Chapter 8: Plan(3)
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It all things comes in a flash, reflexes kicking and adrenaline rushing in my body. We got rammed by a random car in the middle of the road as we go in the intersection,now we both lying down in our seats as they shoot the car mostly in the black tint windows.
Bullet shots passing through it as well, thankfully that the body of the car is heavily armored but the bulletproof windows didn't stand enough because of so many bullets they are shooting. Luckily, these hostiles are stupid since they just raining us on bullets till they ran out.
Once the sound of bullets stopped, it is now our turn.
"Alvin!" Tita shouts on me as if on cue. We are shooting to the unknown assailants that got stupefied on what happen, we accurately shoot them but most of them hide immediately while the rest have bullets in their forehead.
I don't know exactly how many of them are, but we immediately got out of the car on my right side. To have free space and plan appropriate action to do.
We need both need to last until the reinforcements arrive here. I don't know if we can last since they are raining bullets on us once they reload their rifles.
"the lefts side of the car can only last until they run out bullets again, di ko alam kung gaanong karami sila kaya barilin mo lang kung anong kaya mo."
"Kaya tantyahin kung ilan silang lahat, kailangan ko lang ng coverfire."
"O, sige"
Once the bullet sounds stop, we start to cover fire as I access the situation. 3 stopped cars far from us to where they were hiding which that is their vahicle, and the motorcycle lie down on my left side with a man in a helmet dead beside it holding a submahine gun in his hand as I shot him in his heart.
six unconfirmed dead bodies; four people on the car that rammed us and 2 on the far that didn't hide hastily other than helmet guy.
There is some vehicles farther from us but I don't know if there are civilians
One masked man and woman tried to risk shooting at us as I see them at the car on the both side of the intersection respectively, we easily shoot them off in the head. One each of us, a total of 7 people died and plus 2 dead in the open.
"Reloading." As she duck again beside the car, I stop also because to tell her the situation
"Posibleng walo pa sa kanila, sa susunod na magpaputok na sila ay lalapit na yung iba. Kailangan makisapalaran tayo sa putukan nila, mapanganib man pero yun ang dapat gawin para di sila magmatapang lumapit sa atin." As I reload my gun but I keep the magazine, while Tita going to the compartment of the car to get grenades.
"I have a flashbang and 2 smokes, I have electric earbuds so it can minimize the noise of the flash granade pops."
"You don't haveany explosive grenades?"I frown to her, dissapointed.
"Anong magagawa ko? Pinagbabawal gamitin iyon ng pulis, nadekwat ko lang tong mga to kung sakaling may emergency." She straightly said to me, I look at her with the scrath of bullets in her face and her body especially in the sleeves of her uniform the have holes almost grazes her arms and also small cuts by the shattered glass while she covers her face earlier.
We put on the earplugs, it is now adjusting as it normalize the sounds in my surroundings. The gunshots are starting again but it is not as loud as the previous ones meaning they will now approach us, I want peek but they keep us not because of he cover fire especially they are shooting to peek points.
Even though they are amateurs based on my deduction, they have someone who leads to stops us from knowing on what will they do. So there is someone who have decent in them.
"tanggalin mo uniform, I-paing mo para doon patamain." As I look down on at the bottom to see if there is someone going near to us. 3 pairs of foot are going near to us, they are wearing rubber shoes though adding to my observtion. i don't want to shoot them yet because they far yet for the pistol to inflict them.
"Pwede natin bulagin tapos gamitin ang tear gas for smokescreen." She suggest while she baiting shot using her uniform but only using the shoulder and the collar part.
"Okay, ibigay mo sakin ang smokescreen at sabihan kita kung ibabato mo na yung pambulag. Priority the one that is near to us then the disoriented hotiles shoot the wheels of the three cars if possible."
"Ibato mo sa ibabaw ng kotseng bumangga sa atin."
"Copy,Click mo kahit saang earbuds mo para humina ang ingay pagkabato ng flashbang."
"Copy, Hintayin mo senyas ko." focusing intently the pairs of foot nearing towards us.
She gave me the one smoke and forming herself to throw at the top of the car that collide us.
"Ready to throw." She is now in throwing positon.
"Wait for my signal." Waiting for them to the distance we can accurately shoot them.
