Chapter 1: Rogue

The flickering lights from the DJ lighting brushes off the dark room along with how the loud beat of music envelops the surroundings. The crowd seems to be enjoying every bit of it, mostly are youths. Wild parties, liquors, cigarettes and s*x, no doubt it's definitely their stuff.

A man in black roams his gazes and smirks the moment he sees his companion at the other side of the room. "Enough with your smirks, Rogue. Naiirita ako," sambit ng kasama nito habang inis na nakamasid sa unahan.

"What did I do? Kumalma ka nga, Kouen." He took a cigarette stick and light it, he let the smoke fills the air and glanced again at Kouen's spot. "You should probably chill out, you're stressing yourself. Wala pa naman 'yong target."

Rogue Chavez likes it when he teases Kouen Anderson. Natatawa siya sa walang kabuhay-buhay na reaksyon nito, at alam naman niyang hindi talaga ito natutuwa sa pinaggagawa niya. "Should I buy you a drink? Mamaya pa naman tayo mag start, what do you think?" He tried to sound convincing, he is deeply aware that his buddy is not in the mood to play around with him.

"Silence means yes, let's meet at the counter."

Kouen couldn't do anything but to head himself towards the counter, wala siyang magagawa kung kagustuhan ng kaibigan ang laging nasusunod. "Hey, you're looking good." Annoyance could be seen on his face when Rogue greeted him with a playful grin, he knows that the man is pretending as if they never know one another. It's part of his dirty plays.

"I can't believe you're here," Kouen, being a good companion never fails to go with the flow. He sat with him one seat apart and faced the bartender, "Can I have a glass of bloody marys, sir?" He doesn't like to fill himself with liquor tonight but the fact that Rogue would be enjoying the moment makes him an outcast.

"I didn't know you'd like the taste of bloody marys." Speaking of him, Rogue sat comfortably on his spot with his usual smirks. Seeing him playing along with the beat, he is used to this kind of atmosphere but not because he has free time to visit or pass by, it's all because of his job and he kinda likes it.

"Kiefer?" A woman with a silky red backless dress greeted Rogue with a kiss, her voice is obviously filled with excitement and her move surprised the boys. She let her fingers travel down his chest and before she could say a thing, Kouen who disliked the view interrupted her.

"Kiefer, who?" He seems to be puzzled. Hindi niya kilala ang pangalan na iyon at mas lalo lamang siyang naguluhan nang ngumisi ang kasama niya.

"Hey, hon. How's it going? I'm not expecting to see you here," his voice became flirty and he heard the woman moan and giggle. Mas lalo lamang inilapit ng babae ang katawan nito kay Rogue at nabasa naman niya ito kaagad.

"You probably can't remember my name na," nag tatampo ang boses nito.

Kouen couldn't understand what was happening but he concluded that Rogue had a pleasurable night with the woman, he assumed that his friend didn't get her name nor contact number, alam niyang dito lamang sila nagkita at mananatiling dito lang ang ugnayan ng dalawa. "I need an explanation after this, asshole."

Rogue simply grins upon seeing his friend's reaction. Maging siya ay nagulat rin nang makita ulit ang babaeng ito, as what he could remember way back the first time they met, she's a good use of taking down his target. He couldn't thank her enough so he nearly bedded her — to the woman's dismay, it didn't go as far as she thought.

"I missed you! Off duty ka ba ngayon? You're not wearing your uniform e," The woman cling more onto him, Rogue figured out what to do next, he cannot waste a single minute to chitchat with her because he has more important thing to prioritize. "Would you like to have a drink with me?" He offered and her cheeks turns red.

"No need to ask, Kie! I'd love to, ang tagal na natin hindi nagkita. I miss the taste of your drinks." She flipped her hair and faced him straight into his eyes, her looks says it all, she is obsessed with the man named Rogue Chavez but she knows him by the name Kiefer the bartender.

"I've been busy recently, we had some great time with our short vacation at New Zealand."

Bahagya namang napatingin ang babae sa katabi ni Rogue, nasilayan naman niya ang suplado nitong mukha. "What?" Tila hindi natutuwa ang kaibigan na si Kouen, hanggang ngayon ay iritable pa rin siya habang iniinom ang baso ng alak na hawak. Napapasulyap siya sa relo niya dahil ano mang oras ay lalabas na ang target nila na kanina pa nila hinihintay.

