Chapter 2 – PUGITA

Our organization spoke for its name. It was literally underground.

Napapalibutan ng mataas na pader ang headquarters just like the other headquarters in different parts of the country. We gave our passwords before we reached the main and only building which was five kilometres away from the gate. Before they could enter, agents from other headquarters were provided a password through a cryptic message which only the members of the organization could decipher.

Apollo parked in front of a huge white mansion. For an outsider’s eyes, it would look like a vacation house of a rich family, but we knew better. I parked my motorcycle next to the sports car. There were other cars too, pero walang ibang motor. Ako lang talaga siguro ang mahilig gumamit ng motor sa trabaho.

Sinalubong kami ng dalawang security guards. They were both wearing black t-shirts and black fitted pants na bumabakat sa malalaki nilang katawan. Each had a pistol tucked in their belts.

Hiniling nilang ipakita ang identity tattoo at dog tag namin. I passed my helmet to Apollo and lifted my shirt on the right side of my waist. Tattooed there was a crescent moon and the letters XIII underneath. One of the guards swept a portable scanner on the tattoo. My real name, appellation, position in the organization and contact details appeared.

The guard smiled pleasantly at me. “Agent 13, my pleasure to finally meet you.”

I didn’t answer. I took my dog tag from my belt which amused the two guards more. Pinakita ko iyon sa kanila at kinuha ang helmet sa kasama ko para sya naman ang magsiwalat ng identity nya.

Apollo showed his tattoo on his broad chest. It was a circle with a dot in the middle, the ancient symbol of Sun. The letters XXI were written underneath. Wala pa man ay alam na ng dalawang guwardiya kung sino ang kasama ko. Syempre kung nasan ang gabi nandun ang araw, an ecological imbalance in the organization.

“Follow us,” sabi ng dalawang guwardiya at nagpatiuna na. I followed the two and Apollo brought up the rear. The guards led us inside the enormous mansion.

The inside of the mansion was as grand as what was outside. A wide staircase led to the second floor where the rooms were. Doors in the first floor that led to other parts of the house were open, offering a peek of majestic rooms. The mansion was just a front of what really was underneath, but it could also accommodate the visiting members of the organization from other units or Districts as they were called.

We were led behind the staircase where a large tapestry hung. The design portrayed a woman wearing a Greek tunic lying on the ground and reaching for a winged man with a bow and arrow. Hango ang disenyo sa mga kilalang Greek characters na sina Psyche at Eros/Cupid. The guards lifted the tapestry and revealed a metal door. One of them pressed the number two on the keypad on the left side of the door.

Itinapat ko sa iris scanner na nasa kanang gilid ng pinto ang kanang mata ko, then I put my dog tag on a slot the size of a matchbox inches under the iris scanner. I pulled it afterwards. Ganun din ang ginawa ni Apollo.

The door opened revealing an elevator. Pumasok na kami ni Apollo and the guards closed the door before us. I felt the metal box went down. Wala kaming imikan ng partner ko. Masama pa rin marahil ang loob dahil sa ginawa ko kanina, pero pakialam ko ba.

Seconds later, the elevator stopped and the door opened. A long bright hallway welcomed us. Another guard met us and checked us for weapons. Standard procedure na kahit agents kami, hindi kami magdadala ng mga armas sa loob ng headquarters lalo na kung bibisita kami sa ibang District.

Inabot ko sa guwardiya ang hawak kong helmet, then I took off my denim jacket revealing the shoulder holster holding my Browning Hi-Power. I placed the gun in a tray the guard was holding. I saw the guard eyed the knife sheath in my left wrist as I took it and placed it also on the tray. I reached for another sheathed knife inside my right ankle-high shoes and added it to the pile of weapons.

Apollo handed his Desert Eagle and Beretta.

“Sigurado ba kayong ‘eto lang?” tanong ng guard na medyo may himig pa ng pagdududa.

Gusto ko sanang magbiro na konti pa nga ang dala kong armas, pero nauna nang sumagot si Apollo.

“Yes.”