"Go!" I signalled to her
"Throwing flash." I click my earplugs to not get disoriented by the loud noise of the flashbang as I repeated "throwing flash" ang crouch to ready myself to stand up going on the left side to shoot hostiles after the flashbang pops.
*thud* even though I hear a sound like someone placing a wooden stool far from us, it is our cue to shoot urgently.
"Firing."
"Firing."
We both fire on each sides on hostiles. The nearest to us are being put down immediately, I notice that this ones are wearing civilan but they kevlar suited in their upper body. confirming that this is a unplanned shooting.
Next is the disoriented ones for from us, unfortunately I got only two and one on the middle. There are two more on the car on my side so I shoot the wheels but I can't accurately shoot the wheels of the middle car so I fire the peeking points when someone is trying to peek on both -sides.
We heard the police siren meaning the initial reinforcements are in the area.
"Throwing smoke!" I throw the smoke on my side.
"Throwing smoke!"
" 2 dalawa pa ang buhay kaliwang kotse at nabaril ko na ang gulong nun, kaso di ko makita kung ilang tao sa kotse sa gitna at di ko matamaan ang gulong nito kaya binabira ko yung mga gustong tumingin para manatiling naktatago lang sila."
"1 pa sakin ang buhay sa kanan, tska nakachamba ako ng 1 sa gitna at naflatan ko na ang harapang gulong nito." napabuga ako, tama yung ginawa ko na mag cover fire para kay Tita, Competitive shooter kase siya mula sa pagkakaalam ko nung bata pa ako, umabot siya ng olympics for pistol shooting noong high school pa siya. She is still not rusty because of her constant participation in the competitive if she has time.
"Naandito na sila, mukhang gagaan na ang sitwasyon natin." As I hear them continue shooting on the background now that they are occupied by the backup.
"tawagan ko lang sila na mag cover fire lang hanggang sa dumating pa ang iba pang pulis." Pahayag ni Tita nang tumawag siya gamit ang de bateryang radyo niya nakalagay sa gilid ng bewang niya.
I instinctively reload the fully loaded magazine for safety as I click my earplugs to normalize the hearing then I see the polic car at my back as I hear a loud siren of it, She also hears it but still not relief on the situation as we are the target or one of us.
"Tumakbo tayo pagkalapit ng kotse." Kumaway si Tita at sinabing "buksan niyo ang pintuan sa likod." Sabi ni Tita sa radyo.
Nakita namin ang kotseng palapit na sa amin tapos binusksan nila ang magkabilang pinto nila pati ang likod habang bumabaril sila sa magkabilang gilid.
"PV four-one in position ready for extraction, over." Mukhang iyon ang codename ng kotseng kung saan sila. Kinuha ko na ang bagpack ko para makaalis na kami dito
"Ready to run." Pumorma na ako patakbo sa kotse.
"READY TO RUN." Nagrereload pa siya habang nakaporma na siyang ng takbo.
"Reloading, wait for my signal." Narinig namin ang salita nagmumula sa radyo.
"GO!" nagsimula na kaming tumakbong patalikod habang bumabaril sa magkabilang gilid dahil naubos na ang buga ng usok sa tear gas.
Sa wakas nakapasok na kami sa loob ng sasakyan. "CV 2-1 in the extraction vehicle." Pumasok na rin ang dalawang di ko kilalang pulis sa harapan. Lahat ng mga taong nakarinig sa radyo ay nagsimulang nagsabing 'Copy'
"PV 4-1 moving out in the area." Sabi ng nagmamanehong pulis at umikot ito palayo sa gulo, habang umaandar ng mabilis ay nadaanan na namin ang 3 pang sasakyan ng pulis papunta na may dala nang tamang armas para sa engkwentro.
"Pañero, dalhin mo kami sa presinto." Habang tinitignan ang sarili niyang katawan kung may malalang sugat o pinsala.
"Yes, Mam." Nakatuon lang ang tingin niya sa daan
"Mam Valix, anong gagawin nyo po sa presinto? Eh mas mabuti pang dumerecho pa tayo ng hospital." Sabi ng batang pulis sa tapat ko.
