5

=Alexa’s POV=

I throw the cigar and lit another one while looking at the couple that walks around the pathway of this park. The boy keeps on following the girl while the girl looks irritated. It seemed that the boy did something to the girl the reason why he keeps bugging on her like she's apologizing. 

The guy's behavior caught my attention, the way how he pleased his girl makes me smile. 

Smile?

Then I sighed.

I want to have a normal life, I want to be with the man that I love. I risk everything to be with him. I surrender everything I have just to be with him, but, what he did to me?

He used me for his personal intention.

He betrayed me, he's an enemy that wants to overtake my position. He used my sadness to take my sympathy and be with me to take me down, and now, he succeeded. Because after what he did, I am a total failure and I don't how who I am and what I am.

He's my everything, My world. 

When he leaves, I am totally broken and I don't know how to stand.

My phone rang and saw Penelope call.

"Yes?" I said as I answer her call.

"You want me to shoot that couple out there? stop staring at that nonsense coz they can't help you." I looked around and saw her like one hundred meters away from me standing outside her car and lit a cigarette.

She really knows me.

She knows where to find me every time I'm gone.

I ended the call and put my mobile in the pocket and started to drive, way in her direction.

"Bar?" I asked when I reached her.

"I'll follow you," she answered so I continue. But before I left the area I give a last glance at the couple I saw earlier.

'Stop proving yourself to people who can't appreciate you.'

I said at the back of my mind as if the guy can hear me.

After all, I don't care for both of them. I just feel pity for the guy who keeps on proving him worth to the girl.

=Penelope's POV=

Naka-ubos na kami ng dalawang bote ng whiskey pero wala pa rin nalalasing sa amin. Mataas pareho ang alcohol tolerance namin kaya hindi kami agad-agad napapatumba sa inuman. Matira ang matibay kapag kaming dalawa ang magkasama.

Nakita ko na naman ang lungkot sa mata niya.

Fuck!

Ang hilig niya kasi pumunta sa mga lugar na nag-papa-alala sa kabaliwan niya tapos magluluksa na akala mo namatayan. Pati ako nai-inis sa sarili ko dahil hindi ko kayang alisin ang sakit na pinagdadaanan niya.

"Shit!" Napatingin ako sa kanya nang ibagsak niya ang baso na hawak. Mabuti na lang at nasa private room kami kaya hindi nakaka-agaw sa atensyon ng ibang customer.

"You're ok?" I asked.

'Sýempre Pen, hindi, malamang na-alala na naman niya ang tarantadong ýon.'

"I'm ok," sagot niya saka tumayo. "Banyo lang ako," [aalam niya sa akin. I counted one to ten before I followed her.

Nang makarating ako sa banyo ay ni-locked ko ang pintuan ng maindoor. Mukha naman walang ibang tao dito sa loob kaya tinungo ko na ang dulong cubicle. Narinig ko ang mahina niyang hikbi kaya agad kong itinulak ang pintuan. Nakayuko siya at uma-angat ang balikat tuwing napapahikbi.

Who said, we criminals don't have emotions and are heartless?

"It's ok, ako lang 'to," I said.

Mas lumakas ang yugyog ng balikat niya kahit mahina pa rin ang tunog ng pag-iyak niya. Kaya tumalikod ako para hindi na makita ang hitsura niya.

Fuck talaga!

My heart wants to explode in anger.

Wag lang talaga may mangulit na pumasok dito para mang-istorbo at hindi na talaga siya makakalabas ng buhay dito. 

"I'm done." Dinig kong sabi niya kahit medyo barado pa ang ilong. Tapos na siyang maglabas ng hinanakit kaya naman na-una na akong maglakad.

The purpose why I followed her in the comfort room is to give her privacy. At ayaw ko rin na may makakita na umiiyak siya kahit pa hindi niya kakilala. Kaya ko siya sinundan para masiguro na walang ibang tao doon.

"I'll wait for you outside," I said at nauna nang lumabas sa banyo.

Wag lang talaga mag-krus ang landas namin ng lalaking ýon sa tamang pagkakataon at ako mismo papatay sa kanya kahit pa sa harapan ni Alexa.

Alam ko na hindi maintindihan ng lahat kung bakit ganoon ako ka-loyal sa kanya, honestly, ako rin naman hindi ko alam kung bakit. Basta alam ko kahit anong mangyari ay papatay ako para kay Alexa. We do our tasks as a part of syndicate thats why we value our group. But not in Alexa's case, dahil kaya ko silang kalabanin lahat wag lang masaktan si Alex.

