Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

"Our men has been dispatched to their positions, Empress." Ani Sly pagkalabas ni El sa elevator.

Abala si Eleanor sa pagbabasa ng mga impormasyon tungkol sa mga miyembro ng grupong nangbomba sa Scarletti. Hindi nya inalis ang tingin sa hawak na tablet at tumango na lamang sa mga itinuran ni Sky.

Ng matapos nyang basahin ang mga ito, bumalik sya sa profile ng babaeng pamilyar sakanya. 

"Madalas ka bang pumupunta sa University namin Sky?" Tanong nta habang patuloy silang naglalakad.

"I've gone there many times, for some... business." He replied.

Napataas ang kilay nya sa sinagot ni Sky, knowing something behind his answer. Binalewala nya iyon at muling nagtanong.

"During those times, have you ever encountered this girl?" Inabot ni El ang tablet kay Sky, "She's the youngest member of their group, at palagi ko syang nakikita sa li—"

"Library," he mumbled as he remembered something, "the Principal and some school staffs toured me around your school last month. Nakita ko sya doon." Pagpapatuloy nya, "So that's why she seems so familiar to me."

That's another confirmation for Eleanor. Their enemies are indeed just around them. Most of them hide themselves in the shadows, and some shows their selves cleverly in the light.

"Bakit hindi nakalagay dito kung sa University nyo sya nag-aaral?"

Maraming syang rason na naiisip sa katanungan na iyan. Since they are also in her kind of world. Kaya gaya nya, maybe they're hiding their true identities too. Isa ito sa mga posibleng rason.

"Cloud's team are investigating on that matter." Simpleng sagot nya. 

Tumango na lamang si Sky dito. Ng makarating sa kotse ay binuksan ni Sky ang passenger seat para sakanya. 

They're both on their seats when the tablet rang, showing Cloud Kristos' name on the it's screen. 

"Empress," He called out, "Cloud's calling." Inilahad nya ang tablet kay El.

Tinapos muna ni Eleanor ang pag-aayos ng seatbelt bago nya kinuha ang tablet. She swiped the answer button and Cloud's face greeted her. 

"We're done searching for this girl in your University's data, Empress." Bungad nito. 

"How was it?" Aniya.

"Nung una ay wala kaming makitang kapareho nya ng pangalan. We then, proceeded to the face matching, and we found this.."

Nawala si Cloud sa screen at lumabas doon ang isang student's profile. 

Magka-ibang pangalan, pero magkaparehang mukha. 

The side of her lips rose up. Mukhang tama nga ang hula nya. These people are also hiding behind another identities. 

"If you read her guardian's name and emergency contact, they're both addressed to her brother. We also searched on to it, and found out that this brother of hers is also one of their group's member." He continued.

"At ibang pangalan rin ang ginagamit nya." She muttered.

"That's right, and another thing Empress," Cloud's face appeared on the screen again, "I dug about their past transactions and missions. They didn't got involved in any criminal cases and bad doings. Lahat ng mga misyon nila ay konektado sa pulisya. They've been helping them catch criminals." 

"So they're not like those bad guys huh?" Mapaglarong ani Sky.

"Maybe? What they did to Scarletti was the first illegal act their group did." 

Mas lalong na curios si Eleanor sa grupong ito. Who actually are they? Who are they connected with? 

Iyon ang mga katanungan nya sa isip tungkol sa kanila. 

"Kung may iba kapang malalaman tungkol sa kanila, Cloud. Send it to me immediately." She ordered, "We'll proceed to our plan, prepare everything that I said." 

"Copy that, Empress." He saluted playfully before ending the call. 

Ibinaba ni Eleanor ang tablet at sinenyasan si Sky na paandarin na ang makina ng kotse. When the car started moving, El laid her head back to the seat and released a silent sigh. 

Parang nabalewala ang magandang tulog nya kagabi. Hindi talaga sya makakatakbo palayo sa responsibilidad nya. 

There's one time that she run away because she was so exhausted. She may not be a normal child, but she's still one. Simula ng magbago ang buhay nya ay naghangad rin syang bumalik ito sa normal. Kahit isang araw lang.

But that one day that she escaped made her learn her responsibility and it's consequences the hard way. 

May mga taong maaring masaktan at mamatay dahil sakanya. 

"Sky, do you still remember that day when I escaped from Scarletti?" Tanong nya sa kasama habang nakahilig sa upuan at nakapikit ang mga mata.

"Of course, hinding hindi ko makakalimutan ang araw na yun." Sagot ni Sky, "You we're so happy and excited that you got out." 

Napangiti si Eleanor. She can still remember those feelings she felt back then. It was immediately cut off with what happened after that popped up in her memory. 

Nawala ang ngit sa mga labi nya. 

"You two almost died..." .. because of me. Mapait nyang lahad. 

