CHAPTER THIRTY: THE NEW MAN IN TOWN
Be vigilant and wise in order to succeed.
Tahimik at normal na naglalakad si Hennessy. She kept her pointy eyes as normal as possible. She does have this habit na kapag may binabalak siya ay titindi ang pagkatalim ng mga mata niya.
As she climbs down the stairs, she saw some people looking at her direction ngunit hindi niya ito pinansin, just like what she normally do. It's still early in the morning and sa tingin niya'y wala naman siyang gagawin ngayon.
In her stay in the island for almost a month, she noticed na paliit nan g paliit ang mga gagawin niya. Maybe newbies were just trained first weeks or so, tapos sa mga susunod na araw ay sila na ang bahala sa mga sarili nila kung mag-eensayo sila o hindi.
And that's a good thing, though. She can now do whatever she wants to do. She can now focus on her real motive on staying in the city.
"Where are you going?" She froze but made sure that certain person didn't notice it. She turned her back to see who it was. Nakahinga siya ng malalim noong nakita niya si Astrid.
Tumikhim siya at nginitian ito. "I'm bored. Gusto kong magpahangin sa labas." She was hoping Astrid didn't observe her shaking voice. Tila hindi naniniwala si Astrid na naniningkit ang mga matang nakatingin sa kanya.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She innocently asked. She didn't answer and stared at her for a moment before finally shaking her head. "Fine, just avoid Ayesha." She said and walked away. Hennessy nods her head as she slowly turns her back to Astrid.
Paglabas na paglabas niya sa League house ay agad siyang tumingin sa taas, sa tapat ng kwarto niya at nakita niya si Pierce na nakatingin mula sa binatana. She saw him mouthing 'good luck' and she just nodded before walking away.
Nang makarating siya sa garahe ay walang tao roon. Maliban kasi kay Pierce na dito nagtatambay ay halos sa league houses tumatambay ang mga iba.
Liningon-lingon niya ang buong paligid upang masigurong walang tao. When she was sure, her eyes were as sharp as a needle. Patakbo siyang nagtungo sa likod ng garahe at nakita lang na mas maraming baton a ang naroon.
That just made her more curious. She really wonders what's inside the door. She was about to put the stones away when she heard footsteps from afar. Kaagad siyang naalarma at humanap ng mapagtataguan.
Of course, she can't run away. Magkakabunguuan ang mga ito. Pero ang problema, wala siyang mahanap na mapagtataguan. There were no enough bushes to cover her up. Hindi naman siya pwedeng magtago sa likod ng mga bato. Unless...
Napatingin siya sa likod niya at nakita ang matayog na pader. It's what's dividing the league houses and the garage. Kung aakyatin niya ito ngayon ay sa mismong mga league house siya mapupunta. Napapikit siya ng mariin. Screw it.
Although the footstep stopped, she never felt safe. She climbed the nearest and tallest tree to the wall. Kahit na gumalaw galaw ang mga sanga nito that causes the leaves to shake and make a sound, normal lang dahil aakalain nila ay hangin.
Muli siyang nakarinig ng tunog ng mga paa patungo sa likod ng garahe. Her eyes squinted as she turns her back to see who it was. Mas lalo naningkit ang mga mata niya dahil hindi pamilyar ang mga likod ng mga ito.
Their voice were very deep, they're not the same age as hers. Just when she was about to turn her back, she heard a loud bell coming from the other side. Napatingin din siya dito. It was like an emergency ring. Napansin niya naging maingay ang mga tao at nag-unahang magsilabasan sa kanilang mga league house.
Kumunot ang noo ni Hennessy. What is happening?
Nang tumingin ulit siya sa gawi ng dalawang lalake kanina ay wala na ang mga bato na humaharang sa pinto. She saw them opening it at 'yung nahuling pumasok ay tumingin-tingin sa paligid. She was just staring at him nang biglang magsalubong ang mga mata nila.
Tila naningkit ang mga mata nito at parang hindi siya masyadong makita. Hennessy's eyes widened and she quietly covered her mouth with her hair saka siya matalim na tumingin sa lalake.
Noong napansin siguro nito ay agad na nanlaki ang mga mata.
"May tao!" Sigaw nito habang may pinapalo sa kanyang baba.
"Ano?!" Rinig niya mula sa baba.
The old man pointed his fingers at her direction. "May tao sa puno na nakakita sa atin! Babae!" Sigaw niya. Hennessy didn't waste her time and climbed the tree to be able to reach the wall.
"Hoy! Bumalik ka dito!"
Tinagilid ni Hennessy ang ulo upang tignan ang lalake.
They're old, yes. But what are they doing here? Bakit sila andito? Are they intruders?
Noong palapit na sila ay wala na siyang oras na sinayang at agad na tumalon pababa. She landed gracefully as she blocks the floor with her palm.
"Bakit mo pinatakas?!"
"Eh sa hindi ko nahabol eh!"
"Sino ba 'yun?!" Rinig pa niya.
"Hindi ko alam!"
"Patay tayo niyan pag nalaban ni boss na may nakakita!"
"Huwag na lang natin sabihin kay boss. Hindi din naman niya malalaman."
Kumunot ang noo nito.
Boss? Sinong boss?
Napatingin siya sa paligid at unti unting tumayo. Pinampag niya ang damit at inayos ang buhok.
