Chasing Chicago

Chapter 2: Battle

It's already 7 in the morning. Kakauwi ko pa lang sa apartment. Dumiretso naman kaagad ako sa sala.
I'm not sleepy. Not even tired. I'm just purely starving.
Hinilamos ko ang dalawang palad sa aking mukha saka sumandal sa maliit kong sofa.
Hindi ko alam kong ano ang gagawin ko ngayon. How could a life be this boring?
Nagugutom na ako pero ito ako't nakatunganga lang sa kawalan. I have lots of money but I don't even have stocks of foods and groceries. Well, I don't even know how to cook in the first place.
Napatitig nalang ang ako sa puting kisame.
I'm not good at anything except in my job as an assassin. Uh, It's not even a job... for other people I guess.
But it's a very good source of income so I think it's a job. Too good, actually.
I heard my stomach grumbles. Poor stomach, it runs out of food to digest.
Inilibot ko ang tingin sa aking apartment. Halos isang dipa lamang ang laki ng sala. Ang tanging laman lang nito ay isang maliit at itim na sofa. Walang anumang disenyong nakasabit. Sa gilid naman ng kanang bahagi ng sala ay may dalawang pinto. Isa ang aking kwarto at ang isa namay ay stockroom.
Not your typical stockroom actually. It's where I stored my pistols, revolvers, riffles, air riffles, shotgun, knives and draggers. It's a weapon storage.
Just rented out a small place. Palipat-lipat lang naman kasi ako. I don't stay at a place for too long. It is to protect my identity and to run away.
I went to my room at nagbihis ng faded tattered jeans, white tank top na pinatungan ko ng itim na baggy jacket at white sneakers.
Just a normal look of teenage girl in her twenties. I disguised myself both day and night.
Bago ako lumabas ng apartment ay sinuot ko muna ang black ball cap at ang vanz sunglasses.
Naglakad ako ng nakasuksok sa dalawang bulsa ng jacket ang aking magkabilang kamay. Paliko na sana ako pakaliwa sa isang pasilyo ng may nabunggo ako.
Muntik ng umapaw ang kumukulo kong pasensya kasabay ng pagkulo ng aking tiyan. I just stood there and didn't even took a glance at him.
Yes, he's a guy. His presence, aura and perfume says it all.
"Excuse me?" I heard him say. He didn't even say the magic word 'sorry'. He just stood there like what I did and stared at me.
Wth!
Damn this fuckin dimwit specie!
I guess it's my fault why we bumped into each other because I didn't had my attention in the hallway.
But there's no way I would say sorry. But wanted him to apologize instead. I'm being unreasonable right now, I know.
Should I asked him to apologize to me or get killed? Oh god. What am I even thinking?
I'm about to continue my way to satisfy my hungry when I heard him said "Sorry."
Is he a some kind of a fool or just a total fool? I just shook off that thought and remain my cool.
"Do it again and you're a dead meat." Ang tanging sinabi ko saka pinagpatuloy ang paglalakad.
What a weirdo.
Nasa tabi na ako ng daan. Marami ng mga tao at mga sasakyan ang dumadaan sa harap ko pero nanatatili parin akong nakatayo sa aking kinatatayuan. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako kakain. Wala akong alam na kainan malapit dito, so I'm freaking doomed right now.
"Fuck. " Tanging lumabas sa bibig ko as I breath out.
Tumunog ang phone ko kaya dinukot ko ito mula sa bulsa ng jeans.
"What?" Bungad ko agad without looking who's the caller.
"What's with that tone? It's still too early in the morning. Lemme guess, you're hungry, ayt?" Rinig ko ang mapang asar na boses mula sa kabilang linya. I can already imagine his face grinning from ear to ear.
Umikot ang eyeballs ko. "Do you want me to erase your very existence in this world? You can start your beloved life again in the other planet." Madiin kong sabi.
Wanna punch his teeth right now so he can't smile again. Uh. I'm starving.
I heard him chuckled. "What a brutal mind you have there master."
Don't know what his up to again this time but I guess it's something good or even not.
"Just a little suggestion for you missy."
" What?" Walang ganang tanong ko. I continued walking as I looked at the establishments around.
" I think you should find yourself a man." Napahinto ako bigla. Napapikit ako ng wala sa oras. I rubbed my temple to control my darn emotions.
He's trying to irritate me again and unfortunately he won again.
"Do it again and you're a dead meat!" Narinig ko namang napaubo siya sa kabilang linya. "Tell me now the reason why you called."
"Uh kasi I-I saw from the assassin's website that... that they will be having a Battle of the assassins and today is the opening at the Black inverted building arena. 10 o'clock . It is a dead or alive battle, so obviously it's a free weapon. So are you in?" My lips formed into a smirk.
Oh is that what they're talking about? "Are you kidding me? How could I join that childish games of them." As if they can beat me when it comes to my fighting skills. I am far beyond them.
"R-Really?" I heard his voice lightened. Tsk that kid. " Good to hear that. The prize is very unreasonable actually. It's a 'Kill or get killed' battle yet the prize is just around twenty million." Wha-What?
