Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"El! Can you hear me?!"

Dumagungdong ang boses ni Sky sa tenga ni Eleanor. She couldn't find her voice to answer him. Napatango lamang siya habang hawak ang sumasakit na ulo.

"S-sky, si Tanda." she muttered.

Hindi nawala ang paningin niya sa matandang sugatan at walang-malay na nakahiga sa semento.

We need to take him to the hospital!

"I will take care of him." ani Sky at tinulungan siyang tumayo. "Get in." binuksan nito ang pinto ng kotse.

Iwinaksi ni Eleanor ang kamay ng lalaki, "What are you doing, Sky Kristos?! We need to take Tanda to the hospital!" sigaw niya.

"I will." madiin nitong sagot, "But you need to get out of here first, Empress. We can't risk your safety. Get in the car and drive back to Scarletti."

She looked at Tanda again, biting her lips to surpress the tears that are trying to escape from her eyes. Fuck! Bakit kahit sa ganitong sitwasyon kailangan niya paring maging makasarili at magtago? Tumakbo?

She was reminded of all the past events that are just like this. Kung saan wala din siyang ibang nagagawa, kundi hayaan ang mga taong mahal niya na mapahamak para sa kaligtasan niya.

Wala man lang ba akong maitutulong?

"El, listen." tawag sa kaniya ni Sky, "Go back to Scarletti. We will need you there, Empress."

Wala siyang nagawa. She felt both sorry and thankful to Sky. Alam niyang siya na naman ang dahilan sa likod ng pangyayaring ito. It's her fault why her favorite old man is laying unconciously on the cold, hard ground.

Pero tama si Sky.

Pumasok siya sa kotse at pinaandar iyon. She opened the car's communication device and connected it to Cloud. She turned the steering wheel around to take a different route.

Nakita niya mula sa sidemirror ang pagtakbo ni Sky Kristos papunta sa duguang ama. Her tears fell.

Madali niya itong pinunasan gamit ang likod ng kaniyang palad.

"I have dispatched the ambulance, Empress. Our men are also on their way."

The twins are always like this.

"Just follow the route on the screen. I'll guide you back to Scarletti safely."

Prioritizing their ought over themselves. Standing firm as her knights more than anything else. Looking over her safety despite their situation.

I need to be strong like them. She heaved a deep breath and collected herself.

"Scarletti is too far from the airport. Find the nearest hospital for Tanda, Cloud." utos niya, "Send our medical team and make sure that they bring the necessary equipments."

"Copy that, Empress."

"Nakarating na ba ang ambulansya sa airport?" she asked.

"Yes, Empress." sagot nito, "They're on their way to the nearest hospital. They are aiding Dad in the ambulance as well."

"Good." kagat-labi niyang hayag, pinipigilan ang nagbabadyang mga luha.

"He will be fine, El." Cloud assured.

Bumalik sa kaniyang isipan ang imahe ni Tanda.

His injuries were...

Hindi niya matuloy ang iniisip. It pains her heart remembering what she saw.

"Of course, he will." balik niya, "Make sure to prevent any media from creating any disturbance."

"The news haven't reached their ears yet. We're working on preventing it."

Sa sobrang bilis ng pagapapatakbo niya at dahil sa lumulutang niyang isipan ay hindi niya namalayang nasa harap na siya ng kaniyang sekretong daanan.

"Open the gate, Cloud." she instructed and the gate opened in an instant.

As she walked through the hallway leading to her pad, Eleanor's mind was wondering. Seeking to answer the countless questions running in her head.

How did this happen? Who's behind this? Will Tanda survive? What should I do next?

Little daggers begun to stab her head.

"Where's Kael?" bungad niya kay Cloud nang makarating siya sa computer room nito.

Hindi nawala ang tingin ng binata sa mga monitor habang sauladong tumitipa sa keyboard.

"He's safe. Natutulog na sa kwarto niya." he answered.

"Lay the updates." she ordered.

Kaagad na tumayo si Cloud at kinuha ang nalatangkas na mga documento sa kaniyang mesa. Eleanor took her seat and opened the files.

"Those are the identity of the men who tried to fetch Dad at the airport." panimula nito, "Five of them died on the spot and other one is currently at the ICU."

"Kaninong mga tauhan 'to?"

