Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 32: The Daughter

"Bakit nila ginagawa 'to?" I breathe heavily. My brain couldn't understand the fact that they'd employ a huge number of men to look for me.

Hindi sumagot si TJ at kinaladkad ako sa isang mas maliit na tagong eskinita para wala kami sa mata ng publiko.

"Is it because I'm your girlfriend?" I said while making a face.

Kumunot ang noo niya, "What's with that face?"

"What face?"

"You're saying it sarcastically."

"Well, am I really your girlfriend? Akala ko I'm just one of the girls you fucked for convenience."

"The fuck, where did you get that? If you're comparing yourself to them, then you're oddly mistaken. You're my one and only woman."

I scoffed. Stepping back one pace from him. I can't believe we're doing this now, but here we are.

"Kailangan natin bumalik." Pagbabago ko sa usapan.

Pero hindi niya ako tinantanan. Habang nakakunot ang kanyang mga noo, nagtanong siya. "What should I do for you to forgive me?"

Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya, "Apologize! Is it hard to say you're sorry?"

A brow quirks at his audacity. "Did you expect me to?"

"Yes, it's common courtesy."

"Sorry."

"No! I'm not going to accept that. Apologize to me when you mean it, not because you're forced to." Umirap ako, "And this is not the time or place. Kailangan natin bumalik sa SCU."

"No. I'm bringing you home." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko pero hinila ko siya pabalik.

"No. Christian needs our help." And probably Vernon, too.

Bigo siyang napatingin sa akin at hindi man lang natinag sa tayo niya nang hinila ko siya. "Hope, they're here for you. You need to be in a safer place."

Bakit? Is it really because I'm his girlfriend?

"This week, you were even being followed, and you had no idea. By the way, you need to work on that. Be more observant."

Goosebumps rose on my skin from his revelation. Now, all those weird instances made sense. I wasn't just paranoid.

Hinawakan niya ang balikat ko at tinitigan ako ng mariin, "We have to go."

"Pero paano si Christian? Si Vernon?" The two men have been with me all these months and although we're not exactly friends, I'll be damned to leave them at the mercy of those goons.

"Back up is coming for them. I'll go back for them. For now, you have to leave."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya, "I have to leave? Iiwanan mo nanaman ako?"

Nasanay akong alagaan ang sarili ko. Nasanay akong mag isa but then he came with his whirlwind personality at nasanay akong andyan na siya palagi para sa akin.

"Hope—"

"TJ wala tayong oras para ihatid mo ako sa kung saan mo ako dadalhin at babalik ka rito. They might be dead by then. I swear pag iniwan mo uli ako, tatakas ako at pupunta sa SCU mag-isa."

Matagal siyang nakatitig sa akin at hindi ako nagpatinag. Kalaunan ay napamura siya, "Promise you'll always be behind me."

Kinakabahan akong tumango. "I promise."

"Fuck." TJ removes a gun from his boots and drops it on my hand. "Count your bullets and don't be careless."

Knowing I convinced him, I let out a huge exhale, securing the gun on my back, covering it with my shirt and the oversized leather jacket I'm wearing.

"I'm not leaving you behind, but just in case we get separated—" Hinawakan niya ang pisngi ko para itapat ang aking mukha sa kanya, "Don't hesitate. Finish them. Kill them."

Tumango ako pero mas inilapit niya ang sarili sa akin.

"Answer me. People tend to forget that in a fight you're betting to end a life or lose yours—and I'm not going to fucking lose you. So promise me you'll protect yourself."

For a second I wanted to back out. Hindi ko alam kung anong posibleng mangyayari. Pero ayaw kong umalis, ayaw kong tumakbo. I want to help Christian and Vernon.

Tumango ako. "Promise."

Bumuntong hininga siya at yumukod, akala ko hahalikan niya ang labi ko pero pinigilan niya ang sarili at hinalikan ang aking noo.

"This is team leader Agent Del Valle. Alpha One speaking. Calling for backup." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at sabay kaming naglakad pabalik ng SCU. Habang papunta roon ay marami siyang tinawagan.

Mas bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa puntong masakit na huminga habang papalapit kami. 

Pagdating namin sa building ay agad niya akong tinago sa kanyang likod nang makita naming hinihila si Christian ng dalawang lalaki.

Sa malayo ay parang tinutulungan lang nila ang isang lasing na kaibigan, pero hindi ko sila kilala. With the way TJ squints his eye as he spots them. I think he doesn't know these men too.

Sinundan namin sila hanggang makarating sila sa parking area. Parang nag-aaway pa ang dalawa pero kalaunan ay tumawa sila at gumilid sa mas madilim na parte, sa likod ng mga kotse.

Nagtaasan ang mga balahibo ko. Hindi ko sila marinig pero alam kong filipino ang dalawa dahil kumakanta ang isa ng isang nursery rhyme—na hindi ko akalain lalabas sa bunganga niya, habang hinuhubaran ang bodyguard ko.

TJ stiffened beside me, and it didn't escape my mind that he might have had flashbacks of an awful childhood memory.

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