#BHOCAMP9TMM #TonYo #BHOCAMP
CHAPTER 19: TANGLED WEBS
ENYO'S POV
Naramdaman ko ang marahang paghaplos sa pisngi ko pero hindi ko idinilat ang mga mata ko at sa halip ay sumiksik ako sa mainit na bagay na nararamdaman ko na nakadikit sa akin. Mas lalo akong hinila nang antok nang tila napaloob ako sa init na iyon dahil may kung anong pumalibot sa akin.
"Much that I like you in my arms, Honey, but we're here."
Pinilit kong buksan ang mga mata ko pero para bang kay bigat ng mga iyon. When I decided to just open one, I saw Stone looking down at me. Sinuklay niya ang buhok ko palayo sa mukha ko at mahinang nagsalita, "Hey."
Umayos ako ng upo at disoriented na tumingin ako sa labas ng bintana. Ang antok na bumabalot sa akin kanina ay ultimanong nawala nang makita ko na nasa headquarters na kami at kasalukuyang may mga naghihintay na sa amin sa labas.
"Bakit pakiramdam ko may nagawa tayong kasalanan?" tanong ko.
"Na-miss lang siguro tayo."
"Eh bakit ang daming tao?"
His eyes are dancing with humor. "Siyempre makikitsismis."
Great. I never thought that this would happen to me. That it's finally my turn. Sa loob kasi ng matagal na panahon ay isa ako sa mga nasa front line pagdating sa pagsagap ng mga balita lalo na sa buhay pag-ibig ng mga agent. Ano ba naman kasi ang iba pa naming pagkakaabalahan? Maliban sa trabaho namin ay ang mga drama lang naman ng mga agent sa buhay ang interesante.
Mabuti na lang at tinted ang sasakyan. Kung hindi ay nakita nila kung paanong halos ma-absorb na ako ni Stone sa sobrang pagkakasiksik ko sa kaniya.
"Paano ka nakapagmaneho na nakasandal ako sa'yo?"
"Talent."
Automatikong naningkit ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya, "So sinasabi mong hindi lang ako ang-"
"Talented ako pagdating sa'yo. Kung sakali man na mahirap, sa tingin mo ba magrereklamo ako na malapit ka sa akin?"
Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko. Mga palusot. Para namang hindi ako nakakarinig ng balita tungkol sa kaniya at... at sa kapatid niya. I heard a lot of humors and I don't know how much of those are true. "Stone?"
"Hmm?"
"May narinig ako dati."
"Tungkol saan?"
"Tungkol sa'yo at sa ex-girlfriends mo," bantulot kong sagot.
"I didn't have a lot of ex-girlfriends. Bilang lang sa isang kamay."
"Right. Para namang hindi kita nakikita na laging may kasamang bagong babae."
Inangat niya ang hintuturo niya at pinindot niya ang pisngi ko bagay na napansin kong nakakasanayan niyang gawin. Jollibee cheeks pamore. "Galit ka na naman. Hindi ko naman talaga girlfriend lahat ng iyon. Hindi lahat ng kasama ko ay may relasyon ako."
"Eh bakit mo sila kasama in the first place?"
He looks like as if he didn't want to answer that. But something I learn from our stay in Paham Wingkag, Stone will always give me what I'm asking him for. Kahit na hindi madali sa kaniya para sagutin ang mga bagay na gusto kong malaman.
"I don't think it will be wise to answer that. You'll just get pissed and we can't do anything about it because it's already done. And ending magtatalo lang tayo kahit hindi naman dapat."
Kaagad kong naintindihan ang ibig niyang sabihin at gaya ng inaasahan ay parang biglang kumulo ang dugo ko dahil sa sagot na pumasok sa isip ko. "Isusumbong kita sa nanay mo."
"She's in denial. Alam niya kung anong ginagawa ko the moment that I turned seventeen and she found a box of condoms in my drawer."
"Seventeen?!"
Tinikom niya ng mariin ang mga labi niya na para bang magagawa no'n na itago ang amusement sa reaksyon ko. He failed because I can see his eyes shining with hilarity because of my obvious irritation to his long time... endeavor.
"Honey," he said in a tone that is enough of an answer.
