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ALICE was prepared for the worst. She messed up her own plans and it made her remember the plan she had in Paris. Maybe she wasn't cut out to do wage a war like this for her freedom. maybe her life was meant to end this way. Maybe her existence was really something to be toyed with. 

Maybe—

Laking gulat ni Alice nang may marinig siyang pagputok. Akala niya ay siya ang nakatanggap ng balang iyon pero mali siya. Her eyes were fixated on Salvador—the way he looked down to his chest as blood started oozing out.

Lumingon si Salvador at napasunod din ang mata ni Alice. Hindi niya nakita kung sino ang naroroon dahil sa panghihina ng katawan pero batid niya ang hawak nitong shotgun.

"You, mongrel!" sigaw ni Salvador.

Napabuga ito ng dugo at kumalat pa sa sahig. Bumalik ang tingin nito kay Alice at akmang hihigitin ang gatilyo nang may bumaril sa kamay ni Salvador na naging dahilan upang mabitawan ang baril sa sahig.

Napaluhod ang duguang si Salvador.

"I will kill you," he mouthed to Alice with hate-stricken eyes. Sinubukan nitong abutin ang duguan baril mula sa sahig per binaril iyon ng lalaki kaya't lumayo ito sa unang puwesto. Natamaan din ang kamay ng matanda at napasigaw itong muli dahil sa pagdanak ng dugo.

Ilang sandali pa ay tuluyang natumba ang matanda sa kanyang harapan. His face was down directly on the cold concrete floor. The blood splattered on the floor. Kumalat pa lalo ang dugo sa paanan ni Alice. She watched as the man continued coughing up blood but it was worse than her situation.

She knew that he was dying. It was a fact.

"You can die... to know... the truth..." He smiled as he stared at space. His eyes remained open as his chest stopped moving.

And until his last moments, he was filled with hate. Until the end, she never heard him say that he was proud of her. Until the end, her existence was of a mere thing to him. Her life was at his disposal.

Alice's vision was still fixated in front of her before it focused on the gunman. Ramdam niya ang pamumuo ng mga luha at malakas na kalabog ng dibdib. She felt a heavy lump on her throat before she could even mutter his name.

"Eiffel..."

It's been a while since she saw him... A really long time. And perhaps, if she wasn't injured, she would be running to him already, wrapping her arms around his neck to shower him endless kisses... The things that she has been imagining when she's finally given time to see him again.

Yes, she missed him... badly.

But over anything, she wondered why he was there in the first place. Paano siya nakarating doon?

"Alice..." he called out.

Alice felt tingles in her body as he stated her name with his deep voice. Hindi pa rin ito nagbabago. Talaga nakahuhumaling pa ring pakinggan ang boses niya kahit pangalan pa lang niya ang binigkas ng binata.

Dressed in a completely black attire, Eiffel took a step forward her direction, keeping his gun behind him. Akmang tatayo si Alice nang maramdaman niya ang panghihina ng katawan at matinding pagkahilo hanggang sa magdilim ang buong paligid.

Alice was chasing time, and time was running away from her.

***

"CODE BOMB," ani Eiffel sa kanyang earpiece nang mag-start ng makina ng kanyang sasakyan.

"Roger, boss," sagot ng lalaki sa kabilang linya at wala pang dalawang segundo nang sumabog ang isang bahagi ng manor ng mga Brixton. Nasundan pa ito ng ilang pagsabog hanggang sa magkulay pula ang kalangitan dahil sa apoy.

Eiffel only looked at the rearview mirror before stepping on the accelerator. Kailangan na niyang umalis dahil nasa peligro ang buhay ni Alice na kasalukuyang naka higa sa passenger's seat.

Agad niyang tinawagan si Ysiquel na alam niyang naka-standby.

"Hatcham," tipid na bati ni Ysiquel.

"I have Alice with me and she's wounded and poisoned. Sa'n ko siya dadalhin?"

Mabilis siyang lumingon sa dalaga na walang malay. He had wrapped her leg with the ripped shirt he was wearing earlier to stop the bleeding.

"Shit! Bring her to HQ. We're finishing up here sa east wing."

"Roger that. Access code?" paghingi nito ng permiso dahil hindi basta-basta nakapapasok ang sino man sa HQ ng Skull Rose.

"No need. My mother will be there. I'll give her the heads up."

"Sige. Bilisan n'yo na r'yan. My team is almost done sa main building."

"The target?"

"Dead. They're dealing with it already," he flatly replied.

"Sige. We'll be at HQ very soon. Malapit na 'tong matapos." Eiffel could hear continuous gunshots qnd screams from the other line. Base sa pananalita ni Ysiquel ay kampante itong walang magiging problema at mananalo sila.

Eiffel reached out to Alice's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Just hold on, sweetheart. You'll be okay," he uttered under his breath.

Nang makarating sila sa HQ ay pinapasok agad ang sasakyan at may stretcher na sa labas. Naroroon na din si Ysabelle at ilang mga doktor at nars.

