Conrad's POV

Pabalik-balik ang lakad ko at hindi na ako mapakali. I felt like my heart will explode anytime soon.

Fuck you, Cristobal! If you're going to hurt Candy, it will be the end of your life! Papatayin kita sa pinakamasakit na parusa na alam ko.

"Hijo, don't worrym, General Eziquel commanded all his men at their position, anak. Mahahanap din natin si Candy," sabay haplos ni Mommy sa balikat ko.

I have cancelled Drew's virtual appointment at the last minute because I wanted to fetch her. Pero nahuli pa rin ako ng iilang minuto.

When I rang her phone, she answered it, but her voice became weak and the phone cut off. Ang akala ko ay wala siyang signal kaya pinalampas ko pa ng iilang minuto ito at saka tinawagan siya ulit. . . but then, it was all unattended.

When I rang Steph, she was also waiting for Candy's arrival. Pero wala pa siya at sinabi rin niya na si Cristobal daw ang kasama niya at ihahatid siya. Doon na ako kinabahan at hinanap ko na agad sila.

I've called Linus Leone and asked him if he can trace Candy's location. Linus is a good cousin of mine and he belongs to the black night dragon. Legal at illegal ang pamamaraan niya at lahat ng ito ay nagagawa niya ng palihim dahil pinagserbisyohan niya ito noon pa. He can do everything in a discreet way.

"Bro, I could only trace her last location, and it was going down north. Just give me an hour, and I will see if I could trace the car serial number that she was in and see if I could get thru the satellite on that part," he said in the line.

"Thanks, bud. I'm counting on you."

"I've called Norman. He will be there in an hour. He can help you as he knows around down north part. And I have called Brigadier Gen Eziquel, bud. He instructed his men at all checkpoints. Ikakasa ko rin sa 'yo kapag na hack ko na ang sistema," pagpapatuloy niya.

Pinatay ko na ang tawag at tinawagan ko si Norman. He will be here in an hour with Hendrix. Hindi ko alam na nandito pala si Hendrix. Ang buong akala ko ay bumalik na siya sa bansa niya.

Nang makabalik ako sa hotel ni Xavion ay nakaupo silang lahat na naghihintay sa amin ni Candy. Tumayo pa ang kapatid niyang si Miguel at sumenyas lang ako. I told him that Cristobal abducted Candy and we are looking at their last location. Kagaya ko, namutla siya at nababahalang nakatitig sa ina niya.

He instructed Elmo to escort his Mom to a safe place to stay. Kaya nanatili muna sila sa Hotel ni Xavion ngayon. Mas mabuting hindi raw muna malaman ng ina ni Candy ang lahat, dahil makakasaman ito sa kanya ng husto.

Elmo seems worried while staring at me. Alam niya ang nangyayari. Pinauwi ko na muna sina Mama na kasama ang dalawang kapatid ko at tatlong gwardiya pa. Then Xavion came in and stared at me seriously.

"To the quarters," mahinang bulong niya at tumango na ako.

This hotel is luxurious and huge. But amidst all, it has the most secret weapon of Xavion's power. Xavion's looks might be deceiving because of his angelic face, but he's a one-hell-heartless, merciless Mondragon Prince. He was easy, down to earth, and got the most infectious smile, but behind that angelic face was the double X identity. Iyan ang tawag namin sa kanya, Xavion Xavier Mondragon, a.k.a double X.

Pangalawang beses pa lang akong nakapasok sa sekretong mundo niya. It was only me and Drew Mondragon knew this, and obviously the black dragon Linus Leone too. Silang dalawa lang naman ang sekretong gumawa ng basement quarter na ito.

"Is Linus in the line?" tigas na tugon ng boses niya.

"Yes, bro."

Hindi ko alam na ganito rin pala ang kalaran ng mundo niya at kagaya rin ni Linus.

Everything here works in the sensor, eye sensor, etc. Nang makapasok kami ay mas namangha ako. Everything here has improved to the next level. It is like I'm inside a movie about a secret agent and whatsoever!

Then my phone rang. It was Linus.

"Bro?"

"Xavion there? His signal is on."

"Oo, nandito sa tabi ko."

"Great. Tell him I'm connecting."

"He's connecting, Xav," tapik ko sa balikat niya at tumango lang siya at abala na ang mga kamay sa ginagawa niya.

And when he pressed the enter button, the face of Linus showed up in thin air.