She wiped some sweat on her leg and forehead before heading towards the crowd of people she's seeing from afar.
Ano ba kasing meron?
Patakbo siyang naglakad patungo dito just to see a man wearing a white suit with six bodyguard-looking people surrounding him.
"It's so good to be back, again." Sambit nito.
His eyes scanned the people at tila natigil ito sa kanya ng panandalian and Hennessy immediately sensed that something is up with this man.
"I see some new faces..." He spoke, emphatically and nodded. Nanatiling nakatingin sa kanya si Hennessy.
"Welcome." Ani at napansin niyang tumingin ito sa kanyang gawi muli bago tignan ang iba.
"Where's my daughter?" Tanong niya pa.
Kumunot ang noo ni Hennessy. May anak siya dito? Who is he? Is he a visitor?
"Daddy!"
Oh, that shrieking voice that always hurts her ears. She almost rolled her eyes. That's why. Ama pala ito ni Ayesha. A certain name was recalled in her head.
Gregory Marforth B. Angeles
Isa siya sa mga kaibigan ni King. What is he doing here? Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Hennessy at tumingin sa kanyang mga paa upang hindi nila makita ang mga titig niya.
She flinched when someone suddenly hold her shoulders. She gasped and moved away from the man. Napatingin siya dito. "Ishun?" Patanong niyang tawag. With blank eyes, he looked at her before looking at the father of Ayesha.
"Where have you been?" He asked without looking at her. Her heart instantly pounded. Tila lalabas na ito dahil sa kaba. "Nagpahangin lang." She simply answered.
"Where?"
"Bakit ba?" She asked back, irritated. Muling tumingin sa kanya si Ishun. "Don't lie. I know you're in your room." Hennessy was taken back. She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.
"Ha?"
"I saw Pierce entering you room this morning." Tila nangginggilait nitong saad. Napatikhim siya at tumango. "Nag-usap lang kami."
"Tungkol saan?"
"Bakit ka ba tanong ng tanong?"
"I demand you to answer my question with an answer and not with another question."
"Ishun, ano ba?" Bulong niya dito dahil may iilan nang tumitingin sa kanilang gawi. "Just answer me, damn it." Bulong nito pabalik.
Hennessy was about to talk when someone suddenly faked a cough to catch their attention. Napatingin silang pareho kung sino ito. There stood Ayesha's father who was looking at the two of them right now.
"I see you have made a new friend, Isaiah." Nakangiti nitong saad bago tumingin sa kanyang gawi. "What's your name, dear?" Tanong nito sa kanya.
"Hennessy." She simply answered. Ayesha's father nodded and smiled at the two of them. Hindi niya alam kung peke ba ito o totoo.
"Well then, as I was saying a while ago, we're now planning to choose the next King of the island. As you all know, the king and his wife has died and their daughter is nowhere to be found." Napintig ang tenga ni Hennessy at nakinig ng husto.
"If the king's daughter won't be found, as the right hand of the late King, Isaiah, together with my daughter, will be the next ruler of the island." Nagsimula sa bulung-bulungan ngunit napalitan ng palakpakan.
Hennessy doesn't know what to do or what to feel. She slowly raised her hands and clapped with the others.
"Well then, I should now take a rest. Ikaw na ang bahala sa mga kasama mo, Isaiah." He said and turned his head to Hennessy to give a smile before finally walking away.
Napansin niyang lumapit sa kanya sina Savannah, Astrid, Chandria, Justice at Trevin.
She noticed their stares at Ishun kaya siya napatingin dito. His eyes were so down; it was as lifeless as the dead. Kumunot ang noo niya sa nakita. Why? Hindi ba dapat ay magsaya ito?
"You okay?" Tanong ni Savannah. Tumingin si Ishun sa kanila at huminga ng malalim bago tumango. "I am. Let's head back inside the league house." Sambit nito at walang salitang tumalikod sa kanilang lahat.
Sumunod na rin ang iba ngunit hinigit niya pabalik si Chandria. "I don't know what's happening. Care to explain?"
Chandria sighed. "Well, Ishun never liked being the leader of the Tyrants. Ito kasi ang isa sa mga rason kung bakit may nagrebelde sa isla. And he was a good friend of his. Ngayon namang siya na ang susunod na mamumuno sa isla, mas lalo siyang mahihirapan because he knows it's not rightfully his. Para ito sa nawawalang anak ng King."
Tumango-tango lamang si Hennessy sa sinabi ni Chandria. "Halika ka na nga." Ani at sumunod naman si Hennessy sa kanya.
Marami pa ba siyang dapat malaman tungkol kay Ishun? And why would he rule the island with Ayesha? Does Ayesha's father know they already ended their relationship?
Muli siyang napatingin sa gawi ng ama ni Ayesha patungo sa isang bahay malapit sa garahe. Pagtingin na pagtingin palang nito ay nakita na niyang nakatingin ito sa kanya. But not like a while ago.
Ngayon ay blanko at matalim ang tingin at ang aura nito ay madilim. Hennessy felt goosebumps. Bakit kanina'y ang lapad ng ngiti sa kanya at ngayon ay parang wala na?
Ito ang unang nag-iwas ng tingin. Naningkit ang mga mata ni Hennessy habang sinusundan parin ito hanggang sa mawala na siya sa kanyang paningin.
Something is really up with that man. Hindi nga lang niya mapagtanto kung ano.
To be continued...