CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Author's POV

Malalakas na sigaw ang sasalubong sayo pagkapasok sa gusaling ito, sigaw ng mga taong pinaparusahan. Nakapwesto sa pinakaliblib na lugar, malayo sa mga ordinaryong tao, kasalukuyang naglalakad sa hallway ang kanilang boss na nagtitingin-tingin kung ginagawa ba ng mga ito ang trabaho nila ng maayos.

"Please, let me go." A man begged in a distance, nakakulong ito at duguan ang ulo. Tuyo na ang mga sugat nito na hindi man lang na gagamutan, halos pa hubad na ang katawan nito dahil sa mga punit na gawa ng latigo. Nangangamoy na rin ang piitan nito dahil sa isang buwan na walang paligo, lumapit naman ang isang naka-PPA na may daladalang bakal na para sa kotse, a pressured spray.

Mga ginagamit kapag hinuhugasan ang maduming kotse, dalawa ang lumapit sa pwesto niya na may daladalang ganu'n. Without any warning they sprayed the man and the room is filled with screams, the man is screaming in pain and for them to stop.

"Clean him well." A voice cold as ice said and walked away from the scene, with his guards surrounding him, he walked back to his office. The moment he entered the room a group of men are sitting on the couch, he smirked and sent his guard outside to guard the door. His visitors then looked at him with smiles on their faces, looking at him like they saw him for the first time in a couple of years.

"Welcome back, Falcon brothers." He said and a smile crept on to his lips, the boys then came running to his side and gave him a bro-hug.

"What's with the voice Shadow?" Blake asked looking at him weirdly, he just chuckled at him and later then came to a friendly laugh.

"Baliw na ata," bulong ng mag-kambal na Dexon at Daxon, tumango rin si Calyx na nasa tabi lang ng dalwa.

It's there cousin Kuesaun and he's currently the one in-charge, he's the boss for the day to cover up for Mr. Blake or known as Kelvin in the underground world. He was appointed as the boss for the day because of the Falcon brother's business on their other work which is to attend the school opening, JH University.

"Anyway, I had fun as a boss," he said and sat on the couch lazily, Kelvin then sat on his swivel chair comfortably as his brother sat next to Shadow.

"Blak--I mean Kelvin, any mission we have?" He became serious when his brother Calyx asked with excitement in his eyes, he is very excited. He stood up and picked a bunch of folders off his desk and tossed it on the coffee table right infront of them, they picked it up and read the first page.

"Applicants?" Shadow asked in confusion, "anong gagawin natin dito?" dugtong niya at tumingin sa kuntatayuan ni Kelvin, tumango naman ito habang nakahawak sa baba niya na tila may iniisip. Nagpatuloy na lang ang mga ito sa pagbabasa ng mga profile ng mga lalaki, kinaugailan nila kasing basahain muna lahat ang nasa papel bago sila magtanong. Masmabuting isahan na lang ang pagtanong kaysa sa paputol-putol, the boss hates it, sobra.

Ilang minuto ang itinagal nilang pagbabasa bago nila ito nilapag sa lamesa, ilan sa kanila ay nakangisi at ang iba naman ay nagtataka. It only means they accept the mission, lahat naman sila approve the moment they continued reading the files.

The room is quite while they think of strategies on how to approach these man, their mission is to, meet the chosen and give them an invitation disguised as a job offer from a big company.

"So, questions?" their boss said and sat back on his swivel chair, one raised his hands and picked his folder. "Where can we meet them?" Kelvin smiled and clasped his hands together, "At the university." He said that made them smile too, they gave each other a high-five except for one, which is Shadow.

"What's wrong?" Calyx asked when he tries to give him a high-five only to be ignored, they all turned to him with a hint of concern. Seconds later Shadow smirked that made them roll their eyes, annoyed for his prank. Nagaalala na nga ang kanyang mga pinsan nakuha niya pa'ng ngumiti, anong aasahan mo sa isang Kuesaun? Prankster ang isang ito, he loves playing jokes on his cousins.

