VICTIM 11 : Kevin

Nagising si Celine sa mga bisig ni Thorn at hindi na sya nag-atubiling magpaalam pa. She needs to leave.
This is the right thing to do, at the moment.

PRENTENG nakaupo si Lady Sy sa loob ng eroplano papuntang Spain, as she was expecting, hindi lang sya ang pasahero sa loob ng VIP Area ng eroplano. She's seeing lots of business men around.
It's a rare case for her, because most of the business men she knew, has their own plane.

She's wearing a wig, contact lens and also heavy makeup. Disguising herself.

Sinadyang hindi gamitin ng dalaga ang sarili nitong eroplano para makahalubilo ang mga target nito.

The plane already flew one hour and thirty six minutes ago, it means, pwede nang tumayo o makisuyo ng pagkain.

"Miss, a glass of Champagne please"
Aniya sa isang flight attendant.

A stroll came to her side and then the woman poured a champagne into her glass. Ngumiti nalang si Celine at hindi na inintindi pa ang pag-alis ng flight attendant.

Bahagya syang tumingin sa consistency ng champagne.. It doesn't look like a normal champagne.. At may naaamoy ang dalaga na kakaiba sa kanyang inumin.

If she's not wrong, there's a poison mixed with her drink. How silly.
Poison huh?

Kilala na nila ako. Alam nilang pahamak ang dala ko.

"Is there something wrong, Miss?" Tanong ng isang business man sa dalaga.
Napatingin naman ang dalaga sa gawi ng lalaki.

"They're serving fine champagne, you should really try"
Celine laughed elegantly.
Ang nangyari sa boutique ni Larrah ay hindi aksidente..
Their boss is being controlled by another boss.
I should've known.
At ngayon naman ay may lason ang kanyang inumin.

"The champagne can wait, doesn't it?"
The businessman just shrugged.

"You'll miss the opportunity to taste the heaven, Miss..?"

"Celie, And for your information, I already tasted heaven" She smiled.
That's when Thorn kissed her. For her, that's what it tastes like.

"Excuse me" Dugtong ni Lady Sy at tumayo na sya papunta sa palikuran ng eroplano.

She's about to close the door from the inside but someone managed to get in, at ang pumasok na lalaki ay agad na nilock ang pintuan, saying that's its occupied.

"Excuse me sir, I need privacy. "
Mahinahon na panimula ni Celine.
Hindi sya makapaniwalang sinundan sya ng business man na 'yon sa loob ng palikuran.

"Celie, You need to get out of here.. It's not safe for a woman like you.."
Tiningnan nya sa mata ang lalaking nasa harapan nya, his eyes.. It looks familiar.

"What are you talking about?" Paninigurado ni Celine. She can't just kick someone mistakenly. And his eyes.. It's very familiar that she, herself, can't explain..

"We are not what you think we are.. Here, a parachute.. We're probably somewhere beneath a country if my calculations is not wrong... Leave this plane immediately.."
The business man gave her a parachute, at hindi na nagulat ang babae nang makita nya ang logo ni Sinclair sa parachute na 'yon.
It's a letter S imprinted on the corner.

" The plane's gonna crash, few minutes from now. We're the only ones who could survive in order to protect someone.. "
Dugtong pa ng binata.

"Why are you doing this.. Why are you helping me?"
Tanong ni Celine sa lalaki.

"You remind me of someone, beautiful and elegant. "
Very straightforward.

"I am not what you think I am, too."
She devilishly smiled at him.

"How did you..?---" Napatigil ang binata nang mapagtantong nasa kamay na ni Lady Sy ang kanyang relo.

"I am not just a woman, and for your information? I came here for danger."
Lumabas na si Celine at iniwan ang binata sa loob.
The plane's gonna crash..

Pumapatay sila ng mga inosenteng tao para lang walang makatunton sa kanila?

And what? They'll be deleting the data's of each and everyone aboard?
They'll be hiding the trace?

And they're doing this every single time..

Paano ang mga pamilyang nasa kabila ng VIP Area.. Ang mga taong may pangarap na makapunta sa Spain.. Mga taong iniwan ang pamilya para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa..
They're gonna die..

Why kill and work hard to clean up when they can use their very own plane for themselves only?

