Splendiferous (Legazpi #1)

Fifty-eight

Xerxes' expression changed and loosened his grip on his gun which made Bronze burst out in laughter.

"Hindi mo man lang ako ginawang ninong. That's so painful on my part," he acted hurt.

"Let them go, please."

"Ano, 'please?!'" Bronze made an exaggerated reaction. "Aba at nakalabas lang ako ng kulungan tapos makikita kita ngayong nakikiusap?" he laughed.

"I said let them go... do whatever you want with me," he said in a very low voice as if he's giving up.

"Put the gun down," nakangising utos ni Bronze.

Dahan-dahang yumuko si Xerxes at mabagal na inilapag ang kanyang baril. Nakayuko siya habang ginagawa iyon at napansin kong mula sa likuran ni Bronze ay kinuha nito ang sariling baril at itinapat kay Xerxes, dahilan upang mapasigaw si Aleezah.

"Kuya!"

Mabilis ang naging galaw ni Xerxes, ang baril na kalalapag niya palang ay nasa kanyang kamay na muli at pinaputukan niya ng baril ang parehong binti ni Bronze bago pa man siya mabaril. He's a fast mover, nagawa na niyang mapaulanan ng bala ang limang mga tauhan ni Bronze habang si Bronze ay namimilipit at iniinda ang sakit ng dalawang binti.

"Napakapalpak mo talaga magpakidnap," Xerxes hissed at him before going to our side.

He has this worried expression plastered on his face and he kneeled to meet my eyes. He removed the rope that's around me and Aleezah for us to be free. He cupped my face using his warm hands. "Did they hurt you?"

I was so terrified that I didn't even get to speak nor move my head to make a response. I was shaking as my eyes flew to Xavier who's still crying out of fear.

"X-xavier..."

"Tangina, magsimatay na kayong lahat!" Bronze shouted and took the remote out of his pocket again before pressing the button.

In just a snap, Xerxes was already at Xavier's place, trying to remove the bomb sticked to him using a strong kind of tape. I, feeling a bit weak, still ran to his place and tried to help Xerxes remove the tape. My eyes flew to the bomb and my eyes widened after seeing that the timer's set to less than 30 seconds.

"Xerxes, hurry!" I cried out, panicking while removing the tapes.

"M-mommy, daddy..." Xavier was crying so hard that it broke my heart seeing him be in this kind of situation.

"Baby, this is going to hurt, okay? I'll remove the tape out of your skin really fast for it to be removed. Trust daddy, I'll get you out," he told him and pulled the tape hard causing Xavier to whimper out of pain. "Let's take your shirt off, Xav, there's no more time to remove the excess tape and the bomb is still sticked to your shirt."

He didn't reply and he just continued crying. He doesn't know how to move well so I was the one who raised his arms up as Xerxes pulled up his shirt off.

15 seconds...

"Go get your brother!" he told me when both stood up. He's carrying Xavier so I could say he could manage to hold him, but Aleezah couldn't carry Arlszent because of his weight. Pinuntahan ko ang kanilang kinaroroonan at kaagad na hinila ang isa pang braso ni Arlszent para mailagay sa aking balikat.

Zent wasn't that weak, nasa huwisyo pa ito at nakakagalaw, medyo nahihirapan nga lang dahil sa hapdi na iniinda niya mula sa kanina. Malapit na kami sa may pintuan pero may bumaril doon na nakapagpatigil sa amin. It was Bronze. Dire-diretso ang pagpapaulan niya ng baril doon na siyang nagiging rason bakit hindi kami makagalaw upang lumabas.