DARK GANG

Chapter 140: Affected

[AFFECTED]

KNOXX'S P. O. V

"JUST what the fuck did happen?!" Sigaw ko saka iritadong inalis sa ulo ko ang bandage. Hindi dapat mangyari ang nangyari kanina kung hindi niya ako inipit! Wala ito sa napag-usapan namin!

"I just help you," he replied calmly, his voice was irritatingly steady.

"Help?!" I shouted. 

*****

"I'm sorry. I failed you. I... I'm really sorry. But this... this isn't your fault. It's your father's. Not yours." His breath came in shaky gasps. I held his gaze, my eyes fierce but filled with a deep fear for him. For their safety. If only they knew what was at stake.

"Itong mga kaklase natin... what you did earlier... I'm sure they will l-let it slide, just be w-with us again, I will help you earn their trust again, just p-please umuwi ka na sa 'min..." His voice was trembling now, desperate, pleading with me.

"What are you talking about, Deth?!" Sigaw ni River. Damang-dama ko ang galit sa mga mata niya—nila. Naiintindihan ko kung saan sila nanggagaling. Hindi ko alam kung gaano katindi ang sinabi ni Panotchi para mailayo ang loob nila sa akin pero mukhang epektibo tapos nagpapanggap pa akong hindi sila naalala. Mabuti na lang mabilis ang naging pagkilos ko kanina nang malaman kong mga bata raw ang umaatake sa amin.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa baril ko. Humakbang palapit si Deth sa akin, nakatutok na sa ulo niya ang baril ko.

"Shoot him." Rinig kong utos ni Eagle mula sa earpiece na suot ko na nakapagpataas ng balahibo ko. "Hindi mo sila maco-convince kung ganiyan ka. Shoot him or else you'll lose all of them. Ako ang gagawa ng paraan para tuluyang lumayo sila sa'yo."

What the fuck is he saying?! I just wanted to push and scare them away, to make them believe I could kill them if I had to. But I wasn't going to do it!

Kumpleto sila maliban na lang kina Gab, Lucifer, at Denver na malamang ay nasa isla. Mukhang hindi napansin ng team ni Zai na usually mga marksman namin, na merong apat na nakatago sa kung saan.

I overheard Eagle speaking with Tito Ludi, ordering the snipers to target my classmates. Tito's the one in control of the marksmen, not Eagle. I could hear them arguing on the other end of the line—Tito didn't want to follow Eagle's command. He might not show it much, but I know Tito cares about me. He doesn't want me to witness the death of my classmates let alone kill them.

Deth wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Pero kapag itinuloy mo 'yang gagawin mo, I can't promise what the others will do to you. They might never forgive you."

God knows how much I wanted their forgiveness. But God also knows how much I wanted them to live. To enjoy the life I never had. So many people love them, and I couldn't bear the thought of their loved ones seeing them dead. That would be the death of me.

"Deth's right." Gavin said, his voice steady but his jaw clenched. "If you fire that gun, Knoxx... we'll forget we ever had a friend named Knoxx."

"Eagle, give me that!" Sigaw ni Tito. Shit! Eagle already grabbed Tito's phone!

"Shoot the—" Eagle's order was cut short as I pulled the trigger. I shot Deth, but I made damn sure it wouldn't be fatal. Just enough to convince them I could do it... just enough to shut Eagle's mouth and make them believe I'd forgotten everything we'd been through.