“I know he would say that,” Faye whisper which cut my thoughts, and what she said made me look at her with a questioning gaze.
She seemed as if she knows what's running in my head, as she sighed heavily. “I know that he wouldn't let us enter in this dangerous situation and that he would only keep it in himself.”
As Faye looked at me. “After all, he doesn't want his princess to get involved,” wika nya nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa akin na ikinanuot ng aking noo.
With that look, I completely got the message her eyes are trying to say. The reason why Zeon doesn't want to tell it to us because of the thought that I would involve myself even no matter how he wants me to avoid it.
As I rolled my eyes.
“I'm not his princess, nor what he wants me to be.” As I remembered what he said that day— let him lead the way and I'll stay behind him.
Umupo ako sa kama at pinagsalikop ang aking daliri, nanatiling nakatingin doon nang malamig, dahil hindi ko alam ang dapat na isipin.
“I am not the damsel type of woman, I am your commander.”
And a commander doesn't step back for situations like this.
He couldn't change me because he wants me to follow what he will say.
Well, when did I started following someone's order? Even though his rank is higher than mine inside the military back then, it doesn't change the fact that in this situation, he's leading this group with me, and that's enough for me to butt in his businesses.
“Precisely, that's why we will investigate it by ourselves.”
Nag angat ako ng tingin nang marinig ang sinabi ni Faye.
She slowly walked towards the bed as she sat down beside me, before lifting her hand to gently pat my shoulder.
Her light brown orbs are starting into my light blue ones with full of adoration and proudness within them. Her pale skin shows how she hasn't got enough sleep for days, yet even right now, that her wavy chocolate hair is ponytail into a tight bun, she still looks a goddess.
She gave me a proud grin. “After all, our leader wouldn't keep quiet with something like this happening in her group,” she said warmly.
Something tug could be felt that my heart melted and right now, I just wanted to hug her. I've been longing for a hug from my best friend ever since 'that' happened.
And it seemed as if she knows what's running in my mind because she quickly pulled me and engulfed me into a tight hug that made my eyes watery in just seconds that passes by.
I instantly calmed feeling her warmth that I missed, for she is my home and her comfort always calmed before. . . and even today.
“I missed you. I'm sorry, I was busy being furious with myself,” she whispered, that I didn't bother stopping myself and encircled my arms at her too.
“You are not alone.” I was being angry with myself too, that I hid it by busying myself from those working out and by improving myself because that's the only thing I could do. . . as of now.
We are the weak ones.
Kahit ngayon, wala pa rin kaming advantage laban sa mga zombies na nakapaligid sa amin. Kahit ilang taon na ang lumipas, kahit na patuloy ang pag-angat ng teknolohiya. . . wala pa rin kaming nagawa nang maulit ito, at hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin kaming magawa.
Yes, we live in prototype generation where everything is now possible. We have our upgraded guns with unlimited bullets, but it is useless once we've been injured by those monsters.
Lahat ay nawawalan ng bisa kung zombies na ang pag uusapan.
Come to think of it. . . they said that the world was cleared before it happened again.
The first generation of this virus, the first wave that almost wiped out humanity was eradicated by an anonymous group from the Philippines— which is Klaus' brother is part of it. That's why we are planning to go to the Philippines right when we are ready.
And since we've been here for weeks already, I doubt if we will stay for more since our stocks of foods are slowly being depleted.
Paubos nang paubos ang aming supply ng pagkain kaya't hindi maaaring magtagal kami rito.
At kung hindi ako nagkakamali, kung may plano man ang grupo ni Dreyard tulad nang naiisip ko ngayon. . . gagawin nila iyon sa araw kung kailan kami'y malapit nang umalis.
“Now that it's clear. We must investigate it to avoid something like that to happen in our lives again. Because one thing I've realized.” Faye moved away to look at me.
“What happened that day might be a product of someone else's devious plan to reduce our numbers,” she added with such serious n that I couldn't help but think about it.
She's somehow right, and now that she said it, I couldn't help but think about how they're still staying quiet even after those days have passed.
For sure, if Meredith's family knows about it, then they should've known about it too. They should've told us about it or even gave us a forewarning before we proceeded.
But no, not even a single piece of information. Not even a little bit.
And thinking back, my companions' regretful eyes entered my mind— right before they sacrificed themselves for our sake.
At first, I thought they only regret because they weren't with us anymore— that the time we spent together will end that day they chose to sacrifice themselves for our sake. But my mind is telling me something. . . a deeper meaning that lies underneath their sorrowful looks.
It was as if they didn't look like that because they will die, but. . . they will die without telling us the piece of important information they've found while being in Dreyard's group. And that information. . . what it is? It is the reason why they looked so scared that day, and not because they would become the feasts for those flesh-eating monsters?