"Kapag nagkaanak ako ng lalaki, ipasok ko bilang sakristan hanggang hindi pa siya nasa tamang edad."
"You want to get on with that?"
Naguguluhang tinignan ko siya, "Ha?"
"Creating a son."
Napanganga ako dahilan para tuluyan na siyang mapatawa. Masama ang tingin na umangat ang kamay ko para hampasin siya pero hinuli niya lang ang kamay ko at sa pagkagulat ko ay binigyan ng magaang halik ang likod ng palad ko.
"Kada mag-uusap tayo lumalayo ang usapan natin. Ano ba iyong tatanungin mo talaga dapat?"
Binawi ko ang kamay ko at humalukipkip ako, "About the rumor."
"Rumor?"
"About you and... and Bla-"
"It's not true," he quickly answered, his smile disappearing. "That was made up by an ex of mine."
Bumalik ang pagkulo sa dugo ko pero sa pagkakataon na ito ay para sa babaeng tinutukoy niya at hindi sa kaniya mismo. "Why would she do that?"
"Because I stopped seeing her and she wanted to know if she can manage to have the other brother. Blaze shut her down the moment she tried suggesting her stupidity to him. Proving me right to let her go, she started spreading humor about how Blaze and I shared and that she's the woman on the receiving end."
"That's fucked up."
Sandaling nakatingin lang siya sa mukha ko. Imbis na mag-iwas ng tingin ay nanatiling nakatingin lang din ako sa kaniya habang marahan niyang sinusuklay ang mahaba ko na buhok. He looks so lost in thought that all I can do is wait for him to speak.
"I don't share, Enyo."
I can feel us edging to a dangerous territory, "Stone..."
"I can't change the past, I accepted it. But I don't share. If this is what you really want... if you want to stay beside me, if this is your choice, I need to know that it's only me."
There's a lot that he still need to know. There's more that I still need to find out. I know that I am better now. That I'm healing. Much more than I ever did when I didn't have whatever we have now. I know that we're changing. But there's so much more we need to talk about.
Pero alam ko rin na kailangan niya ito. Kailangan niya ng sagot. He's willing to wait but he needed to know this.
"I'm still here, aren't I?"
I closed my eyes when his hand drop to my cheek. Nang muli kong imulat ang mga iyon ay kita ko ang pagbabago sa mga mata niya. There was pain laced with bliss. The beauty of being happy in a way that it somewhat hurts.
"Yeah," he whispered.
Halos mauntog ako sa bubuong ng sasakyan nang mapatalon ako sa pagkagulat. Bigla na lang kasing may kumatok sa labas ng bintana. Napabuntong-hininga ako nang makita ko roon ang seryosong mukha ni Dawn.
"Parang namimiss ko ang Paham Wingkag bigla."
Stone chuckled, "Don't worry. We'll be back."
I sighed again and I reach for the door handle to open it but Stone stopped me. Nagtatakang nilingon ko siya. "Bakit?"
"Let me."
I rolled my eyes at him, "I can open my own door."
"I know. But I haven't opened one for you yet."
I decided not to argue. Stone is the kind of person that could argue about a lot of things. Sa halip ay humalukipkip na lang ako at sumandal sa kinauupuan ko habang siya ay may maliit na ngiti sa mga labi na lumabas ng kotse.
Most of the time he's infuriating, he always have something to say, and he sometimes gives the impression that he's the kind of person that is take him as he come. Iyon bang may sarili siyang pinaniniwalaan at kung hindi iyon gusto ng iba ay wala siyang balak pilitin iyon na gustuhin siya o ang mga pinaninindigan niya.
But now I'm seeing in a different light. Sometimes he's clingy, playful, and he could be sweet. Most of the time he's quiet but when he has something to say he's not afraid to say everything he wants. People see him as a blank and expressionless guy but actually he feels too much. Hindi rin niya itinatago kung may gustong siyang iparating.
Bumaba ako nang sasakyan nang buksan na niya ang pintuan ko. Naiiling na tinignan ko siya nang makalabas ako nang makita kong lumawak ang ngiti niya.
"Happy?" tanong ko.
"Yeah."
So simple. So transparent. So him.