"Hey! What's with the faces?" he asked with a laugh, "Alright, sasabihin ko na, paano ako papasok? I'm not even a student in that university, nakapagtapos na ako." Nakahawak sa kanyang baba at nakatingin kay Kelvin, it's a problem with him kasi hindi naman siya nakapasok ng university. Compared to the five, they already have their ID to enter the campus without being questioned, the university changed and so do the staffs.

He does not want to be recognized as the one who handles a very high position, mahihirapan siya sa mission niya kapag gano'n, it will make the students wonder about his actions.

"Talaga lang, Kuesaun. Hindi mo na kailangan mag tanong," Daxon answered and rolled his eyes, in a manly way, of course.

The four then agreed with what he said, "Why bother when we are here? Have you forgotten?" Blaze said or known as Zero in the underground, he looked at Shadow with a little smirk on his lips that made him laugh and nod after realizing what he meant.

"Ok. I forgot I have you guys, so, we start tom--" his words was cut by an explosion outside the room they're in. They stood up and fixed their suits.

"What happened?" Axon whispered under his breath and walked near behind the door to take a glance, running men towards the door made him curse silently. He closed the door and looked at Kelvin. He gave a meaningful eye contact and nodded after it, with that they alerted their selves.

An enemy just entered their territory, the men running towards the door is their guards. They probably guarding the room while they make a plan. Kelvin removed his white coat and gently hanged it on the rack, he rolled up his sleeves and pushed back his glasses.

The five then followed, they removed unnecessary things off their body to avoid self-harm. They took glances at each other and nod, they picked their weapon from the drawers and walked behind the door.

"Next week, we'll start after finishing these people." Zero said and opened the door, guns on his side and starts to walk down the hallway. Tango lang ang isinagot ng naiwan at naghiwahiwalay na ng landas. They scatter to corner their enemies, this is just the beginning of their fight. The enemy just started to move its piece, that's what they're waiting for them to do. To start the game first, the chess game.

Dazinco's POV

"Hon." Napalingon ako kay Kelly ng hawakan niya ang braso ko, nasa cafeteria kami ngayon, kumakain ng lunch.

It's been a week already, okay lang naman ang daloy ng classes, hindi masyadong hassle. Well normal lang naman sa madali ang mga gawain sa unang linggo ng klase, warm up kungbaga, discussion and a few worksheets. Suot na niya ang uniform na kinuha ko last week, ang ganda nga niya eh. I wanted to wear it pero hindi puwede, sayang.

White polo like mine but with a Peter Pan collar, black sweater vest, a lace that can be either a bow or a necktie. Of course the color depends on the rankings, grey plated skirt just two inch above the knees, and lastly the coat, cropped black coat. It's pretty cute while I look at her, oh and she's wearing black socks as well as the shoes.

Depende na ang haba ng socks sa student pero dapat black daw kapag ganito ang uniform, bigla ko gustong magpalit. I'm tempted to wear those, sa bahay nga lang, maybe take a few pictures with it.

"Zian Roosevelt!"

Nagising ako at nakita ko ang mukha niyang puno ng pag-aalala, napatingin ako sa kamay niyang mahigpit ang kapit sa braso ko. Did I think that deep?

"Are you okay? Don't you like the food?"

I guess I did think that deep, ibinalik ko ang tingin sa kanya at ngumiti. Gamit ang kanang kamay ko ay kinuha ko ang kamay niya sa kaliwang braso ko, she looks worried for nothing, nagiisip lang naman ako.

"I'm okay, don't worry." I smiled more and nod, making her less worried. Napatingin ako sa paligid ng wala man lang akong narinig na ingay, it's kind of odd that it's awfully quite inside the cafeteria. My lips made a straight line at the sight, kaya pala, they're all silently watching, us.

Hindi ko sila pinansin at tumingin kay Kelly na masayang kumakain, it didn't even bother her. So with that I start to eat, bahala sila manood, hindi naman kami mawawalan. They're wasting their time, malapit na matapos ang oras para sa lunch time.

"Oh, what is happening? Too quiet."

