CHAPTER 12
"What happened to my brother?" Alalang tanong ni Daeril nang makapasok ng ospital.
"He's on an operation. Kailangang tanggalin ang bullet sa katawan niya." Sagot ko.
Chaos was taken to an infirmary pero kailangan talaga sa ospital ito dalhin. Ang tanging naiwan sa beach ay si Wednesday at si Stefano para hanapin ang may gumawa nito. Nagpaiwan din si Midnight at Rebel habang kasama ko ang mga magulang ko dito pati sina Effie at Twilight na kasama si Slate at Matix.
"Who did this?" Galit na tanong ni Daeril.
"We still have no idea but," pinakita ko sa kaniya ang nareceive kong message mula kay X.
Daeril knew about X. Dahil nang magusap daw sila ni Mr. Albert, binanggit ng ama niya ang tungkol kay X.
"Damn..I really need to find who that X is." Daeril clenched his fists.
"Nasaan si Monday?" Tanong ko. He came alone at hindi ko makita ang kapatid ko.
"She's with your parents. They're safe."
Nakanhinga ako nang maluwag. Si Chaos lang talaga ang target ng X na yon.
Kapagkuwan ay natigilan nang tumunog ang phone ko. It was my sister, Wednesday.
Nang sagutin ko ang tawag, isang sigaw ang narinig ko. "Let me out of here!" Sigaw ng isang babae.
"I-I'm sorry..it's her orders.." takot na sagot ni Stefano mula sa linya.
"Shut up!" Sigaw naman ng kapatid ko.
"Wednesday?" I called.
"Oh, hey, Friday! Tumawag ako dahil nahuli na namin ni Stefano ang bumaril kay Chaos." Masiglang sambit ng kapatid ko.
Lumayo ako sa mga kasama ko para kausapin nang maigi si Wednesday. "Who?" I gripped my phone tightly, "sino ang may gawa nito kay Chaos?"
"Hey, what's your name?" Tanong ni Wednesday sa kabilang linya.
"Why would I tell you?" Masungit na sagot ng nasa kabilang linya.
"Stefano, do her." Utos ni Wednesday.
"Huh? W-Why?" Kinakabahang tanong ni Stefano.
"Stop asking. Do her!"
I heard Stefano breathing heavily. Hanggang sa sumigaw si Wednesday. "Hey! Bakit ka naghuhubad?"
"You told me to do her." Inosenteng sambit ni Stefano.
"Do her as in, kill her you dumbass."
Sumabat ang babae, "I prefer the first one."
"Shut up, you're not allowed to talk."
"Wednesday? Ayos lang ba kayo diyan?" Tanong ko.
"Yeah, we're fine. I can't get the girl's name. But do you have any idea who did this?" Tanong niya.
"We think it's X." I continued, "kilala mo naman siya diba? I mean, you are part of the organization with Twilight—"
"Yup, I know X. Maybe this girl is hired by X to kill Chaos. I'll try asking her more questions. Tatawagan ulit kita mamaya." Aniya.
"Okay. Ingat kayo kung na saan man kayo." I said then hanged up the call.
"Who was that?" Daeril asked behind me.
Humarap ako sa kaniya. "It was Wednesday. Nahuli na nila ang bumaril kay Chaos but they can't get a hold of her name."
"Where is she?" Daeril asked.
I frowned. "Why?"
"I'll ask that girl myself. No one shoots my brother and gets away with it."
I sighed. "Text her. Hindi niya sinabi sa akin kung na saan siya. She's with Stefano."
Tumango si Daeril at nagtipa sa phone nito para siguro itext si Wednesday.
Bumalik ako sa mga kasama ko at umupo sa tabi ni Effie. "Rebel texted me. Nahuli nila ang bumaril kay Chaos. A male. 19 years old. Nasa kulungan na ito ngayon."
Natigilan ako. "What? But Wednesday caught the culprit. It's a girl."
Effie frowned. "The one Rebel caught already testified. Siya raw talaga ang gumawa nun."
If they already caught the culprit, then sino iyong nahuli ni Wednesday?
Could it be a decoy? No! X must've framed the guy Rebel caught so the girl that Wednesday caught could escape!
Dali-dali kong kinuha ang phone ko sa bulsa at dinial ang number ni Wednesday.
It took three rings before she picked up. "Hello?"
"Wednesday? Ayos lang ba kayo diyan? Look, the girl you caught—"
"—is guilty and she escaped." She groaned.