Tumingin ako sa mga tao sa likod niya. Pinakamalapit sa amin Si Dawn habang di kalayuan ay naroon si Eris. Nag-aabang din si Hera at Athena na dalawa sa numero unang messengers ng BHO CAMP. In short mga tsismosa. Kung tutuusin nga sa lahat sila itong mga malilihim. Malapit sa kanila ay nandoon naman Si Triton, Hermes, at Phoenix.
I was searching for their smiles or their teasing glances but there's nothing. Kahit si Hera at Athena ay hindi kakakitaan ng kahit na ano.
"Paki-explain kung bakit may entourage kami?" I looked at Dawn. She looks murderous for some reason but there's something else. "Dawn? Anong meron?"
"We need to talk to you."
"Okay-"
"Both of you."
Nag-angat ako ng mga mata kay Stone na kakakitaan ko ng pagtataka na alam kong sumasalamin din sa akin. Bakit mukhang seryoso ang lahat? May nangyari bang masama? Sensing my worry, Stone lifted his hand and rested it on my shoulder. Marahang pinisil niya iyon na para bang pinapagaan niya ang loob ko.
"We gave a mission to an agent," Dawn started.
I don't know where this conversation is leading. It's not like it's uncommon for anyone to receive a mission. Ang ipinagtataka ko ay kung bakit kinakailangan na nandito sila lahat.
"He wasn't supposed to open that mission. It was intended for you two. He insisted, we didn't approved. He did it anyway."
"So someone stole our mission?" I asked.
It's not a usual occurrence pero hindi ibig sabihin ay hindi na iyon nangyari dati. Minsan talaga napagtitripan ng ibang agent na mang-inis. Pero this time wala akong nakikitang dahilan kung bakit may gumawa no'n at wala rin akong nakikitang dahilan kung bakit kailangan maging big deal.
"The mission was supposed to be a revisiting. Iyon lang. Just a re-opened case. It was not supposed to be dangerous. But the mission went south and it became a different mission."
Nanlamig ang buong katawan ko nang sa pagkakataon na ito ay direkta siyang nakatingin sa akin. Some people won't notice what was wrong in what she said. But I did. I am familiar with different. I am one of the two who understand it most.
"Dawn, what is happening?" Stone asked, his grip on me becoming tight.
"Blaze took the mission. The mission you had the day of the accident. Gusto niyang siya ang tumapos." Dawn looked at Stone but she returned her gaze to me. "He said since he can't blame anyone... since this is out of anyone's control, at least he could blame the accident and kill the person who's behind it."
Mariing pinikit ko ang mga mata ko kasabay nang pagkuyom ng mga kamay ko. Nang muli kong imulat ang mga mata ko ay alam kong nakikita ni Dawn na naiintindihan ko. Na alam ko na. I know the answer to the question.
"Is he dead?" I whispered.
I felt Stone stiffened beside me, his hand falling away from my shoulder. My gaze went to my cousin Triton and I saw the silent suffering behind his own eyes.
Then I looked at him. I look at the brother of the person I once loved. I saw it in him too. Iyong minsan ay nakikita kong sumisilip sa mga mata ni Blaze. Like a person that is having a nightmare... but the only difference is he's having it in reality.
"We don't know."
"Dawn, is he dead?" I repeated.
I can feel it leaking. The blood. Like wild fire, it's running so fast that everything it touches are burning. The only difference is the blood is also a poison. It's tainting everything until they shrivel and die. Toxic. Deadly.
"We don't know if he's alive."
EVERY MOVEMENT was calculated. One wrong step, one wrong jump... it would be a catastrophe to me. But my steps are measured, my run is quick, and my jumps are sure. Walang pag-aalinlangan dahil nakatutok lang ang buong ako sa iisang bagay.
"Bakit kami? Bakit laging sa amin nangyayari 'to?"
"Tita Hurricane-"
"I almost lost my daughter. Now my son? Ano pa bang hindi nakukuha sa amin? Ano pa bang kulang?"
"Tita-"
"We didn't ask why, we didn't made him explain, but we knew that there was something wrong, Dawn. Hindi man namin alam lahat pero nararamdaman namin. We saw it. At first it was like he's losing a part of him but then later on I saw it clearly. He wasn't losing something... he was changing. The kind that wasn't good... the kind that put that pitch black darkness behind his eyes."
