⍟HARLEY⍟
Dahan-dahan naman akong bumangon mula sa pagkakahiga at isa-isang tinanggal ang mga nakaturok sa aking katawan. For fuck sake, ano ba tong mga to?
Mabubugbog ko talaga si Lyka pag gumaling ako.
Nang matanggal ko na ang mga wire na iyon ay kaagad din naman akong tumayo, napangiwi naman ako ng maramdaman ang sakit sa buong katawan ko.
Nabaril lang naman ako at hindi binugbog diba? what is happening to me?
Pero mamaya na yan, kailangan ko munang mahabol si Jack at ihampas sa kanya ang katotohanan na hindi siya pwedeng umalis ng basta-basta.
Hindi ko naman pinansin ang mga tingin ng mga nakakasalubong ko sa hallway at tuloy pa rin sa paglalakad kahit na paika-ika ako dahil sa sakit ng katawan ko.
"Harley?" Tumingin naman ako sa nagsalita and it was Joel, one of the leaders of a team here in HQ. "What the hell are you doing here? dapat nagpapahinga ka diba?" He exclaimed.
"I-I don't have time to explain." I said at saka huminga ng malalim. "K-kailangan k-kong mahabol si Jack." Dagdag ko.
"I'm calling Lyka." He declared.
I immediately grabbed his neck at dinig ko naman ang pagsinghap niya dahil doon. I lightly squeezed it and glared him.
"Don't you fucking dare." I mumbled bago siya binitawan at tuluyang lumakad palayo sa kanya, palabas ng infirmary na iyon.
While walking towards the exit, I grabbed the rattan stick na hawak ng isang sa mga trainee na nakatayo doon. Akmang tututol ito pero kaagad ko din naman siyang pinatahimik gamit ang masamang tingin ko.
Because I am now angry.
Nang makalabas naman ako sa infirmary ay kaagad na nakita ko ang pamilyar na pigura na siyang nakatalikod sa akin.
"Jackson Harata!" Sigaw ko at napalingon naman siya sa akin pati ang kausap niya and it was Ken.
"Harley!?" Gulat na tanong naman nilang dalawa. I glared at Jack at saka ibinato sa kanya and rattan stick na hawak ko at nasalo naman nya iyon.
"You motherfucker! aalis ka? iiwan mo ko!?" Tanong ko dito habang naglalakad palapit sa kanya. "Hindi mo man lang ako hihintayin na magising? basta-basta mo na lang akong iiwan ha!?" Galit na sigaw ko dito.
Nang makalapit naman ako sa kanya ay pinagsusuntok ko ang dibdib nito.
"Nag-promise ako Jack, I promised that I will protect you! I promised na ibibigay ko ang hustisya na nararapat para sa mga magulang mo. Bakit ka ganyan!? bakit hindi mo iniisip ang sarili mo ha!?" Sunod-sunod na tanong ko dito habang pinagsu-suntok ang dibdib nito.
Hindi naman siya sumagot, instead, he caught my fists at hinila ako palapit sa kanya then he hugged me.
"It's my fault kung bakit ka nasa ganyang kalagayan ngayon Harley." He said and hugged me tighter. "My enemies already knew that you are the one who's protecting me." He added.
Buong lakas ko naman siyang itinulak palayo sa akin and I glared at him.
"If you think na kaya akong mapatay ng iisang bala lang, nagkakamali ka Jack." I said. "Masyado mo akong minamaliit." I added.
"Hindi naman sa ganun pero--"
"Pero ano? you thought that I will break after what happened to me. You thought na tatalikuran ko na lang ang mission ko?"
"Yun na nga eh, mission lang naman ito. Isang misyon na pwedeng kapalit ay ang buhay mo. Ayokong mangyari iyon Harley!"
"Ayoko rin na mamatay ka that's why I am trying to help you Jack!" Sigaw ko pabalik sa kanya.
"You know what, you shouldn't waste your life for me."
"Nangako ako."
"Promises are meant to be broken."
"Hindi ganyan ang itinuro sa akin." Sagot ko naman sa kanya. "When I promised to someone, I'll make sure na tutuparin ko iyon." I explained.
Hindi naman siya nagsalita at nag-iwas lang ng tingin sa akin.
Napapitlag naman ako ng may maramdamang tubig na dumampi sa balat ko, tinignan ko naman kung saan galing iyon and I saw Gemma who's holding a hose and casually watering the bushes near us.
