THIRD PERSON

Sa loob ng isang linggo, ito na ang pangatlong beses na pagdalaw niya sa psychiatrist. Sa bawat araw na nagdadaan ay tila mababaliw na siya kakaisip dito. Everywhere he goes, whatever he does, and even on his sleep—he sees that woman. He thinks it wasn't healthy, and although people may romanticized love obsession in fiction, it's definitely not good in real life. It will only make him become a creep. That's why he immediately went to therapy as soon as he felt the symptoms.

Paglabas niya ng pinto ng opisina ng doktor ay kaagad siyang sinalubong ni Keegan. "That better be a good news." Pangunguna niya rito habang inaayos ang kwelyo ng longsleeves na suot niya.

"The Federation members have finally decided on the location for the Parliament." He nodded his head as both of them stepped into the elevator. Keegan pressed the top floor button. "Where?" He asked, his voice brimming with eager anticipation.

"Fortunately, one of them is also in the Philippines. The rest were in India and Malaysia." He answered and paused while fixing the collar of his suit. "So they picked the location on an island in Sabtang Lighthouse." Mabilis na napatingin sa relo ang binata. That's an island somewhere in Batanes.

"What time? I will be meeting my in-laws in the afternoon," Kage expressed, his voice tinged with concern. He knew he would not attend the Parliament if the time collided with his private life, a decision that could strain his relationship with his in-laws, who he deeply respected.

"No worries, sire. You will arrive on time and will have no trouble meeting with your in-laws, " Keegan assured him, sensing the tension in Kage's voice and wanting to alleviate his concerns.

When they reached the rooftop of the hospital building, Keegan opened the door. There was a chopper waiting for them.

Sa kabilang banda, may binatang naka McLaren na naka-park sa NAIA Terminal 2 habang hinihintay ang pasahero niyang nag-book ng Grab taxi. "Hello? Kuya nasaan na po kayo?" Rinig niyang tanong ng babae sa kabilang linya.

"Habibti, I am in front of you." Kumunot ang noo ng babae nang makitang wala namang makitang taxi sa harapan niya. All she sees was a damn expensive car.

"Po?" Naguguluhang tanong nito sa sarili.

The man chuckled. Lumabas ito ng kotse upang harapin ang pasahero sa tapat ng sasakyan niya. He gave her a smile and opened the passenger seat for her. In shock, the woman covered her mouth with her hands. Ang iba namang mga tao sa departure area na napapadaan at walang alam sa nangyayari ay nagtutulakan sa kilig. Some of them were even taking pictures and videos.

So, from what they see, there's this unfairly hot dude wearing just a plain white tee and cargo pants, picking up his girlfriend at the airport. No way anyone's going to believe he's just a Grab Driver.

Confused, the woman still entered the car. Ilang beses na niya ni-check kung tama ba ang Grab app niya at hindi naman siya nagkamali sa pag-book. "PITx, madam?" Alanganin na tumango ang babae. Napakagat na lang ito ng ibabang bahagi ng labi dahil aminin niya man o hindi ay pakiramdam niya lulubog na siya sa hiya at puputok na ang mukha niya sa pangangamatis dahil sa intinsidad nito makatitig sa kanya.

A few minutes later, his phone rang. Pinindot niya ang earphones niya upang sagutin ito bago lumiko pakaliwa upang sumingit sa daan dahil sa traffic. "Al sayid, you only have an hour to proceed to the Parliament." He heard his attendant reminding him of his meeting today.

"I'm at work. I will be there." He replied shortly before ending the call. He works as a part-time Food Panda delivery boy and a Grab taxi driver. This seemingly ordinary job conceals his true identity and purpose, a mystery that intrigues his employers.

In India, a mysterious figure sat on the corner of a grimy street, his presence almost blending into the squalor. His curly brown hair, seemingly untouched by water for weeks, framed a face dry and moistened by the dirt. Even his old, unwashed clothes made him look like a homeless man who hadn't eaten for days.

"Hi, can I borrow your phone?" He asked a young woman. She raised an eyebrow and avoided him with disgust on her face.

