Chapter 4

Nang makaalis kami sa office ay sa basement agad ang diretso namin kung saan isasagawa ang plano. Pero hanggang sa makarating doon ay hindi tumigil sa pagrereklamo si Fion.

“Seriously? A collaboration? Tanggap ko pa kung kaming dalawa lang ni Fellin, but considering Fevi? You’re just going to be a nuisance.” Ako na naman ang napansin ng gaga.

“You can quit if you don’t want to work with me,” pabalang kong sagot sa kaniya.

“So, ako pa ang mag-aadjust?” Tinuro niya ang sarili.

“Yes. Ikaw lang naman ang maraming arte,” sagot ko saka umirap.

“Stop, you two. Instead of arguing for nonsense things, let’s just make a plan to finish this as soon as possible,” walang emosyong suway ni Fellin na nagpatahimik sa aming dalawa ni Fionna.

Even if she’s the youngest, she has this intimidating aura just like our Dad. Mas gugustuhin ko pang makipagtalo kay Fion buong araw kaysa kausapin ang emotionless kong kapatid.

“Gin, did you track their location?” Fellin asked. Hindi siya gumagalang sa kahit na sino liban lang kay Dad dito sa bahay. Kahit pa mas matanda ang nakakausap niya, mas mataas pa rin ang tingin niya sa sarili niya. Same as Fion. She’s nineteen by the way and Fion is twenty-one.

“I tracked one of their men’s location. He’s in the subdivision near the hotel where the ceremony was held,” he explained.

“Then let’s infiltrate.”

“How? They’re also assassins so it’s just easy for them to notice our presence,” Fion asked.

“That’s why we have Fevi with us, stupid,” sagot nito pero hindi ko alam kung magugulat ba ako o matatawa.

“Pft.” Pigil kong tawa at nakita ang pamumula ng hitsura ni Fion.

“Oh, may silbi ka rin pala kahit papaano,” asar nito sa akin pero halata pa rin ang inis sa mukha niya. Hindi ko siya pinansin at nagsimula na lang maghanap ng mga gagamitin.

Nakaupo si Fellin sa desk habang ini-examine ang papel kung saan nakalagay ang background ng aming mga butlers. Probably looking for a hint to find out who’s the traitor. Tahimik lang na nakatayo at nakamasid si Gin malapit sa pintuan. Si Fion naman ay hindi ko mawari kung gusto lang patunugin ang heels sa paglalakad habang tinitingnan ang iba’t ibang klase ng baril.

Lahat kami ay gulat na napatingin kay Fellin nang bigla nitong ikasa ang baril at itinutok kay Gin. Ni hindi ko napansin na may hawak pala siyang baril.

“I’m trying my best not to suspect you but I can’t find a reason for anyone to betray us but only you,” matigas nitong saad habang nakatutok sa ulo ni Gin ang baril. Ni hindi natinag si Gin sa baril na nakatutok sa kaniya, nanatili lang na tuwid ang tayo nito habang nakatingin ng diretso kay Fellin.

“What? He’s our most trusted butler and there’s no reason for him to betray us!” iritadong saad ko kay Fellin pero hindi ako nito pinansin.

“Your Mother once betrayed us and was killed by our Grandfather. Who knows if you’re seeking for her vengeance?” she directly said that made his emotion change.

“That was long time ago and I—” Hindi na napatapos pa ni Gin ang sasabihin nang idiin ni Fellin sa ulo nito ang baril. Agad akong kumilos at itinutok kay Fellin ang dagger na nakuha ko sa shelf.

“Pull that trigger and I’ll cut your head off,” banta ko rito at nakarinig ako ng panibagong kasa ng baril.

“Oh? Can you really do that? Then let’s settle this all at once.” Sa ‘kin naman ngayon itinutok ni Fion ang baril.

Mabilis kong sinulyapan sa gilid si Fion. “I know Gin more than any of you, you have no right to just accuse him without solid evidence,” seryosong saad ko habang ganoon pa rin ang posisyon.

“Shut up. Spill more words and you’ll find yourself in hell,” seryosong sumbat ni Fion habang nakatutok pa rin sa akin ang baril.

“Then see you, bitch,” nakangising saad ko. Nakita ko ang pagkainis sa mukha nito pero hindi na nakapagsalita pa dahil inunahan na siya ni Fellin.

“Just tell us the truth. Speak yourself,” Fellin commanded Gin, still pointing the gun at him.

“It’s true that my Mother was a traitor. But what she did was wrong that led at my Father’s death. I only saw my Father’s face until the age of four. And the first thing he taught me is to not betray my home. This is my home, I cannot betray my home, neither my Dad,” mahabang paliwanag nito. Nakikita ko ring sincere siya sa mga sinabi niya

“Paano kami makasisigurong nagsasabi ka nga ng totoo?” tanong pa rin ni Fellin.

“I am a man of my words.”

“That’s not enough!” Fellin raised her voice, she’s losing her patience.

“Then pull the trigger to satisfy you,” hamon ni Gin dito na ikinagulat ko.