Nabasag ang katahimikan ng may pumasok sa double door, three girl wearing bright pink. The one in the middle is the one who broke the silence, napailing na lang ako at sumubo ng isang kutsara ng kanin.

Staring at them, I came to the idea that they're holding a title here, based on their outfit. The leader, is the one in the middle while the two are just her friends.

"My gosh, tell me, is it because of my face? My outfit?" nakangiti nitong tanong at binigyan lahat ng tingin ang na sa loob ng cafeteria, she's too hyper. Umikot pa ito na parang nakasout na gown. She's not wearing a gown, she's wearing a fitted silky fabric. She got curves, I give her that but, it's not a proper clothe inside the campus.

She looks like attending a club rather than a classroom, nakatuon pa rin ang mata ko sa kanila habang ngumunguya.

"I know right, I look pretty. I'm the goddess after all." Nag-flip hair pa siya kaya bigla akong nabulunan, agad kong inaabot ang tubig at inubos ito. Bakit ayaw umalis, hinarap ko na si Kelly at nag-signal na hindi pa rin bumababa.

Natataranta naman niyang ibinigay ang baso niya, nakalahati ko ang laman ng baso niya bago nawala ang nakabara sa lalamunan ko. Hinihinggal akong napatingin sa plato ko, paano ako mabubulunan sa talong na torta? Ni walang tinik ang putaheng ito, hinimas-himas ko ang leeg ko at uminom ulit.

"Ayos ka lang?" tumango lang ako sa tanong ni Kelly, nahimasmasan naman ako ng haplos-haplusin niya ang likod ko. Dahil ito sa babaeng ‎iyon, she's too proud of herself. Wala naman masama doon, it's just that I didn't expect her to be that blunt. Well, maganda naman siya kaya okay lang, I guess she has high confidence.

"YAH!"

Napakunot ang noo ko ng may sumigaw, lumingon naman ako sa sumigaw at napa pokerface na lang ako. She shouted, mukha niya lang na mukhang sasabog na sa pagkapula ng pisnge niya, she's mad. And also yung sigaw niya ay parang sigaw ng mga bully sa kdrama, kaya nga nalukot ang mukha ko doon, it's very familiar.

Nakakapanibago lang na real-life ko itong na rinig, hindi ako natinag ng nagmartsa ito papunta sa pwesto ko, namin pala. Dalwahan kasi ang table na kinalalagyan namin ni Kelly, unfortunately nasa gitna kami ng cafeteria.

"Did you just laughed at me?" hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong sa akin, tiningnan ko naman ang mga naka upo sa ibang table at kung ano-anong tingin ang ipinukol nila sa amin, mostly sa'kin. Pity and sadness?

Ano naman ang nakakalungkot sa ginawa ko? Nila? Binalik ko ang tingin sa babae na ngayon ay naka-crossarms at nakataas ang kanyang kaliwang kilay sa akin, lumunok naman ako at umiling.

"Pardon, I didn't laugh at you miss." I answered while shaking my hands towards her, "I chocked on something, that's all." Sabi ko at tumayo na, napaatras naman siya sa gawi ko.

"Well, I need to go somewhere." Nilingon ko si Kelly at senenyasan na kailangan na naming umalis, napatayo na ako ng maayos kaya hinarap ko na ang babae. She's small, maybe below my nose? Gano'n ang tingin ko, napadako ang tingin ko sa paa niya, she's wearing heels.

"My face is up here, mister." Tumingin naman ako sa mukha niya at ngumiti, lumapit ako ng isang hakbang at itinulak ang upuan papalapit sa table.

"Excuse me." I said, bigla na lang siya pumikit ng walang dahilan kaya kailangan ko pa mag-salita. Narinig ko na lang ang pagsinghap ng mga tao ng galit na tingin ang natanggap ko, napaatras naman ako ng one inch dahil sa sobrang lapit niyang katawan. Wala ba siyang planong umusog?

"You're too clo--"

Nanlaki ang mata ko ng hapitin niya ang kwelo ko at hinila papalapit sa mukha niya. And the next thing happened so fast, my mind went blank.

"Zian!"