang mukha nito sa kanya. "That's right, baby. Do you know how hot you sound while speaking my name?" Hindi niya inasahan iyon. Kilalang kilala niya ito. And yes, she met him once. It was during that night when she was supposed to kill him dahil kasali ang lalake sa blacklist niya o ang listahan ng mga taong ibinigay sa kanya para trabahuin niya. "Go to hell, you perverted prince." "Then let's go together, shall we?" * * *