The Science of Spying (Erityian Tribes, #4)

Chapter 30 : Battle of Tactics

a/n: I added several details and scenes in the previous chapters so I suggest you read it again haha sorry for the long wait but this one is only a short chapter.

***

"Damn it," I cursed while I was being transferred to another room by several nurses.

Mukhang wala naman na si Raven pero kung narinig niya 'yon, paniguradong hinahabol na niya si Jett ngayon. Why did that guy shoot at Jade? Did they track down the location of zweites? Did Cliff and Naia order him to do this mission? I couldn't understand his purpose but what I had felt that he was going for the kill.

Should I contact Ulysses and inform him about what happened? Though he might already know it.

Huminga ako nang malalim at sinubukang pakalmahin ang sarili ko. It seemed like those three acted without any supervision from the Executives. Ulysses was right. My death would also cause trouble for us and it was my team. Hindi ko rin naman sila masisisi. Kung isa man sa kanila ang nawala na lang bigla at ni-report na patay na, I would also do the same thing. I'd search hell to find them even if it cost me my life.

The next day after Jett's attack, Raven and another guy visited me. I reached for the shard of glass I recovered from yesterday and both of them reacted.

"Now you have the guts to go here after what you did yesterday?" sabi ko dahil sa ginawa ni Ulysses noong nakaraan. He made them believe that Jade was targeted by another zweite. Even though it was Jett who attacked me, I could use that conflict to create more chaos inside the circle.

"I heard what happened," Raven said. "We didn't do it."

Hinagis naman ng lalaking kasama niya ang isang phone kaya kinuha ko 'yon at nag-play doon ang footage mula sa kabilang building. It wasn't clear but Jett's red eyes were enough to prove it wasn't their doing. Unless . . .

"Huh! And what if this guy is a zuerst?" tanong ko at kumunot ang noo ng lalaki.

"Do you think they have the time to kill someone at your level?" he retorted. "They are already busy preparing for wars in different countries so stop that pointless suspicion of yours."

I didn't have any comeback for that. He looked timid but his words were sharp.

"You two really don't get along, don't you?" Raven chimed in and it seemed like she found our exchange amusing. "Come, Jade. Coal and I are about to kill some rats."

***

I was discharged after they told me the mission. I remembered that encounter with Jade and I realized the guy who was with her that day was this guy. It was Coal. Using my transparent lenses, I took a photo of Coal and Raven and sent it to Ulysses' server.

According to Raven, the attack was already anticipated since she knew that my team would hunt her, given that she was in that place where I was before I disappeared. Jett followed her to the hospital and attacked Jade instead. Hindi ko alam kung kaninong plano 'yon dahil hindi kilala ni Jett si Jade sa mukha. Cliff and I were the only ones who saw her. Was it Cliff's idea? Or maybe Naia?

Isinantabi ko muna ang ideya na 'yon at sinundan ang dalawa papunta sa parking lot. Sumakay kami sa isang itim na kotse at sa likuran ako umupo. Coal took the driver seat while Raven sat on the shotgun. Doon ko naman napansin na may video cameras na naka-display sa harapan at pinigilan ko ang mukha kong gumawa ng kahit anong expression.

Cliff's and Jett's locations were both shown on different feeds while one displayed a footage of students. It must be in Tantei High.

Halos kilabutan ako nang nakita ko 'yon. How could they access these places?

"Can you adjust the frame, Coal? I can't clearly see that blonde guy," Raven ordered and Coal scowled.

Doon ko na-realize na may hawak na parang remote control si Coal at nang pindutin niya ang ilang buttons ay gumalaw ang frame ng videos. How could he access the CCTVs along the roads, as well as the ones in that school?

"Why do we have to kill these brats? The drittes should be enough to do the job," Coal muttered as he hit the brake. Nasa tapat kami ng isang eskinita at pareho silang kumuha ng baril.

"They can't handle them," Raven said. "Our top drittes are now missing, thanks to them."

"How in the world did they manage to know about the Nox?"

"Nox and them have been tied to each other after what happened that day," Raven answered and I breathed deeply, knowing that she might spill a valuable information. "They won't stop until they get what's theirs."

"Then they can die trying."

Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanila at nagtama ang mga mata namin ni Raven sa rear view mirror. She smirked at me and I rolled my eyes in return.

"You seem interested," she said and I remembered the folder I read for several times describing Jade's personality. She wasn't interested in Erityians because she thought they were just a bunch of people who have colored eyes. But after what happened to her, I'm sure her views drastically changed.

"Not underestimating them now?" Coal mocked with a straight face but I remained serious.

"I've already learned my lesson," I said. "This time, I'll bring them down."

We were stationed approximately a hundred meters away from Cliff's place. He was roaming around the road where the chasedown happened. He must be finding some clues regarding my disappearance. Jett should be somewhere around but I couldn't see him.

"I'm going," Raven suddenly announced.

Nilagay niya ang baril sa leg strap niya at lumabas sa kotse. Nagsimula siyang maglakad sa kabilang direksyon kaya naman napakunot ang noo ko. I thought she would attack him head-on.

Nakaramdam naman ako ng kaba dahil wala akong kahit anong information tungkol sa kanila. Wala akong idea kung paano sila makipaglaban at kung ano ang strategies na madalas nilang gamitin.

Coal reached for something beside him and I saw a bazooka-like weapon. He grabbed the suitcase beside me and metallic balls the size of an orange came into view when he opened it. He placed one inside his weapon, opened the window on his side and aimed at Cliff's position.

My mind was racing, unsure of what to do, but before I could even think of anything, he pulled the trigger. My heart sank as the explosion enclosed him and his car which was several meters away from him disintegrated beyond repair.

I wanted to yell his name and run to his side but I had to remain calm even though I had the urge to kill this Coal for what he did.

"Farewell, Reds," he muttered but I knew he wouldn't let this chance slip away. "Let's go—!"

He didn't have the chance to finish his sentence because a bullet shattered his car's windshield and grazed his right cheek. However, instead of getting flustered, a smirk was pasted on his face. Don't tell me . . .

He pressed a button on his remote and said, "You know what to do, Raven."

Terror started to crush me as I saw how they strategically took out both Cliff and Jett, as if they already knew their fighting preferences. I was on the verge of getting overwhelmed with my emotions and instinctively reached for the dagger concealed inside my boots but I halted when I heard a loud thud.

A pair of feet landed on the hood and before we could utter a word, he pointed both his guns at us.

"You got it wrong, boy," he said. "Farewell, Blacks."

During those splitseconds, I realized how both the Blacks and Custos planned their attacks beforehand, each of them thinking several steps ahead as they perfectly executed every move they had in mind. A battle of tactics. A clash of bodies and minds.

And suddenly, I was reminded by the story that made him famous among the students. Von, with his pistols aimed at us, shot his bullets consecutively.

***