NASA dalampasigan na kaming dalawa ni Alastair ilang minuto ng paglangoy and I really need to catch my breath. Ilang minuto rin kaming nasa ilalim ng tubig at nagpalangoy langoy.
"We need to move fast." I heard Alastair had spoken out of nowhere. I've also heard the barks of my dog but the man with me made him stop from doing it.
Chizo plunged himself at me and I smiled a bit as he's giving me his warmth. Palibhasa napagalitan kaya sa akin naman nagsusumiksik.
Himas himas ko ang ulo nito at halos mapatalon ako sa aking kinauupuang bato nang sumigaw si Alastair.
"C'mon now, Bella Cieco!"
I just rolled my eyes by his dominance. Am I not allowed to at least make myself calm after his unexpectable stunt?! I almost got myself killed!
Kahit pa inalalayan niya ako sa ilalim ng tubig 'eh hindi ibig sabihin no'n ay okay ako. Sea or even Ocean is a big mass and I couldn't seem to get a hold of it whenever I'm on it. The vibrations from the water are always making me feel scared because of the large mass that I can feel. Para akong laging nasa gitna ng kawalan habang may kung ano sa ilalim ko ang maaaring humablot sa akin pababa.
"Move, Chizo. Follow that arse." Tinapik ko ang aking aso matapos ko itong utusan. Chizo immediately obliged and started to run towards Alastair.
Malalaki ang hakbang ng binata and I can't get a hold of his pacing. Dagdagan pang basang basa ako at sobrang mabato ang nilalakaran. I need to make my pace slower dahil baka madulas naman ako ng wala sa oras.
Hindi ka na nga nakakakita, mababagok ka pa ng wala sa oras. At ang kasama ko naman, nawala yata ang pagiging gentleman at hindi na naisip na mahihirapan akong maka-cope up.
"Faster, Asia!"
"Sandali lang naman!" Sigaw ko rito na may halong iritasyon. "Kaladkalarin kita rito kita nang mabato." Bulong ko.
"What did you say?!" He asked.
"I said, I hope your consideration with my current state is still available in you, just in case you're not aware that I couldn't see anything and the area is not a running field friendly!" I shouted back.
Hindi ko na ito narinig na nagsalita pa but I felt he's running back at me.
Nang makalapit na siya sa akin ay mabilis niya akong itinungo at nagtago kami sa ilalim nang bato.
"They're now here." Anito.
Oo ramdam ko po. Gusto kong isagot pero nanahimik na lamang ako at pinakakiramdaman ang mga goons na nasa malapit lang namin.
Good thing the area where we are right now is composed of large masses of stones. We can't be easily get caught just in case.
Hawak ko ang nguso ni Chizo habang hawak naman ni Alastair ang bibig ko.
Hindi ko naiwasang suminghot at amuyin ang magaspang ngunit malaki nitong kamay. Amoy mandirigma. Masharap! Sakop na sakop nito ang kalahati ng mukha ko kung kaya't hindi ko mapigilang gawin iyon. Aba. Kailangan kong huminga huh.
"What are you doing?" Mahinang bulong sa akin ni Alastair at doon ako natauhan sa aking ginagawa.
Gusto ko siyang sagutin ngunit impit na ungol lang ang lumalabas sa aking bibig.
"What?" He asked and I rolled my eyes with his dumbness.
Kahit pala yummy, tanga rin.
Nakatakip po kasi iyang masharap niyong kamay sa bibig ko. Paano ako magsasalita ng maayos?
I snarled and he asked again the same. Kesa sa umungol ako ng umungol rito, I made a way to put his hand off my lips.
I simply licked his hands. Kadiri man pero jusko, it gives me chills to the bone. Parehas kaming nagulat sa nagawa ko.
Naramdaman ko ang mabilis nitong pagbitaw sa aking bibig at tila gulat na gulat sa aking paraan ng kanyang pagbitaw.
Shocks, bakit gano'n? May kumiliti sa tummy ko.
I felt a sudden change with his body temperature. Dahil halos magkalapit lang kaming dalawa'y madali kong napansin na tila mas uminit ang pakiramdam ni Alastair.
Ano'ng nangyari?
"All cleared!" Sigaw ng isa sa mga gunmen and I really felt that they're starting to leave our area.
Binitawan ko na si Chizo mula sa aking pagkakatakip ng bibig rito at mabilis nitong dinilaan ang aking mukha. Maagap kong pinigilan ito at sumenyas na huwag mag-iingay. My dog obliged and that's why I placed my hand to Alastair's knee.
