*Adelaide Sheridan*
I was sitting on a bench under an umbrella tree located in the Pentagon's backyard while having a can of beer.
I've been thinking of what Conde and Crisostomo told me. Someone's trying to kill me? Who? The senator or the state's secretary? Or maybe both of them. But why?
I think I need to deduce the given puzzle. Deducing a crime needs analytical theories like what Conde and Crisostomo did, they almost convinced me of the crime but still they're lacking of reasons and that's what I need to fill in to prove their deductions.
So let's start the theory, if it's Morales what would be his reason? Was it about my betrayal? That would be a very light reason for me to be killed. Una sa lahat, hindi ko siya trinaydor dahil pareho lang naman kami ng agenda nung mga panahon na yun at kung gusto niya kong patayin dahil dun hindi na sana lumipas ang anim na taon. Masyado yung matagal para sa execution ng plano. At kung gusto niya nga akong ipapatay bakit gagamit pa siya ng tabing? Why would he use Senator Respicio if he's more powerful than him? He's capable of doing a crime alone the fact that I'm just a mere agent. And what would be the good reason of the senator for doing it? In order to kill an ordinary agent he would make a stage and allow to involve his own daughter? See? It's all absurd!
I took a sip of my beer, it's like a fuel that makes my brain work.
"Do you really enjoy being alone?" I was interrupted by someone. I looked up to see who's interrupting my brainstorming. It was Marque.
"Yes! So back off." I commanded but instead of going away he sat down beside me.
"Hindi rin ako makatulog. Hindi naman siguro masamang tumambay dito di ba?" he asked. I'll just allow him to stay than making arguments. I've had enough for this day and I just wanted to solve the puzzle that those two left in me.
I felt a strange stare from him so I decided to face him.
"What? Want this?" I said as I offered the beer in my hand.
"I should go get one for me." he said as he stood up.
"Huwag kang aalis, antayin mo ko." he said as he leave.
The guys here are weird. I don't mind their entire existence in this house since we're a team but they do have something in common and that is they all want to mess with me when I'm alone.
"Are you waiting for Allen?" Speaking of the weirdos, here comes their leader.
Tulad ng ginawa ni Marque umupo din siya sa tabi ko at binuksan ang beer na dala niya.
"Can I ask you?" he started.
"Hindi ka pa ba kuntento sa interrogation niyo sakin kanina?" I asked back. Tuwing magkasama kami ni Conde palagi siyang may tanong!
"Why did you betray them?" he asked.
"Kahit ano ang i sagot ko tatanggapin mo?" tanong ko ulit sa kanya.
"I need an honest response," he said as he sipped his beer.
"Okay, to be honest? gusto ko lang." sagot ko. He stopped sipping his beer and looked at me right away.
"That's it? Be more specific Adelaide!" he seriously said. It's like he's yelling at me.
"That's the most specific answer I can give." I said. I don't want him digging into my personal matters. As far as I recall I'm a very private and slightly introverted person.
"Huh! And you're making this a big joke?" he sounds disappointed.
"What? Should I make a big deal out of it?" I rebated him.
"Does your life even matter to you?" he asked. He looked at me with pity on his face. Why is this guy always good at annoying me?
"If I die on duty that would be an honour." I said.
"Don't you have a family? Wala bang nagmamahal sayo?" he again asked me and this time he looked different. He looks like he is pitying me and that's annoying.
A family? I've had it for a long time. Long enough to forget what it feels like to have one.
Nagmamahal? May magmamahal pa ba sa tulad ko? The last time it happened he died.
"Do you think I would be in this job if I had those things?" I asked him, and finally seized the last drop of my beer.
He suddenly pulled my hand, which shocked me and slipped the can out of my hand.
"What do you think you're doing?" I asked him sarcastically. How dare he pull my hand and spill my beer?!
"I'm going to do the same!" he said as he stared at me. "I'll be in your head too." he continued and before I could utter a word he grabbed my collar and did something horrible to me!
It didn't sink in for a while and it took me a second or two before I realized what happened. He sealed his lips on mine.
I immediately pushed him away from me and forcefully slapped his left cheek. He smirked while I'm disgustingly looking at him.
"Was that your first time?" he teasingly asked.
"Are you having fun? Are you that jerk to do that? What were you even thinking?" Sunud-sunod na tanong ko sa kanya. Gustung gusto ko na siyang ibaon sa lupa!
"I told you I'll do the same."
"What exactly are you talking about??" I asked and restrained myself from killing this man.
"See? That's how I feel when you don't answer my question honestly and specifically." he uttered.
Napakunot noo ako sa sinabi niya. What a freaking jerk.