And knowing that all of my comrades who were with them sacrificed themselves for our sake, that no one was left for both Zeon and my group, that only the five of Dreyard's group remained. . . Is it because they chose to sacrifice themselves to save us or because they've been ordered to, and that if they won't do it, something worst than it might happen to us?
I can't help but be suspicious of that group because of these thoughts.
Why didn't I have this idea at first when clearly, when only the five of them remained, it's already suspicious?
“Blood Harvest can be intentionally made by humans. . .” I whispered as I think of it.
The bell that rang that time. . . an alarm, that would only sound once it is maneuver manually.
“It's not impossible, after all, if nature is our worst enemy, our kind is our nemesis.”
We both fell silent after that revelation. I looked at her for a while and sighed heavily in frustration.
“Who knows about it aside from you?” I'm talking about knowing these pieces of information, that once it out from our circle, for sure, it will be a war again.
It's human versus human this time, an external conflict between monsters with such innocent faces.
“Only Phoenix,” she answered which made me nodded my head.
“Alright then.” Now, time to plan it, Harper.
It's been two days. Two days since we acted as if we're oblivious to everything, and yeah, it's been two days since we talked about it.
I told Faye one day after that talk, to secretly relay the message to Phoenix, that no matter what happens, he shouldn't leave Klaus alone.
I've noticed that even though Klaus is the one who knows how to fully create those upgraded weapons that Dreyard told us that they will do, they're letting Klaus chill outside their range openly while they locked themselves in that room.
Just like today, as I've seen Klaus working in his newly created drone that didn't need to charge because of solar panels at the top of it, happily smiling at his new creation that he proudly said, it will help us to seek help and to locate people that are close to us.
Ibinaba ko ang librong aking binabasa at pinanood si Klaus na hindi kalayuan sa akin, na siyang masayang nakikipag usap kay Phoenix ngayon.
He looks so pure, unaware that his group that he's trusting are planning something behind his back, ready to stab him and leave him cold once they have a chance to do it.
However, our group existed with the sole purpose of saving people. And now, our latest and first-ever assignment will be saving Klaus from the hands of those traitorous people.
I'll make sure that they wouldn't be able to touch Klaus, even the end strand of his hair.
“Hey.”
I removed my gaze from the cheerful child and transferred it to a grown adult who just spoke beside me. Dreyard sat down at the tiled floor with such distance from mine and looked at whoever I'm looking for right now.
The one they're planning to do something that our small group will prevent.
“Klaus has a bright future, right?” he whispered but purposely made me hear it so we have something to talk to.
I bitterly smirked, but quickly replaced it into a happy and proud one like a mask that I always use.
“Indeed.” It's funny how he's saying it when they're planning to dispose of this child. Cruel. Too cruel.
I quickly fixed myself and stood up. I have no time for bullshits.
He felt me running away from the disgusting presence that made him quickly looked up, hurt passed in his eyes in the way he's looking at me right now when my eyes accidentally found him to bid me goodbye.
I moved my eyes away so I wouldn't be able to see his expression, and was about to walk ahead when he quickly held my hand, stopping me from doing another step that would take me away from him.
“Are you already going away? I just sat down,” he tried to joke, he even followed it with a nervous laugh.
I transferred my cold look at him as right now, I feel disgusted.
“I forgot I still have something to do,” I said with a straight voice without even breaking my gaze from him.
Nagbaba ito ng tingin at alanganing tumawa. But even he did that, I felt the hurt that he tried to hide with his laugh.
“Does he stopping you from seeing me?”
“What?” My forehead creased as I don't know what and who he's talking about. Stopping to see him?
“Zeon,” he answered the obvious.
My mouth formed in small 'o' in shock as I stare at him in disbelief.
Wait, don't tell me he knows. . .?
“Did he tell you not to talk to me even for a while? To be away from your sight?” His voice was laced with sadness that I couldn't understand where it is coming from.
Sadness? He's feeling sad even though they're even planning to kill an innocent kid here?
Well, the hell I care if he knows what Zeon and I are doing.
And if Zeon would order me to do that, it's up to me whether I'll follow it or not. . . but Harper would naturally do the latter because I won't follow him and do whatever I want.
I looked away and slightly removed my hand from his grip which I successfully did.
“No. He isn't even telling me anything about that,” I answered as if it's something that I normally said.
But yeah, damn that guy. He isn't telling me anything no matter what I did! I would surely kick his butt later.
I thought Dreyard wouldn't speak again, as I am so ready to start walking away from his presence when I heard his sorrowful voice.
“Then why?” His voice even cracked after saying it.
Now, I'm curious at why he's acting this sorrowful, such a victim when in the first place, they're planning to do something worst!