"Tinawagan ako ni Midnight at sinabing nahuli na nila ang salarin but I'm pretty sure that we caught one too dahil base sa direksyon ng pagkabaril kay Chaos, it was on east. The girl we caught was on a rooftop on a building in East holding a gun. Mali ang nahuli nila."
I answered, "iyan din ang naisip ko. Nasaan na ang nahuli niyo?"
Wednesday groaned in annoyance. "While I was busy taking Midnight's call, that sly girl took the opportunity to attack Stefano who's clueless in battle at pinasabugan ang abandoned warehouse kung nasaan kami."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Okay naman ba kayo? May nasaktan ba?"
"I got escaped in time."
"Si Stefano?" I asked.
As if on cue, I head wailing and crying on the other line. "It hurtsss." Boses iyon ni Stefano.
"Tumahimik ka nga. Ginagamot na eh." Ani Wednesday.
"You're pressing it too hard." Reklamo ni Stefano.
"Okay ba si Stefano?"
"Kasama siya sa nasabugan. Nakalimutan kong kasama ko pala siya. My instinct acted immediately and it ordered me to save myself." Ani Wednesday.
"Eh yung nahuli niyo? Hindi niyo na nakita?"
"Hindi na. Alam ko naman ang facial features niya. It somehow reminds me of the Agati siblings. May kahawig ang babaeng iyon sa kanila." Sagot ni Wednesday na ikinatigil ko.
"Alam ba 'to nila Midnight?" Tanong ko.
"Nope. Hindi ko sinasabi dahil aasa lang sila. They'll never stop searching for their dead sister kung sasabihin ko iyon." Wednesday answered.
But what if she's never really dead?
"Sige na. Kung tapos na kayo ni Stefano diyan, pumunta agad kayo dito. Mom and dad are worried." Ani ko.
"Sige. Maghahanap pa ako ng wheelchair para kay Stefano. Nagtatantrums dahil hindi makalakad." Ani Wednesday.
"Ouch! Ouch! Hey!" Sigaw ni Stefano.
Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata at mahinahong nagtanong. "Wednesday, what did you do?"
"Oh. I stomped on his feet para sure na hindi talaga siya makakalakad." My sister answered and ended the call.
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako. Who would've thought that Wednesday would join a secret organization? At isang assassin pa? Kaya naman pala laging nagrereklamo si dad na palaging wala si Wednesday sa bahay at minsan daw ay nakikipagsakitan sa iba.
Natigilan lang ako nang biglang lumabas ang doktor sa emergency room. Kaagad kaming lumapit kasama ang mga magulang ko. "Mr. Salazar is now stable. He'll be transferred. We managed to remove the bullet near his heart. He just has to rest for a few weeks then he can be discharged." Anang doktor.
"Any medications he has to take?" Mom asked.
Tumango ang doktor. "Pain relievers will do dahil sasakit ang dibdib niya as soon as the anesthesia comes off." Anang doktor at nagpaalam na umalis.
Mom faced me. "I called Chaos's guardian. His grandmother. Mabuti nalang ay may contact siya sa lola niya. Her grandmother was worried."
"Thank you for calling his grandmother, mom. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, Chaos needs his family the most." Sagot ko.
Mom nodded. "Our vacation got ruined. Mabuti nalang ay ligtas ang iba pati si Chaos ay ligtas na rin."
"I'm sorry about what happened."
Mom smiled. "It's okay. We can reschedule again. Ang importante ay ligtas tayong lahat. Nasaan nga pala si Wednesday?" She asked.
Napangiwi ako. "She's...She's busy. But she's safe. Kasama naman niya si Stefano at sila Midnight."
"Oh. Okay. Iyang batang yan talaga. Kung saan saan napupunta. Mauna na ako ah. I'll meet Chaos's grandmother later." Sabi niya at umalis.
Umupo ulit ako katabi ni Effie habang kausap sina Twilight at Slate. "Mabuti naman at maayos na si Chaos. I was scared when I saw how the bullet pierced near his heart." Ani Twilight.
Effie held her hand. "It's fine. He's stable now."
Bumaling ako kay Slate. "Any news about Midnight and Rebel?"
Slate nodded. "They just called. Papunta na raw sila rito."
Tumango ako at kapagkuwan ay napabaling kay Daeril na hinihingal habang tumatakbo palapit dito. "Ano yun?" Tanong ko nang makalapit siya.
"Mr. Albert...he's dead."
