A Bloodless War

Kabanata 25

"I'll explain, okay?" I nodded amd stared at him. I still couldn't believe this.

Why is he still alive? Ang sabi noon...

"Don't cry, darling..." aniya at masuyong pinunasan ang mga luha ko. "I will keep you safe."

"S-si Mommy..." I muttered. "We have to save her."

I saw how his eyes softened. Nakita ko ang pamumuno ng luha sa mga mata niya.

"W-where is she? Where's your Mom? Is she safe? Is she...?"

"She's with Antonio," mahinang sabi ko. "He hostaged her so he can scare me."

"Fuck," he muttered in a hard voice. I saw rage forming in his eyes. Ang galit na iyon ay nakikita ko lamang sa mga mata ni Zeijan sa t'wing nanganganib ako.

The look that could kill.

He gripped my hand at pinakatitigan ako.

"We will keep your Mom away from them, okay?" I nodded.

"Please..." bulong ko. "Let's save her."

He nodded. Humawak siya sa palapulsuhan ko at nakita ko ang paglingon niya sa paligid.

I took a glance at my husband and saw him staring at us. Tulala lang siya at napakurap.

"Archer, come here." My father strictly commanded but my husband didn't even move, nakatulala lang ito sa akin.

"Archer!" my Dad exclaimed, that's when he stood straight.

"M-me?" he pointed himself.

"Faster!" mabilis na napunta sa harapan namin si Zeijan at nakita ko ang pagkabalisa niya.

"Yes, Sir?" alangang sabi niya at nakita kong kumunot ang noo ni Daddy rito.

"Are you fine? You look constipated," ani Daddy.

"Yes, Sir..." tango ni Zeijan at pumormal.

"I want you to alert the system, call Phoenix and the other members, we'll go on the syndicate's warehouse tonight," ani nito.

"How about the bombs?"

"Magtanim kayo roon, command them and let them do what you asked. We have to save my wife," we answered.

"Yes, Sir," ulit ni Zeij at sumulyap sa akin.

He looks shy and too formal kaya ngumuso ako.

"Uh, Dad..." Napalingon sa akin si Dad at sumulyap ako kay Zeijan bago sa kanya. "Ano nga pala—"

"Go, Archer! We don't have time to waste! We have to save my wife!" Nakita kong napaayos si Zeij at naguguluhang napatingin sa akin at maya-maya nagpa-panic na tumakbo palayo.

Napangiti ako. Yes, Zeij, your boss is my father...

"What is it, darling?" ani Dad at napangiti na lang ako at umiling.

Next time, Dad. Not now.

"Come with me, tell me exactly the place where they're hiding. I have stopped his men from escaping kaya hindi pa marahil ito nakakarating sa kanila," ani Dad sa akin.

"I will come too..." I said.

"No, you stay here, baka may mangyaring—"

"I'm also an undercover, Dad," pag-amin ko, I saw how his forehead creased. "They trained me to—"

"Bullshit!" mariing sabi niya at pumikit. "What did they do? Did they hurt you? Ang Mommy mo? Si Carmina?"

"T-They used us." He cursed. Humugot siya ng hininga at maya-maya'y inabot ang telepono niya.