⍟HARLEY⍟
"Let the fight begin."
At mukhang iyon na din ang signal para sa lalaking makakalaban ko, he screamed at saka patakbong sumugod papunta sa akin.
Napamura naman ako when my back hit the rails, I gripped the man's arm that's currently holding me against the rails and tried to free myself.
I can't fucking die here. Jack needs me.
I successfully freed myself from that man and immediately climbed in to his back as Gemma's lesson entered my mind.
If you have the height disadvantage, use your enemy's advantage against him.
The man started to move trying to shake me off from his back pero kumapit lang ako sa leeg niya.
"Harley, are you okay!?" Jack asked from above.
"What do you think?" I asked sarcastically as I grabbed the man's hair.
Dinig ko naman ang pagtawa ni Phoenix and that made me more irritated.
"Shut up, Felix's copycat." I said and wrapped my legs around that man's neck and tightened them together. Since I can't choke him using my hands, I'm going to use my secret weapon which is my thighs.
I groaned when my back hit the floor because this man chooses to drop his body down in order to escape my hold on him, I made a mental note to my mind that the floor doesn't have any mat or cover and it is cemented.
That shit hurts like a hell.
Pero kahit na nasa sahig na kami, hindi pa rin ako bumitaw sa kanya. Instead ay mas hinigpitan ko pa ang pagkakasakal ng mga hita ko sa leeg niya.
But he grabbed my hair, hard, may I add.
"You motherfucker!" I screamed pero hindi pa rin siya bumitaw.
I should've shaved my hair before we went here.
The man also grabbed my shirt and throw me off him, I fell again on the cemented floor and hit my back on the rails at the same time.
I coughed at saka sumama ang tingin sa lalaking kalaban ko. This man is really testing my patience.
And I don't have a lot of that.
I punched the floor lightly as I stood up, I get into my fighting stance and waited for the man to attack me.
As I expected, he attacked again.
I successfully dodged his attack and punched his gut pero parang wala lang sa kanya iyon, I did a cartwheel palayo sa kanya and dodged his upcoming punch again.
Ilang minuto ang itinagal ng pag-iwas ko sa kanya hanggang sa nahawakan ko ang braso niya then I put all my strength and kicked him on his side.
I noticed that he flinched slightly, meaning may epekto sa kanya ang sipa na iyon.
At mukhang nagalit din siya doon because he grabbed my shirt again at gaya kanina ay hinagis na naman niya ako palayo sa kanya.
Kamag-anak yata nito si Jawhead sa Mobile Legends, hagis ng hagis -.-
"Motherfucker." I muttered at saka dahan-dahan na tumayo. I gripped the rail to help me stand up because I can feel the pain on my lower back.
"Still going to fight?" Tanong naman ni Phoenix na halatang nage-enjoy sa paghihirap ko ngayon.
I glance at him and he is drinking some sort of cocktail na dala ng isa sa mga tauhan niya. He is really enjoying this.
"Fuck off, surrendering is not on my dictionary." I said at saka pinag-aralan ang stance ng kalaban ko.
It was clear that I can't beat him by strength. I need a strategy.
"Hey you." Pagtawag ko naman sa kalaban ko. His forehead furrowed in confusion. "Do you have a family?" I asked.
"I have no one." He said in a baritone voice.
"Good answer." I answered.
Tumingin naman ako sa paligid and I saw a rope on the top of the cage, mukhang iyon ang tali na ginamit para ibaba ang cage na ito.
Bingo.
And also that makes me wonder, why does he have this huge cage?
Ibinalik ko naman ang tingin sa lalaki then I immediately sprinted towards him, mukhang hindi niya inaasahan iyon dahil madali lang akong naka-akyat ulit sa likod niya.
He is huge guys, I am not lying. How can people be huge like this? Habang ako mga nasa around 5'2 lang.
I used him as my ladder and gripped the rope then I pull the rope and tied it around the man's wrist since kanina niya pa ako inaabot.
Bumaba naman ako mula sa likod niya at tinignan ang lalaki. I gathered my remaining strength and kicked him on his guts then I jumped and did a roundhouse kick to his face.
And to my surprise, he successfully pulls the rope from the top of the cage. He glared at me and used his tied hands to hit me.
Again, I was thrown away from him.
