Inexorable Encounter

Chapter 22

My eyes widened at shock because of my dream. I roamed my eyes when I realized that I’m not in my car anymore while I’m catching my breath. I was calming myself from a nightmare. I am not in my place to be defeated by my weakness. I silently stood up and put my hand on the wall to support myself.

This is a room filled with many box. I didn’t bother to know what’s inside because I was busy on thinking about this danger. The doesn’t smell but it wasn’t wide also. Yet because of unfamiliarity, it never calmed me. The place doesn’t calm my system. Even when I’m alone.

I sighed. I was thankful when I noticed that I’m still fully clothed. I’m still wearing my overcoat. Even my heels. But my clutch is nowhere to found. Either it was left on the car or they got it.

I was waiting for someone to pick me up in this room and it took so long before someone entered the room. A familiar scene flashed on my mind when I saw an unknown man looked at me with excitement. All the ways I tried to calm myself a while ago was now useless as I felt my nerves trembling to the scenario. I flinched when he touched my arms.

“Don’t touch me,” I warned him but he just smirked.

“Aarte tayo, Belle Ivory. Aarte ka lang, huwag mo na kami pahirapan pa.”

I started to act violently when he dragged me out of the room. “Let go!” I tried to pull myself but his hands was firm on my arms. “Don’t touch me!”

“English-era talaga mga Torres,” he commented.

A lot of men greeted me before they made me sit in the middle of the place. There were drums around, some boxes and a few men on each corner. The same eerie from the past. The same scenario on one of my projects, but in other way around, I was the hostage this time, not the hostage taker.

“What do you need?!” I shout at their boss face when he faced me.

They laughed and their boss shook their head. “Hindi na kita itatali, Belle Ivory, tutal wala ka pa rin namang kawala kahit tumakas ka.”

“And who says I’ll waste my time to escape? I’m not fool, you know.”

“Hindi ko trip salitaan nito.” He even shook his head.

“O baka hindi mo maintindihan, boss?” the one who dragged me asked and all of them laughed at him but stopped when their boss looked around.

“Bumalik na lang tayo sa pakay namin,” he said instead and smirked. “Kailangan namin ng kaunting arte mo.”

“I’m not working without fee, Mister. I am Belle Ivory, my service is not free.”

Again, their boss laughed and he was pissed. He almost hit the chair I was sitting on but the man beside him stopped him and whispered on his ear.

“Wala nga namang libre sa mundo,” he said and shook his head. I laughed as I shook my head. They all looked at me curiously but I continued as I realized that the man translated it to their boss. The real thing—deep inside, my fear was consuming me. Terror wasn’t visible, yet it was horrifying. He kicked the side of my chair, making sure that it won’t touch me. “At ano’ng tinatawa mo, Torres?”

“Can you give me someone who can understand my whims, not a man who needed a translator,” I suggested. “The sight was pain in the ass.” And like earlier, the guy whispered on him. Piss was already visible.

“Kunin niyo na ang camera nang makapagsimula na, naiinis na ako ng babaeng ‘to.” I chuckled and I’m confused at the same time but it was killed when he filled my curiosity. “Kailangan natin ng arte mo, Belle Ivory. Kailangan ko lang ng ipapasa sa kapatid mong pakielamero.”

My brows rose. “What do you need from Leon?”

He smirked. “Bastos kang kapatid ka.”

“Unlike you, criminals.”

He smirked even more. He didn’t continued talking when we heard footsteps. I was about to feel safe when I saw men with their police uniforms showed up, looking at me like a prey. I gritted my teeth at the sight. The police officer in the front was also smirking and he’s quite familiar.

“Tapos na sa arte?” he asked. My fists were hurting me as I clenched my hands more. This guy. How dare him faced me again.

“Ayaw pa nga, ini-ingles pa ako,” the boss answered him.

The police officer laughed. His colleagues spread out and guarded the whole place. “Ang sabihin mo, hindi mo lang naiintindihan. Tanga!” Some of them laughed. His eyes darted at me. “Ano bang sinasabi?”

The guy earlier answered. “Hindi raw libre ang arte niya.”

The side of his lips rose up, making me raised my brow. “Who’s working for free, anyway?” I asked him. “All of you are doing this for money, right?” I swallowed. “Like what you want from the past.”

He was chuckling as he went near me and nodding. “Naaalala mo ako,” he stated. “Sharp mind.”

“Don’t be flatter.” I smirked. “I just recognized those scars on your elbow.” He looked at his elbow and tilted his head to look at me.

“Kapatid mo talaga, matagal nang sagabal sa mga plano.” I didn’t comment. “Cooperate ka sa amin, babaeng Torres,” he said with a warning tone and he asked the man who’s holding the camera to set up. “Kailangan lang namin ibigay sa kapatid mo ang kopya para naman magmadali sa pangingielam dito.”