Hindi ko ininda ang pagkirot ng balikat ko nang kinailangan kong rumolyo pagkabagsak ko sa may kataasan na pinanggalingan ko. I quickly hid my body within the shadows until I was covered by the huge crates in front of me.
"What was he investigating?" I asked Dawn.
"The Ramos mission. The one that caused the accident."
"That was supposed to be a simple mission," Stone said, his voice bleak.
"Now we know it's not."
Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko, "Is this Declan's doing? The mistress' son?"
Umiling siya at inabot sa akin ang tablet na hawak niya. "Blaze was investigating the only heir, Dylan Ramos. He went into their private warehouse and that's when we lost all connection. Declan is still in prison. There's no way."
"You lost connection?"
"There's only one person that can anticipate us coming, Enyo."
I can feel the heat coming from Stone because we both know the last time that someone managed to thwart BHO CAMP's devices. The lesson from that mistake was ingrained in all of us. We are better now. We pushed ourselves to be better, to have better, to be ready. But that doesn't mean that they can't recognize the signs of us. Hindi man nila magawang salagin ang mga invention ng BHO CAMP pero hindi ibig sabihin ay hindi nila pwedeng maikubli ang mga sarili nila.
"We think Claw's funding them," Dawn whispered.
I played the video and I felt my blood turned into ice when I saw Blaze's body dropped to the ground. He wasn't shot, he wasn't hit. He's not bleeding... but he's also not moving. Not even a sign of breathing.
Lumabas sa view ng camera ang isang lalaki. I watched as the guy raised a gun and shoot at the cameras around one by one. They knew. They knew someone could be watching. Lumitaw ang isa pang lalaki at nakangising lumapit iyon kay Blaze. He pulled out a knife. Before the last camera was destroyed, I saw how he put the knife on Blaze throat and pressed down.
Narinig ko ang mga yabag na palapit sa akin. I pushed myself up into a crouch and the moment the foot step in front of me, I swipe it with my leg and tripped him. Bago pa siya makagawa ng ingay ay mabilis na nakaakyat ako sa katawan niya at inipit ko ang leeg niya gamit ng mga binti ko habang ang kamay ko ay itinakip ko sa bibig niya.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to ask questions," I whispered to the man. "I'm just here to kill you."
The man gurgled his own saliva when without any second thought, I pulled the knife on my holster to slit his throat. Hindi ko ininda ang masaganang dugo na kumapit maging sa sarili kong suot. It's fine with me. I'm already used to it.
Binitawan ko ang lalaki at muli akong nagkubli sa dilim. Walang tunog ang mga yapak na mabilis akong umikot sa isa pang naglalakihang mga crate na nakaharang sa daraanan ko at malakas na inundiyan ko ng sipa ang likod ng tuhod ng lalaki.
It's just me and them. I have no eyes but I'm not afraid. Ensnare, incapacitate, kill.
That's the only three movements. There's no negotiation, no questions, no preserving a life, no stopping.
No mercy.
I came across two more men. One that didn't stood a chance and one that managed to slice open my arm before both of them ended up the same. There's no time to stop. I have no time to feel. It was familiar... the emptiness... the void. I welcomed it.
"Too easy," I whispered.
It was not out of smugness. It was an observation. It wasn't supposed to be this easy. Something's wrong.
Pinalibot ko ang tingin ko sa paligid. There are broken cameras as if the people here made sure that everything will be destroyed. For self preservation. Just in case we're still watching- no they know we will be.
But something's off. This is the same room in the video but something is weirdly off.
Napayuko ako nang marinig ko ang tila pagkalabog. Mabilis na tumakbo ako papunta sa pinakadulo ng warehouse na kinaroroonan ko at pumasok ako sa loob. There's no one else inside but I can hear movements at the end of the hallway.
Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa patalim na sinipa ko ang pintuan at pumasok pero walang kahit na ano sa loob ng kuwarto kundi isang makipot na kama na tila pang ospital at isang lalaki na nakatali at ngayon ay nasa semento na.