"Stop this!" Jack screamed, I heard him trying to break away from the ties that bind him to the rails but the man in front of me didn't listen, he grabbed my neck and starts to choke me.
I gripped his arms and stepped on his feet, he groaned and I used that advantage to get away from him.
I run away from him at lumapit sa railings na nandoon, I gripped two of them and lifted myself again hanggang sa mahawakan ko ang rails sa taas ng cage na para bang nasa monkey bars ako ng isang playground.
Then I used my two feet to kick his face with full force as he tried to grab me, he groaned again as he fell on the floor.
I dropped on top of him and gave him a straight punch on his face then I used my heel palm to hit his throat for God knows how many times.
The man grabbed my hair again, I screamed in pain but I chose to ignore it and grabbed his head then bashed it on the cemented floor for how many times.
Hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang bumitaw sa buhok ko at mawalan ng malay.
"Very well performance woman." Puri naman ni Phoenix sa akin mula sa likod.
I looked to him over my shoulder bago umalis sa ibabaw ng lalaki.
"Get him to hospital, he will still live don't worry." I muttered and swayed as I walk towards him.
Nang makalapit naman ako sa kanya, hinawakan ko naman ang kwelyo ng suot nitong polo and pulled him towards me. His face hit the rails in the process.
"We have a fucking deal you motherfucker." I muttered and gave him my deadliest glare. "Untie the man on the railings, let him go, and give me that piece." I added, giving emphasis to the piece that he holds.
"Sure-sure." He said in surrender, kasabay ng pagtaas niya ng dalawang kamay.
Binitawan ko naman ang kwelyo niya nang ma-satisfy ako sa sagot niya and let myself fall on the floor carelessly, hitting my head on the floor in the process.
"Harley!" Dinig ko na sigaw ni Jack, narinig ko naman ang pagbukas ng malaking kulungan na iyon and then I felt someone grabbed me. "Harley, wake up!" He said and I can sense the panic in his voice.
"I-I'm here...d-don't worry." I said as I felt my body go numb. "I-I can't feel my body...w-why?" I asked in pure confusion.
Then I remembered what Lyka told me when we are at Jaylene's wedding. I can't exhaust myself anymore or else my life will be in danger.
I chuckled lowly. "Am I dying?" I asked.
"No!, absolutely not." Jack answered at naramdaman ko naman ang pag-angat ng katawan ko. "You will not be going to die, not on my watch." He added.
I hummed in response and closed my eyes then I rest my head on his shoulder.
"Thank you." I muttered before I fell into the abyss.
///
Bumaba naman si Jaypee mula sa sasakyan na gamit nito at tinignan ang gate ng bahay kung saan kasalukuyang nanatili sila Harley at Jack.
Lumakad naman ito papunta sa gate at malakas na kumatok doon, ilang minuto naman ang itinagal niya doon bago bumukas ang maliit na gate doon.
At imbes na mukha ang makasalubong niya, baril ang bumungad sa kanya.
"Jaypee?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Jack and lower down the gun that he holds.
"Where is Harley?" He asked at saka pumasok sa loob ng gate.
"Well, she is in bad shape right now." Sagot naman nito.
Tumingin naman si Jaypee sa kanya and his forehead furrowed. "What do you mean she's in bad shape?" He asked.
"Come inside, you'll see." Jack said at saka lumakad papasok sa loob ng bahay, tahimik naman na sumunod si Jaypee sa kanya.
Jack opened a door at sa loob naman noon ay nandoon si Harley, she's unconscious and Jaypee can tell that she is beaten up.
"What the fuck happened?" Jaypee asked with worry as he walked to her and checked her wounds.
"Well...she need to fight someone in order to gain a piece of a thing and to set me free." Jack explained.
"Get the first aid kit." Utos naman ni Jaypee at kaagad din namang sumunod ang binata. Ilang segundo lang ang itinigal ni Jack at nakabalik din naman agad ito.
Jaypee immediately started to clean some of her wounds in face.
"Can you explain to me what happened?" Jaypee asked.
"Well, as you know...Harley also got a memory card and she is trying to retrieve it by collecting a pieces, I don't know what is the use of that pieces." Jack explained.
Jaypee discarded the cottons and other things that he used to clean Harley's wounds and look at Jack again.
"Can I see the pieces?" He asked.
