CHAPTER THREE

-RYU FUJIRO STELLAN POV-

~•~

"So, that's what they did?" Azriel asked, his one eyebrow raised as he stirred his coffee.

Kasalukuyan akong nakasandal sa pader, my arms folded over my chest habang kinukwento ang nangyari sa akin, from how I shot someone up to the point I almost drowned and someone saved my ass.

"Yeah, I mean they're fucking nice. So…" I answered, cliff hanging him.

"So? You do know that our enemies will hunt that fucking ass of yours if they didn't find you in your usual hideout, kawawa ang mga matandang yun pag nadamay sila sa gulo mo." Sambit nito, pointing the teaspoon at me.

"Kaya nga umalis na agad ako eh, Kitto ano rōjin wa watashi o oitsumete, watashi o tatakinomeshite kurerudeshou." Kunot noo kong sagot rito.

"Ano?" Tanong nito na nakataas ang isang kilay. 

"I said, that old man will hunt me down and beat the shit out of me for sure." Sagot ko muli.

"Mabuti naman alam mo, kapag nadamay sila, hindi ako magdadalawang isip na ibigay ka duon." He answered as he lightly shook his head. "You've caused so much damage to the families-" Naputol ang sasabihin nito nang sumagot ako.

"Hey, hey. It wasn't my fault that they got killed, what am I supposed to do? Let my ass be beaten by the body guards of those stupid mother fuckers?" I asked sarcastically.

"Probably–and I will let them kill you. Para naman may hustisya ang pagkamatay ng mga nadamay sa gulo na sinasapit-" Naputol ang kanyang sasabihin nang hawakan ko ang kanyang leeg.

"You're overstepping your boundaries, Sikorsky." Giit ko, trying my best not to tighten the grip.

"Stellan, that's enough." Pareho kaming napalingon sa gawing pinto nang marinig namin ang pamilyar na boses na iyon.

"Ugh, what the fuck do you want old man?" I asked as I let Azriel go, my hands both in my pockets afterwards.

"Now, I didn't raise you to show me that kind of attitude, young man." He answered, his brows meeting together.

I groaned in annoyance. "Fine, 'Dad'. What do you want?" I asked again.

"I want you to meet up with this partner of mine, on the east coast of La Costa." He ordered and handed me an envelope. "Hindi ako makakapunta dahil marami rin akong ka-transaksyon." 

"What's in it for me?" Tanong ko at saka tiningnan ang laman ng envelope.

Wait a minute-

"Teka nga, pera ko to, ah." Giit ko, familiarising the rubber band that they used for the cash.

Nag angat ako ng tingin, mga kilay ko ay nakasalubong habang tinitingnan ko ito.

“How did you get this?” Tanong ko muli at saka pinakita iyon sa kanya.

"Ryu, pahiramin mo muna ako. Doble ang ibabalik ko sayo, wag kang mag-alala." Sagot nito sa akin ngunit hindi ako nasiyahan ruon.

"Heck no, 500,000 to. Kung doble ang ibabalik mo sa akin, 1,000,000 ang ineexpect ko na ibabalik mo." Sagot ko pabalik. "And obviously, hindi mo kayang ibalik yun ng doble." 

"Ryu Fujiro Stellan, I said what I said." Wika nito, his eyes meeting mine.

"You know what? Fuck it. Pahihiramin kita, pero sa oras na hindi mo dinoble ang balik mo sa akin, I wouldn't think twice on slitting your goddamn throat." Sagot ko bago umalis ng kwarto, bumping my shoulder on his.

Dang it…

~•~

"This is Code Black, where are you?" I asked through the walkie talkie.

"Code Black, this is Agrant Magenta. We are here near the coast of La Costa, over." He answered back.

"Agrant Magenta, reach out to Sergeant Red." Sagot ko pabalik as I looked out for any signs of hidden cams in the area that the old man told me where we should meet him.

