THIRD PERSON

"Welcome aboard, fuckers! This is your sassy flight attendant speaking, and unfortunately you're stuck with me on Souls Airline Flight 909 from Rome to Somalia. Get ready for 10 hours and 30 minutes without using your phone—" Napabalikwas kaagad ng upo si Sachal nang marinig ang sinabi ng flight attendant.

"Who's in charge?"

"Judging by the voice, I think it's Lyrine," Natlan responded while unbuckling his seatbelt. Mabilis niyang binuksan ang cockpit upang awatin si Lyrine na kung ano-ano na namang pinagsasabi.

"Dio mio! Don't tell me she was butt drunk last night?" Greece shakes his head. Kahit si Sachal ay napailing na lang din. It wasn't really new to them. Lyrine is known to go to parties every night and still goes to work in the morning.

"Hey, listen up, folks! Buckle your seatbelt, okay? Not 'cause I actually care or anything, but, like, rules are rules, right? And stow your bags! Seriously, if I see 'em on the floor, I might just throw 'em out myself. Oh, and no asking me for extra snacks—I'm, um, still feeling a bit dizzy over my hangover last night, ya know? Captain, Morgini! How hands—" And she finally shuts up.

Greece gave a soft chuckle before turning his attention to the flight computers. "She nearly got fired last month if it wasn't for you, and now she's making another terrible mistake." He said before handing over the pre-flight checklist.

Sachal scanned the clipboard to check every detail: engine status, hydraulics, fuel levels, and weather conditions. Everything is under control.

"Oh? An'yare sayo?" Magkasalubong kilay na tanong ni Sachal nang makitang parang dinumog ito ng isang batalyon. Gulo-gulo ang buhok at kusot na uniporme.

"Lyrine that drunk ass idiot is crazy drunk and thought I was her ex! She nearly killed me!" Hinawi niya pa ang kwelyo niya upang ipakita ang marka ng mahabang kuko sa leeg niya.

"Last time she thought I was the young priest she fucked and kept on chanting prayers in front of me," Greece casually blurted out, causing them to freeze.

"She what?" Napakagat ng labi si Greece. He remembered he promised Lyrine not to expose that.

"Please, act like you didn't hear anything." It was too late. They couldn't believe she just had her way with a servant of God. From father to daddy real quick!

"Fiumicino Tower, SA 909 to Somalia, Runway 23, requesting clearance for takeoff," She announced. She hoped the other ATC would take her request, but unfortunately, it was her sibling.

"SA 909, Runway 23, hold position." Mabilis na tumirik ang mata niya nang marinig ang kalmadong boses ng kanyang kapatid. She already expected it. Sa tuwing siya ang sumasagot ay laging delayed ang flight niya.

"What is it again this time? A rabbit on the runway?" She shot back, adjusting the headset as her irritation doubled. He better give her a more believable reason this time.

"It's more complicated than that. We got a bit of a situation on the runway," He replied, and it was noticeable that he sounded annoyed as well. "There are people out there dancing." Napatigil naman sa pagchichismisan si Natlan at Greece nang marinig din ang sinabi ni Distaunce.

"Dancing? Bakit may sumasayaw sa gitna ng runway?" Napipikon nitong tanong. Sa rami-rami ng lugar na pwede nila pagsayawan bakit sa gitna pa ng runway?

Napahilot na lang din ng sentido si Distaunce habang tinatanaw ang grupo ng mga kabataan na sumasayaw. "I can't clear you for take off because a crowd of millennials are doing some kind of Tiktok dance party." Eksaheradang napasinghal si Sachal.

Nagtanggal ng seatbelt si Natlan at Greece upang dumukwang sa windshield at silipin kung ano ang nangyayari sa runway, and he was right. May mga grupo nga ng mga kabataan na sumasayaw sa gitna. They even have a speakers and videographers with them.

"Palayasin mo! Baka hindi ko matantya ang mga yan at sagasaan ko!" Napapiksi ang dalawa pang piloto nang marinig ang sigaw ng kanilang kapitan.