"Gemma!" Saway ko naman sa kanya.
"Sorry, need to extinguish the fire. Masyado nang mainit ang usapan dito." She nonchantly answered at saka ipinagpatuloy ang pagdilig sa mga halaman.
"You fu--"
"Harley! bakit ka nandito sa labas!?" Tanong naman ni Lyka na kadarating lang, kasundo naman niya si Joel na mukhang siya ang nagsabi na lumabas ako ng kwarto. "Gemma! stop the water right now." Utos naman ito.
"I did what I need to do, kung makikita mo lang magkakapatayan na itong dalawa dito." She said at saka pinatay ang tubig.
"Harley, bumalik ka na sa kwarto mo at magpalit ng damit." Utos naman ni Lyka sa akin, my forehead furrowed ng unti-unting lumabo ang paningin ko.
"Uhm...actually, can someone fetch me my eyeglasses...lumalabo--"
"Harley!" At iyon na laman huling salita na narinig ko bago ako tuluyang mawalan ng malay.
.
.
Jack slowly lay down the unconscious body of Harley on the bed and Lyka immediately remove the ties behind of her hospital gown.
"Jack." Pagtawag naman ni Ken dito.
"Huh?" Jack asked in confusion.
"Gusto mo bang mabugbog ni Harley kapag nalaman niya na pinanood mo kung paano siya palitan ng hospital gown?" Tanong naman ni Lyka.
"Oh.." Jack muttered as his face starts to warm because of blushing.
Ken and Jack sat down on the bench and both let out a sigh.
"So much for my visit." Ken commented at saka sumandal sa kinauupuan nito. "Ano? itutuloy mo pa ba yung pag-alis mo after what Harley told you?" He asked at tumingin naman ito kay Jack na kasalukuyang nakatingin sa tiled floor ng infirmary.
"I really don't understand why she really want to protect me." Jack mumbled.
"It's because Harley saw herself in you." Napalingon naman ang dalawa sa nagsalita and it was Gemma, still wearing a sombrero and a gardener outfit.
"What?"
"Like what've said, Harley is an orphan. It was hard to grow up without parents, you might make wrong decisions. At ayaw ni Harley na mangyari iyon sa iyo." Gemma explained and crossed her arms. "Masayang mabuhay...yun yung mga salitang tumatak sa isip ko galing sa kanya, sana ikaw rin." She said bago iniwan ang dalawang lalaki doon.
Katahimik naman ang bumalot sa dalawa as they digest what Gemma told them.
"Damn, that woman is so cool. Do you think may chance ako sa kanya?" Tanong naman ni Ken kay Jack.
Jack looked at him and they both chuckled.
"I don't think so." Jack answered at saka sumandal sa kinuupuan niya. "She's really strict when I first came here. I think she can beat you in a fight." He commented.
"You think?" Ken asked and Jack nodded. The police let out a sigh at saka tumingin sa paligid. "Kung ako sayo, pipiliin kong mabuhay kaysa sa itapon ang sarili ko sa kagubatan." Ken commented.
Hindi naman sumagot si Jack at nanatiling nakatingin sa pader na nasa harap niya.
"You're safe here Jack, let Harley protect you. Ika nga niya, masarap mabuhay." He added.
"I'll think about it." Jack mumbled bago tuluyang tumayo at lumakad palayo sa pulis.
.
.
Harley opened her eyes and let out a sigh when a familiar ceiling greets her eyesight.
"And I'm here again...seriously?" She whispered.
"Dalawa lang yan, doon ka sa cellar or dito." Napapitlag naman si Harley at tumingin sa nagsalita and it was Gemma.
"Oh, hey." Harley greeted as she slowly sit-up. Naramdaman naman niya ang mga wire na naka-kabit sa katawan niya. "Damn, I already removed this. Binalik na naman?" She ranted.
"It's for your health idiot, bakit mo naman tatanggalin?" Tanong naman ni Gemma at inabutan ito ng apple mula sa basket na nandoon. "Buti naman gising ka na." She added.
"Yeah..." Harley mumbled when she remembered her and Jack's argument.
"I just want to ask kung ano ito." Gemma said at saka naglapag ng folder sa lap ni Harley. "I saw that in a ziplock at nakatago sa likod ng malaking picture natin sa bahay mo." She added.