“Okay,” sabi ng guwardiya na tila hindi naman kumbinsido. “Pwede na kayong dumiretso sa conference room. Doon daw kayo kakatagpuin ni Senior Agent 7. Bagtasin nyo lang ‘yung hallway tapos liko kayo sa unang likuan sa kaliwa. ‘Yun. Makikita nyo na dun.”

Nagpasalamat na kami at tumungo sa conference room. Each headquarters had unique floor plan. Ito ay para kung sakaling pasukin ang isang headquarters ng organisasyon ay hindi malalaman ang pagkakayari sa iba pa. Subalit sa pagkakaalam ko, isang beses pa lang napasok ng mga kalaban ang isa sa labintatlong headquarters, which was District Three.

Binagtas namin ang mahabang hallway. Walang ibang dekorasyon ang puting pader maliban sa CCTVs. Sa pinakadulo naman ng hallway ay natatanaw ang isang pinto. Pero bago pa namin malaman kung ano ang naroon, narating na namin ang likuan na sinasabi ng guwardiya. Unlike in that long hallway na halos walang tao, sa mga likuan ay maraming labas-masok na mga agents sa kani-kanilang opisina.

May ilang pinasadahan kami ng tingin. Apollo smiled like an idiot at some female agents who smiled back. Diretso lang ang tingin ko. As far as I knew, District Five had the most number of female agents: 10. In District Zero, which was the main office, I was the only woman agent.

A tall handsome guy wearing black leather jacket over a white shirt and fitted denim pants was maniacally grinning at us outside a closed door with the sign “Conference Room”. I grinned too.

“Agent 15,” bati ko. He was Agent 15, Justin dela Riva. Matanda siya ng limang taon sa akin, pero magkasabay kaming pinasok sa organization. Nakilala ko siya noong unang taon ko pa lang at nakasabay siya sa isang kaso. Sabay din kaming na-promote bilang Junior Agents.

Resident agent siya ng District Seven at sa pagkakaalam ko, nasa District Twenty One siya dahil sa isang kaso, pero anong ginagawa nya roon?

“Ang Gabi at ang Araw,” bati niya naman sa amin. Umalis ito sa pagkakasandal sa pader at lumapit sa amin. To my surprise, the guy pulled my waist to him and kissed me full in the lips. Ang gago!

Naramdaman ko ang pagtigil ng ilang agents sa likuran namin.

“Hey!” narinig ko namang palag ni Apollo.

I recovered from shock and sent my right knee flying towards his most precious.

“Agh!” Binitiwan niya agad ako at namilipit sa sakit. “Curse you, Velchez!”

Ipinahid ko ang likod ng palad ko sa mga labi ko at inis na sinagot ito. “Eh, gago ka pala, dela Riva! Umayos ka nang hindi ka nasasaktan!”

Sa ganoong ayos kami nadatnan ng isang maatoridad na agent.

“What’s happening here?!”

Every agent who saw the show scurried to their respective offices. Nagtapunan kami ng matatalim na tingin ni Justin bagaman ang kanya ay may halong sakit.

“That pervert son of a dog just kissed Agent 13!” bulalas ni Apollo halatang nagpipigil na sugurin si Justin.

Inilipat ni Justin ang matatalim na tingin kay Apollo at madiin, pero galit na nagsabi, “You watch your mouth, kid. I’m your senior.”

“That’s enough!” Saway ng bagong dating. Base sa tindig nito at sa naging reaksiyon na rin ng ibang agents kanina, hindi ito basta-basta sa District Five. Nirerespeto ito at kinatatakutan.

Marahil ay nasa limampu na ang edad ng lalaki, pero hindi mahahalata iyon dala ng makisig nitong pangangatawan.

“Hindi pa nga tayo nagsisimula, nag-aaway-away na kayo. I thought this case will end out better kung kaya kayo ang ini-request ko mula sa District Zero. Tapos heto, hindi niyo pa alam ang kaso, gumagawa na kayo ng gulo. Do you consider yourself agents that way?”

