HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 35

ALTHEA'S POV

Dinala nila ako dito sa isang bodega. The place was dusty and smelled faintly of old wood and something metallic. Pagkatapos, tinali din nila ako dito sa upuan, using thick ropes. It was uncomfortable, but I made sure to observe everything around me.

"Bakit niyo po ba ginagawa ito?" Tanong ko, trying to sound genuinely curious rather than scared. Para saan ba? Ano bang mapapala nila sa akin, ng mga monkey na ito? I still couldn't grasp their motivation. Did they really think they could get away with this?

"Bata, 'wag kang maraming tanong. Naiinis na ko sa 'yo," said the driver from earlier, his voice gruff. So I just pouted, making sure they saw my annoyance.

Nakakainis na ba ako? Good. That was part of my plan. I need to make them underestimate me, and frustration usually works wonders.

They were playing something. I need to think about it. What could it be? My eyes scanned the area, trying to piece together clues from their movements and expressions. Hmm...

Aha! It's cards. Uncle Anthony mentioned it to me before. He told me how people who play cards often get too focused, making them less aware of their surroundings. Perfect.

"Do you all want to play hide-and-seek po?" I asked them, my voice innocent and sweet. They all looked at each other, these monkey things, probably wondering if I was serious.

"Mukhang maganda nga iyan," sagot ng isa sa kanila, the one with a missing front tooth. He seemed less sharp than the others, which was good for me.

"Pakawalan niyo po muna ako," nakangusong sabi ko, giving them my best puppy-dog eyes. I added a little wiggle to my tied wrists, just for show.

"Ano kami, tanga para pakawalan ka diyan? Hindi mo kami malilinlang, bata," napangiti ako sa sagot nung katabi ko sa van na mabaho ang hininga. He was still giving off that unpleasant odor. Lahat naman sila, actually. They all smelled like they hadn't showered in days.

"Napakataagal dumating ni Boss S," reklamo ng isa, checking his watch. Ang tagal nga ng boss nila. Gusto ko nang makita. Gwapo kaya, or maganda siya? My curiosity piqued. I wondered if they were just as unkempt as their subordinates.

But nothing can beat my Mom's beauty and my Dad's handsomeness, of course. My parents are the best-looking people in the world.

May lumapit sa akin, may dala siyang pagkain. It was a plate of what looked like rice and some kind of meat, along with a glass of water. "Sabi ni Boss, pakainin daw muna kita. Pagkatapos, ihanda na daw kita dahil paparating na siya," he said, placing the plate on a small, dirty table in front of me.

"How can I eat if my hands are tied po?" I asked, looking pointedly at my bound wrists. It was a simple, logical question that even a monkey should understand.

"Pwede ba? Bata lang naman ito, saka kakain lang. Pagkatapos, saka natin itali uli," sabi nitong nasa harap ko, arguing with the other guy. He seemed a little less cautious.

"Sige, sige," may sumagot, probably the one with the missing tooth again. Kaya napangiti ako ng lihim. Phase one complete.

Tinanggal niya ang tali ng kamay ko, saka binigay sa akin ang pagkain. My hands were free, for now. I rubbed my wrists, pretending they were sore, but secretly I was already formulating my next move.

I didn't want to eat it. Halata naman na may nilagay sila dito. Hindi pangkaraniwan ang kulay, texture, o hugis nito. Senyales na may mali na. My training with Uncle Adrian kicked in. He taught me to identify suspicious food and liquids. He said sometimes people try to poison or drug you.

Napatingin naman ako sa tubig. Nag-iiba ang temperatura nito, and there were particles or sediments in the water. Clearly not safe.

Napanguso ako dahil sinabi na sa akin ito ni Uncle Adrian. He taught me to be aware of even the slightest changes in my environment, especially when it comes to food and drink offered by strangers.

Binagsak ko ang baso, kaya nabasag ito ng malakas. Kumuha ako ng maliit na parte nito at saka ko tinago sa bulsa ko. Hindi naman nila mahahalata 'yan. It was a small, sharp shard, perfect for cutting ropes.

"Ano ba 'yan? Paglilinisin mo pa kami!" galit na sabi nung nagbigay sa akin ng pagkain. Maganda 'yon para mahirapan sila. They just created a distraction and provided me with a tool.

"Oh, sorry po. It just slipped out of my hand," I said, giving him my sweetest, most innocent smile. I hoped it looked convincing.