Nagulat ako nang bigla itong tumayo at para yatang nagulat sa aking ginawa. Now what? Okay lang na humawak at dumantay kasi tatayo ako?
"Help me up." I said but I received no response.
Naramdaman ko na lamang ang mabilis nitong pagtayo at ang pagsisimulang lumakad ng mabilis.
Anyare do'n?
Hinawakan ko lang naman iyong tuhod niya makaasta naman akala mo nangdidiri na siyang magpahawak. Nandiri ba siya dahil sa dinilaan ko iyong palad niya?
Malinis naman ang kamay ko ah! Arte arte. Akala mo virgin. Sampalin ko siya kapag sinabi niyang virgin pa siya.
"Wait!" Pilit kong sigaw sa kanya. I still need to be more aware at baka marinig pa sila ng mga humahabol sa kanila kapag nilakasan ko ang pagsigaw. Ang bilis kasing umalis ng mokong.
"HOP in." Untag sa akin ni Oliver pero heto ako't hindi makapaniwala sa nararamdamang bagay na nasa ilalim ng tubig.
"I-Is t-that a..." nahihirapan kong tanong pero sumagot kaagad ng buong pagmamalaki si Aarav.
"Yes, you are right, Blindy! Though not sure how you know it but hey!!! Tada! It's submarine! A small version though."
Yeah, tyanggala, totoo nga. Submarine nga ang nararamdaman kong malaking bagay na nasa cave. Hindi ako makapaniwalang may ganito sila.
"You need to move fast or the police will be here any moment now." Wika ni Anabelle na nagpataka sa akin at nagpatuon sa dalaga.
"Police?"
"Yes bitch. Your stinky clothes from yesterday has a mini-device tracker."
"We should be killing her instead." Dasha suggested.
"C'mon girls, enough." Pagpigil ni Aarav sa dalawa.
"Who put her the tracker?" Natahimik silang lahat nang si Alastair na tila galing sa kung saang parte ng cave at tila may hawak itong malaking bag.
"Survival kits..." bulong sa akin ni Aarav. Feeling close naman ito.
"Survival kits... you mean, guns and ammos?" I asked whispering.
"Uhuh. Bingo." Aarav playful replied.
"Answer me." Alastair asked using the tone he's been using to them.
"We're not sure. Maybe the last person she's been with." Annabelle replied.
So, this is how he compels.
My eyebrow risen up upon hearing Annabelle's answer. The last person na kasama ko ay si...
"The news reporter." Alastair gritted. I also felt his deadly stares at me.
So, he's still alive. Thank God!
"I thought you've already ordered his life to be gone?" Oliver asked him.
I couldn't stop pursing my lips. So, he did follow me.
"I spared his life upon the request by someone." Nahimigan ko ang paghina ng tono ni Alastair sa mga huli nitong salita na ginamit.
Are you shy, yummy boy?
"You really are something." Ani sa akin ni Aarav kapagkuwa'y inakbayan ako. "But you better change clothes now, honey. It's too cold inside my submarine."
"Why don't you remove your arm off her, so that she could change?" Alastair said with a glint of irritation.
Aarav immediately removed his arm at me and raised it up as if he's surrendering.
May period yata itong si Alastair at ang init masyado ng ulo.
"C'mon guys! Hop in!" Rinig kong sigaw ni Anabelle sa hindi kalayuan at alam niyo na, may iritasyon pa ring taglay ang tono ng boses nito.
Una nang sumakay sina Anabelle at Dasha. Sina Oliver at Aarav naman ay may inayos yata sa ibabaw na parte ng submarine pero sumunod na ring pumasok.
Naramdaman kong nilagpasan ako ni Alastair at halos isigaw ko na ang sasabihin ko dahil nagmamadali yata ito.
"Thank you." I said. Deep inside, I'm melting.
Alastair stopped from walking but he didn't turn his head at me. He just simply replied...
"It's not because you kissed me that's why I kept my word."
Sus, ito naman. Denial pa. Okay lang kahit hindi mo aminin... amining nasharapan ka sa kissh ko.
"Alright. But still, thanks. You spared him."
"I spared him, yes. For now. That means, he's already out from the promise I've made."
Bigla akong kinabahan sa sinabi nito.
"He's chasing me... no, he's saving you from me. And that's an absolute reason for me to kill him personally."
"W-What?"
