Destined To Be

Destination 2

Seven

( Twenty-five years later.)

I drive my car as fast as I can, but still within the allowed speed limit. It would be ironic for a law officer like me to do something against the law.

I received a text message from an unknown informant that has something to do with the case I'm handling right now.

Damn!

I was petrified when I heard several gunshots. Napatingin ako sa salamin at nakitang dalawang itim na kotse ang nakabuntot sa akin ngayon. At tama nga ang hinala ko, ako ang punterya nila.

Hindi ko alam kung saan galing ang dalawang kotseng ito. Kanina ko pa kasi binabaybay ang kalsada ngunit wala namang kotseng nakasunod sa akin.

What shall I do?

I drive even faster. This area of the road is quite secluded from the town houses. Muli, ilang bala na naman ang tumama sa aking kotse.

It's a good thing that this car is bulletproof.

Napatigil agad ang aking sasakyan sa friction na nalikha nito sa kalsada.

Shit! The tires...they are not bulletproofs, and they targeted the tires.

They are still several meters away from me so I decided to sneak out of the car after grabbing my personal gun and my backpack. I also fetched my phone, but I rolled my eyes after knowing that there's no signal in this place.

Napatingin ako sa paligid. Ang kalsadang ito ay nasa gitna ng malawak na kapatagan. This is a far-flung barangay after all.

Mabilis akong tumakbo patungo sa talahiban. But when I heard several gunshots to my direction, the hope that maybe they haven't noticed me vanished.

I run as fast as I could. But, I was halted by a sudden hot pain in my shoulder.

Hell! I was shot in the shoulder! Agad akong napatago sa malaking kahoy. I'm breathing hard while writhing in pain from my gunshot.

Mabilis kong iniwan ang aking backpack na naglalaman ng aking damit, tomato sauce, fresh pig's meat and entrails.

Am I scared? To die this way?

Why should I be scared of anyway? I have no family that I would left behind. My colleagues are bunch of plastic people that keep on showering me praises but only waiting for me to fail.

And when I chose this field, this career,  I already anticipated that something like this might happen. This is what I get from interfering and smashing high government officials.

Just recently, I disclosed the illegal and evil deeds of an ex-congressman, thus putting him behind bars. And right now, I'm targeting a senator's family.

I smiled bitterly. This is the common fate of someone who went against the high and almighty people-in-positions.

After several reminiscing, I again decided to get away from here. Though, my pace became slower because of my current situation.

And while walking towards the uncertainty of my doom, I finally realized how reckless I was.

I was set up big time!

The text message. The location. The gunmen. Those are all traps, and I was easily hooked by their bait.

Am I?

Damn it! This is so not me. Bakit bigla na lang akong nagpadalos-dalos? Oh, I remember, ilang buwan na rin palang pending ang case na ito, kaya naman ay naging atat ako masyado nang may matanggap akong text message.