Talagang wala na sa katinuan ang pinuno nila.

Napailing ang dalaga at bumalik sa reyalidad. She needs to do something. Kaya pala sunod-sunod ang balitang may nawawala..

Maingat na nagtungo si Celine sa ilalim ng eroplano kung saan matatagpuan ang mga makina nito.
No one saw her because all of the passengers is on their seat, some of them were sleeping.

At pagkarating na pagkarating nya sa ilalim ay may nakita syang lalaki na tila ba ay naghahanda ng kung anong bomba..

" Hello to whoever you are"
Aniya.
Tiningnan nya ang relo na kinuha nya sa lalaki kanina.
Timer starts...

Now.

Ang lalaki ay tumitig muna kay Lady Sy, pero di na ito nag-aksaya pa ng oras. Agad umatake ang lalaki kay Lady Sy pero mabilis namang nakailag ang dalaga sa sunod-sunod na atake nito.

Agad sinunggaban ng dalaga ang lalaki ng isang malakas na suntok, dahilan kung bakit natumba ang lalaki.
The bomb is ticking fast..

Agad namang lumapit ang dalaga sa bomba, 47 seconds left..

"Where's that wire.." Bulong ng dalaga sa sarili.
Lahat ng kable ay kulay itim.. This is the trickiest bomb she'd ever encountered.

Nasa kalagitnaan ng paghahanap ng kable ang dalaga nang bigla syang higitin ng lalaki at muling inatake.
She's struggling to fight because the guy she's fighting with has this unpredictable fighting technique.
It's a unique one.

Kaagad namang gumala ang kamay ni Lady Sy upang makahanap ng lusot. She was pulling the guy's hair and the next thing she knew, the guy just let go of her and ran away.
I will find you.

19 seconds left..

"Lamierda!.."

Nagsimulang kaskasin ni Celine ang bawat wire para makita ang kulay nito sa ilalim, and there, she saw a very small hint of color, causing her to cut the wire immediately..

The timer stopped, causing her to breathe freely.

"It's done.. Oh my goodness--"
Hingal na Hingal ang dalaga at nasapo ang ulo. Sigurado ang dalaga na may nagpapanggap rin na flight attendant sa eroplanong sinasakyan nya.
Nangunguna na ang babaeng nagbigay sa kanya ng champagne.

Yesterday..

"He's in Madrid, Lady." ani Juan Pablo.

"Bring me to his cave." Walang ekspresyong tugon ni Celine sa matanda.

"But it's dangerous.. You'll be killed.."
Napahinto ang dalaga sa pagaalalang nakita nya kay Juan Pablo.

"Hindi ko kailangan ng pag-aalala mo"
Why is he acting that way?
Nagsisisi na ba sya sa ginawa nya sa pamilya ko noon?
Noong tinignan ko ang mga mata nya na may halong pagmamakaawa.. Nagbigay ba sya ng pag-aalala?
I'm still pissed of what he has done!

And now I can't.. Dahil kapamilya sya ni Thorn..

"Each planes that will be flying to Spain has a mob, ganoon karami ang mga tauhan ni Sinclair dito.. They'll be going back and forth each day to report without making a call..they are disguising themselves as a normal passenger, I don't know the main reason, but I'm pretty sure they have something to do with the previous news" Anito.

"Copied."

"And, Ms.Valentine.. You might encounter something unusual"

***

Celine made her way out underneath the plane, only to find out the passengers panicking.

"What is happening?" Tanong ng dalaga sa pasaherong animo'y nagdarasal.

"The plane is gonna crash... The.. captain just announced it.."

"What?!"

Nagtungo si Celine sa VIP area at wala na doon ang mga business man na kanina lang ay kasama nya.
Even  some of the flight attendants were gone..
Sinasabi na nga ba..

"Everyone calm your nerves! Who knows how to fly a plane here? Studying... Or maybe a former pilot?"
Tanong ni Celine sa mga pasahero.
And luckily, there's a student who raised his hand shyly.

Agad na nagtungo si Lady Sy at ang studyante sa Control room, only to find out a business man fixing the issues, and several pilots lying on the floor unconsciously.
Ang bawat eroplanong nalipad pa-ibang bansa ay may apat hanggang anim na piloto kung hindi sya nagkakamali..