Hindi na nito nilinaw ang sinabi nito. No, actually malinaw pa sa liwanag ng buwan ang pagkakasambit ng winika nito.
Fuck! Nicholas! What the hell are you doing?! You shouldn't have done this!
I sneered upon realizing what he meant. I almost forgot, Nicholas is chasing the Heir of Aldeguer and seeking justice to his deceased parents.
I saved his life. However, revenge is an act you wouldn't dare to break from a person who's really seeking a justifiable reason from the person who did something bad at them.
The submarine finally moved without leaving a trace. When we got off from the port where I think a property of Aldeguer, I immediately hugged Chizo.
Aarav guided me while walking somewhere.
While we are busy half running, I started sending a mental message to Austin and Claudine.
Where's Nicholas Javier?
I opened my Lenses to view their replies.
Still in the island you came from. - Austin
How did he locate me?
We're not sure as well. We can't contact you not unless you open your Lenses, idiota. At buti naman naisipan mong kausapin kami? - Claudine
I rolled my eyes upon seeing Claude's message.
Not the right moment to be sarcastic, Claude. Locate where he is and inform me. I'll act blind this time for me to receive your messages.
Why do you need his coordinates? - Austin
I need to stop him from doing this.
But you asked for his presence to help you remember? You initially needed his help. - Claude
Initially yes. But, Alastair and him have issues to deal with. Especially that Alastair's clan are the ones who killed Nicholas' parents. And that made me decide to enroll Nicholas in Vexigo.
What the hell?! / What the fuck?! - Austin and Claude
What? If I'm not going to do this, Nicholas will end up dead for sure. The only way for him to survive is the Vexigo. In that school, killing without a proper examination battle units is prohibited.
What are you thinking? You know it is impossible to let someone enroll in that school. Only the members of Privus Trata are eligible to be enrolled. - Austin
Hindi ako sumagot sa tugon ni Austin. Yes, that's right. Pero kung kaya kong nakapasok, kaya rin ni Nicholas.
I'll pull some strings.
You're impossible! - Austin
Are you sure about that, Asia? You're engaging a mere reporter in our world. You know how dangerous it was if Privus would end up being known to the public. - Claude
He's not just a reporter. I simply replied at them and for sure I made them confused.
"Are you listening?! Hey blindy!!!" Napapitlag ako at singhap ng malakas nang sumigaw sa tainga ko si Aarav. I unconsciously kicked him but of course, his reflexes are remarkable.
Buti nalang nasara ko kaagad ang Lenses ko.
"Huwag mo akong sigawan." I told him, still in shock.
"Hindi ka nga nakikinig. Are you scared kaya ka nakatulala?" tanong nito sa akin.
"Nope." I replied.
"Iniisip mo ba yung huling taong nakasama mo at ang naglagay ng tracker sa'yo?" Oliver asked behind us.
Ke-lalaking tao, ang chichismoso.
"None of your business." Iyon na lamang ang aking isinagot at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad.
"Feisty," rinig kong bulong ni Aarav.
Hindi ko alam kung saan kami ngayon papunta. Sunod lang ako ng sunod sa kanila. Do'n ko lang na-realize ang nilalakaran namin. Nasa gubat pala kami. Kaya pala ang dami kong halaman na nararamdaman. At infairness ang kati na ng hita ko.
Naglulumikot si Chizo sa aking braso. Tila mas gusto nitong naglalakad ito. I let him. Nang makababa ay halos magtatatakbo ito kung saan saan at tila siyang-siya sa nakikita.
Chizo missed this kind of ambiance. When I was still at my training before, sa isang isla rin kami noon dinala ng mga magulang namin.
"Where are we?" I asked and turned my head down. I act that I couldn't see. I need my vision. And I really need it right now.
As soon I tried looking using my eyes, napasinghap ako, nanlaki ang mata at napaatras ng bahagya nang makita ko kung ano ang bumulaga sa akin.
Kinakalawang na bakal. Maraming tuyong dahon ang nakakalat sa sahig at mga baging na nakapulot sa gate at mga pader. The ambiance is like an isolated area that you've never wanted to visit.
I'm at the Devil's Haven.
"Benvenuto all'inferno." Welcome to hell.
And the gates of hell opened.
I gulped. I've never been this nervous before. Hindi ko alam pero parang hindi tama na nandito ako ngayon. It's not yet the right time.
Someone walked and stopped beside me. Napasinghap ako nang hawakan nito ang aking kaliwang balikat at binati ako.
"Welcome to Vexigo Academia de Privus Trata... new student."