"Mamaya ko na sasabihin Manalo, tutal puro galos lang naman ako. Mas mabuti nang sa presinto dahil mas ligtas salamat nga pala." Tinapik niya si Manalo sa kanang balikat niya at tumango lang silang dalawa. Nagsalita ulit si Tita
" Alvin tuloy ka pa rin ba sa pupuntahan mo? "
"Wala naman po akong malalang pinsala sa katawan, pupunta pa rin po ako pero di ko na alam kung paanong pumunta na dahil sa nangyari ngayon. Traffic jam yan panigurado."
"Pagusapan natin sa loob ng presinto mamaya." Payak niyang sabi sakin.
Bated breath of relief is the only thing I can do after all that despite my body is still on guard despite we are now far from danger
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Kagabi sa kwarto ng mag-asawang Valix.
Nakapagbuhos at nakaligo na si Charlie, binuklat na niya ang kumot para maiayos na niya ang sarili para humiga sa kama katabi ni Lorena.
"Since you tell me that after all these years, why you mention that to me now?"
Umikot si Lorena sa harap ng kanyang asawa pagkatapos niyang buksan ang night lamp at isinarado ang ilaw sa kisame para dumilim ng paligid.
"Don't be shocked by what I have to say but I got question for you."
Napalayo ang tingin niya sa kanya, mapaisip ito ng 'Kakaiba ito aah, akala ko pa naman simpleng chismis lang to sa kambal na anak ni Emil (Emilio). Nagpatuloy si Lorena sa pagtatanong sa asawa niya.
"Di ka ba nagtataka kung bakit natin lahat ng buong angkan na bayaran ang bahay nila kahit na nagaaral ang dalawa sa mamahaling eskwelahan noong middle school pa lang sila?"
Napaisip siya sa tanong ng kanyang asawa, nang pumanaw ang magulang ni Ailee at Alvin ay napakabigat ng iniwan ng magasawa. Utang ng bahay nila at mismong pag-aaral ng dalawa.
Sa panahong iyon na kakasimula pa lang sila ng kanyang asawa sa bagong posisyon niya sa presinto sa Carmona habang siya ay nasa Malacañang bilang bagong head of security ng presidente ng pilipinas pagkatapos ng 2 taon niyang rental bodyguard. Kaya ang pera nila ay sakto lang para sa kambal at mga pang-araw araw na gastos.
Kung sa estado naman ni Harnan at Leonora ay Kakasimula pa lang ng negosyo ni Harnan noon habang si Leonora ay isang taon nang di nagtratrabaho dahil sa nangyari sa dating trabaho niya bilang researcher ng Neuralgear kaya kung ano man naipon na pera nila ay kakaunti na lang ito dahil sa pagtatayo ng negosyo ng mag-asawa.
"Ngayon ko lang narealize na nakakapagtataka na nakapasok pa sila, ang naisip ko noon ay may insurance at life savings na sila para sa kambal nila ni Emil dahil sa trabaho niya habang si Andrea ay galing sa mayaman na Pamil-" napatigil na lang siya, mabagal siya tumingin kay Lorena
"oh, see. Di sapat lang ang benepisyo galing kay Emil dahil di hamak na sobrang baba nito, well masaya sila ni Andrea ay sapat lang kinikita nila para maitaguyod ang anak nila." Nagsalita muli siya sa kanyang chismosong asawa.
"Di ba na nanatili ang kambal sa bahay nila sa cavite kahit na dalawa na lamang sila? Minsan pumupunta si Ate doon para kamustahin sila, pero kadalasan kailangan ng kambal ang appruba ni Ate lalo na kanyang pirma."
"Syempre, menor de edad pa lang sila. May mga bagay sa eskwelahan na kailangan ng lagda ng magulang o tagapag-alaga sa mga actibidades sa loob at labas habang nag-aaral pa sila."
"Di lang yun yon, nadulas din sakin si Ailee kung paano sila nagkakapera noon."
Napasipol si Charlie, si Ailee ay napagkagaling magtago ng sikreto kaya bibihira lang ito mabuko. 2 beses pa lang daw ito nabubuko sabi nang taong nakahuli, ang kambal din nilang anak na si Hailey at Hannah pa lang nakakaalam ng lahat ng sikreto nilang magkakapatid.
