Chapter 22

I've been in different high class casinos, played with numbers of gambling lords, seduced them by just playing my eyes, biting my lips and showing a part of my skin. This is how a hummingbird existed, but tonight the pressure and tension inside this huge room hearing the noise of the poker chips is one of the toughest situations I have ever encountered.

In my previous missions, I can easily calm myself down, can easily play the tone of the game and can fly like a hummingbird dancing with the air. But everything right now is something unusual, plus the fact that these people around us are considered as one of the high end gambling lords with best men and securities.

Umiikot ang aking mga mata. Most men are wearing black tux and yes, armed. Isang maling galaw lamang ay alam kong magkakaroon ng mainit na gulo.

We should make our move safe and clean, dahil kaming tatlo ang mapapatay ng di oras.

I wonder if Armando prepared backups, hindi ko nakitang naging abala ng nakaraang araw si Tristan para sa misyong ito. He's too busy playing with me.

Bahagya kaming nagkatitigan ni Alexis, he's acting as Gray's security guard. Alam kong kanina pang mainit ang kanilang mga mata ni Armando sa isa't isa. Just like Tristan and Gray.

While their new hummingbird? She's busy snaking her body with Gray, na parang wala itong pakialam sa nangyayari.

Is she a simple call girl? O alam nito ang totoong sitwasyon?

There are four players, Tristan aka Mr. Stanley John Sandoval, son of one of the largest food distributors here in the Philippines with branches from China, Indonesia, China, Malaysia—yeah many more. Kasama na ang mga illegal.

Since this is the first time that Mr. Sandoval accepted the invitation and he seldom attends to different business gatherings, it's easy for us to take his place. Lalo na at sanay ang Sous L'eau laruin ang pagkatao ng iba't ibang personalidad lalo ang mga negosyante sa black market.

Armando cleaned all the possible mess, siguro bago pa malaman ng mga kalaban namin na hindi si Tristan ang totoong Stanley Sandoval ay nanakaw na namin ang alahas na kailangan namin.

Nakaupo ako sa tabi ni Tristan katulad nang ibang babaeng nakapulupot sa kanilang mga amo. The moment my eyes touches the jewel, my right hand went unconsciously on his legs.

My hummingbird instinct immediately turned on. Siguro ay nasanay na talaga ang mga mata kong tumingin ng iba't ibang alahas kung totoo ba ito o hindi.

While scanning the jewel, I unconsciously move my right hand upward. Damn it. It's legit. My hands urgency to snatch the jewel around his neck is damn heating. Hindi na ako makapaghintay na hablutin at hawakan ito.

Well, the collections of jewels are my life. Dahil may sinumpaan ako sa isang taong kukumpletuhin ko ito, kahit anong mangyari.

The hummingbird will claim it, definitely.

Nawala ang paninitig ko sa kwintas ni Mr. Orias nang maramdaman kong mas lumapit sa akin si Tristan, and he whispered something.

"Hey call girl..not there, it's my jewel." Nagtaasan ang mga balahibo ko nang marahan nitong kagatin ang tenga ko.

Huli na nang maramdaman ko kung saan na pala nakalagay ang kamay ko.

"Oh," inihiwalay ko ang kamay ko kasabay ng pagbubuga ni Tristan ng usok.

"Good girl,"

Sa halip na pagtuunan ng pansin ang kwintas ay muli kong pinaglandas ang mata ko sa grupo nila Gray.

Mr. David George Madrigal and yeah it's Gray. According to what I have studied before this mission, Madrigal is an active exporter of cigarettes, drugs and marihuana. His clients are those millionaire from different countries, not just in Asia.

The two remaining players are Mr. Menreal and Mr. Orias, they are both big heads in world of guns. Silang dalawa ang isa pinaka magagaling sa bentahan ng mga baril na nanatiling hindi nahuhuli sa asya. Sinabi sa akin ni Tristan noon na matagal na nilang hinuhuli ang mga ito, pero talaga magagaling at mailap.

It could be hitting two birds with one stone. I'll get the jewel and Tristan and Armando will pursue these lords.

Nagsimula na ang labanan sa pagitan ng mga gambling lords. Umakbay sa akin si Tristan habang ipinamimigay ang baraha. Habang abala ang lahat sa panunuod ng laro ay nagsisimula na akong magbilang ng aming mga kalaban.

From Gray's team, we got three but I am sure Bryce and Dhaywill is somewhere around this hotel.

Mr. Menreal got six of his men, he could have a sniper somewhere. While Mr. Orias got eight men. All in all we could have almost twenty enemies. At tatlo lamang kami, ngayon ko napagtanto na napakalakas pala talaga ng loob nitong si Tristan at Armando.

Nanuod lang ako ng laro at pansin ko na nanalo si Tristan. Inihilig ko ang sarili ko sa kanya at bumulong ako dito.

"I'll get you some drinks, what do you want?"

"Martini baby.."

"Alright,"

Tumayo na ako at nagsimula akong magtungo sa bar. I didn't count the two bartenders, hindi ko alam kung sino sa mga gambling lords ang may hawak sa kanila. Well, I can easily identify if they did mix something with Tristan's drink.

Lasunin na nila lahat, but not my sexy gambling lord.

"Two glasses of dirty martini, please." Hindi na ako umupo sa high chair.

But I made sure that I was standing seductively while leaning at the bar counter. Come on gentlemen, stare. My gambling lord will kill you.

Hindi pa man nakakatapos ang bartender ay may boses na akong narinig. Gray's call girl. Naupo siya sa high chair.