"Mga bayaran." he responded, sitting back to his swivel chair, "Four of them are civilians. Binayaran para sumundo kay Dad, under Scarletti's fake command. Ang dalawa ay minor members ng Guesero mafia."

"Continue..."

"I already dug into their mafia but, these two didn't go there under their group's command."

"They acted on their own?"

"And decided to follow someone's command in order to gain a higher position."

"Who is it?"

Isinarado niya ang mga dokumento. At inangat ang tingin papunta sa binata.

Napayuko lamang ang binata. Wearing disappointment in his face.

"That, we're still searching at the moment."

Tumayo si Eleanor sa kaniyang kinauupuan at lumapit kay Cloud. She tapped his shoulder letting him know that it's fine.

She knows that he's more frustrated than she is.

Cloud's system received a call from his team. Bumalik siya sa pagkaka-upo at binasa pa ang ibang files na binigay ni Cloud.

"The news reached the media, Empress." imporma sakaniya ng binata.

"As long as they're not causing any interruptions with Tanda's operation. We can let them." aniya.

She needs to focus on their bigger problems.

"Just make sure to put a surveillance on them."

Tumango ito, "And we received another news, Empress."

"What is it?" aniya

"Our enemies are on their move to atack our headquarters."

She pinched the brigde of her nose. Of course, this is going to happen. Everyone received the news about Tanda. And their enemies find this situation as an opportunity to take them down.

Tanda's absence is indeed a danger to Scarletti. And with the Collins in disarray because of their father's situation, gives them a big chance to succeed.

"Ha! Did those idiots forgot who truly owned Scarletti?" singhal niya.

"Three of our headquarters from Visayas and Mindanao called, they're under attack." Cloud informed, "We're waiting for your orders, Empress."

"Contact the other headquarters and send immediate back-up." panimula ni Eleanor, "Magbigay tayo ng alarma sa mga headquarters na hindi pa naaatake. Keep their guard up and identify the groups who are behind the attacks."

She closely watched every monitor, looking out for her men.

"We've identified them, Empress."  Cloud flashed the information he gathered on the screen.

Scarletti has twenty bases in the Philippines and they have one main headquarters in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

"Minor mafias are attacking our small bases. While the famous ones are targeting our main headquarters." dagdag ni Cloud.

"Like they are working under one mind." utal niya.

"How many are they?" she asked.

"Ten groups in total." he answered.

They will eventually have a hard time commanding all their bases and headquarters all at once. And her actions are limited within this room where she is safe.

I wanted to go out there and shoot their heads. But she can't.

Si Sky Kristos ang nakaatas na humawak sa mga tauhan ng Scarletti kapag may mga nangyayaring ganitong sitwasyon.

And she can lay out her plans easily dahil may namumuno sa labas kapag nandidito si Sky.

"Call the woman who helped us earlier." utos niya kay Cloud.

"The owner of Syleria Roan's group?" he named.

"Yes." simple niyang sagot.

Wala ng iba pang sinabi ang binata at ginawa na ang inutos niya. A few click in his keyboard and they reached her.

She opened the mic on the screen and put it on loud speaker.

Eleanor remembered what that woman said, she can use her group freely.

"If you don't have any plan to claim your people from me, I declare them mine." ma-awtoridad niyang pahayag.

She heard her chuckle, "They are yours, Empress."

And she ended the call.

"Bring Syleria Roan's group here." madali niyang utos kay Cloud na siyang ikinagulat nito.

"H-here?" utal nito, "Dito? Kung nasaan ka?"

"Don't make me repeat my order, Cloud Kristos." she threatened with full authority.

Alam niyang hindi sasang-ayon ang binata sa plano niya. Her identity being kept safe is their number one priority.

But she needed more men. People who will work directly under her command. People whom she can communicate with freely.

"One of them is still recovering, right?" tanong niya.

"Yes, Empress." tumayo ito, naghahandang umalis.

Tumango si Eleanor. "Go and get those who can walk." may pananakot sa kaniyang boses.

Cloud nodded in obedience and walked out to follow her orders.

She needs people who, just like the Collins, can help her manage Scarletti.

And Syleria Roan's group have the perfect abilities to be qualified as her generals.

Her identity will be eventually revealed and this is the first step.

Her first step to let her people know who their true Empress is.