He was interrupted when the woman gazed at him with her flirty looks, "Hi, my name's Hestia and I'm Kiefer's girlfriend." Rogue was about to spill the drink that he was gulping, while on the other hand, Kouen felt like he stunned on his feet. He could barely move nor blink out of surprise.

"What?" Rogue was the first one to react but he only received a chuckle as a response from the woman. Hestia playfully bit her lower lip and walks nearby to Kouen's seat. "Hey, let's hang out some other time." She was interrupted when Rogue pulled her arm and darted her onto him. He leaned closer to her ears and it tickles her, yet his eyes are looking straight to the other side of the room, staring at the target's spot.

"Hey, hon. Can we talk next time? We still have something to do," he whispered and signaled Kouen to get out of his seat.

"Hon naman," bago paman makapag reklamo si Hestia ay nauna nang umalis ang dalawa at iniwan siyang mag isa sa counter. Wala na itong nagawa at bahagya na lamang nag buntong-hininga, "You're always like that, Kie."

Rogue didn't missed the chance to spot the target's location, Kouen made his way to the crowd and went upstairs to have a wide look over the prey. Marami itong bantay at alam niyang posibleng naka-kalat ang mga ito sa buong building. Ang bar na ito ay sikat dahil pag mamay-ari ito ng isa sa mga affluent influencers sa buong bansa. Muntikan na rin ito magkaroon ng highest rate ngunit mas pinili nilang gawin itong private place dahil dito kadalasan ginaganap ang mga illegal transactions ng iba't-ibang organizations.

"I think he is going to the bar counter to have some drink," Kouen asserted when he saw that the target walks from their table. May dalawang babae rin itong kasama at tila nag bubulungan pa, kaagad naman kumilos si Rogue at palihim na nauna sa destinasyon.

"Shit, should I shoot him from behind?" Inis na bulong ni Kouen habang mas hinigpitan ang hawak nitong baril. Narinig naman niya ang pagmura ni Rogue sa kabilang linya dahilan para hawakan niya ang earpiece.

"We can't let the crowd know about this, we have to do it secretly. A lot of organizations will be threatened once they hear the gunshots."

"Copy," pinag masdan lamang ni Kouen ang iba pang tauhan ng target. He clenched his jaw and didn't divert his attention from the targets, he's been itching to pull the trigger and shoot their heads but he knows he might messed up everything. Rogue's plans would be in vain if he let his impulsive mind take over.

"Anong gagawin mo, Rogue?" Hindi mapakali sa posisyon ang kasama nang makita niya itong palihim na pumasok sa isang silid kasunod ng isang bartender.

"I'm going to drug him," his voice sounds so pressing that Kouen gulped twice. He knows that Rogue is not joking when he told him that he's going to poison the target, he is unaware too that his friend is a registered bartender. He is full of surprises and that makes their friendship even more thrilling.

"Damn, you didn't tell me that you're working as a barkeeper?" Kouen only heard him chuckled, he simply shook his head and proceeded to spot the other targets. "I'll snipe them over while you poison that big guy, I deserve a pretty good rest after this."

Rogue smirks as he walks back to the counter with his uniform on, he puts on an apron and greets the customers who wait for their orders to be entertained. Just as he practiced, he began to mix the drinks according to how the client wanted it. He distributed them their drinks and his charismatic gazes caught the hearts of the women who come and have their glass of rum.

"You seem to be enjoying the attention you're receiving, Rogue. Focus on the damned target, moron!" Kouen snapped him.

With an evil grin, he took a glass and gently wiped it with a clean cloth, "Chill, I was just making him enjoy his remaining minutes." He took vodka and had it mixed with his own-made ingredients. He fused it quite well that it's tempting to drink. He's got to seduce the target with its delusional variegate.

As he blend it even more, he took the opportunity to open the box of ice and shaped it in circle. It doesn't melt easily — a dangerous drug was in there. "Boy, that looks tempting. What drink can you offer to me tonight? I'd like to taste a new rum." Rogue smirks right after hearing the voice of the man whom he is please to serve tonight. He knew that the prey loves to drink, he has been researching and digging up small details about him. A good way for a predator to corner his prey.

"Would you like to try this one?" Rogue finished his art with a slice of lemonade, he gently placed the glass in front of the man and whispered, "I got him."

"Alright, it's showtime." Kouen responded on the other line and spotted the other men in the crowd. He knew the signal, the moment the target had a gulped from his drink, Kouen would shoot the other guys using his silencer. He tightened his grip on his gun and placed his finger supporting the thumb. He eyed the first two men who was standing at the entrance and prepared himself to shoot.