"Kumain ka na," he demanded, pushing the plate closer.

"I don't want to. My stomach suddenly started hurting. I can't eat po," dahilan ko. It wasn't entirely a lie; my stomach was churning with a mix of fear and excitement.

"Bata, kumain ka!" pagpipilitan nito sa akin. He was getting really impatient.

"Ayoko nga po," sabi ko. Ang kulit naman nitong monkey na ito! Hindi ba niya naiintindihan ang "no"?

"Ngumanga ka!" he growled, trying to force a spoonful of the suspicious food into my mouth. This monkey was so annoying. They should be at the zoo with their families.

"What are you doing? Don't force her," someone said from behind him. A new voice, deeper and more authoritative.

"Boss S!" nagulat itong monkey na ito, immediately backing away. Nagugulat pala ang mga monkey. I watched intently as a new figure emerged from the shadows.

"Tumabi ka," sabi ng boss nila, his voice cold and commanding. Saka siya nagpunta sa harapan ko.

Kaya pala, pangit din pala ang boss nila, kagaya nila. She was a woman, probably in her late thirties, with sharp features and a cruel glint in her eyes. Tinali na ulit ang kamay ko. Napanguso nanaman ako. Bakit palagi nilang tinatali ang kamay ko, e hindi naman ako tatakas? I just got them free! This was going to be repetitive.

Hinawakan niya ang mukha ko, her fingers digging slightly into my jaw. "Napakagandang bata," sabi niya sa akin, a strange mix of admiration and malice in her tone.

"Thanks po," sagot ko, trying to keep my expression neutral.

"Hindi ka ba natatakot sa 'kin?" Tanong nito, her eyes piercing into mine.

Ngumiti ako. "Sino ka po ba para katakutan?" Tanong ko, tilting my head slightly. Her grip on my chin tightened.

"Wala ka man lang reaction, hindi ka man lang ba nasasaktan?" Tanong niya, her voice laced with surprise, almost disappointment.

"What are you expecting? Should I thank you?" I asked with a confident smile, looking directly into her eyes. My heart was pounding, but I wouldn't let it show.

"Napakataapang mo. Velasquez ka nga. Kala ko ubos na ang Velasquez," sabi nito, a sneer forming on her lips.

"Siguro po dahil para po kasi kaming kuyog na kapag pinatay mo po ang isa, lalong dumadami," nakangisi kong sabi.

In the meantime, I started to untie myself using the broken glass from earlier, careful to keep my movements hidden from her view. My hands were small, and the rope was thick, but I was determined.

She stared at me, like she was examining me, trying to read my thoughts. I made sure she couldn't read any emotion from my face. My poker face was excellent, thanks to Uncle Alvin's training.

"Papipiliin kita, dear. Saan mo gustong mamatay?" Tanong nito, a cruel smile spreading across her face.

That's early. I thought I'd be eighteen before this happened. This was much sooner than I anticipated.

So this is the beginning. It means I'm going to play a game with death. Sounds fun. My adrenaline started to pump, making me feel strangely alive.

"Ano po ba ang pamimilian?" Tanong ko, playing along. I needed to buy more time.

"Tatlo lang. Masusunog ka sa apoy, ang una. Pangalawa, ipapatapon kita doon sa mga isda na 'yon," turo niya sa dulong bahagi ng bodega. There was a huge aquarium there, filled with piranhas, their sharp teeth glinting even from this distance.

"And the last one po?" Tanong ko, but lihim akong napangiti ng matanggal ko ang tali sa kamay ko. Almost there. One more tug.

"At ang huli ay..." Hindi niya natuloy ang sasabihin niya. Just as she was about to reveal the third option, I stood up swiftly. My ropes fell to the floor, forgotten. Saka ko kinuha ang baril na hawak ng nasa tabi ko. It was heavy, but I knew how to handle it.

Bago pa man nila ako matutukan ng baril, ay pinagbabaril ko ng mabilis ang lahat sila sa paa. Ganun din sa kamay. The sound of gunshots echoed through the bodega. Kaya nahulog ang mga baril na hawak nila, clattering on the concrete floor. They screamed in pain and surprise.

"B-Boss!" tawag nila sa boss nila, who was now staring at me, completely stunned. Tinutukan ko naman siya ng baril.

I smiled at her, a wide, innocent smile that probably looked terrifying coming from a child holding a gun. "Now it's my turn to give you a choice. How do you want to die?" I asked, mimicking her earlier tone.

