LEOPOLD stirred vegetables in the curry sauce in the skillet. The spicy aroma was warm and heavenly on a cold December afternoon. While not as heavenly as his mother’s cooking, it was one of the few dishes that Malia would eat that contained a reasonable amount of veggies like most kids her age, it was a major chore to get her to eat anything balanced.
His eyes strayed to the photos on the nearby living room wall. He bought larger picture frames and materialized some photos from his cellphone so that he could display them on his walls. He missed his daughter badly.
Leopold felt mix of emotions as he stirred. It was exactly three months when Lia fell into her deep slumber, and it’s already two weeks since Crow’s last job. Their mission is still on the run but it was temporarily halted since they were still waiting for his general uncle’s piece of information that could help them take down the Black Sun.
He rushed to his door after hearing
PINANINIKIPAN na ng dibdib si Leopold sa kanilang usapan. Hindi na rin niya makontrol pa ang panginginig ng kaniyang mga kamay kaya kaagad siyang nagpaalam upang gumamit ng palikuran.Mabilis siyang pumasok sa men’s restroom at naghilamos upang palamigin at kalmahin ang kaniyang kalooban. Muling nanunumbalik ang masasamang alaala ng kahapon dahil sa hindi nila sinasadyang pagkikita ni Damian.Lalo pa noong muling mabuksan ang usapin ng mga nanganap noon sa Palestina. Ilang segundo na ang lumilipas ngunit hindi pa rin nanunumbalik sa normal ang kaniyang pakiramdam. Patuloy pa rin sa panginginig ang kaniyang mga kamay.Pero dahil alam niyang hinihintay na siya nila Damian ay hindi na rin siya nagtagal pa sa loob at lumabas. Nabigla pa siya nang makita si Andrea na nakasandal sa pader sa harapan ng palikuran na para bang hinihintay siya.Napakaganda nitong tingnan sa suot nitong off-shoulder na damit habang nakatucked-in naman ang laylayan niyon sa kan
THE incessant buzzing of Leopold’s alarm clock jolted the man to consciousness. His head was already spinning because of the loud noise, and he seriously considered hitting the snooze button.He thought better of it and rolled out onto his feet, not bothering to get dressed anything aside from the boxer short he wore to bed.He warmed up running in the four corners of his room. Drop forward into push-up position. As he pressed up and down, he remembered Raymund’s words last night.Leopold changed to the plank position, holding as long as he could, focusing his core muscles. The numbers on the clock jumped, as he forced his core to hold him upright.He then stretched gently in the cool December morning air. He opened up the window and stare at his backyard that is now full of plants he and Lia planted before. The plants were all still mostly in bloom. Herbs and flowers perfumed the air richly as he inhale.He was about to go for another
ANDREA was at her garden, admiring her newly bloomed flowers while sipping a cup of black coffee. The aroma of it can be smelled across the hallway of their mansion. She can even clearly see the fog that morning.When she decided to cut off Crow’s protection services, her grand-father and father insisted that she should live with them at the mansion again.Wala naman na siyang nagawa kung hindi ang pumayag dahil hindi umano nila ipatitigil ang serbisyo ng Crow hangga’t hindi siya bumabalik doon.Dahil na rin sa kagustuhan niyang lumayo kay Leopold ay pumayag siya. Her grand-father hired bunch of bodyguards to guard her whenever she went outside.Noong huli silang magkita ni Leopold ay nilinaw niya sa lalaki na hindi na sila dapat na magkita pa.Kumusta na kaya siya? Andrea thought.Pero kaagad din niyang ipinilig ang ulo upang alisin sa kaniyang isipan ang binata. Siguro ay maligaya na ito sa piling ng babaeng mahal nito
NAGPALINGA-LINGA si Damian sa paligid upang hanapin si Andrea. Matapos lang ang ilang sandali ay nakita niya na rin ang dalaga. Ngunit nakatalikod ito sa kaniya.Hahakbang na sana siya papalapit dito nang mapansin kung nakayakap ito sa kung sino. Nag salubong ang kilay ng binata at mabilis na tinawid ang kapirasong espasyong pagitan niya sa mga ito.Mabilis na sumulak ang dugo ng lalaki. Pakiramdam niya ng mga panahong iyon ay may aagaw kay Andrea mula sa kaniya.“Andrea!”Kaagad naman na napalingon sa kaniya ang dalaga. Napatayo si Andrea nang mapansin na magkasalubong na ang kilay ni Damian.Doon naman nakita ni Damian na si Leopold pala ang kayakap ng binata. Nakita pa niya kung paanong pasimple na pinahid ng binata ang mga luha.“Captain,” bati niya sa lalaki. Nilapitan niya pa ito upang kamayan. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”“Thank you, Enriquez.” Malungkot na tugon ni Leopold
