The Tourist
1553 Words
IF there was one thing that Yulla was thankful for in this mission, she was able to see the beauty of Spain’s capital city.
The area is known for its arts and architecture. It was amazing to watch the cosmopolitan capital.
Yulla felt like she was inside a magazine browsing at the splendor of the city.
She checked in a boutique hotel in the heart of the city. It was included in the envelope that Luna gave.
A flyer was enclosed in the envelope, too. She had fun reading it while she was on the plane. Somehow, it helped her get to know the place and made her a more eager tourist on the outside.
Anyone that could see her would think that she was an overzealous traveler. She even grabbed a leaflet in the airport for the display of her disguised.
In the afternoon, she went to the reception to ask the receptionist of the nearest local food hub that sells out the country’s authentic food. She even inquired about the best bar nearby for young professionals.
She went out for a walk comes mid-afternoon.
According to the receptionist, there is a local restaurant that offers affordable authentic Spanish cuisine. It was a couple of minutes' walk from the hotel.
After she got her order from the counter, Yulla occupied the corner table beside the glass wall. She made sure that the CCTV will catch her but not the screen of the phone that she was holding.
With a smile, she stared at the food on the table.
She is genuinely excited to eat churros and hot chocolate. She has tried it before but she wanted to taste them made by an authentic Spanish hand.
She sighed.
She grabbed a piece of churro and dipped it in the hot chocolate.
“This is the life.” Lala said in her head.
Yulla wanted to laugh out loud at her wolf’s dramatic reaction. She and her wolf were both enthusiastic when it comes to trying new things.
She googled the address sent to her by Mitos. She made sure to memorize all the possible exits in the area.
When she was done. She erased the search engine and made a search of the local bars as well as the nearest Starbucks coffee.
While on that particular page, she placed the phone on top of the table. She picked another piece of churro and dunked it in the hot beverage.
Holding the churro in one hand, she swiped the screen of the phone to browse the local city map. She pressed the resto-bar a little farther from the hotel she stayed.
Holding a takeaway dessert, a tarta de queso or cheesecake, Yulla marched back to the hotel.
“Hola, señorita. You’re back so soon.”
Yulla grinned at the young woman in the reception. She raised her hand that has the dessert.
“I got what I’m looking for. Thanks for your help.”
“You’re welcome, señorita. I assume you have a taste of the churros?”
“Of course. I have crumbs in my shirt?” She tapped the front of her top.
The receptionist shook her head as she chuckled.
It was eight in the evening when she went down. It was a different woman standing at the reception counter.
She appeared to be every inch of a young professional that wanted to have fun on a Saturday night.
She wore a dark silk spaghetti tank top under a light color cardigan. She paired it with equally dark skinny jeans that hugged her trimmed hips. On her feet were two-inch heels that showed her red-painted toes.
A taxi was waiting for her at the entrance. She called the reception to get her a cab before she went down.
She told the driver the name of the bar.
The place was packed on a Saturday night. Yulla went to the bar the moment she entered.
She occupied a seat beside the bar counter. She smiled at the bartender before she ordered a mojito.
Not even ten minutes on her ass, a guy approached her. She got another drink after she finished the first one.
After a few words, they went outside the bar. As expected, the man tried to pull her for a kiss. She acted like a damsel and tried to push him away. When she made a minute space between them, she gave him a slapped on the face and left him immediately.
She walked as far away from him as possible. She did not give him a glance despite him calling for her name.
“Nice.”
Yulla wanted to laugh, too. The guy fell into her trap. It was a good thing that he did not follow her.
The direction that she was going was the address that Mitos gave her.
It was a dark alley. A few were loitering in the area. Their appearance already promised a not very good end. She can also make out the outline of the gun in the waistband of their jeans.
“Papi is already here. Look out for possible snitch.”
Upon hearing that, Yulla knew that she was in the right place.
“Relax, policia is in our side.”
“Si, but the higher-ups were not.”
“You worry so much, primo. We’re good.”
“Papi Bernie just called. The package is coming.”
“On it. Hola dinero, adios pobreza.”
A few meters away, she saw an SUV entering the warehouse. Despite the distance, she recognized Martin Benzon in the passenger seat.
The gates of the warehouse close again. The few men that were loitering in the area were more cautious of their surroundings that Yulla made sure that she should not be seen.
She stilled when she heard incoming footsteps. They were restrained. Controlled. Due to her enhanced hearing, she recognized the static noise in the background and almost whispered exchange.
This is a raid. She thought to herself.
She gets as far away as possible from the warehouse without being noticed by both parties.
She swore when the gunfire started.
Yulla began running. She mustered fear from inside her.
She screamed when a bullet embedded her left arm. She halted and fell on her knees. All the while shrieking in fright.
“Please, don’t shoot me! Stop shooting!” She yelled in fear.
She bowed her head while her uninjured hand is holding on to the wounded one. She touched the sticky blood from her injury.
“Don’t shoot me!”
She heard several voices of men in frantic tones. They were in a Spanish language that she was unable to understand.
Yulla kept her head low to show them that she is not a threat.
“Please don’t hurt me. I’m shot. Someone shot me.” She stated. Tears were falling on her cheeks.
A man grabbed her arm, the injured one. When she lifted her face, the man who has her arm was wearing a dark shirt that has the logo of the local police.
She wanted to scream in his face that it hurts real bad especially when he is gripping it so hard.
“You’re hurting me. I’ve been shot.” She cried.
She heard them say something about the hospital before she was pulled not so carefully towards an unmarked car.
Yulla was crying in the backseat while holding her bleeding arm. The two men were talking in Spanish. She knew that it was about her since they were glancing in her direction.
“Are you sending me to the hospital? I’m bleeding here.” She whined.
“Si, hospital. Quiet.”
She released hiccups but did not say any words.
Yulla was pulled to the emergency room of the hospital. A nurse immediately assisted her and check the wound in her upper left arm.
The medical attendant mentioned about GSW. All the while, Yulla was making a face and acted very hurt. Tears were streaming down her face.
“What’s that for?” She asked when the nurse is about to inject something on her arm.
“Anesthetic. The bullet is embedded in your arm. I have to remove the bullet or it’s going to hurt more.”
At last, someone knew how to speak English!
“I don’t want to sleep.” She said fearfully.
“You won’t but you should be numb in this area or it would hurt like hell.”
Yulla closed her eyes when she saw that the syringe neared.
“Nice one, hooman.” Lala murmured.
“I know. I should be an actress.”
Her wolf huffed before retreating to the deeper side of her brain.
Less than an hour later, a bit lightheaded due to the anesthesia, she was wheeled to a private room.
The room was small and it has two beds.
A policeman stayed with her inside the room.
“Am I a suspect?”
“No talking. No English.”
Yully wanted to exhale in frustration but she has to remind herself that she was on a mission and she was acting like a tourist in this foreign land.
She was about to open her mouth to ask again when he shook his head.
Dammit! She cussed in her head.
- Writer