He tried to approach a man. Hindi pa man siya nakakalapit ng tuluyan dito ay nilayuan na siya na para bang may nakakahawa siyang sakit. Well, he can't blame them, he probably smelled bad. They will never trust him because of how he looks. Baka nasa isip nila ay matapos sila magpahiram ng phone ay itatakbo niya ito. But he really needs a phone right now.

"Get away, dirty man!" Pagtataboy pa sa kanya ng isang matandang lalaki.

Sitting at the corner of the bus stop, a sense of frustration washed over him as he contemplated the life choices that had led him to this moment. He questioned why he hadn't kept a penny with him before embarking on his experiment of living as a poor man on the streets.

"Hello!" He looks up. He saw a child smiling at him. "Do you need to call someone?" The little kid waved his smartphone in front of his face.

"You can use mine! My mother taught me to always help unfortunate ones!" Masigla nitong sabi sa kanya. He handed him his phone.

He patted the child's head. His phone model was not as updated in this generation. His clothes were simple, yet he could tell this child was rich in love and compassion. And so, he thanked him and dialed a number.

Matapos ng ilang minuto ay may naglilinyahang sasakyan ang pumarada sa kalsada sa tapat ng bus station kung saan siya nakaupo. Nangunguna sa mga ito ay isang Mercedez benz. May lumabas doong isang binata na naka formal suit at ang mga tao ay nagulat nang bigla itong tumigil sa tapat ng isang pulubi upang magbigay galang.

"You look like shit." Pangwawalangya pa nito sa kanya. Instead of feeling insulted, the homeless man laughed. He does look like shit.

"Hey, did you remember to bring cash with you?" His right-hand man nodded confidently. Of course, how could he forget the one thing he always needs to have on hand?

"Give this child a bundle of money and bring him home." Nanlaki sa gulat ang mata ng mga taong nakapaligid nang makitang bigyan ang bata ng makapal na buddle ng pera ng dolyar.

Their eyes must be deceiving them. A homeless man has these luxury cars and money. Ang mga taong sinubukan niyang lapitan upang manghiram ng phone kanina ay biglang nanghinayang. Kung sana ay hindi nila hinusgahan ang hitsura at intensyon nito, sila sana ang makakatanggap ng pera.

"I've set your accommodations to. . ." Ngumiwi ang lalaki matapos makalanghap ng masamang amoy sa amo niya. "I know, just shut up. I'll get my self cleaned." He cutted off before entering a million dollar car.

"How many hours do we have before the Parliament?" Tanong nito matapos amoyin ang sarili. Amoy imbornal nga siya.

"Two hours." Sagot ng kasama niya.

He sat with his arms tightly crossed, exhaling a heavy sigh. It was unfortunate that this had come to an end. A month ago, he pretended to be a deranged maniac and spent his days in a mental hospital just to experience how it feels living there. A few weeks ago, he went to Antarctica and almost died trying to survive alone. And now, he went to India to live as a poor man in the streets. He's got a few screws loose in the head.

Meanwhile, a shirtless man in a jumper suit casually fixed a car's engine in Malaysia. Maraming nakalinyang sasakyan dito upang magpaayos pero kapansin-pansin na ang may-ari ng mga sasakyang iyon ay mga babae. Their eyes were fixated on his imposing muscular frame and his strikingly handsome face, unable to look away.

Inaabot sa point na kahit walang sira ang sasakyan nila ay ginagawan nila ito ng sira para lang makita ang mekaniko. A mechanic can't be this handsome, he should be a model.

"Ma'am, your car is fixed." Pagpapaalam niya sa may-ari ng range rover na sasakyan.

"Is that so? Do I need to change the oil?" He gazed at her, slowly wiping the sweat from his forehead using a face towel on his neck. Mas lalong nanubig ang bagang ng babaeng kaharap niya dahil sa ginawa nito.

"No need, ma'am. You're good to go." He being this respectful towards her makes her want to rail him.

"Can you fix me? I think I need a fixing tonight." She whispered seductively. He tilts his head. Those words are not new to him. About fifteen women would ask him to meet privately within a day and mess around.