"Don't ever dare talk to me!" I said and walked away from him.
"Hey where are you going?" Allen said nung nakasalubong niya ako. Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at dumiretso na ko sa loob ng kwarto kung saan naabutan ko si Demeter na natutulog na.
Napaupo ako sa kama ko at hinintay na humupa ang emosyon ko. Kung hindi lang ako nakapag timpi ay baka hinukay ko na si Conde sa lupa.
My phone rang for a moment, not a call but a reminder. I saw a memo on my screen as I swipe the alarm off.
"Three days before his birthday." I mumbled to myself.
It's now three days before his date of birth. I sighed as I recalled his first and last birthday with me.
"I want to be yours."
I've heard his voice at the back of my mind. I close my eyes for a while to seize the silence.
I decided to lay down but the thoughts are still lingering on my mind.
"I'm going to do the same."
"I'll be in your head too."
"Was that your first time?"
Napabalikwas ako nung sumagi yun bigla sa isip ko.
"Damn that weirdo!" I hissed.
Maya maya ay gumalaw ang natutulog ng si Demeter at humarap sakin habang nakapikit pa ang mga mata.
"Are you cursing on me?" inaantok at humihikab niyang tanong sakin.
"No, sorry." I said as I rested on my bed.
Humanda sakin ang Conde na yan. Habang nakahiga ako hindi maiwasang maalala ang araw na yun.
We're sitting under an old oak tree where I can see a pond and a pavilion 50 meters away from me. There's a carpet resting on a vast Bermuda grass and a basket filled with bread, butter and even fruits.
"Don't you have a birthday cake for me?" he asked. Hindi ko alam kung anong ginagawa ko rito, ang alam ko lang ay ipinatawag niya ko upang bantayan siya ipinagdiriwang niya ang kanyang ika dalawampu't anim na kaarawan. Bukod sa engrandeng handaan na gaganapin sa mga susunod na araw ay naging tradisyon na ata niya ang pagpipicnic sa tabi ng pond. Marami kasi akong nakitang litrato niya sa library na dito sa lugar na ito kinunan.
"Gift? Wala ka rin nun?" tanong niya ulit sakin nung mainip siyang maghintay sa sagot ko sa una niyang tanong.
"Forgive me your majesty, I have no idea that it was your birthday today." I answered. Ngumiti siya sakin at tsaka siya kumuha ng dalawang mansanas sa loob ng basket. Ibinato niya ang isa sa akin na kaagad ko namang sinalo.
"Don't you think it's nice to be here?" he asked me.
"Yes your majesty." I answered.
"Quit the honorific. Roby, yun ang itawag mo sa akin. I would be glad to hear it from you." he said.
Hindi ko alam kung mabait siya o talagang playboy lang ang isang 'to. Dahil siguro prinsipe kaya kung umasta eh pag aari niya lahat ng tao.
"That would be very disrespectful to the palace." I said. Ngumiti ulit siya sakin bago ulit nagtanong.
"Did you know that I like you?" he frankly asked.
I wanted to roll my eyes and walk away from this so-called Prince but I remained calm and quiet.
"Gusto mong malaman kung ano ang isa sa mga hiling ko?" he asked. I sighed as I uttered a word.
"Ano po?" tanong ko sa kanya. Siyempre hindi ko siya pwedeng dedmahin. Pero honestly, gusto ko na siyang saktan.
"I want to be yours,"he said as he took a bite on his apple.
"Please help yourself. Huwag kang mag alala walang lason yan." tukoy niya sa mansanas na hawak ko. Kung pwede ko lang ibato sayo to!
Hindi na lang ako umimik at kunwari ay natutuwa na kinagat ang mansanas na hawak ko.
Naisip ko lang, both Conde and the Prince gave me the same kind of vibes. They're both annoying and disgusting.
Well if I knew that it was his last picnic on the pond I should have treated him well. I feel sorry for him. He always smiled and made a strong impression with everybody but his eyes were lonely.
He may be an annoyance but I can't deny the fact that he's a good person. He became a good friend of mine even though all I thought about him was a way to eliminate him.
I hope he knew that for once I became real to him. Rest in peace your highness, I still cherish those memories I've had with you and I miss you.
***
I was standing in front of a huge wooden door. I hear my parents yelling at each other, I clearly heard the sharp words as if cutting into my young mind. I don't know what turned them into this, they were once a loving and perfect couple. I admire them the most because they always taught me to be a good person. My mother was the sweetest and father was the most understanding man in the household. Ever since that man came in the picture they became like this. Last week the man in the fancy limousine came with his son, he was my father's friend and employer. I still remember the look on his face when he saw me playing with his son at the library. He called out his son's name and warned him not to go anywhere far from the guard's sight.
