With nobody else to lose, the 26-year old presidential daughter Margot Villaroel had a brilliant plan of taking her father down at the expense of her life - a perfectly polished plan to be executed on her father's day of presidential oath-taking. As...
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Nagkatinginan kami niTony. His jaw clenched as he gripped his shotgun. It was a little too late for us to turn back as one of them had already begun approaching us, walking towards our direction. Napalunok ako. I checked my gun.
It should be enough to take them down with all the bullets that I had. Killing them was attainable... but I just couldn't tell if I was willing to do it in front of Tony. He gazed at me, reassurance all over his eyes; I could practically hear him soothing me by saying that things would be alright.
One of the men held the truck at gunpoint. Ihinanda ko ang aking baril at inasahan ang pagkalampag ng isang bandido sa aming truck. I shut my eyes closed, tightly. Napahilot ako sa sintido ko.
I needed a goddamn break.
"Checkpoint lang," ani isang lalaki at inutusan kaming buksan ang pinto ng truck. Pinilit kong itago ang aking mukha mula sa kanya. He inspected us.
Tony acted like it was nothing. "We're just heading back to our shelter," Tony said.
I badly wanted to scoff at the 'checkpoint'.
"Boss, clear," ani noong lalaki. Maging ang compartment sa likuran ay sinuyod din ng ilang tauhan saka ito sinarado.
"Clear?" a man in his late forties queried.
Tumango 'yong nag-check sa amin ni Tony. My heart was racing as the older man sauntered towards us. Tinitigan niya kami. Bagaman nasa kalsada ang aking titig ay ramdam ko ang kanyang paninigurado na hindi ako ang kanilang hinahanap.
"Clear nga," ngumisi ito. Just when I thought we were finally safe, the man pointed a gun to my head. "Baba," utos nito.
God... the word 'clear' was just a facade to make me let my guard down. Being caught off-guard, I couldn't do anything but hop out of the truck, my hands behind my head. At least four gunmen have their guns pointed at me. They did not bother doing the same to Tony but they confiscated his shotgun.
One of the men approached Tony, urging him to go out of the truck. My heart raced as he abided by their orders. He was several meters away from me. Imbis na makahinga nang maluwag dahil nabawasan ang baril na nakatutok sa akin, mas lalo lang itong lumala dahil lumipat siya kay Tony.
"Kapag sumama ka sa amin, walang masasaktan," pananakot nito. Pinaluhod nila ako sa gitna ng kalsada habang nakataas ang aking mga kamay.
"Pakisuko ng baril," ani isang tauhan. I glanced at the road... if we drove straight ahead past their direction, masisira din ang gulong ng aming truck. They set up tires shredder.
The man they were calling 'boss' radioed their other companions, confirming that they were able to hold me captive along with Tony which they referred to as accomplice A. Kinalabit ako ng isang lalaki gamit ang isang rifle. "Bilisan mo," paalala nito sa akin. Dahan-dahan kong binunot ang aking baril.