Agad niyang pinarada sa harap nila at binuksan ng isang tauhan ang pintuan. Kaagad binuhat nilang binuhat si Alice palabas at inihiga sa kama. They immediately checked on her vitals. Bumaba rin si Eiffel at lumapit sa kanila.

"Please save her," magkalingkis ang sariling mga kamay ni Ysabelle nang makiusap siya.

"Of course, boss," ani ng doktor at tinanguan nila ang mga nars at tumuloy na sila sa loob ng HQ.

"Boss," pagbati ni Eiffel kay Ysabelle na nangangatal.

"Ysiquel told me that she was poisoned, is that true?" Tumango si Eiffel sa tanong ng ginang. "And you are—?"

"L'assassin du lion. Je m'appelle Eiffel."

Nag-aalala man si Ysabelle sa anak na ipinasok na sa loob ay napatingin siya kay Eiffel.

"Le Lion des Hatcham?"

"Yes, boss. Kaibigan din ako ni Ysiquel."

Nabigla si Ysabelle na malaman na kaibigan ni Ysiquel ang tagapagmana ng sikretong organisasyon na kinasasakupan ng Skull Rose na nasa pangangalaga ng Hatcham.

Kailanman ay hindi nakilala ni Ysabelle nang personal ang tagapagmana ng Hatcham matapos iyong ipasa ng dating pinuno. At hindi na nagulat pa si Ysabelle na kaedad ni Ysiquel ang tagapagmana.

The Lion's were off the grid and off the books but they were skilled assassins. And to think one is in front of her and showing respect, she knew that he was the real deal.

"I see," tipid na sagot ni Ysabelle. "What brought a Lion's assassin here?"

"Well..."

"What is it?"

"I heard that Alice was in grave danger and I needed to save her being her boyfriend."

Lalong nanlaki ang mga mata ni Ysabelle sa narinig sa binata. "Excuse me? Did I hear that right? Boyfriend?"

Sa maikling panahon na nakasama niya si Alice, wala itong nabanggit na kasintahan. Marami pa nga siyang dapat malaman sa anak.

"Yes, boss. And don't worry, I know her real identity." Eiffel smiled at the older Fuentes.

"I can't believe Alice is dating a Hatcham." Napailing si Ysabelle sa narinig. "Sinabi ba ni Ysiquel sa 'yo and tungkol sa identity niya?"

"No, boss. It was evident. I met her when she still had dark hair like you and your features were strikingly identical. The resemblance was uncanny. She also lived with me to hide from the Brixton's while in France."

"Ah, ikaw ang nagtago sa kanya?"

Napangiti si Eiffel sa tanong ng ginang. Naalala niya ang nangyari ilang linggo pa lang ang nakalilipas.

"Yes, boss."

"I do apologies for asking but... are you serious with her?"

Eiffel smiled as he remembered the days he spent with Alice in his home. The days they spent together may not have been the longest but it made him realize that he had fallen deeply for Alice already and the days he spent alone on his bed were tortorous. Lagi na niyang hinahanap ang dalaga sa kanyang tabi na parang matagal na silang magkakilala at magkasama.

"I'm afraid a Hatcham can only fall in love with one person in their lifetime and I've met my match."

"And I'm afraid, I'm still a conservative mother. I need to know you before I agree for you to date her."

Napangisi si Eiffel. "Of course, boss. But you speak as if she's not in danger right now."

"I trust the capabilities of the doctors to save her. But more than that, I know my daughter is a fighter. Malaki ang tiwala ko sa kanya na malalagpasan niya ito at magigising isya. Besides, we're in the middle of a mission. I can't let my emotions get ahead of me."

"As expected of the stronger gang leader," pagpupuri ni Eiffel sa ginang. Everyone who belonged in the underground organizations knew about the Fuentes, particularly of Ysabelle. She was hailed as the strongest gang leader of Skull Rose when she took over the gang at a young age at halos lahat ng misyon at away ay naipapanalo niya. She was the weapon in her prime years being a strong opponent and tactician.

Napailing si Ysabelle. "You must be kidding. Matanda na ko para tawagin pang ganyan. At isa pa, ang asawa ko na ang pinuno and it will get passed soon."

"Let me guess, Ysiquel will take over Skull Rose?"

Umiing si Ysabelle. "There's no assurance yet, young man. Now that another heiress has entered the picture, my daughter could inherit the gang being the eldest over her brothers."

"Do you think she will take over?"

"I wish I knew the answer but I don't know my daughter that much yet. Madami pa kong hindi alam tungkol sa kanya at kung magkaroon man ng desisyon sa sunod na pinuno, sa pagitan na ito ng magkakapatid. But in reality, it would just be between Alice and Ysiquel," ani Ysabelle habang nakatitig sa pintong pinasukan ng dalaga kanina.

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PrincessThirteen00 © 09 01 2021