"Yeah, sure. Here." Jack said at saka binuksan ang isa sa mga drawer na nandoon. Tumambad naman kay Jaypee ang dalawang ziplock at sa loob noon ay may mga piraso ng isang bagay.
"The second piece that we acquired recently was the reason why Harley is in that state." Jack added.
"So, these pieces will be the key to where is that damn memory card?" Jaypee asked.
"That's what we thought, we are not sure really. We just based it on a journal of Harley's adoptive father." Jack answered.
"Did you know that Harley can't do heavy missions anymore?"
Napahinto naman si Jack sa sinabing iyon ni Jaypee.
"W-what?"
"That one single bullet which almost pierced her heart, it was the reason why Harley can't do field missions...or else, her life will be in danger." Jaypee explained.
And Jack realized why Harley asked that question before she fell unconscious.
"She didn't tell me." Jack admitted.
"And now you know." Jaypee answered. "How many pieces are still there?" He asked.
"Well...there three more places that we need to go."
"Then we will get that pieces." Jaypee declared.
"Wait, what about Harley?" Jack asked?
"She need to rest or else her life will be in danger, at isa pa, gusto ko ng matapos ang gulo na ito so that you and her can live in a peaceful life."
///
Gemma parked her car in front of a huge hotel pero hindi ito bumaba mula doon, she just turned off the machine of the car.
She's been through a lot of dangerous mission pero ngayon lang lang siyang kinabahan ng ganto.
What is she doing?
Señor just summoned her to see him personally after months restricting her movements.
Why? She asked in her mind as she clenched her jaws.
Although it was her own father, she is still nervous when he is around.
Who wouldn't be? He just lead the Empire for how many years, he is that powerful.
Napapitlag naman ang dalaga nang may nagbukas ng pinto ng kotse kung saan siya nandoon, nag-angat naman siya ng tingin and she saw a familiar face.
"Flammia." She acknowledged at saka isinuot ang sunglasses to cover her eyes that is currently wearing a whit contact lenses.
"Señor is waiting for you, what are you doing here?" He asked in confusion.
"Well shit, I am fucking nervous." She answered at inalis ang seatbelt na suot nito. "Do you have any idea why did he summoned me?" She asked.
"I also have no idea." Axel answered.
Gemma sighed at saka bumaba mula sa kotse, she walked towards the entrance of the hotel at kaagad naman niyang nakita ang mga gayang niyang susunod na mamumuno sa organisasyon.
"Sideris, it was nice seeing you here." Bati naman ni Elijah nang makita ang dalaga.
"For me, not." Pambabara naman nito.
"Hanggang ngayon galit ka pa rin sakin?" He asked at saka lumakad kasabay nito. "Come on, sorry na. I'll treat you." He offered.
"Sure."
"I have a contact, he has this white bengal tiger na gustong-gusto mo." Elijah said at napahinto naman sa paglalakad ang dalaga.
Ibinalik naman niya ang tingin sa lalaki and she saw that he is wearing a dog smile.
"Bakit ka nga pala nandito ulit? As far as I can remember you are not belong to the top five." She asked.
"Señor loves me." He said and winked at her.
Gemma rolled her eyes at saka ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad. Naramdaman niya na sumunod ulit ang lalaki at sa likod niya ay nakasunod si Axel.
Axel knows that Elijah is the only one who can tolerate and cross through Gemma's grumpiness kaya hinayaan na lang niya ang binata.
"How is he?" Gemma asked quietly.
"He is fine and awake now." Elijah answered. "Except that some of his memories are lost." He added.
"I heard that he's marrying someone." She stated.
"Yes." Elijah said.
"That sucks." Gemma commented.
"You know, I am still available why don't you--"
"No thank you." Pagputol naman ni Gemma sa sasabihin niya. Kasabay naman noon ay ang paghinto nila sa tapat ng isang elevator na exclusive lang sa mga Sideris. "I'll catch up later." She declared and stepped inside of the elevator.
"Bakit mas naging bugnutin ang isang yon?" Elijah asked Axel who's standing in his side.
"She's currently stressed out, dumadagdag ka pa." Axel answered at saka lumakad palayo.
"Hey! Bawiin mo yon!" Ani naman ng binata at saka sumunod sa kanya.
///
The elevator stopped on the designated floor where Señor is currently staying, she stepped out from that thing and walked towards the big double doors.
The guard bowed to her when they noticed her then someone walked in her side and she looked who is it.