"I'm sorry, but it's past my working hours," he said firmly. "I don't think a simple mechanic like myself could assist someone as remarkable as you." As he removed his rubber gloves, he delicately used his teeth while keeping his gaze fixed on the intriguing woman before him.

"But if you need a psychiatrist, I can recommend a doctor." He offered, shaking her off.

"No, I need—" He cut her off by walking past her.

"Ladies, I apologize. The shop will be closing early. I have an errand to take care of." Imbis makinig ay nakatitig lang ang mga ito sa abs niya at sa matipuno niyang braso na nagmamalaki sa kanila.

Oh, to be headlock by those arms, to be gripped by those big veiny hands, and hug those pack of abs—heaven.

Nang talikuran niya ang mga kababaihan ay biglang nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi niya. He entered his private garage to gather his belongings. Before inputting the codes to enhance his security and shutting down his laptop's operating systems, he took the precaution of altering his IP address.

Why'd he do it? Just to hide who he was after breaking into a bank's security system for fun. Now, the Malaysian Government and the World Bank are probably freaking out trying to track down billions of dollars that vanished from their accounts.

"Ah, will I make it?" He hummed, staring at the wall clock. Even in a private jet, it will take hours for him to arrive at the meeting place. But he will try his best to be there on time.

ೃ⁀✈.ೃ⁀✈.ೃ⁀✈.

The room was enveloped in a dim, moody ambiance, with only a faint glimmer of light piercing through the underground facility beneath the lighthouse. Despite the early morning hour, the space was illuminated solely by a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow.

Four men were seated around the circular table at the center of the room, their features hazed by light and darkness, creating an air of mystery and intrigue.

The Quartet Federation is governed by a unique structure, with four powerful mafia families operating globally. This organization stands apart from others due to its adoption of the Diamond Hierarchy, a system in which the four leaders hold equal standing and authority. This unconventional approach ensures that no individual holds superiority over the others, with their powers rotating akin to the facets of a diamond.

The air was thick with an oppressive silence, stretching for what felt like an eternity. Not a word had passed between them for several long, tense minutes. Their unyielding gazes locked like predators in a jungle as if in a deadly game of survival, each waiting for the other to make the first move and unleash a ferocious attack.

"What's with the gloomy faces? Hindi pa ba kayo kinain?" Mariin na napapikit ng mata si Kage dahil sa narinig na iwinika ng binatang kaharap niya.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Yulan Torrence is his name. Siya yung galing sa India na nagpanggap na pulubi. He takes charge of Australia and Africa, and although he knows various languages, he can't perfect Tagalog.

"It's 'hindi pa ba kayo kumain', Yul. Not kinain!" Zeeshan Al-Hadid stressed out, a half-Arabic and half-American dude sitting beside him. He is responsible for overseeing operations in North and South America. However, his recent activities in the Philippines as a delivery boy and taxi driver taught him about their language better than Yulan.

Yul squinted his eyes at him, annoyed at his attempt to correct him. "And for a record, yes, kinain na ako!" Zee stopped mid-way, realizing what he just said.

"I mean, I already ate!"

Yul gave him a sarcastic look. "Your suffering from hunger is utterly irrelevant to me." He retorted sharply.

"At least I don't pretend to be a homeless beggar on the street like some shitty social experiment just because I was freaking bored." Zee countered, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Quite a statement from someone who practically forced his employer to hire him as a driver and delivery guy without a damn payment!" Pabalang nitong sagot pabalik sa kanya.

"Well, gentlemen, let's set the bickering aside. I believe we have more important matters to discuss." They immediately stopped to look at the man who had just spoken—the mediator.

Geometry Amadeo. The youngest but the most rational. He takes charge of the federation's status and operation in Asia. A walking security system, and a part-time mechanic.

"Someone looks like he's in a hurry." Pagtatawag nito ng pansin kay Kage na kanina pa pasilip-silip sa oras. They turned their gazes at him.

With one hand, Kage loosened the tie of his shirt. Sumandal ito sa upuan nang medyo nakabuka ang magkabilang hita. Despite his actions, his face remained stoic, eyes blank like a code complicated to decipher.

