"You will be ours forever."
Those were the first words Shane said when Lesley asked what kind of deal they are offering her. Gusto niya itong tawanan hanggang sa ilatag nito ang kabuoan ng kasunduan nila.
"We will double your salary. We will provide all the health care you need. We will also give you educational assistance but you will still work here after you graduate. Marami ka pang benepisyong makukuha sa amin i-check mo na lang sa kontratang ibibigay ng assistant ko sa'yo mamaya."
Umawang ang labi niya at tumaas ang parehong kilay rito. Hindi siya makapaniwalang iniling ang ulo.
"Sa tingin mo, pagkatapos ng mga nalaman ko tatanggapin ko iyang inaalok n'yo?" Sininghalan niya ito. "Kahit bigyan mo pa ako ng isang milyon hinding hindi ko ibebenta ang kaluluwa ko sa inyo. Mga wala kayong puso! Mga mamamatay tao kayo! Isusumbong ko kayo sa mga pulis! "
Tinawanan lang nito ang sinabi niya. "You really know nothing, don't you? How do you think we got this far?" Mapang-asar ang tingin nito sa kaniya. "We own the government, honey. I am more powerful than the governor himself. And the founder, my father? The president couldn't even touch him," pagmamalaki nito.
Nanlumo siya sa narinig pero hindi niya iyon pinahalata. "Ano naman? Kahit totoo pa 'yang sinasabi mo, hindi pa rin ako papayag sa gusto n'yo," pagmamatigas niya kahit pa sa loob-loob niya ay pinanghinaan siya. How powerful are these people?
Tumaas ang isang kilay nito. "Did I not warn you that I don't take no for an answer?"
Pinaningkitan niya ito ng mata. "Wala akong pakialam."
Naalala niya ang sinabi ni Ernesto kanina bago ito mamatay. Escape this place while she have a chance and never believe Shane's words.
Tumaas ang pareho nitong kilay sa kaniya na may naghahamong tingin. "Do you really think you have a choice?" anito tapos ay nag-angat ng noo upang maliitin siya. "I am actually being kind to you. I would normally ask my people to kill you or confine you here and become my new guinea pig. But instead, I gave you a chance. You should be grateful."
She scoffed at her. "Mas gugustuhin ko pang mamatay."
Umirap ito at umiling. "How ignorant can you be? If I decide to kill you, I will include everyone you love. I checked you, Miss Madrigal. You are an outstanding dean's lister, a good sister, and a loving daughter. You have so much to lose. Does it not scare you?"
Nagdilim ang mukha niya rito at nagtagis ang bagang niya.
"Binabalaan kita. Huwag mong sasaktan ang pamilya ko!"
"Or what?" Nagdilim din ang mukha nito sa kaniya. "Nobody threatens me," saad nito sa malalim na boses at matalim na tingin. "I will kill everyone you love in front of you. And I will take and destroy every last good thing in your life until there is nothing left of you. You will beg me to kill you but I won't. I will make you my pet. And when I'm done making your life a living hell, I will put you up for an auction in the black market. And believe me, that's more horrible than death. You have no idea how cruel the world can be for weak girls like you."
Sa mga sandaling iyon, pakiramdam niya ay pinagtakloban siya ng langit at lupa. She can see madness in the eyes of Shane Nobles. Alam niyang tototohanin nito ang mga sinabi at kaya nito iyon gawin. Pero siya? What can a small, powerless and poor girl do?
She started to tremble. Kahit anong pigil niya, unti-unti na siyang nilalamon ng takot.
"Bakit n'yo ba ginagawa sa akin 'to?! Ano ba ang kasalanan ko sa inyo? Dahil ba marami na akong nakita at nalalaman? Wala naman akong pagsasabihan!"
"That's one of the reasons, but no, it's really not about that," sagot nito tapos ay naalala niyang binanggit nito si Bangs kanina.
"Dahil ba kay Bangs?"
Ngumiti ito. "Good. You're catching up."
"Ano ba talagang gusto n'yo sakin? Ano'ng kinalaman ni Bangs dito?"
"Well, ever since he met you, he became cooperative. Our job became easier because he's a lot more controllable. Do you know those drugs that we inject him? Those are for the experiment. The side effect is extreme violence kaya s'ya nakakadena. So we have to sedate him first before we can do whatever we want with him. But for some odd reason, he can control all those emotions for you. That's why I want you. You make him obedient and you make our job easier."