NAKUNOT ang noo ni Leopold habang pinanonood ang balita sa telebisyon.SUSPECT SURRENDERED AFTER MURDERING A MAN ON HIS OWN HOME…Hindi mai-alis ni Leopold ang kaniyang mata sa naka-flash na mga pangungusap sa telebisyon.“W-what the fuck is happening?” Nagugulumihan pa rin niyang tanong sa mga kasama na makikita rin sa mukha ang pagkagulat. “Why the hell did he surrender?”Hindi niya inaasahan na sa kabila ng hirap na pinagdaanan nila ni Atlas sa paghahanap dito ay bigla na lang itong susuko?“Why? Isn’t it good na sumuko na siya sa otoridad?” tanong ni Faustus kay Leopold na mababakas pa rin ang pagkabigla.“No.” Matipid niyang tugon. Ang kaninang ekspresyon ng pagkabigla ay kaagad na napalitan nang pagdidilim.“Why?”“Because I plan to make his life a living hell,” Maanghang na sagot sa kaniya ni Leopold.Natahimik sina Jonas at Atlas
Leopold stood rigid upright in his old mission gear, a black jumpsuit with a dark red vest. Storing some of Malia’s old things, he had found it buried in mothballs. The suit beckoned to him, like it had been quietly waiting for him to find it. Much to his surprise, it still fit like a glove the way it had the last time he took it off.He then opened a wooden box that he hid long time ago. His eyes brimmed with so much admiration as he took out his old friend. Beretta M9A3.A seventeen-round magazine gun that has a thinner vertical grip for improved control and less conspicuous concealed carry. It also has removable sights so that users can select the sight’s material and construction.Memories of his past kept on swarming onto his mind. The path that he never expected to trace back again. He loaded and unloaded his old comrade. Aimed it at the wall as if there was someone hiding behind it and the pulled the trigger. A small clank can be heard inside
LEOPOLD took a few moment to calm his nerves, admiring the orange sun setting on the crisp December afternoon.It has been a week but they still haven’t had a single clue that could lead them to Red and his men. They were like a bug that is hard to find. Like a needle in a haystack.But Crow and his uncle’s men are doing their best to find these men. What took him by surprise the day he asked Ian’s wife, was the fact that Red might be not be the one who killed his cousin but the man who was with Red when Ian met him.“Want one?” Faustus asked queried, offering him a stick of cigarette.Leopold took one. Although he quitted smoking long ago. He just felt that he needed that immediate sense of relaxation that only nicotine can create.“Thanks,” he thanked the man. He lit up the cigarette and took a long puff before releasing it to the air, “we still don’t know where they are hiding?”
PAKIRAMDAM ni Andrea ay nasasakal siya sa ginagawang pag uusap ng mga magulang ni Damian at ng kaniyang ama at lolo patungkol sa nalalapit na nilang kasal. Pumayag man siya ay mabigat pa rin sa kalooban ni Andrea ito. Hindi rin maitatatwa na hanggang ng mga oras na iyon ay inookupa pa rin ni Leopold ang buong isipan ng dalaga.Nag aalala pa rin kasi siya sa lalaki dahil batid niya na labis na apektado pa rin ito sa pagkawala ni Raymund.“Hello… earth to Andrea?” Kaagad na napatigil sa paglipad ang kaniyang isipan nang tapikin siya ni Damian sa balikat. Magkatabi kasi sila nito sa upuan habang nasa harap naman nila ang mga matatanda. “W-what?” “Itinatanong ng mommy kung gaano raw ba kalaking wedding cake ang gusto mo,” wika ni Damian. Nalipat naman sa nakangiting si Mrs. Enriquez ang tingin ni Andrea. Alanganin siyang ngumiti rito dahil mukhang kanina pa ito naghihintay ng kasagutan mula sa kaniya. “A-ah