Kahit si Distaunce ay muntik na makain ang mic dahil sa malakas nitong boses. "I hate my flights being delayed, Distaunce! Remove them from the runway and tell them to dance somewhere else!"

"As much as I would want to do that, I can't. They were given a special permit. We have no choice but to let them finish." Napataas ang kilay niya.

"Sinong gago ang nagbigay ng permit? May ubo ba siya sa utak? This is a National Airport! Tumawag ka ng mga airport police!" She growled, her heels tapping against the floor. She wanted to work professionally, pero nauubusan na siya ng pasensya.

"If they don't have the permit, I will gladly do so. But they have it, and you know social media influencers these days—we can't just make a scene." Sinubukan din ni Distaunce pakalmahin ang boses niya upang hindi na dumagdag sa init ng ulo ng kapatid niya.

"Distaunce, I will miss my landing slot at the next airport if I don't take off soon. More flights will be delayed!" Sumusukong napahilamos ng buhok ang binata.

"I really can't do anything at the moment, Via. They were scheduled with a permit." He huffed on the other end, leaning back in his chair, helpless about the situation.

"What if we take off and hit one of them?" Nat joked while nudging Greece's left arm. They could see people sprinting and spinning in acrobatics while being filmed.

"The Airport Director must be out of his mind," Greece commented. Who in their right mind would allow the busy runway to become someone else's dance party venue?

That's it! I'm going out!

"Sasha!"

"Cha!"

"Don't move. Stay here and announce we will be delayed for fifteen minutes," matigas nitong utos bago lumabas ng cockpit. Ang lakas pa ng pagkakasara nito ng pinto kaya kahit ang mga flight attendant sa labas at ibang pasahero ay nagulat sa paglabas niya.

Malalaking hakbang ang tinahak niya papunta sa lugar kung saan may mga sumasayaw. Kahit tirik na tirik ang araw hindi pa rin siya nagpaawat.

Hindi pa man siya nakakalayo sa eroplano ay biglang nag vibrate ang phone sa bulsa niya. Walang tingin-tingin niya itong sinagot habang tuloy-tuloy na naglalakad.

"Hello?" Iritado niyang bungad.

"You need to abort the flight. There's a bomb on board." Mabilis siyang napatigil sa paglalakad at napasulyap sa phone niya nang mapansing robotic ang boses ng kausap niya. Unknown number.

"Are you done? I am busy, I have no time to play pranks," mariin niyang sagot dito.

"I am not playing games. It took me so much effort to secure a permit just to get you out of the plane and inform you about this disaster." Mabilis siyang napatingin-tingin sa paligid. "You have ten minutes to get everyone out before it goes off." And she felt that feeling again, the chills. She hasn't perfectly moved on from the incident, and it's happening again.

"How can I trust you?"

"Prepare for the worst, Captain Salvatore." And before she could even confirm or ask anything, the line ended.

She stood frozen, trying her best to assess the situation while thinking if she could make everyone evacuate the plane in ten minutes.

And before she even knew it, she ran back to the cockpit. "Sasha? Are you ok—" Hinawakan niya sa magkabilang braso si Natlan at marahas itong niyugyog.

"Evacuate everyone in the plane! Now!" The panic in her voice made them stand up. The sense of urgency and danger was visible in her eyes.

"W-What's going on?" Nat asked, his brows furrowed in concern. "Why are you panicking?"

"Listen," Hingal na pinindot ni Sachal ang VHF radio upang tawagan ang tower. "Fiumicino Tower, SA 909 to Somalia, Runway 23, requesting clearance for takeoff. Time check: 10 minutes before 10:30: Bravo." Nanigas sa kinauupuan si Natlan at Greece nang marinig ang huling sinabi nito.

Napatayo rin si Distaunce habang tinatanaw ang eroplano na sinasakyan ng kapatid. Time check means a bomb threat about to explode in 10 minutes. Bravo is also a secret code that means potential security risk.

"Commence the emergency protocol! Move, everyone!" sigaw ni Distaunce.

"Move them all out! Now! Make sure not to tell them to avoid panic!" Kasabay na sigaw ni Sachal kina Natlan.