The three of them got kidnapped and tortured. Ilang araw bago sila narescue ng Scarletti. Wala si Tanda ng mga oras na yun kaya madali silang nakalabas sa Scarletti. And it became the first worst decision she had made. 

"Desisyon namin ang sumama sayo. And protecting you is our responsibility. You're worth it." He replied.

Sky and Cloud got comatosed after that accident. Ilang buwan pa bago sila maggising. And they lost some of their memories when they woke up. 

Ang tanging nagawa ni El ng mga oras na yun ay umiyak mag-isa sa kwarto nya. There were no one who can comfort her since she mustn't be seen by others. 

That's how she learned the true weight of her title.

Pero paano kaya kung tumakbo sya ngayon? What will be the difference? 

She shrugged off that thought. It's not the consequences she feared that makes her stay. It's her sense of responsibility. 

Eleanor continued reminiscing with her eyes closed. Namalayan nya nalang na huminto na ang kotse. 

"We're here," Pagbibigay alam ni Sky.

Umayos ng upo si El at dinampot ang bag nya sa backseat at bumaba ng sasakyan. She was about to close the door when Sky spoke again.

"We didn't regret going with you that day, El. If you want to run away this time, Twinnie and I will help you again. Kahit ikakagalit man ni Tanda." He chuckled.

She smiled with appreciation, "Thank you, Sky Kristos." Aniya

"But if anything bad happens again," diin nya, "and you have to choose between me or her..." She held the top of door and straighten her legs, "don't hesitate to pull to the trigger and shoot me." She uttered confidently, showing the authority in her voice.

"Wh—"

"That's an order." Putol nya sa kung ano mang sasabihin nito. 

Yumuko ito, "Copy that, Empress." Mahinang aniya.

She smiled at him and closed the car's door. Hindi na nya pinanood na umalis ang kotse at deritso ng pumasok sa University. 

Alam nyang hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon, lalo na sa hinaharap, ay sya ang magiging prayoridad nila. They have their own lives too. At may mga tao din silang nais na proteksyonan. Like how she wants to protect them too.

Gaya ng napag-usapan nila ni Flare, dumiretso na si Eleanor sa school library. Kakaunti lamang ang mga nakasalubong nyang mga estudyante sa daan. Ang mga building na nadaanan nya ay kasalukuyang naghahanda para sa unang klase nila. 

The whole school's noise made her relaxed. 

She wondered, nasa library kaya ngayon ang babaeng hinahanap nila? Kinuha nya ang cellphone at tinext si Cloud.  

Eleanor: Connect with the earpiece.

Ng mapindot nya ang send ay sunod nyang nilagay ang earpiece sa tenga. Tumunog ang cellphone nya, hudyat na nagreply si Cloud.

Kasabay ng pagtunog niyon ay ang pagtunog din ng earpiece na nasa tenga nya. Clouds voice followed after the beep. 

"Have you found her location?" She mumbled, just enough for him to hear on the other line. 

"My cameras didn't caught her walking around its perimeters. But she took the normal route from her room building to the library." Eleanor kept hearing his fingers working on the keyboard while he's talking, just like the usual.

"Did you see any signs of their group around the university?" Muli nyang tanong.

"None at the moment, but I'm keeping everything on check." Tumigil ang tunog ng pagtipa sa kabilang linya, "I reviewed all the CCTV footages of the school, Empress. Her brother entered the school just some minutes after she did." 

"And his current location?" 

"He followed her to the library." He answered, just as she what expected.

Malapit ng marating ni Eleanor ang library ng tumunog ang cellphone nya. It was Flare's text, saying that they've already gathered in the library, and they are waiting for her. 

Dinoble ni El ang bilis ng paglakad nya. She doesn't like making people wait. 

"Keep me on the line." Utos nya kay Cloud. 

"Copy that, Empress." He replied with the same usual line.

Eleanor stopped her urge to catch them the moment she held the door's handle. She bit her lower lip, she somehow needs to express the mixture of excitement and disappointment that she can't do something that reckless. 

She blew off a little air before opening the door. Tiningnan nya ang text ni Flare, nakasulat doon kung saang parte sila ng library pumuwesto. She headed towards their direction after knowing where they are. 

Sinadya nyang bagalan ng kaunti ang pagkalad nya habang inoobserbahan ang loob ng library. She didn't noticed any traces of them around the area where she passed by. 

Seguradong nasa tagong parte ang mga ito ng library. Sinalubong ng kaway ni Flare si Eleanor ng matanaw nito ang mesa kung saan sila nagme-meeting. She smiled at them and fastened her steps.

"Dito ka, El." Flare tapped the seat next to hers. 

Sunod nilang narinig ang saway ng librarian. Flare's voice is quite that loud even though she tries to whisper. 