LEOPOLD had spent the past three days working from his restaurant after their mission. Trying to forget how he barely see any signs of Bart and Malia. Their brothers in the organization are relentlessly working to track down the man who took his daughter but to no avail. He will visit Julie at their medical facility later. His friend just woke up few hours ago. They thought they were about to lose Julie but thank all the gods of mankind they didn’t. He was about to wrapped up when a familiar face entered the restaurant. “Mr. Rodriguez, long time no see!” said the man who arrived. “Mr. Lacasa. Great to see you,” ani Leopold. “Is it?” pagbibiro pa ng matanda na sinundan nito ng malutong na halakhak. Hindi alam ni Leopold kung bakit pero hindi talaga siya napapakali kapag nasa malapit ang matanda. Pero na ganito pa ang nararamdaman niya ay hindi naman niya ito maaaring itaboy sapagkat “I haven’t seen you in a while, Mr. Rodriguez. Are you busy with something else?” tanong ni Conrad
THE sound of someone making breakfast awoke Leopold from his slumber. Every instinct deep down told him to keep his eyes closed, but he knew it was a fool’s errand. Time was passing, and he was almost out of it.He opened his eyes to see Atlas smiling at him, “Good morning,” Atlas greeted, “slept well?”Leopold nodded slightly, unsure how to respond. “Yes, what are you doing here early this morning?” he said as she slowly got up. “When this is all over, we have a lot to talk about you and me.”Atlas furrowed his eyebrows. “About what?”“About your frequent trespassing here at my house, you dipshit!” Leopold extracted his self from the bed, hearing the joints in his back popping. In few short minutes, he was done taking a bath and went downstairs. Atlas and Julie had a hot bowl of soup and a side of bacon waiting for him.“Come on! Dig in!” Julie invited.“You can cook?” Leopold inquired making the woman spout.“Of course. Do you really think you’re the only one who can cook among all
THE gong sounded, and Hiroshi and Asahi limped and stumbled back to their starting marks. They exchanged pleasantries of bowing to each other and their grandfather. Hiroshi went to his defensive stance, while Asahi went on to his offensive strikes. The round kicked off with Asahi screaming wildly, smashing his left hand and his feet against Hiroshi’s defenses. Hiroshi blocked what must have been a dozen strikes effectively despite his poor balance with one good leg. Finally, Asahi seemed to collapse as his eyes closed. Instinctively, Hiroshi, tried catching his brother. Leopold saw what was happening before Asahi opened his eyes. Exploiting your older brother’s protective instinct to get him to drop his guard. You rotten bastard! Leopold thought at the back of his mind. Asahi’s left hand sprung like a rattlesnake toward the center or Hiroshi’s chest. Hiroshi gripped his brother’s forearm, desperately trying to keep the lethal object of his hand off her heart. Asahi seesawed with hi
LULAN ng dalawang sasakyan ay mabilis na tinalunton nina Leopold ang daan na maaaring tinahak ni Bart kasama si Malia.Ngunit hindi na nila makita pa ang mga ito. Maging ang grupo ni Jonas na umikot pa upang sana ay salubungin ang mga ito ay hindi sila nagawang maabutan.Alam ni Leopold na hindi sasaktan ni Bart ang bata ngunit may kung anong bagay ang nag bibigay sa kaniyang dibdib ng kaba. Kaba na kanina pa hindi naaalis sa kaniyang sistema.Kasalukuyan na silang pabalik ngayon sa Headquarters ng Crow. Naroon din na nag aabang ang ilan pa nilang mga kasamahan na hindi nakasama sa ibang sumaklolo sa kanila.“Is everyone safe, Sir Jonas?” tanong ni Abel habang katabi ang kakambal na si Cain.“Thankfully, Yes.” Jonas replied.“Thank god!” Napahalukipkip na tugon pa ng lalaki.Hindi nag tagal ay dumating na rin ang grupo nina Leopold. Nanlulumong napaupo ang lalaki sa high stool ng bar. Napansin ito ng iba pa ngunit hindi na lamang sila nag salita.Matapos bigyan ng isang baso ng scotch
NO ONE couldn’t fathom how uneasy Leopold was. Almost a dozen of armed men were in front of them. A small move and they will be dead. The worst case scenario— His daughter will die as well.His mind tried to calculate any escape route but to no avail. They were surrounded. One resistance from them and the three of them would be dead meat in an instant.A shape of a human being emerges from the darkness. Leopold was stunned upon seeing the man standing in front of him. It was Bart.His serious face began to show emotions that he tried to suppress long ago when he saw Malia. His daughter.“How did you find us?” Leopold asked the man.“It is not that hard to track your whereabouts, Leopold.” Bart answered.Muli nitong sinipat ng tingin si Malia. Humarang naman si Leopold nang mapansin ito. “Why are you doing this? Why did you join the Golden Circle?”“To get my revenge to you,” tugon nito bago muling tiningnan si Lia na nagtatago sa likuran ni Mira. “And to get my daughter back.”Parang