I let her failed once to learn from her mistakes, and it won't gonna happen again.

=Gabriella's POV=

"Yes dad-----sure dad------I'll tell her." I heard my twin Gabriel said before he ended the call and then look at me.

"Bakit naka-off ang cellphone mo?" tanong niya saka kinuha ang remote sa tv. Nandito ako sa condo niya kaya naman pinatay ko na ang selpon ko dahil ayaw kong ma-istorbo. Beside kung tungkol sa shadow ang pag-uusapan ay alam naman nila sino ang dapat tawagan.

"Why?" tanong ko.

"Dad call, and he said to inform the others that we have a meeting tomorrow, 11:00 am sharp, Shadow VIP building." Napataas naman ang kilay ko dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Who initiated the meeting?" 

"Master Lestrange, malamang, kaya nga sa Shadow building," sagot niya.

"May problema ba sa funds?" Umiling naman siya.

"Nah, nothing. Instead of asking me, why don't you open your phone and call them one by one." Utos niya sa akin.

"Tss!" yan lang nasagot ko. 

I am the messenger of the group, kung bakit naman kasi ang bobo ko sa academics lalo pagdating sa numero. Our parents are part of the syndicate and each member has the tasks. Since my father is the messenger of his generation, automatically I am the next one in my generation. My mom is one of the OIFs or officers in finance, that's why Gabriel is next to her since he's good in acad.

I took my phone and dialed Nathaniel Lewis's number, the hacker of the group, and inform him about the meeting.

Next, is John Paul Ross the bomb expert.

Then, Zion Smith, Hades Young, and Bethany King, their not related but the three of them are assassins and snipers, they're guns experts and they know all types of firearms and deadly weapons. Well, all of us know how to kill, but we do it if we needed, Kasi kung tungkol sa grupo na ang pag-uusapan ay silang tatlo na ang taga kilos para sa amin lahat. 

And as I said, kami ang kapalit ng parents namin sa aming henerasyon. 

"Hey, you forgot to call Penelope," Gabriel said.

"Do I need to inform her? She's close to Alexa kaya for sure she knew it already," sagot ko.

"That's not an excuse, what if hindi sila magkasama? Inform master Alexa also." 

"Tss!" Wala akong nagawa kundi ang sumunod, he's right, no excuse at kailangan pati sila i-inform kahit pa apo si Alexa ni Mr. Lestrange or should I say even Alexa is the heiress.

After ko makausap si Penelope ay sinabi niyang alam na tungkol sa meeting, she's with Alexa kaya alam na rin ni Alexa.

Penelope is Alexa's right hand, soul ang tawag sa position niya sa syndicate. Kung meron man pinagkakatiwalaan ng husto si Alexa ay si Pen iýon. Hindi naman kami nagseselos dahil alam din namin gaano kalalim na ang pinagsamahan nila maliban sa pagiging shadow.

Besides, kung may isang tao man na dapat sa posisyon bilang right hand ng heiress o right hand ng next leader ay si Pen iýon. Dahil si Pen ang pinakamagaling sa amin. Oh, and Hades also, since pareho din silang malapit kay Alexa.

Masakit man isipin but our ability and tactics are limited, unlike Pen na lahat ng kakayahan ay limitless with it comes to the group. She has all the information, malaking tao man o walang halaga. Isang tingin pa lang niya ay alam na niya kung threat ka o alliance ka, o simpleng wala kang kwenta.

Doon mahina si Alexa, ang kumilatis ng tao kaya sumimplang siya na naging dahilan ngayon ng dobleng sakit at parusang pinagdada-anan niya. Mas sinunod niya kasi ang puso niya kaysa pakinggan ang pa-alala ni Pen sa kanya. Ngayon, siya rin ang nagdusa. 

But everyone is still on her side, handa kaming lahat na magbuwis ng buhay para sa kanya. Not because it is our duty, but because every one of us owes our lives to her. Ilang beses na kaming nalagay sa panganib dahil sa mga misyon, local and international and Alexa was always there to backup us. I still remember that she put her life at risks nang saluhin niya ang lahat ng bala na dapat sana para kay Gabriel.

She's been in a coma for a month at akala ng lahat ay hindi na siya magigising. 

Ganoon nga siguro kapag hindi natatakot mamatay. Hindi rin natatakot sa kahit anong pwedeng mangyari. Everyone knows  na walang kinakatakutan si Alexa, maliban sa dalawang bagay. 

Ang mawala ang sa kanya ang posisyon na para sa kanya at ang magkita SILA ng gagong nanloko sa kanya at talunan siya.