"Oh this..." Harley trailed off at saka binuksan ang folder. "I think this is why those men attacked my house." She added.
"For a blueprint?" Gemma asked in confusion.
"A blueprint of a museum and see this red dot here? I think Jack's parents hid something in here." Harley said.
"Sounds like a mission impossible thing." She commented.
"Can I take this mission once na gumaling ako?" Harley asked.
Ilang segundo naman na tinitigan siya ni Gemma before she sighed.
"Bahala ka sa buhay mo." She muttered and grabbed the orange from the basket. "Jaylene's wedding is in two days, sana prepared ka." She added and that made Harley's eyes widened.
"IN A WHAT?"
"In two days."
"GAANO KATAGAL AKONG WALANG MALAY!?"
"One or two weeks? I dunno, I was busy training Jack." Gemma said and shrugged.
Napahilot naman sa sentido ni Harley. "Feeling ko ang dami kong na-miss na events." She mumbled.
"Na-miss mo lang naman ang ginawang paglalasing nila Jack at Jaypee kaya hanggang ngayon under sila ng training ko." Gemma answered.
"In your what!?" Harley asked in shock and that made Gemma smirk.
"In my own training, bakit? wala namang masama doon ah?" She asked, faking the innocent tone.
"Please don't be too hard on Jack, he doesn't even have any experience in this!" Harley protested.
"That's the opposite actually, he is really willing to learn how to defend himself." Gemma said and smirked again. "You got a persistent man." She commented and winked at her bago tuluyang lumakad papunta sa pinto.
"He's not my man!" Harley protested again and that made Gemma chuckled as she stepped out from the door.
"Not yet." She whispered and walked to the left.
.
.
Gemma wore her sunglasses and looked around bago sumakay sa isa sa mga kotseng naka-park doon.
"Got some news for me?" She asked and that made Axel jump and removed his wireless earphone.
"Ever heard of knocking?" Axel asked.
"I'm in hurry." Gemma answered.
"Ugh, fine." Reklamo naman ng binata and rolled his eyes. "What is that again?"
"About that blue print and that man."
"Oh yes, that blue print of museum that you sent is one of Harata Family's property. They will be having a party for their founding anniversary and of course, mga mayayamang tao lang ang makakapunta and--"
"Wait, they will still going to celebrate kahit na namatay ang mga may-ari nito?" Gemma asked. "That's kind of sketchy." She added.
"Wealthy people and their business minds." Axel commented and swiped the screen in his tablet at lumabas naman ang mukha doon ng isang lalaki. "This man, he used too many identities but don't worry magaling ako at nakilala ko kung sino talaga siya." Axel said and winked at Gemma and this time.
Umiling-iling naman si Gemma sa tinuran ng lalaki.
Kung hindi ko lang kilala to, kanina ko pa binugbog ang isang to. Gemma thought in her mind.
"This man, is Icarus Naval and---"
"Wait, who?"
"Uhh...Icarus Naval?" Axel answered, more like a question.
Kinuha naman ni Gemma ang tablet na hawak ng lalaki ang tinitigan ang picture na nandoon.
"Is there any problem?" Axel asked.
"This is impossible." Gemma muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Go on." Ani naman ni Gemma as her jaw clenched.
"So like what've said awhile ago, this man is Icarus Naval. Ilang beses na rin siyang nagpa-balik balik sa kulungan dahil sa kasong murder and robbery but he broke that record when he started to work with someone you might knew in the first place..." Axel trained off and that made Gemma's forehead furrow.
"Who?"
"Judge Lara Marasigan, does that ring a bell?"
Hindi naman sumagot si Gemma and fisted her hand. Her body started to shake because of rage.
"That. motherfucker." She muttered.
"Sideris, calm down." Ani naman ni Axel at pilit na inilingon ito sa kanya. "Calm down, time will come and you will have your revenge to those who wronged you."
Gemma nodded and took a deep breath then calm herself.
"What else is in there?" She asked.
"Hindi ako sure pero mukhang hindi lang si Harley ang tina-target ng isang to." Axel said.
"At sino pa?"
Axel let out a sigh bago sumagot.
"It was Lyka Vicente."
End of Chapter Thirteen
I was about to publish this yesterday pero nakatulog ako, anyways. Here ya' go. Happy reading!
~REp