PARANG ipo-ipo sa ginawang pag kilos ang lahat. Kaagad na tumakbo patungo sa van sina Julie, Faustus at Leopold upang kunin ang kanilang mga baril.Habang si Mira naman ay kagyat na hinila sa isang gilid si Lia na naguguluhan sa mga nangyayari.“Tita? What are you playing po?” Nagtatakang tanong ng paslit na ang akala ay naglalaro lamang ang mga nakatatanda.“Uhh…” Umikot muna sa paligid ang mga mata ni Mira bago sagutin ang bata. “We’re about to play hide and seek baby, at tayong dalawa ang magkakampi kaya huwag kang aalis sa tabi ni Tita Mira, okay?”“Okay po,” sagot naman ng bata.“Leopold, Faus, Julie, Flint! With me!” utos ni Jonas.Nag-aalala naman na napatingin si Leopold kay Mira at Lia. Hindi niya nais iwanan ang anak sa gitna ng kaguluhan.“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your daughter,” paniniguro ni Mira sa nag-aalalang ama.“I’ll be with them, Pare. Huwag kang mag-alala,” singit naman ni Atlas.Matipid na ngumiti naman si Leopold sa kanila. “Thank you guys. Take care.”“Le
PATAKBONG pumasok sa medical facility ng Crow si Leopold. Parang tambol sa lakas ang pag kabog ng kaniyang dibdib ng mga sandaling iyon.Ni hindi na nga niya nahintay pang matapos ni Atlas ang hatid nitong balita kanina. Dahil base pa lang sa hitsura kanina ng lalaki ay hindi mabuting balita ang hatid nito sa kaniyang tahanan. Pakiramdam pa nga niya ay ang oras na mismo ang kalaban niya ng mga sandaling iyon.Wala siyang kinatatakutan. Kahit nga si kamatayan ay maaaring mahiya na lang sa kaniya dahil hindi na niya ito kinatatakutan. Sa dinami-rami na rin ng mga laban at misyon na hinarap niya ay kabisado na niya kung paano niyang matatakasan ang taga-sundo ng mga kaluluwa.Pero para sa kaniya ay naiiba ang mga sandaling ito. Hindi man siya naniniwala sa mga Diyos na sinasamba ng mga tao ay pakiwari niya ay luluhod sa kahit na saang simbahan, mosque o templo ng mga ito para lang humiling na huwag munang bawiin ang pinakamamahal na anak.Naging kapansin-pansin para sa kaniya na wala ni
HALOS huminto ang pintig ng puso ni Leopold nang saksakin ni Bart si Haidee sa likuran nito. Ang masakit pa rito ay makailang ulit niya pa itong ginawa.Kitang-kita nila Leopold ang ekspresyon nang paghihirap sa mukha ni Haidee dahil sa magkakasunod na saksak na tinamo nito mula kay Bart. Napaubo rin ito ng dugo malamang dahil sa shock na tinamo ng katawan nito.“No… stop…” wika ni Leopold ngunit tanging siya lamang ang nakakarinig.Lalo siyang nanigas sa kinaroroonan nang makita kung paanong unti-unting mapapikit si Haidee habang nakangisi namang nakatingin sa kaniya si Bart. Ang tingin niya sa lalaki ngayon ay isang demonyong nagbabalat kayo bilang tao.Pilit na tumayo si Leopold sa kabila ng kaniyang panghihina upang sana’y pagbayarin si Bart sa kaniyang ginawa. Subalit bago pa man siya makalapit dito ay binitawan nito ang nag hihingalong si Haidee.Kaya naman sa halip na si Bart ay si Haidee ang agad niyang tinungo. Mabuti na lamang at nagawa niya itong masalo sa tamang oras.Agad
NAALARMA sina Jonas at Julie sa ginawa ni Leopold kaya naman bago pa pumutok ang laban ay nagawa nilang lapitan at tabihan si Leopold. Hindi naman sila nagkamali nang ginawa dahil kasalukuyan nang nakatutok sa binata ang dalang baril ni Krishmar habang nasa leeg naman ni Leopold ang kukri knife na hawak naman ni Levi. Wala na rin silang nagawa ng mga sandaling iyon kung hindi itutok sa mga ito ang dala nilang mga armas. Mabuti na lamang at may kaingayan at madilim ang paligid kung saan sila naka-pwesto dahil kung hindi ay kanina pa nakita ng ibang bisita ng event ang mga nagaganap. “Don’t make any move or you will die in here,” babala ni Jonas kay Levi habang nakatutok ang baril sa lalaki. “You too, asshole,” malamig na saad din ni Julie kay Krishmar na lumabas pa ang ugat sa noo dahil sa naging tawag ng dalaga sa kaniya. “You smells good, honey. I believe you taste good as well.” Nakangising wika ni Krishmar. Maya-maya lang ay tumunog ang telepono ni Grizzly na nakatumba pa rin