Crownless Queen

Chapter 31: Unexpected Ambush

"Umayos ka nga," saway ko at tinapik ang braso niya, pero marahan niyang hinalikan ang pisngi ko saka tumayo nang ayos. What... the fuck.

"I got it, but don't follow them. Please, " sabi niya at napansin kong naging seryoso ang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha. I nodded and clasped my hands together. It is broad daylight to cause a commotion after all...

I was left dumbfounded when he went to pick up his order. Napahawak ako sa pisngi ko kung saan niya iyon hinalikan at nag-init ang mukha ko. Shit, I forgot about the men behind me!

Kaagad akong lumingon at bumilis ang pintig ng puso ko nang makitang wala na sila roon.

* * *

I gathered the whole gang in our hideout with Raven. Gulat na gulat pa sila nang makita nila itong kasama ako.

"Pucha. Gabing-gabi ka lagi nagpapatawag, Artemis," reklamo ni Leo habang naghihikab. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin kaya napaayos ito ng tindig.

"Shut up," sabi ko at mukha pa itong nasaktan sa sinabi ko. I threw the bunch of files on the table and opened one of them. I pointed out a photo of a girl who resembles Elena a lot.

"Kita niyo naman, diba? That is Eliza Rosquez, ang kapatid ni Elena," sabi ko at napasinghap naman ang lahat, except for Primo who is not shocked at all.

Hindi niya kasama ngayon si Elena dahil hindi niya kami kayang harapin ngayon. She just lost her sister, and I understand her pain of losing a loved one.

"Ang sabi rito, ang kapatid ni Elena ay isang high-rated ability user. Power erasure is her ability kung saan permanent na pwedeng mawala ang ability ng gagamitan niya nito," seryoso kong sambit at inilapag pa ang isang picture sa harapan.

"Familiar, isn't it?" tanong ko sa kanilang lahat at tumango naman sila. The picture is a syringe filled with a strange liquid on it.

"Inside of that stick is the ability extracted from an ability user," sabi ko at hinampas ni Lucian ang lamesa. Lumikha iyon ng nakabibinging ingay kaya't natahimik ang lahat. All of us looked at him, wondering why the hell did he do that all of a sudden.

"That shit nearly got me killed," sabi niya at nilukot ang litratong pinakita ko.

"Ows, weh? Kelan?" tanong ni Virgo habang pinaglalaruan ang kanyang buhok.

"Last night, pero kulay itim na ang laman ng syringe," he continued.

"Takte, parang gumalaw ng kusa 'yung katawan ko. Parang sinapian, amputa." Sinapian?

"Buti buhay ka pa, hahaha!" natatawang sabi ni Scorpio kaya nabatukan siya ni Leo.

"So what's the plan?" tanong ni Libra habang nakapatong ang magkabilang kamay sa mesa.

"Our plan is to find their base."

"We can't do that. Masyadong delikado ang mga hawak nilang weapons. They use the abilities of a Spectre!" galit na saad ni Gemini kaya napasapo nalang ako sa noo ko. Ngunit natahimik sila nang biglang nagsalita si Raven.

"Next month, they'll attack Monarch High and gather more vessels for something," sambit niya at halos lumuwa ang mata ko sa gulat.

So the conversation I overheard was about Monarch? I guess his connection with Trinity helped him gather a lot. I heard that she is the only daughter of a famous informant who works in the shadows. She's such a mystery.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pakay nila, but it is more important for us to be vigilant."

Natigilan kaming lahat nang marinig namin ang malalim na paghinga ni Libra. Her forehead was sweating again and she just used her ability.

"Dead bodies. People wearing lab gowns..."

"And a strange woman in a capsule," sabi niya kaya pinainom siya ng tubig nila Aries para kumalma. She can just see what will happen in the future, pero hindi niya malalaman kung kailan ito mangyayari. It is just like a warning to us, pero nagtataka pa rin ako sa mga sinasabi niya.

But then all of us gasped when someone knocked on the door. I silenced them and talked to Cancer with a low voice.

"What can you see?" bulong ko habang pinapakinggan ang mga katok sa pintuan. The rest were already on their guard, ready to dash at the door. He activated his ability right after, but he looked shocked.

"Putragis, isang batalyon ang mga tao sa labas!" gulat niyang sabi habang nakahawak sa kanyang bibig. I looked at everyone with shock and gestured them to come at me.

"Let's deal with them all together, as Black Rose." I smirked when I faced the door in front of us. They all nodded and they really looked like they missed fighting. This time, we will fight criminals-no, demons.

"One."

"Two."

"Three!" Sabay-sabay naming sinugod ang pintuan at nagtalsikan ang mga taong nasa harapan nito.

Just like what I thought, they are after us! We just sabotaged their plan last time. I looked at the men wearing black suits with huge white suitcases on their hands. They have huge bodies, but it can't be a match for Spectres. In our eyes, they are just dust ready to be trampled by us.

We circled around them while I was estimating their numbers. They are too many for us, but I don't mind.

"Ready?" tanong ko habang may ngisi sa aking labi. I cracked my knuckles when I saw how the enemy in front of us stepped backward. Cowards.

"We are always ready, Leader," aniya at sinimulan na naming patumbahin ang mga lalaking may bitbit na mga baril. Humiwalay kaagad ako sa kanila at tumakbo papunta sa madilim na sulok para kunin ang atensyon ng iba. I am the target and I will deal with some of them.

Kinuha ko ang mask na itim sa aking bulsa at sinuot bago humarap sa kanila. I gave them a welcoming attack and immobilized every each of them. I kicked and punched everyone and stole one gun from a guy.

"So this is your toy, huh?" sabi ko habang pinagmamasdan ang malaking baril na transparent na mayroong syringe sa loob bilang bala. My eyes widened when I saw the liquid inside is colored black. Eto ba ang sinasabi ni Lucian?!

"Night, they are being aggressive." Rinig kong sabi ng isa sa sulok habang nakahawak sa tenga.

An earpiece? I aimed the gun to shoot his hand. Napasigaw naman ito sa sahig nang bumulusok ang transparent na syringe at may kulay itim itong likido sa loob. I kneeled and reached for the earpiece.

"Si Night ba 'to?" I asked mockingly.

"This is Artemis and sad to say, you will never fucking catch any of us," sabi ko bago apakan ang earpiece at hinagis sa ere. I smirked when I saw Raven beside me.

"You okay?" hinihingal niyang tanong at mas lumawak ang ngisi ko nang dumami ang mga lalaking nakapalibot sa amin.

"I am."

"Let's do this together," sambit ko at sabay naming sinugod ang napakaraming kalaban na nakapalibot sa amin.

I will fucking crush you, Night Stalkers.