The Steal Game

Chapter Five: The Lost Prince of Casimir

-chapter five-
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TUMAAS ANG tensiyon sa loob ng bahay dahil sa sinabi ni Murphy. Tila ba may malamig na hanging dumaan para tumaas ang balahibo ng ibang tao roon.

Napangisi ako. "Talaga? So why am I still standing here, alive?"

Sa isang iglap ay nasa harap ko na ang lalaki. His treasured dagger pushed my chin up, with his face awfully close to mine. My smirk widened. Well, looked like he really improved. Mas mabilis na siya ngayon, ngunit 'di pa rin sapat para manalo sa'kin.

"What are you doing here, Vash?" he hissed.

"I need the boy you trapped and the watch you stole back."

Ilang sandal kaming naglabanan ng titig hanggang sa tumawa siya't kinuha ang kutsilyo sa leeg ko. I sighed, stretching my now aching neck. 'Langya nito, sumakit din leeg ko kakatingala. Sobra-sobra na kasi ang blessings ko at pinagkaitan na ako sa height.

Dahil maayos na akong nakatingin sa harap, doon ko lang napansin ang tatlong espada na nakatutok kay Murphy.

"Since when did you have knights protecting you, Vash?"

Inikot ko ang mata. "Don't get any ideas with your bad vision. Those are not knights, they're lost beggars."

Isang masamang tingin at siko ang natanggap ko kay Augustus. Tinapakan ko ang paa niya bilang sagot. Hindi ko pinansin ang mahinang daing niya dahil hello, in the first place, hindi kami close para siko-sikohin niya.

"A beggar, you say?" Murphy smirked, showing the watch. "What's a beggar doing with such a beautiful silver watch? From hating them, are you collecting rich heirs now, eh?"

"Collecting mo mukha mo." I sighed. "Sana nga totoo 'yan para naman magkapera na ako para mahampas 'to sa mukha mo. Anyway, hindi ako nagpunta rito para makipag-usap-"

"Hay, salamat naman. Akala ko mamatay na ako 'pag nakausap ka pa-"

I ignored him. "-I'm just here to take back the boy and that watch."

Another tensed pause.

We both stared each other down, our challenging stares never breaking off.

Until he answered, "No."

"Ulitin mo nga. Nabingi ako."

"Sabi ko, no."

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Tanga ka ba para humindi sa'kin?"

"Hindi tayo friends para mag-yes ako." Aniya 'saka tumalikod.

Napasinghal ako sa attitude ng pesteng bata na 'to. I'm not too fond of this situation. I hate dealing with criminals, most especially thieves, even if I bump with them daily. Thieves... are just the merkado versions of me – manipulative with pricey services, iyon nga lang mas magaling at maganda ako.

Kaya alam ko na sa mabagal niyang paglalakad at walang plano talagang pag-alis na may kondisyon ang demanda kong iyon.

"What do you need?" I asked.

I have an idea about what's running on his mind. He got that expensive watch from a group of people who wouldn't think twice about running after, and he's keeping Zorann hostage to rip them off. Classic criminal move that's getting dusty by the year.

However, that also means, that aside from that watch that he could sell and the price of a 'potential' knight, Murphy wants something more than money. Hindi naman kasi siya pwedeng maging gahaman masyado at wala siyang pagtataguan ng mga casimirs dito.