Pinagpapawisan siya ng malakas. Bumabibilis ang paghinga niya at nag-iiba ang kulay ng balat niya, senyales na natatakot siya. Napanguso nanaman ako. Bakit ba sila natatakot sa akin? It was just a simple question.

"Hmm, chill ka lang po. 'Wag kang matakot," sabi ko sa kanya, trying to be reassuring.

"H-hindi a-ako natatakot, b-bata," nauutal na sabi niya. Kaya napangiti ako. Nagde-deny pa, hihi.

"Bata lang po ako, pero natatakot ka na po. Paano pa po kapag si Daddy na ang kaharap mo? Baka mahimatay ka na po," sabi ko, saka ako humagikgik. My laugh probably sounded a little maniacal to her.

We heard gunshots outside, much louder this time. Then the sound of heavy footsteps.

I smiled. They're here.

"Nandito na si Jaiden, damn it!" sabi nitong boss nila na 'to. Ang mga tauhan niyang mukhang monkey ay namimilipit pa rin sa sakit.

Masakit ba ang tama ng bala? Parang hindi naman, based on what Uncle Adrian taught me about pain tolerance.

"Hindi lang po si Daddy ang nandito. Nandito din po ata 'yung sinasabi nilang tatlong Hernandez," nakangiti kong sabi ko sa kanya, kaya namutla na siya ng husto. Her face went from pale to ghostly white.

"Sh*t! Sa Dark Phoenix pa lang, wala na tayong laban!" may nagsalita from her wounded men. I didn't know who it was, but he sounded utterly defeated.

Binaril ko ang mga kamay niya saka ang hita niya, just enough to make her immobile. Kaya napaupo siya ng bigla, groaning in pain.

Saktong pumasok si Daddy saka sila Uncle. Marami din silang kasama na naka-black, looking all cool and ready for action. It was like a movie scene, but I was actually in it.

Tumakbo ako papunta kay Daddy, dropping the gun on the floor. "Daddy!" sabi ko, and he immediately scooped me up into his strong arms.

"I miss you, Daddy!" sabi ko kay Daddy, hugging him tight.

"I miss you too, baby," sabi niya sa akin. Yumakap ako sa leeg ni Daddy. Nakangisi si Uncle Anthony, na parang proud na proud sa akin. Nakangiti naman si Uncle Alvin, looking relieved. Si Uncle Adrian ay seryoso lang, scanning the room for any remaining threats.

"Baby girl, okay ka lang?" Tanong sa akin ni Uncle Anthony, his voice filled with concern despite his grin.

"Yes, Uncle," sagot ko, giving him a quick smile.

"You did all this?" Daddy asked, his voice a low rumble, his eyes sweeping over the chaos I had caused. He wasn't angry, just... impressed.

"Yes, Daddy, I did. Are you mad?" I asked, my voice small but steady, bracing myself for a lecture.

"No, baby. Did they hurt you?" he asked, concern lacing his tone, his grip on me tightening.

"No, Daddy," I said, meeting his gaze. Hinawakan niya ang pisngi ko ng dahan-dahan, checking for any injuries.

"Eh bakit namumula ang baba mo?" Tanong ni Daddy, noticing the slight redness from where Boss S had grabbed me.

"Maybe an ant bit her," Uncle Anthony said, trying to diffuse the situation with a joke, making me pout. He really thought I was that fragile.

Pinalobo ko ang bibig ko ng lumapit si Daddy sa boss ng mga monkey, who was now whimpering on the floor.

"Daddy, 'wag mo pong dumihan ang kamay mo dahil lang sa kanya," mahinang sabi ko kay Daddy. He just ruffled my hair, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Yes, baby," Daddy said, giving me a knowing look. He understood.

"Take them all," Daddy ordered the men in black. They obeyed, moving with swift efficiency, securing the wounded kidnappers.

"Daddy, si Mommy po?" Tanong ko again, remembering my mother. I know she must be worried sick.

"She's at home," Uncle Anthony said, chuckling. "She's like a fierce lion when she's angry." Binatukan naman siya ni Uncle Alvin, but he just laughed it off.

I knew Mommy would be furious, but also incredibly relieved. I just hoped she wasn't too mad at me for running off. But hey, it was an adventure! And I got to use my training. That counts for something, right? I leaned my head against Daddy's shoulder, feeling completely safe now. This was way more exciting than hide-and-seek.