• • •
"His inmates suddenly found him dead. Buong araw daw itong nakahiga sa sahig. They thought he was just sleeping. Then the whole prison cell reeks of blood then doon nila nalaman na patay na nga si Mr. Albert." Daeril explained habang nakaupo sa tabi ko.
The news of him, dead is shocking of course. I mean, alam kong maraming gustong pumatay kay Mr. Albert pero, sino naman? He died in prison? Maybe one of his inmates did it?
Twilight and Slate called the organization para ipaalam ang balita. Sabi ni Slate ay magiimbestiga ang organisasyon tungkol sa ikinamatay nito.
"That's good news but, are you okay? He's still your father." Tanong ni Effie kay Daeril.
Tumango si Daeril. "I'm fine. He's my father, yes, but he's still a bad guy who killed lots of people."
"Hey," it was Midnight and Rebel running towards us, "may sasabihin daw kayo? We rushed to go here dahil sabi niyo ay importante ang sasabihin niyo?" Midnight asked.
Tumango ako. "Mr. Albert is dead."
Rebel's eyebrows raised. "What? How?"
Umiling si Twilight. "We don't know further details yet. Kahit ang pumatay ay hindi namin alam."
Midnight spoke. "It's good that he's dead—" he stopped and looked at Daeril, "—no offence meant."
Tumango si Daeril. "It's fine."
Umupo si Midnight at Rebel sa harap namin sa labas ng kwarto ni Chaos hanggang sa may dalawang pulis na lumapit sa amin.
"Sino sa inyo si Friday Cortez, Effie Cruz, Matix Mendoza, Chaos Salazar at Daeril Ocampo?"
Handa na sana ako sumagot nang tumayo ang Agati siblings.
Twilight spoke, "ako po si Effie Cruz. Bakit po?"
Rebel raised his hand. "I'm Chaos. What's wrong?"
Slate raised his hand. "I'm Matix."
Huh? Anong nangyayari?
Then a voice spoke behind the police men. "—and I'm Friday Cortez."
It was Wednesday, my sister. Nasa likod niya si Stefano na gulong gulo sa nangyayari. "Huh? But you're Wed—ouch!" Siniko siya ni Wednesday sa tiyan.
"Okay. Kayong apat, sumama kayo sa amin sa presinto—"
"Anong nangyayari dito?" Tanong ni mom na kasama si dad.
"Officers, anong gagawin niyo sa mga bata?" Mom asked.
"Isasama lang po namin sa presinto, ma'am. Tungkol ito sa pagkamatay ni Alnand Timothy Albert."
Bumulong sa akin si mom, "is that the Beast?"
Tumango ako.
Mom sighed in relief. "Thank god."
Sumabat ang officer. "Kayo po ba ang guardian nila ma'am?"
Dad answered, "kami nga. Mga police ba talaga kayo? Bakit niyo kinakausap ang mga minor nang walang kasamang matanda?"
The police men scratched their necks. "Pasensiya na po kayo, ma'am, sir. Kailangan lang talaga para sa imbestigasyon."
Tumango sina mom at dad. "Sige, papayag kami basta sasama kami." Ani Mom.
Sakto namang tumunog ang phone ko. It was a message from an unknown sender.
"Be careful of wat you say to the police or else I'll kill anyone you love. Don't mention my name or anything related to X or hell will break loose. -X"
Pinakita ko ang message na iyon kina Midnight. They all nodded. "We'll testify on your behalf. You can count on us."
Lumapit naman sa akin si Wednesday. "I got a mission from my boss. This is my first undercover mission. I have to testify for Mr. Albert. Don't worry, alam na namin ang sasabihin namin." Aniya.
So even the Agati siblings were asked to go undercover and pretend to be us?
Nang makaalis ang lahat, naiwan kami nina Effie, Matix at Midnight. Tumingin ako kay Midnight. "Why were you not part of the mission?"
He shrugged. "Hindi cargo ng organisasyon si Daeril. The others like you has to be protected."
"Why?" Kunot noong tanong ni Effie.
"Because you are X's target. Daeril is out of the picture. We need to protect you." Sagot ni Midnight.
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako. I wonder, kamusta na kayo ang pagtetestify nina Wednesday?
Napatigil ako sa pagisip ng kung ano nang lumabas ng kwarto ni Chaos ang isang nurse.
"Gising na po ang pasyente." Aniya.
Agad naman kaming pumasok sa loob para kamustahin si Chaos nang isang malaking lobo ang nasa tabi niya.
"Get well soon -X"
Lahat kami natigilan. So X just entered Chaos's room?