“Don’t think me as a fool, dirty policeman,” I emphasized my newly born nickname for him. “Leon cannot be tamed just because of a mere video.”

“Nakalimutan mo na ata ang nangyari noon, Torres.” My teeth greeted. “Kung paano halughugin ng mag-amang Torres ang lahat ng hideout namin at inubos ang mga tao ko dahil nawawala ang batang Torres na sumama sa nobyo niya?”

“How dare you made up stories?” I tried to stand up but the men bedside me pushed me. I glared at them. “Don’t touch me with you filthy hands.”

The policeman laughed. “Masakit ba maalala?” he asked amusingly. “Ang babaeng Torres, sumama sa kaniyang nobyo—”

“Shut up!” I was already standing trying to attack him but this men were carelessly stopping me. “Let go!” Then I pointed at him. “You shut up!”

“Ang nobyo niya na ginamit siya—”

“Shut the hell up!” I tried to kick him but he just laughed and continued.

“Ginamit lang siya para mapaikot—”

“Damn! Shut up! What the hell!”

They stopped when I kicked the stand of the camera. I was catching my breath when they made me sit and didn’t let go of my arms. The policeman went near me as they checked the camera. A loud sounds of an interaction of his palm on my cheeks—in a quiet place—echoed. It was a hard slap that made my head turned on the right side. I gritted my teeth and felt the hotness of my eyes, and my left cheek.

The boss cursed the policeman. “Bawal saktan. Mahigpit na utos ng babae ng boss.”

“Tangina. Iniinis ako eh.” Then his sharp eyes looked at him. “Hindi mo ba alam kung magkano ang camera’ng sinira mo?”

“I will buy you one when I’m free again,” I muttered with gritting teeth and burning eyes. “Don’t make me see you after this, idiot,” I warned him, “I’ll make sure you will be on top. Higher than your position. Higher than me, in a span of time.”

“Kayang-kaya ko rin kayo pasikatin, mga Torres. Lalong-lalo na ang kapatid mong pakielamero. Sagabal kayong mga Torres sa mga transaction namin. At ito?” He shook his head. “Mali ka, hindi ito para sa pera.” He hissed. “Paghihiganti ‘to para sa mga kasamahan naming namatay dahil sa kapatid mo at sa lintik na kasama niya.”

“My brother will not kill anyone—”

“Na ginawa niya—”

“—unless you’re not a good person,” I continued emphatically. “So the mayor has a mistress?” I asked and smirked. “Tell me the name so I can thanked her after this but tell her that one of her men dared to hate me.”

He gritted his teeth. “Naiinis ako sa lakas ng loob mo.” I smiled sweetly. “Nakakainis!” he shouted. “Ang lakas ng loob magtapang-tapangan ng mga Torres!” I rolled my eyes. “Ang sarap niyong ubusin, alam niyo ba ‘yon?”

“It’s not our time yet. Even before.” I shook my head. “Even now.” I raised my brow. “Maybe it’s your time for the mean time. What do you think?”

He smirked. “Imposible.”

“Back out now and free me,” I ordered him. “Leon will never get me today because your fake camera was now broken.” I grinned. “Better luck next time.”

“Puwede ang cellphone, tanga.”

I laughed. “Don’t underestimate my brother, Police officer. He’s not useless unlike you. He will know that I’m missing. You got me alone. Not with my driver who’s I’m sure already reported my brother what happened.” I smirked. “What do you think will happen if he find me?”

He blew out an air and ordered his men to guard well. He hold my jaw and moved away but still, he caught my hair and pulled it. I screamed in pain to think that my scalp is being pulled this time. “Mas maganda. Mas madali ang transaction. Mas mabilis matatapos. Mas mabilis silang matatapos.”

I equaled his dangerous look. He smirked before tapping my cheeks, more like slapping it slightly. “Ipapanood ko sa’yo, kung gaano sila kawalang hiya.”

“Ikaw ang walang hiya!” I stepped on his shoes making him growled in pain. “Don’t call my brother the title that it should be yours. Kayo ang walang hiya! You are criminals! Idiots!” Their boss slapped me this time so I glared at him. “I will go back to you if I escape. How dare you slap my face?! How dare you to hurt me?!”

“Aba—”

“Subukan mo!” A new voice echoed in the place. The filthy hand of that boss hanged in the air as he looked at the owner of the voice. I dramatically sighed. “Just try to let your dirty hands touch her face, hindi ka sisikatan ng araw.” His voice was filled with authority. I was forced to stand up and looked at the chaos in the back. The door was now opened and the people who were guarding that corner walked backwards as Leon and his men entered.