The screws might be potential cameras…

I switched the mode into radio upang marinig ko kung ano ang pinagsasabi nila, checking if these bastards were going to follow my orders.

"This is  Agrant Magenta reaching out for Sergeant Red. Sergeant Red, your whereabouts are needed." Anito sa radyo.

"Agrant, this is Foul Panther relocating our position due to few people around." Kumunot ang noo ko nang marinig ko iyon.

Foul Panther?

Walang alinlangan kong pinalitan ang mode at nagsalita agad. "Agrant Magenta, this is Code Black. Relocate now. I repeat, relocate now." Saad ko.

"Code Black, this is Agrant Magenta following your request on relocating, over." Giit niya pabalik.

"This is Code Black, Sergeant Red, where are you?" I asked.

Nang wala akong makuhang sagot, nagtanong muli ako.

"Sergeant Red I repeat, where are you?" I asked again.

As soon as I said that, a notification quickly popped up on my phone. Causing me to look at it.

Azriel: Help.

"Shit." I mumbled to myself. "Agrant Magenta, we are in trouble. Back out now!" Sigaw ko sa radyo bago ako makarinig ng pagsabog sa labas ng warehouse na dapat naming lugar para sa meetup.

"Fuck!" Sigaw ko muli bago tumakbo patungo sa kabilang exit ng warehouse.

"This is Agrant Magenta, backing out now. Code Black, your whereabouts are needed." Anito sa radyo but I don't give a damn about it.

As I ran towards the other exit, another explosion was heard nearby causing me to sprint faster. 

"Fuck, this old man planned this shit." I mumbled to myself bago makarinig muli ng pagsabog, this time sa loob ng warehouse.

Binilisan ko pa lalo ang pagtakbo ngunit sa kasamaang palad ay umaapoy na ang kabilang exit ng warehouse, making me trapped inside of this goddamn place.

"This is Sergeant Red. Code Black, help is on the way." Anito sa radyo.

"This is Code Black, putanginamo." Sagot ko sa radyo habang tumitingin tingin sa paligid para sa posibleng daan palabas.

"Putang ina talaga." Giit ko muli, seeing an open window on the roof.

"Stellan!!" Naririnig kong sigaw ng mga ito mula sa kabilang parte ng warehouse.

Akmang sasagot na ako ngunit sa kasamaang palad, may naramdaman akong may tumama sa aking ulo. Causing me to hiss in the stinging pain before my vision went black.

~•~

As soon as I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the white background surrounding me, and curiosity was roaming around my mind.

Fuck… I ain't dead yet, right?

"Stellan." Napalingon ako sa may gawing kaliwa nang marinig ko ang pamilyar na boses na iyon.

"Where the fuck were you?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"Hinuli namin yung Foul Panther, pasensya na at hindi agad ako nakapagsalita nung oras na kailangan mo ako." Sagot nito bago magsalin ng tubig sa baso.

"Nasaan ako?" Tanong ko naman nang maramdaman kong masakit ang aking ulo.

"Sa hospital, your Dad had to take care of the transaction while you recover." Sagot niya bago ako tulungan umupo.

"Dapat lang." I answered plainly, receiving the glass that he was giving to me.

Walang alinlangan kong ininom iyon bago magsalita muli. "Who the fuck is Foul Panther?" I asked. "Bakit siya ang sumagot kay Gauche?" 

(A/Note: GOHSH ang pronunciation)

"Foul Panther is from a different crime family.” Sagot nito sa akin.

“What do you mean?” Tanong ko muli.

“He’s a spy and it just so happens he was there– in La Costa.”He answered, crossing his two arms over his chest.

"Sino siya? At saang pamilya siya naka destino?" Tanong ko muli.

He sighed. "Sa Xiu Family, and he looks a lot like you.”

"Looks a lot like me? You fucking serious?" I asked, at the same time he nodded.

"Tell me his name." I ordered.

“Kaji, at least that's what he told me.”He answered.

Kaji..

That fvcking bastard…