"Cha, we can't move within ten minutes without informing them about the emergency." Many thoughts raced through her mind, trying to find a solution to the current problem. Can she still save them?

She has two hundred passengers and fifteen crews. They were her obligations.

"I—I will find a way. For now, evacuate them as calmly as possible." They looked at her, concern laced in their faces. This scenario rings a bell, and they knew better than anyone how everyone's life was hanging in the thread every second that passed.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she grabbed the mic to speak to the passengers. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. I regret to inform you that Flight SA 909 experienced a significant delay due to a hydraulic failure. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience on behalf of the airline and cabin crew. Please follow the crew's instructions and evacuate from the plane premises."

Nagkatinginan naman si Natlan at Greece bago lumabas ng cockpit upang tulungan mag evacuate ang mga pasahero. Hindi nila alam kung paano nila palalabasin ang mga tao sa loob ng eroplano sa loob ng sampung minuto pero may tiwala sila sa kanilang kapitan. 

Eight minutes. Hindi niya alam kung sa loob o sa labas nakakabit ang bomba. She had no way out. Until she remembers her husband. Akmang tatawagan na niya ito nang bigla mag-ring ang phone niya.

It was another Unknown Number.

She took a deep breath before answering the phone. "Hello, Coronia—or should I say Mrs. Salvatore?" A small, annoying woman's voice greeted her. "But, well, not for long! The title of Mrs. Salvatore should belong to me!" She confidently snorted.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, dear! You forgot about me already?" Tila dismayado nitong wika, kapagkuwan ay parang baliw itong tumawa. "It's me! The soon-to-be Mrs. Salvatore—that is of course after you die!" Bwiset na nagtimpi ang dalaga.

Sa rami ng sinabi niya hindi niya pa rin sinagot kung sino siya. "I said who are you?"

"I'm Belladonna Del Piero, darling. The soon-to-be—"

"Tangina naman, sirang plaka ka ba?" Hindi mapigilang bulyaw niya rito.

"What?!"

"Where are you? If you want my life, take it alone. You don't need to drag my passengers and crews on this." Mapilantik niyang pinaglaruan ang pula niyang kuko habang pinapakinggan ang seryosong boses ng kapitan.

Well, she's right. She only wants her life. Hindi na niya kailangan idamay ang buhay ng iba. She just needs to do it to threaten her. "Alright then, since the weather is nice, I will deactivate the bomb—as long as you step out of the airport and enter the Mercedes Benz parked on Bay 6." Wala siyang sinayang na oras at kaagad na tinanggal ang heels niya at tumakbo palabas ng eroplano.

As long as she can reach Bay 6 within the time frame, the bomb will not explode. It's the only option she had. Everyone's eyes were on her, the disembarking passengers, the ground crew and airport police—unaware she was running for their lives.

Time ticked away as she sprinted in the airport hallways, the stakes higher than ever. Hindi niya lubos akalain na siya ang magiging dahilan ng pagkapahamak ng mga pasahero niya. So no matter what happens, she will make sure to keep them safe an unscathed.

Napatingin siya sa smart watch niya, two minutes remaining. Muntik na siya madulas-dulas kakatakbo at iilang tao na rin ang nabangga at natumba dahil sa kanya pero patuloy pa rin siyang tumatakbo hanggang sa makarating siya sa labas ng airport.

At nang matanaw niya sa malayo ang sinasabing sasakyan ay kaagad siyang tumakbo patungo roon kahit na masakit na ang paa niya at halos kapusin na siya ng hininga kakatakbo.

When she opened the car, she saw a beautiful red-haired woman calmly drinking a white wine while holding a small device. "Oops." She smirked before taking an elegant sip from the glass.

"I was hoping you could not make it on time so I could witness a mass murder, but I guess... you're a fast runner after all." Pinindot niya ang device. "Don't worry, I always keep my word. Your dear passengers and crews are alive." She tapped the seat beside her and smiled.

"Now do your end of the bargain and obediently go with me." And that's when Sachal remembered who she was.

Belladonna Del Piero, how could she be alive when Diamond set her ablaze? 

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