Luis tried to remain silent and continued to hide behind those bushes, he tried to stay still as he carefully eavesdrop to a well-known woman.
‘Adira Marqueza.’Luis whispered to himself, maingat ang mga kilos na dahan dahan siyang umayos ng tayo sa likod ng mga halamang iyon para sumandal sa pader.Kasalukuyan siyang nakikinig sa usapan nina Kitana at ng isang babaeng sa pagkakaalam niya ay nagmamay-ari ng isang malaking negosyo ng mga alahasan.Sa ilang buwan nang pag mamanman ni Luis kay Kitana ay nalaman niyang isa ang babaeng kasama nito ngayon sa matataas na tao sa lipunan, katulad ng prinsesang si Kitana.Sa ilang buwan niya ring pag sunod sa babae ay nalaman niyang may isa nanamang malaking event na gaganapin ang mga taong myembro ng alta sociedad at isa lamang ang gustong mangyari ni Luis, iyon ay ang makapasok doon at maka lapit sa kanyang suspect.“Oui, madamemoiselle, je m’excuse, but my father, the sheikh has fallen prey to a flu and I am afraid he won’t be able to make it to the party.”Muling naagaw ang pansin ni Luis nang mag salita ulit si Kitana.‘Flu?’Luis whispered to himself and all of a sudden, he smiled.Malakas ang kanyang pakiramdam na nag sisinungaling si Kitana tungkol sa ama nitong hari, kung sa anong dahilan, iyon ang dapat niyang alamin.“Sur, je sus desole, madame Marqueza, je dois partir.’(Sure, I am sorry madam Marqueza, I have to leave.)Muli niya pang rinig na sabi ni Kitana, naging alerto naman si Luis nang marinig na mag sabi na rin ng pamamaalam si Adira Marqueza, ilang sandali lamang naman ang hinintay ni Luis bago kumilos para sundan nanaman ang babae.Nag madali niyang tinungo ang kanyang motor nang makitang sumakay na si Kitana sa sasakyan nito, katulad kanina ay nag hintay ulit siya ng ilang sandali bago sumunod.Sandaling napa ngiti si Luis nang makitang pauwi na sa bahay ni Kitana ang tinatahak ng sasakyan nito.Hindi naman na nag taka pa doon si Luis, pasado alas dyes na rin kasi ng gabi, malamang ay mag papahinga na rin ang taong kanyang ini-imbestigahan.Katulad sa mga nakalipas na araw ng pag sunod niya kay Kitana, pinili ni Luis na iparada sa hindi kalayuan sa bahay nito ang kanyang motor at doon nag hintay ng ilan pang oras bago nag pasya na ring umuwi.--“Paano naman tayong makaka pasok doon?”Kunot noong tanong ni Phil kay Luis.“No Phil, you and I will wait outside the event hall, si Luis lang ang kailangan sa loob and we already have a good plan how to do that.”Seryosong sabi ni Anna saka nag umpisa nang ipaliwanag ang nabuong plano.“You will be introduced to the party host, Adira Marqueza as a new money Luis, a consummate strategist, you will play the role as a new member of the elite society.Adira Marqueza will send you an invitation to that auction event which will be your ticket to get closer to our suspect, gather as much information about her, mag mamatyag ka sa mangyayaring auction, that’s all you need to do Harrington.”Paliwanag ni Anna.“You cannot get this plan busted, Luis. You need to stick to this plan are we clear?”Seryosong dagdag pa ni Anna, malaki ang naging ngisi ni Luis bago sumagot.“I can’t promise that I will stick to that plan, lieutenant.”Maloko ang ngiting sabi niya saka matamang tinitigan ang ngayon ay masama na ang tingin sa kanyang si Anna.“I understand the guy, Anna. I mean don’t get me wrong but this plan is boring.”Naka ngisi ring dagdag pa ni Phil dahilan para lamang lalong dumilim ang mukha ni Anna.“Boring or not, you need to stick to this plan, I mean it, Harrington.”Seryosong sabi ni Anna saka buong tapang siyang tinitigan.“I told you, I can’t promise you that.”--Luis slid on to his black tuxedo jacket, as much as he hated wearing that type of suit, he figured that he had no choice but to deal with it as he knew that the fancy suit was nothing but a part the role he was about to play in that auction event.“You are a rich and handsome consummate strategist tonight, Harrington.”Naka ngising kausap ni Luis sa sarili habang pipasadahan ng tingin ang sariling repleksyon sa malaking salaming iyon.