Lumapit ako sa kaniya at walang pag-aalinlangan na tinanggal ko ang tape sa bibig niya.
"T-Tulong."
"What's this place?"
Umiling siya at nahihintakutan na lumingon sa pinasukan ko na pintuan, "K-Kailangan nating umalis dito."
"Why?"
"Hindi ko alam... hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakapunta rito. Pauwi lang ako galing trabaho tapos nawalan ako ng malay. Pagkagising ko nasa isang kuwarto ako."
"This room?"
"H-Hindi. May isang malaking kwarto na parang abandonado. Hindi lang ako ang tao roon. Isa-isa nila kaming pinipiringan at nilalabas pero walang bumabalik. Nang dinala nila ako rito naririnig ko silang nagkakagulo. May... may nakapasok daw. Ang... ang sabi nila kailangan daw... kailangan kaming ilipat. Pero may naunang mga umalis. May mga nagpaiwan para siguraduhing may magbabantay sa amin para kapag kukuhanin na kami."
He's wrong. No one will come back for them. The guards outside was left to die. They are bait. To see if we will go here to retrieve, Blaze. If we did, then not everyone of them will suffer but if we don't, they will come back for the people they held captive.
But they are not that important. They're indispensable. That's why they didn't take them. It will take too long.
Inikot ko ang paningin sa kuwarto. Walang laman iyon pero may mga naiwan na tila gamit na botelya. Someone was in a hurry to leave.
"There's more people?" Nang tumango siya ay tinulungan ko siyang makatayo. Kinalag ko ang tali niya at tinignan ko siya ng direkta sa mga mata. "You'll help me find them."
"K-Kailangan nating umalis. Pag naabutan nila tayo-"
"No one will come. They're all dead."
Natigilan ang lalaki at bumaba ang mga mata niya sa suot ko na damit. I'm wearing the black Chameleon Black Suit of BHO CAMP but he can't mistake the blood on it. Napaatras siya pero humakbang lang ako lalong palapit sa kaniya.
"I'll get you out if you help me find them. Saang lugar kayo itinago?"
"H-Hindi ko alam pero hindi malayo ang nilakad namin."
"More. What did you hear? Felt? Did you hear the sounds of gravel when you walked out of the room? Sa labas ba kayo nanggaling?"
"Hindi ko alam."
"Think!"
Napapitlag siya sa pagtaas ng boses ko at muling napaatras, "H-Hindi ko alam. Wala akong nakita. Piniringan nila ako."
"Your key to getting out is by helping me. I can make you safe. Pero kapag hindi mo ako tinulungan, makalabas ka man dito ay hindi ka makakalayo."
"H-Hindi ko alam... basta paakyat kaming naglakad tapos sandali lang nandito na kami."
There's no up. The warehouse is just one floor.
Muli kong inilibot ang paningin ko at napatigil ang mga mata ko sa isang cabinet na malaki. Hindi nakaayos ang pagkakalapat no'n sa pader. "Come on."
"Anong-"
Hinila ko ang cabinet at gaya ng hinuha ko ay madaling bumigay iyon. It was as easy as opening a door. There's a basement.
I inclined my head to the man. Halata ang takot sa kaniya pero sumunod siya. Bumaba ako at nakakailang hakbang pa lang ako ay narinig ko ang pagsarado ng pintuan sa likuran ko. I cursed under my breath when I didn't see the man behind me.
"Moron," I whispered. "You won't get far before I catch you again."
Kinuha ko ang maliit na pen light na isinuksok ko sa damit ko at binuksan ko iyon. I went down the stairs only to find two closed doors.
I heard movements from the left door but I can smell blood from the right. I stepped closer to the left and I opened the door. Inside the room I found at least twenty people hustling together as if their frightened that they will be next to be taken out.
Pumasok ako sa loob at lumapit ako sa isang babae na halos gumapang para lang makalayo sa akin. Hinaklit ko ang nakatali niya na mga kamay at kinalag ko iyon.
"Help them get out of here," I whispered.
I was hoping. Umaasa ako na nandito si Blaze kasama nila. There's life in here. They look dirty, some of them looked malnourished, but they're alive. But I know the moment that I entered that he's not here.