I bit my lips when my tears escape as I saw my chance. I lowered my eyes and breathed heavily. My knees weakened so the two hold me tightly. They were forcing me to stand up straight but I felt their grip weakened too.

“If I saw her face reddened, I’ll torture you all.”

“Tangina. Ingles na naman,” the boss whispered. He ordered the men who’s holding me to be cautious.

“Hindi mo kasama ang kanang kamay mo?” the policeman asked, gone with the pain I’ve caused him. He smirked as if he was satisfied but it faded when someone behind us spoke.

“Miss mo ‘ko?” A familiar voice this time asked. I looked at our back and searched for him but without wasting time, I immediately saw him with a bunch of men behind him. A big stone was on his hand while he was looking at the police. “Sawang-sawa na ako sa mukha mo. Bakit mo ako hinahanap?” The tone was normal but it was different from how he talked to me.

“Nagsalita ka,” the boss uttered with amusement.

“Para naman marinig niyo ang boses ko bago kayo mawala.”

My eyes widened when I watched him suddenly throw the stone on my direction. I closed my eyes but I didn’t feel anything but a hand on my right arm loosened. I opened my eyes and the guy’s body arched and he cursed. They started attacking each other so I stepped the tip of my heels to the shoes of another and made sure that it was hard. He grunted and hold his foot so I ran away but one of their guys blocked me. I was about to do the same thing but one of Leon’s men came and pushed the guy so I continued going to the room where they brought me earlier.

I covered my face and sat down as soon as I closed the door. The lock was broken and it’s useless to hide here but I can’t watched them attack one and another. My trembling body and nerves didn’t help me to keep calm. I hugged my knees and put my forehead on them. The thought of Leon and long hair together also confused me. The past was recovering for the nth time. I’m baffled with a lot of emotions. My mind was also in a mess. Just like them outside.

I cried when someone tried to opened the door so I stood up and stopped him. But because of my weak state. The door opened, making me lose my balance and it threw me. I shook my head when I saw the police with wounds on his face grinned and smiled wickedly. I crawled backwards but he kept on coming until I felt the boxes on my back.

“Tara na kasi!” He dragged my arm and forced me to get out. I kept on fighting but he’s still strong. The moment we stepped outside, Leon and long hair greeted us with their dangerous eyes. I’ve saw it a few times already but it always sent shiver to my spine.

“Patakasin niyo ako!” the policeman ordered and he’s hands went on my head and pulled my hair. I cried in pain. I didn’t dared to move because it will hurt more.

“Bitawan mo siya,” long hair commanded. It was full of authority, just like Leon a while ago .

My mind was not helping me. A memory of my past, my hair being pulled waiting to exchange for money, flashed suddenly. The memory was sucking my strength. It’s getting my sanity. My knees weakened and my eyes were dropping. I heard them calling me but I can’t respond. I was short of breath and struggling.

“Belle! Wake up! Belle!” I looked everywhere. It was blurry. I felt like I was daydreaming. That I was back to the time I was kidnapped. “Belle!” I saw Dad and Leon. Their eyes turned dark. They were mad. Of me. Of those people. Of the situation. Of everything. “Belle Ivory!” That bastard face showed up. He has the smirked on his face. “Damn it, Belle! Come to your senses!” Another face showed up. His eyes were red. The drugs had taken his consciousness.

“Belle?” My head turned to his direction involuntarily. Another person flashed on my mind. “Umayos ka, please…” My brows creased as I saw his face. A real one and his concern eyes welcomed me. His long hair got me. The blurry vision is getting clearer. My body is overcoming. I can feel my state is getting normal.

“Ganito pala ang impact sa babaeng Torres sa nangyari noon.”

“Shut up, you dimwit!”

“Masakit bang magamit ng taong pinagkatiwalaan mo?” I looked at him and his smirk was visible.

“Tumahimik ka!” I looked at Leon and he’s mad. “Belle, listen up. You need to run.” My brows creased. I can’t utter a word. How?

The policeman laughed and pulled my hair harder. I closed my eyes and cried. Leon and long hair cursed him to death but before they moved, I took a deep breath before I stepped my heels and pressed it harder. It was his time to groan. My hair loses his hand so I kick his knee and pushed him before I ran.

“Shit!” A loud sounds of gunshot made me stopped and covered my eyes. “Run!” And another shot, but I tried to run again. I saw long hair came to me. He hugged me and switched our place then a gunshot was heard again, and again.

“You are safe now, Belle,” long hair told me with low voice. “Okay na, you did well.” I nodded as I felt my tears falling. He smiled at me. I stiffened when I felt something on his body. My forehead furrowed and looked at my hand. My eyes widened and turned my eyes to him. My lips shivered as my body trembled.

“Belle!”

I faced Leon and showed my hands. “Leon….” And before I tell him my whims and request, my conscious was gone already.