“So much for a beautiful cat burglar.”Naiiling niyang sabi bago kinuha ang kanyang wallet kasama ang pinaka iingatan niyang tsapa saka isinilid iyon sa bulsa ng suot niyang tux. Katulad ng inaasahan, naroon na sa labas ng kanyang bahay nag hihintay ang mga kasamahan ni Luis na sina Anna at Phil, katulad niya ay naka bihis din ng pormal ang mga ito, si Phil ay naka suot ng kulay grey na tux habang si Anna naman ay naka suot ng isang silver na night gown.Malakas ang naging pag buntong hininga ni Luis nang makitang ganon ang ayos ng dalawa, sa palagay niya ay hindi niya na kailangan pang mag tanong o mang hula para malamang nag iba nanaman ng orihinal na plano si Anna.“Let me guess, change of plans?”Sabi niya. Bagama’t naka ngisi, bakas pa rin sa mukha ni Luis ang inis.“Anna just couldn’t trust you bro.”Tila batang sumbong sa kanya ni Phil. Naging tahimik lamang naman si Anna habang mataman siyang tinititigan.“Bakit ba? Sa malakas ang kutob ko na hindi ka susunod sa napag usapan eh, now just get in the car, both of you. We will be late.”Tila isang nanay na utos sa kanila ni Anna, mabilis namang kumilos si Phil para sumakay sa sasakyang dala ni Anna.Nanatili pang naka tayo doon si Anna at tila hinihintay na maging siya ay sumakay din sa sasakyan nito katulad ni Phil.“I have my own car, and I know where to go.”Luis snapped at her, without saying another word, he just turned his back at her and walked pass through his car.“Harrington!”Rinig niyang tawag sa kanya ni Anna, ngunit masyadong mainit ang kanyang ulo para bigyan pa ng pansin ang kanyang kasamahan, bukod doon ay alam niya rin naman na mauuwi lamang sa hindi nila pagkaka unawaan ni Anna kung pipiliin niya pang makipag usap dito.Luis fought the urge to slam the door of his car, he was pissed and he does not intend to deny that.“Crap!”Malakas niyang mura kasabay ng pag papa andar sa kanyang sasakyan.This wasn’t the first time that Anna did something like this, dapat nga ay alam niya na ang ugali ng kanyang katrabaho ngayon dahil madalas naman talagang paiba- iba ang mga plano nito pag dating sa kanilang mga misyon.“But not this mission, Anna. Not this mission with the cat burglar, damn it!”Inis na kausap ni Luis sa sarili saka mas lalo pang binilisan ang pag mamaneho.Luis doesn’t deny that he indeed thought about a plan of his own, and he knew that what he had planned for is much better than that of Anna’s so he figured that he just can’t let his colleague treat him as if he doesn’t know what he was doing.“I know what I am doing…”Luis once again said to himself.Luis approaches his missions way far from Anna’s methods, Anna and Phil was more on research and being sure, they calculate their moves all the time, the two approaches their missions on slow pace while Luis likes to dive in directly to hard ways, hard yet fast.He knew that his organization doesn’t support his ways, but Luis also knew that no one in his superiors or colleagues has the right to force him to stop doing what he does.Hindi lamang naman ito ang unang misyon na nasolosyonan niya gamit ang paraang alam niya.“Damn it, Harrington. You just can’t do whatever you have in mind, this mission is confidential, and the fact that we don’t know how our suspect moves, you will just compromise the success of this mission, so I order you to stick to plan.”Agad na salubong sa kanya ni Anna hindi pa man siya tuluyang nakaka baba sa kanyang sasakyan.Isang nakaka inis na ngisi lamang naman ang isinagot dito ni Luis saka walang sabing tinalikuran si Anna.“Harrington!”“And I order you to stop ordering me, Anna. I know what I am doing and this is my case, so back off.”Pigil ang pag taas ng boses na sabi ni Luis kay Anna saka ito sinamaan ng tingin.“I will go inside and do this on my own, that is what we planned, so stay here and shut up!”Mariin niyang utos dito saka walang sabi itong tinalikuran.--Pag pasok pa lamang sa lugar na pag gaganapan ng auction event ay agad nang sinalubong si Luis ng pag bati ng ilang taong naroon, pamilyar sa kanya ang mukha ng ilan, karamihan naman sa bumati at nakipag kamay ay mga bagong mukha.Hindi itatangi ni Luis na hindi siya sanay sa mga ganitong event ngunit pinilit niya na lamang ang sarili na umakto ng natural.Hindi na rin siya nagulat na may mga taong ni hindi niya naman kilala ang lumapit sa kanya para bumati, sa isang Adira Marqueza siya ipinakilala bilang isang mayamang negosyante na napiling sa Paris muna manirahan.Malamang sa hindi ay nasabi na rin ng ginang sa ilang mga taong dumalo sa event na iyon ang tungkol sa kanya.New money…Luis almost smiled as he remembered his role in that place.Luis roamed his eyes around to look for the reason why he was there.Sa hindi malamang dahilan ay agad siyang natigilan nang mag tama ang mga mata nila ng magandang prinsesang gusto niyang hulihin at ikulong.