C: 01

Chapter 1: Merciless.

GEMINI's:

"Sasabihin mo ba o ikukulong ulit kita?" Marahang tanong ko sa lalaking nasa harapan ko.

I'm holding a swiss knife while the guy in front of me was gulping and nervously sweating. I wonder why? Am I too terrifying? Do I even look like a monster or a creep?

"Who owned this and who ordered you to do this?" I asked him once again.

Mas lalo tuloy nanginig ang katawan niya't nanigas na parang bulateng binudburan ng asin. Damn, I didn't even move a nerve. Grabe naman ang takot ng lalaking 'to.

"I-I..." I heard him mumbled so I leaned closer to hear what he will say. "I-I am... I a-am just t-their pawn... I-I d-don't know them p-personally, p-please believe me..." he nervously muttered while breathing deeper as if I was choking him.

He can't fool me. Why would they send him if he didn't know them personally? Paano sila nag-uusap?

"How would I know if you're telling the truth? My gut feeling was telling me that something's off with you." Dinig kong saad ni Hector, my cousin.

The man I was holding turned his gaze on Hector who's leaning on the wall, probably resting. Tama naman siya, paano namin malalaman kung nagsasabi ba siya ng totoo?

I looked at the swiss knife, nanginginig na ang kamay ko. Gustong gusto ko nang itarak ang kutsilyo nito sa leeg ng lalaking hawak hawak ko ang kamay. Malay mo naman, tumakas siya.

Crest will chase him so I guess, it's a dead end for him.

"B-Believe m-me, please—AH!!!" Hindi ko na natiis, ginupit ko na lang ang balat niya sa pointing finger niya dahil sa inip. Pabitin.

"Gemi—" Bago pa maituloy ni Hector ang kaniyang sasabihin, pinutol ko na agad ito.

"Tell us, how do you and your organization communicate?" Walang emosyong tanong ko sa lalaking 'to.

Tumulo ang butil ng luha at pawis niya sa kaniyang mukha at napatingin sa dumurugong daliri. Hindi pa ba sapat yung isang gupit? Gusto niya pa bang madagdagan ang sakit na iniinda niya ngayon? Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nararamdaman niya pero mukhang masakit nga ang nagawa kong paggupit sa balat niya.

The man took a deep breath, he's trying to calm himself, refraining his self from crying. "T-Thru technology. N-Ni minsan, hindi ko p-pa nakakausap ang l-leader ng organization namin. Hindi k-ko nga alam k-kung lalaki ba o babae 'yun eh. P-Parang awa niyo na, maniwala k-kayo sa 'kin." Nahihirapang tugon niya at lumunok ng lumunok.

"And why is that? Bakit hindi mo alam kung lalaki o babae ang kausap mo? Paano ka naging member ng organization na 'yun kung hindi mo kilala ang master?" Hector asked, I'm also confused.

Paano'ng hindi niya kilala ang head? Eh member siya?

"H-He's using a v-voice changer. I-I don't know why b-but he's mysterious. O-Only his/her generals a-and underboss knew his/her t-true identity. A-And I-I am just their p-pawn." he replied.

Napatango-tango na lang ako't napaisip. The question is, who's the head of Devils' Paragon? Mysterious man, huh? He's a coward, trying to hide behind his associates.

After spreading lots of information, I shot him three times in his temple. I don't mind the evidence we left, at least we already shut the CCTV cameras down and we never left a fingerprint. I was using my black gloves, hindi ko rin naman iiwan ang swiss knife na hinawakan ko nang walang gloves dahil tanga na lang ang gagawa nun.

I'm a meticulous person but as a human, I also made a lot of mistakes.

"Did you get something from him? Make sure, you didn't leave your fingerprint in his body, Gem. Matinding problema ang maaabutan mo kapag nag-iwan ka ng ebidensya." Nag-aalalang wika ni Hector matapos kong barilin sa ulo ang lalaking nakuhanan namin ng impormasyon.

I really don't know what to do so I shot him. Hector is not bothered, sa fingerprint lang na maaaring makuha ng mga pulis kapag nakita ang bangkay niya. Tinapos ko na ang suicide note ng lalaking ito.

Paniguradong aakalain nilang suicide ang nangyari, ganyan ang mga pulis ngayon.