Ganoon rin ang mga flight attendants, they have their own room somewhere in the plane to rest.
Nang sa gayon ay makipagsalitan sila sa kanilang nakaatas na shift.

" You.. " That business man..

" Why are are you still here.. I thought you're one of them?"
The guy just looked at her without any expression. And he looked at the student who's standing there, confused.

"What are you still doing? Are you gonna help me fly this plane or not?"
Masungit na panimula ng business man.

Sinuot nila ang kani-kaniyang headphone at wala nang nagawa si Lady Sy kung hindi bumalik sa mga pasahero upang pakalmahin ito at nag-umpisa syang umupo nalang din.

It took them several hours to land the plane safely.
At nang mangyari 'yon ay hinatak ng business man si Celine papalayo sa gulo.

Celine was being held by a complete stranger who's been working for Sinclair. And Niccolo was his name, he said.
She just kept quiet. Ayaw ng dalaga sabihin ang kanyang tunay na pangalan dahil baka magka problema pa sa pagpapanggap nya.

.

.

-Spain-

"Hola Hermosa!" (Hello, Beautiful)
Bati ng isang lalaki kay Celine. He's probably 5'7, mid 50s..

"¿Estás hablando conmigo?" (Are you talking to me? ) tanong ni Celine sa matanda.

"Si si" (Yes, yes)

"Gracias, Señor. But I'm looking for someone.. Do you happen to know Kevin Rivera?"

Celine just stood still when she felt something sharp.

"Why are you looking for him?"
Ang mabait at palakaibigan na ekspresyon ng matandang lalaki ay biglang naging pamatay at nakakakilabot..

Now he's pointing a butcher's knife at her secretly in order to be noticed by no one.

"Chicken Taquito ala Kevin Rivera. Extra Chicken with bloody ketchup"
Binaba ng lalaki ang kutsilyo at tumingin sa kaliwa't kanan bago pinasunod si Celine papasok sa isang restawran. Nakuha nya agad ang ibig kong sabihin.

At bumalik na ang masigla, masayahin at palakaibigan na mukha ng lalaki sa harap ng maraming tao.

"How long have you plotting your revenge against him?" Tanong ng lalaki.

"Since I was born? and it got worse when he.. Killed--..."

"It's been years since I last heard my real name, Hermosa. What type of information you want to know?" pagputol ni Kevin sa dalaga, napansin kasi nito na may pait sa boses ni Lady Sy.

"What's his business here in Spain? How does he keep earning huge amount of money day by day even if his mobs is on the watchlist?"
May binigay na papel si Kevin kay Celine.

"They rob, and they scam people. Offering technical assistance to solve the fake problem of the owner's computer..
That's only here in Spain.
But there's more outside this country.

Get out of here. Pabanos, and here, a bloody ketchup you say."
At may binigay muli si Kevin.
Isang flash drive.
"codes, it will help you."

"And oh, if you got yourself wounded, just use the backdoor and meet me here"

Nagpasalamat si Celine at lumabas na sa restaurant na iyon.

Now, all she needs to do is expose Sinclair's main headquarters, silently, and then? Bring those money back to their rightful owners.

.

NAGISING si Thorn sa higaan ni Celine nang wala sa tabi ang dalaga. Walang nangyari sa kanila, they just cuddled. Thorn respects Celine so much.
He has a deep admiration even though they're still 'strangers' after years of having each other's side.

"Heck.. She kissed me back.."
Bulong ni Thorn sa sarili.
Now he's blushing.. Red as tomato.
Pangiti-ngiti ito kada segundo at hindi mawala sa isip nya na hinayaan sya ng dalaga na matulog katabi sya.

Where's that girl.. I wanna greet her  good morning..

Hinanap ng binata ang dalaga sa malaking bahay nito pero ni anino ay wala syang nakita.
He tried contacting her but he received no answer.

Agad na pumunta ang binata sa pribadong opisina ni Lady Sy pero wala din ito doon, her laptop was gone.. Her phone.. Her motorcycle.. Some of her guns..
They are gone..

Pati ang binatang si Red ay wala na ring bakas sa bahay ng dalaga..