“Gin! How dare you!” sigaw ko sa kaniya pero hindi man lang ako tiningnan nito. Nanatiling diretso ang tingin niya kay Fellin na nagulat din sa binaggit nito.

Maya-maya lang ay ibinaba na rin ni Fellin ang baril nang mawala na ang tensyon sa pagitan nila at ni Gin. Tinanggal ko na rin ang pagkakatutok sa kaniya ng kutsilyo at pati si Fionna ay ibinaba na rin ang baril.

“I’m impressed. You didn’t even stutter. Now I know why Dad trusted you the most,” nakangising ani Fellin.

“I was trained by your father and I owe him my life, that’s why,” he answered.

I doubt also that he’s the traitor. I know him very well. He love his Father so much kahit na saglit na panahon niya lang ito nakasama. At least, he felt the love of a Father and continually treasuring it. Unlike her Mother na never niyang nasilayan ang mukha. Kaya there’s no reason for him to betray us.

“Phew! That was intense, I thought my sister can finally rest in peace na,” pang-aasar na naman ni Fion sa akin.

“I hope so,” I sarcastically said.

Nang kumalma na ang paligid ay naghanda na agad kami ng plano para sa infiltration. We decided na ako muna ang kikilos para kumuha ng impormasyon tungkol sa kalaban at obserbahan ang lugar para sa surprise attack. Hinintay muna naming gumabi bago isagawa ang plano.

Ngayon ay narito na kami sa harapan ng subdivision na tinutukoy ni Gin kung saan ang pinuntahan ng ni-track niyang person.

“I gotta go,” I said as we arrived at the gate.

“I still don’t trust you but we have no choice. Just be sure na makakabalik ka ritong may dalang impormasyon,” mataray na saad ni Fion.

“Just call us if there’s an emergency,” paalala ni Gin.

May suot akong bracelet na nilagyan ng tracking device at pindutin ko lang daw ang button ‘pag may emergency para makapunta agad sila sa kinaroroonan ko. I also have a transparent earpiece na connected sa tatlo. Tumango lang ako at lumabas na ng sasakyan.

I’m wearing a black stretchable pants, black top with hood and attached facemask, a pair of gauntlets, and flat shoes to prevent them from noticing my footsteps. Nakatago rin ang throwing needles sa arm cuffs ko at dagger sa dagger holster.

Tatlong bahay pa ang nadaanan ko bago ko matunton ang mansyon na tinutukoy ni Gin. I already concealed my presence at madali lang nakapasok sa bakuran. I decided na umakyat ng puno at sa isang kwarto sa second floor na walang ilaw nagdesisyong pumasok. Madali lang akong nakapasok dito dahil hindi naka-lock ang bintana. Tanging liwanag lang ng buwan ang nagiging ilaw ng kwarto. Medyo malaki siya kaya pahirapan sa paghanap ng pintuan.

Nang mahagilap ko na rin ang pinto ay dahan-dahan akong lumapit dito, pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid at napatigil sa pagkilos nang maramdamang may nakatutok sa ulo ko.

“Don’t move,” I heard a masculine voice behind my back. Biglang nanlamig ang kamay ko at awtomatiko akong nanigas sa kinatatayuan ko.

“What? Who’s that? Hindi mo ba napansin ang presensya niya, Fevi?!” I heard Fion’s voice on the earpiece. I roll my eyes even though she can’t see it.

Pero paanong hindi ko naramdaman ang presensya niya gayong nandirito lang pala siya sa kwarto? Could he be possibly tailing me from the start? But impossible, I didn’t noticed his presence until he pointed me the gun.

“Who are you?” he asked, still pointing the gun at the back of my head. His voice is familiar. I slowly move my right hand to pick the throwing needles I attached earlier in my arm cuff. Pero bago ko pa makuha iyon ay nakarinig na ako ng kasa ng baril.

“I said don’t move!” he warned again. Nahinto ako sa paggalaw pero ngayon ay may hawak na akong tatlong needles. Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang suot kong hood.

“So you’re a woman?” tukoy nito nang makita ang nakataling buhok ko.

Narinig ko ang pagmumura ng tatlo sa earpiece. Hinawakan ng lalaki ang balikat ko pero bago pa siya makakilos muli ay mabilis kong naitusok sa kamay nito ang dalawang needle na nagpabitaw sa kaniya sa baril.

“AAHHHH!”

He’s holding his left hand when I faced him. Our eyes met and his eyes widen as I picked the gun and now the table turned, I am now pointing the gun at him.

‘He’s familiar,’ I thought. He’s also wearing an all-black fitted long sleeve with bracers and elbow asymmetric protectors, and flax pants with gun holsters. He has total of two guns and he immediately pointed me the other one so we are now facing each other’s death.

“Have me met before?” he asked, slanting his head.

“Who are you and why are you here?” I asked back, not minding his question.

Later on, we heard many footsteps coming this way. They move fast so we haven’t gotten a chance to hide ourselves, and the moment we realize, we are now surrounded by men in black and I heard the three cursing through the earpiece.