Chapter 3

"You have a new mission."

I almost groaned when I heard that. Pinagpahinga lang nila kami ng isang araw tapos meron na naman ngayon.

We're just standing straight with a blank face while listening to our boss. I don't know if he's a good or bad man. Pero wala na akong pake don, mamamatay din naman ako.

"You have to travel time and bring back the late Senator Zenia Falcon." He said that made us shocked. This is our first mission that includes our abilities.

"What?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Our boss nodded and slightly moved in his swivel chair.

"Yes, since Apollo can travel time and you-Avani can take give lives. You can only do it." Dagdag nya. Tahimik lang si Apollo sa tabi ko habang ako ay hindi makapaniwala.

"You already tried to resurrect someone, don't you?" He slowly asked that made me froze.

"Hindi ka pwedeng mamatay!" Sigaw ko habang hawak ang kamay nya. She just tried to jump from this building! I heard her sobs while trying her best to get out of my grasps. As if I'll let her.

Nasaan na ba si Apollo?!

"Just let me. I'm so tired." She whispered but I shooked my head.

"I'll die if you'll die!" I shouted again. Dumudulas na ang kamay ko sa kanya dahil pasmado ako!

My face glowed when she tried to lift her body up. Iaangat ko na sana sya ng bigla syang kagatin ang kamay ko kaya napabitaw ako. I'm just staring at the dark nowhere where she fell. Ilang minuto ang lumipas bago ako nakakilos. I immediately run outside this 25th floor building. Sa sobrang tagal bumukas ng elevator ay tinakbo ko nalang pababa, I used stairs of course.

I was panting when I saw Apollo running too. Nagkasalubong kami at nakita ko pa kung paano nagliwanag ang mukha nya ng makita ako.

"Where-." Hindi nya na natapos ang sasabihin nya dahil iniwan ko na sya doon. Tuloy tuloy lang akong bumaba at ramdam ko naman ang pagsunod nya.

Hinabol ko muna ang hininga ng makababa kami sa lobby bago tumakbo papunta sa likod nitong building. I gasped for air when I saw her body being surrounded by blood. I felt Apollo's presence behind me. I heard him gasped too. Sabay kaming tumakbo papunta sa babae na ngayon ay wala ng buhay.

We both looked at each other, asking if what should we do. I bit my lower lip and turned to the corpse again. She shouldn't die.

"She's not supposed to die, yet." I whispered and walk slowly to her. Naramdaman ko naman ang hawak ni Apollo sa braso ko.

"She died because it's her time. Don't you dare do something inappropriate, woman." Banta nya na inilingan ko. Our boss would kill us if he found out!

"I-I'll resurrect her." I said and tried to touch her cold body. I heard Apollo sighed and let me. Alam nya din namang wala na syang magagawa.

Lumingon ako sa kanya ng may maalala.

'In order to give life, you have to surrender another.'

"I-I need someone." Halos bulong ko ng sabi. He just looked at me coldly-that is the first time that he looked at me that way. Nagdalawang isip tuloy ako. But I don't have any choice.

Tumayo ako at lumakad paalis. Tahimik akong naglakad. Nilabas ko ang baril ko ng makita ang isang babaeng naglalakad sa kalsada. I silently walked to her, nang makalapit ay hinawakan ko sya sa balikat ngunit bago pa sya makalingon ay pinalo ko na sya sa batok gamit ang baril kaya nawalan sya ng malay.

I carried her and brought her with me. Nang makarating ay hindi ko na tinapunan ng tingin si Apollo. I can feel his intense stare at me but I chose to ignore it. Nanginginig kong hiniga ang babaeng walang malay sa tabi ni Hannah-our boss's daughter.

I closed my eyes and tried to focus. My hands are trembling while slowly putting it in their bodies. Nasa gitna nila akong dalawa bago huminga ng malalim.

I just found myself breathing deeply while watching Hannah opened her eyes. Umiwas ako ng tingin at hindi sinasadyang napatingin kay Apollo na dismayadong nakatingin sa akin. I felt my tears flowing so I looked away.

Napatayo ako ng makarinig ng mga putok ng baril. We're tasked to save our boss's daughter in the hands of her kidnappers. But damn, I didn't expect that they are this many!

"We're being surrounded." Apollo said immediately went near us. Binuhat nya si Hannah na nanghihina pa bago hinawakan ang kamay ko at tumakbo. Pinasok nya sa kotse ang katawan ni Hannah kaya pumasok na din ako bago nya mabilis na pinaandar ang kotse.

Nasa high way na kami ng makita na maraming kotse ang nakasunod sa amin. I felt the car's speed doubled. Liko lang kami ng liko hanggang sa huminto sa isang abandonadong bahay.

"Are we safe here?" Tanong ko sa kanya. He answered without looking at me.

"No."

And with that, bigla nyang niliko ang kotse at doon ko lang nakita ang marami pang kotse na nakasunod sa amin. We're cornered.

"Just give us the kid and we'll let you live!" Sigaw ng isa sa kanila. Napatingin naman ako kay Apollo na mahigpit ang hawak sa manibela.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng bigla nyang paandarin ang kotse at sinalubong ang kotse ng kalaban. Hinarang ko ang kamay ko sa harapan ng marinig ang pagkabasag ng salamin ng kotseng sinasakyan namin. I heard a lot of gunshots.

Apollo turned to me and sighed.

"This is the fate, Avabelle. No matter how many times you change it, it would still happened." I heard Apollo whispered bago sumabog ang sinasakyan namin kasabay ng pagbagsak ng luha ko.

True enough, pagkagising ko mula sa mahabang pagkakatulog sa hospital ay nabalitaan ko nalang na tapos ng iburol ang anak ng boss namin. She died because of 13 gunshots and severe injuries. She's dead on arrival.