Death Trap Pandemonium (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Three

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Scattered to the Wind

November 1, 2015; Sunday
Blue Bay Retreat House, Azulan City
12:45 am

The door creaked noisily as Grim closed it. Maingat niyang inilabas mula sa kanyang bulsa ang earpiece at saka ito inilagay sa kanyang tenga. Mabilis niyang itinaas ang sleeve ng suot niyang damit upang magsalita sa device na nakakabit sa kanyang braso.

"H, status report," Grim said briskly, knowing that no one else would have their earpiece on at the moment.

Grim waited with thinning patience for the sound of commotion to die down on the other end.

"Mukhang maayos naman ang blockings sa loob ng retreat house. Hinihintay na lang nina Blade ang go signal mo," pahayag ni H. "Pero katatawag lang ng informant natin at mukhang nakatakas si Shem. Naghahanda na ang mga pulis ng Santa Filomena para makipag-coordinate sa pulisya ng Azulan."

Bumuntong-hininga lamang si Grim. "Call in every favor we can get and try to delay them. Get him to do something about it. I'm sending Apollo out to do damage control. We need as much time as we can get," the killer ordered, gone was the playful tone reserved for taunting their victims. "Tell Chaos and Blade to stand by. Kayo na ni J ang bahalang magpaalam sa iba na mababago ang plano. I encourage going off-script and improvising but stay in character as much as possible."

Hindi niya na hinintay ang sagot ng kasabwat at kaagad na itinago ang kanyang earpiece. Saglit niyang tinitingnan ang kanyang repleksyon. This new development had set things in motion that they would be barely able to control. Nevertheless, Grim was confident that they would still get the upper hand in the end.

Bahagya siyang ngumisi bago lumabas sa silid. After all, we're all incredibly talented actors.

***

Ailee angrily wiped the tears and sweat from the side of her face with the back of her shaking hands. She clutched the thin key in her hands, afraid that it would slip and all her efforts would be for naught. She had endured so much to go down like this. Hindi ito ang magiging katapusan ko. Hindi ako makakapayag.

Huminga siya nang malalim bago inilipat ang susi sa kanyang kanang kamay. Muli, dahan-dahan niyang pinadaan ang kanyang mga kamay sa pagitan ng mga rehas ng kanyang kulungan. It was a difficult task, what with her hands tied together and the shock coursing through her body every time her skin grazed the metal bars, but she persevered through the pain. Mabuti na lang at bahagya itong lumuwag-bagamat nagdulot ito ng pagsusugat ng kanyang braso-upang mas maigalaw niya ang kanyang mga kamay.

"Blyad!¹" Ailee cursed, powering through the shock, in an effort to put the key inside the lock. "Gaano ba kahirap magbukas ng sariling kulungan? Come on, Ailee. Kung nandito si Kuya Shem, kanina pa yun nakatakas."

Despite her growing despair at her predicament, Ailee took comfort at the thought of what her brother would do if he was in her position. There was no doubt in her mind that Shem would power through whatever pain the stupid trap caused. So that's what she ought to do.

Muntikan niya nang mabitawan ang susi nang muling dumampi ang kanyang kamay sa bakal ngunit tiim-bagang niya itong tiniis. She couldn't tell how long it had been since Ashanti and JC left with the killers but upon seeing the pool water drawing nearer, she knew she didn't have time to spare. With one final heave, biting her lips until they bled, Ailee put the key on the padlock and turned it.