"Calm fxcking down, Thorn.. Celine wouldn't leave you.. She promised."
Si Celine ang tipong taong pinanghahawakan ang mga salita..
At hindi sya umaalis nang wala man lang paalam.

She'll come back right?

What if she hates me? For kissing her?

Paano kung sumama sya don sa Hellish na 'yon?

I will beat him up 'till he please me not to!

Celine will come back.. She will...

Umalis si Thorn sa opisina ng dalaga at agad nyang inalam ang lokasyon ng binatang si Hellish.
Thorn has been following him plenty of hours, but still. No sign of Celine.

***

SUMAKIT ang ulo ng binata sa kaiisip kung ano ang dahilan nang pagkawala ng dalaga.
It's been 24hrs already since she left.. Without saying goodbye.

And, Thorn received a call from unknown number.
He answered it.

"......."

Nanatining tahimik ang binata, hanggang sa marinig nya ang boses ng tumawag na syang ikinayanig ng buong sistema nito.

"I'm coming."
Tanging katagang nasabi nya sa kabilang linya.
Pinatay  ng binata ang tawag at agad naman itong nakatanggap ng isang mensaheng naglalaman ng isang lokasyon kung saan sila magkikita.

Without wasting a time, Thorn immediately grabbed his motorcycle key and he headed to his motorcycle.
He bring his gun with him just incase.

It took him plenty of minutes to arrive.
Normal syang naglalakad sa lokasyong natanggap nya pero alerto pa rin ito sa paligid.

After a few walks.. Thorn saw who called him.

"Where have you been?! "

"Thorn.. I—"

"You what? Didn't mean to? I've been looking for you since the day you left without a freakin' trace!"
Bakas sa gwapong mukha at baritonong boses ng binata ang galit.. Inis.. At pagkaulila.

"I had to pay my sins, Amadeus."
Tugon ng tumawag sa kanya.

"What sins?" tanong ni Thorn kay Juan Pablo.

" Working for Sinclair.. Playing his dirty games.."

Agad lumaki ang galit sa loob ng binata, Sinclair.. Ang taong dahilan kung bakit nabalot ng kalungkutan si Celine.
Simula noong nakilala nya si Celine ay inimbestigahan nya na ang dalaga.

Wala syang nakuhang sagot pero noong araw na nasunog ang lugawan, nakita nyang hawak ni Celine ang isang papel na may tatak na isang logo.

Thorn kept that letter for years..
He also searched for Mang Ernesto, because he wants answers.
But Mang Ernesto said that he didn't wanted to burn Celine alive.

Hindi alam ng binata kung ano ang ginawa ni Sinclair kay Celine o ni Celine kay Sinclair, pero alam nyang si Sinclair ang dahilan kung bakit walang ngiti sa mga labi ng dalaga araw-araw.

Si Sinclair ang dahilan kung bakit malamig at sarado ang puso ng dalaga.

"You escape prison huh?"
Thorn paused. He laughed sarcastically.
"As far as I know, all of his mobs has a death sentence"
Matabang na tugon ni Thorn.

"It isn't easy to escape, Amadeus.. I tried for years just to come back.. But I can't..—" naputol ang sinasabi ni Juan Pablo. Reminiscing his attempts on escaping.

"—Someone helped me.. And I owe her a lot.."

"Her?" takang tanong ni Thorn.

"Ms.Valentine, she knew that I helped them killed her parents.. But she still helped me.. And I'm not going to miss the chance to make things right, Amadeus.

Your father wants me to take care of you.. Please, forgive me. Please give me a chance..
Please. " Nilamon ng pagtataka ang binata.
Una ay hindi nya alam na sangkot pala ang kanyang kapamilya sa gulo ni Sinclair.
Pangalawa ay hindi nga rin alam na ang pinakamamahal at tinuri nyang ama ay kumitil na ng buhay.

There's a lot of questions to ask.

But first question that popped to his mind was..

"Who the heck is Ms.Valentine?"

.

(A/N: Her name speaks her birthday.. Sorry for the super late update.. I kind of failed again lol. I thought I'm gonna be able to publish the whole thing by December tho..
This chapter has edits..

Belated Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to y'all!)