"They couldn't do anything about it, I used gloves." I smirked. "Where's Crest? I need him right now." Walang emosyong saad ko at sinubukang maglakad palabas.

But a hand on my wrist stopped me from walking. Napalingon agad ako kay Hector at nakita ko ang marahang pag-iling niya. I communicated with him telepathically. He gave me a shh-quiet-look so I shut my mouth.

Napatingin ang mga mata niya sa pintuan, kung saan nakapwesto sa harapan ko, at dahan dahan akong hinila pabalik. Nakarinig din ako ng mahihinang hakbang na nanggagaling sa labas.

Hector and I exchanged glances before touching our weapons. May kalaban. Nararamdaman ko na agad na mayroon silang M4A1 sa mga kamay nila. If they're not part of the Devils' Paragon Organization, I'm one hundred percent sure that they are the government's soldiers.

They are hunting us before at mukhang hina-hunting na naman kami.

"Quickly grab your pistol, I'm sure they are armed. I can hear them fixing their guns." bulong sa 'kin ni Hector at saka ikinasa ang kaniyang rifle. "Prepare yourself. In three... two... one..."

The door opened itself. 2 men entered our room, thank god I'm wearing a mask. Agad ko silang pinaputukan gamit ang pistol ko na may silencer. Two men down, sunod sunod pumasok ang ilan pa sa kanila kaya mabilis kaming tumakbo paalis sa kwartong 'yon.

"Just meet me in the headquarters! I'll distract them!" Hector pushed me away so I immediately run away.

May emergency exit naman sa condo na tinitirhan nitong lalaking pinatay namin kaya pabor sa 'kin ang lahat. Bago pa 'man ako makapasok sa emergency exit, pinindot ko muna ang fire alarm para maalarma't magkagulo ang lahat.

Matapos gawin 'yun ay dali-dali na akong bumaba sa emergency exit para magkunwaring hindi kasali sa nangyaring krimen. Sinamantala ko na ang pagkakataon para hubarin ang suot kong hoodie, thank god I wore my black big t-shirt as my inside clothes.

Tinanggal ko rin ang pants ko at bumungad ang leggings ko. Mabilis kong isinuot ang aking salamin kung saan nakaukit pa talaga ang pangalan ko. Inilugay ko rin ang aking buhok. I'm always like this when we were being chased. Humalo na rin ako sa mga tao.

"Hello, agent R! Nahanap mo na ba ang babae't lalaking nasa CCTV camera? This is Police Officer Carpien, over." saad ng isang police officer sa kaniyang walkie-talkie.

"Paki-describe ang hitsura niya, over." Malakas na rumesponde ang kausap niya na siyang ikinasiya ko.

"She's wearing a black mask, hoodie and pants." Inilibot ng officer ang paningin niya at tumama ito sa 'kin.

I acted normally, hindi 'man lang ako tinamaan ng kaba na siyang ikinainis ko. I should feel nervous but... why am I even laughing on my mind? I am the one they are talking and describing about, I should be alarmed.

But this is the best way to escape.

Hindi na ako magugulat kung haharangin niya ako. Did I get caught? The answer is no when he asks, "Hi, miss. May nakita ka bang babae't lalaking armado?" he asked me.

I innocently shook my head. "I was so shook that I didn't even care about what's happening around me anymore. I'm sorry, officer." Dumbass. I am the one you were looking for.

He smiled at me while shaking his head. "It's okay, miss. You can move out of this building, baka madamay ka pa." I nodded at him before I continue walking.

Nang makalabas ako, inilibot ko agad ang paningin ko para hanapin ang masasakyan ko. Nakita ko agad ang isang kulay itim na motor, nakaupo rito ang lalaking naka-itim na helmet. Paniguradong ito na 'yon.

Mabilis akong naglakad papalapit sa kaniya at mabilis na sumakay sa kaniyang likod. I tapped his shoulder to give him a sign. He didn't respond, which I found odd, before staring the engine of his motorcycle.

Nagulat ako nang paandarin niya ng sobrang bilis ang motor, hindi naman sa takot ako o hindi sanay, masyado lang kasing mabilis ang motor niya kaysa sa motor ng laging sundo ko.

Dito na nag-umpisa ang paghihinala ko. Am I in my own organization's member or... am I riding with an enemy? Ayan lang ang tumatakbo sa isip ko sa nagdaang oras.