“Beautiful.”Luis unconsciously whispered to himself as he carefully studied her appearance.Pilit na inayos ni Luis ang sarili, lalo nang malipat ang kanyang tingin kay Adira Marqueza, sandali niya lamang namang tinapunan ng tingin ang naka ngiting ginang dahil sa hindi malamang dahilan ay muling nakuha ni Kitana ang kanyang atensyon.Kitana felt like a strong magnet and it makes him like a cheap metal, it’s almost as if, Kitana was a strong magnet that’s forcing him to get closer to her and he has no power to make it stop and fight.Napakaganda ng babae, kung ito man nga ang magnanakaw na matagal na nilang hinahanap, palagay ni Luis ay hindi niya ito kayang hulihin.Luis almost laugh at the thought but then chose to stop himself as he noticed her watching him intently, Luis couldn’t read her thoughts no matter how much he tried, napaka seryoso nito na tila ba ilang taon nang pinag aralan kung paanong huwag mag pakita ng reaksyon para lamang hindi maka kita ng kahinaan ang kung sino mang tititigan nito.“Anna will kill me if she ever found out that I am having these kinds of nonsense and silly thoughts about this woman right now.”Luis once again whispered to himself before he continued to walk closer to where Kitana and Marqueza was.Kitana put the finishing touches to her make-up, then stood back to the mirror to scrutinize her reflected image. An image she had deliberately orchestrated to attract one man’s attention. That it would undoubtedly gain the interest of many men was immaterial. Sandali niya pang sinipat ang sarili sa salamin para lamang mapangiti nang makita ang sariling itsura doon, bumagay sa kanya ang kulay pulang halter gown, bakat sa silk na tela niyon ang magandang hubog ng kanyang katawan mula sa malulusog niyang dibdib, maliit na baywang hangang sa malaki niyang balakang. Satisfied, Kitana caught up her evening coat, collected her purse and exited the mansion like house her father, the great king Sheikh Shalef Bin Yousaf Al-Sayed had given to her. Sa labas ay mag nag hihintay nang isang tila mamahaling sasakyan, hindi na siya nagulat doon, bilang siya si Kitana Dawn Yousaf Al-Sayed, iginagalang na prinsesa ng bansang kanyang kinasusuklaman ay nararapat lamang na tratuhin siya ng tama. Taas n
“Where the freakin’ hell are we?” Kitana said almost shouting as the man started stepping on the car’s break. He waited until the car has finally stopped before he faced her. “Alright first of, I would rather take you to a place opposite from hell. Second, lower down your voice I am not deaf. Third and to answer your query, we are in my beautiful penthouse, welcome to La Ville Lumiere princess.” He said smiling from ear to ear which instantly made Kitana’s eyeball roll. Mayabang, hambog, bastos. Those were the words that can describe Luis Harrington. Those words fit him perfectly, no doubt. Luis Harrington didn’t gave Kitana the chance to speak as he opened the door and slid out from behind the wheel. Kitana copied his actions, and stood glaring at him across the roof of the Mercedes Benz then she turned and walked to face him. Sandali siyang nag isip kung bakit nga ba pumayag siyang sumama sa lalaking ito at hinayaan niyang dalhin siya nito sa kung saan para lamang mag usap
The mobile phone rang as Luis ease the car onto the road, he automatically smiled when he reads Anna Huffman’s name on the caller ID and informed her that he was fine and that he was on his way to meet her. Anna was his partner to investigation and they have been working together for the past years, he was actually thankful of having Anna to be his partner to investigate the princess of Jalil’s case which Luis finds intriguing in some ways he couldn’t explain. Luis parked outside the station, and cut the call as he reached the main entrance. It proved to be a hectic morning for him, there was paperwork requiring attention, data to enter into the computer, and several phone calls from people who are in need of their help and services. Being in the law enforcement have proved to be a very tiring job for Luis but it has also proven to be exciting in some ways, there is no doubt that needs to be made that he indeed loved his job and he vouched to be in service for as long as he can.
