AMISELLE SERISE AVELLANO
"Ate Zamira, we can't do that!"
"That's the only way, Zaniya."
Napako ako sa kinatatayuan ko ng marinig ko ang boses ni Zamira at Zaniya. Nagtatalo sila.
"You can't risk your life, ate Zamira!"
"If I said run, run."
"Ate Zamira, don't do this!"
"Zaniya, listen to me. You need to stay alive--"
Hindi natuloy ang sasabihin ni Zamira ng malakas kong binuksan ang entrance door nitong hotel rooftop lounge. Nawala na ang takot na kanina ko pang nararamdaman ng marinig ko ang boses ni Zamira.
"Serise?!" gulat na tawag sa'kin ni Zamira.
I looked at them. Pumasok na rin sila Professor Vargaz at natigilan ng makita ang mga bomba na nakapalibot sa magkapatid pero tumigil na ang mga timer nito maliban sa isang nasa harapan nung dalawa.
12:16
May 12 minutes pa bago sumabog ang bomba.
"Zamira..." I called her.
Bakas sa mukha niya ang pagod, suot niya pa rin ang pangtulog na ka-partner ng pangtulog ko na.
Patakbo ko siyang nilapitan ay sabay naming sinalubong ang isa't-isa ng mahigpit na yakap. I'm crying.
"Zamira, let's go home." I said between my sobs.
Zamira nodded. "We're going home, baby." she said. She pulled herself slightly and kissed my forehead.
"Ate Zamira, the timer." sabay kaming lumingon ni Zamira sa sinabi ni Zaniya.
11:22
"What happened to the other bomb?" Professor Vargaz asked, lumapit na rin siya kay Zaniya ngayon, pareho nilang sinusuri ang bomba.
"Ate Zamira and I collected all the bombs here in the hotel. We stopped the timer pero itong isa, hindi na namin alam kung paano patigilin 'to. Hindi na naman naaral ito noong nakaalis kami sa mansio--"
"Zaniya." pigil ni Zamira sa kapatid niya kapag naman tiningnan ko si Zamira.
"That is a time-triggered explosive device with a fail-safe mechanism." Hira said kaya naman napatingin kaming lahat sa kaniya.
"Ate Hira!" ngiting tawag ni Zaniya ng makita si Hira. Nginitian lang siya ng isa at mas nag concentrate sa bomba.
"How do we stop this, Ate Zamira?" Zaniya asked her ate.
Tumayo si Zamira at lumapit sa bomba. Ngayon ay magkatabi silang dalawa ni Professor Vargaz.
"We don't have much time," Zamira said firmly. "We need to stop it. Now."
"We already tried ate, but—" Zaniya was cut off by the sound of the timer ticking louder, a cruel reminder of the limited time they had left.
"How do we stop it?" I asked, turning to Professor Vargaz, who was now crouched down, examining the bomb closely. Her calm demeanor was the only thing keeping me from completely losing control.
"There's only one way," Professor Vargaz said, her voice low and focused. "We need to cut the right wire, but the problem is, the bomb has a secondary trigger. If we cut the wrong one, it activates the others."
The tension in the air was palpable. I could feel my palms sweating, my breath quickening as I glanced between the bomb and the people I loved.
Hira was now kneeling beside Zaniya, her face tense with concentration. "Miss Vargaz, which wire?" she asked urgently, her eyes locked on the bomb's intricate wiring.