"Pegagus began another attack." Ang isang pangungusap na sinabi nito ay sapat na upang maagaw ang atensyon ng tatlo pa nitong mga kasama.

The door opened, and Keegan went inside, handing them folders containing the data, information, and detailed incident reports—attached with photos of the scene.

Napakurap-kurap ng mata si Geo nang mahagip ng mata niya ang pamilyar na lugar sa likod ng mga litrato na nakikita niya. "That's why I heard you operated a clean up?" Yulan questioned.

"Yes." He confirmed.

"Oh?" Tumayo si Zeeshan upang itapat sa ilaw ang picture na hawak niya. Naningkit ang mga mata niya nang maalalang nakapunta na siya sa mismong bahay na yun.

"I've been in this house last week! I delivered a pizza! I can't be mistaken!" Kunot na kunot ang noo nito habang nakatitig sa litrato.

"Yo! I swore I would never go back to that village! It was hell for me! I was chased by village dogs!" Pagmamaktol pa nito.

"You take alligator as a pet, but you're afraid of dogs?" Ismid ni Yulan sa kanya.

"Oh, please, at least I'm not afraid of harmless birds." Patutsada ni Zeeshan, giving him a faint sadistic smirk. Yul glared at him in return.

Looking at them, Kage exhaled a rough breath. This is one reason he wants to avoid attending the Parliament. The four of them don't get along well with each other.

As the consigliere, he manages paperwork, coordinates missions, and ensures his brother's directives are meticulously carried out. But now, he formed a ragtag team with these three abnormal species he had only bumped into once or twice. In his eyes, they were a trio of aliens from the other side of the universe.

Kage cleared his throat, switching their attention to him. "Their target is my wife." Nagsitanguan ang mga ito, as if they heard a common knowledge. Maya maya ay kapwa sila natigilan at nagtitigan dahil sa narinig.

"Your what?" They chorused. Dazed and confused.

"My wife." Pagdidiinan ni Kage.

"Since when has the head of Salvatore been married, and we weren't invited?" Geometry joked, attempting to hear another confirmation from him.

"I am not the head of Salvatore. I temporarily took over since my brother's son is still five." He cleared out, placing one leg over the other as he picked up the file on the table.

The three of them pretended to understand him, even though they knew for an inevitable fact that he was supposed to take over his late brother's responsibility. Still, he insisted on being the consigliere to be more free. They will have to witness how he struggled for his freedom.

"And I am yet to be married, but you will not be invited." They hissed in unison. Parang walang pinagsamahan, ayaw mang-imbita sa kasal.

"She was the captain of the plane during the hijacking and saved you multiple times even before that incident. The Pegasus must be targeting her, hoping she is a key figure to you." Geometry concluded. Hindi na nagtaka ang mga ito kung paano niya iyon nalaman.

The Amadeo Family possessed extensive global connections, with spies embedded in government authorities, agencies, and even among every representative in the country. Their family's heritage revolved around intelligence gathering and data management, utilizing advanced technology that even the other Quartet leaders couldn't challenge.

"After the Dryad's attempt to kill you failed, the Pegasus galloped into the mix to stir another trouble." Komento ni Yulan habang pinagmamasdan nang mabuti ang reaksyon sa mukha ni Kage.

"Looks like you need to take extra care of your domain, Geo. We don't want the Philippines to become a warzone disguised as another government-related dispute." Dagdag pa nito.

Zeeshan nudged Geometry on the shoulder, assuring him that he got his back. "Geo can handle it. Besides, I will be keeping an eye on the Philippines as well. Yalla?" Tumango-tango si Geometry sa naging turan ni Zeeshan. He had it coming. He only needs to make some adjustments.

"This meeting is only a formality to warn you that the rest of the Five Rings could be on the move, and you must remain vigilant and keep your turf in control," Kage spoke using his stern voice. He stood up and fixed his suit.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to." He did not bid further pleasantries with them nor wait for their replies. Basta-basta na lang ito lumabas ng pinto at lumabas sa underground basement ng lighthouse.

He can't wait to meet his in-laws and thank them for his dear wife's existence. 

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ

Kage is not pronounced as Cage but a literal per syllable pronunciation (Ka.ge)