This time, I couldn't help but to look at him and for sure, he saw my expression because I noticed how he was taken aback from the sight of it.
Why? Does my expression right now mimick how I'm feeling disgusted at his presence?
Why am I showing this expression, are you curious, Dreyard?
It's because you're too cruel.
Too cruel to kill someone who's looking up on you. I wanted to spat these words right in front of his face but I composed myself.
And I know my expression changed as well as my mood. I weakly smiled. “I'm tired. Let me rest for a while.”
I didn't wait to hear his answer and just continued to get away from his sight.
At nang kinagabihan ay kinausap ko si Faye nang nandito na kami sa aming kwarto.
“Let's work with only the four of us,” I whispered, as there's only a lamp that Illuminating the whole room.
Tumingin sya sa akin, naninimbang ang kanyang tingin na hindi ko na ikinataka. This isn't a simple mission, after all.
“Who's the other one?” Maingat nitong tanong, at sa klase ng pag-uusap namin ngayon ay sobrang tahimik at para lamang kaming nagbubulungan.
“Warren,” I answered. Kumunot ang noo nya sa aking sinabi kaya't huminga ako ng malalim bago ipinaliwanag ang aking dahilan.
“Remember the speaker inside the walky-talky that he removed? I asked him if he still has those things, which resulting in me telling him everything because he wouldn't tell us the answer if I wouldn't say the reason first.” I sighed heavily as I remembered it.
I asked him earlier, right after I escaped from Dreyard's presence. Mabuti na lamang at nakatago pa sa kanya iyon, kaya't pinakita nya rin sa akin pagkatapos kong ibunyag ang lahat nang masiguradong walang nakikinig.
“Sorry about that though,” dagdag ko.
Dinukot ko iyon sa aking bulsa at ipinakita sa kanya.
Indeed, this speaker seems as if a microchip only that is placed inside every walky-talky we found that time. Sa sobrang liit ay mapagkakamalan mo lamang itong kalat.
“We must put it at someone inside their group, and that's where we will listen—” I haven't finished what I was saying when Faye quickly cut my words.
“Harper, you will,” aniya na sobrang seryoso na ikinamaang ko.
“Huh?” Ni-hindi pa nga ako yari sa pagpapaliwanag sa kanya, eh!
“You will be the one to put that speaker on Dreyard's. Because among everyone here, aside from Zeon, you're the only one he let to enter inside his life,” seryoso nitong paliwanag na mas ikinamaang ko.
At dahil doon ay hindi ako makasagot.
Am I the only one. . .?
As I sighed heavily. If I am, then. . .
“What should I do?” I whispered.
I just couldn't think of a proper plan to put this speaker inside their group without them knowing. Ngayon ko lang naisip kung gaano ito kahirap.
“Distract him. Make him change his focus and that's when you'll put it,” suhestiyon nya na ikinairap ko.
“I know that I need to distract him. What I'm asking is how—” Again, she cut my words.
But what she said shocked me.
“Kiss him,” Seryoso nitong sabi na dahilan upang mapatingin ako sa kanya nang may pagtatanong sa kanyang mata.
“What?!” She wasn't serious. . .
Among people here, she's the one who knows that something is happening between Zeon and me! She also knows that Zeon and Dreyard were best buddies and that something had happened between those two.
Getting in between those two would only ignite the flames of madness in between them that would only result in much worst than what they're doing already!
The point is, why would I kiss Dreyard when I'm doing something with Zeon, his best buddy? Even though they don't even look at each other's like before, much importance to trust, it's still a waste for those years they've been together.
If only I knew the reason, maybe I could fix them.
I am only human to feel pity at Dreyard for he looks as if he's torn and the time will come that he needs to choose for his decision that might create a major turn in his life.
“That's every guy's weaknesses, especially the one kissing them is someone they adore with. Make out with him to divert his attention.”
I stare at her with disbelief, waiting for her to say 'Joke!' at the end of her words, turns out she wouldn't.
What the heck?
Dreyard. . . adores me?
“You're asking me to make out with him?” I repeated her words, for I couldn't believe it. . . thinking that it's Dreyard who I am making out with and not Zeon. . . I felt a shiver that I brushed my left arm unconsciously.
Shit. Is this for real? I bit my lower lip as I couldn't decide for it.
“Yes, if you can,” Faye answered, and that when I looked at her eyes, I saw how wicked she looks that made me roll my eyes. Yet deep inside me, I'm feeling nervous.
But if I won't do it, and if we waste more time doing nothing, the lives of our companions will be at stake.
Nothing will happen if we won't do it. If I won't do it.
It's just that. . . it's only a kiss, right? I'll just distract him.
As I heaved a sigh. “Don't let Zeon see it,” I whispered as I finally decided for it.
Because if I won't do it, who would be the one to do it?