"Vodka Martini please," lumingon ito sa akin at pinagtaasan ako ng kilay.

"How are you, Lina?"

"Do I know you?" I asked her.

"Well, yes?"

Nang ilapag na ng bartender ang martini ay kukuhanin ko na sana ito nang iharang ng call girl ni Gray ang kanyang kamay.

"Wanna talk for a while? It's a gentlemen game, we should let them be."

Tuluyan ko nang iniharap ang sarili ko sa kanya.

"What do you want?"

"Just sit and we'll talk about it." Lumingon muna ako kay Tristan. He's looking at me. At agad kong nababasa sa kanyang mga mata na gusto na niya akong bumalik sa tabi niya.

But this woman keeps on insisting. Wala akong nagawa at umupo na rin ako. Katulad niya ay sumimsim muna ako ng martini.

"So, what do you want from me? Why you even helped Gray's team? Alam mo ba ang ginagawa mo? Kilala mo ba ang mga binabangga mo?" Muling tumaas ang kilay nito sa akin.

"I've been living in this kind of society since I was a teenager, you should change your question hummingbird. It should be, are they aware who is this call girl they are playing with? Gray's ace card isn't on that table, I am his best card."

"So are telling me that we should be aware about you, instead of Gray?"

"No, all I want to ask is what the hell happened? Bakit magkalaban na naman ang dalawang 'yan? I thought everything was fine, all cut ties. And then, I just found out that you're alive and here we are again. Nagpapatayan na naman sila. Do you think you can fool me? You already have your memories, Satchel. Kung nabibilog mo sila, hindi ako."

"What?"

"I thought everything was peaceful, sawang-sawa na ako sa away ng dalawang 'yan dahil sa'yo. Why you even tried sticking with Gray? What's your game? Umasa ang gago."

Sumulyap ako sa mga bartender, kapwa ang mga itong abala sa kanilang mga nagagawa. Mabuti na lamang at mahina ang boses ng call girl na kausap ko.

"Hindi ko alam ang sinasabi mo." Hindi ko kailangang magpaliwanag sa kanya.

Who is she, by the way? Bakit kung makapagsalita ito ay parang kilalang-kilala niya si Tristan at Gray?

"Come on, I promised myself that I won't stick my nose with these two assholes. But here we go again. Just with a single woman."

"Who are you?"

"I was just their teammate or friend? But everything was wrecked because of you. Soon, I'll find out your plots hummingbird. Goodluck to your team." Nauna na itong umalis sa akin.

I'm starting to hate her. Bumalik na rin ako sa tabi ni Tristan.

"What took you so long? What did she tell you?"

"Nothing,"

Bumalik na ang atensyon namin sa laro.

"Witnessed chips exchange we enter the final phase of the game. The big blinds is now 5 million dollars,"

Ilang beses akong napalunok. Five fucking million dollars.

"Four players,"

Apat na baraha ang nakalatag. Ace of hearts, spade of eight, six and four.

"Raise your bet,"

"Check," agad na sabi ni Tristan.

"Check," sinundan ni Mr. Orias

"Check," ganito rin ang sagot ni Mr. Menreal at Gray.

"All check, four players." Seryosong sabi ng bangka.

Naglagay ito ng baraha sa nakalatag, Ace of Spades.

"Check," muling sabi ni Tristan.

"All in, 8 million." Sabi ni Mr. Orias.

"All in, 10 million." Sabi ni Mr. Menreal.

"Raise, 15 million." Mariing tumitig si Gray kay Tristan. Damn this pressure.

"25 million, all in." Halos magsinghapan ang lahat sa sinabi ni Tristan.

Oh god, I never thought that he's too good with this game.

"Call, 65 million" sagot ni Gray. Kahit ang babaeng katabi nito ay nagulat.

What the hell?

"Gentlemen,"

Nagsisimula nang ipakita ang mga baraha. Flast ace king and queen was from Mr. Orias, while Mr. Menreal is a full house of eights. While Gray got the higher full house, eights full of six ace.

Sabay ngumisi si Gray at ang call girl nito. Damn it, they got the good cards. Hindi ko pa nasisilip ang baraha ni Tristan.

"Mr. Sandoval,"

Tristan opened his cards. Five and seven of spades, giving a straight flash. It was the highest hand.

Tumaas ang kilay ko kasabay nang paghaplos sa braso ni Tristan. Well played, but this game is ours.

Nagpalakpakan ang ilan dahil sa laro.

We're just waiting for an abrupt turning off the lights. Pero lahat kami ay nagulat nang biglang sumubsob ang mukha ni Mr. Menreal sa lamesa at bumula ang bibig nito.

Someone poisoned him!

Everyone was triggered and got alerted. Nagtayuan kaming lahat at halos sabay-sabay naming inilabas ang aming mga nakatagong baril.

Armando got two guns on his hand. Magkatutukan si Gray at Tristan, the call girl is pointing her gun on me. Habang lahat ng mga tauhan ng dalawang gambling lords ay nakatutok ang mga baril sa amin.

I can even see red lasers with some of Mr. Menreal an Orias men.

"Gentlemen, this is the first unit commander of Sous L'eau agency, we implanted explosive nanochips in every of your suit, try me and you'll definitely explode."

Kasabay nang sinabi ni Tristan ay ang pagsabog ng katawan ng isa sa tauhan ni Mr. Menreal.

Ngumisi ito sa lahat.

"Who else?"

--

VentreCanard