Hindi ako nagsalita. Unang beses lang naman ‘yon nangyari sa amin, sa akin. Arogante si Justin, oo, pero pagdating sa trabaho, mataas ang respeto nang kumag na ‘yon sa akin, ganoon din naman ako sa kanya. Ewan ko ba kung anong masamang hangin ang pumasok sa kokote niya’t ginawa niya ‘yon.

Umayos na ito ng tayo bagaman alam kong masakit pa rin ‘yung ginawa ko sa kanya. Sumandal muli ito sa pader, pero parang konti na lang mamimilipit uli ito.

Ngumiti ito ng nakakaloko. “Gusto ko lang naman alamin ‘yung mga usap-usapan. Kaso mali ‘ata ang plano ko. Anyway, nalaman ko naman din na tama ako.”

Sinimangutan ko ito. Hindi ako tanga para hindi malaman kung anong usap-usapan ang tinutukoy niya, pero kahit pa. Hindi niya dapat ginawa ‘yun. Stupid.

Umiling-iling ang matanda. Hindi rin kaila sa buong organisasyon ang pagiging arogante ni Justin. Kaya lang hindi siya mapatalsik ay dahil magaling siyang agent.

“Anyway, kung gusto niyo pang tumuloy sa misyon sumunod kayo sa akin,” sabi ng matandang agent at pumasok sa loob ng conference room.

Nauna na akong sumunod. “You’re a hopeless case,” sabi ko kay Justin nang mapadaan ako sa tabi niya.

Ngumisi lang ito at sumabay sa akin na pumasok. Umakbay sya sa balikat ko, pero inalis ni Apollo ang braso nito. Bahala sila mag-patayan.

Malawak ang conference room. May isang mahabang mesa sa gitna ng kwarto na maaaring upuan ng 22 katao. May mga plastic chairs din na nakasalansan sa isang sulok ng kwarto. Nakalatag sa harapan ang isang malaking projector screen. Sa tabi nito, nakaukit sa pader ang malaking logo ng organization: the Greek letter Ψ. Sa palibot ng logo, nakaukit naman ang buong pangalan ng organisasyon: Psyche Underground Intelligence Agency. Agents call it PUGITA for short.

We helped the police in solving crimes. Minsan nga pinapangunahan pa namin sila. We were not a part of the government, but an independent one. Wala kaming sinasantong kriminal, mayaman man o pulitiko o kilalang tao basta sangkot sa krimen pinapatos namin.

I sat at the old man’s right. Apollo sat next to me while Justin sat across me. Binigyan kami ng tig-iisang folder na may lamang mga information tungkol sa kasong hahawakan namin. The word BLACK was written in bold letters on the folder’s flap.

Napakunot noo ako, pero hindi muna ako nagsalita.

“First, I am Senior Agent 7. Ako ang magiging head ng team sa kasong hahawakan niyo. I requested your expertise for this case which I regretted the very first time I saw you—“

“Ganun lang talaga kami magbatian, Agent 7, pero malinis kami trumabaho,” putol ni Justin sa sasabihin ni Siyete.

Binigyan siya ng blankong tingin ng matandang agent bago nagpatuloy. “Anyway, as I was saying—“

“This case is coded black” singit naman ni Apollo na napansin din ang nakasulat sa folder. “Are you sure you picked the right folder?”

I saw irritation on the old agent’s face. Naiintindihan ko naman siya. Nakakainsulto talaga ang hindi ka pinapatapos sa pagsasalita. “Hey, you two. Let the old man finish his sentence before barging in. You know I depend more on what they say about a case not what is written about it and I don’t give a damn if it’s coded rainbow so shut up or die,” sabi ko.

Tila hindi nagustuhan ng agent ang itinawag ko sa kanya, pero mapayapa na itong nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita.

“To answer you, Agent 21, yes, I picked the right folder to give you. I know it breaks our tradition that only Senior Agents could work on a coded black or brown case, but I need the help of our top Junior Agents here. At tama si Agent 13 na makinig muna sa akin dahil hindi basta-basta ang kasong ito. The most important thing in this case is considered top secret.”

Napakunot-noo ako. Anong bagay ang iko-consider na top secret ng isang sikretong organisasyon?