My eyes popped open when I saw the abandoned building a few meters away from us. So, he's not an enemy? He's an ally. He stopped in front of the gate, putting his feet on the ground to support the weight of his motorcycle.

Nauna akong bumaba at hinintay siyang tanggalin ang helmet niya. I'm not yet sure if he's an ally... or an enemy. My gut feeling was telling me that there's much more interesting about him.

"Please show me your face. I need to check if you are an ally or an enemy." I emotionlessly spoke.

Akala ko, hindi niya ibababa ang helmet niya. But he did it. He put his helmet down before fixing his messy hair. Itinagilid ko ang ulo ko nang makita ang mga mata niya.

A brown pair of eyes were staring at mine. Hindi siya pamilyar, kaya pala nagtaka ako kung bakit parang lumaki ang katawan ng sundo ko. He's not my driver, I don't know him.

"We finally meet." Nginisian ako ng lalaking nasa harapan ko. "I'm pleased to meet you, Leah." he uttered.

Kumunot ang noo ko pero pinanatili ko ang reaksyon ng mukha ko. Seriously? We 'finally' meet? Wala naman akong naaalalang may imi-meet akong ganitong klase ng tao?

"Pardon?" I asked him, confused.

"I finally meet you, Gemini Leah Pelatrosa." Naramdaman ko ang mabilis na pagkilos ng mga kamay ko.

Sa isang kisap ng aking mga mata, nakatutok na ang baril ko sa kaniya. That name was cursed. It's a poison. Hindi nararapat sabihin, lalo na sa harap ng mismong may-ari.

"Who gave you the permission to call me by that name?" I irritatedly asked him.

Ang nakakainis pa, pa-ngisi ngisi lang siya na parang katatawanan lamang ang lahat ng ito. Trust me, he's getting into my nerves.

"I guess, you two finally meet." Hinarap ko agad ang pinanggalingan ng boses na 'yun.

I tsked when I saw the figure of Geraldo Pelatrosa, walking towards us together with his associates, soldiers and underboss. Kumikinang ang ginto nitong ngipin habang papalapit ito sa amin.

"Leah," My father called me so I immediately kneeled down. Yumuko rin ako upang magbigay galang.

"I came back alive, father. Mission complete." He's the boss of our mafia organization, Crystal Afreets'.

I called him father, I was born to obey him and I was born to prey on him. I have no memories about my childhood, especially about my parents. But I'm sure, Geraldo Pelatrosa is not my biological father.

First of all, we have different features. Second, the blood going through my veins didn't connect nor correspond the same blood running through his veins. And lastly, he told me that I was just adopted.

See how heartless he might be?

"Good. Stand up and greet Nathaniel." Malamig na saad nito kaya tumango ako't tumayo.

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang Nathaniel na tinutukoy niya pero mukhang itong lalaking nasa tabi ko ang tinutukoy niya. I took a glance beside me.

"It's nice t-to meet you too, Nathaniel." Magalang kong bati at nag-bow ng kaunti sa kaniya.

He smirked at me before giving me a simple nod. "The pleasure is mine."

"He will be your new partner in crimes, Gem." The underboss, Louie, said.

Agad na nagsalubong ang kilay ko at mabilis na napaharap sa kanilang dalawa ni master Geraldo. I'm pretty sure it was all master's plan.

"How about Hector? I'm doing fine with him, he can control me. Why change instantly?" Sinubukan kong kontrolin ang boses ko pero ilang emosyon ang kumakawala rito. 

"Hector can't control your pertinacious behavior, Leah. Look at what you did to that man earlier. You entered his territory, together with your temerity, then you killed him." Napayuko ako at napakagat ng labi.

Sabi niya, saktan ko lang pala at takutin, hindi patayin.

"So here's Nathaniel, I'm four hundred fifty percent sure that he can handle you. You are merciless, Leah. It's time to show some concern nor mercy." My father tried to look innocent but he can't.

He's the worst person I've ever met. He's controlling my life, he's demanding a lot of work, and he's commanding me as if I am one of his associates. Yes, I'm merciless and reckless, but that's what a mafia boss's daughter should have, right?

"Like what I've said earlier, it's nice to finally meet you, Leah." An irritating voice coming from that Nathaniel made my left eye twitch.

Kailangan ko ba talagang palitan ang partner ko?

••

End of Chapter 1.