Napaisip ako noon kung anong ginawa kong mali? Halata ko kasi sa mukha niya na ayaw niya akong makipaglaro sa anak niya. Matapos nga ang araw na yun walang gabing hindi ko narinig ang pag aaway ng mga magulang ko.
I was about to knock on the door when I saw my mom standing in front of me. Her eyes were sad and full of tears. She immediately grabbed my wrist before my father could.
"I won't let you take my child away from me! She's not going anywhere!" My mom told him.
"This is for her own good! We can't protect her here! Soon they'll find us and will both kill us!" My father furiously said as he attempted to get me but my mom wrapped her arms on me.
"Why would I entrust my daughter to them? You should be afraid of them! We're in great danger because of that family!" my mom hissed.
"I can't protect both of our lives but I'll make sure that Laide is an exemption." my father calmly said despite the agony they have.
I may be too young to understand the adults' conversation but they are my parents and I know that this time our family is falling apart.
Before my mother could utter another word we heard loud shots at the main door.
***
After the tragedy that happened to me I grew up in an orphanage where Inspector Guevara sent me. I still remember his words back then.
"Hindi ka na dapat umiyak sa mga nangyari, use your pain to be a successful person someday. And when that time comes I will allow you to crash the people who wrecked your family."
And that is the only reason for my existence. It's the only motivation I've had all over the years, not until another tragedy passed me. Rob's death was the turning point in my life. It restrained me from being the monster whom I was supposed to become. It led me to who I am today, the Adelaide who doesn't seek revenge but justice. Justice for the people who were once destroyed by society.
"Good morning Ady!" Demeter said as she opened her eyes and saw me sitting on my bed having a long stare at the air.
"Morning." I coldly replied. She began to do stretching in her bed.
"You wanna work out with me?" she asked, she caught me staring at her.
"I wanna jog outside." I said, she smiled and gave me a thumbs up.
We decided to jog at the Pentagon's perimeter, the lot area can excessively be used for the members' physical activities.
"Are you fond of fitness activities?" Demeter asked in her panting.
"Nope, I just really need exercise. Ikaw? Do you like to be perfectly shaped?" tanong ko rin sa kanya.
"Syempre oo, makakatulong kaya ang pagiging physically fit sa mental health ng tao." she answered.
After 20 minutes of jogging we stopped by at the benches near the garden. We saw the guys practicing their shooting skills with watermelon as their target.
"Sayang naman yang watermelon, alam ba nilang maganda yan sa diet?" dinig kong angal ni Demeter.
"You and your obsessions of fitness." I murmured. We both looked at each other then she laughed.
"Akala ko nung una hindi ka marunong mag jokes. Nakakatakot ka kaya." she opened up.
"Sorry, medyo introvert lang talaga ako." I explained.
"I should be the one to say sorry, I judge you in distance without making an effort to get to know you better. My bad, I'm sorry Adelaide." she said, sounding so apologetic.
"It's okay, we're good." I uttered.
Matapos ang ilang shots sa watermelon napalingon samin si Crisostomo. Inaasahan kong ngingiti at kakaway siya tulad ng palagi niyang ginagawa but instead of doing that ibinalik niya ang atensyon sa watermelon at saka nagpakawala ng mga putok.
May galit ba sakin yun? Ano namang ikagagalit niya? Oh well maybe he's just too focus on what he's doing.
"How arrogant." I heard Demeter murmured so I looked at her.
"Ano kamo?" tanong ko upang linawin kung tama ba yung dinig ko. Her eyes were staring at the improvised shooting range made by the guys before she turned her head and met my gaze.
"Huh? Nothing. Don't mind me." she said as she chuckled a little to hide whatever issues she had.
"Okay." pag kibit balikat ko. Hindi naman siguro ako yun, sa kanila siya nakatingin malamang isa sa kanila ang arogante. Bahagya akong napalingon ulit sa tatlo na kasalukuyang nag papaligsahan sa pagbaril, hindi sinasadyang napalingon ako kay Conde.
"Jerk." I murmured as I recalled what he did to me last night.
"Jerk? Who?" Demeter uttered after she accidentally heard me. Nilingon ko lang din siya at nginitian.
"Wala, don't mind me." I answered.
****
AN: hey guys hope you like it 😉 well this chapter will have a continuation entitled (12.5) The Betrayal. Ano? Itutuloy ko pa ba to? 🤣😂. May hunch na ba kayo sa magiging takbo nito hanggang huli? 🤔