"Nagsimula na ba kayo?" Mahina nyang saad.

"Hindi pa naman, hinintay ka namin." Sagot ni Josia, isa sa mga ka group mates nya.

After she took her seat, everyone begun to place their things on the table. Mga notebooks at printed handouts na pwede nilang makunan ng mga infos.

Their meeting went on smoothly. Everyone was so into their discussion, and cooperating very well which is kinda unusual. Naging mabilis ang trabaho nila dahil doon.

"Para sayo El..." Baling sakanya ni Flare, "Which idea should we proceed with?" she asked.

"Let's go with Kye's idea. Mas pulido at hindi mahirap hanapin ang mga materials. It won't also consume too much time, since isang linggo lang ang binigay satin ni Prof." She replied practically.

"Kayo girls?" Tanong naman nito sa ibang kasama nila.

Everyone agreed to proceed with Kye's idea. They continued discussing some stuffs about their project. 

Eleanor's eyes moved when she caught something on her peripheral view. Pinanatili nyang nakababa ang mga mata at nagkunwaring nakikinig sa mga kagrupo nya. 

Nang inangat nya ang tingin ay saktong dumaan ang dalawang taong nais nyang makita kanina pa. Mukhang nagtatalo ang mga ito. But they're trying to keep their selves composed, minding the place they're in.

Eleanor secretly followed them with her eyes, hanggang sa umalis ang mga ito sa puwesto nila. 

After a few seconds when they disappeared from her sight, she excused her self from their discussion. She used the old, 'may kukunin lang akong libro' excuse.

With their location marked in her mind, Eleanor took off to its opposite direction. Isa sya sa mga suking estudyante ng campus library kaya kahit aling pasikot-sikot nito ay nakatatak na aa utak nya. 

After some walks and turns, she ended up in front of a huge shelf of philosophy books.

Sa kapal ng mga ito ay hindi na gaanong makita ang nasa kabila ng shelf. She parted the books slowly. Sineguradong hindi sya makakagawa ng kahit ano mang tunog o kapansin-pansin na galaw. 

The parted books revealed the backs of the persons she's after. 

Rhea and Rey Jacinto, the names they use outside the world of gunshots and huntings. 

Nakatalikod si Rhea sa kapatid nito at may ibinalik na libro. Matapos makumpirma ay inayos muli ni Eleanor ang librong hinawi nya. Humarap sya sa kabilang shelf, her eyes set on the books that are cleanly arranged on the opposite shelf. Habang ang tenga naman nya ay focus sa pakikinig sa pinag-uusapan nina Rhea at Rey. 

Mahina ang boses ng mga ito, kaya nahirapan syang mag-adjust sa posisyon nya. She slightly leaned her side to the shelf. 

"Kailangan mong sumama Lyn, hindi kita pwedeng iwan dito." May diing lahad ng lalaki. 

Mukhang kanina pa nito pinipilit ang kapatid pero tumatanggi parin itong sumama. 

"Hindi ako sumali sa misyong 'to, Kuya. And I really have an important presentation later." She defended, "I can't miss it this time, this is my last chance to do this presentation. Kung hindi ko 'to mape-present mamaya, wala akong score, Kuya. I skipped this so many times dahil din sa previous missions natin. I can't really miss this today." 

Ilang segundong natahimik ang mga ito bago magsalita ulit si Rhea. 

"You don't have to worry about me, I can defend myself, Kuya. Mag-iingat ako, I promise." May pagmamaka-awa sa boses nito.

Dinig ni Eleanor ang pagbuntong hininga ni Rey dahil sa mga sinabi ng kapatid nito. 

Boses ni Cloud mula sa earpiece ang sunod nyang narinig.

"We found them, Empress. Front parking lot. They're mixed with the crowd... classic." 

"Kaylangan na nating umalis, Lyn!" Pabulong nitong sigaw. "Seguradong hinahanap ma tayo ngayon ng Scarletti. I can't take a risk with that promise of yours." Dagdag pa nito.

'To correct that, we already found you.' aniya sa isip. 

Binuksan nya ang cellphone at pumunta sa message box.

'Trigger them.' She typed, sent it to Cloud and walked away.

Ng makalayo sya sa kintatayuan kanina ay saka sya nagsalita.

"Make sure that the two of them here will get the message."

Just after some minutes, she heard some busy footsteps. Tumalikod sya at nakitang nagmamadaling lumabas ng library sina Rhea at Rey.

"They're moving now, Empress. We'll keep them on sight." 

She messaged Flare and started to take her way out of the library. 

"I need them alive, Cloud. And keep me on track. Let's proceed to the next phase."

"We'll keep the first one in mind, Empress. Tho I can't promise that there will be no damages, since they're kinda fighting back."

"Just, don't put too much damage." She replied.

"Let's take this people back to Scarletti in one piece."