Did I just heard it right? "What did you just said again?"
"It's a 'kill or get killed battle?" He git confused.
" No. After that."
"Twenty million cash prize?" For real?
My jaw literally dropped. What a very tempting prize. I suddenly felt a sudden spark inside my chest.
I could have my vacations for a few weeks if I could have that prize.
"Oh right right. Before I forget to tell you, I ordered a food delivery in a fine-dining restaurant. I think it is already on the way to your apartment. And I will be there later. Maybe in-" Before he could finish his words I ended up the call.
Now that he mentioned a food my hunger kicks in again.
Tumakbo ako paakyat sa apartment na nasa third floor.
May nag-doorbell sa labas kaya binuksan ko ang pinto ng kaunti at hinarangan ko iyon ng aking katawan. I don't let anyone especially a stranger take a glimpse inside kahit pa nakapatay ang ilaw sa loob.
Pagkatapos kong makuha ang mga pagkain ay sinara ko agad ang pinto at tumakbo papunta sa kusina para kumain.
Dala-dala ko ang vans sunglasses ko ngayon as I went out from my apartment. Pagkasara ko ng pinto ay saka ko sinuot ang sunglasses.
Habang naglakad ako sa hallway ay may nakasalubong ako. He was wearing a sunglasses also but I can sense that he was staring at me intently so I stopped.
"What?" I said in a cold way habang medyo nakataas ang isang kilay. I may looked and sound like a bitch right now, the hell I care. I didn't live just to please others.
If you don't like me then die. I have enough with those hatred and resentment so it's ineffective to me. I'm immune to it long ago.
"Nothing." Tsk. I've met a lot of weirdos today. I just erased that thought in my mind. Don't have time for it.
"Do it again and you're a dead meat." I said before I left him there dumbfounded.
Nilisan ko na ang apartment na iyon and I am now driving my black sports car. Naka-full speed ito kaya para na akong lumipad sa daan ngayon.
Narating ko agad ang B.I.B. Nasa loob ng elevator na ako, I pressed the -18 kaya naramdaman ko na ang pagbaba nito.
Pagkabukas ng elevator ay bumungad kaagad sa akin ang napakaraming taong puro nakasuot ng itim. Hundreds of Assassins are cheering while watching the two assassins at the ring. Both are now determined to kill each other just to win the Battle. Uh the money can be really poisonous to mind and soul. Well that's the reason why I'm also here right now.
Everyone's shouting "Oooooooh!" When the one player was hit in the head by the axe.
Oh that one must be hurt.
Napakarami ng dugo ang nagkalat sa black octagon ring, kaya sa tingin ko ay marami-rami ng assassin ang binawian ng buhay ngayon.
This must be a one bloody battle huh.
Inalis na ng mga troopers ng Supreme ang bangkay habang ang isa ay umalis na sa ring.
"Before we proceed to the Semi Finals next week, we have to witness first the last challenger. This could be very challenging and I guess everyone is looking forward to this" Sigaw ng host through the mic. Nakatingin ang lahat sa dalawang higanteng screen ng boob tube. Sa kanang screen ay may lumabas na larawan ng isang lalaking matangkad, medyo may katabaan at naka-mohawks ang kulay gintong buhok nito. What the heck.
May dala itong tubo sa magkabilang kamay. "MIIIIIIIITO."
Mito? I think I've heard it somewhere before. Where could it be?
Napatingin ako sa cellphone ko nang umilaw iyon. It's a message from him.
Eh? A personal profile of that Mito? Did he just read my mind? I was just thinking where I heard that guy's name and now he sent me a file of him. The fuck.
Oh he must be the one they are talking about in the Supreme. My rival daw? As if that guy mito can even give me a tiny scratch.
Well, I'd better watch his fight for now.
Wait... Did the host just said 'last fight'? What about me then?
Oh damn. I didn't submit a registration.
Umilaw ang VS sa gitna ng dalawang higanteng screen at lumabas doon ang larawan...
Fuck! That's me.
Nakasuot ako ng hood at kalahati lang ng mukha ko ang nakita.
"None other than the first in rank and the Prime Assassin. DAWN." Pagkasigaw ng host sa aking code name ay humawi ang mga assassins na nasa aking harapan.
Fuck.
I didn't know I could be this happy right now. Whoever submitted my application I am so freaking grateful to you.
Naglakad ako papunta sa octagon ring at ramdam ko ang mga titig lahat ng mga taong nandito sa akin.
"I always saw that name in the assassins website. It always got the top 1 mission."
"Yeah right! I heard that it was Supremo who personally gave that missions to her."
"They said that Supremo gave that codename to her too."
"She's Purely Brutal."
"She's... Vicious."
"What do you expect from the Prime Assassin."
I heard everyone's gossips as I passed through them.
Nang makarating na ako sa ring ay tinitigan ko ang lalaking kaharap ko though hindi nito makita ang kabuuan ng mukha ko dahil sa hood na nakaharang. Masama ang tingin nito sa akin. It made him ugly even more.
I smirked.
"Mito right? I'm actually tired right now so I'm ending this in just a minute. Any last word? You'll life will end in 1 minute from now."

-rienLavander