The Science of Spying (Erityian Tribes, #4)

Chapter 39 : He Who Lied

'

Calm down,' I told myself after getting some distance from Mom.

Her attacks were getting more powerful while I was continually losing my energy from too much usage of grace. But I needed it. If not for my grace, she might have already killed me with her impeccable speed and strength.

"Shit," I silently cursed. My eyes hurt from too much strain. It felt like they were being burned from the inside and pricked by thousand needles at the same time. My knees buckled and I was starting to feel lightheaded. Grace consumes too much stamina and needs extreme concentration that it isn't advisable in an endurance battle.

I was already out of breath, clinging to the remaining ounce of strength in my body which was only enough to support my weight while standing. I couldn't even see her clearly anymore. My grace disappeared after that last dodge.

"Damn it," I muttered. Am I really this powerless against her?

My sight had already given up on me but I could still feel her presence coming toward me. I was about to move away but she was faster. She seized my neck and I struggled for breath, thrashing violently, hoping that she'd let go of me, but my consciousness almost slipped away when she slammed me against the wall.

"M-mom . . ."

The smell and taste of iron filled my mouth as I coughed out blood. Her power had destroyed the wall, creating a hole. She lifted me once again and I knew I'd meet my demise if she does that again.

"Die, agent," she said as she motioned her arm toward the wall.

I had to escape from his grasp. Instinct took over me and I wagered on my one and only chance to survive—I changed my body structure into a kid a second before she could plow me into the wall. The moment my body transformed, the hole she just created few minutes ago became my doorway to survival. I got thrown out of that windowless dungeon and I didn't waste a second. I willed myself to get up and ran away before she realized what just happened.

Tumakbo ako nang hindi lumilingon pero napansin ko ang nangyayari sa paligid. It seemed like I was still in the same building. Everything was in chaos. Agents and Blacks were fighting against each other while our allies continued saving the humdrums that were trapped in the rooms.

Napahinto ako nang may makita akong dagger at baril sa lapag kaya agad kong pinulot ang mga 'yon at nagpatuloy sa pagtakbo. My stamina was close to depletion and the only thing that was propelling me to move was my desire to survive and save Mom.

"Damn it, move!" I cursed myself. My body wasn't listening to me anymore. I wanted to run faster yet my legs felt sluggish.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko pa nakakayang gumalaw. Two Blacks came at me with their weapons but my body instinctively reacted and counterattacked using the dagger and gun I just picked up.

I was just about to run again when I felt a shooting pain on my left shoulder.

"Found you."

The next thing I knew, my shoulder was already impaled by one of Mom's butterfly sword.

The pain burned like fire, my left limb soaked in my own blood. I tried to stand but my strength had been completely drained and I ended up kneeling on the scarlet pool on the floor. I knew Mom was only several meters away from me but I couldn't move any longer. The noise around me faded until the only thing I could hear was my heartbeat.

Maybe this is it, I thought. In the end, I couldn't hurt her. I do not have the physical and emotional strength to do it.

Waiting for my own demise felt like a lifetime. I had already accepted my fate . . . but her fatal strike didn't come. Instead, someone held me and even though I couldn't see anything anymore, I already knew who saved me.