"Shoot," Rogue widely grinned at the client when he didn't hesitate to drank from the glass. He didn't know that in any second, he'd fall on the floor with his cold body.

Kouen heard the signal and he sniped the two men. No one noticed — the crowd is so wild, the music is so loud, everybody is minding their own world. "What—" the client began to feel dizzy and nauseous, his vision became blurry along as how his heart began to beat so fast. He knew something was off but he couldn't speak, he feel like he is about to lose his breath.

The other customers thought the rum was so strong that it swayed him, little did they know that he already fell in the trap. "Damn—" he couldn't understand the sudden conflate of what he feels, he tried to stood up to get away from the place but the stool is too high that he fell on the floor. The moment his body darted on the frigid ground, he couldn't move. Completely stunned, he remained there lying in cold. "Shoot," Kouen heard the signal again, and he proceeded to snipe the other men.

He eyed the counter's location and he spotted the target on the floor, he didn't bother to ask again, with raging eyes he let the bullet flee from his direction and it blend in with the air heading straight to the man's skull. "Ows, smooth."

Rogue saw how the bullet darted on the man's head like an arrow, the blood gushes out and before everyone could noticed what happened. He grabbed the customers attention, "Sir?!" He called out and run out of the counter and lift up the victim's body.

"May dugo!"

"Damn, who did this?!"

"Mr. Eros!"

"Call 911 now!"

"This is an emergency, sir!"

The crowd panicked and Rogue give way to the concerned folks. Kouen placed his gun inside a huge bag and walks away like nothing happened. Walang masyadong tao sa second floor kung kaya ay hindi siya nahahalata, naglakad siya palabas ng building at dumaan sa likod. Nag hintay siya sa kotse na naka-park malapit sa area at inayos ang buhok niya, "Nagiging haggard na ako, deserve ko talaga ng one month vacation."

Rogue came and sat on the passenger's seat, he put their bags on the backseat and comfortably leaned his back. "It makes me wanna overthink how sinful I am," he jokingly said and Kouen chuckled when his friend cracked a joke.

"Get over it, you're too hot for hell." And as usual, Kouen would be commenting.

Rogue glanced at his wrist watch, "Libre mo nga ako ng burger ngayon." Binato naman siya ng chips nito, "Ilabas mo naman pera mo sa banko, ang tipid mo ah, may pinapakain ka bang pamilya?" Suplado niyang sambit dahilan para tignan siya ng masama ni Kouen.

His phone suddenly rang, biglang sumeryoso ang mukha niya nang mabasa kung sino ito. "... Yes, sir?" Bahagya namang napatingin si Kouen sa direksyon ng kaibigan, nang marinig niya ang tono ng boses nito, alam niyang kausap nito ang ama.

"Did you finished off the task I told you to work on?" Isang malamig na boses ang nagsalita sa kabilang linya.

"Yes, we're heading home now."

"You better be, I need you to work on with your new assignment." Napatingin si Rogue sa kaibigan nang mapansin niyang parang may kakaiba sa tono nang pananalita ng ama. Inaasahan niyang bibigyan sila ng pahinga pero mukhang nagkakamali na naman siya.

"What is it about this time?"

"Marry the younger daughter of the Olivarez and snatch away the CEO position from them."

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me." The call has ended and Rogue was too stunned to speak, tila may nakaharang sa lalamunan niya at nahihirapan siyang lunukin ang sariling laway. Rinig na rinig niya ang sinabi ng ama, ngunit hindi ma-proseso sa utak niya ang detalyeng sinabi.

"What was that? Para kang nakakita ng multo," Kouen asked. Hindi pa rin sumasagot ang kaibigan, nakatingin lang ito sa kanya habang gulat ang ekspresyon ng mukha. "Hoy, natatawa ako sa pag mumukha mo, ano nga?"

"Katapusan na ba ng araw ko? Bat parang hindi ako makahinga." Pasimple lamang tinignan ni Kouen ang kaibigan nang mag drama na naman ito sa harapan niya. "Damn, this can't be happening."

"Ano nga? Parang tanga oh," Kouen began to feel annoyed when Rogue didn't even bother to answer his questions. He doesn't want to show how worried he is, and right now, he just wants to smack his friend for being a dumbass.

"Pag usapan nalang natin pag uwi, libre mo muna ako."