"Fuck, bro!" ngiti niya. "Long time no see, Conve, but the hell!" mura niya.

"Su'p, Leone?" si Xavion sa kanya.

"Still alive, reaper. Damn!" He shook his head and laughed.

Hindi ko naman maibigay ang ngiti ko dahil sa pag-aalala ko ngayon. Natahimik sila at nakatingin na sa akin.

"I got them, bro," si Linus.

"In Zamboanga, bro. And if I'm not mistaken, he was probably planning to escape from the country down at the very bottom. I have given my details to the General. I have a bad feeling about this. But I'll keep an eye on their location, bro."

Damn it! Ang bilis naman niyang nakalayo. Impossible naman kung walang tumulong sa kanya.

"I did some research and found out about Cristobal's details," pagpatuloy niya.

Lumabas agad ang lahat ng detalye tungkol kay Cristobal. Aside him being a professor he silently worked in Malaysia under the illegal laboratory of making weapons of mass distraction five years ago. May koneksyon siya sa illegal na mundo. Pero mas natulala ako nang mabasa ang pangalan ng nag-iisang kapatid niya, si Benjie Del Rosario.

Fuck, damn it!

I remembered him. He was the one secretly stalking Candy when we were in high school.

Hindi ko siya gusto at nakikita ko siya sa bawat anino ni Candy sa likod niya. Pero hindi naman nahahalata ni Candy ito.

I find him weird, so I have kept an eye on Candy. I was in the fourth year, and Candy was in the first year then. I wasn't comfortable with Benjie, so I confronted him and threatened him. I wanted him to be away from Candy as he acted weird around her.

Honestly, part of me was jealous, but the most significant factor was the worries. And then, one day, I heard that he had passed away, and I soon found out he had committed suicide. But there was a fault play on his death.

Hindi ko masasabi kung talagang suicide siya, dahil may sakit din kasi siya at natagpuan na lang siyang walang buhay sa kwarto niya. And who knows what happened.

But the hell! Napakuyom-kamao na ako nang mabasa ito. Naguumaapaw ang galit ko. Kung mahuhuli ko man buhay si Cristobal, ay tiyak mapapatay ko siya ng tudo.

"Are you okay, bud?" tapik balikat ni Xavion sa akin.

"No, I'm not, and I want to go to Zamboanga right now."

Natahimik si Xavion na nakatitig sa akin. Alam kong nag-iisip siya.

"I will get Norman. Enzo may still be in Zamboanga because of his medical mission.

Nabuhayan ako ng loob. Enzo Denver Mondragon is in Zamboanga? Damn ir! Mura ng isip ko habang nakatitig kay Xavion ngayon.

Umakyat na akong nauna at naiwan pa sina Xavion at Linus. Nag-uusap pa sila sa plano. I requested for Drew's private combat plane, and everything happened so fast like it was all given.

THE checkpoints down to Malaysia were alerted, the checkpoints and everything. Norman and Hendrix came flying with me down the north. Malapit lang naman, isang oras lang at narating din namin ito. It was already eight o'clock at night when we arrived. Then I got a phone call from Linus, telling me that Enzo was in the line too.

Nanginig na akong lalo at hindi na ako makapaghintay na makita si Candy. I don't care of I will be dead tomorrow as long as she will be save tonight and she will be alive.

"Enzo is in the border of Malaysia, down below, bro. It's actually dangerous, man. Pero mukhang malaki 'ata ang utang na loob niya sa 'yo, dahil hindi niya gagawin ito kung ibang tao, at kahit pa sa kapwa grupo natin," si Xavion. "Akala ko nasa Zamboanga siya, e kahapon pa pala siya umalis patawid ng Isla dahil sa medical mission niya," pagpatuloy niya.

"Tell him to be alive. Hindi pa ako tapos sa kanya."

Rinig ko pa ang bahagyang tawa niya sa kabilang linya at pinatay ko na. With their combat uniforms, Norman and Hendrix are ready to walk in separate ways. Pero bago paman makalayo si Norman ay nag combat salute muna siya kay General Eziquel.

Napaigting ang panga ko. Naalala ko lang kung sino si Norman noon. Damn it! I love my brothers.

Naging alerto na ang lahat at narinig ko na ang tawag na nagmula kay Hendrix... They've found them, near the borders.

Damn it! Nagmura na ang isip ko, at mabilis na humakbang patungo sa sasakyan.

I am coming, love. Hintayin mo ako.

.

C.M. LOUDEN