Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 27: A Del Valle

"You make a good point." Sagot agad ni Jane at hinila ang kuya niya para tumabi sila sa akin.

Nagsalita si Jaceon at hindi man lang hininaan ang boses. "Maybe we're not supposed to know for a reason—"

Mabilis pa sa bulalakaw akong gumalaw para takpan ang bunganga niya pero naunahan ako ng bunso ng mga Del Valle. "Kuya." She whispers warningly.

"I'm more than capable to handle news, bakit hindi niyo sinabi sa akin?" Bumalik ang atensyon namin sa loob ng salon nang marinig si Jamie.

Tangina hindi ko na alam ang context ng sinasabi niya dahil na-distract ako.

"If you knew there was a threat, edi hindi ako nag organize ng charity ball in the middle of the ocean!" I almost gasped at the information and the way Jamie shouted. She never shouts. I have always known her to be so smiley and calm.

"That's why we didn't want to tell you. You'll be paranoid and change plans. We needed to catch them, we wouldn't be able to do that if we hid." Kuya Jupiter answers.

I hear Jamie scoff. "So you used my birthday as bait?"

Lumingon ako sa dalawang Del Valle na kasama kong nanigas sa nalalaman nila ngayon.

"And did you catch them? You didn't."

Katahimikan.

"There are twelve guests and staff injured, two in a critical state, and three died. Your agents? Your agents suffered the most. We're still counting death tolls—"

"I know Jamie. I made the calls." Mahina ang boses ni TJ.

"What you did was reckless," I hear Jamie shakily sigh. "Hindi lang kayo, pero ibang tao rin ang iniisip ko. Our guests, our staff, everyone. So don't hide information from me."

Kuya Jupiter sighs. "They were ballsy, that's one thing we underestimated them for." 

"All that for what? They lost a lot of people, too. A lot more than us." Jamie asks.

"They want someone, or they're..." Hindi tinuloy ni Kuya Jupiter ang sasabihin niya at si TJ ang nagsalita.

"An ego play."

"An ego play?"

"They might have wanted to announce that they exist even now. They're taunting us that they can still penetrate our security."

I shivered as TJ pieced the information together. Kung ganoon nga, they have one scary enemy who's unpredictable and unhinged.

There was a long silence before Jamie decided to speak again.

"I'm going to ask you again, but don't make me repeat myself. Tell me what I should know so I know what to tell the press. Who are those people?"

Wala nanamang sumagot sa kanya and she frustratedly groans.

"Do you want me to research on my own? I will."

A long silence, and I bet that the three inside the room were measuring each other with their eyes. All three pairs of beautiful golden eyes fighting for what they believe in.

"They're the same people who caused mom's death and Jennifer's kidnapping. The same group fifteen years ago."

Nagsalita si TJ at naramdaman ko ang paghinto ng mundo ng magkakapatid na Del Valle sa sinabi niya. Jamie gasped and I felt Jane go rigid beside me as she clutched her brother tightly.

"The people behind that are yakuzas called, Itasa—"

"Well well well who do we have here?" Isang boses ang nagpagitla sa aming tatlo.

Lumingon ako at nakita si Hera. Naka-poker face nanaman siya kaya hindi ko maintindihan kung anong iniisip niya—not that I have ever known.

Tahimik lang kaming tatlo habang nakatulala sa kanya... nang biglang tumakbo si Jane. Napakamot si Jaceon ng ulo habang dahan dahang naglalakad papasok.

Napakagat ako ng labi at naglakad din palayo.

Sumunod ang mga mata niya sa akin habang inipit ko ang labi sa ngipin ko, nahiya na nahuli kami.

Pagkarating sa quarters namin ay nahiga agad ako. Wala si Ate Gie at isang kasambahay na kasama ko sa kwarto kaya mabilis akong niyakap ng tulog sa katahimikan—pilit kinakalimutan ang mga nangyari ngayong gabi.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

Nagising at napabangon ako nang may kumalampag sa pintuan. Pabilis ng pabilis na parang nagmamadali. Pwersahang nabuksan iyon at pumasok si TJ na duguan.

I was about to ask what happened when blood splattered all over me.

I screamed. 

(▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)