VANGUARDIA

Chapter 13

"Hoy Ali! Kakakilala lang natin ha. Iiwan ko kayo dalawa dito e!"

"Tapos si Regina na lang iuuwi niya. Hahahahahaha!" Asar pa ni Ali.

Nagkamali ata ako ng desisyon ah. Baka pagdating sa buhay, sure na sure na aasarin din ako ni Ding at ni Lola.

...

Regina's POV

"So.. how will we check?"

"Hindi na tayo convoy with Noah. Mauuna na daw siya. So, I think we're okay." Ali answered.

I've been pestering Ali on where he will go in Laguna. He said may pupuntahan din siya and I don't even know the point why it took him so long to tell me (not really, it's like 10 mins na pilitan), e kelangan naman pala niya ako dun.

Babalikan pala niya yung scene ng accident. I told him about that day and about my suspicion that a Vanguardia intercepted me. Ali can feel if a Vanguardia is around so pag nadaanan namin yung lugar sa expressway, we'll just check if he can find something.

I have to use again my ability as a bait dun sa exact location if it will trigger a reaction and it would not be safe if Noah is following us in a motorcycle. Si Narda naman, she knows my abilities so I just make an excuse why I would do that, if ever lang na mapansin niya.

The travel is chill lang. Ali is driving, me on the passenger seat while Narda is on the back seat. I did not talk much. Just because Ali has this unending list of questions to get to know Narda. That's until we got close to the location of accident.

Nagsenyas ako kay Ali and he changed lane and slowed down a little bit at a speed acceptable in expressway.

"May lay-by pala." Ali said.

"We're stopping? No." I whispered. Kasi ano sasabihin namin kay Narda? She already knows a lot about me. I'm sure, I can trust her but ayoko na sana siya mainvolve sa mga ganitong investigation namin ni Ali. If it happens na this is a serious matter pala, hindi pa naman namin sure, I don't want to put her life in line. Nasa vision ko pa naman siya.

"Wag ka mag-alala sa kanya." He said. "Narda." Ali called her, looking at the back mirror.

Narda responded to that call by looking at the same mirror, met Ali's eyes and after a split second, Ali's eyes changed color and Narda dropped lying to her seat.

"What did you do?!"

"Relax, natutulog lang siya. She'll wake up later. Baka mas well-rested pa nga. That doesn't do any harm."

"How the hell did you do that? Is she okay?!"

"Natutunan ko lang sa isang Vanguardia sa nakaraan. She's fine."

"When?"

"Alam mo bang yung abilities natin, hindi limited sa kung anong meron tayo na inborn? We can train and learn. You, with the intensity of your power last new moon, you can do a lot more."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's just not widely encouraged in the community." Ali said. Magtatanong pa sana ako pero inunahan niya ako "Shh. I'm stopping." Ali said.

We stopped at the lay-by. In the other side of the road, north bound, is the exact place where my vines snapped.

We did not get off the vehicle. Ali just looked around and concentrated.

"Nothing so far." He said. Tumingin siya sakin. "Do it."

Very subtlety, I let my plants grow at the roadside.