"They are participating a lot of Video game competitions ever since they first get their hands on it especially in the competitive E-sports....
Ever since the twins are interested in competitive E-sports that always seen on Television, both of them are interested because age is not requirement to join.
With their Mom always there since they were born, Ailee said to her mother that they want to participate in those kind of competitions but –"
"Theycan't play because they don't have a PC to practice at home." Pagtatapos ni Charlie.
"Yan ang unang problema nila pero yun ang madaling parte, may computer shop sa labas ng subdivision nila and that is not an ordinary one. I don't know the name but it is infamous to where high betting game held there, Andrea will take them there everyday.
At first they are paying to rent computer, Andrea starting notice that her twins not begging money to play and stay longer day by day and she discover that the twins are starting to duel other players for lengthening their time to play to the point that they have both Premium VIP cards. The games they want to play at that time are Fighting games.
Andrea have to compromise with them to play until the sun comes down because the place was known dangerous to play there at night. Kuya Emilio was shocked by what he has discovered when he got home, even though he doubt at first then He personally go there and saw the people recognize the twins as the 'Sun Twins'. "
" 'Sun Twins'! ano yun? Parang silang Urban legends!" Halakhak niya kaya si Lorena ay napangiti sa kanya dahil yung bansag sa kanila ay parang anak sila ng chinese mafia. Nagsalita ulit si Charlie kahit na inuubo na siya kakatawa
"Di hamak na yan ang kataga sa kanilang dalawa, dahil sa araw lang sila nakikitang naglalaro."
"Yun ang karaniwang ideya pero ang totoo kung bakit ay makakalaro o makakalaban mo lang sila sa araw, kapag dumilim ay di mo mapipilit dahil nandoon na sila sa presinto naghihintay silang ihatid pauwi ng bahay. Gwardyado ika-nga." Namilog ang bibig ni Charlie.
"Kaya pala kilala sila ng buong baranggay, kapag kilala ka na ng presinto ay parang kilala ka na sa buong komunidad doon." Ang laki ng ngiti niya, naisip niyang nakakabilib din itong kambal ni Emil at Andrea.
"So ayun na nga; pumapasok sa umaga, naglalaro sa hapon, hinahatid ng mga pulis sa presinto pauwi ayon sa bilin ng tatay nila hanggang sa umabot sila ng grade 6 while going in competitive games around the philippines at minsan sa ibang bansa starting at age 6 but the game is not as popular as the current period now because of VR games even if it is broadcasted on internet."
"I think it is bad ganeration to play competitive in those kind of games because VR games offer tenfold of experience rather than playing in controller or gamestick."
"Yea, bata pa sila para maglaro pa sa neuralgear at tska mas madali daw matutunan kasi 1v1 kaysa naman sa Team video games that we saw on mainstream media and internet. Too many variables at play for them."
"bhe, naging okay naman din sila eh no. kahit na nagtratrabaho sa araw si Andrea at sa gabi ay nagbobonding sila sa gabi, it is not that bad actually even though Emil is not there all the time."
"Sa palagay ko oo, nasanay na lang sila kasi naintindihan nila kung anong klasing trabaho meron si Emil."
"After the accident that cause leaving their two children, why they are called 'Eclipse' now?" Napaisip siya dahil yun ang kinagisnan niyang bansag sa magkapatid mula nung nag – middle school sila hanggang college."
Nawala ng gana si Lorena at napapikit na lang ito para matulog, humikab na lang siya. "That's another story to tell, kahit nga ako ayaw kong pagusapan iyon pagkatapos kong nalaman ang kwento kay Ate."
"Really?" pinakiramdaman niya ang asawa na di niya na ipagpapatuloy ang kwento, pwera sa aksidente ng magulang ni Ailee at Alvin ay may mga nangyari pa kung bakit ganito na sila ngayon. "I guess, let's talk about it some other time." ngumiti siya sa kanya kahit nakapikit na ang mata ni Lorena.
"Yup, good night. Love you." She became gloomy as they sleep through the night.
"Love you too." Charlie spoon her as they are asleep, Charlie thinks that it is hard to tell even for her wife of what happened to them back then. He is just thankful that they grew up as amazing people, better than the wishes of their parents could hope for.