"So, kailangan n'yo ako para mapasunod s'ya at magawa ang lahat ng kasamaan na gusto n'yo kay Bangs? Gusto n'yo akong gamitin para kunin kung ano pang natitira sa pagkatao n'ya?" Marahas niyang iniling ang kaniyang ulo habang nanlilisik ang mga mata rito. "Kaibigan ko si Bangs! Hindi ko gagawin sa kan'ya 'yon!"
Kalmado itong tumayo at binuksan ang pinto.
"You don't have to answer now. Hindi naman ako nagmamadali. I'll give you a few days to think about it. I don't want to hear your buts. And again, I don't take no for an answer. You can leave now. Iaabot na lang sayo ng assistant ko iyong kontrata. Review it when you get home. And don't even think about escaping. I will have my men watch you and your family."
Iyon ang naging huling pag-uusap nila matapos ang naging insidente sa Ward 511. Kung pwede nga lang ay ayaw na niya itong makita at makausap muli. Ngunit narito na naman siya sa opisina nito at pinag-u-usapan ang parehong bagay. But this time, she was sent here because Bangs and her kissed. Shane was asking her how it happened. Why did they kiss? Pero wala siyang maisagot dito. Hindi rin niya alam.
"Have you thought about it?"
Tanong nito na pumutol sa malalim niyang pag-iisip.
Mahina siyang umiling. "Hindi ko pa rin talaga kayang sagutin iyong nangyari kanina. Hindi ko ma-explain paano 'yon nangyari."
"I know. You already said that. I'm talking about the deal. You haven't forgotten about it, have you?"
Malalim siyang huminga at ilang segundong natahimik.
"Paano ko iyon makakalimutan? It's do or die," walang gana niyang sagot.
Mahina itong tumawa tapos ay sumimsim ng kape.
"So, have you signed it?"
Umiling siya. "Nasa locker ko pa rin."
Bumuntong hininga ito at ibinaba ang tasa ng kape sa lamesang nasa harap nila tapos ay humalukipkip at tumingin sa kaniya.
"Last time, I told you how big your effect is to V-03. He acts and behaves differently ever since he met you. Then for the first time in eighteen years, he was horny!" Bigla itong tumawa habang iniiling pa ang ulo. "My little monster who only thinks about killing now thinks about sex! Can you believe that? Sana nandoon rin ako kanina para nakita ko rin. Sayang. That's so epic! Was it good?"
Hindi niya ito sinagot pero namula ang mukha niya sa sobrang hiya. Pero totoo naman. Naramdaman niya ang pagkabuhay ng pagkalalaki ni Bangs habang naghahalikan sila at magkadikit ang mga katawan nila. Tila umakyat ang lahat ng dugo niya sa mukha at nangamatis ang maputi niyang balat.
"Who would have thought that he is still that same playboy in highschool. Imagine my surprise when Kali told me you kissed. Akalain mo, after all these years of being insane, Kieran Lanz Kingsley is still a fucking jerk. Muntik pa akong magka-crush sa kan'ya noon. Eww."
Para siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig at namimilog ang mga matang napatingin sa mukha ni Shane. She just mentioned Bangs' real name. But what does she mean by the same playboy in highschool and Shane almost having a crush on him? Shane looks like she is around her forties and Bangs looks like the same age as her, eighteen. Paano silang naging magkaklase sa highschool? Ilang taon na ba si Bangs? And why does she feel pain in her chest?
"Anyway, that's not the most important thing that happened today," pagpapatuloy nito. "His eyes changed color. Alam mo ba ang ibig sabihin noon? He is finally mutating to the next level. Do you know how long we have waited for that? We have been experimenting on him for almost two decades but the results are always different. But now? We are advancing. And that's because of you. He is MNA's biggest and ultimate project. My father, more than anything else, wants this done."
Tumiim ang panga nito at tumalim ang tingin sa kaniya.
"So, now you understand why I want you. He is my biggest project and I will never let both of you go. Over my dead body."
Her heart clenched. She felt hopeless as she look into the eyes of Shane Nobles. She sees nothing but madness and obsession. She realized she have no way out of this. It is a dead-end. She has no options. Namuo ang luha sa mga mata niya. She does not know what to say. She does not know what to do. But she knows she is damned in this hell.