"Angelo." She said and that man bowed.
"It was nice to see you after a long time, Madame." He greeted.
A small smile crept into Gemma's lips and she tapped his shoulder.
"I'll see you soon." She said at saka itinulak pabukas ang double doors na nandoon.
Tumambad naman sa kanya ang isang lalaki na aakalain mo ay mga nasa 30's pa lang but no, he is already in 50's
The man looked at her and a smile immediately crept into his face then he walked towards her.
"Have a sit." He said at tahimik naman na sumunod si Gemma. "You're quite today." He commented.
"Why did you summoned me?" She asked.
Señor smirked at saka nagsalin ng whiskey sa dalawang baso.
"Ayaw mo bang kamustahin ang Papa mo?" He asked.
"Got a new woman?" Gemma asked in a monotone voice and that made her father laugh.
"I don't, I only have my eyes to your mother." He answered and that made Gemma scoff.
"Well, you need to check your eyes, you got the wrong woman." Gemma answered and Señor laughed again.
"Hindi mo pa ba siya nakakusap?"
"Do I need to?"
"You should hear her explanation."
"Kahit na anong paliwanag niya, nangyari na ang nangyari. The scar inside me won't heal after hearing those things." Gemma stated.
"Is there anything I can do para mawala yang galit sa puso mo?" He asked and looked at her daughter.
Gemma removed her eyeglasses and looked directly in her father's eyes.
"Nothing has left to me but hatred." Gemma answered.
Señor nodded at saka naglapag ng whiskey sa harap ng dalaga.
"I understand." He answered at saka sumimsim mula sa whiskey na hawak niya. "I summoned you here to talk about the future." He said.
Hindi naman sumagot si Gemma at nanatiling nakatingin sa baso na nasa harap niya.
"I can feel that the destined day for me to step down from this position is coming, I just want to know if you are ready." He added.
"If you are going to step down right now, I am not." She answered. "A lot of things is happening to the organization and--"
"Leave that organization Gemma, you have The Empire waiting for you."
"Papa, I can't." Gemma said at bumakas naman sa mukha ng ama niya ang gulat nang tawagin siya nitong 'Papa'. "Zaim was the one who gave me a new life after he save from those...awful people and I promised to serve the organization with all of my life." She added.
"But some promises are meant to be broken."
"Not for me." Gemma said and looked again at her father.
"Now I realized that you got it from me." Señor said and shakes his head. "By the way, about the memory cards that got stolen, what is the news?" He asked at saka inilapag ang baso nito na ngayon ay wala nang laman.
"I have two of the memory cards, I'm still looking for it." Gemma reported.
"Good...good." Señor said at tumango-tango. "Gemmalyn you--"
"Don't use my full name here."
"Why? Ako ang nag-isip ng pangalan na iyon. Inabot ako ng ilang oras by the way." He said and that made Gemma roll her eyes. "By the way, you can use your troops at your disposal as long as you don't reveal your identity to the other members." He added.
"Even Angelo?"
"Nah-nah-nah-nah, he will still serve me." Señor said and Gemma rolled her eyes again.
"Fine." She mumbled at saka tumayo mula sa kinauupuan niya. "I'll better keep going, I still have some unfinished tasks." Paalam nito.
"Come home for dinner, Diego will cook." Ani naman ng ama nito at dahil doon ay napahinto siya sa paglalakad papunta sa pinto.
A small smile crept into her lips.
"Sure. I'll be home at 7" She said bago tuluyang lumabas ng kwartong iyon.
Ilang minuto naman ang lumipas at pumasok si Angelo.
"How did it go?" He asked at saka sinalinan ng panibagong whiskey ang baso ni Señor.
"Prepare a dinner for two tonight." Utos ni Señor sa butler at saka tumayo mula sa kinauupuan niya. "My daughter will be joining me in the dinner." he added.
"Sure thing." Sagot naman ni Angelo.
"You know Angelo, after that thing happened to her. She changed." He said at saka tumingin sa lalaki and he sighed. "But after all she is still my daughter."
"What are you trying to say Señor?" Angelo asked.
"Ayokong dumating sa point na gagamitin niya ang organisasyon for her own vendetta." Señor answered at saka ibinalik ang tingin sa bintana.
"But she will be the ruler of this organization someday."
End of Chapter Twenty-Three