When Kitana walked away from her motorcycle towards the busy street, the wind was easing, but still strong enough to cover every sound of the constant blare of horns.A huge white cruise ship lay at anchor just inside the breakwater.Kitana wondered why anyone bothered with the view or anything as she saw few people sitting on the breakwater.But then, she’d never understood people who thought adventure could be safe.Looking different, not even herself, she wandered over the streets.Everything in this place seemed familiar to Kitana, this is where she always go after every mission she accomplished.It's past 12 midnight but people are still everywhere, ang iba busy sa pag lalakad marahil ay pauwi palang galing sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho, ang iba naman ay nasa labas lamang marahil para mag enjoy o hindi naman kaya ay gumala, meron ding ibang nag tatrabaho pa rin. Dressed in a mini skirt, a black spaghetti strapped fitted blouse, a 5 inches silver high heels and a purple wig Kitana
Agad na binalot ng kaba ang dibdib ni Kitana nang makitang bahagyang naka bukas ang pinto sa likod ng kanyang bahay.Sandali pa siyang nag isip kung nakalimutan niya lamang bang isara iyon pag alis niya kanina ngunit mabilis din siyang napa iling bilang pag tutol nang mapag tantong sigurado siyang naisara niya ng maayos ang kanyang bahay bago siya umalis kanina.“Imposible.”Pigil ang pag hingang sabi niya saka maingat na kumilos papasok sa loob ng pintong iyon.“An intruder?”Muli niya pang kausap sa sarili bago marahang kinuha ang isang baseball bat na naka tago sa isang sulok sa likod ng pinto.Kinakabahan man ay maingat at dahan dahan siyang kumilos paakyat sa matarik na hagdan ng kanyang bahay, lahat na yata ng sulok niyon ay napuntahan niya na para maka siguro ngunit wala siyang nakitang ni isang bakas na mag sasabing mayroon ngang naka pasok doon, nasa ayos ang kanyang mga gamit at sa itsura pa lamang ay imposibleng nanakawan siya.“Gee, I must’ve been left the door open.”Nai
“Good afternoon passengers, this is pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to the Philippines. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready.” Mabilis na inayos ni Kitana ang sarili at agad na kumilos nang sa wakas ay marinig niyang tawagin ang mga pasehero ng eroplanong kanyang sasakyan pa uwi sa Pilinanas. Agad siyang sinalubong ng mahabang pila kaya naman hindi niya na rin napigil ang sariling mapa irap sa kawalan. “Oo na tita, pa uwi ako diyan ngayon, I am already at the airport and they already called for my flight. Don’t worry about it okay? Gosh, these queue are making me sick.” Naiinis na reklamo niya habang kausap ang kanyang tita Venice sa telepeno. “You know for a fact that you can have your own jet to take you back to the Philippines, Kitana. Alam mong hindi mo na kailangan pang mag tyaga sa mahabang pila sa airport para lamang maka sakay sa eroplano.” Muling napa irap si Kitana sa sermon na iyon ng kanyang tita Venice. “Yeah, I already know that tita. Al
Mag a-alas sinko ng hapon nang magising si Kitana sa kasarapan ng kanyang tulog. Inis niya pang tinapunan ng tingin ang nag iingay niyang telepono na sa pagkaka alam niya ay nilagay niya sa silent mode bago siya natulog. “God’s teeth, I swear I will instantly cut the call if this is not important at all.” Naka simangot na bulong niya sa sarili, saka dinampot ang kanyang cellphone na naka patong sa isang lamesita katabi ng kanyang kama. Agad pang nagunot ang kanyang noo nang makitang hindi nanaman kilalang numero ang naka rehistro doon. Kitana thought for a second that the person who disturbed her sleep was the arrogant guy, Luis Harrington but in the end she refused to believe that it was him. The caller was from a different country based on it’s zip code, Kitana instantly hit the decline button after she realized that the person who was calling her was someone from Jalil. Hindi pa man na ibaba ni Kitana ang cellphone ay muli nanamang tumunog iyon, napa irap na lamang siya kasab
The next day, Kitana woken up late, the thoughts of her mother and the ruthless sheikh clouded her mind the whole night, dumagdag pa sa kanyang isipin ang imbitasyon ng kanyang kapatid na walang pag dadalawang isip niyang tinanggihan kagabi. Bukod pa doon, sa hindi malamang dahilan ay napapa dalas ang pag sagi sa kanyang isipan ng pesteng pulis na si Luis Harrington. Kahit pa maaga niyang tinapos ang pag iimpake para sa pag lipad niya pabalik sa Paris mamayang hapon kasama ang kanyang mga katrabaho. Alam niyang magagahol na siya sa oras kung ngayong araw niya pa aayusin ang mga dapat niyang dalhin, busy na siya mula alas otso ng umaga para sa tatapusin pa nilang photo shoot. Siguradong late nanaman silang matatapos dahil tiyak na mag susungit nanaman mag hapon ang kanilang photographer. Ewan nga ni Kitana kung bakit ganoon ang photographer nila, saksakan ng sungit, palibhasa kasi bakla iyon, wala marahil iyong love life kaya kulang sa dilig, kaya rin ang mga modelo nito ang pinag