I gritted my teeth and I turned around. Lumapit ako sa isa pang pintuan at binuksan ko iyon. The moment that I did, I was assaulted by the smell.
Decaying bodies.
Nilagpasan ko ang tila patong-patong na mga katawan but I didn't look away. I need to find him. Kahit na anong mangyari i-uuwi ko siya. Dead or alive, I'm going to take him home.
I search and search. I moved some of the body, looking for the one underneath. I ignored the stabbing feeling on my hands that I didn't know were wounded. I just continued looking. But I couldn't find him.
Hindi ako tumigil. Nagpatuloy ako na inisa-isa lahat. There are so much loses in here. Women, men, children. All of them with blood drying on them... all of them dead.
Nanginginig ang mga kamay na umuklo ako nang makarating ako sa dulo ng kuwarto at sa harap ko ay isang lalaki na nakadapang nakahandusay sa sahig. I flipped him to his back and my tears fell... as I look at the last body.
He's the last one.
"Where is she?!"
Nag-angat ako ng tingin kasabay nang pagbukas ng pintuan. Surprise engulfed my entirety but I scream at the man at the end of the room, "Stop!"
His jaw clenched as he looked at me. Umakto siyang papasok sa kuwarto pero may mga kamay na pumigil sa kaniya. Sa likod niya ay nakita ko roon si Phoenix na may takip sa kalahati ng mukha at hinihila siya, "Stone, no. You can't go inside."
"She's in there."
"I know."
Tumayo ako at muli kong tinignan ang huling bangkay. He's the last body but he's not the one that I'm looking for.
"He's not here, Stone. I tried... I tried to find him but-"
"We got him."
Kinuyom ko ang mga kamay ko na pula mula sa dugo ng mga taong namatay sa gabi na ito mula sa mga kamay ko. I know he saw them but that's not the important thing right now. "How?"
"Why did you come here alone?" Stone asked. "Why didn't you trust us enough to ask for help?!"
"Because I don't want you to see. Not me like this... or him dead." Pumatak ang luha sa mga mata ko. "Paano niyo nakuha si Blaze? There's no one left here."
"He got away. They didn't kill him. They wanted him so they could use them for leverage incase they got caught. But he got away. He's injured but he's safe. They drugged him that's why he dropped as if he was dead. It was a drug for inhalation. He came back but you were missing. It's not hard to put two and two together."
"Is he okay?"
"What have you done, Enyo?"
I can still see the faces of the bodies... or what's left on some of them... bodies that are older. I can still smell them. The blood... the decaying flesh. I don't know what happened here exactly at the same time that I know something else. I know it without them telling me.
"Stone... please. Is he okay?"
Muling kumilos si Stone pero hinatak lang siya ulit ni Phoenix na hinarang na ang katawan niya sa harapan ng lalaki.
"He's okay," Phoenix answered for him. "The drugs were wearing off, he has a stabbed wound near his ribs, and a minor one on his neck. He lost a lot of blood but he will be fine."
Nanghihinang napahawak ako sa mga tuhod ko at mariing pumikit ako.
Phoenix eyes met mine when I manage to look at them again, "Did you touch anything in there?"
"I did."
Stone pushed him but he stayed strong. "Fucking move away!"
"I can't let you do that, Stone."
"Move!"
I tried to give Stone a small smile despite the tears of relief. Blaze is fine. Stone will be too. His family won't lose another member. They will be fine. They gone through so much already. They manage to get Storm back but it doesn't mean they didn't lose something because of what happened to her before. They can't lose again. That can't lose anyone again.
"If this is airborne, I don't want you here, Stone," I whispered. "We don't know what they were building in here. If this is a bioweapon..."
"I'm not leaving."
"You need to." I said in a quiet but firm voice. "I need you to."
I love you. So many time wasted. So many moments that we can't go back to. It's always been this mission. The mission that caused the accident and the accident that buried my memories. The memories that I lost brought the confusion... and the confusion destroyed us. We were tangle of webs.
I lost Stone, Blaze found me... but he end up losing me. Then I found Stone again... we found each other.
But now he's going to lose me.
Tangled webs.
_________________End of Chapter 19.