No Time to Die

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Missing

I had a deep sleep that night. Nang magising kinaumagahan ay agad kong namataan ang mariing titig ni Aiden sa akin. He's on my couch staring intently at me. Why is he in my room again?

"What's your problem?" I asked and then cleared my throat after. Bumangon ako at tiningnan ang bandage sa braso. Ako na lang ang magpapalit nito dahil mukhang masama ang gising ni Aiden. I don't want to be at the receiving end of his bad mood. I have enough problems already.

"You were talking in your sleep."

"I was? What did I say?"

I hope it's decent and not embarrassing.

"You were desperately calling for your dead brother," he said with emphasis on the word desperate.

"Traumas of the past," I replied and shrugged.

Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na may nagreklamo dahil nagsasalita ako habang tulog. Back in Chicago, when Natalia used to sleep in my room, she often leaves in the middle of the night because I always ended up talking about the horrors of my past while asleep.

I don't find it odd. Maybe it's my body and mind's response to dealing with the loss. Maybe I'm never over the death of my parents and my brother. Maybe I never will be. There are some things you can't move past. Some traumas you'll never fully get over with... Or if you do, only because it became a part of who you are and it just became normal.

"Nagising ka ba dahil doon?"

"Look at your hands," utos niya imbes na sagutin ang tanong ko.

I did what he said and examined my hands. My palms are full of red marks, probably because I dug my nails into it too hard.

I was fisting my hands while asleep? That's a discovery.

"Are you okay?"

Inangat ko ang tingin ko kay Aiden. He looks worried now. Is that normal for him?

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'll dress your wound," aniya at kinuha na ang mga gagamitin niya na nakaayos na sa table. Hindi na ako nagprotesta pa.

Tapos na si Aiden sa paglalagay ng bandage nang may kumatok sa pinto ng kwarto ko. Tatayo pa lang ako para buksan iyon pero naunahan na niya ako. It was Akari who knocked. The weird stares I got from her is making me yet again uncomfortable.

"Hey. Have you seen Colton? Helena paged him," she said. Pumasok na siya at dumiretso sa tabi ko. Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang braso ko at ngumiti nang lumingon kay Aiden pagkatapos.

"He was in his laboratory last night. Maybe he's still there now," sagot ni Aiden.

"Huh? Colton's not there. Pumunta ako. Walang sumasagot. I also went to his room. Same thing."

"Maybe he's outside Empire," I said even if that's a bit impossible. Colton rarely goes out ever since Greg lamely kidnapped us. He said he wanted to be careful so he stays in most of the time.

"Empire logs show he hasn't gone out for days. He's just here. Hindi ko lang mahanap."

"I'll go check in his lab. Baka ayaw kang papasukin," sabi ko nang maalala na ako lang ang iniimbitahan ni Colton na pumasok doon.

"Right. Thanks, Nyssa."

I nodded at her. Hindi na siya nagtagal at umalis na rin.

"Why would Helena page your brother? Colton did something wrong?" tanong ko kay Aiden.